THURSDAY 25TH MARCH 2021

Again, Court Nullifies SEC’s Removal of Oando Directors Says regulator overreached its powers Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano A Federal High court sitting in Kano yesterday overruled the removal of directors of Oando Plc by the Securities and Exchange Commission

(SEC).

In the ruling, it stated that SEC acted arbitrarily in suspending the management of Oando and, therefore, declared the appointment of the interim management null and void.

The court awarded a N250, 000 cost against SEC in favour of the Oando shareholders.

Oando’s shareholders, Alhaji Yakubu Gumel and Alhaji Kabiru Tambari, on behalf of the Sokoto Zone

Shareholders Association; and Mr. Tunde Badmus of Pacesetters Shareholders Association got the favourable judgment at the Federal High Court (FHC) Kano, in a suit filed against SEC.

Justice Lewis Allagoa who gave the ruling dismissed the regulator’s preliminary objection and granted all the reliefs sought by the shareholders.

The court dismissed SEC’s

objection on the ground that the shareholders’ claims fell under their rights, according to the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) and, Continued on page 9

Aig-Imoukhuede: How Nigeria Can Deepen Financial System... Page 8 Thursday 25 March, 2021 Vol 26. No 9482. Price: N250

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APC: We Are Not in a Hurry for National Convention Caretakers say rushing into congresses will fuel litigations May seek tenure extension Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) may not hold as planned in June, the

National Secretary of National Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, indicated yesterday.

He told THISDAY that the

party is not in a hurry to hold the national convention, as rushing into its congresses could lead to mistakes and fuel litigations and factionalisation.

However, he stated that

while the committee would strive to keep to the June deadline for the national convention, to mark the conclusion of its assignments, it would not hesitate to

approach the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party for a tenure extension should plans to hold the national convention as scheduled fall through.

He added that the committee would not release the timetable for the party’s congresses until the nationwide registration and Continued on page 9

Fixing Nigeria’s Challenges Must Precede 2023 General Election, Northern Elders Insist Say politicians threat to national security Emma Okonji and Nosa Alekhuogie in Lagos and Chuks Okocha in Abuja Northern elders yesterday said the various challenges facing Nigeria must be fixed before the nation could hold a general election in 2023, warning that except that is done the country would become weak and vulnerable to internal strife.

Speaking on The Morning Show, a breakfast programme on ARISE NEWS Channel, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, the Director of Publicity and Advocacy of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said there is an urgent need for a genuine conversation around the country’s challenges as well as how to resolve them in order to reduce the threats to the general election.

“We need to meet to address our collective challenges like the decentralisation of power before we get to the 2023 general election,” he told ARISE NEWS, explaining: “If our challenges are not addressed before the 2023 elections, we will definitely have a weak country struggling to address monumental challenges.”

He said the election has become a distraction as politicians have focused on it rather than tackle the crises of insecurity and the rising quest for the decentralisation of power among other demands for the review of the subsisting power relations in the country.

“The truth about it is that 2023 is instrumental to our challenges because politicians Continued on page 9

Presidency: Buhari, Tinubu Remain Strong Political Allies... Page 5

MINISTERS ON DUTY… Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika (left), and Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, at the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja…yesterday godwin omoigui

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

13 African Countries Receive 8.69m Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Nigeria tops list with 3.94m doses

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Thirteen African countries have so far received 8,698,960 doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

This is part of the total of 30,954,000 pledged to countries under the COVAX-facilitated COVID-19 vaccines acquisition.

Following scepticism over the acceptability of the vaccines by people, Partnership for Evidence-Based Response to COVID-19 (PERC) issued their report coordinated by the Africa Centre for Disease Control indicating that two-thirds of Africans will likely accept to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

According to an overview on COVAX vaccine distribution in Africa presented at a webinar organised by the Africa CDC’s Deputy Director, Dr. Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, only 13 African countries have so far received the COVID-19 vaccines supplied

by COVAX. The report presented via a webinar hosted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia showed that Angola got 624,000 out of 2,172,000 allocated to it; Benin Republic, 144,000 (792,000); Cote d'ivoire, 504,000 (1,740,000); Eswatini, 12,000 (108,000); Ghana, 600,000 (2,052,000); Kenya, 1,020,000 (3,564,000); Malawi, 360,000 (1,260,000); Nigeria, 3,940,000 (13,656,000); Rwanda 342,960

(1,362,960); Sierra Leone 96,000 (528,000).

Other countries are: The Gambia 36,000 (156,000); Togo 156,000 (540,000) and Uganda 864,000 (3,024,000).

Africa CDC survey said across the continent, twothirds of citizens interviewed expressed willingness to accept COVID-19 vaccines.

However, it noted that the sentiment has varied across the continent.

It said: "In the 19-member countries surveyed, 91 per cent of the people surveyed in Morocco were most interested in receiving the vaccines while Tunisia and Cameroon had the lowest number of people, at 35 per cent. The report disclosed levels of acceptability in other countries as follows; South Africa (61 per cent), Zimbabwe (61 per cent), Zambia (53 per cent), Mozambique (75 per cent), Egypt (78 per cent), and the Democratic Republic of Congo (52 per cent)".

The Partnership for EvidenceBased Response to Covid-19 (PERC) Consortium is made up of public health organisations such as the Africa Centre for Diseases Control and Prevention; Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies; the World Health Organisation; the UK Public

Health Rapid Support Team; the World Economic Forum and private sector firms such as market research company, Ipsos.

On his part, the Nigeria Country Representative of Resolve to Save Lives, Dr.

Emmanuel Agogo, outlined the reasons for vaccine hesitancy identified in the research.

He also urged the media to take responsibility for enlightening audiences.

"Journalists can inform and increase public confidence in

vaccines," Agogo said.

He further encouraged journalists not to be sensational in reporting on vaccines since many myths are perpetuated, adding that they should instead distribute reliable and accurate information.

Agogo said: "Journalists should do research, check the facts and use trusted sources of information."

In the presentation, the Africa CDC recommended that African countries should continue the rollout of the vaccine.

PARLEY ON GAS… Deputy Managing Director, Nigeria LNG Limited, Mr. Sadeeq Mai-Bornu; Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; and Managing Director, NLNG, Mr. Tony Attah, during the NLNG delegation's visit to the speaker in Abuja...yesterday

Govs Seek Measures to Combat Tuberculosis Spike Disease kills 500,000 yearly in Africa, says WHO Chuks Okocha and Michael Olugbode in Abuja Governors yesterday called for urgent steps to arrest the rising cases of tuberculosis in Nigeria.

The governors, under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), in a statement to mark World Tuberculosis Day, said 18 Nigerians die daily from the disease, and urged the federal government to support states to meet the target of eradicating the disease by 2030.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) also put the fatality rate in Africa per year, due to tuberculosis at over 500,000 people.

The NGF, in a statement by its Chairman and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, listed Nigeria as one of the countries with the highest burden of the disease, ranking

first in Africa and sixth globally.

While joining the rest of the world to commemorate World Tuberculosis Day, the governors said: "This day provides the opportunity for the entire world to intensify public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic impact of tuberculosis, as well as renew our commitment to accelerate efforts at the national, state, local government and community levels to eradicate TB in Nigeria.

"Tuberculosis is an airborne disease that affects millions of people regardless of socioeconomic status. Though it is preventable and curable, it has remained the deadliest infectious disease globally."

Fayemi said over the last decade, the government and its partners had implemented various interventions to ensure that people with the disease were found and treated.

"The advent of COVID-19

pandemic and its control measures in 2020 further impacted on the health system, including TB services, setting back progress made," he said.

Fayemi stated that despite the setback, the governors in partnership with other stakeholders are working to address the challenges by strengthening the capacity of State TB Programme to be more effective in its role; support revitalisation and upgrading of health facilities to provide appropriate TB services especially diagnosis; and mobilise more domestic resources for the TB programme.

According to him, the governors will support and mobilise activities in the states and to establish a multi-stakeholder State Stop TB Partnerships, in accordance with the theme of this year’s World TB Day – “The Clock

is Ticking.”

The governors reaffirmed their commitment to work with other stakeholders to end TB in their respective states.

They also called on the federal government to support the states to domesticate and achieve the targets and commitments made at the United Nations High-level Meeting on Tuberculosis held in 2018.

They said with these targets and commitments, Nigeria would be expected by 2022, to be back on track in its efforts to ensure an end to TB by 2030.

WHO, in a message to mark the occasion, stated that tuberculosis kills over 500,000 people yearly in Africa.

The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, said this inglorious statistics is inexcusable.

He stated that across

Africa, the challenges in TB prevention and control are significant, adding that only 56 per cent of people with TB are on treatment, while TB control budgets continue to be drastically underfunded.

He said: “Governments in the African region are contributing 24 per cent of these budgets on average and international organisations like the Global Fund are providing 34 per cent, leaving a 42 per cent funding gap. South Africa has the highest domestic funding in the region, at 77%.”

He added that the COVID-19 pandemic has compounded difficulties in accessing TB services.

He said: “For instance, in South Africa, monthly notifications of new TB cases fell by more than 50 per cent between March and June 2020.

In some countries, TB staff and testing equipment were

reallocated to the COVID-19 response. At the same time, some mitigation measures were introduced, such as limiting the need for TB patients to visit health facilities by providing one month’s worth of TB medicines and using video messaging to continue with directly observed treatment.

“There is also the rising challenge of drug-resistant TB, which is estimated to affect 77,000 Africans each year. Among these, only one in three are diagnosed, and around 20,000 are put on treatment.”

He called for collective action to address the challenges and accelerate progress towards ending TB by 2030.

He said WHO had developed the multi-sectoral accountability framework and supported all countries to update their TB policies and to implement WHO guidelines.

Presidency: Buhari, Tinubu Remain Strong Political Allies Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Presidency yesterday dismissed reports of a purported rift between President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Bola Tinubu, saying that the duo remains strong political allies.

A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the

President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, described the recent reports of a rift between the two leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as not only false but the handiwork of some mischief-makers.

It stated that it was unfortunate that certain sections of the media feed on birthing controversies, providing a nexus for

naysayers who work behind the scenes planting such stories, which are absolutely false.

"This administration is aware of pessimists and cynics who willfully spread misinformation to create doubts in the minds of the people about the relationship between its leaders and whether the party will remain intact or not," it stated.

The statement added that

the president and the party are focused on development, peace and security, restructuring of the economy and war against corruption in and will not be diverted to anything else.

It added that the attempt by sponsors of the report of a sour relationship between Buhari and Tinubu to fool the people will not succeed.

It said: "To President Buhari, Bola Tinubu remains one of

the most respected political leaders in the country who has stuck to his principles in the face of all adversities.

He was instrumental in the formation, growth and development of the APC into a formidable political party and the political alliance is waxing even stronger.

"If Tinubu is not a frequent face in the Aso Rock Villa, it is on account of the fact that

he is not a cabinet member of this government. The fact that he is not every day around the villa does not make him less of a friend to the president and this administration.

"The president and Tinubu have a very strong commitment to the All Progressives Congress (APC) towards bringing change and this is a commitment they have made to the Nigerian people."

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Aig-Imoukhuede: How Nigeria Can Deepen Financial System Says insurance, asset management sectors must be transformed

Obinna Chima and Dike Onwuamaeze The immediate past Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc, Mr. Aigboje AigImoukhuede, has stressed the need for the transformation of the insurance and asset management sectors in order to deepen the country’s financial services sector.

This, he said, would help position the sectors to the same level as the banking sector in order for the country to have a balanced financial system.

Aig-Imoukhuede spoke yesterday at a virtual press conference as part of the activities to herald the launch of his memoir titled: “Leaving the Tarmac: Buying a Bank in Africa," scheduled for Monday.

Responding to a THISDAY question, Aig-Imoukhuede, now founder of the Africa Initiative for Governance (AIG), stated that a policy is needed to enable other segments of the country’s financial system such as the insurance, assets management, to develop.

He said: “Right now, the

issues should be: will the banks continue doing what they are doing? Or should we have the same kind of revolution that took place in the banking industry across all these sectors?

"I will tell you something. The largest financial intermediaries in any economy actually are not banks. They are insurance companies and asset managers.

And that is because banking is just a place for you to save money and make payments.

"Insurance companies and asset managers are where your wealth is created. Your future and legacy are preserved. And that is why those aspects of the financial system are multiple times larger than banking and that is where Nigeria and Africa are lacking behind.

"If we do not fix that, we will remain held down in terms of the competitiveness of our financial services across the globe."

According to him, Nigerian banks today are big enough but the problem of the Nigerian economy is that the insurance industry is not big enough; the asset management companies

are not big enough; the Fintechs and e-commerce businesses are not big enough.

"Are we going to compel Nigeria banks into these? That will become a major weakness that will make our financial service system completely weak compared to other nations that have a much more balanced approach to development.

“That is why these frontiers (insurance and asset management companies) have to rise to the same level we find banking today,” he explained.

Aig-Imoukhuede said he believed that from the perspective of a global citizen, every country owes its citizens four cardinal things, namely access to quality basic healthcare; access to educational opportunities at least up to the university level; the opportunity

to work and produce goods and services and lastly the enforcement of fundamental rights and contractual obligations.

He stated that without them, and a resolute commitment to fight and cage corruption, Nigeria would be left stranded at the tarmac while the rest of the world would take off, fly and soar.

He said: “The emancipation of human beings is always going to be measured in these four contexts. You will embark on different dreams and visions but these four are the basic platforms one needed to launch out.

"If they are not there, regardless of what is going on in the rest of the world, one’s ability to live his/her dreams will be fractured, hampered and constrained.

“This is why we have hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurial ventures taking place in Israel with a population that is a fraction of ours while you have so much muted activities in Nigeria. It is not because Israelis are smarter but simply these four things are in place,” he added.

Aig-Imoukhuede also shared his thoughts on how debilitating corruption could be and urged Nigerians and governments to join hand to defeat the menace before it reduced the country to the status of a failed state.

“Beyond bribes, leakages and theft of public funds, the truly debilitating consequences of corruption is the fact that merit cannot have its way in any nation where corruption is rife. In a globalised world, the ability for individuals,

companies, industries and the entire nation to grow and develop on a sustainability basis is a function of their competitiveness," he added.

According to him, corruption has implanted the culture of mediocrity in several aspects of Nigeria’s lives to the point "where our performance in many fields of human endeavour is much worse today than it was 50 years ago.”

He added: “I hope that the story I am about to tell will be an inspiration to other young entrepreneurs who are setting out with big dreams, great visions and high hopes. It is a story that shows you how you can build a world-class business in a relatively short time if you lay the right foundations, have good core values and do the right things.”

India Turns to Nigeria, Others to Meet Energy Needs Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja with agency report Nigeria and other African nations could play a central role in efforts by India to diversify its sources of oil and gas, India’s Oil Minister, Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan, said yesterday, as the nation strives to reduce its energy reliance on the Middle East.

India, the world’s thirdbiggest oil importer, has asked state refiners to speed up the diversification of oil imports to gradually cut their dependence on the Middle East after the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) decided earlier this month to continue production cuts in April.

“As India seeks to further diversify sourcing of crude oil and LNG, Africa has a central role - largely due to its proximity and absence of any choke points in transshipments,” Pradhan told an industry summit.

Reuters reported that India imports over 80 per cent of its oil and has a huge oil import bill.

Africa’s share of India’s oil imports are about 15 per cent or about 34 million tonnes of oil last year, Pradhan said, with the country’s imports of gas from Africa also gradually increasing.

India traditionally buys oil from Nigeria, Angola, Algeria, Egypt and Equatorial Guinea, but in recent years, it has bought the commodity from Cameroon, Chad, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.

“Therefore, we would naturally be seeking commercial partners in Africa to meet India’s growing energy needs through imports of crude oil, LNG and other petroleum and energy products,” he stated.

State-run Indian companies have invested $8 billion in oil and gas assets in various African nations and India the

third-largest refiner in the world is a major exporter of refined fuels.

Africa is the second-largest destination for Indian refined fuels, Pradhan said, adding that rising demand for technology, fuels, skills and investment in some African nations offer India opportunities for equity investment and two-way tie-ups.

Nigeria is India’s 13th largest country of import behind other crude oil exporters such as the US, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and UAE and in contrast India is Nigeria’s largest export destination.

In the first quarter of 2020, Nigeria’s export to India was N637.5 billion or 15.6 per cent of total exports, with crude oil representing N526.8 billion of the total export amount.

India replaced the US as Nigeria’s largest export destination for crude as demand for crude increased in the second-most populous country in the world.

Meanwhile oil prices have continued to be weighed down by concerns about immediate demand amid a fresh rash of lockdowns in some countries, especially in Europe.

From a high of $71.38 earlier in the month, Brent Crude fell by 4.18 per cent to $61.92 before rising to about $63 yesterday.

The US crude prices traded below the $60 a barrel mark, at $59.02, down by 4.13 per cent on the day, but later picked up and sold for $60.66 as analysts point to an oversupply on the market.

Recovery remains fragile as new or extended lockdowns in Europe, including in Italy, France, and Germany, prompted concerns about mobility and oil demand in the next few weeks, while the vaccination programmes in many European countries are lagging behind the United States and the UK, for example, in terms of vaccination rates.

ENHANCING THE DRUG WAR...

Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Marwa (Rtd) (left), and European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Ketil Karlsen, during Marwa’s courtesy visit to the EU delegation office in Abuja…yesterday

FG: Medium Term Devt Plan Targets Job Creation, Poverty Reduction James Emejo in Abuja The Minister of State for Finance, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, yesterday listed the focus of the Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) 2021-2025, to be unveiled by the end of the first quarter of 2021, to include the elimination of poverty and enhancing job creation, rather than accelerating Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth alone.

Besides, the medium-term plan will review the public sector contract system as well as pay attention to regulatory issues.

Agba said yesterday in Abuja at the 19th edition of the Joint Planning Board (JPB/ National Council on Development Planning (JBP/ NCDP) meetings, that the strategic plan would help the government to deliver better living conditions to Nigerians.

The theme of the gathering is: 'National Development Planning in Nigeria: Issues and Challenges.'

The minister stated that the plan will be the first to implement the Nigeria Agenda 2050 and play a key role in delivering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 and African Union Agenda 2063.

The plan will also support the implementation of the nine priorities of the government, which are to stabilise the economy; ensure energy sufficiency in power and petroleum products; achieve agricultural and food security and improve transportation and other infrastructure.

Others are to drive industrialisation; improve health, education and productivity; enhance social security and reduce poverty as well as fight corruption and improve governance.

He said the intention of

the government was also to stabilise budget and government expenditure, diversify the economy and close fiscal deficit as well as to adopt proactive trade policies, prioritise self-reliance and homegrown solution, stressing that infrastructural development will not be downplayed.

According to him, governance and public sector capacity will be strengthened by ensuring transparency in the utilisation of resources.

Agba said though the implementation of the Nigeria Growth and Recovery Plan 20172020 had helped the country to come out of the 2016 and 2020 economic recessions, more efforts would be required on a sustainable basis to ensure economic stability and to strengthen the families and businesses affected by the COVID-19 lockdown.

He expressed concern about the implementation of the

previous development plans, which were marred by the lack of synergies between the state and federal governments.

As a result, he said achievements of NV20: 2020 and ERGP over the last 10 years and five years respectively, were "dwarfed by lack of synergies in the design and implementation of the national plans and state plans."

He stated that this also explained the "reason we were unsuccessful to address the booms and bust syndrome associated with the monocultural nature of our exports and revenue".

He said even though the ERGP helped to exit economic recessions, the country did not grow more than 0.75 per cent and 3.19 per cent on average during 2017-2020 and 2010-2020 respectively, due to lack of coordination between the state and federal governments

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PAGE NINE APC: WE ARE NOT IN A HURRY FOR NATIONAL CONVENTION revalidation of members are concluded.

Speaking to THISDAY against the backdrop of speculations that the committee is seeking another six-month tenure extension, Akpanudoedehe said the committee is determined to meet the deadline.

According to him, the caretaker committee, headed

by Governor of Yobe State, Mr. Mai Mala Buni, is waiting for the conclusion of the revalidation/registration of members exercise by the state chapters of the party before planning for the convention.

On the number of party members captured so far, Akpanudoedehe said he could not give an official figure because the registration and revalidation are still ongoing.

He stated that the party initially printed 12 million materials for the exercise, which was expended within

one week, stressing that at the moment more than 27 million materials have been printed.

He added that party leadership is under pressure from Kano, which is demanding for one-week extension and additional one million materials for the membership drive.

He said: "We will do everything humanly possible to meet the deadline. We are not liars to Nigerians. If we have a need to do anything, we will go to the National Executive Committee (NEC); it is not a public matter.

"I'm asking you a simple question, if we are going to conduct congresses, what are we going to use to conduct congresses? The materials must come; we must have a database in the party to sort out those things."

When asked if the committee would complete

its assignment within the timeframe given, Akpanudoedehe said it was an internal issue.

He added that there is peace in the party and, therefore, the party would not rush into doing anything.

He stated: "We are building the party; we have the time table to do congresses and we will do that.

"For your information now, we are having pressure from Kano to extend the registration exercise for one week. We are printing over one million materials for them.

"We will do what we say we will do. If we are going to extend, we will go to NEC and we will extend it; there is nothing you can do about it. If we are not extending, why are you pre-empting that we are extending when we are not?"

Akpanudoedehe explained

that it would be difficult for the party to release the timetable for congresses when the revalidation and registration have not ended.

“When you are doing congresses, what are you going to use for congresses?

Is it not the registration?

Allow them to return the materials. We will look at the materials; don't forget we are going to print membership cards. When we print the membership cards, we will give them to the people. So, when you go, you know who you are going to vote for.

Then we will elect officers,” he said.

He stated that what the committee has achieved within a little time is unprecedented.

He said: "Can you believe it? When you are attacking us under #EndSARS, we went for by-election; we won all the elections even in Lagos

State. Then, after #EndSARS, you said nobody will come to APC; one governor left.

During this turbulent time, we had a mass movement of people coming into our party. Those you think they will leave us they are actually those blocking people from coming into our party."

According to him, the committee is building a trouble-free party, while also bringing everybody on board.

He said: "Do you know what the enemies can do if you rush and you don't do well? You can do congress and people will be going to court at the end of the day and you will still have factions in the party. It happened before. If you were us, won't you take time to make sure everybody is on board and make sure you have hitch-free congresses and convention?”

He, however, said those spreading the rumour that

the committee was seeking to elongate its tenure had lost out.

According to him, "They lost out. Everyone that is on this committee is busy. With due respect, we are rich men.

The governor does not live on the money of the party. All the committee members - we don't take salary; we take sitting allowance. Everyone here is healthy on his own; they are employed; you can go and check.

“The former DG of Law School is Vice-Chancellor of Baze University. You have two governors, who are members and one governor is a chairman. Of course, you know me, I am a businessman; I have my office outside here. Then you have two sitting senators. You have Senator Ken Nnamani, former Senate president; you have Stella who is the executive director of one of the banks.”

FIXING NIGERIA’S CHALLENGES MUST PRECEDE 2023 GENERAL ELECTION, NORTHERN ELDERS INSIST are already planning for 2023 elections without first considering fixing the insecurity challenges of the country,” Baba-Ahmed said.

Suggesting that politicians in power and government are resisting the political demands for a review of the prevailing structure, he was sure that no president or politician would agree to restructure the country and whittle down the powers of the presidency and the National Assembly members, which he argued represent a threat to the country.

“No president, no governor, nor legislator, nor politician will agree to change the situation that they are benefiting from and this is the reason why we need to meet and fix the challenges before 2023 general elections,” he emphasised.

This stumbling block role and what he called the utterances of politicians, he said, pose more potent threats to the security of the nation than banditry and insurgency, adding that Nigerians must meet through various fora to discuss the insecurity and political challenges facing the country.

He cautioned politicians against unguided utterances targeted at Northerners, which he said, were threats to the sovereignty of Nigeria.

“The real threat to Nigeria is not just coming from bandits and protesters, but from our politicians who swore to protect the country, because of their utterances,” he stated.

On Saturday's attack on Benue State Governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom, he said

insecurity was worsening because of the vacuum created by ineffective leadership in the country.

He described President Muhammadu Buhari’s governance style as too slow, adding that Nigerians cannot wait for him to fix the county at his own leisure.

He, therefore, called for the immediate prosecution of all those involved in the attack on Ortom, especially the group that has claimed responsibility for the attack.

He stated that the Northern Elders Forum would not condone criminality and would not protect any criminal, even if such a criminal is of Fulani extraction.

According to him, the nation’s insecurity has become a threat to the people, the state and the nation, adding that the major threat is coming from politicians and leaders like Ortom.

Baba-Ahmed said: “Politicians who are planning for 2023 election, without thinking of how to fix the insecurity challenges of the country must be told that they are planning in the wrong direction.

“The country is in danger and we have never been in this kind of situation before that has to do with insecurity and threats to lives and property.

We have equally not seen a government that is too weak and ineffective to address our collective challenges.

“The future of Nigeria is being threatened by criminals and our leaders."

He expressed dissatisfaction

with the raging clamour for secession, sovereignty and self-determination by disparate groups, saying that Nigeria has never had this kind of clamour before.

He raised the alarm that the situation is worrisome to all Nigerians, including the Northern elders.

“As Northern Elders Forum, we have played our roles to uphold the unity of Nigeria to the level that will serve everybody’s interest, and we will continue to play that role,” he said.

He complained that the elders had seen situations where people singled out the North as the only obstacle to them, stating that the profiling stood rejected.

“We will like to sit with Nigerians from other regions to address our collective challenges as a nation, if only the other regions are willing to discuss with us. Most Nigerian leaders and politicians who are supposed to rise up and speak against the ills of the society, are not doing so because they have lost their political ground to millions of Nigerians,” he stated.

He accused politicians of deploying inciting rhetoric to cause tensions in the country.

“A good example is the utterances coming from South-west politicians that are supposed to be one of the enlightened people in Nigeria.

They are truly enlightened people that had always said they stood for progress, yet they make statements that are worrisome and targeted at the North, and we are worried

about such statements. The North will not join issues with them and we appeal to responsible Nigerians not to sell the country to brigands and lawbreakers,” he said.

Baba-Ahmed regretted that the Yoruba, who are the most sophisticated people in the country, are not coming out to speak against the ills in the society, pointing out that Nigeria is one country and that what happens in Borno State affects other parts of the country.

He accused both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of grounding the economy, adding that members of both parties are not willing to change their strategies because of their personal interests, which they placed above national interest.

He added that they are not paying attention to the welfare and security of the people because their interest is not about the people.

On the solutions to the many challenges of the country, BabaAhmed said: “Nigerians must rise to take strong initiatives as citizens of Nigeria since the country can no longer rely on President Muhammadu Buhari or the governors of the various states. Not even members of the National Assembly can address the challenges of Nigeria.

“The truth is that there is enough reason to question the efficacy and the legitimacy of the Nigerian state, in terms of its commitment to protecting the people of Nigeria. The way to go about it is to talk to each other even though we have

some Nigerians that are scared to say the truth in the face of daunting challenges.

"From the Northern Elders Forum group, we are already talking to other groups and people in the country to re-engineer some forms of consensus that will move Nigeria forward.”

He also urged Nigerians to discuss constitution amendment and the decentralisation of power to reduce the overbearing powers of the federal government.

According to him, the federal government controls the police, the military and all the security structures of the country and Nigerians must find ways to decentralise power at the centre to strengthen the states.

“People who think the solution lies in the National Assembly are mistaken because the National Assembly is made up of people that represent the people of Nigeria from various constituencies, but they have drawn a line between national interest and personal interest.

At the National Assembly, there are no activists to address fundamental issues about the federal system and we must go beyond this by making Nigerians to meet and talk to each other to address our collective challenges. When we meet, we will be engaging the National Assembly with some useful documents that will help address the challenges of Nigeria,” Baba-Ahmed said.

When asked what he would do if he has an opportunity to advise Buhari on insecurity, he said he would question him about the insecurity and let

took the matter to court.”

Also speaking on the Court ruling, Tambari said; “This is a great win for we the shareholders. We have endured too much pain these past four years. To worsen it, we had no oversight of what was going on in the company.

“We can’t continue like this, especially in these trying times when every penny counts. I thank the government for giving us confidence in the justice system. We, the common man, have nowhere to go but the court and they have ruled in our favour which means no one can escape justice.

“I thank the management of Oando for persevering this long and also the employees at Oando for standing by the company even in these trying

times. I hope that this ruling SEC can allow us to hold our AGM and SEC will leave the company's management to run the business.”

