TUESDAY 1ST MARCH 2022

Resilient Zenith Bank Beats Market Expectations with Double-digit Growth in Gross Earnings in 2021 Kayode Tokede

Zenith Bank Plc has announced an impressive result for the year ended December 31, 2021 as it recorded a double-digit growth of 10 per cent

in gross earnings which rose to N765.6 billion from N696.5 billion reported in the previous year.

This was despite a challenging macroeconomic environment aggravated by the coronavirus

(COVID-19) pandemic.

According to the bank's audited financial results for the 2021 financial year presented to the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX), the Group achieved 10 per cent year-on-year

(YoY) growth in gross earnings on the back of 23 per cent YoY growth in non-interest income from N251.7 billion to N309 billion and a two per cent YoY growth in interest income from N420.8 billion to

N427.6 billion.

Also, Zenith Bank’s profit before tax (PBT) grew by 10 per cent from N255.9 billion to N280.4 billion in the current year under review.

The increase in PBT was due to

growth in the bank’s top-line and very strong management of the treasury portfolio that increased efficiency, resulting in a drop in Continued on page 10

NNPC: Divesting IOCs from Nigeria's Upstream Sector Must Address Issues of Abandonment, Decommissioning of Oil Assets… Page 5 Tuesday 1 March, 2022 Vol 27. No 9821. Price: N250

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INEC Publishes Notice of Election for 2023

IPAC tasks electoral body, parties on adherence to electoral act Actionaid: New law will enable women, youth participation in politics Chuks Okocha, Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja and John Shiklam in Kaduna

L-R: Senior Advisor Global Affairs to H.R.H. Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, Minister of Energy, kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dr. Nasser A. Al-Dossary; CEO/GMD, NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari; General Manager for International Relations, RAED Althukair, and Group General Manager, NAPIMS, Mr. Bala Wunti at the opening ceremony of the Nigerian International Energy Summit 2022 in Abuja...yesterday

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially opened the political space for the 2023 general election after publishing Continued on page 10

US Cuts Off Russia's Central Bank from Dollar Transactions Warns Americans in Russia to leave immediately FG to Begin Airlifting Nigerians Trapped in Ukraine on Wednesday Switzerland to freeze Putin, others’ assets Russia faces financial meltdown, ruble crashes as penalties bites its economy FIFA, UEFA ban Russia Ukraine calls for 'immediate ceasefire' as talks with Russia open Michael Olugbode and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja Mary Nnah and Funmi Ogundare in Lagos with agency report TThe cost of the on-going war between Russia and Ukraine on the Russian economy is growing

by the day, as the country is increasingly being isolated. As part of the move to punish Russia for invading Ukraine, the United States yesterday said it was taking immediate steps to prohibit American dollar transacContinued on page 10

A DIAMOND CELEBRATION...

Chief Olugbenga Obisesan and his wife, Bimpe cutting his birthday cake, during the celebration to mark Obisesan's 60th birthday in Lagos... yesterday PHOTO: ABAYOMI AKINYELE

Climate Change: Nearly Half of Humanity Living in Danger Zone, Says UN Secretary-General... Page 34

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

NEWS

Buhari Vows to Make NNPC World’s Biggest, Most Capitalised Oil Company in Africa

Unveils $50m investment in clean energy, 20m cylinder injection scheme NNPC: Divesting IOCs from Nigeria's upstream sector must address issues of abandonment, decommissioning of oil assets Sylva lists PIA, gas initiative, marginal field awards as achievements Komolafe: Nigeria must take advantage of rising oil prices caused by Russia-Ukraine war Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja and Peter Uzoho in Lagos President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday stated that the target of his administration was to make the newly rechristened Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited the biggest and most capitalised oil company on the African continent.

Speaking at the Nigeria Inter-

national Energy Summit (NIES), formerly called the Nigeria International Petroleum Summit (NIPS), the president noted that having now become a limited liability company, the National Oil Company (NOC) would soon become a profit making organisation.

At the event tagged: “Revitalising The Industry: Future Fuels and Energy Transition”, Buhari listed the successful award of 57 marginal

fields, passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) as well as the declaration of the “Decade of Gas” as major milestones of his government.

The president who was represented by the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Mr. Timipre Sylva, described the feats as recordbreaking, recalling that both the marginal fields bid round and the PIA surmounted over two-decade

challenges in the doldrums.

He stated that the conclusion of the marginal fields bid round remained a big deal, even when the world was moving away from fossil fuels, because it gives Nigeria the opportunity to speed up its fossil fuel exploitation and make good use of the resources, rather than abandon them.

He added: “Crude oil prices are on the rise again after turning

THIS IS HOW WE DO IT IN LAGOS...

Country Director of World Bank, Nigeria, Shubaham Chaudhuri (left), viewing the Lagos compendium with Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu during a courtesy call on the Governor, at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, ...yesterday

West African Power Stakeholders Begin Two-day Meeting in Abuja Nigeria urges member states to pay up arrears Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Finance Directors of electricity utilities in the West African Power Pool (WAPP), yesterday began a two-day meeting in Abuja, with Nigeria calling on other nations to pay their dues to enable the organisation run its activities.

Chairman of the Executive Board, Dr Sule Abdulaziz, who doubles as the Acting Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), declared open the third forum of the member states, explaining that no serious work can be achieved without financing.

The body is a specialised agency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and covers 14 of the 15 countries of the regional economic community.

Abdulaziz, who was represented by an Executive Director, Victor Adewunmi, told the participating countries to pay up as it was essential to the entire process of advancing the building of a robust power pool for the West African region.

“As you all settle down to the business of appraising strides mode in the development of the electricity market especially as it relates to finance, critical on the list is the essential place of payment of contributions on time.

“This is to ensure that the nucleus

(the secretariat) that helps coordinate the pool is sustained and that they are properly empowered to carry out activities on time, and this can only be achieved when our contributions as member utilities are brought in to fund the secretariat activities.

“Finance we all know is a critical aspect of running any and every organisation or pool such as the WAPP, we must play our roles diligently even as our project financiers continue to finance our projects,” he stated.

According to him, without adequately financing the secretariat, the region cannot ensure the proper supervision of ongoing projects in the pool.

He added that funding remains fundamental in this regard and for the sustenance of quantified and knowledgeable hands needed to run the system, adding that it is also essential in the payment of salaries of the secretariat staff, financing, meetings, among others.

“I believe the finance directors of all the countries of WAPP are here today. Therefore, I want to therefore urge you all to deliberate carefully and with the hope that by the end of this meeting we would have a clearer path to solving the issue of inconsistent contributions by member utilities.

“This is to ensure that those that we have assigned the duty

of running the secretariat do it with confidence,” he explained.

He stressed that it was important to note that this is a critical issue in the growth of the WAPP because without sustained human capital to effectively supervise and coordinate the implementation and monitoring of the projects, no project would succeed.

“West African Power Pool is depending on you to come up with practicable ideas that we can all key into, together,” he assured.

An honorary member of the organisations, Joseph Makoju, in his remarks, stressed that the greatest challenge faced by the industry today is that consumers see electricity as a public good they must get free of charge.

He noted that this has caused illiquidity in the system, and distorting the activities of Distribution Companies (Discos), calling on the regional organisation to take up the job of sensitising Africans on the matter.

negative in April 2020. It is a great opportunity for us as a country. With the PIA in place, there should be no excuses. The enabling investment environment which has been the bane of the industry has been taken care of by provisions in the PIA. “There is now a level of certainty for the regulatory, administrative and fiscal framework and the legitimate grievances of host communities most impacted by activities of the industry has been addressed by the Act. “To demonstrate our seriousness, this administration did not waste time with the implementation of PIA. We moved quickly and scrapped the existing agencies and replaced them with new ones.

“We have inaugurated their new chief executives too. We also ensured the incorporation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA).

“The NNPCL is a limited liability company now and our target is to make it the biggest, the most capitalised and the most profitable company in the whole of Africa.”

Given the country’s potential of about 600 trillion cubic feet, he stated that natural gas has the enormous potential to diversify and grow Nigeria’s economy.

The president also unveiled Nigeria's energy transition and net zero emission scheme with the announcement of the country's $50 million investment in clean energy which included a plan to inject 20 million gas cylinders into the market.

He reiterated Nigeria's commitment to the global net zero emission target.

Buhari, however, regretted Africa's poor situation in energy accessibility and use, stating that the continent was bedeviled with energy poverty.

Stressing that there was no need to panic, he stated that Nigeria was already building blocks that will ensure seamless energy transition as the country joins in the race for net zero carbon emission.

In his remarks, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari said the International Oil Companies (IOCs) that divest from Nigeria's upstream sector must address issues of abandonment and decommissioning of oil assets.

Kyari told participants at the summit that while the country understands the right of companies to freely divest, it was however, critical to ensure that the right thing is done so as to avoid disruption.

He said issues and obligations related to abandonment and decommissioning must be fully addressed and discharged in line with global best practices, regulations, conventions, and laws.

“The companies that are divesting, they are leaving our country

literally and that's the way to put it. But they are not leaving because opportunities are not here, these companies are shifting their portfolios where they can add value and not just that, but where they can add to the journey of net carbon zero emission.

“We understand this very perfectly. But also, we cannot fail to realise that this country must benefit from the realities of today.

“We will work with our partners.

We understand the necessity for their investments, we do know that there are issues. We understand that this must take place, but also it must be done in such a way that we are able to deal with issues around abandonment and decommissioning.

“We will also make sure that whatever arrangement that is put in place, will show that we are also alive to the energy transition journey that we have embarked on,” he said.

The NNPC boss acknowledged the need for cleaner energy globally, but said that the African continent must shape its narrative to reflect on its realities, including the high level of energy poverty.

He explained that the NNPC was adopting various strategies towards the attainment of a carbon-neutral economy, while ensuring that the industry remains viable.

In his remarks as minister, Sylva stated that with the PIA in place, expectations were high for the future of the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

“The PIA has indeed given the industry more clarity and certainty. The industry is poised to attract huge investment needed to reposition the sector,” he said.

He emphasised that although Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind in the energy transition race, it had resolved to deploy gas as a transition product to achieve cleaner fuels.

He averred that for countries that are endowed with natural resources but still energy poor, the transition must not be at the expense of affordable and reliable energy for people, cities and industries.

Secretary General of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Dr Sanusi Barkindo, who joined virtually, said the PIA would bring about the necessary reforms designed to strengthen institutions as well as help attract the much-needed investment.

He argued that conversation around the energy transition, must not overtaken by emotional outbursts, but on rational discussions based on facts, hard data and science.

Continued on page 8

Esele Wants Election Dates Permanent in Nigeria’s Calendar Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State Mr. Peter Esele yesterday in Benin advocated permanent, irreversible dates for elections in the nation’s calendar.

Esele, a former President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and one-time governorship aspirant, said like Independence Day, marked every October 1, election dates should be made permanent.

He argued that it was wrong of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to tinker with election dates and to be fixing them indiscriminately.

Hours after President Muham-

madu Buhari signed the awaited amended Electoral Bill into law, INEC rolled out a new timetable for the 2023 general elections.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, announced in the timetable that Presidential and National Assembly elections would take place on February 25, 2023, instead of February 18, earlier announced by the Commission.

Reacting to the new date, Esele declared that elections dates can't be tampered with.

He said: “If we have fixed dates, then political parties would also follow suit concerning delegates’ conferences and primaries.

“In other parts of the world, these things are fixed. You don’t

dilly-dally or tinker with such dates.

Everyone works and plans with such dates.

“When you start playing with dates, you create room for distrust; you create room for lack of transparency and also manipulation of the process. INEC should move beyond dropping and changing dates.’’

Esele who commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the Electoral Act as amended into law, stressed that INEC should regard the new Act as an opportunity to improve on its processes.

He noted that areas of contentions had been addressed, adding "I think gradually with the Electoral Act, we are raising the bar for a fair electoral process.

“Hopefully, we will no longer have cases in court for years and courts will no longer decide our elections."

On the amendments to the Constitution at the National Assembly, Esele opined that personal interests were involved. He decried any attempt by the National Assembly to include immunity clause for its principals in the Constitution as enjoyed by presidents, governors and their deputies.

Esele said while the Executive has fixed tenure of maximum of eight years at a stretch, lawmakers could remain in office for as long as they kept winning elections and should, therefore, not be entitled to Constitutional immunity.

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NEWS

AT THE NBA-SPIDEL TOWN HALL MEETING...

L-R: President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata; Justice of the Supreme Court (JSC), Hon, Justice Helen Ogunwumiju; Chairman, House of Representative Committee on Judiciary, Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke; Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL), Dr. Monday Ubani; and Senior lawyer, Falana and Falana Chambers, Femi Falana SAN, at the NBA-SPIDEL town hall meeting in Lagos… yesterday PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN

Electricity Bill: Governors Reject Single Power Market in Nigeria

Chuks Okocha and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) and other stakeholders in the nation's power sector yesterday rejected the continued federal government sole control of electricity matters in the country.

The governors in a statement were reacting to Electricity Bill 2022 which was considered by the Senate Committee on Power at a public hearing held at the National Assembly.

The state chief executives through their Chairman, Dr. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, said the proposed legislation was unconstitutional in view of the federal status of Nigeria The governors in their objection to the bill said it would be unconstitutional and an unjustifiable act of overreach for the Senate to consider and pass a bill that continue to treat the federation as one single electricity jurisdiction or sector.

Fayemi said, "While a single Electric Power Sector Reform Act may have been useful as a catalyst for the sector in the early years of the Fourth Republic, the states have all come of age, literally and metaphorically, and the arrangements must change in a way that accepts and respects the maturity of the States in electricity matters.

"This is a reality that this Senate Electricity Bill does not recognise and take account of but at best only pays the most cursory lip service.

"After 71 years of sole and unchallenged central control of the electricity sector, we live with an electricity sector divided into two parts.

"One part is the FG-controlled and -regulated national electricity market that today is insolvent, bankrupt and delivers no more than approximately 4,000MW/96,000MWh daily to 220m Nigerians, or an average of 18w/432watt-hours daily, barely enough to power two (2) 10-watt light bulbs a day.

"The other part of Nigeria's electricity sector is the alternative/back-up market, whose estimated capacity is approximately 40,000MWso much so that Nigerian citizens are their own electricity providers in their homes, factories, schools, hospitals and places of worship.

"Our calculations indicate that if the 40,000MW of electrical back-up capacity owned and operated by Nigerians were to be delivered to them by licensed private IPPs and distribution companies through organised public electricity markets, Nigerian citizens and governments would have saved up to N17trn in 2021.”

He added: "Much money was being burnt up via diesel and petrol generator operating/ maintenance costs, instead of being saved and invested by private citizens and businesses.

"Some of the companies are captured by the states and Federal Government as tax revenues and levies.

"This has been the norm for decades and has worsened each year even as it seems set to continue in 2022 and beyond.

"It is in these circumstances

The aggrieved Association of Famzhi investors yesterday appealed to a judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Inyang Ekwo, not to grant bail to the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of FAMZHI INTERBIZ Limited, Mrs. Mariam Suleiman.

The investors also appealed to the judge not to release the defendant's international passport in the court's custody, "until she has released to the court or the federal government, funds or real estates/landed properties worth at least N5 billion.”

Suleiman is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for

allegedly defrauding over 10, 000 investors.

She was recently arrested for allegations bordering on fraud and has been in custody of the EFCC, pending when she would be released on bail.

However, as hearing in the matter comes up March 1, 2022, the aggrieved investors are praying the court not to grant her bail application, saying doing so would jeopardise efforts at recovering their investments in landed property in FAMZHI. In a statement issued by their leaders, Mr. Eric Morgan, Chief Anene Azubike and Alh. Abdulahi Atima, the association insisted that, "once such properties, bought/built with their capitals,

the absence of a clear path for the market to exit permanently from its long-running insolvent status."

The Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu also picked holes in the bill.

He observed that some of its provisions were watering down the powers of Power Minister as coordinator and overall supervisory authority over the sector .

He said, "By such limitation on the power of the Minister has the potential to hinder efficient

coordination of the Ministry and its agencies , impede the Minister's ability for accountability as it hinders seamless reporting to the President."

The President of the Senate , Ahmad Lawan and the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Gabriel Suswam , said since the power sector reform Act 2005 was no longer sufficient for post privatization exigencies , a comprehensive legal instrument as envisioned with Electricity Bill 2022, is very necessary.

Stock Market Gains N3.25trn in Two Months Kayode Tokede

The Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) appreciated by N3.25 trillion in market capitalisation in the first two months of 2022.

The gains recorded by the NGX followed price appreciation in BUA Cement Plc, Airtel Africa Plc, Seplat Petroleum Plc, among other stocks.

The market capitalisation gained N3.25 trillion to close at N25.543 trillion at the end of February, from the N22.297 trillion it opened in 2022, while the NGX All-Share Index grew by 10.95 per cent to close at 47,394.53 basis points yesterday, up from the 42,716.44 basis points it closed in 2021.

In the last two months, investors’

Alleged N5bn Fraud: Investors Beg Court Not to Release FAMZHI's MD/CEO on Bail Alex Enumah in Abuja

that the Senate now has before it an Electricity Bill that does not address any of the challenges that threaten the sector and the nation.

"Rather, its key characteristics are a failure to recognise and provide for the rights of States to have their own electricity markets.

"The re-establishment of the same single national electricity market has brought neither growth in capacity nor socio-economic development to the nation.

"The development is affecting

which are public knowledge, are secured from her by the government, the properties will be sold and its proceeds used to settle the capitals and returns of the investors through their detailed bank accounts possibly before their April 1,2022 deadline.”

The FAMZHI CEO, according to the statement, "has been hiding from the public for two years since March 2020 before her recent arrests and detention for attempt to defraud 10,000 investors of their capitals worth about N5 billion by the EFCC and SEC following a public outcry.

"Therefore, granting her bail will jeopardise our capital recovery, and injure the course of both Criminal and civil justice."

return in equities has appreciated by 10.95 per cent, with the most gain recorded in January.

Data compiled by THISDAY showed that the gain recorded in January was 9.15 per cent, while in February, the stock market appreciated marginally by 1.67 per cent.

Further breakdown showed that the overall market capitalisation for the period rose by N2.83 trillion to close at N25.124 trillion as at January 31, 2022 from N22.297 trillion. Performance across sectors was bullish as at February 25, 2022.

For instance, the NGX’s Oil & Gas index recorded the highest gain during the month, with a gain of 23.26 per cent.

Also, the Banking index up by 11.07 per cent, while the NSE Industrial Goods appreciated by 6.12 per cent. Others were the NGX Pension, NGX Premium, NGX 30 and NGX Lotus II indices recorded a year-to-date gain as at February 25, 2022 of 6.02 per cent, 5.89 per cent, 5.51 per cent and 1.12 per cent.

On the other side, the NGX Insurance declined by 4.51 per cent, while NGX Consumer Goods down by 0.51 per cent in the first two months of the year, 2022.

The market performance was buoyed by activities in the shares of BUA Foods that gained 53.5 per cent to close yesterday at N61.40 per share, followed by Airtel Africa that appreciated by 32 per cent in two months to close yesterday at N1,260.00 per share impacted on the stock market performance in the period under review.

In addition, Seplat Petroleum added 32.2 per cent in two months to close at N859.90 per share, while Dangote Cement added 6.4 per cent in two months to close as at Feb 28, 2022 at N273.50 per share.

Among the listed banks stock, Zenith bank appreciated by 7.75 per cent in two months to close at N27.10 per share.

Analysts attributed the development to the impressive earnings by major bellwethers and positive corporate actions. Also, market participants found significant value in small-cap stocks, some of which outperformed the market with significantly outsised gains.

Speaking with THISDAY on the market performance, the Managing Director/CEO of Trust Yields Securities Limited, Mr. Rasheed Yussuff said the stock market performance in the last two months was reflective of the performance of the economy.

According to him: “The domestic economy this year has been doing reasonably well, coupled with the steady increase in global oil prices.

“All these positive indicators have reflected in our stock market in the last two months. Things are looking less chaotic as everybody was anticipating this year and it is that optimism that is pushing the stock market high.

“We have also seen impressive corporate earnings by listed companies. Companies such as Zenith Bank, Seplat, among others are paying a robust dividend to shareholders. It will be against the background of these developments that the stock market will not appreciate impressive earnings and economic growth.”

On his part, the Managing Director, APT Securities and Funds Limited, Mallam Garba Kurfi, noted that the stock market in the last three years has not closed positive in two consecutive months.

According to him quoted companies such as Dangote Cement Plc, MTN Nigeria, Airtel Africa and Zenith Bank Plc have

appreciated, impacting on the overall stock market growth in the last months of 2022.

He noted that impressive corporate earnings and proposed dividend by Seplat petroleum Plc Zenith Bank Plc, among others have boost investors' confidence on listed stocks on the NGX. According to him: “Of course, in 2021, there was global COVID-19 pandemic that affected companies on the Exchange and movement of goods and services. However, this year, the virus has been tackled with discovery of vaccines and we have witnessed ease of movement that created room for businesses to thrive and improve on their performances.”

Analyst at PAC Holdings, Mr. Wole Adeyeye explained that most listed stocks were below their intrinsic value and discerning investors have been taking advantage of the cheap stocks.

In its recent report titled: ‘Nigeria Outlook 2022,’ analysts at United Capital Plc had stated “We believe 2022 would be a year to target yields and in the case of equities, dividend yield. That said, we expect Q1, 2022 to remain fairly upbeat which presents investors with an opportunity to ride the momentum of positive corporate earnings and dividend announcements.

“Subsequently, we believe maintaining a passive approach towards equity investment in subsequent quarters would be prudent, with a preference for high yielding debt instruments. That said, we do not believe it will be all doom and gloom, as we expect pockets of opportunities to show up due to factors such as special corporate actions, exceptional corporate performance and depressed valuations.”

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NEWS

AT GUY IKOKU'S FUNERAL...

L-R: Deputy National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Nnanna Egwu; PANDEF National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Ken Robinson; Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ambassador Okey Emuchay; brother of the deceased, Elder Agunze Ikokwu, Secretary-General of Afenifere, Chief Barr. Sola Ebiseni; and PANDEF National Secretary, Dr. Alfred Mulade; during the funeral of Second Republic Politician, senior lawyer and Elder statesman, Chief Guy Ikokwu, at Oba Anambra State over the weekend

N2.6trn Debt: Affected Oil Firms Making Payments to FG, NEITI Reveals Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Nigeria Extractives Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), yesterday disclosed that some oil companies had started repaying part of the N2.6 trillion debts owed the federal government, following its resolve to disclose the names of the 77 affected entities.

The Executive Secretary of the organisation, Dr Ogbonnaya Orji, who spoke during a media parley in Abuja, stated that NEITI would on March 7, release three additional reports dealing with the oil and gas as well as the mining sectors.

Orji urged the media and the civil society organisations to hold the oil companies accountable to ensure they offset the debts.

In September last year, NEITI revealed that 77 oil and gas companies operating in Nigeria were indebted to the country to the tune of N2.659 trillion, attributable to failure to remit petroleum profit tax, company income tax, education tax, value added tax, withholding tax, royalty and concession on rentals.

At the time, Orji stated that when converted to dollar, the government was being owed $6.48 billion at the time’s official exchange rate of N410.35.

He noted that a breakdown of the figures showed that a total of $143.99 million was owed as petroleum profit taxes, $1.089 billion as company income taxes and $201.69 million as education tax.

But speaking to journalists,

NEITI stated that its fundamental responsibility as an organisation was public disclosure, urging the media and non-governmental organisations to take it up from there.

He said: “From our reports, we provided information and data that 77 companies were indebted to government to the tune of N2.6 trillion. We placed that information openly in the public domain.

“The role of the media, the civil society and citizens is to use the information to hold the companies to account. NEITI is ready and available to provide more information and data. But for asking us how far, where is the money?

“NEITI does not collect or keep money. Relevant government agen-

cies do. For taxes such as PPT, CIT and VAT, it is the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) that collects the them while for royalty payments, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) now part of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NURPC) collects the payments.

“NEITI is also aware that following the public disclosure, many companies have been rushing to the relevant government agencies to either pay up or ascertain the status of their liabilities.

“This is our impact on revenue generation for the government.

However, our 2020 report to be released on the 7th of March will provide updates. I am in no position to speculate,” he explained.

Company Income Tax Drops to N347.81 Billion in O4 James Emejo in Abuja Aggregate Company Income Tax (CIT) declined to N347.81 billion in the fourth quarter of 2021 (Q4 2021), the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said yesterday.

This represented a 26.39 per cent decline when compared to the N472.52 billion recorded in Q3 2021.

Year-on-year however, CIT collections increased by 17.61 per cent compared to Q4 2020.

The NBS in its CIT Q4 report stated that local payments amounted to N258.85 billion, while foreign CIT payment contributed N88.96 billion.

The decline in company profits may not be unconnected with the prevailing business environment including insecurity, foreign exchange and other government policy.

In terms of sectoral contributions, information and communication N51.05 billion or 19.72 per cent, manufacturing N45.09 billion or 17.42 per cent and financial and insurance activities N31.06 billion or 12 per cent, all accounted for the top three largest shares of CIT Q4.

On the other hand, the top three lowest shares in CIT in the review period included activities of households as employers, undifferentiated goods- and services-producing activities of households for own use which amounted to N189.45 million or 0.07 per cent while water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities contributed N328.58 million or 0.13 per cent as well as activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies which recorded N447.01 million or 0.17

per cent.

However, on a quarter-onquarter basis, positive growths were recorded in accommodation and food service activities which accounted for 116.01 per cent while activities of extra-territorial organisations and bodies amounted to 128.92 per cent.

Activities of households as employers, undifferentiated goods and services-producing activities of households for own use accounted for 563.56 per cent while construction stood at 33.32 per cent.

Furthermore, activities in electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning

supply contributed 84.68 per cent to CIT while human health and social work activities recorded 31.47 per cent.

Other service activities contributed 37.28 per cent while professional, scientific and technical activities recorded 51.47 per cent as well as public administration and defense, compulsory social security which amounted to 29.46 per cent of total CIT receipts for the period under review.

Others included real estate activities 17.99 per cent; transportation and storage 2.04 per cent; water supply, sewerage, waste management and

remediation activities 26.08 per cent; and wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles 13.91 per cent.

On the other hand, decreases in collections were recorded in administrative and support service activities which recorded -72.15 per cent; agriculture, forestry and fishing -34.52 per cent; arts, entertainment and recreation -25.31 per cent; education -1.61 per cent; financial and insurance activities -5.52 per cent; information and communication -4.33 per cent; manufacturing -23.21 per cent; and mining and quarrying -7.56 per cent.

Alleged N96bn Fraud: Supreme Court to Decide on Amaechi’s Probe May 27 Alex Enumah in Abuja The Supreme Court will on May 27, 2022, decide whether it would order a stoppage of the probe of Minister of Transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, on fraud allegations by the Rivers State Government.

This followed the decision of the apex court to deliver its judgment in the suit filed by Amaechi, seeking to stop his probe in the alleged N96 billion fraud and alleged fraudulent sales of valued assets belonging to Rivers State.

A seven-man panel of Justices of the court, led by Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, yesterday announced that judgment was fixed for the said date after listening to arguments

of lawyers for and against the suit.

Amaechi, who is the immediate past governor of Rivers State, is praying the apex court to prohibit current Governor, Nyesom Wike from investigating his eight-year tenure as governor of the state.

His lawyer, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, predicated his opposition to the probe on the grounds that it was aimed at witch-hunting and embarrassing him, to embarrass him in view of his political differences with his successor.

Wike, who constituted a 7-man probe panel to probe Amaechi, was, however, asking the Supreme Court to dismiss Amaechi’s suit.

The governor, represented by Emmanuel Ukala, insisted that the

Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice George Omekeji was to look into how N96 billion was allegedly withdrawn from the treasury of the state government and how it was expended.

Wike also said the commission of inquiry was to look into the lawful or otherwise, sales of valuable assets of the state.

The listed valuable assets are Omoku Gas Turbine, Afam Gas Turbine, Trans Amadi Gas Turbine, Eleme Gas Turbine, Olympia Hotel, and the award of contract for the execution of monorail project.

Amaechi’s suit at the High Court of Rivers State and Court of Appeal had earlier been dismissed prompting his case at the Supreme Court.

Orji added that NEITI was highly encouraged that the House of Representatives rose to the occasion; tabled the issue as a motion, passed it and set up an adhoc committee to investigate the issue.

According to him, a public hearing on the disclosure from NEITI will begin in the coming days, applauding the house leadership and the members for their role in the investigation.

On the current scarcity of petrol, Orji noted that the it was just a mere symptom, while subsidy is the main disease.

He stated that oil theft poses a huge problem that is currently impacting very negatively and seriously especially on Nigeria’s downstream and midstream operations.

He pointed out that many International Oil Companies (IOCs) and big firms are gradually divesting in the downstream sector because the problems of oil theft, vandalism, and deliberate sabotage have been quite difficult to manage.

“This is in spite of the efforts by various security agencies to secure these huge investments.

Many that can afford it, because

it is very capital intensive, are moving into upstream.

“And that’s why you see revenues from Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) outstripping returns from Joint Ventures (JVs).

Let me tell you from our reports in the last five years (2015 – 2019), Nigeria has lost about 260.15mmbbls to crude theft.

“NEITI, as part of our monitoring functions, is reviewing the situation very critically and will soon be sending our policy advice on this to the government. Our board is already discussing the implications as well as possible short, medium and long term interventions. But for us, it is an issue of major concern,” he stated.

Furthermore, Orji noted that in the last one year, NEITI had signed series of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with anti-corruption agencies, revealing that the body is now set to activate the MoUs once the release of the 2020 reports next week is concluded. “ The time has now come, and going forward it will ever remain active because it is very essential to sustain compliance, sanctions and even incentives,” he noted.

BUHARI VOWS TO MAKE NNPC WORLD’S BIGGEST, MOST CAPITALISED OIL COMPANY IN AFRICA “Our industry is at an inflexion point and has never before faced so many challenges across multiple fronts in its long history. Put simply, we are under siege.

“The oil industry is under attack in the courts. Currently there are over 700 litigation cases against oil companies worldwide.

“Environmental NGOs, investors and even some corporate boards are pressuring oil companies and governments to pursue aggressive policies and initiatives that could, in the end, be more disruptive than productive for the global energy industry.” he stated.

He explained that Africa was still relatively unexplored, with approximately 125 billion barrels of proven oil reserves and 16 trillion standard cubic metres of natural gas.

“It would be a tragedy of unimaginable proportions if, despite billions of dollars being poured into investments for these resources, this went to waste as stranded assets,” he maintained.

Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Simbi Wabote, noted that during the pandemic, the board was able to add 17 new operators into the oil and gas industry due to the country's

insistence on homegrown solutions.

Also, the Chief Executive, Nigerian Midstream & Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, stated that while geopolitical risks and the energy transition continue to destabilise oil prices, it is in the interest of Nigeria to scale up sustainable investment in the fossil fuel sector, considering the role oil and gas will continue to play in the global energy mix.

In his contribution, the head of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency (NUPRC) Mr Gbenga Komolafe, said the energy transition regime has posed a challenge and opportunity for Nigeria to reposition its energy focus and regulatory policies towards development of clean and renewable energy.

Komolafe said the country must take advantage of the rising oil price caused by the ongoing tension between Russia and Ukraine.

The oil price is currently trading above $100 per barrel since it hit $105 last week, the highest since 2014.

“The Russian-Ukrainian crisis has caused an upward spring of oil price above $100 per barrel. This presents opportunity for Nigeria to maximise business,” he said.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 1, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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TUESDAY, ͹˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

TEN US CUTS OFF RUSSIA'S CENTRAL BANK FROM DOLLAR TRANSACTIONS tions with the Russian central bank and fully block the Russian direct investment fund.

US senior administration officials disclosed that the aggressive move was aimed at some of Russia's most powerful means of mitigating the effect of sanctions.

In addition, the US Embassy in Russia warned US nationals to consider leaving "immediately" due to the rising number of airlines that are cancelling flights in and out of the country and closing their airspace to Russian airlines.

That was as indications emerged yesterday that the federal government might have secured 479 Nigerians in the effort to take citizens out of Ukraine amid the Russian attack.

The steps by the US to cut dollar supply to Russia were meant to prevent Russia from accessing a "rainy day fund" that officials said Moscow had been expecting to rely upon during the invasion of Ukraine.

Against plans to use the reserves to buffer a plummeting ruble, Russia would no longer be able to access the funds it keeps in US dollars, according to CNN. The sweeping new sanctions taken with Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Canada, the European Union and others - came as Russia's economy is already in free-fall.

"No country is sanction proof," a White House official said. "Putin's war chest of $630 billion in reserves only matters if you can use it to defend his currency, specifically by selling those reserves in exchange for buying the ruble. After today's actions that will no longer be possible, and fortress Russia will be exposed as a myth."

In a phone call with reporters Monday morning, a senior US administration official said the move was "the culmination of months of planning and preparation across our respective governments across technical, diplomatic and political channels, including at the highest levels."

CNN quoted the official as saying, "We were ready and that's what allowed us to act within days,

not weeks or months, of Putin's escalation.

"Our strategy, to put it simply, is to make sure that the Russian economy goes backward as long as President Putin decides to go forward with his invasion of Ukraine.”

In a bid to mitigate the impact of the sanctions on US and European energy consumers, the Treasury Department would exempt most energy-related transactions from the sanctions, a significant carve-out in the sanctions.

One official called the on-going sanctions a "vicious feedback loop that's triggered by Putin's own choices and accelerated by his own aggression."

The sanctions also fully block the Russian Direct Investment Fund and its CEO, Kirill Dmitriev.

Another official said they were "symbols of deep seated Russian corruption and influence peddling globally.

"Today's actions represent the most significant actions the US Treasury has taken against an economy of this size and assets of this size.

"What also makes this asset significant is not just the amount of assets or the size of the country we're targeting, but the speed at which our partners and allies have worked with us to enact this response."

Asked about potential additional sanctions on Belarus, which appears poised to elevate its role in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, an official said the US was watching events "very carefully" and that sanctions on Belarus would "continue to ratchet much higher."

Battles continued Monday near several key Ukrainian cities as Russia presses further into the country.

Russian forces are facing "stiff resistance" with slowing momentum in northern Ukraine, a US defense official said, while invading troops are having a "little bit more success" in the south.

Russian forces have "slowed their offensive" but are "still trying" to take Ukrainian ground around the country, according to the Ukrainian

RESILIENT ZENITH BANK BEATS MARKET EXPECTATIONS WITH DOUBLE-DIGIT GROWTH IN GROSS EARNINGS IN 2021 interest expense by 12 per cent from N121.1 billion in 2020 to N106.8 billion in the year under review.

This further led to a seven per cent increase in net interest income of N320.8 billion in 2021, from N299.7 billion in 2020.

Its customer deposits increased by 21 per cent, growing from N5.34 trillion in the previous year to N6.47 trillion in 2021.

The growth in customer deposits came from both corporate and retail customers. For instance, while retail deposits grew by N146 billion from N1.72 trillion in 2020 to N1.87 trillion in 2021.

The Group's continuous drive for retail deposits combined with the strategic rebalancing of its funding base helped to reduce the cost of funding from 2.1 per cent to 1.5 per cent in the current year.

Although operating expenses grew by 13 per cent YoY, growth remained below the inflation rate, and the Group improved its Earnings per Share (EPS) which grew by six per cent from N7.34 to N7.78.

Zenith Bank’s total assets also increased by 11 per cent, growing from N8.48 trillion in 2020 to N9.45 trillion in 2021, mainly driven by growth in customer deposits. With the steady recovery in economic activities, the Group prudently grew its gross loans by 20 per cent, from N2.9 trillion in 2020 to N3.5 trillion in 2021, with moderated non-performing loan (NPL) ratio from 4.29 per cent to 4.19 per cent YoY. Furthermore, the Group recorded impressive liquidity and capital adequacy ratios of 71.6 per cent and 21 per cent, which remained above regulatory thresholds of 30 per cent and 15 per cent respectively.

In 2022, the Group intends to consolidate on the gains achieved in the previous year in all business segments and combine leadership in the industry, innovation and technology to drive improved performance and deliver enhanced returns to all stakeholders.

As a testament to its commitment to its shareholders, the bank has announced a proposed final dividend pay-out of N2.80 per share, bringing the total dividend to N3.10 per share.

Zenith Bank has continued to distinguish itself in the Nigerian financial services industry through superior service offerings, unique customer experience and sound financial indices. The bank remains a clear leader in the digital space with several firsts in deploying innovative products, solutions and an assortment of alternative channels that ensure convenience, speed and safety of transactions.

In recognition of its track record of excellent performance, Zenith Bank was voted as Best Commercial Bank in Nigeria in the World Finance Banking Awards 2021, Best Bank in Nigeria in the Global Finance World's Best Banks Awards 2020 and 2021, Bank of the Year (Nigeria) in The Banker's Bank of the Year Awards 2020, and Best in Corporate Governance 'Financial Services' Africa 2020 and 2021 by the Ethical Boardroom. Also, the bank emerged as the Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria in the Banker Magazine Top 500 Banking Brands 2020 and 2021, Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital in the "2021 Top 1000 World Banks" Ranking by The Banker Magazine and the Retail Bank of the year at the BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BOFI) Awards 2020 and 2021.

Similarly, Zenith Bank was honoured as Bank of the Decade (People's Choice) at the THISDAY Awards 2020 and emerged winner in four categories at the Sustainability, Enterprise, and Responsibility (SERAS) Awards 2021, carting home the awards for "Best Company in Reporting and Transparency", "Best Company in Infrastructure Development", "Best Company in Gender Equality and Women Empowerment", and the coveted "Most Responsible Organisation in Africa.

military.

Talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations also got underway Monday in Belarus. In the lead-up to the meeting, Ukraine demanded an "immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of Russian troops."

More than 500,000 refugees have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries after the beginning of the invasion, the United Nations Refugee Agency said Monday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked European countries to do more to support his nation on Monday asked the European Union to "urgently admit Ukraine" to the bloc.

A new CNN poll showed Americans overwhelmingly support increased economic sanctions against Russia and broadly support further action to stop Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but most oppose direct US military action.

Eighty-three percept of Americans said they favoured increased economic sanctions against Russia in response to the invasion, with just 17 per cent opposed.

US Embassy Warns Americans in Russia to Consider Leaving Immediately

The US Embassy in Russia warned US nationals that they should consider leaving "immediately" due to the rising number of airlines cancelling flights in and out of the country and countries closing their airspace to Russian airlines.

The embassy said in an advisory, “An increasing number of airlines are cancelling flights into and out of Russia, and numerous countries have closed their airspace to Russian airlines. US citizens should consider departing Russia immediately via commercial options still available.

“The US Embassy reminds US citizens that the Department of State’s Travel Advisory level for Russia is at ‘Level 4: Do Not Travel.’”

Africans Stranded at Ukraine-Poland border

Nigeria and South Africa expressed alarm at reports that their nationals were being stopped from leaving war-torn Ukraine. At Lviv train station, in western Ukraine, FRANCE 24 met several African students who said they were pushed back at the Medyka border crossing with Poland.

