WEDNESDAY 18TH MAY 2022

Deborah’s Murder: File Charges Reflecting Gravity of Situation, NBA Tells Sokoto Govt Postpones conference billed for Sokoto in honour of deceased We are taken aback by fanatical support given the callous action by top religious leaders, highly placed govt officials, lawyers, says AFBA Adeboye shelves planned Sokoto crusade Alex Enumah in Abuja The leadership of the umbrella body for lawyers in the country,

the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) yesterday called on the Government of Sokoto State to demonstrate seriousness and willingness in its

prosecution of alleged culprits in the murder of a young Christian student in the state by ensuring that charges preferred against the

defendants were true reflection of the gravity of the offense of murder.

This was just as the African Bar Association (AFBA), in a statement

signed by its President, Hannibal Uwaifo, obtained Yesterday, stated that it was completely taken aback by the

fanatical support given to the callous action by top religious Continued on page 12

Divestment: TotalEnergies Puts Up 16 Oil Assets in Nigeria For Sale… Page 10 Wednesday 18 May, 2022 Vol 27. No 9899. Price: N250

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FG Urges Facebook to Stop IPOB from Using Platform to Incite Violence, Ethnic Hatred... Page 12

Presidency Flays Northern Elders for Asking Part of Nigeria to Leave

Warns unelected group has no right to speak for people Says it can't take advice from opinionated tin gods NEF: We didn't instigate any section to leave Nigeria Deji Elumoye and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The presidency, yesterday, condemned a suggestion by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF)

that any section of the country that desired to leave should be allowed to go.

NEF had canvassed that the Igbo should be allowed to secede from Nigeria if the people wanted to

leave. The group, however, quickly clarified, in reaction to the presidency’s criticism, that it had not

instigated any section of Nigeria to Continued on page 12

Fears Mount in APC over Moves to Zone Presidency to North-east New delegates’ template favours Lawan Ganduje: I believe APC will pick presidential candidate from South Says Osinbajo is a loyal, successful vice president APC commences screening of 2,822 House of Assembly aspirants today Denies altering presidential primary date

Continued on page 12

PRESIDENT BUHARI WELCOMES HRM OLU OF WARRI TO THE VILLA...

R-L; Chief Julius Rone, Hon Temi Harriman, Minister of State Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo; Chief of Staff Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; President Muhammadu Buhari; The Olu of Warri, His Royal Majesty, Tesola PHOTO: SUNDAY AGHAEZE Emiko Ogiame Atuwatse III, Chief Brown Mene; Prince Emiko; Chief Mrs Olivia Agbajoh and Mr Amaju Pinnick, during an audience at the State House in Abuja...yesterday

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

NEWS

AT SEPLAT'S TREE4LIFE LAUNCH...

L-R: Chairman Seplat Energy, Ambrose Ojiako; Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva; Chairman, Board of Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Senator Magaret Okadigbo and Director, External Affairs and Sustainability, Dr. Chioma Nwachuku, at Seplat's Tree4Life launch held at Yar'Adua Centre in Abuja…yesterday

Buhari Pledges to Increase Investments in Aviation Safety, Security Sirika justifies aviation fuel scarcity, reiterates it's global challenge Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed that Nigeria would deploy more investments aimed at the provision of infrastructure and facilities for safe, secure, environmentally friendly and sustainable civil aviation.

This is just as Aviation Minister, Senator Hadi Sirika, justified the current aviation fuel scarcity in the country, saying the situation was not peculiar to Nigeria alone.

The president, who spoke yesterday, while receiving in audience the Secretary General of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Mr Juan Carlos Salazar, at the State House, Abuja, said Nigeria would support the ideals and aspirations of ICAO and achievement of its strategic objectives, in collaboration with other Member States of the Organisation.

According to him: “Nigeria became a member of ICAO Council in 1962, and since then, it has continued to make valuable contributions to the Council’s work and its activities.

“It is pertinent to also mention that Nigeria has been playing a key role in supporting the implementation of ICAO Policies and Programmes internationally, and particularly in the African region.

“To this end, Nigeria has ratified international air law instruments like the Montreal Protocol and amendments to some articles of the Chicago Convention. Nigeria is also championing the cause of Aviation safety, security and facilitation in Africa.’’

The president told the ICAO delegation that he had approved the establishment of Aerospace University in Abuja, to cater for research and development as well as

provide manpower for the industry.

“In this regard, Nigeria is looking forward to the continued support of ICAO under its ‘No Country Left Behind’ initiative,’’ he added.

Buhari also pointed out that the Nigerian government had established independent agencies in order to enhance aviation safety and security, while ensuring effective and efficient provision and management of infrastructure in all aspects of the industry.

“These include the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority for safety and economic oversight of the industry; the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency for air traffic services; the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria for management of Government owned airports; the Nigerian Meteorological Agency for meteorological services; and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, the nation’s main aviation training organisation,

established in 1964 in collaboration with ICAO and the United Nations Development Programme.

“Nigeria is fully committed to working with other States and supporting the implementation of the Global Aviation Safety Plan, the Global Air Navigation Plan, as well as the Global Aviation Security Plan,’’ the president said.

As part of its support, Buhari said Nigeria, over time, seconded auditors to support various ICAO programmes in the areas of safety and security.

“We have also contributed experts on various ICAO technical panels, commissions and working groups.

“The Government of Nigeria has adopted a civil aviation policy, which is centered on liberalisation and Public-Private-Partnerships Initiative. These have resulted in huge investments in the nation’s airports infrastructure and services,

Africa’s Development Tied to its Diaspora, Says OACPS Michael Olugbode in Abuja The Secretary - General of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), Mr Georges Chikoti has said until Africa begins to harness and exploit its huge human and capital resources in the Diaspora more constructively, there may be slow growth and development of the continent.

Chikoti said this when he led a seven-man delegation to the Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in Abuja.

Chikoti whose visit centered on plans to host an upcoming Diaspora Convention, added that Africa has the largest amount of Diaspora and the number of Africans migrating was on the increase.

According to a statement by Gabriel Odu of the Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit of the NIDCOM, the Secretary General and his team plan to create opportunities for Africans to return home and not only to invest, but to participate in sports and politics, hence the importance

of the forthcoming convention.

Odu said Chikoti who was excited with the records set by NIDCOM, added that, "the more we give Nigerians in the Diaspora attention, the more we get better results from them."

On her part, Dabiri-Erewa, com-

mended the Secretary General's efforts at OACPS and his entire team for enlisting NIDCOM in the post-Convention activities for African Diaspora Day. She stated that there would be a more robust engagement with OACPS and communication would be established

to build up a proper Conference.

The NIDCOM boss stated further that the second and third generation of Nigerians in the Diaspora are even more curious and desirous in giving back to their homeland, an opportunity that should not be missed.

increased capacity utilisation and phenomenal increase in the number of domestic operators.

"Indeed, the domestic and international traffic has experienced tremendous growth since our assumption of office in 2015.

“Nigeria is the headquarters of the Regional Safety Oversight Organisation, the Banjul Accord Group Aviation Safety Oversight Organisation and also, a major contributor and participant in the Regional Accident Investigation Agency, the Banjul Accord Group Accident Investigation Agency,’’ he added.

According to the president, Nigeria recently made a robust donation to the ICAO Voluntary Air Transport Fund in order to be part of the global efforts for recovery from COVID-19 crisis.

“We have also made significant financial contributions to the Safety and Human Resource Development Funds, in addition to hosting several ICAO meetings and regional workshops, including the widely acclaimed successful third ICAO World Aviation Forum, as well as several other workshops on safety oversight,’’ he said.

Also speaking at the event, Sirika, commended Buhari for the giant strides taken under his administration in the areas of aviation safety, security and development.

“Our profile improved significantly during your tenure, Mr President. Passengers rose from eight million to 18 million in four years, while security and safety also went up significantly,” he said.

Earlier in his speech, the ICAO Scribe lauded what he called, “the leadership role Nigeria plays in civil aviation in Africa,” saying the country’s record was one of the most impressive in the world.

“The number of airports have doubled, passengers are growing in spite of COVID-19. The record of safety is the most important performance indicator of all. I recognise the excellent work by your government to maintain high standards, in line with international best practices,” Salazar said.

Stressing that it was important to maintain the track record, the ICAO Secretary General stressed that there was no end line in civil aviation, “we keep chasing targets that go on and on.”

He urged Buhari to sustain the support being given to the sector, to attract further investment, tourism, and continued growth.

Addressing newsmen after the visit, the Aviation Minister reiterated that aviation fuel scarcity with its attendant high cost was not peculiar to Nigeria.

Continued online

Current Visa Arrangement Frustrating Nigeria-US Trade, Says Lagos US Consul Gilbert Ekugbe The Head of Commercial Section/ Commercial Counsellor, Lagos US Consulate, David Russell, yesterday, stated that the current visa environment between Nigeria and the United States of America was the biggest limiting factor hindering trade between both countries.

The US envoy stated this at the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce ((NACC) breakfast meeting in Lagos, with the theme: "US Mission's Current Commercialfocused Activities in Nigeria."

According to him, many Nigerians doing business with the United States have had difficulties traveling

for training and connecting with their business partners which he said was detrimental to the overall business relationships.

In his words: "We put a lot more focus on ensuring that we work with our partners across the embassy to facilitate traveling when we are able to. We are dedicated to doing what we can to build capacities for both travels to the United States and here in Nigeria."

Russell added: "One of the biggest limiting factors we have with doing business with US is the current visa environment in which people doing business with US have had difficulties travelling for trainings and connecting with

their business partners which is detrimental to their overall business relationships."

He also stated that US businesses were willing to invest in Nigeria, but are however worried over trust gaps in working in unfamiliar markets like Nigeria.

"We have to get the risk profile to a level that is acceptable to US businesses. Our goal is to look to the bright sides and perceptions of risk within markets like Nigeria.

"Many times the risk is what keeps companies from not looking into a market like Nigeria, so we want to make sure companies are giving Nigeria a second look," he assured.

He, however, stated that the Biden-Harris administration was focused on Africa, stressing that the administration was committed to revitalising partnerships and alliances based on dialogue, respect, and mutually shared values.

"This means working together with African partners to advance our shared vision of a better and greener future; this means building long-term partnerships, creating jobs in our economies, and doing so with two way trade and investment.

There are significant opportunities for both countries as we look to reopen for business," said.

He pointed out that the US mission to Nigeria has several initiatives

to engage Nigerian businesses such as those that make up the membership of the NACC, adding that these programmes could provide the tools and opportunities for those looking to carry out businesses in the US. He said the US government was dedicated to increasing two way trade and mobilising investment inside Africa's fast growing markets.

He noted that through Prosper Africa initiatives, the embassy was delivering on the Biden administration's agenda of strengthening the ability of the availability of capital and right sizing some of the perceptions of debt and liability on the continent.

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WHEN ICAO CAME CALLING AT THE VILLA...

R-L: Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika; Chief of Staff, Prof Ibrahim Gambari; President Muhammadu Buhari; Secretary General of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Mr Juan Carlos Salaazar, and Director, Air Transport Bureau, Mr. Mohammed Khalifa Rahma, during an audience at the State House. Abuja… yesterday PHOTO: SUNDAY AGHAEZE.

In Historic Deal, Afreximbank, African Oil Producers Sign Agreement to Float Energy Bank MoU follows continuing exit of foreign oil companies Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Africa’s multilateral trade finance institution, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), has signed a deal with the African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO) for the creation of an energy bank.

The deal followed pressure from Nigeria and other oil-producing African countries to float a bank that will cater to the energy needs of the continent as a result of declining global investment in the oil and gas sector.

Recently, the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, while marshalling reasons for the urgent need to establish the bank, stated that it will help boost business activities in the sector on the continent.

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) had recently projected that the global oil industry will require about $12.6 trillion investments in the downstream, midstream as well as upstream to sustain its innovative and production efficiency in the next 25 years.

It warned that Nigeria’s economy as well as those of other resourcedependent countries may be badly affected, especially if the current push against fossil fuels continues to gain ground.

Sylva said since western nations were scaling down funding for hydrocarbon exploration across the world and focusing on renewable energies, setting up an African energy bank remains a viable way to neutralise the threat.

According to the minister, the call for the establishment of the bank is heightened by the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), stressing that the Act will

open up the oil and gas sector for huge investments, going forward.

“If we insist on the exploration of our oil and gas reserves when the world is cutting down on investments in the sector, we must set a financial institution, an African energy bank, to develop the oil and gas sector,” he insisted.

But during the signing ceremony at the ongoing 8th African Petroleum Congress and Exhibition tagged “CAPE VIII” in Luanda, Angola, the parties explained that the deal was aimed at scaling up private sector investment in African oil and gas projects.

The bank is expected to provide critical financing for new and existing oil and gas projects as well as energy developments across the entire value chain.

While the Director and Global Head, Client Relations, Afreximbank, Mr. Rene Awambeng signed on behalf of the bank, Nigeria’s Omar Farouk, Secretary General of APPO, appended his signature on behalf of African oil producers.

A communiqué by the parties stated that the deal was made possible having regard to the long, mutually beneficial relationship and cooperation between APPO and Afreximbank.

They noted that they were concerned about the threat posed to the African oil and gas industry and Africa's economic development by the coordinated withdrawal of international trade and project financing from Africa's oil and gas industry.

According to the signatories , having acknowledged the impact of climate change on Africa and aware that poverty fosters accelerated environmental degradation, there was the need for an orderly

and just transition that protects the environment and enhances living standards.

“The two African institutions have resolved to work together to find an Africa-led solution to the threat posed to the African oil and gas industry and an orderly energy transition in Africa by the withdrawal of funding by its traditional financiers.

“The two institutions have committed to taking necessary actions to promote a sustainable and balanced solution to the challenge of financing the oil and gas industry in Africa during the energy transition.

“This will be done through, among others, the establishment of an African energy transition bank dedicated to supporting an Africa-led energy transition strategy that is consistent with the goal of preserving the environment and

livelihoods,” the African institutions said.

While the developed world calls for the end of fossil fuels due to climate change, Africa continues to face the crisis of energy poverty.

According to available data, over 600 million lack access to electricity and 900 million lack access to clean cooking solutions, leading to stakeholders calling for the rapid expansion of the oil and gas sector.

Despite these calls, global investors are shying away from hydrocarbons, leaving the continent without the investment it needs if it is to capitalise on its resources.

The African Energy Chamber, (AEC) Q1 2022 report on the state of African energy, says that from the peak in 2014 at $60 billion, capital expenditure in Africa declined to $22.5 billion in 2020.

Despite projected increases to $30 billion, significant levels of investment are still required, and thus, the role of African financial institutions has been emphasised, it said.

Organisations such as the Afreximbank have already made notable progress to drive oil and gas project developments. At the end of 2020, the Afreximbank’s total assets and guarantees stood at $21.5 billion, with shareholder funds amounting to $3.4 billion.

The Afreximbank-APPO MoU, the deal said, is aimed at alleviating these challenges and ensuring the provision of capital for Africa’s upcoming oil and gas projects.

Based in Africa, the bank will operate as an independent entity, regulated and led by experienced professionals that know and understand Africa’s energy needs.

Tinubu: I Won’t Quit Politics, Presidential Race Consensus on Nigeria’s structure critical, Says Anyim, meets southwest delegates Chuks Okocha in Abuja and George Okoh in Makurdi National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has vowed not to retire from politics until he actualises his dream of becoming the President of Nigeria.

Tinubu, who said this yesterday in Makurdi, Benue State capital, while addressing delegates and party members, explained that he was in the presidential race to rekindle the hope of Nigerians.

Also, a presidential hopeful in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),

Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, has said a consensus on the structure of the country was critical to development, even as he met southwest delegates as part of his consultation for the presidential run.

However, speaking further on his ambition, Tinubu was of the view that there was no contest between him and whoever would emerge as candidate of the opposition PDP. But if elected, he said, "l will bring the experience of my leadership in Lagos State as a governor to bear on leadership style in Nigeria.

I guarantee you that I will run a transparent, rewarding, inclusive

and open government. Nigeria is rich. What we need is to redirect our resources and channel them in the right direction to bring about prosperity.”

But Anyim, who also met delegates in Ibadan, Oyo State, yesterday, said he was fully prepared by his experience and exposure for the office of the President of Nigeria, because he had clear ideas of the challenges facing the country and the solutions they demanded.

On the broad agenda of his programme, the presidential aspirant categorised Nigeria's

UBA Upgrades Chatbot Features as 'Leo' Launches Service on Google Business Chat, Instagram The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has announced the expansion of the services of Leo, its Artificial Intelligence chatbot to Google Business Chat and Instagram.

Leo - UBA's AI-powered chatbot, which enables customers to make use of their social media accounts to carry out key banking transactions - was first introduced in January, 2018.

According to a statement yesterday, it has since evolved to become a custom-fitted, personalised virtual banker to several UBA customers across its 20 African

countries. :Before now, UBA’s Leo was servicing customers on Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp and Apple Chat," it added.

The bank also announced an interesting upgrade to the existing features of Leo, where customers are now allowed to carry out their activities in a 3D animated format. "Armed with this upgrade and with its recent expansion to Instagram and Google Business, customers will now be able to carry out more transactions from the comfort of their homes and can now perform more activities

The proposed bank, it said, will not be a substitute for private investment, however, but rather, will serve as a catalyst for Africa-directed investment.

“The African Energy Chamber has been pushing for the creation of an African Energy Bank, one that is African-based and Africa-focused, and I am proud to announce that the Afreximbank and APPO have taken the first steps towards its creation. “ The bank will be critical for Africa’s energy sector, serving as a catalyst – not a substitute – for private investment in African energy.

“This is a practical strategy for prosperity and a pragmatic vision that must be embraced by all who want to make energy poverty history and fight climate change,” the Executive Chairman of the AEC, N.J Ayuk, said.

such as funds transfer, checking balances, buying airtime and data, and getting their bank statements with ease, from any of these social media platforms," it added.

UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Kennedy Uzoka, who spoke about the upgraded features of Leo, explained that the bank was always on the lookout for innovative ways to develop strategies aimed at easing transactions for the bank’s numerous users, while ensuring utmost safety of their transactions.

He said, “At UBA, we have been

working with technology giants that have the global capacity to ensure not only seamless but also effortless banking for millions of our customers across Africa.

"We at UBA, have collaborated with the very best to actualise this unbeatable innovation that is capable of revolutionising the way banking is done in Africa.”

He disclosed that Leo’s activities had aptly spread across Africa, changing the face of e-banking in other key African locations including Cameroon, Zambia, Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal, Congo

DRC, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Gabon, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Benin, Mozambique, Zambia, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali.

Uzoka emphasised that the uniqueness of Leo lies in the convenience.

“Customers can initiate transactions without leaving their favoured phone applications.

"By bringing Leo to the comfort zone of its customers, UBA's chat banking became a pioneer innovation and has since enjoyed leadership status in the chat banking space,” he explained.

problems into three namely: political, economic and social, saying he gathered profound experience from his over 30 years of public service including being a senator, President of the Senate, and secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), adding that he would be bringing these experiences in running the country if Nigerians elect him as president next year.

"At the formation of our nation (Union), there were lots of negotiations, constitutional conferences and even the Willinks Commission to allay the fears of the minority tribes. The lesson here is that the buy-in of all component segments of the nation is required to build the nation.

"Given that democracy is government of the people, by the people and for the people, therefore, any policy of government that does not have the buy-in of the people is not likely to succeed. This accounts for the failure of several attempts to advance our nation.”

Presenting what he called his “pathway to a greater Nigeria,” to the party delegates from all the six states of Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti and Ogun, Anyim described the Southwest as the brainbox of the nation and promised to partner with the zone on the issue of restructuring.

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LAUNCH OF ADVANS NIGERIA EDUCATION LOAN PRODUCTS...

L-R: Head, Marketing and Communication, Advans La Fayette Microfinance Bank, Kayode Abraham; Project Manager, Fanny Belhomme; Managing Director, Gaetan Debuchy; Head of Business Development, Olawale Raheem; and Head of Legal Compliance, Jennifer Halim-Ubahakwe, during the launch of the Advans Nigeria Education Loan products by La Fayette Microfinance Bank held in PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN Lagos…. yesterday

Divestment: TotalEnergies Puts Up 16 Oil Assets in Nigeria For Sale Peter Uzoho French multinational oil and gas giant, TotalEnergies has launched

the sale of its10 per cent stake in Nigerian joint venture with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and

Shell Petroleum Development Company, (SPDC) and Eni. The oil major appointed Canada’s Scotiabank financial adviser to

lead the sale of the assets, a sale document tendering for interest has shown.

Although Scotiabank reportedly

declined to comment on the exercise while TotalEnergies also declined to comment on the financial adviser, however, the international oil

WHO Spends $1.7bn on COVID-19 Response One million children receive malaria vaccine Inadequate emergency preparedness caused COVID-19 disruptions, says NACA DG Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The World Health Organisation (WHO) has disclosed that it spent a total of $1.7 billion on essential supplies to the COVID-19 response across the globe.

In statement issued in Geneva, yesterday, WHO stated that between 2020 and 2021, it led the largest-ever global response for a health crisis, working with 1600 technical and operational partners, and helped galvanise the biggest, fastest and most complex vaccination drive in history.

WHO also said its recommendation of widespread use of the world’s first malaria vaccine, RTSS, has been delivered to over one million children. Furthermore, the global health body stated that countries across the globe have recorded tremendous achievement in healthcare despite COVID-19 pandemic.

In what seemed like a stocktaking and evaluation of its

response to the global health emergency, WHO said its Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator partnership delivered over one billion COVID-19 vaccine doses

by January 2022.