Badmus said: “The good of the company has to be for the good of all stakeholders. We have absolute faith in Oando, its board and management, hence our resolve to stand by the company. As stakeholders, though minority shareholders, we still value our investment and the path being taken by the company.

“We are confident that the board and management will not launder or plunge the company into deliberate difficulty. When the regulators wanted to impose new management on the company, we frowned at it and thankfully that didn’t happen.

him know that something was fundamentally wrong either with him or with the people he entrusted with governance.

He said: “I will let him know he is too slow and indecisive in taking decisions that affects national security.

“If I have an opportunity to speak with the president, I will say: ‘Sir, please wake up and smell the coffee, this country is falling apart. It is in very serious danger; it is going down under your watch. You swore in 2015 and again in 2019 that you will protect the citizens, the territorial integrity of Nigeria. Sorry, sir, you are not doing that, doing it well or you are not doing it at all.

And one of the things you should do is to call about 200 to 500 Nigerians, without any preconditions, and say: ‘ladies and gentlemen, I believe that this government will benefit from some quality advice in terms of the way forward.

‘Two, take your governors more into confidence, speak to them. They are very important people. They have responsibilities under the constitution and they are able to carry out those responsibilities, particularly on matters of security. What do you want? What can we do together? What can I do for you and what can we consider a legitimate idea or a crazy idea?

‘Thirdly, please ask real questions about what is going on with the security in this country. Something is wrong.

You keep changing things but we see the same result.’

AGAIN, COURT NULLIFIES SEC’S REMOVAL OF OANDO DIRECTORS therefore, not a capital markets issue, hence it was completely under the jurisdiction of the FHC under Section 251 of the constitution.

The court further held that SEC was wrong in assuming that the shareholders were challenging SEC’s regulatory powers over Oando, whereas what the shareholders claimed was that SEC exceeded its regulatory powers thereby making all their actions to date illegal and an infringement of their rights.

The court also granted all the prayers sought by the shareholders, specifically that SEC intervening in Oando Plc’s management without sharing the forensic audit report that led to the sanctions against the company and the concerned

directors was beyond the scope of its powers.

Exactly a month ago, the High Court Abuja, had ruled in favour of another Oando shareholder, Patrick Ajudua, who filed a suit against the commission for breach of his rights as a shareholder. The court had ruled in his favour ordering Oando to hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) within 90 days of the ruling.

The plethora of court cases against SEC has been necessitated by the frustrations of shareholders. Specifically, minority shareholders have seen the regulator at loggerheads with Oando for nearly four years.

At the FHC in Kano, the displeased shareholders called

the ruling a big win.

Kabiru, one of the applicants, an Oando shareholder since 1991, explained why he decided to sue the apex regulator.

He said: “I was not happy with the current state of my investment, so I had to do something about it. I invested my money heavily with the hopes of capital appreciation and this has not been the case.

“This SEC and Oando case is affecting the valuation of our investment; it gets worse each year. For over two years now, we have been totally in the dark about our investment in Oando. Year on year, our investment has depreciated. We are tired! We have reached out to the SEC and appealed for a resolution, but they haven’t listened to us, that’s why we

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THURSDAY MARCH 18, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Ortom Petitions IG on Assassination Attempt Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja Benue State Governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom, yesterday formally presented a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, over last Saturday’s attempt by gunmen,

suspected to be herdsmen, to kill him.

THISDAY gathered that the IG has also ordered the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB), Mr. Tijani Baba, to expedite action

Zamfara, Sokoto Govs Storm Delta, Inaugurate Projects

on the investigation.

Force Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Frank Mba, a Commissioner of Police, told THISDAY last night that Ortom met with the IG at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, and formally presented the petition to him.

“I can confirm to you that the Benue State governor met with the IG today (yesterday) and formally presented a petition on the reported attack on him.

“The IG has expeditiously ordered the DIG Force Intelligence Bureau to take up the investigation,” he said.

The meeting came days after an assassination attempt on the governor by suspected herdsmen.

A group, Fulani Nationalist Movement (FUNAM), had claimed responsibility for the attack.

Ortom yesterday posted a photograph of him with the IG on his Twitter handle, @

govSamuelOrtom, after the meeting in Abuja.

Ortom captioned the picture: “Earlier today with @PoliceNG IG Mohammed Adamu, after a meeting in Abuja.”

The suspected assassins attacked the governor while he was on his way back from his farm in the outskirts of Makurdi.

Following the development, the IG ordered a full-scale investigation into the circumstances surrounding

the attack.

He also ordered the deployment of a team of specialised investigators from the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID), Abuja in Benue State to support the Benue State Police Command in investigating the attack.

Ortom had also met with President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, and he later told journalists that he had no reason to fake the attack.

Tambuwal canvasses constitutional role for traditional rulers Okowa, a true bridge builder, says Matawalle Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba Governor of Zamfara State, Mr. Bello Mohammed, and his Sokoto State counterpart, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, yesterday stormed Delta State to perform the inauguration of several projects.

The two governors were in the state on the invitation of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for the formal inauguration of some projects completed by his administration, including secondary school in Agbor, an ultra-modern Delta State Council of Traditional Rulers Secretariat at Asaba as well as a network of about a dozen roads in Okpanam, an adjoining town of Asaba, the state capital.

Tambuwal, who is also the Chairman of the Forum of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors, made a strong case for constitutional role to be restored or created for traditional rulers in Nigeria.

Speaking while declaring open the royal fathers’ secretariat, Tambuwal said that the governors of states in northern Nigeria have begun the process of working for an amendment of the Nigerian Constitution to provide specific role for traditional rulers because of their invaluable contribution to the political, cultural and democratic development of the country.

The Sokoto State governor described the traditional institution as “an inexhaustible fountain” from which leaders

in this country, including all the governors and even the President of Nigeria should drink.

He therefore sued for the support of governors of the southern states of Nigeria to throw their weight behind the move of their southern Nigeria counterparts in order to realize the needed constitutional amendment prescribing the role of the royal fathers in the scheme of things under the country’s present democratic system.

Tambuwal, however, commen-ded Okowa for his commitment not only to the development of the people of Delta State through the massive and equitable distribution of various facilities but also for his keen interest in things that unite the country.

He recalled that Okowa, who had invited him three times to launch different projects, actually first invited him to inaugurated a batch of entrepreneurial skills trainees and Trade Fair even while he (Tambuwal) was still a member of the All ProgressivesCongress (APC), noting that such a friendly gesture only underscored his host’s genuine patriotic credentials.

“When you first invited me, I was in APC; so, it wasn’t because of PDP or party affiliation,” Tambuwal said, adding, “we need to bury whatever differences that may exist among us in this country; let us unite for the sake of even future generations unborn.”

RECOGNISING THE ROYAL FATHERS…

L-R: Vice Chairman, Delta State Traditional Rulers’ Council and Pere of Akugbene-Mein Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Pere Kalanama VIII; Chairman and Obi of Owa Kingdom, Dr. Emmanuel Efeizomor II; Governor of Zamfara State, Hon. Bello Mohammed Matawalle; Sokoto State Governor.

Hon. Aminu Tambuwal; Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; and his deputy, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro, during the inauguration of Delta State Traditional Rulers’ Council Secretariat, at Asaba…yesterday

FG Rejects TI’s Rating of Nigeria’s Anti-corruption War Deji Elumoye in Abuja The recent poor rating of Nigeria in its anti-corruption campaign by the Transparency International (TI) received the attention of the federal government yesterday as it punctured the assessment, saying it was full of discrepancies, inaccurate data and indices.

The National Contact to TI in Nigeria, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), had on Tuesday, accused the present Nigerian government of not being transparent in its anti-corruption

crusade and management of recovered assets.

But in a swift response, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, told reporters at the end of the weekly virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting emphasised that TI has been using incorrect indices to rate Nigeria in the last decade.

He said TI had failed to make use of available data on the federal government’s various reforms and other preventive steps, all focused on making a success of the anti-corruption crusade.

According to him, Nigerian has taken another look at TI’s ratings and criticism of the administration’s anti-graft crusade and had discovered that despite all moves made over the years, the international organisation’s details of its rating of Nigeria had been consistent for 10 years.

The Minister stressed that what had been pushed out by TI about Nigeria’s corruption perception index in the last few years were not real reflections of what is on ground, saying much had been done to change the influence of corruption in the country.

He expressed optimism that the results of the various reforms and hard work being put into the corruption fight by the federal government will soon start to yield result and will be reflecting in international rating of the country.

Mohammed said: “We actually also analysed the process that the TI used in the rating that was used recently and we found quite a few discrepancies in the rating process, including some data sources in which Nigeria’s course has remained flat over the past 10 years.”

Tinubu Donates N50m to Lagoon Hospitals Bags JCI Accreditation for Four Consecutive Times by the JCI for four consecutive JCI expert surveyors evaluated measurable elements or Key Victims of Katsina Market Fire Peter Uzoho times and also one of the two the group’s compliance with Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has donated N50 million to the victims of Katsina Central Market fire incident and called for the reopening of the market to enable traders resume commercial activities.

The former Lagos State governor, who announced the donation while addressing the affected traders at the ravaged market yesterday, said he would continue to support the state government and the traders to rebuild the affected shops.

Tinubu, who was accompanied to the scene by Governor Aminu Bello Masari; his Deputy, Hon. Mannir Yakubu and the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Mustapha Inuwa, expressed shock over the fire disaster.

He said the immediate reopening of the market would enable the victims to ascertain the number of properties lost and kickstart their means of livelihoods.

He, however, admonished Nigerians to shun violence and acts capable of disrupting peace and stability of the country, saying no meaningful development could be achieved in an atmosphere of rancour.

He explained that it had become imperative to promote unity and harmonious coexistence as well as address the nagging social and economic problems facing the country.

He said: “I am here to commiserate with the governor and the people of Katsina State, especially men and women who are affected by the fire. I have donated N50 million to the affected traders. “Whatever affects the people of Katsina State affects me too and that is why I am here.

“We will continue to promote unity and collaboration among members of communities in our country.

We cannot displace ourselves, but unite ourselves to promote peace and stability”.

Lagoon Hospitals, Nigeria’s largest private healthcare services group, has received for the fourth consecutive times, the Joint International Commission (JCI)’s ‘The Gold Seal of Approval’.

The Gold Seal of Approval is an accreditation of the United States-based JCI, done every three years, which symbolises quality that reflects an organisation’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care.

Lagoon Hospitals headquartered in Ikoyi, Lagos, recently emerged as the only hospital group in Nigeria and West Africa to be accredited

healthcare services groups in Sub-Saharan Africa to receive the accreditation.

The hospital first bagged the accreditation in 2011 and repeated it in 2015, 2018 and 2021.

Announcing the latest accreditation yesterday in Lagos at a press conference, the Chief Executive Officer, Lagoon Hospitals, Dr. Olujimi Coker, said the “re-accreditation by the JCI demonstrates our continuous compliance with internationally-recognised standard.”

Coker explained that the hospital underwent a rigorous survey during which a team of

hospital standards related to a a variety of areas.

Such areas, according to him, included international patient safety goals, patient assessment and care, anesthesia and surgical care, medication management, patient and family education, and quality improvement, infection prevention and control.

He added that other such criteria looked at by the JCI were governance and leadership, facility management, staff qualifications and education, and information management.

Coker said JCI representatives commended the hospital for passing the more than 1,200

to retain its status as a quality improvement organisation.

He noted that the achievement demonstrates the hospital’s commitment to patient safety and quality, adding that just like it did not feel complacent in the previous accreditations, this latest one would spur it to be more committed to quality healthcare delivery.

Speaking on the importance of the accreditation to the hospital and to Nigeria’s healthcare system, Coker said for the hospital, it meant more responsibility in guaranteeing the safety and effective care of its patients.

FG, ASUU Meet to Review Implementation of Agreements Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The federal government has fixed a meeting with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) today to consider progress made in the implementation of agreements reached to suspend the ninemonth-old strike.

A statement signed by the Deputy Director, Press, Mr. Charles Akpan said the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige will be meeting with the ASUU leadership today.

In the agreement reached with ASUU, the federal government had accepted among others, the

union’s demand to pay lecturers’ salaries withheld during their strike.

It also approved the release of N40 billion as Earned Allowances to university workers, and N30 billion as revitalisation fund to fix dilapidated infrastructure in the institutions.

Other agreements for which timelines for their implementation were contained in the agreement signed include; setting up of new Visitation Panels for universities and embarking on measures to check proliferation of state universities and poor funding by state governments.

THURSDAY MARCH 25, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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THURSDAY MARCH 25, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Gunmen Kidnap FCTA Worker, Three Others, Demand 200m Ransom Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

Gunmen have abducted a worker with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and three other persons during a pre-dawn raid on Kiyi Town, in Kuje Area Council, Abuja.

Residents disclosed that scores of men, armed with

AK-47 guns, went from house to house to carry out the raid, between 12. 30 am and 2 am yesterday when the residents had fallen asleep. The FCTA worker alleged to be have been kidnapped is one Mr. Salami Olalekan.

Olalekan’s elder brother, Mr. William Olalekan, confirmed

the incident yesterday.

He said the kidnappers, who had made contact with the families of the abducted persons, were demanding a ransom of N50 million for each person. The other victims are a

motorcycle rider, a technician and a taxi driver.

He said the kidnappers did not remove any property in his brother’s house except a cooking pot, which they probably intended to use for

cooking in the bush.

He also said the Police antikidnapping squad had visited the area after the incident was reported.

The FCT Police Command Public Relations Officer, ASP

Mariam Yusuf, confirmed the kidnapping of the four persons.

She also said the FCT Police Command had launched an operation to rescue the victims and apprehend the fleeing suspects.

FG Okays N83.08bn for Fertilizer, Transformers, Projects in FCT, Three States The federal government is to spend N82 billion to complete some infrastructural projects, including roads in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

It has also approved the procurement of fertilizers worth N922.8 million for three states in the North-east recently affected by insurgency and flood disaster as well as N158 million for the purchase of four power transformers and one million metres for electricity consumers.

These were the highlights of yesterday’s Virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Briefing journalists at the State House, Abuja, after the cabinet

meeting, the FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello said the FEC approved over N82 billion for the completion of infrastructure projects within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

He said the approved contracts also include that rehabilitation of the Federal Secretariat, Abuja which has been in use since 1993.

He said: “I presented six memos and all have to do with infrastructure and infrastructure related projects. The first one is for the revision of the contracts for the rehabilitation and expansion of the outer Southern Express Way to Ring Road I in the Federal Capital city. That contract was approved at a varied contract amount of N15, 125, 122, 967.”

NDLEA Lists Eight Countries with Visa Clearance Requirements Michael Olugbode in Abuja The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), has listed the eight countries, which require that it gives a mandatory visa clearance to those intending to travel to their countries.

The countries are: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Brazil, Pakistan, Philippines and Russia.

The NDLEA disclosed the name of the countries to debunk claims that it was introducing a levy to travellers, insisting that the requirement from the eight countries was not new but had been in existence for 24 years.

A statement issued yesterday by the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr. Femi

Babafemi noted that the attention of the agency had been drawn to what it described as some misinformation and misconceptions about a 24-yearold visa clearance policy, which requires Nigerians travelling to some countries to meet certain requirements before getting clearance from the NDLEA. “The anti-drug law enforcement agency wishes to state as follows: that the policy was not newly created to impose levies on Nigerians travelling abroad but has been in existence for over 24 years.”

He added that: “The policy does not apply to all Nigerians seeking to travel overseas but only those travelling to eight countries, usually referred to as ‘source countries’.

Abiodun Pays N500m to Ogun Pensioners Kayode Fasua in Abeokuta Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has released over N500 million to offset arrears of salaries and pensions owed retirees in the state.

He disclosed the gesture yesterday while distributing cheques to pensioners in Abeokuta, the state capital.

“Today, we will be distributing the first installment of quarterly provision of a minimum of N500 million among the various cadres of pensioners under the state government, local government, as well as the commencement of the argumentation of the shortfall on the BRT payment,” he disclosed He said the payments were all inherited liabilities from previous administrations, adding also that the process of paying the gratuities had started.

“This is a promise made and promise kept,” he stressed.

The governor said the arrangement was already in place to substantially increase quarterly provisions for the retirees once the economy of the state got better.

“Apart from the payment of monetary entitlements, let me also assure our elder statesmen and women that we are committed to providing other opportunities for them under our social welfare scheme.

“I enjoin our dear elders to take advantage of our administration’s various social intervention programmes. For those of you who are into micro and small businesses, you can key into micro credit scheme that provides a window for women to access financial resources,” he said.

PROMOTING LOCAL CONTENT...

L-R: Commandant, Nigerian Navy Engineering College, Commodore Nanle Damtong; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; Flag Officer Commanding Logistics Command, Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Sileranda Lassa; and Chief of Administration, Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral Mohammed Nagenu, inspecting some furniture made at the Nigerian Navy Engineering College, Sapele, Delta State...yesterday

Kidnappers Abduct Three Farm Managers in Kwara, Demand N45m Ransom Hammed Shittu in Ilorin Three farm managers were allegedly kidnapped by six heavily armed suspected kidnappers at their commercial poultry farms at Pampo community in Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The kidnappers, who were dressed in army uniform and armed with AK47 rifles, have

demanded a total sum of N45 million from the families of the farm managers.

The incident, according to THISDAY checks, happened at about 4:00 p.m. on Monday in the agricultural farm community located on Eyenkorin Afon Ogele Road.

It was gathered that the suspected kidnappers shot into the air when they arrived in a Hilux vehicle at one of the

two farms they carried out their operation.

The suspected kidnappers reportedly got hold of the chief security officer of the farm and locked him inside a room before they took away the two farm managers in the first poultry farm.

The Proprietor of the Mirola Farm, Mr. Sanmi Omopariola, told journalists in Ilorin yesterday that the bandits also abducted

his farm manager when they visited his farm on their way out of the community.

Omopariola, who said that the suspected kidnappers had contacted the farm owners, added that they demanded a total sum of N45 million for the three abducted people made up of two males and one female.

He alleged that the bandits spoke like Fulani when he talked with them on phone.

Senate Okays Fund for Dead Military, Security Operatives’ Families The Senate yesterday passed for second reading, a bill seeking to establish a fund specifically to cater for the welfare of families of dead military and security personnel.

The bill for an Act to Establish the Families of Fallen Servicemen Support Fund was sponsored by Senator Abba Moro.

Moro told his colleagues that the piece of legislation, would, among other things, establish a fund to be known as ‘The

Families of Fallen Serviceman Support Fund.’

He said all monies prescribed under the Bill as donations, bequeaths, trusts, and contributions for the welfare of families of members of the armed forces and operatives of other security agencies who die in the line of duty including combat and noncombat duties, shall be paid into the fund.

He said, “We all know that

coping with the death of loved ones is an enormous load to bear as it sparks traumatic heartbreaks that can lead to feelings of desertion or indignation in addition to deep poignancy.

“In the case of families of fallen heroes, it is even more burdensome because, in any of such circumstances of the loss of a loved one, a grieving spouse may have the additional responsibility of caring for the children.”

He said leaders of the military widows association have stated that there were more than 11,000 registered members.

He added that “given the security situation in our dear country Nigeria, it has become pertinent to enact a law that will establish a Fund to take care of the welfare challenges facing the indigent families of security operatives who die in the line of duty.”

...Adjourns Plenary to April 13, Goes on Easter Break Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu in Abuja The Senate yesterday adjourned plenary for 19 days to enable the lawmakers proceed on Easter break.

President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, who made the announcement on the floor of the chamber, said the break would

last for three weeks, commencing from today, March 25 till Tuesday, April 13, 2021.

He however said the Upper Chamber would be holding committee meetings during the break.

Lawan added that on resumption from the break, the Senate will receive reports from its committees on Petroleum Industry

Bill (PIB) and the Electoral Act Amendment Bill for consideration.

Meanwhile, the Senate at yesterday’s plenary passed for second reading a Bill seeking to implement paragraph 5 of President Muhammadu Buhari’s executive order on open defecation, to create a legislation on the practice of open defecation with appropriate sanctions and

penalties for offenders.

The legislation titled, ‘The Clean Nigeria Agency Establishment Bill 2021, is sponsored by Senator Clifford Ordia (Edo, Central).

Recall that on 20th November, 2019, President Buhari issued a Presidential Executive Order 009 on “The Open Defecation Free Nigeria by 2025 and Other Related Matters”.

JAMB Announces Date for 2021 UTME, Lists New Requirement for Application Kuni Tyessi in Abuja The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that the 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration exercise will start from April 8 to May 15, 2021.

The examination body, which made this known in a statement yesterday in Abuja, also announced the commencement of registration of candidates for the 2021 UTME and Direct Entry (DE).

The statement signed by the Head of Public Affairs and Protocol of JAMB,

Dr. Fabian Benjamin, said candidates must have National Identity Number (NIN) before registration can be carried out.

It stated that registration would take place in 700 centres across the country and that the list is available in all the state offices and

JAMB website.

It also advised candidates that the registration for DE applicants would run concurrently with that of UTME candidates, adding that there would be no extension of time for the sale of the UTME/DE application documents.

THURSDAY MARCH 25, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021

COMMENT

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

TIME TO STOP ILLICIT FINANCIAL FLOWS

Iliyasu Gashinbaki canvasses the need to pass the bill on Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Examiners into law

T

he Joint African Union Commission/United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (AUC/ECA) High Level Panel Report on illicit financial flows from Africa, estimates that Africa is losing in excess of $50 billion a year to illicit flows. Of these, about $10billion, approximately 20%, is from Nigeria alone. The report makes the startling claim that over the past 50 years, Africa has lost more than $1 trillion, equivalent to all the official development assistance received during the same period.

A quick review of the global statistics on frauds and corruption shows that the damage suffered by African countries due to frauds, embezzlement, economic crimes, financial crimes and corruption is estimated at about 25% of the combined annual budgets of the entire continent. Unfortunately, if nothing is done to reverse this trend, it will exceed 45% of total combined annual budgets of African countries by 2050. The GDP of the world economy, comprising 194 economies, in 2020, is projected around US$83.84 trillion according to the IMF. While in the same year 2020, the total global frauds, economic crimes and corruption was over $8.3 trillion; and Nigeria is amongst the top 10 countries that are victims!

Every dollar that leaves one country must end up in another. Very often, this means that illicit financial outflows from developing countries ultimately end up in banks in developed countries like the United States and United Kingdom, as well as in tax havens like Switzerland, British Virgin Islands, or Singapore.

The Society for Forensic Accounting and Fraud Prevention (SFAFP) has watched the situation with growing concern and apprehension.

Ways and means were examined to reduce to the barest minimum illicit financial flows from Africa which is today the biggest blow to the growth and development of the continent in general and Nigeria in particular.

The Society is of course willing to support the federal government and its relevant law enforcement agencies to build capacity on how to limit illicit financial flows and increase financial transparency; detect and deter cross-border tax evasion; eliminate anonymous shell companies; strengthen anti-money laundering laws and practices; work to curtail trade over or under invoicing; and improve transparency of multinational corporations among others.

But to completely checkmate illicit financial flows alongside other economic crimes it became exceedingly necessary, indeed urgent to come up with a bill to establish the Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Examiners dedicated wholly to this cause.

The key strategic objective of the bill when passed into law is to significantly reduce both domestic and global challenges posed by embezzlement, organized crime, money laundering, terrorist financing, trans-national organized crime and cybercrimes by training and deploying competent professional forensic experts, fraud examiners and investigative professionals that would meet the demand of the growing complexities of the financial system and the digital economy.

The promoters of the bill are multi-disciplinary professionals covering (accounting, fraud examination, forensics, computer science, law, criminology, medicine, investigation, sociology, psychology, etc.)

The team is led by the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria

THE KEY STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE OF THE BILL WHEN PASSED INTO LAW IS TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE BOTH DOMESTIC AND GLOBAL CHALLENGES POSED BY EMBEZZLEMENT, ORGANIZED CRIME, MONEY LAUNDERING, TERRORIST FINANCING AND TRANS-NATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME

(ANAN) and the Society for Forensic Accounting and Fraud Prevention (SFAFP). ANAN is the only chartered professional accountancy body in Nigeria empowered by law to teach as well as examine and advance the science of accountancy. ANAN was formed on 1st January, 1979, incorporated on 28th September, 1983 and was finally chartered

by Decree 76 of 1993 on 25th August, 1993. Meanwhile, ANAN had established and has been successfully running the Nigerian College of Accountancy and currently the ANAN University.

When passed into law, the Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Examiners shall ensure maximum institutional strengthening and capacity building of professional practitioners, law enforcement agencies, public and private enterprises in Nigeria and beyond. The multi-disciplinary nature and diversity of the use of various forensics professionals will give the following unique and immediate benefits: Provide technical assistance and capacity building on how to block linkages and eliminate the reckless waste of public resources/funds; facilitate assets tracing and the recovery of financial and non-financial resources across the three tiers of government (Federal, State and Local Governments) and arms of governments (Executive, Legislature and Judiciary); provide an overarching multi-disciplinary regulatory standards and professional code of conduct/ethics for the practice and regulation of various forensic disciplines in Nigeria; reduce frauds, embezzlement, economic crimes, financial crimes and corruption significantly in both public and private sectors of the economy; provide technical assistance and capacity building on forensics and fraud examinations for tertiary institutions in Nigeria (colleges, polytechnics and universities); provide technical assistance and capacity building on anti-corruption through continuous skills development for professional practitioners, law enforcement agencies, public and private enterprises in Nigeria and beyond.

Also, to foster international cooperation and enhancement of foreign direct investment into the country by creating safe and investment friendly environment for investors; promote transparency and accountability in dealing with public and private sector operations in the economy; create huge job opportunities for the multi- disciplinary professions with the fraud examination ecosystem; create huge job opportunities for the multi- disciplinary professions with the forensics ecosystem; deepen democracy and promote transparent elections by ensuring proper forensic evidence are tracked, traced and preserved during elections and create jobs in the 774 local governments because of its wide applications and operations, which cut across the three tiers and arms of the government and also the private sector. The bill when passed into law, will help Nigeria to fight corruption, trace-track-recover lost funds/assets/resources, build capacity, attract foreign investments and build/restore the confidence of investors in the Nigeria economy.

I believe the time to stop illicit financial flows from Africa is now.

And the passage of the bill to establish the Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Examiners into law presently at the House of Representatives is the necessary first step…

-Gashinbaki is President/Chairman of Council, Society for Forensic Accounting and Fraud Prevention. He wrote via gashinbaki@gmail.com

WHAT DOYORUBA PEOPLE WANT?

Yoruba people want a peaceful and secure Nigeria that works for everyone, writes Olusegun Adeniyi Continued from back page

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s I have said repeatedly on this page, it is President Muhammadu Buhari who unwittingly created the climate of suspicion that now plays into the hands of ethnic entrepreneurs in a toxic political season. When the herdsmen madness started, the federal government sent out conflicting messages, even in the face of a clear erosion of its sovereign legitimacy. Experts have always argued that there are three classes of Fulani herders in Nigeria. The first are those who settle near communities and you find them in several states across the country.

They pose no problem to their neighbours. The second group are Nigerian nomads who roam the forests and often engage in confrontation with farmers when crops are destroyed. The challenges arising from these frictions are also manageable. The third category belongs to foreign invaders who are actually responsible for most of the havoc being committed in the country. They represent the ‘Amunibuni’ for the entire Fulani. The problem is that rather than go after them, government officials make excuses for the atrocities they commit.

In January 2018, then Defence Minister, Mansur Dan-Ali said: “Since the nation’s Independence, we know there used to be a route whereby the cattle rearers take because they are all over the nation. If those routes are blocked what do you expect will happen?”

Despite public reaction to what was clearly an irresponsible justification of the killings by a

high-ranking cabinet member, President Buhari did not sanction Dan-Ali. Nor did he reprimand any of the other officials who became spokesmen for violent herdsmen with jejune arguments that there are no national boundaries for Fulanis. Then we were told that cattle could graze freely anywhere in the country and that herdsmen have a right to carry AK-47’s while roaming. Those responsible for killing, kidnapping, raping and maiming rural dwellers were also canonized with ‘reparation’ demands made for them, resulting in criminality being coloured in identity politics.

With time, some public officials, politicians and ethnic champions became ‘Amunibuni’ for Buhari since people were using their rhetoric to judge the president. To compound the challenge, it seems this government does not trust people from some ethnic groups or religious persuasion when it comes to certain critical appointments, especially within the security apparatus and the commanding heights of the economy. I will be dealing with this issue another day, but the tweet last week by Ms Amina Ado sums everything up. Though only a few people paid attention, perhaps because they do not know who she is. Until recently Amina Ado was a Senior Special Assistant to the president in the office of the Chief of Staff and being a northerner, she cannot be accused of promoting an ethnic agenda. That making strategic concessions is beyond this administration is an embarrassment, even for many northerners. That is because they are also aware that the appointments being cornered by a tiny clique is not to promote any

‘Northern agenda’ (whatever that may mean) but rather in pursuit of the personal interest by those who nominate these individuals.