However, African governments yesterday scrambled to help their nationals escape the Russian inva-

sion in Ukraine, as reports emerged of racist and unfair treatment of their citizens at the border with Poland. The reports, denied by both Polish and Ukrainian officials, cast a pall on the massive evacuation effort that had already seen half a million civilians cross into the European Union.

While some Africans had been able to leave Ukraine, FRANCE 24 spoke to several students at Lviv train station in western Ukraine who said they were turned back

by Ukrainian border guards while attempting to cross into Poland.

“They stopped us at the border and told us that Blacks were not allowed. But we could see White people going through,” said Moustapha Bagui Sylla, a student from Guinea. He said he fled his university residence in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, as soon as the bombing began.

Like thousands of Ukrainian civilians scrambling for the border, the young Guinean said he walked for hours in freezing temperatures heading for the Polish frontier village of Medyka – only to be ordered to turn back.

Moustapha Bagui Sylla had been studying medicine in Ukraine's Kharkiv for the past year.

Another student from Nigeria described similar scenes at the border crossing. He said his group, which included women, was shut out of the border post even as White people were let through.

“They won’t let Africans in.

Blacks without European passports cannot cross the border. They’re pushing us back just because we’re Black!” said the Nigerian student, who gave only his first name, Michael. “We’re all human,” he added. “They should not discriminate against us because of the colour of our skin.”

Jean Ngando, a French teacher from Cameroon, said he was looking for alternative routes to avoid being pushed back at the Polish border, France 24 reported.

According to Bagui Sylla, the Ukrainian border guards said they were merely following instructions from their Polish counterparts – a claim denied by officials in Warsaw.

Anna Michalska, a spokesperson for the Polish border guards, said she had spent “the past two days denying such allegations”.

She told FRANCE 24, “I don’t know what is happening on the Ukrainian side of the border, but we let everyone in regardless of nationality.”

In a later communiqué, Polish

officials confirmed that no visas were required to cross the border and that identity cards and passports would be accepted, even when expired.

Nigerian student Natacha Daniels said she was worried she would be barred from leaving Ukraine because her passport was in the hands of officials in Kharkiv, where she studies economics.

FG to Begin Airlifting Nigerians Trapped in Ukraine on Wednesday t /JHFSJBOT 4FDVSF &YJU Routes

Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama, yesterday, said the federal government will on Wednesday start airlifting Nigerians trapped at the Ukrainian borders with Budapest, Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania. Onyeama disclosed this while speaking on Channels TV, Politics Today, monitored in Lagos, against the backdrop of resettlement plans for Nigerians trapped in Ukraine. He said the government was discussing with Air Peace and Max Air airlines in Abuja, adding that it is making moves to find out from those countries how many Nigerians are currently there.

According to him, "As of today, we were hoping we will be able to get the flights out, but we needed to be sure of the numbers to know the size of planes to deploy. So we made Romania the hub."

The minister said he was in touch with the Ambassador in Ukraine and his staff and had directed them to set up a hotline for Nigerians in Ukraine, maintain contact with them, and advise them on what they should be doing and how they should stay safe.

Onyeama said, "We are also in contact with the ambassadors and diplomatic missions around Ukraine.

Once the people started moving to the borders before it was shut; we have started evacuating Nigerian citizens. The next phase was to get them to the borders as safely as possible and to evacuate them to the capitals to begin an airlift."

He added that it got the embassy to send staff to the border points in Hungary, Poland and Romania, Slovakia to assist Nigerians to arrange shelter and food for them.

Onyeama stated, "Though it's a bit chaotic because of the panic.

There has been some distressing news about discrimination about Nigerians being turned back at the border, initially, by the guards. So

I called the minister of foreign affairs of Ukraine. I was actually surprised to get him considering the situation that they are in, and we communicated at length and he said the border guards were to allow foreigners to go through unimpeded, but the only restrictions were Ukrainian males between the ages of 18 and 60. And the borders guards have been directed. So we arranged with the embassy officials to start ferrying Nigerians to the capitals."

He said there were over 1,000 Nigerians who had crossed the borders, 250 in Poland, Budapest about 200, and Slovakia rising rapidly to around 200 mark.

The minister said, "There are some Nigerians on a place called Summi, closer to the Russian border. I have been in touch with the ambassador and given him some numbers to keep in touch with them, about 150 of them now looking to cross to Russia, we are hoping they will give them a permit to cross and we are hoping that by Wednesday, we will start deploying planes to airlifting and bringing back Nigerians.”

Asked if it was safe to fly in and out of Russia, Onyeama said it was not safe to fly, but to go by road, adding that there is also inherent risk.

"Though there is an element of risk there but the Russian Ambassador assured me that they were targeting military installations and not civilian abode,” Onyeama said.

Meanwhile, about 479 Nigerians are already across the Ukrainian border in Hungary and Poland with the rest as at press time being assisted to get to freedom.

A signed statement yesterday by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Gabriel Aduda, explained, “In the last 24 hours, officials of the Nigerian Embassy have received 130 Nigerians safely at Bucharest, Romania, where they have been provided accommodation and will be documented, while we finalise arrangements to bring them back home.

“Also, officials at Budapest, Hungary have received and accommodated 74 Nigerians safely, where they are being documented for subsequent travel arrangements back to Nigeria.

“We are expecting another batch of about 200 into the city of Budapest, tomorrow (Monday) “In Warsaw, Poland we have Continued on page 24

INEC PUBLISHES NOTICE OF ELECTION FOR 2023 the notice of election, in compliance with extant provisions of the law.

The notice, which was published yesterday in each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, contained the dates for the elections, and the places where the nomination papers would be delivered.

Reacting to the notice, the InterParty Advisory Council (IPAC) asked INEC and the political parties to ensure compliance with the new Electoral Act by playing the game according to the rules.

In the said vein, a pro-democracy group, Actionaid, said the recent signing of the Electoral Act into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, would create the enabling space for participation of women and youths in politics.

According to the notice of election, the date for the presidential and National Assembly elections is Saturday February 25, 2023, while the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections will hold on Saturday March 11, 2023.

The commission advised political parties to note that the place for delivery of nomination papers for the elective offices would be the INEC headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, via the online portal established for the purpose.

Following Buhari’s assent to the Electoral Bill on February 25, INEC held an emergency extraordinary meeting on February 26 and, thereafter, unveiled the Timetable and Schedule of activities for the 2023 general election at a press briefing.

According to the INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who announced the adjustment to the earlier dates fixed for the general

election, the commission decided to “adjust the dates of the 2023 general election to ensure compliance with the provisions of the new law.

“Accordingly, the presidential and National Assembly elections will now hold on Saturday, 25th February, 2023, while the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections will hold two weeks later, on Saturday, 11th March, 2023. With this adjustment, the 2023 general election is now 363 days away.”

The INEC chairman listed some of the critical electioneering activities and their dates. He said the next activity in the timeline would be the “Conduct of party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them, from Monday, 4th April, 2022 to Friday, 3rd June, 2022.”

That would be followed by the “submission of nomination forms to INEC via the online portal for Presidential and National Assembly election – 9.00am on Friday 10th June 2022 to 6.00pm on Friday 17th June 2022”.

Next is the “submission of nomination forms to INEC via the online nomination portal for governorship and state Assembly elections - 9.00am on Friday 1st July 2022 to 6.00pm on Friday, 15th July 2022”, and then the “commencement of campaign by political parties for presidential and National Assembly election – Wednesday 28th September 2022”.

Yakubu also announced the “commencement of campaign by political parties for governorship and state Assembly elections – Wednesday, 12th October 2022”, while the “last day of campaign by political parties for Presidential and National Assembly elections

is midnight on Thursday 23rd February 2023.”

He added that the “last day of campaign by political parties for governorship and state Assembly elections – midnight on Thursday 9th March 2023.”

The INEC chairman assured Nigerians, “With the coming into force of the Electoral Act 2022, the commission will work assiduously to conclude and publish new Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections that are consistent with the Act. “These Regulations and Guidelines as well as Manuals issued by the Commission are all part of the legal regulatory framework for elections. Their timely publication will enable all stakeholders in the electoral process to become conversant with their provisions as they prepare for the 2023 General Election.”

He called on stakeholders to play by the rules and respect the established timelines, adding, “I wish to remind stakeholders, especially, the political parties, of their responsibility to adhere strictly to the timelines in this Timetable and Schedule of Activities, as well as all other timelines established by the commission.

“It is necessary that all political parties comply with the extant legal framework, ensure proper organisation and management of party primaries and the nomination of qualified candidates in order to prevent unnecessary litigations and rancour.”

Welcoming the signing of the Electoral Bill into law, IPAC said the next critical stage was the implementation.

IPAC National Chairman, Yabagi

Yusuf Sani, said at a press conference in Abuja yesterday that INEC should ensure implementation of the new law.

Sani stated, "In this regard, we enjoin the relevant authorities to abide by the provisions of timely appropriation and release of funds to INEC to make for early and adequate preparations.

"We are calling on INEC to take full advantage of the Act through scrupulous and dedicated implementation, because to whom much is given, much is also expected. The commission must now realise that the ball is in its court, as Nigerians and the entire world look up to it for future elections characterised by integrity, credibility, and less acrimonies.

"On their part, our members, the political parties, as strategic and key stakeholders in the nation’s democratic project, it is incumbent on them to ensure strict compliance to the new Electoral Act by playing the game according to the rules.

“As the hub around which democracy and representative governance revolves, we as political parties, cannot afford to fail in the discharge of our responsibilities of deepening the roots and structures of democratic institutions for enhancement of the progress of the country and the well-being and happiness of the present and future generations."

Sani added that IPAC owed it as a cardinal responsibility to actively collaborate with INEC in the implementation of the new law.

It called for suppression of selfcentredness and the enthronement of the superior and more rewarding Continued on page 36

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 1, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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NEWS

Terrorists Have Planted Explosives in Public Places, Kaduna Residents Warned John Shiklam in Kaduna The Kaduna state government has asked citizens across the state to be on the alert for explosives planted in public places by terrorists.

The warning came after police recovery of an object suspected to be an Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) planted in a popular beer parlour along Nnamdi Azikiwe bypass in the metropolis on Sunday night.

In a statement yesterday, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan said assessments by security agencies indicate the possibility of terrorists looking to harm citizens, by discreetly placing explosives in public facilities such as schools, hospitals, hotels, bars, entertainment centres, restaurants, parks, major roads and places of worship.

He said security agencies were working to ensure that no harm or destruction comes to residents and facilities, stressing however, that citizens need to be conscious of this threat and be watchful of suspicious persons or packages abandoned in strategic places.

“The Kaduna State Government wishes to issue

a crucial advisory to citizens across the state, for heightened alertness to the threat of explosive devices planted in public places by terrorists.

“This follows sustained assessments by security agencies, and the possibility of terrorists looking to harm citizens, by discreetly placing explosives

in public facilities such as schools, hospitals, hotels, bars, entertainment centres, restaurants, parks, major roads and places of worship.

“Security agencies are working to ensure that no harm or destruction comes to residents and facilities.

“Citizens are, however, urged

to be alive to this threat, and to remain watchful for suspicious persons loitering, or packages seemingly abandoned in strategic places.

PROMOTING ARTISTS...

L-R: Director, Guest Artists Space Foundation (GASF) and Yinka Shonibare Foundation, Ms. Bimpe Nkontchou; British-Nigeria Artist, Mr. Yinka Shonibare; Director, GASF, Ms. Temitayo Ogunbiyi, and Managing Director, Yinka Shonibare Foundation, Ms. Belinda Holden, at the media launch of GASF in Lagos… recently.

ETOP UKUTT

Imo PDP Wants INEC to Cancel Gani Adams Cautions against Removal of Ngor Okpala By-election State Police from Constitutional Amendment Amby Uneze inOwerri The Imo State Chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the Ngor Okpala state constituency by-election that was held on Saturday due to alleged irregularities and securities breaches.

Addressing journalists in his office yesterday, the State Chairman of PDP, Mr. Charles Ugwu, lamented the use of security personnel to harass and intimidate the electorate by denying them their rights to vote and defend their votes.

Ugwu also accused the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hussain Rabiu, who he described as a known accomplice of the State Governor, Mr. Hope Uzodimma.

According to him, Rabiu led the combined teams of armed thugs, security operatives and

Uzodimmas Strike Force that also provided cover for appointees of Uzodinma, members of the Imo State House of Assembly and members of House of Representatives of the All Progressives Congress (APC), invaded polling units in most parts of the constituency leaving many half-dead in the pool of their own blood. CP Rabiu also aided in the illegal coercion of collation officers at private residences and the Sentiero Hotel located along the Airport Road.

“In the early hours of the election day, the people of Ngor Okpala had begun to turn out en masse to exercise their franchise and elect their representative in the Imo State House of Assembly. Unknown to them, Hope Uzodinma and his cohorts had covertly perfected an evil plot to prevent the people from exercising their constitutional mandate.

Segun James

Aare onakafo of Yoruba land, Gani Adams has warned that the removal of state police from the proposed constitutional amendment procedure is dangerous to the nation’s security architecture.

The generalissimo of the Yoruba army also warned that the prolonged spate of insecurity in the country makes the demand for state police a

necessity.

Picking holes in the constitutional amendment procedure, Adams said he had a strong feeling from the beginning that the lawmakers would not come out with anything that will reflects the over all-interest of the generality of Nigerians.

He noted with dismay, the alleged selfishness of the Senate, arguing that not much could be achieved with the ongoing constitutional amendment,

which he said was mired in unnecessary politicking.

He said: “Ordinarily, l knew from the beginning that nothing tangible and nothing worthy will come out of the constitutional Amendment process that is shrouded in bias and unnecessary politicking.

“With the removal of state police from the constitutional Amendment procedure, it is obvious that none of the National Assembly members are worthy

representatives of the people. It is an open display of politics and selfishness and Nigerians are always at the receiving end.

“The red chamber didn’t consider the need for a state police, which could have helped in addressing the pressing security challenges we face daily as a nation.”

“Their plan was to hide under the cover of the law to improve their political leverage and boost their interests and nothing more.

Independent Investigative Panel on EndSARS Protest Resumes Sitting Michael Olugbode in Abuja The Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (IIP-SARS) constituted after the anti-SARS protests will resume sitting today, Tuesday March 1,2022.

A statement by the Deputy Director, Public Affairs, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Fatimah Mohammed, yesterday said the decision was

made in order to continue the journey to restore human dignity as well as hold perpetrators of human rights violations accountable by the commission.

Mohammed said although the commission awarded monetary compensation to families and victims of police brutality in December 2021, as part of recommendations by the panel, there are several cases yet to be concluded.

According to her, 297 petitions

were received across the country bothering on illegal arrest and detention, cruel inhuman and degrading treatment, extrajudicial killing, etc.

She also said out of these cases, 25 were struck out, 12 were withdrawn, one was dismissed, 75 cases had panel decisions, and 20 cases were slated for monetary compensation which has since been awarded by the commission.

Mohammed noted that while

the panel adjourned sine die due to lack of funding to continue with the remaining cases, the commission was able to acquire some funds for the panel to continue sitting.

She revealed that the panel is expected to sit for an initial period of six weeks (with breaks at intervals) to hear a total of 92 cases. Twenty-nine general cases, 12 part-heard cases, and 51 cases involving judgment debts.

The incident, according to eyewitness, happened between Isan and Ayede Ekiti in Oye Local Government around 9 p.m., when the monarch was returning from a meeting.

An eyewitness said the bandits attempted to kidnap the monarch, but met some resistance, a situation that led to him being

shot several times.

As at the time of this report, the monarch is receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital for the gunshot wounds on his legs.

“The gunmen were along the road and when they wanted to stop the monarch’s vehicle and kidnapped him, they met some resistance and they rained bullets

on his car.

“In the process, the monarch was shot in the leg and now receiving treatment in the hospital.”

The monarch could not be reached on telephone, but the Spokesperson for Ekiti State Police Command, ASP. Sunday Abutu, confirmed the incident.

Lawyers Urged to Secure Future of Profession with Improved Knowledge Ekiti Monarch Survives Kidnappers’ Attack Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt Legal practitioners have been advised to upgrade their research capacity through the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

The National President of Admiralty Lawyers Society of Nigeria (ALSN), Mr. Angus Chukwuka, who gave the advice, said lawyers who still operate in manual processing of court documents are risking their professional future.

Chukwuka, who was a former publicity secretary, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Port Harcourt branch, said the future of legal practice in Nigeria rests on the tripod of specialisation,

partnership and ICT proficiency.

Speaking yesterday on the ALSN forthcoming two-day training with the theme: ‘Capacity Building in Admiralty Law and Practice’, the national president said lawyers should develop their online research capacity.

He said: “This future has started today, and it is very glaring where we are heading.

They (lawyers) should embrace online filing, service of processes and adjudication. This must be in collaboration with the judiciary.

“A lawyer, who continues with sole proprietorship, general practice and manual computers or typewriters, may be endangering his professional future. He is clearly not a tomorrow’s lawyer.”

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

A first class monarch in Ekiti State and the Attah of Ayede Ekiti, in Oye Local Government Area, Oba Abdumumini Orisagbemi, narrowly escaped being killed on Sunday after he was shot by people suspected to be kidnappers.

Plot by Ikpeazu’s Kinsmen to Retain Power in Abia Thickens Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia The plot by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s Ukwa Ngwa political bloc for the governor to hand over to his kinsman at the end of his tenure in 2023 has continued to thicken as youths from the zone demand exclusive governorship tickets for Ukwa Ngwa across

parties.

The youths under the aegis of Supreme Council of Ukwa Ngwa Youths at the weekend escalated the Ukwa Ngwa sectional succession bid by warning political parties against giving governorship tickets to candidates outside the political bloc of the incumbent Abia governor.

President of the apex Ukwa

Ngwa youth body, Dannie Ubani handed down the warning at Aba during the Ukwa Ngwa socio -economic and political conclave with the theme, ‘Ike Nkwu 2022’.

Ukwa-Ngwa political bloc comprising nine local governments spread across Abia South and part of Abia Central Senatorial districts has been staking their

claim to remain in government house for 16 years at a stretch.

Ubani claimed that the old Bende political bloc comprising eight local governments spread across Abia North and part of Abia Central senatorial districts had occupied government house for 16 years from 1999 to 2015 when Ukwa Ngwa man came to power.

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COMMENT

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

RESOLVING THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE IMBROGLIO Rajendra Aneja urges an urgent dialogue

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he Russian invasion of Ukraine could have solemn ramifications for the entire world. We are back in the Cold War era, a time of mistrust and discord.

It is a colossal tragedy that Russia and Ukraine are engaged in an armed conflict. During the eight years that I worked in the UAE, I had observed that the Russians and Ukrainians had a lot in common, in terms of language and customs.

They could have been cousins or siblings.

Russia’s concern with the Ukraine’s independent postures is understandable. Ukraine, with its 44 million population, was very keen to join NATO and the European Union. The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, is a military alliance between 28 European countries and the two North American countries, established in 1949, after World War II. These memberships would have ushered many advantages to Ukrainians, like better access to jobs, travel and improved lifestyles.

Ukraine could have evolved into a model democracy. This would be an unpleasant dish to digest for some dictatorial regimes. President Putin has misgivings about NATO troops, in a neighbouring country, 490 kilometres from Moscow. Hence, he thought, that he had no option but to invade Ukraine.

The first few days of the invasion have shown the prowess of the Russian military. Ukraine is a brave country. However, its war machine is just about 10 to 15 percent of the Russian armada of tanks, armoured vehicles and fighter aircraft.

All the Western nations have condemned the invasion with strong words like tyrants, bullies, aggressor, punish Putin, etc. However, President Putin has ignored all these admonishments. He is singleminded in the pursuit of his goal, that Ukraine should be subjugated.

The sanctions imposed by the Western nations on Russia, are unlikely to slow down President Putin. He would have incorporated these sanctions in his war plans. Russia would have been preparing for this war, for about a year. So, it would have expected the sanctions. The sanctions could inconvenience Russia, but will not cripple it. Russia will simply maximise its business ties with countries like China, Iran, Venezuela, etc.

The USA and Western countries have made it abundantly clear that they will not send any troops to Ukraine to fight Russia. The Western world does not want to put any boots on the ground, given the dangers of direct involvement in a battle. The Americans and British have not forgotten the lessons of Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. Though Ukraine feels abandoned, perhaps it is wise for Western countries to refrain from direct military involvement. Russia will resent any foreign troops. The situation could spin out of control and lead to World War III. With the weapons of mass destruction at the disposal of many countries, another World war could be catastrophic and see the end of human civilisation.

Given the current imbroglio, there is little point in casting stones on President Putin. We have to take the current situation as given and work from there. How do we talk to President Putin? Who can talk to him? How to reason with him? These are challenging questions.

TO RESOLVE THE CURRENT PICKLE, IT WOULD BE BEST FOR RUSSIA AND UKRAINE TO DECLARE A CEASE-FIRE, SIT ON A TABLE AND SOLVE THEIR ISSUES AMICABLY. THE UNITED NATIONS SHOULD ENABLE AND HOST THIS DIALOGUE

Condemning President Putin is not going to make him reasonable.

Ukraine is known as the bread basket of the world. It grows wheat, barley, corn, sunflower and exports them to Europe, Asia and Africa.

Ukraine’s sunflower exports, comprise 40 percent of the world’s sunflower exports. Nigeria imports wheat, foods and pharmaceutical products from Ukraine. India imports sunflower from Ukraine. With the country now busy defending itself, its exports will suffer.

Agricultural exports are a major thrust of Ukraine’s economy, contributing 14 percent to the country’s GDP. Ukraine has 41 million hectares of land devoted to agriculture, about 70 percent of the land of in the country. Ukraine is the second largest country after Russia, in East Europe.

A third of Russia’s gas exports to Europe, pass through the Ukrainian pipelines. Russian oil also flows to Europe, through Ukraine.

Ukraine supplies about 10 percent of the Europe’s steel requirements.

The prices of many raw material across the world will go topsy-turvy.

The Russian invasion is also going to impact the global supply chains, due to closure of air spaces and change of shipping routes. So, expect further escalation in prices of all products.

Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, is exhorting ordinary citizens to fight the Russian invaders. Around 18,000 guns have been given to civilians and even some members of parliament to fight the invasion. A pretty member of the Ukraine Parliament, Ms. Kira Rudik was interviewed on television, armed with a Kalashnikov, ready to take on the invaders to defend her family and country. The Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, says he is on the Kill-list of Russia. However, he has refused an American offer to be personally extracted from Ukraine. These are brave stances. However, no civilian with a gun, can ever be a lasting solution, in front of a professionally armed and trained Russian soldier. There is a time to wage war and there is a time to smoke the peace pipe. This is the time to talk peace.

As an independent Ukraine should be free to join any group, it wishes to. Ukraine is a mature country. It should be allowed to choose its friends. However, considering Russia’s concerns that NATO troops would be next door to Moscow from Ukraine, it may be wise to explore other solutions.

A sensible option would be for Ukraine to declare itself as a neutral country, which does not take sides with the NATO or Russia. Like neutral Switzerland, Ukraine could have the best of all worlds then.

Ukraine could downsize its military and revamp its economy to become a major tourist destination, as Dubai and Switzerland have done. Ukraine could become the Singapore of Europe.

To resolve the current pickle, it would be best for Russia and Ukraine to declare a cease-fire, sit on a table and solve their issues amicably. The United Nations should enable and host this dialogue.

Aneja was the Managing Director of Unilever Tanzania. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and the author of books entitled, “Rural Marketing across Countries and “Business Express”. He is a Management Consultant

UPSKILLING FOR A TRANSITIONAL ENERGY INDUSTRY Empowering women in renewable energy secures our future, writes Kike Fajemirokun

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n 2014, 12 women received a scholarship for oil and gas related undergraduate courses in Norway, courtesy of the Petroleum Trust Development Fund – the first time the scheme was expanded to offer school-leavers a pipeline into industry.

Four times as many men received the same scholarship. By 2021, the scheme offered MSc scholarships to 60 women. Nearly three times as many men received the same. That should give you some pause. We know the oil and gas industry is male-dominated, but we also know that more women now are studying engineering and other STEM courses than in the last few decades. So why does the latter not translate into the former – even at the very earliest levels of tertiary education?

One simple explanation for this might be the distinct lack of gender representation. When people see others like themselves doing things, it can shift their sense of their own capabilities.

More so today than they ever have, women are excelling in STEM. And yet, the focus in the oil and gas space is on elevating men. As recently as 2020, a BCG survey of the global oil and gas workforce found women held just 22% of jobs. Another McKinsey study in the same year revealed that in Africa and the Middle East, women make up less than 8% of technical jobs in the oil and gas sector and 9% of senior management positions in the energy industry.

My own experience bears this out. Over the past decade in my career as a global manager of people, I have recruited over 100 people into various roles across three countries. Still, for every 10 prospective candidates, only about two are women. This unequal starting point makes even the very best efforts at inclusivity

challenging. It also suggests that not only are there intrinsic internal inhibitors: such as lack of technical training opportunities for women, expectations about gender roles, which close women out of opportunities in the field, there are also entrenched external beliefs about the industry that perhaps need to be unlearned.

To correct this, we must be purposeful in our actions to bring more women into the energy industry but also conscious that the spaces we create must allow them to thrive.

The exclusionary, male-dominated cultures that have perpetuated to close women out of these spaces cannot be allowed to push them out once they are given a chance to enter. Recognise that men do not have to lose for women to win. It is by now trite knowledge that greater gender diversity has superior financial and economic outcomes – for businesses, even for countries. A 2021 McKinsey survey of 65,000 people found that compared to men of the same level, women are doing more to advance diversity, inclusion and provide support to their teams, a global pandemic notwithstanding. And according to the UNDP, since 2010, the gender gap in the labour market has cost sub-Saharan Africa $95 billion yearly in lost income.

All that said, tomorrow is only possible if today is sustainable. The world is looking to energy sources that promise to avoid compromising our collective future. Renewable energy projects globally are rolling out at their fastest pace in four years and Africa is itself waking up to its renewable energy generation capacity. Financiers like the African Development Bank and the World Bank have put energy at the core of their transformation agenda. Put simply: the potential is vast. Gradually, fewer

resources are being channelled into traditional oil and gas today. This means that we must be intentional about upskilling or reskilling to meet the demands of this transition. For women, who are already disproportionately excluded from opportunities and advancement, this imperative is even more urgent.

Avoiding the mistakes of the present necessitates designing solutions to tackle the challenges we witness. The challenges often pointed to as precluding women from advancing include: a lack of qualified candidates, family and child care responsibilities – in addition to social conditioning and gender-based discrimination.

Solving for these is easy if we are resolute.

Employers can provide or subsidise child-care options. Care arrangements might appear a significant upfront cost for a business, but studies have shown that such arrangements increase loyalty, decrease absenteeism and turnover.

Governments can mandate local content quotas, or incentivise companies to hire women-owned energy servicing firms. Qualifications can also be taught. To increase women’s technical exposure to the energy industry, we can ensure that they can access scholarships, fellowships, training and mentoring.

Learned beliefs are often harder to tackle because changes to belief systems take time. The gender stereotypes about maths and science that have existed for decades, manifest as relatively fewer women than men studying engineering and STEM courses. This in turn translates directly into the gender gap we observe in the labour market. So we must prioritise working to adjust the social conditioning and expectations of gender roles that have contributed to this disparity. Corrective policies are key to meeting

this challenge head on.

Even if the moral imperative for improving women’s access to the energy industry is lacking, the economic imperative is clear and present, particularly for African nations looking to tap into their renewable energy capacity. Foreign investors are increasingly concerned about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), because studies suggest more diverse companies outperform their less diverse peers. An EY survey of over 60 institutional investors representing $38 trillion in combined assets under management revealed that diversity of board, management, and workforce is considered to be one of the key drivers of strategic success over the next five years. It is reasonable then to expect that DEI — including gender diversity, will become an integral part of financing decisions.

This tells us that we should have a vested interest in increasing womens’ retention – but also visibility, in our industry.

Nations rise and fall on the strength of their people. For Africa’s energy sector specifically, we cannot afford to exclude nearly half of our potential workforce. The case for it has never been stronger: increasing urbanisation, climate challenges and headwinds facing the oil and gas industry, are precipitating African countries to decrease their risk profiles and take a deeper look at more sustainable paths to meeting their energy needs. We are at the tipping point of an energy revolution: Goldman Sachs estimates the transition from fossils to cleaner energy sources will create a $16 trillion investment opportunity through 2030.

So, empowering women is just smart economics.

Empowering women in renewable energy secures our future.

Fajemirokun is the Head of Human Resources & Admin at Lekoil Nigeria Limited

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EDITORIAL LOOTING THE ASSETS OF NATURE…1 The nation should do well by enforcing conservation laws

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he recent seizure in Lekki, Lagos, of a large haul of Elephant tusks and Pangolin scales by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is not the first and may not be the last, considering the slipshod approach of government (at all levels) to the enforcement of our environmental laws. The total quantity of Elephant tusks intercepted is 145kg while the total quantity of Pangolin scales is 839.4kg with a total monetary value of N3.2 billion. According to the NCS, this was the fourth major seizure of Pangolin scales, ivory, and other assorted wildlife parts in Nigeria within the last 13 months.

The wildlife segment of tourism that has brought stupendous wealth and glory to fellow African countries like South Africa, Namibia and Kenya has been largely ignored in Nigeria. While national parks that are spread across THE UNODC’S WORLD the country host WILDLIFE CRIME REPORT valuable animal 2020 FOUND THAT IN species, many 2019 ALONE, AT LEAST 51 are endangered.

TONNES OF PANGOLIN At stake here are SCALES SEIZED GLOBALLY environmental sanctity, wholeORIGINATED FROM some international NIGERIAN PORTS trade, and national pride. There is therefore an urgent need to review our regulations and practices to meet internationally applied standards.

Forest Elephants, which are endemic to Nigeria, migrate freely from the Omo Wood forest in Ogun State to the Lekki axis of Lagos. Two sightings were reported last month, prompting the Lagos State government to designate the forested area of Lekki as a wildlife protection zone. Also, Pangolins are found in large numbers in these forests but the fear among conservationists is that they are fast depleting. In August last year, the NCS also announced the seizure of huge wildlife products, including elephant tusks and other endangered species and nobody was punished for this crime, and it is very likely that nobody will be punished for the recent

Letters to the Editor

seizure as well.

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

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

n March 2021, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) stated that there was a high pressure on Nigerian wildlife. According to the UN agency, animals are hunted for bushmeat/ barbeque at social events, especially by prominent people in the society. There appears to be geographic consolidation of trafficking routes across several markets, with Nigeria emerging as a key source/transit country for many shipments of protected species and products. The UNODC’s World Wildlife Crime Report (WWCR) 2020 found that in 2019 alone, at least 51 tonnes of pangolin scales seized globally originated from Nigerian ports. More than half of all seizures of pangolin scales worldwide could also be traced back to Nigeria in 2019. Despite a global decline in trafficking in ivory since 2011, Nigeria has been identified in a growing number of incidents as part of the illegal trade chain.

The January 2021 seizure at the Apapa ports by the NCS of a 20 feet container containing the remains of various endangered species further highlights and buttresses findings in the WWCR 2020.

The container included 2,772 pieces of elephant tusks of different shapes weighing about 4,752kg; 162 sacks of pangolin scales weighing 5,329kg; 5kg of rhino horns, dried and fresh animal bones; 103 kg of skulls suspected to be of lions and other wild cats; and 76 pieces of timber (semi processed and processed).

Obviously, authorities in Nigeria are shirking their responsibilities. Conventions and Protocols that the federal government signs abroad have no practical meaning in many of the 36 states and 774 local governments. Many governors do not even know that it is part of their duties to enforce conservation laws. There are no functioning Wildlife Departments in most states. The laws are outdated or moribund. Recruitment into wildlife departments stopped a long time ago. Wildlife personnel are more endangered than the endangered animals and plants they are supposed to take care of.

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

A SMEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST NDDC

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very now and then, a smear campaign against the NDDC, possibly sponsored by self-serving politicians and contractors, would make its way through a section of the media. The kernel of these publications is usually threefold: attack the forensic audit which President Buhari ordered into the affairs of the commission and ask the President to immediately recompose the commission’s board. Senator Godswill Akpabio, the supervising Minister of NDDC, is often the target of most of the attacks. He is seen as the one stopping President Buhari from forming a new board for the agency. In the editorial opinion of THISDAY newspaper of Wednesday, February 23, 2022), titled ‘’NDDC And The Anti-Graft Hoax’’, the same argument is made. It is difficult to conjecture that a minister would have the powers to stop the president from carrying out his duties. I do not know why so much powers and invincibility are ascribed to Akpabio. Even when he was our governor in Akwa Ibom, many people had thought that he had the ability to put out the sun!

In addition, the editorial comment asks that ‘’full details of the findings by the forensic audit should be made public quickly’’, adding that ‘’the Presidency which ordered the

audit needs to act on the findings by referring cases of indictment to the EFCC or the judiciary for corruption’’.

I agree, and I believe the federal government is working on this. Just last week, a dubious allegation came from the leadership of Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC). It stated that the management of the Commission had made payments of N20 billion to ghost contractors. It is notable that the Commission had promptly countered such spurious claim with facts and figures.

Although NDDC was beset with several cases of malpractices and mismanagement in the past, it is important to note that the current management, led by Mr. Efiong Akwa, has worked hard to clean up the Commission and institute new corporate governance guided by transparency, honesty and professionalism. Since Mr. Akwa was appointed Chief executive in December 2020, the commission has completed over 20 projects that were abandoned for many years, three of which were personally commissioned by President Buhari between March and December 2021. The three are the commission’s head office building in Port Harcourt which was under construction for over 25 years; the ultra modern police barracks in Omagwa, also in Port Harcourt, which was under construction for 12 years and the beautiful student hostel at the University of Uyo with capacity for 1,006

students which was under construction for over 15 years.

I understand that a major electricity project in Ondo State built by the commission with the capacity to electrify homes, offices and businesses in 12 LGAs would soon be completed.

Many stakeholders in the region, including governors, have applauded Mr Akwa and his team for the energy and focus in the commission.

Clearly, it is a new era in the NDDC devoid of the stench of the past. Senator Akpabio has shown convincing commitment to drive the President’s agenda at the Delta region and reposition the commission on the path of probity, good governance and decency. A new NDDC has emerged.

I acknowledge that as the election season approaches, politicians who are gearing up to run for offices would be wishing for the Commission to become the major source of their finance as was the case in the past. Unfortunately for them, President Buhari is not willing to open the treasury for this class of bandits. Rather, he has directed the Attorney General to look into the recommendations of the forensic audit and make a proposal to the government on how best to reposition the organization before a new board is constituted. I ask for our people and the media to give the President a little more time.

Etim Etim, a journalist and author, writes from Abuja

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POLITICS

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

MHNG Sparks Synergy Between the Media and Stakeholders Ahead of the 2023 National Elections Stakeholders in the media, government officials and security agents recently agreed on the need to cooperate in order to get the best from the electoral system as the 2023 general election approaches, writes Iyke Bede

Egabor-Afoloyan

Akande

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ithout a doubt, the media, in its many iterations, has played a vital part in the development of the democratic structure in Nigeria. Using daring but inspiring headlines about happenings in different regions, the citizenry realized that there was a possibility to break away from their colonial masters.

They eventually did, and amicably, too.

Furthermore, this sense of independence was instilled during the authoritarian regime where information was highly censored. Undeterred, journalists at the time unravelled

facts beneficial to the enlightenment of the entire population, even though it sometimes cost them their lives. However, these bits of data were instrumental to regaining independence in the late ‘90s, allowing for freedom of speech.

By the early 2000s, the internet started gaining presence in Nigeria’s biggest cities: Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Abuja, consequently enabling the quick flow or exchange of information. With the explosion of the internet later on in the late 2000s, the possibilities of sharing

Akosile

useful information with the masses became endless.

Through these new frontiers, the timeframe of sharing information shrunk from a day or two to almost being instantaneous. This acceleration in news dispersion brought about an expansion in reach and accessibility and also served as more cost-effective avenues for independent media houses as well as citizen journalism to thrive online.

With the internet serving as a cata-

lyst, news dissemination became a race of who gets the news out first. Traditionally, news pieces were vetted by professionals, however, due to the ease of owning and operating a news platform, quacks in the professional offer pivot towards catching more eyeballs on their platform, regardless of the long-term damage of misinformation and disinformation.

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

Bamidele Explains Why He Go to Court against APC Senator Opeyemi Bamidele who lost in the All Progressives Congress governorship primary in Ekiti State clarifies his decision to remain in the party

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choose to break my temporary silence and release a short statement with respect to the current crisis in which our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), is embroiled in Ekiti State. I am doing this because I am not unaware that a lot of stakeholders, including many of my supporters, kinsmen, friends, family members, colleagues and associates within and outside Ekiti are expecting to hear from me regarding the next political move, especially in response to the manner in which I (like six other Governorship Aspirants) was treated.

The need to widely consult in situations like these cannot be overemphasized and it is in that respect that I had spent the last couple of days engaging in broad spiritual, political, legal and personal consultations and I remain entirely grateful to all those who had given quality time and attention to my matter in the course of the consultations.

As it is today, whatever I decide to do and in whichever direction I choose to go, it is clear that I cannot possibly respond in a way that will satisfy all the shades of opinion or make all the

tendencies, with varying and sometimes conflicting perspectives, simultaneously happy. I, therefore, choose this day to take some final decisions based on my personal convictions and accept responsibility for them. Sometimes, leadership is also about standing up to posit even when such positions may not be popular with some or even majority of our admirers and supporters at the very beginning and in the face of initial and raging anger and disappointment.

Has my position changed on the fact that what took place in Ekiti on the night of Wednesday, 26th and the morning of Thursday, 27th January, 2022 in the name of governorship primaries was a charade and sheer impunity?

No. I still strongly hold the position that it was a mockery of democracy that should be condemned by all means. Am I happy with the present political situation in Ekiti? Not at all. Am I hurting like many genuine democrats are doing

in Ekiti today? Yes. Am I convinced that failure or any further hesitation on the part of the national leadership of APC to specifically and decisively address the current and previous crises in Ekiti State would amount to playing the ostrich and waiting for a Dooms Day? Yes. Am I giving up on the ongoing struggle for justice and internal party democracy in Ekiti State? Never.

Yet, in spite of my strong convictions as expressed above, I have come to some irreversible conclusions and these are the messages I need to pass on to all and sundry as I temporarily break my silence on the way forward. One is to say that I have chosen to drop the option of going to court to sue the party. The other is to make it crystal clear to everyone that both my supporters and I will not defect from APC. Details of the reasons which informed these choices will be communicated at a later date when my supporters and I address Ekiti people and Nigerians at

large. It is not just about me. It is about the unity and progress of Ekiti State and her politically undermined and economically afflicted people. It is also about ensuring that the ground is not prepared for reactionary beneficiaries to take advantage of seeming lack of capacity to manage our affairs as a ruling party in the State. I also must coordinate and lead my own aspect of this popular struggle in a way to ensure that my supporters and stakeholders who had been isolated from the mainstream of the party become relevant again, for anything short of that can only be a highway to nowhere.