The statement signed by the WHO Director General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, noted that its global rollout of crucial health materials included, “nearly $500 million worth of personal protective equipment; $187 million in oxygen supplies, $4.8 million in treatments and 110 million diagnostic tests.

"The organisation spent $1.7 billion on essential supplies to the COVID-19 response. Even as WHO has responded to the most severe global health crisis in a century, we have continued to support our Member States in addressing many other threats to health, despite squeezed budgets and disrupted services.

“As the world continues to respond to and recover from the pandemic in the years ahead,

Outgoing Seplat Chair to Get Contractual Role After Exit Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The outgoing Chairman of Seplat Energy Plc, Dr Ambrosie Orjiako, who retires today from the company, may be given a new role on a contractual basis.

A statement from the energy firm last night stated that Seplat was in discussion with Orjiako on the terms of the new deal, saying that no decision had been taken yet.

The release signed by the Chief Financial Officer of Seplat, Mr. Emeka Onwuka , however assured that whatever resolution is made will be in line with all regulatory requirements.

"Further to the announcement made on November 17, 2021, Seplat Energy Plc (the Company) confirms that Dr. A.B.C Orjiako will be retiring from the board of the

company after the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 18 May 2022.

"The company confirms that it is currently in discussions with Dr. Orjiako on how he would assist Seplat Energy Plc with specific and essential external stakeholder engagements he is currently involved in, which will continue beyond the date he steps down," the firm stated.

It added: "To clarify, no contract has been finalised yet and the contractual role to be performed

by Dr Orjiako, will not be in conflict with the role of the incoming Independent Non-Executive Chairman.

"Assuming a contract is subsequently agreed, on signature, the company will fully disclose the terms in accordance with regulatory requirements.

WHO’s priority is to invest even more resources for our work in countries, where it matters most,” he continued.

“Ensuring WHO has sustainable, predictable and flexible financing is essential for fulfilling our mission to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable," he said.

The statement issued ahead of the World Health Assembly next week, gave details such as accomplishments in the delivery of more than 1.4 billion vaccine doses via the COVAX facility, the recommendation for broad use of the world’s first malaria vaccine and WHO’s response to some 87 health emergencies, including COVID-19.

WHO however stated that much remained to be done for the world to get on track for its target of each country vaccinating 70 per cent of its population by July 2022.

The results report revealed noteworthy achievements beyond the pandemic.

It stated that mandatory policies prohibiting the use of trans fatty acids (a hazardous food compound linked to cardiovascular disease), are in effect for 3.2 billion people in 58 countries.

Meanwhile, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has attributed most of the disruptions in the healthcare delivery targets to the country's inadequate emergency prepared-

ness and response to COVID-19 pandemic.

It said the situation slightly impacted on the country's 2030 target to achieve zero new infection, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-Related deaths.

Speaking on yesterday, at the 6th National Council on AIDS with the theme: “Innovative Approaches towards HIV Epidemic Control and Programme Sustainability at State Level,” the Director General of NACA, Dr.Gambo Aliyu said notwithstanding the impact of COVID-19, Nigeria still recorded its largest growth in HIV treatment numbers, initiating close to 300,000 people living with HIV on treatment in 2020.

company (IOC) had in late April announced the sale of the assets.

TotalEnergies had confirmed it was selling its interest in 13 onshore fields and three in shallow water, producing over 20,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. The sale includes infrastructure such as 3,500 km of pipelines connecting to two key crude export terminals, Bonny and Forcados.

The French multinational, which just celebrated its 60th years of operation in Nigeria's exploration and production business, will keep oil mining licenses (OMLs) 23 and 28 and its interest in the associated gas pipeline network that feeds Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited.

Oil majors operating in Nigeria have been progressively exiting the country’s onshore production due to years of sabotage and theft that have degraded assets across the oil-rich Niger Delta.

SPDC is a joint venture in which Shell holds a 30 per cent working interest, NNPC holds 55 per cent, TotalEnergies holds 10 per cent while Eni holds five per cent.

Shell is also selling its stake in SPDC but these efforts have been held up by a court case.

Obi: Politicians, Govt Officials Have Abandoned Naira for Dollars Says fixing power, education possible

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Former governor of Anambra state and a presidential aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Peter Obi has expressed worry over the poor state of the country’s economy, especially the diminishing value of the naira.

Obi who was guest on the ‘Morning Show’ on Arise Television, yesterday, said the reason the country's economy witnessed unimaginable downturn was the undue emphasis on consumption rather than production.

Speaking on the decreasing value of the nation’s currency, Obi said one of the most important ingredients of a nation was the respect people have for their currency.

"Currency is the measure of faith and trust of citizens of a nation, it is the measure of

productivity. It is very worrisome that government officials who are supposed to be the protector of our local currency have abandoned the currency and are now spending dollars.

"I find it worrisome that while our manufacturers, business people are not getting dollars to bring in critical goods into our country, the politicians have enough dollars to share and these people are those who have no legitimate means of earning this dollar," he said.

Obi lamented that the country's politics has remained largely transactional.

On the high cost of nomination forms, he said there was no country in the world where you spend such an amount of money to purchase nomination forms. He said in America where Nigeria copied its democracy from, and which has Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of about $20 trillion, pays

maximum of $4,000 for nomination forms, whereas in Nigeria with two per cent of their GDP, politicians pay as much as $100, 000 to pick expression of interest and nomination forms.

“None of us paying this amount to purchase party nomination forms, has anyone asked to produce evidence of tax payment for the past 10 years,” he added.

To make matters worse, he said politicians were flaunting such wealth at a time when lecturers and other non-teaching staff had on strike.

He also queried the rationale for spending such huge sum of money when lecturers and pensioners were being owed one entitlement or the other.

Obi spoke about his tenure as governor of Anambra state.

He explained that during his tenure as governor, his administration gave priority to

three keys areas, pension, salaries and savings before embarking on other expenditures.

He said it was the strategy that helped him to make substantial savings for the state.

On the problem affecting the economy, he said the country has not paid adequate attention to the development and growth of small scale, productive businesses.

Obi said if given the opportunity to serve as president, he would vote more resources for the promotion of small businesses.

He said power supply which is one of key factors affecting the country's economy, would also be given priority.

According to him, improving power supply was not rocket science, adding that big economies in Africa like South Africa and Egypt had successfully grown their power generation capacities within a short period.

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FG Urges Facebook to Stop IPOB from Using Platform to Incite Violence, Ethnic Hatred Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has asked Facebook and other social media platforms to prevent the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) from using their platforms to incite violence and instigate ethnic hatred in Nigeria.

He made the demand yesterday in Abuja, at a meeting with a team from Facebook.

The minister said Facebook had no justification to yield its platform

to IPOB to further its campaign of hate and destabilisation of the country given that the Federal government had proscribed and classified the group as a terrorist organisation.

He said he summoned the meeting to enable the parties discuss the increasing use of Facebook by separatists and anarchists, especially those of them based outside the country, to instigate violence and ethnic hatred in Nigeria.

“For whatever reason, they seem to have now chosen Facebook as

their platform of choice. And their tools include disinformation, incendiary statements and hate speech.

They use Facebook broadcasts to reach their followers, who are in thousands.

“They tag those opposed to their violent ways as 'saboteurs' who must be attacked, maimed and killed.

They use both English and their local language as it suits them,” Mohammed said.

He said the actions of the proscribed group have real-life implications, adding: ''By purveying

hate and inciting violence, people are getting killed while private and public property are being attacked and destroyed. Security agencies and other symbols of government are their choice targets.''

The minister lamented that despite the numerous complaints to Facebook on the activities of IPOB, the company did nothing to curtail the group's excesses on the social media platform.

“Our social media people have been monitoring these separatists, anarchists and purveyors of hate,

and have been reporting their atrocious actions to Facebook, but all they get are default responses that their complaints have been received and are being looked into.

“Most often than not, nothing is done about such complaints. The truth is that whatever Facebook is doing to check these people is mere tokenism and is totally ineffective,” he said.

He said the federal government would be monitoring Facebook and other platforms closely in the days ahead to ensure compliance with

the demand, as it steps up the campaign for the responsible use of social media.

“We have always advocated a responsible use of social media, and consistently called on all stakeholders to join us in achieving this. Some have tagged our efforts as an attempt to stifle social media.

They are wrong, because we have no intention of preventing Nigerians from using social media responsibly.

All we have been advocating is a responsible use of social media,” he said.

is why they are trying to amend the law again to suit their own selfish purposes and calculations,” a source who pleaded to remain anonymous had stated.

On the other hand, the source hinted that the APC was considering either zoning the position of the vice president to either the south-west or south-south.

Under the new APC arrangement, it was gathered that the Senate President might be zoned to the south-east if the ruling party gets the majority seat in the Red Chamber and the Speaker of the House of Representative zone by the APC to the North-west. In the same vein, it was gathered that the leadership of the party might have decided to zone its Deputy Senate President to the North Central and the Deputy Speaker to either the South-west or South-south.

THISDAY had yesterday quoted Tambuwal to have said: “They (APC) are gradually moving away from their zoning arrangement. We know their tricks. They want to see the outcome of our primary come May 28 and 29 before they will

decide who will be their candidate.

“Look at the APC national chairman. He is quiet about their supposed zoning arrangement simply because they already have plans to field Senator Ahmad Lawan depending on who is the presidential candidate of our party.”

On his part, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, while speaking on a national television reiterated his support for Lawan’s presidential ambition.

The Senate Chief Whip added: “With Ahmad Lawan, I am ready to be the sweeper of the place (Aso Rock). I don’t need to have a position if Ahmad Lawan is the president,” the former Abia State governor noted.

“I can sweep the Villa; my house is very close to the Villa. I can be the sweeper of the Villa; it is just a stone’s throw. I am not joking.”

According to the former Abia governor, some presidential aspirants are already considering stepping down for the Senate President. Kalu expressed optimism that Lawan has what it takes to reset the country.

FEARS MOUNT IN APC OVER MOVES TO ZONE PRESIDENCY TO NORTH-EAST Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Emameh Gabriel In a move that is certainly going to generate shock waves around the country and heighten the already tensed political situation, it has come to light that the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is working towards zoning its presidential ticket to the Northeast, with the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan likely to emerge as its presidential candidate in the 2023 elections.

Many in the South who have been strident in calls for the presidential ticket to be zoned to the South after eight years of Buhari in the saddle are will not likely to be amused by this evolving development.

Also, with the latest decision of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to allow adhoc delegates to elect presidential candidate at its forthcoming convention, the chances of a northern aspirant emerging as

the presidential standard bearer have brightened even more.

A reliable source in the ruling party who disclosed the new zoning arrangement in the APC to THISDAY yesterday, further confirmed Monday’s disclosure

by Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal that the party may have settled for Lawan as its presidential candidate.

It also confirmed a recent THISDAY report that National Assembly’s latest amendment to the Electoral Act, 2022, to allow statutory delegates – all those elected – to participate and vote in the conventions, congresses or meetings of political parties, was designed to boost the chances of the Senate President in the 2023 presidential race.

THISDAY had reported that the aim of the fresh amendment to the Electoral Act which received accelerated passage at both chambers of the National Assembly, was to increase the chances of Lawan in the party’s presidential primaries

and subsequently boost the Party's chances of retaining in the 2023 presidential elections.

However, if President Muhammadu Buhari assents to the Electoral Act 2022 Amendment Bill before him, which will allow statutory delegates to participate in the presidential primaries the dynamics of the contest will change dramatically in favour Lawan The current Electoral Act 2022 (as amended) has no role for statutory delegates at the convention.

Statutory or “Super” delegates are elected Councillors, local government chairmen and their vice, party chairmen in the 774 LGAs and six Abuja area councils, state and federal lawmakers, governors and their deputies, president and vice president, NWC members, state party chairmen and secretaries.

The provision in the Principal Act reads: “A political party that adopts the system of indirect primaries for the choice of its candidate shall clearly outline

in its constitution and rule the procedure for the democratic election of delegates to vote at the convention, congress or meeting.

Last week, federal lawmakers amended Section 84 of the Principal Act by deleting subsection (8) and inserting a new subsection (8) as follows: “A political party that adopts the system of indirect primaries for the choice of its candidates shall clearly outline in its constitution and rules the procedure for the democratic election of delegates to vote at the convention, congress or meeting, in addition to statutory delegates already prescribed in the Constitution of the party.”

“What the National Assembly is trying to do is to back Lawan with the huge number of statutory delegates of past and present legislators that the amendment would allow to attend such conventions and congresses. They are in the region of almost 4,000, who are most likely going to throw their support behind Lawan. So, that

PRESIDENCY FLAYS NORTHERN ELDERS FOR ASKING PART OF NIGERIA TO LEAVE leave. It said Senior Special Assistant (Media and Publicity) to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Garba Shehu, failed to quote any statement NEF had made to instigate any part of Nigeria to go.

Spokesman of NEF, Hakeem BabaAhmed, had said, "The forum has arrived at the difficult conclusion that if support for secession among the Igbo is as widespread as it is being made to look, and Igbo leadership appears to be in support of it, then, the country should be advised not to stand in its way.

“It will not be the best choice for the Igbo or Nigerians to leave a country we have all toiled to build and a country we all have the responsibility to fix, but it will not help a country already burdened with failures on its knees to fight another war to keep the Igbo in Nigeria.”

However, reacting to NEF’s position, presidential spokesman, Shehu, in a statement, stressed that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration was the only democratically elected government that could speak for all Nigerians.

Shehu wondered why NEF would arrogate to itself the power it never possessed to speak for the people.

He asked Nigerians to disregard such call by NEF for any section of the country to leave the federation.

The presidential spokesman said in the statement, "We are aware of the latest statement from the so-called Northern Elders Forum. We wish to reassure Nigerians that it remains their democratically elected leadership, which takes the decisions that steer our nation – and no one else.

"No self-appointed and unelected group can take this right from Nigerians – no matter how much coverage they might enjoy in the media. Nigerians listen to elected leaders, not opinionated tin gods, who have no traction with any responsible group.

"It is a delusional arrogance that would lead such a group to publicly state terms and conditions for the existence of our nation. Who gave them the right to ask for the exclusion, or expulsion of anyone, group or section of the country from the Federal Republic of Nigeria?

"The Nigerian government does not take guidance or invitations from such groups – only from the Nigerian people, who put governments in office. Any group can refer to themselves as ‘leaders’, but in Nigeria, if you have not been elected by Nigerians to a leadership role, then, you are not – and the government certainly doesn’t recognise you as such.

"Like many other countries around the world, Nigeria is feeling the strain of the current period of volatility and uncertainty. Now is not the time to seek to exacerbate divisions amongst Nigerians. Rather, we call on all Nigerians to come together and work to overcome the challenges we face as one nation, one people."

NEF to Garba Shehu: You Lied, We Didn't Instigate Any

Section to Leave Nigeria

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) denied instigating a section of Nigeria to leave the country, saying Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, lied. NEF’s Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said this in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja.

The forum stated, "The attention of Northern Elders Forum has been drawn to a statement by Malam Garba Shehu, Special Assistant to the President on Media, claiming that the forum has released a statement instigating a section of Nigeria to leave the country.

"Malam Garba Shehu’s statement did not quote a single word in the ‘statement’, did not mention its signatory or its date.

"As a former journalist, he must know that no self-respecting journalist will take this statement seriously. His statement was entirely a monologue castigating the forum over fiction which only he can understand."

The forum expressed its belief in the rights of all Nigerians to live in peace and aspire to their dreams.

It noted that it also believed in the unity and desirability of a united and strong Nigeria, which would meet the aspirations of all citizens.

NEF added, "When the forum made comments in the past about the challenges to our union, security or governance, it always did so openly and in a responsible manner.

"It is baffling to see this unfair attribution from the presidency, at a time when calm nerves are needed, and statesmanship should be on display."

Continued online

PDP Notifies INEC of its New Dates for Governorship, Senatorial, Other Primaries Also, in the PDP letter to INEC dated May 16, 2022, which was signed by the party's National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu and the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, it said its States' House of Assembly primary elections would now hold nationwide on Saturday 21.

Also, the opposition party stated that the new date for its House of Representatives primary elections would now hold on Sunday May 22, while the Senatorial primary

elections would hold Monday May 23.

Also, the PDP stated that its governorship primary elections have now been fixed for Wednesday, May 25.

The PDP informed INEC in the letter that in case of the southeast, the Senatorial primaries, the election has been moved from Monday May 23 to Tuesday May 24, "due to the sit at home currently been observed in the south-east region."

DEBORAH’S MURDER: FILE CHARGES REFLECTING GRAVITY OF SITUATION, NBA TELLS SOKOTO GOVT leaders, highly placed government officials and even lawyers.

Also, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has postponed a crusade scheduled to hold in Sokoto State, due to the incident.

The NBA in a statement signed by its President, Mr. Olumide Akpata, expressed concern over the level of degeneration in the country stating that it had further exposed the weakness in the country's, "security architecture, tested our collective resolve as a people, and significantly threatened the unity of Nigeria as a nation".

While, Miss Deborah Yakubu, a 200-level student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto was cruelly murdered by some of her school mates for alleged blasphemy last Thursday, the news of the gruesome killing of security personnel by “unknown gunmen” was reported in the south-east, followed by the lynching of a young man (simply identified as David) by commercial motorcyclists around Lekki; Lagos State was reported.

A legal team of 34 lawyers, led by a law lecturer at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Professor Mansur Ibrahim, had

on Monday appeared in defence of two suspects, Bilyaminu Aliyu and Aminu Hukunci, arraigned over the murder of Deborah.

The court appearance came as Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, relaxed a 24hour curfew imposed on Sokoto metropolis as a result of protest by irate Muslim youths opposing prosecution of the murder suspects.

In the First Information Report (FIR), Prosecuting Police Officer, Inspector Khalil Musa, told the court that the suspects were accused of participating in disturbance act that led to the death of Deborah.

The NBA, while expressing sadness and condemnation over the spate of extra-judicial killings in any part of the country described it as reprehensible, barbaric and unacceptable and called on security agencies and government to immediately move to checkmate the menace.

"The government should immediately commence the prosecution of all suspects involved in these brutal and arbitrary killings in order to send a strong signal that such acts will no longer be tolerated in Nigeria.

"The NBA also believes that the prompt and effective prosecution

of the alleged killers will instill confidence in the citizens, promote accountability, and signpost the government’s commitment to the rule of law.

"With particular reference to the murder of Miss Deborah Yakubu and related developments in Sokoto, we note that some arrests have been made by the Nigeria Police and that the suspects are now being prosecuted. We are, however, worried by yet-to-be confirmed reports reaching us that the suspects have been charged with mere breach of public peace in an episode that cut short Deborah’s life in her prime.

"The NBA is strongly opposed to a banalisation of the situation, and if these reports are true, then we call on the Sokoto State Government to immediately rethink its prosecution strategy and file charges that truly reflect the gravity of the situation", the statement read in part.

While observing that expectation of Nigerians and the international community was that the culprits are brought to justice speedily for the appropriate offences, Akpata remarked that the demand for the release of the suspects by some protesting youths coupled with assault on innocent citizens, burning of worship centres and destruction

of property had added an entirely new and worrisome dimension to the unfortunate incident.

Akpata disclosed that following the development the NBA has decided to postpone the 2022 NBA Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL) billed for Sokoto State in honour of Miss Deborah Yakubu.

"Accordingly, the Executive Committee of NBA-SPIDEL came to the painful decision to request, and I have approved, that the 2022 NBA-SPIDEL Annual Conference be postponed not only for the safety of our conferees and guests, but as a mark of respect for the memory of the slain Miss Deborah Yakubu", the NBA President said.

Fanatical Support Given to Deborah’s Alleged Murders Worries AFBA

In a related development, the African Bar Association said it received with deep shock and awe the gruesome murder of the female student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education by her fellow students in what it described as “a senseless crime orchestrated and supported by religious bigots.”

“As if this heinous crime is not

enough to shake the foundations of any decent society, the association is completely taken aback by the fanatical support given to this callous action by top religious leaders, highly placed government officials and even Lawyers.

“The position of the African Bar Association is that no matter the provocation or whatever offence is alleged to have been committed by the murdered Deborah, resort to actions outside the law is not only irresponsible but a call to anarchy,” the association stated.

It pointed out that the latest development was an affront on any civilised society and called for immediate decisive response by law enforcement agency.

According to AFBA, the uncivilised and criminal response of rioting and destroying public and private properties in response to the arrest of some of the alleged perpetrators of the dastardly act showed how desperate fanaticism could lead.

“The response of the Government of Sokoto State to the growing carnage is however commended and more should be done to check Continued on page 43

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MIDWEEKPOLITICS

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

Lucky Igbokwe’s Dream for Abia State Nseobong Okon-Ekong writes that the youngest governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party for governorship ticket of Abia State, Mr. Lucky Igbokwe has lofty dreams that are very impressive

T

he race for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State has not been the same since Mr. Lucky Igbokwe, a serial businessman, better known as Don Lulu, who has largely stamped his name in the entertainment industry made a bold entry. He thinks he is the right person for the job; and for good reasons.

“I have consistently proved that with my track record in philanthropy, business and human capacity development,” he responded at a recent interview. “My footprints are everywhere in the state despite coming from Abia central.

What we need is the right leadership, a candidate with the fear of God, love for the people, one with good character, great antecedents and who is popular, if PDP needs to put its best forward for the poll and if it is serious to retain the seat in Abia.”

At 40 years, businessman Lucky Obinwa Igbokwe is the youngest of all of those who have shown interest to govern Abia in 2023. He opened his campaign with a simple plea loaded with humility and a single-minded sense of purpose. “I urge you all to come to the table and let’s take Abia to the most enviable heights we desire. I pledge that nothing short of this will happen. I want us to know that the confidence in me is a confidence of hope, the future, the success, the restoration and the freedom from fear.”