This explains why they go for their in-laws, kinsmen, friends and the like. Yet nepotism in critical appointments engenders collective insults in the manner of ‘Abunibuni’.

This then brings me to the real meaning of the word. Yoruba loses its flavour when you translate into English but ‘Amunibuni’ is better explained in the complete idiom: “Amunibuni ewure ibiye. Ibiye f’oju otun, ewure re fo t’osi”.

Crudely interpreted, it means if a goat is blind on the left eye and its owner is blind on the right eye, any discussion about the goat would always bring into focus the condition of the owner. As one scholar expanded on the idiom, the real message is in the ambiguity that could come from describing the goat as ‘ ran olójú kan’ which could be interpreted either as a ‘one-eyed goat’ or ‘the goat of a one-eyed person’. Both definitions are correct but the latter brings the owner into the conversation.

Today, any discussion about killings by ‘herdsmen’ brings attention to the inequity in the distribution of opportunities in Abuja. The result is that when you encounter cows on the highway, you look at the poor herder just trying to eke out a living and you blame him for all the problems of Nigeria!

For a president in his second and final term, Buhari should be concerned about the legacy he intends to bequeath Nigeria. Railways and infrastructural developments are good but what people remember are intangibles (hearts and minds issues). And that is where he is fail-

ing miserably. Beyond the optics of nepotistic appointments and insecurity challenges, is the perennial question of President Buhari’s body language. For instance, if he had responded the way he did last week to the attempt on Governor Sam Ortom to the killings in Benue State when 70 coffins were displayed on a single day in 2019, the situation could have been different. Fortunately, the president still has an opportunity to change the course of affairs and with that, the perception of his stewardship.

Meanwhile, at a time when emotions run high and reason seems to have taken flight, it is important for critical stakeholders in Yorubaland to help checkmate all appeals to hate, ethno-religious profiling and guilt by association. There is an urgent need for the Yoruba elite to take charge of the narrative so as not to unleash a chain of actions that will make the zone worse off or make it another front of instability in the country. We should do everything to restrain those who wittingly or unwittingly sow seeds of reprisal killings that could begin a train of events nobody can predict.

Striving to build a modern nation on the foundation of primordial tribal instincts will not move Nigeria forward. And I do not believe that is what the Yoruba people seek. As Governor Oyetola explained, and I have heard from several other stakeholders, what Yoruba people demand is a peaceful and secure Nigeria that works for all citizens and where there is equity and justice in the distribution of opportunities.

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T H I S D AY • THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021

EDITORIAL ABERRATION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS The administration of local councils needs clear reforms

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n Nigeria, local government is the third tier of government and there are 774 of them in the country. They were established to promote development at the grassroots level and are backed by Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution which guarantees that they be administered by democratically elected officials. The constitution further mandates state governments to ensure their existence under a law which provides for their establishment, structure, composition, finance and functions. These constitutional provisions were reaffirmed in 2016 by the Supreme Court when it put a seal on the question of whether state governments can terminate the tenure of elected local government administrations. The apex court which ruled that it was illegal for any governor to terminate the tenure of elected local government officials also shut down the idea of appointing caretaker administration to run them.

However, in total disregard for the law, no fewer than 13 states across the country are still running local government administration without elected officials. In these states, local governments are being administered by caretaker committees appointed by the THE NATION GENERALLY governors. Yet, in a judgment delivered SUFFERS BECAUSE on 9th December THIS IS THE LEVEL OF 2016, the Supreme GOVERNMENT THAT IS CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE Court had voided laws enacted by AND SHOULD BE THE states’ Houses of MOST RESPONSIVE TO Assembly which THEIR NEEDS empower governors to sack elected local government chairmen and councillors and replace them with handpicked administrators. In the unanimous judgment of five justices, the apex court described the sacking of elected local government administrators as “executive recklessness” that should stop immediately. But the judgement has been largely ignored.

The 1999 Constitution in its Fourth Schedule outlines the functions, duties and responsibilities of the local governments. Unfortunately, the constitu-

Letters to the Editor

tion is completely silent regarding any protective mechanism that guarantees their financial and political autonomy. There is not even a clear-cut guideline as to a timeline for elections of the officials. Most of these crucial decisions are left at the whims of the state governors who have effectively hijacked the local governments in their states, using their funds to dispense patronage to cronies.

This sorry state of affairs has, not unexpectedly, engendered all manner of agitations from various quarters asking that the local government system either be scrapped or made financially autonomous so as to enable them perform their expected duties to the people.

E T H I S DAY EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI AJAYI, DAVIDSON IRIEKPEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE

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

ven in states where local government elections are being held as a matter of routine, it is not lost on Nigerians that many of the elected chairmen and councilors actually got rigged into office with the support of the governors - a fact which compromises them from the start. After their elections, many of them are either only too grateful to do the biddings of the governors or are too scared to assert their independence. In most cases, they are constantly reminded of the skewed process that brought them to office. They are therefore inundated with warnings on the repercussions of holding any dissenting views. The state’s houses of assembly would further compound this situation by issuing threats of impeachment to the beleaguered council bosses.

Cowed and compromised, council officials end up not achieving much to the chagrin of the electorate.

The nation generally suffers because this is the level of government that is closest to the people and should be the most responsive to their needs.

An effective local government system, where the chairmen and councilors are prepared to work and where they are not stifled by the governors, is much needed for human development where it matters most. If we must upgrade the quality of leadership to bring back the glorious days when council administrations were the nucleus of governance in our country, a new constitutional framework must be formulated for the tier of government closest to the people.

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.

Children, Aunties And Slave Labour

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am one who still loves doing the quaint “old-school” things. For instance, despite the platforms offered by electronic messages and e-document transfers, I’m still stuck with sending parcels of hardcopy documents to back-up the online versions I may have sent. So it was one morning a little over a week ago; I hurried to catch a connecting urban commuter transport to the main bus station at Minna, the Niger State Transport Authority (NSTA) motor-park, from whence I’d send to my daughter (my obvious next-of-kin) the laminated document of my formal notice of switch of pension fund administrator (from the IBTC PFA to the ASUU’s NUPEMCO) by the now-popular informal courier route of bus-driver messaging.

As I waited for motorised public-transporters with other early-morning rush-hour commuters who were taking children to school by the road kerb, my attention was drawn to a young girl in the secondary school garb of the Ahmadu Bahago Secondary School sniveling loudly by the roadside and seated all by herself in distress. I walked up to her and inquired what the problem was. No answer and more crying. Obviously, one of the adults taking kids to school knew her and just simply dismissed her condition but I was moved by pity; here was a young lady in her early teens, much younger than my daughter, who should be happily looking forward to her morning classes but was in obvious mental anguish. I pressed her for explanation

whilst admonishing her to be strong and go to school. She relented after much urging and then she opened up to me that it was her mother who gave her a beating that early morning hour. “Your mother?,” I asked in incredulity. I persuaded her to board a motorised rickshaw headed the way of her school and the way I was going whilst I became an impromptu comforter and consoler. She was Igbo. Na wa o my pikin, “you mean your Mama beat you up this morning? What for?” Oh, the abusive woman wasn’t her “real Mama” but her “auntie.” That explained a lot. Her Mama was dead and her father lives in the village in Eastern Nigeria. This “auntie” brought her over to Minna to do never-ending domestic chores and lashes her at all times.

More sobs and more sly glances my way inside the rickshaw.

I wept in my heart. Here was a most unhappy beautiful early-teen kid who did not have to suffer. But, then, there is this recurring pattern of domestic abuse of relatives’ minors that one can heavily associate with the Igbo tribal people of Eastern Nigeria. What’s all this about going over to the village and artfully tricking some poor relative to hand over their beloved kid over to you in order to ensure their continued “education” but then bringing them over to town to be veritable slaves?

How could anyone be pleased that slave-labour equivalent was the greater input that helped weaned their kids and see them through primary and high schools? How “special” are those

children who benefit from relatives’ slave labour? Methinks the Igbo have a real soul-searching to do in this regard. Unselfishly caring for one’s relatives’ children is a virtue of the Christian faith that the Igbo are proud to identify with. All attitudinal semblance to domestic, chattel, and institutionalised slavery must be expunged and the admonition of St. Paul should be with us at all times. Hasn’t Jesus Christ set us free already? That is the reason Christians say they are “children of God” and not “slaves of God.” This conscious pronunciation has a big implication for the way the world goes about its business today. Soon, it was time for the young girl to drop off at her school gate. I urged her, “be strong” because if you are teary-eyed all day, “these unscrupulous okada boys” will take advantage of you. After all, this is Northern Nigeria. I could only part with N200 (I hated my perpetual lack of money that morning).

See the pain in my heart? An Igbo Christian family does not do right in the home front, thus an innocent maiden is thrown out to the “wolves” in the wild streets of Minna. One thing I am sure of that morning was the unlikelihood of a “Hausa family” risking the wellbeing of a maiden so tender and gentle. Nd’Igbo, biko’nu, do not expose your family institutions to ridicule anymore. The fight for the soul of Biafra must not be ridiculed by opponents who throw barbs at weak domestic administration.

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

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THURSDAY MARCH 25, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Tension in Aba as Military Allegedly Kills 11 Persons Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia Palpable fear has gripped residents of the commercial city of Aba in Abia State following the killing of 11 young men by Nigerian troops stationed at Ariaria junction along the EnuguPort Harcourt Expressway.

A military source said that the dead youths were “gunmen,” who were on their way to attack the soldiers but were ambushed and gunned down following intelligence reports.

The source said that the gunmen numbering about 50 had engaged troops in gun battle at about 8.00 p.m. on Tuesday but 11 of them lost their lives in

the encounter while there was no casualty on the side of the soldiers.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has clarified that the young men were not members of its security outfit, the Eastern Security Network (ESN). The Media and Publicity Secretary of the IPOB, Mr. Emma Powerful, alleged that the troops had gathered young men in Aba yesterday night and “executed” them.

Powerful said that no ESN’s camp was anywhere in Abia State was attacked by soldiers.

The Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, 14 Brigade, Ohafia, Captain Ilya Dauda, also stated that there

was no army operation at any ESN’s camp.

Dauda confirmed that troops felled some unknown gunmen that attacked them at a checkpoint at Aba. Some eyewitnesses said that as many as 16 persons, including a soldier, died in the encounter even though the army authorities in Abia have not come out with official figure of casualties.

The Abia State Government had earlier alerted the security agencies and the general public of the presence of hoodlums in Aba, allegedly brought in by the opposition ahead of the by-election for Aba Federal Constituency that is slated to hold on Saturday.

Bill Limiting Acting Capacity of EFCC Chairman Passes Second Reading

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

A Bill seeking to amend the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Act 2004 and amongst other things address the existing lacuna in the Act by introducing provision that would limit the time frame within which a person appointed as the chairman of the commission could occupy the position in acting capacity, has passed the second reading in the House of Representatives.

The bill, which was sponsored by Hon. Ossai Nicholas Ossai, Hon. Tajudeen Yusuf, Hon. Wale Raji and Hon. Kabiru Tukur also provided that the commission should retain 0.005 per cent of the loot recovered to fund its operations and make them more efficient and effective.

Yusuf said the amendment sought to amend only Section 2 of the EFCC’s Principal Act. He said: “Section 2 of the Principal Act provided that the Acting Chairman shall

only occupy the position of acting Chairman for a period not exceeding six months after which his appointment will lapse if he is not confirmed by the Senate.”

He added that Section 35 of the Principal Act provided that 0.05 per cent of the sums of money and value of assets recovered from looted funds and proceeds of crime is credited to the funds of the commission to enable it to be more effective in the discharge of its responsibilities.

THURSDAY MARCH 25, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY MARCH 25, 2021

POLITICS

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

‘Ebonyi Governor Can’t Be Loyal to a Cabal, His Loyalty is to the People’ Many outstanding developmental thrusts which have earned Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State huge applause from home and abroad stand him in good stead to take a shot at the 2023 presidency, according to the state Commissioner for Information, Uchenna Orji, who spoke with journalists in Lagos including Ugo Aliogo

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’m quite conversant with Ebonyi State and there have been some remarkable transformations in the years that Governor Dave Umahi has been at the helm of affairs. How is he managing to transform the state given the meagre resources from the federation account?

Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State is governed by inspiration from God. He is a man of character and content, whose moral and mental character is something that we must emulate. When he came on board, he decided to identify five critical sectors; road infrastructure, health, education, human capital development, agriculture and security. He didn’t waste time, he deployed his ingenuity, passion and the fear of God, which is very critical in transforming the state. Therefore, the issues of prudence, accountability and probity are his watchwords.

As part of his desire to transform the state, he began with examining the challenges of access roads in all the 13 Local Government Areas. In each of these LGAs, he allocated 25 kilometres of road construction which have been completed in the concrete pavement of eight inches with 50 years guarantee, thereby making him the first governor in Nigeria to do road construction by concrete pavement. All the urban roads leading to the satellite towns and metropolis were also constructed. So far, about 1,500 kilometres of roads have been done as state roads within a period of five years. He didn’t only stop at constructing state roads, he also did federal roads. So if you are coming from Enugu to Ebonyi or Abia to Ebonyi, Cross-River to Ebonyi or even from Benue to Ebonyi, you will be sure that you will meet a road done in concrete pavement.

In some cases, the roads are either concrete roads or asphalt. Coupled with this effort, is also the dualization of these major roads to drive traffic, reduce accidents and attract investors. In addition to this, he is doing 13 flyovers, making Ebonyi, the state with the highest number of flyovers after Abuja and Lagos. Now, these are some of the few things he has done that I can mention. Let me say that the secrets of his performance are his passion and prudence.

Today, we pride ourselves as the state with the biggest shopping mall in Africa having not less than 5,000 to 6,000 modern shops. Senator Ben Murray Bruce said he has never seen any mall as big as this in Africa. Also, we have the biggest ecumenical centre in Nigeria. An ecumenical centre is a place for social and Christian events.

We have the biggest light tunnel in Africa. The light tunnel is like the face of Ebonyi State and it is deliberately built by the governor to tell the world that something good can come out of Nazareth.

Within the four-way light tunnel, we have a shopping mall and ecumenical centre, and under it is Africa’s biggest water fountain. This is in addition to the principle of urban renewal which makes it possible to have streetlights in all the streets. This street is 12hours non-stop.

The street lighting was done in every Local Government Area. He did a minimum of 25 kilometre streets light that is non-stop. In addition to this, he embarked on his vision of urban renewal with the construction of several roundabouts, and water fountains to beautify the metropolis and satellite towns.

In the area of health, the governor has done very well. Today, we have the biggest College of Medicine in Africa. The edifice is going to be a medical tourism for the country, which will provide for the treatment of heart diseases, liver and kidney diseases, surgery of various kinds, and kidney transplants. The college of medicine has a dialysis centre which is going to be the only centre for dialysis in Africa. The governor ensured that the secondary healthcare facilities, such as the general hospitals are fully equipped with modern facilities.

Orji A major issue that is on the front burner today is the protest by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on the National Minimum Wage. What is the position of Ebonyi on this very important subject?

As a matter of fact, the national minimum wage is on the exclusive list. Recently, the organised labour went to protest demanding the removal of the national minimum wage from the exclusive list to the concurrent list.

That is the doing of the National Assembly and it is tampering with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I think that our state government has not taken a position on that until appropriate legislations are made.

Essentially, I must say that we have a policy direction in this regard. The policy direction we have is that in addition to white-collar jobs, which cannot be enough to satisfy the civil servants, we feel that there should be an

inclusion of green or blue collar jobs for civil servants. What this means is making a second address policy for them, whereby, apart from the civil service and the earning thereof, they can have something to fall back on, and from time to time, funding will be made available to civil servants for them to go into agriculture.

You know that it is only agriculture that is permitted for civil servants to engage in, they cannot go into businesses, engage in other employment or do other things. Agriculture either from primary, secondary or tertiary levels is allowed. We also call these stages of agriculture primary, secondary or tertiary productions, so they have the latitude to go into any value chain in agriculture they choose to engage in. Now, what the governor did was to release N4 billion to civil servants and the programme started off in 2017. He created an opportunity for civil servants from the lowest level to earn between N200,000 and N1,000,000 depending on your

In 1979, we mainstreamed and got Vice-President. In 1999, the North was PDP, the South-east and Southsouth were PDP. That is mainstreaming. But in 2015, this bridge collapsed and you expect Igbos to be in a collapsed party that will be double jeopardy for South-east’s wellbeing? The governor has expressed his determination to fight for Ebonyi state by launching with the party at the centre. His desire is that going to APC will make him a sacrificial lamb. I can say that the Governor is always inspired. Before he became a party chairman, he was already an accomplished captain of industry, who was millionaire at the age of 25. He didn’t know he will be party chairman, he got the invitation and he accepted

salary grade and when you are going to retire.

The repayment process is such that you’re going to be paying five percent single digit interest and it will be spread to the time you are leaving so it is not going to have any inconvenience on you. But what is important is that the civil servant will continue to receive training and re-training over a period of time, and you will be given time every Friday to go to your farm and do whatever you want to do. You can do your farming by proxy. These are opportunities and leverages given to civil servants. Now, civil servants are not exempted from any empowerment programme of Ebonyi State, for instance, we have what is known as the EndSARS empowerment programmes that are ongoing. It is a N3 billion programme. It is not only for people and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) that protested during the EndSARS but even for civil servants, businessmen, even farmers. If you are able to have a robust business plan that can convince the financial institution that is working with us, that you have all its takes to be productive in the business you can be chosen, it is not just buying and selling because civil servants cannot do buying and selling.

We are looking at entrepreneurship and vocational programmes, such as artisanship.

Even craftsmen can take advantage of this empowerment programme. Civil servants can take advantage of this to engage in farming. Now, apart from this, there are other empowerment programmes, I remember when the governor released N750 million grants for youths and women, civil servants were part of it and they went with N250,000 each, not every civil servant, but selected persons based on certain criteria. We have what is known as widow empowerment programme, this initiative is meant for civil servants who are widows, they also participated in the grant in an initiative that had 4,300 persons at a cost of N100,000 per person. Even the clergy in various denominations, they had the opportunity of accessing N500, 000 and N800, 000 each. They were part of the people that accessed the money. What I’m simply saying is that every empowerment programme we made available to Ebonyi people, the civil servants had opportunity to participate and access it. We went further to engage the Bank of Industry (BOI) so that if anybody wants to engage in commercial farming, we will give the person a grant, we think that through this, they can be self-reliant and self-sufficient. Actually, the impact is being felt in Ebonyi, there is high school enrolment.

There is a reduction in insecurity. The maternity morality ratio has increased which includes that of the civil servants. The education index of Ebonyi state has also increased under Governor Umahi. In 2017, an Ebonyi local government area emerged out of the 774 LGAs in Nigeria adjudged by the Nigeria University Commission (NUC) to have the highest number of people that gained admission into the university in Nigeria. When they did index assessment on the best medical students that gained admission in 2017, a Jambite from Ebonyi state had the highest score, this is NUC index. Recently, they carried out an analysis of states in the South-east in terms of employment and empowerment ratio, Ebonyi state took second position, this data came from Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS). These go to show the impact of what we are doing. It is time for the government to help civil servants by providing alternatives to their salaries. N100, 000 cannot be enough for the salary of civil servants but they need something as a back up or something else that will be self-sustaining.

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

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T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY MARCH 25, 2021

POLITICS

‘Governors Have a Burden on Them Because They Pay People for Doing Nothing’ Former Abia State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Rev. Benson Ezem is a man of many parts - a renowned architect, contractor, consultant, industrialist and infrastructural development expert. He bares his mind to Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo on issues of governance and development

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n states where governors are relatively doing well in the provision of critical infrastructure, can it be said that the people are enjoying good governance?

Provision of physical infrastructure is not an isolated indicator of good governance. To my own understanding, good governance encompasses other things apart from the availability of physical infrastructure and human development. There are other elements that must be present in the polity for a state or country to be properly identified with good governance. For instance governance must be participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, inclusive, effective and efficient This is because if you end up building all the roads, bridges, flyovers for use by the people and the same people cannot enjoy these facilities because they don’t have food on their tables, good education, quality health care, and security that are needed for complete human development, then you can’t be talking of practicing good governance But we always hear governors boast of providing ‘dividends of democracy’ to the people, making it appear as the only yardstick for measuring how well a government is performing?

Every state is expected to be viable to provide the so called democracy dividends.

In demanding for state creation one of the considerations or criteria that was advanced by the agitators was the viability of the state; in other words the state can fund itself by generating its own resources. So, no state should have reason to say state A or state B is doing better than us. It’s like life; you have different things happening to different people at different times. Every governor has the ability, the capacity to provide the development needs of their respective states.

But it depends on the level of management of the finances; it depends on the level of management of the men and women put in charge of the various sectors of governance.

Different states have different infrastructural needs, so you don’t copy from other states.

Some states will be able to provide flyovers, maybe because they need flyovers because of traffic congestion. But in your own state is it the needed infrastructure there? For instance if your state is not densely populated you won’t be witnessing traffic congestion like we see in Lagos and Port Harcourt. These cities are bigger and their internally generated revenue (IGR) is also huge. So, you don’t compare yourself with those states. Your own state may be a rural based economy and in that case you need rural roads. For this reason you would embark on those things you need according to your strength to ensure that development is achieved. That’s how it should be. So, with the little income you’re getting you‘ll be able to provide those things that will make the people comfortable and happy. As long as you have limited flight of resources by controlling corruption you will have enough resources for developmental needs of the state.

Should the infrastructural needs of a state be tailored to meet just the present needs or should it take into account the future needs of the state?

Development should be dynamic. It should be vision based and there has to be a development plan. As a professional I believe in development plan, may be five years, 10 years development plan. There must be a master plan that takes into consideration the direction of development or expansion of the city. For instance, if there is a master plan for Abia State you don’t site projects half haphazardly, you don’t take a market that would serve 10,000 and put it at Oboro because if you put the market there it won’t serve the purpose because nobody would go there. Or if you look at it and locate it where the population of market users is concentrated

Ezem then you will know the appropriate place to site it. If it is a leather market you don’t carry it and put it at Umuahia. You know the users are in Aba, like our dear governor has done in setting up a shoe factory at Aba. He did the right thing and I doff my hat for him.

He did a good feasibility study, sent young people to go and understudy the Chinese, who have the experience in mass production of shoes and brought the technology here.

So any development must be research based.

For your business to succeed you must look at what others have done; you must make a case study. As an Architect, I do a case study of the design I want to do before I start. Any Architect you give a design today and he starts immediately, even if he is an expert in that field, is not a good Architect because these things are dynamic. As an investor any business I want to set up I study the existing ones and find the niche I would carve for myself. That’s the way it is. Any governor that does not have the background information he needs for development will not achieve much.

Oftentimes shoddy jobs are done for government at very exorbitant costs. Is it not possible for government to get premium value at less cost?

First of all, it’s about manpower. The people that governors put in charge of things may not have the knowledge base to advise them

on the cost of projects. The other thing is the choice of contractors. Apart from that, there is the environmental factor, like in Nigeria where prices are not stable; they are controlled by our oil based economy. The price of oil goes up and comes down and these things affect the price of projects. The project you awarded at a cost of N1 billion could attract contract variation in the next six months if there is government policy that affects the price of things.

Now, in most cases contractors are not adequately mobilized to the tune of between 80 and 90 percent of the contract sum. But then if you do that you’ll run into a hitch as some of our indigenous contractors will abuse it because they are not disciplined. From the position of knowledge as a contractor, consultant what I found is that they (local contractors) will go and buy more cars, houses not considering that the money was meant for the execution of projects Some of them even go and marry more wives and then they won’t use the money to deliver the project.

When I encounter such people I know that when you are given 50 percent you are going to deliver up to 70 percent of the job before you start earning any money on it. I insist on my contractors and tell them it must be like this. You cannot take my client’s money and you go buying all the jeeps in town that will amount to nothing in the next one year

Today in Nigeria there are people we still refer to that touched human lives positively, that left indelible footprints on the sands of time, not just as governors or ministers, even as church leaders, as community leaders, as businessmen, as entrepreneurs. So, decide what you’re going to do with the privileged opportunity that God has given to you? Are you going to count the number of cars, the number of wives you have married with such privilege; are you going to count the number of buildings that would be of no value at the end of the day. Are you going to sit down and be seeing your name as a corrupt person and your children and grand children linking your name to one corruption or the other and you’re trying so hard to clean your name? That’s not why you are a leader

because it would depreciate or one taxi driver will hit a car of N45 million and before you know it he’s lying down on the road begging and you’ll tell your client that N45 million is gone. So our mentality should change. I’m not just talking of government. The mentality of the populace of this country should change.

In a situation where you see somebody without an industry having 10 cars, 10 buildings, people should start asking questions. How many years have you been in business – one year, two years and somebody is coming out with a car of N100 million and he’s not an industrialist and there’s no business he can point to. Maybe the only thing you can point to is that the person is a politician, a politician of what? Oh, he’s a thug or he’s governor’s brother these are the areas we should begin to look at. We have to change our perception if this country must move forward. People must begin to do something. The era when people sing praises of people with money should go because it is even affecting our young people. If you ask five youths what they want to be, four out of them would say they want to be politicians. That’s why politics is made so expensive. That should change.

Despite the growing concerns about high cost of governance, political leaders appear not to be interested in cutting government spending on frivolities?

There is lot of burden on governance. The governor has a lot of burden on him because he has to pay people for doing nothing. He reaches out to people for doing nothing. Yes, people visit him and expect they will go home with N1 million for doing nothing, just because he feels there’s money you’re controlling to give out as gift to people. So, if you link it to contract awards, development aspect, to governance and all that, you see that we have a problem.

And that is what is fuelling corruption in the society; that is fuelling unemployment.

People don’t want to be employed yet they still want to make money and instead of setting up small cottage industry where they will employ two or three people they are buying cars at huge cost that can set up a factory. If you go to somebody’s house you can see a car that can set up a factory, so many of them.

And if you ask what they do, they say politics.

But that’s not the best; it pains my heart. But one day a governor would arise that would make people understand that this money is for me to manage it for the betterment of the people, to provide jobs, infrastructure, quality health services and good education.

We hear of hidden costs in contract awards, how does it affect government business?

There is what we call public procurement. It was working when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was president. They knew the prices of things and publications were done by the ministries and parastatals and they were not allowed to award contacts without advertising the tender.

Things were working and there were people who would bid for contracts and they will win the bid without knowing anybody. That’s how due process is supposed to be. But when you destroy due process and somebody sits in his office and awards contract you cannot control the cost. That’s what is happening. If you award contracts to Mr. A and Mr. B, oftentimes one of them is not technically qualified.

So, you must do technical pre-qualification which we do as consultants. A lot of people that are getting contracts are not qualified as contractors, they don’t have the knowledge of the job, and they don’t have equipment either. So, if you follow due process, if you are not qualified you won’t bid for contracts.

But you see a situation where a son of a big man that is just coming out of school would bid for a contract of N50 million, with no experience base and technical qualification.

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

20

THURSDAY MARCH 25, 2021 •T H I S D AY

Volume 3 Issue 17

March 2021

Supported by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

Please send your questions and comments to +234 701 002 7301 or empower@nextierpower.com. You can also visit theelectricityhub.com for more information on Nigeria’s power sector.

tŚĂƚ zŽƵ ^ŚŽƵůĚ <ŶŽǁ ĞĨŽƌĞ zŽƵ 'Ž KĨĨͲ'ƌŝĚ The increase in the demand for electricity over the past few decades means that more money and time is now dedicated to ensuring nations have enough electricity generated to meet the demand. Grid electricity is either generated as centralised or decentralised electricity. What makes centralised electricity different from decentralised is the presence of a central grid. In Nigeria, centralised electricity is produced by gas and hydropower generators (GenCos), transmitted through the central grid and distributed to end-users through either one of the eleven distribution companies (DisCos).

Decentralised electricity is generated at end-user points and directly consumed without transportation through the national grid. Therefore, the generator and consumer must be close to each other, hence the name "off-grid." This method of electricity supply is used mainly in areas where the national grid does not cover.

Although simply obtaining supply from decentralised sources does not guarantee constant electricity, relying solely on the grid can be detrimental in an environment where the grid's electricity supply is unreliable. For this reason, many have incorporated self-generated electricity, i.e., diesel generators, to meet their demands.

