THURSDAY 21TH APRIL 2022

Rethink Your Policy on Fuel Subsidy, World Bank Tells Nigeria Insists the rich benefit more from fuel subsidy than the poor Says barriers distorting country’s trade flows Obinna Chima in Washington DC and Nume Ekeghe in Lagos The President of the World Bank Group, Mr. David Malpass has once more reiterated the need for

Nigeria’s federal government to reconsider its policy on fuel subsidy, saying that the huge amount being expended on the policy could be channeled to other critical sectors.

Malpass said this yesterday, while

responding to a THISDAY question during a media briefing at the ongoing World Bank/International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings in Washington DC. The Senate last week approved

the total sum of N4 trillion for petrol subsidy in 2022. The figure represented the amount contained in two separate requests by the President to the National Assembly for approval.

The President, had in a letter to the

Legislature dated 10th February, 2022, sought an additional N2.557 trillion to fund subsidy payments from July to December, 2022.

The World Bank had last November sounded the alarm bells

to Nigeria, saying further delay in removing the fuel subsidy which had been described as a major drain and waste on the economy could Continued on page 10

Oil Theft: Ex-NNPC General Manager Says FG Could Have Saved $20bn by Deploying Technology to Tackle Menace… Page 5 Thursday 21 April, 2022 Vol 27. No 9872. Price: N250

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At Close of Nomination, 17 PDP Presidential Aspirants Beat Deadline

Ayu to Amaechi: We don't want president that can run round stadium like Usain Bolt, but can’t run railway transportation

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

L-R: Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; President Muhammadu Buhari; APC Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; and APC Secretary, Iyiola Omisore, during the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja...yesterday PHOTO: GODWIN OMOIGUI

At the close of the submission of completed presidential nomination Continued on page 10

Buhari to APC Leaders: Avoid Dictatorial Behaviour, Imposition of Unpopular Candidates NEC transfers own powers to NWC for 90 days Adamu alleges feud between govs, predecessors tearing party apart No explicit discussion on mode of primaries, says Bagudu Party pegs presidential form at N100m, holds primary May 30/June 2 Sale of forms commences April 22 Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, told the 11th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the ruling All Progressives

Congress (APC) in Abuja that the party’s leaders must eschew imposition of candidates if APC was to emerge victorious in the Continued on page 10

Presidency: Why Dariye, ABIODUN ON INVESTMENT DRIVE TO PARIS...

Minister of Transportation, Jean Batiste Djebari (left) and Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun at a meeting on the European country's readiness to partner Nyame Were Pardoned... Page 38 French with Ogun State on the ongoing International Agro-Cargo Airport, the Olokola Deep Seaport project and light rail project in Paris... yesterday

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

NEWS

STAKEHOLDERS’ CONSULTATION ON DRAFT REGULATIONS...

L-R: Chief Executive of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) Engr. Gbenga Komolafe; Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, and Senate Committee Chairman on Host Communities, Senator Biobarakumor Degi Eremienyo, during stakeholders’ consultation on draft regulations, at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja … yesterday

OilTheft: Ex-NNPC General Manager Says FG Could Have Saved $20bn by Deploying Technology to Tackle Menace Calls for investment in research, development $350,000 to purchase equipment to check oil theft not paid by Jonathan's administration Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja A former Group General Manager in charge of Research and Development division at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd., (NNPC), Mr Benjamin Obaigbena, yesterday called on the federal government to deploy technology in solving the perennial theft of the nation’s crude oil.

Making his views known in a treatise, the ex-NNPC top shot estimated that Nigeria would have saved as much as $20 billion if it had deployed technology when the problem started years ago.

He expressed surprise that Nigeria has just woken up from what he described as its heavy

inertia to know that the country is losing substantial volume of crude oil to oil theft and bunkering, insisting that the activities of the criminals are as old as the oil industry.

Obaigbena noted that Nigeria cannot claim ignorance of the astronomical volume of oil theft for the past 50 years, maintaining that it deliberately “let loose the baby tiger into the wild” which has now matured to a monstrous size and sophistication to evade being caught or detected.

The retired NNPC employee disclosed that if the federal government had heeded and implemented a presentation made years ago for the use of technology

to solve the problem, the challenge would have been reduced to the barest minimum today.

He insinuated that because government officials are involved in the crime, the criminals are never caught or brought to justice for a long time since they have powerful links to high profile politicians in government protecting the common interests of parties involved.

He explained that in the year 2000, the NNPC made a very innovative and successful strategy to combat corruption at the depots nationwide, reduce pipeline vandalism and smuggling of petroleum products to the neighbouring countries.

According to him, earlier, a think

tank of NNPC then, the Consultancy Services Unit (CSU) based in Lagos proposed the use of technology to monitor the distribution of crude and product lines using the principles of Telemetry/ SCADA where NNPC could monitor real time distribution activities of the pipelines along the country’s arteries of pipeline network.

With the deployment of this technology, he stressed that vandalism or pipeline break along the distribution lines would have been instantly detected with tell-tale blinking lights or audible alarm displaying the coordinates of the location on the screen.

In addition, he noted that the signal is immediately dispatched

NERC: Why Discos Are Unable to Raise Money for Capital Spending AFG, World Bank, others target December to eliminate tariff shortfalls Cut under-recovery from N1.8trn to N247bn Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said yesterday that the inability of the Distribution Companies (Discos) to approach Nigerian banks to raise funding for capital projects was partly responsible for the current inefficiency in the power sector.

Speaking during the official launch of the Power Sector Recovery Programme (PSPR) platform, a website that would enhance interactions between the public and the key players in the sector, NERC Chairman, Mr Sanusi Garba, also noted that initial litigations stalled the growth in the power supply industry.

He stressed that most of the books of the Discos suffered financial “impairments” because the liquidity in the sector was largely stagnant while tariffs did not grow due to court cases.

But Garba expressed the hope that with the sorting out of the bottlenecks, Nigerians will begin to see improvements in the industry which will also reflect in the supply

of electricity to Nigerians.

At the official launch of the project in Abuja, Garba noted that the government was determined to solve problems in the power sector by promoting dialogue with Nigerians on key issues.

Garba explained that the loss reduction targets by the Discos as well as the planned reduction in the Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection Losses (ATC&Cs) over a period of five years failed due to the challenges besetting the power distributors.

“Unfortunately, between 2013 to 2016, a number of things happened and I think all of you will agree that reform is a journey. It's not just something you switch on. Along the journey, things happened, but particularly from NERC’s perspective, it was the litigations in trying to deal with the minor reviews.

“And because the commission was incapacitated from doing its main job of making a determination of tariffs based on consumption by consumers, a lot of things happened related to the financial viability of the Discos, because if

tariffs remain static, and they have inflation, you have FX rates and so on changing, then obviously, you find that the distribution companies would be largely under-recover their revenues which somehow limited capacity to do what needed to be done.

“Because of fundamentally these two or three years of lack of reviews, we have the challenge of the financial records of the distribution companies' recovery likely impaired, meaning that the companies are unable on the basis of their own financial records and financial performance, raise the required capex for the much needed improvements and to deliver service,” he argued.

According to the NERC’s helmsman, this also had implications for metering, ability to reduce costs, access to funding, capacity building, among others.

He assured that the federal government was committed to ensuring an efficient electric power supply industry that will guarantee Nigerians adequate, reliable and affordable electricity with the new

roadmap.

He added that the objectives of the PSRP include the power sector's financial viability, improvement in electricity supply reliability to meet growing demand, strengthening of the sector's institutional framework, implementation of policies that promote and encourage investors' confidence, and institutionalisation of a contract-based electricity industry.

In his presentation, a top official at the PSRP Secretariat, Belije Madu, explained that although there had been efforts to set the sector on a strong footing in the past, a solid foundation was being laid by the current administration for the growth of the sector.

He listed the absence of a strategy to recoup funding for the sector as a major challenge in the past, but explained that there’s now a clear pathway to ensure that funding is made available.

“Tariff shortfall payment has been cut down from a historical accumulation of N1,891 billion to N247 billion in 2021, and the programme is on course for elimination by December 2022,” he said.

to the nearest military base for immediate dispatch of anti-terror personnel to swoop the area and contain the menace.

“This idea was muted at the presentation venue and did not get to top management of NNPC at that time because of the associated high cost to deploy such technology. “ That costly decision to mute the idea did not consider the long term cost- benefit implications. If that technology was deployed at that material time, the country would have saved more than $20 billion or more to date. Apart from the long term cost saving, the technological experience in managing the pipeline surveillance and security over the years would have been extended to our railway and road networks for same purpose.

“This 1995 technology has advanced to modern and faster technology with many adds ons (e.g. use of HD video cameras to capture footage needed in identifying and persecuting the criminal bunch in court, SMS, long distance drones, cloud storage, satellites, etc.).

“It is still not too late if we prioritise the need to deploy this technology. The money to acquire this technology can be generated if we can significantly reduce the huge wastages from the three tiers of government which are too numerous to mention here.

The government can reengineer its processes to save cost and improve efficiency in delivery of their goals,” he advised.

While calling for a close working relationship with the Research and Development division in the NNPC, Obaigbena stated that the UK Government had offered technical assistance to address the problem of illegally obtained crude oils in the Niger Delta in collaboration with the University of Plymouth.

He explained that when the study was completed, further works were necessary to identify Nigerian crude from a mixture (comingling) with other foreign crudes, stressing that the challenge was the immediate acquisition of more sophisticated analytical equipment to complete the investigation.

“NNPC R&D division made a presentation on this study (as promising tool to stop stealing of Nigerian crudes for easy detection anywhere in the world) to the office of Hon. Minister of Petroleum in 2013.

“A promise was made by the office to release $350,000 for immediate purchase of High Resolution Time-of Flight (TOF) Mass Spectrometers (GC-GC-TOFMS) and Gas Chromatograhy Combustion Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS).

“The purchase of the equipment did not see the light of the day and that was the constraint to conclude the high end research to establish a base to identify Nigerian stolen crude anywhere on this planet.

“It is good to let Nigerians know that the NNPC R&D division was at the time (and may be till now) the most equipped laboratory in African continent with developed capabilities to carry out many complex oil and gas studies that were being done in overseas saving several millions of dollars,” he declared.

According to him, if the government means business to stop oil theft, it should invite NNPC R&D division, Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), multinational and national oil companies to meet and come up with solutions to put a final stop to the old problem that has wrecked the nation.

He advised that the local vigilante group can also be a useful catalyst in the drive for intelligence surveillance and information gathering, noting that it is long overdue to overhaul the security of Nigeria’s national asset.

“It is now time for the federal government to wake up, make an early morning call to challenge and push the intellectual community of our great nation to start solving national problems through aggressive research and innovation.

“No nation on this planet thrives in this highly competitive age without a solid foundation in pure and applied research,” he maintained.

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NEWS

ICC IN ASO ROCK...

Visiting Prosecutor of International Criminal Court, Karim Ahmad Khan,(sitting close to President Muhammadu Buhari and his delegation, during their courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa, Abuja ....yesterday

PHOTO: GODWIN OMOIGUI

FG Moves to Beat PIA Deadlines, Begins Stakeholders’ Engagement on Royalties, Communities’ Funds, Others Komolafe: Meeting, statutory and a critical milestone in the implementation of the PIA Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The federal government yesterday began the first phase of its stakeholders' consultations on draft regulations on the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) in a bid to beat the various

timelines set out in the new law.

Although the law was passed in August last year, it is mandatory that oil and gas industry stakeholders meet to discuss the administrative and operational rules before a proper take-off of the legislation as it concerns

certain clauses.

In the first instance, some issues to be dealt with will centre around royalties, licensing rounds, fees and rentals as well as the implementation of host community fund in line with Section 235 of the PIA.

It will also focus on finalising the 2020 bid round through issuance of Petroleum Prospecting Licences (PPLs) in line with Section 94 (2) of the PIA, make regulations on the Nigerian upstream fee and rent regulations.

NBS: Over 15m Passengers Passed Through Nation’s Airports in 2021 Chinedu Eze The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has stated that a total of 15,225,627 travellers passed through Nigeria’s airports in 2021.

This was an increase of 101.02 per cent in domestic and international travel when compared to 2020.

The data released by the NBS yesterday, stated that the figures were provided by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and verified and validated by the bureau.

The details showed that the total number of international passengers who passed through Nigerian airports was 2,219,146, as against 1,408,026 passengers in 2020.

This represented 57.61 per cent growth rate, while in 2021, the total number of domestic passengers who passed through Nigerian airports was 13,006,481 as against 9,069,295 in 2020, which also represented a 43.41 per cent growth rate.

Furthermore, the data showed that the number of arrivals in 2021 stood at 6,533,740, which was higher compared to 4,870,072 in 2020.

On the other hand, departure stood at 6,472,741 in 2021 compared to 4,199,223 in 2020. Similarly, the total number of international passengers who passed through Nigerian airports were 2,219,146 in 2021 as against 1,408,026 passengers in 2020. This represented 57.61 per cent growth rate. Similarly, the number of arrivals in 2021 stood at 1,109,621, which was higher compared to 690,765 in 2020. Also, departure stood at 1,109,525 in 2021 compared to 717,261 in 2020.

The data showed that Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, Enugu

and Owerri recorded the highest rate of traffic, while Katsina, Kaduna, Ibadan and Jos recorded the lowest traffic.

A total of 4,758,843 passengers passed through the domestic terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while 4,093,712 passengers passed through the domestic terminals of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos. The domestic terminals of Port Harcourt International Airport had 900,728 passengers, Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (545,749) and Akanu Ibiam International Airport (508,513).

Others were Owerri (583,464) Benin Airport (433,017) Margaret Ekpo Airport (197,998) Yola (175,699) Maiduguri (197,898), Ilorin (148,109) Akure (113,625), Sokoto (137,511) Kaduna (73,110), Jos (57,020), Ibadan (51,172) and Katsina (30,313).

For foreign travel, Lagos recorded

the highest traffic, with 1,595,522 passengers, while Abuja came second with 565,062 passengers.

Port Harcourt had 14,519 passengers, while Kano had 39,441, Enugu had 4,532 and Maiduguri had 68.

Reacting to the significant increase in passenger traffic in 2021, the President of National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Mrs. Susan Akporiaye said while COVID-19 initially stopped many people from traveling after the lockdown, it was also the major factor that made more people to travel later, as people who were locked down were eager to travel on business and pleasure.

“COVID-19 was a factor that brought down the passenger traffic in 2020 but it is also the reason it went up in 2021. COVID-19 protocol introduced by countries restricted many people from travelling because it was costly and inconveniencing

but immediately countries began to lift COVID-19 protocol there was a surge in passenger traffic; people started travelling.

“Doing those tests was not funny, since you would spend almost the same amount you paid for airfare on tests. So that’s why there is increase in air travel,” she said.

Also the Regional Manager, South West in charge of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, Mrs. Victoria Shin-Aba told THISDAY that due to the lockdown in 2020, there was a record of low passenger throughput because people did not travel as much when the airports were reopened in September, 2020 but in 2021 more people travelled with the removal of COVID-19 restrictions, adding that there was increase in the number of people on international destinations because “a lot of people are leaving the country.”

Other areas of concentration include the petroleum licensing round regulations, domestic gas delivery obligations regulations, Nigeria conversion regulations , Nigeria royalty regulations and the Nigeria host community (commission) regulations.

The draft regulations were prepared by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) in conjunction with the Presidential Steering Committee on the PIA, headed by the Minister of State, Petroleum, Mr Timipre Sylva.

Speaking during the event in Abuja, Sylva stated that the enactment of the PIA was expected to open up opportunities in the oil and gas sector of the economy.

However, he noted that the challenge posed by the huge divestments in the hydrocarbon explorations by oil majors in the country in the past as a result of the global energy transition calls for more innovative ways in the exploitation and exploration of fossil fuel in the country.

The minister stated that if Nigeria must continue to be relevant at the global stage, it must in designing any regulation put in focus how it can balance the energy base load for Nigeria so that the country will not be left behind in the energy transition train, even while still harnessing its rich natural hydrocarbon reserves.

According to Sylva, a robust

Hajj 2022: Saudi Allocates 43,000 Hajj Seats to Nigeria Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has allocated no fewer than 43,000 seats to Nigeria for the 2022 Hajj.

The Executive Secretary, Kano State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Muhammad Abba Dambatta, disclosed this to reporters in Kano, yesterday.

This, he said was revealed to him by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, (NAHCON) on Tuesday.

He said NAHCON had also invited all heads of State Pilgrims Welfare Boards across the country for a meeting in Abuja, today,

adding that they were expecting to receive Hajj allocations for each state.

He noted that the quota given to Nigeria was reasonable in view of the fact that in 2019, when Saudi allocated 95,000 seats to Nigeria, only 47,000 pilgrims, both state and international, participated in the holy exercise.

Danbatta said the state pilgrims Welfare Board would not register new pilgrims until it finishes registering 2020/2021 intending pilgrims, who paid their deposit but could not go to Hajj due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The Executive Secretary also disclosed that intending Pilgrims would witness an increase in Hajj fare, noting that the increase would be largely due to exchange rate and services.

He explained that there was an increase of 15 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) in Saudi, saying there would be expectation that all the prices for services to be rendered for the pilgrims in the Holy Land would be increased.

"Saudia said the existing shuttle buses used should be changed completely because they have been in use for over 10 years.

Now brand new buses would be used to transport pilgrims. In this regard, the price for this service will be increased.

"So also accommodation, the Saudi authorities said new houses should be used for the 2022 Hajj, so they would be increased in this regard.

"If you look at feeding, due to the increase in VAT, feeding charges will also be up. This is in addition to the Coronavirus test before going to Saudi and on returning to Nigeria. All these are factors to be considered this year," Dambatta said.

engagement would create the platform to brainstorm in a constructive manner and harness the necessary input from various stakeholders to further clarify the draft regulations and eventual firming up of the final regulations.

Stressing that effective regulations are key to harnessing the gains of the PIA, he pointed out that government has a mandate of ensuring sound management of the oil and gas sector considering the key role the sector plays in the revenue generation of the country. “ The effort of commission in the preparation of these draft regulations to beat the deadline set by the law for the commencement of the implementation of the PIA is quite commendable. “ I am hopeful that the regulations when fully implemented will help in no small measure in the smooth take-off of the day-to-day operations of the NUPRC,” he assured.

In his comments, the NUPRC Chief Executive Officer, Mr Gbenga Komolafe, stated that the meeting was a statutory prescription and a critical milestone in the implementation of the PIA. As a law-abiding regulator and in compliance with the provisions of the PIA, he explained that the meeting was convened for stakeholders to make robust input and have discussions around the entire draft regulations leading to finalising the document.

Aside the deadlines set out by the law, he noted that there was the need to expedite action to conclude the regulations-making process in a manner that Nigeria can hedge against the impact of the energy transition and take advantage of the oil and gas supply gap resulting from the current developments in Russia and Ukraine.

He expressed optimism that the engagement will be fruitful, and all grey areas will receive adequate clarification with a view to giving meaning to the intent of the PIA and in a manner that the regulations will become attractive to investors and user-friendly in implementation.

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NEWS

CONFERMENT FELLOWSHIP STATUS CEREMONY...

L-R: Past President/Special Guest of Honour, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Mr. Adedoyin Idowu Owolabi; 57th President, Mrs. Comfort Olu Eyitayo; and Second Deputy Vice PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN President, Mallam Haruna Yahaya, at the 20th ICAN Conferment Fellowship Status Ceremony, held in Lagos… yesterday

INEC: 2023 Elections will Hold Despite Attacks on Our Facilities, Staff Emma Okonji and Nosa Alekhuogie The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it would conduct the 2023 general elections across the country, despite attacks on its facilities and staff in some parts of the country.

The commission, however, said it would not announce results from polling units where violent incidents were orchestrated.

While reacting to the violent attacks on its facilities and staff in Imo State last week, INEC assured Nigerians that the body would devise strategies to protect its offices, assets, and personnel nationwide.

INEC described the attacks on its facilities and staff in Imo State as clear display of ignorance, and assured Nigerians of a transparent election in 2023.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini, who gave the assurance, said INEC had developed robust systems that were replicable and sustainable to deliver credible elections.

Igini who spoke yesterday, on ‘The Morning Show’ on Arise News Channel, the broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, explained that as part of preparation for the 2023 elections, there would be a

re-assessment across board.

He further said by virtue of the 2022 Electoral Act, results from polling units were going to be uploaded into the cloud.

“The question of people thinking that at the polling units, results are going to be changed, that’s not going to happen anymore. In fact, the polling units is now going to be the centre of the entire election processes.

Sanwo-Olu Approves N750m for Health Insurance Premium of 100,000 Vulnerable Residents

Segun James

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has so far approved N750 million from the equity fund for the payment of health insurance premiums for 100,000 vulnerable and indigent residents of the state in line with the goal of ensuring universal health coverage for all.

The First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu disclosed this yesterday, while flagging off a Town Hall meeting with the beneficiaries of the health insurance equity fund organised by the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), which is the agency saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that all residents have access to quality and affordable healthcare services through health insurance.

She said the equity fund which was funded through the one per cent set aside from the state’s Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) was to ensure that a sizeable proportion of the population who could not afford health insurance premiums due to a number of factors including economic status and physical disabilities were not left behind in accessing healthcare services as part of government’s social protection plan.

Represented by the wife of the state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mrs. Funmi Omotoso, the First Lady said the plan of the state government to promote the health of Lagosians had been anchored on health insurance, adding that huge investment has been expended in health insurance since the inception of the present administration.

“Through this effort, the government provides financial protection to the poor when they seek healthcare services to boost their purchasing

capacities and stimulate economic growth. The Ilera Eko Equity Fund is part of the effort by the State government to provide social protection to the poor.

“Similar initiatives have also been launched including Maternal Infant Child Development and the Social Welfare Integrated Program Initiative (SWIPI). Most recently, Mr. Governor also launched an integrated social protection policy for the State government.

“Since the inception of this administration, Mr. Governor has approved the payment of over N750,000,000 which has been used to pay the health insurance premiums of 100,000 residents of the State. In the short term, this has facilitated access to healthcare by a group of people who cannot afford to go to the hospital and, in the long term, will improve the health outcomes in the State,” the First Lady was quoted to have said in a statement.

She also said it was gratifying that all public servants in Lagos have been successfully on-boarded on the Ilera Eko health scheme, while Lagos became the first State in Nigeria to commence health insurance regulations.

She said the town hall with the beneficiaries which would take place across the five administrative divisions of the state namely Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island and Epe, was designed to get feedback and seek ways to improve access to health care by every resident of the State.

She, therefore, urged all beneficiaries to spread the good news of Ilera Eko equity fund to all and sundry, and most importantly take the full benefit of the laudable scheme.

In his welcome remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Professor

Akin Abayomi commended the attention devoted to the health and wellbeing of residents by the Governor, saying it was on record that the present administration has deployed numerous health initiatives to improve the standard of living and quality of life of the people.

He commended LASHMA for the great efforts to improve access to healthcare services, just as he revealed that the agency was on the verge of rolling out an innovative health financing initiative to raise funds from philanthropists, organisations, and donors to crowdfund health insurance premiums and adoption of indigents and the vulnerable on the scheme.

Also speaking, Permanent

Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr. Olusina Thorpe, who represented the Commissioner, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, said sound health remains the foundation of everything in life without which life would be meaningless.

Responding to questions at the event, LASHMA's General Manager, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba said the agency was working in partnership with the Primary Healthcare Board to continuously increase the number of Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) offering insurance healthcare services gradually, while the government was firming up actions to ensure that all PHCs in the state are fully functional.

"We want to end the business of people going to tribunal in this country. What we have done to handle 2023 election is different from what we have been doing before.

“If you look at all the elections we have conducted recently, nobody has gone to tribunal to challenge the true procedure of that election, because of the significant changes that INEC has made,” Igini stated.

According to him, “there would be no way elections could be carried out under the situation we find ourselves in the country, but the elections will go on based on INEC's new arrangement.”

He said it should be appreciated that, “the 2023 elections would not be like any type of elections as it is not an election for second term,” adding that it is important that all Nigerians who have attained the age of 18 and above who have not registered before should do so now.

“This is an election where we have elite formation that will determine the next four, eight or sixteen years,” Igini said Speaking further, he urged people who have issues with their permanent voter’s card (PVCs) to have them sorted out as soon as possible.

He explained that all those who had been buying PVCs in previous elections, would be wasting their resources, should they do same in

the forthcoming general elections, as there would not be avenues to rig the elections, through the buying of PVCs. Igini revealed that INEC has migrated from Automated Finger Identification System to Automated Biometric Identification System, which includes facial recognition.

He said: “This is why across Nigeria, we were able to detect all those who had done multiple registration and they were over one million people. As I speak, from the first quarter and the second quarter, which ended last December, we have registered over 1.8 million people.”

The INEC boss announced that the fourth and final quarter for registration of PVCs is ongoing and ending on the 30th of June 2022.

He advised Nigerians to take advantage of the opportunity.

“It is the assumption that the people will make informed rational choice on election day but as we have seen, across the world, poverty and the level of illiteracy will determine whether a voter will use his or her ballot paper as a commodity for sale.

"Nigerians need to be informed and assured that their votes will count. When people sell their votes, they should know that they will automatically forfeit their rights to ask for accountability in elections,” Igini added.

Buhari to Health Minister: Submit Progress Report on COVID-19 Local Vaccine Production by May Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire to submit a progress report on the indigenous production of COVID-19 vaccines in the country by the end of May, 2022.

The president gave the directive yesterday, while receiving the leadership of the Nigeria Integrated Biopharmaceuticals Industries Consortium (NIBI), led by the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Fredlab, Mr. Vilarugel Cuyas, at the State House, Abuja.

Buhari noted that as part of the fallout and lessons learned from the crises, under his directive, the Minister of Health has been conducting local and international high-level consultations to seek ac-

cess to the know-how and finance to revive domestic manufacturing of vaccines and would be expected to give progress report by next month.

He added that the consultations had become more important as Nigeria prepares to fully transition from the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) support for the supply of vaccines by 2028.

The president commended the NIBI consortium made up of European biotechnology companies like Merck, Unizima, Rommelag, and Fredlab, who are collaborating with the Nigerian start-up PIA BioPharma to establish a world-class Bio-Pharma Industrial Complex for the manufacture of vaccines and essential therapeutics in Nigeria.

Stressing that this administration considers food and medicine suf-

ficiency as national security issues, Buhari charged the Health Minister and his team to work closely with the consortium on the federal government support required for the actualisation of the NIBI project within the next few months.

He told his audience that Nigeria has learnt key lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, including that countries must look inward for sustenance in food and medical supplies.

According to him: "While the Ministry of Health continues to drive collaboration with investors for vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices, in a move towards self-sufficiency, I welcome the NIBI consortium's desire to partner with the federal government in support of our agenda and look forward to the implementation of the NIBI

project as it takes shape.

“I want Nigeria to make a bold statement in this field not just for reasons mentioned earlier, but because of its knock-on effects on our economy at large.

"Having witnessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our health system, our communal life and national economy, from which we are yet to fully recover, we are reminded that the wealth of a nation is dependent on the health and wellbeing of its citizens.

“At the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigeria was quick to respond to what seemed an existential threat, by strengthening the health system’s capacity to handle the pandemic - an initiative that continues till today in collaboration with the state government, private sector, and international partners.

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TEN BUHARI TO APC LEADERS: AVOID DICTATORIAL BEHAVIOUR, IMPOSITION OF UNPOPULAR CANDIDATES 2023 general election.

Buhari said the dictatorial behaviours of some leaders had cost the party many strategic elective positions, and led to the defection of several influential members of the party.

The assertions came as the APC NEC transferred its powers to the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) for 90 days.

It was similar to what obtained during the now defunct Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the party led by the governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni.

That was as National Chairman of APC, Abdullahi Adamu, yesterday, decried the “cold war” between serving and former governors, claiming the situation, fuelled by ego, is tearing the party apart.

In a related development, the chairman of Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, said there was no explicit discussion at yesterday's NEC meeting on the mode of primaries to be adopted by the ruling party, even though the timetable of the party suggested it might settle for indirect primaries.

Meanwhile, APC said it would commence the sale of nomination forms ahead of next year’s general election on April 22. It pegged the cost of its presidential nomination forms at N100 million, with primaries slated to hold between May 30 and June 2.

Speaking at the 11th NEC of the party in Abuja, Buhari commended all the aspirants at the last national convention of the party for their desire to serve. He also appreciated those who had to withdraw their aspirations for the over-all interest of the party. He said he considered it an honour to his person and an unwavering sacrifice for the unity of the party as they approached the coming elections.

The president appealed to aspirants, who were not elected, to support the leadership of the

party to achieve its goal of victory in the forthcoming elections.

He also pleaded with all litigants to withdraw cases against the party and trust the party’s internal mechanisms to address their grievances.

Congratulating Adamu and the entire NWC members, the president noted that they came in at a critical time and the party had a high expectation from them.

He stressed that the critical task ahead of the NWC remained to continue to forge unity of purpose among party members.

Buhari stated, "I must caution strongly against any tendency towards developing cliques, infighting within the party. We want to win well not succumb to fractions on account of personal bitterness and desire to retain control at all costs. That surely is the road to win.

"I enjoin you all to recognise the place of due process in all our tasks as managers of the party. We must develop party in-built mechanisms against corruption. Our success in 2023 will depend more on our capacity to respect our own extant rules, and regulations.

"I enjoin you all to follow due process in all the party processes and more importantly, to develop more mechanisms against corruption. I call on all party members to abide by all extant laws, rules, and regulations and to leaders of our party to avoid imposition of candidates that cannot win popular elections.

"This dictatorial behaviour cost us many strategic seats in the past. In the recent past, this led to some of our strong members, unfortunately, opting to go elsewhere, because of unfairly oppressive behaviour of party leaders at state level."

The president emphasised that the principal challenge before the NWC was the ability to forge a united front, adding that it is the responsibility of NWC to keep creating and sustaining useful compromises among party leaders

and members across the country.

According to the president, “We must identify elements and factors that would facilitate it. This I urge the new NWC to place as a priority task. Whenever you need help in these critical times, please, do not hesitate to seek out assistance from the appropriate quarters. I stand ready at the service of the party and the country.

"Now that NEC has vested its powers in NWC for the time being, as requested, and in compliance with the party constitution in the overall interest of the party, I want to assure Mr. Chairman and the entire NWC members of my full support."

Adamu, on his part, decried the political rivalry between serving and former governors, which he said was tearing the ruling party apart.

He stated, "As you see it, this party has two paths to take. The first path is the full and complete unity of the party; the second path is winning 2023 general election. How we handle the first will determine how we achieve the second. We must take urgent and targeted steps now to unite our party at all levels: federal, state, local government, and ward.