Igbokwe, a member of the PDP Nkwoachara Ward while officially declaring at the state secretariat of the party in Umuahia on May 10, 2022, promised to make Abia the Information Communication Technology (ICT) hub in Africa, if elected governor. He said, “given the PDP ticket and elected governor, I will reposition Abia for economic prosperity by creating the enabling environment for industry to thrive, with a better approach to internally generated revenue that would reduce dependence on federation allocations.

Paying all the outstanding gratuity and pension of the retired is of utmost priority. Education will be one of the major objectives of my aspiration, the sector will be reformed to include not only building of schools, but also the provision of incentives to teachers. We’ll revisit the farm settlements, improve and empower the youth in particular and our people in general, through agriculture, the creative industries will receive massive boost under our watch.

Tourism will be made more attractive and visitors will come to experience our beautiful cultural heritage and sites.

We’ll escalate the commercial viability of our markets to unprecedented new levels with improved infrastructure and security. Abia will become the ICT hub in West Africa during our tenure.

We shall enhance the road networks and improve transportation. I will ensure that there’s gender balance to give room for our women.

We will ensure that more youths will be recognized and appreciated.

We are very committed with passion to make sure that Abia occupies its rightful position in the comity of states in the country. We are determined to replicate in Abia state the record of achievements of our hero, late premier, Dr. M.I Okpara in the defunct Eastern region of Nigeria.”

Indeed, there’s been a lot of concern over the state of affairs in Abia. Many people do not seem to understand the direction that the present administra-

Igbokwe

tion in the state is going. This has fired the ambition of compatriots like Igbokwe to take up the gauntlet. He said his decision to run was borne out of his “hunger and desire to add value and impetus against the backdrop of the yearnings of the entire people of Abia state, who believe in the youths as an option and to take Abia to the much-desired place occasioned by their cries and wishes for good governance, inclusiveness and ensuring.”

The famous Enyimba City, Aba holds a special in Igbokwe’s heart. His plans

for an Abia industrial revolution is predicated on the success he hopes to make out of Aba. “It’s very obvious that Aba is a thriving manufacturing powerhouse that the Nigerian and entire Africa’s economy can thrive on. It’s products are everywhere and we will support for everything made in Aba. I will place infrastructure that will support Aba to be “Africa’s factory” because of its strong business ecosystem. Industrial production does not take place in isolation, but rather relies on networks of suppliers, component manufacturers, distributors, government agencies, and customers who are all involved in the process of production

I decided to run following calls from stakeholders, including the downtrodden, traditional rulers and eminent sons and daughters of Abia State, and to take up the gauntlet, to stand in the gap to shield our people from any form of hopelessness Having seen the roles and contributions of our past leaders, there’s no gain saying that they have done their best, but I’m here to reinvigorate our spirits, minds and souls to the much vaunted dreams of our people for a better life. I have watched a common denominator in believing in the youths as it is said, that a state that carries along her youths prepares them for a better future

through competition and cooperation, so we will work on the business ecosystem in Aba to be competitive with other production hubs such as Japan and China. We will put a strategy in place that will cultivate an ecosystem to support the manufacturing supply chain, including manufacturing, lowcost workers, workforce, suppliers, and customers.”

Indeed a true visionary and prominent indigene of Umuahia in Abia State who continuously to work tirelessly to advance the cause of humanity in the state in particular and Nigeria in general.

He explained his commitment to the Abia project. “I decided to run following calls from stakeholders, including the downtrodden, traditional rulers and eminent sons and daughters of Abia State, and to take up the gauntlet, to stand in the gap to shield our people from any form of hopelessness Having seen the roles and contributions of our past leaders, there’s no gain saying that they have done their best, but I’m here to reinvigorate our spirits, minds and souls to the much vaunted dreams of our people for a better life.

I have watched a common denominator in believing in the youths as it is said, that a state that carries along her youths prepares them for a better future Without the efforts of the past leadership, however, it has become necessary that I bridge the gap, to restore stability, and rebuild the confidence of our youths and the good people of our state. To that extent, I have joined this race with my full chest, to say I appreciate other people who as well aspire for the same position, but however, I pledge that I offer a better option, to galvanize the young people, the men and women of Abia State, to instill a sense of belonging in our administration, which will bring hope and pride to our people.I possess the requisite skills and experience required to harness the vast resources in the state for productive and developmental purposes. My team and I are ready to turn around the fortunes of the state by revolutionizing all the sectors of governance with focus on the masses.”

Igbokwe said he possesses the requisite skills and experience required to harness the vast resources in the state for productive and developmental purposes and was prepared to re-invent Abia, appealed to PDP to give him its ticket.

“Having seen the roles and contributions of our past leaders, there’s no gainsaying that they have done their best, but I’m here to reinvigorate our spirits, minds and souls to the much-vaunted dreams of our people for a better life. Without the efforts of the past leadership, however, it has become necessary that I bridge the gap, to restore stability, and rebuild the confidence of our youths and the good people of our state. If given the PDP ticket and elected governor, I will reposition Abia for economic prosperity by creating the enabling environment for industry to thrive, with a better approach to internally generated revenue that would reduce dependence on federation allocations.”

The assurance for a level playing ground which Igbokwe so much desires was promised by the state Chairman of PDP, Asiforo Okere at the formal declaration of the young governorship aspirant. The PDP leader commended Igbokwe for his courage and doggedness in the contest.

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FEATURES

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

Celebrating a Decade of Providing Socio-economic Opportunities to Indigent Families Launched in 2012, Connak Foundation has for a decade provided socio-economic opportunities to indigent families situated in rural communities in Abia State. To commemorate its 10th anniversary, Vanessa Obioha reports that the foundation is set to launch operation in Lagos

Liyel Imoke (m) and Pat Utomi at Connak 10th anniversary

R

ecently, Connak Foundation pooled well-heeled guests to Lagos Continental Hotel for its 10th anniversary.

The non-governmental organisation (NGO) that kicked off its operations in Abia State in 2012, has served as an essential channel that provides socioeconomic opportunities to indigent families situated in rural communities in the state through leveraging various sustainable development goals (SDGs) programmes.

The well-attended event was marked by classical music from the live band and Deejay, with comedy from the revered Okey Bakassi while 2Baba wrapped up the night with a medley of songs.

Founded by Ken Nnamdi Ukeagu, a visionary who was driven by the impact philanthropism plays in effecting positive changes in the lives of people and communities who otherwise couldn't have access to much-needed resources to pull them out of poverty, creating enabling environment that attracts investment, and most importantly, educating youths to reach their career aspirations.

Before the incorporation of the Connak Foundation, Ukeagu had long immersed himself in the act of empowering the low-income families scattered across various communities. But over time, he reckoned the need for an expansion

Florence Ajimobi at Connak Foundation 10th anniversary

through a foundation.

At its core, the Connak Foundation adopts the vision of the founder by emphasising youth empowerment through various programmes such as Educational Development, ICT Training, and Entrepreneurship Development. On the other hand, empowerment programmes such as Quality Healthcare Services and Community and Infrastructure Development focus on the well-being and progress of all members of the community.

A decade after, the foundation continued to grow from strength to strength, and this can be seen in its recent announcement to expand its services to Lagos State that plays home to over 15 million people. Its decision to expand to Lagos is also timely at a time when the unemployment rate has risen to 35 per cent (up from 33 per cent in 2020). Ukeagu hopes that the impact and success the foundation achieved in Abia will be replicated in Lagos.

The launch served as an opportunity for stakeholders from the corporate world and government agencies to fully understand the foundation's visions and long-term goals. It achieved this through a video presentation that condensed its 10-year journey of improving the lives and liveli-

hood of Nigerians in the southeastern region.

Some of the notable figures in attendance included former governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke; Founder/ CEO, Centre for Value in Leadership, Pat Utomi; former First Lady, Oyo State, Florence Ajimobi; Managing Director, Eko Electricity Distribution Plc, Tinuade Sanda, former deputy governor of Lagos State, Femi Pedro, Chinenye Mba- Uzoukwu, Funsho Doherty, Ivor Ekpe, Ayo Ajayi, Kene Okwuosa and Dan Ngerem.

Having achieved a lot of milestones in the past decade, understandably, this renewed focus to scale its projects was expected. Currently, it has plans to reach out to up to 3,000 (up from 435) youths through its entrepreneurship program that has earmarked about $5,000 to empower 100 businesses.

So far, the foundation has made it its full-time responsibility to cater to the educational advancements of 179 students.

The foundation accepted their application to support them from secondary to tertiary levels. At the ceremony, it also explained that it has plans to upscale figures of its scholarship beneficiaries to reflect its expanding reach.

General Admin, Rosemary Etsiame elaborated on the scholarship scheme run by the foundation, citing its unique approach to fully empowering gifted students.

"Aside from providing tuition, we make sure to provide every basic need of the beneficiaries.

From textbooks to uniforms, and even providing them with school buses to convey them every day. Why do we do this? It is not enough for us to just pay the school fees if we do not put provisions in place to guarantee they stay in school, provisions that will reduce the distraction of challenges that they experience, otherwise, we may not be able to impart them with quality education," she said.

During its 2019 Founder's Day commemoration, the foundation reported that its healthcare outreach programme impacted over 5,000 individuals, and this included carrying out over 200 surgeries within one week.

In Q2 2021, the ICT sector contributed 17.92 per cent to the national GDP. It is projected that internet user penetration will rise from 51.44 per cent (2021) to 53.51 per cent in 2022.

With such growth, it is expected that ICT will play a major role in increasing Nigeria's GDP. With the role technology plays in startup businesses, the foundation reiterated its commitment to assisting youths to acquire the relevant tech

Why Africa Needs Comprehensive PR and Communications Report David Adeleke In May 2015, members of the African Public Relations Association (ARPA) gathered in Yaounde, Cameroon, to discuss Africa’s reputational problem. The conference, themed “Africa Trending: Contemporary Challenges, Opportunities in Reputation and Crisis Management”, gathered professionals from across the world to discuss and devise strategies to help remedy the situation.

The African Union endorsed the event, and it enjoyed the support of the Cameroonian government. So, by all counts, it was a heavyweight conference.

The calibre of attendees at this event and the quality of resources it commanded are pointers to the magnitude of the conversation. For many decades, Africa has had to deal with negative representations and narratives.

There have been talks of changing the narrative in the past, but these conversations

often paint the matter with a broad stroke and do not go down into details and nuance. The discussions also often happen primarily within the parameters of the Western media’s coverage and portrayal of Africa. You often hear statements like, “The Western media only covers negative stories about Africa”. Or comments like, “The Western media’s portrayal of Africa is based on negative stereotypes”.

While these statements are factual, they are merely symptoms of more significant, often political, dynamics in play. The political dynamics are, however, usually out of the radar of everyday people. What matters to them is their reality. What is life for them like in Africa? How does Africa treat them? What do they think of their fellow Africans?

How do the answers to these questions influence how they live and work?

Bringing this closer to home, to Public Relations and Communications, the question becomes,

how does our understanding of the industry and its many moving parts influence how we do business and communicate Africa’s stories? Conversations about Africa’s reputation are often homogenous, with little for nuance. How can the PR and Communications industry introduce much-needed layers of nuance into these conversations?

These are questions that only research and data can answer.

Or at least, they are questions that only research and data can help us understand more deeply.

Research into the PR and communications profession across Africa is often done in silos. Usually, when industry reports come out, they are country-specific or focused. We have the Nigerian PR Report

by BlackHouse Media Group, the South African Township Marketing Report by Rogerwilco, studies into the cultural influences on PR in Ghana, studies examining the practice in Gabon, and so on. There are a myriad

of examples. All these reports are great and have their place.

However, there is a gap for more pan-African studies into the industry, particularly as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement takes shape.

One of the many benefits of this AfCFTA agreement is that it creates a single market for goods and services, encouraging a more extensive trade flow among African countries. It also eliminates barriers to doing business across African borders.

So, it follows that if the AfCFTA makes it easier to do cross-border business, by extension, it will increase the need for a broader understanding of the current state and trajectory of the PR and comms industry across the continent.

We might have some insight into how the industry functions within major African countries, but do we truly understand it on a regional and continental level?

Based on data and research, what do we know about how the industry has evolved and matured across the continent?

What do we know about how it currently operates? What do we know about how PR professionals fare when they take their talents from one African country to the next? These are essential questions that need well-researched answers and not conjectures.

We live in a fast-changing world that is heavily impacted by technological innovation. How has this speed of innovation influenced the industry across Africa? How is the growth of technology ecosystems across the continent affecting how PR professionals think about their work?

What do we know about all the different aspects of the PR industry across the continent?

What do we know about how reputation management, media relations, crisis communications, stakeholder relations, and public

affairs, among many others, operate across the continent?

When we zoom in, what do we know about remunerations within different industry sectors and in different parts of the continent? What do we know about how clients approach agency relationships in these countries and sectors? Which sectors offer the best job prospects and growth opportunities? Which ones are the toughest to navigate?

What do practitioners think about their jobs? How do they process opportunities to jump into new industries?

If we do not attempt to answer these questions comprehensively, we will be doing our profession a huge disservice. Therefore, we must realise that Africa indeed needs a comprehensive PR and communications report because there is far more to gain and a lot to lose if we do not begin to make efforts to create one now.

-Adeleke is a writer, media analyst, and communications

21

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY MAY 18, 2022

ENTREPRENEUR

Kadiri Oyewole Sholola: Set to Advance the Socio-economic Development of Ogun Kadiri Oyewole Sholola is the CEO of Unorthodox Group of Companies. A graduate of Chemical and Environmental Engineering from Nottingham University, the suave entrepreneur and business administrator, established his company, Unorthodox’s Clothing Ltd in 2013 in the United Kingdom and in 2015, ventured into local businesses like hair saloon and money exchange store, also in the UK. In 2017, the innovative engineer started Unorthodox Agriculture which specialises in export of charcoal and in 2018, as a young entrepreneur, he also established Ortho Eng. Ltd which focuses on procurement and management of heavy machinery- essential equipments in big infrastructure projects. Chiamaka Ozulumba reports that having received the Awulaje and paramount ruler of Ijebu land, Oba Kayode Sikiru Adetona's blessings, the young entrepreneur, who recently threw his hat into the ring to represent Ikenne Constituency in Ogun State House of Assembly, has vowed to advance the socio-economic development of the state

F

or Kadiri Oyewole Sholola, one goal remains sacrosanct; advancing the socio-economic development of Ogun State.

To achieve this, the young entrepreneur recently declared his interest for the Ogun State House of Assembly (OGHA) to represent Ikenne State Constituency come 2023.

Sholola, a graduate of Chemical and Environmental Engineering from Nottingham University and CEO of Unorthodox Group of companies recently declared his intention at Ward 9, Ilishan Remo in Ikenne Local Government Area.

According to him, the decision to run was informed by the urge to join hands with Governor Dapo Abiodun in advancing the socio-economic development of the state.

Stressing that he has the capacity and capability to give the people of Ikenne Local Government quality representation that would go a long way to make huge difference in their wellbeing, he said "this ambition is not for selfish agenda neither is it for pecuniary gains but rather an intervention that is being driven by my love for the people. I know what to do when I get to the house to assist in innovation, fighting poverty and joblessness.

"I know what to do to facilitate other development to our constituency, support our women and the youth too.

It's certainly going to be a very, very accountable representation in a way that you have never seen before.

"I want to assure you that all of you my fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers and every resident of our great local government will be proud of my achievements''.

Sholola, who has since obtained and submitted his expression of interest form, recently received the blessings of the Awujale and the Paramount ruler of Ijebu land, Oba Kayode Sikiru Adetona on his House of Assembly ambition.

Oba Kayode Sikiru Adetona was said to have prayed for the success of Sholola's ambition when he was at the palace of the highly revered royal father recently.

Born over three decades ago in London, United Kingdom to the reputable Sholola family in Remo land, Sholola is from both Ilishan and Iperu in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State.

When he came back to Nigeria from UK, he had his primary education at Princeton Junior School, Surulere, Lagos.

His secondary school education was at Model college Badore as well as Focus College and Global Int College before going back to United Kingdom to continue his studies at University of Nottingham where he obtained BEng (honours) in Chemical and Environmental Engineering.

Due to his wide administrative knowledge, Kadiri Oyewole has worked in various private sectors/ industries ranging from retails industry to construction firm.

As a suave entrepreneur and business

Sholola with the Awulaje and paramount ruler of Ijebu land, Oba Kayode Sikiru Adetona

administrator, he established his company, Unorthodox’s Clothing Ltd in 2013 in the United Kingdom. He equally in 2015 ventured into local businesses like hair saloon and money exchange store in the United Kingdom.

In 2017, the innovative Engineer started Unorthodox Agriculture which specialises in export of charcoal and in he, took a giant step as a young entrepreneur, establishing Ortho Eng. Ltd with focus on procurement and management of heavy machinery which are essential equipments in big infrastructure projects.

He is a contractor and has been involved in state projects ranging from cargo airport to the Ilishan -Ago road. Aside his passion for business and creating wealth for others, Sholola is also a strong believer in advancing cause of humanity and therefore takes pleasure in

participating in various philanthropic acts.

As a faithful, committed and dedicated member of All Progressives Congress (APC), Sholola had in the recent past served as agent, national observer among others during the party's congresses at local, state and federal level.

For those in the know, Sholola is ready to use his academic and widely garnered entrepreneurial experience to make big impact on the life of good people of Ogun State through effective governance, policies and law making in Ogun State Legislative chamber.

They harped on his desire to bring about positive change through effective representation, which remains the major force behind his 2023 OGHA campaign.

According to them, the Ikenne constituency, being home to the late Sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo deserves only the best, which they opined Sholola is sufficiently trained and empowered to offer that qualitative representation the people had been yearning for.

During a recent engagement with some of the APC leaders and members

"Aside his passion for business and creating wealth for others, Sholola is also a strong believer in advancing cause of humanity and therefore takes pleasure in participating in various philanthropic acts...

in Ikenne Local Government, he also reiterated that pledge.

Justifying why he should be the one to get the ticket of the House of Assembly of the local government, the Ilishan/ Iperu Remo born politician revealed that his representation and activities would be such that are driven by the people's needs and add greater values to the call for good governance in the country.

He said "parts of my agenda is to regularly engage with the people of my constituency to know what their yearnings are and therefore place such before the appropriate quarters, in other words, I will regularly have my people's input into whatever we are doing to make lives better for all. It's going to be bottom to top approach.

"I will also strongly work for the empowerment of our youths and women.

The youth takes about 60 per cent of the population, they are very key to having a more prosperous Ogun State and the country as a whole.

"We cannot also quantify the role of our women in politics and building a nation that we can all be proud of, so they will equally occupy a prominent position in all that we shall be doing.

"All I am saying is that this ambition is bringing on the table effective representation that is centred on making life much more rewarding for the people. I will also cooperate with our hardworking governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun for further development of our constituency and the entire state''.