Electricity consumers may consider going off-grid in an environment where grid supply is unreliable.

People could opt to generate their electricity to avoid power outages and constant price increases associated with the central grid. Diesel generators or renewable energy sources are technology options that can generate off-grid electricity.

Going off the grid means that a consumer stops being a customer to the DisCos and gets to determine their power quality and tariffs. However, before one decides to go off the grid, there are many things to consider, including cost, efficiency, space, and technology.

,V *RLQJ RII WKH *ULG &KHDSHU IRU <RX" The first question for most people when switching to a new system or product is if the cost, long or short term, will be cheaper. So, you want to consider the cost of going off the grid for your electricity supply.

Is it cheaper for you?

The electricity tariff regulated by NERC through the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO 2020) allows fair and commensurate pricing charged to customers.

Secondly, Tariff bands are classified into five for the respective distribution companies. This means different distribution companies can supply electricity at the same frequency to customers on the same band but in different areas.

Therefore, if you live in an area that receives regular supply and your electricity usage increases, grid electricity will cost you more as you use it. Going off the grid might seem more expensive in the shortterm due to the relatively higher capital expenses of self-generating systems. Still, such a consumer is unaffected by the changing tariffs and regulations that apply to grid supply in the long term.

Going off-grid with a diesel generator system has a high capital cost depending on the load required. A small household of 2-4 bedrooms that receives a minimum of 12 hours daily grid supply might consider a smaller Kilovolt-Ampere (kVA) size generator. In contrast, a bigger house or an industrial/small manufacturing building requiring almost 24 hours of electricity is expected to need a higher kVA. The cost depends on the size of kVA generators that fits your required needs. Consumers should seek Energy Managers' services to equate sizing to demand to avoid overloading or wastage.

8VLQJ 5HQHZDEOH (QHUJ\ 7HFKQRORJLHV These days, the most popular references to going off-grid are renewable energy systems. Common renewable energy sources in Nigeria include solar, hydropower or biomass. Solar and biomass are As a source of energy, biomass can be obtained from agricultural and animal waste, wood products, trees and plants or household waste, commonly known as a feedstock.

Biomass feedstock produces energy that can be converted to electricity through direct combustion in a combined heat and power plant. This energygenerating system requires a lot of space to operate effectively for electricity to replace the grid supply. For example, one kilogram of cut grass contains 4 million joules, equivalent to one kilowatt per hour (kWh).

Nigeria is rich in an annual dose of sunshine. Solar is the most popular technology for harnessing offgrid electricity in Nigeria. The ecosystem has now witnessed a significant increase in solar home systems across the country, coupled with installation companies and advocates.

The cost of solar panels is relatively low compared to the immediate purchase of a diesel generator or biomass plant. However, because solar from the sun is not available 24/7 and there are peak hours even on sunny days, it is essential to consider battery storage when going off-grid. Battery storage is expensive; the cost depends mainly on the size of the building to be powered. The lifespan of batteries is significantly reduced if completely discharged regularly. To optimise battery life, consumers should engage certified solar solution installers who would ensure that a proper depth of discharge is set for the batteries. This way, the batteries have better lifespans.

Solar systems do not have running cost as solar panels' solar radiation that generates electricity is free. This attribute also contributes to making solar a cheaper option than the maintenance and running cost of biomass and diesel generators. The downside of solar PV technology is that many panels and batteries needed to power larger electronics like a water heater or water pumps. All in, renewable energy sources are great for reducing carbon emissions as less fuel is burnt or any other kind of pollution like surface or noise.

6SDFH DQG 0DLQWHQDQFH Setting up solar systems entails a lot more than mounting panels on roofs or an independent structure. There is also a need to consider the spacing for other components, including batteries, inverters, and charge controllers. Batteries should be stored away from the weather elements in a cool, dry area to optimise their lifespan. Higher temperatures affect the charging efficacy of batteries.

Solar systems generally require little maintenance after installation. If you live in an area prone to dust, the only need is cleaning panels often with water to reduce dust and keep the panels working effectively. The liquid in leadacid battery cells should also be replaced, and the batteries equalised. These days, people prefer purchasing dry cell batteries that do not require periodic liquid top-ups.

For biomass, Combined heat and power plants can be large and complex infrastructure. Besides the actual plant, it is essential to have adequate storage for feedstock. For diesel generators, because you would be relying on them more frequently been off the Grid – you must create space for a diesel tank to save fuel.

%HFRPLQJ (QHUJ\ (IILFLHQW Moving off-grid entails being more efficient about the use of energy. Besides checking the metering systems or gauging the diesel or feedstock used, another way to reduce energy use is to convert your lighting systems to more efficient ones. Old incandescent light bulbs use a lot of energy; you are burning money if you have not switched to LED light bulbs. LED bulbs can reduce your energy usage and reduce the size of the solar system required. Convert your electronic appliances like cooking stoves and water heaters to save on energy might mean switching your electronics to gas, where applicable. Changing your energy consumptions pattern by monitoring and analysing when you use more power can reduce the battery's load during the evenings.

For example, when using a solar system, it is more efficient to use washing machines during the day instead of at nighttime.

&RQFOXVLRQ If you think going off Grid is the best solution for your electricity needs, it is essential to know that all these changes do not have to happen all at once if you cannot afford the switch.

Transitionally going off the Grid could mean using the grid power only at night and using alternative electricity generation during the day. Although you plan on going off the Grid, you must have a backup for whichever electricity source you decide to use. Your solar might not function to optimal capacity at some point, or your plant or generator becomes faulty. You will need a back up to match the energy needed.

Most importantly, your move off the grid should require you do source suitable quality components for your electricity sources and have professionals install your systems and backup properly. The transition from grid power to providing your electricity could be expensive to set up but worthwhile when the right conditions are in place.

Author: Oghosa Erhahon, Energy Analyst, Nextier Power Column Editor: Osasu Eghobamien, Power Sector Policy and Research Consultant at Nextier Power

THURSDAY MARCH 25, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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THURSDAY MARCH 25, 2021 •T H I S D AY

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Quick Takes Beta Computers Gets ISO Certification

FACILITY TOUR

L-R: Chief Technical Officer, StarTimes, Frank Feng Liang; Director, Engineering and Technology, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Victoria Eke; Acting CEO, StarTimes Nigeria, Alex Zhang; Acting Director-General of NBC, Prof. Armstrong Idachaba and Marketing Manager, StarTimes, Viki Liu, during an inspection tour to NTA-StarTimes and ITS facilities to check the level of readiness for Digital Switch Over (DSO), in Lagos...recently

Experts Harp on Economic Diversification to Boost Investment, FDI Stories by Emma Okonji Financial experts have called on the federal government to diversify the economy as well as support local production in order to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the country.

They were of the view that FDI and local investment are presently low in Nigeria.

The experts spoke recently at a webinar organised by the American Business Council (ABC), in partnership with Lagos Business School, where the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Article IV Consultation on Nigeria was the focus of discussion.

Although the experts noted that the ICT and agricultural sectors of the Nigerian economy are driving development in the

ECONOMY country, despite the impact of COVId-19, they however called on the federal government to develop policies that would help the country achieve a unified exchange rate.

They called on government to raise more revenue through taxes and to be more transparent on how monies generated from taxes were spent.

Mission Chief for Nigeria at International Monetary Fund, Jesmin Rahman, during her presentation, explained that although the Nigerian economy contracted in 2020, it is experiencing fast economic recovery due to activities in the ICT and agriculture sectors, even though there are still more opportunities for recovery.

“The agricultural sector is less affected by the impact of the COVID-19, because agriculture is subsistence and relatively dependent on supply chain.

“In 2020, while agriculture grew by 2.2 per cent, the rest of the economy contracted by 2.4 per cent. In the last five years to 10 years, agriculture grew by 3.2 per cent and 3.6 per cent respectively.

“The ICT sector has also been a growing sector, helping to grow the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Nigeria in the past years. But even at these, Nigeria needs a robust economy that will create jobs for its citizens,” Rahman said.

Rahman said increased revenue mobilisation and better exchange rates remain key to quick economy recovery of Nigeria.

According to her, Nigeria remained the largest country on the African continent with huge potential and should not be seen to be having a parallel exchange rate.

Chief Economist for Africa at JP Morgan, Mr. Ayomide Mejabi, who also spoke on the recovery path of the Nigerian economy, said a significant part of the economy may not recover fast because most people now work from home.

While speaking on exchange rates in the country, Mejabi said although JP Morgan does not canvass for a single exchange rate for Nigeria, he advised that the different exchange rates should be streamlined to about two.

He said the current situation Continued on page 24

Pantami: Digitalising Agriculture Will Create Business Opportunities The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami has stressed the need for Nigeria to digitalise its agricultural sector in order to foster innovation and create new business opportunities.

Pantami who made the call at a recent webinar on smart agriculture, organised by the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), said some countries like USA, Netherlands, Germany, Israel and Brazil, were already feeding the world because they have digitalised their agricultural sector.

Citing Netherlands, which has a land area of 41,865 square kilometers and rated as the world’s second-largest exporter of food and agricultural

TELECOM produce, Pantami who was represented at the virtual conference by his Special Assistant, Dr. Femi Adeluyi, said seven states in Nigeria, like Niger, Borno, Taraba, Kaduna, Bauchi, Yobe and Zamfara, have land masses either greater than or comparable to that of the Netherlands.

He added that if Nigeria should embrace smart agriculture and digitalise her agricultural sector, the country could become exporter of agricultural products, outside of oil.

According to Pantami, “To adequately utilise digital technology as a platform for stimulating growth in all sectors

of the economy through the development of a digital economy for the country, the Nigerian government through the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, developed the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) anchored on eight pillars.”

He said the target was to adopt farmers in all 36 States and 774 LGAs in the country, support and equip them with skills and resources that will make Nigeria one of the leading nations in food sufficiency, security and exportation.

He, however, said it was important for the private sector, academia, development partners and state governments to partner with federal government in

the areas of capacity building, smart solutions and services, research and development, finance, among others, in order to develop smart agriculture.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Alhaji Sabo Nanono, who was the special guest, but represented

by Mr. Bejide Stephen, from the Federal Minster of Agriculture, said smart agriculture would require heavy initial investments, recurring maintenance cost, strong internet connectivity, as well as high cost of technology devices such as precision sensors, drones, gateways, bots, among others.

President of NCS, Prof.

Continued on page 24

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NCS Congratulates Pantami on WATRA

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US Opens Advisory Centre in Calabar

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“The USSD price determination issued by NCC in 2019 and amended in 2020, sought to establish a cost-based premise for commercial negotiations between all parties and also prohibit the application of an end-user billing pricing model and restate the existing directive on corporate user billing” Minister of Communications and Digital Economy,

Dr. Isa Pantami

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BUSINESSWORLD EXPERTS HARP ON ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION TO BOOST INVESTMENT, FDI in the Nigerian financial sector, where there are different exchange rates, does not show clarity for new and existing businesses in the country.

He stressed the need for structural reforms and increase in the country’s revenue mobilisation, and ensure that people pay taxes across all levels.

Also, the Chief Executive Officer/Executive Secretary, American Business Council, Margaret Olele, said policy inconsistency was already affecting business in Nigeria, adding that government must come with clear policy formulation to streamline foreign exchange rates in Nigeria.

The Practice Head for Africa, Eurasia Group, Amaka Anku, who spoke on export diversification, said: “Nigeria does not produce or manufacture products for export outside of oil, and so there is no demand for the naira.

PANTAMI: DIGITALISING AGRICULTURE WILL CREATE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES Adesina Sodiya, called on the federal government to provide necessary supports to small and medium scale farmers for efficient transformation to smart farming in Nigeria.

“Smart agriculture has been considered as an innovative technological-based solution for promoting large scale and economical agricultural production.

“It adopts precision agriculture techniques and technologies that aim at improving the efficiency of agriculture to maximise food production, minimise environmental impact and reduce cost,” Sodiya said.

The Director- General, Nigeria Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), Dr. Abimbola Alale, assured Nigerians, that with the satellite, all the smart agriculture technologies could be implemented even in the rural areas. “NIGCOMSAT and its channel partners can provide broadband connectivity through VSATs and TV White Spaces (TVWS) for individual farmers or farmers cooperatives in rural areas,” Alale said.

NEWS

‘Skills Acquisition Panacea for Rising Poverty, Unemployment’ James Emejo in Abuja The Director General/Chief Executive, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Mr. Joseph Ari, has said skills acquisition remains the most viable and sustainable solution for combating rising unemployment and poverty in the country.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of 255 youths in various technical and vocational skills under the ITF/Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) vocational skills training programme, in Abuja, he said it was critical for more Nigerians to acquire a skill for employability and entrepreneurship.

Ari, pointed out that it was for the same reason that the the fund’s Model Skills Training Centre (MSTC), resolved to conduct graduate upskilling programmes for those desirous of upgrading their skills or learning a new occupational trade.

He said: “In addition, in recognition of the fact that when you catch the young ones early enough, the attraction to hands-on skills persists all through their lives.

“The centre has introduced summer boot camp for children between the ages 10-15 and gives them hands-on training in the following areas- Nigeria cuisine, pastry, hygiene and safety, mobile robot technology, electronic circuit design and troubleshooting technology.”

The ITF boss said, going forward, the objective of the centre would be to ensure

that as many Nigerians as possible are equipped with the skills for entrepreneurship and employability in order to avert the attendant effects of poverty and unemployment that have manifested in the form of rising criminality including kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and many other antisocial behaviour.

He said: “We however believe that for this to happen, all Nigerians across the various strata of society should heed our clarion call for synergy with

the ITF.” While congratulating the graduands, for being counted among the lucky few to benefit from the programme as well as for enduring the toil thus far.

He charged them to take full advantage of the opportunity provided by the intervention to, “not only put food on your family’s table but to also make your own meaningful contribution to the Nigerian economy.”

He said: “Therefore, do not contemplate selling any of the start-up kits that will be

presented to you shortly. We expect that all items given to you will be put to judicious use and not be sold for cheap gain.”

He explained that the graduation was an outcome of the federal government’s renewed commitment to empowering countless Nigerian youths with cutting-edge technical and vocational skills training to tackle poverty and unemployment.

He said: “It all began in late 2019 after a visit by the management of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring

Board (NCDMB) to the Fund’s Model Skills Training Centre (MSTC), Abuja.

“The delegation, which was impressed by the quality of equipment at the centre, opened negotiations with the ITF for the empowerment of 255 unemployed youths with technical vocational skills.

“Although the six–month programme was billed to commence in early 2020, it did not start until August 2020 as a result of the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

MEDIA BRIEFING

L-R: High Commissioner of Tanzania to Nigeria, Dr. Benson Alfred Bana; Special Adviser to Lagos State Government on SDG’s, Mrs. Solape Hammmond; Dean, Lagos Business School, Prof. Chris Ogbechie; President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mrs. Toki Mabogunje; Deputy President, LCCI, Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole; High Commissioner of Kenya to Nigeria, Amb. Wlifred Machage; and Acting Chief Trade Negotiator/DG of Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations, Mr. Victor Liman, during a virtual conference on the successful Implementation of the AfCFTA, organised by the LCCI in Lagos...recently PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

Digital Switch Over: NBC Optimistic about StarTimes’ Readiness Stories by Emma Okonji The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), has expressed confidence in the readiness of StarTimes to move Lagos from analogue broadcasting to digital broadcasting by April 29, this year.

The Acting Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Prof. Armstrong Idachaba, raised the hope of government when he visited the StarTimes and ITS facilities in Lagos, recently, for on-thespot assessment. Pleased with the required transmitters and other facilities that were put in place, Idachaba said the digital transition plan for broadcasting in Lagos, was on course.

Speaking after an inspection tour of digital transmitters at NTA Station, Channel 10, Tejuosho, Lagos, Idachaba said he was confident that the country would complete the digital rollout plan by 2022.

According to him, “Nigeria has taken a decision that we are continuing with the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting.

“The journey practically began in 2016 with the pilot rollout in Jos. And a few years after, we have gone into phase two. Under phase two, Lagos, Port Harcourt and other cities will be switched on to digital TV. “We are going to many other cities and following the rollout time table, we hope that by the

end of 2022, we would have completed the digital rollout in Nigeria.

“This visit to the NTA premises in Tejuosho is in furtherance of this objective. We are glad that ITS Ltd has already installed DVB2 technology. We have seen that the installed capacity for DTT transmission is very high.

“I acknowledge the role of their partners, StarTimes and I think that between NTA and StarTimes, there is a great combined effort to ensure that the rollout happens in Lagos and other cities in Nigeria quickly.”

Idachaba further said the inspection was reassuring, adding that Nigeria has the technical and infrastructural capabilities to kick off in Lagos

on April 29.

On the availability of set-up boxes, the DG said 13 indigenous companies have been licensed to produce set-up boxes “because we believe that it is also another strategy to transfer technology and create opportunities for manufacturing within the Nigerian market.”

He added: “Digital Switch Over is a revolution and it is also capital-intensive. All over the world, from America to the UK and many developed and emerging economies, the cost is massive.

“The federal government has also decided that the project itself, seeing how viable it is could also be self-sustained.

“So we are hoping that some

of the component players will be able to go forward to generate their own funds to sustain the rollout but one must also acknowledge that the government has assisted greatly.

“Recently, the federal government approved N9.4billion for NBC to facilitate the DSO drive.”

Acting CEO, NTA-Star TV Network, Alex Jian, said the company’s technical team would be ready to support the nation in transiting fully to digital TV. “The NBC DG has a big strategy for DSO and NTAStarTimes will cooperate very well with ITS Ltd to support this project. Our technical team is ready.”

Data Protection Key to Digital Economy, Says Expert Group Business Editor

ÌÓØØË ÒÓ×Ë Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Comms/e-Business Editor

××Ë ÕÙØÔÓ Asst. Editor, Money Market

ß×Ï ÕÏÑÒÏ

Senior Correspondent

ËÒÏÏ× ÕÓØÑÌÙÖß (Advertising) Correspondents

ÒÓØÏÎß äÏ (Aviation) ÜÙ×ÙÝÏÖÏ ÌÓÙÎßØ (Maritime) Ë×ÏÝ ×ÏÔÙ (Finance) ÌÏÜÏ áÙÔÓ (Insurance) ÒÓØÏ×Ï ÕËÐÙ (Energy) ××ËØßÏÖ ÎÎÏÒ (Energy) Reporters

ÙÝË ÖÏÕÒßÙÑÓÏ (ICT) ÏÞÏÜ äÙÒÙ (Energy)

Convener of the Association of Licensed Data Protection Compliance Organisations of Nigeria (ALDPCON) and CEO of Data Services Protection Limited (DSPL), Mr. Tunde Balogun has described data as the crude oil of the digital economy.

Balogun, who spoke at a recent training session for some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government in Oyo State, said Nigeria’s increasing official interest in data, was because government was beginning to come to terms with data as the real asset of the digital economy.

According to him the federal government in its wisdom,

through the National Information Technology Agency (NITDA), issued the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) of 2019, as the principal data protection legislation to address concerns around privacy and protection of personal data which also focuses on the grave consequences of leaving personal data processing unregulated.

The NDPR issued by NITDA on January 25, 2019, pursuant to Section 32 of the NITDA Act 2007 as subsidiary legislation to the NITDA Act 2007 is only a purveyor of the wider sets of data legislations now at the National Assembly expected to guide Nigeria’s data protection

journey and march into the digital economy, said Balogun, whose company is licensed to operate as a Data Protection Organisation (DPCO).

DPCOs are licensed under the NDPR to provide professional data protection services to public and private entities. There about over 70 licensed DPCOs tasked with monitoring compliance to the NDPR. Balogun admitted that there was a growing awareness among stakeholders on data, as an asset worth a high level of protection.

“The good thing is that some of our people are beginning to understand why data must be protected in all ramifications.

Plateau state started this journey last year.

“Also, a good example is the government of Oyo state where we are currently implementing data protection services for about eight ministries, departments and agencies as part of the first phase of the scheme.

“It is still going to all other ministries but we started with these eight MDAs because they handle more data than most other MDAs and it even goes beyond mere putting facilities in place to enforce compliance with data protection.

“This is where we are shoulder high than other DCOs. Many people think data protection is

only about data auditing but it goes beyond that because we provide other deliverables. In our case, we do auditing, we train staffs, organise lectures, we ensure full privacy and arrange workshops to drive home the point,” Balogun explained.

He stated that data collection is the most resourceful enterprise in the world and that most successful companies in the world are not in the Oil and Gas, Banking or insurance but in the collection of data.

He said this was why government was insisting on protection of data of Nigerians in both the public and private sectors of the country.

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Protecting Telecoms Consumers’ Rights Emma Okonji writes on the recent celebration of the World Consumer Rights Day

Danbatta

Adebayo

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consumer in Nigeria.

In his address, its Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Umar Danbatta, said consumer satisfaction remained a central organising principle of NCC’s regulatory activities.

According to him, the conference was conceived to highlight NCC’s commitment to protecting the telecom consumers and to highlight the regulatory role of NCC with respect to protecting the rights of the telecoms consumers and to connect it with the global significance of the World Consumer Rights Day celebration.

“The consumer is king and we put the consumer first in all that we do, hence the Commission declared 2017 as Year of the Telecom Consumer, in recognition of the central place the consumer occupies in the telecoms ecosystem and in the emergent digital economy,” Danbatta said.

Speaking on the theme for the 2021 World Consumer Rights Day, ‘Tackling Plastic Pollution’, Danbatta said the activities and actions slated for this year’s commemoration, were to raise awareness and engage state and non-state actors on the global plastic pollution crisis, adding that this is coming three years after the NCC drafted the Nigerian Communications Industry E-Waste Regulations in 2018.

He said the objective of the regulation was to manage e-waste; promote reuse, recycling and other forms of recovery; improve environmental management system of operators in the telecom industry; and reduce greenhouse emissions as well as enhance sustainable development efforts.

According to Danbatta, while the NCC would be concluding the processes to issue the regulation on electronic waste (e-Waste), it would also be mindful of the fact that many ICT and telecom devices have plastic components, whose waste materials could worsen plastic pollution.

“NCC reckons that improper disposal of such disused ICT-plastic embedded products have grave implication on public health, and especially in achieving Goals 11, 12 and 13 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030.

“These goals speak to the imperative of adhering to practices that enhance Sustainable Cities and Communities, Responsible Consumption and Production; as well as Climate Action respectively,” Danbatta said.

The commission, according to him, worried by the recurrent cycle of fraudulent deployment of fake and substandard mobile devices – usually made of iron and plastic components, collaborated with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and other relevant government agencies to inaugurate a committee to implement Mobile Devices Management Systems (DMS).

He said the initiative was designed as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), aimed at combating the proliferation of fake, counterfeit, substandard and cloned communication devices in the telecommunications industry, adding that the expected result of the initiative is that, only genuine materials malleable to enduring usage are available for consumer use.

ast week, Nigeria joined the rest of the world to commemorate the World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD), which is held globally every March 15. On that day, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) highlighted the roles of the telecoms consumers and the commitment of the telecoms industry regulator, to protect the rights of telecoms consumers.

As at January 2021, the total number of active telecoms subscribers was 200 million with a teledensity of 104.89 per cent, contributing 14.3 per cent to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP), which represented N2.3 trillion growth as at the second quarter of 2020.

Based on the statistics, which is growing by the day, NCC had in the past, declared 2017 as the year of telecoms consumers in Nigeria, and has continued to celebrate and protect the rights of consumers since then.

Joining the world to celebrate this year’s World Consumer Rights Day, with the Theme: ‘Tackle Plastic Pollution’, NCC assured telecoms subscribers in Nigeria of its plan to improve environmental management system of operators in the telecom industry, and reduce greenhouse emissions as well as enhance sustainable development efforts, through appropriate regulations on plastic waste.

World Consumer Rights Day World Consumer Rights Day was inspired by the 35th United States(US) President, John F. Kennedy, who sent a special message to the US Congress on 15th March 1962, in which he formally addressed the issue of consumer rights.

He was the first world leader to do so. The consumer movement first marked that date in 1983 and now uses the day every year to mobilise action on important issues and campaigns.

World Consumer Rights Day is an annual international event that signifies celebration and solidarity in the international consumer movement, demanding that, consumer rights are to be respected and protected. The event also gives a chance to protest against the market abuses and social injustices which undermine those rights.

Each year, World Consumer Rights Day adopts a theme to highlight. This year’s theme ‘Tackle Plastic Pollution’, is designed to address the effect of plastic waste and pollution, since various ecosystems suffer from single-use plastics as these continue to fill the oceans and cause harm to aquatic creatures.

Plastic is a highly useful material in our everyday lives, but our consumption and production of plastics, especially single-use plastic, have become unsustainable. However, there is not a single solution to tackling plastic pollution, so the world created several measures to address plastic waste management, in order to celebrate this year’s World Consumer Rights Day. Consumer rights in Nigeria In line with global concerns for consumer rights, as captured in the 2021 World Consumer Rights Day celebration, the NCC said it would continue to come up with regulatory measures that would address the rights of the telecoms

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

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BUSINESSWORLD

ANALYSIS

Trademark Infringement and Intellectual Property Debate Raheem Akingbolu writes on the debate trailing the clash between the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) and Rite Foods Limited over ‘a lion insignia’, on the logo of Predator and Fearless from the stable of the NBC and Rite Foods Limited respectively, pointing out its possible effect on consumption and marketing in Nigeria

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usinesses, the world over, assign much importance to trademarks for easy identification of their products and its usage dates back to prehistoric times.

It is a type of intellectual property consisting of a word, phrase, symbol, or design (or a combination of any of these) that identifies the source of a product or service and distinguishes it from those of competitors.

For example, the trademark “Coca-Cola” distinguishes the brown-coloured soda water from that of Pepsi.

Indeed, about two thousand years ago, Roman craftspeople left their distinctive marks on almost everything made, from tableware, brickwork and roof tiles, to decorative vases, gravestones, lead slingshot ammunition, and even plumbing. Though, without any real legal clout, they were ways of claiming bragging rights over their work.

Also, ancient trademarks can be found on Egyptian and Chinese objects, and the Lascaux cave paintings, which predate the Roman Empire about 15,000 years ago, shows that people used personal marks to claim ownership of livestock, to prevent theft before it became standard practice for craftspeople.

Over the years, these marks evolved into today’s system of trademark registration and protection, with the earliest trademark legislation known as the Bakers’ Marking Law, enacted by the British Parliament in 1266 by King Henry 111.

Other nations of the globe followed suit and in America, the first brand to register a trademark under the United States (US) Federal Trademark Act of 1870 was the Averill Chemical Paint Company, with an eagle and a ribbon, but the company eventually collapsed later.

It was followed by the oldest active US trademark of the J.P. Tolman Company in 1884, (now called Samson Rope), which registered an image of the Biblical Samson wrestling a lion.

As imperative as the issue of trademarks, its rights can be lost through abandonment, improper licensing or when it is generic. It can also be infringed and this was pronounced in the 13th century, with great intervention then, by many European courts.

In the US, trademark law went through a few incarnations before arriving in what now exist in modern times. It started with an old law in 1870, to a new act in 1881, revised in 1905 and in 1946; the Lanham Act spelt out federal trademark protection and registration rules.

Coming down to Africa In Africa, businesses also make use of trademarks for products recognition, as and the continent represents an untapped, dynamic, fast-moving and competitive market that foreign investors can scarcely ignore.

The situation, where trademarks are used on products by indigenous and multinational organisations, is also the same in Nigeria.

In Nigeria, trademarks are provided for by the Trademarks, Patents and Designs Registry, Commercial Law Department of the Federal

Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.

And this is under the Trade Marks Act, Cap T 13, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and the Trademark Regulations 1990.

The importance of trademark and product style protection against passing-off by others trying to deceive the consumers to believe their product share same quality with the original cannot be over-emphasised.

Disputes arising from infringements of trademarks copyrights, identity theft and product style copying abound in the western world, as well as in Nigeria.

Some of the cases recorded in the country’s business locale include that of Nabisco Inc., and Allied Biscuits Company Limited, in 1998, where both companies were entangled in a lawsuit on the trademark RITZ. Allied Biscuits first registered the mark eight months before Nabisco, and the court held against the appellant, Nabisco, on the premise that it has not used the mark sufficiently to acquire a reputation for it in the country, that its intention is to destabilise the Nigerian market and her economy.

Also on October, 18, 1993, Pfizer, a global pharmaceutical company, dragged Iyke Merchandise to Court for infringing on its trademark, Combantrin Plus, with the mark, Combatinrein, which was likely to confuse consumers.