"Our political party must emerge from incessant challenges in order to prepare for the coming tasks ahead. Secondly, we must begin the process of banishing disagreement and build, inclusive of our past and present experiences."

Adamu stressed that the lack of unity in the ruling party was obvious. He said efforts to unite the party led the former caretaker committee to set up a reconciliation committee to find a lasting peace.

He stated, "I know Mr President is not unmindful of what happened to PDP in 2014/2015. Our party is not immune to similar fate should it conduct itself in such a way that continues to undermine the legacy of the founding fathers to build this party.

"I was the chairman of the

reconciliation committee and came out of the assignment fully conversant of the problems.

The battle really is a battle for supremacy between serving state governors and their predecessors in office.

“It is a crisis fuelled by ego. So ego is the enemy – ego between former and serving governors.

Ego has turned them into bitter enemies. Because of ego, the two groups are putting our party in jeopardy and the effect will be in the polls next year.

"The serving governors and past governors are powerful men. Each are leaders in their own rights in their states, but when two elephants fight, the grass suffers. Similarly, when two powerful politicians fight, the party suffers, because the speech and actions of these powerful men will bring a filthy and odious stench to our party."

The chairman said the ruling party must have the courage to avoid paying lip service to the rivalry. He insisted the serving governors of the party were the leaders of the party in their various states, in line with the party's constitution.

Adamu noted, "It is important that the former governors recognise that the party structure must be respected. Our party's constitution makes no room for two party leaders in a state.

There is no reason to compete with serving governors for the leadership of the party."

Speaking, too, Bagudu said the decision of the party to wave certain categories of fees for women and persons with disabilities was commendable. He said while there was no explicit discussion on the mode of primaries to elect the party’s standard bearers, the APC election timetable suggested that the indirect method would be adopted.

"There was no explicit discussion about the mode of primaries, but the timetable seems to suggest that is indirect primaries," he said.

Bagudu addressed the ques-

AT CLOSE OF NOMINATION, 17 PDP PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANTS BEAT DEADLINE forms of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, 17 presidential aspirants were listed for further screening ahead of the party’s primary elections.

The aspirants, who beat the deadline, were two-term governor of Kwara State and immediate past President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; former Speaker, House of Representatives, and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal; former President of the Senate and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim.

Others included former Minister of Federal Capital Territory and Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed; former Minister of State for Education and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike; outgoing Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel; 2019 PDP vice presidential candidate and former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi; former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose; United States-based medical doctor, Nwachukwu Anakwenze; and media mogul, Dele Momodu.

Also successful were Investment banker and economist, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen; a pharmacist, Sam Ohuabunwa; former Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Cosmos Ndukwe; Charles Ugwu; as well as the only female aspirant in the race, Tareila Diana.

The party realised N640 million from the 16 male presidential aspirants and N6 million from the only female presidential aspirant, Diana, making the revenue generated N646 million.

National Organising Secretary of PDP, Bature Umar, in a statement, said the screening of presidential aspirants would commence April 27, while the governorship aspirants would be screened on April 26.

Umar also said the House of Representatives, senatorial, and House of Assembly aspirants would be screened on April 25,

while appeals by those dissatisfied with the screening exercise would commence on April 25 for House of Assembly, while that for House of Representatives and Senate would take place on April 27.

Appeals from governorship aspirants would be addressed on April 29, and the presidential appeal committee would hear appeals from dissatisfied presidential aspirants on April 30, the statement said.

It said the process of selection of ad hoc delegates for the election of candidates would commence April 23, to be followed by ward congress on April 26.

In the revised timetable, local government congresses would take place nationwide on April 29, while the local government appeal committees would hear appeals from the election of the ad hoc delegates on May 2.

Delegates’ list would be published on May 5, while the nomination congress of the House of Representatives and Senate would take place May 12 and May 14, respectively.

The appeals would take place on May 18, while the governorship primaries would be held on May 24, with the appeals following on May 25. The presidential convention of PDP is expected to hold on May 29 and 30.

Yesterday, also, the Akwa Ibom State governor addressed the party’s NWC on his presidential aspiration, likening the 2023 presidential election to a war, and required an experienced politician to carry the APC presidential ticket.

Emmanuel stated, "Just to let the party know that we are challenged as a nation. The party is about going to war. And if you want to go to war, you cannot leave your generals and start dealing with recruits.

"You have the generals in your team and we’re ready to march on to victory. And I’m trying to let you know that if you will look around the country today, there are issues in Nigeria, so people

want to see those that will bring solutions and not create more problems."

He said Nigeria was challenged, "Because this is a country that you’d woke up one morning, if care is not taken, you wouldn’t have stories to tell our children.

You come into the scene, you play the politics, with all your knowledge, with all your experience, with all the education, with all your exposure, how come you didn’t try, you didn’t even offer to serve your country?

"I don’t want to be questioned like that in the next generation.

So, today, I’m standing as one of those that have solution to economic issues. So, the solution for Nigeria, first of all, is to try and rescue our economic values in this country. I don’t want to go so much about the infrastructure, because that one, once you can rescue, with that you can actually reconstruct and restore the infrastructure that has decayed.”

Meanwhile, National Chairman of PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, yesterday took a swipe at Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, a presidential aspirant on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), for his alleged inability to manage the railway system in the country. Speaking after Emmanuel had briefed the party on his presidential aspiration, Ayu said Nigeria desired trusted and tested politicians, like the Akwa Ibom State governor, to manage the affairs of the country.

Ayu stated, in a veiled reference to Amaechi, "We don't want presidential aspirants, who can run round the stadium, like Usain Bolt, but cannot run a railway station."

He compared the presidential aspirants of the party to those of APC, saying all of them are qualified to run the affairs of the country better than President Muhammadu Buhari.

Ayu advised the PDP presidential aspirants to take their campaigns to the delegates,

as their votes would decide the 2023 presidential candidate of the party. He also warned against mudslinging during electioneering campaigns, saying such would give the opposition ammunition to attack the party.

"Campaigns would be issuebased and not attacking each other or mudslinging," the PDP national chairman said. He pledged that the party would conduct a transparent and fair presidential convention, as it had no preferred candidate.

tion of timing of resignation before elections for appointees of government, saying, "We are over-flogging a legal issue. Even the Electoral Act says no appointee should be voted for or vote in an election, it didn't give specific date or time at which such appointee shall resign. That is number one.

Secondly, this matter is sub-judice, because there is a Federal High Court ruling on the issue that is on appeal."

President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmed Lawan, while speaking at the meeting, assured that the National Assembly would continue to support the party. Lawan acknowledged that insecurity in the country culminated during the APC administration, but insisted that the menace built up over the years.

Noting that the present administration had shown more commitment to the fight against insecurity than previous governments, he said, “I am so confident and optimistic that before we leave in 2023, Mr President would secure our country.”

NEC Transfers Own Powers to NWC for 90 Days

In an interesting development, the NEC of APC transferred its powers to the NWC for 90 days.

With this transfer of power, the NWC would be at liberty to make decisions that would ordinarily require the approval of NEC for the next 90 days.

National Secretary of APC, Senator Iyiola Omisore, said Lawan had moved the motion for the transfer of power, and Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, seconded it, after it was amended by the governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai.

Omisore said, "We resolved on the motion to devolve powers of NEC of the party to the NWC for the period of 90 days in the interim. Motion moved by the senate president, amended by Governor el-Rufai, and seconded

by Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila.

According to Article 13:3, the powers of NEC therein have been vested in the NWC for the period of 90 days."

APC Commences Sale of Forms, President Goes for N100m

National Publicity Secretary of APC, Mr. Felix Morka, who briefed journalists at the end of the NEC meeting, said the sale of nomination forms in the ruling party would commence on April 23, while the congress to elect state and national delegates was scheduled to hold between May

7 and 9.

The party said the last day for the submission of completed forms and accompanying documents was May 10.

Morka said the screening of aspirants for the House of Assembly and governorship primaries would hold on May 12, while that of the House of Representatives and Senate would be held on May 13, and the presidential screening would be on May 14.

The publication of claims and objections of aspirants for House of Assembly and governorship would be on May 13, while that of House of Representatives and Senate would be on May 14, and presidential May 15.

The screening appeals for House of Assembly and governorship aspirants was scheduled to hold on May 14, while that for the House of Representatives and senatorial aspirants would take place on May 17, and presidential aspirants, May 23.

Morka said the governorship primaries were scheduled to hold on May 18, House of Assembly May 20, and House of Representatives May 22, while senatorial primaries would be held on May 24.

Appeal for governorship primaries would be held on May 18, House of Assembly May 20, House of Representatives May 22, and Senate May 24.

Morka explained that the party would hold a special convention for its presidential primary between May 30 and June 1, adding that the Expression of Interest for presidential aspirants cost N30 million, while the nomination forms cost N70 million.

The party spokesperson said the Expression of Interest form for the House of Assembly would cost N500,000 while the nomination form would cost N1,500,000, while aspirants contesting the House of Representatives seats would pay N1 million for Expression of Interest and N9 million for the nomination form. Those vying for Senate seats would pay N3 million for Expression of Interest and N17 million for the nomination form.

Morka said the party also pegged the Expression of Interest for N10 million and N40 million as nomination form for the governorship aspirants.

Female aspirants and persons with disabilities would pay for Expression of Interest forms but the nomination forms would be free, while the youth, especially, those between 25 and 40 years would purchase Expressing of Interest forms with a discount of 50 per cent, Morka stated.

RETHINK YOUR POLICY ON FUEL SUBSIDY, WORLD BANK TELLS NIGERIA see federal and state governments unable to pay salaries from 2022.

The Lead Economist, Nigeria Country office of the World Bank, Marco Antonio Hernandez, had painted a gloomy picture of Nigeria if the country decides to continue with the controversial fuel subsidy.

But speaking during the media briefing, Malpass pointed out that generalised subsidies have significant negatives effects on any system.

“One is that they are expensive because they go to everyone and they are often used by people with upper incomes than by people with lower incomes so they are not targeted.

“So, we encourage that when there is need for subsidy, either food or for fuel, that it should be carefully targeted at those most in need of it. And so, we have encouraged Nigeria to rethink its subsidy effort,” he said.

Speaking further, the World Bank boss reiterated the need for the country to do away with multiple exchange rate system, which according to him was often, “complicated and is not as effective as it would be if there were a single exchange rate.”

He added: “The most useful thing for developing countries is to have a single exchange rate that is market-based, that is stable over long periods of time as that attracts investment and so that would help.”

Malpass noted that Nigeria also

has trade barriers that continue to distort trade and capital flows, urging the federal government to improve on this so as to help the country and its people move forward.

Commenting on the spate of insecurity in the country, he said: “I take note of the complicated situation that they face where there are weapons flowing into northern Africa that find their way into to none Nigerians that create violence in Nigeria.

“This is a very challenging situation that the government faces. I think all over the world, people should have an understanding of the fragility that is facing several parts of the world, but in particular, the Sahel and the Sub-Saharan Africa area where the weapons flow from outside of Africa are putting a great burden on governments around the continent.

“Nigeria has huge opportunity because of its natural resources and because of its people, and I think I could see its growth accelerate with improvements in policy.”

Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has stressed the need to boost agricultural productivity in Africa and get farmers to produce more, even as it noted that 20 countries in the region were either in debt distress or very close to debt distress.

Speaking at the opening press conference of the ongoing World Bank/IMF 2022 spring meetings holding virtually, the Managing

Director of the Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, said the multilateral institution was working on debt restructuring for the affected countries.

She stated that the IMF and its partners had agreed on an action plan to address the situation.

“In Sub Saharan Africa, 20 countries are in bed distress or very close to debt distress, with interest rates going up. This burden of debt is intolerable. So working to get that restructuring currently, this is a priority for us. And this is why I talked about the common framework,” she said.

Whilst noting that the high and rising food prices were of particular concerns, especially in poor countries where there was a growing risk of a food crisis, she said an international action to avoid it was critical.

“Fighting inflation through monetary policy tightening raises the costs of servicing debt. For low-income countries, its burden has reached 50 percent of GDP, placing 60 per cent of these counties at or near debt distress,” the IMF boss added.

She noted: “To address debt, countries need domestic policies that can help bring their budgets back on track, while providing targeted assistance to the most vulnerable.

They can help finance this with more equitable tax policies.”

Furthermore, she said the ongoing Ukraine war had resulted to spike in global inflation as well as insecurity.

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POLITICS

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

Akpanudoedehe: With Me on the Ballot, APC Will Win Akwa Ibom In this interview with Adedayo Akinwale, the former National Secretary of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the All Progressives Congress, Senator James Akpanudoedehe who recently declared his interest to vie for the governorship position in Akwa Ibom state says with him on the ballot, the ruling party will win the state come 2023. Excerpts:

Akpanudoedehe

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hat are your chances of winning the ticket and election I anchor my belief on the principle of fairness and democracy. I believe that the party will be fair to me. I don’t think the party can reward me in the manner suggested. A party will look for a candidate that will win election for them. By the experience and the exposure the office of the National Secretary exposed me to, I was privileged to be attending the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) meeting. If they use the equipment they say they will use, which is backed up by the Electoral Law, I think no one should take the coming election for granted. We should be able to put the best candidate that will win the election for the party. So, I strongly believe that the APC will do the right thing. I was not only a founding member, I was one of those who was given the opportunity to merge this party, I was in the Merger Committee, I was also in the constitution drafting committee. Ever since, this party has been unfair to me until recently when the President (Muhammadu Buhari) and those that I mentioned today (Rotimi Amaechi and Nasir el-Rufai) who mentioned my name to be the National Secretary. The party took the ticket from me in 2015. In 2019, the same repeated itself. So, we’ve seen it before, that is why I said we have suffered for this party.

We built this party from nothing, people have sacrificed. There was a time it was difficult to mention Buhari’s name. In fact, mentioning Buhari’s name, the governor then, Godswill Akpabio made a law to put me in prison just for mentioning Buhari’s name. But as life will have it, he became the biggest beneficiary and was made the Minister of Niger Delta.

This time around it is expected that you will get the ticket of the party. If you are denied, are you going to pull out your structure from APC? When we reach that level, we will cross it. The issue is that nobody will do that. I don’t expect

anybody to do that. It is wickedness.

It is my party, nobody will take this party from me. I worked for it, I toiled for it, I sacrificed for it. This is where my effort is. I will not leave my party, I believe my party will do the right thing because I worked hard for it.

One of the biggest hurdles facing the APC in this state is the APC itself…

When you are running for the office of a leader, one of the characteristics of a leader is accommodation, one of the characteristics of being a leader is love. When I was in the ACN, governors sit behind the leaders of the party. Being a governor does not make you a leader. It is God that appoints one. You don’t force it.

You remember in the South-south meeting some time ago when the party decided to make Senator Ovie Omo-Agege leader of South-south

because of his position. After that meeting I didn’t hear it again. But in the north, it is not so, when someone is appointed to a particular office, people honour it.

Going by this narrative, how do you intend to bring the whole house together It is a matter of just being a party man. What we mean by a party man, my party must win, it is not yourself. APC must win Akwa Ibom, you must be a party man, don’t say I want to dominate, my word is final, when you have plenty of people that were there before you, we were there before you. You can only show respect. If you want leadership to be given to you as a former Governor, carry yourself as such, it will be given to you. If you cannot command that kind of leadership, please go back to your school and learn a different kind of leadership. Learn the one that will suit the state you come from. When discussions are made, be objective, answer truthfully, be a father, don’t be a destroyer, don’t lie about someone just to cause separation, don’t be a separatist, be a leader.

To some people, the National Secretary signed the paper, maybe they assume I have the power to do that, they don’t know that I was directed, that was my duty and all that. That is what I will consider things I didn’t like. You know the truth but because you have been asked to do something, you can’t say anything about it, that I can regret. But to say I can regret life, I normally ask God, this is the official position of the party, I know this is wickedness, forgive me. Outside that we did very well. We bought the property, we registered 41 million people, we did state congresses, we managed it well, the crisis was one or three per cent in some states, we did well, no regrets apart from some instructions that brought pain to other people and as a Christian I didn’t like doing that

I still have that feeling that the house is still divided, if the house is divided, what is the possibility of you unseating the party in power since 1999 With the present structure that we have on ground, APC will win.

What will you consider as your worst moment at APC as the secretary of the party and your fondest memory?

I don’t have any regrets. We did everything we needed to do. Normally I will try to see whether what I have been asked to do constitutes wickedness. That was my greatest fear, because most of the directives given and the direction it was coming from, you cannot oppose that.

Then, to some people, the National Secretary signed the paper, maybe they assume I have the power to do that, they don’t know that I was directed, that was my duty and all that. That is what I will consider things I didn’t like. You know the truth but because you have been asked to do something, you can’t say anything about it, that I can regret. But to say I can regret life, I normally ask God, this is the official position of the party, I know this is wickedness, forgive me. Outside that we did very well. We bought the property, we registered 41 million people, we did state congresses, we managed it well, the crisis was one or three per cent in some states, we did well, no regrets apart from some instructions that brought pain to other people and as a Christian I didn’t like doing that.

My fears for APC in 2023 God has chosen whoever is going to be president, he knows how to navigate it, God is involved but people can come together based on interest. But if you love yourself more than the party, that is why the problems come.

What do you think the leadership of the party should do to make it easy for APC to win elections in 2023 Don’t rush into manipulative advice. Number two, be democratic.

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POLITICS

Tambuwal: I Have the Requisite Competence and Understanding of the Dynamics and Complexities of Nigeria to become President Governor of Sokoto State and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum, Aminu Tambuwal tells Nseobong Okon-Ekong that Nigerians will resist any attempt by the All Progressives Congress to rig the 2023 general election

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hy do you want to be the president of Nigeria?

As far back as 2012, 2013, seeing how I have been able to preside over the National Assembly of the federal republic of Nigeria, very many well meaning Nigerians began to approach me on the idea of running for the president of Nigeria. So, it is not just about me wanting to be. It is also about people identifying some of these qualities that they think are needed in the president of Nigeria in my person.

So, I believe that first and foremost, I have the requisite competence and understanding of the dynamics and complexities of Nigeria for me to be able to preside over that office of the president of the federal republic of Nigeria.

I have traversed everywhere even before I became the Speaker of the House of Representatives. As a lawyer that had been practicing and very active in the politics of Nigeria and subsequently a member and Speaker of the House of Representatives, I have traversed the length and breadth of this country. I have established contacts; I have established friendships; I know and appreciate the diversity of the people of this country and I quite understand the differences in quote amongst the people of Nigeria. And the Nigeria of today, you need someone that really understands the country in terms of the diversity, the people, their mores, cultures and traditions. It must be someone that the people of this country can say look, this person has done something which we believe while doing it demonstrated capacity and competence in providing that leadership for the country. His pedigree must convince the people to say look, once this person is there, we can say that we are comfortable that every section of this country will be looked after.

There would not be ethnic chauvinism; there would be inclusiveness, good governance and you bring some freshness into the system. So, I believe that these are some of the qualities that quite a number of Nigerians are seeing in me and talking to me about running for the office of the president. I am convinced that if given the opportunity, we can together with the right team run a government of the federal republic of Nigeria that Nigerians should be comfortable with; that Nigerians would appreciate as their own government and not one that is tilted towards a particular section or religion. It would be a government that would be there for all sections of this country and that understands also the issues and challenges of the nation.

Today, we are very divided; that is the truth.

This country needs a unifier; someone who can bring all the tendencies together and bring back our unity; it is key; not only a unifier but someone who knows the issues and understands the country itself. He must understand the issues of insecurity, challenges in terms of healthcare, education, youth employment and women issues; someone who has not only the training in terms of academic laurels but also the practical experience of governance. You do not get it off the shelf. You need that experience; you cannot take away the need for experience in running governments especially in a country like Nigeria where the institutions are very weak if they are there at all and in some cases, they are not even there.

You need someone with that basic experience of governance and not only governance but democratic governance to be on the driver’s seat. So, these are some of the reasons why I believe that a number of people are saying that being a lawyer by training, and being someone who was in the legislature for 12 uninterrupted years; a deputy chairman of a committee, minority leader, deputy whip of the House of Representatives and then Speaker of the House of Representatives and now governor of Sokoto State in the executive arm for almost seven years and upwards to eight years by the grace of God, that experience is there. And of course, when you are talking about this age bracket and

Tambuwal

issues, when you look around, of all those that are being mentioned, I am probably the youngest in terms of age. I believe that with all of these put together, we can make things happen in this country.

Can you give us an overview of the challenges and successes you have recorded, so far?

Talking about insecurity and how best it could have been approached by the current administration, I have had cause to say this a number of times; first and foremost, we have to identify what are the causes of all of these. Clearly, one of them is a situation whereby we have a number of able bodied young men and women that are out there without education; some have education but without employment. The criminals, bandits, Boko Haram and ISWAP recruit their members from the mass of these people and it is important for both local, state and Federal Government

to pay attention to the education of the populace and ensure that the vast majority of citizens are properly educated and not just by passing the walls of either primary school, secondary school or even tertiary institutions. They must have the kind of education that is qualitative and impactful on them and don’t just pass through the four corners of an institution and come out half-backed. So, it is important for all of the tiers of government and the general public and parents inclusive to pay attention to the education of our young ones and it is largely on the government whether we like it or not; education in Nigeria is still being seen as a responsibility of the government; be it state or Federal Government. So, there should be that deliberate effort to really take those who are out of school back to school just like we are doing in Sokoto State now where even by the assessment of UNICEF, we have recorded very, very remarkable achievements and successes in taking the out-of -school children back to school and retaining them till they finish the full circle of at least secondary school education. So, education is key and providing employment opportunities and not necessarily white collar

It is a well known fact that we do not have manpower in the security services of Nigeria. You need to have manpower.

Those that are there, that can be retrained especially on the new trends of criminality, you train them. And give them tasks. You must deploy technology; I have said that several times. The incoming Federal Government must look at a way of deploying technology in addressing these challenges. I made the comment recently and someone was asking me why don’t I bring it to Sokoto. But as governor of Sokoto State, I have my limitations. I cannot even bring in some of these equipment without clearance from the Federal Government. So, the Federal Government should be able now to get the right equipment for the armed forces and various security personnel and also take care of their welfare. These are some of the steps that any government that is serious must take and the Commander in-Chief must be hands on

jobs is also very key. A situation whereby you have teeming millions of youths unemployed is very unhealthy in any society. So, government must come up with a programme and scheme that would now improvise ways and means whereby these youths can now be properly trained in terms of giving them skills that they can apply and be more useful to themselves and the society. It is not about just someone graduating with a university degree without an employment. Even those who are not university graduates, if you give them some skills, they should be able to now find one thing or the other to do. We have a lot of opportunities that are informal in our society. So, it is important that we mainstream all of that including the informal sector and ensure that we provide the enabling environment for small and medium businesses to grow and that can be done with the support of the government. Of course, industrialisation is also key toward providing employment but that is long term.

So, education and employment are key. In terms of agricultural development for example, in my state, about 80/85 percent of people of Sokoto State are farmers and our government has been very deliberate in supporting farmers with a lot of implements like highly subsidized fertilizers, insecticides and all of that. We do that year in, year out, season in season outdry season farming, wet season farming. We support our farmers with extension workers.

We are recruiting more extension workers and they are helping the farmers especially in the introduction and reorienting them on the new and improved seedlings – be it seedling like that of maize, wheat, rice, tomatoes and all of that. So, it is a whole package of support for farmers.

That is very important because the farms take more than eighty percent of our population in terms of supporting them economically and having what to do. It is important that the government at the centre supports it but they cannot do it. In any case, the Federal Government does not own state lands/farm lands so it is better done at the level of states and local governments. We devolve more of that to the states and local governments and we encourage them to give more of subsidies and support to farmers.

That way, you would see that there would be a lot of improvement in the area of farming.

And part of what we have been doing which is closely related to the issues of the moment is supporting the herders and cattle breeders in the state by first completing the scheme that was abandoned by the administration of former Governor Wamakko. When we came in, he was already into a relationship that had gone far but was abandoned with modern time farms.

We had to bring in special breeds of cows from Argentina into Sokoto. When we came up, we employed some consultants that advised that look, instead of going to Argentina, we can rebrand and repackage the entire programme and complete it by bringing in those species of animals particularly cows from South Africa.

And that was what was done and that are some of the clusters you have seen; that is how far we have gone. They have increased the volume of milk and even quantity of meat that our farmers and herders are collecting from the cows. Now, instead of 50 to 100 kg, we currently have up to 500kg from one single cow. So, all of these are innovations and support that our government is using not only in empowering the farmers, those who are into animal husbandry but also addressing the challenge of insecurity. This is because if you are able to convince them that if you stay in one place and have, be it ranch or a cluster, the tendency is that you have more milk and meat, and you are not exposed to the hazards like being beaten by snake or being in direct confrontation with wild life in the bushes.

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

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T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ Ͱͯ˜ ͰͮͰͰ

FEATURES

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

A Fitting Farewell for Edede Alice Aimierovbiye Ehigiator: 1935 - 2022 Tunde Olusunle

I

would most fittingly have earned the citizenship of any country in Europe and the Americas, if I had lived the duration of time I did in Benin City, in any such nation. As a little boy, I attended the old St. Joseph’s Primary School for my first school leaving certificate. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, a Brigadier in the Nigerian Army at the time, celebrated as the architect of the erstwhile Midwestern State, was governor.

When I began secondary school at the very highly competitive and respected Immaculate Conception College, (ICC), a Catholic all-boys institution, George Agbazika Innih, then a Colonel, was chief executive of the state.

Among very many other distinguished alumni of ICC, by the way, is the incumbent Benin monarch, *Omo N’Oba N’Edo N’Ogidigan Uku Akpolokpolo Ewuare II.* At graduation after my West African School Certificate Examination, (WASCE), Ambrose Folorunso Alli, reputed to be Nigeria’s first indigenous professor of pathology, was the democratically elected civilian governor in the truncated Second Republic.

Instructively, the Ambrose Alli administration, constituted by the Unity Party of Nigeria, (UPN), founded by Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo, GCFR, the erstwhile Premier of South West Nigeria, paid for our WASC examination fees, consistent with the “free education” mantra of the UPN. Nobody asked about my state of origin or my religion.

Between the neighbourhood where my parents lived and the schools I attended, I made quite a number of friends. Our last leased accommodation before my parents developed a place of their own, was at *Eresoyen Street,* abutting *Urubi Street,* in the New Benin district. The Eresoyen house belonged to the famous Uzamere family in the city. Our landlords had their own section of the mini-estate, which engendered robust interaction and camaraderie between us and the Uzameres, among select families.

Ehigie Edobor Uzamere, who represented Edo South senatorial zone in the National Assembly, between 2007 and 2015, was our big brother in the estate. He left us for the US to study architecture, but remained an inspiration for us youngsters. It was a measure of our acculturation into our host community, that one of my younger siblings, was christened *Eghosa,* (God’s own), at birth.

Just a few yards from our house was *Oziegbe Street,* where the Ehigiator family, lived. “Iye Ehigiator” as we fondly referred to the matriarch of the family, Alice Aimierovbiye Ehigiator, was a most resourceful and versatile entrepreneur.

She moved around the country very regularly, sourcing raw materials which she supplied to *Livestock Feeds Limited,* where my father, Jacob Adeniyi Olusunle, was General Manager, among other outlets.

Her children and my siblings would become very close, bonding even as a family.

Osabuohien, (of blessed memory), the younger son of *Iye,* was inspired to join me in ICC on account of the quality all-round instruction we received under the leadership of Joseph Odidi Itotoh, our iconic school principal in my time. *Iye* in fact nicknamed one of my younger sisters “Sleepy-Sleepy.”

Susan (my sister), was famous for dozing off and descending into deep sleep, whenever either family came visiting.

That was how close-knit our families were.

Osabuohien indeed found himself in the same house, “Bishop Kelly,” with me, upon his admission into ICC. Strictly on merit, I recommended him to succeed me as House Prefect, en route graduation from the school.

It was part of the leadership training we underwent those good, old days of yore, being able to take informed, objective, critical decisions, even at that young age.

Friday January 14, 2022, I received a message from my sister, Ibironke Osasere-Omoruyi, conveying the news of *Iye’s* departure. I was heartbroken. *Iye* departed, edging close to the club of nonegenarians, effectively at an age the Binis refer to as *Edede,* an old woman well above 80 years. This in African culture, calls for revelry. I was downcast, however, because I failed to keep a promise I made to her, three years before her exit.

Edede Whenever we spoke, she always challenged me to come check up on her, as she was ageing and edging towards her transition. And I always reassured her I would visit. Sadly, I never did.

Indeed, the last time I visited *Edede* in Benin City in the company of my wife and siblings, she took a while between her room and joining us in her living room where we were seated. I requested one of my sisters to check up on *Edede,* to be sure all was well. Deaconess Florence Siyanbade, my sister jocularly reported when she returned, that the old woman was taking it easy with her *Keke Napep.* *Edede* was getting around with a quadruped, a four-legged walking aid made of aluminium. The minimum I could do when I learnt she passed January 13, therefore was to honour her memory by attending the ceremonies commemorating her exit. They were scheduled for Thursday March 30 to Sunday April 3, 2022.

It was humbling to have been personally received at the Benin airport, evening Friday April 1, by Senator Uzamere, our own “Bro Ehigie,” who was also going to participate in the rites of passage for *Edede,* a personality he revered as a big aunt. His connectedness with his constituents was so very obvious as he exchanged banters with airport drivers, in the car park, when we walked by to his car. And they responded very warmly and enthusiastically. One of the drivers told him in Bini, that times are tough.

Uzamere retorted that the situation was non-sparing of anyone. He enjoined him

and everyone to gird their loins for the 2023 elections.

Wherever she is, *Edede* would have been very proud of the manner she was celebrated. The lineup of events commenced as scheduled, Wednesday March 30, (which incidentally was my birthday), with a Service of Songs at her favourite home in Oziegbe Street, New Benin. She was interred in one of her properties in Ekenwan District, also in Benin City, Thursday March 31.

Both events were essentially sombre and exclusive, the family reserving the grand ceremony for Saturday April 2, when invited guests across the country and abroad, were expected to join in. A thanksgiving service was also scheduled for Sunday April 3 at the Assemblies of God Church, next door to *Edede’s* house. *Horatio Marquee* in Edo Hotel on Okada Avenue, in GRA, Benin City, abutting the sprawling, street-long residence of the famous multibillionaire entrepreneur, Gabriel Osawaru Igbinedion, the *Esama of Benin,* hosted the very grand reception commemorating *Edede’s* departure. The quality of attendance was reflective of the very high esteem *Edede* was held in her home community, and the goodwill her children command. Dignitaries included Uzamere; his successor in the Senate, Matthew Uroghide (Senator representing Edo South) and his wife Pastor (Mrs) Obiageli Urhoghide; Prof (Chief) Osato Giwa-Osagie and HRH

Edward Obamogie, the *Enogie* of Ugiamwen.