22

WEDNESDAY MAY 18, 2022 • T H I S D AY

123

T H I S D AY WEDNESDAY MAY 18, 18, 2022 Wednesay May 2022 Vol 27. No 9900 TR

See page 24 THE DEATH OF DEBORAH YAKUBU CHARLES DICKSON writes that we have learnt nothing from the past

See page 24 NIGERIA AND BASKETBALL’S DEATH KNELL The sports ministry should rally all the contending forces and ensures the ban is reversed, writes AYOOLA AJANAKU See page 25 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KELVIN ETTA PAUL OBI pays tribute to Kelvin Etta, former Vice Chancellor, University of Calabar See page 25

EDITORIAL RESOLVING THE BASKETBALL CRISIS

See page 26

& RE A S O

N

opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

THE APC ALL-NORTHERN AGENDA It’s still within the power of the party to draw the country away from a perilous cliff, argues ABDULSALAM M. KAZAURE

UT H

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2 24

T H I S D AY

It’s still within the power of the party to draw the country away from a perilous cliff, argues ABDULSALAM M. KAZAURE

THE APC ALL-NORTHERN AGENDA The All Progressives Congress (APC) appears intent on snatching a sure defeat from the jaws of a likely victory with its ED΁LQJ ¶DOO QRUWKHUQ· VWUDWHJ\ Following the nudge of certain northern ÀJXUHV ZKR DUH EOLQGHG E\ VHOI LQWHUHVW DQG DQ LQÁDWHG VHQVH RI WKHLU SROLWLFDO SURZHVV WKH party appears to be plotting the emergence of D QRUWKHUQHU DV LWV SUHVLGHQWLDO DVSLUDQW DQ audacious betrayal of its agreement with its southern bloc on ceding its ticket to the zone LQ KRQRU RI WKH SRZHU VKDULQJ DUUDQJHPHQW NH\ WR 1LJHULD·V SROLWLFDO VWDELOLW\ ,W ZDV WKH DJUHHPHQW EURNHUHG E\ OHDGHUV RI WKH SDUW\ IURP WKH WZR UHJLRQV WKDW VKDSHG its national convention held in March where 6HQDWRU $GDPX $EGXOODKL D QRUWKHUQHU IURP 1DVDUDZD 6WDWH HPHUJHG DV WKH FRQVHQVXV FKRLFH IRU WKH SRVLWLRQ RI 1DWLRQDO &KDLUPDQ The rationale was easy to understand: in a simple reversal of roles in the past eight \HDUV WKH 1DWLRQDO &KDLUPDQVKLS SRVLWLRQ went to the North while the Presidential WLFNHW DIWHU HLJKW \HDUV RI 0XKDPPDGX %XKDUL ZRXOG UHWXUQ WR WKH 6RXWK 7KHUH ZDV D OLNH IRU OLNH PLFUR]RQLQJ DUUDQJHPHQW WKDW VDZ R΀FH SRVLWLRQV KHOG E\ WKH 6RXWK 6RXWK South West and South East swapped by the 1RUWK &HQWUDO 1RUWK :HVW DQG 1RUWK (DVW UHVSHFWLYHO\ +RZHYHU EHQW RQ FODLPLQJ DOO WKH EHQHÀWV the scheming northern hegemons within the party are insisting on an open contest for the WLFNHW ZLWK D WKLQO\ YHLOHG XOWHULRU PRWLYH of abusing their control of the party to bend WKH UDFH LQ IDYRXU RI \HW DQRWKHU QRUWKHUQHU a situation that would leave the south with QRWKLQJ DQG VHH D \HDU ORQJ 1RUWKHUQ KHJHPRQ\ 7KH VLJQV DUH KDUG LI QRW LPSRVVLEOH to miss with Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa and Senate President Ahmad Lawan from <REH 6WDWH EHLQJ SRVLWLRQHG DV WKH SDUW\·V VWDQGDUG EHDUHU 6RXUFHV IURP ZLWKLQ WKH party indicated that at a meeting held by the Northern leaders with the APC Chairman in DWWHQGDQFH DQG SUHVLGLQJ LW ZDV SURSRVHG that these two aforementioned individuals alongside Governors Zulum (Borno) and 1DVLU HO 5XIDL .DGXQD VKRXOG SXUFKDVH WKH presidential nomination and expression of LQWHUHVW IRUPV D SURSRVLWLRQ WKDW =XOXP DQG (O 5XIDL GHFOLQHG $OVR DW WKH IRUHIURQW RI WKLV DJHQGD LV *RYHUQRU %DJXGX RI .HEEL 7KH H[FXVH RͿHUHG IRU WKH JURZLQJ EHWUD\DO DFFRUGLQJ WR LQVLGH VRXUFHV ZDV WKDW WKH $3& PXVW DFW WR FRXQWHUDFW WKH 3'3 the opposition party that also looks poised to shatter its brittle unity by ignoring loud calls for equitable power distribution within its own rank to favor the recycling of a northern FDQGLGDWH $WLNX $EXEDNDU IRU WKH FRQWHVW $WLNX·V HPHUJHQFH RQ WKH SODWIRUP WKH DUJXPHQW JRHV ZRXOG ORFN WKH SRSXODU YRWHV IURP WKH QRUWK LQ KLV IDYRU DQG VHDO WKH $3&·V GHIHDW 7ULEDO DQG UHOLJLRXV D΀OLDWLRQ PDWWHUV more to the average northerner than party OR\DOW\ WKH\ FODLP %XW WKLV VLPSOLVWLF QDYHO JD]LQJ DUJXPHQW LV QRW RQO\ GLVLQJHQXRXV LW LV FOHDUO\ XQIRXQGHG 7KH LGHD RI D PRQROLWKLF North ignores the multifarious interest and demands of the North Central and large &KULVWLDQ SRSXODWLRQ LQ VWDWHV OLNH 7DUDED $GDPDZD .DGXQD DQG HTXDOO\ VL]DEOH LQ *RPEH DQG %DXFKL ,Q WKH 6RXWK JUDYH TXHVWLRQV DUH EHLQJ DVNHG JLYHQ WKH IUDFWLRXV VWDWH RI DͿDLUV ZLWKLQ WKH JHQHUDO ERG\ SROLW\ ,I DIWHU HLJKW

\HDUV RI ZLHOGLQJ SRZHU VRPH LQ WKH 1RUWK can still not be persuaded to relinquish it to WKH RWKHU VLGH LQ D PXOWL HWKQLF XQLRQ ZKDW then is the point of the alliance – or the national union? To exclusively cater to the interests of the north and reduce the south to JORULÀHG FRXUWLHUV" 6LQFH WKH \HDU RI 1LJHULD·V LQGHSHQGHQFH JUXPEOLQJV RI ¶QRUWKHUQ GRPLQDQFH· KDYH FDVW D SDOO RQ 1LJHULD·V SROLWLFV $OWKRXJK VXFFHVVLYH JRYHUQPHQWV have sought to downplay the notion DQG PDQDJH WKH UHVXOWLQJ HWKQLF WHQVLRQ the Buhari administration has failed VSHFWDFXODUO\ LQ WKLV UHJDUG :LWK WKH VXEWOHW\ RI D VOHGJHKDPPHU 3UHVLGHQW %XKDUL KDV made appointments and other political decisions that carried optical problems DQG ZRUVHQHG DQ[LHW\ GRZQ VRXWK IXUWKHU complicating the position of southern leaders of the APC who face agitated questions from followers on whether or not they have been IRROHG LQWR DQ XQSURÀWDEOH PHUJHU To replace Buhari with another northerner DV WKH FDQGLGDWH RI WKH SDUW\ LV WR HͿHFWLYHO\ D΀UP WKH IHDUV DQG SRUWUD\ WKH VRXWKHUQ H[WUDFWLRQ DV SROLWLFDO IRROV 6XFK D FDQGLGDWH LQ WKDW FLUFXPVWDQFH ZRXOG EH LPSRVVLEOH WR VHOO EH\RQG WKH QRUWK $QG WKLV UHDOLW\ H[SRVHV WKH IDWDO ÁDZ LQ WKH DUJXPHQW RI those arguing for the retention of power in WKH QRUWK It is an argument that both take the southern votes for granted and exaggerate WKH VZD\LQJ SRZHU RI WKH ¶FRUH QRUWK· DQG LWV votes harvest – precisely the sort of thinking that reduced President Buhari to a perpetual IDLOXUH ZLWK WKH PLVVHV RI DQG EHIRUH KH HYHQWXDOO\ UHDFKHG RXW WR WKH 6RXWK DQG VHFXUHG YLFWRU\ LQ His previous failures and eventual success LQ ZKHQ KH REWDLQHG WKH EDFNLQJ RI WKH South underlined the glaring fact that no single region can claim presidential victory without the active – and enthusiastic – VXSSRUW RI WKH RWKHU )RUPHU 3UHVLGHQW *RRGOXFN -RQDWKDQ D VRXWKHUQHU ZRXOG DOVR OHDUQ WKLV OHVVRQ LQ ZKHQ LJQRULQJ WKH DJUHHG ]RQLQJ DUUDQJHPHQW PHPEHUV RI KLV SDUW\ WXUQHG RQ him and delivered the APC a historic victory DV WKH ÀUVW SDUW\ WR XQVHDW DQ LQFXPEHQW VLQFH 1LJHULD·V UHWXUQ WR GHPRFUDF\ But beyond a costly lesson on the LPSRUWDQFH RI KRQRULQJ WKH LQIRUPDO SRZHU sharing arrangement of a complex nation of multiple cultures and religions delicately JOXHG WRJHWKHU WKH VRXWK·V FRXUDJH DQG VWHDGIDVWQHVV LQ KDOWLQJ *RRGOXFN -RQDWKDQ·V tenure extension bid to return power to the North in honor of the agreement also VKRZV ZK\ WKH H[FXVH RI WKH $3&·V QRUWKHUQ KHJHPRQ\ LV XQWHQDEOH ,I WKH 6RXWK FDQ persuade its voters and stand up to its own SUHVLGHQW WKHUH LV QR UHDVRQ WKDW VKRXOG QRW EH WKH FDVH XS QRUWK )XUWKHUPRUH LI WKH 3'3 GRHV UHF\FOH $WLNX D WLUHG ZDUKRUVH WKH IDOORXW ZRXOG throw the party in disarray and present the APC a powerful opportunity to contrast itself with the opposition as a party sensitive to FRXQWU\·V XQLW\ DQG WKH VRXWK·V OHJLWLPDWH aspiration for power with the nomination of D VRXWKHUQ FDQGLGDWH

Mallam Kazaure is the President of Arewa Political Forum of Nigeria

WEDNESDAY MAY 18, 2022

CHARLES DICKSON writes that we have learnt nothing from the past

THE DEATH OF DEBORAH YAKUBU “The biggest enemy of Islam is the ignorant Muslim, whose ignorance leads him to intolerance, whose actions destroy the true image of Islam, and when people look at him, they think that is what Islam is” - Sheikh Ahmed Deedat Couple of years ago, I had written on what I called An Igbo Reverend Sister, An Hausa Ulamah, And Killing In Allah’s Name (Another Senseless Ethno-Religious Purge). It was my reflections on the reactions of Nigerians on the Danish Cartoons episode.

Again, we have decided to misbehave in faraway Sokoto State, and I dare add my voice and sadly so. In horrific circumstances, based on flawed understanding of religious practice we have killed and maimed.

It is not the first time that a mob based on faith has killed and it won’t be the last, but sadly this is a little different because it was captured visually and the audio was tortuous and those who killed her, spread the same on social media platforms. Before I go far, and make my humble submission, a case as decided by the Supreme Court in *SHALLA v. STATE (2007) LPELR-3034 (SC) on a similar incident guides my thoughts.

Categorically let me state. You cannot fight for the Almighty Allah. I know that because the Holy One can and always will fight His battle whether committed by traditionalists, Muslims or Christians and there are well established and documented ways to go about it.

As usual our leaders have failed, not just the political but the religious leaders too, because like Jawaharlal Nehru said “I want nothing to do with any religion concerned with keeping the masses scarified to live in hunger, filth and arrogance.

I want nothing to do with any order, religion or otherwise, which does not teach people that they are capable of becoming happier and more civilized, on this earth….”

Each time we blame touts, jobless young men for these wanton destructions, but what has this society done in encrypting the virtues of the practice of religion into them, be it Christian virtues, Islamic beliefs or traditional and moral teachings…Rather because they are willing tools in the hands of political manipulators, they leave them impoverished, uneducated and diseased in mind, spirit, soul and body.

The simple reason why students in a college of education that should know better have committed murder in the name of fighting for “GOD”.

I will not bore us with the history of sectarian clashes; the Plateau State’s state of emergency has its history in one of such. Between 1999- date, one is beginning to lose count. It seems that our diversity in ethnicity and religion is posing the largest threat to our mutual existence apart from our political confusion as one other factor.

Each time all these crises are dissected, it has always been politicized, religionized, manipulated, ethnicized and all this do not make up for the loss, the dead ones as we keep promoting a culture of self-waste, we set up panels, reports are submitted, yet to no avail. These crises benefit some people upstairs so the people downstairs can die as well.

In the Jos September 2001 riots, it was that crass story of a girl, crossing the road while prayers were going on; in 2006 it was a teacher who seized a Quran from a student who was reading it during class. In Kaduna it was ‘ba na so’ (we do not want) shariah. In fact, it seems we are just doomed. In 1987 (Kafanchan Riots) started in the College of Education and centered around such issue as misquotation of the Holy Quran by

a Christian convert from Islam. The Zangon Kataf Riots in 1992 was just a continuation of the Kafanchan one.

Bauchi Riots 1990 originated from a misunderstanding between the Sayawa ethnic group and the local Hausa/Fulani, Muslim community in Bauchi. The misunderstanding led to the murder of many prominent leaders of the Muslim community. We also are reminded of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa university ATBU killing of a student.

This nation is one of deep-seated grievances, when the chips are down, another panel and then again, we hear the same song; the issue of conflict always has to do with perceived cultural, political, economic oppression and marginalization. No one bothers to look at the relevance of these crises to the polity and society. This is no longer a flirting phenomenon; it is becoming permanent. The deployment of violence has merely acted as an agent in recycling violence.

Sequel to the present excuse we call democracy and even since its inception the very fabric of this society has been strained by crisis in the religious field and so many people are benefiting and in cases investing in the misfortune especially those obsessed in the quest for power. Our leaders who are ready to invest in poverty, death, ignorance do so without recourse to the same God we use as an excuse in our exercise of dissipating our population. We have not seriously explored these crises to the point of analyzing the content and substances that precipitate these slaughters. Instead, we do a confused labeling of very direct issues. No one of us took the decision to be Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba; we are Nigerians who happen to be Christians or Muslims and pagans.

I will never forget this analogy, now whether it was a paper presentation or essay I cannot remember but I am sure it was on religion by either Matthew Hassan Kukah or Lateef Adegbite. There is this book called Disappearance. It was divided into two parts.

Part one was an imaginary account of a world in which men wake up one day and discover that all women had vanished. All the women!

The rest of that first part talks about how men tried to survive on their own. The second part was vice versa, our women woke up and discovered that the men had disappeared from the face of earth. The speaker asked us to imagine both scenarios.

Dr Dickson is a researcher, policy analyst and media practitioner

325

T H I S D AY WEDNESDAY MAY 18, 2022

The sports ministry should rally all the contending forces and ensures the ban is reversed, writes AYOOLA AJANAKU

NIGERIA AND BASKETBALL’S DEATH KNELL As the race to Nigeria’s presidency in 2023 continues to gather steam and momentum, it has become the biggest topic on the front burner of our dear nation with a rain of presidential candidates purchasing Expression of Interest (EoI) and nomination forms. This development has overshadowed a key decision that was taken by the President Muhammadu Buhari to ban Nigeria’s participation from international basketball for two years E\ ÀDW GXH WR WKH FRQVWDQW ELFNHULQJ E\ GLͿHUHQW IDFWLRQV RI 1LJHULD %DVNHWEDOO Federation (NBBF).

To shed light on this unsavory situation that’s a huge drawback to Nigeria’s soft power in the comity of nations, potential of budding basketballs in Nigeria and the GLDVSRUD RQH PXVW SURͿHU D KHOLFRSWHU YLHZ RQ WKH VFKHPH RI DͿDLUV ,W·V QRW QHZV any longer that the pervasive squabble in the basketball federation started from the era of the Tijani Umar (a Perm Sec in the State House) -led board and the incumbent Musa Kida-led committee that’s also neck deep in a tussle with the Mark Odauduled faction that emerged from an election that held in Abuja earlier. The cause celebre of this wrangling falls on no other entity than on the feet of the Minister of Sports, Youth and Sports Development (MYSSD), Sunday Dare who superintends over the hoops game in Nigeria. The meat of this submission hovers around his inability to bring the contending forces to a roundtable and this has led to a monumental disaster of imaginable proportions.

It’s a given that divergent and centrifugal forces must dispute over issues. What is germane is the timely resolution of such fallouts to foster development. Rather reverse is the case, as the Tower of Babel scenario was allowed to spillover and ODQG 1LJHULD LQWR GLUH VWUDLWV WKDW ZH ÀQG ourselves currently. On the most recent FIBA Global rankings Nigeria is on the 16th position and without any gainsaying the prospects of Nigeria in the horizon can see our team win the FIBA World Basketball Championship, if all the requisite inputs are put in place. The head honcho at Nigeria’s Sports Ministry has not managed the situation at NBBF well to avoid this DE\VV WKDW DOO DQG VXQGU\ ÀQG WKHPVHOYHV He has the mandate to manage oversight functions on Nigeria’s sports ecosystem and advise the President and the Federal ([HFXWLYH &RXQFLO )(& WR WKLV HͿHFW $ODV all that emanates from the precincts of the Ministry are tales that are heart wrenching and unimaginable. The President listens to the counsel of the Minister – It is pertinent to ask that does anyone throw away his or her wards because they are at each other’s neck? The answer is no with the employment of avenues to resolve amicably with locomotion to the left, right and centre to see that things augur well.

Where does one start from about the milestones of Nigeria basketball in the international sphere and beyond? One of the biggest sporting exports to the National Basketball Association (NBA) is Hakeem ‘The Dream’ Olajuwon who broke boundaries in the NCAA before the icing on cream with a stellar career in the world’s number one basketball league. In addition

to these the exploits of Toronto Raptors czar, Masai Ujiri to win an NBA title in DUH PLOHVWRQHV WKDW DUH XQTXDQWLÀDEOH in the realm of soft power and diplomacy.

One does not need to go far with the display of Boston Celtics manager, Ime Udoka who’s also a former international who has represented Nigeria and he has led his team to the Eastern Conference ÀQDOV 7KH KRWWHVW VHQVDWLRQ LQ WKH 1%$ LV also a Nigerian born player, the Milwaukee Bucks forward, Giannis Antetokounmpo who won an NBA title earlier. In the US, WKH ÀUVW TXHVWLRQ WKDW SURSV XS ZKHQ \RX identify as a Nigeria are the exploits of Nigerian basketballers. Go to some parts of Houston, it looks like a suburb in Lagos, Nigeria, as our players in the diaspora are chasing dreams in the hoops circuit. Our talents litter the United States, Europe, Middle East and beyond with their eyes on their home country of origin that moulded their frame for this sport that has put them in the limelight. It’s pertinent to raise the fact that basketball is one of the few sports that works hand-in-hand with education and provides a veritable window to marry sports and schooling at the same time. The 1LJHULD ERG\ EXLOG ÀWV WKH SRVWXUH IRU WKH basketball game according to talent scouts looking for the next big thing to emerge in professional terms, as they excel in shining colours home and abroad. The scouts who head hunted Hakeem Olajuwon from the Nigeria Sports Festival in the 80’s a handball player. He metamorphosed into one of the greatest players in history to grace the NBA. It is apt to inform the quarter of the Minister that it will take a miracle of immense proportions to revive the hoops game from this disaster. The buck stops at his table and when the chips are down he would be responsible. The perception of the game is at an all-time low and it will take a yeoman’s job to market NBBF assets to brands and partners. This author was part of an SPV that projected and leverage Nigerian basketball to the OPS and it yielded massive results with initiatives from the University Games, WAUG, NBBF League and the national teams. It took a lot of backbreaking work that entailed sweats and tears. From the defunct VMobile, to DSTV then Kwese as title sponsors of the league till date where sponsors have withdrawn thanks to the intractable ÀJKWLQJ DW WKH IHGHUDWLRQ :KR ZDQWV WR EH LQYROYHG ZLWK D ÀJKWLQJ KRXVH WKDW FDQQRW SXW LWV DͿDLUV LQ RUGHU" Furthermore, it has been a harvest of disrepute on Nigeria under the dispensation of the Minister of Sports from the protest of Nigeria athletes at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in Japan, the squabble over PUMA kits by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, the back and forth over payment of Nigeria female basketball winning Afrobasket team in Cameroun that resulted in a backlash via calls in the social media space, the sack and subsequent failure RI 1LJHULD·V TXDOLÀFDWLRQ WR WKH IRRWEDOO mundial in Qatar 2022.

Ajanaku is a Communications Specialist based in Lagos

PAUL OBI pays tribute to Kelvin Etta, former Vice Chancellor, University of Calabar

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KELVIN ETTA “What a statesman is most anxious to produce is a certain moral character in his fellow citizens, namely a disposition to virtue and the performance of virtuous actions” - Aristotle Prof Kelvin Ogon Etta needs no introduction, especially for those who understand what service to the nation and humanity is all about. Etta is one of those personalities that when you look back at WKHLU UHFRUGV \RX QRG LQ D΀UPDWLRQ DW WKHLU service to mankind and achievements. When he held sway, it was an era, where merit matters, when men pursued greatness and spoke truth to power with clarity. Today, WKRVH OLQHV WKDW GHÀQH JUHDWQHVV KDYH EHHQ blurred by stomach infrastructure, political jobbing and economic buccaneers in the corridors of power.

Born on the 13th May, 1938 in Nsadop, Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State, Etta grew in an era where Irish Catholic ecclesiastical journey was thriving around the Calabar - Ogoja area in the then Eastern Nigeria. Under St Patrick’s Missionary Society, they had established a foothold within the area through educational institutions like St Patrick’s School, Kakwagom, Boki, among other schools.

Etta enrolled in St Patrick’s Kakwagom in 1950. He later proceeded to Mary Knoll &ROOHJH 2NXNX 2JRMD DQG ODWHU ÀQLVKHG at St Patrick’s Secondary School, Ikot Ansa, Calabar, two of the greatest post-primary educational institutions in the old Eastern Nigeria. He went on to study Physiology at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and Michigan State University, Michigan, United States.

Etta started his teaching and lecturing career at the Department of Natural Sciences, UNN. He also taught at University of Calabar; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Michigan State University, University of Jos and in Malaysia, South East Asia. At several times, he was the Dean of College of Medicine, University of Calabar.

In 1996, Kelvin Etta’s golden achievements would be crowned with his appointment as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar. Like his magnus opus, he set the pace as a VC in which Unical’s transformation in the later years became deep rooted. More so, KLV ÀUVW DUHD RI FRQFHQWUDWLRQ ZDV RQ LVVXHV of equity and access to education for indigent students of Cross River State origin, whose main catchment area was Unical. This policy was recklessly being abused in University of Calabar; while strictly upheld in other ivory towers in the country.

What that meant was that majority of Cross River students whose main catchment area was University of Calabar were constantly denied admission while students from Akwa Ibom and other Southern states had a majority stake in admission in the university.

To Etta, that was a clear abuse of the extant laws governing the University of Calabar.

Realizing this huge gap and the deprivation of access to education of indigent Cross River students, Etta swung into action and made it clear that the law must be followed to the letter.

I recall Etta’s visit to Kakwagom Town Hall, where he came to educate locals about

seizing opportunity of Unical being their catchment area, and educate their children.

He not only gave speeches and talks like most politicians of today would want to do, he provided an enabling framework for that, enhancing the university’s policy towards admission of indigent students.