The plaintiff’s (Pfizer) action for injunction, order of delivery up for destruction of the infringing product (Combatinrein) and general damages were granted in its favour.

Issues around catching-up and passing-off Interestingly, one of the major global marketing

disputes regarding trademark is usually associated with established brands and a catching-up or weaker brand passing-off the established brand.

This appears to be the bone of contention in an unfolding case regarding trademark alleged infringement by the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) on its Predator energy drink with a lion insignia, which is a reflection of the mark of the current market leader, named Fearless, a product of Rite Foods Limited.

As a result of the alleged violation, the NBC has been dragged to a Federal High Court, in Ikoyi, Lagos, on January 20, 2021, as published in THISDAY and other news platforms.

In the suit No: PHC/L/CS/92/2021, the plaintiff, Rite Foods Limited, filed a motion ex parte for interim injunction against the defendant, NBC, restraining it from further promoting or using any sales promotion material for its Predator energy drink in a manner that infringes or passes off or that is capable of infringing or passing off the plaintiff’s Fearless energy drink, until the interlocutory application for injunction is determined.

The alleged infringement, it has been averred, negates the provisions of the Trade Marks Act, Cap T 13, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and the Trademark Regulations 1990, which offers exclusive rights to trademark holders or users known with the trademark for business before a new entrant into the same trade or business.

Investigation revealed that the Plaintiff, Rite Foods’ Fearless energy drinks, which consist of the Red Berry and Classic brands, were launched into the Nigerian market on June 15 and 16, 2017, respectively, before the NBC’s Predator

brand which made entrant in June, 2020.

This implied that the trademark has been in use by the Rite Foods’ brands before NBC’s Predator energy drink was launched three year after, into the Nigerian market.

Although there are claims, according to an investigation that the trademark may have been in use by NBC trade partners in other countries before the product launch in Nigeria in 2020.

However, some experts have argued that trademark concerning businesses and products is territorial. What this means is that a product or trademark registered or used in Brazil or America for example, will not be recognised in Ghana, if it has not been registered or being in use and identified with a product in the country.

According to the Plaintiff, it owns the exclusive right to the trademark which has been a mark of identifying its market leading product, Fearless energy drinks since 2017.

It posits that with the infringement by NBC, consumers are likely to assume (mistakenly) that the Fearless and Predator brands are from the same source and may also share the same quality.

The company claimed the degree of similarity between the lion symbols on its brands and that of the NBC’s Predator energy drink, was high and that since both compete in the same market spectrum, the mark was likely to cause confusion in the minds of consumers, about the source or sponsorship of the brands offered under the defendant’s mark.

The energy drinks market in Nigeria A critical question posed on this dispute by some observers is that why NBC waited for three years after Rite Foods’ Fearless energy drink was introduced before coming out with a look alike of the trademark of Fearless, if indeed its partner has used the trademark or style in another country?

A marketing analyst, Mr. Adekanmi Fadare wondered why a big multinational company will be playing a catch-up marketing strategy to the point of using a trademark similar to an indigenous company who had gained market acceptability with the trademark unique packaging.

Meanwhile, the management of the NBC has vowed to slug it out with Rite Foods Limited over the issue.

In a statement titled; ‘NBC to vigorously contest case against Rite Foods’ the bottling company argued that it’s well within the NBC rights to continue to sell the Predator “However, in the interest of clarity and accuracy, both NBC and Predator Energy would like to make two things 100 per cent clear: firstly, we are well within our rights to continue to sell the Predator products and secondly, neither NBC nor its Managing Director, is in breach of any court order,” NBC stated.

As the matter is now before the court with both parties insisting on right to fly the controversial ‘insignia’ , it is hoped that consumers’ interest will be protected while the dispute is being settled.

Firm Unveils App for Nigerian Market Stories by Raheem Akingbolu Roaddo, a digital ecosystem that connects buyers and sellers, has announced the launch of its app.

The company explained recently

at the unveiling of the solution in Lagos, that the purpose of the app was to unlock market access to the sellers and service providers.

The founder, Fred Adun, said

Roaddo app would also address widespread youth unemployment by giving Nigerians a platform where they could leverage their skills to sustainably earn a living.

“In addition to unlocking market

access, Roaddo had also leveraged technology to affordably make a variety of on-demand services; including cab rides, hourly help, beauty services and artisans readily available to Nigerians”,

Adun added Roaddo said the multi-services app would also ensure exposure to crowded spaces remained limited, with the current public health challenge.

Babaeko Named among Jury for Cannes Lions 2021 The President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) and Founder /Chief Executive Officer, X3M Ideas, Steve Babaeko, has been selected by the organisers of Cannes Lions Advertising Festival to function as a member of jury for the 2021 Edition of its Young Lions Creativity Awards

slated for this month (March).

Babaeko who is arguably one of the most capped Nigerian international advertising juries, having featured at the New York Advertising Festival (three times), Lisbon Advertising Festival, Cristal Festivals among others, said he was excited and impressed by his selection by the

Cannes Festivals as the role has the propensity to positively influence the younger and future generation of advertising practitioners.

Reacting to his selection, the AAAN President said: “I am extremely passionate about capacity building for generation next. As President of AAAN one of the

cornerstones of our agenda is to develop young practitioners so they can be even greater than us.

“That is why being on the young lions jury is a huge opportunity for me and our crop of young practitioners in Nigeria”.

Citing Amanda Banfield, Vice President Snacking and Marketing

Services, Mondelez Europe, Babaeko noted that leaders in the industry must ,”Get clearer on what’s constant, what’s changing, and what shifts we need to make as leaders in our organizations”, adding that this continuous re-assessment is key is in a bid to pave the way and move the industry forward.

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IBM Expands Hybrid Cloud Services for Customers IBM has announced that its hybrid cloud services are now generally available in any environment, on any cloud, on premises or at the edge -- via IBM Cloud Satellite.

Lumen Technologies and IBM have integrated IBM Cloud Satellite with the Lumen edge platform to enable clients to harness hybrid cloud services in near real-time and build innovative solutions at the edge.

IBM Cloud Satellite brings a secured, unifying layer of cloud services for clients across environments, regardless of where their data resides. This is essential to help address critical data privacy and data sovereignty requirements. Industries including telecommunications, financial services, healthcare and government can now benefit from reduced latency that comes with analyzing data securely at the edge, the company said in a statement.

It added that workloads related to online learning, remote work, telehealth services and more can now be delivered with increased efficiency and security with IBM Cloud Satellite.

As workloads shift to the edge, IBM Cloud Satellite will help clients deliver low latency, while still enabling them to have the same levels of security, data privacy, interoperability and open standards found in hybrid cloud environments.

IBM said it would also extend Watson Anywhere with the availability of IBM Cloud Pak for Data as a Service with IBM Cloud Satellite. This, the company said, would give clients a flexible, secure way to run their Artificial Intelligence (AI) and analytics workloads as services across any environment, without having to manage them on their own.

Senior Vice President, Enterprise Product Management and Services at Lumen, Paul Savill, said: “With the Lumen platform’s broad reach, we are giving our enterprise customers access to IBM Cloud Satellite to help them drive innovation more rapidly at the edge.”

According to him, “Our enterprise customers can now extend IBM Cloud services across Lumen’s robust global network, enabling them to deploy data-heavy edge applications that demand high security and ultra-low latency. By bringing secure and open hybrid cloud capabilities to the edge, our customers can propel their businesses forward and take advantage of the emerging applications of the 4th Industrial Revolution.”

As part of this collaboration, customers will be able to: Deploy applications across more than 180,000 connected enterprise locations on the Lumen network to provide a low latency experience; Create cloud-enabled solutions at the edge that leverage application management

and orchestration via IBM Cloud Satellite; and Build open, interoperable platforms that give customers greater deployment flexibility and more seamless access to cloud native services like AI, IoT and edge computing.

Head of IBM Hybrid Cloud Platform, Howard Boville, said: “IBM is working with clients to leverage advanced technologies like edge computing and AI, enabling them to digitally transform with hybrid cloud while keeping data security at the forefront.

With IBM Cloud Satellite, clients can securely gain the benefits of cloud services anywhere, from the core of the data center to the farthest reaches of the network.”

MTN Nigeria Unveils Customer Engagement Platform Stories by Emma Okonji MTN Nigeria has unveiled a new unified customer engagement platform, EnGauge, designed to enable small-to-medium enterprise business owners seamlessly administer transactions with customers, potentially increasing their productivity significantly.

Developed in partnership with Ajua, an African startup, MTN EnGauge is an agile application that offers innovative customer management solutions, including digital payments using a unique Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) code; Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools; customer feedback channels; debt management and track-

ing; business and product promotions through mobile and social media channels.

The solution is downloadable on the Google Play store and only available on the MTN network for now, with a monthly subscription of N500 and a yearly subscription of N5,500.

Following installation and registration, businesses are automatically provided with a unique USSD code that allows their customers to interact, transact and communicate with them in real-time.

With MTN Engauge, entrepreneurs can securely receive payment, track transactions with each of their customers and glean valuable insights to serve them better based on their

preferences and buying behaviour.

Chief Enterprise Business Officer, MTN Nigeria, Lynda Saint-Nwafor, said: “MTN EnGauge is the ideal platform for business owners and entrepreneurs to thrive in the ‘new normal.’

Entrepreneurs have had to re-organise their core business models through backward and forward integration to maintain relevance. The EnGauge mobile application helps make this possible and seamless.”

To showcase the platform, MTN held a live demonstration session via Zoom, where business owners were presented with the benefits of adopting the solution.

The Founder and CEO

of Ajua, Kenfield Griffith, said: “The fundamental engine of business growth is customers. By design, MTN EnGauge solves most of the challenges SMEs experience, from digitally engaging their customers to cash management.”

“With MTN as a partner and their reach across the continent, we believe MTN EnGauge will have a positive and impactful trajectory, driving transformational business growth for SMEs,” Griffith added.

MTN EnGauge was launched to the Y’ello 200 in February, beneficiaries of MTN’s Revv Programme, thus fulfilling MTN’s promise that the SMEs will be first to enjoy solutions from her stable.

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BUSINESSWORLD

PERSPECTIVE

CBN and Food Security in Pandemic Era Kelvin Gilbert

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hat the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, prioritised agriculture in his economic diversification policy, became visionary in its conception and a lifesaver as COVID-19 hit the world like a tornado. His decision to expand the scope of his mandate away from strictly monetary policy and financial systems stability to development policies with emphasis on agriculture and exploitation of non-oil minerals of the nation, marked a turning point in the implementation of the economic diversification programme.

Through it, the reactivation of the sector drawing from a basket of incentives using the platform of the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP), became not only possible but also beneficial to the nation as a whole when the positive fallouts became visible and the impact palpable.

In no time there emerged a reinvigorated interest in agriculture as a business attracting, in the process, huge investment from the private sector, foreign and local. That policy trust also saved the nation billions in foreign exchange that otherwise would have been spent importing food. From a net importer of rice, the country became self-sufficient in the crop.

The policy touched lives of the people in the immediate environment and the country at large as thousands of jobs have continued to be created and millions more empowered on a sustainable basis. It is instructive to point out that the federal government, as part of its Economic Recovery Programme, had committed to doing all within its financial power to ensure that the aim of retrieving the economy from recession was achieved and sustained.

As Emefiele himself pointed out, “the spread of the virus along with the corresponding containment measures, led to a significant slowdown in global growth in the first half of 2020. Commodity exporting countries like ours also faced significant revenue challenges as commodity prices such as crude oil, dipped by over 65 percent in the 1st half of the year.

“As a result of the downturn in growth, advanced and emerging market countries implemented series of conventional and unconventional measures, aimed at curtailing the spread of the virus and stimulating greater economic recovery. In Nigeria our combined stimulus measures so far is about US$18 billion, which is close to 4.5 percent of our GDP.”

Emefiele

To reinforce the government’s commitment to mitigating the impact of COVID-19, CBN injected in excess of N6 billion into agricultural sector geared towards ensuring food security during the pandemic. This money was disbursed to organised farming groups who formed the core of the agricultural project.

Under COVID-19 and the attendant disruption in economic activities and closure of borders worldwide, it was difficult to find things to buy even if one had the money. This situation was made worse in the case of Nigeria by a wrenching cash crunch. But with the availability of locally produced rice, maize, wheat, millet, cassava tomato and so on as well poultry and dairy products, life was made a little easier for the people.

There also began to re-emerge pyramids rice, maize in places like Minna, Funtua and Kebbi and in the process brought nostalgic memories of time past when those landmarks used to dot the landscape in parts of the North in the period preceding the nation’s Independence and up the immediate post-independence era.

As a matter of fact, recently, the Kebbi State Government in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) unveiled rice pyramids in the state as evidence that with commitment and financial support, sufficiency in food production in the country is possible.

The rice pyramid, the first ever in the country, was displayed to demonstrate

that Nigeria can do it by surpassing the Asian countries from where rice imports had bloomed.

It cannot be over-emphasised that a nation that is unable to feed its citizens is waiting for the doomsday. With the competition among the states that the success story in Kebbi State has engendered, in no distant time, Nigeria may be in a position to do away altogether with the importation of rice, maize or other staple products that can conveniently be produced in Nigeria.

In expanding the scope of development financing, the CBN believes that diversifying the Nigerian economy will not only make her self-sufficient in food production and industrial raw materials, but also create jobs for its teeming youth population.

According to Emefiele, the Bank has sustained its intervention efforts in order to help catalyse growth in critical sectors of the economy such as agriculture and manufacturing. This the Bank has done through intervention programmes such as the hugely successful Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP), the Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS), the Bankers Committee Agri-Business/Small and Medium Enterprises Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS) and recently introduced Commodity Development Initiative (CDI), which focuses on developing the value chain of ten focal commodities: Cassava, cocoa, cotton, fish, livestock/

dairy, maize, oil palm, poultry, rice and tomatoes.

Following success recorded in the agricultural intervention scheme and in line with efforts to boost food production, the CBN recently disclosed that it set aside about N432 billion to fund the value chains in nine commodities which commenced in the 2020 wet season.

The CBN’s funding of the ABP for the 2020 season was the highest since the inception of the programme in 2015. The proposed funding for the nine commodities was a significant move by the CBN, considering the successes recorded in the 2019 season that contributed to shielding Nigeria from any food shortage, particularly rice during the era of the pandemic.

As indicated earlier, “the agriculture sector was a key driver in taking the Nigerian economy away from negative growth in the 4th quarter of 2020. It is important that we not only sustain measures aimed at increasing productivity of the sector, but also ensure that we continue to produce items that can be produced locally rather than resorting to imports of these items.”

“More importantly, our agricultural sector also offers significant opportunity for the nation to earn foreign exchange through the exports of processed agricultural products. Over the next three years, we will continue to encourage the banking sector to increase its loans to the agriculture sector from four percent to 10 percent by 2024,” Emefiele said.

He also disclosed that the apex bank is also “pursuing an in-depth restructuring of the Nigeria Commodities Exchange Board in order to improve access to finance as well as productivity for stakeholders in the agriculture sector.

With enhanced logistics and the provision of warehouse receipts through the Commodities Exchange, farmers will be able to access finance, expand production and supply needed goods to off-takers.

The whole essence of this discourse is to point out how futuristic the Emefiele policy, in particular his intervention in the agriculture sector, has been and will continue to be. It has not only saved the nation from what would have been a monumental food crisis but also expanded the nation’s economic activity in the sector and unleashed its hitherto dormant job creation potentials and also revealed, in a very significant way, the contributions it is capable of making to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

-Gilbert, a public affairs analyst, lives in Garki Abuja

Smart Security, Storage and Consumer Perceptions Davide Villa

S

mart devices are increasingly a part of everyday life both inside and outside of the home and this only accelerated further in 2020.

Outside of the home, security cameras and other smart devices are being used to support public health and safety during the pandemic. Capabilities such as thermal imaging technology to detect fever, or cameras to understand footfall and traffic in specific city areas for crowd management, are examples of ways this technology can be leveraged. Demand may well have increased, but data storage and security continues to be an important consideration.

Positive news for smart technology providers is that interest in smart technology innovations, whether in the home or the city, is high. In a recent Western Digital report exploring consumer views on smart technology and data storage, a substantial 90 per cent of those surveyed across Europe, Middle East, Africa and India (EMEA) said that they are looking forward to at least one forthcoming form of smart technology.

Delving deeper into that data, the smart innovations for the home that drew the most excitement in EMEA include: home security cameras (36 per cent), entertainment streaming services (35 per cent) and light-

Villa

ing/heating controls (35 per cent). From a smart city infrastructure perspective, interest is centred around transport with electric vehicle charging points at (39 per cent), driverless vehicles (38 per cent) and security surveillance cameras (37 per cent).

While awareness of these technologies is high, the research found that uptake remains low. When it comes to usage, only 35 per cent had used smart home technology and 30 per cent had come into contact with smart city technology across Europe and the

Middle East. According to the research, that barrier to adoption appears to be based on a lack of understanding of how consumers’ data is captured, stored and used. Just 19 per cent of UK consumers believed they knew more about personal data capture than others, highlighting a general lack of awareness and the need for reassurance and clarity from smart technology vendors on this issue.

Security cameras and the benefit perception 2020 has shone a definitive spotlight on the benefits that security cameras can offer the world, especially in times of crisis. And consumers are acknowledging these key benefits, with more than half (52 per cent) seeing security cameras as keeping them safe and reducing crime (40 per cent). This is similar to smart highway cameras, with keeping them safe (46 per cent) and reducing crime (28 per cent) highlighted as the key benefits.

Security cameras are often always on and with that comes some unique storage challenges. The technology needs to be able to keep up, delivering reliable high-performance data transfer and data-writing speeds to ensure high-quality video is captured and analysed. There are a few security-based concepts that can be deployed to help lessen the knowledge gap and build trust.

However, when it comes to smart technology overall, consumers are still cautious and have concerns about whether their data is at risk. The Western Digital research revealed that the top priorities for EMEA consumers for managing and storing smart technology data are that it be secure against breaches (73 per cent) and that it be stored on drives that are safe and reliable (70 per cent).

Effective and compliant data storage plays a major role in making these benefits a reality for consumers as well as building trust.

The future of smart technology and security The next few years should be an exciting time for smart technology providers. The market is growing, and consumers are excited for what’s coming next, but a lack of knowledge around smart technology infrastructure threatens this progress and the gains that will go with it.

The implementation of the right storage infrastructure and technology and subsequent education on them will help consumers to feel that their information is more secure and remove doubt around these technologies, especially security cameras.

-Villa is the Business Development Director for Europe, Middle East, Africa and India (EMEAI) at Western Digital Corporation

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IMAGES

L-R; Renowned poet, Mr. Odia Ofeimun; art enthusiast, Chief Kayode Aderinokun; Managing Director/CEO, ProvidusBank, Mr. Walter Akpani; veteran actor, Mrs. Taiwo Ajai-Lycett; Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka: Managing Director/CEO, Northwest Petroleum, Dame Winnie Akpani; Consul General, U.S. Consulate, Ms. Claire A. Pierangelo; and Nigerian explorer, Chief Newton Jibunoh, at the ProvidusBank Poetry Café event to mark the World Poetry Day with the theme ‘Voices in the cause of Earth’ in Lagos...recently

L-R: Member, National Governing Board of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Barr. Dayo Ajibola; Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Chairperson, NYSC National Governing Board, Amb. Fatima Balla Abubaker; NYSC Ekiti State Coordinator, Mrs Mary Nnenna Chikizie; and a Board Member, Prof Sulyman Abudukareem; during a visit by the NYSC Governing Board members to the Governor in Ado-Ekiti… recently

L-R, Country Director, DQS Nigeria, Lawrence Ogudu; Chief Executive Officer, Ikeja Electric, Folake Soetan, and Chief Commercial Officer, Ogochukwu Onyelucheya, during the presentation of ISO 45001; 2018 certificate to Ikeja Electric, at the company’s Corporate Headquarters... recently

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ Ͱͳ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

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L-R: National Women Leader, Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), Yembe Chille; National President, Usman Mohammed and Deputy National President, Ikechukwu Alaribe briefing journalist following the directives of national executive council of PASAN to embark AYO AJAYI. on indefinite strike in Abuja ...recently

.L-R: Governor of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Abdullahi Sule; Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie-Omo Agege; Governor of Jigawa State/Chairman, APC Contact Strategy Committee, Alhaji Abubakar Badaru and Governor of Yobe state/Chairman Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of APC, Mai Mala Buni, during the inauguration of the APC Contact Strategy Committee, at the Party’s secretariat in Abuja ...recently ENOCK REUBEN

L-R – Vaccines Medical Manager Anglophone West Africa, GSK Pharmaceutical Nigeria; Dr.Temitayo Olowookere, Chief of Party Inspiring Project, Save the Children, Isah Adamu; Programme Manager, Save the Children, Folasayo Olukera; Head of Vaccines, GSK Pharmaceutical Nigeria, Dr. Abass Sanni; and Child health and Immunization Specialist for Save the Children, Dr. Ibrahim Seriki at the Save the Children training of health workers on Integrated marketing of childhood illness (IMCI) held in Ikeja, Lagos...recently

L-R; General Manager, Strategic Planning, PTDF, Jide Adebulehin; Chairman SPE Nigeria Council, Olatunji Akinwunmi; Group Managing Director, AITEO Eastern Exploration and Production, Victor Okoronkwo; Coordinator Shell Conferences, Magnus Kanu; Managing Director, AOS Orwell Limited, Femi Omotayo and Publicity Secretary, PETAN, Lucky Akhiwu during Society of Petroleum Engineers Nigeria Council 2021 Oloibiri lecture on operational excellence in the oil and gas industry post COVID-19 in Abuja...recently

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T H I S D AY ˾ , MARCH 25, 2021

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

ÜÙßÚ ÏËÞßÜÏÝ ÎÓÞÙÜ˝ ÒÓÏ×ÏÖÓÏ äÏÙÌÓ ×ËÓÖ chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, Tel: 07010510430

States and their Roles against Disease Outbreaks If Nigeria will effectively tackle health security threats, states must play prominent roles in disease prevention and management. Martins Ifijeh x-rays roles played by states and need for them to prioritise the healthcare area

How well have Nigerian governors prioritised epidemic control?

T

he world was awoken to yet another unsubstantiated safety concern over the use of COVID-19 vaccine. The countries alleged that there were observed serious side effects like blood clotting on some of those administered with the Astrazeneca vaccine. Although such side affects are yet to be proven or backed with official pharmacovigilance report, all the same, the alarm raised by some European countries like Denmark and Netherlands has led to the suspension of the deployment of the vaccine by some countries in Europe.

The issue also sent fears and jitters into the spines of most people of the world including those in Africa and Nigeria, who have just started the introducing Astrazeneca vaccine to its people.

WHO’S Response As expected, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has responded swiftly to the matter.

It said it was aware that, as a precautionary measure, a few countries in the European Union have suspended use of a specific batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine distributed in the EU, based on reports of rare blood coagulation disorders in persons who had received v It is one thing for a nation to outline efforts towards improving health security, it is another for states under it to support the effort and ensure epidemic preparedness and national health security are prioritised.

For Nigeria, not many states have seen the need to give attention to disease prevention and management. To them, since the federal government and stakeholders have started importing COVID-19 vaccines to tackle the present pandemic in the country, it was best to return to the status quo, which is reducing funding for disease outbreaks and other related areas of health.

To be clear, many states have reduced their allocations to epidemic preparedness in their 2021 budgets, as against last year when they jacked up funding to tackle outbreaks. They have either yanked off disease prevention allocations from their budgets or have reduced it to an insignificant amount that would hamper efforts at tackling disease outbreaks like Lassa fever, cholera, looming Ebola Virus Disease, COVID-19, among others.

Kebbi State For instance, Kebbi State’s epidemic preparedness budgetary allocation for 2020, which amounts to N506, 800, 000 was reduced in 2021 to 502,400,000 despite the enormous challenges before the state this year. In 2019, it budgeted N246, 800, 000 for the healthcare area.

Breaking the epidemic preparedness budget of the state down shows that it budgeted N80 million for Epidemic Control this year, whereas, last year, it allocated N1, 201, 010, 47 for the same area of healthcare. This suggests it has reduced its priority for Epidemic Control within the space of one year. In 2019, it allotted N30, 000, 000 for same section of health management.

In 2019, it budgeted N30, 000, 000 for Disease Surveillance, whereas this year, it reduced the said amount to N10, 000, 000. However, this was higher than its allocation for 2020 which was N5, 000, 000. Surprisingly this year, the state did not budget any amount for vaccination or vaccination services, whereas in 2020 and 2019, it allotted N10.6 million to the service each year.

On the Control and Eradication of Animal Diseases, the state budgeted N40 million for the entire year, whereas in 2020 and 2019, it budgeted N50 million each for the two years.

In 2020 and 2019, Kebbi allotted N300 million and N100 million respectively for Disease Outbreak, but in 2021, it allotted zero naira to the area. In 2020, it allotted N100 million for the Provision of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases Programme as against this year where it reduced the amount by half to N50 million.

Enugu State Documents obtained by THISDAY recently, showed that Enugu State has reduced its budgetary allocation for epidemic preparedness this year. In 2020, it budgeted N1.02 million for disease prevention and management, while in 2021, it reduced the amount. This is despite 2021 considered the year governments were meant to improve funding for disease prevention and management since they are supposed to understand disease outbreaks better than previous years before the COVID-19 pandemic.

On specifics, Enugu State in 2020 budgeted N1, 000, 000,000 for Intervention and Response

to Epidemic Prone Diseases (COVID-19); while in 2021, it budgeted N300, 000, 000 for the same response; which suggests it reduced allocations for disease prevention and management of COVID-19 by 70 per cent.

In 2021, it even budgeted zero amounts for epidemiology, surveillance, control of diseases like cholera, measles, polio, rota virus, procurement and repositioning of health commodities, drugs, response materials, laboratory materials for response to epidemic prone diseases, where as in 2020, it spent N20 million on this.

Kogi State If there is one state in Nigeria that has openly shown lack of ignorance to the importance of epidemic preparedness, it is Kogi State. Its Governor, Yahaya Bello has on many occasions insisted that his state does not have COVID-19, a claim he is yet to back up scientifically since last year. Just recently, he noted that he would not be taking the vaccine, noting that the state was free of such infections.

To make matters worse, one of the senators from the state, Senator Smart Adeyemi said all 12 federal legislators from the state were in support of the governor’s idea about the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although THISDAY could not ascertain if there was a budgeted amount to tackle disease outbreaks in the state, utterances from the leadership of the state indicate that not much priority will be given to disease prevention and management in the state this year.

Lack of Priority across States Kebbi and Enugu are not the only states that have reduced their budgetary allocations for disease prevention and management in the country. Majority of the 36 states have either reduced their allocations for previous years, or maintained the abysmally poor allocations they have operated from the previous years.

States like Lagos, Edo, Gombe, Borno, Bayelsa among others are set to spend lesser amounts this year on disease prevention compared to what they spent last year on the same area of healthcare. This is despite the coordinating agency in charge of national health security – the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) clamouring on states to make its work easier by prioritizing epidemic preparedness and

funding disease prevention.

In 2021, the NCDC increased its allocation for health security by almost 100 per cent.

The federal government had approved N1.4 billion as the capital budget for the agency, representing a significant increase from last year’s budget of N700 million. This increase is however not the ideal amount the agency hoped can address the health challenge. It is believed that despite this increase, the amount will be insufficient to run the generators in one of the centre’s laboratories let alone running the entire agency for a full year.

The Director General, NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu had in a previous interview with THISDAY called on state governors and their legislative houses to set aside comfortable allocations for disease control in their various states. He believed this would complement the work of the federal agency, as well as help improve the health of citizens.

He said: “We can collectively address issues around disease outbreaks if states give us the desired collaboration. The federal cannot do it alone; we need all states to give their quota towards disease prevention. Just as funds are allocated to infrastructure and other areas of development, this should be done also to disease prevention because a health security threat in one state can spread to other states as well. Only collaboration can effectively address this,” he said.

Experts believe Nigeria is collectively yet to prioritise health security, which means progress made or been planned to be made in other sectors this year may come to nothing if the country experiences another major health crisis in addition to the COVID-19. They believe that if health security is prioritised, it will not only ensure government’s overall plans for the citizens in 2021 are achieved, it will help in preventing, detecting and responding to public health threats which are capable of reversing the gains the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has made or hopes to make by the end of 2021.

Health security, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) is referred to as the activities required to minimise the danger and impact of acute public health events that endanger the collective health of populations living across geographical regions and international boundaries.