We have all contributed so much to building this party in Ekiti State and the management as well as its decision making process cannot be an exclusive preserve of a few. That is the new reality that those in control, including our national leadership must accept or it becomes a popular subject matter of a struggle around which a popular movement must be built. This is where I stand!

-Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (M. O. B.)

US-based Clinical Scientist Joins 2023 Presidential Race Rebecca Ejifoma witnessed the unveiling of the presidential plans of Dr. Abdiulfatai Durojaiye who is seeking Nigeria’s highest public office on the platform of the Peoples Redemption Party

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head of the 2023 Presidential Election, 53 years-old Clinical Scientist under the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Dr Abdulfattai Durojaiye, has declared interest to join the presidential race in his bid to rescue the nation from austerity.

Durojaiye, a US-based nurse, made this known during a media conference in Lagos on Sunday to lay out his vision for the nation.

“All my life I’ve been looking forward to a country that will be prosperous, one that we will be proud of and will always have my back.

“That is why people like me need to come out to rescue the nation. We need to strategize to

save and position Nigeria on the path of prosperity,” he emphasized.

While reminding Nigerians about the much talked about American dream, he bemoaned how millions of people in Nigeria are dying because they couldn’t access quality health care.

He listed education and security as some resolvable issues that need dire attention.

“When we are able to take it one-by-one, we will be able to talk more about how we will attack each of them.

Durojaiye acknowledged that majority of people are suffering, which means the

security of the few can’t be guaranteed. “We are speedily heading towards collapse and when that comes we will lose our country, livelihood and freedom.”

Having worked with a biotechnology, biopharmaceutical company in the US, which develops research and drugs for debilitating diseases, the Ogun State indigene foresees victory in the primaries.

“I think the possibility is very great. We have been going everywhere in the country and the tour is still continuing.

“We have other aspirants. But we know the superiority of our argument, the clarity of

our vision, the sincerity of our purpose will make us prevail and when we go from North, South, East to West we are overwhelmingly received.”

In the words of the Scientist, although poverty strikes every tribe the same way, if they work really hard, strategize and devote their expertise into building Nigeria, a time will come when all the great nations of the world will be at the shore of Nigeria, seeking to participate and benefit from her prosperity.

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

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POLITICS

Good Days are Back in Imo, Says Okafor Hon. Chike Okafor is a two-term legislator, representing Ehime Mbano/Ihitte Uboma/Obowo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. A former Commissioner for Finance in Imo state, he told Amby Uneze in Owerri why he took 180 people who had successful surgeries under his sponsorship for special thanksgiving as well as his relationship with governor Hope Uzodimma

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kafor said representing his federal constituency was a dream come true because of his passion to serve his people selflessly. He observed that everything about the ninth assembly of the House of Representatives where he represents the good people of Ehime Mbano, Ihitte Uboma and Obowo federal constituency is not hidden. He maintained that the current leadership has redefined representation as it is the job of the parliament to go beyond what “we knew before now’’ which is about passing bills and motions to getting involved in real critical issues that affect our nation’s economy.

“The leadership under Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila has shown those of us who came for the first time in the eight assembly that there are other things that we can do to really be supportive of our democracy. As a second term member I didn’t have any constraints except for the fact that I was the chairman of a critical committee – health, during my first term.

That naturally gave me a lot of responsibilities and assignments in interfacing with the major health institutions in the country, including the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Primary Healthcare Agency, World Health Organization, NAFDAC, and other agencies under the health sector. So I was fully engaged in the eighth assembly, unlike what we have in the ninth assembly and for my late return I didn’t get that responsibility, but I am a member of a couple of committees like finance, banking and currency, etc. The truth is that you can’t be much more engaged as when chairing a committee where you would always be in the spotlight. However, that is, by the way; what you have is what you take,” he said.

On the thanksgiving for the 180 patients that had successful surgeries under his medical out-

Okafor

reach, Okafor stressed that it was not really a medical outreach, but a surgical outreach. The difference, according to him, is that medical outreach precedes surgical outreach.

Medical outreach as it were, involves clinical examination of the patients and then giving them the medications. But we found out after 2016 we started the medical outreach that there are more critical issues medical outreach alone cannot cater for. In 2017 I got my constituents

registered with a health insurance scheme in some nominated hospitals in the constituency where they could go and get treatment free of charge under the national health insurance scheme.

“The last time I checked there were over 14,000 across the three local government areas, especially in maternal and child healthcare.

But other critical healthcare challenges are not covered in the health insurance. Therefore from 2018, we made the medical outreach to include surgical outreach which means that some of those issues identified especially among the

poor and the vulnerable such as surgeries of, appendicitis, fibroid, etc that were not covered by the health insurance scheme, we then devoted our medical outreach to identify those with these medical issues and dedicated about four weeks to carry out the surgeries in our dedicated medical facilities in the constituency and have those surgeries carried out.

“This was the fifth time we did that so the 2021 edition which was flagged off by the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Imo state, Dr Okorochukwu on December 5th at the Maternal Referral Health Centre, Alike, Obowo managed by the Imo state University Teaching Hospital and the exercise went on for two weeks. Couple of weeks after and the patients had been recuperated we saw the need for them to thank God. When we started we needed the intervention of God hence we invited some clergy to pray for the successful surgeries and now that about 180 of them went for the surgeries, we had 100 percent success and no casualty or complications. As Christians, the Bible in Luke 17: 12-19 tells us about the 10 lepers who saw Jesus Christ and they cried out to him to help them and have them cleansed of their leprosy. Jesus told them to go and show themselves to the priest. Bible records that they were healed instantly and later on it was only one that came back to thank Jesus and Jesus asked him where are the other nine? “However, for you who came you are now made whole” What that means was that the scar of leprosy on the one that returned to thank God was completely gone and the man’s original nature was restored. That is the benefit of thanksgiving.

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

Olawepo-Hashim: Electoral Act Ushers New Beginning for Nigeria’s Electoral System Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress ( APC), Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s assent into law of the Electoral Act would now make elections more transparent while the peoples votes will count

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n a statement issued by his media office in Abuja,Hashim who was a Presidential candidate in 2019 and a global energy executive , said history was made on Friday 25th of February when President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) assented to the 2022 Electoral Act and Nigerians would now exercise their franchise through a transparent electoral system that reflects their will.

He explained that “the Act contains provisions aimed at making elections more transparent and making the votes of the people count.”

According to him, “ having credible elections that reflect the will of the people has been an important challenge of Nigeria since return to Democracy in 1999.”

“Elections were massively rigged in 2003

Olawepo-Hashim

and 2007.Towards 2011 a slow process of electoral reform started

that saw some significant improvement in 2015 which sadly relapsed in 2019.”

‘The effect of public perception that the electoral system is not clean has for long, been increasing voters apathy in our country.”

“Credible periodic election is an hallmark of democracy and it is the vehicle of expression of sovereignty of the Peoples” will.

He explained that “democracy is not simply about building roads, providing electricity, water and police service. Efficient and benevolent authoritarian regimes sometimes perform those services better.”

“Essentially, Democracy is about the right of the people to choose who governs them through a transparent electoral system that reflects their will.”

“Credit for the signed law must be given

to the relentless pursuit of Nigerian people of higher Ideals of democracy expressed through the work of various civil society organisations and the media who worked hard for the ACT, the National Assembly that conveyed the wishes of the people and President Muhammadu Buhari who has written his name in Gold by giving assent.”

“Democracy is a system as well as a process.

This huge step is just the beginning; there is still a lot of work to be done to make our democracy stronger and our Union more improved.”

“Every citizen has a role to play and those who are qualified to vote but have not registered no longer have any excuse not to do so because now, every vote will count.It is a New Day for Nigeria!”

APGA Accuses ENSIEC of Partisanship in Council Polls

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he All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Enugu State at its recent extraordinary meeting agreed on some resolutions regarding the just concluded Enugu State local government election.

The leadership of APGA Enugu State commended the good people of Enugu State for coming out to vote for the candidates of APGA in the various Local Government Areas in the state but are disappointed by non- or inadequate number of ENSIEC staff and electoral materials at various venues used for the election.

In a joint statement by Ndubuisi Enechionyia, APGAEnugu State Chairman and Hon. Dickson Ani, APGAEnugu State Secretary, the party decried

the activities and actions of the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission which allegedly reneged on its statutory oaths and betrayed the mandate imposed on them.

APGA condemned in totality the gravity of electoral harassment, intimidation, violence, assault and malpractices displayed by the ruling party in the state in collaboration with the Electoral Commission and its officers wherein lives and properties were lost.

The party further rejected the prewritten electoral results declared by ENSIEC even in many glaring areas where no elections were conducted,

and calls on ENSIEC to immediately withdraw the illegal certificates of return issued to the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, while calling on its teeming supporters to remain calm and resolute as it commences the process of nullification of the outcome of a clearly biased electoral body, which is against the will of the people.

According to the APGA leadership, “Our State has never had it so bad. This is the final dance of a failed PDP government We have no doubt that Enugu will be rescued from the hands of these ravenous lions come 2023 especially as the new Electoral Act 2022 has been signed into

law by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the frontline gubernatorial aspirant of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Enugu State, Prince Jeff Nnamani has called on the National Assembly to consider an amendment to the electoral law to allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) take over conduct of elections into the 774 Local Government Area Councils in Nigeria from the State Independent Electoral Commissions.

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

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TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

FOREIGN DESK

COMPILED BY BAYO AKINLOYE

US Moves to Sever Russian Access to Dollars The US Treasury made its strongest moves yet to sever Russia’s access to its assets, the White House said Monday, with measures aimed at both the Russian Central Bank and the Russian Direct Investment Fund.

The moves leave Russia staring down its second week of its brazen invasion of neighbouring Ukraine under heavy diplomatic and economic pressure. On Monday, delegations from Kyiv and Moscow were meeting near the Ukraine-Belarus border for peace talks. Meanwhile, the United Nations General Assembly will hold an emergency session, and Russia’s currency has sunk to a record low.

Monday’s move against the Putin government’s main war chest will have a major effect, a senior Biden administration official told reporters early Monday. White House officials estimate that the bank holds about $630 billion in several currencies, including dollars.

“The Russian Central Bank has been attempting to bring those assets back to Russia or to safe havens so they can be used to support their economy and their currency,” the official said during a background briefing before US markets opened. ”Today’s announcement to prohibit transactions with the Central Bank of Russia and the National Wealth Fund will significantly hinder their ability to do that and inhibit their access to hundreds of billions of dollars in assets,” the senior official said.

“From our actions alone, they will not be able to access assets that are either in the United States or in US dollars.”

UK Widens Russian ‘Dirty Money’ Crackdown with New Law Britain will intensify a crackdown on what Prime Minister Boris Johnson called “dirty money” by introducing the government’s Economic Crime Bill to parliament on Monday, a step brought forward in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The much-delayed legislation comes as many opposition lawmakers and those in the governing Conservative party have called on Johnson’s government to do more to stop the flow of Russian cash into London, dubbed by some as “Londongrad.”

“There is no place for dirty money in the UK. We are going faster and harder to tear back the facade that those supporting [Russian President Vladimir Putin’s campaign of destruction have been hiding behind for so long,” Johnson said.

“Those backing Putin have been put on notice: there will be nowhere to hide your ill-gotten gains,” he said in a statement.

Earlier measures have done little to dissuade many Russian oligarchs from using London as their Western capital of choice to spend large sums on property, education and luxury goods.

The government said the new bill would help the National Crime Agency prevent foreign owners from laundering their money in British property and to ensure more “corrupt oligarchs” could be handed an Unexplained Wealth Order (UWOs).

Those orders, introduced in 2018 to help authorities target the illicit wealth of foreign officials suspected of corruption and those involved in serious crime, have rarely been used because of the often high legal costs.

Putin Govt Threatens Russian Media about War Coverage Russia’s media regulator is warning independent news outlets not to report negatively on the war in Ukraine, including troop causalities.

The regulator, Roskomnadzor, issued letters to at least 10 media outlets, including Novaya Gazeta, run by Nobel Peace laureate Dmitry Muratov, and Current Time, a Russian-language digital news network led by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and VOA. RFE/RL and VOA are independent networks under the taxpayer-funded US Agency for Global Media.

Separately, police briefly detained several

for not doing enough to avoid the conflict with his country.

At a news conference, United Nations Environment Assembly President Espen Barth Eide of Norway said it did not surprise him that controversy over the Ukraine conflict spilt over into the summit.

“The United Nations and other bodies have the right arena in dealing with peace and security, and right now, the Security Council is with this issue,” he said.

journalists covering anti-war protests in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and authorities limited access to social media platforms.

“From the start of the invasion of Ukraine, the Russian authorities have tried to put a tight lid over independent reporting,” media rights expert Gulnoza Said told VOA. Said is the Europe and Central Asia program coordinator for the New Yorkbased Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Roskomnadzor issued a statement Friday warning that media should use only government sources when covering the war.

Warnings were later issued to several news sites, who were told they could be fined or have websites blocked if they failed to remove content that Moscow deems false or that details troop movements.

Media were told Russia’s actions in Ukraine should not be described as an “assault, invasion or declaration of war.”

US Suspends Embassy Operations in Belarus The US Department of State Monday announced it has suspended operations at the US embassy in Minsk, Belarus, and authorized the voluntary departure of non-emergency employees and family members at the US diplomatic mission in Russia’s capital, Moscow.

In a statement, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the State Department took the steps due to security and safety issues stemming from “the unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces in Ukraine.”

He said the department continually adjusts its posture at embassies and consulates worldwide based on the local security environment and the health situation.

Blinken said, “We ultimately have no higher priority than the safety and security of US citizens, and that includes our US government personnel and their dependents serving around the world.”

Separately, the United States updated its travel advisories for Belarus and Russia to Level 4-”Do Not Travel” status, citing Russia’s military attack on Ukraine.

Russia has held troop drills in Belarus, using it as a staging ground to target Ukraine from the north.

Russian Media Sites Hacked; Anonymous Claims Responsibility Many Russian media outlets have been hacked, with anti-war messages being placed on their websites, as Russia continues its massive, unprovoked attack on Ukraine.

Twitter accounts historically associated with Anonymous, the amorphous online activist community that first grabbed global attention about a decade ago, claimed it was behind the hacker attack.

Among the media outlets impacted were websites of such news agencies and newspapers as TASS, Kommersant, Izvestia, Fontanka, Forbes, and RBK. “(Russian President Vladimir) Putin forces you to lie and puts you in danger. Why do we need it? So that Putin was added to textbooks? This is not our war. Let’s stop him!” one of the messages read.

“This statement will be removed, and some of us will be fired or even jailed. But we cannot stand it anymore,” the statement signed by “Not indifferent journalists,” said.

The official website of the Kremlin was Earlier in February, the US embassy in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, relocated down on February 26, following reports of operations to the western city of Lyiv denial-of-service attacks on various other Russian government and state media websites. amid the Russia-Ukraine tensions.

Anonymous also claimed it was behind that Russia-Ukraine War: Human Rights cyberattack as well.

Council to Hold Urgent Debate The UN Human Rights Council has Russia Facing World Cup Exile after overwhelmingly approved a request to ‘Unacceptable’ FIFA Plan hold an urgent debate later this week Russia’s future in the World Cup teetered on the crisis in Ukraine stemming from on a knife-edge Monday after FIFA plans the Russian invasion of that country. to allow them to play on neutral territory Twenty-nine countries in the were dismissed as “unacceptable” by rivals, 47-member council approved the plunging the qualifying process for football’s proposal. Thirteen countries abstained, showpiece event into chaos. and five - China, Cuba, Eritrea, Russia Governing body FIFA warned that they and Venezuela, voted against the were considering the ultimate sanction proposal. The vote took place after against Russia as punishment for their an impassioned plea by Yevheniia bloody invasion of Ukraine.

Filipenko, the Ukrainian ambassador However, after three days of silence, they to the UN in Geneva. She called on stopped short and ordered Russia to play the council to hold Russia accountable home internationals at neutral venues where for an unprovoked, unjustified attack their national flag and anthem would be on her country. banned. Russian teams would be known In just four days, she said the toll as the Football Union of Russia. of destruction in Ukraine has become FIFA said dialogue with other sports devastating. She said 352 people, organizations to determine additional including 16 children, have been measures “including potential exclusion killed, and some 1,700 people have from competitions” would continue. been wounded, including 160 children.

However, within minutes of the She said the Russian bombing of civilian announcement, the Polish FA insisted they infrastructure, roads and bridges has would not play Russia in a scheduled World left hundreds of thousands of people Cup play-off, regardless of the venue. without electricity and water and cut “Today’s FIFA decision is totally off communities. unacceptable,” tweeted Polish FA president Cezary Kulesza. “We are not interested in participating in this game of appearances.

EU, Russia Spat over Ukraine Our stance remains intact: Polish National Overshadows Environment Summit Anger at the Russian aggression Team will NOT PLAY with Russia, no matter against Ukraine spilt into the United what the name of the team is.”

Nations Environment Programme Summit in Kenya Monday. Delegates and South African Nonprofit Sues Health leaders from over 100 nations are trying Ministry for Vaccine Transparency to agree on a treaty to tackle plastic A South African activist group is suing the waste. While addressing participants, government to reveal details of its contracts European Union representative Virgijus with COVID-19 vaccine makers. The Health Sinkevicius veered off-topic.

Justice Initiative says transparency is needed He said the celebration of a possible to ensure fair pricing and prevent corruption. deal on plastic waste was “saddened” Fatima Hassan is the founder and director

by Russia’s act of aggression against of the Health Justice Initiative. its neighbour. He added, “In these She says freedom of information requests dark hours, our thoughts are with filed for the documents have gone unanswered.

Ukrainians.”

Hassan says it’s not just a matter of what The commissioner also called South Africa paid for vaccines but also where on Russia’s leadership to abide by the country falls in the context of the world’s international law and dialogue with response to the pandemic. its neighbour. A Russian delegate in the She wants to know if any stipulations conference responded to the EU official were made that left some countries paying by blaming the Ukrainian government more or waiting longer for vaccines.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 1, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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TUESDAY, ͹˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

THE ALTERNATIVE

with RenoOmokri

Russia-Ukraine Conflict Exposes Black Africans' Hypocrisy

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f the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has taught us anything, it is that Black Africans need to take stock of how we view ourselves vis-a-vis how we see others.

As a people, we must understand that we set the standard for how others see us and treat us. And what standards have we set? Please permit me to take a few paragraphs to explain something that you may or may not have noticed because it is quite subliminal.

Sadly, we Black Africans are the easiest people to mind control using the media. A Black African’s home can be on fire. His children may be starving. His health may be failing. But he will gladly deprioritise his interests and prioritise others because of what he sees on television.

Let me give an example. Ethiopia and its Tigray region have been at war. One thousand times the number of people killed in Ukraine has been killed in that war (this is no hyperbole, as I will later reveal).

How many Black Africans started ‘Pray for Ethiopia’?

How many went into a frenzy? How many of us even noticed? What did Europe and America do to help? Do you know that the weapons being used by those beautiful African people in that war came from Europe? But now that Europeans are fighting each other, you have turned into a prayer warrior!

As long as we Black Africans cry more for others than our own selves, we will always be treated scornfully and with disdain. Why? Because Christ did not teach us to love others more than we move ourselves. He taught us to love our neighbour as we love ourselves!

When I drew the attention of Nigerians to this, many responded, saying they are concerned because there are Nigerians living in Ukraine.

I have been to Ethiopia fifteen times. Not just the capital. The interior villages. Many Nigerians are even unaware that Aliko Dangote has a cement factory in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. Nigerians work at that factory. It was briefly surrounded by rebel forces.

More Nigerians live in Ethiopia than in Ukraine.

But since Ethiopians are Black, you won’t notice!

Your focus and attention are for White people, not your own kind.

This is so typical of our people. If it is White, it is right. If it is Black, put it at the back. And tomorrow we will cry out that we want #BlackLivesMatter.

How are we showing that Black lives matters by our actions?

And another annoying thing is that our people have been so brainwashed by CNN and other liberal media that they are now calling this conflict World War Three.

Say what? Look, we must not allow our opinions to be handed out to us by the mainstream liberal media. Let us quit calling what is happening between Russia and Ukraine World War 3. It is not WW3.

It is a European war. Wake up from your slumber.

Europe is NOT the world. Both Russia and Ukraine

Russian President, Vladimir Putin are not even in the top ten nations by GDP. We must put things into proper perspective. Not into CNN perspective. Don’t elevate a regional conflict to a global one.

If you are in a country like Nigeria for instance, one bullet, one missile, one grenade will not even touch you. You can even start preparing for owambe party, because Nigeria will reap a fortune from rising oil prices. Just be entertained by the European quarrel.

More people are dying in Nigeria on a daily basis due to terrorism, than in this European war falsely called a World War. Malaria will kill more Africans this year than the world lost due to #COVID19.

Infant and maternal mortality will kill more Africans this year than the entire population of a province in Russia or Ukraine. What has either Russia or Ukraine done to stop that, that you are carrying their own deaths on your head?

It is this habit that we have of caring for others more than we care for ourselves that has made us the downtrodden of the Earth. Terrorists will kill 200 Nigerians, Buhari will travel. Terrorists will kill one European, Buhari will release condolence message and declare solidarity with them. You travel to Europe, you wait in line until their immigration finishes with their own people. You return to your country and your own immigration handles Europeans before handling your nationals. And you think you are different or better than Buhari? Value yourself first!

And another annoying aspect of this our mass

inferiority complex is the tendency of Black Africans to use Scriptural eschatology to explain why they are so concerned about the Russia-Ukraine war, and not Ethiopia-Tigray conflict.

When people use Scriptural prophecy to justify their focus on Russia-Ukraine, I laugh. Ethiopia is the first nation mentioned in Scripture-Genesis 2:13.

Ethiopia is the subject of more Scriptural prophecy than almost any other nation on Earth, including the return of Ethiopian Jews to Israel. How come we Black Africans have not shown the same concern over the war in Ethiopia, that has killed more people than the crisis in Ukraine?

Our inferiority complex is so deep in Black Africa.

Africans would prefer to do business with a White person than their fellow Black Africans. They meet a White person and smile. They meet a fellow Black African and frown. War in a fellow Black African country is ignored. But Black Africans will weep and wail and roll on the ground over war in Europe. Oh my people! Who had bewitched you?

5.5 million Black Africans in northern Ethiopia are living with acute food insecurity because of the conflict. An estimated 150,000 Ethiopians have been killed. Where is our Black African outrage? Or is it exclusively for Ukraine?

What Africans and their governments should do is use this war to their own advantage, not by crying more than the bereaved, but by using their voice and diplomacy to further their economic interests.

And then those African nations, like Nigeria and South Africa, who have the wherewithal, should focus their real diplomatic and military efforts to ending the Ethiopia-Tigray conflict.

Nigeria’s government, for instance, showed great delinquency over its reaction to the Russia-Ukraine war. We waited for South Africa and other smaller African nations to speak before speaking to condemn Russia’s aggression.

The Buhari administration’s initial silence over the Russian invasion of Ukraine was very unwise.

Nigeria hardly imports or exports anything from Russia. Russia also hardly gives us loans or financial/ material aid. Russia, itself, is in need of aid. To alienate those who give us aid and loans by being silent on this will cost Nigeria!

The invasion is wrong. It is an act of aggression.

It is globally unpopular. By being silent, until other African nations spoke, the Buhari regime displayed its usual intellectual laziness. Speaking up would have given us leverage with Western nations. Leverage we can never get from Russia.

Some have said that the Buhari regime failed to speak up because they feared China would stop giving them loans.

This is the challenge of our people. We do not know, and we do not take steps to know, and instead of knowing, we prefer to force our ignorance on those who know.

First of all, China no longer gives Nigeria loans. This

much was said by Nigeria’s minister of information in a press conference. Nigeria now spends more money servicing loans than she does on infrastructure and the Chinese consider us too risky.

Secondly, China and Russia are not friends. They even fought each other in 1969. There is mutual distrust between them. Russia feels that China is upstaging her in Africa and the Middle East. China feels that Russian expansion will threaten its Manchurian borders.

What they have is a common enemy, which makes them comrades, not friends.

Thirdly, China has a similar issue with Taiwan ROC. Seeing the economic harm Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is causing the world does three things to China.

The first is that China’s economy is heavily dependent on exports. This war will affect the economies of those nations that export from China, meaning that it will cost them financially.

The second is that the invasion is globally unpopular, with even governments that had hitherto thawed to Russia, like Turkey, condemning it. Meaning that that is what China will suffer if it tries the same thing in Taiwan ROC. Thirdly, the invasion weakens the Democrats and strengthens the Republicans. China is heavily in favour of a Democratic administration in America, while Russia favours the Republicans, and specifically, Trump. China has suspicions that this invasion will increase Trump’s popularity.

No one could be more happy that Buhari is leaving in 2023. The man is too intellectually inferior to be in charge of Nigeria’s affairs. He waited for South Africa and other smaller African nations to speak on the Russia-Ukraine war, then just followed their lead.

May we never have such a leader (if you can call him that) ever again!

Reno’s Nuggets At $230 billion, Elon Musk is richer than the biggest oil company doing business in Nigeria. It should teach Nigeria that our true wealth isn’t under the ground. It’s between our people's ears. Arm yourself with knowledge, then weaponise it to kill poverty like Elon. One barrel of crude oil is about the same price as one Bitcoin (before the Russian invasion of Ukraine). Think about that. Financial intelligence is the future. That is why 10 years ago, an oil firm called Exxon Mobil was the most valuable company on Earth. Today, Apple is the world’s most valuable corporation. Crude knowledge is greater than crude oil. Fear is the evil twin brother of ignorance. Knowledge is to fear what water is to fire. The more knowledge you get, the less you fear.

Increase in knowledge if you want to live a life of power. Be hungrier for knowledge than you are for food and intercourse! #RenosNuggets #FreeLeahSharibu

US CUTS OFF RUSSIA'S CENTRAL BANK FROM DOLLAR TRANSACTIONS received 52 Nigerians and 23 are being processed at the Polish Government Reception Point at Hala Kijowska, Milny 90, 37-552 Milny, which is near the border of Korczowa-Krakowiec. The camp is well organised with beds and beddings, food, heating, clothing and medicals for evacuees.”

Aduda, in the statement, assured “Nigerians that all hands are on deck and arrangements are being put in place to effectively evacuate our citizens, in safety and dignity.”

FIFA, UEFA Ban Russia from World Football

In an unusual move, FIFA and UEFA, two of the preeminent governing bodies in world soccer yesterday announced that, "all Russian teams, whether national representative teams or club teams, shall be suspended from participation in both FIFA and UEFA competitions until further notice."

The unprecedented decision came just weeks before the Russian national team was set to face off against Poland in a single-leg semifinal for the chance to advance to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The announcement marked a change in course for FIFA, which just a day earlier had announced Russia would not be eliminated from qualification but rather play using the "RFU" acronym for the country’s soccer federation.

According to FOX News, the prior announcement prompted

outrage across the world, with soccer legends such as Englishman Gary Neville opining, "What about FIFA? The most corrupt organisation in the sporting world for decades just can’t rid itself of dodge-pot leaders."

In yesterday’s statement however, FIFA and UEFA stated, "Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine. Both Presidents hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and rapidly so that football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people."

Russia, which hosted the 2018 World Cup and advanced to the quarter-finals, is currently the 35th ranked team in the world and is known to be a sport enjoyed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The about-face from FIFA drew immediate praise from pundits on social media, with BBC commentator and English football legend Gary Lineker tweeting, "Well done FIFA. The right call."

In addition to the Russian national team being suspended from international competitions, UEFA’s inclusion in the joint announcement signalled the halt of Russian club teams from playing in European cup competitions such as the Champions League and Europa League.

While no Russian team advanced to the knockout stages of the Champions League, one team, Spartak Moscow, will likely be forced to forfeit their Europa League Round of 16 match vs German-side

Red Bull Leipzig that was set for March 10th.

UEFA also added to Monday’s statement in a tweet, announcing that in addition to the suspension, the soccer organisation would be ending its partnership with Russian majority state owned energy corporation, Gazprom.

"UEFA has today decided to end its partnership with Gazprom across all competitions. The decision is effective immediately and covers all existing agreements including the UEFA Champions League, UEFA national team competitions and UEFA EURO 2024," the tweet read.

The moves from UEFA follow Friday’s decision from the organisation to move the UEFA Champions League Final in May from St. Petersburg, Russia, to Paris, France.

Switzerland to Freeze Russian Assets

Switzerland, a favourite destination for Russian oligarchs and their money, yesterday announced that it would freeze Russian financial assets in the country, setting aside a deeply rooted tradition of neutrality to join the European Union and a growing number of nations seeking to penalise Russia for the invasion of Ukraine.

After a meeting with the Swiss Federal Council, Switzerland’s president, Ignazio Cassis, said the country would immediately freeze the assets of Russia’s president,

Vladimir Putin; its Prime Minister, Mikhail Mishustin and Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, as well as all 367 individuals sanctioned last week by the European Union.

Switzerland said it was departing from its usual policy of neutrality because of, “the unprecedented military attack by Russia on a sovereign European state,” but expressed a willingness to help mediate in the conflict.

It also joined European neighbours in closing its airspace to Russian aircraft, except for humanitarian or diplomatic purposes.

But said it would evaluate whether to join in subsequent EU sanctions on a case-by-case basis.

Lavrov, who was scheduled to be in Geneva today to address the United Nations Human Rights Council, would no longer make the trip because of the flight ban, Russia’s mission to the United Nations in Geneva said on Twitter.

Swiss national bank data showed that Russian companies and individuals held assets worth more than $11 billion in Swiss banks in 2020. As a hub for the global commodities trade, Switzerland also hosts numerous companies that trade Russian oil and other commodities.

The decision came amid mounting condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which saw thousands of anti-war protesters march in Bern, Switzerland’s capital, over the weekend. Demonstrators

chanted for an end to “Putin’s war” and criticised the government’s initially cautious response to the crisis.

Switzerland cherishes a reputation for neutrality that has established Geneva as a home to the United Nations and a host to peace talks in numerous conflicts, including the wars in Korea and Vietnam. Recently, Geneva was the venue for last year’s summit between President Biden and Mr. Putin.

Cassis expressed concerns that the Alpine nation’s credibility as a neutral diplomatic intermediary would suffer if it automatically followed suit with E.U. sanctions.

Initially, Switzerland said last week that it would enforce travel bans against Russians on the E.U. sanctions list and stop Swiss banks from accepting new Russian money — but stopped short of cutting off the individuals’ access to their bank accounts.

Russia Faces Financial Meltdown, Ruble Crashes as Sanctions Bites Harder

However, Russia was scrambling to prevent financial meltdown yesterday as its economy was slammed by a broadside of crushing Western sanctions imposed in response to its invasion of Ukraine.

Putin was due to hold crisis talks with his top advisers after the ruble crashed to a record low against the US dollar, the Russian

central bank more than doubled interest rates to 20 per cent and the Moscow stock exchange was shuttered for the day.

The European subsidiary of Russia's biggest bank was on the brink of collapse as savers rushed to withdraw their deposits. Economists warned that the Russian economy could shrink by five per cent.

According to the CNN, the ruble lost about 20 per cent of its value to trade at 100 to the dollar yesterday, after earlier plummeting as much as 40 per cent. The start of trading on the Russian stock market was delayed, and then canceled entirely, according to a statement from the country's central bank.

The latest barrage of sanctions came Saturday, when the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and Canada said they would expel some Russian banks from SWIFT, a global financial messaging service, and "paralyse" the assets of Russia's central bank.

"The ratcheting up of Western sanctions over the weekend has left Russian banks on the edge of crisis," wrote Liam Peach, an emerging market economist at Capital Economics, in a note yesterday.

"We will ... ban the transactions of Russia's central bank and freeze all its assets, to prevent it from financing Putin's war," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement.

LAWYER TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2022

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‘Put Judicial Officers’ Salaries on Par with that of Legislators’

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Page IV

rs’ e c fi f O l a i c i ‘Put Jud with r a P n o s e i r a Sal rs’ o t a l s i g e L f o that

QUOTABLES ‘I do virtual sittings for motions, judgements and rulings. I have one or two Judges, who take most of their cases virtually…..And, just last year, I thought what can I do without finance to go into e-filing, e-registry and e-payment….I called LawPavilion, and they were willing to go into partnership with us.’ - Hon. Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, Chief Judge, Ogun State

‘The Police will charge someone to court, and start looking for evidence.

It is ridiculous. They will oppose bail, because they say the person will interfere with investigation! So, you haven’t finished your investigation, yet, you quickly ran to court?!’ Chijioke Okoli, SAN

COLUMNIST

Resignations Hit NBA Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee Page V

A Brief Allocution on the Salient Provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 Page VI

LAWYER

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE: EDITOR, JUDE IGBANOI: DEPUTY EDITOR, PETER TAIWO, STEVE AYA: REPORTERS

III THE ADVOCATE

T H I S D AY • TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2022

Electoral Act 2022: Unresolved Issues

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y now, Nigerians are used to the fact that our country is like a never-ending "Nollywood" television drama series. We move from one unnecessary saga/drama to the other, which mostly turn out to be, not particularly to the benefit of the people. Over the years, I think we have all learnt that these dramas are usually just fruitless and diversionary, to take our eyes off the ball - whether it’s off the criminality and shenanigans of public officials, or non-performance of Government, or other things that Government doesn’t want us to see or harp on.

I extend the sentiments of lack of derivable benefits for Nigerians, to the debate about the zoning of the Presidency for the 2023 election, and where the next President of Nigeria should hail from. We had a similar experience in 2015; the question is what revolutionary improvement has the zoning debate or its resolution, brought to our living conditions since the last debate of 2015?

Apart from the improvement in the road and railway network, many swear that Nigerians are worse off than before. Take for example, the issue of oil prices/revenue. We spent the last six and a half years listening to how PDP stole and squandered oil revenues when oil prices were at an all time high, and what Nigeria could have done with the funds, especially in terms of building infrastructure (instead of borrowing incessantly as they say we are constrained to do now). Today, now that oil prices are at the same or higher peak they once reached pre-2014, the tune has changed; and we are hearing from the APC/Minister of State of Petroleum how the increase in oil prices may suddenly not be to our advantage! All I see in all this needless arguments, are double-talk, hypocrisy, selfishness and self-centredness on the part of politicians. I see no altruism or patriotism, or interest in the progress of Nigeria. I see business as usual, whether PDP or APC. And, it’s rather disheartening since we are entering a new electoral cycle; having an awful premonition that, not much will change for the better even if we debate till we are blue in the face!

EAMB We have been on the issue of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill (EAMB) for years; and finally, this time around, the President assented to the Bill last Friday. Optimists believe that the passing of the Bill will be of benefit to Nigerians, as it will allow for more credible elections; that there are so many positive pro-democratic innovations in the EAMB. I think it’s safe to say that majority of Nigerians agree that we want free and fair elections, and if the EAMB is a sure means to this end, its good that the President signed it in the nick of time. Many, especially the civil society organisations, had expressed their desire for the National Assembly (NASS) to go ahead and override the President in accordance with Section 58(5) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) (the Constitution), should he have refused to give his assent yet again.

One of the main causes of dissension between the Legislators and the Executive, is Section 84(10) of the EAMB which provides that a political appointee, for example, a Minister cannot vote or be voted for at a party Congress or Convention. The purport of this is that such political appointee cannot be a delegate or aspirant, unless he/ she resigns from such political appointment; and resignation would have to be about a year before the election, because of the time lines for the events that build up through the Conventions to the Primaries and finally the elections. This would certainly not go down well with political appointees, who for one, prefer to use the power, paraphernalia of office and State funds to win their elections. This is called ‘eating your cake and having it’!

But, be that as it may, Section 84(10) of the EAMB, now Electoral Act 2022 (EA) is unconstitutional, since the kind of limitation it seeks to place on political appointees, is only extended to people employed in the civil or public service of the Federation - which I am not sure if political appointees are considered to be; and even if political appointees are considered as such, the Constitution only requires civil or public servants to resign

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE onikepo.braithwaite@thisdaylive.com onikepob@yahoo.com Twitter: @TheAdvocate

The

Advocate “….. Section 84(10) of the EAMB, now Electoral Act 2022 (EA) is unconstitutional, since the kind of limitation it seeks to place on political appointees….. the Constitution only requires civil or public servants to resign from their employment 30 days before the date of the election. It doesn’t stop them from voting or being voted for, either as a delegate or aspirant at a Convention or Congress” admission into University where he graduated, and then went on to obtain his professional qualifications, vowed to vie for an elective position for the National Assembly in 2023. The truth of the matter is, without any actual conviction from a court of competent jurisdiction in the last 10 years, Section 66 of the Constitution does not bar him from running. By virtue of Section 65(2)(a) of the Constitution, this same individual can submit a form to INEC as an aspirant, stating that he was educated up to Secondary School Certificate level or it’s equivalent, and not actually present a Secondary School Leaving Certificate (since it is already tainted); or worse still, simply present his Primary Six School Leaving Certificate (Section 318 of the Constitution), and participate in the primaries and/or actual election and win. In a decent society, such a person would have retired to his village in shame, never to be heard from again, if not already prosecuted for forgery amongst other offences and doing jail time.

I do not even comprehend how SecCandidates Now that we have a better mechanism in tion 318 of the Constitution can equate place to conduct our upcoming elections, a Primary Six School Leaving Certificate the next question is whether the outcomes with that of a Secondary School one. A will still be any better, if those who are able student obtains the latter certificate, after to clinch their party tickets are established going to school for an additional five or liars, fraudsters, document forgers, pseudo six years, post-primary school. How then criminals and actual criminals? How will can a primary school certificate, be the Nigerians be able to truly reap the fruits equivalent of a secondary school one? of credible elections, if political parties The latter is obviously more advanced can still foist useless candidates on us, than the former. Nevertheless, I’m sure especially with such a low entry point for many of you will agree that this is a those vying for political office in Nigeria? minimum, low level entry point, espeI recently saw on social media, that cially with the decline in the standard of an individual who was disgraced out of education. We have not forgotten how office (a political appointee) on allegations Comrade Oshiomhole, the immediate that he used fake WASC results to gain past Governor of Edo State, was able from their employment 30 days before the date of the election. It doesn’t stop them from voting or being voted for either as a delegate or aspirant at a Convention or Congress. This is so because, when it is 30 days to an election, all processes including primaries leading up to an election are completed, except the actual election itself.

See Sections 66(1)(f), 107(1)(f),137(1)(g). & 182(1)(g) of the Constitution.

The insertion of Section 84(10) into the EA, looks more like a struggle for supremacy between the Legislature and the higher levels of the Executive!

Luckily, even though the President cited the said Section 84(10) as unconstitutional, the unresolved issue was not important enough to stall the passing of the EAMB into law this time around, as the President put the interest of Nigerians first. In my humble opinion, the President’s last two decisions - his last refusal to assent and now giving his assent to the EAMB, were sound, and in the interest of Nigerians.

President Muhammadu Buhari

to fish out a primary school teacher who was unable to read her credentials. The bar should be raised.