Before becoming University of Calabar Vice Chancellorship, courses like Medicine,

Law, Engineering and other Natural Sciences were the exclusive preserve of those with deep pockets - and from far distance. By changing the power dynamics, Etta not all gave Cross River State a place in the university, he also provided a level SOD\LQJ ÀHOG IRU DOO DQG VXQGU\ WR WKULYH for the good of the society. It is for this act and many others that Etta is seen as not only a Boki enigma, but a statesman in all intents and purposes. When he eventually left University of Calabar after the end of his tenure in 2000, his appointment as Vice Chancellor, Cross River State University of Technology (CRUTECH) did not last long: Etta could not withstand government reckless intervention and the antics of political rascals. He retired.

Etta has more than intellect and great educational heights. He is calm and understanding as well. In 2007 when the Nsadop and neighbouring community in Boki faced communal clashes, Prof Kelvin Etta’s house was one of the few properties left untouched. The villains and vandals only left an inscription on the wall of the house, “You are a good man.” Beyond his lofty educational background, Etta is a don in all sense, and carries on with some gusto that sends a clear message and set him apart. Boki has produced many great leaders, but none comes close to Etta and the late sage, Chief Michael Ogon. He has a knack for style, passion, success and dedication to duty. He has lived an exemplary life that many of our today’s belly-face politicians should learn from. As he turns 84 years last Saturday, we can only wish to celebrate him more in the years to come. Great men also live well and long!

Obi is a journalist, researcher and fellow at the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts interested in media, elections and democracy

4 26

T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAY MAY 18, 2022

EDITORIAL

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

RESOLVING THE BASKETBALL CRISIS The ban from international competitions is ill-conceived

N

igerian sport is in the news again.

But, as usual, for the wrong reason!

Last week, a terse statement by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Ismaila Abubakar, announced that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the withdrawal of Nigeria from “all international basketball competitions for a period of two years with immediate HͿHFW µ 7KH VWDWHPHQW IXUWKHU VDLG WKH GHFLVLRQ WR withdraw Nigeria from all global competitions is “in order to concentrate HͿRUWV E\ WKH JRYHUQPHQW towards revamping the sport from the grassroots as well as domestic leagues which have EHFRPH PRULEXQG µ 7R NHHQ REVHUYHUV RI WKH JDPH LW LV GL΀FXOW WR understand this decision.

It is also doubtful if the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) will subscribe to this idea. Besides, withdrawal from all competitions

by Nigeria has consequences that may stretch beyond the two years that the country has elected to be out of global competitions. Already, Nigeria’s senior women’s EDVNHWEDOO WHDP '·7LJUHVV KDYH TXDOLÀHG IRU WKH ),%$ World Cup scheduled to hold in Spain in September.

As Africa’s three consecutive Afrobasket champions, the Nigerian ladies are the continent’s number one team now forced to pull out of a World Cup they have TXDOLÀHG WR SOD\ LQ 7KHLU PDOH FRXQWHUSDUWV '·7LJHUV who similarly represented Africa at the last Olympic *DPHV LQ 7RN\R ZHUH DOVR WR PLVV WKH PRPHQWXP RI building on the good run started a few years ago.

A recap of how Nigeria got to this sorry stage is essential. Five years ago, Ahmadu Musa Kida and 7 - 8PDU IRXJKW D ELWWHU ZDU RYHU 1%%) SUHVLGHQF\ Kida prevailed at the election in Abuja supervised E\ WKH VSRUWV PLQLVWU\ 8PDU ZHQW DKHDG ZLWK KLV SDUDOOHO HOHFWLRQ LQ .DQR 7KH ZRUOG EDVNHWEDOO ERG\ FIBA recognised Kida’s election. Four years later, Kida wanted a second term. A properly convened NBBF

congress held in Abuja agreed that an elective congress would hold in Benin City. FIBA and even the ministry endorsed it. Along the line, the ministry stopped the 1%%) HOHFWLRQV À[HG IRU 2FWREHU WK LQ %HQLQ (GR 6WDWH XVLQJ VHFXULW\ DV H[FXVH 7R UHFRQFLOH SHUFHLYHG DJJULHYHG VWDNHKROGHUV WKH ministry set up a ‘reconciliation committee’ but with ),%$ GHDGOLQH DW KDQG PLQLVWU\ R΀FLDOV DQQRXQFHG that the election be rescheduled to hold in Abuja.

Apparently sensing mischief, Kida and his group, with the backing of FIBA, decided to go ahead with WKH %HQLQ HOHFWLRQ RQ -DQXDU\ WKLV \HDU 7ZHQW\ eight states were present in Benin. Four of the seven elected representatives were also in attendance.

Both the National Olympics Committee (NOC) and FIBA were represented as observers. Same day in Abuja, Igoche Mark emerged from a parallel election that held with some current and former basketball players as ‘delegates’. Not surprisingly, it was the Benin election which produced Kida that was recognised by FIBA. It is unfortunate that Nigeria has been jumping from RQH FULVLV WR DQRWKHU LQ KHU YDULRXV VSRUWV -XVW UHFHQWO\ WKH 6XSHU (DJOHV ZHUH GXPSHG RXW RI WKH FRPLQJ ),)$ Football World Cup. Instead of growing the sector for the country to reap from the multi-billion dollars industry that sports have become worldwide, some people are merely interested in power tussle. Basketball LV DOPRVW QH[W WR IRRWEDOO LQ WHUPV RI SULRULW\ LQ WKH FRXQWU\ 7KH JDLQV UHFRUGHG E\ 1LJHULD·V '·7LJUHVV DQG '·7LJHUV ZLOO EH ZLSHG RͿ E\ WKH WLPH WKH WZR \HDUV VHOI LQÁLFWHG EDQ LV RYHU :KDWHYHU PD\ EH WKH MXVWLÀFDWLRQ ZLWKGUDZLQJ Nigeria from international competitions is not the solution to the crisis in the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF). Resolving the crisis and reviving the domestic leagues that have for years been in doldrums is a productive approach. We hope it is not too late to rescind the withdrawal decision.

Resolving the crisis and reviving the domestic leagues that have for years been in doldrums is a productive approach

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

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LETTERS NIGERIA AND THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTIONS ,Q DIWHU PRUH WKDQ D GHFDGH GXULQJ ZKLFK 1LJHULD ZDV VXEjected to all manner of indignities by military dictators the culminaWLRQ RI ZKLFK ZDV WKH DQQXOPHQW RI WKH SUHVLGHQWLDO HOHFWLRQ WKH GDZQ RI GHPRFUDF\ ÀQDOO\ VQDSSHG WKH ORQJ XQLQWHUUXSWHG SHULRG autocracy had enjoyed.

With the transition to democracy precipitated by the death of 1LJHULDCV ODVW GLFWDWRU LQ D QHZ FRQVWLWXWLRQ ZDV PLQWHG IRU the country, and with it, the return to democracy and elections. Mr. 2OXVHJXQ 2EDVDQMR EHFDPH SUHVLGHQW LQ DV 1LJHULD ZDV ÀQDOO\ set on the path to genuine progress that only democracy can pave. ,W KDV EHHQ \HDUV QRZ DQG JUDWHIXOO\ 1LJHULD LV \HW WR PDNH a costly detour from the path of democracy as it remains the only path which gives Nigeria the most desirable options. With the return to democracy in the country has come the return of elections which give Nigerians ample opportunities to determine who will govern them from time to time.

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violence that used to so grotesquely and grossly undermine elections in the country now happens in pockets as opposed to the days when it cast a pall over Nigeria`s democracy. :LWK WKH HOHFWLRQV MXVW DURXQG WKH FRUQHU SURMHFWLRQV DUH WKDW Nigeria`s capacity to handle free and fair elections will continue to LPSURYH %XW EHIRUH WKH JHQHUDO HOHFWLRQV QH[W \HDU SROLWLFDO SDUWLHV in the country will go to their own internal polls to select the candiGDWHV WKH\ ZLOO ÀHOG GXULQJ WKH JHQHUDO HOHFWLRQV QH[W \HDU Political parties in Nigeria have been mandated by the IndepenGHQW 1DWLRQDO (OHFWRUDO &RPPLVVLRQ ,1(& WR FRQGXFW DQG FRQFOXGH WKHLU SULPDU\ HOHFWLRQV EHIRUH -XQH ,W ZRXOG QRW EH farfetched to elect not to look beyond the opposition Peoples Democratic Party and the ruling All Progressives Congress, ancient rivals LQ 1LJHULDCV HOHFWRUDO DUHQD IRU WKH QH[W 3UHVLGHQW RI WKH )HGHUDO 5Hpublic of Nigeria. +RZHYHU DV PHPEHUV RI GLͿHUHQW SROLWLFDO SDUWLHV GHWHUPLQH WKHLU candidates through primaries, they will do well to remember the responsibility they owe themselves as citizens of Nigeria, and especially to the country that will most likely be formed in the image of ZKRHYHU LV HOHFWHG SUHVLGHQW FRPH

Internal party wrangling must be eschewed in the interest of democracy and justice. Internal democracy must be the prime considerDWLRQ LQ FKRRVLQJ WKRVH WKDW ZLOO HPHUJH DV FDQGLGDWHV DFURVV GLͿHUHQW OHYHOV LQ QH[W \HDUCV HOHFWLRQV 7KH IUHHO\ H[HUFLVHG FKRLFH RI SDUW\ members must be allowed to trump imposition. It is the interest of Nigeria as a country that must feature prominently in the minds of the delegates who will vote at the primaries, not pecuniary interests.

As things stand today, no one needs to be reminded that Nigeria is DW D FURVVURDGV DQG WKDW D ORW RI WKH XQFHUWDLQWLHV DQG DQ[LHWLHV ZKLFK the country is steeped in today has come from questionable decisions WDNHQ E\ 1LJHULDQ OHDGHUV SDVW DQG SUHVHQW 7R JHW WKH FRXQWU\ EDFN on track, the need to get credible leaders on board has never been more pressing. :KHWKHU 1LJHULD UHFRYHUV RU GLVLQWHJUDWHV DV IURP QH[W \HDU ZLOO be decided by many factors perhaps none more so than decisive OHDGHUVKLS 7KRVH ZKR KDYH WKH RSSRUWXQLW\ WR VKDSH HYHQWV ZLOO GR well to remember that while power is transient, the actions of those ZKR ZLHOG LW ZKLOH LQ R΀FH OLYH RQ IRU D YHU\ ORQJ WLPH Kene Obiezu, keneobiezu@gmail.com

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022

27

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

A S

REPO

A T

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

08056356325

M A Y

S & P INDEX

1 7 , 2 0 2 2

S & P INDEX

EXCHANGE RATE

OPR

6.50%

CALL

10.75%

INDEX LEVEL

610.44%

1/4 TO DATE

– 1.31%

N416.75/ 1 US DOLLAR*

OVERNIGHT

7.17%

1-MONTH

9.66%

1-DAY

0.03%

YEAR TO DATE

7.13%

*AS AT LAST FRIDAY

3-MONTH

1028%

MONTH-TO-DATE

– 1.31%

At 26.61%, Banks’ Maximum Lending Rate Drop to 5-year Low

Kayode Tokede Amid rising inflation rate that is expected to hike operating cost and plud profitability, banks have reduced maximum lending rate to 26.61 per cent, an over five-year low, the latest data by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on banks’ deposit and lending interest rates has revealed.

The CBN data revealed that In 2016, the maximum lending rate was hovering around 26 per cent and crossed the 31 per cent mark

in 2017.

The drop involves a decline in lending rates to the real sector of the nation’s economy and increasing deposit rates on bank customers’ deposits.

The data on banks’ deposit and lending interest rates showed a 1.4 percentage points drop in the average maximum lending rate from 26.61 per cent in March 2022, as against 27.65 per cent in January 2022.

The maximum lending rate was at 30.73 per cent in February 2022 and it has dropped by 2.5 per

cent to 27.85 per cent in December 2021 from 28.3 per cent it was in January 2021.

The CBN data indicated that interest on savings deposits closed March 2022 at 1.28 per cent from 1.25 per cent, representing an increase of 2.4 per cent Year-till-Date (YtD) performance.

Experts attribute the decline in maximum lending rate to excess liquidity in the banking sector.

Commenting, the President of the Association of the Capital Market Academics in Nigeria (ACMAN),

Professor Uche Uwaleke believe interventions by CBN also forced banks to cut interest rate on loans to customers.

He explained that, ““When the money supply is high, it is expected to translate into low interest rates on lending to Bank customers.

The numerous interventions by CBN have forced down interest rates in the banking sector. The CBN has a lot of its intervention at single digit interest rate; moved from nine per cent to five per cent.

When the CBN should have ended

that regime of five per cent lending rate, it extended it further.

“The CBN has been extending loan facilities to key sectors of the economy and a lot of interventions are accessing these funds at single digit interest rate. The banks were forced to reduce interest rate in order to remain relevant in their major core business of lending to the real sector.”

He noted that the gap between saving and lending rates is huge, stressing that the CBN management have expressed concerns.

Speaking on increase in deposit rate, he added that the hike in deposit rate is meant to attract deposits and remain competitive.

“It is the competition that is pushing up interest on deposits in the banking sector,” he added.

The President, Bank Customers Association of Nigeria (BCAN), Dr. Uju Ogubunka attributed the decline in maximum lending rate to uncertainty surrounding the business environment amid political tension Continued on page 28

Exporters Want Access to Repatriated Proceeds to Address Complaints on FX Trading on I&E Window James Emejo in Abuja Stakeholders in the Nigerian Export Sector have called on the federal government to allow exporters access to their repatriated proceeds in order to address their complaints on foreign exchange trading on the Investors and Exporters window.

Such move, they said, would be

in line with Section 1 of the Export (Incentives and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Cap E19 LFN, 2004, while a legal framework should be put in place to penalise exporters who fail to repatriate their proceeds.

The exporters recommendations were contained in a communique at the end of the maiden National Conference on Non-oil Export,

which was organised by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).

The communique, signed by NEPC’s Executive Director/Chief Executive, Dr. Ezra Yakusak, further stated that categorisation of products under the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) RT 200 initiative should be reconsidered to include products such as dried split ginger,

hibiscus flower among others, as semi processed as against the current CBN classification as primary product.

The exporters pointed out that to address the issues of multiple taxes, levies, overregulation and duplication of roles by government agencies, there is need to streamline roles of Ministries Departments and Agencies of Government

(MDAs) and ensure constant engagements among trade-related organisations.

They called for prior and broadbased consultations of stakeholders in the non-oil export value chain in the formulation of policies on non-oil export operations in the country.

The stakeholders argued thay to simplify and harmonise

trade processes, the National Single Window concept should be urgently adopted and operationalised.

The statement further stated, “That Nigeria should further leverage on its comparative advantage in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) to develop the Continued on page 29

M A R K E T D ATA A S AT T U E S D AY, M AY 1 7 , 2 0 2 2 BILLS

BONDS DESCRIPTION

Price

Yield

14.20 14-MAR2024 13.53 23-MAR2025 12.50 22-JAN2026 16.2884 17MAR-2027 13.98 23-FEB2028

110.85

7.73

108.85

9.89

106.42

10.35

119.11

11.07

111.18

11.28

Change Updated Time (%) 13, -0.01 May 2022 13, 0.00 May 2022 13, -0.15 May 2022 13, 0.00 May 2022 13, 0.00 May 2022

Discount

NTB 9-Jun22 NTB 14-Jul22 NTB 11Aug-22 NTB 8-Sep22

306,00 307,00

0.02 May 13, 2022

301,00 303,00

-0.22 May 13, 2022

297,00 299,00

-0.54 May 13, 2022

293,00 296,00

-0.57 May 13, 2022

NTB 13-Oct- 345,00 350,00 22

0.46 May 13, 2022

Yield

OTC F X F U T U R E S

CPS

MATURITY

Change Updated Time (%)

MATURITY NEVE CP I 24-MAY-22 DANC CP II 25-MAY-22 TRBH CP V 26-JUL-22 FSDH CP VI 1-AUG-22 NENL CP I 24-OCT-22

Discount Yield 16.72 16.81 8.72

Change Updated Time (%) 0.15 May 13, 2022

8.75

0.14 May 13, 2022

11.32 11.58

-0.39 May 13, 2022

8.00

-0.43 May 13, 2022

14.13 15.09

-0.16 May 13, 2022

7.86

CONTRACT Current TENOR Contract Rate ($/₦) (MONTH) NGUS MAY 25 1 427.24 2022 NGUS JUN 29 428.93 2 2022 NGUS JUL 27 3 430.63 2022 NGUS AUG 31 4 432.32 2022 NGUS SEP 28 5 434.02 2022

Updated Time

May 13, 2022 May 13, 2022 May 13, 2022 May 13, 2022 May 13, 2022

28

WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

L-R: Chief finance Officer ETC Agro, Mr. Amin Ahmad; Executive Director, IT, Operations & Compliance, FSDH Merchant Bank, Mr. Taiwo Otiti; MD/CEO FSDH Merchant Bank Ms. Bukola Smith; Group Head, Corporate Banking & Branches,FSDH Merchant Bank, Ms Stella- Marrie Omogbai and Head Treasury GMT Nigeria Limited Mr. Mahesh Falod at FSDH Breakfast Session on the CBN RT200 Scheme for Export Trade in Lagos… recently

UBA Leverages Cutting Edge Technology, Processes Over 25,000 Trade Transactions in Four months Oluchi Chibuzor Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc continues to put its customers at the forefront of its business, leveraging its cutting-edge technology and its vast business touchpoints to offer better services to its customers.

Over the years the bank has invested in robust technological

platforms to support seamless integration of services in a bid to satisfy the unique needs of its customers in this digital era.

The bank has provided access to trade links across most of its digital channels, making it easy for customers to perform transactions with any device from anywhere at any time.

Between January and April 2022, the bank has supported

over 25,000 individuals and businesses with their trade transactions, a feat no other bank has been able to attain.

“You never get a no from UBA, they are diligent and effectively treat all trade requests for both their customers and customers of other banks, “said a stakeholder.

UBA supported requests for Personal Travel Allowance,

Business Travel Allowance, Medical bills payment, Upkeep and School fees payment, processing over 25,000 transactions, when apparently other banks haven’t been able to process more than 10,000 transactions within this period.

The bank has continued to leverage its presence across Africa to create an avenue for trade between countries/

individuals whilst facilitating easy payment for goods and services rendered across these borders. In Nigeria, they continue to support businesses with processing Form M and Form Q for importation of goods, Export Trade – Form NXP (commercial export) and NCX (non-commercial export).

The bank is definitely poised to do more in this area of trade

and is clearly committed to satisfying both the importers and exporters This sounds like a bank that is truly committed to its Customer First philosophy, which promises to put its customers first and at the forefront of every business decision and the bank’s commitment to processing its customers transactions firmly corroborates this.

AIO President Seeks Improved Insurance Penetration in Africa The President of African Insurance Organisation (AIO), Mr Tope Smart, has called on African insurance market operators to improve on the level of insurance penetration in the continent.

The AIO boss who is also Group Managing Director/ CEO, NEM Insurance Plc, made the call while addressing members of the organisation in preparation for the forth coming 48 conference and National Assembly of the

organisation to hold in Nairobi, Kenya.

This, he said, could be achieved via solutions that improve access to insurance, the reputation of the African insurance industry and insurance awareness in Africa.

According to him, the African insurance industry still suffers from very low insurance penetration rate when compared to global rates with an average of less than two per cent excluding South Africa.

According to him, this shows the weakness of our industry, and the vast potentials to be exploited.

“Dear AIO members, as we slowly recover from the numerous restrictions imposed on us by the Covid-19 pandemic, I wish to convey my best wishes and those of the entire management of the AIO, as we prepare to celebrate 50 years of the AIO.”84.

As you are no doubt aware, the African insurance industry still

suffers from very low insurance penetration rates, when compared to global rates, with an average of less than 2 percent if we remove South Africa.

“This on one hand shows the weaknesses of our industry and on the other the vast potential yet to be exploited. According to a 2018 Lloyd’s publication, even a 1 percent increase in insurance penetration will reduce the disaster recovery burden

on developing countries by 22 percent. We believe it is our mission to improve insurance penetration via solutions that improve access to insurance, the reputation of the African insurance industry and insurance awareness in Africa, ”he said.

He further said as part of measures to address this challenge, he would appeal to different markets to scale up advocacy initiative by collaborating with

various organs of government to advance the course ofinsurance as this will lead to increased penetration.

He noted that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was set to become the world’s largest free trade area in respect of the numbers of participating countries, adding that it was one of the flagship projects of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

inflation. Rather, it will lead to an increase in lending rates of the commercial banks, limit access to credit, and hurt investment in the real sectors of the economy.

“Indeed, a further tightening policy will be antithetical to the CBN’s goal of increasing access of investors to cheap credit in order to aid economic recovery, spur growth, increase employment and reduce poverty.

“On the other hand, easing monetary policy in the present circumstances could increase untargeted money supply growth and exacerbate inflation. The situation of low growth, high unemployment and poverty incidence and double-digit inflation, no doubt, entails difficult policy choices.

“Nevertheless, output growth requires continuous policy support, especially monetary policy to complement fiscal policy which, for some time now, is characterised by weak fiscal space. Targeted development finance interventions of the CBN would need to be

sustained to boost aggregate supply of goods and services in aid of non-monetary inflation control.”

The Deputy Governor, Financial System Stability, CBN, Aisha Ahmad, also in her personal statement said the committee has a window to use the tools at its disposal to fight inflation promptly while keeping an eye on output growth, stressing that a marginal interest rate hike, thus, signals the need to curb inflation and could tangentially moderate foreign exchange pressures in the medium term by attracting foreign investors.

She added that, “While I acknowledge that a rate hike could potentially have a negative effect on real sector lending prices, this is mitigated by the Bank’s interventions which has broadened affordable access to loans.

“I am, therefore, convinced that sustaining these interventions, alongside a marginal increase in the monetary policy rate to combat inflation, would combine well to strengthen the recovery process.”