T H I S D AY ˾ , MARCH 25, 2021

35

NEWS

Nigeria Still Far from Achieving 2022 Target on TB Control, Says WHO

FERTILITY

with DR. KEMI AILOJE Info@lifelinkfertility.com; Website: lifelinkfertility.com 08033083580

Premarital Genetic Counselling (Part 1)

˾ ÒËØÓÜÏ˝ ÞÏÝÞ ËàËÓÖËÌÖÏ ÙØÖã ÓØ ͱͯ͵ Ý Onyebuchi Ezigbo ÓØ ÌßÔË World Health Organisation (WHO) has expressed worry that the country may not be able to reach its set target of diagnosing and treating over 1.1 million TB cases by next year.

WHO’s worry came just as the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire said the first-line test for TB diagnosis, is barely 41 per vent; 317 out of 774 local government areas in the country.

According to the WHO, tuberculosis is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide and the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent (ranking above HIV/AIDS).

The world health body said that there are an estimated 10 million people with TB globally in 2019, with Nigeria and seven other countries accounting for two thirds of the global total.

Speaking at the event to commemorate the 2021 World TB Day in Nigeria, the Country Represetantative of the WHO in Nigeria, Dr. Walter Kazadi Molumbo said Nigeria had made a commitment to diagnose and treat over 1.1 million TB cases and place about 2.2 million clients on TB preventive Therapy (TPT) from 2018 to 2022 at the United Nations High Level meeting (UNHLM) on TB in 2018.

However, he regretted that the country is still far away from achieving these targets with less than two years to go.

Speaking on the progress made so far in the control of TB in Nigeria. It is on record that, Nigeria recorded a 15 per cent increase in TB case notifications in 2020 compared with the previous year despite the effect of the COVID19 pandemic on the TB Control Program.

He explained that low TB case detection has remained a major challenge in the TB

control efforts in Nigeria with the country only detecting 27 per cent of the estimated incident TB cases.

“The undetected TB cases can further constitute pool of reservoir that fuel ongoing transmission of TB in the community, as one undetected infectious TB case is able to infect between 12 – 15 people per year,” he said.

Molumbo further said that TB control budgets in Nigeria has continued to be drastically underfunded, adding that about 70 per cent of the TB budget in 2020 were unfunded which posed a major threat to the country’s efforts in achieving the set targets.

In addition, Molumbo expressed concern that too many people are pushed into poverty when they contract TB due to lost income, transport costs and other expenses.

He added that 71per cent of the TB patients in Nigeria and their household are affected by catastrophic cost due to TB. “The theme for this year World TB Day 2021- “The Clock is Ticking” is therefore a wake-up call for us as a nation to accelerate TB response to reach the set targets in the 2021-2025 National TB Strategic Plan and to realise the commitments made by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the first-ever UN High Level Meeting on TB in 2018,” he said.

Molumbo stressed the need for collective action across sectors to address the challenges and accelerate progress towards ending TB in Nigeria by 2030.

He said WHO is currently working with the programme in data analysis towards formulating evidence-based policies for enhancing programme performance at the all levels.

Minister of Health, Dr.

Osagie Ehanire said the key challenge to in TB control effort has been the slow pace of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for TB services.

He said TB testing services were only available in 31 per cent of health facilities, adding that the current coverage of GeneXpert machines, the first-line test for TB diagnosis is barely 41 per cent; 317 out of 774 LGAs. “The Government of Nigeria has stepped up TB response in line with the commitment made by President Muhammadu Buhari to end TB, at the first-ever United Nations High-level Meeting (UNHLM) on TB in September, 2018.

“Following that commitment, we are implementing a plan that translates the commitments into action, and we were able to achieve 73 per cent of our UNHLM TB case finding target for 2019,” he said.

Ehanire listed federal government’s priorities for tuberculosis to include; ensuring continuity of TB services through provision of integrated TB and COVID-19 services especially for of awareness creation, contact tracing and diagnosis; scaleup demand creation for TB services through regular airing of TB jingles in radio and television stations.

Other strategies involve the introduction of new diagnostic tools, shorter TPT regimen and all oral regimen for treatment of DR-TB; massively scaling up of TB service provision including TPT, in public and private facilities as well as in communities and integrating TB services into Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) services and non-communicable disease control.

Academy of Medicine Appoints Medical Experts as Rapid-Response Group on Pandemics Rebecca Ejifoma The Academy of Medicine Specialties has appointed a team of eminent medical experts to assess and advise the government on the way forward.

The list includes Prof Geoffrey Onyemelukwe, Prof Wole Tomori, Prof Vincent Rotimi, Prof Akin Osibogun, Prof Bruce Ovbiagele, Prof Obinna Onwujekwe and Prof Tunde Salako.

Others are Prof Sade Ogunsola, Prof Sunday Omilabu; Prof Christian Happi and Dr. Yahaya Mohammed. They are experts in Virology, Microbiology, Epidemiology, and Medicine.

Like other National Academy of Medicine, the team of experts was assembled to launch a rapid-response initiative committee, as

noted in a media statement signed by the President of the Academy, Prof Oladapo Ashiru.

The team, he added, would explore the current state of the art and provide recommendations to improve the country-wide strategy for preparedness, border control in cases of new Pandemics, regulatory approval, distribution of vaccines, and post-approval surveillance for adverse events.

While listing that the expert committee would head this Rapid initiative group, Ashiru said fellows of the academy with interest in communicable disease are also indicated to be invited to join the group.

“They would advise the Academy regularly to be published and given to

Government and Newsletter to the Academy and the Public,” he outlined.

According to the president, the experts are expected to give immediate advice on the enormous task of facing the SARS-C0v2 multifaceted challenges.

They would contribute and make recommendations on the current struggle to vaccinate or not.

“If, with mRNA or DNA vaccines and AEFI consequences, to which groups or not to administer the vaccine; Use of Ivermectin, steaming, Vitamin supplements and other ramifications.”

Part of their duties is also to help in continuous monitoring of global trends in other infections such as Ebola and recommend necessary preventive measures.

P

arenthood is undeniably one of the most universally desired goals in adulthood. Having a healthy baby is a major wish of every couple. However studies shows that millions of children are born with congenital disorders every year, this results in many problems in the family and society especially for those who have experienced having a mentally or physically retarded child or children.

Humans and all other sexually reproducing organism, carry two genes for each trait, one from each parent, this allows them reproduce offspring’s that shares characteristics with them. This observation has been evident since prehistoric times and this is what is referred to as genetics.

Genetics is the study of how traits such as hair colour, eye colour, and risk for disease are passed (“inherited”) from parents to their children.

Your genetic information is called your genetic code or “genome”. Your genome is made up of a chemical called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and is stored in almost every cell in your body. Every human is made up of about 75-100 trillion cells and 20,000 genome. Most cells in the human body contain 46 chromosomes, that is, 23 chromosomes from each parent. The 23rd pair of chromosomes X and Y. Males have one X and one Y chromosome, while females have two X chromosomes. These chromosomes contain all of the information the body requires to grow and develop normally.

Chromosomal abnormalities could be a result of either a structural or numerical irregularity. Structural abnormalities may occur when a portion of a chromosome is misplaced.

Numerical abnormalities could be an increase or decrease in the typical number of chromosomes. Chromosomes abnormalities can result in different developmental defects such as Down syndrome or Tuner syndrome. The risk of these chromosomal defect increases with maternal and paternal age above 35 years old.

Genetic disorders are those diseases that are caused by the presence of a mutation in a gene. They cause varying levels of discomfort, but some could be fatal. A common example of a genetic disorder is sickle cell anaemia.

The essence of this week’s publication is to create awareness on genetic disorders and how we can join forces to reduce the burden of inherited disease and genetic disorders so as ensure better quality of life for next generation. This sure starts with genetic testing and counselling of an intending parent.

Why Genetic Testing?

Genetic testing progressively appears to give the answer to the basis of sickness and offer knowledge into the health of the population. It serves as an instrument for analysis and diagnosis. It is an important factor in disease prevention and it fulfils each person’s right to known their genetic heredity. Not only can genetic screening be used for reproductive purposes, it can also provide information about a person health and well-being. The knowledge of one’s own genetic vulnerabilities takes away the fear of the unknown, especially when such a person has a previous record of the disease. For instance, if a member of the family currently suffers from infertility, miscarriages, stillbirths or early child mortality, it could be a cause of concern for other family members. Genetic testing and counselling places concerned family members in a better position to make informed decision whenever they choose to by analysing blood, skin, hair or other body tissue sample. This test not only indicates an individual’s likelihood of developing certain disease in the future, it can also identify genetic and chromosomal abnormalities that can be passed on to off spring.

What is Genetic Counselling?

Genetic Counselling is the process by which patients or relatives at risk of an inherited disorder are advised on the consequences and nature of the disorder, the probability of developing or transmitting it, options open to them in management and family planning in order to prevent or ameliorate it. In simple worlds, the genetic counselling involves meeting medical experts who may carry out various genetic tests and also study in detail your family’s health records and medical history. The purpose of the counselling is not only risk assessment but also to explain the cause and inheritance of a disorder as well as the availability of treatment options.

Intending couple are able to find out if theirs or their spouse’s genes contain any disorder that may get transferred to their unborn baby. Therefore, the importance of genetic counselling cannot be underestimated because it is a beneficial tool in establishing any complication that may arise in your baby because of the faulty genes. Premarital counselling have played very important role in the management of many genetic disorder. People can now be equipped with a complete understanding and awareness of genetic and chromosomal inheritance and what it means to be ‘at risk TO BE CONTINUED

36

T H I S D AY ˾ , MARCH 25, 2021

FEATURES

Alleviating Plight of Sickle Cell Patients, Vulnerable Women in Katsina Francis Sardauna chronicles the strides of the Katsina State Governor’s Wife, Dr. Zakiyya Aminu Masari in ameliorating the suffering of sickle cell patients, vulnerable women and children in the state Although there are no definitive statistics on the burden of sickle cell disease, reports from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other credible sources revealed that Nigeria has the highest burden of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) not only in Africa, but in the world.

At least 150,000 children are born with sickle cell disease in Nigeria every year, while about 40 million Nigerians (which could amount to five African countries) are healthy carriers of the sickle cell gene.

It is worrisome to note therefore that the 40 million healthy carriers of the sickle cell gene in a population of 200 million people are like a time bomb waiting to explode.

The disease, according to health practitioners, is a genetic blood disorder, which occurs when a child inherits a trait from each parent that causes most of their red blood cells to form into crescents, rather than discs. The condition makes the blood less able to carry oxygen and flow smoothly, which causes a myriad of health challenges and a shorter lifespan for the affected person.

It occurs when the red blood cells contain an abnormal form of the oxygen-carrying protein haemoglobin S, and some less prevalent, but related conditions such as sickle haemoglobin C disorder (Hb SC) and sickle beta thalassaemia (Hb SBthal).

Children, who inherit sickle-cell genes from both parents (SS), often develop sickle-cell disease, while those who inherit the gene from only one parent will have the sickle-cell trait (AS).

Those with the trait have no symptoms, but can pass the gene on to their offspring.

The recurrent pain and complications caused by the disease can interfere with many aspects of the person’s life, including education, work, matrimonial homes, psychosocial developments and interactions.

Miffed by the spate of patients suffering from the disease in the country, the Wife of the Katsina State Governor, Dr. Zakiyya Aminu Masari has been providing free treatment and drugs to the patients across the state in order to reduce and tackle the hardship afflicting them.

She has made conquering SCD in the state a top priority and she is leading efforts to translate research into cutting-edge therapies and cures, increase access to care, educate healthcare providers, and encourage policymakers to make strides in universal screening and care efforts.

The governor’s wife has amplified the voice of the SCD community, promoted awareness, and improved outcomes for individuals with the disease. She is equally focused on promoting clinical care, training, and advocacy while providing a platform to encourage stakeholders to work together to develop and implement important projects and activities that will ultimately help and improve outcomes for sickle cell patients in the state.

Dr. Zakiyya Masari, who is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Women, Youth and Children Improvement Support Initiative (WYCISI), has demonstrated that it helps to help. She has so far elevated the lives of over 7,000 sickle cell anemia patients through the provision of free drugs to them in Daura, Dutsi and Ingawa Local Governments’ SCD centres.

She has over the years been committed to alleviating and putting smiles on the faces of thousands of sickle cell anemia patients, less privileged, widows, orphans and vulnerable

Dr. Zakiyya Masari

women in the state, particularly those living in rural communities.

It is a well-known fact that the state of widowhood is worsened by situations of poverty and lack of access to services and resources. Widows, vulnerable women, orphans, less privileged and unemployed youths across the country, irrespective of ethnic groups, religious or political affiliations are among the most vulnerable and destitute people in the society today.

In a bid to eradicate the age-long scenario, Masari embarked on programmes aimed at cushioning the predicament bedeviling them.

Such programmes includes provision of skills acquisition, training for the less privileged women, youth and children, offering of grant, provision of bursary and scholarship to boys and girls, mostly orphans within Daura senatorial zone of the state.

Notably among them is the distribution of 600 sewing and grinding machines to women and unemployed youths in Bindawa, Mani, Daura, Mai’Adua and Dutsi Local Government Areas of the state. She equally disbursed N10,000 and N50,000 each as start-up capital to vulnerable women and orphans in 12 local governments under Daura senatorial zone after a one-week training on entrepreneurial skills and business development.

Similarly, the governor’s wife donated 50 tricycles to some selected youths across Dutsi, Daura and Ingawa local governments and renovated general hospitals Ingawa, Dutsi and Mani. While in collaboration with Bruder Hilfe Foundation, Dr. Zakiyya Masari also donated 80 hand-driven tricycles to physically challenged persons selected across the 12 local government areas in Daura senatorial zone of the state.

While presenting the tricycles to the beneficiaries in Daura, she lamented the spate of hardship afflicting persons with disabilities in the country, particularly those living in rural communities and admonished philantropists to

contribute their quota in assuaging challenges bedeviling them.

She said the gesture done through her pet project, Women Youths and Children Improvement Support Initiative, is aimed at transforming and alleviating the plight confronting vulnerable people, especially the physically challenged and virsually impaired persons in the society.

She, therefore reiterated her readiness to work with development partners and corporate organisations within and outside the country in the areas of women, children and youths empowerment for the betterment of vulnerable households in the state. The tricycles, according to her, would go a long way in assisting the beneficiaries in finding their means of livelihood and urged them to make judicious use of the items.

She said: “It is my hope to transform and enhance the society through empowerment and touching the lives of the most vulnerable class to be role models which I sincerely hope that this class will one day serve as role models, by making positive impact and meaningful contributions to societal development.

“It is my belief that the mobility carts (tricycles) would no doubt give a helping hand to the beneficiaries who are physically handicapped to enable them to move around, discover their environment as well as find means of livelihood like any other person.”

The “Uwar Marayu” as she is fondly called by those who are familiar with her humanitarian services, embarked on different levels of empowerment where she dished out gift items to include wrappers and cash to widows and the less privileged of Daura extraction during a colourful and well-attended event in the ancient town.

In an effort to further ameliorate the plight of the vulnerable in the state, Dr. Zakiyya, has of recent, donated assorted food and households items and clothes to over 600 women, Internally

Displaced Persons (IDPs), widows and orphans in Dutsi and Kankia Local Government Areas of the state.

On education, she has distributed thousands of school uniforms, notebooks and other instructional materials to primary and secondary schools to enhance education across the 12 local governments in Daura zone. She also supported 200 students with scholarship grants to study in different higher institutions of learnig within and outside the state.

To support the good work her husband is doing in the health sector, Zakiyya in collaboration with Cry For Help (CFH), a non-governmental organisation recently offered free medical outreach to 7,000 patients in Daura, the hometown of President Muhammadu Buhari, as part of effort to ameliorate their impediments and boost healthcare in communities.

The free medical outreach services, which included the provision of healthcare items, eye care treatment and provision of medical glasses, provision of drugs to patients, blood testing and counseling as well as provision of tooth paste and tooth brush for children, was targeted at bringing succor to the less privileged and the vulnerable children in the state.

At the event, Mrs. Masari called on the beneficiaries to regularly check their health status in order to reduce cases of diabetes, cancer, hepatitis, high blood pressure and other diseases, saying she would continue to give empowerment grant and packages to women and youth to boost their businesses and essential drugs to health facilities and cash assistance to the less privileged patients.

“Skill acquisition training for women and youth to become self-reliant, scholarship allowances to girls across Daura zone and agricultural for women to enhance food security, among other numerable humanitarian interventions aimed at assuaging the suffering of the masses remained my major priority”, she said during the event.

While pledging that her pet project would not relent in its quest of improving the sociaeconomic and well-being of women, youth and children in the state, Mrs. Masari said: “We are ever ready to partner local and international development partners on any programme that would impact positively on the lives of women, youth and children”.

In her spirit of sportmanship and oneness irrespective of religious, tribal or political differences, the governor’s wife few weeks ago, distributed grinding and sewing mechines, including thousands of naira to women and youths of ECWA Church Fago in Sandamu Local Government Area of the state.

At least, Masari through her pet project, has been able to traine and empower over 17,000 widows, orphans, disabled persons and the less privileged as part of effort to complement the unflinching and tremendous efforts of her husband in actualising the restoration agenda of his administration.

Meanwhile, these, among other notable humanitatian projects and services rendered to vulnerable women, orphans, physically challenged persons, widows, unemployed youths and other developmental projects she executed in communities across the state have earned her different preticious awards from reputable institutions and organisations, including the National Lottery Regulatory Commission.

9mobile Promotes Mental Health Awareness through Health Talk Series Rebecca Ejifoma As part of efforts to cushion the mental health impact of COVID-19 and curb the increasing rate of depression, Nigeria’s telecommunication company, 9mobile, will hold the maiden edition of a virtual health talk series today by 7pm.

With the theme, “COVID-19 and the new normal: Staying mentally healthy in the face of the challenges”, the session will be streamed live on the

Instagram page of Instablog9ja.

It will feature rights advocate and Executive Director at She Writes Woman, Hausa Ojeifo. She is tagged the voice and face of mental health in Nigeria.

Ojeifo will discuss the concept and scope of mental health, signs, and symptoms, dealing with stigma and trauma associated with mental health, and when and where to get help.

Commenting on the initiative, the Executive Director,

Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, 9mobile, Abdulrahman Ado, remarked that mental health needs to be given top priority, especially in the face of the unprecedented loss, anxiety and disruption occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said, “As a business that cares about the wellbeing of its customers, it has become imperative for us to champion conversations around the issue of mental health, especially at a time

when the world is going through one of the deadliest pandemics in history.

“COVID-19 has exacted such heavy toll and triggered a spike in stress and anxiety-induced depression in people.”

It is in light of this that 9mobile teamed up with Ojeifo to facilitate frank conversations around mental, emotional, and psychological health.

With the session, Ado hopes to empower Nigerians

with the right information on how to respond effectively to issues surrounding mental health.

In his statement, “We also hope that this effort will play a significant role in cutting the number of suicide-related deaths resulting from depression, he added.”

While highlighting the company’s continued commitment to initiatives that drive positive change, Ado added that the health talk series aligns with 9mobile’s focus on health as

one of its strategic pillars for social intervention.

According to findings by the World Health Organisation (WHO), an estimated one in eight Nigerians suffer from mental illness.

Anxiety is the most common mental illness. Ado warned, adding that experts believe that with more education and awareness around the issue, people will be informed on how best to manage their mental health and seek timely help where needed.

37

T H I S D AY ˾ , MARCH 25, 2021

PERSPECTIVE

Garki Hospital: Model for Access to Healthcare through PPP Remi Adebayo At the centre of everyone’s priority is good health. In fact, no life is worth living without a complete state of wellness wherein the physical body can sustain a functional mind towards productive living.

The World Health Organisation, WHO, defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Indeed, only absolutely healthy individuals can contribute meaningfully to the society, their immediate families and the world at large.

However, with about 70 percent of the Nigerian population living in the semi-urban and rural areas, affordability and access to quality healthcare remains a major challenge. Those in urban centres have peculiar challenges to cope with.

For instance, population in the Federal Capital Territory has grown from 1.5 million in 2007 to 3.4 million, representing an annual increase of 5.67 percent. Estimated increase in 2020 stood at two million. The number of people living in the FCT has doubled in about 20 years, tasking government’s response in the provision of infrastructure and services.

To the average FCT resident, government hospitals remain the option when considering accessibility, affordability and quality service; they are however often mindful of the costs, waiting time to see a doctor or have their laboratory tests conducted.

To bridge these identified deficiencies and also bring the decaying public hospitals back to life, the FCT Administration in 2007 initiated the Public-Private-Partnership model which led to the concession of the Garki General Hospital to Nisa Premier Hospital. The initiative was to offer guaranteed services, upgrade facilities and improve healthcare for all categories of Abuja residents.

Nisa Premier Hospital emerged tops after a keenly competitive bid to manage the government-owned Garki Hospital, which had earlier been shut for six years, to allow a turn-around. The concession on PPP basis is reputed to be the first of such model in the health sector in Nigeria.

The PPP idea was meant to support and stimulate collaborations between healthcare providers and consumers as a response to challenges of underfunding, poor maintenance culture, poor staff attitude and frequent industrial actions in the public hospitals.

The Medical Director, Garki Hospital, Abuja, Dr. Adamu Onu recommends the PPP model in addressing the shortfall in the Nigerian healthcare sector. The ‘marriage’ between Nisa Premier and Garki Hospital has successfully passed this test.

Since the partnership was sealed in 2007, the hospital has not shut its doors for a single day and not a single staff has been laid off, Dr. Onu said in an interview.

“It is clearly evident that the PPP model of which Nisa Garki Hospital, Abuja is the exemplar, provides a clear pathway to upgrading and extending the Nigeria healthcare sector to world best standards, especially at this time when government finances are severely constrained,” Onu stated.

Earlier last year, the Chairman, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, who is also Secretary to the

Medical Director/Consultant Family Physician, Dr Adamu Onu

Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha admitted that the coronavirus pandemic provided a unique opportunity to x-ray the state of the health care sector which is in dire need of reforms and funding.

Nigeria’s current estimated population is 211.4 million, placing it as the seventh most populous country and expected to rank third globally by 2050 going by United Nations’ projections. While such growth rate can be an economic advantage considering the benefits of a large market, planners are concerned about the pressure on infrastructures and basic services such as health care, potable water and transportation.

This perhaps has led to recurring labour unrests; situations that create worker – government confrontations in Nigeria. Unfortunately, the health sector has not been spared. But disputes leading to the closure of hospitals are alien to Garki Hospital since 2007.

For those that are yet to experience its services, it will be quick to predict the curiosity to understand the significant achievements, aside from staying on their humanitarian duty post for unbroken fourteen years that Nisa Premier has taken charge of Garki Hospital.

The first has to do with affordability, and the records are there. Management believes that the cost of health care should not be determined by the size of the patient’s pocket. So, through the PPP, the hospital has helped to bring down the direct and indirect cost of health care by offering globally available tertiary health services within proportional rate and shortened consulting period.

This is facilitated by the deployment of cutting edge ICT technology across the value chain:

consultation, laboratory, radiography and even payment processes. The hospital is ICT-complaint and users can attest.

Dr Onu disclosed that the vision of the partnership is to offer world class health care. “The truth of the matter is that this hospital is fully digitalized.

You come in here without files being pushed up and down. You are not going to have the story of ‘Oh sorry, we have misplaced your file, we cannot find it.’ That is not a question that arises here, the in-patient, the out-patient, the labs, the pharmacy, everywhere is fully computerized.

“So right from the consulting room, the doctor can see the patient’s lab result. Here it’s unlike other places where you have to go and queue up in the lab to collect your result before you go and see the doctor. That is an example of what I call indirect cost. Time is money and then you spend like 30 minutes to pick up your test result, may be you spend another before you see the doctor; that is completely eliminated here,” Dr Onu further explained.

Outside the issue of waiting time, the Hospital has also stepped up its services to include advanced diagnostic aid, CT scan, advanced MRI with stateof- the- art tools for monitoring, such as fibroid scan among others.

Head, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr Fidelis Bakut, an obstetrician gynecologist, explained that the department has gone beyond routine antenatal care and some basic gynecological operations. It now safely delivers premature babies weighing less than one kilogramme; and from just basic fertility management to providing low–cost in vitro fertilization (IVF) since 2014 with high success rates.

The hospital has similarly acquired modern equipment to handle highly specialized gynecological and laparoscopic surgeries. There are plans to acquire more and undertake advanced laparoscopic and endoscopic surgeries.

In October 2019, the Garki Hospital became the first in sub-Saharan Africa to carry out Sleeve Gastrostomy, a surgical weight-loss procedure performed by inserting small instruments through multiple small incisions in the upper abdomen.

By implication, Nigerians should no longer seek medical tourism in view of the feat at Garki Hospital.

The Hospital is deliberately pursuing manpower development even as it gains recognition for advanced medical training.

“All our medical officers and doctors here receive Advance Cardiac Life Support Training. We are an accredited center for training house officers; a key area with lot of issues in other establishments. We have newly graduated doctors that need to have post registration training before they become fully registered doctors. There is shortage of training slots across the country and we stepped in and got accredited by the Nigerian Medical and Dental Council,” said Dr. Onu. The Nisa Garki PPP has earned accreditation for Post Graduate Residency Training in several specialties including obstetrics and gynecology; family medicine, pediatrics, and anesthesia. The hospital remains the only center accredited in the whole of West Africa for Post Fellowship Diploma Training in Assisted Reproductive Technology.

Indeed, it also prides itself as the only centre in West Africa to have achieved that feat and it has created opportunity for consultants from other hospitals to train and obtain their diploma from the West African College of Surgeons.

With the success posted by the Nisa Premier-Garki Hospital partnership, the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission in 2017 indicated the possibility of replicating the initiative to revive more fledgling health care centres in Abuja. The plan entailed a world class case study of the hospital in order to ascertain the factors responsible for its success and possibly deploying same to replicate the same arrangement across the country.

Data from Healthy Partnerships in 2010, relying on a World Bank report, declared the Garki Hospital as a model PPP hospital. Here a private provider manages a government structure and a pattern where patients get higher-quality services than at public hospitals and at cheaper rates than other private centers.

“Resources available to government are limited and there is so much that they need to do; why not invite the private sector so they can also share that burden and deliver health care to Nigerians.

That is what the government has been able to achieve here in Garki Hospital,” said Dr. Onu. The PPP initiative involving Nisa Premier and the FCT in managing once moribund Garki Hospital has proven to be amazing as a creative solution for policy makers. It is necessary for government to speedily embrace revitalizing the insufficient health facilities due to limited resources at its disposal and realities of the populace in need of unhindered, quality and affordable health services. t"EFCBZP JT B DJWJM SJHIUT BDUJWJTU

Vitafoam Marks 2021 World Sleep Day ˾ÞÙ ÖËßØÍÒ ÝÖÏÏÚ ÍË×ÚËÓÑؘ ØÏá ÚÜÙÎßÍÞÝ Worried by low level of sleep among many Nigerians and its effects on their quality of life, Vitafoam Nigeria Plc is set to drive campaign on the importance of sleep in addition to rolling out innovative products to ensure healthy living.

The frontline manufacturer of rigid foams and other household equipment had last year launched Buy Right, which uniquely placed premium on alignment of one’s weight with the appropriate foam and pillow.

In a statement issued by the company’s management to mark this year’s World Sleep Day, themed “ Regular, Regular Future,” the Group Managing Director, Mr Taiwo Adeniyi says low level of sleep reduces state

of health with serious impacts on the quality of life.

According to him, apart from leveraging its innovativeness to manufacture products that would enable users to sleep comfortably, the company shall create awareness on the relationship between sleep and healthy living. “ This year, beyond providing quality sleep products like mattresses, pillows, duvet, bed sheet and beds to Nigerians, we are driving this sleep campaign for a healthy future by encouraging you to get good sleep with us on our quality mattresses, pillows, beds, duvets and bed sheets. “ We are committed to producing quality and innovative products that will support good sleep and we will continue to

support World Sleep Day in creating sleep awareness to enable Nigerians achieve a good night’s sleep that can lead to living healthy lives for themselves regardless of the health challenges we may be facing across the world.”, says Adeniyi. Corroborating him, the Deputy Director, Physiotherapy department, National Orthopedic Hospital Igbobi. Mrs Modupe Adesanya commended Vitafoam for its Buy Right Project and described the company’s products as tested and trusted over the years. “ Vitafoam has put so many parameters into consideration, they are proactive in Ergonomics. Health and Engineering are evident in their products. Their

products have been tested and trusted over years.