There were also Engr. Osato Edo-Osagie; Hon Osahon Osemwota; Hon. Justice and Mrs Ohimai Ovbiagele; Hon. Justice Okeaya Inneh and Hon. Orobosa Omo-Ojo. Hon. Victor Enoghayin; Prince Felix and Princess Violet Obamogie; Prince Babasola Jaiyeola; Stanley Osadiaye; Allan Omorogbe and the Osaghaes equally attended the event. Messrs Oluwole Uzzi (of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC) and Gabriel Obaseki, graced the occasion. Prominent female entrepreneurs who attended include Winnie Atawodi, (Walsa Ltd); Funmilayo Obisan, (Kajola Group of Companies); Wunmi Odutola (Queensdrive Estate Ltd), as well as Yvonne Ezekiel and Amaka Agbakoba-Onyejiaya ( both of Olisa Agbakoba and Associates); Nikki Khiran (Nikki Khiran Couture) and Salamatu Aderinokun (First Marina).

Alice Airmierovbiye Ehigiator (nee Uwagboe), was born in February 1935 in Uhunwode local government area of Edo State. She attended Eweka Memorial Primary School, Iyaro, Benin City, from 1942 to 1950, where she obtained her Standard Six Primary School Certificate. She subsequently attended the Midwest Secretarial and Stenographic Institute, also in the Edo State capital. She took up employment with the United African Company, (UAC). Alice Ehigiator served as Secretary to the Chairman of the defunct Midwest Nigeria Development Commission, (MNDC), rising to managerial positions in the mid-1960s. She got married to Elisha Omodamwen in 1957, with whom she had two children, Osabueki and Edoghogho. The marriage was dissolved a few years later, and she got married to a young military officer at the time, Felix Ehigiator, who rose to the rank of Colonel before his retirement.

Together, they had two children, Osabuohien and Joy. In the early 1970s, *Edede,* with financial support from her mother, ventured into business. She became sole distributor of Top Feeds Ltd, Oghorode, Sapele, present day Delta State, set up in 1968, which produced a wide range of products for livestock farmers. She subsequently became a supplier of raw materials notably oyster shells, maize, groundnut cake and similar condiments, both to Top Feeds, and the competing Benin factory of Pfizer Livestock Feeds Ltd, established in 1972. Her business required quite some moving around the country, in search of the raw material requirements of her patrons, which tested her energy and perseverance as a woman. A courageous, dogged, tireless and resourceful lady, she was, on the flip side, very receptive, accommodating, motherly and kind.

Most unfortunately, she lost her second son, Osabuohien, my bosom friend and brother, a graduate of Engineering from the University of Benin, in 1988. I travelled from Ilorin where my parents have lived since leaving Benin City in 1980, to pay condolences on behalf of my family.

I met a thoroughly shattered, devastated and broken *Edede,* a distinct shadow of her true self. She had long nicknamed me *gbagbati man* in my younger days, her own definition of my outgoing, friendly, boisterous, humorous essence, an alias she couldn’t muster on that visit. I wrote a poem titled “Not yet adieu, Osa,” dedicated to Osabuohien, which was published in my maiden collection of poetry, *Fingermarks,* released in 1996. That she survived nearly 35 years after tragic episode is testament to the goodness of God. r&EFEF "MJDF "JNJFSPWCJZF &IJHJBUPS who transited at 87 years of age January 13, 2022, is survived by three children, Osabueki Omodamwen, Edoghogho Agbakoba and Joy Fashesin-Souza; six grandchildren; two great grandchildren; two sons-in-law; one daughter-in-law and a host of relatives. These do not preclude a host of us other children who were privileged to meet her while she was here, and who were variously impacted by her life and times. We will miss her smile and matriarchal warmth. She was indeed a “Phenomenal Mum,” as Edoghogho rightly put it. May her beautiful soul rest in the bosom of our Lord, Amen. r0MVTVOMF 1I% QPFU KPVSOBMJTU BVUIPS BOE TDIPMBS JT B .FNCFS PG UIF /JHFSJBO (VJME PG &EJUPST /(&

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ Ͱͯ˜ ͰͮͰͰ

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#THISISNIGERIA

–Ayisha Osori

Nigeria Decides 2023: Will we take the Road over-travelled?

L

ong before I stumbled on Isiah Berlin’s “to understand is to perceive patterns”, I was fascinated by life patterns. The ones we design with our choices, doing things consciously, unconsciously and mapping out the same lines and circles that intersect repeatedly in the same places.

Over and over again like moths to a flame.

By the 2015 elections, I was convinced I had hit upon a pattern for Aso Rock occupancy: the uninterested anointed or as a friend puts it, ‘the draftee’. Straight out the post-colonial gate, Ahmadu Bello, the head of the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) should have been prime minister but the regions had more powers and he preferred to focus his energies there and his deputy, Tafawa Balewa was seconded to the position. A seed was sown.

In the run-up to the 1979 elections, Shagari, who served the Balewa administration in various positions, had his eye on the Senate.

The godfathers of NPN, successor to NPC, thought he would be a better president than the public front runners Maitama Sule and Adamu Ciroma. And president he was.

In 1998, fresh out of prison and full of gratitude for life considering the trail of death that Abacha superintended, being president was probably the last thing on Obasanjo’s mind. However, the men behind closed doors knew better and anointed Obasanjo through the conservative, NPN successor party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) never minding Ekwueme, who was one of the founders of the party with presidential ambitions.

Enter 2007 post the failed attempt at a third term, and Obasanjo, still smarting, disregarded enthusiastic members of his inner circle and PDP. He settled on Yar'adua, one of the few governors missing from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s list and with no overt ambition to be President.

Yar’adua became president and his vice president, also a surprise draftee selected in place of those who lobbied for the position would eventually become president in 2010. If ever there was a poster man for Nigeria’s anointment predilections, it would be difficult to beat Jonathan.

That’s the problem, I thought.

We need someone who wants to be, not reluctant handymen of the status quo drafted in against their will as if Nigeria is not a prize. And who in 2015 wanted to be president more badly than Buhari? The misplaced expectation was that someone who had run 4 times had a plan. It turns out that wanting to be president was and is, not enough.

I neglected to factor in three things.

The first is another parallel pattern in our history of rulers – men with guns who took power but dressed it up as service and who have earned as much glory and shame for the trajectory and state of Nigeria as anyone can. These men, like many across the world, have reinforced power for power’s sake by any means necessary and there is little obligation to merit the role or use it accountably.

The second factor is a subset of the draftee pattern – the puppeteers’ creed: don’t let them see the strings. It is easier to have a face on which to hang millions of feelings of fear, favour, fanaticism, or feudality and manage that one person.

Even better if this person has bloc votes to sweep unknown and uncaring characters into office, selling themselves alongside him via posters and jingles. When the path to the privilege of so many are anchored on a candidate, he/she must run, regardless of the impact on the public good.

Finally, I failed to give enough weight to character, words, and deeds. A persons’ life exposes their patterns, bares the tracks of choices and beliefs, and reveals what they are capable of. There are many clues, small and billboard-sized, that indicate what people will do with power.

Why we chose to ignore what we see and know is not immediately apparent from the patterns we are invested in.

Power makes people more of what they are; every vice, regardless of how benign in appearance, is magnified.

The state of Nigeria 10 months from the next general elections is brutal and hard. At least 10,311 people were killed by terrorists, kidnappers, and state security in 2021, and in the first 3 weeks of 2022, almost 500 people have been murdered; the stories are heartbreaking and difficult to retell.

The sachetization of our economy continues while hundreds of thousands of people living in ungoverned spaces

are extorted and made to choose between death and starvation. Amidst the clouds, there are pockets of light created by resistance, brilliance, evidence of shared humanity but the transmogrifying insecurity threatens the fundamentals of our survival and so does our politics.

We need to break from our patterns in 2023 but this will only happen if we question our default settings about what leadership looks and feels like. The same model of man or woman, whether a draftee or someone expressing agency, will maintain the course. To change track, we must reflect on the patterns being created by our acceptance of what authority is: aloof and abusive; reassess what governance and public service should be, and redefine what it means to make votes count.

This is not a call to tie ourselves up in knots, nitpicking at a candidate’s past; everyone has skeletons but we must ask ourselves how high the bodies are stacked and what put them there. The scales for a candidate should be heavier on the side of public goods – we have an opportunity in 2023 to begin to discard our beliefs about governance and reimagine what a successful politician can be like.

Nigerians are leading with impact across sectors around the world, modelling the type of leadership required to move Nigeria in the right direction but we will not move ahead until we begin to want different, support different, and vote different. t"ZJTIB 0TPSJ JT BO BVUIPS MBXZFS BOE BDUJWJTU

18

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022 • T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 19Apr-2022, unless otherwise stated.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Plutus Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Dollar Fund N/A N/A N/A AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 8.54% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.60 3.66 1.72% 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 6.79% Anchoria Equity Fund 145.35 147.07 4.38% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.19 1.19 4.01% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com info@anchoriaam.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 21.34 21.98 5.21% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 483.66 498.25 7.20% ARM Ethical Fund 41.30 42.55 6.01% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.06 1.06 -1.99% ARM Fixed Income Fund 1.03 1.04 1.99% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.60% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com; Tel 08069294653 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 104.8 104.8 7.68% AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Naira 1,096.07 1,096.07 9.61% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.11 2.11 9.76% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.26 2.31 13.98% CAPITALTRUST INVESTMENTS AND ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED halalfif@capitaltrustnigeria.com Web: www.capitaltrustnigeria.com; Tel: 08061458806 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Capitaltrust Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,010.60 1,010.60 3.30% CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund 1.03 1.03 2.55% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.20% Paramount Equity Fund 19.07 19.43 9.38% Women's Investment Fund 148.82 150.57 4.77% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.03% Cordros Milestone Fund 142.28 143.21 7.63% Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 108.88 108.88 4.89% CORONATION ASSETS MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com, Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coronation Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A EMERGING AFRICA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@emergingafricafroup.com Web:www.emergingafricagroup.com/emerging-africa-asset-management-limited/, Tel: 08039492594 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Emerging Africa Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 7.90% Emerging Africa Bond Fund 1.03 1.03 6.84% Emerging Africa Balanced Diversity Fund 1.03 1.03 13.73% Emerging Africa Eurobond Fund 101.94 101.94 3.88% FBNQUEST ASSETS MANAGEMENT LIMITED invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,439.95 1,439.95 10.04% FBN Balanced Fund 189.07 190.49 7.88% FBN Halal Fund 118.79 118.79 9.19% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.57% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Legacy Money Market Fund Legacy Debt Fund Legacy Equity Fund Legacy USD Bond Fund FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Coral Balanced Fund Coral Income Fund

123.40 161.21

123.40 4.20% 163.38 6.47% fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com

Bid Price 1.00 3.97 1.79 1.22

Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 1.00 6.00% 3.97 -0.72% 1.83 3.19% 1.22 1.10% coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com

Bid Price 4,054.48 3,531.85

Offer Price 4,118.87 3,531.85

Yield / T-Rtn 4.20% 1.83%

Coral Money Market Fund

100.00

100.00

6.09%

FSDH Dollar Fund 1.10 1.10 1.04% 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 N/A N/A N/A Vantage Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) N/A N/A N/A Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End N/A N/A N/A Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End N/A N/A N/A 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 1.52 1.54 5.26% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,145.96 1,145.96 2.97% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 12.95 13.04 9.81% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 8.28% NORRENBERGER INVESTMENT AND CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LIMITED enquiries@norrenberger.com Web: www.norrenberger.com, Tel: +234 (0) 908 781 2026 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Norrenberger Islamic Fund (NIF) 101.06 101.06 9.55% Norrenberger Money Market Fund (NMMF) 100.00 100.00 8.36% 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 1.64 1.67 2.21% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.59 11.48 3.09% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 6.05% PACAM Equity Fund 1.49 1.50 4.96% PACAM EuroBond Fund 114.98 117.69 -0.10% 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 128.73 131.55 4.99% 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 1.02 1.02 9.25% 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 3,599.80 3,640.30 4.57% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 238.09 238.09 1.00% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.40 1.42 8.46% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 318.54 318.54 1.66% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 254.24 258.12 5.03% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.75% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 11,647.97 11,812.79 4.86% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.31 1.31 1.38% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 118.08 118.08 0.95% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 108.73 108.73 UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 01-6317876 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Wealth for Women Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Sukuk Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Eurobond Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Balanced Strategy Fund 13.69 13.82 3.76% Zenith ESG Impact Fund 15.67 15.84 7.23% Zenith Income Fund 22.46 22.46 2.02% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 6.10%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

122.16 53.16

1.62% 0.82%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

14.36 137.55 109.10 20.96 22.44

14.46 140.92 111.47 21.06 22.54

2.79% 4.48% 5.27% 0.00% 0.00%

Fund Name SFS REIT Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund MERGROWTH ETF MERVALUE ETF

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Money Market Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

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

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND

Fund Name NAV Per Share Yield / T-Rtn Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund 107.55 10.80% 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.

119

T H I S D AY THURSDAY APRIL 21, 2022 Wednesday April 21, 2022 Vol 27. No 9873 TR

See page 20 BETWEEN ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DEMOCRACY FRANCIS OGBIMI argues that African nations should mobilise their citizens for learning to achieve industrialisation and democratisation See page 20

AUSTIN IZAGBO AT 70 TONY ELUEMUNOR pays tribute to Izagbo, a businessman and politician at age 70

See page 21 UNDERSTANDING CHINA’S POSITION ON UKRAINE CONFLICT China’s actions are guided by its national interests, writes OLALEKAN A. BABATUNDE See page 21

EDITORIAL

THE PARDON FOR DARIYE AND NYAME

See page 22

& RE A S O

N

opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

BATTLE FOR DENNIS OSADEBEY HOUSE Ovie OmoAgege, Deputy Senate President, joins the governorship race in Delta State, writes ANNABEL OGHENEGANRE

UT H

The present socio-political climate poses a credible threat to the conduct of census, argues MONDAY PHILIPS EKPE

WRONG TIMING FOR NATIONAL CENSUS Last week, the National Council of State approved March and April 2023 as the new dates for the national population census.

The National Population Commission (NPC) is warming up to conduct the pilot exercise in June this year shortly after the political parties are through with their primaries. Many Nigerians, notably a former Military Governor of Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Umar, are deeply concerned about its timing, citing the security challenges in most parts of the country at the moment. It would take incurable, maybe irredeemable, optimists to discountenance these well-established worries. The members of the council who include former heads of state are, no doubt, people of honour and wisdom who have PDGH FULWLFDO R΀FLDO GHFLVLRQV EXW LQ WKLV particular case, they should have been more thorough before giving their approval.

Let’s be clear on one point. The desirability of conducting a national head count in Nigeria is not in question. Even the N117.33 billion budgeted for the programme can be well defended, if for nothing else, to underscore the importance of having GHPRJUDSKLF ÀJXUHV WKDW FDQ EH WUXVWHG by the government at all levels, public and private sectors of the economy, Nigerian populace, international community and agencies, researchers and other users of our statistics. The National Chairman of NPC, Nasir Isa Kwarra, said as much the other day. According to him, “It is very crucial because through census, we generate the data that we use for policymaking, for planning, for development, by the three tiers of government, and the private sector; they all need this. If you are in the private sector and you’re producing something, certainly, you need to know the population of an area if you want to create a market there. The data we’ve been using are just projections, estimations, and are sort of obsolete. We need the actual census data to use for our planning.”

It is certainly not proper for the various entities that depend on the knowledge of DFWXDO SRSXODWLRQ ÀJXUHV WR NHHS UHO\LQJ on estimates, no matter how informed. For long, the National Bureau of Statistics has been the major source of the information that should not primarily emanate from it, all things being equal. The National Development Plan (NDP) covering 2021 to 2025 puts the nation’s population between 200 and 220 million people. International agencies are also not left out in the quest WR ÀOO WKH YRLG OHIW E\ RXU LUUHJXODU DQG sometimes contestable numbers. The World Bank estimated 206 million in 2020 and, last year, the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) put Nigeria’s population at 211 million residents. Statista thinks that we are now 213 million, with a projected increase to 233 million by 2025, something slightly

above NDP’s 220 million for the same year.

All those approximate evaluations can be puzzling to an average citizen or even individuals and organisations that work with the data of that magnitude.

One reason might be the results of the previous censuses. Take the last two, for instance. In 1991, the country was said to be 89 million. The last one in 2006 put the number at 140.3 million (71.3 male, 69.0 female), representing a growth rate of 57.3 percent. What exactly are the factors that have contributed to astronomical rise being experienced? Only a well thought out and executed census would help Nigerians to make sense out of the projections coming RXW RI WKHVH GLͿHUHQW TXDUWHUV As cogent and urgent as the grounds for the exercise are, the present socio-political climate in the country poses a credible threat to its success, unless we are bent on embarking on our trademark wasteful programmes. Much has been presented and argued at numerous fora about the unprecedented heights of distrust, anxiety, agitations, divisions and insecurity that exist at the moment. Regional, ethnic and religious lines that have existed in Nigeria for long are becoming increasingly wider.

Incidentally, these are the same elements that endanger the elections. Unless a miracle occurs, which is very unlikely, we will continue to grapple with these wellentrenched features pre, during and post 2023 general election. It, therefore, does not make sense for both of them to be run close to each other. The two projects are potentially combustible in the nation today, sadly. Just like mixing petrol with gas. In the face of the unfortunate realities of contemporary Nigeria, this is not alarmist.

Our security institutions are clearly underVWDͿHG LOO PRWLYDWHG SRRUO\ HTXLSSHG DQG over-burdened. And they are expected to play strategic roles in the conduct of these

The scientific, digital method that is being planned could be our saving grace. The first step towards getting it right this time is to properly organise it, away from a politically charged and visibly insecure period

prime assignments.

One question that should dominate the minds of our policy makers and implementers is, between the polls and the enumeration, which one can be shifted at this point? The census, obviously. Yes, one realises that politics can get things blurred, thereby complicating matters that are ordinarily apparent. As a government, that of President Muhammadu Buhari has the right to design and complete its own legacy agenda. Equally true is the fact that the country’s census is long overdue, since it ought to be carried out at an interval of 10 years. That said, however, components like safety, logistics, credibility and acceptability must take precedence over any political considerations. There are many other things this administration can bequeath to the nation. The last population census was held the year that preceded the general poll that brought in the late Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as president. Unfortunately, the kind of polarisation and insecurity being experienced now was probably never even contemplated then. And, by extension, the country enjoyed relative tranquility within the polity and also a conducive atmosphere for the exercise.

The point being made is that the time between next year’s election and the handover date of May 29 is too sensitive to EH ÀOOHG ZLWK D PDMRU VFKHGXOH OLNH QDWLRQDO census. While hoping and planning for the best, it is better not to take chances. Any unexpected outcome of the head count could trigger raw emotions that may even jeopardise the hand-over of power.

Recall that Lagos State Government was VR GLVVDWLVÀHG ZLWK WKH FHQVXV WKDW LW conducted its own soon afterwards. With the way things are, reactions may not be trusted to be that civil and at governmental level only.

In Nigeria, counting the people is not a VWUDLJKWIRUZDUG DͿDLU DV LW LV ODGHQ ZLWK assumptions, prejudices and primordial sentiments. For example, most people in the south think that the numbers from WKH QRUWK DUH LQÁDWHG 7KDW QRWLRQ LV RIWHQ treated as a forgone conclusion and plenty of passion goes into its discussions. At least two facts are ignored in the equation.

One, a clear characteristic of the south is its higher density than the north. Two, the north accounts for between 70 and 80 percent of the nation’s landmass. Luckily, WKH VFLHQWLÀF GLJLWDO PHWKRG WKDW LV EHLQJ planned could be our saving grace. The ÀUVW VWHS WRZDUGV JHWWLQJ LW ULJKW WKLV WLPH is to properly organise it, away from a politically charged and visibly insecure period.

Dr Ekpe is a member of THISDAY Editorial Board

2 20

T H I S D AY

Ovie Omo-Agege, Deputy Senate President, joins the governorship race in Delta State, writes ANNABEL OGHENEGANRE

BATTLE FOR DENNIS OSADEBEY HOUSE 7KH FURZG ZDV PDVVLYH (ͿXUXQ ZDV practically shut down. It was like a Presidential rally. The sea of heads that graced the occasion was unprecedented. They came from all parts of Delta State. They were ordinary voters hungry for change. They came to identify with their hero and man of the moment. And they came in their thousands, singing and dancing to beautiful music, either improvised or well written and delivered to add exhilarating colour to the occasion. From Anioma area in Delta North, Oshimili, Ika and Ndokwa, they came with lots of excitement, expectations; from the ,VRNR D[LV WKH\ ÁRFNHG WR WKH YHQXH FKDQWLQJ solidarity songs; thousands came from the Ijaw axis and Itsekiri nation, all hungry for one thing and that is to birth the change in Delta State.

Every nook and cranny of Urhobo land was well represented with lots of fans and supporters waving the brooms and raising banners of hope to announce their preparedness to take over Delta State. The event was the formal declaration of the Obarisi of Urhoboland, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege to run for Governor of Delta State in the 2023 general elections. And the message was crisp, catchy, inspiring, convincing and clear: Delta is ripe for change and APC has come to take over the reign of governance of the state.

Ovie Omo-Agege did not mince words.

He made it clear to all and sundry that the incumbent Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s time was up and by 2023 he shall be handing over to Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

Omo-Agege apologized to the mammoth crowd of supporters who had arrived at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, (ͿXUXQ IRRWEDOO ÀHOG DV HDUO\ DV DP IRU WKH delay in starting the programme having visited the palace of the Ovie of Uvwie earlier in the day. He expressed joy that despite coming so early the supporters remained patient which he said was an indication that APC was ready to chase away PDP from the state. He observed that the mammoth crowd that attended the declaration is proof that Delta State is not a PDP state as held in some quarters.

Omo-Agege said he would transform Delta State in less than four years, saying that even as a Senator he had done lots of projects in his constituency and that if elected governor he would ensure that the three Senatorial districts are developed. “I brought a lot of development to Delta Central Senatorial district, I also want to replicate them in Delta North and South districts. Very soon you’re going to hear that a new federal University of Agriculture has taken RͿ LQ 'HOWD 1RUWK 'HOWD 1RUWK FRQWULEXWHG D lot to the state but Okowa has marginalized them. If you go to Burutu, Patani, Bomadi and other places in Delta South there is also nothing there to show. So, Okowa’s government has underdeveloped the state”, he declared. +H VDLG KH XVHG KLV LQÁXHQFH DV '63 WR bring a federal polytechnic, a university, gave transformers to needy communities, and connected many communities to electricity, amongst others. He promised to do more when elected governor. He lamented the plight of many young graduates in the state who he said had turned into tricycle (Keke) riders out of frustration of unemployment and several pensioners who have been pauperized or died prematurely. According to him, these narratives were being recorded in Delta State due to PLVSODFHG SULRULWLHV ´7RGD\ , RͿHU P\VHOI DV D FDQGLGDWH IRU WKH R΀FH RI JRYHUQRU WR ULJKW the wrongs in Delta State.” The declarations elicited thunderous ovation from the crowd of enthusiastic supporters from across the state.

He added that he intended to build a new Delta on the four pillars of Employment and Empowerment, Development, Good Governance and Enduring Security (EDGE). ´+DYLQJ UHÁHFWHG DQG SUD\HG IHUYHQWO\ IRU God’s guidance on our state, I am, like many

of our people, convinced that for our greater good and the sake of future generations, it is indefensible to abide in comfort zones, while the PDP unrepentantly accelerates the destruction of our state. I am also convinced that I can mobilize our great minds from all walks of life to add great value to the governance of the state we love so much. We can stop the continuing slide towards existential disaster.

“I am compelled by my passion to serve our people well by standing for what is right to make our state what it ought to and can be.

As governor, I will humbly lead our common HͿRUW WR UHVFXH DQG UHEXLOG 'HOWD 6WDWH E\ H[DPSOH ² SXWWLQJ WKH SHRSOH ÀUVW DQG WKHLU well-being above petty politics and personal interest,” Omo-Agege said.

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his support in ensuring that the dividends of democracy get to the people of Delta Central and other senatorial districts in the state, with the establishment of a new Federal Polytechnic, a Defence Space School, a campus of the Nigeria Law School and soon, Federal University of Agriculture and Technology, all in Delta State.

Governors of Kogi and Imo States, Alhaji Yahaya Bello and Hope Uzodinma, were represented by their deputies at the event. Also present were members of the APC National Working Committee, including Victor Giadom, vice chairman, South-south; youth leader, Bayo Israel and the national publicity secretary, as well as Chairman, Delta APC, Elder Omeni Sobotie, former APC governorship candidate in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

Other political heavyweights are founding Delta APC leader, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor; the senator representing Delta North, Peter Nwaoboshi; member representing Udu, Ughelli North and South Federal Constituency, Francis Waive; APC stalwarts, Chief Frank Kokori, Chief Lucky Esigie, Chief Ayirimi Emami, Michael Johnny and Doris Ubor, and many others.

The declaration has sent a strong warning to the PDP family in Delta State that 2023 will not be business as usual. APC is knocking on the door of Dennis Osadebey House so vigorously and what is in the eye of Ovie Omo-Agege indicates that these people will not take no for an answer. If PDP refuses to put their house in order, the door will be brought down and APC will take over. However, APC too still has lots of work to do. The absence of Festus Keyamo, Victor Ochei, Cairo Ojougboh and a few others is an indication that APC is not one family yet.

Ogheneganre writes from Garki, Abuja

THURSDAY APRIL 21, 2022

FRANCIS OGBIMI argues that African nations should mobilise their citizens for learning to achieve industrialisation and democratisation

BETWEEN ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DEMOCRACY Virtually all those who study Western social VFLHQFHV DQG UHODWHG ÀHOGV SROLWLFDO VFLHQFH sociology, anthropology, psychology, economics, education, administration, law, etc.), are brought up to think that elections are all a nation needs to promote democracy. To them, Nigeria has been democratising since 1999 because the nation has had many elections, presidents, national and state assemblies since then. Western education DQG UHODWHG ÀHOGV RI VWXG\ DUH GHYRLG RI D VHQVH of history. It is for lack of a sense of history on the part of the Nigerian expert, especially lawyers and political scientists, that after Britain gave Nigeria the British-type parliamentary system in 1960 that Nigeria adopted the less responsible American-type presidential system in 1979.

The claim today is that young Nigeria does not have the institutions that make the advanced political systems to function properly in Britain and America. So how do you build the institutions? Is it by organizing do-or-die elections? Many people have been brought up to believe that the political equation of a nation must be solved before the economic equation. So, we hear Western trained experts say no democracy, no economic progress. Democracy would bring about rapid development, roads and bridges are fruits of democracy. But the true situation is: no economic progress, no peace; no economic democracy (mass participation in economic sphere), no political democratisation (mass participation in the political sphere). This means that governments which cannot promote rapid economic growth cannot promote rapid political democratisation.

When a society stagnates over a long time, violence is inevitable. That is what Nigeria is experiencing today. Those who think that political democracy is achieved before industrialization (economic democracy) are very wrong. History, logic and the Nigerian experience do not support the belief that once a nation organises do-ordie elections many times and sets up national and state assemblies, economic development follows, automatically. All Western nations achieve industrialisation long before democracy.

They all experienced bloody revolutions because economic growth was very slow. This article is written to explain why economic development precedes political development and what Nigeria must do to achieve rapid industrialisation and democratisation.

The relationship between the economic sphere and the political sphere in a nation may be likened to that between the coal-pot and the coal in it on the one hand and the kettle and the water in it placed on top of the coal-pot on the other hand.

The coal-pot and the coal in it in this analogy represent the economic sphere while the kettle and the water in it represent the political sphere.

It is the heat generated in the coal-pot over time that determines the temperature of the water in the kettle. Just as the heat generated by the coal in the coal-pot determines the quantity of heat received by the kettle and the water in it, so the status of the economy determines the nature of the politics in a nation. No nation without a strong economic base matures politically.

America, Canada, Germany and India are some of the federal and democratic systems cited frequently as those working well. Of these, India is the oldest, poorest and least stable.

America is probably the most stable because of its economic strength. Technology built America and made it a world power in a few centuries.

In 1783, the United States having survived the Revolutionary War (the War of Independence 1775-1783), took its place among the free nations.

Its future was assessed by Fredrick the Great of Russia, who dismissed it as a mere temporary freak. It would fall apart, it would not exist for a long time he said, because it was too large (Bulletin of Science and Technology & Society, 1984). The nation was over 800,000 square miles in area, four times as large as France, and had a population slightly more than three million squeezed into the Atlantic coast. Except for certain areas along the coasts, America was a trackless wilderness.

The problem was increased in 1803 with the purchase of the territory of Louisiana, another wilderness. The purchase doubled America’s size to over 1.7 million square miles – an area almost as large as all Europe outside Russia. Roads, railroads and canals were needed. When the American Civil War began in 1861 the prediction of Fredrick the Great met its ultimate test. It was technology that saved the Union. Were it not for the North’s industrial and technological superiority, the South would not have been beaten, and the Union would have fallen apart. Technology built America and proved Fredrick the Great of Russia wrong.

Through education, an ethnic society is converted into an educated society. An illiterate society cannot promote rapid industrialisation and democratisation. So, WKH ÀUVW YDULDEOH D \RXQJ QDWLRQ OLNH 1LJHULD ought to emphasize is education. The second variable for promoting industrialisation and democratisation is training. A wise leadership trains the educated people to acquire complementary practical skills so as to create an educated, skilled and productive society. A society which promotes education alone without complementary practical skills will experience mass unemployment, high crime wave, poverty, corruption, do-or-die elections and other evils. This type of society does not promote industrialisation and democratisation. This is the type of situation in Nigeria today.

The third thing Nigeria ought to emphasize to promote rapid industrialisation and democratisation is full employment policy.

Full employment policy is critical to promoting rapid industrialisation and democratisation.

That is because our research works revealed that training and full employment policy play a special role in promoting sustainable economic growths, industrialisation and development (SEGID).

Education, training, employment and research are therefore, the principal tools for promoting rapid development, including industrialisation and democratisation.

Full employment policy is also critical to the institutionalisation of a society.

Institutionalisation of society is the fourth factor Nigeria ought to emphasize to be saved.

There is a general agreement that the existence of some institutions is important and indeed indispensable to promoting democracy However, many authors of democracy do not know how the institutions are developed and sustained. Human beings and the groups they form, their activities over time, are the fundamental promoters of institutions.

Buildings (sky- scrapers), roads and bridges, electricity generating plants and transmission lines and other structures, do not constitute democratic institutions.