AT 26.61%, BANKS’ MAXIMUM LENDING RATE DROP TO 5-YEAR LOW

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)

in the country.

According to him, “Once bank customers are not applying for loans as they used to, for sure the lending rate is expected to drop. When you have pressure on loan request, the rate is expected to go higher. Many people are not making moves to invest because of the insecurity, upcoming elections, among others.”

Ogubunka, who was the former Registrar/ Chief Executive, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) expressed that Nigeria’s economy in 2022 has not witnessed major improvement to warrant a hike in banking lending rate to the real sector.

He added that, “If there is no improvement in macroeconomy activities, it simply means there is no need to commit more funds into the business environment, leading to slow demand for loans.”

Ogubunka explained further that banks opted to increase the rate on saving deposits to attract savings since the funds are not available.

He questioned, “How many bank customers are still saving money in

the bank? It is a demand and supply related issue. If bank customers do not give to banks, they will not have enough to lend to the real sector.

“Ordinarily, if there is surplus in the system, the pricing goes down but if you do not have enough and there is demand for it, you increase the rate. I think what is happening now is that so many bank customers are incapacitated that they cannot save due to inflation rate, among others.”

Speaking from a different perspective, analyst at PAC Holdings, Mr. Wole Adeyeye said the competition between the banks and Fintech companies forced down the maximum rate in the financial sector.

“For the month of March 2022, as the deposit rate increases, lending rate dropped. I think it has to do with competition between banks and other lending houses. Deposit rate actually increases which is expected to encourage people to deposit more funds. Banks are facing the reality of the CBN granting licence to MTN Nigeria and Airtel Africa to operate

a Payment Service Provider (PSP) that is expected to commence soon.”

On the flipside, the CBN’s data revealed that the average prime lending rate hit a 14-month high to 11.85 per cent in March 2022.

Prime lending rate in its Year-tillDate performance has gained 1.4 per cent from 11.68 per cent reported in January 2022, while in Year-on-Year gained 6.4 per cent from 11.13 per cent reported in March 2021.

The average interest rate on one-month deposits dropped to 3.33 per cent in March from 3.79 per cent in January 2022, while three-month deposits also dropped to 4.41 per cent from five per cent in January 2022.

The apex bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the CBN since February 2021 maintained interest rate at 11.5per cent.

A member of the MPC, a Professor of Economics at the University of Benin, Mike Obadan had in his personal statement during the March 2022 meeting in Lagos said, “A further tightening of monetary policy will not tame

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022

29 27

BUSINESSWORLD

ECONOMY

Impact of Elections, FX Liquidity on Economy As the 2023 elections draw near, Nume Ekeghe Writes on the Impact of electioneering activities on the economy

W

ith the primaries of the major political parties in Nigeria just around the corner, the economy seems to be taking a backstage as all focus in recent weeks has been on persons jostling for the various political vacancies in the country.

Like all the previous election seasons in the country, the naira is changing hands a lot with billions of naira being moved around in recent weeks as politicians and aspiring politicians pulled resources together to pay for the expression of intent forms in their various political parties.

However, it seems not only the naira is changing hands as there has been increased dollar demand in the country, further pushing down the value of the naira, particularly in the parallel market which is not officially supervised.

The value of the naira which for months have been stable at N580 on the streets for close to two months has since last week weakened to N596 to the dollar at the close of business activities on Monday this week. At the Investors’ and Exporters’ window, which is the official channel, the naira weakened to N421 from N419, which it closed last week.

ELECTIONEERING AND FX

According to the Managing Director, Afrinvest Research & Consulting, Mr. Abiodun Keripe, the pressure seen in the foreign exchange market is not unconnected to the increased spending by politicians.

“We live in a society or we operate in an economy where politicking takes a huge front t burner out whenever the season we are returning to the election season because of all the activities that need to be sorted out at the back end within and amongst the politicians and ensure respective parties and individuals interest are taking care of you know, so on the back of that you begin to see a bit of pressure in terms of demand for

FX and clearly because a lot easier to transact in, in foreign currency when you’re trying to take care of this interest.

“I think dollar maybe would be a shy of N600 Maybe just shy of N600. So you probably can be getting on the black market rate between N598 to maybe north of N605. I think we’re already at that N600 level if it’s going to worsen, looking at the indicators or signs on the ground, there is clearly a possibility that it may worsen particularly as we get closer to the primaries and to be the main election in 2023, “he said.

Likewise, Head Financial Institutions’ Ratings Agusto & Co, Mr. Ayokunle Olubunmi, noted that, “what we are seeing is not different, it is something we see every election cycle. First of all, the election Period is always characterized by a lot of demand for FX because wanting to give someone N100 million is very difficult in naira but if I just have it in dollars it is easier.

“I anticipate a spike just before the end of this month, and also as you move towards the election. It is almost close to the N600 mark and it is going to get worse as demand would actually push up. Also with what we are seeing in the oil sector, we cant take advantage of the rising global crude oil prices, because that could have helped us to cushion it.

Although the CBN is trying to push for the RT200 I don’t think the traction is going to be much.”

DOLLAR LIQUIDITY AND ECONOMY

Commenting on the level of liquidity in the market, Olubunmi said, “obviously, we all know that election period is always characterized by high liquidity in addition to politicians

that are spending money, don’t forget that for the government that also will rushing to complete some projects to help their campaign.

“So, on the fiscal side, there would be more spending. So in terms of liquidity, what we typically see is that during the election period, liquidities tend to be high. So, we anticipate so contractionary measure by the CBN. If you’ve been following the communique of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, you will notice that gradually, the number of people that are tending towards an increase in the interest rate is actually increasing by the day if you check the individual contribution.”

FORETELLING COMING MONTHS

Olubunmi noted that in the coming months, the election industry will continue to boom as the other sectors of the economy not related to elections will take the back seat in terms of growth. For the economy in general, he said “there is something you can call the election-related industry, so things like printing, advertising, and all those areas will actually be recording a boom now.

“For the economy generally, it is not like 2019 when we knew the president is likely to come back but now there would be a new president in 2023 and we don’t know the person or his economic stance. So, most businesses are waiting and nobody is talking about expansion. So, most businesses are not in an expansionary mode. So there would be a slowdown in the business activities in the economy except for businesses that are electionrelated and businesses that are resilient like banking.

“On the macro economy, JPMorgan removed Nigeria from the emerging market index as well as investors’

sentiments which have seen FDI decline. So there are some critical economic decisions that must be made and you don’t know as a business what the person that would be in power would have.”

WHAT OUGHT TO BE DONE In addressing the challenges of a near stagnant economy, Keripe said, “on liquidity management and how it plays a role in all of this, we should be having an MPC meeting this month so clearly, the CBN has a decision to make if to begin to tighten liquidity or to just maintain this stable like cluster approach in terms of interest rate decisions.

“What we have seen is that they have used more open market channels and moral persuasion and CRR to sort of tighten liquidity within the financial system.”

He added, “Clearly, the CBN has to play a role in tightening or providing some level of stability or curbing excess liquidity in the system so that we don’t have too much inflationary pressure, which already we are seeing and there are no signs of it abating anytime soon. I think system liquidity would increase as we move closer to the election although FGN is set to issue more domestic bonds to raise funds locally.

“Also, there is pressure to increase the interest rate, I think at the last MPC meeting, there were one or two persons that voted for an increase in the MPR. So, as they go into this MPC, I think that pressure might be real to increase interest rate, which can signal the official commencement of liquidity tightening measures by CBN.” “Business decisions making begins to slow down and that’s because, from the federal government side, which perhaps is the biggest spender in the economy, activity also begins to slow down across sectors, infrastructure spending, government plans, and Project executions slow down, “he added.

EXPORTERS WANT ACCESS TO REPATRIATED PROCEEDS TO ADDRESS COMPLAINTS ON FX TRADING ON I&E WINDOW services export sector, specifically in the emerging digital economy. That to enhance port operations, there should be increased investment in technology such as provision and utilization of scanners, to reduce

human interface in processes and operations.

“That the conference was timely and expedient considering the challenges and other emerging issues bedeviling

the non-oil export sector as it provided a platform for stakeholders to ventilate ideas and harmonise positions towards non-oil export performance.”

Among other things, they

urged banks and other financial institutions to adopt the use of Trade Finance instruments such as Credit Risk Guarantees while Forfaiting should also be encouraged as financing options

instead of placing much emphasis on collaterals.

They said to improve market access and visibility for Nigerian non-oil exports, more Export Trade Houses (ETH) should

be established and Regional Investment and Trade Offices (RITO) be reopened while trade desks at the Nigerian embassies should be strengthened in terms of building capacity for officers.

30

WEDNESDAY MAY 18, 2022 • T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022

31

BUSINESSWORLD

INSURANCE

Addressing Food Insecurity Via Agric Insurance Economic Losses as a result of natural perils like flood and insecurity in the country due to activities of Fulani herdsmen on farm crops have spelt the need for federal government to intensify efforts on Agric insurance premium financing for farmers, writes Ebere Nwoji

R

ecent development in one of the rice farm settlements in Badagry area of Lagos in which a young Agricultural engineer and NYSC member suffered total loss of his rice farm in the hands of Fulani herds men without any form of compensation or aid from anywhere has raised a question on what has become of National Crop Insurance scheme instituted by the federal government for the purpose of ameliorating losses among farmers.

The NYSC rice farmer by name Ugochukwu Nwokoma, a young agric engineer from Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) was attached to a private secondary school in Iba area Ojo, Lagos for his NYSC primary assignment.

According to him, in addition to his teaching primary assignment, he decided to experiment on his agric profession by renting an acre of land in Badagry where he planted rice.

His farm was said to be doing very well and was almost ripe for harvest when one morning he visited only to see that the entire crops have been eaten up by cows while the herders littered every corner of the farm with human feces.

He lamented that he borrowed money to add up to his savings from the NYSC monthly allowance to start the rice farming.

According to the NYSC rice farmer, he invested not less than N700,000 in the farm with the hope that when he sells the proceed, he would pay back the borrowed fund and use the balance to invest in the farm as a way of preparing himself for self employment after his youth service exercise since there is little or no hope of employment in Nigeria after university education.

Lamenting that the activities of the herdsmen have kept him stranded, the young agric engineer said he felt discouraged he has determined never to give up hope in agriculture but would be more determined to practice his agric profession if he can gather another money to start off his rice-farming dream.

MERITS OF CROP INSURANCE SCHEME

The young corper’s experience is just an example of what farmers currently suffer in Nigeria and why prices of food stuff have hit the roof top, exposing the entire country to food insecurity. As stated earlier, this has raised question on the status of national crop insurance scheme instituted by the Goodluck Jonathan’s

administration .

The national crop insurance scheme which registered over 10 million farmers for the purpose of assisting them to secure government assisted insurance coverage premium financing was meant to assist farmers that might suffer economic losses due to floods and other related perils.

The former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, while talking about the scheme at a seminar in Abuja, said the programme was intended to insure farmers against shocks and losses from weather related events.

Insurers said the scheme could be extended to cover other forms of losses farmers were prone to.

The former agric minister assured that with the scheme in place, farmers could farm with peace noting that farmers and communities must be protected from economic losses due to floods and other related mishaps.

“Our goal is to insure no less than 10 million farmers. We will also design and implement a flood disaster payment policy that will protect farmers, communities and states from economic losses due to floods, “he said.

Despite the scheme, farmers currently have a lot of pathetic loss stories to tell spelling the need for federal government and its agric insurance institution, the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance corporation (NAIC), to act fast and prevent such occurrence from repeating itself.

It also spells the need for government to encourage young graduates especially professional agric engineers among them like the now devastated Ugochukwu Nwokoma to invest their little earned allowances and energy in agricultural production with enough guarantee that such efforts will not be wasted by insecurity situation in the country.

The fact remains that after the exit from power by the regime that instituted the FG’s assisted agric insurance scheme, not much is heard about it as campaigns and promotion of the scheme for awareness creation waned.

RELEVANCE OF AGRIC INSURANCE

Experts believe farmers need to be protected from the negative impacts of climate change with appropriate institutional risk management policies, especially crop insurance and strategic

grain reserves, which reduce risk exposure and vulnerability to food security shocks.

According to them, in the year 2012, the experience of many Nigerians on the menace of flood has left indelible mark on many families as houses and farmlands were washed away by flood. The effect on food production and food pricing in the country has left many families under the threat of hunger and starvation as prices of food especially staple food like garri, yam and beans have hit the roof top.

They noted that currently, the situation has been worsened by incessant attacks on farm lands by the herders to the extend that in some parts of the north, farmers were said to pay ransoms to herds men before they could be allowed to farm otherwise they will either be killed or have their farmlands destroyed by cows.

The result of this is on high cost of food especially staple food.

For instance, a paint cup of garri hitherto sold for N320 now sells between N900 and N1000.A tuber of yam sold between N180 , N200 before the2012 flood and mergence of the herders’ activities now sells between N1,200 and N1, 500 This is because farmers suffered great losses without any form of compensation because many of them did not insure their farms.

At one of the Economic summits held in Abuja, Economists have viewed that the promotion of agricultural insurance among farmers was a major factor that would enhance large-scale food production worldwide.

The summit, observed that agricultural insurance all over the world has become as prominent in public discourse as conventional insurance, adding that this was due to the adverse effects of global climatic change on food production in different countries which is costing the world several billions of dollars annually excluding loss of lives.

POOR ATTITUDE TOWARDS INSURANCE

This situation is worsened by lack of insurance cover by the farmers, which would have helped to cushion the effects of such losses on the farmers and reposition them to remain in business.

Here in Nigeria, many farmers are still far from understanding and making use of insurance services

in their agric business. This has been attributed to factors such as lack of funds to carry out the business and at the same time pay for insurance services.

This aside, many farmers have failed to see their farming activities as a profession or a business. They still see it as leisure or hobby; they therefore find it difficult accepting innovations that would improve on what they already know.

These reasons and more explain why despite campaigns in different parts of the country on agric insurance some farmers are still not responding to it.

In different parts of Nigeria, agric insurance is still not too popular. Indeed farmers see losses from natural disaster like flood or influenza like bird flu as a seasonal occurrence that must come at its due time. They also believe that such losses are unpreventable natural phenomenon, therefore they do not need preventive measures, but must take their natural course.

FG, NAICOM EFFORT

In recent times, NAICOM, through its micro insurance programmes has been making efforts to familiarise Nigerian farmers with agric insurance. NAICOM has also collaborated with foreign agencies in doing this as part of effort to ensure insurance penetration in the rural parts of the country.

Also, the federal government has in the years past been contributing its quota in this regard by bearing part of farmers’ insurance cost through subsidised agric insurance scheme, which is provided by the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC).

Currently, NAICOM had expanded the scope of agric insurance in the country by liberalising the subsector and encouraging the private sector insurers to participate in non-subsidised agric insurance underwriting. This is due to increasing need for agric insurance occasioned by adverse effect of climatic change and other forms of emerging risks in the country.

Although private sector insurers have argued that agric insurance is such a high-risk business that many insurers will not want to delve into without government support, companies like Industrial and General Insurance, Leadway and few others have recently ventured into it .

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

Leveraging Locally Produced Goods for FX Accretion While Nigerians grumble over the increase in exchange rates, Ayodeji Ake presents the advocacy of business experts on patronage of locally produced goods to address import dependency putting an end to escalating issues of low foreign exchange

O

ver the years, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has urged Nigerians to embrace homemade products to boost Nigeria’s economy and to save Naira from continuous depreciation in the parallel market.

According to reported statistics, Nigeria’s capital inflows plummeted to a four-year low of $9.66 billion in 2020, sloped to $6.7 billion in 2021. Nigeria’s international trade balance for 2021 hit a deficit of N1.94 trillion, the largest on record.

Nigeria’s exports climbed 51 per cent to N18.91 trillion in 2021, up from N12.52 trillion of the year before. However, the increase in export proceeds was not enough to offset the 64.1 per cent increase in import bills, which totalled N20.84 trillion.

As a result of the FX Outflows, a $5.26 billion negative balance of payment was made in 2021, putting even more pressure on the local currency and necessitating the use of the external reserve.

The Deputy Director, Corporate Communications Department, Mr. Sam Okogbue, who represented the apex bank at a business function, recently, advised that no country can thrive under the influence of import dependency, thus, charged Nigerians to look inward and adopt locally made products to foster economic development.

“No successful economy thrives on the promotion of imported products over the exportation of locally manufactured products.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, rice was the most single popular component of our palliatives. This is a result of the CBN’s Anchor

Borrower’s programme for rice farmers,” Okogbue was quoted.

Also addressing the issue, the Managing Director, Hantec Africa Limited, Mr. Mike Fowope, urged Nigerians to embrace locally produced goods to boost the economy.

“In solving FX issues, everybody must embrace locally produced goods. I can say that most of us use foreign goods. So if we can support our locally produced goods, it will reduce the pressure on the forex,” he said.

As Hantec Markets way of reducing the burden of unemployment and also encouraging Nigerian youths to be financial contributors, the 32nd Hantec Markets Empowerment Programme themed “Digital Wealth Creation ‘’, held recently in Lagos, attended by over a thousand youths, Fowope boasted of financial breakthroughs.

He said: “Basically, for today’s occasion, we are celebrating our 32nd year of empowering people, and secondly, we are using the opportunity to educate people about the opportunities in the international market.

“The international market is a great opportunity for Nigerian youths. The truth remains that the government may not provide everybody with the employment opportunity that everybody wants and this is a better opportunity for Nigerians to learn how to trade and make earnings without government intervention.

“The experts came from the UK and Dubai to support this programme and we also want people to know that the international market is one regardless of

wherever you are and they are here to support us. They are also here to share with us the new things that are ongoing in the global financial market in the world”.

The programme also saw lucky winners of $250 to start their trading courtesy of Hantec Markets.

“Some do not have the financial capacity to trade but there are opportunities. For instance, in this programme, some will go away with $250 each courtesy, of Hantec Market, to start their trading career. We do that as part of our empowerment plans for Nigerians.

“Talking about the current situation in Nigeria and how it is affecting the trading market, the truth is that Nigerian FX does not support this kind of business but what we do is to seek to fit our currency and I can say that it doesn’t have any negative impact on the Nigerian reserve,” he said.

When asked about his current position going forward to solve the FX issues on the ground, Fowope said: “A company has been for 32 years and maintains its business and doing very well, it means they are doing the right thing that’s what we are for.

“We are empowering people. This is just a seminar just to open people’s eyes to the opportunities in the financial market and after the seminar, whoever is interested would come to our office where we will teach and mentor them for free. We have been doing that since we came to Nigeria 10 years ago. Some will win some dollars today which they can use to start their trading career. We

are also by doing this taking people off the unemployment market.”

The Chief Commercial Officer, Hantec Markets Limited, Hayel Abu-Hamdan, in the same vein, noted the organisation has opened to Nigerians a lot of opportunities and some have maximised the opportunity and the organization still looks forward to helping Nigerians.

“We have seen so many opportunities in the market. We have been training people on making money in the rising market, grabbing opportunities, and doubling the opportunities.

Before you risk money, before you encourage anyone to come into the system, such a person needs to practice for perfection. When you make mistakes, you learn from them and you don’t repeat the mistakes which gives you more chances to make money.”

When asked about the financial market in Nigeria and assessing Nigeria’s economy, AbuHamdan said, Nigeria has grown in terms of a financial breakthrough, but there are factors accepting countries of the world including the Russia and Ukraine crisis that has caused a lot of business setbacks.

“The audience in Nigerians has grown and for the past 32 years, most of our audience has ever come from Nigeria. So we still want everybody to see that the opportunity is there.

“For you, can you assess the economy of Nigeria? Nigeria is the heartbeat of Africa and we all know that. The whole world is going through a rough time, also talking about the impact of the conflict in Ukraine and Russia which is also affecting the global market. I believe Nigeria will be a better place from time to time,” he said.

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ MAY 18, 2022

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BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

ChamsAccess Partners G+D to Provide Best-in-class Banknote Counting Machines Kayode Tokede

ChamsAccess Limited recently held a product launch event, in partnership with world leaders in payment and financial services, Giesecke+Devrient (G+D).

Headquartered in Germany, G+D provides solutions to secure payments, identities as well as digital security and connectivity.

The launch held in Lagos was attended by partners and vendors, and featured live demonstration of the ProNote 130 ,ProNote 300 and ProNote 1.5 banknote counting machines.

Bank branches, currency exchange companies and retailers must count and sort banknotes in a variety of fast-paced environments. To meet these on-the-go requirements, The ProNote range of counting machines process banknotes with astounding speed

and accuracy, while weighing just six and a half kilograms.

The indigenous identity management and transactional service provider in a statement said, “Utilizing state-of-the-art infrared sensors, the machines ensure high level of authentication, verification and valuation of banknotes.

“The ProNote devices come with a capacity of counting up to 1,500 banknotes per minute, Precise counting function and inbuilt sensors for accuracy, recognition of up to 19 currencies, Compact size of 263×268×255 mm and weighing just 6.3 kg, a simple-to-use LCD display and inbuilt software support.

“This partnership further strengthens ChamsAccess Ltd’s commitment in providing innovative, secure technology devices and solutions in easing

lives.”

ChamsAccess Limited was established in 2009, as a subsidiary of Nigeria’s indigenous identity management and transactional service provider - Chams Plc. Initially, Chamsaccess was involved in the sale, deployment and support of self-service Kiosk and ATM. Through series of restructuring, the company has advanced to becoming a leader in access and technology solutions, committed to providing simplified solutions to enhance people’s lives.

The company has collaborated with leading technology organizations as well as with customers to deliver top notch, secure technological free from hassles.