Similarly, if former House of Representatives Speaker, Salisu Buhari of the ‘Torontogate’ scandal decided to go to University after the exposure of his fake credentials, and he decides to return and run for Senate or even the Presidency, he can simply present his Primary School Leaving Certificate, or just his new qualification, and he’s all set to go.

What is the interpretation of Sections 66(1) (i), 137(1)(j) & 182(1)(j) of the Constitution which disqualifies an individual who has presented a forged certificate to INEC from running for office? It seems that the disqualification of such aspirant/candidate, is limited to the particular election he presented the forged documentation to INEC for in the past, and therefore, bears no relevance to the new election he/she will be running for, as long as the faulty documents are not being re-presented. Apparently, INEC is not meant to be a record keeper; and issues with fraudulent and forged documents are not the business of INEC, but that of fellow aspirants or whoever wants to challenge them in a court of competent jurisdiction, or the Police to take up as a criminal matter! Even if the erstwhile Speaker had been jailed, which he was not, it’s been well over 10 years since the incident, and the Constitution only bars from running, those whose conviction is less than 10 years before the date of the election. So, for some who are waiting to raise old certificate issues with aspirants in the upcoming elections, they may be sorely disappointed.

Former AGF Aondoakaa This is why I find the news stories making the rounds on social media, that former Attorney-General of the Federation, Michael Aondoakaa, in the recent judgement handed down by the Supreme Court in his case, was barred from holding public office for life. Though I have not had the benefit of reading the judgement in this case, such a decision would run foul of the Constitution, particularly Sections 65 & 66 thereof, which govern the qualifications and disqualifications for the House of Representatives and political offices. The maximum of a 10 year bar, is put on a convicted felon who subsequently wants to run for the House of Representatives or become a political appointee.

Conclusion While the passing of the EAMB into law is an extremely welcome development, it certainly does not mark the end of electoral challenges in Nigeria. While it will definitely put serious candidates from other political parties besides PDP and APC in a better stead, in terms of their votes not being wasted or lost within the cover of massive rigging and election malpractice; for the two major parties, APC and PDP, it will be probably be garbage in and garbage out, if some of the qualifications and disqualifications for elective office are not revisited to complement the progress and development that the Electoral Act 2022 is poised to bring to the Nigerian electoral process.

Already, a number of aspirants with one cloud or the other hanging over their heads, are emerging, and they are not caught by the disqualifications listed in the Constitution.

For instance, at a point in time, we had a member of the Senate, who was wanted in the US on drug charges. Having succeeded in escaping extradition, as a Senator, he was subsequently able to secure his party, PDP’s ticket, and run for the position of Governor. The fact that he was a fugitive, is not considered in the Constitution; and some will argue that, you are innocent until you are proven guilty (Section 36(5) of the Constitution) (even if that presumption of innocence may possibly only be as a result of your evasion of the law, and denial of a court of competent jurisdiction from determining your culpability or otherwise). But, as things stand now, the extant constitutional provisions do not hamper the ambitions of such people. We need some amendments, to take into consideration some of these lingering issues which are not envisaged by the Constitution, to make for better quality candidates. This will in turn, make the innovations in the Electoral Act 2022 more meaningful.

IV LAW REPORT

TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2022 • T H I S D AY

Principles Guiding the Limit of Interest Payable on Refund of Payment for Unallotted Shares Facts The 1st Respondent is a regulatory authority that secures deposits made by the public in commercial Banks in Nigeria, and is also the liquidator of the 2nd Respondent. The 2nd Respondent was a Public quoted bank with head office in Lagos, who offered its shares for sale through the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC).

On the 15th October 1992, the Appellant made payment for the sum of N5,395,781.60 to the 2nd Respondent, for the purchase of shares for some persons namely: Jimi Lawal (N2,395,781.60), Janet O. Lawal (N1,000,000.00), Francis Nwachukwu (N1,000,000.00) and Richard Ikiebe (N1,000,000.00). However, no shares were allotted to these persons because the SEC refused to register the shares, as payment was made after the offer had closed.

The 2nd Respondent, shortly after its public offer became distressed, and was consequently liquidated by the 1st Respondent. As the shares sought were never allotted to the said persons, the Appellant’s solicitors made several demands for refund. However, the Respondents failed and refused to refund the amount paid to the 2nd Respondent. The Appellant, thereafter, approached the Investment and Securities Tribunal for recovery of the said sum, with interest at the rate of twenty-one percent (21%)from the date of deposit till judgement is delivered and thereafter, till payment of the judgement sum is effected. The Tribunal delivered its decision in October 2009, wherein it directed the refund of the money paid by the Appellant, the sum of N5,395,781.60 with interest at the Minimum Policy Rate (MPR) plus two per cent per annum (2% p/a), from the date of the deposit (16th December 1992) to the date of liquidation of the 2nd Respondent on the 8th September 1994, only.

The Appellant, being dissatisfied with the decision of the Tribunal, appealed to the Court of Appeal on the limitation of the interest awarded. The Court of Appeal, suo motu, raised the issue of whether the Appellant was entitled to any interest at all, and held that the Respondents were not obligated to pay any penalty whatsoever by way of interest, as no right had inured to the Appellant.

Consequently, the lower court affirmed the decision of the Tribunal, but set aside the Tribunal’s decision in the award of interest.

Further dissatisfied, with the decision of the Court of Appeal, the Appellant appealed to the Supreme Court.

Issue for Determination Four issues were formulated from the three Grounds of Appeal, submitted for determination of the court. However, the Supreme Court considered the sole issue below, in its determination of the appeal: Whether the Court of Appeal was wrong in law, to hold that the Appellant was not entitled to any interest on the sum paid for the shares of the 2nd Respondent.

Arguments On the issue, counsel for the Appellant contended that the Tribunal was right in law to have held that the Appellant was entitled to interest, albeit wrong to have limited the said award of interest to the date the 2nd Respondent was liquidated. In other words, counsel submitted that it was entitled to interest on the deposit made for the purchase of the shares, from the date of the deposit to the date of refund of same/judgement was delivered.

It relied on the combined effect of Sections 10(2), 13(1), 14(1) and 21(1) of the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) Act, 2006; Order 77 of the Investment Tribunal Rules, 2003; Sections 91(1) and 96(1) of the Investment and Securities Act (ISA); Rule 64 of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Rules; amongst others. The Appellant contended

Honourable Mohammed Lawal Garba, JSC)

In the Supreme Court of Nigeria Holden at Abuja On Friday, the 11th day of June, 2021 Before Their Lordships Amina Adamu Augie Uwani Musa Abba Aji Mohammed Lawal Garba Samuel Chukwudumebi Oseji Emmanuel Akomaye Agim Justices, Supreme Court SC.90/2012 Between Unijoy Paper Products Ltd

Appellant And

1.

2.

Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation Alpha Merchant Bank (In Liquidation)

Respondents

(Lead Judgement delivered by Honourable Mohammed Lawal Garba, JSC)

further that the Court of Appeal was wrong in law to have suo motu held that the Appellant was not entitled to any interest on the sum paid for the shares of the 2nd Respondent, as there was no Cross-Appeal by the Respondents on the award of interest made by the Tribunal neither was the issue raised by the parties in the appeal. It relied on BAKARE v NRC (2007) 12 MJSC 1, in support of its contention and urged the court to hold that the Appellant is in fact entitled to interest on the sum paid for the shares of the 2nd Respondent from the date of deposit to the date the money is refunded.

In reaction Counsel for the Respondent contended that, as the Appellant was not a depositor of an account in the 2nd Respondent or any insured institution for that matter as contemplated under the NDIC Act, the provisions of the NDIC Act cannot apply to the Appellant’s case as constituted. He argued further that Order 77 of the Investment Tribunal Rules,

“…… interest may be claimed as a right where it is contemplated by the agreement between the parties, or under a mercantile custom, or under a principle of equity such as breach of fiduciary relationship"

2003 cannot prevail over the provisions of the NDIC Act, and that the Appellant was not entitled to interest whatsoever as rightly held by the lower court. It relied on the case of EKWUNIFE v WAYNE (1989) 5 NWLR (Pt. 122) 445. Flowing from the above, it urged the court to hold that the Appellant is only entitled to the refund of the sum paid without interest.

Court’s Judgement and Rationale Before deciding the sole issue, the court noted that the only issue submitted for adjudication by the court below, was whether the award of interest was limited to the period from date of deposit for the allotment of shares to the date the 2nd Respondent was liquidated, instead of the date the Tribunal delivered its decision.

There was no other complaint brought before the Tribunal, especially as to whether the Appellant was entitled to any interest at all or as of right, since payment had been made after the offer had closed. The said issue was not submitted to the lower court for determination in the appeal, by any of the parties. The fresh issue was raised suo motu by the lower court without affording parties an opportunity to be heard on the said issue, even the Appellant who would be prejudicially affected by the decision setting aside the interest awarded in its favour – OSHODI v EYIFUNMI (2000) 7 SC (Pt. II) 145; (2000) 13 NWLR (Pt. 684) 298. In light of this, the court held that the decision of the lower court on same, could not be allowed to

stand for breach of the right to fair hearing, which occasioned a miscarriage of justice to the Appellant.

In its determination of the issue, the court noted that the Tribunal awarded the interest on the money paid for the shares based on the provisions of Sections 5(a) (e) of the, 25, and 27 of the NDIC Act; Section 91 of the Investment and Securities Act, 2007; Rule 64 of the Securities and Exchange Commission Rules and Regulation; as well the Tribunal’s previous decision in GBADEBO SMITH v FIRST BANK OF NIGERIA (Suit No. IST/ OA/06/08), to the effect that the Appellant is entitled to interest on the money paid for the shares.

Section 96(1) – (3) of the Investment and Securities Act provides for the return of surplus monies paid by subscribers, period within which such monies are to be returned and interests payable thereon. … However, the money paid by the Appellant in this instance was for the shares of the 2nd Respondent, which company was liquidated, and ceased to exist before the refund of the Appellant’s deposit for non-allotment. The deposit was paid for shares, and not deposit made in the accounts maintained by the Appellant with the 2nd Respondent, for which it was insured by the 1st Respondent in furtherance of the provisions of Section 2 of the NDIC Act. The payment of interest on the deposit for shares by unsuccessful applicants in respect of the 2nd Respondent ended with its liquidation as a corporate entity, and the responsibility taken over by the 1st Respondent was to generally administer the assets and deposit liabilities of the 2nd Respondent in respect of depositors or account holders, and not share holders or owners of the bank.

The court noted the definition of the word “deposit” as contained in Section 59 of the NDIC Act, as monies lodged by depositors with any insured institution for safe keeping or for the purpose of earning interest, premium or dividend, whether or not payable and demand, upon, a given period of time, or upon a fixed date, or at a time or in circumstances agreed to by or on behalf of the depositor making the lodgement and the insured institution receiving it, except as otherwise extended under this Act. Applying the definition above, the court held that the provisions of the NDIC Act are not applicable or relevant in the determination of interest on deposits made for the purchase of shares of the 2nd Respondent, since the Appellant’s claim was not in respect of a deposit with the 2nd Respondent as defined in Section 59 thereof.

Referring to its earlier decision in EKWUNIFE v WAYNE (W/A) LTD (1989) 5 NWLR (Pt. 122) 422 at 445, the Apex Court reiterated that interest may be claimed as a right where it is contemplated by the agreement between the parties, or under a mercantile custom, or under a principle of equity such as breach of fiduciary relationship. Where interest is being claimed as a matter of right, the proper practice is to claim entitlement to it on the writ and plead facts which show such an entitlement in the statement of claim. The decision of the trial Tribunal in this instance, appears to be based on statutory provisions, mercantile custom and claim of right by the Appellant. Thus, the lower court does not have the vires to meddle into it, or to act as it did. Hence, the Supreme Court allowed the appeal in part, and set aside the decision of the lower court which upturned the award of interest by the trial Tribunal. The award of interest as made by the Tribunal was accordingly, affirmed.

The appeal, however, failed in respect of the period of time limited by the Tribunal.

Appeal Allowed in Part.

Representation Pablo Amaran Esq. for the Appellant.

T.O.S. Fadahunsi Esq. for the Respondents.

Reported by Optimum Publishers Limited,Publishers of the Nigerian Monthly Law Reports (NMLR)(An affiliate of Babalakin & Co.)

V

T H I S D AY • TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2022

NEWS

Justice Mobolaji Ojo, the Olu of Odosenlu-Alaro, Oba Adedotun Odusanya and other dignitaries at the commissioning of the Grade II Customary Court, Odenselu, Ijebu North East LGA, Ogun State

Chief Ferdinand Orbih, SAN.

Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a. Evans

‘We’re Committed to Prompt Justice Delivery’, OGCCA President Ademola Orunbon in Ogun State The President, Ogun State Customary Court of Appeal (OGCCA), Justice Mobolaji Ojo, has said Customary Court is committed to prompt and cheaper justice delivery to the people.

Justice Ojo stated this at the commissioning of the Grade II Customary Court, Odosenlu, Ijebu North East Local Government Area, adding that the court was designated to cover the areas within its jurisdiction,

such as Odoregbe, Itamarun, Padi, Igede, Egenolu, Idofin, Eruwon, amongst others.

He noted that apart from the facilitation of Customary Courts building in some parts of the State, the present administration had also embarked on a gradual process of repositioning all Customary Court systems, as well as employment of more staff to strengthen its workforce.

"The Grade II Customary Court Odosenlu is competent to adjudicate in proceedings for

Billionaire Kidnapper Evans, Two Others Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Steve Aya Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a. Evans, and two others were on Friday, sentenced to life imprisonment for conspiracy and kidnapping of a businessman, Donatus Duru.

Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja High Court found Evans and others guilty of a two-count charge of kidnapping the Managing Director of Maydon Pharmaceuticals Limited, Donatus Dunu.

Others sentenced to life imprisonment alongside kidnap kinpin are Uche Amadi and Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu.

The Judge held that the Prosecution had succeeded in proving the charge against the three convicts, beyond reasonable doubt.

He concluded that the evidence tendered before the court, especially the videos evidence corroborated each other while pointing to the guilty of the convicts.

However, Justice Oshodi discharged and acquitted Ogechi Uchechukwu and two former soldiers of the Nigeria Army, Chilaka Ifeanyi and Victor Aduba, for lack of sufficient evidence linking them to the crime.

The trial Judge also noted the submission of the former DPP, Ms Titi Shitta-Bey, that in view of the gravity of the offence and

that kidnapping has been on the rise, that maximum sentence should be imposed to serve as deterrent to others.

The court noted the allocutus of the defence counsel, Olarewaju Ajanaku, H.O. Ajibola, that the convicts are first time offenders, and they are remorseful and have learnt their lesson. But, the Judge disagreed with the defence Lawyers that the convicts have shown remorse. He held that they are unrepentant, and they comfortably lied to the court.

Justice Oshodi held that the Defendants have not shown any remorse, going by the video shown in court.

"I believe a lesson must be taught, to serve as deterrent to others.

"The Law is the Law. Section 411 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State (ACJL) 2015, must be applied to send the right message to the public that crime does not pay.

He further held that: "Under the Section 411 of the law on which the convicts were arraigned, the penalty for the offence of kidnapping is life imprisonment, and the law does not give the court any discretion in the matter.

"I hereby sentence the three convicts, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, Uche Amadi and Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu to life inprisonment."

a declaration of title to land, as far as the land in dispute is situated in a non-urban area and is subject to the customary right of occupancy within its area of jurisdiction, as well as matters of dissolution of marriage contract under native law and custom", Ojo said.

He stated that the court had introduced periodic capacity

building programmes such as workshops, seminars, as well as retreats for the President, members and other officers for better service delivery, imploring designated communities to approach customary courts for issues within its jurisdiction.

In his address, the Olu of Odosenlu-Alaro, Oba Adedotun Odusanya said the inauguration

of the court would foster easy access to justice, saying “justice delayed is justice denied”.

Oba Odusanya commended the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, the Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, the President of the Customary Court and the entire team, expressing hope that additional projects that will contribute to

the development of the community will soon emerge.

In her remarks, the Chief Registrar, Customary Court, Mrs. Oriyomi Shofowora, appreciated the Governor for providing amenities required for the comfort and functionalities of the courts which in no doubt would bring justice closer to the people.

Resignations Hit NBA Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (LPDC) has been hit with unexpected resignations of some of its senior members, including Mr. E.C. Ukala SAN, the Chairman, and Chief Ferdinand Orbih, SAN. In a letter to the Body of Benchers dated February 24, Chief Orbih said, ‘I write to notify the Body of Benchers (hereinafter referred to as the Honourable Body) of my resignation as member of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) with effect from February 24th 2022.

‘My resignation stems from the events that took place at the meeting of the Body of Benchers on the 22nd of November 2021, wherein, the Honourable Body assumed jurisdiction over the Petition of Lucius E. Nwosu, SAN. Lucius Nwosu, SAN in his Petition, complained about the finding of the LPDC that a prima facie case had been made against him.

‘It is my humble view that by assuming jurisdiction over the said Petition, the Body of Benchers was in clear breach of Section 12 (7) of the Legal Practitioners Act, which provides that appeals in

respect of decisions of the LPDC, can only be entertained by the Supreme Court of Nigeria. Clearly, that section did not vest on the Body of Benchers, the power to seat as an appellate body over decisions of the LPDC. ‘The lawmaker gave the LPDC a great measure of independence because of the vital role it plays to ensure that the highest form of discipline is maintained amongst Legal Practitioners in Nigeria. That independence is obliterated when the Honourable Body brings the LPDC under its control and direction, in clear violation of due process.

‘In the above circumstances, my continued membership of the LPDC has become untenable, as I can no longer in good conscience serve in that Committee.

‘I am therefore left with no other option, than to resign my membership of the LPDC. I am grateful to the Honourable Body of Benchers for the opportunity given to me, to be of service to the legal profession.’

The legal community anxiously await the immediate and remote cause of these resignations, and the impact it would have on the cohesion of the Bar and the Bench.

Forged PhD Certificate: Trial of FIIRO DG, Chima Igwe, Commences Steve Aya The trial of the former Director-General of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi, FIIRO, Chima Igwe, over alleged certificate fraud by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, has begun.

The anti- corruption agency had arraigned Igwe before a Special Offences Court, Ikeja, Lagos, on a three-count charge.

In the charge sheet marked ID/15716C/2021, Igwe is accused of presenting a “false” attestation letter signifying the completion of a PhD programme as a public officer.

However, he pleaded not guilty to the charges and the matter was adjourned for commencement of trial.

The Commission presented it’s Investigating Officer, Mrs Vera Esidene before Justice Sherifat Solebo.

Being led in evidence by ICPC counsel, Mr Kehinde Adetoye, the investigator told the court that the ICPC received three petitions in 2019, calling for the investigation of Mr Chima Igwe’s PhD certificate.

“The first was titled ‘Forged PhD Certificate by Chima Igwe’; the second was titled ‘Call to Probe the PhD Certificate’; and the third peti-

tion was titled ‘Demand for Immediate Probe and Request for the PhD Certificate’ , she said.

The ICPC investigator said that upon receiving the petitions, the Commission assigned the case to her team and they immediately swung into action.

“Part of our strategy was to write letters to the Defendant, to FIIRO, invite some of the staff. We also wrote letters requesting some documents from the staff, especially the Defendant’s letter of approval to enable him seek for his PhD. “We requested for the letter he submitted after he

claimed to have completed the program. We also requested for his promotion letter, and an extract of the board meeting minutes held at FIIRO”, she said.

Subsequently, the ICPC Counsel, Mr Adetoye tendered the three petitions that were written against Igwe, and prayed that they should be admitted into evidence.

In a counter reaction, Igwe’s counsel, Mr Victor Opara, SAN however, objected to the admissibility of the petitions on the grounds that the petition document were not original copies and as a result, fell short of the requirements of Section 86 of the Evidence Act.

#upjudicialsalaries “Infrastructure development and proper welfare cost money, and the Judiciary cannot easily fight for itself; so, we must continue to fight for them at any given opportunity…..It is impossible not to have a lot of empathy for the Judiciary, because of the inadequate infrastructure and tough economic conditions they continue to operate under.”

- Adeniji Kazeem, SAN, Immediate Past Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State

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A Brief Allocution on the Salient Provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 This article by Dr Kayode Ajulo looks at nine new innovations provided for in the much-awaited Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2022, which was finally signed into law as the Electoral Act 2022 by President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday, February 25, 2022 after five refusals

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Introduction n Friday, the 25th of February, 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2022 into law. It suffices to recall that the said Bill was signed into law, after it had suffered protracted delays and setbacks, both from the Presidency and the National Assembly, particularly on the provision of the Bill which relates to mandatory direct primaries.

While commending the drafters of the Bill for the wealth of industry, and Mr President for leaving behind a great legacy in our electoral process, it is pertinent to consider salient provisions of the new Act vis-à-vis the provisions of the old Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

Salient Provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 1. Section 29(1) provides that parties must conduct primaries and submit their list of candidates at least 180 days before the general elections.

This is a welcome development. Under the Old Act, political parties had a period of 60 days to submit the list of candidates before the general election. The trend before in the country was for political bigwigs in the political parties to deliberately postpone their primaries, in a bid to get candidates for their personal aggrandisement.

2. Section 3(3) provides that funds for general elections must be released at least one year before the election.

This is a welcome development, and commendation ought to be given to the drafters of this provision. One can easily recall the logistics problems faced in the past by INEC, to get adequate resources for ballot boxes and papers. At the last general election, approval of funds for the election were given just few days before the election.

3. Section 51 provides that the total number of accredited voters will become a factor in determining over-voting at election tribunals.

I believe the above provision is a restatement of the judicial pronouncement of the courts, with respect to the proper way of proving over-voting. The courts have held that the law is well settled that in order to prove over-voting the Petitioner must do the following: a. Tender the voters register; b. Tender the statement of results in appropriate forms, which would show the number of registered accredited voters and number of actual votes; c. Relate each of the documents to the specific area of his case, in respect of which the documents are tendered; d. Show that the figure representing the over-voting if removed would result in victory for the Petitioner. See: Haruna v Modibbo (2004) 16 NWLR (Pt.900) 487; Kalgo v Kalgo (1999) 6 NWLR

INEC Chairman, Professor Mamood Yakubu (Pt.606) 639; Audu v INEC (No.2) (2010) 13 NWLR (Pt.1212).

4. Section 54(2) makes provisions for people with disabilities and special needs.

This section incorporates the fundamental principles of equality of persons as contained in Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution, to the effect that no persons shall be discriminated against by reason of their sex, age, or any disabilities.

5. Section 47 gives legislative backing for smart card readers and any other voter accreditation technology that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may deploy.

INEC is to be commended for the innovation of the smart card reader machine to bolster the transparency and accuracy of the accreditation process, and to maintain the democratic norm of "one man one vote", by preventing multi-voting by a voter.

However, the issue of the smart card reader has been a knot to tie in the previous election. Even though this provision was earlier incorporated in the INEC election manual, the validity of same has been contested in court up to the Supreme Court.

For instance, in the case of Nyesom Wike v Peterside, the Supreme Court held that “the INEC directives, Guidelines and Manual cannot be elevated above the

“INEC is to be commended for the innovation of the smart card reader machine to bolster the transparency and accuracy of the accreditation process, and to maintain the democratic norm of "one man one vote", by preventing multi-voting by a voter”

provisions of the Electoral Act, so as to eliminate manual accreditation of voters.

This will remain so until INEC takes steps to have the necessary amendments made, to bring the usage of the Card Reader within the ambit of the substantive Electoral Act.” The Court further held that the use of smart card reader has not taken the place of manual accreditation, provided for in Section 49 of the Electoral Act. The question to be determined now, is whether the codifying of the use of smart card reader takes the place of manual accreditation?

6. Section 34 gives political parties power to conduct a primary election to replace a candidate who died during an election.

By virtue of the provision of Section 33 of the old Electoral Act, a political party shall not be allowed to change or substitute its candidate whose name has been submitted pursuant to Section 32 of the Act, except in the case of death or withdrawal by the Candidate.

Worthy of note is that the provision did not specifically stipulate the time frame to make the substitution, in the case of death of a candidate. One would recall that a similar situation happened in Kogi State, which ended up in INEC declaring the party with the second highest number of votes as the winner of the election.

By this new provision, one can easily conclude that votes cast at the poll are not for the individual but for the party, as has held by the Courts in several decisions.

7. Section 50 gives INEC the legal backing for electronic transmission of election results.

It is interesting to recall that the issue of election server was the highlight of the 2019 Presidential election tribunal in the case of Atiku v Buhari. It is pertinent to recall that, it was the Petitioner’s case that the results of the Presidential election were

transmitted electronically to the imaginary server, from all the polling units in the country.

It suffices to start on the premise that, such an argument is a sham.

Of more importance is that, what Nigerian Electoral law recognises is the Form EC8 Series, especially Form EC8A, signed by agents, collation officers, etc, at the Polling Units. The only way to prove election results in Nigeria today, is by these approved forms: the EC8 series. Not by any Server or Servers.

With this new provision, the perdurable question we have to consider, is whether the Servers will take the place of the Form EC8 series. We would also have to battle the issue of data networks, and availability of electronic voting for persons in the rural and remote areas.

8. Section 94 allows for early commencement of the campaign season. By this provision, the campaign season will now start 150 days to the election day and end 24 hours before the election.

Under the old Act, campaign season is usually a period of 90 days before the election.

This new provision will allow candidates and political parties reach more people in record time before the election, and to be able to determine the strength of their political reach before the election.

9. Section 84(10) stipulates that anyone holding a political office – ministers, commissioners, special advisers and others – must relinquish the position before they are eligible to participate in the electoral process, either as a candidate or as a delegate.

This is a very commendable and quite innovative provision of the Act. This will effectively checkmate political appointees, who believe that the electoral college is their exclusive preserve.

Dr Kayode Ajulo, Legal Practitioner, Abuja

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T H I S D AY • TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2022

My Brief by SKB STEPHEN KOLA-BALOGUN

stephenkolabalogun@yahoo.com

Concerns Over Proposed Appointment of Lawyers to Our Appellate Courts

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Introduction he plans of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) through its Judiciary Committee calling for expression of interest from suitably qualified legal practitioners from specific geo-political zones for the appointment of six senior Lawyers directly to the Supreme Court, is a cause of consternation amongst Justices of the Higher Courts and the legal profession in general.

Concerns Under the extant Revised National Judicial Council Guidelines for the Appointment of Judicial Officers to All Superior Courts of Record in Nigeria which came into force on 3rd November, 2014, Justices of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal are required to write an assessment for whoever seeks appointment to the Appellate Courts. However, since the opinion and assessment of Appellate Judges is mandatory, no Lawyer will be able to meet the requirement for appointment to the Appellate Courts without them. This however, is not the main issue of concern. What is more concerning, is the sudden haste. Wouldn’t it be more ideal if we have a thorough and well thought out consultation process leading to substantive ideas for genuine reform, before embarking on such a far reaching process of change?

Part-Time Circuit Judge/Recorder in Other Common Law Jurisdictions Admittedly, although there is a vast backlog of cases at both the High Court and Appellate Court levels of our judicial system that needs to be cleared, what the country really requires is the need to develop a circuit system as it is presently operated in England and Wales, and some other common law jurisdictions. A Barrister or Solicitor who sits as a part-time circuit Judge, is referred to as a “Recorder”.

Since 1971, the term Recorder has been used for part-time Judicial appointments in England and Wales, designed to give experience of Judicial office to those deemed not yet ready to become a full-time Judge. Significantly, it is now the practice to require all full-time appointees to the Bench, to first have some part-time experience as Judges. Barristers or Solicitors of at least seven years standing may sit in either the criminal or civil divisions of the English Courts. They are addressed by their usual title, and in some instances, as your Honour; paid a daily fee and are expected to sit part-time as a Judge for between three to six weeks a year. Notably, retired Judges may also sit as Recorders. A similar system exists in Hong Kong, but the position of Recorder is usually restricted to Senior Counsels or Retired Judges; and just like in England and Wales, they are expected to sit for between 1-3 months a year.

The same applies in the USA/Canada/ Australia, where part-time Judges hear misdemeanours, traffic violations and other petty criminal offences. Recently, the Novak Djokovic case on entry into Australia for the Australian open last January, was heard initially

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad by a Queen’s Counsel (QC) sitting on a Sunday before eventually going on appeal.

Advantages of the Circuit Judge System It will be most ideal to introduce a similar practice here in Nigeria, to help relieve our over-burdened Judges of their heavy work load. It would also provide ideal experience for Lawyers desirous of becoming Judges later on in their professional careers, but many of whom due to economic considerations, are not yet willing to make such a firm commitment. It would also provide some form of distinction for other senior and hardworking Lawyers who are not qualified to become SANs, and at the same time are not ready to commit their professional careers to the Bench. Most importantly, this system would help in eradicating corruption from the Bench, since only committed Judges would now aspire to join the Bench full-time.

Making the Circuit Judge System Work The system however, can only work in practice on a circuit basis, ideally within our six geo-political zones. In other words, a Lawyer practising in Lagos will only be qualified to sit as a Recorder in a State away from his normal area of practice.

For example, a Lawyer practising in Lagos may be sent to Ekiti to serve as a part-time Judge for about 3 months in the legal year, before later returning to his legal practice.

Such a practice, would help minimise

“Our senior Lawyers would be better advised to review and make better the mode of appointment of our SANs, rather than show undue ambition by adding extra feathers to their caps, by sitting in our Appellate Courts without the necessary and requisite experience”

instances of possible conflicts of interest.

They would also assist our over-burdened Judges, particularly with interlocutory applications and other pre-trial issues. This practice needs to be perfected at the High Court level, before introducing it at the Appellate level. It is only then, that we should modify this practice of appointing Lawyers to the Bench by nominating SANs and other senior Lawyers to provide assistance to our Appellate Courts as Deputy Judges, provided they are not conflicted.

All in all, this would be a much better practice to adopt, instead of appointing senior Lawyers directly to the Bench as appellate Judges, and as already indicated, there is known precedent for this practice in other common law jurisdictions. In the past here in Nigeria, the practice was to elevate the best of our Magistrates to the High Court to help clear any lingering backlog of cases, but unfortunately standards have since dropped and a fresh approach is now required.

Elias CJN & Nnamani JSC Some Lawyers have argued that it is time again to re-invent the era when the likes of late Teslim Elias and Augustine Nnamani (but to mention a few who coincidentally were both Attorney-Generals of the Federation at different times), were appointed straight to the Supreme Court, with even Elias appointed as CJN. With profound respect this was a completely different era, when it was customary to have many talented Nigerians many of whom were trained abroad to fill the gaps left by the departing Colonialists. These times have long gone, and with the abundance of talent trained either here in Nigeria or abroad, we have more than enough qualified Judges to fill any void in our appellate Court system. The experience of our senior Lawyers could indeed be useful on the Bench, but as earlier indicated, only in a part-time capacity as is done in other common law jurisdictions.

SANS On the flip side, the Body of SANs, just like our Judiciary, is also in dire need of reform.

Our senior Lawyers would be better advised to review and make better the mode of appointment of our SANs, rather than show undue ambition by adding extra feathers to their caps, by sitting in our Appellate Courts without the necessary and requisite experience.

Furthermore, the mere fact that most of them are SANs, doesn’t necessarily mean they can add real value to our judicial system. Some of the Lawyers shortlisted are successful private Lawyers who have built up a vast array of commercial client bases and interests over the years, and it is not inconceivable that many of them will be severely conflicted as sitting Judges of the Supreme Court.

Conclusion There is no doubt that there is a need for a series of radical reforms to improve the efficiency of our judicial system; but whatever wide-ranging changes that is necessary to improve the delivery of our justice system, needs to be carefully thought out and considered. Perhaps, more importantly is the question - who should be in charge of the administration of our justice system, bearing in mind the need to retain the independence of the Judiciary at all times. The Judiciary, by allowing the NBA to fill voids in its appellate structure, may indirectly be eroding its independence. In the same vein, it is not about Lawyers looking for a new challenge or motivation after making millions in legal practice, it is more about a call to service with the requisite and necessary experience. Both SANs and senior Lawyers have made their choice, early on in their professional careers. If they want a change in direction by becoming Judges they must show they have the right experience, which at the moment, none of them have. A law or act establishing the part-time Judge will be one step towards garnering that experience without the need to jump the queue by landing directly in the Supreme Court, and in so doing, we will be developing a pragmatic approach rather than a superficial approach to justice.

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Honourable Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour JSC (Rtd)

‘Put Judicial Officers’ Salaries on Par with that of Legislators’ The climb to the pinnacle of a judicial career can be quite tortuous and demanding, especially given the challenges and the many hurdles one has to surmount. Honourable Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour JSC (Rtd) rose from being a fearless Prosecutor in the Lagos State Ministry of Justice to the Director of Public Prosecutions, to a Judge of the High Court of Lagos State, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court of Sierra Leone, and finally to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, from where he stepped down with pomp last year, having attained the mandatory retirement age of 70. As he steps down as Chairman of the esteemed Body of Benchers, Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi sought him out. He went down memory lane as he reminisced on his glowing career on the Bench, and bore his mind on several other issues pertaining to the legal profession in Nigeria

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ou can be described as one who has seen and had it all in the legal profession. From the Bar, being the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions to the Bench, up to the highest court in the land. What were the highlights of your career as a Prosecutor and Justice of the Supreme Court? For one, the case of Ukeje v Ukeje where you delivered the lead judgement outlawing the Igbo custom that disallowed women from inheriting property as discriminatory and contrary to Section 42 of the Constitution, has become a locus classicus My carrier as a Prosecutor, was more or

less an every day thing. I went to court prosecuting cases. There were a lot of armed robbers, and I prosecuted many of their cases. At the time, Ministry of Justice was awash with those types of cases. Virtually every Lawyer in the Ministry of Justice, had many armed robbery cases to handle.

So, I won’t say there were any high profile cases in the Ministry of Justice that stood out, except probably the armed robbery case of the Dawodu brothers who were shot and killed by the Police in one day. We prosecuted them, and we managed to get conviction.

As regard the Supreme Court, the

‘Yes, I support it. I think that Justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal should retire at 75, and High Court Judges should retire at 70’

highlights of my time in the Judiciary was probably when I was sworn in as a Judge. Serving at the Supreme Court, I didn’t really see any major highlight.

At your Book launch upon your retirement from the Supreme Court last year, Chief Afe Babalola, SAN raised the issue of upward review of the retirement age of Justices of the Supreme Court.

Would you support this? What of the High Court which some claim should be increased to age 70?

Yes, I support it. I think that Justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal should retire at 75, and High Court Judges should retire at 70. My reason for this is that, although we might look at it differently, I have always supported and advocated for increment in the retirement age of Judges. Judges mature with age.

It is obvious that there is urgent need for reform in the Judiciary, starting from curbing the spate of conflicting court orders, and what is said to be judicial corruption, to an increase in the salaries

and allowances of judicial officers which have remained stagnant for about 14 years or so, from the lower to the highest courts.

Many believe that the call to the Nigerian Judiciary is a call to poverty. Even the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN has stated on a number of occasions that remuneration of judicial officers should be benchmarked against that of the Legislature.

Do you agree? What about the retirement package? Accommodation? Some also argue that remuneration should be staggered according to the years of service; that for instance a newly appointed Judge should not earn the same salary as a Judge of 10 years standing and so on, like it is done in Britain. Kindly, share your thoughts on this I agree with almost everything you just said. But, let me start with remuneration. We all know that members of the Legislature get over 10 times than what Judges get. We all know that. You see, we like to deceive ourselves!

Section 291 of the Constitution says that Judges must retire, apart from their pension,

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‘Put Judicial Officers’ Salaries on Par with that of Legislators’ also with all their allowances. That means when you retire, you should continue to enjoy all the allowances you enjoyed while you were in service. Anyway, in a nutshell, the salaries of Judges are bad and everybody knows that. There must be an urgent review upwards. If Legislators are getting 10 times what Judges get, they can urgently review it and let us get at least half of what they get, and things will be much better.

Then, on conflicting decisions, very soon a lot of conflicting decisions will come up when the elections and primaries start.

I have always held the view, for instance, that candidates of the APC contesting between themselves for who the real candidate is; I say, all such cases should go to one Judge!

There is no point giving all such cases to several Judges. Anybody who has any of such cases and knows its before another Judge, should send such a case back to the Chief Judge for reassignment to the Judge handling such cases. So, it will be with the PDP, as to who won the primaries, who didn’t win. All should go to one Judge.

That is the only way you’ll stop all these conflicting decisions.

On salary packages for Judges, you mentioned being staggered. No, I won’t support that. A Judge is a Judge. I won’t support that a Judge should earn a higher salary than his brother Judge who just got appointed into the Bench. Every Judge should get an equal amount, but it should be enticing.

What the Vice President said is true. It is also true that, a call to the Judiciary is a call to poverty.

Retirement Package?

Retirement package for Judges, is your pension. Nothing more.

No housing?

No! There are some States; once you are appointed a Judge you are given a house.

Like Lagos State, I think Rivers. But, there is a legislation that all Justices of the Supreme Court should be given houses or a certain amount of money to go and buy. But, it has not been implemented yet.

Oh really?

Yes. So, all you retire with is just pension?

Yes. Its just pension.

Vehicles?

Oh yes, you take your vehicles. So, its your pension and your vehicles.

When I was going over the Preface to one of the books I wrote, I realised that former Chief Justice of Nigeria, late Justice Ayò Irikefe (of blessed memory) had been conferred with GCFR, like the Nigerian Presidents are. I went back to check, and I saw that today, CJNs don’t go past GCON or CFR, thereby putting the Executive on a higher pedestal than the judiciary. How do we make it as it should be?

It has not always been like this. In the 60s, my father was a Judge. Nobody gave them cars. They bought their own cars with their own money.

A Judge then was earning £3,000 a year!

The Chief Justice of Nigeria was getting £3,800. The Central Bank Governor was not getting up to £800 a year. But now, you can’t compare a Judge with the Governor of Central Bank.

When the military came, all these things were chopped off, one by one. Let me give you an example. When you are appointed a Judge, lets say 1964; you are sworn in, the representative of the Public Works Department came to you and take you to your quarters. Your quarters were well furnished with everything.

So, the Chief Judge of the State didn’t go to the Governor, cap in hand to buy his

Honourable Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour JSC (Rtd)

car. He didn’t go to the Governor to say, I need car, I need this, I need that. You didn’t have that in those days. Then this thing started about the independence of the Judiciary. Now you have to go cap in hand. That is where all these things started.

Today, you see some Judges afraid to offend the Governor, and all that. But, that is not how it should be. A Judge should see and say things as they are.

But, its easier said than done. Because the Judge knows he has to go to the Governor to ask for car, ask for house and even ask for money to travel abroad for medical attention.

Judges in that old era, were not afraid.

They were independent. All the money for the Judiciary, was with the Judiciary.

They spent it their own way, but not now.

What steps must be taken for the Judiciary to be financially independent?

How can the Judiciary be restored to its former place of glory?

That is what I support! At the beginning of every year, all the money for the Judiciary, should be given to them. The Judiciary should spend their money in their own way, just like how the Legislators spend theirs. And the Executive too.