Prof Ogbimi, fogbimi@yahoo.com

321

T H I S D AY THURSDAY APRIL 21, 2022

China’s actions are guided by its national interests, writes OLALEKAN A. BABATUNDE

TONY ELUEMUNOR pays tribute to Izagbo, a businessman and politician at age 70

UNDERSTANDING CHINA’S POSITION ON UKRAINE CONFLICT

AUSTIN IZAGBO AT 70 Nigeria is becoming increasingly dysfunctional simply because she does not applaud the likes of Dr Austin Nonyelim Izagbo. This businessman and politician should be celebrated by the entire nation for his large social conscience DQG XQFRPPRQ H[DPSOH ,Q WKH

Nigerian Maritime Administration DQG 6DIHW\ $JHQF\ 1,0$6$ RYHU SDLG KLV FRPSDQ\ E\ 1 PLOOLRQ This exemplary Nigerian returned the money immediately. He actually spent valuable time convincing NIMASA that LW KDG PDGH D FRVWO\ PLVWDNH )RU WKLV KH GHVHUYHV QRW MXVW D QDWLRQDO DSSODXVH EXW D national award. <HW ZKDW HQVXHG IURP WKDW UHPDUNDEOH VKRZ RI SDWULRWLVP WUXWKIXOQHVV UHOLDELOLW\ VHOI UHVWUDLQW OHW DORQH JLDQW social conscience has been epic silence.

3OHDVH FRQVLGHU ZKDW ZRXOG KDYH happened if Dr. Izagbo had embezzled a fraction of that amount; the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) ZRXOG KDYH KDQGFXͿ HG DQG DUUDLJQHG him in court and our news organisations would engaged in a naming and shaming ED]DDU 8QIRUWXQDWHO\ EHFDXVH WUXWKIXO SHRSOH OLNH 'U ,]DJER DUH QRW FHOHEUDWHG the story of Nigeria remains a noxious one of arrant criminality utterly unmitigated by acts of (sometimes little and sometimes KHURLF KRQHVW\ VHOI VDFULÀ FH JORULRXV courage and good up-bringing and exemplary citizenship. As long as such good stories of good Nigerians remain XQWROG 1LJHULD ZLOO UHVHPEOH D QDWLRQ RI demons and youths will lack role models.

7KRXJK 'U ,]DJER·V UHWXUQLQJ RI WKDW 1 P WR WKH YDXOWV RI 1,0$6$ PD\ EH the icing on the cake of the story of his OLIH &KLHI ,]DJER WKH ,GH RI ,EXVD ZKR turned 70 years on Holy Thursday April LV VSHFLDO 7KLV QRWDEOH RUDWRU LV ZDUP KHDUWHG HYHQ WHPSHUHG DQG LV among the most generous persons God HYHU FUHDWHG )RU LQVWDQFH WZR \HDUV DJR MXVW EHIRUH WKH &RYLG ORFNGRZQ 'U Izagbo and I were at Ibusa attending the funeral ceremony of his former classmate DQG 6W $QWKRQ\·V &ROOHJH 8EXOX 8NX IRRWEDOO WHDP PDWH DOLDV 7DNSR Rascal (real name forgotten). Izagbo (alias -DJXDU ZDV WKH VFKRRO JRDONHHSHU 7KHQ a lady dragged her husband to Izagbo

shouting animatedly “this is the man that KHOSHG PH RRRRRRRµ DQG WHDUV VWUHDNHG down her cheeks. “Are you not Chief ,]DJER" , ZLOO QHYHU IRUJHW \RX 'RQ·W \RX UHPHPEHU ZKHQ , FRXOGQ·W SD\ P\ VFKRRO IHHV DIWHU P\ IDWKHU GLHG DQG MXVW ZKHQ DOO KRSH ZDV ORVW , PHW \RX WROG \RX RI P\ SUHGLFDPHQW DQG \RX KHOSHG PH RXW" 7KDW was how I was able to graduate from a KLJKHU LQVWLWXWLRQ 7KDQN \RX 6LUµ 0DQ\ H[ $QWKRQLDQV HVSHFLDOO\ IURP WKH VHW ZHUH WKHUH Izagbo read Political Science at the University of Ife. He was goalkeeper for the University Football team but the Scala Club (which he founded with the likes of 0LNH 2]HNKRPH 6$1 DQG -DVRQ 2UDK which gave him stardom. Scala organised 1LJHULD·V À UVW QDWLRQ ZLGH 0LVV $FDGD %HDXW\ &RPSHWLWLRQ 7KH ODWH IRXQGHU RI 7KH 381&+ QHZVSDSHUV &KLHI 2OX $ERGHULQ D SDWURQ RI 6FDOD &OXE LPSUHVVHG ZLWK ,]DJER·V RUJDQLVDWLRQDO DELOLW\ DSSRLQWHG KLP 0DQDJLQJ 'LUHFWRU RI 6N\ODUN 5HFRUGV² ,]DJER·V À UVW MRE DQG NYSC primary assignment. ,]DJER D &RPPLVVLRQHU IRU 6SRUWV Youths and Social Development in the late Group Captain Ibrahim Kefas administration of Delta State in the mid V VXSHULQWHQGHG RYHU WKH FRQVWUXFWLRQ RI WKH $VDED $UFDGH WKH ,EXVD ODQG PDUN ,EUDKLP .HIDV &HQWUH MXVW DV KH UHVXPHG construction at the Asaba and Warri stadiums - which had stalled for years.

2K ,]DJER ZDV RQFH 3UHVLGHQW 1LJHULDQ Hockey Federation (NHF).

Izagbo stamped his giant footprints in the political terrain long ago; he narrowly ORVW WKH 1DWLRQDO &KDLUPDQ 1DWLRQDO Republican Convention contest to Chief 7RP ,NLPL LQ 7KHQ KH EHFDPH WKH SDUW\·V FKDLUPDQ %HQGHO VWDWH FKDSWHU ,Q KH ZDV 'HSXW\ *RYHUQRUVKLS candidate in league with Dr. Kraggar under the All Peoples Party (APP) which ORVW WR WKH &KLHI -DPHV ,ERUL DQG %HQMDPLQH Elue (Peoples Democratic Party) team. ,]DJER WKH 3XEOLF 5HODWLRQV JXUX À UVW UDWH EXVLQHVV PDQ WRS FODVV SROLWLFLDQ ZLWK KLV DVWRXQGLQJO\ OLNDEOH SHUVRQDOLW\ DWWUDFW IULHQGV UHDGLO\ DQG KLV À GHOLW\ WR IULHQGVKLS NHHSV WKHP WKURXJK WLPH ,Q IDFW *RY .HIDV HPSOR\HG ,]DJER·V JUHDW QXPEHU RI IULHQGV DQG FRQWDFWV LQ DOO WKH /*$V of Delta State to maintain peace in that WU\LQJ SHULRG 7KXV LW LV QR ZRQGHU WKDW the moment Izagbo exited the PDP for the $OO 3URJUHVVLYHV &RQJUHVV $3& WKH SDUW\ appointed him head of its reconciliation FRPPLWWHH 6LQFHUHO\ , ZDQW WR VHH WKH HYHU HͿ HFWLYH ,]DJER EDFN LQ WKH 3'3 DV WKH WZR SDUWLHV SUHSDUH IRU D GHFLVLYH VWDWH election.

7KH LOOXVWULRXV 'U $XVWLQ ,]DJER KDV been living out the challenging ideals ZLWK ZKLFK WKH ODWH 86$ 3UHVLGHQW -RKQ ) .HQQHG\ FRQFOXGHG KLV ,QDXJXUDO $GGUHVV -DQXDU\ ´:LWK D JRRG FRQVFLHQFH RXU RQO\ VXUH UHZDUG ZLWK KLVWRU\ WKH À QDO MXGJH RI RXU GHHGV OHW XV JR IRUWK WR OHDG WKH ODQG ZH ORYH DVNLQJ +LV EOHVVLQJ DQG +LV KHOS EXW NQRZLQJ WKDW KHUH RQ HDUWK *RG·V ZRUN PXVW WUXO\ EH RXU RZQµ

Eluemunor is a Journalist

Recent history indicates that China abhors war or violence of any kind. Since its brief war against Vietnam in 1979 and border dispute with ,QGLD IRU WKH À UVW WLPH LQ PRUH WKDQ IRXU GHFDGHV China has not been at a full-scale war with DQ\RQH ,QVWHDG &KLQD EXLOGV DQG QRW ERPEV It is building bridges across the multipolar and multicultural world. It is not that China was not WHPSWHG RU SURYRNHG LQWR ZDU EXW LW LV FRPPLWWHG to development and building friendship across ERUGHUV ,QGHHG LW KDV HYROYHG PXOWLODWHUDOLVP as a central element of its foreign policy by seeking consensus through consultation and GLDORJXH ZKLOH PDQDJLQJ FRPPRQ DͿ DLUV including trade through cooperation for shared EHQHÀ WV DQG ZLQ ZLQ UHVXOWV $FFRUGLQJO\ ZKHQ 5XVVLD ODXQFKHG ZKDW LW called “special military operation” in Ukraine on )HEUXDU\ WK WKH &KLQHVH JRYHUQPHQW LQVLVWV LW had no prior knowledge of the attack. “Assertions WKDW &KLQD NQHZ DERXW DFTXLHVFHG WR RU WDFLWO\ VXSSRUWHG WKLV ZDU DUH SXUH GLVLQIRUPDWLRQ µ ZURWH 4LQ *DQJ &KLQD·V DPEDVVDGRU WR WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV LQ WKH :DVKLQJWRQ 3RVW +H DGGHG ´+DG &KLQD NQRZQ DERXW WKH LPPLQHQW FULVLV we would have tried our best to prevent it.”

When the UN General Assembly voted to denounce the attack on Ukraine by Russia on )HEUXDU\ &KLQD ZDV DPRQJ WKH countries that abstained. The abstention shows China seeks to be neutral and impartial on the FRQÁ LFW DQG KDV EHHQ FDOOLQJ IRU D SHDFHIXO UHVROXWLRQ DQG OLNHZLVH XUJLQJ QDWLRQV WR VXSSRUW HͿ RUWV WR UHDFK D UHVROXWLRQ WR WKH FRQÁ LFW ZKLOH UHVLVWLQJ SUHVVXUH IURP WKH ZHVW WR FRQGHPQ 5XVVLD &KLQD·V 3UHVLGHQW ;L -LQSLQJ described the situation in Ukraine as “deeply worrying” and called for “maximum restraint” DV WKH FRQÁ LFW HVFDODWHV +H VDLG %HLMLQJ LV ´SDLQHG WR VHH WKH Á DPHV RI ZDU UHLJQLWHG LQ Europe”.

According to the spokesperson for the &KLQHVH HPEDVV\ LQ :DVKLQJWRQ /LX 3HQJ\X ZKLOH FRPPHQWLQJ RQ WKH 8NUDLQH FULVLV VDLG WKDW %HLMLQJ ZDV ´FRPPLWWHG WR SURPRWLQJ SHDFH WDONVµ $PLG WKH FRQÁ LFW WKH &KLQD·V )RUHLJQ 0LQLVWHU :DQJ <L ZKR KDV VSRNHQ ZLWK 8NUDLQLDQ FRXQWHUSDUW '\PWUR .XOHED announced in March that it would provide millions of Yuan (renminbi) of humanitarian aid to Ukraine through the Chinese Red Cross “as soon as possible” while praising his FRXQWU\·V IULHQGVKLS ZLWK 5XVVLD DV ´URFN VROLGµ 8QGHUVWDQGLQJ &KLQD·V VWDQFH RQ WKH ROG FRQÁ LFW is important from an African point of view ZLWKLQ WKH ZHVWHUQ FRXQWULHV· SUHGRPLQDQFH LQ the global systems.

7R EHJLQ ZLWK &KLQD KDV D SULGH ZLWK D distinct civilization and special mission in WKH ZRUOG ,W LV ERXQG WR SURWHFW LWV KLVWRU\ YDOXHV SRZHU JHRSROLWLFV DQG PXOWLODWHUDOLVP in the world. On its abstention during the 81*$·V YRWH LW LV LQ &KLQD·V EHVW LQWHUHVW WR promote peaceful coexistence with its Russian neighbour. China and Russia share contiguous ERUGHUV RI NLORPHWUHV ORQJ ZKLFK LV WKH ZRUOG·V VL[WK ORQJHVW LQWHUQDWLRQDO ERUGHU %RWK FRXQWULHV DUH WUDGLQJ SDUWQHUV HVSHFLDOO\ LQ RLO JDV FRDO DQG DUPV &KLQD·V IULHQGVKLS ZLWK Russia strengthened in February when President Vladimir Putin attended the opening ceremony RI WKH %HLMLQJ :LQWHU 2O\PSLFV RQ WKH VDPH GD\ that the countries declared a “no limits” strategic partnership.

6R RQ 8NUDLQH DV IDU DV &KLQD LV FRQFHUQHG the causes of the “Ukraine situation” were ´FRPSOH[µ DQG KDG QRW KDSSHQHG RYHUQLJKW :DQJ QRWHG XVLQJ D WUDGLWLRQDO &KLQHVH expression that “three feet of ice does not form in D VLQJOH GD\µ $FFRUGLQJ WR WKH IRUHLJQ PLQLVWHU ´VROYLQJ FRPSOH[ SUREOHPV UHTXLUHV FDOPQHVV DQG UDWLRQDOLW\ UDWKHU WKDQ DGGLQJ IXHO WR WKH À UH DQG LQWHQVLI\LQJ FRQWUDGLFWLRQVµ &KLQD has done and is doing “some work” to promote talks and has all along been in contact with all VLGHV ,Q IDFW 3UHVLGHQW ;L KDV VDLG WKH SULRULW\

should be preventing the war from escalating or “spinning out of control”. He called on )UDQFH DQG *HUPDQ\ WR PDNH HͿ RUWV WR UHGXFH QHJDWLYH HͿ HFWV RI WKH FULVLV DQG H[SUHVVHG concern about the impact of sanctions on the VWDELOLW\ RI JOREDO À QDQFH HQHUJ\ VXSSOLHV transportation and supply chains. ,Q WKH ODVW IHZ GD\V FDOOV KDYH EHHQ PRXQWHG on China to pressure Russia to end Ukraine ZDU )RU H[DPSOH WKH 86 7UHDVXU\ 6HFUHWDU\ -DQHW <HOOHQ KDV FDOOHG RQ &KLQD WR SUHVVXUH 5XVVLD WR HQG LWV PLOLWDU\ RͿ HQVLYH LQ 8NUDLQH VD\LQJ %HLMLQJ ULVNHG ORVLQJ LWV VWDQGLQJ LQ WKH world if it does not help end the “heinous war”.

6KH DGGHG ´&KLQD ZRXOG PDNH VRPHWKLQJ positive out of its “special relationship” with Russia”. This kind of call reinforces the special position of China and what it is capable of doing in dialogue and mediation. $OVR MXVW ODVW ZHHNHQG D WHDP RI 86 lawmakers paid “a solidarity visit” to Taiwan where China was warned of paying bigger price IRU EXOO\LQJ 7DLZDQ 2QH RI WKH WHDP 6HQDWRU /LQGVH\ *UDKDP WKUHDWHQHG RI UHSHUFXVVLRQ LI &KLQD VXSSRUWV 3UHVLGHQW 9ODGLPLU 3XWLQ·V RͿ HQVLYH RI 8NUDLQH +H VDLG ´7KH VXSSRUW for Putin must come with a price”. I think the threat was uncalled for given the promise of &KLQD·V QHXWUDOLW\ LQ WKH 8NUDLQH 5XVVLD FULVLV $JDLQ &KLQD KDV VDLG WKH WZR 8NUDLQH DQG Taiwan issues are not the same. China is fully aware that whatever it does on the Ukraine FRQÁ LFW DW WKLV PRPHQW ZLOO KDYH ZRUOGZLGH implications for years to come. Already there have been food and energy crises for millions of people around the world over the Ukraine war. The concern for the risk of chemical and QXFOHDU ZHDSRQV LQ WKH FRQÁ LFW LV DOVR KLJK China also has repeatedly criticized what it calls “illegal and unilateral Western sanctions”.

The White House has expressed its “deep concerns” about providing assistance to Russia. The Chinese have gone through a lot RI GHYDVWDWLQJ ZDUV RSSUHVVLRQ H[SORLWDWLRQ DQG DEMHFW SRYHUW\ 6R EDVHG RQ KLJK PRUDO JURXQG FRJQLWLRQ DQG H[SHULHQFH &KLQD·V view of Ukraine war can be described as an DSROLWLFDO VWDQFH RU D SDFLÀ VW 7KLV SRVLWLRQ has encouraged China to be one of the largest contributors of UN Peacekeeping operations even in African countries.

(TXDOO\ LI ZH ORRN DW WKH VWDWHPHQWV FRPLQJ IURP WKH &KLQHVH R΀ FLDO FKDQQHOV VLQFH WKH ZDU VWDUWHG LW·V QRW VR PXFK DV SUR 5XVVLD RU DQWL 8NUDLQH ,W·V PRUH UHVROXWHO\ FULWLFDO RI WKH 86 1$72 DQG WKH :HVW -XVW OLNH WKH UHVW RI XV , WKLQN WKH VWLͿ UHVLVWDQFH 8NUDLQH VKRZHG to a superpower too surprises China. Many genuinely believe that the war was primarily caused by the NATO expansion and Russia was forced to defend its legitimate interests. %DVHG RQ WKLV WKRXJKW RQH FRXOG VD\ &KLQD LV genuinely sympathetic to the Russian cause.

After Ukraine gained independence from WKH 6RYLHW 8QLRQ LQ WKH WZR FRXQWULHV EXLOW IRUPDO GLSORPDWLF UHODWLRQV LQ DQG declared a strategic partnership in 2011. China has an embassy in Kyiv and a ConsulateGeneral in Odessa. Ukraine has an embassy in %HLMLQJ DQG D &RQVXODWH *HQHUDO LQ 6KDQJKDL ,Q JHRSROLWLFDO FRQWH[W &KLQD·V SRVLWLRQ on the Ukraine crisis has also been linked to its aspiration of having the self-ruled Taiwan UHXQLÀ HG WR WKH PDLQODQG $FFRUGLQJ WR ZHVWHUQ FRPPHQWDWRUV &KLQD LV NHHQO\ ZDWFKLQJ KRZ the situation in Ukraine will play out in terms RI WKH PLOLWDU\ JRDO DQG WKH OHVVRQV LW RͿ HUV %XW &KLQD KDV UHSHDWHGO\ UHIXWHG WKLV YLHZ VD\LQJ the scenarios in Ukraine are not the same with Taiwan. China aims to pursue peaceful UHXQLÀ FDWLRQ ZLWK 7DLZDQ

Dr. Babatunde is a Fellow, Peacebuilding and Evidence Practitioner at the Nigeria’s Institute for Peace DQG &RQÁ LFW 5HVROXWLRQ $EXMD

4 22

T H I S D AY

THURSDAY APRIL 21, 2022

EDITORIAL

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

THE PARDON FOR DARIYE AND NYAME The presidential pardon is a mockery on the fight against corruption

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari sent a wrong signal to Nigerians and the international community last week with the pardon granted to two former governors: Joshua Dariye of Plateau State and Jolly Nyame of Taraba State.

Convicted of stealing billions of Naira, the duo had barely spent three years in prison before the controversial reprieve. Coming at a period the United States Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices just issued another damning verdict on Nigeria, the decision is a serious indictment on the current administration and its so-called war against corruption.

Ordinarily, one distinctive feature of democracy is the right of the people to expect and demand good governance from elected R΀FLDOV ,W LV DOVR WKH GXW\ RI WKH ODWWHU WR SHUIRUP creditably. That, in a nutshell, is the whole HVVHQFH RI SXEOLF WUXVW ,Q 1LJHULD KRZHYHU WKLV noble relationship has for long been misapplied VXFK WKDW SXEOLF H[SHFWDWLRQV RI R΀FH KROGHUV LQ WKH FRXQWU\ VHHP WR EH DW FRQÁLFW ZLWK QDWLRQDO DVSLUDWLRQV ,W LV WKHQ OLWWOH VXUSULVH WKDW PDQ\ RI WKH RYHUSDLG SROLWLFLDQV DQG SXEOLF R΀FLDOV KDYH FRQWLQXHG WR ÁHHFH WKH YHU\ SHRSOH WKH\ DUH supposed to protect and yet walk the streets free.

What the pardon granted Dariye and Nyame has WKHUHIRUH FRQÀUPHG LV WKDW VWHDOLQJ SXEOLF PRQH\ is not a big deal.

Although the decision to pardon Dariye and Nyame came after a Council of State meeting, the responsibility falls squarely on the president.

Besides, with the Economic and Financial Crimes &RPPLVVLRQ ()&& DQG WKH ,QGHSHQGHQW &RUUXSW 3UDFWLFHV &RPPLVVLRQ ,&3& LQ FRXUW DJDLQVW several politically exposed persons, it cannot but be demoralising that two of the few successfully

prosecuted cases on which convictions were secured have now been cynically undone. For VRPHRQH ZKR FDPH WR R΀FH ZLWK D SOHGJH WR ÀJKW graft, President Buhari ought to have been mindful of his responsibility at a time the issue of corruption is on the front burner. What he particularly failed to appreciate is that decisions like this put to question his commitment to transparency and DFFRXQWDELOLW\ ,Q RWKHU FRXQWULHV D SDUGRQ RI this nature is usually granted at the end of an administration. What we therefore would have expected was for the president to wait for his ODVW GD\V LQ R΀FH EHIRUH granting a pardon that has not only brought ridicule upon himself but on the country.

While the president reserves the power to pardon repentant convicts, such powers must always be judiciously exercised in the national interest and on the side of natural justice, equity, and good conscience. The pardon of Nyame and Dariye does not in any way meet the above criteria. You FDQ·W ÀJKW FRUUXSWLRQ ZKHQ DOO FLWL]HQV DUH GHHPHG unequal before the law as the pardon granted Dariye and Nyame has clearly shown.

The growing public perception that this administration is not committed to good JRYHUQDQFH DQG WKH ÀJKW DJDLQVW FRUUXSWLRQ should be of serious concern to President Buhari as he comes to the twilight of his tenure. All those who work in the anti-corruption space must feel really let down by this unconscionable DQG GLVSLULWLQJ DFWLRQ 7KH GHÁHFWLRQ WR &RXQFLO RI 6WDWH LV IUDXGXOHQW ,W LV D SURSRVDO IURP WKH presidency that gets discussed at Council, which is an advisory, not an approving, body. And with this ill-considered pardon, the president has not only undermined himself but several critical LQVWLWXWLRQV ,W LV VDG GHYHORSPHQW WKDW PDNHV D total mockery of the anti-graft war.

It cannot but be demoralising that two of the few successfully prosecuted cases on which convictions were secured have now been cynically undone

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

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

Letters to the Editor

Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-300 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 (750- 1000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with photograph, email address and phone numbers of the writer.

LETTERS AFRICA AND THE CURSE OF BAD GOVERNANCE Africa which cuddles a lot of developing countries bears one curse like a hunchback: the curse of bad governance. The continent carries LW ZKHUHYHU LW JRHV EXW ZLWK D ORW RI KHOS ,W KDV KDQGPDLGHQV RI EDG governance, countries in Africa which help the continent to continue its legacy of bad governance. Governance is no easy feat. The task of PHOGLQJ SHRSOH DQG V\VWHPV LQWR H΀FLHQW HQWLWLHV ZLWKLQ ZKLFK SHRple can live securely and with the full repertoire of democratic dividends remains a formidable task if not a forbidding one. Yet, in Africa, there are many who think it is easy. There are many who presume to reduce governance to a tea party. This kind of people and the deceptive easy-does-it mentality they harbour are the walking dead who KDYH WXUQHG SRZHU LQ PDQ\ $IULFDQ FRXQWULHV LQWR D VDFULÀFH IRU WKH dead and the corridors of power into a graveyard. ,Q DV WKH FRORQLDOLVWV ÀQDOO\ ZLWKGUHZ IURP 1LJHULD DIWHU more than half a century of invidiously invasive politics, Nigeria was awash with a forceful promise of prosperity. Things sailed smoothly XQWLO ZKHQ VRPH VKRFNLQJ IROO\ IURP VRPH PLOLWDU\ PHQ DERUWHG WKDW SURPLVH )URP WR EURWKHUV ZLWKLQ D FRXQWU\ ZHQW DW each other`s throats with swords whose tips glistened with the poison RI HWKQLFLW\ DQG DPELWLRQ ,W KDV EHHQ RYHU \HDUV QRZ EXW ZLWK more military follies having since followed, blood has continued to

cry against Nigeria. ,Q WKH FRXQWU\ UHWXUQHG WR GHPRFUDF\ DQG ZLWK LW LQVWLWXWLRQDO FRUUXSWLRQ ,Q %RNR +DUDP VLJQHG WKH FRXQWU\ XS IRU LQVHFXULW\ DQG LQ WKH FRXQWU\ SHQQHG D GHDO ZLWK D JRYHUQPHQW WKDW has since shown itself gritty in preparing the gruel of bad governance.

7KH GHDO ZDV UHQHZHG LQ The last month or so has been a period of prayer for many Nigerians. While Muslims are observing the holy month of Ramadan, many Christians recently concluded the Lenten season which culminated in WKH KRO\ ZHHN DQG (DVWHU 6XQGD\ RQ $SULO 2 'XULQJ WKLV WLPH SUD\HUV KDYH EHHQ RͿHUHG IRU 1LJHULD 7KHUH KDYH also been calls, some of them critical, on those in government to ship up or shape out. As usual, these calls have pierced a paranoid governPHQW DV SDLQIXOO\ DV SLQV ,Q UHVSRQVH WKH JRYHUQPHQW KDV GHSOR\HG its spokesmen to bite back at those who have had the audacity to critLFL]H LW $OO PDQQHU RI QDPHV %XW LW UHPDLQV D JRYHUQPHQW RI JDͿHV DQG JOXWWRQV ,Q 1LJHULD WKH JRYHUQPHQW RIWHQ PDNHV PDQ\ JDͿHV ULQVHV DQG UHSHDWV WKRVH JDͿHV and goes after those who would dare raise eyebrows.

'LͿHUHQW JURXSV FRQFHUQHG DERXW WKH GUDPDWLF GHVFHQW RI 1LJHULD into the doldrums of insecurity have since spoken up and have drawn

the ire of a government that is bent on silencing all and sundry even as Nigeria continues to march into disintegration.

Nigeria is in a sad place. People can no longer travel without having to carry their hearts in their mouths. People retire to their houses and are attacked and taken away never to return. The nightmare comes full circle when the eggs of rising costs of goods and services is whipped into odious omelet.

For each day ASUU remains on strike, the future of many Nigerian undergraduates cascades into uncertainty. For each day abducted Nigerians remain in the lair of terrorists, the hearts of family members are freshly wounded by pain. Each time an army base is attacked in the Northeast or Northwest of the country, Nigeria`s defenses are exposed even further. Each time a police post is attacked in the southHDVW WKH FRXQWU\ VXͿHUV \HW PRUH KXPLOLDWLRQ Many Nigerians are asking if at all there is still a government in the country, and whether the corridors of power in Nigeria have not beFRPH D KRPH IRU WKH GHDI DQG GXPE ,W DSSHDUV WKDW WKH JRYHUQPHQW in Nigeria is now populated by gluttons for power who by their many JDͿHV WKLQN WKH\ FDQ JRRI WKHLU SDWKV WR UHPDLQLQJ UHOHYDQW Kene Obiezu, keneobiezu@gmail.com

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

23

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

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REPO

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

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8.0%

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610.09%

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NCS Insists on Adoption of Emerging Technologies to Address Nigeria’s Growing Security Challenges

Emma Okonji Worried about the growing security challenges in Nigeria, coupled with the impunity with which bandits attack communities at will, the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), the umbrella body of all computer professionals in the country, has insisted that the adoption of

emerging technologies would help to address the situation.

President of NCS, Prof.

Adesina Sodiya, who said this in an interview with THISDAY Newspaper in Lagos, explained that the impunity was getting out of hand and also making the federal government to look helpless, but he insisted that the adoption of

emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Realities (AR), Robotics and the use of drones and unmanned vehicles, would help to checkmate those perpetrators that are involved in the act and those instigating others into horrific crimes in the country.

“NCS is suggesting the use of drones and unmanned vehicles,

and other emerging technologies to monitor criminal activities in the country. We have the capabilities and the resources, what we need is collaboration from the federal government to address insecurity in Nigeria,” Sodiya said.

He further said: “NCS has a technical committee on national security and the committee

has been working for quite sometime now and it has come up with its report, which NCS has forwarded to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Military Intelligence Formations and to all security organisations of government. The report itself is centred around how best we can use technology for intelligence

gathering and how to use various devices to monitor insecurity across the country. We took interest in this because of the level of insecurity across the country, which is currently threatening development and unity of the country.”

Analysing the effect of insecurity Continued on page 24

NSIA: $250m Kasi Cloud Data Centres Will Create Jobs, Digitalise Nigeria Emma Okonji The Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), the government establishment that manages the Nigerian sovereign wealth fund, has thrown its support for the building of Kasi Cloud Data Centres in Lekki, saying it will create more jobs and also digitise Nigeria.

Managing Director/CEO of NSIA, Mr. Uche Orji, who said this on Tuesday during the groundbreaking ceremony for the commencement of Kasi Cloud Data Centres in Lekki, explained that the data centre would

be the first investment of NSIA in the area of digital technology, adding that NSIA is open for collaboration with other organisations and investors.

“We see digital technology as the backbone of enabling infrastructure, we also see it as an opportunity to diversify our software products and solutions, which is an investment opportunity for Nigeria and Africa.

Two years ago the board priotised this area of our investment plans because digital technology offers us the opportunity to leapfrog and compete with other countries in

technology innovation. We have all it takes as a country to play vital roles in digital technology.

It is for this reason that we are supporting Kasi Cloud Data Centre, because it will create digital jobs that will help digitise the Nigerian economy,” Orji said.

Lagos State governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, while speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, also said the coming of the Tier IV Kasi Cloud Data Centres into Nigeria through Lagos State, would digitise Nigeria and would further help to acutalise the dreams of the state in using

technology to advance development.

The governor said the data centre, when completed, would help in digitising Lagos State and the entire Nigeria.

According to the governor, “The ground breaking of Kasi Cloud Data Centres in Lagos will complement Lagos State government’s mission to digitally transform Lagos State and Nigeria. It is the desire of Lagos State government to use technology and education to create the 21 Century Lagos that is our collective dreams.

Lagos government welcomes the investments of Kasi Cloud Data

Centres in Lekki, because it will help the state to actualise its dreams.

“We are in an era where demand for data is high, and data is driving the future of technology innovation.