“We provide solutions for the banking, pension, telcoms, retail and corporate industries, ”it added.

ABCON Calls for Creation of BDCs’Autonomous FXTrading Window Nume Ekeghe The President, of the Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) Mr. Aminu Gwadabe has urged that Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to create a trading window in a bid to enhance dollar liquidity in Nigeria.

Also, ABCON announced that they have developed a roadmap campaign plan needed to save the naira from further decline and enhance exchange rate stability.

The ABCON National Executive Council yesterday said the move to save the naira was agreed upon by the body at the conclusion of its meeting in Lagos recently where it unveiled strategies for saving the local currency, bridging the exchange rate gaps, and curbing volatility in the forex market.

Gwadabe said there was an urgent need to enhance dollar liquidity in the market and ensure stability of prices

in the economy.

These steps, he said, would save the local currency and economy from the impact of election spending that has kept inflation at double digits for a very long time.

He said: “The naira has consistently come under serious pressure due to dollar scarcity making it difficult for forex end users, manufacturers, and key industry players to access dollars needed to meet their needs. ABCON under my leadership will continue to encourage our members to play the vital role of closing the exchange rate gaps in the market and reducing widening premium between the parallel market and the official window.”

Gwadabe listed several factors that continue to undermine the naira’s stability and the local currency’s value against other currencies.

The ABCON boss called for the creation of BDCs’ Autonomous Foreign Exchange

Trading Window (BAFEX) with determined maximum daily limit for legible BDCs to access dollars from banks, autonomous market, and diaspora forex widow at the prevailing market prices.

He requested for enhancement of existing BDCs’ automation portals to file transaction returns on CBN/ABCON/NFIU/NIBSS portals for effective regulatory monitoring and supervisions.

Gwadabe also sought for the creation of an automation portal to encourage registration of undocumented and unlicensed operators for effective monitoring, identification and tracking of their transactions.

He said that Bureaux De Change (BDCs)’s demand that it be included in the diaspora remittance inflow channel to allow Nigerians in diaspora remit funds to Nigeria through the BDCs under the CBN’s guidance has affected the volume of dollar inflows to the economy.

FirstBank to Reward Customers in FirstMobile Cash-out Promo In collaboration with Interswitch, FirstBank has launched a promo to reward users of the FirstMobile app, its industry-leading mobile banking application.

The bank in a statement said the promo tagged, “FirstMobile Cash-out Promo,” will run for 3 months. The promo, which started on Monday, 21st March 2022 will end on Tuesday, 21st June 2022.

“Various prizes including, N1,000,000, N40,000, N10,000.00 cash prizes, N40,000 Airtime, LED Televisions, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioning systems will be won in the course of the three months campaign. A minimum of two bills payment worth N1000 and five airtimes of at least a total of N2000 in a week qualify a customer for any of the prizes. The promo is open to new customers and existing users of the FirstMobile app.

“FirstMobile customers who do a minimum of 6 transactions weekly on the FirstMobile app, will be eligible for the respective rewards: N10,000 cash for 200 winners; Gift items (TVs, Refrigerators and AC) for 10 winners; N10,000 airtime for 340 winners.

“On the other hand, 500 customers that carry out a minimum of 10 transactions monthly will win N30,000 cash.

The Grand Prize of N1,000,000

will be won by 2 lucky customers who carry out a minimum of 20 transactions or a minimum of two bills payment of N1000 plus five airtime transactions of at least a total of N5000 in a week, “it stated.

Speaking on the campaign, FirstBank’s Group Executive, e-Business & Retail Products, Chuma Ezirim said, “as the leading financial inclusion services provider in Nigeria, we are delighted to partner with Interswitch, an Africa-oriented technology-driven company, to reward our customers for their continuous patronage.

Together with Interswitch, we remain committed to ensuring the continued safety of customers’ funds across multiple electronic payment channels irrespective of where our customers may be across the world. FirstMobile remains another obvious step towards leveraging evolving technologies to bring fast and convenient digital banking solutions to our customers.”

“FirstMobile is built to reflect FirstBank’s resolve at reinforcing the digitisation of payment systems, whilst putting customers at an edge to conveniently meet their everyday needs at any time, irrespective of where they are.

The app provides convenient access to both financial and

non-financial transactions by FirstBank account holders via their mobile devices. It is sleek and convenient to use - evident in its easy enrolment process as all FirstBank customers with Verve and Naira Mastercards can begin using the app without having cause to visit a FirstBank branch.

It is also poised to offer a more reliable and more convenient overall digital banking experience.

“To set up the FirstMobile app, customers with android phones should visit the Google Play store to download and install the FirstMobile app. Customers with Apple devices can download it from the Apple Store. Once installed, customers are required to open the app, tap the register button, and use their FirstBank issued Naira MasterCard or Verve card to activate the app. After details have been inputted, an OTP code will be sent via an SMS to your phone number that is linked to your bank account and you are then required to Input a 5 digits code that will be your login password, select two security questions and answer them, create a personalised 4 digits transaction pin that will help your confirm transactions.

Upon the conclusion of these steps above, click Done and start enjoying the app, “it added.

L-R: EMEA Regional Sales Director, G+D,Aster Mehdi; Technical Sales Manager, G+D, Peter Echemi; CEO, i-Real, I. J Franklin and MD/CEO, Chamsaccess Limited,Dumebi Obodo, at a G+D product launch event held in Lagos...recently

MARKET INDICATORS 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

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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

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OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT MONDAY MAY 9, 2022

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $114.37 a barrel on Friday, compared with $113.04 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

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

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WEDNESDAY MAY 18, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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WEDNESDAY MAY 18, 2022 • T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022

35

MILESTONE

Gen. Aliyu Mohammed Gusau @79:

Power, Passion and Patience Bayo Akinloye

E

quanimity. Egalitarian.

Effusive.

And endearing. Gen. Aliyu Mohammed Gusau (retd.) is much more.

Unassuming, not a few Nigerians see Gusau as being imbued with selflessness, effervescence and patriotism. Considered part of Nigeria’s murky military past, his admirers are convinced the retired general represents a benevolent evolution of Nigeria’s statehood from dictatorship to democracy. A fine soldier. An illustrious nationalist.

That is the conclusion of many who have seen and acknowledged the statesman’s military and political trajectories.

In a subdued way, Gusau is cosmopolitan, though often dressed in his spick and span babaringa.

His calm visage exudes humility, deliberateness and commitment.

He is reputed to have played a critical part in ensuring Nigeria returned, amidst a tumultuous era, to democratic rule in 1999. From 1999 to 2006, he was the nation’s national security adviser. He returned to that office in 2010 under then-President Goodluck Jonathan.

As Boko Haram’s atrocious attacks heightened, Jonathan had to rely on the time-tested tenacity of Gusau, as former US ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell, noted.

“If Jonathan is not looking for another approach, he should be. The appointment of Aliyu Mohammed Gusau as defence minister may be a step in that direction. A retired lieutenant general, Gusau was born into the northern establishment in 1943 in Gusau, Zamfara state. He has served as director of military intelligence, chief of army staff, and national security adviser (to President Olusegun Obasanjo and briefly to his successor, Umaru Yar’Adua),” the former American ambassador had said at that time.

“He is close to former military chief of state Ibrahim Babangida, who also remains a powerful figure, and to David Mark, the president of the Senate. A major figure from the days of military government, Gusau is known to be highly competent and highly disciplined. He has been a presidential candidate before and probably still has presidential ambitions.”

Gusau had twice thrown his hat into the ring to become Nigeria’s president on the PDP platform.

Though unsuccessful on both

Gusau

occasions, people say he has not lost his fervour for Nigeria. He founded the Gusau Institute in Kaduna and donated his private library and publications to the institute for national development.

TODAY, GUSAU TURNED 79. HE WAS BORN ON MAY 18, 1943.

There will be no gun salute and no national holiday declared in his honour, yet, for those who crawl the crevices of power and understand the inside story of the nation, Gusau is not a footnote in national cohesion and unity.

They see his devotion and services to the country as more than can fill a library. Stately in ambition,

Gusau is said to dream and live Nigeria and was instrumental in developing Nigeria’s Fourth Republic; he served in various capacities as defence minister, national security adviser and chief of army staff. He had also held different intelligence agencies and was a commander of the Nigerian Defence Academy.

According to the Gusau Institute, the retired but indefatigable general has always been an avid seeker of knowledge and a bibliophile who acquired a vast collection of unique books, records and archives over his 40 years of service.

During his career, he gathered an impressive number of

“More years may still lie ahead as the elder statesman remains sturdy and stately. As he ages gracefully, more can still be expected of him. Gusau surely excels in serving others, assert those who know him very well.”

rare documents into a sizeable collection focusing on military affairs, international politics, the intelligence arts, strategic studies and geo-politics. This collection (and future additions) acts as the core collection of the Aliyu Mohammed Research Library (AMRL) based at the centre, the Gusau Institute stated.

“It is our expectation that, in time, the AMRL will become the preferred African Research Facility and Information Centre for selected scholars with a specific interest in the above-mentioned fields,” it added. “Its aim furthermore is to foster excellence in all aspects of good governance. It is easily the biggest private Research Library in Nigeria.”

Campbell regarded Gusau as a “pillar of the northern establishment, a military man, and a Nigerian nationalist who has been deeply involved in Nigerian governance for most of his life.”

He joined the Nigerian Defence Academy as an officer cadet in 1964 and was commissioned into the Nigerian Army in 1967. A patriot and nationalist, he fought in the Nigerian Civil War. Between 1976 and 1978, he served as the commander of the 9 Infantry Brigade in Abeokuta, adjutant general of 2 mechanised division (1978 to 1979), and director of personnel services at the Army Headquarters. Later, he became the director of military intelligence.

As a military strategist, he was not unconnected to the coups of 1983 and 1985. As the national security coordinator, Gusau reorganised the national security and intelligence setup.

NO ONE KNOWS A MAN BETTER THAN HIS FRIENDS. “This is to wish my friend Gen. Aliyu Mohammed Gusau a happy birthday at 79 today. I salute a great Nigerian leader who loves his country dearly. I have known Gen. Aliyu Gusau for over 40 years now,” said Chief Ebenezer Babatope.

“He has always seen Nigeria as a united country. He has friends all over Nigeria. I wish him many more years of service to our country. God bless a kind-hearted Nigerian leader.”

More years may still lie ahead as the elder statesman remains sturdy and stately. As he ages gracefully, more can still be expected of him.

Gusau surely excels in serving others, assert those who know him very well.

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T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY MAY 18, 2022

EDUCATION Inside Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital: Tales of Mismanagement, Malfeasance The staff of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku, Awka, Anambra, are worried about the financial malfeasance that has gripped the institution since 2021, with the appointment of new leadership by the Willie Obiano administration, with allegations of financial impropriety and scarcity of drugs rocking the institution.

Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital Amaku, Awka

A

source at the hospital alleged the institution has become a drain pipe for siphoning millions of naira through over-bloated salaries, hiked allowances and inflated imprest bills.

Documents obtained by THISDAY show salaries and wages rising sharply from 2021 without any commensurate expenditure. For example, an official voucher showed that in March and October 2021, salary increased from N81 million to N88 million.

The December 2021 staff wages also raised suspicion.

“How come the salary increased from N81 million, N82 million, N84 million to N171 million (N87 million increment). Does it mean the staff strength doubled in December? We were not even paid any Christmas bonus in December.

We received the same salary we got in December 2021,” claimed a worker in the hospital.

Investigations revealed that the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Joe Akabuike, erstwhile health commissioner, allocated N5 million monthly security vote for his office instead of N1.5 million approved by the government.

THISDAY checks revealed there was no framework for the security vote for the CMD and showed that the institution used to pay security men contracted from a private security outfit to guard the hospital and two gates leading into the facility. Previously, the money for security was N500,000.

Official documents obtained from the Office of the Secretary to the State Government indicated that the money was later increased to N1.5 million by the government after the former CMD wrote to express concerns about security in the hospital. Some persons suspected to be cultists were apprehended in the hospital in 2018, causing panic among staff. To guard against possible attacks, the then CMD applied for an increment in security funds. It was approved.

It was gathered that the past administration implemented the N1.5 million security fund until Akabuike came in March 2021 and hiked it to N5 million without any security add-ons.

Empty pharmacy “I don’t even know why this is a government hospital any longer. The food is more expensive than outside. When you want to buy drugs, something that one should buy here at a cheaper rate, they always tell you they don’t have it,” said Adaeze Umeh, a patient at the hospital.

“So, you have to go outside, where you will

buy it at a high cost, yet you will not be assured of the quality. Go to the pharmacy section in this hospital.

It is always empty, no drugs there.”

Several other people, in-patients and outpatients, complained about their inability to buy drugs at the institution’s pharmacy. For available drugs, people decry their prohibitive prices.

“If you look at the purchase of drugs in this hospital for last year, you will see that January, February, March and April followed a steady sum of drug supply. But from July 2021, it jumped to N17 million in November 2021,” a source in the hospital added. “So many contracts on drug procurement and supply went under the table.

They did not follow due process and approval by the board. The board should perform its oversight function and request evidence of payment and supply of those drugs. The board should also request evidence of bidding for drug supplies which is the rule in government, and why there is no Drug revolving fund in the hospital. Drug procurement and supply has become a conduit pipe for siphoning money.”

Within two months that the CMD assumed office, he removed the head of the pharmacy and replaced him with a loyalist. The source alleged that the replacement is not a pharmacist but the CMD’s friend.

Disbursements on items that record zero expenditure in the past now run into millions of naira, said the source. Imprest and advances rose from N307,000 (when Akabuike assumed office) to N1.6 million in November 2021. Stationery expenditure moved from zero before Akabuike’s emergence as the CMD to N160,000

and later N400,000. It quickly jumped to N3.2 million in October 2021. Sources said there was no evidence of such expenditures in the hospital.

Patients forced to eat ‘expensive’ meals There is also the issue of compulsory meals for in-patients which families and the sick do not consider cheap.

In a petition to the Anambra government, Blessing Nnadozie accused the hospital of contracting the meals to Ofiaku Kitchen “to feed every admitted patient daily.”

“This feeding is compulsory at a whopping price of N700 per meal. That is, every patient in the hospital pays a compulsory N2,100 daily, whether you accept the food or not. You have no choice but to pay for it, according to how many days you spent in the hospital. It’s being coded in such a way that, once a patient is admitted, they start giving him/her food without making the cost known to the person,” explained Nnadozie in her petition. “Many always think that the food is free until the day the person will be discharged and the bill presented.”

She called on Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra “to investigate this ugly information and intervene on behalf of the suffering patients.”

The petitioner added, “Most of these patients are so poor that they hardly eat complete three square meals in their various homes, yet the hospital is using their sickness as an advantage to enrich Ofiaku Kitchen and some selfish persons in the hospital’s management.”

A nurse in the hospital, who spoke anonymously, said feeding patients cost N300 per meal until the management contracted Ofiaku Kitchen.

MDCAN’s revolt On another front, the hospital has another crisis to tackle: the COOUTH chapter of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) threatened a showdown with the hospital management.

In a letter to a letter to the CMD dated April 12, 2022, MDCAN chastised the hospital management for reneging on its agreement in January 2020

The allegations are not surprising to me because the structure of the place permits for things like that. You can call it executive rascality. The board is supposed to oversee the running of the hospital, but instead, the board was treated as if it didn’t matter

for an improved pay package.

“As part of the bargain, the hospital management commenced the payment of the new salary emolument at 70 per cent implementation and pleaded with the MDCAN COOUTH Chapter that a full (100 per cent CONMESS) automatically be effective by January 2021,” said MDCAN. “However, the payment of 100 per cent CONMESS did not commence as promised, and the members were appealed to be patient in January 2022. As a responsible government that does not play with the health of her citizens, additional subventions were released to the hospital management to make sure health workers were adequately remunerated.”

The letter, however, noted: “To our greatest chagrin, when the February and March 2022 salaries were paid, what our esteemed members received was far below their expectation, and the shortfalls were not also paid. It is disheartening, to say the least, that the CMD turned around and labelled the document generated by the hospital management board an illegal document.”

Angered by the turn of events, the MDCAN gave the hospital management a 21-day ultimatum to comply with their demands, threatening to go on strike if the institution did not meet their demands.

However, the MDCAN chair, Prof. George Emechebe, disclosed that the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, had waded into the matter.

When THISDAY sought the views of the hospital’s board members, Prof. Edmund Nwanna said: “The allegations you just mentioned are not surprising to me because the structure of the place permits for things like that. You can call it executive rascality. The board is supposed to oversee the running of the hospital, but instead, the board was treated as if it didn’t matter.”

He added, “It was after the death of Basil Nwankwo that Akabuike, who was removed from office as commissioner and was literally hanging around in Awka, was appointed into office as CMD. His appointment was again made

by Obiano without the board advertising the position and interviewing candidates. He is said to be a candidate of a Catholic bishop. All these CMDs see themselves as having been appointed by the governor, so they could play all sorts of pranks.”

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

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T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY MAY 18, 2022

EDUCATION

Corona College Commits African Varsities Charged to Deepen to Quality, Technology- Digital Education driven Education Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

Uchechukwu Nnaike

Corona College of Education (CCED) Lagos has restated its commitment to a value and technology-driven education system to enhance the sector ’s development.

This was as 150 students of the college received various certificates for the 2020/2021 academic session.

The Provost, Dr. Olajumoke Mekiliuwa, disclosed this at the institution’s fourth convocation ceremony and third public lecture.

A breakdown of the graduating students showed that 125 bagged Professional Diploma in Education; eight were awarded Nigeria Certificate in Education; and 17 Professional Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education.

The guest lecturer, Prof.

S.A Oyebade from the University of Lagos, and other participants urged the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to build a school system equipped with modern technological infrastructure on which 5G tools can thrive.

He called for the capacity-building of teachers and other educationists

to remain relevant in the sector.

Mekiliuwa, in her address, reminded the graduating students that beyond the knowledge and skills they have acquired in the classrooms, there are skills that employers are looking for in them.

She urged them to be change agents, lightbearers, solution providers, and pathfinders to confront the numerous challenges bedevilling the education system.

Mekiliuwa affirmed the need to review teachers’ roles to rebrand the profession.

Also speaking, the CEO of Corona School’s Trust Council, Mrs. Adeyoyin Adesina, called on the government to consider the issues of support for private colleges that are bridging the gap in the attainment of tertiary education for our youths, as they are ameliorating the declining quality and standard of education in the country.

She noted that such support could come via Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) through staff training, sponsorship, human capital development and other relevant interventions.

African universities have been challenged to embrace, deepen digital education and make it acceptable to their societies to achieve its desired impact.

Dr. Olivier Kuttel, the Head of International Affairs of École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL, Switzerland, gave the charge on Friday in Abuja while delivering a keynote address at the 2022 African Centres of Excellence, ACE, Regional Conference.

Kuttel said the biggest impact on digital transforma-

tion was Covid-19, adding that online teaching was key for his polytechnic to continue its academic programmes during the pandemic.

He called on universities to go digital.

“Digital technology has a huge impact on education, research, innovation and society,” he noted. “With digital technology, they teach, do research, share the result, and the impact is felt by their society.”

The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC, Prof Abubakar

Rasheed, said the NUC had developed the blueprint for revitalising education in Nigeria. But after the coming of coronavirus, the commission realised it had to rethink its approach to the delivery of instruction by adopting sustainable Integration of digital education.

Rasheed noted that one of the blueprints was to carry out a comprehensive review of the curriculum, and after four years with over 1,200 academics involved, the NUC has successfully re-engineered the curriculum of universities.

He disclosed that the commission developed a memo and sent it to the Federal Executive Council for approval, adding that the review includes the unbundling of some courses.

The NUC boss said another committee was set up to develop a curriculum on artificial intelligence.

For the first time in 20 years, he said Nigeria received international students from several countries, and students from over 17 countries subscribe to one university alone, courtesy of the ACE programme.

CruxLearning Reality TV Show Produces Africa’s Maths Champions Staff, Unions Hail FG for Reappointing FCE Umunze Provost

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu presenting the letter of reappointment to the Provost, Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze, Dr. Tessy Okoli

Funmi Ogundare

An SS two student of International School Ibadan, Master Victor Adetunji, has emerged winner of the just concluded Cruxlearning Mathematics Contest Africa 2022, a reality TV quiz show designed to demystify the subject, identify and reward outstanding students for their brilliance and social skills.

For his victory, Adetunji, who beat over 10,000 other students, got a university scholarship worth $5,000.

Cruxlearning Mathematics Contest Africa (CLMCA) is a pan African math Contest where over 10,000 SS 2 students from 24 African countries registered for the annual competition through the online platform where qualifying exams were conducted. The top 18 were shortlisted for the second stage of the reality TV quiz show.

After four weeks in the Mathslounge, the second stage ended with the last six geniuses engaging in a thrilling final encounter with the Dean to determine who will emerge the winner.

Master Femi Ositade

of The Ambassadors College Ota, representing alpha, came second, winning $2,500. Miss Joyce Onubogu of British Spring College Awka came third, winning $1,500 worth of university scholarship.

The story of Adetunji, who survived eviction twice during his stay in the Mathslounge, is the definition of luck, resilience and brilliance.

The 15-year-old, whose parents are lecturers at the University of Ibadan, was described by his mother as very diligent.

She thanked the contest organisers for the honour and opportunity given to her son.

The founder of CruxDeals Limited, Oladapo Ojo, reiterated the pivotal role of Mathematics as the catalyst for innovations and development in the quest to catapult Africa to the league of digital nations in the world.

“It is our hope that Cruxlearning Mathematics Contest Africa (CLMCA) will increase and heighten the interest of a lot more African youths in the study of mathematics and, in so doing, produce the next Albert Einstein,” he said.