That is what separation of powers is all about. It’s not about one section of the government, lording it over the other.

How can the wheels of justice move faster in Nigeria, especially in the Supreme Court, where it can take years for a matter to get there and be concluded? Should the Constitution be amended to increase the number of Justices, or should the matters that go to the Supreme Court be streamlined?

Kindly, share your thoughts on this thorny issue I am of the opinion that, we should bring in timelines on all proceedings in Nigeria. For example, the sort of things that go on with election petitions. Any case that is filed in a High Court must not last beyond a certain number of

‘Anyway, in a nutshell the salary of Judges are bad, and everybody knows that’

years. Maybe you say one year and five months. Then the Court of Appeal, one year. The Supreme Court one year or two years maximum. That is the only way you quicken this process of cases being concluded fast. A similar thing goes on in Malaysia, where they have time limits, 15 months from start to finish.

From High Court to the Supreme Court.

Before in election petitions in Nigeria, an election would be held one year and while the case is still in court, the next election is holding. So, they brought in this provision where the Tribunal has 180 days to conclude. Court of Appeal has 60 days and the Supreme Court has 60 days, and its all over. But, when you start having people having all the time in the world to do whatever they want to do, that is when you start having adjournments and things like that. We have to put a stop to that.

Judicial autonomy has remained a live issue in Nigeria. Despite the judgement of the Apex Court granting judicial autonomy, most States have refused comply. Now, the Supreme Court has thrown out Executive Order 10. What, in your opinion, is the way out of this quagmire?

The way out it is what I have just said.

Give the money for the Judiciary to the Judiciary. There will be no need for any Chief Judge to go to any Governor. It has nothing to do with the States.

The debate about technical justice versus substantive justice never ends, despite several authorities that say that courts should shy away from meting out technical justice. Like take for instance the Adeleke v Oyetola Gubernatorial election case, where the matter was dismissed on the fact that the Tribunal Judge who read the lead judgement was absent on one of the days of sitting, and not on the merits of the case. Being that it was an election petition, and it is sui generis with some of the rules of evidence applying more loosely than in a pure civil matter, should the justice of the case not have been paramount?

I agree with that observation. But, in the circumstances, there was nothing that could be done. Let me explain.

The issue in that case, was whether a Judge who was on the panel and who did not sit when two witnesses on the other side were taken, can come back and sit and write the lead judgement.

That was the issue. No other issue!

Alright, why is it that he cannot come back and write the lead judgement? After all, he sat in most of the proceedings. The reason he cannot come back, is that the other side would be shouting ‘I was denied fair hearing. You didn’t see the two witnesses’.

How can a Judge who was not present, write a judgement based on facts that he never heard?!

Secondly, he never saw the witnesses to comment on their demeanour.

Alright, if this happened in a regular setting, what would have happened would have been to call back the two witnesses who gave evidence, to come and give evidence. Then the Judge would hear them and write his judgement! Why could this not be done in this case? The Tribunal had 180 days. The Court of Appeal highlighted this fact, that these people were denied fair hearing. Then 180 days is gone. Then the Supreme Court had another opportunity of 60 days. These election petitions come to the Supreme Court in most cases, between the 50th and 60th day. That is why the Supreme Court writes its judgements and says things like ‘Appeal allowed. Reasons will be given later’.

Because, you cant given reasons within that short period.

If you say election petitions are ‘sui generis’, you should overlook the law and overlook evidence, and just give judgement on the basis of substantial justice, how will you arrive at the right judgement? How will you overlook the Constitution that says it must be done within 60 days? You can’t overlook the Constitution.

You can’t overlook the Evidence Act. Why didn’t this Judge send the case back?

This Judge who gave that judgement is Justice Obiora. He is a Judge in Anambra. It’s just because of the procedure. You can ask him, and he will tell you that it has nothing to do with the signing of records or any of such things. The question was ‘did you sit?’ its as simple as that!

Chief Olanipekun, SAN was on the other side said: ‘I have been denied fair hearing, I have been denied fair hearing’. There is nothing you can do! When you have been denied fair hearing, the whole proceeding is a nullity. It’s as simple as that. Very elementary.

So, till today, no court has decided who won that election. The results that Oyetola is using to stay there is the result of INEC, because of all the technicalities. That is why cont'd on page X

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‘Put Judicial Officers’ Salaries on Par with that of Legislators’ cont'd from page IX

I am of the view that going to court to determine who won and election is all rubbish. INEC should be able to rise up to the occasion, and everybody takes it and goes away. You don’t need to take election petitions to court, to determine who won and election. Let INEC say who won an election, and leave the court out of it.

The issue of the constitutionality of virtual hearings. There was the case in which the Attorneys-General of Ekiti and Lagos brought the matter before the Supreme Court. What was the actual decision in that case? Why was the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court still waiting for clarification from the CJN at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when other courts were issuing practice directions that there should be virtual hearings?

I wrote the lead judgement, and it was two lines. That it is not unconstitutional.

Which means its constitutional?

Yes, and everybody said ‘I agree, I agree’.

There was no dissenting voice! So, the Chief Judge of whatever court doesn’t need to wait for anything. He just needs to say I am relying on the Supreme Court judgment. that is all he has to do.

Which means its constitutional?

Yes, and everybody said ‘I agree, I agree’ .There was no dissenting voice!

Why does the CJ have to wait for the CJN? That is the law of Nigeria, that judgement.

They are bound by the judgements of the Supreme Court.

So, the Chief Judge of whatever court doesn’t need to wait for anything. He just needs to say I am relying on the Supreme Court judgement. That is all he has to do.

Maybe his stand was before the judgement of the Supreme Court Oh, ok. Because now I don’t hear anybody saying anything against virtual hearings in any court.

Kindly, comment on two major events that have shaken the Supreme Court. First, the invasion of the residences of some of its Justices (and other Judges) in 2016, and more recently, that of your sister Justice, Mary Peter-Odili; and the unceremonious removal of a serving CJN? Those are incidents that were very bad for the Judiciary, they demystified the Judiciary. To recover from that, I don’t know how many years that will take. I don’t know.

These are the type of things that make young people say, they don’t want to be Judges. I was at the Law School, the day before yesterday, and someone gave a speech about career choices. I asked them, if anyone wanted to be a Judge. Not one! Not one wanted to be a Judge. I asked them why, and they were just looking at me. The Judiciary has some mystic about it, but people going out of their way to pull it down is something that is worrisome.

We were at the Kole Aluko memorial lecture.

Kole Aluko would stand, and make sure that the Judiciary is respected. I never heard Rotimi Williams or G.O.K Ajayi tried to pull down the Judiciary. The Vice President and most of the speakers said that at the lecture, said that they don’t support pulling down the Judiciary.

The Judiciary, anything you find wrong with the Judiciary, you seek audience with the Chief Judge or the CJN, and those things will be resolved behind close doors. You can’t begin to insult the Judiciary all over the place. You can’t.

As the Chairman of the Body of Benchers, what exactly is your role and that of your Body? Were you consulted before the recent legislation was passed by the Senate, that six more Law School campuses should be added on to the existing six (the seventh is under construction in Port Harcourt), when the existing campuses are already grossly underfunded and need serious revamping?

Honourable Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour JSC (Rtd)

The Council of Legal Education had said last year that such a decision should be theirs, and they do not require any new campuses for now. Kindly, share your thoughts on this The Body of Benchers is the highest decision-making body in the legal profession. What they basically do is that they call students to the Bar, and the discipline of Lawyers.

As regard building additional campuses all over the place, I was not consulted.

But, you have a committee in the House of Representatives and in the Senate, the Judicial Committee. I think it emanated from them. They should have liaised with us, and they didn’t.

Do you think more campuses are needed?

Oh, that is a tough one. Because some campuses are overcrowded. About 4,000 students are called to the Bar every year.

When you say ‘do you think it is needed’, people are likely to tell you things like, students that read law are from one side of the country. There are people from the other side. It’s a delicate thing. Its something that should be discussed openly.

The argument is that, already the Law School is underfunded. Take for example, the Yenagoa Campus; apparently there is hardly anything there. In fact, the Governor of Rivers State, in constructing their own campus in Rivers State donated the sum of N5 billion to help Yenagoa Campus. Even looking at Lagos Campus, it looks like it is in dire need of revamping. It looks rundown. Apparently Lagos campus is even understaffed, and short of Lecturers.

They took a few Lecturers from Lagos and posted them to another campus, and they have not been replaced. The point is that the ones we have on ground, you haven’t taken care of them properly, and then you want to start building news ones in places that don’t even have airports.

Who even wants to be travelling on the road and be kidnapped? What is the sense in this decision?

‘But, if you have people from the Universities or SANs, then you start getting a different outlook in the final product, the judgement”

That is why I said we have to be careful about how we build other campuses.

That should be discussed more openly.

But, I appreciate all your observations.

It is true.

Some believe that there should be another body set up, with the sole mandate of disciplining judicial officers.

That it should not be the NJC, because not only is the NJC bogged down with so much already, sometimes it is awkward when members of the NJC are the ones involved in the petitions.

Kindly, comment on this.

The buck must stop somewhere. If you set up another body like NJC to discipline Judges, you have to determine who are the people that would be in that body. Who would be the Chairman?

Should it staffed by retired Judges? I don’t know.

Yes, maybe by a retired CJN, or retired Supreme Court Justices I think that reforming the NJC would be better, instead of setting up another body. Like giving some people there powerful committees and things like that.

Suggestions have been made about creating divisions of the Supreme Court.

Right now some cases at the Supreme Court are already adjourned to as far away as 2024. So, the suggestion has been that if three divisions can be created, like in Lagos and one in the East, it would help reduce the burden on their Lordships at the Apex Court.

Although this might require tinkling with the Constitution. Is this something you foresee in the near future?

I have heard about it. But, one reason why people involved in this kind of agitation drag their feet to push to implement, is that they are afraid of conflicting decisions. Because that is the final court. So, if you have one in Enugu, one in Lagos and one in Abuja, there is a strong possibility that, that is when you’ll likely be having conflicting decisions. That is the reason against creating divisions of the Supreme Court.

What about a situation where the Supreme Court is divided, so that the panels still sitting in the same place; but, there is a Constitutional Court to handle matters of maybe policy or Constitution, while the panel is doing other cases?

That may involve having more Justices.

Yes. But, within the same place, so that the issue of conflicting judgements

for one, does not arise Yes. That makes more sense.

Now, the Apex Court is apparently shortstaffed. Some of the Justices have stepped down. Like your good self who retired last year. Right now, there are about six vacancies and they have called for applications. They listed the different regions and how many people can apply from each region. Do those Justices have to be taken from the Court of Appeal? Can anybody not apply?

There is a strong push for SANs to apply.

It has been on for quite some time. But, when you want to go to the Supreme Court, the people who are being considered are usually Court of Appeal Justices, and what they look at is their judgements. So, what would you look out for in a Senior Advocate?

The cases he or she has handled?

Yes. Something like that. I heard from good source that when you want to appoint people to the Supreme Court in England, they are made to go through series of interviews.

I was even looking at the appointment of Justices in South Africa. They were really grilled every day!

At the Kole Aluko Memorial Lecture, the Vice President told us that if you want to become a Judge in England, there are about 17 different hurdles you have to surmount, to be able to get there So, if you say you want to bring in a SAN or a Professor, it sort of colours the Court. It would make the judgements more interesting.

When I was there, everybody who got to the Supreme Court had the same background. High Court, Court of Appeal and then Supreme Court.

But, if you have people from the Universities or SANs, then you start getting a different outlook in the final product, the judgement.

The issue of Judicial Review, that is, the Supreme Court being unable to review its own judgements. The rules have changed, like the Pencil Rule of old days. There are now exceptions or situations where the Supreme Court reviews its judgements If it reviews its judgement, then it’s in a similar case with that one it reviews, when it comes before it. When Supreme Court gives a judgement, it remains valid, no matter what injustice is caused.

So, even if its per incuriam?

Yes, it remains the locus classicus! But, you can get the Supreme Court not to follow it, if something similar subsequently comes up.

That is the state in which we are. But, in the United States, when you give a judgement that is per incuriam, you come the next day and ask them to set it aside; that its wrong.

Thank you very much Sir.

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T H I S D AY ˾ DAY MARCH 1, 2022

FEATURES

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

Guaranteeing Food Security in Nigeria The Benin-Owens River Basin Development Authority recently developed four integrated farms in Benin, Auchi, Okpe and Uneme N'Ekua. Adibe Emenyonu, who was at the inauguration, writes on aims and objectives behind the initiative

Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu flanked by the member, representing Akojo-Edo Federal Constituency, Peter Akpatason; Managing Director, Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority, Mr. Saliu Ahmed; Prof. Godfrey Nzamujo of Songhai Centre, PortoNovo; and others during the inauguration of BORBDA Integrated Farm, Obayantor, Benin

One of poultry farms

T

he Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority (BORBDA) integrated farms is modeled after the Songhai integrated farm in PortoNovo, Benin Republic, established by a Nigerian, Prof. Godfrey Nzamujo.

It is a farm with crops and animal husbandry like cucumber, pawpaw, okro, sweet corn, tomatoes, pepper, fish, rabbit, chicken, pig, snail and grass cutter are raised.

In the farm, nothing is wasted as the droppings from the animals are used as bio-gas as well as manure for the crops.

Besides, the waste water from the fish ponds, pig pens, goat sheds, poultry droppings from the farm are used to irrigate the crops while in turn the waste from the plants is ploughed to feed the animals.

Also, grass weeds are used as much on the beds to preserve them from sun baking and conserving the moisture to enhance productivity.

It was through this innovation from Benin Republic by a Nigerian that the Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority integrated farm was conceived and birthed in line with the National Agricultural Transformation Plan of the federal government. Apart from this, the farms serve as training outlets for farmers on the nuances of integrated farming practice.

In the words of BORBDA Managing Director, Saliu Ahmed, "We have also started one in Ikole-Ekiti, Ekiti State and hope to spread to Ondo State next year because of the amazing success the farms have recorded since inception in 2017 and through the first harvest in May 2018 till date."

Welcoming dignitaries to the inauguration, Ahmed noted that the will to established the farms was borne out of the directive of the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, asking river basins across the country to set up an integrated farm in each of the senatorial districts in every states of the country.

Against the backdrop of this directive, BORBDA, he stated, rose to the mandate and began the demarcation of a 60Ha of farmland at its headquarters in Obayantor where the first of the four integrated farms was established in 2017 with survey, clearing, delineation of internal road.

Today, the Obayantor farm boast of six hectares of core farm areas and a additional one hectare for market garden, 12 concrete fish ponds, one earthen pond, 30 piggery pen and 30 bed capacity training hostel, training classroom, a canteen, biogas unit as well as 10inch diameter borehole with a 7.5Ha pump and a 12metre high 50m3 overhead storage tank to supply water for irrigation and general services on the farm.

Following this is the construction of processing units such as drying kiln for fish and meat, cassava processing unit, and extension for piggery due to quick rise in

A vegetable farm population; a snail unit and 40Ha of cassava plantation in conjunct with a market garden for continuous production of various vegetables in rotational form.

It was gathered that the reasonable stage of development and showcase of the Obayantor farm gave birth to the the establishment of the thread other farms as various stakeholders became interested in possibility of a model farm and subsequently, funds were appropriated for the establishment of the farms at Okpe and Uneme N'Ekua with the active support of the deputy majority leader of the House of Representatives, Peter Akpatason.

Not only that, the Obayantor farm as further learnt, has not only been generating revenue for government in the past three years but has also served as training grounds and outlets for N-Power interns and some tertiary institutions on farm attachment as well as farmers from surrounding communities on extension services and modern farming methods and practices.

Similarly, the other three farms in Auchi, Okpe and Uneme N'Ekua are within 30km radius of each other and together constitute a hub for effective production, processing and training.

"On 50Ha of the 100Ha of land in Okpe and Uneme N'Ekua, we plan to aggregate 50 youth farmers in each location with support of mechanisation and inputs to farm cassava and maize respectively.

"We have also sourced and secured off-takers who will buy up their harvest

when due. It is also planned that these farmers who shall be supported and continually trained shall form the nucleus to eventually take over the running and operations of the farms to guarantee sustainability", the BORBDA boss disclosed.

Ahmed who pointed out that the Integrated farms are production, processing, service rendering and research-based centres, added that the federal government, in a bid to shift its entire focus from oil, has overtime continued to make consistent and deliberate efforts to improving on agriculture and its produce in Nigeria.

The BORBDA MD said agriculture has been identified as a key development priority in the efforts of government to increasing food security, reduce poverty and diversify the country's economic base.

He noted that several initiatives, programmes, seminars, conferences and lectures on agriculture have overtime, been and are continuously being sponsored by the government to achieve rapid growth and fully maximise the full potentials of agriculture with the aim of achieving national food security, job and wealth creation.

According to him, "Today, the integrated farm in Obayantor has spread through to the northern parts of Edo State of Auchi, Okpe and Uneme N'Ekhua, including the one in Ikole in Ekiti State which will spread to Ondo State next year."

He thanked the Director of Songhai

"The focus of the integrated (Songhai Model) is an innovative system of agricultural production which is able to holistically integrate both primary and secondary products from the farm into good use such that there is absolutely no waste in the farm"

Regional Centre, Prof. Godfrey Nzamujo, the Nigeria born Catholic Rev. Father whose sustained interest in development saw the establishment of the four integrated farms.

Inaugurating the farms, Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, said the ceremony is in line with the federal government policy of shifting from oil to the non oil sector of the economy with emphasis on agriculture.

He said the models farms underscored the importance the nation placed on agriculture in its quest to attain food sufficiency and exports, adding that in view of the vagaries of weather and other factors inhibiting the traditional farming methods, the Songhai Integrated farm model remains the way to go if the nation must gain food security.

“The focus of the integrated (Songhai Model) is an innovative system of agricultural production which is able to holistically integrate both primary and secondary products from the farm into good use such that there is absolutely no waste in the farm.

“The system is competitive, sustainable, preserving and incorporates human capacity building through training in basic business management and entrepreneurship necessary to prepare unemployed graduates and youths to undertake agricultural business”, the minister declared.

Expressing satisfaction with BORBDA’s commitment in carrying out his earlier charge to the 12 river basins across the country to ensure the establishment of at least one Interested Farm in each of the 109 Senatorial Districts in Nigeria, Adamu commended the authorities for playing a leading role in this regard with the establishment of four of such farms in two of the three senatorial districts in Edo State He also appreciated the cooperation of the various host communities to BORBDA’s projects and pleaded with them to develop an attitude that would make them perceive the projects as theirs.

In his goodwill message, Prof. Nzamujo of Songhai Centre, said his interest is nothing more that progress, mutual partnership and teaching people how to grow the food they consume, predicting that with sustainability, Nigeria in the next three years would be the 3rd largest producer of fish in the world.

According to him, "Nigeria is growing in population and the only way is to continue to grow food to cater for the population."

Similarly, the member, representing Akojo-Edo Federal Constituency, Peter Akpatason, noted that what is being done remain a major milestone to improve the living standard of Nigerians, improve the country's economy and sufficiency in food production.

To achieve this, he enjoined everyone to go into agriculture production, away from the self-sufficiency type but to feed the stomach and at the same time improve the economy.

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T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͯ˜ ͰͮͰͰ

COVID-19: Tapping into the Richness of Nature for Healthcare

After nearly two years since the WHO declared the Coronavirus a pandemic, the world has gradually begun to get back to business as usual. Meanwhile, the consistent importance of protection from the virus led to the increased need for 100 per cent clinically tested and trusted foaming hand sanitizer made with ingredients sourced from nature. Championing this, Environmental Science Hygiene LTD Nigeria recently launched PalmTree Hygiene foaming hand sanitizer, a first of its kind all-natural foaming hand sanitizer made from palm wine, produced, manufactured, and locally distributed in Nigeria. In this chat with Sam Awolesi, the Chief Executive Officer, he discusses the effectiveness of the product and its significance in combating zoonotic germs, Chiamaka Ozulumba brings excerpts: Environmental Science Hygiene is relatively new in Nigeria. Tell us about your company and the PalmTree Hygiene foaming hand sanitizers? he Environmental Science Hygiene (ESH) Nigeria is a subsidiary of Environmental Science Group (ESG) established in 1994 in the U.K. The ESG is an industry leader in the field of Health & Safety, Workplace Risk Assessment, Air quality monitoring, and personal hygiene improvement. In 2020, with the help of experienced Physicists, Chemists, and Engineers, we developed a unique and effective premium hygiene product from an untapped natural source with the primary aim of tackling the spread of zoonotic viruses, i.e., SARS-CoV. ESH Nigeria was incorporated in August 2020, as a production hub for PalmTree Hygiene product lines and started operation in the last quarter of 2021.

T

The Coronavirus has been around for a while. What inspired the creation of this foaming hand sanitizer and why is it special?

The recent pandemic has created a considerable global demand for high-quality and effective hand sanitizing products. Experts predict that COVID-19 will remain active in populations across the globe for some years to come.

Therefore, the demand for hand sanitizer and virus disinfectants may rise at a consistently high level.

When the pandemic took effect, we were approached by several companies asking us to help produce a very effective hand sanitizer. When we started this experiment, we leveraged our knowledge of the marketplace which revealed to us that over 80 per cent of users prefer foaming hand sanitizers to gel or liquid variants. We learned from the medical industry that most people prefer foaming hand sanitizers because it does not irritate the skin or give any reaction. We decided to adopt that knowledge and combined with the expertise that we have gained over the years; we produced the foaming hand sanitizer.

In addition, more consumers are looking for sustainable eco-friendly products. Many companies around the world are already investing in developing plant-based products.

Our product is the foremost hand sanitizer with the active ingredient (Alcohol) being sourced from nature, i.e., local palm trees. The product has been proven to be allergy-free and it gives off a pleasant coconut smell that helps decongest the nasal pathways.

Contrary to what is available in the market, your product’s active ingredient palm is sourced from Palm Trees. What inspired the decision to source alcohol from palm trees?

The WHO says that sanitizers should have at least 60 per cent ethanol. While everyone else is using ethanol from Maize, Cassava, and so on, which destroys the crops and reduces supply. So we decided to use Palm trees sourced locally from Nigeria. This is the first time you have a naturally derived and sustainable source of ethanol which no damage to the plant or surrounding environment. This has never been done before. We have created the world’s first foaming hand sanitizer from natural sustainable sources.

For many years, Africa has been adorned with so many natural resources. Palm tree is one of them and it is now time for us to start showcasing what nature has given us and sharing it with the rest of the world. This is why our slogan is, “From nature’s palm to yours”. That is, from Africa’s palm to the palm of everyone around the world.

Since the active ingredient in the foaming hand sanitizer is sourced from nature, can you discuss how the product and the production process are environmentally friendly?

Unlike the other sources of ethanol, the Palm tree is eco-friendly. Also, other sources of ethanol are harmful to the crops which have the potential

Sam Awolesi to impact food scarcity. The uniqueness of the PalmTree Hygiene hand sanitizer comes from the alcohol extraction process which is sourced naturally and distilled from the sap of the Palm tree. This is done without damage to the tree and has no harmful impact on the environment.

The explanation of your slogan signifies your plan to provide sanitizers beyond Nigeria and Africa. Can you speak about that?

Although the product is already being supplied to the international market by our

U.K. hub, we are looking to use the factory in Nigeria to boost the product’s availability internationally. This is necessary because the key ingredients are sourced here in Nigeria and so we located a factory here.

Is the product certified by health organisations?

The PalmTree Hygiene foaming hand sanitizer has over 60 per cent alcohol as recommended by the WHO and is certified to kill 99.999 per cent of bacteria and germs.

The product has also been tested and passed

"For many years, Africa has been adorned with so many natural resources. Palm tree is one of them and it is now time for us to start showcasing what nature has given us and sharing it with the rest of the world. This is why our slogan is,“From nature’s palm to yours”. That is, from Africa’s palm to the palm of everyone around the world"

the European standard EN 1276 evaluation of chemical disinfectant or antiseptic for bactericidal activity. The sanitizer is also deemed fit for use in Nigeria has it passed the local regulator (NAFDAC) test as an effective sanitizer for tackling the spread of zoonotic viruses.

You have described a unique premium foaming hand sanitizer. How affordable are they in the local market and how can the products be accessed?

Even though our product is a premium product, we’ve worked very hard to make it affordable. When compared with other products, our price is the most affordable especially in Nigeria. We have priced the product in a way that the average Nigerian can afford it. This product could cost three times as much in the U.K. In Nigeria, our smallest range, 60ml, can go for as low as N1,200. In comparison with similar products, that is less than 50% of their retail price. The product is affordable because we manufacture locally which in turn creates jobs for our people. The PalmTree Hygiene foaming hand sanitizer is available in supermarkets across Lagos. To place an order or for more inquiries, one can visit our website on www. palmtreehygiene.com.

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T H I S D AY ˾TUESDAY MARCH 1, 2022

PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT UPDC Repositions in Real Estate Market, Presents Pinnock Prime Estate

S

everal indicators show that things are looking up for Nigeria’s foremost property development company, UPDC Plc as the real estate company is currently enjoying a fine campaign in its latest project, Pinnock Prime Estate in Lekki Peninsula II. This position is contained in a statement issued by officials of the company, saying it “has also notched up several positive milestones in its recent journey towards profitability. Significantly, the company will also be unveiling several exciting new residential development projects in the course of the year.”

With less than a month to the sod turning event of its spectacular new development, UPDC Plc is having a fine run in its off-plan marketing campaign of the highly promising project. Feelers in the market indicate that there has been a surge of demand for the serviced plots in the upcoming estate, which translates to yet another rewarding project for the company and its investors, according to its officials. “Following the acquisition of a majority shareholding of the Company by

Custodian Investment Plc in 2020, there is growing confidence in the new management team that has been assembled at the Company. UPDC’s unassailable pedigree in quality control, credibility, and prompt cum excellent delivery, coupled with the exotic location and reasonable pricing of its projects are seen as some of the factors that count heavily in favour of the Company.

“In recent years, UPDC has undergone a series of corporate re-structuring exercises aimed at repositioning the Company for better efficiency and back on the path of profitability. Although such turn-around exercises take years to materialise, UPDC has already started reaping the benefits of focused management, which will ultimately lead to sustained returns to the Company’s investors and other stakeholders. For instance, the Company has significantly reduced its interest-bearing debt, following the redemption of its Corporate Bond and refinancing via a lower interest-bearing loan in April 2021, the net effect being the decrease in finance cost by over 51% YOY in 2021 amongst other positive indices.

The Company has also commenced the process of building a world class team of professionals with several years of in

country and international experience in the real estate industry to steer the Company in the path of growth.”

Illustration of Pinnock Prime Estate, Lekki, Lagos

LASRERA to Ensure Compliance With New Real Estate Law, Says Special Adviser Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA), has declared its readiness to commence the enforcement of its newly signed Law aimed at holding Property Developers, individuals and organisations in Real Estate Business accountable, especially those with the intentions to defraud accommodation seekers across the State.

The Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Housing, Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka made this declaration during a courtesy visit to her

office by Female Lawyers in Real Estate Practice (FELIREP), at Alausa, recently, according to a statement issued by the Assistant Director Public Affairs, LASRERA, Adeoti Sobowale.

Citing the instance of some property developers who are in the habit of collecting money from potential clients above the available units of property, Benson-Awoyinka maintained that such individuals or Organisations must be made to face the Law in order to serve as deterrent to

others with similar intentions.

The Special Adviser also disclosed that the State Government is coming up with a Policy that will encourage Property Developers to open an Escrow Bank Account with Financial Institutions.

Explaining the concept of Escrow banking of funds is to promote financial transparency and protection of citizens in transactions.

While encouraging Lagos residents to always engage Lawyers at every stage of Real Estate Transactions so as not to fall victims of illegal

swindlers in the sector, Benson-Awoyinka added that the legal practitioners are always ready to guide prospective property buyers on how to avoid some pitfalls.

The Special Adviser advised Real Estate Practitioners on the need to understand the value of LASRERA Law, especially the aspect of documentation of Real Estate Transactions for ease of doing business in terms of sales/ purchases of properties for identification of ownership.

Coca-Cola to Collect, Recycle 15% of its Packaging in 2022 Fadekemi Ajakaiye Coca-Cola Nigeria has revealed that it targets to collect and recycle 15% of its packaging in 2022 as part of its efforts to promote environmental sustainability.

The Director, Public Affairs, Communications, and Sustainability, Coca-Cola Nigeria, Amaka Onyemelukwe, stated this in a media chat in Lagos recently.

She explained that concerted efforts to stem the tide of environmental degradation

has seen the company make huge investments in leadership, by fostering industry collaboration, encouraging investments, and attracting international intervention, which includes funding.

“To achieve the set target, our bottling partners, Nigerian Bottling Company and through funding from The Coca-Cola Foundation will increase its investments to scale PET collection across the country and drive the required behavioral changes”, she said.

Octo5 Reiterates Commitment to Solve Housing Challenge at Project Handover One of Nigeria’s pioneer real estate development companies, Octo5 Holdings, has again reaffirmed its commitment to making Housing accessible and affordable using several housing solutions promoted by it. Its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Babajide Odusolu, made the statement during the handover of Heron’s Beak Residences, a vertical community of medium-rise apartments recently completed by the company.

According to him, “We believe that the increasingly changing demographics of housing demand require varied solutions and most cannot be addressed by the Government.

The key to meeting the growing demand is to innovate solutions that empower young professionals and families to own or rent homes with ease.”

He added that projects like Heron’s Beak Residences were deliberately designed to

encourage and meet the needs of young families and many professionals who now work remotely by creating wholesome communities while guaranteeing good returns for investor landlords. He said until the average professional can comfortably house his/herself using monthly income or mortgages, the housing problem would remain insurmountable.

According to the Octo5 boss, although the exact size of the housing deficit might be debatable, the urgent need for homes with good infrastructure can neither be denied nor rationalised. The World Bank estimates that Nigeria would need to provide at least 700,000 units of housing to meet its deficit.

The Octo5 boss believes that while efforts such as the National Social Housing Programme, set up by the government to make social housing a reality are com-

mendable, the challenge remains funding the significant demand for serviced communities and middle-income homes.

According to him, Governments at State and Federal levels should offer fiscal incentives to capable developers and guarantee off-take for public sector workers – with such incentives, serious developers would acquire viable land and build homes to address the challenges aggressively.

He stated that when the Heron’s Beak Residences project was flagged off, the off-plan introductory prices of N25m and N36m were deliberately set below prevailing rates to encourage early investors.

Odusolu pointed out that all those who took advantage of the offers gained tremendously.

Despite the subsequent inflationary and devaluation effect, their investments retained good value and delivered positive capital gains returns.

Onyemelukwe further mentioned that through funding from The Coca-Cola Foundation in partnership with a local NGO and a waste aggregator, a mini factory has been set up in Delta State for the conversion of PET bottles into strapping belts, which would be commissioned in the second quarter of 2022.

This is expected that this will drive more positive actions as regards environmental sustainability, she said.

“We are aware that more investors have began to have the confidence to invest in the setup of recycling plants to further drive positive action, which will be commissioned later in 2022. In 2021, over $1.1m in grants were awarded to various NGO partners and social ventures to drive recycling initiatives in various communities,” she said.

“It’s our resolve to open up the sector for more participation, with a view to attracting counterpart funding from the

international community. This is based on the prospects we see in the recycling sector that can produce thousands of jobs for the teeming population,” she said.

She stated that Coca-Cola Nigeria and its partners are committed to implementing collection initiatives across communities. The Coca-Cola System along with funding from The Coca-Cola Foundation will be investing over $2m to scale up collection across the six geographical zones and drive behavioral change projects in 2022.

“Our goal is to achieve our 2030 ambitious goal of enabling 100% collection for every packaging we put in the market,” she said.

Onyemelukwe commended the efforts of the government and tasked them to provide more tax incentives for companies investing in recycling infrastructure, in a bid to attract more investors while also introducing environmentally friendly policies.

Rotarians Clean-up Maryland Road to Ikeja A Rotarian and President of Rotary Club of Maryland, Bamidele Onalaja has appealed to Nigerians to make cleanliness a priority so as to live a healthy life.

Onalaja spoke at the Computer Village in Ikeja, Lagos when he led Rotarians and Rotaractors from seven different Rotary and Rotaract clubs on a clean-up exercise from Maryland roundabout through Mobolaji Bank-Anthony way to the Computer Village in Ikeja as part of activities marking this year’s ‘Rotary Day of Service’ in commemoration of its 117 years anniversary.

Participating clubs at the event which commenced at about 7.30am at the Maryland

roundabout and ended at the Computer Village at about 12noon are Rotary Clubs of Maryland, Ikeja GRA, Mende Midtown, Magboro Newtown and New Lagos as well as Rotaract Clubs of Maryland and Ikeja GRA. Onalaja described the exercise which was held simultaneously all over the world, as an attempt to clean up the environment which is a major focus of Rotary International.

Rtn Olawuyi Abinibi President, Rotary Club of Ikeja GRA, said the clean-up programme is in furtherance of Rotary’s main objective which is service to humanity and that indiscriminate dumping

refuse is not only illegal but dangerous to human health.

In his own remarks, Rtn. Raheem Adebisi, President Of the Rotary Club of Mende Midtown noted that Rotary as a humanitarian service organisation prioritises service above self and that is why members trooped out en-masse to solve other peoples’ problems by making the environment clean.

The President-elect of Rotary Club of New Lagos, Olumide Lawal noted that the group has done over 12 kilometres of waste cleaning, with over a hundred bags of waste generated through the efforts of 80 Rotarians that participated in the programme.

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2022

25

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

A S

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REPO

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

08056356325

F E B R U A R Y

S & P INDEX

2 8 , 2 0 2 2

S & P INDEX

EXCHANGE RATE

OBB

9.00%

CALL

4%

INDEX LEVEL

564.02%

1/4 TO DATE

5.82%

N413.03/ 1 US DOLLAR*

OVERNIGHT

10.75%

1-MONTH

6%

1-DAY

–0.17%

YEAR TO DATE

– 15.85%

*AS AT LAST FRIDAY

3-MONTH

10%

MONTH-TO-DATE

0.19%

Net Zero Target Uncertain With 40% Used Vehicles Dumped in Nigeria, Others

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Nigeria’s chances of a net zero target remain hobbled, with over 40 per cent of all used vehicles distributed worldwide coming into three African countries led by Nigeria.

A McKinsey & Company report on the continent’s effort at meeting the emissions reduction goal further indicated that 80 per cent of all four-wheeler vehicles end up in

sub-Saharan Africa.

Speaking at COP 26 recently, President Muhammadu Buhari explained that Nigeria was aiming to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060, which is to ensure that the amount of greenhouse gas produced is equivalent to what is removed from the atmosphere.

This means that as carbon is being released, it is also being removed from the atmosphere such that

emissions are reduced to zero in order to stabilise global temperatures.

The United Nations had said global carbon dioxide emissions would need to reach net zero around 2050 to limit the disastrous effects of climate change.

Speaking on Nigeria’s plans during the climate change conference in Glasgow, Buhari had said that climate change was ravaging all regions of Nigeria, but noted that

the country was committed to tackling its impacts.

“There is an urgent need for action on the environment. Desertification in the north, floods in the centre.

Pollution and erosion in the coast are enough evidence. For Nigeria, climate change is not about the affairs of tomorrow but what is happening today,” he said.

But the McKinsey report stated that Internal Combustion Engine (ICE)

vehicles remain a veritable source of emissions in Nigeria as well as in other African nations, noting that with the country and the continent becoming a dumping ground for such high emission machines, the net zero target was endangered.

It stated that while Nigeria has 25 vehicles per 1,000 persons , it was 17 for Kenya and two for Ethiopia, although it’s 180 on the average globally, with a vehicle life

expectancy of 15 to 20 years for cars and two to five years for motorcycles.

“Of all used vehicles, 40 per cent end up in Africa, while more than 80 per cent of all four wheeler vehicles are end up in sub-Saharan Africa with the average price of a used vehicle being $6,000 to $10,000,” it said.

McKinsey stated that globally, the automotive future was looking Continued on page 28

Agro Input Dealers Fret against Fertiliser Companies Neglecting Domestic Market amid Food Shortages Gilbert Ekugbe The Nigerian Agro Input Dealers Association (NAIDA), has frowned against the decision of local fertiliser companies to export urea to other countries at the expense of satisfy-

ing Nigeria’s domestic market.

They also urged the fertiliser companies to sell at least 35 per cent of urea in Nigeria to contribute their quota to reducing the high cost of food production and the skyrocketing prices of food com-

modities in the country.

The National President of the NAIDA, Mr. Kabiru Fara, made the call during an interview with newsmen and alleged that all the urea fertilisers produced by Dangote, Notore, and Indorama

FOOD

COMMODITIES

NAME OF COMMODITY

SIZE

STATE

PRICE

NAME OF COMMODITY

RICE

100KG

ABUJA

N23,000–N25,000

SORGHUM

50KG

OYO

N22,000-N25,000

50KG

PLATEAU (JOS)

N23,500-N25,000

50KG

KWARA N24,000–N27,000

50KG

LAGOS

50KG

RIVERS N23,000–N26,500

50KG 50KG

N23,000–N26,500

SOKOTO N11,500–N13,000 EDO

N17,000–N20,000

are being exported, leading to the increment in its price from N5,500 to N18,000 per bag.

He said: “We have challenges, the urea companies in Nigeria, Notore, Dangote, and Indorama are mostly exporting their products

SIZE

PRICE

STATE

100KG JIGAWA

instead of satisfying the Nigerian market because the export gives them foreign exchange and at a higher price, not minding that these companies are based in Nigeria and no raw material is imported for production.

“The raw materials are sourced from Nigeria, so they should not be looking at the cost in the international market, but even at that, why can’t they release Continued on page 27

T O D AY

PRICE

NAME OF COMMODITY

N9,000

C O C OA

100KG

BENUE

N8,500

100KG

KADUNA

N8,500

50KG

ENUGU

N23,000

50KG

LAGOS

N17,000

100KG

DELTA

N23,000

SIZE

STATE

PRICE

1 TON

ONDO

N740,000 – N760,000

1 TON

OSUN

N730,000 – N750,000

1 TON

EDO

N720,000 – N740,000

1 TON

CROSS RIVER

N700,000 – N720,000

1 TON

AKURE SOUTH, ONDO

N730,000 — N755,000

26

TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

NDL 60 YEARS ANNIVERSARY…

(L-R): Executive Director, Finance and Operations, NDL, Mr. Wale Majolagbe; Glass Division Director, Frigoglass & Managing Director of Beta Glass Plc & Frigoglass Industries (Nig.) Ltd,Darren Bennett-Voci; Group Executive Director, NDL, Mr. Adekunle Rosiji; the Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, HRM Oba Adedotun Gbadebo; Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR; Chairman, NDL, Chief Akinwande Olumide Delano, SAN; Group Executive Chairman, NDL, Mr. Olajide Rosiji; the Olota of Ota, HRH Oba (Prof.) Adeyemi Obalanlege; Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Oluomo, Olakunle Taiwo (Prince); Mrs. C.O Adejuwon (NDL Distributor); and Wema Bank Delegate (Financial Partner) at the NDL 60 Years Anniversary in Lagos… recently

NCI Fund Exceeds $500m as NCDMB Seeks Creation of African Oil Bank Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Nigerian Content Intervention (NCI) Fund has exceeded $500 million, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Simbi Wabote, has said.