With Kasi Cloud Data Centres, Lagos will be building a world-class infrastructure on data. Lagos will therefore support Kasi Cloud Data Centres to achieve its dreams. The data centre is expected to become one of the biggest in Nigeria and Africa after completion and we are proud to to associated with them.

“Its about $250 million investments, sitting on 40,000 square

metres of land in Lekki Peninsula, Lagos. The Kasi Cloud Data Centres and the Technology Campus will not only create jobs, but will also attract additional investments and will deliver high speed internet access to drive a competitive ecosystem.”

Former Minister of Information and Communications, Frank Nweke Jnr, who was also present at the ground breaking ceremony, commended Lagos Sate governor for supporting Kasi Cloud Data Continued on page 24

M A R K E T D ATA A S AT W E D N E S D AY, A P R I L 2 0 , 2 0 2 2 BILLS

BONDS DESCRIPTION 12.75 27-APR2023 14.20 14-MAR2024 13.53 23-MAR2025 12.50 22-JAN2026 16.2884 17MAR-2027

Price

Yield

107.93 4.92 111.64 7.60 112.41 8.68 107.24 10.14 120.75 10.76

Change Updated Time (%) 08, -0.02 April 2022 April 08, 0.27 2022 08, –0.20 April 2022 April 08, 0.00 2022 April 08, 0.31 2022

Discount

NTB 28-Apr22 NTB 12May-22 NTB 9-Jun22 NTB 14-Jul22

307,00 307,00 0.00

April 8, 2022

313,00 313,00 0.00

April 8, 2022

188,00 188,00 0.00

April 8, 2022

288,00 290,00 0.00

April 8, 2022

NTB 11Aug-22

318,00 322,00 0.00

April 8, 2022

Yield

OTC F X F U T U R E S

C Ps

MATURITY

Change Updated Time (%)

MATURITY

Discount Yield

Change Updated Time (%)

UNCP CP VI 2-MAY-22 NEVE CP I 24-MAY-22 DANC CP II 25-MAY-22 TRBH CP V 26-JUL-22 FSDH CP VI 1-AUG-22

8.93

8.93

-0.09

April 8, 2022

16.46

16.81 0.07

April 8, 2022

8.65

8.75

0.08

April 8, 2022

11.15

11.53 0.30

April 8, 2022

7.78

7.97

April 8, 2022

0.28

CONTRACT TENOR Contract (MONTH) NGUS APR 27 1 2022 NGUS MAY 25 2 2022 NGUS JUN 29 3 2022 NGUS JUL 27 4 2022 NGUS AUG 31 5 2022

Current Rate ($/₦)

Updated Time

427.24

April 8, 2022

428.93

April 8, 2022

430.63

April 8, 2022

432.32

April 8, 2022

434.02

April 8, 2022

24

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

AVIATION ROUND TABLE…

L-R: Former Nigeria Airways Pilot Capt. Prex Pobeni; President, Aviation Round Table, (ART), Dr, Gabriel Gbenga Olowo; Chairman, Air peace Airlines, Dr. Allen Onyema; Pilot, International Aviation College, (IAC), Ilorin, Kwara State, Capt. Titilayo Fagbejo; First Vice President, (ART), Mr. Andrew Okunnuga; and Managing Director, Six Continent Travels Ltd. Mr. Abayomi Jones, PHOTO: KOLAWOLE ALLI during the Aviation Round Table. (ART), Q1 2022 Breakfast Business Meeting held at GolfView Hotel & Suites, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos… recently

LASG Begins Upgrade of Enterprise Business Suite to Enhance e-Governance Emma Okonji In order align its daily activities in governance with current technology trends in today’s digital era, the Lagos State Government has commenced the upgrade of its Oracle Enterprise Business Suite (EBS), to enhance e-governance.

The State Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr.

Sam Egube, who disclosed this during a recent Stakeholders’ Engagement Workshop for LASG Systems Upgrade Projects, organised by the Ministry of Science and Technology, said the upgrade, which would come in phases, would introduce new management systems that would help in enhancing better service delivery across all the Ministries, Departments and

Agencies (MDAs) in the state.

He said the upgrade would come with training for all workers across all MDAs in the state. He therefore advised the workers to be open to new and digital ways of delivering services after the training.

“The idea is to create efficiency within the system and improve on transparency and accountability.

We are in Lagos, which is the

centre for technology innovation and we must live up to expectations in using technology to drive governance, hence the need for the EBS upgrade.

“The state will continue to introduce ICT-based initiatives and reforms that aim to bring forward developmental progress.

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) allows citizens and businesses to interact with

the government, the dissemination of information, and the support of commercial relationships with private sector organisations, among other things,” Egube said.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ms. Olayinka Fashola, in her presentation of the strategic overview of the LASG Systems upgrade, disclosed that the upgrade became necessary in

order to further improve service delivery in the state.

The Managing Director of Soft Alliance, Dr. Bisi Aina in his presentation as the technical partner for the project, said the first phase of the project would go live by July 2022, while the second phase would go live

by September 2022, and that training would commence in July this year.

Google Launches Product Development Centre in Africa, Begins Hiring Emma Okonji Google on Tuesday at a virtual press conference, announced its first Product Development Centre in Africa, to be located in Nairobi, Kenya. The new product development centre will help to create transformative products and services for people in Africa, including Nigeria and around the world.

Google also said the centre would be hiring visionary engineers, product managers, UX designers and researchers to lay the foundation for significant growth in the coming years.

The centre is looking for talented, creative people who can help solve difficult and important technical challenges, such as improving the smartphone experience for people in Africa,

or building a more reliable internet infrastructure, Google said.

Last October at a Google for Africa event, Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, announced a plan to invest $1 billion over the next five years to support Africa’s digital transformation.

Vice President for Products at Google, Suzanne Frey, who announced the launch of the

first Product Development Centre in Africa, said: “Google’s mission in Africa is to make the Internet helpful to Africans and partner with African governments, policymakers, educators, entrepreneurs and businesses to shape the next wave of innovation in Africa. Today I am excited to welcome all Africans passionate about improving the digital

experience of African users by building better products to apply for the open roles at our first product development centre in Africa.”

Managing Director for Google in Africa, Nitin Gajria, said: “There are 300 million internet users in Africa who are young, mobile-first and have similar patterns to mobile youth globally. By 2030, Africa

will have 800 million internet users and a third of the world’s under-35 population. The potential for Africa to become a leading digital economy is right on the horizon and Google is committed to accelerating Africa’s digital transformation through human capital and enabling ‘African-led solutions to African and global problems’ through better products.”

Gokada Raises Insurance Cover for Customers to N600,000 Emma Okonji Amidst harsh economy and growing insecurity in the country, Nigeria’s trusted logistics company, Gokada, has

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

increased the insurance coverage of its customers’ goods-in-transit within Lagos State to the sum of N600,000.

The accelerated response by the company to the current challenging environment is aimed at creating a buffer that indemnifies a customers’ loss of parcel in the event of damage or security challenge.

Gokada customers are covered

against loss or damage to their items while in transit to the receiver, damage or destruction of items while it is being loaded or unloaded from the conveyance and temporary housing in the event of a delay of goods in transit. Riders also enjoy insurance covers that indemnifies them against the financial burden that could be borne from accidents and general health issues.

The Head of Growth and

Marketing at Gokada, Mr. Laolu Oloyede, who made the disclosure, said: “We understand the daily challenges of our customers in Lagos and this is why our innovations are customer centric, aimed at delivering value and enabling a stress-free life. Our App connects thousands of customers and businesses by catalyzing the transformation of Nigeria’s transport infrastructure through

our ultra reliable last-mile delivery solutions.”

Vice President for Tech and Product at Gokada, Dika Oha, stated that “Gokada is at the forefront of revolutionizing the logistics industry through innovative technology and sustainability. We are driven by the need to connect different cities using a single app with value propositions centered on

safety, convenience and best pieces; ultimately creating jobs for thousands of Nigerians.”

Oha further said: “Over the next few weeks, Gokada will be releasing new updates on the app like cheaper consolidated deliveries, improved digital payment solutions, loyalty bonus to customers and leveraging its NIPOST license for intercity logistics.”

NSIA: $250M KASI CLOUD DATA CENTRES WILL CREATE JOBS, DIGITALISE NIGERIA Centres, which he said would further attract more investors in Lagos and enhance job creation.

“Nigeria needs more data centres to meet the increasing data demand in the country,” the former minister said.

Founder/CEO, Kasi Cloud Data

Centres, Mr. Johnson Agogbua, said the Cloud Hyper Scale Data Centres investments have commenced and would be completed and ready for business in one year’s time. He said it would accelerate the rapid adoption of cloud computing in Nigeria, when completed.

“Its a market place for the development of digital products and for offering of digital contents across the entire Nigerian cities and communities, and it will help in creating skilled jobs and technology innovation.

“It is a Tier IV Data Centre with

99.999 per cent process availability, and it is a neutral data centre that can accommodate all other operators,” Agogbua said.

Corporate Development at Kasi Cloud Data Centres, Ibrahim Dikko, said: “The coming of Kasi Cloud Data Centres in Lagos, will bring

significant improvement on Nigeria’s economy. The data centre will be targeting enterprise businesses and telecommunications companies across the country. The scale and size of our facilities will definitely stand us out among other data centre operators in Nigeria.”

NCS INSISTS ON ADOPTION OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES TO ADDRESS NIGERIA’S GROWING SECURITY CHALLENGES in Nigeria, Sodiya said he became more worried when Nigeria was recently ranked among the top 10 nations with high security risks, as well as among the top 10 poor nations that have been ravaged by insecurity, insisting that such ranking is not good for us as a nation.

The professor of Computer Science said those perpetrating evil in the country were doing so

with impunity and that government seems helpless. He however said Nigeria would need the adoption of emerging technologies to address all of these.

He also said the ongoing registration to obtain National Identification Number (NIN) and the linking of NIN to Subscriber Identification Module (SIM), which was introduced by the federal government with the intention to

address insecurity in the country, is a good initiative, but explained that the NIN-SIM linkage policy of government, must be well implemented. “Nigerians are currently facing challenges because of the policy but I know it will only last for some time and eventually ease off. Those whose SIMs have been barred, should do their best to resend their NIN to their network operators for revaluation

and linkage. The situation where those who kidnapped people, still use mobile phones with registered SIM cards to call families of their victims to negotiate for ransom, is absurd and should stop. One of the ways to stop it, is to ensure that all SIMs are duly registered such that people could be traced to their geographical locations, when necessary,” Sodiya said.

NCS, he said, recently had its

Artificial Intelligence Summit in Nasarawa State, where it set up a working group on AI and Robotics, and mandated the working group to further escalate discussions on AI and Robotics, and to come up with workable ideas and solutions, with which the NCS will use in making useful recommendations to government on AI and Robotics development and adoption in Nigeria.

25

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

INTERVIEW

S o d i ya : N i g e r i a M u s t D e v e l o p Capabilities in Emerging Technologies The President, Nigeria Computer Society, Professor Adesina Sodiya, speaks on the need for Nigeria to develop capabilities in emerging technologies that will drive national development, among other burning issues. Emma Okonji presents the excerpts: exam malpractices across various JAMB test centres in the country in other to enhance the integrity of all JAMB examinations.

In the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO) examinations, there are still loopholes that the bodies need to address to curb exam malpractices. NCS is concerned because the exam malpractices, which is a miss-normal in our educational system, can actually be corrected through the application and use of technology. WAEC and NECO still conduct paper-based exams and they need to step up the game with technology. They need automation of their exam process and NCS is planning to write to these exam bodies to seek collaboration with them on how best to conduct exams, using technology.

For example, technology has developed surveillance systems that could monitor exam malpractices and send the information through digital signals to a central location where exams are monitored. The surveillance systems could be installed at strategic positions in all exam centres to address the issue of exam malpractices. This and many others are some of the things we will be suggesting to JAMB, WAEC and NECO. These exam bodies need different levels of checks to fully address exam malpractices and these are some of the things we will be discussing with the exam bodies.

What is your view about the use of technology in driving national development in todays’ digital era? kills in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics are key in developing capabilities of a country, but very few Information Technology (IT) professionals in Nigeria are in the area of AI and Robotics. As a nation we need the full adoption of emerging technology skills and NCS is encouraging Nigerians to develop digital skills in emerging technologies. We need to adopt AI in Health, Agriculture, Communications, e-Commerce, Education, among others to drive national development.

S

How will you describe the digital economy policy of government, and how is the policy driving national development?

Towards the end of 2019, the federal government, through the Head of Service, issued a policy that all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government should begin the process of digitising their operations and processes. NCS wrote to head of service, telling him that NCS will partner government in implementing the policy. It is of interest to NCS to see that all government processes are automated and the first process of automation is digitalisation.

Physical file and processes cannot be automated without digitising the files and processes.

To achieve this, government must create the department of Information Technology (IT) in all MDAs to drive digitisation of government services and processes. Today not all MDAs of government have IT department. Most federal ministries do not have separate department for IT and this is missnormal, because government cannot talk of automating services of MDAs to drive digital transformation in government, when it has not created IT departments to drive the initiative. If we do not have a separate department of IT, it will be difficult for government to achieve its mandate on digital transformation in civil service. As an advocacy group, NCS will continue to seek partnership with government on digital skills and digitisation of government services and processes.

What has been the result of NCS’ advocacy and promotion of IT development in Nigeria?

When the current administration of NCS came on board in 2019, we discovered that many did not know about the contributions of NCS on IT development in Nigeria, even when NCS has existed for more than 40 years and we decided to create that awareness among Nigerians. We put up our own strategies to ensure that we take NCS and its contributions to the nooks and crannies of this country. In 2019, some of our activities were put on hold because of the COVID-19, but we have since resumed some of those activities and we will continue to engage online with individuals and organisations. We have had engagements with banks and corporate organisations in the past.

As part of our strategies, we ensured that all the Chapters of NCS were active and vibrant. In 2019, we had only nine Chapters of NCS, but as of today, we have 27 active chapters across different states of the country, and a total of 15,000 members across the country. NCS is a member international technology bodies and we are recognised internationally.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is focused on the policy of attaining full digital economy for Nigeria and NCS, as an advocacy group, has been in full support of the policy. The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami has been at the forefront in driving digital transformation policies in the country and NCS has been in support of most of the policies, especially the Data Protection Policy that is very dear to NCS. NCS is also in support of the federal government policy on NIN-SIM registration because it will help to address insecurity in the country and also in identifying Nigerians on any network they are registered with. It will help to identify bandits, terrorists and kidnappers who are involved in different criminal activities. This is because once a line is registered with any operator, the operator automatically have the details of the subscriber and the geolocation of such subscriber could be traced and tracked, if the person if found wanting. No nation can grow without having full knowledge of her people and that is what NIN-SIM registration and linkage is all about. However the federal government must ensure it uses the policy to effectively achieve what it is designed to achieve.

What is your take on youth development and innovation in Nigeria?

NCS understands and appreciates what the youths in Nigeria are doing in terms of developing products

Sodiya and solutions that are viable and marketable. We have up-coming technology startup companies that are doing well both in Nigeria and outside of Nigeria. NCS has been at the forefront, supporting youths activities, especially in digital innovation.

We have worked with several of them and we have been able to transform their ideas and products into viable and marketable products.

Our target at NCS is to guide and support youths innovation that will result in solutions that could be deployed within and outside of the country in order to increase Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings. To achieve this, NCS created tech programs like: Tech Innovation program and the NCS Hackathon, which seek to train Nigerian youths on digital skills acquisition. We have increased our project needs for our tech innovation program from N50 million to N250 million, because we want to expand our scope.

We appreciate the Chairman of Zinox Group, Leo Stan Ekeh for supporting the program.

Call for entry for the 2022 edition just ended and we will soon call for pitching to select 10 beneficiaries in this edition. Our focus this year is hinged on three models: Transformation into a business model where NCS will provide the initial support that will help them setup a business; Helping entrepreneurs to develop and market products; Giving the product to an organisation to adopt it and market it.

The Hackathon program is called the NCSPantami Hackathon for Digital Economy. NCS will provide the seed-fund for selected projects and monitor the growth of the projects. The Hackathon will be held in Abuja in September this year. The product innovation for the NCSPantami Hackathon for Digital Economy will be on Smart Agriculture, Internet of Things (IoT), Fourth Industrial Revolution; Payment Platform; Reporting System; Digitalisation Policy of government; Adoption of Emerging Technologies in government circles; Addressing National Security challenges; Intelligence Gathering and Surveillance. NCS wants to promote youth ideas in the county, through its various youth projects.

So the target audience are the Nigerian youths and the student bodies that are affiliated to NCS. What is NCS’ position in the adoption of technology in electoral process?

Over the years, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has continued the use of technology to deliver on election mandates in Nigeria. INEC has moved from the use of card reader to Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BiVAS), to Electronic Transfer of election results. The improved system blocks the loophole where people could hitherto vote in any given election, without accreditation. INEC has continued to adopt technology in elections even though INEC has not gotten it right. NCS

will continue to seek collaboration with INEC on improved technology for elections. INEC needs to review its technology adoption in electoral process. NCS had in the past, written to INEC to be part of election monitoring across the country but INEC has not responded to that effect. The technology adoption for electronic transfer of election result, will help Nigeria in addressing election malpractices. INEC can try it because organisations like the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has tried it in transmitting candidates’ results from various Computer-based Centres, numbering over 800, to JAMB’s head office in real-time basis, and it worked. Banks are involved in electronic money transfer and internet banking and it is working.

So INEC can adopt the technology on electronic transfer of election results to achieve better results that are hitch-free in elections. With improved bandwidth, we can use technology to transfer election results. If electronic voting is encouraged and made optional in Nigeria, many electorates will be ready to vote, including the elites who seldom vote in every election because of the mass rigging that has characterised Nigerian electoral processes.

What is NCS’ interest in Nigeria’s technology development and leadership?

NCS is interested in the leadership of Nigeria.

We are not political group but an advocacy group that is driving technology innovation in the country. We are advocating for leaders who are technology savvy to rule our country in today’s digital era. NCS wants to promote leaders that are technology savvy and have the interest of developing Nigeria in line with emerging technologies. We need leaders that will continue to support the growth of IT development in the country, leaders that will support IT adoption and usage in Nigeria, and leaders that will support NCS’s IT programmes. The issue with leaders that are not technology savvy is that they do not understand the speed of technology growth and as such they will always be left behind in a technology world. So we want leaders that will be able to move with technology growth and the speed of technology growth. So going forward, NCS will be assessing the level of technology skills of political leaders and public office holders in Nigeria. We are going to assess the technology level of political aspirants and make it public so that Nigerians will know the right candidates to vote for.

How will NCS advise examination bodies to adopt technology in curbing exam malpractices?

NCS is not happy with the level of exam malpractices going on in various exam centres across the country. We are however happy with some of the measures taken by JAMB to address

What is NCS’ view about smart city and technology development?

The idea of a smart city is driven by technology and for a city to be smart, it has to be fully connected with the internet. Lagos State for instance is developing a smart city in Lagos and the state governor recently said the state had reached advanced stage in deploying the first phase of its 3,000km fibre optic cable round Lagos, that will enable internet connectivity of people and devices. That is were the world is heading towards and NCS is bringing this awareness to everyone and to every government.

What are the outcomes of the NCS’ recently organised AI Summit in Nasarawa State?

The Nigeria Computer Society recently held its first Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit in Lafia, Nasarawa State, where AI technology was on display. The summit was highly successful and we had huge support from the Nasarawa state government. The choice of Nassarawa State was because the state governor, Abdullahi Sule, has been at the forefront in promoting digital technology in the state, and he won the Digital Governor Award of NCS in 2021. He has done so much in the use of IT in enhancing governance in Nasarawa State. The NCS AI Summit is going to be an annual summit. This year, we had different workshops where AI solutions were showcased.

We had sessions for secondary school students to showcase AI solutions and devices that were developed by the students. Robots of different types were on display at our maiden edition of AI Summit in Nasarawa State, and NCS launched its own Unmanned Vehicle that is driven by AI and people were trained on how to develop Unmanned Vehicle. We had experts in AI from within and outside the country who delivered papers on AI and Robotics and how AI and Robotics could be used to enhance national development. We had demonstrations from research institutes from across the country and it was indeed a highly successful three-day summit. Based on the success of the NCS AI Summit in Nasarawa State, we have set up a working group in AI and Robotics, and the role of the working group is to further discussions on AI and Robotics, so that NCS will continue to share ideas and make useful recommendations to government on AI and Robotics development in Nigeria.

NCS will be working with the federal government to drive AI and Robotics in the country. NCS is interested in promoting the use of AI and Robotics in our healthcare centres, security, restaurants, aviation and many other sectors of the Nigerian economy.

With AI and Robotics, development will be much faster than ever and that is the direction the world is going and Nigeria must not be left behind. We world has reached a level of connectivity though Internet of Things (IoTs), which is another form of emerging technology. We are in the era were every device, including internet connected home appliances can be controlled centrally and from distant locations outside of the home. Connected appliances at home can be remotely controlled even from the office and from other locations that are distant away from the home and that is the power of internet connectivity.

26

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022

BUSINESSWORLD

INTERVIEW

O k e n i y i : Te c h n o l o g y, Pa y m e n t Platforms Driving Financial Inclusion Chief Executive Officer, Payattitude Global, Babatunde Okeniyi, in this interview with Raheem Akingbolu, speaks on how Nigerian businesses are promoting financial inclusion through various payment platforms and technology and why Payattitude is sponsoring Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Game Show. Excerpts: but it is a matter of your intelligence. Right from the process, you must, first and foremost, indicate your willingness to participate. After that, there will be about six people who will do the fastest finger during the show. It’s not discriminating or tribalistic but about what you know. I must state that the questions have been made to be a little bit intellectual. If you are familiar with current affairs, you should get along well. And the way we have done it is that it can be very participatory such that even if you don’t go to the show, you can participate or play in the comfort of your living room. So, there will be weekly play, which will allow people to answer questions and get prizes too, and there will be sponsored play where people also get rewarded.

By and large, I would say what we have done is to open up more spaces so that if you don’t win N20 million, you can still win an amount every week apart from those who go for the major prizes.

As a subsidiary of Unified Payments, Payattitude, what informed your decision to sponsor the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Game Show? irst of all, it is essential to introduce what Payattitude is all about. Ours is a payment scheme that allows Nigerians to make payments with only their phone numbers. It is a payment scheme with innovative technologies for payments and financial transactions focusing on mobile and digital payments.

Be that as it may, we decided to sponsor the show because we saw it as an opportunity to give people hope or the aspiration to make money using their intellect.

Given that it also resonates with our core values, we decided to partner with the initiative to showcase the innovative aspects of our products. With our USSD technology, we saw an opportunity to carry everybody along regardless of their economic status-people from the upper and lower classes. We believe in innovation, and those with feature phones can always use our application and services. We are equally convinced that people will not forget their phone at home, and if they forget their phone at home, they would instead go back and pick up their phone. But if they forget their card at home, it is doubtful that they will go back home to get their cards. So, we have innovated around what is good for everybody, i.e., most Nigerians.

And because our passion is innovation and keeping pace with technology, we decided to partner with an innovative and educational initiative.

F

Do you see the sponsorship of the initiative as the best decision the company has made at this time?

Having been around for nine years, we have tried different methodologies in reaching the bottom of the pyramid for inclusiveness. So, we see this as another way of reaching people from the bottom of the pyramid and those from all the segments. Our technology in the payments space has evolved, and we believe that we have what it takes now to address all parts of the economy. And we believe this is the right time to make this investment or sponsor the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Game Show. Before now, it is not as if we’ve not been looking for who to partner with. We did until we sourced the game show which happens to be a suitable fit coming at the right time.

We equally believe that a new set of millionaires can emerge by deploying their intellect. We believe that this is the right point in time because we have the technology that addresses both the economy’s lower cadre and upper cadre. To be part of this game show, all you need is to own a smartphone. We have been able to bring out an innovation that is possible such that if you have a smartphone, you can be part of it, or if you have a feature phone, you can be part of it.

And we have tried to simplify it even for those in rural areas because education is one of the critical success factors in making the solution work.

As you know, in the last one, two, or three years, transactions originating from the USSD platform, from rural areas, to be specific, have been significantly on the rise. So, we believe this is the right time. If we speak to the right set of people, we will achieve what we intend in terms of using technology.

Are you saying that this sponsorship platform will help you grow your number in terms of the customer base?

First and foremost, the aim is to let Nigerians know that innovation is coming out from Nigeria for Nigerians.

Over the years, most of the innovations we have been having are always foreign and imported, especially when it comes to payments. As I said earlier, Pay attitude is a scheme. We just decided that we will not use cards but rather localize them so that everyone can use them. In a nutshell, the primary purpose is to let Nigerians know that there’s something that they already have that they can make use of. For example, as it is today, if you open an account, you have to be given a card first. The process of giving you a card alone takes a while. So, with this payment scheme, we are saying that you don’t have to be given a card to be part of it. The whole idea is to bring everybody on board. In other words, we are driving accessibility to those who don’t have access to financial services.

Since over 200 million people in Nigeria can boast of having a phone, we are trying to leverage it to promote financial inclusion. With Pay attitude, you can perform any financial transactions because virtually all banks’ USSDs are on our platform. But if you take a typical bank, you can only do transactions on their platform provided you have an account with them. It isn’t easy to interact with another bank with another service in this situation. With Payattitude, we’ve linked all these banks together so that (bank A) can make requests from (Bank B) and Bank A can request from

Okeniyi A without anything more than the phone number they already know. So, all you need is for the person to use their phone number to do any transaction, either by sending them money or requesting cash from them. It is just a phone number that is required. So, you can see how powerful a tool in your hands can be used to drive financial inclusion.

In addition, we would be leveraging other services as time goes by, but the most important thing is that we want to educate the people.

The choice of the game show must have cost you a fortune. Can you give us an estimate of what it cost?

It may be challenging to give an actual figure, but the truth is that it indeed costs a lot of money.

But what’s important, first and foremost, is to showcase the intellect of Nigerians, and that’s why we went for the battle of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire game show. It’s easier for us to spend money on an advert to position all our brands, but we felt a more significant impact on lives if we took on this game show. Take, for instance, a situation where200 or 300 people are made millionaires through the game show; that alone would have a significant impact on the economy of Nigeria.

For us, it may mean a considerable lot of money, but it is about spending money on what we believe is right. If we spend so much time and year innovating and building this technology, we should equally spend a lot of money ensuring people use it. That’s why the game show resonates with us. To encourage participation in the show, we have done the technology to use the product and get used to how it works. So, when other services are coming, it will not be new to you because you are already used to participating in them. And that explains why we said the technology leverages what the people already have and what they are already doing. Since people already have their bank code, they can dial the code to do various transactions.

The process is to dial the codes of any of the banks, click on the additional menu and go to Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Game Show to play. So, we believe this is easier than creating something entirely new that people won’t relate to.

It is about understanding the strata of the population, the various segments, i.e. the educated, uneducated, the skilled, and unskilled. I am pretty aware that it can be challenging to communicate with this wide range of people. That is why we have strategically looked at minimal education to bring many people on board. We felt it is better to use something they are already used to. Today, if they want to check balances, they will dial (*).

So, we are leveraging that to get across to them.

Of course, we are not unaware that it would cost money.

Once the technology becomes acceptable and

people see the need to use it to the extent that there is a proportionate gain in market share, we can leverage and build on the success. In this circumstance, you cannot solve a problem without the financial reward coming to you.

Why do you think your target audience would be interested in this initiative, given that other reality shows enjoyed much attention at this time?

I agree with the fact that a lot has changed in terms of what people consume as content. But the truth of the matter is that Nigerians are also very dynamic and innovative. They equally know what is right and wrong but are more interested in what is for them. If we showcase this very well, we can tell people that Nigeria can promote what is morally right and rewarding. Once we do that, the narrative will begin to change. So, if we start to do a thing like Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, we would have succeeded in showing to the world that businesses can support an initiative that is morally right and financially rewarding.

As you are aware, we have increased the prize money from N10million to N20 million. The good thing about this ultimate prize is that we can have one person winN20 million every week for the whole of the 52 weeks. With this, there is no way the narrative won’t change.

As far as the game show is concerned, we are in this for the long haul and are not shying away from taking other responsibilities in line with our values. So, if you see other reality shows that promote innovation, that enable the correct value or education, we are ready to support it provided it aligns with our core values. As an innovative and customer-centric organization, anything that aligns with those core values, we are in for it.

The second reason is that the innovation behind this initiative is novel. Here, customers transfer money between one another, using their telephone numbers. If people know that if they participate in this, they can win N20 million, they will go and read. So, the game show would certainly encourage reading culture among Nigerians.

Thus far, I think the responses have been very encouraging, even though we have not started the show. My observation has further shown that Nigerians are not lazy as we are made to believe. It has also shown that when Nigerians see the proper pushing in the right direction, they respond appropriately.

What is the projected users’ target that you look forward to from the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Game Show?

The program itself does not have a limit. It doesn’t matter where you come from as far as you are, about 16 or 18 years above. But the critical thing is that we want everybody who thinks they can showcase intellect to come up to the platform. We are not discriminating,

If a user plays using the USSD platform but fails to win at the end of the day, it could be discouraging. How do you address that issue when it eventually arises?

In a country of over 200 million people, you cannot have everybody make it to the show. As an organization, we have devised to ensure an open, transparent means in the emergence of those who eventually get to the hot seat. And that’s why the only way to get to the show is by playing and participating. It is a very transparent method, and we encourage people to submit as many entries as possible. If you submit ten entries, you may stand a better chance to come to the show than someone who submitted only one. If you make it to the show, we also ensure that six people are picked to do the fastest finger where only one person will eventually get to the hot seat. What’s important is not only the play but also the weekly answers. There are more winners in the sponsored play. So, if you don’t participate in the main show, you can participate in the weekly and sponsor play and equally get rewarded. You might not win N1 million, but you can win N100,000, N10,000,and the like.

Now, what factors prompted you to take on the show?

As I said earlier, we have been looking for a reality show to partner with before we eventually settled for it. After sourcing for the show, we felt this resonated with our core values, and we went for it. There are three cardinal reasons for taking on the show. First, we saw it as an opportunity to showcase the educational skills of Nigerians. Secondly, we want to help people cross over from poor to the rich, while the third is to help drive financial inclusion. This is our way of partnering with the government to ensure that the economy is on sound footing. For instance, imagine a situation where everybody is included and can perform transactions in a straightforward, layman manner. Those three cardinal points informed why we partnered with Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Game Show?. We believe that this will allow us to achieve what we set out to accomplish in the long run and help us build the kind of brands we are looking at.

It is also important to note that this game show is our way of giving back to society. For example, imagine if 52 millionaires are made in a year, then it means we have tried transforming lives given the multiplier effect of such action.

In your own words, how far do you see this game show going?