“When you buy quality, you have made an investment, the return is sound sleep and good health. This is absolutely necessary to support the weight and prevent uneven distribution of pressure which may depress the mattress unevenly and results in musculoskeletal problems. “ This makes the mattresses cost effective, because it will ensure long duration. You will need to frequently change such mattresses because they will soon be causing body aches and pains.

“Since people have different frames and body weights; high consideration should be given to density, tenacity and strength of the mattresses they use.

“ The price is only right if it serves without adding problems to the users. It is not wise if you buy cheap and have to change more frequently. On the long run, you will spend more. When you buy quality, you have made an investment, the return is sound sleep and good health,” said Adesanya.

Adeniyi noted that the World Sleep Day remained a global call to spread awareness, and highlight the importance of regular sleep as a pillar of health and how vital it is to physical and mental state of the human body.

According to him, It also focuses on the quality of life that can be improved with healthy sleep. “ We can understand that,

when sleep fails, health declines and on the other side decreases the quality of life.

“Sound sleep is a treasured function. With the various health challenges we encounter in these recent times, getting regular sleep has been linked to overcoming these challenges. especially with the COVID-19 pandemic around the world. “ In a recent study, it was observed that the virus (COVID-19) could potentially be blocked by melatonin (the sleep hormone).

“It was observed that with melatonin’s well known effects playing a part in calibrating the immune system; sleep could well act as a moderator to help keep our self-protective responses from going haywire.

T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱͳ˜ 2021

38

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Afreximbank, NEXIM Bank Unveil Initiative to Support Nigeria’s Exporters Obinna Chima The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the Nigeria Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a Joint Project Preparation Fund.

The initiative is expected to provide early project preparation financing and technical support services to public and private sector entities operating in Nigeria’s trade sector.

According to a statement obtained yesterday, under the terms of the MoU signed last month, Afreximbank and NEXIM would collaborate through the joint project preparation fund to unlock investments into sectors such as export manufacturing, agro-processing, solid minerals development and beneficiation services, as well as healthcare, information and communications technology, and creative industries.

The initiative would support public and private sector investors by providing technical and financial support services that would result in a steady pipeline of well-structured, bankable projects that Afreximbank, NEXIM and other financial institutions can readily finance.

The fund would assist the early development process of projects from concept stage to bankability by covering the preparation of feasibility studies, project development and advisory services and related costs.

Afreximbank and NEXIM aim to mobilise up to $50 million in the form of project preparation funds for investments in Nigeria.

Commenting on the initiative, President of Afreximbank, Prof.

Benedict Oramah, said: “The execution of this MoU marks yet another significant milestone in our collaboration with NEXIM. I am particularly pleased that

Afreximbank and NEXIM are boldly venturing upstream to help investors develop wellstructured projects that meet market standards.

“This intervention is timely as the fund will play a catalytic role in accelerating the diversification of the Nigerian economy by ensuring a steady flow of bankable projects in priority tradable sectors in a timely manner.

“In addition to enhancing bankability, the fund will, on a case-by-case basis, undertake feasibility studies to assess the viability of accessing markets in the sub-region, thereby promoting intra-African trade under the AfCFTA. “We are pleased to be replicating a similar initiative we pioneered in Malawi in partnership with Malawi Export Development Fund (EDF) and look forward to more opportunities across the continent.”

Managing Director, NEXIM Bank, Abba Bello (left), and Executive Director, Stella Okotete at the maiden loading of a Chartered 7,000 metric tons capacity vessel by a NEXIM funded project, Starlink Global & Ideal Limited at Calabar Port… yesterday

FG to Cushion Subsidy Cut Impact Emmanuel Addeh ÓØ ÌßÔË áÓÞÒ ËÑÏØÍã ÜÏÚÙÜÞ The federal government is considering ways to cushion the impact of fuel-subsidy cut as it weighs the possibility that the reform may stoke popular discontent, an adviser to the nation’s president, Mr. Zakari Ahmad, has said.

While those policies are being formulated, the state is continuing interventions that it says cost an estimated N744 billion ($1.8 billion) a year from 2006 to 2019 to maintain lower gasoline prices, an equivalent of about 10 per cent of this year’s projected government revenue.

“There is broad alignment that deregulation is an urgent need.

There is a clear understanding of the challenges that Nigerians face

economically and government will be sensitive to that as we craft any implementation,” Bloomberg quoted Ahmad to have said.

Raising pump prices, let alone allowing them to move in line with international crude markets, is a risky proposition for Nigerian politicians.

Many in Africa’s largest economy, which also hosts the highest number of people living in extreme poverty globally, regard cheap fuel as their single dependable benefit from the country’s misspent oil wealth.

The president has been trying since March 2020 to remove the subsidies, with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, saying in September Nigeria expected to save as much as 1 trillion naira a year with the abolition of the support.

The government understands, “it can no longer sustain the petroleum subsidy regime,” NNPC Managing Director Mele Kyari said through a spokesman, adding that deregulation will allow the company to no longer be the sole importer of gasoline and “market forces to determine prices of products thus ensuring availability at all times,” he said.

Nigeria’s reserves have dropped $1 billion this year, heading toward levels last seen in 2017, when the economy was recovering from recession.

The decline, combined with the apparent backsliding on subsidies, has resulted in Nigeria’s dollar bonds not performing as well as they could have this year, according to Samir Gadio, the London-based head of Africa strategy at Standard Chartered Bank.

NALDA Builds Farmers’Capacity on Rice Irrigation James Emejo ËØÎ Folalumi Alaran ÓØ ÌßÔË Determined to boost food security in the country and create jobs, the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) said it has developed the capacity of over 100 rice farmers in Niger State on irrigation farming.

The NALDA state coordinator, Mr. Aminu Umaru, during a tour of the 417 hectares of land acquired by local farmers for the irrigation farming in Paikoro Local Government Area of the state, pointed out that the farmers were specifically exposed to irrigation rice farming and upland rice farming in order to harness the potentials of the River Kaduna as well as improve the income of

the indigent community, which was restricted to fishing alone before the intervention if the authority in January.

The initiative is part of efforts by the authority to strengthen President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to make the country food sufficient as well as create jobs for the teeming youth population through agriculture.

It further signals the flag off of the NALDA dry season farming in five states of the federation including Adamawa, Yobe, Bauchi, Taraba and Niger.

Umaru pointed out that with NALDA’s presence in the community, many young farmers have indicated interest to be trained in rice planting and the handling of farm tools and equipment which was solely

provided to assist the farmers.

He said: “Over 10 pumping machines two tractor’s, 50 planters, sprayers, transplanters, seedlings, gloves and other farming tools have already been provided, while about 10 women from the community were also trained in the programme.”

He noted that over 70 hectares of land also been ploughed with rice nursery already in place adding that transplanting of the irrigation rice from the nursery will soon begin. The NALDA coordinator also said the dam used for the rice irrigation farming was made possible through the abandoned water dam embarked upon by the River Basin Authority years ago, assuring that the programme will be sustained even after the irrigation farming.

Agusto & Co. Rates Global Spectrum Services ‘Bbb’ Goddy Egene Global Spectrum Energy Services Plc (GSES), has earned a ‘Bbb’ rating from Agusto& Co., a rating agency in the country.

GSES is one of the leading indigenous offshore support vessel companies operating in the marine security and logistics subsector of the oil & gas servicing industry in Nigeria.In their rating report, Agusto said the rating assigned to GSES, “is upheld by the company’s low

leverage or zero debt exposure as the business is largely funded with equity, adequate working capital, and experienced and stable management team as well as growing client portfolio of international oil companies.”

According to the agency, it expects the overall financial condition of GSES to remain stable in the medium to long term due to the additional contract signed subsequent to year end.

“Based on the aforementioned, Agusto& Co. hereby attaches a

stable outlook to the rating of Global Spectrum Energy Services Plc,” it stated.

The rating agency, assigning a stable status to the company further pinned the favourable prospects for the company’s growth and profitability to factors that include the expected rebound in the consumption of crude oil as the global economy recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, favourable local content policy, and its entry into the merchant shipping security escort services.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JULY 2020 Money Supply (M3)

36,822,751.47

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

3,476,121.25

Money Supply (M2)

33,346,630.22

-- Quasi Money

120,764,479.02

-- Narrow Money (M1)

12,582,151.19

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,002,026.89

---- Demand Deposits

10,580,124.31

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,637,137.23

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

29,185,614.24

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

39,711,115.95

---- Credit to Government (Net)

19,521,851.08

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

0.00

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

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

-130,189,264.87

--Other Assets Net

3,472,017.70

Reserve Money (Base Money

13,421,827.07

--Currency in Circulation

2,395,917.03

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

11,025,910.04 317,234.17

˾ 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 ˜ Ͱͱ ͰͮͰͯ​ͯ

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $62.27 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $63.22 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), 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).

SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

39

T H I S D AY ˾ Ͱͳ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

Stanbic IBTC Recommends Final Dividend of 360k, Bonus Share Goddy Egene Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc has recommended a final dividend of 360 kobo per share and a bonus share of one for six for the financial year ended December 31, 2020.

In all, shareholders of the financial institution would be receiving a total dividend of 400 kobo having received an interim dividend of 40 kobo last year.

Details of the audited results showed that Stanbic IBTC posted gross earnings of N234.446 billion as against N233.808 billion in 2019. Net interest income printed at N74.215 billion as against N77.831 billion.

Total income before impairment charges stood at N198.924 billion, up from N186.586 billion, while impairment charges soared from N1.632 billion to N9.935 billion in 2020.

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

Profit before tax (PBT) stood at N94.717 billion in 2020, up from N90.925 billion, while profit after tax (PAT) rose to N83.211 billion as against N75.035 billion in 2019.

Stanbic IBTC ‘s deposits to customers improved from N819.944 billion compared with N637.840 billion, while loans and advances improved from N532.124 billion to N625.139 billion.

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

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

Based on the results, the board recommended a final dividend of 360 kobo in addition to a bonus of one new share for every six shares already held. The shares of Stanbic IBTC jumped 9.9 per cent from N44.05 to N48.45 as investors reacted positively to the results and dividend declaration.

Analysts at FSDH Merchant Bank Research had said the 6.6

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

per cent increase in total income to N198.9 billion recorded by Stanbic IBTC primarily driven by a 14.7 per cent jump in noninterest revenue to N124.7 billion.

Non-interest revenue ascended 14.7 per cent powered by a 43.4 per cent increase in trading income to N52.1 billion.

According to the analysts, the bank reported a decline in the effective tax rate to 12.7 per cent from 17.5 per cent, due

O F

to change in tax basis for the banking subsidiary. Hence, it reported a 10.9 per cent growth in net profit to N83.2 billion and earnings per share stood at N7.29 versus N6.92 in 2019.

Also commenting on the results, analysts at FBNQuest said the bank’s PAT implied return on average earnings (ROAE) of 25.6 per cent, within management’s 25-30 per cent guidance.

2 4 / 0 3 / 2 0 2 1 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

40

MARKET NEWS

Shareholders to Receive 100k Dividend as Lafarge Africa Posts N31bn Profit Goddy Egene

recorded a revenue of N234.6 billion for the year ended December 31, 2020, up

Lafarge Africa Plc has 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

from N212.999 billion. The cement manufacturing firm posted profit before tax of

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 23Mar-2021, unless otherwise stated.

N37.572 billion in 2020 as against N17.892 billion, while profit after tax rose 98 per

cent to N30.842 billion from N15.518 billion in 2019.The shareholders are to receive

a dividend of 100 kobo per share just like same received in 2019.

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 152.85 154.35 -5.52% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 3.45% Nigeria International Debt Fund 339.29 339.29 -14.72% Afrinvest Dollar Fund 109.29 109.29 -2.47% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A ACAP Income Funds 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 2.40% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.32 3.48 -6.50% 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 0.38% Anchoria Equity Fund 126.11 127.55 -5.14% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.14 1.14 -14.29% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 18.09 18.64 -0.23% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 401.45 413.56 0.27% ARM Ethical Fund 35.40 36.47 5.01% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) N/A N/A N/A ARM Fixed Income Fund 1.04 1.05 -6.83% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 1.97% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 103.21 103.21 1.47% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund 121.90 122.76 -3.39% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 2.58% CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) N/A N/A N/A CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 2.97% Paramount Equity Fund 15.68 15.68 -2.85% Women's Investment Fund 130.57 132.00 -1.92% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 2.34% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 126.77 127.65 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 N/A N/A Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 110.47 110.47 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 0.70% Coronation Balanced Fund 1.14 1.16 -4.83% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.46 1.46 -8.09% 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 FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,351.09 1,351.09 5.53% FBN Balanced Fund 182.47 183.74 -2.77% FBN Halal Fund 110.31 110.31 4.63% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 2.66% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional N/A N/A N/A FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 123.91 123.91 2.76% 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 1.00 1.00 1.40% Legacy Debt Fund 3.91 3.91 0.95% Legacy Equity Fund 1.53 1.56 0.68% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.15 1.15 1.11% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A Coral Income Fund N/A N/A N/A FSDH Treasury Bills Fund N/A N/A N/A

GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 0.79% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 126.66 127.19 17.91% GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gdl.com.ng Web: www.gdl.com.ng ; Tel: +234 9055691122 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn GDL Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 2.09% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.67 2.73 16.60% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 4.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 144.13 144.51 -7.27% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.09 1.09 6.79% 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 1.35 1.37 -1.38% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,143.90 1,143.90 1.82% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Meristem Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.58 1.61 7.53% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.36 12.48 0.98% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 1.74% PACAM Equity Fund 1.57 1.59 -0.51% PACAM EuroBond Fund 109.76 112.51 0.35% 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 125.66 127.81 3.84% 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 1.01 1.01 3.31% 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 3,095.92 3,119.57 -3.75% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 227.31 227.31 1.09% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.13 1.14 -3.81% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 297.86 297.86 1.09% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 207.40 210.01 -5.08% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 1.84% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 9,671.92 9,795.69 -7.90% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.24 1.24 1.30% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 112.81 112.81 1.56% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.31 1.33 -4.15% United Capital Bond Fund 1.92 1.92 1.30% United Capital Equity Fund 0.88 0.90 1.19% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 3.80% United Capital Eurobond Fund 118.72 118.72 1.40% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.06 1.08 -2.27% United capital Sukuk Fund 1.03 1.03 2.50% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 11.93 12.04 0.57% Zenith Ethical Fund 13.23 13.34 8.26% Zenith Income Fund 24.23 24.23 1.03% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 2.20%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

121.90 52.85

0.96% 0.86%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

12.27 116.51 92.00

12.37 116.51 93.72

-7.16% -4.30% -7.42%

Fund Name SFS Skye Shelter Fund Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Money Market Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.40

13.11%

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.

THURSDAY MARCH 25, 2021 • T H I S D AY

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FG Investigates Alleged Impact of Hand Sanitisers on Fingerprint Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Federal Ministry of Health has commenced investigation into a report alleging that frequent use of hand sanitisers may alter a person’s finger print.

A source at the Ministry of Health told THISDAY that the ministry had received a memo drawing its attention to a report credited to an Indian Dematologist warning that

frequent use of hand sanitisers could peel off the skin’s upper layer, thereby blurring the fingerprint, preventing it from being recognised by biometric machine.

The source also confirmed that the Secretary to Government of Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha had contacted the Ministry of Health on the issue, adding however, that there is nothing to worry about.

He said that it was a routine practice for the SGF to draw the attention of the Ministry of Health to any healthcare issue that raises public concerns.

He further disclosed that the ministry had referred the issue to relevant departments and agencies for investigation.

He added that ministry will also contact the World Health Organisation (WHO) over the issue.

The SGF letter dated March 10, addressed to the Minister of Health and copied both the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), said: “ I

wish to draw the attention of the minister to a report by an Indian Dematologist, Anshul Warman that warned that frequent use of hand sanitisers could cause abrasion of the skin’s upper layer and may prevent a finger print recognition by the biometric

machine”.

According to the Indian medical expert, there were reports of cases from bank and medical college staff in India whose fingerprints could not be recognised by the biometric attendance machine in their offices.

Olawepo-Hashim Cautions Nigerians against Clamour for Secession

Iyobosa Uwugiaren in Abuja

A former presidential candidate in the 2019 general election, Mr.Gbenga OlawepoHashim, has called on all patriotic Nigerians to unite and avoid the very tempting campaign by desperate forces for the separation or breakup of the country.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja, he said given the current security situation in Nigeria and the reality of almost total helplessness, the propaganda from ethnic warlords was gaining increasing attention, with many people of various ages questioning the sanctity of the union and the concept of indivisibility of the Nigerian state.

“The truth must be told that despite the increasingly frustrating realities in Nigeria, a united Nigeria still remains our best alternative. Separatists’ advocacies are always ever seductive during moment of crisis but they never deliver good results afterwards.

“Ask the people of Southern Sudan - after about 30 years of war they seceded from

Sudan, they are still embroiled in factional wars between their leaders. Despite their oil wealth, their people are still in poverty and the GDP of their economy is lower than that of Ogun State,” he stated.

He explained that ethnic or regional homogeneity of a state does not necessarily guarantee peace, saying there are countries like Somalia that are dominantly Muslims with one language but embroiled in unending war for over 30 years.

Citing the case of Ireland, one of the founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) added that the country is just trying to recover from internal division, where a predominantly Christian country was divided along denominational lines of Catholics and Protestants.

He argued that separatism and division do not bring justice, adding that it is good governance, sound policies and fear of God that ensure justice in the polity.

Olawepo maintained that Nigeria remains God’s gift to Africa, to every black man and woman in the Diaspora.

Oyo Begins COVID-19 Vaccination Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun, other government functionaries and frontline health workers, yesterday received the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Ibadan, the state capital.

Makinde, who was the first to receive the jab, said he was convinced the vaccine was safe and without side effects for human beings.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, said the vaccines were administered by the Executive Secretary, Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Muideen Olatunji, at the Executive Council Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.

The process was witnessed by representatives of the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, and the Nigeria Dental and Medical Association.

The governor while speaking after receiving the vaccine, enjoined residents of the state to have confidence in the process and pledged that the state would continue to monitor the process for necessary actions.

He noted that the sterility tests

carried out on the COVID-19 vaccine by two laboratories in Ibadan confirmed its safety, appealing to residents of the state not to doubt the vaccines.

According to him, “I did not want to take the vaccine because naturally, I have a very low tolerance for physical pains; but when duty calls, we have to do what we have to do.

“I think we have to show leadership. We have to let the people know that they are protected. When I was reading the newspaper this morning, I saw where they said Oyo State has not given a single shot of the vaccine. So, they recorded zero for Oyo State. But now we have at least one.”

He further explained that the state embarked on sterility tests to enable it to confirm the safety of the vaccines for all.

“We did it because when I asked questions about the origin of the vaccine, they said the jabs that came to Nigeria were sent from India. Not that I don’t like India, or I don’t believe in their products, but the handling.

They said this thing should be stored at a certain temperature, I wanted to validate that the vaccine we will give to the people of Oyo State has been correctly handled.

MORE DIVIDENDS OF DEMOCRACY...

L-R: Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Housing, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Nollywood’s Yoruba actress, Alhaja Lanre Hassan, popularly known as ‘Mama Awero;’ and the Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, during the inauguration of LagosHOMS Igbogbo 2B Housing Scheme in Igbogbo-Bayeku LCDA, Ikorodu…yesterday

Group Insists on Yoruba’s Sovereignty

Global Alliance, a leading selfdetermination organisation with allies in 133 countries across the world has insisted that its goal of Yoruba sovereignty is not negotiable or reversible The group admonished the Yoruba people currently tied down in Nigeria not to panic in the face of the programmed onslaught by marauders waging war against the whole of Nigeria.

In a statement issued yesterday by the Chairman of Council of

the organisation, Mr. Akogun Tola Adeniyi, the Yoruba Global Alliance promised the Yoruba nation that efforts were on to ward off every threat to the corporate existence of the Yoruba.

“We are not a nation of cowards. And even though our civilisation and enlightened worldview have imbued us with unique Omoluwabi tenets, which accord love and accommodation to all human beings, we nonetheless believe

that it’s only human beings who should be treated as human beings while animals are animals.

“We want to assure our Yoruba compatriots that we are working, but quietly, strategically and tactically just like the masterminds behind those devouring Nigeria have remained anonymous without vainglorious and attentionseeking noisemaking. Yoruba fighting forces, like in the tradition of soldiers all over

the world are the ones who should do the chest beating to showcase their conquests”.

The group said it was convinced that Nigeria was already at war, adding also that it was not deceived by the shenanigans of those who embrace terrorism and cuddle banditry and seek to impose Stone Age mentality on all those who still erroneously believe there is a country called Nigeria.

Workers’ Strike Paralyses Abia Assembly’s Activities Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia Activities at the Abia State House of Assembly were yesterday grounded following the industrial action embarked on by the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN).

The state Chairman of PASAN, Okezie Chijioke, told journalists that the gates of the Assembly

complex had to be closed in compliance with the directives of the national leadership of PASAN. The PASAN national leadership had declared the nation-wide strike to press home its demand for financial autonomy for states’ legislature.

Chijioke said: “We have started and everything is in total compliance as directed.

Nobody comes in or out.”

He acknowledged that though the state PASAN members enjoy relative good condition of service, they however had to join the national strike in solidarity with the cause the union is fighting for.

Meanwhile, there was an altercation between the Clerk of the Abia State House of Assembly, JohnPedro Irokansi, and the monitoring team from

the national secretariat of PASAN over the presence of a handful of workers.

The clerk told journalists that he was at his duty post “to ensure full compliance,” adding that he only allowed some accounts officers into their office to complete the preparation of salary voucher which had started before the strike began.

Islamic Teacher, 33 Others Arrested for Alleged Looting of Burnt Katsina Market Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The Katsina State Police Command yesterday paraded a 43-year-old Islamic teacher, Muhammadu Abba, and 33 others for allegedly looting goods and other valuables worth thousands of naira at the Katsina Central Market which was ravaged by fire.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Gambo Isah, while parading the suspects at the Command’s headquarters, said the suspects were apprehended at different locations within the Katsina metropolis following intelligence.

THISDAY reported that the Katsina Central Market went up

in flames last Monday at about 8a.m., leading to the destruction of hundreds of shops and stalls as well as goods and other values worth billions of naira.

Isah said the suspects were arrested with looted items in their possession, adding that the command would ensure that all those who looted public and

private property in the market are apprehended and the stolen items recovered.

According to him, “One Malam Muhammadu Abba, 43, is among those who looted items worth thousands of naira at the burnt Katsina Central Market. Abba is a Mallam with many Almajirai in his custody.”

Kano Police Arrest Supplier of 100 Motorcycles to Zamfara Bandits Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano Kano State Police Command yesterday disclosed the arrest of a man who allegedly supplies various motorcycles to bandits in Zamfara State.

The police spokesman in Kano, Mr. Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, told journalists

yesterday that the suspect had confessed to have sold about 100 motorcycles to the bandits in Zamfara State.

Kiyawa said the suspect, whom he did not mention his name, was arrested following a tip-off by motorcycle traders in Kano.

He said the suspect was

arrested in Kano while taking two motorcycles to Zamfara State.

According to him, “The bandits paid the suspect N600, 000 for a motorcycle and he took the delivery in Kano.

“He sells Honda ACE 125 motorcycles popularly known as ‘Boko Haram’ in Zamfara

State. The state government has since banned the use of this motorcycle.

“However, when they buy them in Kano State, they change the cover of motorcycle boxes and take them to the forest where they assemble and use them for attack on innocent citizens.”

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Demolish Buildings, Others under Power Cables, House Tells NEMSA

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The House of Representatives has urged the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) and other relevant agencies to begin the demolition of buildings and structures under high tension

electric cables all over the country.

The House also urged the Ministry of Power to ensure the maintenance of high tension cables as they are time bound and to carry out repairs and maintenance.

The resolutions of the House

Senate Asks FRC to Refund N66m Spent on Unoccupied Building Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu in Abuja The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has directed the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC) to refund to the Federation Account N66 million the agency paid as a two-year rent to secure an accommodation which it never occupied.

The committee, chaired by Senator Mathew Urhoghide, also faulted the agency’s reported use of 64 vouchers to allegedly divert N28 million.

The committee members are currently scrutinising the 2015 to 2018 report by the Auditor General of the Federation (AuGF), which queried the FRC for investing N66 million on accommodation it never occupied.

The query read: “It was observed that on November 21, 2016, the sum of N42million

was paid as rent to Japaul Oil and Maritime Services for an office space at Japaul Building.

N23.4million was paid to Sola Oluseyi and Co, as legal and agency fee for the office space, making a total of N66million for two years ending on January 1, 2019. The council is yet to move into the building 20 months running with four months to its expiration (as of 2019).

“This anomaly was due to the failure of the executive secretary (of the FRC during the period) to exercise due diligence in the application of public funds by ensuring that value is received for money expended. The council carried out expenditure of such magnitude and yet failed to receive value. Huge sum of money was paid for rent by the council, but failed to occupy the building, this amounts to waste of government resources.”

Anambra International Airport Gets High Rating from NCAA The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captian Musa Nuhu has described the Anambra International Cargo/ Passenger Airport, Umueri as one of the best airports in Nigeria.

The civil aviation boss, who inspected the facilities at the fast rising airport, said he was amazed at the elaborate, carefully planned and masterfully executed facilities at the new airport.

Speaking after the tour, Nuhu said that the impressive array of facilities at Anambra airport had left him amazed and speechless.

“I am amazed, almost speechless at the level of work, and the level of compliance with our regulatory requirements and also with international standards and recommended practices,” he declared, pointing out that his tour of the airport had given him a clear view of what the Obiano’s administration had achieved with the project.

“We have gone round the airport. We have a runway of 3.7kilometers with a runway safety area on both ends of the airport of about 1000 meters.

“There’s no airport in Nigeria that has a racer area of 1000 meters at both ends of the runway.”

Uzodimma Cautions New Commissioners against Corruption Amby Uneze in Owerri Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma yesterday swore in four new Commissioners with a charge on them to avoid corruption and serve the people sincerely.

Performing the swearing-in ceremony at the Executive Council Chambers, Government House Owerri, Uzodimma said the ceremony was symbolic in many respects because “oath taking signals readiness to serve with commitment, diligence and honesty”.

Those who were sworn-in as Commissioners were Dr. Doris Nkeiruka Uzoka Anite (Ministry of Finance and Coordinator of Economy); Prof. Boniface Ginikanwa Nwogu (Ministry of Science and Technology); Mr. Uche John Ohia (Ministry of Tourism) and Dr. Bartholomew Chukwunonye Okorochukwu

(Ministry of Health).

It was also on a day Uzodimma inaugurated the six- member Board of the Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC), Owerri.

The governor charged the commissioners to do everything possible to avoid the banana pill of corruption as “there is no window or door to corruption in the Shared Prosperity Government of his administration”.

He explained that the Commissioners were chosen to reinvigorate and fuse in new blood into the Cabinet for the journey ahead.

Furthermore, he reminded the new appointees that “the job is a very serious one” and “they need to be constantly on their toes to justify their commitment in service of Imo State and the confidence reposed in them”.

followed the adoption of a motion titled “The Need to Enforce the Law Forbidding Erection of Buildings and Structures Under High Tension Electric Cables,” which was moved by Hon. Musibau Kolawole, at the plenary yesterday.

Kolawole decried the indiscriminate and unlawful erection of buildings under

high tension electric cables all over the country, as well as commercial activities taking place on the right of way of the high tension electric cables.

He noted that there are existing laws that forbid erection of buildings under electric high tension wires which specify a 50 meters’ distance between power lines and buildings.

The federal lawmaker added that there are laid down safety standards for electric installations in the country and tasked the NEMSA to reduce electricity accidents all over the country.

Kolawole expressed worry that people build and transact businesses under 33KVA power transmission lines, which made them susceptible to electrocution

like many Nigerians who met their untimely deaths as a result of either doing business or building under high tension electric cables.

The House resolution said: “The NEMSA and other relevant agencies shall, as a matter of urgency, demolish all buildings and structures under high tension electric cables all over the country.”

WORK IN PROGRESS...

L-R: Enugu State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Greg Nnaji; Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; and the Project Manager, IDC Construction Limited, Mr. Youssef Zghaib, during the inspection of the ongoing construction of flyover bridge at T-Junction,

PFN Decries Buhari’s Silence on Insecurity

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

The President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Francis Wale Oke, yesterday lamented that the continuous silence of President Muhammadu Buhari, over the security situation in the country is disheartening and disturbing.

This is just as he urged the President to urgently address

Nigerians on the palpable insecurity situation of the country.