Wabote spoke at the Sub-Saharan African International Petroleum Conference (SAIPEC) organised in Lagos by the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN).

He indicated that the fund which is extended as low-cost credit to qualified oil and gas companies covers asset acquisition, project financing, manufacturing, working capital, loan refinancing, women in oil and gas, as well as research and development.

The NCIF, he said, is a component

of the Nigerian Content Development Fund (NCDF), which is accumulated through 1 per cent deductions from contracts awarded in the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry.

Wabote added that the board was using the NCDF to catalyse the construction of modular refineries, gas processing plants, LPG terminals and bottling plants, cylinders manufacturing plants, lube oil blending plants, base oil production plant, methanol production plant, and many others.

He canvassed that a similar fund be ereplicated at the continental level and be utilised to develop huge mega oil and gas projects, particularly as world financial institutions were getting reluctant to finance hydrocarbon-related projects.

He said: “let me use this opportunity to once again canvass for the creation of an African Local Content Fund (ALCF) that could be utilised to set up a bank or finance institution to provide funding for the development of oil and gas projects in Africa.

“This is especially important against the backdrop of the reluctance and outright declaration by some banks and financial institutions to stop funding of hydrocarbon-related projects. I hope the Afreximbank and others institute a form of contribution, no matter how little, as a fund to support the continent’s need for funds.”

He explained that in Nigeria’s case, the deduction of 1 per cent of every contract awarded to any contractor, subcontractor, alliance

partner or any other entity involved in any project, in the upstream sector has resulted in having a pool of funds to support various intervention programmes.

Speaking further, the executive secretary described the recent spike in crude oil prices above $90 a barrel as an excellent opportunity for African oil producers and service providers to develop new fields, ensure security of supply and affordability as well as increase revenue generation.

He noted that the price of crude oil has increased by 50 per cent in 12 months and African oil producers should use the opportunity to make plans towards energy transition, and lowering the cost of services.

Dwelling on the topic: “SubSaharan Africa Local Content Collaboration Strategy”, Wabote

stated that an enabling regulatory framework backed with the appropriate legislation was very fundamental in local content practice.

He commended African oil producers for putting in place investor-friendly laws to promote the oil and gas industry as well as ongoing collaboration among the countries to advance the local content journey.

He noted that such laws will align with the goals of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA) which seeks to create the world’s largest free trade area by integrating 1.3 billion people across 54 African countries, to tap into a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of over $3 trillion.

He described the AFCFTA as the practice of local content on the

continental level, noting that it is a huge trading and collaboration platform for the participating countries.

In his remarks, the Chairman, PETAN, Mr. Nicholas Odinuwe advocated a regional collaboration and innovation to enhance the future of energy sector.

He disclosed that the key enabler for the continent was to create a collaborative ecosystem between the local industry stakeholders alongside the AfCFTA. Odinuwe encouraged governments across Africa to provide necessary incentives to attract private sector investments across the entire value chain which would trigger economic revolution, human capital development, and deepen local content across the continent.

Nigeria’s Rice Milling Capacity Hits 3m Metric Tonnes from 68 Integrated Mills Gilbert Ekugbe The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has stated that the nation’s rice milling capacity rose to 3,000,000 metric tonnes produced from over 68 integrated mills across the country in January 2022.

According to CBN, the policies of the federal government on agriculture appeared to be working, especially in term of the number of emerging integrated rice mills and the multiplier effects on farmers’ productivity, food availability, job creation and poverty alleviation.

The apex bank also disclosed that over 58 new integrated rice mills have been facilitated to give additional support to the existing 10 mills in the country through various policies of the federal

government in the last seven years.

The Governor of the CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, pointed out recently that rice mills in Nigeria were fewer than 10 in 2015, with a combined annual capacity of less than 350,000 metric tonnes.

Emefiele explained that the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP), which the CBN introduced in 2015, has had catalytic effects on rice cultivation, processing and other value chain activities, adding that about 10 more integrated mills would be opened this year.

He said: “Food security remains a cardinal deliverable for every developing economy as it serves as the fulcrum of many other economic development indices.”

Also, the apex bank has assured rice millers of its collaboration

to boost the rice value chain in Nigeria.

The governor called on the operators of integrated millers in the country to invest in the cultivation of rice paddies to complement smallholders’ production and boost availability of raw materials for their mills while driving the policy of the country to be self-sufficient in rice production.

He disclosed this recently in Kano while unveiling the Gerewa Rice Mill, an integrated 420-metrictonne per day rice mill.

“The private sector-led Accelerated Agriculture Development Scheme provides long-term financing options to millers to finance commercial farms, land development, irrigation facilities; and other agricultural infrastructure

FOOD NAME OF COMMODITY

PALM OIL

SIZE

STATE

PRICE

25CL LAGOS N20,000-N25000 25CL

PH

N21,000 – 24,000

NAME OF COMMODITY

TOMATOES

COMMODITIES SIZE

STATE

40KG BENUE

IMO

N21,000–N24,500

25CL

EDO

N17,000–N20,000

25CL ABUJA

N19500- N25000

PRICE

N15,000

40KG

KADUNA

N5,000

40KG

ABIA

N18,000

25CL IBADAN N18,000-N22,000 25CL

that will enhance the production plan,” Emefiele said.

He said the quality of milled Nigerian rice was comparable to that of rice produced elsewhere in the world.

The Head, Farming Initiatives, Olam Nigeria, Mr. Reji George, who led the establishment of Olam’s fully integrated, Africa’s largest mechanised commercial farm and milling facility at Rukubi, in Nasarawa State, said that Nigeria’s production of rice has increased.

George said that availability of sustainable paddies is a great factor to be considered before establishing a rice mill, and indicated that the springing up of more mills was due to available and potential great volume of paddies.

A rice miller and Managing

25KG LAGOS 40KG DELTA

N9,500 N17000

PRICE

Director, Vertex Rice, Lokoja, Kogi State, Mr. Afis Oladejo, explained to newsmen that the policies of the government on local rice production, processing and consumption, to a great extent, had triggered establishment of new and upgrade of existing rice mills and local rice consumption.

Oladejo called on the armed forces and the police to work harder on internal security of life and property to enhance farmers’ productivity and complements various agro-economic policies of the government.

Also, the Chairman, Bukan Sidi-Lafia Rice Innovation Platform (IP), Nasarawa State who is also the National President, Association of Small-Scale Agro Producers in Nigeria (ASSAPIN), Mr. Joshua Jonathan, said policies, ranging

from limited FX for food imports, closure of some land borders to supporting smallholder farmers, had improved rice productivity in terms of quantity, quality and increased consumption of locally produced rice in Nigeria.

He said: “Before now, our scale of production is small - between 1.5 and 2.0 metric tonnes per hectare, but now, Nigerian farmers’ production average yield is between 4.0 -6.0Mt/ha with improved seeds, new production practices, CBN’s anchor borrowers’ support scheme, other initiatives like off-takers’ arrangements, availability of farmer-friendly small-scale improved technologies, especially in pre and post-harvest handling areas have improved greatly the country’s parboiled milled rice.”

T O D AY

NAME OF COMMODITY

SIZE

STATE

PRICE

ONIONS

100KG

IBADAN

N25,000

100KG

KANO

N10,000

100KG

BENUE

N27,000

100KG GOMBE

N12,000

100KG DELTA

N21,000

100KG LAGOS

N25,000

100KG ENUGU

N15,000

100KG

N29,000

ABIA

NAME OF COMMODITY

MAIZE

LOCATION

PRICE

100KG JIGAWA

N9000

100KG ENUGU

N24000

100KG DELTA

N15000

100KG ABIA

N14000

50KG LAGOS

N13500

SIZE

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2022

27

BUSINESSWORLD

INDUSTRY

UNIDO Signposts the Future of Industrialisation The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) in its 2022 Industrial Development Report said three megatrends: digitalisation, greening environment and the emergence of Asia as the global industrial heartbeat, would dictate the future of global industrialisation, writes Dike Onwuamaeze

T

he United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) has called on the international community to actively engage in building a better post-COVID-19 future.

This call is contained in its Industrial Development Report (IDR) 2022, titled, “The Future of Industrialisation in a Post-Pandemic World.” It also called for action from the international community to support an inclusive, sustainable and resilient industrial recovery.

Among the key messages of the IDR is that countries need to draw lessons from their pandemic experiences as they plan their economic recovery and industrialisation pathways in a post-pandemic period.

They also need to take into account three megatrends that are expected to shape the future of industrialisation globally. These trends are comprised of digitalisation and automation of industrial production, a shift in economic (manufacturing) power towards East Asia, especially China and the greening of industrial production in order to mitigate the effects of climate change. These trends, according to the IDR, have been accelerated by the COVID-19 crisis: The report added that Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development (ISID) in a post-pandemic world would require, more than ever, the development of firm-level production capabilities and national ecosystems that could support the absorption and creation of new technologies.

Research commissioned for this report also identified that these three megatrends and the deployment of Advanced Digital Production (ADP) technologies would affect essentially all spheres of business development and deeply change the competitive advantages of firms and nations.

It noted that, “global economic power shifts, especially the emergence of Asia as a dominant hub of global industrial production and China’s structural transformation towards a knowledge-driven highincome economy will imply a major restructuring of trade flows and global value chains.

“Similarly, the greening of industrial production to meet the need to reduce environmental footprints, and particularly to decarbonise economies, for radically different business models and systemic transformations with far-reaching effects on the positioning of Developing Emerging Industrialise Economies (DEIEs) in the world economy.”

STRUCTURAL ECONOMIC CHANGE

The report noted that these megatrends are interrelated in multiple ways and together would shape the direction of structural economic change and of industrial development in particular. “Some industries and business models are declining in the shadow of these trends, whereas others are emerging and expanding. This creates opportunities as well as threats for all economies; yet how this plays out depends in part on existing economic structures and coping strategies,” the IDR said.

The report noted that several macroeconomic indicators have shown that a new centre of economic gravity is in the making. Indeed, one of the most significant socioeconomic transformations over the last decade has been the increasing

weight of Asia in the global economy. The Asian contribution to global GDP has been growing rapidly over the last decades, which has been boosted by China’s spectacular performance. Additionally, current projections indicate that Asia’s current share of global GDP will double by 2050, reaching 52 percent, whereas the share of all other world regions is set to decline.

The report said that this trend is also observable when analysing the power shifts in the global manufacturing sector specifically. It said: “Until the early 1990s, the main manufacturing powers were located in North America and Western Europe, with industrialised economies (IEs) representing almost 80 percent of global manufacturing value added.”

Since then, however, there has been a steady redistribution of manufacturing towards developing countries. The latest available estimates indicate that DEIEs are now responsible for 49.1 percent of worldwide manufacturing value added. This is, to a large extent, a result of the expansion of manufacturing activities in Asia. China has been at the forefront of this development: its share of global manufacturing value added jumped from 4.0 per cent in 1990 to 31.3 per cent by 2020, making it the world’s largest manufacturer.

Conversely, the weight of Latin America declined from 7.8 per cent in 1990 to only 4.7 per cent in 2020, while the share of developing economies in Europe also shrank, from 1.9 per cent to 0.7 per cent over the same period.

“Africa’s share remained almost constant, contributing to about 2.0 per cent of total global manufacturing output throughout these years,” UNIDO said.

The IDR elaborated on how the greening of the manufacturing landscape would shape the future of industrialisation.

“Moving in parallel with advanced digitalisation and changes in the global structure of production, the increasing greening of manufacturing industries is the third megatrend likely to shape the future of industrialization. This trend is due to the growing recognition of the impact of human activity on the environment and the increasing awareness that environmental externalities should be taken into consideration by the manufacturing sector, which should continue moving towards cleaner, more resource-efficient processes,” UNIDO said.

Currently, three major economic blocs have placed the greening of their economies at the top of their political agendas. In 2019, the European Commission introduced the European Green Deal, which aimed to reach climate neutrality by 2050 within the European Union (EU). In 2021, the United States rejoined the Paris Agreement on climate change and committed to reduce its emissions by about 25 percent by 2025 compared to 2005 levels. Finally, China’s current FiveYear Plan foresees decarbonisation and investment in green solutions and emphasises China’s goal for global leadership in green technologies.

While decisions made by a few IEs may have

established key technological and institutional standards so far, developing countries are increasingly committed to environmental issues. Since 2015, they have been investing more in green energy than developed countries, both in absolute and relative terms.

COVID-19 PANDEMIC DEVASTATION

According to the Director General of the UNIDO, Mr. Li Yong, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on economies, societies and people around the globe and also triggered the worst recession since the end of World War II, affecting the livelihoods and incomes of workers, employees and households.

Yong said: “With this urgent appeal, the report hopes to guide recovery post-pandemic and contribute to mobilising the necessary efforts for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs).

“Never has a twin health and economic crisis spread so quickly and so widely. The progress made to date towards achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the tremendous achievements in global poverty reduction, is under serious threat of being reversed.

“The IDR also articulated concrete steps in this direction. It distinguished between actions to be taken in the short term to alleviate the economic and social effects of the pandemic, and actions to be taken over the longer term, which are geared to building back better through inclusive and sustainable development.”

The IDR 2022 showed that a country’s industrial capabilities and the size of its manufacturing sector constituted two important factors of resilience against the crisis. It stated that countries with stronger manufacturing systems weathered the economic crisis better than the rest.

The report also specified how manufacturing enabled global economy to survive the onslaught of COVID-19 by contributing three important dimensions of resilience. It said: “Manufacturing contributed to the sustenance of life, helped in tackling emergencies and supported the recovery.”

It said that manufacturing industries were vital to providing essential goods that were critical to life and national security; secondly, manufacturers played a role in supplying goods critical to tackling the emergency itself; and thirdly, the manufacturing sector contributed to the recovery and growth of national economies.

Manufacturing and the SDGs Furthermore, manufacturing was also a key driver of sustainable development. “Beyond supporting resilience in times of shocks, manufacturing also plays a fundamental role in driving shared prosperity. This sector creates jobs, incomes, innovations and multiplier effects that can also ignite other parts of the economy.

For this reason, industrialisation and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9 is also key for the achievement of many other SDGs from the UN Agenda 2030,” the IDR said.

The report pointed out that the attainments of 11

SDGs were tied to manufacturing. They are the SDG 2 that focused on “increases in agricultural productivity due to industrial innovation (e.g. new machineries, fertilizers) promote food security;” the SDG 3 that targeted improvements in human health and well-being due to technological progress in industry (like new vaccinations and drugs);” SDG 4 that is rooted on “higher demand for skills in industry improves the quantity and quality of education” and SDG 5 which focused on “higher rates of formal employment improve working conditions of female workers” while SDG 7 projected that “economies of scale and new production technologies increase input efficiency.”

Moreover, SDG10 and 11 stated that industrialisation would foster labour movement and build a middle class by enabling industrial clusters that would “spur innovation and resource efficiency while linking local business with global markets.”

Similarly, SDG 12 and 13 stated that, “green industries and circular economy principles support responsible production and consumption; Uptake of resource-efficient technologies and sustainable energy solutions promotes reduction of GHG emissions while SDG 14 and 15 “green industrial technologies support the sustainable management of water and soils and the reduction of waste.”

INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION ECOSYSTEM

Whereas some country groups have been deeply shaken by the crisis and show very large declines in industrial production during the worst quarters of the pandemic, other groups have been less affected and industrial production did not fall in those groups as dramatically.

Overall, DEIEs were hit more strongly than IEs, but the heterogeneity within this group was also much larger—ranging from African least developed countries (LDCs), which show very little impact, to India, which shows a decline of more than 40 percent in industrial production after the initial shock of the pandemic.

Labour-intensive industries were more vulnerable to the COVID-19 shock. Moreover, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in vulnerable industries were much more impacted The COVID-19 pandemic also had a major but highly asymmetric impact on manufacturing firms. Primary data collected by UNIDO and partners for this report showed a common thread across DEIEs: SMEs have been disproportionally impacted by the shock when compared to large enterprises.

SMEs’ vulnerability puts at risk the achievement of social inclusion. “The deeper impact on SMEs raises large concerns when it comes to social inclusiveness, as this type of firm employs the vast majority of workers in DEIEs. “Moreover, most marginalised groups, such as women and informal workers, tend to be overrepresented in the labour force of small firms. Thus, if on one hand small firms are important vectors of inclusiveness into the labour market for marginalized groups; on the other hand, a particularly negative impact of the crisis on these firms places a higher risk of job losses on a large share of the labour force, especially its most vulnerable members.”

AGRO INPUT DEALERS FRET AGAINST FERTILISER COMPANIES NEGLECTING DOMESTIC MARKET AMID FOOD SHORTAGES products in Nigeria.”

According to him, a meeting was held between the agro-dealers and fertiliser companies at the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) where they were asked to allocate 35 per cent of their production to the Nigerian market and agreed on an affordable price for fertliser.

He said, “Two weeks ago, we

did an open letter to the President, intimating him on what the challenges are, and we were called for a meeting at the NSA office with all the urea companies in Nigeria.

“In the meeting, they were told to allocate at least 35 per cent of their production to the Nigerian market, and they should come up with an affordable price for the

Nigerian market, we are expected to hold another meeting with them soon.

“If farm inputs become costly, then food will be expensive, if this happens, it means not everyone can afford food in the country, then insecurity will increase. We hope that urea companies in Nigeria will start releasing their products

to the Nigerian market.”

Furthermore, Fara urged the federal government to re-introduce the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme that would enable farmers to access subsidised farm inputs to increase production.

“Without the GES, farmers cannot have access to subsidised farm inputs because the price of

urea fertiliser has gone high, also the NPK fertiliser, a bag of urea in the Nigerian market is as high as N18,000, but two years ago it was sold N5,500 to farmers.

“The importance of GES is that even if enough farmers are not on the list, the subsidised input will find its way to the market and the price will also be cheaper than

the company’s price,” he added.

Meanwhile, GES, a brainchild of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA), was designed to enhance agricultural productivity through timely, efficient, and effective delivery of yield increasing farm inputs and to provide farmers with subsidised fertiliser and free improved seeds.

28

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2022

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

Revival of Extension Services Vital to Checkmate Rejection of Nigeria’s Export’ Gilbert Ekugbe Worried over the high level of rejection faced by Nigerian exports at the international markets, the Samara College of Agriculture (SCA), a division of Agricultural Colleges, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Samaru, Kaduna State, has urged economic managers to bring back agricultural extension services into the nation’s agricultural sector.

Addressing a press briefing on how low productivity of farmers, post-harvest challenges and rejection of fresh produce from Nigeria in the international markets could be tackled, the Provost of SCA, Mr. Egbenya Shaibu-Imodagbe, explained that vibrant extension services were key to productivity of farmers when the country placed greater emphasis on agriculture in the colonial, pre-colonial and post-colonial eras.

Shaibu-Imodagbe said that in a bid to tackle the rejection of Nigeria’s farm produce in the international market, the college, in collaboration with the Winrock International and the USAID, had evolved a curriculum for a post-HND professional certificate in Pesticide Residue Analysis of commonly produced agricultural crops in Nigeria.

According to him, the aim of the

programme is to provide detailed information on the composition of pesticides inherent in harvested foods due to use of the pesticides in the production and storage of the food crops.

He stated that such a programme would require the support of the federal government to establish detailed analytical laboratories that is equipped with photometric, spectrometric and chromatograhic equipment that would be used to undertake diverse analyses to categorise components of our exportable produce, especially food.

He lamented over the poor ratio of extension agents to farmers, saying that it had never been favourable even before the collapse of the extension system in Nigeria.

“Now, the need for the economic diversification is what attracts agricultural entrepreneurs to seek bigger markets internationally that are opening up this challenge. Rejection of our produce arises from the non-certification and standardisation of produce.

This is what is opening in our college the new programme of professional certificate courses in Pesticide Residue Analysis to fill this emerging gap,” the provost said.

Shaibu-Imodagbe, however, stated that crude oil exploration and

subsequent neglect of agriculture worsened the state of agricultural extension services, saying that the situation further compounded the challenges of farmers, aggregators, post-harvest handlers and food vendors in the country’s agric sector.

According to him, in 1932, the Agricultural Training Centre finally became SCA, and in 1932, when formal teaching began with only 17 students admitted to the then School of Agriculture, Samaru, for the Agricultural Assistant Course.

Shaibu-Imodagbe said: “In 1940, admission to the school was by entrance examination followed by interviews. In 1950, the school was transferred from the Federal Department of Agriculture to the government of Northern Region.”

The provost said the college had made highly significant contributions in the training of middle-level manpower in agriculture, predominantly in agricultural extension services, crop protection, farm management, farm mechanization and technology, among others.

He noted, African countries, such the Gambia, Niger, Senegal, South Africa, and the Cameroons, have also benefitted from the training programmes obtainable from Samaru College of Agriculture.

“In the academia, Samaru College did not only have as its alumni Prof Gomwalk but also, Professor (Mrs) Chibiya Shinggu the current Deputy Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Wukari and Professor Dauda D. Yusuf of the Department of Agriculture and Bio-Environmental Engineering

of the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Speaking further, he stressed that the federal college expressed its readiness to partner with local government authorities, state governments and the lawmakers to train farmers, emplace a sustainable extension service system and post-harvest management training, saying all hands should be on deck for the missions of feeding the country and safe food exports to be accomplished for more economic prosperity.

MTN Launches New Brand Identity with Simplified, Innovative Logo Emma Okonji and Ugo Aliogo MTN Nigeria at the weekend, officially celebrated the Group-wide brand refresh identity with a simplified and innovative logo.

Unveiling the logo in Lagos, the telecoms company also announced its brand repositioning using a contemplative slogan — “What Are We Doing Today?”, which also articulated the context behind the new logo.

Present at the event were key members of the MTN leadership team, celebrities and well-established opinion leaders across relevant industries, media stakeholders and high-value customers.

This is the second brand overhaul since the MTN Group was founded in 1994. Back in 2004, the changes made to the brand resulted in MTN taking ownership of the colour yellow that is now synonymous with MTN. It also helped to elevate the brand to where it is today, recognised as the most valuable in Africa.

The company’s new logo forgoes the italics, the red underscore and the solid coloured oval present in the previous logo for a minimalist look that retains the oval (now represented as a solid outline) with the letters MT-N nestled in it. These can be used against a sunshine yellow or plain white background in either black or yellow font colours.

The rebranding is an extension and visual representation of MTN Group’s refreshed strategy, dubbed Ambition 2025 and premised on leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress. Through the delivery of the strategy, MTN says it aims to accelerate growth by building the largest and most valuable platform businesses and driving its industry leading connectivity operations.

The Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Karl Toriola, explained that the rebranding exemplifies MTN’s commitment to continuously create value for all its stakeholders, with the new logo contextualising the company’s identity as a digital citizen, open to change, young at heart, inviting, digitally dynamic and progressive.

“We want to play our part in harnessing the potential and supporting the progress of our people by driving digital and financial inclusion. It is a well-known fact that the youth are central to achieving this potential.

Whilst we remain focused on all our customers and stakeholders, our brand evolution demonstrates an enhanced focus on the youth,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, MTN Nigeria’s Chief Marketing Officer, Adia Sowho, expressed her excitement with regards to the brand refresh, emphasising the company’s predilection for building digital platforms that enable Africa’s progress.

President, Avila Naturalle Ltd, Mrs Temitope Mayegun and Chairman, Avila Naturalle Ltd. Honourable Abiodun Mayegun both flanked by the Diamond Partners for 2021 with their travelling tickets to Dubai for loyalty trip during the Avila Naturalle distributors summit and excellence awards (ANDSEA) 2022 and the Launch of Avila PHOTO: ABIODUN AJALA Fashion in Lagos… weekend

Methane Emissions from Energy Sector 70% Higher than Official Figures, Says IEA Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Global methane emissions from the energy sector are about 70 per cent greater than the amount national governments have officially reported, according to a new International Energy Agency (IEA) report.

The IEA noted that this underlines the urgent need for enhanced monitoring efforts and stronger policy action to drive down emissions of the potent greenhouse gas.

According to the agency, methane is responsible for around 30 per cent of the rise in global temperatures since the industrial revolution, adding that quick and sustained emission reductions are key to limiting near-term warming and improving air quality.

Methane dissipates faster than

carbon dioxide but is a much more powerful greenhouse gas during its short lifespan, meaning that cutting methane emissions would have a rapid effect on limiting global warming.

The global organisation stated that the energy sector accounts for around per cent of methane emissions from human activity, saying that emissions from the energy sector grew by just under 5 per cent last year.

“At today’s elevated natural gas prices, nearly all of the methane emissions from oil and gas operations worldwide could be avoided at no net cost,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.

“The IEA has been a longstanding champion of stronger action to cut methane emissions. A vital part of those efforts is transparency on the size and location of the emissions,

which is why the massive underreporting revealed by our Global Methane Tracker is so alarming,” the body said.

It said that satellites have greatly increased the world’s knowledge of emission sources, stressing that the IEA Global Methane Tracker incorporates the latest readings from satellites and other science-based measurement campaigns.

According to the body , if all methane leaks from fossil fuel operations in 2021 had been captured and sold, then natural gas markets would have been supplied with an additional 180 billion cubic metres of natural gas.

That, it said, is equivalent to all the gas used in Europe’s power sector and more than enough to ease today’s market tightness.

“The intensity of methane emis-

sions from fossil fuel operations range widely from country to country: the best performing countries and companies are over 100 times better than the worst.

The global methane pledge launched in November by more than 110 countries at the COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, it said, marked an important step forward.

“The global methane pledge must become a landmark moment in the world’s efforts to drive down emissions.

“Cutting global methane emissions from human activities by 30 per cent by the end of this decade would have the same effect on global warming by 2050 as shifting the entire transport sector to net zero CO2 emissions,” said the IEA chief.

NET ZERO TARGET UNCERTAIN WITH 40% USED VEHICLES DUMPED IN NIGERIA, OTHERS increasingly electric, due to growing regulatory moves, including forthcoming bans on sales of internal combustion engine vehicles, shifting consumer behaviour, and ongoing improvements in battery and charging technology in other parts of the world.

By 2035, it explained that the world’s major automotive markets— the United States, European Union, and China—are expected to sell only electric vehicles (EVs), and by 2050, 80 per cent of the world’s vehicle sales are expected to be electric.

“Transport currently makes up 10 per cent of Africa’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which is

expected to increase in line with sub-Saharan Africa’s expanding vehicle parc, all registered vehicles within a defined geographical area.

“In the six countries that make up around 70 per cent of sub-Saharan Africa’s annual vehicle sales and 45 per cent of the region’s population (South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Nigeria), the vehicle parc is expected to grow from 25 million vehicles today to an estimated 58 million by 2040, driven by urbanisation and rising incomes.

“As its vehicle parc grows, the challenge for sub-Saharan Africa will be to push for more sustainable mobility and avoid the risk of

becoming the dumping ground for the world’s unwanted used ICE vehicles,” it said.

But it noted that some governments in sub-Saharan Africa had started to announce electrification targets for vehicles and incentives for EV adoption—such as Rwanda’s announced tax exemptions for EV sales.

McKinsey said that while momentum was building, sub-Saharan Africa faces some unique challenges in its electric mobility transition, including, in some cases, unreliable electricity supply, low vehicle affordability, and the dominance of used vehicles.

It reported that while many

countries have made significant strides toward improving electricity access, however, electricity reliability remains an issue.

Quoting a 2019 survey across 34 African countries, it stressed that it found that fewer than half of those connected to the grid have reliable electricity.

In addition, it pegged the reported 2020 System Average Interruption Disruption Index (SAIDI) for subSaharan Africa at 39.30 per cent versus 0.87 per cent for developed and high-income countries.

“The second challenge (for electric vehicles) is affordability,

shaped by comparatively low household incomes, low availability of asset finance at affordable rates, and higher price points for EVs. “The third issue is the dominance of used vehicles on much of the continent (excluding a few countries such as South Africa, where usedvehicle imports are banned).

“In most sub-Saharan African countries, around 85 per cent of all four-wheel vehicle sales are used vehicles. This is driven by affordability challenges and weak regulation, with many countries allowing the import of vehicles over 15 years old and with fairly low emissions standards.”

According to the report, a 2020 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report stated that 40 out of 49 sub-Saharan Africa countries have weak or very weak used vehicle regulations.

“New EVs will therefore struggle to compete with old, low-cost ICE vehicles that are readily available in the region.

“And, given that 40 per cent of all globally exported used vehicles end up in Africa, the continent runs the risk of becoming a dumping ground for used ICE vehicles while the rest of the world transitions to an electric transport future,” it projected.

TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

29

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

JPMorgan Sees Ukraine Risk Pushing Oil To $110 In Second Quarter Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Oil prices are likely to average $110 in the second quarter as tensions over Ukraine continue to escalate, JPMorgan Chase & Co., has said.

The crude market is likely to see sustained higher prices in the next quarter, before retreating to average $90 at the end of the year, the bank’s analysts including Natasha Kaneva wrote in a note.

Reuters reported that the forecast assumes an escalation in tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine, alongside a nuclear deal with Iran that would still return some supply to the market.

Brent last week exceeded $100 a barrel for the first time since 2014, while tensions in Eastern Europe have fired prices higher, traders also see global oil stockpiles being whittled away as demand outpaces supply.

Brent oil will average $110 a barrel next quarter and West Texas Intermediate $107, according to the JPMorgan analysts.

That represents an increase of $22 compared with the bank’s prior estimates for both grades.

But oil prices slipped on the last day of transaction for the week, after it went on overdrive a day earlier on the back of Russia-Ukraine face-off.

On Thursday crude oil price had surged above $105 a barrel for the first time since 2014 after Russia attacked sites across Ukraine.

The situation signalled the worsening of an already tightening global supply market.

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), an international group of oil producers, was already struggling to meet its own production target before the latest threat.

Russia is the world’s third-largest oil producer and second-largest oil exporter and any impact on its production could markedly affect the market.

It is also the largest provider of natural gas to Europe, providing over 35 per cent of its supply.

Brent was up about 6 per cent on the day, paring gains after surging as much 9.2 per cent to $105.79 a barrel after President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops into Ukraine.

The United States benchmark, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) also briefly topped $100 a barrel before easing off of gains.

In addition to oil and gas, Russia is a major producer of aluminium and wheat, which Ukraine also grows.

The increase in the price of multiple commodities is contributing to a surge in inflation to the highest

level in decades, threatening a costof-living crisis for millions.

In Nigeria, the federal government had last week expressed concerns over the current increasing international prices of crude oil, saying the surge was not good for the country.

Minister of State, Petroleum, Mr Timipre Sylva, maintained that Nigeria’s comfort zone for oil prices was between $70 and $80, running contrary to sentiments expressed by the Group Managing Director, NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, last year, who pegged the country’s comfort zone at between $50 to $60.

The country’s controversial subsidy regime which will gulp N3 trillion this year , coupled with its inability to ramp up production to meet the quota allocated by OPEC, have combined to ensure that the gains from the soaring prices do not have a positive impact on the country.

Sylva blamed the inability of Nigeria to activate the oil wells it shut down when OPEC instructed producing countries to cut production as well as the lack of investment in the upstream sector. At the moment, Nigeria is losing at least 300,000 bpd due to its capacity challenges.

Potato Farmers Lament over Nigeria’s AfDB to Boost Food Production in Africa with Smart Technologies Worsening Insecurity Challenges Gilbert Ekugbe The Potato Farmers Association of Nigeria (POFAN) has expressed concerns over the worsening insecurity in Nigeria, noting that the situation has made it difficult for potato farmers to access their farms either for harvesting or planting.

The National President of POFAN, Mr. Daniel Okafor, stated this during the launch of a training handbook on Sweet-Potato (OFSP) Value Chain Development /Presentation of Logical Framework for 2022.

Okafor stated that he lost about five hectares of potatoes farm to theft perpetrated by locals and rampaging herdsmen.

He described the document being launched as a guide to a successful potato value chain development in Nigeria, which could also help other African countries and the world in general.

He said: “Insecurity is a very big challenge which everybody knows in Nigeria today as the major cause of food scarcity. Our farmers cannot go to their farms either to plant or harvest the planted crops due to insecurity around them. We believe that successful implementation of this Value Chain Development Initiative in Nigeria will help the country to achieve food secured nation at ease as potatoes can thrive well in all parts of this country.”

He added: “We compiled this handbook to help us know the direction to follow to produce globally acceptable sweet potato and OFSP in particular. The book covered everything you need to know about sweet potato production and other value chains developmental aspects including gender issues in agriculture.”

Okafor said the training was targeted at a wide range of farmers,

which include the vulnerable, women, youths, students, civil savants and also those in the private sector.

“I urge all the necessary authorities in Nigeria to support our dream as farmers to make the achievement of food security easy in Nigeria.

Farmers, together, we can change the ugly narratives people have about Nigerian farmers. This project is hoped to go round the 744 local government areas in Nigeria.

“I equally urge all the stakeholders in the potato industry and agricultural sector in general to see the need to embrace potato value chain development as a lucrative venture worth investing in. This is because potato is not just food crop but some varieties like orange-fleshed sweet potato also serve as a nutritional crop. This variety can serve the nutritional need of many Nigerians especially those in rural areas and urban cities alike.

Gilbert Ekugbe The Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), a flagship programme of the African Development Bank (AfDB), has announced plans to boost Africa’s food production by producing 100 million tonnes of food every year through the deployment and the use of smart agricultural technologies.

The move, according to the multilateral agency, is expected to cut food import by half, noting that Africa currently imports about N47 billion worth of food with hopes that an additional hundred million tonnes of food will cut food import by 50 per cent. Speaking at AfDB’s maiden edition of TAAT investors forum in African agriculture targeted to boost food production and sufficiency in the continent that was held virtually in Abidjan, Cote D’ Ivoire, the Director, Agriculture and Agro-Industry, AfDB, Mr. Martin

Fregene, observed that TAAT is the focus of the bank’s number two priority which is Feed Africa, even as he described it as a bold and ambitious effort to raise food production on the continent by hundred million tonnes of food every year through reaching forty million farmers with the best available production technologies to double their yields.

“We estimate that that additional hundred million tones of food produced every year could reduce hunger by 80 percent.

Today, Africa has about 280 million people. If you just take a rule of thumb that an average African eats a tonne of food every year, so hundred million additional tonnes of food will reduce hunger by 80 per cent,” he said.

He, however, noted that the private sector would become a very important player in many African countries where there are fragile

governments. Speaking on why the private sector was so important, and why a lot of effort should be put in to attract the private sector into TAAT, Fregene pointed out that economic motivation drives the private sector adding that for government, whether things happen or not, they get paid but for the private sector, if they don’t have a product that the market accepts, they don’t earn a salary.

“So, we really need a private sector to create an efficient, profitable environment so that we can attract more finance and the private sector, like you all know, helps to develop value chains.

You have Babanguna’s Farming Company up in Kaduna with almost two hundred thousand farmers and provides seeds, provides mechanization and then, provides access to market and they do all that by access to finance both within and outside the country,” he said.