I think what I have noticed with Nigerians is that you will go far with them consistently. As long as the process is transparent, Nigerians will support you.

As long as there’s something in it, you will go far for everybody. You can only go far if you keep to your words. When you say you will do this and you don’t do it, it is the reason why you might not go far.

We will use data to drive modifications and changes if required. For example, if we feel that we need to get more engagement, we will get more attention; if we think we need to go round the geo-political zone, we will go round the geo-political zones. In a nutshell, we will begin to use data to refine the process without acting as if we know it all. We will use data to re-evaluate what is on the ground rejig the process so that we can go forward without compromising the program’s integrity.

Is this sponsorship deal going to last for the next 52 weeks?

Yes, we are not here for immediate gains. It is not for a short time. Like I said earlier, we will continue to refine the process to make it better.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

InfraCorp, Others Sign Deal AIICO Insurance Pays on Infrastructure Fund N47.3 Billion Claims Ugo Aliogo The Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria (InfraCorp), members of the AAA Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (Triple A Infra), including Afrinvest, Africa Plus Partners and ARC Asset Management (USA) have signed the term sheet for the management of part of a N15 trillion infrastructure fund, dedicated solely to investment in Nigeria.

In a statement they said the signing of the term sheet signals the effective take-off of the execution phase of InfraCorp.

InfraCorp is a dedicated privatelymanaged infrastructure vehicle established and co-owned by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) together referred to as “the Promoters”.

The statement said the vehicle was established to harness opportunities

Ebere Nwoji

for infrastructure development in Nigeria by originating, structuring and executing end-to-end bankable projects.

The statement added that the asset creation and management process would be coordinated by reputable, carefully-selected and highly-experienced infrastructure asset managers, adding that it is a largely private-sector driven initiative.

It added, “InfraCorp will leverage private sector partnerships and government relationships to unlock infrastructure assets for development.”

The statement further explained that the term sheet signing ceremony had the CBN Governor and Chairman of InfraCorp, Dr. Godwin Emefiele; the Managing Director of InfraCorp, Dr. Lazarus Angbazo; and CEO of Triple A Infra and Group Managing Director of Afrinvest West Africa, Mr Ike

Chioke, among others, in attendance.

Speaking at the ceremony, Emefiele expressed delight over the signing of the term sheet between InfraCorp and the assets managers.

He said: “What is the purpose?

The first phase of this financing is to raise N14 trillion debt plus N1 trillion equity, which is being contributed by the CBN, AFC and NSIA. We will go straight into execution mode because Nigeria very badly needs to develop its infrastructure.”

On his part, Chioke said: “Afrinvest is a member of Triple A Infra, which has been mandated as an asset manager by InfraCorp to manage part of the N15 trillion infrastructure fund dedicated solely to infrastructure in Nigeria. Triple A Infra would soon be committing funds to the target segments of transport and logistics, power, telecommunications and technology, industrial and agricultural infrastructure as well as social infrastructure.”

AIICO Insurance Plc, has said that it paid a total of N47.3 billion claims to its customers in 2021.

The company said 70 per cent of the above total claims, about N33 billion was paid to individuals, with about 14 percent (N6.5 billion) paid to retirees who have lifetime contracts with the company.

The company in a recent statement to this effect made available to THISDAY said claims paid to businesses across the spectrum made up 30 percent (N14 billion) of total claims paid to customers

Quickteller, the leading consumer digital payments platform, powered by Interswitch, has announced the second and final raffle draw round from its Quickteller Paypoint Double Up promo.

Winners were selected from the Southwestern region of Nigeria, and were sorted from categories such as Silver, Gold, and Platinum under the regulatory direction of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), the Lagos State Lottery Board (LSLB), and the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) in Lagos recently.

PRODUCT LAUNCH…

Sophos Unveils Cloud Workload Protection A d v a n c e m e n t s Emma Okonji Sophos, a global leader in nextgeneration cybersecurity, has unveiled advancements to Sophos Cloud Workload Protection, including new Linux host and container security capabilities. These enhancements accelerate the detection and response of in-progress attacks and security incidents within Linux operating systems, improve security operations and bolster application performance.

According to new SophosLabs research, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) tools, cryptocurrency miners and various types of backdoors were the top three types of Linux threats detected by Sophos in a dataset from January through March 2022. DDoS

tools accounted for nearly half of all Linux malware detections during this time, likely due to automated attacks attempting to reinfect updated servers rapidly and repeatedly. SophosLabs has also detected a recent increase in ransomware attackers attempting to use tools targeting virtual machine hypervisors, many of which run on Linux environments, to carry out their attacks. Chief Technology and Product Officer at Sophos, Joe Levy, said: “Linux environments continue to grow in surface area as organizations around the world increasingly migrate workloads to the cloud. Even though Linux is widely considered to be one of the most secure operating systems, it still harbors inherent and application-based risks and it is not

immune to cyberattacks.”

Levy added: “Attackers target Linux hosts and containers because they are high value, and often under protected. Sophos Cloud Workload Protection already automates and simplifies the prevention and detection of these attacks on Windows systems, and now Sophos is providing the same observations and capabilities to Linux operating systems.”

Through the integration of Capsule8 technology, which Sophos acquired in July 2021, Sophos Cloud Workload Protection provides powerful and lightweight visibility into on-premise, data center and cloud-based Linux hosts and containers, securing them from advanced cyberthreats.

Tech Firm Introduces Smart Cylinders to Address Safety Concerns Emma Okonji Gasmonkey, a tech firm has introduced smart cylinders with mobile app control that will address the safety concerns of all users of gas cylinders across the country, and to boost its usage in Nigeria.

The smart gas cylinders, which come with technology app that enables its control remotely, are designed to ensure the safety of Nigerian gas users, who currently face the risk of expired cylinders.

Infused with technology features that are controlled via software application, Gasmonkey, has called for collaboration with interested investors that would further drive increase in production of the smart cylinders locally.

Aside safety, Gasmonkey is using

the product to fuel a cleaner future by making clean cooking fuel accessible and safer cylinder, especially for low income earners, who will be able to use the app to determine the level of gas in the cylinder at any given time.

Speaking at the product launch in Lagos, which was attended by prospective investors like Xavier Pierluca and Peter George from Spark + Africa, the Chief Executive Officer of Gas monkey, Mr. Paul Nnaluo, said the company was set up to provide solutions to the challenges of gas usage in Nigeria leveraging technology. According to him, over 80 per cent of Nigerians are still not using gas despite the fact that it is cheaper and clean.

He noted that safety concern was one of the reasons many Nigerians

have not been using gas, adding that with the smart cylinders, safety concerns have been addressed, even as the users would not need to carry the cylinder about to refill.

“With Gasmonkey smart cylinder, you do not have to worry about your gas finishing because you can monitor your usage through our app. The gas suppliers through their dashboard also monitor their dashboard to know when your gas is about to finish and bring a replacement,” he said.

Nnaluo added that the Gasmonkey app remained an easy to use smart utility app that allows customers to manage their LPG consumption and pay for the services. “The app allows you to view your cylinder content and predictions on when they will run out.

believe that our customer-centric philosophy is especially crucial today, as customers seek to protect themselves from the volatility of the environment around them. Many of our customers have been with us for decades and others will have a relationship with the company for the rest of their lives.

We understand the risks that they face, and we have made it our priority to continue to adapt to their changing needs as they go through life, helping them to manage their risks where possible to improve their overall quality of life”.

Winners Emerge from Quickteller Paypoint Double Up Promo Nume Ekeghe

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Gas Monkey, Paul Nnaluo; Official of Spark+Africa, Xavier Pierluca; Chief Operating Officer, Gas Monkey, Mathew Paul and another Official of Spark+Africa, Peter George, at the media presentation of technology enabled smart cylinder in Lagos… recently

during the period under review.

“In total, the company paid N47.3 billion in claims and benefits to customers, up by 19.1 per cent from N39.7 billion paid in 2020.

In 2018, the company paid a total of N29.1 billion and N30.6 billion in 2019 “, said AIICO Managing Director, Mr Babatunde Fajemirokun.

Continuing, he said, “This growth, along with the growth in its overall financial position over the years, underscores its incremental capacity to cater for the needs of existing and prospective customers.

“We put the customer first in everything we do. We

The last round saw four agents emerge winners in the Silver category; two in the Gold category; and one in the Platinum category. Winners in the Silver category include Olaiya Omoniyi Sunday, Benedict Agomoh of God’s Power Ventures, Akinwande Bashir, and Augustina Odudu of Tina Ventures.

The Gold winners were Asemota Mercy Itoha and Hellen Abimbola Ijimakinwa. While the Platinum winner was Eze Anya Augustine of Austine Technology, who took home the grand prize of a generator set.

Commenting on the Quickteller Paypoint Double Up Promo, the Divisional Chief Executive

Officer, Interswitch Financial Inclusion services, Titilola Shogaolu, commended the efforts of the agents, highlighting their importance to the overarching goal of Quickteller, which is bringing financial services closer to Nigerians and spurring prosperity across the country.

Shogaolu said, “It is always a delight to know the number of lives we can impact through our Double Up promo. We are excited to be in business with these winners and we hope to expand our reach to ensure that more people are brought on board so as to widen our pool of partners who will benefit from such programmes.

28

THURSDAY APRIL 21, 2022 • T H I S D AY

THURSDAY APRIL 21, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ , APRIL 21, 2022

30

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

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

Boost for Regulation of Genetically Modified Foods

Continuous advocacy by some civil society organisations for government to ban Genetically Modified Organisms food crops, which they termed as unsustainable and unsafe, recently paid off with the Senate’s recent move to enforce stricter regulations by reviewing the National Biosafety Management Agency Act in the overall interest of protecting food safety and public interests. Chiemelie Ezeobi reports

I

n 2015, Nigeria officially signed the Biosafety Bill into law, which made her eligible to join the league of nations already using genetic engineering to boost their food production.

This led to the establishment of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) to regulate and approve Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) while the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) was created to promote the technology.

Protracted Debate Notwithstanding the checks and balances the above agencies were supposed to impose, there have been protracted debate over the application of GM crops into the food system.

Chief among the critics include Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), GMO-free Nigeria, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), and Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/ FoEN), whose argument is that the country is not medically ready for the health consequences.

Continuously citing health and safety concerns, HOMEF and its affiliates criticised the applications and approvals, which they posited are granted without proper considerations.

But for promoters of the GMOs, there was no need to worry since the process was driven technology and scientific research backed by water tight safety procedures.

Crops like this can be genetically modified

So What are GMOs? Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) is an animal, plant, or microbe whose DNA has been altered using genetic engineering.

Essentially, genetically modified organism is any organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.

Mainly driven by agrochemical firms, GMOs foods focuses on herbicide tolerant crops and patented seed outlaw seed-saving, thereby reducing self-reliance.

GMOs and Likely Health Implications For renowned Environmental Rights Activist and Director of HOMEF, Mr. Nnimmo Bassey, given his stance that Nigeria was not ready for GMOs because “our health system is poor and non-effective when compared to other country’s health system”, he stressed that GMOs are artificial crops that pollute and degrade.

“GMOs have socioeconomic, social-cultural and religious implications. This will cause a lot of implications on out farmers and food system”, he posited, adding that while small scale farmers leave the soil enriched, GMO products does the contrary.

“It endangers the health of consumers and negatively has an impact on the ecosystem. 80 per cent of food in the world is produced by small scale farmers, using 26 per cent of the resources.

We don’t need synthetic food in Nigeria, but protection and aids for our farmers,” he said.

Accordingly, he added that GMOs produce for consumption causes harmful consequences to human health.

“Although GMO is meant to kill weevils, it is poisonous to the health. Nigeria and Europe do not have the same health system”, Nnimmo insisted that the National Bio-safety Management Agency Act 2015 needed to be reviewed because it “will prioritise the precautionary principle, strengthen public participation and include strict provision for liability and redress”.

Amended Bio-safety Law Given the continuous clamour and concerns raised, in 2019, the government amended the Bio-safety law by expanding the scope of the NBMA Act to include evolving aspects of biotechnology such as ‘gene drives, gene editing, and synthetic biology.’

Senate Intervention Just this month, the consistent clamour by civil society organisations paid off as it elicited intervention from the Senate.

On April 5, 2022, Food Farm News reported that ‘Senate insists on GMOs thorough regulation’. For CSOs like GMO-Free Nigeria, HOMEF, Corporate

NJNJǂLJǀ Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), it was a big win.

Food Farms News had reported that the Presenter of the bill, the Senate Leader, Dr Yahaya Abdullahi stressed why the Bill for the Amendment of the National Biosafety Management Act (NBMA) must be supported for more diligent legislation that would make

our country zero tolerant to any hazardous product as related to GMOs saying our soils and the good health of Nigerians must be well protected with eco-friendly environment.

According to him ‘‘there have not been any conclusive finding regarding overall safety of GMOs on normal lives and environment. So Mr. President, my distinguished colleagues, caution must be our watch words in the handling of the GMOs because even as we

“We reject being fed with foods of dubious quality! We have always called on the government to interrogate the questionable authorisation of crops that would have irreversible impacts on our biodiversity, health, environment, and food safety. We applaud this intervention by the Senate in seeking to enforce law and order with proper regulation of Biosafety in Nigeria”

speak about sixty countries around the world population have partially or totally ban the use of GMOs.” The decision by the Senate, presided over by Senate President Ahmad Lawan, was supported by majority of the Senators in passing of the Second Reading of the Bill for an Amendment of the NBMA 2015 and other Related Matters of 2022, for a more diligent and integrity test of GMOs. According to reports, speakers on the Senate floor were of the opinion that our environment must be of priority and better soil ecosystem management through diligent regulation of GMO seed varieties and other products must be upheld.

They added that caution must be central in what “we allow into our country through foreign partnerships in the interest of our environment and Nigerians health”.

Commendation from CSOs Applauding the Senate for considering a bill to review the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) Act in the overall interest of protecting food safety and public interests in Nigeria, Bassey, stated that “this is a huge milestone towards defending the rights of Nigerian citizens to safe food and environment.

“It is a step in the right direction for consumers and especially for small holder farmers who are

T H I S D AY ˾ , APRIL 21, 2022

31

COVER

Senate President, Ahmed Lawal

Senate Leader, Dr Yahaya Abdullahi

Director of HOMEF, Mr. Nnimmo Bassey

Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Akinbode Oluwafemi

directly impacted by GMOs and associated chemicals, and yet have little or no knowledge or choice about the entry of these unnatural varieties into our food system or of their potential risks.

“We reject being fed with foods of dubious quality! We have always called on the government to interrogate the questionable authorisation of crops that would have irreversible impacts on our biodiversity, health, environment, and food safety. We applaud this intervention by the Senate in seeking to enforce law and order with proper regulation of Biosafety in Nigeria.”

He added that promoting food safety and security/sovereignty is a mandate that rests not just on the Biosafety Management Agency but also on the entire public and thus public opinion must be duly considered in decision making processes concerning GMOs. He further posited that it should never be forgotten that Nigeria shares extensive land borders with other nations and GMOs allowed into Nigeria are invariably being introduced to these neighbouring nations without their knowledge or consent.

The Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Akinbode Oluwafemi, whilst congratulating the Senate for this bold step said, “We strongly believe that scientific integrity and social responsibility and accountability are not negotiable, and no technology should be exempted from these values.”

He went on to say that those saddled with the duty of protecting our food must look away from the industrial yield-output paradigm and adopt a more integrated, systems approach to food and agriculture that takes into consideration many factors, including local food security and sovereignty.

He further said “there is need for very effective independent, credible, regulatory authority to ensure rigorous oversight of GE crops, without the least hint of any conflict of interest. “ Priority should be given to rural communities, livelihoods, and the interests of resource-poor and marginal small-scale farmers rather than serving corporate interests and their profits.

“GMOs will bring about seed colonisation, distorting of our food culture and foster dependency

on local and international corporations. Instead of ensuring the well-being of the people, it only stands to benefit the corporations and their Nigerian cohorts.”Barrister Chima Williams, The Executive Director of Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) said this a welcome development and the position of the Senate resonates with what they have being telling Nigerians and the government for over a decade.

“GMOs are regulated because their safety is not guaranteed. There are good reasons why in Europe robust regulatory mechanisms are in place for GM food and GM crops. GMOS are not the same as natural varieties and they are also not substantially equivalent. “ If they were indeed one and the same thing, as the GMOs proponents claim, why are they modifying them and why have patents on them? The claim of substantial equivalence as touted by the promoters of the technology, is an industry get-out tactic to avoid the rigour of proper assessment and regulation.”

According to Williams, GM technology has undeniably become associated with profit seeking corporations and rolled out as a tool to further consolidate their dominant market positions and colonisation of our

food systems and processes.

“We must consider too that many things that scientists are trying to achieve with GMOs have already been provided by nature and by our local farmers through conventional breeding.

“We should not accept the proposition that only GM Crops and GM food can solve problems in agriculture. Certainly, there is sufficient evidence to show that Non-GMO options and innovations have out-performed the much touted GM options.”

Mariann Bassey-Orovwuje, the Coordinator for Food Sovereignty Program for Friends of the Earth Nigeria and Africa and the Chair of the Agroecology and Land Working Group of the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) said “There is enough reasons to hold back on commercialising GM Crops in Nigeria.”

She urged that the Senate should subject all the “GMO crops and food approved into our environment to an independent, transparent, environmental, social and health impact evaluations”.

She said as a matter of urgency they should be subjected to stringent regulatory scrutiny, and they would know that the Groups’ concerns about them were justified.

Concerns

There is need for very effective independent, credible, regulatory authority to ensure rigorous oversight of GE crops, without the least hint of any conflict of interest...

Priority should be given to rural communities, livelihoods, and the interests of resource-poor and marginal small-scale farmers rather than serving corporate interests and their profits”

Strongly reiterating their concerns, the Groups strongly rejected “the non-circumspect modus-operandi of the National Biotechnology development Agency, National Biosafety Management agency and partners to foist GMO crops/foods upon undiscerning Nigerians via their introduction and marketing into our agricultural system and food supply chain.

“We have valid concerns about GMOs, and we have compelling and cogent reasons to support our views even though they are constantly being vilified by the promoters of the GM technology.”

According to the Groups, instead of engaging in open and honest debate, they have seen some scientists and promoters of the failed GM technology hardening their positions, lashing out at critics, and forwarding personal opinions or parroting corporate opinions and agenda.

The group retorted ‘We refused to be swayed by industry-inspired lobbying and spin and mere rhetoric designed to shut off debates.

Need for Public Hearing on Bill The Groups equally urged the Senate to convoke a Public Hearing on the Bill to allow other Nigerians add their voices in support of the path the Senate has chosen by presenting their concerns, views and evidence before the Senate on why there should be stronger and more stringent conditions for admittance of any product that is unknown to the Nigerian households.

“We need truly innovative and culture relevant systems such as agroecology that protect and enhance ecosystems, support small holder farmers while cooling the planet, increasing productivity, and promoting food sovereignty.

“Nigerians should support the Senate in the move towards protecting our food varieties and ensuring that GMOs are not forced on our people without their knowledge of what they are planting or eating.

“We shall not fold our arms and watch our food and agricultural systems colonised and destroyed by profit seeking businesses working with public agencies serving unabashedly as middlemen,” they added.

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T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ APRIL 21, 2022

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

FG Denies Stoking Food Inflation by Mopping Up Production James Emejo ÓØ ÌßÔË The federal government has refuted claims that it is partly responsible for the current rising prices of food items in the country.

There had been concerns that the government’s practice of mopping up grains into the national Strategic Grains Reserves (SGRS) during harvests was responsible for the high costs of food products in the market.

Food inflation has remained a major challenge in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation.

Analysts also blamed the situation on demand-supply gaps as what is available can’t satisfy the demands of a growing population.

The composite food index rose to 17.20 per cent in March compared to 22.95 per cent recorded in March 2021.

Month-on-month, the food sub-index increased to 1.99 per

cent in March, up by 0.12 per cent from 1.87 per cent in February.

However, speaking against the backdrop of allegations that the federal government’s practice of mopping up grains was contributing to food inflation, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Muhammad Abubakar, told THISDAY in an interview that the government was only buying off the excess grains in the market.

But critics insisted that food production was not enough to talk about buying off excess grains.

The minister said, “No it’s not mopping; the federal government is buying the excess grains that are there to be bought.

“If it is not available, we will not buy and stock- what’s the point of stocking when people need it?”

Abubakar added, “So we are currently releasing and there are grains in the market.”

He however said though

political commitment is absolutely fundamental for addressing the food security challenge, it is “not the complete answer.”

He said, “Strengthening food systems and chains is a shared responsibility. Governments, industry, and consumers all have a vital role and must work together to ensure ‘farm to the table’ food security.”

Meanwhile, worried about the rising inflation, particularly the food component, President Muhammad Buhari had recently authorised the release of 40,000 metric tons (MT) of grains from the National Strategic Grains Reserves (SGR) to vulnerable Nigerians to cushion the effects of rising prices of food items.

The government’s move was aimed at cushioning the effect of high prices of commodities across the country during the Ramadan, Easter, and Sallah festivities.

MARKET INDICATORS

Sovereign Trust Insurance Grows Profit by 42% Ebere Nwoji Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc has announced that it recorded 42 per cent growth in its Profit After Tax in 2021.

The company’s Profit After Tax during the period stood at N974 million as against N687 million recorded in year 2020. Profit Before Tax equally increased from N796 million in 2020 to N885 million in the year under review, representing 11 per cent growth.

The Gross Premium Written in 2021 stood at N12.7 billion compared to the N11.1 billion written in 2020, representing an increase of 14 per cent while total assets of the company rose from N14.8 billion to N16.3

billion in 2021 representing 11 percent increase.

Commenting on the result, the company’s Managing Director, Mr. Olaotan Soyinka, said as the Company grew its balance sheet so it did in increasing its claims payout.

According to him, in 2021, a total of N3.7 billion was paid as claims against N2.9 billion that was paid in 2020.

“This in a way accentuates the Company’s claims paying ability coupled with the company’s renewed attention at delighting her customers.

The net premium income also grew by 11 per cent from N6.5 billion to N7.2 billion in 2021.

Earnings per share also grew from N8 kobo to 11.3 kobo in

2021 while the Total Equity of the Underwriting firm also grew by 11 per cent from N8.6 billion in 2020 to N9.6 billion in 2021.

Soyinka, said the management was committed to meeting and surpassing the expectations and aspirations of its shareholders and stakeholders alike.

He said, “These performance levels are a confirmation of the management’s determination to effectively and strategically position the company as one of the leading insurance companies in the country while at the same time, propel the company to a profitable height for shareholders’ delight in the years ahead.”

Pan African Towers Appoints Azeez Amida as CEO Emma Okonji Pan African Towers (PAT), one of Nigeria’s leading telecom and digital infrastructure provider has appointed Azeez Amida as its Chief Executive Officer to oversee its business operations.

The appointment, which took effect from April 1, 2022, will see Amida, 38, lead PAT in its drive to strengthen its position as Nigeria’s largest indigenous Telecom and Digital Infrastructure provider.

Prior to this role in PAT, Amida had worked at IHS in Nigeria and Rwanda with his last role as CEO IHS Rwanda, where he led the company to become the fastest-growing operations in 13 markets. He was also the consulting Chief Operating and Growth

Officer for Merit Telecoms where he supported the company to align its operations with global best practice and position it to attract institutional investors.

He has a solid understanding of emerging markets and brings over 18 years of professional experience, cutting across six countries and twelve industries including Telecommunications, FMCG, Healthcare, Agri-business, Investment Banking, Private equity, and financial advisory among others. Reacting to the appointment, the Chairman of PAT, Mr. Oluwole Adeleke said “Amida is a young professional who brings with him expertise in the operation of telecom and digital infrastructure assets across markets in Africa. The Board of Directors is pleased to have

Amida at this critical time when the telecom sector of the economy is growing rapidly.”

Pleased with the appointment, Amida said: “It is indeed an honour to be entrusted with the responsibility to lead the management of PAT and I am delighted that I will be working with a highly-skilled team, and together, we will build a leading, strong and competitive indigenous telecom and digital infrastructure company.”

Amida is a graduate of Economics and an alumnus of the IE Business School, Spain. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and the author of the soon-to-be-released book, EPE Principle: Understanding the Opportunity Cycle.

Anchor Insurance Sponsors Stage Play in Lagos, Delta States Anchor Insurance company Limited said in demonstration of its professional love for culture, it has offered to sponsor Babakekere and Ogiame Erejuwa II live stage plays in Lagos and Warri in Delta State.

Stage presentation of these plays took place between April15, 16 and 19 in the above two states.

The company’s Managing Director Mr. Ebose Augustine, while relating with media correspondents in Lagos on the event

said whereas Babakekere is a play which reminisces the sterling leadership qualities and selfless personality traits of the former Governor of Lagos State, late Alh. Lateef Jakande, popularly called “Babakekere,” Ogiame Erejuwa II was meant to showcase the culture, royalty, power, influence and pride of Iwere (Warri) Kingdom as represented by the late Ogiame Erejuwa II of Warri in his time.

He explained that the company

became interested in sponsoring both live plays being produced

by The Duke of Shomolu Productions especially because of the personalities being honoured and the good lesson from their exemplary lifestyles to the society.

According to him, Anchor Insurance had, among others, sponsored similar plays namely Emotan in Benin City (2019), Aremu in Abeokuta (2020) as well as Ibom: When Doves Fly in Uyo (2021).

MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JANUARY 2021 Money Supply (M3)

38,779,455.43

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

1,039,129.55

Money Supply (M2)

37,740,325.88

-- Quasi Money

21,779,302.69

-- Narrow Money (M1)

15,961,023.19

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,364,871.13

---- Demand Deposits

13,596,152.06

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,414,275.50

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

31,365,179.93

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

42,916,586.63

---- Credit to Government (Net)

12,304,773.44

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

0.00

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

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

30,611,813.19

--Other Assets Net

3,892,112.74

Reserve Money (Base Money

13,264,585.14

--Currency in Circulation

2,831,167.19

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

10,433,417.96 317,234.17

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

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

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ ͯͱϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE

ͯͷ

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $110.54 a barrel on Monday, compared with $108.52 the previous Thursday, 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).

33

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Eterna, 27 Others Lift Stock Market By N320bn Kayode Tokede Investors’ investment on the Nigerian Exchanger Limited (NGX) stock market yesterday rose by N320 billion on the share price gains of Eterna Plc and 27 others.

The NGX All Share Index (ASI) rose by 592.85 basis points or 1.25 per cent to close at 48.138.71 basis points, while the overall market capitalisation value gained N320

billion to close at N25.952 trillion.

The upturn was impacted by gains recorded in medium and large capitalised stocks, amongst which are; Airtel Africa, Seplat Energy, Guinness Nigeria, Dangote Cement and Okomu Oil. Market sentiment, as measured by market breadth was positive as 28 stocks declined, relative to 21 gainers. Eterna and Japaul Gold and Ventures recorded the highest price gain of 10

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

per cent each to close at N5.50 and 33 kobo respectively, while Guinness Nigeria followed with a gain 9.96 per cent to close at N82.25, per share.

MEYER Plc rose by 9.66 per cent to close at N1.93, while Wapic Insurance appreciated by 9.52 per cent to close at 46 kobo, per share. On the other hand, Union Dicon Salt led the losers’ chart by 9.60 per cent to close at N8.95, per share. Computer

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

QUANTITY TRADED

Warehouse Group (CWG) followed with a decline of 9.28 per cent to close at 88 kobo, while John Holt depreciated by 8.97 per cent to close at 71 kobo, per share.

Regency Alliance Insurance declined by 8.57 per cent to close at 32 kobo, while SUNU Assurance Nigeria depreciated by 8.33 per cent to close at 33 kobo, per share. Meanwhile, the total volume of trades declined

T R A D E D

VALUE TRADED ( N )

MAIN BOARD

A S

by 4.35 per cent to 349.561 million units, valued at N3.699 billion, and exchanged in 4,587 deals.

Transactions in the shares of Universal Insurance topped the activity chart with 73.047 million shares valued at N14.609 million.

Zenith Bank followed with 23.654 million shares worth N571.508 million, while Fidelity Bank traded 20.728 million shares valued at N79.965 million.

United Bank for Africa (UBA)

O F

2 0

traded 20.062 million shares valued at N160.503 million, while Mutual Benefits Assurance transacted 16.374 million shares worth N3.948 million. Analysts at GTI Securities Limited stated that “Investors increased buying interest in three major sectors, led by the Oil & Gas, which grew by 2.98 per cent, lifted the NGX-ASI by 1.25 per cent. We expect the bullish run to persist in the coming trading days.”

/ 0 4 / 2 0 2 2 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

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THURSDAY, ͺ͹˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

CONSULTATION BEFORE DECLARATION...

Members of the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party led by the chairman, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu (fourth from left) in a group photograph with Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, (fifth from left) at party secretariat in Abuja …yesterday

Easter: CAN Demands Sack of Sterling Bank CEO over Provocative Advertisement

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has condemned Sterling Bank's Easter advertisement, describing it as a mockery of Jesus Christ.

A statement signed by the National Secretary of the association,

Joseph Bade Daramola, called on federal government to relieve the Chief Executive of the bank, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman with his management of their jobs over the alleged provocative and insensitive act.

CAN said the apology offered by the bank management did not

come from a penitent heart.

"How can someone in his right mind described the risen Christ as a loaf of bread. That is insulting, ridiculous and a mockery of Jesus Christ. We advised Christians to be wary of the bank and other financial institutions they are patronising.

“We learnt that the Advertising

Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) has reportedly intervened in the matter with a view to impose some sanctions against Sterling Bank.

“The CAN is waiting for the decision of the organisation.

However, in the interim, we call for the immediate removal of the

APC Groups Tell Malami, Amaechi, Others to Resign Before Party's Primary Alex Enumah in Abuja Youth groups of the All Progressives Congress (APC) under the platform of Youths and Solidarity Forum have called on the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami and his counterpart in the Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi and others seeking elective political offices in the 2023 general elections to resign from office before the party's primaries, slated for next month.

Amaechi and some serving ministers as well as heads of agencies and parastatals in the President Muhammadu Buhariled administration have already declared their intentions to contest the forthcoming general elections.

However, in their responses, the youth in their thousands who besieged the APC Headquarters in Abuja, yesterday, said the party was not the property of any individual, hence no one should hold it to ransom.

Speaking through their Convener, Tobias Ogbeh, the youth argued that the non-resignation of such persons before the primaries could jeopardise the party’s presidential ticket.

They stated that they cannot continue to feign ignorance to the attitudes of some vested interest in the party who have arrogated to themselves the powers to decide how to play the game in contravention of the rules of engagement as stipulated in the 2022 Electoral Act as amended.