Oke, who is the Founder of the Sword of the Spirit Ministries and Proprietor, Precious Cornerstone University (PCU), Ibadan, said these yesterday when he received separately, the Lagos, Ogun and Osun states’ Chapters of the PFN led by Apostle Enjimaya Okwuonu and Apostle David Otaru as well as Prophet Isaiah Adelowokan,

respectively.

The PFN leaders visited to felicitate with him on his emergence as the body’s President.

According to him: “The silence of President Muhammadu Buhari over the degenerating security situation in Nigeria, is too loud and this is very disturbing Seriously, President Buhari’s silence is deafening and it’s giving room for speculation and gossips that suggest the

government has hands in the sickening situation by indulging and pampering the bandits and the killer Fulani herdsmen, among others”.

The cleric charged the President to rise up and tackle the situation headlong, stating that “he should rise above primordial sentiments and sectional attachment by doing the needful to make the nation more homely for every Nigerian”

11 Suspected Cultists Arrested in Delta Community Sylvester Idowu in Warri Eleven suspected cultists were in the early hours of yesterday arrested by a police special squad and vigilante group at Oghor community in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State.

The suspects were arrested in response to several rival cult clashes which led to the death of over 20 persons in three weeks in Udu LGA of the state.

The operation, THISDAY

gathered, was executed at about 2:15 a.m. by Eagle-Net special squad team led by Inusa Danyaya, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), and some civilian anti-cult group, when they stormed the notorious criminal hideout in Oghor community.

Security sources disclosed that the suspected cultists engaged the police t in a fierce gun battle for several hours before being over powered, and 11 of the

suspects were arrested.

The suspects arrested were identified as Henry Ogori, 25; Kennedy Akpotu, 19; Promise Ophiomo, 24; Daniel Believe, 19; Daniel Sele, 25; Paul Zion, 25; Igah Aminu, 27; Philip Choice, 26; Joshua Ogunamen, 21; Johnson Opiomo, 22, and Joshua Godswill, 24.

The acting state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Edafe Bright, who confirmed the arrests, said one of the suspects,

Igah Aminu, later died due to gunshot injury he sustained.

He disclosed further that two English-made Beretta pistols, three rounds of live 9mm caliber of ammunition and six mobile phones were recovered from the suspects.

“The suspects have confessed to the crime, and effort has been intensified for the possible arrest of the fleeing suspects who escaped with bullet injuries,” he said.

Southern Senators Back United Nigeria, Elect Bamidele as Chairman Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu in Abuja The Southern Senators Forum (SSF) of the ninth Senate yesterday elected new leaders to run its affairs, with a resolution to always support an indivisible country despite the challenges facing Nigeria.

Briefing journalists after unveiling the new leadership

in a closed-door meeting that lasted about one hour, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, said the forum agreed to be united behind the leadership of the ninth Senate under the leadership of the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan.

He said they also agreed to work with their northern counterparts for the unity and

development of Nigeria According to Omo-Agege, ‘’We are united-both the northern and southern senators forum. We are united behind the leadership of the ninth Assembly headed by Dr. Ahmed Lawan. By June 11, we would have been in the ninth Senate for two years.

And we felt it’s proper that we inaugurate the leadership

of this platform to provide leadership for senators from the southern part of the country.

“We all resolved that notwithstanding the challenges facing this country, we support a united Nigeria.

I’m a presiding officer; it’s my leadership obligation to midwife the leadership for this platform.”

Yoruba in Diaspora Coalition to Hold Dialogue on Nigerian’s Restructuring Sunday Okobi

A coalition of Yoruba people in Diaspora, Yoruba One Voice (YOV), has concluded plans to hold a webinar lecture on the current state of Nigerian federalism and what may become of it.

In a statement issued yesterday by the Secretary-

General of the Diaspora group, Dr. Sina Okanlomo, which was made available to THISDAY, the coalition said the webinar dialogue would hold on March 27, 2021, at 5p.m. Nigerian time.

Okanlomo further explained in the statement that the lead speaker for the dialogue would be the

renowned scholar of Legal History at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof. Akin Alao.

He added that the theme of the dialogue is ‘Dealing with The Critical Fault-Lines of a Federation: Is It to Unbundle or Restructure The Leviathan?”

The lead speaker for the

virtual event, Prof Alao, is an accomplished academics and researcher. He is the editor of ODU: a journal of West African Studies, and the Editor-in-Chief of Ife journal of History. He is currently working on the ‘Power of Conviction and Courage: A biography of Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, Alaafin of Oyo’.

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THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

AFCON 2021 QUALIFIERS

Iwobi Insists Okocha Left Eagles with His ‘Big Shoes’ Femi Solaja

Super Eagles’ midfielder, Alex Iwobi, on Tuesday dismissed many attempts to see him as heir apparent to former team captain, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, who was a supremo in the same position in his playing days.

The former Bolton Wanderers star is uncle to the AFCON 2019 bronze winner with Nigeria and most pundits see him as a talent to fill the void Okocha

left in the senior national team.

But in an interview with THISDAY at the Eko Hotel camp of the Super Eagles, the Everton star said his uncle whom he sees as a role model did not leave any shoe for anybody to wear rather, he took the shoes along with him when he left the pitch of play.

“Yes, I admire my uncle greatly and was such a gifted star player in his playing days. For me to

pick his shoes because of my relationship with him means I have to leave the pitch and go back to the dressing room for such favour but that will mean I’m no longer active to do what I know best.

“I think the best answer to this recurrent question is that Okocha created a shoe for himself, no matter how big but I want to express myself and continue to develop my footballing career.

“It’s a good thing to aim to better my uncle’s

achievements but he has set such a high standard that the best thing to do is to remain focused since age is still very much on my side,” he explained.

On the match against Squirrel of Benin Republic on Saturday afternoon in Port Novo, Iwobi said all the players in camp are eager to better the results of the last two matches against Sierra Leone.

“We want to better the results of the last matches and will want to qualify as

soon as possible. Although a draw out there is equally good for us to qualify but a win is most suitable without underrating our opponent,” he remarked.

He also said all the players are eager to play before Lagos fans next week Tuesday and that it will be an interesting moment considering the niche the city has got to itself over the years.

“Playing in Lagos next week is symbolic to the team and we discussed it in camp

and all members are looking forward to the match but the only unfortunate thing is that limited fans would be allowed into the stadium,” he noted.

THISDAY checks revealed that only the non-playing captain Ahmed Musa is the only player in camp that has played before a Lagos crowd.

Interestingly, that game, though a non-competitive one was played at the same Teslim Balogun Stadium with Samson Siasia in-charge as head coach.

Egbe Warns Eagles in for Tricky Ties with Squirrels, Crocodiles Chief Executive Officer of Monimichelle Sports Facility Limited, Ebi Egbe, has warned that the Super Eagles cannot afford to take anything for granted in the back-to-back ties against Republic of Benin and Lesotho.

Egbe, a FIFA-licensed match agent stated that both games would be tricky, given the terrain where they would be played.

He noted that the pitch in Porto Novo is one which the Eagles would not be comfortable with given where they are coming from. The top stadium expert was quick to add that Rohr’s decision to call up more home-based lads for the games would help the team.

“The matches in Porto Novo

and Lagos are going to be very tricky games for the Eagles.

I know the Eagles won’t like the turf in Porto Novo because I have been there and know how bad that turf is...the good thing is that Rohr has some home lads who would be more comfortable playing the two games,” Egbe said.

Egbe further disclosed that the football authorities in Republic of Benin had before now actually contacted his firm Monimichelle to re-construct the Charles de Gaulle stadium turf.

“I was there at the stadium in Port Novo and took measurements... I know what Eagles would face there. It is not the best of playing surface,” the FIFA match agent further warned.

Alex Iwobi (2nd left) has clarified that “Austin Jay Jay Okocha did not leave any shoes behind in Eagles for anyone to step into”

Zonal Winners Emerge in Cricket: Lagos, Edo Qualify for Men’s Championship Semis and Edo states served working closely with the in the Pool B, Rivers, Ebonyi, to its billing as most of the National Principals’ Cup Lagos a nail-biting duel in the the Head Coach at the event Kaduna and Oyo will take players at the event have The Zonal champions of the National Principals’ Cup have emerged from the respective zones as the national finals slated for Abuja draw near.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports and the marketers of the event, Hideaplus are putting finish touches to the arrangements to make the final slated for March 27th to 30tha memorable one in Abuja.

From the South West Zone, Orile Comprehensive High School Odeda emerged champions after beating progress Comprehensive High School 2-1. Christ Comprehensive, Makera, Kaduna picked the North Central ticket at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna after defeating Army Secondary School 4-0 just as Obule Integrated School, Sapele, Delta State, emerged champions from the Southsouth zone after hostilities in Port Harcourt.

Fosla Academy, Abuja owned by former President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Sanni Lulu, pipped Our Lady of School,

Kogi State by 2 goals to 1 to emerge as the North Central champions while From North East, Abdulkadir Benisheikh, Borno State were 3-0 better than Government Day Secondary School, Fantami, Gombe.

Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium hosted the South East zonal finals in Enugu as City Comprehensive College, Owerri, Imo State defeated National Grammar School, Enugu 3-0 to pick the National Finals ticket.

Hideaplus CEO, Tony Pemu on Tuesday said the Abuja finals would be highly entertaining and competitive.

“There were plenty goals in the zonal finals and we expect a tight battle for semifinals tickets and I am sure the ministry has concluded arrangements to have a very explosive finals,” Pemu said.

Only last week, the Director of Grassroots Sports in the sports ministry, Dr. Ademola Are, assured stakeholders that all was set for the maiden finals of the revived event organised for secondary schools nationwide.

closing match of Pool A at the Cricket National Men’s Championship in Benin City.

The host state humbled the star-studded Lagos team with 4 runs.

Despite the loss, Lagos still topped the group leaving Edo to the second place, while dashing the hopes of Anambra who had earlier in the day shoved Kwara aside hoping to ride on Edo’s defeat to the semi final.

National Under- 19 Coach, Uthe Ogbimi, who is also

praised the doggedness of the Edo State team saying it brought out the best in them.

“I think the two teams that qualified justified their places in the semis though both team showed some level of vulnerability that I believe they should go back and address as the game progresses to the 50 over round,” he said.

Teams Anambra and Kwara will now have to leave the tournament.

Meanwhile, the four teams

to the Turf Wickets for their preliminaries from today through Saturday, March 27 at the Edo Boys High School in Benin City.

Kaduna and Rivers will open the rounds for the group by 9:30 am while Ebonyi ( a last minute call up to replace Delta State that pulled out of the event) and Oyo State will duel later in the afternoon.

The Technical Director of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, Enesi Habeeb, said the event has lived up

widened the national teams considerations through their show at the Championship.

“This event is living up to what we hope it would achieve for us in team selection and technical details.

Its obvious we have a lot of work to do and I believe the National Head Coach, Asanka (Gurusinha) who is also on ground and has taken notes,” he concluded.

The Championship would be rounded off by March 31st.

V Bank Snooker Tournament Set to Kick off in Lagos The debut edition of the V Bank Open Snooker and Billiards Tournament will kick off in Lagos on Tuesday, 30th of March at the Lagos Country Club.

A product of VFD Microfinance bank, V bank first showed its interest in the sports when it held a snooker tournament last December in partnership with Ebar, Lagos.

The competition was won

by Waliu Wale Nojimu, with Samuel Olumide and Dafe Agbah finishing in second

and third places respectively.

This Easter Open tournament promises to be even bigger.

According to the Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, for VFD Group Efeturi Doghudje, “at VFD Microfinance bank, we’re not only passionate about building financial solutions but being a key contributor to our operating environment.

“This means that we take recreation activities seriously and investing in a sporting tournament is our way of

encouraging people to take breaks to rejuvenate their bodies because good health is priceless wealth,” said Doghudje.

The two-week open tournament is held in partnership with the Snooker and Billiards section of the Lagos Country Club, where the games will hold, and has a total cash winnings of up to N600,000.

He revealed that registration “is currently ongoing and will end on Saturday, 27th March

2021 when the preliminary games that will produce the 32 contestants for the Snookers tournament will hold for three days. The tournament proper begins on Tuesday 30th March and will run till Saturday the 10th of April 2021.

He therefore urged interested players to register by downloading the V Bank App from either the IOS or Play Store and use the code VBLCCT to activate the account with the sum of N5000.

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ThursdaySports AFCON QUALIFIERS

Burkina Faso for Cameroon 2021 with One Game to Spare Burkina Faso yesterday qualified for the delayed 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon after drawing

0-0 in Uganda with one round of group games still to play.

The Stallions become

Libya Desperate to Beat Tunisia for Second Group J Victory Libya will square off with Tunisia in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification Group J match at the Martyrs of February Stadium in Benghazi tonight.

The Mediterranean Knights are desperate to secure their second victory in Group J having suffered a 1-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea away in November 2020.

Libya are currently placed fourth on the group standings - three points behind second-placed Equatorial Guinea with two matches left.

Zoran Filipovic, the Libya head coach, will be taking charge of his maiden AFCON qualifier having coached the Mediterranean

Knights at the 2021 African Nations Championship (CHAN) finals in January.

“I am happy with my players. This competition (CHAN)was really good for me, the way we managed the training sessions with the players,” Filipovic said.

“I had the time to be able to admire them playing and that allows me to have prospects for the next competitions.

“For me, it was a good opportunity to get to know my players better and to understand their personality.”

Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles are placed at the top of the group standings while undefeated and they are four points above secondplaced Equatorial Guinea.

the sixth team through to the finals, joining Algeria, Mali, Senegal, Tunisia and the host nation.

Burkina Faso’s nine points in Group B is one ahead of Uganda and two more than Malawi, who beat South Sudan 1-0 on Wednesday.

Burkina Faso qualify as there is no scenario whereby both Uganda and Malawi can overtake them, while South Sudan - who have three points - are eliminated.

Malawi host Uganda in the final round later this month, with the victor set to clinch a place at the finals.

A point will be enough to take Uganda through.

willing to listen to offers for the 36-year-old Portugal star.

And, according to Marca, Ronaldo is open to the prospect of returning to Spain.

Scrutiny has been intensifying over his level of performance, with Italian cult hero Antonio Cassano issuing a scathing assessment of what he brings to the Juventus side.

‘If you have chosen the path of (playing a certain type of) football, Ronaldo is not good,’ Cassano, also a former Real Madrid striker, said on Christian Vieri’s Twitch channel Bobo TV. ‘He is someone you have to give the ball to and he scores, thinking about his records.

Ronaldo is not what he was four years ago.

‘Juventus got rid of a coach (Massimiliano Allegri) who, in the last 20 or 30 years, has produced the best football in Italy and his big problem was one: Cristiano Ronaldo. It was for (Maurizio) Sarri and it is for Pirlo.

‘Juve already got burned last year, because Sarri was unable to find the right chemistry with him and some other players and what do you do?

You take another coach who would like to play football and you still have Cristiano Ronaldo as a blocker for that.’

Ronaldo’s old team-mate Bale had fallen out of favour at Madrid in Zidane’s second tenure at the club and was more or less unused before rejoining Tottenham on a loan deal for the 2020-21 campaign, with the French boss making it clear that he wanted Bale sold.

But on Tuesday, the 31-year-

the finals in 2013.

In Group C, Sudan won 2-0 in Sao Tome to set up a mouth-watering final round clash at home to South Africa.

The Sudanese now have nine points, the same as both Bafana Bafana and Ghana who meet this evening.

With no points from five games, Sao Tome - who travel to Accra on the final day - cannot qualify.

Rwanda lifted themselves off the bottom of Group F and up to second after winning 1-0 at home to Mozambique, with Cameroon - who qualify

automatically as hosts playing Cape Verde on Friday.

Cameroon have 10 points in the group, with Rwanda now second on five, while Mozambique and Cape Verde have four apiece.

The sixth and final round of qualifiers sees Cameroon host Rwanda and Cape Verde travelling to Mozambique.

Next January’s Nations Cup should have been played in 2021 but was delayed by a year because of the global coronavirus pandemic.

Twenty-four teams will be at the tournament.

Europe Scramble for 2022 World Cup Places Live on StarTimes For the 55 countries that are members of Europe’s governing football body, UEFA, the road to Qatar begins this week. Kylian Mbappe, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and all European stars will be facing each other during the coming days.

The European qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World

Madrid Considering ‘BBC’ Forward Line again Real Madrid could reunite their all-conquering front three of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema next season, a prospect that has thrilled the Spanish press.

Ronaldo faces an uncertain future at Juventus, where they have crashed out of the Champions League in the last-16 stage and are languishing 10 points adrift of Serie A leaders Inter Milan.

Reports in both Italy and Spain recently have suggested an offer in the region of £25million would bring Juventus to the table for talks.

Bale, meanwhile, is on loan at Tottenham but on Tuesday, speaking while on international duty with Wales, he surprisingly underlined his desire to return to Spain at the end of the season.

It means, according to Spanish publication AS yesterday, that Bale and Ronaldo could once again join forces with centre-forward Karim Benzema, who has been in strong form for Real this season, scoring 23 goals in 32 games in all competitions at the age of 33.

AS hailed the prospect with a headline that screamed: ‘Back to the future!’

Bale, Benzema and Cristiano (known as the BBC) spearheaded Real’s European charge under Zinedine Zidane, where they won the Champions League three years in a row from 2016 until 2018.

Ronaldo departed Real after that final Champions League triumph to take on Italian football but it is believed now that Juventus are

Elsewhere, Ethiopia beat Madagascar 4-0 at home to take a significant step towards qualification from Group K. Madagascar went into the match knowing that victory would see them through but they were outplayed by the hosts, who raced to a 3-0 half-time lead.

Ethiopia, whose nine points are now two better than Madagascar’s, must avoid defeat in Ivory Coast - who travel to Niger on Friday - later this month to seal only their second Nations Cup qualification in nearly four decades.

They last qualified for

old Welshman dropped a bombshell by explaining his plans to go back to his parent club and see out the final year of his mega-money contract worth around £600,000 per week.

‘The main reason I came to Spurs this year was that I wanted to play football first and foremost, but going into Euro 2020 I wanted to be match fit,’ Bale said.

‘The original plan was only to do a season at Spurs and then after the Euros I still have a year left at Real Madrid.

My plan is obviously to go back and that’s as far as I’ve planned.

‘I always think when things aren’t going too well at your club it’s nice to get away,’ Bale added. ‘Especially mentally, it can definitely be a benefit to get away from the club environment.

‘The thing we have to do now is focus on these couple games for Wales, which are very important for us. We forget club life and concentrate on this.’

Madrid have also been linked with an array of other elite attacking talent across Europe, such as Harry Kane, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.

But the Covid-19 pandemic has hit Real and fierce rivals Barcelona harder in the pocket that most of the other major teams across the continent and a big-money move for those three seem out of reach.

They’d certainly need Bale’s wages off the books, as well as a firesale of a number of other fringe players to raise funds.

Cup run from 24 March to 16 November 2021.

Football fans will see all matches on StarTimes Basic bouquet for N1700 monthly or N160 per day and on Smart Bouquet for N2200 or N200 per day. StarTimes recently moved ST World Football channel to lower bouquets to enable all football lovers to

gain access to premium sports content without breaking the bank.

The world’s top two ranked countries – Belgium and France – began their quest for a place at the 2022 finals in Qatar with tough home matches yesterday. The Belgians played host to Wales at the King Baudouin Stadium

in Brussels.

Turkey hosted the Netherlands while reigning European Champion, Portugal played against Azerbaijan.

Today, Spain will open their quest against Greece, Italy will meet Northern Ireland, England vs San Marino and Germany vs Iceland at 8:45 pm.

Thursday, March 25, 2021

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MISSILE Rotimi Akeredolu to Sunday Igboho “No part of Ondo State shall permit any gathering or agitation which may suggest, however remotely, that we are in support of unthinking rabble rousing. Our people are knowledgeable enough to determine their interest at any point. If and when they consider self-determination as an option, they will not depend on external promptings to act” – Governor Akeredolu warning promoters of ‘Oduduwa Republic’ to stay away from Ondo State.

OLUSEGUNADENIYI THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

What Do Yoruba People Want?

E

ven with a mask practically covering his face, I saw the expression of surprise when I posed this question to the Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola.

Seated directly in front of his desk at the Osun State Government House in Osogbo, I was observing every gesture. After a long pause, he said: “That is a very difficult question but I will answer it.” Another long pause followed during which he was apparently processing his thoughts. Then finally, the governor responded: “What Yoruba people want is a peaceful, secure and prosperous region in a just, peaceful and prosperous Nigeria that every citizen would be proud to call their country.”

The governor was candid as he explained the challenge of insecurity in the South-west, the process that led to the establishment of ‘Amotekun’, the operational guidelines and structures that are still evolving from state to state and the need not to mix security with religion or ethnicity. At the end, I left Oyetola better educated about the problem South-West governors are trying to confront and the stand of the Yoruba nation within a diverse Nigeria. The governor also explained how he was able to defuse the crisis in the Osun education sector as well as the financial engineering and alternative project funding that has helped the state to rid itself of the notoriety for non-payment of salaries while still embarking on a number of infrastructural projects. These of course are issues we will come back to another day.

The conversation regarding the Yoruba question took place two weeks ago in Osogbo, where I was guest of Dr Charles ‘Diji Akinola, Chief of Staff to the Governor. Akinola and I were Fellows at the Harvard Weatherhead Center for International Affairs for the 2010/2011 academic session. He never fails to remind me that we represent just two of the seven Nigerians, including Chief H.O. Davies, the late Major General Joe Garba, Ambassador Lawrence Ekpebu, Ambassador

Gov. Oyetola Lewu Jaiyeola and Lt General Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd), who have passed through the 63-year old institution. The conversation on the Yoruba question continued over dinner at Akinola’s residence with Prof Niyi Akinnaso who was also visiting. Akinnaso at 78 is a respected United States-based Professor of Anthropology and Linguistics who also writes a popular column in PUNCH. Our discussion centred around the peculiar nature of the security challenge facing the South-west that some people now capitalize on to issue threats dangerous for the peaceful co-existence of our country.

Whatever may be the provocations—and there are provocations which I will also touch upon—our ‘freedom fighters’ and promoters of a phantom currency may not understand that what they are doing is akin to ‘Amunibuni’. Because

they are bringing insult to Yoruba people who ordinarily prefer to win arguments by superior logic, not through the barrel of a Dane gun! ‘We will shoot politicians from behind’, ‘we will kill traditional rulers’ etc. are not our way and those who romanticize violence as a route to securing their own ethnic enclave are shortsighted. The Yoruba people have always canvassed the idea of restructuring in order to make Nigeria work for the majority of its people whether in the South or in the North. Not for a tiny elite. And if the idea now is that Nigeria be dissolved, it is not a decision that can be imposed by some hunters!

I have watched the video clip of Mr Olayemi Koiki who responded to Dr Reuben Abati’s claim on ARISE Television that what they are doing amounts to ‘treasonable felony’. While I also disagree with Reuben on the ‘treasonable felony’ bit that has become a weapon of blackmail in Abuja, I agree with him on the futility of ‘Oduduwa Republic’.

He said: “I can tell you from my observation that if you put it to a vote among Yoruba people, I am not too sure that a majority will want to leave Nigeria so I don’t think we should have a heartache over whether Yoruba will secede from Nigeria”.

The question we must ask is: How did we come to this sorry pass? It is no secret that a significant bloc of the Yoruba political/media establishment helped President Muhammadu Buhari to power in 2015. But today, there is a feeling they have been traded a lemon for an orange. That is why there is deafening silence in the South-west. Most people disagree with those who are hoisting the ridiculous flag of ‘Oduduwa Republic’ whose ‘Department Homeland Security’ is threatening deportation of innocent citizens. After issuing their online currency, ‘Fadaka’ which I understand has already conferred on some people more wealth than that of Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Dr Mike Adenuga (Jnr) combined, what remains is for them to begin construction of the border wall!

If Yoruba people are not speaking up against these hilarious propositions, it is simply because they don’t want to go against local sentiment about insecurity and the growing frustrations arising from poor governance deficits in Abuja in terms of jobs, poverty, inflation, devaluation etc. Nor do they want to be misconstrued as endorsing the mismanagement of our diversity which is also a sore issue fueling this agitation.

In his intervention yesterday on why ethnic profiling is a lazy tool to deal with criminal challenges, Kayode Komolafe (KK) reminds those who are pushing the ‘We versus Them’ rhetoric that insecurity is a national problem.

Which is why the quit order given criminals in Ondo State forests a few weeks ago by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu is not different from the one given by Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State on behalf of his North-west colleagues.

NOTE: This piece is concluded on page 14

Congratulations Amara/Ajifa!

Come Saturday, all roads lead to Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital as my friend and younger brother, Amarachukwu Chibuzo Ibukunoluwa Nwankpa takes the hand of his hearthrob, Ajifa Joy Eghogho in marriage. It has been a long journey for the Director, Public Policy Initative of the Shehu Musa YarAdua Foundation.

But Ajifa is definitely worth the wait. I have seen that in Amara in recent weeks.

His excitement is clearly a testament to what he has found in Ajifa and I wish the couple a blissful life together.

Iyinoluwa Aboyeji @ 30

L

ast July, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji was in Abuja for a week so I invited him to our house for dinner. When I announced at home that Iyin was being expected, I received a shock from my son, Oluwakorede.

‘Daddy, you mean he is coming to our house?’

I found the excitement difficult to understand.

Okay, my son was then a final year student at Loyola Jesuit College (LJC) Abuja and I know how much Iyin is adored as an alumnus of the school. My son is also passionate about coding so I could also understand what meeting Iyin could mean to him. But given that he had seen many ‘Big men’ visit our house on numerous occasions, I found his overreaction quite surprising. It was almost as if I had just announced that we were hosting President Barack Obama!

Apparently because of that excitement, I decided to check Iyin’s profile. That was when I discovered he was just 29 and will only be 30 this coming Sunday, 28th March. Yet, he has accomplished so much within such a short period and he remains very humble. He is a worthy example for many of our young people not only by what he has accomplished within the emerging tech ecosystem in Nigeria but also by the way he has conducted himself.

There are four kind of riches, as I learnt from rudimentary research I did last week on Nabal,

a Biblical character in a truly interesting story involving his wife, Abigael and soon-to-be King David in 1 Samuel Chapter 25. The writer categorised them as: What you HAVE, what you DO, what you KNOW, and what (who) you ARE. The last is about character. Nabal, like most people, can be identified with just the first (material possession) which is fleeting and those familiar with the story would know how it all ended for him. Meanwhile, Iyin, even at a relatively young age, can boast of the four. That is truly remarkable, especially given the challenge of entrepreneurship and creativity in Nigeria.

After co-founding two successful startups (Andela and Future Africa), Iyin was also the principal promoter and founding CEO of Flutterwave, a tech-enabled payments platform that was meant to (and indeed now does) connect Africa to the global economy. Launched in 2017 with $15.7 million in funding, Flutterwave is empowering businesses across the continent to seamlessly make payments and in the process, now accounts for more than a billion dollars in transactions.

It is difficult to believe that someone at 29 could accomplish so much in this our much-maligned country without being “into oil and gas” or serving as a front for some politicians. This speaks to the opportunities that abound for those who believe in the beauty of their dream and will work for

Aboyeji its accomplishment. In this age of ideas, what Iyin and others like him in the tech ecosystem teach is that if you are smart, as the social media lingo goes, ‘gbogbo wa la ma je breakfast’ (you will not be lacking in what to eat). Flutterwave has, for instance, attracted significant investment from experienced players in the global payments

arena such as Y Combinator (investors in Stripe), Greycroft (investors in Braintree), Greenvisor Capital (led by the Former CEO of Visa) and Mastercard, amongst others. Iyin of course is easily remembered for Andela, which has been able to engage over 1000 software engineers on the continent with investment generated from the Big guns in the Tech world.

It is a testimony to his generousity of spirit and power of foresight that Iyin now heads ‘Fund for Africa’s Future’ where he spends time helping founders, philanthropists and investors from around the world understand how to do build impactful technology businesses on the continent.

Aside being on the board of many reputable institutions, Iyin is also working to identify passionate and experienced female entrepreneurs with funding support that would enable them realise their dream. “Our normal system still throws up heavily biased outcomes,” he says while providing justification for the female-focused idea. “So we are specifically committing up to one million dollars in funding female founders.

We believe we’ll make money if we can find the best ones. And you will see us announce some funding into a few really bold female-led start-ups.”

As Iyinoluwa Aboyeji clocks 30 on Sunday, here is wishing him the best that the future holds.

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