30

TUESDAY, ͹˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

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Current Price

Ticker

ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŝŶĚĞdž͘ ^/ ƵƉ ϭϭďƉƐ ĂƐ E' D 'ĂŝŶƐ ϯ͘ϯй

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5 Zenith Bank PLC 6 Dangote Cement PLC 7 Nestle Nigeria PLC

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ĞĂƌŝƐŚ ^ĞĐƚŽƌ WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ

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ǁĂƐ ďƵůůŝƐŚ ĂƐ ϰ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ͕ ϭ ůŽƐƚ ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ

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11 United Bank for Africa PLC 12 Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC 13 Nigerian Brew eries PLC

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19 Fidelity Bank PLC 20 AXA Mansard Insurance PLC

48.00

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26 NEM Insurance PLC 27 Presco PLC 28 NASCON Allied Industries PLC

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5.4%

M ULT IVER SE

15.8

-8.0%

H ON YF LOUR

3.93

5.4%

ET I

11.95

5.3%

UB A

14.0

0.6%

C H IP LC

10.8

-1.6%

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V a l u e

T o p 10 L o s e r s T ic k er A C A D EM Y R T B R ISC OE

P ric e 1.77

P ric e C hg % -9.7%

0.85

-9.6%

J A IZ B A N K

0.73

-5.2%

VIT A F OA M

22.30

-4.9%

A F R IP R UD

7.00

-4.8%

CHA M S

0.22

-4.3%

T R A N SC OR P

1.23

-2.4%

F ID ELIT YB K

3.00

-2.0%

N GXGR OUP C H IP LC

Afrinvest West Africa Limited

T ic k er

J A P A ULGOLD

< Z ;нϵ͘ϴйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ ,KEz&>KhZ ;нϵ͘ϴйͿ ůĞĚ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ

^dK < ;Ͳϰ͘ϴйͿ ůĞĚ ůŽƐĞƌƐ͘ WƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ ĚĂLJ͕ ǁĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ ƚŚĞ

-13.8%

Vo lum e

9.6%

ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ͕ ǁĞĂŬĞŶĞĚ ƚŽ Ϭ͘ϭdž ĨƌŽŵ ϭ͘ϭdž ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƉƌŝŽƌ

2.4x 0.9x

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V o l u m e

10.0%

OKOM UOIL

14.1% 48.6%

0.96

1.37

ǁŚŝůĞ dZ E^ ;Ͳϴ͘ϯйͿ͕ > ^ K ;Ͳϲ͘ϳйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ >/s Ͳ

3.2%

1.64

T o p 10 G a in e r s T ic k er

0.3%

22.30

0.55

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ͕ ĂƐ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ

10.9%

0.0%

R OYA LEX

ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ ǁŚŝůĞ ϭϱ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ͘ DZ^ ;нϵ͘ϵйͿ͕ D zͲ KƵƚůŽŽŬ

-9.9%

3.0x

-2.0%

LIN KA SSUR E

ĨƌŽŵ ϭ͘ϯdž ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ůĂƐƚ ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ĂƐ Ϯϰ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ

1.1x

3.00

P ric e C hg %

;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ͕ ƐƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶĞĚ͕ ƐĞƩůŝŶŐ Ăƚ ϭ͘ϲdž K ;Ͳϭ͘ϰйͿ͘

9.2x

5.1% 36.6%

32.00

P ric e

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ͕ ĂƐ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ 'ĂƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ĚŝƉƉĞĚ Ϭ͘Ϯй ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ƐĞůůŽīƐ ŝŶ K EͲ

2.7x

23 United Capital PLC 24 Guinness Nigeria PLC 25 Transnational Corp of Nigeria

ŽŶǀĞƌƐĞůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ǁĂƐ ƚŚĞ ůŽŶĞ ŐĂŝŶͲ

;нϱ͘ϯйͿ͕ E/d, ;нϬ͘ϲйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ /Ed Z t ;нϰ͘ϲйͿ͘ ƟŽŶ ŝŶ E' D ;нϯ͘ϯйͿ͘

2.9%

8.4%

ƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ d/

ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂͲ

7.8%

0.0%

11.6%

ŝŶŐ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĨĞůů ďLJ Ϭ͘Ϯй ĂŶĚ ϮďƉƐ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƐĞůůͲ ;нϭ͘ϱйͿ͘ ^ŝŵŝůĂƌůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ ĂŶŬŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ŽŶƐƵŵĞƌ

ƉƌŝĐĞ

7.3%

0.0%

70.75

0.9%

38 Sterling Bank PLC 39 Notore Chemical Industries Ltd

ďLJ

5.2%

201.00

12.5%

ĂŶĚ D E^ Z ;ͲϮ͘ϮйͿ͘ ^ŝŵŝůĂƌůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ ĂŶĚ ĂŶŬͲ ŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ŝŶ >/E< ^^hZ ;нϭϬ͘ϬйͿ ĂŶĚ // K

ĚƌŝǀĞŶ

16.5%

0.9%

36 Oando PLC 37 Wema Bank PLC

ϭ͘ϴй

1.5%

12.5%

/ŶƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ ŝŶĚĞdž ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ ϭ͘Ϭй ĐŽƵƌƚĞƐLJ ŽĨ ďƵLJͲ ϵ͘ϭйͿ͕ hE/> s Z ;Ͳϯ͘ϱйͿ͕ >/E< ^^hZ ;Ͳϲ͘ϰйͿ͕

ƵƉ

5.3%

3.5%

34 Julius Berger Nigeria PLC 35 Union Bank of Nigeria PLC

Ğƌ͕

0.8x ot Applicable

3.2%

&ZͲ/ d ŝŶĚĞdž ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŇĂƚ͘ >ĞĂĚŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ͕ ƚŚĞ

'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ƟĐŬĞĚ ŚŝŐŚĞƌ ďLJ Ϭ͘ϲй ĂŶĚ Ϭ͘ϯй ƌĞͲ

5.5x

2.5%

31 Custodian and Allied Insurance 32 Vitafoam Nigeria PLC 33 Unilever Nigeria PLC

Ğƌ 'ŽŽĚƐ ĂŶĚ /ŶƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ͕ ĚŽǁŶ ϰ͘ϲй ĂŶĚ

3.5%

27.10

29 AIICO Insurance PLC 30 TotalEnergies Marketing Nigeri

ŝŶĚĞdž ƌĞŵĂŝŶĞĚ ŇĂƚ͘ dŽƉƉŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ůĂŐŐĂƌĚƐ ĂƌĞ ƚŚĞ ŽŶƐƵŵͲ

15.0%

31.9%

273.50

21 Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC 22 FCMB Group Plc

ϯϬϬ͘ϴŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ĂŶĚ േϮ͘ϴďŶ͘

31.9%

Divindend Earnings Yield Yield

P/BV

-0.4%

16 International Brew eries PLC 17 Okomu Oil Palm PLC 18 Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC

E' D ;േϭϰϱ͘ϬŵͿ͕ ĂŶĚ 'd K ;േϭϯϰ͘ϴŵͿ ůĞĚ ďLJ ǀĂůƵĞ͘ ǀĂůƵĞ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƌŽƐĞ ϭϴ͘ϳй ĂŶĚ Ϭ͘ϲй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ƚŽ

10.1% 104.3% 37.9%

P/E

11.50

ůƐŽ͕ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝƐĂƟŽŶ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ േϯϱ͘ϲďŶ ƚŽ ďLJ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ǁĞƌĞ dZ E^ KZW ;ϭϭ͘ϵŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ & E, ;ϭϭ͘ϭŵ േϮϱ͘ϱƚŶ͘ dƌĂĚŝŶŐ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ĂƐ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ĂŶĚ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ ĂŶĚ K E K ;ϳ͘ϯŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ǁŚŝůĞ E ^d> ;േϮ͘ϮďŶͿ͕

0.0%

ROA

26.95

ƉŽŝŶƚƐ ĂŶĚ zd ƌĞƚƵƌŶ ƐƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶĞĚ ƚŽ ϭϭ͘Ϭй͘

ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƌŽƐĞ ďLJ ϴϴ͘ϱй ƚŽ േϯ͘ϭďŶ͘ dŚĞ ŵŽƐƚ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ

0.28%

ROE

8 FBN Holdings Plc 9 Lafarge Africa PLC 10 Access Bank PLC

14 SEPLAT Energy PLC 15 Ecobank Transnational Inc

ŽīƐ ŝŶ K E K ;ͲϬ͘ϴйͿ͕ E/d, ;ͲϬ͘ϮйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ 'd K ;ͲϬ͘ϮйͿ͘

1,260.00

3 BUA Cement Plc 4 Guaranty Trust Holding Co PLC

;нϵ͘ϴйͿ͕ E' D ;нϯ͘ϯйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ & E, ;нϬ͘ϳйͿ ďŽůͲ

ϭ͘Ϯй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ƉƌŽĮƚͲƚĂŬŝŶŐ ŝŶ E ^d> ;Ͳ

2042.74

1 Airtel Africa PLC 2 MTN Nigeria Communications PLC

Price Price Previous Change Current Change Price Index to Weighting YTD Change Date

25.05

-1.8%

0.59

-1.7%

Brokerage

T ic k er

Value

P ric e C hg %

M TNN

588.8

0.0%

N GXGR OUP

404.1

7.2%

SEP LA T

336.6

7.5%

NB

327.4

-0.4%

C UST OD IA N

282.1

-0.7%

UC A P

264.6

-1.4%

A C C ESS

209.7

-1.0%

GT C O

196.4

1.5%

WA P C O

195.7

0.0%

Z EN IT H B A N K

127.5

0.2%

Asset Management

Investment Research

Adedoyin Allen | aallen@afrinvest.com Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com Abiodun Keripe | AKeripe@afrinvest.com Taiwo Ogundipe | togundipe@afrinvest.com

Christopher Omoh | comoh@afrinvest.com

Damilare Asimiyu| dasimiyu@afrinvest.com

31

TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2022 • T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 25Feb-2022, unless otherwise stated.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Plutus Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Dollar Fund N/A N/A N/A AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 9.56% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.67 3.83 5.03% ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 7.90% Anchoria Equity Fund 146.28 148.12 5.19% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.21 1.21 5.87% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com info@anchoriaam.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 21.07 21.70 3.85% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 475.78 490.12 5.45% ARM Ethical Fund 39.80 41.00 2.17% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.07 1.07 -1.31% ARM Fixed Income Fund 1.02 1.03 1.08% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.14% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com; Tel 08069294653 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 108.7 108.7 6.87% AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Naira 1,080.66 1,080.66 8.07% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.08 2.08 9.53% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.27 2.32 27.38% CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund 1.02 1.02 1.46% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 8.78% Paramount Equity Fund 18.61 18.93 10.54% Women's Investment Fund 146.66 148.23 5.43% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.96% Cordros Milestone Fund 140.09 141.02 5.98% Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 111.23 111.23 0.72% CORONATION ASSETS MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com, Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EMERGING AFRICA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@emergingafricafroup.com Web:www.emergingafricagroup.com/emerging-africa-asset-management-limited/, Tel: 08039492594 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Emerging Africa Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.72% Emerging Africa Bond Fund 1.02 1.02 5.28% Emerging Africa Balanced Diversity Fund 1.04 1.04 14.35% Emerging Africa Eurobond Fund 101.42 101.42 3.37% FBNQUEST ASSETS MANAGEMENT LIMITED invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A FBN Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A FBN Halal Fund N/A N/A N/A FBN Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail N/A N/A N/A FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Legacy Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A Legacy Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Legacy USD Bond Fund N/A N/A N/A FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Balanced Fund 4,009.20 4,070.16 3.00% Coral Income Fund 3,501.92 3,501.92 0.97% Coral Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.68% FSDH Dollar Fund

1.09

1.09

3.42%

INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.16% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.92 2.99 2.34% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 4.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 142.82 142.87 -8.22% Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End 1.28 1.32 1.50% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.08 1.08 4.82% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.56 1.58 3.29% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,159.27 1,159.27 1.96% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 12.52 12.59 6.10% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 8.61% NORRENBERGER INVESTMENT AND CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LIMITED enquiries@norrenberger.com Web: www.norrenberger.com, Tel: +234 (0) 908 781 2026 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Norrenberger Islamic Fund (NIF) N/A N/A N/A Norrenberger Money Market Fund (NMMF) N/A N/A N/A PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A PACAM Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A PACAM Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A PACAM Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A PACAM EuroBond Fund N/A N/A N/A SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 131.30 133.48 8.35% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.08 1.08 10.03% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 01-6317876 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Equity Fund x 0.99 4.36% United Capital Balanced Fund 1.41 1.43 3.58% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.14 1.16 4.91% United Capital Sukuk Fund 1.09 1.09 1.16% United Capital Fixed Income Fund 1.98 1.98 1.09% United Capital Eurobond Fund 123.34 123.34 0.82% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 7.72% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Balanced Strategy Fund 13.40 13.53 1.62% Zenith ESG Impact Fund 15.27 15.44 4.51% Zenith Income Fund 22.29 22.29 1.37% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 6.25%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

124.98 54.65

10.62% 8.10%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

14.09 136.05 107.11 20.07 23.06

14.19 139.46 109.47 20.17 23.16

0.89% 3.37% 3.37% 0.00% 0.00%

Fund Name SFS REIT Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund MERGROWTH ETF MERVALUE ETF

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Money Market Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

4.46 5.81 18.63 1.00 21.21 166.05

4.56 5.91 18.83 1.00 21.41 168.05

18.38% 14.06% 8.40% 6.59% 9.34% 5.21%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.28

10.80%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

32

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͯ˜ 2022

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

NACCIMA Pledges to Mobilise Private Sector Participation in FG’s Development Plan Dike Onwuamaeze The Nigerian Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has pledged to mobilise the Nigerian private sector to support the implementation of the federal government’s Medium Term Plan (2021 – 2025.)

The NACCIMA made this commitment in the communiqué of the association’s Q1 council meeting that was held in Abuja between February 23 and February 24, 2022, in which it called on the federal government to take decisive steps to end importation of refined petroleum into Nigeria by ensuring that the countries refineries are working at full capacity.

The communiqué, which was issued by NACCIMA’s secretariat, said: “The council acknowledged the Development Agenda of the

Federal Government of Nigeria under its Medium Term Plan (2021-2025) and expressed its commitment to ensure full private sector participation in its implementation.

“NACCIMA’s council discussed the recent crisis occasioned by importation of off specs PMS, which led to petroleum queues across the country with serious implications on life and the economy. The council observed this was a reflection of the fact that the oil and Gas sector is still plagued by various problems and yet the PIA is not functioning as envisioned to resolve the issue of the oil and gas sector.

“The council observed that a major issue is the importation of petroleum products and (highlighted that) immediate steps must be taken to end importation of petroleum products. Consequently immediate

steps should be taken to ensure all our refineries are working in full capacity for a definitive end to importation of petroleum products.”

The NACCIMA’s council also noted the progress that had been made on its data collection drive on industries across the country through the its secretariat.

It explained that the data gathering exercise would help to drive private sector activities, in collaboration with memberchambers, for advocacy, business Adevelopment, and trade promotion activities.

“The secretariat was mandated to intensify these activities to focus on promoting market access opportunities, as well as, developing an empirical report on the state of insolvent industries and factories within each state of the federation,” the communiqué said.

L-R: Vice President of Sales - Region Africa at Siemens Energy, Germany,Mr. Marcus Nelle and Chief Executive Officer of 21st Century Technologies Limited, Mr.Wale Ajisebutu, both signing an agreement for Siemens Energy to build Turbine power plant for 21st Century’s Data centre facility sited in Ikeja and Lekki , in Lagos......recently ˞

Fidelity Bank GAIM 5 Promo: 10 More Customers Become Millionaires

MARKET INDICATORS

Fidelity Bank has reiterated its commitment to enriching the lives of its customers as it announced the third set of 10 millionaires in its Get Alert in Millions season 5 (GAIM 5) promo.

The third monthly draw of the campaign which held in Lagos on Tuesday, had representatives of regulatory organisations in attendance include: Ms Oyinkan Kusamotu, Senior Legal Officer, Lagos State Lotteries & Gaming Authority. Genevieve Nwaoche, representative of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission and Onifade Abiodun, representative of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.

Giving the welcome remarks

MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

By Kayode Tokede

at the draw, Dr Ken Opara, Promo Chairman and Executive Director in charge of Fidelity Bank’s Lagos and South-West Directorate who was represented

by Lanre Showunmi, the bank’s Chief Digital Officer, said, “We launched the GAIM 5 promo to reward our esteemed customers for imbibing a healthy savings habit and in demonstration of our commitment to improving their well-being.

“We have eAarmarked a total of N125million as cash prizes in weekly, monthly, and grand draws which would hold till July this year when the campaign would end. Till date, we have rewarded 670 customers with various sums of money including 650 customers that have won N10,000 each in the weekly con-

solation draws and 20 customers who have won N1million each in monthly draws respectively.”

Launched in November 2021, the GAIM 5 promo rewards Fidelity Bank customers for maintaining a savings account with the bank. According to the bank, every N2,000 in a customer’s account stands for a ticket in the draws with higher number of tickets increasing the customer’s opportunity to win a share of the N125million earmarked as prize money for the season. Speaking on the Bank’s commitment to enriching and rewarding customers, Head, Savings and Sales, Fidelity Bank, Ukpai Ibe stated, “At Fidelity Bank, we continue to find different ways to reward our customers.

(MILLION NAIRA)

JANUARY 2021 Money Supply (M3)

38,779,455.43

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

1,039,129.55

Money Supply (M2)

37,740,325.88

-- Quasi Money

21,779,302.69

-- Narrow Money (M1)

15,961,023.19

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,364,871.13

---- Demand Deposits

13,596,152.06

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,414,275.50

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

31,365,179.93

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

42,916,586.63

---- Credit to Government (Net)

12,304,773.44

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

0.00

Ogun Drives Formalisation of MSMEs

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

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

30,611,813.19

Dike Onwuamaeze

--Other Assets Net

3,892,112.74

Reserve Money (Base Money

13,264,585.14

The Ogun State Government is partnering with the federal government to migrated 6,500 Micro, Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to the formal sector of the economy by issuing them with free incorporation certificates of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

The MSMEs were migrated to the formal sector through the Formalisation Track of the MSMEs Survival Fund.

The Governor of Ogun State, Mr. Dapo Abiodun, commenced

the distribution of the certificates to beneficiaries during the symbolic presentation ceremony of the certificates in Abeokuta to herald their distribution in 20 local government areas of the state.

Abiodun said that his administration’s genuine commitment to provide economic support to the MSMEs, especially the vulnerable ones, has made the state government to key into the federal government’s survival fund in order to increase the productivity of the MSMEs. The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to Ogun State Government, Mr. Tokunbo

Talabi, explained that the drive to have the MSMEs migrate to the formal sector would enable them to benefit from grants the state government is providing to artisans. “That is why we have put this together to facilitate your registration and create wealth for MSMEs, especially those who cannot afford it,” he said.

Speaking during the ceremony, the Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Kikelomo Longe, said that the distribution of the free CAC certificates was significant to the agenda of the Abiodun’s administration.

roHealth Partners e-Settlement to Provide Healthcare to PayCentre Agents roHEALTH has announced its partnership with E-Settlement Limited to Provide 80,000 agents of E-Settlement Limited’s PayCentre Nationwide with Health Insurance Coverage.

The initiative, which includes access to affordable and high quality health insurance plans on its platform is projected to boost the productivity and performance of the E-Settlement Limited PayCentre agents by 40 per cent and ultimately increase sales and revenue for the organization.

In a statement, Founder, roHealth, Olalekan Olude stated that the partnership is in line with the company’s vision to democratize health coverage in Nigeria by giving beneficiaries greater decision making control

over their health insurance while helping businesses save cost.

He said, “As organizations strive to scale and improve on their output, it is imperative that they put measures in place to create conducive working conditions for their staff.

“Employees are the life-wire of any organization, therefore providing them with health insurance tailored to their needs must be considered a priority. Not only does it reduce the number of sick days off work, it also saves the organization huge costs.

“This exactly is roHealth’s vision. We are here to make the process of selecting the right HMO for your employees as simple as ‘ABC’. By signing up on the roHealth platform, employers

simply need to set a budget for health insurance, fund their wallets and then add beneficiaries (their employees). It really is that easy.

“Since its inception a few months ago, over 500 businesses trust and use roHealth to make their health insurance decisions.

For a free trial of their premium services.”

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer, E-Settlement Limited, Olaoluwa Awoojodu noted that the partnership would positively impact the health, and ultimately the productivity of their agents and their families.

“We are pleased to announce that we have partnered with roHealth to improve access to health coverage for our agents and their family members.”

--Currency in Circulation

2,831,167.19

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

10,433,417.96 317,234.17

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

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

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ ͯͱϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE ˜ ͵

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

33

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͯ˜ ͰͮͰͰ

Seplat Energy Reports N71.03bn PBT, Declares $2.5 Cents Per Share Kayode Tokede Seplat Energy Plc yesterday announced its audited results for the full year ended December 31, 2021 with 321.1 per cent increase in profit before tax to N71.03billion as against N28.87 billion loss reported in full year ended December 31, 2020.

The foremost indigenous

energy company on the Nigeria Exchange Limited (NGX) also announced a 38.2per cent rise in its 2021 full-year revenue to N293.6billion in 2021 from N190.92billion reported in 2020.

The leading Nigerian independent energy company listed on both the Nigerian Exchange Limited and the London Stock Exchange, recorded a growth of its 2021 full-year gross profit by

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

128.9per cent to N114.2billion in 2021 from N44.83billion in 2020.

During the year, the Directors recommended and paid to members quarterly interim dividend of US2.5cents per share declared in April, July and October in line with the revised dividend distribution timetable.

In addition to this, the Board of Seplat is recommending a final dividend of US2.5 cents per share,

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

QUANTITY TRADED

which is subject to approval of shareholders, at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Chief Executive Officer, Seplat Energy, Mr. Roger Brown in a statement said: “Seplat Energy announced a major acquisition last week and despite a challenging year for Nigerian oil and gas, the robust results delivered today clearly show how our increasing financial strength

T R A D E D

VALUE TRADED ( N )

MAIN BOARD

A S

has made such an acquisition possible, without the need to dilute shareholders, by giving international financial partners the confidence to invest in our vision.

“The addition of MPNU nearly trebles our production and doubles our reserves on a pro forma 2020 basis, reinforcing our leadership of Nigeria’s indigenous energy sector and

O F

2 8

enabling us to generate strong future cash flows that will underpin our investment in Nigeria’s energy transition and improve our overall stakeholder returns.

“Our 2021 performance was affected by outages at Forcados Terminal that will no longer have such an impact when we switch to the new Amukpe-Escravos Pipeline, which we expect to launch in March.

/ 0 2 / 2 0 2 2 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

34

TUESDAY, ͹˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

PREPARATION FOR ZONAL AND NATIONAL CONVENTION GEARS UP...

L-R: Senatorial chairman, Ogun East, Prince Adeleke; Ogun West Senatorial chairman, Muhammed Azeez; Ogun Central Senatorial Chairman, Fohunola Abiola; State Chairman, All Progressives Congress, Yemi Sanusi; Governor Dapo Abiodun; Deputy State Chairman, James Dina; State Secretary, Aderibigbe Tella; Organising Secretary, Yemi Adelani and Publicity Secretary, Tunde Oladunjoye when the elected party chiefs in the State visited the Governor for a meeting on the preparation for Zonal and National Convention of the party at the State Secretariat, Oke Mosan…yesterday

Climate Change: Nearly Half of Humanity Living in Danger Zone, Says UN Secretary-General Chiemelie Ezeobi The United Nations SecretaryGeneral, Antonio Guterres has raised the alarm that nearly half of humanity was living in the danger zone at the moment with the ecosystems at the point of no return.

The Secretary-General, who made this statement at the launch of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report, said

unchecked carbon pollution was forcing the world’s most vulnerable on a frog march to destruction.

Sternly warning that the abdication of leadership to the environment was criminal, he blamed the big polluters whom he said are guilty of arson of the planet.

The 2022 IPCC report assessed the impacts of climate change on ecosystems, biodiversity, and human communities at global and regional

levels.

The report also reviewed vulnerabilities and the capacities and limits of the natural world and human societies to adapt to climate change.

Expressing concern that he has, "seen many scientific reports in my time, but nothing like this," Guterres added that, "today’s IPCC report is an atlas of human suffering and a damning indictment of failed climate leadership.”

DSS to Ayu: Your Statement is Unjustified, Speculative, Preposterous Says politicians should leave them out of their fray Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Department of State Services (DSS), yesterday, described as unjustified, unfair, speculative and preposterous, statements credited to the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Iyorchia Ayu, to the effect that the party would not use personnel of the agency to harass people, when it assumes power in 2023.

A statement by the agency last night said Ayu's comment was unwarranted.

"The attention of the Department of State Services (DSS), has been drawn to an unwarranted statement made by the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, against security

agencies including the service.

"The party chairman, while speaking at an event on 23rd February, 2022 in Owerri, Imo State, was quoted to have said that his party would not use the SSS to harass the people, when they take over Aso Rock in 2023.

"Though the service restrains itself from joining issues particularly, with politicians, it wishes to state its disapproval of such statement which is considered unjustified, unfair, speculative and preposterous.

"Except to malign and incite the people against it, the service questions the rationale behind such an unprovoked description of it by Chief Ayu, who had variously benefitted from it and indeed the state.

"Having served variously as

senate president, minister of education, industry, internal affairs and environment, with full complements of security details, he knows the service is never used to harass the people and if he ever used the details for negative purposes (unknown to the service), he should know that the times have changed," it said.

DSS maintained that Ayu knew the service as a frontline guardian of democracy and respected the rule of law in Nigeria.

"It is committed to the protection of the people. For the avoidance of doubt, it does not shield its personnel, who offend its rules and in fact, laws of the land, from disciplinary action, thus the untruthfulness of his statement.

He added: "With fact upon fact, this report reveals how people and the planet are getting clobbered by climate change. Nearly half of humanity is living in the danger zone – now.

"Many ecosystems are at the point of no return – now. Unchecked carbon pollution is forcing the world’s most vulnerable on a frog march to destruction – now.

"The facts are undeniable. This abdication of leadership is criminal.

The world’s biggest polluters are guilty of arson of our only home".

Stressing that it was essential to meet the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees, Guterres noted that, "Science tells us that will require the world to cut emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

"But according to current commitments, global emissions are set to increase almost 14 per cent over

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja yesterday refused to grant bail to detained Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari, who is currently under investigation on alleged drug trafficking offences.

Kyari who is the former Commander of Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Force Intelligence Bureau, Nigerian Police Force, have been in custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) since his arrest on February 14, when he was arrested by the police and then handed over to the NDLEA for investigation.

Miffed by his incarceration by the anti-drug agency, Kyari had applied to the Federal High Court to order his immediate release from NDLEA's custody or admit him to bail on liberal conditions.

Kyari on one hand had anchored his application on medical grounds

so as to attend to his failing health being a diabetic patient and also suffering from High Blood Pressure.

On the other, the applicant claimed that the charge was 'trumped up' not having substance.

However, ruling in the application yesterday, Justice Ekwo held that the application had been overtaken by events.

According to the judge, the order to detain Kyari for 14 more days pending investigation was obtained from a court of coordinate jurisdiction.

He added that he would not make an order contrary to that of a court of coordinate jurisdiction.

Ekwo said: “The only order I can make in addition to what I have said is that the respondent shall allow the applicant to his prescribed and verified medication while in custody."

He subsequently adjourned the matter to March 15, to hear Kyari’s fundamental rights suit.

Justice Zainab Abubakar of the Federal High Court in Abuja, had on February 23, ordered the NDLEA to further detain DCP Kyari and six others for 14 days pending the conclusion of investigation.

The agency had hinged the request on the grounds that the drug trafficking allegations against the suspects were complex and may require the agency traveling outside the shore of the country to make some clarifications.

The NDLEA had declared Kyari wanted over his alleged involvement in a 25kg cocaine deal. In arguing the bail application yesterday, Kyari's lawyer, Cynthia Ikenna, had drew the court's attention to Kyari's failing health which she claimed cannot be managed at the NDLEA facility.

In urging the court to admit Kyari to bail, Ikena submitted that her client was entitled to bail and that the offences listed by the NDLEA against Kyari are not capital offences pursuant to Section 35 of the 1999

energy mix is broken."

Guterres further lamented that, "as current events make all too clear, our continued reliance on fossil fuels makes the global economy and energy security vulnerable to geopolitical shocks and crises.

"Instead of slowing down the decarbonisation of the global economy, now is the time to accelerate the energy transition to a renewable energy future.

"Fossil fuels are a dead end – for our planet, for humanity, and yes, for economies."

On the way out, he said, "a prompt, well-managed transition to renewables is the only pathway to energy security, universal access and the green jobs our world needs.

"I am calling for developed countries, Multilateral Development Banks, private financiers and others to form coalitions to help major emerging economies end the use of coal.”

Uromi Bank Robbery: Time to Allow State Police, Anenih, Imasuangbon Say Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City Two chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State, Mr. Ose Anenih and Kenneth Imasuangbon, yesterday stressed the need for the federal government to allow states set up state police formations.

Both spoke against the backdrop of last Tuesday robbery attack on

Court Refuses to Grant DCP Abba Kyari Bail Alex Enumah in Abuja

the current decade.

"That spells catastrophe. It will destroy any chance of keeping 1.5 alive. Today’s report underscores two core truths.

"First, coal and other fossil fuels are choking humanity. All G20 governments have agreed to stop funding coal abroad."

However, he said they must now urgently do the same at home and dismantle their coal fleets, adding that, "those in the private sector still financing coal must be held to account.

"Oil and gas giants - and their underwriters – are also on notice.

You cannot claim to be green while your plans and projects undermine the 2050 net-zero target and ignore the major emissions cuts that must occur this decade.

"People see through this smokescreen. OECD countries must phase out coal by 2030, and all others by 2040. The present global

Constitution.

"The applicant is suffering from diabetics and is hypertensive and cannot be managed while in custody because the level of sugar has to be ascertained every morning and that would determine the drug he is going to take.

"Since he has been in detention, he has no access to medical care.

Even on Thursday when I left here, I went to see the applicant with a doctor but I was refused access", she stated.

Ikena also assured the court that her client would not jump bail if granted, adding that he has, “a liable surety” that would guarantee the bail.

Responding, NDLEA's lawyer, Joseph Sunday, told the court that the commission has obtained an order of court to detain the applicant for 14 days for further investigation.

He claimed that the NDLEA has an “excellent medical facility” to take care of the applicant.

four banks in Uromi headquarters of Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State.

In a statement in Benin City yesterday, Anenih said it was heart-wrenching that the state, and Nigeria at large, have been crippled by rising insecurity.

He attributed the rising insecurity to not just an absence of morality and conscience in among criminal elements; but also a failure of the current security architecture in the country to curtail the excesses of the criminals.

“My position on the need to decentralise Police operations in Nigeria with the creation of State Police is well documented. The only way we can successfully fight crime locally is to adopt the most effective strategy of local policing with local and community members in charge of securing their community through state police.

“Nigeria today needs to restructure our security framework.

State governors need to be able to control their own local state police forces. Regional security networks like Amotekun need to be given legislative teeth to combat armed bandits successfully", Anenih declared.

On his part, Imasuangbon, popularly known as 'Rice man' said a well-funded state police would allow intelligence gathering and possible prevention of crime before it occurs.

He also called on the citizens not to leave the work of policing

solely alone for the police, noting that citizen participation in security would have prevented the easy escape of the armed Robbers unchallenged.

Imasuangbon who spoke from the United State of America, also commiserated with victims of the attacks and people of Uromi.

He said the coordinated attacks showed that the armed robbers carried out diligent intelligence on the area.

He called on locals to always give accurate and timely information to the police whenever they suspected any suspicious movement.

According to him, " From what I saw from the short video clip on robbery in the social media it was clear that the robbers had a field day. It is time for the citizen to be actively involved community policing and intelligence gathering.

"As citizens we should take a cue from what is happening in Ukraine where courageous citizens rise up in defence of their country against Russian military.

"The Edo State government is doing its best to curb insecurity in the state. There is need for all of us to support the State to fight crime because Edo State belongs to all of us.

"The horror of the Uromi attacks is a warning to all of us that the time to allow state police is now.

We will not allow criminals run us out of our communities as being witnessed in other parts of Nigeria."

35

TUESDAY, ͹˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

ANNIVERSARY...

L-R: Chairman all purpose committee, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Mr. Peter Nwanze; Vice President, Archbishop JKA foundation, Sir Albert Fadonougbo; Chairman Planning Committee; Mrs. Abimbola Isiyemi; and Director of communication, Lagos Catholic Archdiocese, Rev Fr Anthony Godonu, at the media briefing on 50th year memorial anniversary of Archbishop JKA Aggey the first PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN Black Archbishop in the Archdiocese of Lagos held in Lagos…. yesterday

Constitution Review: NLC Protests at National Assembly over LGAs, Judiciary Autonomy Threatens to name, shame lawmakers who vote against it Udora Orizu in Abuja The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), yesterday, protested at the National Assembly and demanded that federal lawmakers support

local government, judiciary and legislature autonomy, ahead of the electronic voting on the ongoing constitution amendments.

Members of the congress, chanting solidarity songs while

displaying placards with various inscriptions, insisted that the lack of autonomy for the judicial arm of government, and local government as the third tier of government, was discordant with democratic

Court Dismisses Suit to Sack Umahi, Deputy over Defection Benjamin Nworie in Abakaiki A High Court sitting in Abakaiki, Ebonyi State capital, yesterday, dismissed the suit seeking to sack Governor David Umahi of the state and his Deputy, Dr. Kelechi Igwe, from offices for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress(APC).

The suit was filed by Senator Sunny Ogbuorji, who ran for the 2019 governorship; his running mate and the APC. The Plaintiff noted that the governor and the deputy should vacate their seats for the second runner up, having defected from his former party, PDP. Delivering the two-hour judgement at the Federal High Court 2, Abakaliki, Justice Henry Njoku, dismissed the case as lacking in merit and awarded five hundred thousand naira (N500,000) as cost in favour of the Defendants, Umahi and Deputy.

The plaintiff sought to determine whether Umahi and his deputy, having defected to APC,could still continue to be governor, having regards to the provisions of the constitution and the Electoral Act as relied upon by the plaintiff and that having come second in the governorship election ought to be sworn in.

The defendant in his argument canvassed that the plaintiff was relying on the pre-election/election qualification issues, arguing that there was no provision in the constitution that provided for defection as one of the grounds for the vacation or removal of a person as governor or as deputy governor.

He further alluded to judicial authorities of Appellant Courts that have settled the matter.

Considering the submissions of both parties, the Trial Judge said having regard to section 188 (1) of

the 1999 Constitution as amended, the defendant (Umahi) has not offended any provision of the Constitution or the Electoral Act in his defection to APC. The Court further held that having regard to section 308 of the Constitution, it is even wrong to institute criminal or civil proceedings against the office of the Governor. The Court therefore dismissed it in its entirety.

Lead counsel to the defendants, Roy Umahi, stated that, "As far back as 2007, the Supreme Court had ruled that there are no consequences

for President and Vice president defecting from one political party to another. That also applies to the Governor and his Deputy. The Summary is that the Governor and Deputy can defect to any political party at any time, even if it's a day after swearing-in. It attracts no legal consequences".

But Counsel to the Plaintiff, Ogbonnia Okoro, noted that though he was satisfied with the judgement, he would meet his clients to interface and interpret it to know the next line of action.

principles.

Speaking to journalists, NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said the advocacy movement was to enable workers to lend their voices to the constitutional amendment initiative of the National Assembly especially, on the issue of autonomy for local government, judiciary and legislative.

According to him, the Congress believed the initiative held the key to the strengthening of the country’s democracy, boosting the economy and improving the lots of Nigerian workers at the grassroots.

He, therefore, threatened that the Congress would name and shame any member of the National Assembly, who failed to vote in favour of the issue.

Wabba said, “On this day, we demand that members of the National Assembly that will be voting on the alteration of the Constitution, we are happy with what they have done, to guarantee the full autonomy of our local

government, of the judiciary and the Parliament. We are aware that already, these decisions have been taken but we want to strengthen their hands, that in voting, it must be overwhelming. They must vote to actually guarantee the principle of separation of power. Both administratively, financially, and otherwise. We need to strengthen our institutions. These institutions are very critical.

“We are going to have a majority to support this local government autonomy at the National Assembly. The challenge has been actually in the states, where some gladiators that have actually benefited from siphoning the funds of the local governments, from also undermining the independence of the judiciary and are sitting on the resources of those two agencies don’t want the autonomy to be granted. ''This is just the first leg. We are going to the house of every member of the State House of Assembly. We are going to have

zonal rallies, and we are going to have state rallies. Today, is just an advertiser, tomorrow is the main event, because the voting starts tomorrow. Each day, people continue to lament about the insecurity in our country, each day, each time people complain but nobody is taking a proactive action about the root cause. The root cause is that the local government system has fallen "We want overwhelming voting.

We don’t even want 99 per cent. We want the members of the National Assembly when they are voting tomorrow and next tomorrow both the House of Rep and the Senate on these issues, we want 100 per cent of their votes to guarantee the independence of the judiciary, to guarantee full autonomy for local governments and also to guarantee full autonomy to our legislature.

This is what will strengthen our democracy. We are going to actually name each person that fails to vote in this light. We will name and shame them.”

2023: Nothing Will Stop Me from Succeeding Buhari, Says Bakare Vouches for president’s support to realise ambition Fidelis David in Akure The Serving Overseer at the Citadel Global Community Church, formerly The Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has reiterated with utmost confidence that he would succeed President Muhammadu Buhari as the 16th president of Nigeria in 2023.

Bakare said this yesterday at the10th Anniversary Lecture of Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, in Ifedore council area of Ondo State, titled: “Nigeria Beyond 2023: Reversing the Human Capital Paradox”.

The pastor-politician, who is one of the most vocal clergymen in Nigeria and one-time convener of Save Nigeria Group (SNG), said he had a destined role to play in changing current situation of the country, saying nothing could change it because he was born for that purpose.

According to him, "I am going to contest. In a very meaningful way, with the support of number 15 to become the number 16 president of Nigeria. In 2018, I wrote a book

titled the woman, who saw the future, valuable lessons my mother taught me.

“In that book, I wrote that from Tafawa Balewa to the current president, 15 people have led this nation. I have a destined role to play, when it gets to 16 and I mean that since April 1967. So, it is not about time to die, it is about time to live. So, you are going to be involved to change this nation.

"I am not a politician but a nation builder. When the right time comes, opportunity will create itself for us to do what we need to do," he said, emphasising the need for human capital development, which he said must begin at the level of the individual and brings to the fore, the skills, competences, training, and experience of the individual.

Continuing, he stated that, "For citizens to commit to deploying their individual earned capacities towards the national interest, there must be a highly compelling national vision.

A compelling national vision will give our young people the best quality education.

“It will facilitate innovative solu-

tions to Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges. It will catalyse job creation as we convert our problems to opportunities. It will keep citizens healthy and secure. It will compel the highly competent Nigerian in diaspora to return home physically or virtually to build a great nation.

"I am here to present to you a vision of Nigeria that is attainable by 2030; a vision of the New Nigeria, a nation of peace, progress, prosperity and possibilities. Beyond 2023, building upon Mr President’s audacious goal to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty, we are determined to build the New Nigeria, a nation that works for every Nigerian.

"The New Nigeria is a nation, where no one goes to bed hungry and no child is left out of school without access to quality education; where our homes, schools, streets, villages, highways and cities are safe and secure, and Nigerians can work, play or travel with their minds at rest, and go to bed with their hearts at peace.

“A Nigeria, where our hospitals are lifesaving institutions and

every Nigerian has access to good quality healthcare; where no youth is unemployed and our young men and women are job creators; where businesses thrive on innovation and made in Nigeria can compete anywhere in the global market; where homes and businesses have access to clean and uninterrupted power supply and ideas are facilitated by functional infrastructure and cutting edge technology."

The vice-presidential candidate to the current president, Buhari, in the 2011 presidential election, also emphasised the need for free education and good parenting as panacea for peace in society, adding that there was the need for massive employment opportunities for the country’s youths.

His words: "We must headhunt the best hearts, heads and hands and place them in strategic roles. To achieve this, we must standardise public sector leadership recruitment by designing well-defined job descriptions and performance evaluation indices for every position of public leadership, from the

federal to the local government.

"To design an accurate picture of Nigeria’s human capital needs, and to plan adequately to bridge the deficits, we require a National Human Capital Database (NHCD) as a Public-Private Partnership initiative.

“The NHCD will profile the competences and experiences of every Nigerian at home and in the diaspora with a view to matching opportunities in the public and private sectors with available skills.

The NHCD will be a product of collaboration between the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the federal and state ministries of education," Bakare said.

In his remarks, founder of the university and chairman of Toyota Nigeria Limited, Chief Michael Ade Ojo, said the university was established to correct the rot in the education system of the country and also improve standards.

He explained that the school was also born out of his vision to give back to his people and put Ilara-mokin community on the world map.

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CHRIST AGAINST DRUG ABUSE...

L-R: Director General, Christ Against Drug Abuse Ministry (CADAM), Dr. Dokun Adedeji; Group Executive Director, Sifax Group of Company, Mr. Bode Ojeniyi; Wife of Anthony General of Lagos State, Mrs. Olabisi Onigbanjo'; Deputy Commander General Investigation, NDLEA, Mr. Adeyemi Adeofe; Chairman, Board of Trustee of Christ Against Drug Abuse Ministry (CADAM), Chief Anthony Aletor; and Former first Lady of Lagos State, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, at the Christ Against Drug Abuse Ministry (CADAM) Set 50 Graduation Ceremony held in Lagos... recently

Osinbajo Optimistic Africa will Overcome Governance, Human Rights Challenges Deji Elumoye in Abuja Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday, expressed optimism that the current governance and human rights challenges facing the African continent would soon become a thing of the past.

He also submitted that for Africa to achieve the desired level of attainment, issues such as poverty, socio-economic rights, environmental and sustainable development alongside concerns about democracy and unconstitutional changes of governments, have to be dealt with.

This was the position of the vice president while speaking on the theme: "The African Court and The Africa We Want” at the opening of the 2022 Judicial Year of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, in Arusha, Tanzania.

Osinbajo, who addressed the justices of the African Court, other sister regional human rights institutions, groups of lawyers and experts and international human rights bodies, among other stakeholders, identified the challenges and burdens “we must discharge to arrive at the type of continent we want,” and then asked the question:

“what is the Court doing by its mandate and practice to relieve those burdens?”

He then called on African nations to, while pursuing implementation of Agenda 2063, resolve to improve the human rights records of the continent in the immediate future, as the purpose of life is in the here and now, not in the far future.

The Vice President was optimistic that Africa would overcome its current governance and human rights challenges, but decried “the lack of a proper enforcement mechanism, either at the domestic or continental level, notwithstanding the Ouagadougou Protocol’s mandate on the AU Executive Council,” describing it as one of the challenges Africa must work hard to resolve.