"The last time we checked, the APC is not a personal property of a select few. Many of us in various capacities indeed contributed to the development and growth of the party over the years. It is insulting to our sensibilities when some persons whose contributions to the party can be counted with their fingertips are pushing the party towards the brinks.

"It is no longer news that the general elections in 2023 are well underway. As such, it behooves that the party should be adequately prepared at this point. But we are worried that all is not well within the party with regards to the provisions in Section 84(12) of the elections, which states thus: “No political appointees at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the Convention or Congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.

"As we all know, the Electoral Act has been passed into law, and one wonders why political appointees

in government that have indicated an interest in contesting elective positions have refused to resign their appointments", Ogbeh said.

He explained that as concerned stakeholders in the APC, the youth were appalled that such illegality would thrive, yet they pride themselves as progressives.

Ogbeh also queried what he described as a regime of selective judgment in the implementation of the provisions of the Electoral Act and called on the president to do what was right.

"We are using this medium to reiterate that Section 84(12) of the electoral Act is clear and

unambiguous. Mr. President should stop protecting a few influential individuals within the party to the detriment of the entire country. Such actions would be detrimental to the party's electoral success in the 2023 general elections.

"This is indeed a clarion call to the National Chairman of our great party and other members of the NWC to rise to the occasion to save the party from the calamity that is about to befall it through the actions of the AGF and other political appointees that have refused to resign their appointments in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

Chief Executive of Sterling Bank, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman with his management whose actions have clearly shown their hostility and hatred for the Christian faith.

“We call on all Christians not to take the law into their hands in seeking redress, but to let the relevant authorities handle the matter."

The statement further read: "The attention of the leadership of the CAN has been drawn to an ungodly, wicked, insensitive and deliberately provocative advertisement of the Sterling Bank comparing the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ to 'Agege Bread' amidst the Easter celebration.

"In case the management of the Sterling Bank is not aware, the resurrection of Jesus witnesses to the immense power of God Himself.

To believe in the resurrection is to believe in God. If God exists, and if He created the universe and has power over it, then He has power to raise the dead. If He does not have such power, He is not worthy of our faith and worship".

"Only he who created life can resurrect it after death, only he can reverse the mystery that is death itself, and only he can remove

the sting and gain the victory over the grave (1 Corinthians 15:54–55). In resurrecting Jesus from the grave, God reminds us of His absolute sovereignty over life and death.

"In the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, God put our punishment on Christ so that we could be justified before Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

“The resurrection of Jesus confirms that God accepted Christ’s sacrifice for sin on the cross and gives us access to a right relationship with Him. “The Empty tomb shows the supremacy of Jesus. Go to the grave of any other religious founder and his carcasses are still there being worship, but where Jesus was buried, it is boldly written; “He is no longer here, He has Risen”! That is what we are celebrating at Easter and for Sterling Bank to compare it with a loaf of bread is blasphemous and insensitive to the religion embraced by billions of people globally.

"The advertisement was provocative but we will refused to be provoked simply not only because it is not in our characters but it came from an uninformed mind of neither of the two leading religions in the country," it said.

Edo Communities, CSOs Barricade Benin-Lagos Road over Herdsmen Attack Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City No fewer than 15 communities in Edo State in collaboration with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), yesterday barricaded the Lagos-Benin express road in protest against the nefarious activities of alleged herdsmen which they said had resulted to killings, destructions of farm produce and forceful evictions from their ancestral homes.

The communities, namely, Odiguetue, Ofintebe, Igolo, Okokuo, Abumwenre I and II, Obarenren, Uhiere, Uyimo I and II, in the protest which lasted for several hours, led to severe gridlocks.

Speaking for the communities and for the civil rights groups, legal practitioner and former Edo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Osagie Obayuwana said they were worried about the looming crisis brewing in the various communities in the state, allegedly orchestrated by armed herdsmen.

He noted that urgent steps needed to be put in place to checkmate them before it snow

balls into full blown crises in the state.

"We want the whole world to know the ugly experience our people have been passing through for quite some time now.

"We are zeroing it on Ovia North East communities. About 15 communities have been under siege for some years. Farmers have been prevented from going to their farms, another planting season is going away, they have been sentenced to hunger, farmers and their families and this has an implication for the larger society.

"It is one of the reasons the price of food is rising beyond the reach of even those in the middle class.

"So far, we have not seen serious efforts to address this issue by the state government and other concerned authorities.

Our people have gone to various offices both the executive and the legislative arms of government; even traditional quarters and nothing seems to be coming out.

"Right now, the matter is degenerating to such an extent that people are being driven out

of their villages.

"We are concerned that what had been happening in Benue and Plateau States will be coming to the shores of Edo State now, where armed herdsmen drive people from communities, change the names of the communities and start to occupy the houses, we don't want that," he said.

Also in his comments, the former Public Relations Officer, Edo State Civil Society Organisations (EDOCSO), Osazee Edigin, said the level of insecurity in Edo communities have gone from bad to worse and thus the decision to add their voice with others to call on governments (local government council, state and federal government) to come to their rescue.

"We are here to support these communities that have been ravaged and sacked by herdsmen.

We have seen it as a high level of insecurity in the state, and we want the state government and law enforcement agencies to rescue them.

"We are here to amplify the

voices of these locals so that the state government will intervene in this. If we don't do it, we are going to have scarcity of food and more victims. We urged the government to rise to the occasion and protect lives and property.

"The primary purpose of government is to protect lives and property, and if they fail in that area, then they are giving room for anarchy, and we don't pray it results in a state of lawlessness.

"The government should step in. When there is no peace in the land, life will not flourish, and the economy will go down," Edigin said.

Lamenting the atrocities of the herdsmen, Aik-Ikhuokhuo Uwaifo from Uhiere community, said in the past, herdsmen and the people in his community were living harmoniously together so much so that they were even asking them (herdsmen) to give them their cows’ urine to grow their fingers while they will in turn give them foods.

He said the story had changed, adding that nowadays, the herders move into their farms kill, rape,

maim, destroy their crops and forcefully evicting them from their community.

Another protester, Mrs. Rhoda Ogba from Odigi community, said cows don't eat grass anymore, but yam, cassava and Coco yam, maintaining that they are now hungry as they can no longer go to their farms because of fear of being killed.

She said the federal and the state governments should come to their rescue.

The Edo State Commissioner of Police CP Abutu Yaro, represented by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, ACP, James Chu, while appealing to the protesters to be calmed, said the command share in their pains stressing that machineries have been put in place to curtail the excesses of armed herdsmen in the various communities in the state.

"The Commissioner of Police, we all know he is new, and he shares with you in this pain. We are all on the same page and all on the same reason to be here to talk to you.

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NEWS

COURTESY VISIT ...

L-R: Deputy Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Joshua Kayode Falola; Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo, during the visit of the Corps Marshal to the Minister in his office in Abuja...yesterday

Shell Urges Shareholders to Reject Activist's Pressure to Hastily Abandon Fossil Fuels Begins withdrawal of staff in Russia Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja with agency report Shell Plc’s board has told shareholders to reject a Dutch activist group’s resolution that asks the energy company to set more stringent climate goals.

It said that adopting the “Follow This” vote, which wants the company’s policies to be more consistent with the Paris climate accord, “could result in unrealistic interim targets that are harmful” to its own energy transition strategy and good governance.

Even in Nigeria, some International Oil Companies (IOCs), including Shell, have announced plans to exit onshore and shallow water operations in line with their plan to focus on cleaner sources of fuels.

But the climate activists insist that the oil companies must do more to completely abandon hydrocarbons in the nearest future.

To convince investors that its

already doing enough, Bloomberg reported that Shell will put its energy transition progress report to a non-binding vote at the annual shareholder meeting scheduled for May 24.

The company won the backing of 89 per cent of investors when it put the green plan to the ballot for the first time last year. Shell said at the time that it would publish an updated strategy every three years, and seek an advisory vote on its progress every year.

At the same time, the activists’ climate proposal that’s similar to the one filed this year received 30 per cent votes in favour, the most it has ever garnered since it began filing with Shell in 2016.

Climate conscious investors and groups enjoyed one of their most successful years ever in 2021.

Shareholders voted for reducing emissions at Chevron while a small hedge fund managed to appoint new members to Exxon Mobil’s board. Besides Shell, the activists'

resolutions filed with BP Plc and Equinor ASA received more support than ever before.

But Shell has said that it’s making strong progress toward net-zero carbon by 2050, with “critical investment decisions” in solar energy, wind and hydrogen.

The company cut absolute emissions from its operations and the energy it uses to run them by 18 per cent last year from 2016 levels and aims to halve them by the end of this decade.

Progress on the key scope 3 emissions — which make up the bulk of its greenhouse gases and are associated with the end-use of its products — were little changed last year.

The company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held in London for the first time since the unification of Royal Dutch Petroleum Co. and Shell Transport & Trading Co. in 2005.

Since then, shareholders had been assembling in The Hague where

Shell was based, before it shifted its headquarters to the UK capital.

Meanwhile, Shell has started to withdraw staff from its joint ventures with Russia’s Gazprom as it moves forward with plans to exit investments in response to the war in Ukraine.

Dozens of Shell employees on temporary assignment at the Sakhalin-2 liquefied natural gas export project in Russia were removed over the weekend to be relocated back to other offices, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

According to Bloomberg, operations at the facility are unlikely to be affected by the move.

“Our key focus in this process is safety of our people and operations and compliance with applicable laws,” a Shell representative was quoted as saying.

Some of the world’s top energy producers, including Shell and Exxon Mobil, pledged to exit Russian projects in a bid to reduce

Climate Change: AfDB Targets Energy Transition for Sustainable Development Dike Onwuamaeze

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has announced that its 2022 Annual Meetings would focus on energy transition that would drive Africa towards a net zero carbon path way and allow for industrialisation and inclusive growth.

It also disclosed that the annual meetings would hold in Accra, Ghana, between May 23 and May 27, 2022.

The announcement was made yesterday, by the Secretary General of the AfDB Group, Prof. Vincent Nmehielle, during a hybrid press conference.

Nmehielle said the theme of the annual meetings would be: “Achieving Climate Resilience and a Just Energy Transition for Africa,” which responded to the bank’s priority areas like energy and sustainability in Africa’s socioeconomic development.

He also said this year’s annual meetings would be organised in a hybrid format and would also feature events that would mark the 50th anniversary of the AfDB. He also said that the meet-

ings would enable the board of governors to review the report of the finances and other activities of the bank and the fund during the proceedings year and adopt resolutions on key decisions and conclusions of the annual meeting as well as dialogue on the strategic outlook of the bank in the coming years in the attainment of the African Union Agenda 2063 and United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He added that the bank would organise series of knowledge-based event under the theme of the annual meetings.

Speaking during the press conference, the Acting Chief Economist and the Vice President for Governance and Knowledge Management, Prof. Kevin Urama, said that the annual meeting would also feature thematic knowledge events that would focus on policy discourse that are of great importance to Africa’s development.

Urama said the annual meetings would feature four main knowledge events that would be open to members of the public to attend, adding that the first of these events would focus on

climate resilience and just energy transition in Africa so that the continent would, “drive toward a net zero carbon path way for Africa’s development.”

“We will use this opportunity to have high level events to launch the African Economic Outlook Report that is focusing on supporting climate resilience and just energy transitions in Africa.

“We all know the relevance of climate change and energy transition as we drive toward a net zero carbon pathways for achieving sustainable development.

“This event will enable us to be able to interrogate that specific policy position of moving toward a net zero transmission in Africa and globally and what it means for Africa’s development,” he added.

He said the discourse would focus on how Africa should respond to opportunities in new development trajectories that have come to stay.

“Another knowledge event is on ‘Building Digital Economy for a Resilient Africa.’ It will focus on riding on global opportunities in digitalisation and all opportunities that it will deliver for a greener,

more inclusive and more sustainable Africa through effective digital infrastructure for the continent.

“The third event is on Green Jobs for Youths and Women in Post COVID-19. We have seen the impact of COVID on jobs for youths and women in Africa.

“As we drive toward a post COVID-19 recovery, we are focusing on building robust rural economies for food security and prosperous Africa. The bank has been working on leveraging technology on Africa agriculture, which massive improvement has been done on productivity,” he said.

Urama explained that these key themes were chosen because they are subject areas that are topical for Africa’s development and critical for its transition to net zero carbon energy, especially as “we are responding to the triple crises of COVID-19, the war in Ukraine and continuing impact of climate change.

“Juxtaposed on all these is the need for Africa to have energy transition that will allow for industrialisation and inclusive growth.”

reputational damage after Moscow's military offensive in Ukraine.

Shell said earlier this month the withdrawal will result in $4 billion to $5 billion of impairments.

London-based Shell had increased its effort to distance itself from Moscow after the company

came under fire in early March for purchasing Russian crude at a steep discount.

Since then, Shell said it won’t make any new purchases of Russian oil or gas. The energy major has also idled LNG vessels chartered from Russian companies.

Chinese Envoy Says Harmony, Peaceful Coexistence Key to Devt Michael Olugbode in Abuja Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Nigeria, Mr. Cui Jianchun has called for harmony and peaceful coexistence in Nigeria.

These, he noted are key to development and integration in every society.

Cui made this call yesterday, in Abuja, during a seminar on, “Sharing Chinese Harmony and Performing Nigeria-China Symphony,” organised by the Chinese Embassy.

Cui said as the symphony produces great melody when harmonised, it is also logical that Nigeria, just like China can attain giant development with great harmony across all sectors.

The Ambassador also noted that bringing together the Nigeria-China Symphony would also boost people-to-people ties between both countries.

He explained: “Today is a very important day for China and Nigeria and last year we have talked about building the China-Nigeria’s Five GIST GDP Strategy.

“So, relating to the people’s connectivity, today we are sharing Chinese harmony and Performing Nigeria-China Symphony.

“The logic is that China, we value, cherish the harmony and I think the harmony is international, and as China, we have the unique practice and warm history.

“So, I try to get Chinese idea about harmony, the four elements; harmony in coexistence, harmony in integration, harmony in diversity and harmony in development.

“I found for Nigeria that the People’s level is very important.

For me, one year in Nigeria, I think of how we can achieve the goal of people’s communication.

“Because people is the foundation, people is the bedrock of two countries. So I try to get idea from

China, the Chinese practice and how can we do things in the two countries.

“This is the reason we have this seminar today and my idea is how the two countries can perform symphony.

“Because with symphony, everyone enjoys the melody, symphony, we use instruments, and I think how we can achieve harmony in symphony.

“And that means we have to work together. So I think today is very important if the two countries work together to have this kind of concept.

“Nigeria-China can build our symphony, that is good for the two countries. We try to have a general design and I think it is good for Nigeria’s development,” Cui said.

In his contribution, Nollywood Actor, Keneth Okonkwo commended the Chinese Embassy for organising the Seminar, noting that now more than ever, Nigeria needs all the harmony to progress.

Okonkwo said harmony gives strength, enhances productivity, enhances peace, synergy, amongst other positive impacts on society.

The Nollywood Actor noted that Nigeria needs leaders that would harmonise the society and peddle it to greater heights to becoming one of the World powers.

“China has gone through thick and thin and has been able to move forward, to harmonise their society.

“They have been able to build on their traditional foundation, to build a society that they can now relate with other societies in a relative comparative advantage of strength.

“So Nigeria needs to harmonise its society by being able to combine, allocate and utilise their resources of men, material and money which God has given us in abundance.

“Through planning, organising and controlling, so that we can achieve our objectives.

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NEWS

LAUNCH OF OPERATION RESCUE NIGERIA...

L-R: Princess, Aisha Barau; Youth Leader North Central, Terngu Gideon; Director General New PDP Generation, Mr. Audu Mahmood; Yusuf Adamu; National Organising Secretary of New PDP Generation, PHOTO: KINGSLEY ADEBOYE Angela Odiete, during the national press conference on State of the Nation and Launch of Operation Rescue Nigeria in Abuja...yesterday

Buhari: Most Nigerians Now Know Boko Haram Has No Religious, Ethnic Undertones Reviews strategy, vows tougher actions against terrorists Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari, has disclosed that with adequate education, most Nigerians now know the truth that Boko Haram sect, has neither religious nor ethnic undertone.

Speaking Wednesday while playing host to the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karin Ahmad Khan, at the State House, Abuja, the president added that with concerted public enlightenment, it had become clear to the people that Boko Haram was a perversion of religion, rather than an Islamic ideology.

In a related development, the president, yesterday, warned of tougher security measures in restive parts of the country, following a review of security operations and strategy.

Addressing his guests from the ICC, Buhari said, “God is justice.

You can’t kill innocent people,

and shout Allah Akbar (God is great). It’s either you don’t know that God at all, or you are simply being stupid.

“To say Western education is unacceptable (Haram) is very fraudulent. That is why we are fighting them, and educating the people. And we are succeeding a lot.

“We came to office, when things were very bad, but we are educating the people. Education is fundamental. Religion and ethnicity are out of it. Some people have just made it a lifestyle to cause confusion, destruction and death.”

Earlier, the ICC Prosecutor, said extremism was like cancer, which spreads and could also recede, noting that what Boko Haram does in collaboration with Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) “is perversion of religion.”

Khan said the ICC believed in complementarity, “which promotes collaboration, as against

COVID-19: Ekiti to Vaccinate 1.5m, Targets HIV/AIDS Patients Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti The Ekiti State Government yesterday commenced mass vaccination of residents against the COVID-19, with a mission to reach a total of 1.5 million eligible population.

The State’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, said this, at a One -stop Surge Mass Vaccination Programme for the general population and People Living with HIV/AIDS. Filani noted that the mass vaccination exercise was a partnership between Ekiti State government and Public Health Initiatives as well as the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

The commissioner revealed that various injectable COVID-19 vaccines like Johnson and Johnson, Moderna and Astrazeneca are available to be administered on the beneficiaries.

Filani said: "The collaboration with other agencies will make it possible to vaccinate 70 per cent of the total eligible population of Ekiti State out of the 2.4 million population.

"We are seeing a new strain of COVID-19, which makes it expedient that many people should be vaccinated. We have a single dose vaccine that one can just take

and consider it a full dose and the process is painless.

"The national standard and directive is to ensure that over 70 per cent of the population are rapidly vaccinated before June. We have 0.4 per cent in HIV spread in Ekiti, all of whom are on Anti-retroviral Drugs and we will make sure that people living with this disease get their COVID-19 vaccines."

Dispelling fears that the ongoing electioneering campaigns could fuel the spread of COVID-19 in Ekiti, Filani assured that the government was going to manage the process, by ensuring that people comply with the wearing of nosemasks and adhere strictly to other safety protocols.

In her submissions, the representative of World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Bunmi Ajayi, said COVID-19 is a global emergency disease and that the international body was interested in the upscaling of vaccination for safety.

She added: "The records from the Western world showed that the disease spread is increasing, so we must do constant routine immunisation. Also, there should be an upscale of vaccination for measles, yellow fever and others, to achieve health immunity in the state."

confrontation,” counseling Nigeria in concert with other Sahel/Lake Chad basin countries, to get the United Nations Security Council to refer the atrocities committed by the terrorist groups operating in the region to ICC, for investigation and subsequently trial.

Also, speaking at the 11th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, the President noted that the major security challenges have remained in the North Central and North West, saying his administration would be very tough on terrorists, going forward.

Accordingly, Buhari, who claimed the South-south part of the country had been relatively peaceful now than during previous administrations, however, reassured Nigerians that efforts that resulted

in relative peace in the South-south and rescuing of the north-east from the hold of terrorists, would be ramped up.

He said: "I will like us to reflect on what the situation was before we came in. How many Local Government Areas were under the control of terrorists in the north-east? In the South-south, we all know what the situation was. Now, we have relative peace.

“With the resources at our disposal, we have done very well. People are very forgetful.

Our main problem now is in the North West and North Central.

People are killing one another in these places. What for? We are going to be very tough."

The president urged party members to be more mindful of the pitfalls that led to the ouster of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

in 2015 and told new members of the National Working Committee (NWC), which had been delegated powers of NEC for a period, to work towards keeping the party together by creating more room for discussions.

His words: "The PDP thought that only time could remove them, and the time actually came. They thought it was impossible to lose elections. The APC was formed by a merger of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), some members from All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the new PDP, which was a faction of the then ruling party.

“We put together a committee with clear terms of reference on how to remove the PDP from power. The PDP thought it wasn’t

going to be possible. But it happened. There’s no time to develop differences among ourselves. We have no time for that".

Buhari, however, commended the Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker/ Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) and all its members for offering themselves to serve the party despite all the attendant challenges and for organising the National Convention that produced the NWC. He appealed to all aspirants, who were not elected to put in efforts in support of the leadership of the party to achieve their goal of success in the forthcoming elections, and urged all litigants to withdraw cases against the party.

Buhari further advised party leaders against imposing unpopular candidates, who could not win elections for the APC.

Kaita: Masari Running Anti-democratic Govt, Dumps APC for PDP Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Francis Sardauna in Katsina The Senator representing Katsina North Senatorial District, Ahmad Babba-Kaita, yesterday, officially left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but not before accusing Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, of running Anti-democratic government in the state.

Babba-Kaita cited the inability of Masari to uphold the basic foundations of democracy and the marginalisation of critical stakeholders by his administration and the leadership of the APC at the state level as his reasons for decamping from the party.

In a statement issued to journalists in Katsina, yesterday, by his Media Adviser, Malam Abdulkadir Lawal, the senator said he could not continue to share the tent of undemocratic merchandise clearly being executed by Masari and the APC leaders in the state against the citizens of the state.

He explained that citizens of the state, had risked their lives and wellbeing imposed by what he termed incapacity of the state government to tackle insecurity head-on and that they hadbeen denied enough, already, by the state government.

"Of notable implication among many of these numerous concerns is the gradual loss of credibility in

Governor Masari-led administration, particularly, in the avowed refusal to conduct local government elections across the state in time.

"The willful refusal of the administration to uphold the basic foundation of democracy has also found expression in the marginalisation of critical stakeholders by the state government and the leadership of the party at the state level.

"The recent congresses at state and ward levels, with no identified genuine pro-government delegates, are clearly a rape of grassroots politicians and genuine party foot-soldiers who were rigged

out of open contest.

"The total absence of a level playing field speaks volumes about an already orchestrated decline to anti-democratic principles and challenges every good conscience including ours. All politics is local.

"The serial denial of the people's mandate at the recent Congresses among other related developments, has finally found expression in our answer to the clarion call of our people to vacate the APC following very wide consultations.

"The fresh page from the decision to join the Peoples Democratic Party, represents the ideals of representa-

tiveness in mandate, goodwill and an even more determined desire and opportunity to provide succour, comfort and the much-needed dividends of democracy to the people," he explained.

Babba-Kaita, who is representing President Muhammadu Buhari’s senatorial district, however, commenced moves to join the PDP on Tuesday.

He was a member of the House of Representatives, where he represented the Congress for Progressive Change in the Kankia/ Ingawa/Kusada constituency of Katsina State, in 2011.

Late Osinachi: IG Receives Women Affairs Minister, Vows to Charge Spouse to Court after Investigation Awaits autopsy from National Hospital Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Usman Baba, yesterday vowed to prosecute the spouse of late singer, Mrs Osinachi Nwachukwu, who allegedly died of domestic violence, if found guilty.

Osinachi, a member of Dunamis Church Choir in Abuja, who rendered the popular song, "Ekwueme" was allegedly kicked on the chest by her husband which allegedly culminated in her demise.

Receiving the Minister of Women

Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, in his office in Abuja, the IGP said the untimely death of the late singer was heart-breaking, particularly, as information from sources close to the family and independent witnesses accused her husband, Mr Peter Nwachukwu, of culpability in her death.

He stated that the FCT Police Command in whose jurisdiction the incident oc curred, arrested the deceased’s husband at about 5pm on Sunday April 10, 2022, at their residence in

Lugbe, Abuja.

The police chief said the suspect was detained at the FCT Police Command even as investigations were still ongoing.

He noted that, "considering the sensitive nature of the case, and the need to get justice, and swiftly, the command has approached the National Hospital, Abuja, for postmortem examinations on the deceased to ascertain the cause of death and her husband will be charged to court as soon as it is established that he was responsible for her death."

THURSDAY APRIL 21, 2022˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS

PDP Raises the Alarm over Incessant Military Plane Crashes NAF Chief commiserates with families of late officers

Chuks Okocha in Abuja and John Shiklam in Kaduna The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday raised the alarm over the incessant crashes of military aircraft following the crash of plane belonging to the Nigerian Airforce (NAF) in Kaduna on Tuesday, April 19, 2022.

The PDP pointed to the growing public apprehension of possible security compromises and complicity in the All Progressives Congress (APC)led administration, leading to incessant unexplained military aircraft crashes in the country in the last seven years.

In a statement, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, said that the disturbing trend is the fact that after each crash, the APC government comes up with a public announcement to investigate the circumstances surrounding the mishap but typical of the administration, such investigation would go cold.

According to the PDP, “This pattern gives credence to the strong suspicion among Nigerians that there is complicity or sabotage in our national security architecture including the Airforce which is

very critical to any meaningful fight against terrorism.”

The PDP said that in May last year, just eleven months ago, a NAF aircraft crashed around

Kaduna International Airport, killing the then Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 other officers.

The PDP said: “It is instructive

to note that our nation has experienced no fewer than 11 unexplained military air crashes since the Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government took over power

in 2015.”

The PDP therefore demanded a system-wide independent judicial enquiry to conduct an investigation into the remote

and immediate causes of these incessant crashes of our military aircrafts especially in the face of worsening terrorism attacks in the country.

EYEING MORE INVESTMENTS...

L-R: Director General, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Segun Ajayi- Kadir;Chief Risk Officer, Bank of Industry(BoI), Dr Ezekiel Oseni; Executive Director, Large Enterprises, BoI, Simon Aranonu; MD, BoI, Mr. Olukayode Pitan; Representative, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Uche Kene-Okoye; Environment Expert, United Nations Industrial development Organisation, Oluyomi Banjo, and Representative of Registrar/CEO of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Osundosumu Temitayo, during the inauguration of project investment committee (PIC) in Lagos… yesterday

Establishment of Appeal Court Adoke: Call for Suspension of 2023 Election Not Justifiable insecurity and other problems legal luminary of great repute. exercise this power.

Enumah in Abuja ‘ll Boost Justice Dispensation, Alex plaguing the country on Monday, “First, I believe that the call He therefore, remarked that it A former Attorney General of the called for the enthronement for the suspension of the 2023 will be an anti-climax for voters Federation(AGF) and Minister of of an interim administration elections cannot be justified at to be left on a cliffhanger until Says Bauchi Gov Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, to take over from President this time as it will create a gap in “Nigeria has a new people’s Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

The Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has said that the establishment of the Court of Appeal in the state would assist in the dispensation of justice and end the practice of taking cases to neighboring states like Plateau or Gombe.

Mohammed said this yesterday while hosting High Court Judges, Sharia Court of Appeal Judges and other principal officers of the state judiciary on a Ramadan breakfast that was held at

Government House, Bauchi.

He stated that his administration would be ready to support the project in the state.

The governor said: “Bauchi deserves to have the Court of Appeal in order to be able to enforce and enshrine the dispensation of justice in a manner that would be conducted within a timeline (sic).

“Bauchi is one of the most populated states in northern Nigeria; therefore, we are advocating having one in our state to reduce our volume of judicial cases.

Lagos Community Residents Call for Security Beef-up Ebiti Yusuf

Residents of Ikotun, a suburb in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, have called on the Commissioner of Police (CP), Abiodun Alabi to beef up security in the area.

The residents, who spoke to THISDAY, said the call became necessary following increase in attacks by armed robbers, hoodlums, who are terrorizing the area.

For instance, Mr. Abel Olubayo said although the Police have promised improved security for people living in Lagos state, there

is the need for more surveillance and patrol to ward off the activities of armed robbers in some areas of Ikotun.

“We know the CP to be an experienced officer, who has promised to ensure that people in Lagos are safe. But I want to call on him and his men to focus attention on Alimosho Local Government, especially Ikotun Area.

For instance, last month, unknown gunmen numbering about seven came to our area in Ikotun, raided a particular house and made away with Mercedes Benz GL450 car with plate number FKJ 387GY, laptops and other valuables,” he said.

has argued that the call by renown Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and academia, Chief Afe Babalola, for the suspension of the 2023 general election would not augur well for the country, adding that such suspension is capable of truncating the country’s hardearned democracy.

Babalola, following worsening

Muhammadu in 2023 when his tenure expires rather than conducting an election.

But in his reaction yesterday, the former AGF stated that the Babalola’s statement should not be ignored or taken for granted because of the “issues raised as well as the personality of the author”, whom he described as a revered elder statesman and a

our democratic transition capable of truncating our democracy,” he said.

Adoke, while stating that democracy is sustained by periodic elections where the voters express their preference on who should govern them, noted that the 2023 elections are around the corner and the electorate is already primed to

constitution which should provide for a part-time legislator and non-executive president” and an “interim government drawn from all living presidents and vice presidents; some selected ministers and governors and delegates of prominent professional associations”, as suggested by Afe Babalola, to midwife that process.

Police Officer Slumps, Dies on Duty in Bayelsa The Police Command in Bayelsa has been thrown into mourning, following the sudden death of an Assistant Commissioner of Police(ACP), Emmanuel Asufi.

Sources at the police headquarters in Yenagoa said that Asufi, who is in charge of administration, slumped and died at his duty post on Tuesday afternoon.

Spokesman of the command, SP Asinim Butswat, who confirmed the demise of the senior police officer, said it was a sad day for the command.

The deceased, who hailed

from Ekwani community in Delta, was described as an amiable and easy-going officer who related well with the rank and file.

A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who visited the police headquarters, reported that the mood was pensive, as the personnel were seen in groups expressing shock at the incident.

“This life is full of mysteries.

The death of the officer is incredible. Many of us saw him coming to the headquarters, smiling and exchanging

pleasantries with everyone. He was a unifying factor between the rank and file.

“Oga Asufi was an exemplary officer who did not spare any effort at putting smiles on the faces of all who came across him. He was very charismatic and forthright; he was an exemplary Christian whose faith reflected in his conduct.

“We were shocked when an alarm was raised that he had slumped and was dying.

He was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre where he was

confirmed dead,” an officer said, amidst tears.

NAN further learnt that Gov Douye Diri was among the early callers at the police headquarters to condole with the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ben Okoro, over the incident.

Asufi, who, until his demise, was a student of Nigerian Law School in Yenagoa, had also served as Chief Security Officer at the Bayelsa Government House and Commander of the State Security Outfit, Operation Door Akpor.

NECO Reschedules 2022 National Common Entrance Examination Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has rescheduled the 2022 National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE).

The exam, which is conducted

for admission into Federal Unity Colleges, was originally scheduled to hold from April 23, 2022, to May 7, 2022.

A statement that was signed by the Head of Media and Publicity of NECO, Mr.