According to him, "The Africa we want is one that addresses, amongst others, humanity's most pressing concerns of eradication of poverty, hunger and disease; the sustenance of democracy and the rule of law; sustainable development, especially, dealing with challenges of climate change and application of finite resources for economic growth and diversification; human security and peace."

He also commended the African

INEC PUBLISHES NOTICE OF ELECTION FOR 2023 interests of the country.

On his part, Manager, Governance Programme, Actionaid, Celestine Odo, said the time had come for women and youths to go beyond the traditional clapping of hands or being used as thugs by politicians. Odo said this in an interview during a training programme for women and youths drawn from communities in Kaduna State.

He said bringing women and the youth into the leadership structures of the political parties would enable them to also stand for elections and participate in governance, noting that the two-day workshop is aimed at mobilising women and youths to participate in the political process.

Odo explained that at the national level, Actionaid was having conversations with the political parties and providing technical support for them in terms of thematic areas.

He said, “The workshop is about improving on the political process in Nigeria by mobilising youths and women into the political space. We should go beyond the traditional clapping of hands by women and the youths being used as thugs.

“We are sensitising women and youth for effective participation

in the political process, bringing the women and youth into the leadership structures of the political parties and being also able to stand as candidates and be voted for in election.

“So how do we do that? This requires grassroots mobilisation across communities, where this project is happening. Part of why we are here today is, taking them into the process of what constitutes politics - elections and the guides.

“Thank God the president has just signed the new electoral act into law, creating a paradigm shift for us. That is quite welcome. At the national level, we are also having conversations with the political parties, providing technical support for political parties in terms of thematic areas.”

According to him, “The key takeaway from this is making that commitment on women and youth also becoming part and parcel of the leadership structures within the political parties. But as I said, with the signing of the act, it will start creating enabling space to do this.

“Fundamentally the workshop is to enable women and youth to articulate their agenda. What do they want as women? What do they want as youth? What are the issues affecting them as youths?”

Court of Human and People's Rights for the Afrocentric development of human rights jurisprudence, noting that already, the African Court was playing its own role.

For instance, he mentioned that the Court has required states to uphold rights and principles of fairness, transparency and inclusiveness in elections during the COVID-19 pandemic, while also noting its declaration that states should not use the postponement of elections to “unduly” prolong elected officials’ term of office.

Osinbajo then identified other

challenges as “the reluctance of some states to respect the Court’s orders of interim measures, not to mention funding problems in the face of competing financial needs within the AU system.”

He, however, proposed that, "We must find some common grounds moving forward. There might be a need for further interaction between the court and member states and civil society on how to work through these issues. The general reluctance of states to concede sovereignty is not peculiar to African States. But

it is possible for us to be more creative about complementarity for example.

"I make these submissions recognising very clearly going by the present constitutive documents of the courts and the AU Charter, we are not in a position to effect what I am proposing but I believe by way of amendments, we may be able to at least, experiment with some thinking out of the box on complementarity.

"But the point being made is that it should be possible to change tactics from time to time,while

keeping the strategy and vision constant," he added.

Also speaking at the event attended by the Prime Minister of Tanzania, Mr Kassim Majaliwa Majaliwa, who represented President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the President of the Court, Justice Imani Aboud, declared the 2022 Judicial Year opened.

She also explained the rationale for the first ever formal opening of the yearly session of the Court, including the need to boost the visibility of the Court and engaging its stakeholders.

Lagos Govt, World Bank Support 17,467 Farmers with $200m Segun James A World Bank-assisted project, Lagos State Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement, and Livelihood Improvement Support Project (APPEALS Project), says it empowered, trained and supported 17,467 farmers in the last five years to boost food sufficiency.

Mrs Oluranti Sagoe-Oviebo, State Project Coordinator, APPEAL Project, who disclosed this yesterday said the project duration, which started March 2017 would end March, 2023, with total project fund put at $200 million.

According to her, the project had surpassed its targeted figure of 10,000 beneficiaries at the inception of the project in 2017, empowering 3,950 formers, with improved agricultural technology and physical inputs.

Sagoe-Oviebo also mentioned that 1786 women, physically challenged persons and youths were empowered within the period. She commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for supporting the project and including more women and people living with disabilities.

The project is also executed in Cross River, Enugu, Kaduna, kano and Kogi, and estimated to create 10,000 direct beneficiaries per state, with 35 per cent direct beneficiaries being women. It also targets 50,000 farm household per state.. SagoeOviebo said the farmers were supported in three value chains, poultry, aquaculture and rice.

"Of the number, 7,533 were trained, 3,950 were supported with farm inputs and equipment while 1,786 women and youths also benefited with some of them receiving startup grant. The APPEALS project had created 12,350 jobs across all its activities and also reduced the likelihood of being poor by between five and 10 per cent," she explained. "The productivity of

rice paddy in the state has increased from 2.0 metric ton per hectare to 3.5 metric tons. Tilapia has increased from 100 kg to 140 kg, while broiler increased from 1.8kg a bird per cycle to 2.35 kg bird."

The project had desilted drainage channels aquacultire around Erunwen, Adamo, Igbe, Ijede, Omitoro, Parafa in Ikorodun and Ebute-Afuye, Epe, etc.

“There has been a significant increase in the three value chains of the project in the state which are aquaculture, poultry and rice with improved technologies," she added. “The APPEALS Projects in Lagos statistic indicate that poverty has been reduced by between five and 10 per cent.".

Sagoe-Oviebo noted that the rice value chain had achieved a lot with the new Ofada strain with multiple yields for the farmers.

She noted that the Ofada rice can now be compared to the basmati

rice because of its long strain, single colour and taste.

The Lagos APPEAL coordinator added that products in rice and aquaculture value chains met international market standard and presently enjoying export opportunities as farmers farmers were supported with colour sorting machines to make the Ofada rice presentable and marketable.

“Our target is to make one of our product get into international market and we have been able to achieve this in the rice and aquaculture," she stressed. “We have also supported our farmers in the poultry value chain with pelletised feeds, nipple drinkers and probiotics and it has helped them to now produce poultry product all year round instead of seasonal farming."

In 2022, the project would complete the recently approved construction of 15 cottage industries

approved in 15 different areas of the state as well as purchase transformer for farmers in Araga, Epe, according to her. “On the plans for this year, the APPEALS project will be boosting farmers capacity to produce egg powder production and also fish canning technology for tilapia. We will support some farmers with transformers, while more roads will be constructed for farm estates as well as jetty interventions at Afowo cage culture, Epe," said Sagoe-Oviebo.

“We have a lot going on this year and a number of business plans will be approved for farmers,” she added.

The state project coordinator urged the farmers to own the project as it enters the final implementing year.

She also assured that by the end of the project duration, Sanwo-Olu will continue to support the scheme.

Nigeria in Emergency Situation, Needs Competent Leader, says Agbo Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto A former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State, Dr. Emmanuel Agbo, has said Nigeria was in an emergency situation and therefore needed a competent leader to rescue it.

Agbo, who is the chairman of the technical committee of Abubakar Bukola Saraki Campaign Organisation, said this yesterday in Sokoto.

He said the team was in the state to meet with the PDP family to solicit their support for the presidential ambition of Saraki, because he has what it would take

to salvage the situation.

He noted that though their son, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, was also nursing the ambition to contest but stressed that both Tambuwal and Saraki had what it would take to lead the country.

"Tambuwal as a lawyer, former speaker of House of Representative and also a governor. He is most qualified. Saraki, on the other hand, a medical doctor, former Governor and Senate president will rescue Nigeria from this present situation,” he added.

Agbo maintained that Nigerians have never been divided along political, ethno relgious as is it

now, adding that Nigerians elected Buhari thinking he had capacity to lead the nation but has failed the nation.

"This is a president, who insulted Nigeria youths that they are lazy, because of his incompetency to provide employment for the teeming youth of the country,” berating APC-led government for allegedly destroying the country.

"Let me ask you, did Nigerians vote for insecurity, Nepotism, economic woes and unemployment? I hope the answer is no," he asked, insisting the nation was at brink of collapse and that it was only the PDP that could rescue it.

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Head of Service Sued over Permanent Secretary Selection Process Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Head of the Civil Service(HoS) of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan, has been sued and charged with contempt of court, following her refusal to allow some directors participate in the ongoing permanent secretary selection processes in the Federal Civil Service as ordered by an Abuja Industrial Court.

The screening committee disqualified 17 directors from taking the permanent secretary written examination which held on February 21, 2022.

The aggrieved persons had secured two court orders on the consultant handling the Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System (IPPIS)

portal from a Magistrate Court and another court order from the National Industrial Court of Nigeria for both the consultant and the HoS to allow the affected candidates participate in the selection processes.

However, all court orders were ignored by the three defendants.

Counsel to the aggrieved directors, Bemdoo Hassan, who spoke to newsmen shortly after filing the contempt charges at the National Industrial Court in Abuja yesterday, noted that the HoS and the IPPIS consultant were sued due to their failure to comply with earlier court orders to open the IPPIS portal for participating directors to update their records as well as participate in the ongoing

processes for the selection of Permanent Secretaries.

He said: “As you are aware, we have filed this complaint and the same was taken with motion and orders of the court were given which have been served on all the defendants

and up till date as we speak, the defendants, who resisted service severally, were finally served and they have not complied with any order of the court.

“They have been duly served and the process is still

ongoing. They have deprived the claimants from further participating in the process leading to the appointment of the permanent secretaries. The laws are very clear on the next procedure to take regarding orders of the court that have

not been complied with.

“As law-abiding citizens of Nigeria, we cannot take laws into our hands. The Court will do what it is supposed to do and take the appropriate steps in line with the laws of Nigeria.”

Stakeholders Renew Push for Implementation of Police Trust Fund Act Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja Following identified gaps in the implementation of the Police Trust Fund Act, stakeholders have renewed calls for the federal government to adhere to the provisions of the act in its implementation.

The position followed crises that rocked the take-off of the fund and power tussle between the management and the board over procurement of N11 billion

equipment which landed some officials of the NPTF at the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), among other issues.

However, stakeholders have argued that two years after its take-off, NPTF, with a life span of six years, could function more effectively.

A stakeholders’ meeting organised recently by the Rule of Law And Accountability

Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) and over 20 other CSOs operating in the North-central Zone and the FCT, two resource persons, Nkiru Uzodi, Programme Manager at Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and Faith Nwadishi, Executive Director at Centre for Transparency Advocacy, respectively, took participants through the provisions of the Police Act and the PTF Act. They pointed out challenges in the

implementation of the reforms to include lack of strict adherence to effective implementation of the provisions of the Acts by persons and institutions charged with the responsibility to do so.

In her presentation, Nwadishi stressed that the PTF Act which was signed by President Muhammadu Buhari on June 24, 2019 as Police Trust Fund (Establishment) Act 2019 spelt out major goals to increase Nigerian Police overall efficiency.

yesterday in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.

The meeting was organised by the NGE in collaboration with the United States Government to bring editors and reporters of the North-east region together to brainstorm on the theme: ‘Agenda setting for sustainable democratic culture in Nigeria’.

Uwugiaren further elaborate that if the rights of journalists are not protected, many would be afraid to hold government

accountable and exposed corruptions, and also encourage transparency in sustaining democracy.

“Hence the NGE will by next month establish a foundation to protect journalists from unwarranted law suit and threats on their lives,” the secretarygeneral said.

He said the media would continue to fight for press freedom which is on paper but not practicable in reality.

According to him, “We will not surrender our rights to anybody, no matter the threats and challenges we faced as journalists and editors in the cause of our duties.

“There is no alternative to democracy, and that is why we must not leave politicians to set agenda for the country.”

In his keynote address, NGE President, Mustapha Isah, also urged journalists to cross check information before dissemination.

New Electoral Law will Enable Participation of Women, Youths in Politics, Says Actionaid Guild of Editors to Create Foundation for Protection of Journalists’ Rights John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Manager of Governance Programme, Actionaid, Celestine Odo, has stated that the recent signing of the Electoral Act into law by President Muhammadu Buhari will create the enabling space for participation of women and youths in politics.

Speaking in an interview during training for women and youths drawn from various communities in Kaduna State, Odo said the time had come for women and youths to go beyond the traditional clapping of hands or being used as thugs by politicians.

He said bringing women and youths into leadership structures of the political parties would enable them to also stand for elections and participate in governance.

The manager said the twoday workshop was aimed at mobilising women and youths to participate in the political process.

Odo added that at the

national level, Actionaid is having conversations with the political parties and providing technical support for them in thematic areas.

According to him, “The workshop is about improving on the political process in Nigeria by mobilising youths and women into the political space.

“We should go beyond the traditional clapping of hands by women and the youths being used as thugs.

“We are sensitising women and youths for effective participation in the political process, bringing the women and youths into the leadership structures of the political parties and being also able to stand as candidates and be voted for in an election.

“So how do we do that? This requires grassroots mobilisation across communities where this project is happening. Part of what we are here today is to take them into the process of what constitute politics-elections and the guides.

Daji Sani inYola In its efforts to protect the rights of Nigerian journalists, the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has promised to establish a foundation that will be shoulder the responsibilities of defending the rights of journalists in a law suit.

The Secretary-General of the NGE, Mr. Iyobosa Uwugiaren, made the disclosure at a three-day Northeast Town Hall meeting held

S’Korean Investor to Begin Operation on $600m Industrial Park in A’Ibom Raheem Akingbolu Following the signed Joint Venture Agreement with a South Korean company, Kumbit Global Limited, to establish an industrial park in Nung Ikot Obiodo, Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state which is estimated to cost $600million, the President of Kumbit Global Limited, Mr. Ji Jung Hyun, has arrived Nigeria to begin the implementation of the agreement.

The Group Managing Director of the company, John Anietie,

noted that the president is visiting to pursue the payment of compensation to property owners, clearing of the site and laying of foundation for the industrial park project.

Anietie, who commended Governor Udom Emmanuel for the great strides he has made in industrialising the state, reiterated that the park will come with 23 gigantic industries producing 300 products including building materials, automobiles, beverages and other household items.

He added that between

70 and 80 per cent of raw materials shall be sourced within the country, Nigeria, while about 30 per cent shall be sourced from neighbouring African countries.

Chairman of Akwa Ibom Investment Corporation (AKICORP) Dr. Elijah Akpan, recently signed the agreement on behalf of the state government, while the Group Managing Director, Kumbit Global Limited, Anietie John, signed on behalf of the company.

During the joint venture signing ceremony, Akpan

stated that the project has real estate integrated into its design to create affordable housing in the state, adding that on completion, the park will create about 1,000 direct jobs with a value chain benefit of over secondary employment for 10,000 people.

Anietie noted that former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed interest in the project. Obasanjo, during a visit by Anietie promised to be part of the project and will possibly replicate the industrial park in Ogun State.

Osun Opens Flyover, Cautions Residents on Safety Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

Following the completion of the construction work at the Olaiya Flyover in Osogbo, Osun State, and the subsequent

certification of the iconic project by the appropriate construction and engineering authorities, the state government has formally opened the flyover for public use.

The state Governor,

Adegboyega Oyetola, unveiled the facility yesterday after leading some members of his cabinet to perform a ‘test running and first ride’ on the bridge to attest to the certifications of the construction engineers and professionals for effective utilisation.

The state government early last year commenced the construction of the flyover as part of measures to address traffic and safety issues along the axis.

While fielding questions from journalists shortly after the test running exercise, Oyetola hailed the residents of Osogbo for their patience and understanding throughout the period of the construction of the project.

He said the flyover was opened for use in fulfillment of his administration’s commitment to alleviate possible hardship the closure of the area might have caused motorists and other road users during the construction period.

He also reiterated his

administration commitment to continue to raise the bar in infrastructural development as well as advance the socioeconomic activities of the people of the state.

The governor, who described the bridge as iconic and beautiful in view of its state-of-the-art aesthetics, assured the state of adequate maintenance of the facility.

He added that security measures had been put in place particularly around the bridge to ensure safety for all, adding that no effort would be spared to continue to guarantee the security of lives and property of the citizens.

Speaking on the innovation and creativity his administration has introduced into governance in the state, Oyetola assured the people that none of the projects embarked upon by his government would suffer any form of setback due to financial constraint.

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NANS Threatens to Block Federal Roads over ASUU Strike The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has threatened to block all federal government roads in Oyo from today, if the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike continues.

A section of NANS members from Zone B made the threat yesterday, while protesting at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan.

Led by its South-west Coordinator, Steven Tegbe, the association advised the federal government and ASUU to resolve their crisis for the sake of students.

NANS said that there was no need

for strike if issues were settled amicably.

“We are holding our peaceful demonstration here today because of the lingering crisis between ASUU and the federal government, which has been a reoccurring event over the years.

“Unfortunately, we students are always at the receiving end. If the federal government and ASUU refuse to resolve on Monday, we won’t hesitate to go violent on Tuesday(today).

“They cannot continue to be wasting our time. When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.

“We are appealing to the federal government to respect agreement and

ASUU to be decisive in spending, when their demands are met.

“There are ways to deal with issues rather than going on strike.

“We want to see the projects that ASUU is carrying out with the subventions received from the Federal Government,” Tegbe said.

According to the association, the protest will be held continuously across the country, until students’ demands are met.

NANS disrupted activities at the Federal Ministry of Education over what it alleged to be a walkout by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu on the association.

Abia Cattle Market Attack: Ikpeazu Woos Northern Investors Segun Awofadeji in Gombe Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, has called for unity among Nigerians, as he pledged a conducive environment for northerners to invest in the state.

The governor, represented by His Royal Majesty, Chief Kalu Kalu Ogbu, the Enachioken (paramount ruler) of Abiriba Kingdom in Abia State, spoke yesterday in Gombe State during a peace meeting.

A cattle market was attacked few weeks ago in Omumuazu, Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State where nine lives were lost, seven of them, Gombe State indigenes.

The monarch, who said he was in Gombe State following Governor

Ikpeazu’s directives, deeply regretted the sad event, condoled with the government and people of Gombe State.

He described the attack as the handwork of misguided and ill-advised fellows just as he commended Ikpeazu’s peace initiative and action to deal with perpetrators of the dastardly attack.

The traditional ruler also commended the government of Gombe State for working round the clock to keep the peace in the state.

According to him, “By the action of the government of Gombe State, there is hope for the survival of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” as he extolled the virtues of the Emir of Akko, Alhaji Umar Muhammad

Atiku, for hosting him for three days.

The Emir of Akko in turn commended the approach and the zeal to the peace initiative by the Abia State delegation, saying peace building is what is highly needed in Nigeria for the people to continue to live in unity.

Commenting, the acting National President of the Amalgamation of Cattle Dealers Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Yahuza Yusuf, appreciated the response of the Abia State Government after the attack.

He explained that the governor had already met some of their needs which included, the compensation of N150, 000 for every cow destroyed, relocating their market as well as fencing and providing it with water.

FG Trains South-south Women Farmers on Climate Adaptation Strategies Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, yesterday, organised a workshop for women farmers from the South-south region on climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.

Declaring the workshop open in Benin City, capital of Edo State, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Mahmood Abubakar, said the training would build and enhance the resilience of the farmers to threat and impacts of climate in agricultural production.

The minister, who was represented by State Director of the Ministry, Mr. Wellington Omoragbon, said Nigeria’s agriculture is vulnerable and susceptible to the impacts of

climate change.

He said: “Indeed, it is rain-fed dependent. Any change in the weather pattern, in terms of the amount, intensity, duration, and the on-set, affect farmers decisions on when, what and where of the crops and inputs as well as other cultural operations in the value chain.

“Climate change and variability affect particularly women who constitute the most vulnerable among the farming communities.”

The minister also noted that theme of the workshop: “Mainstreaming Gender into Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Women Farmers” was targeted, innovative and timely particularly with the outcomes of the 2021 Climate Change Conference in the United States.

Abubakar, who underscored the critical role of women in agriculture value chain, urged the participants to participate actively in the workshop session and document the strategies and solutions, which he said were expected to translate into practice in their various locations.

“Available statistics indicate that women constitute about 80 per cent of the labour force involved in agricultural production, grow up to 80 per cent of the food in Nigeria.

“Overall, they constitute about 43 per cent of the agricultural labour force in developing countries.

Yet women face various facets of challenges and needs by women farmers especially climate change and variability, access to information and technologies,” he said.

Oil Theft: Aggrieved Bayelsa Community Justifies Dethronement of Monarch Olusegun Samuel Bayelsa community of Igbomotoru 1, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state has written to the government over alleged claim by their now deposed traditional ruler, HRM Aseimieghen Ofongo, that he was forcefully removed by gunmen employed by illegal oil thieves.

In a letter sent to the state government through the Deputy Governor, Sen. Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the chiefs in the community said the removal of the embattled monarch was over allegation of gross misconduct.

The embattled paramount ruler, Asemighen Ofongo, had last week in a petition sent to the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, claimed that his removal was illegally instigated by a militia group led by a self-styled General Endurance Amagbin.

In the letter he claimed that he was subjected to personal oath of allegiance and announcement of his dethronement on state radio without the approval of the state government But in a letter signed by community council of chiefs, led

by Ayibanumuyu Joel, Clinton Iyekoroghe and Paul Authority, explained that the removal of

the monarch was done by the people at a general town hall meeting held on the 12th day of December, 2021, where a vote of no confidence was passed on Ofongo over allegations of gross misconduct.

Other allegation leveled against the embattled monarch include: misappropriation of community funds; lack of accountability and consultation, disrespect for elders; desecration of sacred institutions in the community and taking unilateral decisions affecting the entire community without presentation before a general meeting for deliberation and possible resolution.

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TUESDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Buhari Mourns Founder of Complete Sports, Sunny Ojeagbase

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with family, friends and professional associates of Founder and Executive Chairman of Complete Communications Ltd, Dr Emmanuel Sunny Ojeagbase, whose vision and diligence transformed sports reporting and inspired a generation of media entrepreneurs.

The President, in a release on Monday by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, commiserated with his wife and longtime business partner, Pastor (Mrs) Esther Ojeagbase, who worked with her husband in publishing, ministry and charity, bringing out many titles which include

Complete Football magazine, Complete Football International (CFI), International Soccer Review(ISR) and Success Digest.

President Buhari affirmed that Ojeagbase, who worked for the Daily Times, Concordnewspapers and The Guardian, before pioneering sports news publication in Nigeria in 1984, was also a teacher and preacher of the Word of God, and he lived by the tenets of the Holy Bible, greatly motivating others to grow spiritually and apply the principles of honesty, fairness and integrity in business.

He, therefore, prayed that Almighty God will remember the good works of the media entrepreneur and philanthropist and grant his soul eternal rest.

Siasia Recommends Eze to Eguavoen as Solution to Eagles’ Midfield Crisis Femi Solaja withagencyreport

Former Super Eagles Head Coach, Samson Siasia, has recommended England-born midfielder Eberechi Eze to Interim manager of Nigeria’s senior national team.

Eze has been on the radar of the Nigerian Football Federation, with NFF President Amaju Pinnick a known admirer of the talented playmaker.

Recall that Eze once trained with Super Eagles along with Chuba Akpom in March 2017 before a cancelled friendly against Burkina Faso.

Now, Siasia believes Eze, who currently plays his club football at Crystal Palace in the English Premier League, is like Nigerian

Sunny Ojeagbase...a sports media entrepreneur goes home to rest

AFRICAN FENCING CHAMPIONSHIP

Team Nigeria Edge South Africa, Senegal as Egypt Retain Title Team Nigeria made a strong finish on the final day of the 2022 Cadet and Junior African Fencing Championship to place third on the overall medals' table of the event concluded Sunday eveningat the Festival Hotel, Festac Lagos.

Africa’s top fencing nation, Egypt dominated the five-day championship while their closest rivals Algeria also gave a good account of themselves.

South Africa, Senegal and Libyya respectively occupied the third, fourth and fifth positions heading to the final day but were leapfrogged by Team Nigeria courtesy of two gold medals bagged in the Men's Under-15 Foil through Wisdom Okanlawon and Iyanuoluwa Babarinsa in the women's Under-15 Sabre.

Chizoro Nwokocha won silver for Nigeria in the women's Under-15 Épée just as Iyanuoluwa Babarinsa got bronze in the Men's Under-20 Epee while Team Nigeria men and women got bronze in the team event foil.

In the final classification, Egypt topped with 18 gold, 10 silver and 15 bronze medals with

Algeria finishing second with 2 gold 3 silver and 9 bronze medals.

Host Nigeria came third with 2 gold 3 silver and 7 bronze medals.

South Africa, Senegal, Libya, Benin and Ghana, in order, placed fourth to eighth while Zimbabwe and Uganda finished with no medal.

"We are delighted to have finished strongly on the final day and the medals won showed lots of improvements from the last time we hosted in 2018 where we got two bronze medals,” a delighted Nigerian Fencing Federation President, Adeyinka Samuel, said.

International Fencing Federation (FIE) executive member, Novak Perovic lauded Nigeria for the high standard regarding the organization of the championship.

"Nigeria has met our expectations again like it did in 2018 regarding the organizing this championship and we are happy that the future of Nigerian fencing is very bright. Africa will surely benefit if a sport like fencing in Nigeria develops," he said.

legend Austin Jay-Jay Okocha.

“Well, we don’t just have a number 10, that is a creative midfielder in the mode of Jay-Jay Okocha that can distribute accurate passes to the strikers,”Siasia told UK’s The Sun. “We don’t just have them now and that is why I have been thinking of Eberechi Eze with Crystal Palace. The Super Eagles need that player. He could be the next Okocha if we invite him.

“I have told Eguavoen that the team needs a player of his mood.

He will be a good addition to the Super Eagles. We need somebody like him in the team because if you don’t have an offensive player who creates chances for the strikers to score, the team will have problems.”

Eberechi Eze...on Nigeria’s radar again to help solve midfield crisis

FIFA, UEFA Suspend All Russian Clubs and National Teams Russian football clubs and national teams have been suspended from all competitions

by FIFA and UEFA after the country's invasion of Ukraine.

The world and European football governing bodies said they would be banned "until further notice".

It means the Russian men's team will not play their World Cup play-off matches next month and the women's team have been banned from this summer's Euro 2022 competition.

Spartak Moscow have also been kicked out of the Europa League and their last-16 opponents RB Leipzig will advance to the quarter-finals.

UEFA has also ended its sponsorship with Russian energy giant Gazprom. J "Football is fully united here

UKRAINE CRISIS and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine," FIFA and UEFA said in a joint statement.

"Both presidents hope that the situation in Ukraine will improve significantly and rapidly so that football can again be a vector for unity and peace amongst people."

FIFA and UEFA decided to take action after Russia, supported by Belarus, launched a military invasion of neighbouring Ukraine last Thursday.

The Russian men's team had been scheduled to face Poland in a World Cup play-off semi-final on 24 March.

FIFA had previously ruled that Russia must complete their

upcoming games in neutral territory, under the title Football Union of Russia, and without their flag and anthem.

However, the announcement drew criticism - and Scotland and the Republic of Ireland joined several other nations, including England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as Poland, the Czech Republic and Sweden, in refusing to play against Russia.

On Monday, Scottish FA president Rod Petrie wrote to his Ukrainian counterpart "to send a message of support, friendship and unity", with those two nations due to meet in their World Cup play-off semi-final on 24 March.

The 2022 Champions League final, originally due to be played in St Petersburg on 28 May, has been moved to Paris while

numerous clubs have taken their own steps to disassociate themselves from Russia.

Manchester United has terminated its sponsorship deal with Russia's national airline Aeroflot while Bundesliga club Schalke has cancelled its partnership with main sponsor Gazprom, having last week removed the Russian energy company's logo from its shirts.

Speaking on Monday, Tottenham manager Antonio Conte said: "The whole world has to be compact and show [it is] solid against the stupidity of the people."

He added: "I think it's right to express our disappointment about the stupidity about some decisions. Football and UEFA has to be compact and to show to be strong."

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Tuesday, March 1, 2022

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MISSILE

Sowore to Federal Government

“The government should invite all aggrieved persons and groups to a roundtable to discuss the future of Nigeria, force cannot make or keep anyone to remain a citizen of Nigeria, only justice can do that, even if you kill Sunday Igboho, Nnamdi Kanu, or myself, more battalions would show up, you cannot continue to beat a child and dictate to them how they would cry.”--- Rights Activist, Omoyele Sowore, telling the government what can guarantee peace and unity in the country.

TUESDAY WITH REUBENABATI abati1990@gmail.com

Stranded In Ukraine: The Agony Of Nigerians

F

or Nigerians, the crisis in Ukraine is not far away at all. It is next door, in fact it may be said that the war is having a major effect in many Nigerian homes and families. This is not about crude oil, the spot price of which has gone beyond $100 per barrel, and the same government that relies on crude oil receipts is now saying this is tragic for the country. This is not even about the geo-politics of the Russia-Ukrainian conflict. Russia does not want the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) setting up a military base at its door step – in Ukraine, Sweden or Finland, or anywhere near Russia. The more urgent concern and this is our departure point, is the humanitarian crisis that the failure of diplomacy and the inequity in international relations has generated in the Eastern border of Europe. Since the crisis began, I have listened with great concern to the anguish of friends, former colleagues and their family relations calling, sending messages, to report how they are affected by the war in Ukraine. A former colleague during my tour of duty at the Presidential Villa has three children in Ukraine. His sister’s son is also there. They are all hunkered down in a shelter.

My friend says he and his wife and sister are permanently on the phone trying to monitor the welfare of their children. All four – my friend’s 3 and his sister’s only son- are all studying Medicine in Ukraine. Many Nigerian families send their children to Ukraine to study Medicine, Computer Engineering, and the Sciences. Out of the 10, 000 medical doctors produced by Ukraine annually, about a third are Nigerians. The fees are affordable compared to the arm and a leg that Western Universities demand. Ukraine is also developed with strong education, science, agriculture, and engineering sectors. Historically, it was the strongest of the units that made up the Soviet Union. In contemporary times, it remains a very resourceful country with enormous strength in minerals, agriculture and science. Apart from the medical students from Nigeria, there are others studying in other fields.

There is even a Nigerian church in Kiev, led by Pastor Sunday Adelaja. In total, there is probably close to 20, 000 Nigerians or more in Ukraine.

Pastor Sunday Adelaja has managed to abandon the congregation and escape (he says Putin is looking for him as a target!), but the majority of Nigerians, and other Africans, are stranded. Their agony and the frustration of their families should constitute an important part of the review.

In the age of globalization, democracy and free choice, it would make no sense to query why some people leave their countries and travel to other places to find meaning and fulfilment. The history of humanity is based on migrations across geography and seasons. Nigerians in particular are extremely peripatetic. In the most remote places of the world, you are bound to find a Nigerian, studying, teaching, driving a cab, doing security work, serving in an international capacity, running a corner shop, playing football, or comfortably married with a family. But in the case of Ukraine, most of the Nigerian nationals out there are students or religious workers. Whereas it is a status symbol for an average Nigerian family to send their children abroad for studies, it is also the truth that despite the fact that Nigeria has over 100 universities, many families send their children abroad because it is easier to get admissions into foreign universities if you can afford the fees, and you are at least sure that the university calendar will not be disrupted by teachers and other university staff who are perpetually on strike here in Nigeria, over unpaid salaries and allowances.

University students in Nigeria are also forever subjected to all forms of harassment: dirty halls of residence, the menace of oppressive lecturers who sell handouts, and torment female students for sex, and a general community outside the

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy campus that inflicts mental torture on everyone.

Parents therefore try to insulate their children from the psychosis in the land, at least for a period in their lives. To keep their children in good schools, many parents sell property, take loans, or save towards the same investment and if that option is not achievable, they look for other means. I doubt if any Nigerian parent would ever imagine that with all that, their child or children would end up in a war zone. But that is what has happened in Ukraine. Many Nigerian parents took their cue from the 12 countries, including the UK, Egypt, Morocco, US, and India, that issued early travel advisories and asked their nationals to leave Ukraine immediately because it would only be a matter of days before Vladimir Putin would invade Ukraine, and hence, they pulled their children and families out. But then, it is not every family that is equally circumstanced. Air fares shot through the roof. And it is natural for a largely religious community to think that a miracle would happen. Ironically, one of the men preaching such miracles was the first to flee to safety! Fact: thousands of Nigerians are stranded in Ukraine.

They are victims not just of the confusion that the war has brought, but also racism, which worsens their plight. In the wake of the Russian invasion, the people of Ukraine began to flee towards safer neighbouring countries, especially Poland, Romania, Hungary and Moldova. Persons trooped to the train stations hoping to get a place on one of the vacation trains ferrying people to safety. Nobody knows when or for how long the trains would come. But when a train then shows up, there is gross discrimination. The co-ordinators of the flight from the turbulence insist that Ukrainians must board first, then children and women in that order!

But the arrangement is not colour-blind. Africans are told to wait, and so there are many of them, sheltered in nearby buildings who do not know when it would be their turn. I saw a video showing a Nigerian whose pregnant wife managed to get onto the train, and he was disallowed from getting on board. It was painful watching him screaming: “Give me my wife! Give me my wife!”

War may be the legacy that past ages bequeath to us, as Wole Soyinka points out in A Dance of the Forests, humanity being in a perpetual state of conflict across the ages, but as we have seen in the writings of Sun-Tzu (The Art Of War), Carl

von Clausewitz (About War) and Raymond Aron (Peace and War: A Theory of International Relations) on the subject, and as the experience of previous wars show (World War I, II, the Korean War, the Gulf War, the Nigerian Civil War etc), there is simply nothing good about war. Nobody wins, everyone loses; it is only the degree that differs.

The crisis in Ukraine has thus thrown up all the key divisions in international relations at both the person to person levels and at the bilateral, multilateral, geo-political levels to remind us all that whereas there is a body called the United Nations, created after World War II to bind the world together, the world remains divided, the people in it do not like each other and that international relations based on the principles of jus cogens, including the sovereign equality of states, enshrined in Article 2(1) of the United Nations Charter (1945), is at best a myth in reality.

There has been so much talk about human equality, a societa humana in this regard, but even human beings within the international order, do not regard themselves as equals. International law practitioners have tried to provide a linkage in terms of the alignment of sovereign equality with human equality through the UN Resolution on the Responsibility to Protect (R2P, 2005). In the situation that we are currently witnessing in Ukraine, the host community is struggling to defend itself in an unequal match against Russia. It cannot even protect its own citizens. A humanitarian crisis is afoot, with Poland, Moldova, Hungary, much smaller countries dragged into an extremely difficult situation. The Polish Ambassador to Nigeria has had to deny that Poland does not want to help stranded Nigerians. Where host communities fail to discharge their responsibilities to protect foreign nationals in their country, in the event of war and chaos, what should the home countries of the affected persons do? They are bound by the same principle.

The Nigerian Government has been criticized heavily for its failures in terms of citizen diplomacy in the face of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and the fact that many Nigerians are trapped in the crossfire. From Kiev to Abuja, the Nigeria foreign policy machinery behaved as if its carburetor had issues. It failed to fire the engine correctly. The machinery abandoned the Nigerians in Ukraine even while other countries openly helped theirs and gave specific travel advisories. When the blow-out occurred, the Nigerian Embassy in Kiev issued a statement in which the officials told Nigerians in Ukraine, that if they find the situation “morally disturbing”, they should make private arrangements to keep safe, make sure they have their consular documents in place and should they wish to return, the Embassy would be available to assist with consular duties. What kind of talk was that? Is it possible not to find a war situation “emotionally disturbing?”

This caused some outrage and in the face of that, the Embassy in Kiev immediately circulated another statement it had issued on January 26, to the Nigerian community in Ukraine, but really there is no difference between the first and the second intervention. Nigerians in Ukraine were simply told that “they are on their own” in the following exact words: “Nigerians are hereby further advised to take their individual and collective safety and security very seriously, avoid unnecessary travels within the country, especially to identified hotspots in Eastern Ukraine; and ensure that they carry requisite identification at all times”. The Embassy says it would make periodic announcements and offer consular services available where necessary.

Both the National Association of Nigerian Students in Ukraine (NANS-Ukraine) and Nigerians students in distress have spoken up (including AnjolaOluwa Ero-Phillips) to declare that every effort to get the Nigerian Embassy to help them failed.

Ms Eunice Eleaka, President of NANS-Ukraine, whose parents managed to evacuate before the blow-out had to send an urgent SOS message to President Muhammadu Buhari. The outrage that has greeted the mishandling of the Ukrainian crisis by the Nigerian Government is in order.

It has now resulted in a flurry of last minute activities. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs after expressing surprise that there was an issue in Ukraine (apparently the only government agency in the world that is surprised, even with the Western allies raising the alarm, weeks earlier, that an invasion was imminent), decided to summon G7 ambassadors in Nigeria, and the Ambassadors of Poland, Russia and Ukraine. The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission also woke up and started offering advice, backed by phone numbers and escape routes out of Ukraine into Poland. Nigeria also put up the equivalent of “small yansh diplomacy”, telling Russia to pull out of Ukraine and respect the international order. The best that African countries can do in this matter is spineless diplomatic twerking, to use a more decent phrase, so they should not deceive themselves, but they can do more in terms of helping their stranded citizens who are trapped in the crossfire. Nigeria’s House of Representatives did well by making the crisis a matter of urgent public importance, and resolving to send to Ukraine forthwith, the House Majority Leader and the Chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs to bring home stranded Nigerians in Ukraine. We would like a feedback on that. Did they travel? Are they back? How did the intervention of the House help?

It is perhaps selfish, to express concern more about the plight of our compatriots in Ukraine.

Indeed, it is the whole of humanity that faces a problem. And the people of Ukraine will bear the brunt of their country being turned into the battle ground for the politics between Russia and NATO and the balance of power in the world. It would be a while before Ukraine recovers from the storm that has fallen on its roof. Its people have been displaced. The country has been thrown into turmoil. Age-old animosities between the Russian speaking Eastern parts and other groups have been re-ignited setting fire to the Minsk Agreement in Belarus, 2014. Vladimir Putin may be accused of all kinds of atrocities, and he is probably guilty, but the US and the allies are not particularly innocent either. NATO says it welcomes all countries that are interested in joining it. Putin’s Russia insists that there was a promise by NATO not to expand East-wards but since then it has added 14 new members. Putin hates the Alliance and does not want it anywhere near Russia. Those who know the story argue that the agreement of September 1990 referred to East Germany and not the whole of the East, but isn’t Putin right to argue that any further enlargement is a threat to the sovereignty of Russia? He is aggrieved because he knows that the intentions of the Allies are not necessarily holy.

Has anyone thought of the Monroe Doctrine, and the 1962 US Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba, the Gulf War, the attack on Libya, and the cross-current details?

The Allies have imposed sanctions, from sports to SWIFT, making Putin and Russia look like they have just walked into a trap. What is the end-game then? Could it be to cripple Russia and create rebellion inside the Kremlin and get Putin out of the way? The Russians probably have that figured out. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says: “The Western sanctions on Russia are hard, but our country has the necessary potential to compensate the damage”. It is the world that will suffer in the end, and as the agony of Nigerians connected with Ukraine has shown, there is a lot more beyond gas prices, higher inflationary rates, the clout of a divided UN Security Council and economic sanctions, with greater cost better measured in human terms.

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