Azeez Sabi, explained that “the examination was rescheduled to give states with low registration of candidates the opportunity to register their candidates for the examination.

“All candidates, parents,

guardians and relevant stakeholders are, therefore, enjoined to take note of the new date for the examination.

“The registration of candidates will continue till the new date of the examination.”

The outbreak of Lassa fever in Aya in Machagba communities, Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State has led to the death of at least 20 persons while others who reportedly contracted dreaded disease in the state are receiving treatment at the Irua Specialist Hospital in Edo State.

The outbreak of the fever was said to have caused panic in the local government area where

to take care of the disease.

Speaking with journalists yesterday, the former Chairman of Ibaji LGA, David Inah Ogwu, explained that it was real that there were incidences of Lassa fever in Aya and neighbouring communities in the council area.

Ogwu pointed out that the first incident led to the death of four persons who died mysteriously without anybody diagnosing the disease or cause of their death, and thereafter others who

were taken to Irua Specialist Hospital. The fastest access to treatment is Irua in Edo State.

According to him, “It’s easier for the people in those communities to just cross the river and get to Uromi and from there to Irua for their treatment.

“About nine persons have been diagnosed to have the Lassa fever in the hospital in Irua. The first set of people that went there was about 22 and of the 22, nine were confirmed to

“So, seven of them are there right now being treated for Lassa fever, though their condition is not too critical. It is confirmed by the medical facility in Irua that what they have diagnosed and are treating is Lassa fever.

“So far we can say that the casualty figure is about 20.

Cumulatively or speculatively, 20 people have died. Our people find it easier to go to Irua because it is the medical facility that can diagnose and treat it.

Businessman Demands $250,000 Fever Claims 20, Others Hospitalised in Kogi from DHL for Negligence Lassa there are no functional hospital manifested similar symptoms have the disease.

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja Wale Igbintade

Following his inability to attend his son’s graduation ceremony in the United Kingdom (UK), a businessman, Mr. Osagie Ernest Isimemeh has demanded the sum of $250,000.00 from DHL International Nigeria Limited for alleged negligence in the delivery of his parcel containing his International Passport with a UK entry visa.

In a letter written by his lawyer, Martin Omo-Ighekpe and addressed

to Mr. Adefisayo Adeboye of DHL International Nigeria Limited, Lagos, he warned that failure to comply with his request within two weeks would leave him with no option than to proceed with legal action against the company.

In the letter titled, ‘’Re-Delayed Delivery of Parcel and the Irreparable Damages Therefrom’’, Isimemeh stated that he missed the opportunity to witness, the one in a life time event, due to the negligence DHL International Nigeria Limited.

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THURSDAY APRIL 21, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSXTRA

Presidency: Why Dariye, Nyame were Pardoned Goddy Egene The Presidency last night justified the pardon granted to 162 inmates, including former governors Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame, saying it was in line with the Nigerian Constitution.

The Presidency also explained that the pardon will not affect the fight against corruption, stressing that it was also not political.

President Muhammadu Buhari had last week granted pardon, under the Prerogative of Mercy, to Dariye, who is a former Governor of Plateau State and Nyame, who is a former Governor of Taraba State. They are serving various jail terms for misappropriation of funds.

The pardon has attracted widespread criticism from Nigerians, saying that the government has no justification to continue with its anticorruption war.

However, in a statement signed last night by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the Presidency argued that Buhari would have been blamed if he had ignored compelling

cases recommended for pardon.

The statement is titled, ‘Dariye, Nyame pardon in line with constitution, will not derail anti-corruption war by President Buhari,’ reads in part: “The Presidency wishes to throw light on the recent note presented to

Kebbi State Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old watchman, Idris Suleiman from Maradi town, Niger Republic for slaughtering a house wife and her four year old daughter in Birnin Kebbi.

The suspect was said to have sneaked into the residence of the deceased, Sadiya Idris at Labana Street, Sani Abacha Bye pass in Birnin Kebbi around 2.am and attacked her and 4-year-old daughter with a cutlass.

According to the police, the suspect confessed to using a cutlass to cut her until she was

dead. He also killed the woman’s daughter, Khadija Akilu to cover up her crime.

While interrogating the suspect at the police headquarters in Birnin Kebbi, he told journalists that the deceased during argument called him an animal. He said: “I couldn’t sleep at night while reflecting on her calling me animal. At about 2.am I went to her residence and met her where she was sleeping.

I used my cutlass to cut her more than four times until she died. I also killed her daughter because she called my name while killing her mother. I smashed her head on the floor and she died.”

for detailed investigations.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has warned that anyone distributing footage of students of Chrisland Schools engaging in an “immoral act” risks 14-year jail term.

“This is to reassure members of the public of the State Government’s commitment to safety and child protection. [This is] especially in ensuring that all child-centred institutions within the state, formulate and implement policies and systems that are compliant with the Executive Order (NO. EO/AAO8 of 2016), Lagos State Safeguarding and Child Protection Programme.

Army Officer Snubs Lagos Taskforce on Land Grabbers Wale Igbintade

The Commanding Officer, 174 Battalion Nigeria Army, Odogunyan Ikorodu, Lt. Col. Seyi Sholotan, has again failed to appear before the Lagos State Taskforce on Land Grabbers over the ownership of a landed property.

Colonel Sholotan is locked in a dispute with Adewole Adeleye, an engineer, over the ownership of a piece of land on 2-3 Bashorun Street, off Haastrup Street, Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos.

Adeleye had petitioned the Taskforce following an alleged

Act of the National Assembly a pardon, either free or subject to lawful conditions; to grant respite, either for an indefinite or a specified period of the execution of any punishment imposed on that person for such an offence; substitute a less severe form of

punishment imposed on that person for such an offence or remit the whole or any part of any punishment imposed on the person for such an offence or of penalty or forfeiture otherwise due to the state on account of such an offence.”

L-R: SeniorManager,SocialImpactStrategy, Coca-ColaAfrica,Mr.UcheOgbonna;Director,PublicAffairs,CommunicationsandSustainability,Coca-ColaNigeria,Mrs.NwamakaOnyemelukwe;Chief Executive Officer(CEO), Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre (NCIC), Mr. Bankole Oloruntoba; Vice President, Recyclers Association of Nigeria (RAN) Mrs. Olufunto Borofice; Senior Business Venture

Chrisland: Lagos Grills Teachers, Parents, Warns against Video Sharing All parties involved in the alleged Chrisland School scandal were scrutinised at the Lagos State Ministry of Education, Education Quality Assurance Conference Hall, Alausa in Ikeja yesterday.

Sources said those who attended the meeting were: Chrisland school authorities, affected teachers, parents of the affected students, police officers, officials of the Education Quality Assurance, and that of the Directorate of Public Prosecution.

However, no student was sighted because there was earlier scheduled invitation by the police for all parties involved to report to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti,

that section 175 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) enjoins the President to exercise his constitutional powers “to grant any person concerned with or convicted of any offense created by an

PROMOTING PLASTIC RECYCLING…

Police Arrest Man for Killing Mother, Daughter in Kebbi Ismail Adebayo inBirninKebbi

the Council of State, on the report of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, as a culmination of a process begun by the convicts and others concerned in line with the Constitution.”

The statement explained

invasion of the land by Sholotan with soldiers on more than three occasions.

The Taskforce, in a letter by its coordinator, Owolabi Arole, had first invited Sholotan to a hearing at the Meeting Room of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice Annex on March 23, 2022, but the military officer was absent.The hearing was adjourned until April 13 to enable Sholotan to attend.

Again, on April 13, Sholotan was absent and did not send a representative or write to the panel to apologise for his inability to attend.

Police Repel Attack on another Station in Anambra David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka Gunmen, in the early hours of yesterday, attacked a police station in Anaku, Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra State.

They were, however, repelled by police operatives on duty, causing the gunmen to flee.

The Spokesperson of

Anambra State Police Command, DSP. Toochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident and said that the gunmen after being successfully repelled threw a locally made explosive into the compound, but no casualties were recorded.

Ikenga said that police in Anambra are more determined now than ever, to protect all their facilities from attacks and

also face the attackers.

He said: “The Anambra police operatives are more firm and courageous, following the successful repel of an attack in the early hours of today 20/4/2022 at Anaku Divisional Headquarters.

“The operatives stood firm and engaged the hoodlums, which made them flee the scene. Also, the miscreants

in a bid to escape threw bon fires inside the station and it affected three of police operational vehicles. No casualty on part of police and all police arms are intact “Meanwhile, police reinforcement is already there, operation is still ongoing and further details shall be communicated,” he told THISDAY.

Shun Unmerited Wealth, CJN Warns Judges The Chief Justice of Nigeria CJN, The CJN said that as judicial do what is offensive to the law”. with them, he also sympathised Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad has warned judges in the country to shun from unmerited wealth in order to avoid running foul of the law.

Justice Muhammad gave the advice yesterday in Abuja while inaugurating six judges for the Federal High Court of Nigeria and one for the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory high court.

According to him, the National Judicial Council (NJC) will fish out the bad eggs within the judiciary and show them the way out.

officers, judges must shun vainglory, dishonest disposition and ostentatious life style borne out of corrupt acquaintances.

He noted that corrupt judges can only run but will not have the capacity to hide from the long arm of the disciplinary apparatus of the NJC. He said: “As I always say, appointment to the bench is not appointment to affluence, influence or unholy alliance with people of questionable character that may appear before you in different guises and make you

“You must shun unmerited wealth, dishonest disposition and never should you engage in any act that may make you regret ever being a judicial officer,” he said.

The CJN explained that though judges are not known to possess supernatural powers to perform wonders, he charged the new judges to be prepared for demand to do impossible from the society.

Justice Muhammad also charged the new Judges to be ready to hear more especially during 2023 general elections, adding that though he rejoiced

with them for the troubles, inconveniences and all sort of uncomplementary remarks that may be made against them by litigants in the course of adjudications.

He said: “We are all humans, no doubt, but you must display the humanism in you by doing those extraordinary things that people would say you cannot do.

That is what distinguishes those with integrity and passion for success from those with unenviable pedigree and dysfunctional moral compass.”

Popular A’Ibom Cleric Kidnapped, Abductors Demand N100m Ransom

Okon Bassey in Uyo

A popular Pastor and Founder of Akwa Ibom State based church, the Solid Rock Kingdom Church, Apostle John Okoriko has been kidnapped.

The abductors are said to be demanding the sum of N100 million as a ransom before the release of the cleric.

Family sources said the abductors have reached out to them but decline to confirm

on the details of the demand of the kidnappers.

Okoriko, known for his peculiar stance on certain Christian doctrines was kidnapped in his country home at Ibekwe Akpan Nya in Mkpat Enin Local Council , Akwa Ibom state on Tuesday evening.

The kidnappers were said to have gained entrance into the compound after scaling the fence and shot sporadically

into the air before taking him into a nearby forest.

Meanwhile, the state Police Command has confirmed the abduction saying they have commenced investigation into the incident.

The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Odiko MacDon said: “As I speak, a lot has been done already. I want to believe that we will get to the root of it in no distance time.

“A crime has been committed and the police command is working assiduously to unravel the crime and bring perpetuators to book.”

Of late, kidnappers have laid siege on Ekparakwa in Oruk Anam Local Council and neighbouring villages of Mkpat Enin council area with more than 15 persons abducted with some released after payment of ransom.

Again, Otti Joins Abia Governorship Race A financial expert and former bank chief, Mr. Alex Otti has declared that he is still very much involved in the struggle to liberate Abia State from the stranglehold of bad leaders and has once again offered himself to contest for the governorship seat in 2023.

He made this known while declaring his interest to join the increasing number of governorship aspirants jostling for tickets of various political parties in Abia, saying that he is in the 2023

governorship race “for the love of Abia”.

Otti started the quest to become the chief executive of Abia in 2014 after giving up his top post as the Group Managing Director/CEO of Diamond Bank(now Access Bank) and joined politics in full swing and emerged a governorship candidate.

He led the opposition All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA) to record a stunning electoral success in 2015 and was at the verge of coasting home to victory

in the governorship poll when the magical Obingwa votes were used to stop him.

He described his foray into the “murky politics of Abia” as “the story of a struggle motivated by sacrifice and sustained by tenacity.

It’s a struggle inspired by conviction and advanced by courage” He said: “The problems which informed my decision to respond to the call of our people in 2014 for their liberation has now taken a new and a frightening

dimension - complete breakdown of infrastructure, increase in inequality, non-payment of wages of workers, high rate of unemployment, weak economy, corruption, abject poverty and poor healthcare and educational facilities.”

According to him, the Abia sad story of failed governance has persisted because of “the wrong leadership choices we had made as a state, elder statesmen and citizens”, adding that Abians should be ready to get it right in 2023.

39

THURSDAY, ͺ͹˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

NFF Awaits FIFA Ruling on $1m Claim by Rohr The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is awaiting a ruling from FIFA on a $1million compensation claim by former coach Gernot Rohr for unfair dismissal.

Nigeria's longest-serving manager, after taking charge in August 2016, Rohr was sacked in December just four weeks before the delayed 2021 Nations Cup kicked off in Cameroon.

The NFF had agreed to pay Rohr's salary until the end of his contract, which expires in December 2022, but he went to football's world governing body to demand an additional sum for damages.

That claim was contested by the NFF, and a FIFA tribunal examining Rohr's claim for damages concluded last week.

However, a verdict is yet to be communicated to either party.

"Mr Rohr's the only one talking in the media about a case that is already with FIFA," a top NFF official told BBC Sport Africa.

"That matter is being handled by our legal department and we are waiting a verdict this week or next week before making any official statement."

Rohr's representatives were not available for comment, but the former Niger Republic and Gabon manager confirmed he was seeking compensation.

"Now this case is with FIFA and they will decide," the 68-year-old said.

A spokesperson for FIFA said

and his conservative approach were heavily criticised by the local media and fans.

Despite leading the Super Eagles to both Africa's 2022 World Cup play-offs and qualification for this

year's Nations Cup tournament he came under fire for poor results against lower-ranked opponents during qualifying for Qatar.

The Franco-German, who guided Nigeria to the 2018 World Cup and

to third place at the 2019 Nations Cup in Egypt, was subsequently replaced by Augustine Eguavoen.

Rohr led the West African nation in 58 matches, winning 31, drawing 13 and losing 14.

Gernot Rohr... waiting for FIFA's verdict on his $1 million dollars compensation from the NFF following his sack from the Super Eagles job.

NPFL: Katsina Utd, Lobi Stars Boost Relegation Survival with Wins With title-chasing Rivers United and Plateau United not in action untilthis evening, the spotlight shifted to the downside of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) standings where several teams continued the fight for another stint in the elite division.

Katsina United, in 19th position before the start of Matchday 24 actions yesterday, shrugged off a stubborn Shooting Stars to record a 3-1 win that helps their fight to avoid relegation this season.

Madaki Alkali Dauda had opened the scoring for Katsina United in the 34th minute, but Sochima Elum restored parity after he met a loose ball with a sweet strike in the 53rd minute.

However, the Chanji Boys regained their lead after Dauda converted a 59th-minute penalty kick while Aliyu Musa’s goal in the 91st minute secured a vital win that lifts the hosts to the 17th spot.

In Makurdi, Endurance Ebedebiri put Lobi Stars ahead against Gombe United on the stroke of half time while Chinonso Okonkwo doubled the lead from the penalty spot on the hour mark.

AlAmeen came off the bench to half the deficit for the visitors in the 76th minute but Lobi Stars held on for their first win in four games, and a climb to the 16th position.

In Ikenne, Remo Stars turned out in style to grab their first ever win over Dakkada in the NPFL. Following a 33rd-minute opener from Tolulope Ojo, the visitors gave a scare by drawing level through Dan Etido’s effort six minutes later. However, the Sky Blue Stars showed class in the second half as goals from Qudus Akanni, Andy Okpe, and Sikiru Alimi earned the hosts a 4-1 win and another charge on a qualification for a CAF spot next season.

Kwara United’s up and down form continued as Abia Warriors forced a 1-1 draw in Ilorin. Samuel Tiza had broken the deadlock few seconds before the half time, but Valentine Odoh’s goal, ten minutes

the organisation will not comment about an ongoing case.

Rohr was highly praised for rebuilding Nigeria between 2016 and 2018, but nervy and lacklustre performances in more recent years

into the second half, earned the visitors their fifth away point of the season.

The push of Rangers International for a continental tournament next season was dented by a 2-1 defeat against Niger Tornadoes.

Goals by Segun Alebiosu and Musa Wakili in the 33rd and 82nd minutes respectively sandwiched Kenechukwu Agu’s equalizer on the hour mark.

The remaining five fixtures for Matchday 24 will hold across different centres today.

MATCH-DAY 24 RESULTS Lobi Stars 2-1 Gombe Utd Katsina Utd 3-1 Shooting Tornadoes 2-1 Rangers Kwara Utd 1-1 Abia Warriors Remo 4-1 Dakkada FC

TODAY Sunshine vs Rivers Utd Akwa Utd vs Nasarawa MFM FC vs Wikki Tourists Heartland vs Plateau Utd Enyimba vs Kano Pillars

Phil Foden (left) celebrating his goal as Manchester City drub Brighton & Hove 3-0 to climb back to the summit of the English Premier League

Super Eagles to Host Sierra Leone’s Leone Stars First in Abuja Nigeria eagerly awaiting CAF’s decision on São Tomé/Mauritius Olawale Ajimotokan inAbuja Three –time Africa champions, Nigeria, must await the decision of the CAF Disciplinary Board to know which of São Tomé & Príncipe and Mauritius would be the fourth team in their Group A of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series The Super Eagles already have a home game lined up for the first week of June against the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone, who were also in their qualifying pool for the last AFCON tournament in Cameroon.

Nigeria and Sierra Leone made it out of that pool, leaving the Squirrels of Benin Republic and the Crocodiles of Lesotho biting their fingers.

This time, the Eagles must negotiate a Group A that has the Leone Stars as well as the Wild Dogs of Guinea-Bissau, whom the Eagles defeated 2-0 in the group stage in Cameroon, thanks to goals by Sadiq

A F C O N 2 0 2 3 Q UA L I F I E R S Umar and William Troost-Ekong.

According to CAF sources yesterday, Mauritius have a pending protest against São Tomé and Príncipe, who won their preliminary qualifying fixture, insisting that one São Tomé player had tested positive for covid-19. São Tomé & Príncipe continue to dispute this assertion.

“The matter became somewhat more interesting because the player at the centre of the controversy is the one that scored the only goal of the match,” said our source.

This means that after hosting Sierra Leone in Nigeria, the Super Eagles would have to fly to either São Tomé or Port Louis for their Matchday 2 encounter. The window for these two matches is 30th May – 14th June.

In September, with the window for Matchdays 3 & 4 being 19th – 27th September, the Eagles will

tango home and away with the Wild Dogs of Guinea-Bissau. The Matchdays 5 & 6 are within the period 20th – 28th March 2023, and will see the Eagles go away to Freetown before returning home to square up to either São Tomé and Príncipe or Mauritius.

The two top-placed teams in each

Premier League: Man City Leapfrog Liverpool to the Top Manchester City leapfrogged Liverpool back to the Premier League summit thanks to three second-half goals against Brighton.

After struggling to break down Graham Potter's men in a frustrating opening period, Kevin de Bruyne provided the

Delta, Rivers Clash as Baseball and Softball Hostilities Begin in Asaba Today Team Delta and Rivers will do battle in the first match, as the maiden edition of Victor Chukwudumebi Achakpo 2022 National Division 1 Baseball and Softball Championships begin in Asaba today.

The competition will end on April 24. It is being attended

by Baseball Division 1 teams from Delta, Kwara, Lagos, Ekiti and Niger states, while Division 1 teams from Delta, Rivers, Kwara and Lagos will fight in the Softball event.

Over N1million cash prizes have been dangled for the teams.

After the baseball match involving Delta and Rivers states this morning at the St. Patrick’s College (SPC), Asaba, Kwara and Lagos state teams will take to the centre stage between 9 and 11 am before Rivers and Lagos softball teams do battle between 11 am and 12pm.

Delta softball team will face Kwara between 1pm and 2pm, before Niger baseball team trade tackles with Team Delta in the

afternoon. The last match for today is the baseball match between Ekiti and Kwara states.

Tomorrow, April 22, Rivers baseball team will face Niger while Lagos take on Ekiti in the morning fixtures.

The afternoon games will see Lagos softball team do battle with Delta, while Kwara face Rivers.

The semifinal will hold later tomorrow, while the third place match and final game hold on April 24.

of the 12 groups at the end of the qualifying campaign will qualify for the 34th Africa Cup of Nations finals taking place in Cote d’Ivoire next year summer.

However, hosts Cote d’Ivoire are definite qualifiers from Group H, meaning only one of Zambia, Comoros Islands and Lesotho will make it to the finals no matter the results garnered by the Ivorians in the race.

The sponsor, Victor Chukwudumebi Achakpo, a former athlete, is providing feeding for 17 persons (15 players and two coaches).

The aim of the National Division 1 Baseball and Softball championship, according to Achakpo, is to promote and develope the game in Nigeria, re-awake the interest of youths in Baseball and softball, reduce youth restiveness in Nigeria and expose the players to international level.

inspiration as City restored their one-point advantage.

De Bruyne created the opener for Riyad Mahrez and provided the faint final pass for Bernardo Silva to wrap up the scoring eight minutes from time.

In between, Phil Foden needed the aid of a deflection to beat the Brighton goalkeeper after Mahrez spotted the England man on his own just outside the box at a corner.

The goals relieved building tension around Etihad Stadium and leave City knowing six more wins are now required for Pep Guardiola's men to retain their title, starting with the home game against relegation-threatened Watford on Saturday.

RESULTS Chelsea 2-4 Arsenal Everton 1-1 Leicester Newcastle 1-0 Cry’ Palace Man City 3-0 Brighton

Thursday, April 21, 2022

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& RE A S O

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Price: N250

MISSILE

Wole Soyinka to Muhammadu Buhari

“Coming from a leader who had placed all his eggs in one basket, labeled anti-corruption, this is one egg squashed against Nigerian faces that they shall not forget – or wipe off – in a hurry”---Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka on the pardon granted convicted former Governors of Plateua and Taraba States, Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame by President Buhari

OLUSEGUNADENIYI THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

Hotels, Chrisland, Osinachi, Dariye…

I

t took a young lady to narrate how she was almost raped while on holiday at Warere Beach hotel in Zanzibar in April last year for many Nigerians to begin to share their own experiences within our country. And the picture being painted is rather ugly. From room keys being duplicated by rogue staff so that criminals could gain access, to outright theft and other unwholesome activities, there seems to be little or no standard in the administration of many hotels across Nigeria. Some of the accounts should compel investigation because it bodes ill to learn that unaccompanied women are easy targets for predators in our hotels. That is not to say that men are excluded from these shenanigans. Nothing perhaps illustrates the rot within more than last November’s tragedy at the Hilton Royal Hotel, Ile-Ife, Osun State.

Timothy Adegoke, a 37-year-old Master of Business Administration (MBA) student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, had travelled from Abuja to Ile-Ife to write his last examination, and lodged at the hotel owned by Rahmon Adedoyin. The story of how Adegoke ended up in a shallow grave after which the hotel management began to delete all records of his stay is as shocking as it is tragic.

Currently in detention, the proprietor is being charged with the offence of illegally disposing of Adegoke’s body, obliterating hotel payment receipt and removing the CCTV cameras to destroy evidence. Six other accused persons who work for Adedoyin are charged with various offences, including murder.

Hotel business is a very strategic subsector of the tourism/hospitality industry that holds much promise for Nigeria. But patronage s also based on trust. According to the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) projection for 2019 to 2023, Nigeria is expected “to be the fastest-growing market” in the hospitality industry in Africa. “With Nigeria’s growing affluence, we expect consumer tourism to become a more important sector,” according to the report which provides an overview of the hotel industry. “Adventure tourism is becoming more popular and the growing interest in experiences is allowing Nigeria to attract visitors interested in the local culture.”

With ritualists and other criminally minded individuals becoming hoteliers, the hospitality industry requires more attention. But we can leave that for today. Having destroyed public education, Nigerians have been forced to send their children to the numerous private schools that mushroom every day. That perhaps then explains the disturbing pattern in which protection of image is considered more important than being accountable for the students/pupils to whom they owe a duty of care. Going by the latest trending scandal, during a recent trip to attend the World School Games in Dubai, United Arab Emirate (UAE), a 10-year-old female student and four male students were involved in a sexual act.

Although the Lagos State government has stepped in by closing the school and ordering an investigation, such a predictable knee-jerk reaction cannot be a formula for dealing with a serious systemic problem.

From bullying to sexual violence, the

The late Osinachi

education space is becoming increasingly unsafe in Nigeria. The school involved this time is Chrisland which, according to their website, “is the largest privately owned educational institution in Nigeria.”

I have read several reports and comments about this tragedy on social media. It is disturbing that many ‘sex experts’ have been analyzing what they claimed to have watched in the video being circulated online. While there are obvious parental failings (the digital footprints of the ten-year old girl are beyond scandalous) the fact also remains that a school that takes children out of the country cannot leave them to their own devices. Besides, it is on record that when in February 2018 Adegboyega Adenekan, a supervisor at one of Chrisland schools in Lagos, was accused of defiling a two-year-old child put in his care, the management issued a statement not only to defend the culprit, but also to attack the media. “We believe there is a conspiracy against the Chrisland brand, and this is nothing but paid journalism,” Chrisland stated. At the end, Adenekan was tried and convicted. “This defendant is conscienceless, wicked, an animal, and not fit to walk on the streets,” said Justice Sybil Nwaka who sentenced Adenekan to 60 years’ imprisonment.

At that time, it was the molested girl’s mother who spoke to the main issue which Chrisland did not seem to appreciate and still refuses to, on the current scandal. I commend her words to the proprietors of our schools on the responsibility they bear when parents entrust their children to them: “Chrisland is not just any school. The only reason we took our kids there, leaving behind so many other schools, was because we had a lot of trust in the school. We believed they could give our kids the best education, we believed they could keep our children safe. It never crossed my mind that her class teachers would carelessly allow someone to take her out of the class to

his office to molest her. We trusted them with our most prized possession. We never imagined this could happen to our daughter. We were not careless with watching and protecting our kids at all. In our wildest dreams, we never thought our daughter could be abused in school, the one place we could not follow her to.”

However, the social problems that plague our country go beyond the educational sector and they seem to be accumulating every day.

Following the recent death of gospel artiste, Osinachi Nwachukwu, reports emerged that she was a victim of serial abuse by her husband. In explaining his side of the story, Dr Paul Enenche, the Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre (where the deceased and her husband worshipped) has confirmed the allegations that Osinachi was indeed a victim of domestic abuse. With the husband already in detention, I hope the family will give the children all the support they need at this most difficult period in their lives. But her death has also brought to the front burner the prevalence of violence in many Nigeria homes.

From available reports, many people were aware of the violence to which the late Osinachi was subjected by her husband. But apparently because of the patriarchal nature of our society, she had to endure the abuse until she paid the supreme price. Apparently because many people are putting the blame on churches where forgiveness and reconciliation are often recommended in cases of domestic abuse, the General Overseer of the Omega Fire Ministries International, Apostle Johnson Suleman has prescribed a novel way of handling the problem among his congregation. “All those women that their husbands are beating, don’t they have brothers? If they don’t have biological brothers, they have Christian brothers,” quipped Apostle Suleman. “If you are in this church and you are beating your wife, stop it. If she reports you to me, we will beat you. I will go to the police station and take permission before I gather brothers in this church to beat you.”

Readers may conclude from the foregoing that there is so much sanity in the political arena that I have decided to devote my column to highlighting social problems. But what choice do I really have? With the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) hawking its presidential, gubernatorial, and legislative tickets for the 2023 general election strictly to moneybags, I recommend George Orwell’s timeless novel, ‘Animal Farm’, for those who seek a better understanding of the situation in Nigeria today. Last Thursday, the Council of State approved the pardon of 159 convicts.

Two names stood out: Former Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State who was jailed for stealing N1.16 billion and Jolly Nyame of Taraba convicted of N1.6 billion.

While President Goodluck Jonathan similarly pardoned the late DSP Alamieyeseigha to whom he (Jonathan) was once deputy in Bayelsa State, the reprieve came years after Alamieyeseigha had completed the jail term imposed on him by the court. With President Buhari who came in to ‘fight corruption’, the convicts have barely started serving their terms!

In the first in a series on ‘crime and

punishment in Nigeria’ published just two months after this administration first came to office in 2015, I argued that the embarrassing inequality that we have in our system is product of a justice administration that places those who ordinarily should be in jail above the rest of society. When you run a system where the bigger the offence (and the offenders), the higher the possibility of escaping justice, it is the larger society that is in danger. I then admonished President Buhari that the place to start would be in ensuring equality before the law. But if I may borrow from the wisdom of ‘Mr Macaroni’, Nigerians can now say ‘the president is doing well’.

I understand that both Dariye and Nyame may soon file their papers to contest for Senate on the platform of APC. Maybe we should beg them to join the presidential race. But to be fair to this government, there were indications that the whole anti-corruption gambit was just a ruse to capture power in 2015. In 2013 when Alemieyesigha was granted the controversial pardon condemned by most Nigerians, the fiercest critic of President Jonathan at that period was Alhaji Lai Mohammed, now the Information and Culture Minister. He was then the spokesman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) that was about to merge with other parties to form the APC of which he also became spokesman. Asked for the position of his party on the pardon granted Alamieyeseigha, he said: “It is the decision of my party not to comment on that issue.”

Instructively, that was perhaps the only issue on which Alhaji Lai Mohammed and the opposition party he represented at the time had no negative opinion!

But I am not discussing politics today.

In the past few years, many of our banks have devised unconventional methods of debt recovery. One that is very popular is to print some oversized and undersized vests and hand them over to their staff (including pot-bellied men and women with features that only my friend, Reuben Abati can describe) to wear, and dance to the residence or office of debtors, in a name and shame attempt to force them to pay. Well, a bank costumer has turned the table. In a viral video, a depositor with Fidelity Bank hired a live band to play outside their premises, with the musician raining invectives on the bank management for failing to reverse a failed transaction for their sponsor.

As much as such entertainment keeps us sane in Nigeria, I understand that many of my readers would have expected me to write on yesterday’s bomb explosion in Taraba State or the invasion by soldiers of Imo State communities or the fate of the abducted train passengers who remain in captivity. In a way, I have. The connecting thread to those issues and sundry others, including those highlighted above, is the absence of law and order in Nigeria. And until we fix the problem, our country will remain broken. Law and order help to moderate human interactions while ensuring that citizens are not only equal before the law but are also free (and safe) to pursue opportunities in a manner that is beneficial to themselves and the larger society.

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