The staff of Federal College of Education (Technical) Umunze have commended the federal government for renewing the tenure of Dr. Tessy Okoli as Provost of the institution. President Muhammadu Buhari recently approved the reappointment of Okoli for a second and final tenure of four years, with effect from May 17, 2022.

In celebration of the good news, the Senior Staff Union in Colleges of Education (SSUCOEN) said the reappointment resulted from the robust, diligent and revolutionary administrative qualities of

Okoli within the four years of her first tenure as provost. In a congratulatory message, signed

by Comrade AnayoNwankwo, Chairman, SSUCOEN, FCET Umunze chapter, the union expressed satisfaction with the outstanding performance of the provost, stressing that her tenure renewal was well deserved.

“This is quite deserving owing to your sterling qualities and outstanding performance. Your steadfastness over the years has remained your credo,” the union stated.

Also, members of the Non-

Academic Staff Union (NASU) said Okoli distinguished herself as a selfless and effective leader within the four years of her first tenure. In a congratulatory message signed by Comrade NathOdo, chairman of NASU, FCET Umunze chapter, the union said the reappointment confirmed her exemplary leadership and commitment to the development of the institution.

SERVICOM rated the college the best Federal College of Education in 2019 under her watch.

The Deputy Provost of the College, Dr Christopher Ug-

wuogo, said the reappointment of Okoli for a second tenure was not unexpected, considering her numerous achievements in the college.

Ugwuogo noted that during the first tenure of Okoli as Provost, the pedigree of college academic programmes was enhanced by introducing more NCE programmes that widened students’ access to academic programmes.

More commendations came from the teaching staff, who expressed satisfaction with the sterling performance of the provost in her first tenure.

Greensprings Teacher Makes Top 60 of Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Award Out of the nominated 7,000 teachers from 113 countries in this year’s Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Award, a Chemistry teacher from Greensprings School, Mr. Lanre Oguntoye, has emerged in the top 60.

The award serves as a global recognition for him, having received national honours as Lagos state champion of Maltina Teacher of the Year 2021 and Meadow Hall Foundation’s Inspirational

Teacher of the Year 2019.

To get the award, he was nominated by the school’s Anthony campus Head Girl, Emmanuella Ilok. In the nomination video sent to Cambridge University Press and Assessment, the award organiser, the student spoke about Oguntoye’s ability to break down complex Chemistry concepts into bits of knowledge that are easy to understand.

In addition, she revealed

how he had been her support system, influenced her interest in Chemistry at A-Level, and how the teacher always ensures all students are carried along when teaching. She also talked about how Oguntoye is contributing to expanding Chemistry knowledge beyond Greensprings School through his YouTube channels and other online platforms.

Oguntoye dedicated the honour to all members of Greensprings School.

The Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards is a global competition in which primary and secondary school teachers are recognised for something wonderful they have done.

Nominations are submitted by pupils, parents, or fellow teachers, and the quality of nominations are determined based on four criteria: Going above and beyond; fantastic pastoral care; making the ordinary, extraordinary; and opening up the world.

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WEDNESDAY MAY 18, 2022 • T H I S D AY

40

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY MAY 18, 2022

CITYSTRINGS

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

Tackling Unemployment in Kogi Communities Precious Ugwuzor writes that to tackle unemployment and youth restiveness, Abayomi Bello, the Chief Executive Officer of SOLGIC Group and Omoboja Farms Nigeria Limited - a modern agro-allied company, is empowering the youths through his mill in Kabba, Kogi State

Bello at mill

I

ndustrialisation, particularly at the community level, can rapidly take Nigeria's teeming youth out of unemployment, while also driving real economic growth and curbing urbanisation. This, however, requires interventions from the private sector in restoring hope to the citizens.

Undoubtedly, unemployment remains one of the biggest social problems in Nigeria, with severe consequences on the security as well as economy of the nation. Recently, the Nigerian government put the number of unemployed Nigerian youths alone at a staggering 90 million.

The slow-paced industrialisation particularly in communities is worsening the burden of unemployment as youths often migrate to city centres where competition for jobs is often stiff. Available records show that urbanisation is typically driven by domicile industrialisation in communities and lack of social amenities.

For instance, Kabba/Bunu Local Government area in Kogo state is like any other rural communities whose dwellers are predominantly farmers, petty traders or government employees, there is a glaring absence of functional industries in these communities under the LGA. While some interventions have been initiated by the government to tackle this social problem, interventions of the private sector are also seen driving the industrialisation process in these communities and restoring hope for the unemployed and rural poor.

This is even as economy experts have reiterated that national development cannot be attained without significant growth at the grass root level.

The establishment of a vegetable oil processing mill in Kabba is already projected to create at least 1,000 jobs, boost agricultural development and improve economic growth in the state. The mill, which is situated at Omoboja Farms in Kabba, seeks to promote mass production of vegetable oil made from cotton seeds and soya beans.

Prior to the establishment of the mill, farmers in the community only farm and sell their produce in small scale or for family consumption, but the presence of an industry is expected to spur large scale farming and

processing of these products into finished goods, this is the first of its kind in the community.

Abayomi Bello, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SOLGIC Group and Omoboja Farms Nigeria Limited - a modern agro-allied company is also the brain behind the mill. He disclosed plans to not just process oil for local consumption but for export.

Bello enthused that the project will bring socio-economic development in the communities in the LGA. Bello said farmers and petty traders will also have access to credit facilities to enable them to benefit from the value chain.

He disclosed that the focus is on processing of soya beans and cotton seed due to their high economic value.

While speaking recently at the test run of the mill, he explained, “This factory will help provide job opportunities, and improve agriculture".

He assured farmers in the community not to bother about how to sell or get their products processed because of this project. "The presence of this factory encourages farming because we are ready to buy these products from the farmers. We chose soya and cotton seeds because of their high economic value.

These products are valuable in any of the chains of production."

He also disclosed that the project gulped almost $2 million and reiterated his confidence that the project will have a huge impact on the locals.

"I could have made this investment in Abuja or Kano where we have investments of this sort, but we understand the economic impact on

our people. The youths, farmers, and market women are a circle of people that will be impacted.

"We have done this and we are asking others to show us what they have done within this federal constituency, this is the first and only oil mill, we can have over 1000 direct and indirect employees in the value chain. It's a whole value chain process, from procurement of receipts to milling, down to selling the oil. It’s all about impact.

"My vision is to have a better community where people don’t have to queue in houses of individuals to beg for something as simple as food to eat, or even health for the children or school fees for their kids," he stated.

Speaking further, the entrepreneur noted the high rate of restiveness due to unemployment, assuring further that the project can curb criminality.

He said, " We have a lot of security problems because the government has left the young people, particularly those carrying out these acts with no choice because there are no jobs, and no food.

"The schools are not working, the health system is not working. So the only resort they have is to go around the best way they can to obtain these things for themselves. So for people like us, we want to help fix this, and I am emphasizing that wealth creation, real development can help engage these young minds and thereby curb insecurity."

Farmers and traders could not hide their excitement about the industry, explaining that it will encourage large scale farming and boost sales.

"My vision is to have a better community where people don’t have to queue in houses of individuals to beg for something as simple as food to eat, or even health for the children or school fees for their kids"

"I farm soya beans in small quantities, I sell and sell in the market, while I keep the rest for consumption, but with this industry, I now have a ready and expanded market, this will encourage me to farm in large quantities" Haruna Amos said.

Traditional rulers in the communities also expressed delight. The Obaro of Kabba, Solomon Dele Owoniyi said the project, if well utilised, can put Kabba on the global map.

“This project has made history not just in this land but in Kogi in general. It will put Kaba on the global economy front. We need this kind of innovation to promote development especially in times like this when the high rate of unemployment among the youths is alarming.

"This is an avenue for wealth creation and apparently the project signifies how much he loves his people because we all know that if he had established it in Abuja, he would probably make more gains but bringing it home shows how considerate he is to his people and we commend him for that” the traditional ruler added .

One of the women leaders in the community who identified herself as Mrs. Dauda said the project is apt due to the dwindling oil prices and the need for economic diversification.

"We are happy this project came and we believe it will spur economic growth at the grass root level," she said.

Joseph Kolawole, a political leader from Kaba-Bunu equally noted that the project is a landmark achievement that will place Kaba into the global market in terms of employment, development, and commercial activities for market women. The ripple effect, according to him, cannot be overemphasised as it will change the narrative of the communities.

"Before the establishment of this gigantic factory, people here were focused on civil service jobs, but with this we are encouraged to look more into agriculture as a catalyst for development. " Tochukwu Okafor, an economic analyst said while creating industries is an excellent catalyst for development, sustainability remains key. Okafor, however said it was important to ensure that the community owns the project.

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NEWS

AT THE BOY CHILD PARENTING SEMINAR...

L-R: Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Cecilia Dada; Wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Oluremi Hamzat; First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; and Founder of Boy Child Transformation Centre, Mrs. Nkiru Oguadinma, during the Boy Child Parenting Seminar organised by the Office of the Lagos State First Lady, held at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos...yesterday

2023: I'm Not Interested in Presidential Race, Adesina Tells Supporters Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The President, African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, yesterday withdrew from the contest for the presidential ticket under the All Progressives Congress (APC), telling his supporters that his,"current responsibilities at this time do not allow me to accept to be considered."

Adesina had been shortlisted among the 25 presidential aspirants cleared to contest for the APC ticket.

A coalition groups of youth, women, farmers, physically challenged and well-meaning Nigerians had purchased the N100 million

nomination form of the APC for the former Nigeria's Agriculture Minister to contest However, Adesina in a statement said he was extremely humbled by several calls from Nigerians at home and abroad that he should consider running for the office of the president.

He stated: "I am very touched by all who have gone to great extent, with such huge sacrifices, of their own volition, to consider me worthy to be proposed for potential consideration.

"The coalition groups of youth, women, farmers, physically challenged and well-meaning Nigerians that have done this

2023: IPAC Expresses Support for Abiodun James Sowole in Abeokuta The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), has passed a vote of confidence on the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun in Ogun State, reiterating that his leadership has impacted on the lives of the people of the state.

IPAC expressed its support for Abiodun at a news conference, held at Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Iwe Iroyin, Abeokuta.

Addressing journalists, the Ogun State Chairman of IPAC, Mr Samson Okusanya said the petition signed by one Ayodele Oludiran on behalf of a civil rights group seeking the disqualification of Abiodun was ill- conceived and aimed at smearing the good work and the great achievements of the governor.

He stated said the performance of Abiodun in the last three years, was legendary and enviable, saying there was no need doubting the fact that the state, had witnessed a total turn-around in all ramifications.

He said, “Ogun IPAC would not have delved into the issue, if such allegations were made by APC members, but the petition was written and signed by a Civil Society Organisation and now made public. “"We felt that as a body established and recognised by the law, we should beam our search light

on the issue accordingly.

“Upon the release of the petition, the leadership of IPAC met with the leadership of APC in the state to make necessary findings on the various allegations levelled against the governor.

“IPAC found out that the petition is spurious, not genuine and a calculated attempt to disparage the person of the governor.

“Dapo Abiodun is well educated with verifiable facts and a seasoned administrator per excellence whose corporate experiences have reflected in the ongoing transformational changes in Ogun State.

“Definitely, the fifth columnists, who are hiding behind their fingers to truncate the development of Ogun State by all means, including the latest attempt through the spurious petition, shall be put to shame.

“These set of people, who have mismanaged the resources of the state while at the helms of affairs in the state through so many fraudulent white elephant projects."

He added that the desperate attempt to stop the governor from getting a second term would be resisted on all fronts by the good people of the state.

The IPAC chairman urged the National leadership of APC not to be distracted by the shenanigans but to support the moving train of development in the state under the leadership of Abiodun.

have expressed their genuine free will, political right, freedom of expression and association for my consideration, with the interest of Nigeria at heart.

"While I am deeply honored,

humbled and grateful for all the incredible goodwill, kindness, and confidence, my current responsibilities at this time do not allow me to accept to be considered."

Adesina noted that he remained fully engaged and committed to the mission that Nigeria, Africa and all the non-African shareholders of the African Development Bank gave him for Africa’s

development.

He emphasised that he remained fully focused on the mission of supporting the accelerated development and economic integration of Africa.

Atiku Apologises to Journalists, Says He Was Misunderstood Seriki Adinoyi in Jos Former Vice President and one of the presidential aspirants of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Atiku has apologised to journalists in Plateau state over the manner they were maltreated during his visit to the party's secretariat in the State on Monday, saying he was misunderstood.

The Technical Committee Support group of Atiku, led

by Chief Raymond Dokpesi

tendered the unreserved apology to the journalists in a statement issued yesterday, saying the PDP presidential aspirant could not have directed that the media be shut out of the event.

He said Atiku has enormous respect for the media and its role in the society.

Dokpesi denied the report that the press was prevented from covering Atiku's consultations with the PDP delegates held at the party's secretariat in Jos. Rather, he explained that, "what

occurred was that on arrival at the Plateau state PDP secretariat in Jos where the former vice president was to meet with delegates as part of his consultation ahead of the May 28th PDP National convention, it was obvious that journalists were already in the hall, and he wanted to meet with the delegates separately before speaking with them."

He said Atiku only pleaded that the media excuse the meeting, and return for interviews after the consultation. He apologised

for the manner his security details handle the situation.

The technical committee leader also appealed to journalists not to misinterpret the intention of the former vice president, saying the media has always been part of his agenda.

While appreciating journalists, he also cautioned against false narratives and, "deliberate moves to blackmail the person of Atiku Abubakar " saying that must be completely discountenanced by the public.

Fayemi: Oshiomhole's Accusation against Me, Sign of Post Traumatic Disorder Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti The Governor of Ekiti State and a presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Kayode Fayemi, has described the accusation by former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, alleging that Fayemi once asked him to rig an election in his favour as signposting a post traumatic disorder over his removal as the APC National Chairman.

In the same vein, Fayemi denied the allegation made by the Social Democratic Party (SDP), that he had set up a, “task force,” to disrupt the June 18, 2022 election, saying he couldn't have been plotting to stall a poll he was determined to win for the APC candidate, Biodun Oyebanji.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, yesterday, Fayemi said Oshomhole's allegation, which was made on a national television, was not only, "false, puerile and laughable," but a figment of the imagination of the former APC National Chairman Fayemi posited that at no time did he ask Oshiomhole to rig any election for him or any other person

and never had any reason to ask for such.

"Members of the public are therefore urged to disregard the allegations by Comrade Oshiomhole, who apparently is still experiencing a post traumatic stress disorder on account of his removal as Chairman of APC. "It is on record that Dr. Fayemi was not responsible for Comrade Oshiomhole’s removal as Chairman of the APC. He has his ward executives and the courts to blame for that.

"The Ekiti State Governor has always considered Comrade Oshiomhole a friend and political associate even if they had fundamental differences over his kangaroo approach of disqualifying Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, from the APC primaries and his unconscionable autocratic management of party affairs whilst he was chairman of the party."

The statement added: "For avoidance of doubt, Governor Fayemi has no reason to approach Comrade Oshiomhole for favours for any election. Governor Fayemi has a stellar track record of being a consummate democrat even in

difficult times.

"Many Nigerians can easily recall his historic concession speech in 2014 in an election that was clearly lost to electoral sleight of hand at the behest of the then People’s democratic Party (PDP) –led Federal Government.

"Others will also recall how he spent years in court patiently pursuing the retrieval of his stolen mandate between 2007 and 2010.

He has demonstrated nothing but decency, decorum and fidelity to the rule of law in all his years in politics and public office.

"We challenge Mr Oshiomhole to provide the public with independently verifiable evidence of his unsubstantiated claims, if true."

Fayemi also condemned a purported petition written by one Barrister Owoseeni Ajayi to security agencies in the state, alleging that some prominent citizens and union leaders in the state had been recruited by the governor to disrupt the forthcoming election.

He said the allegation would have been ignored as another dubious fabrication from the stable of the troubled SDP, but for the fact it was written by a supposed learned fellow.

"It is rather ridiculous that a former Attorney General of the State is the one assigned the role of Chief fiction writer for the dying party. More saddening is the relish with which he undertook the task of concocting the spurious allegations.

"While we pity Ajayi for descending to this low level of engagement, we urge the relevant security agencies in the state to thoroughly investigate the allegations contained in the report, with a view to determining the truth of the matter and taking necessary steps to ensure that purveyors of lies and those who make false claims are brought to book.

"Governor Kayode Fayemi’s administration remains committed to improving the quality of lives of Ekiti citizens through effective implementation of the five-point development agenda.

"The credentials of the Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum as a decent and pragmatic leader are well noted by well-meaning Nigerians across the geo-political zones and cannot be tainted by unfounded claims of a gang of hack writers who have taken abode in SDP", Fayemi said.

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WEDNESDAY, ͹΀˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

SARAKI'S TRAIN ARRIVES FCT...

PDP Presidential Aspirant, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, speaking to FCT PDP delegates at 3Js Hotel Utako, during a consultative session ahead of the PDP Presidential Primaries.

Sylva, Kyari, Others Recommit to FG’s 2060 Netzero Pledge Seplat kicks off five million tree-planting programme Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Seplat Energy Plc yesterday launched a new campaign tagged, ‘Tree 4 Life initiative’ as part of its commitment towards promoting environmental sustainability.

The even saw several government functionaries, including the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Mr. Timipre Sylva; Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), Mele Kyari and Chairman of the

oil firm, Margery Chuba-Okadigbo, yesterday recommitted to the federal government’s 2060 netzero plan.

Speaking at the Seplat Energy Tree-4-LIFE launch in Abuja, Sylva, Kyari, Chuba-Okadigbo; outgoing Chairman of Seplat Energy, Dr. ABC Orjiako and the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Roger Brown, all agreed that the campaign aligned with the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration’s plan to ensure a cleaner future for Nigeria’s children.

The initiative aims to support

tree planting to restore, recover, and reforest the country, solving biodiversity loss and sucking up carbon emissions naturally as well as providing food and resources for Nigerians.

In addition, Seplat through the programme is committing to planting one million trees annually with 75 per cent or more as economic trees.

In his comments, Sylva stressed that Seplat had shown that it remains a responsible operator

ICPC Arraigns Professor over Alleged $40,000 Bribe Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned one Professor John Kester Ifeanyichukwu over allegations of bribery and inducement of officers of the commission.

In a single-count charge brought before Honourable Justice A.O. Otaluka of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), High Court 12, sitting in Apo, Abuja, ICPC is accusing the Professor of issuing a cheque valued at $40,000 to a staff of the commission.

The cheque was part of the $50,000 and a house in Abuja, promised to the officer to compromise investigation by retrieving the accused person's devices, MacBook S/N CIML8BUGDTY3, MacBook S/N W80204J7ATN and iPhone pro11 which were in the custody of ICPC for investigative activities.

John Kester Ifeanyichukwu had earlier been reported to the commission by the presidency for alleged acts bordering on corruption, extortion and money laundering.

ICPC, in a Charge No: CR/025/2022, informed the court of how the defendant induced one of its operatives to smuggle out a particular iPhone and a laptop and to replace them with a dummy that was to be provided by his personal assistant.

The accused person’s action is contrary to Section 18 (b) and punishable under Section 18 (d) of

the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

A statement by ICPC said the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

He was therefore admitted to bail in the sum of N10 million and two sureties in like sum.

The sureties must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court and one of them must have a

landed property in Abuja.

The trial judge also ordered that the defendant’s international passport and other valid travel documents must be submitted to the court before the next adjourned date otherwise his bail will be revoked.

The case has been adjourned to June 21, 2022 for commencement of hearing.

in the oil industry by embarking upon the tree planting programme.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has committed us as a country to the year 2060 as our year for netzero.

Having made that commitment on behalf of all of us, it behooves on all of us in one way or the other, to establish pathways to achieve netzero in 2060.

“As a government we are also creating corridors and pathways that operators in the industry can take to actually achieve net zero,” he stressed.

Kyari, in his remarks said that the Seplat plan to plant trees was in consonance with the government’s programme to ensure a greener environment and reduce carbon emissions.

“This aligns with the realities of the energy transition that is ongoing and globally and impact on our businesses and our progress and also issues around eliminating poverty in Africa.

“No doubt this event connects to this clearly, in the sense that as we all know, the majority of our people use firewood or charcoal as a source of energy for cooking,” he said.

In his opening remarks,

Orjiako, noted that in 1990, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) had produced its First Assessment Report with three major conclusions, viz: that (global) temperatures had risen by 0.3-0.6C over the last century; that humanity’s emissions were adding to the atmosphere’s natural complement of greenhouse gases, and that the addition would be expected to result in warming.

Therefore, he said it was important to note that the warnings of the IPCC from over 30 years ago not only have come to pass but are now direr in 2022.

"In the light of the above, Seplat Energy, the first Nigerian company to complete a dual listing on the London Stock Exchange and the Nigerian Stock Exchange, has initiated a number of decarbonisation projects, to ensure a significant reduction in our carbon footprint, as an energy company.

"We are, therefore, deeply committed to sustainable business practices and strongly determined to play our part in mitigating climate change, by incrementally committing more resources towards developing strategic responses to the climate change challenge," he explained.

Sanwo-Olu, GAC Urge APC to Behave During Congresses, Primaries Segun James Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has appealed to leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to conduct themselves peacefully during the party's forthcoming primary elections and congresses in Lagos.

He also urged them to abide by the tenets of the ruling party during the primary elections, local government, state and national delegates. Sanwo-Olu stated this during the Lagos APC stakeholders’ meeting held on Tuesday at the party’s secretariat at Ogba.

Sanwo-Olu explained that it was the responsibility of party members to live, work and dream in the party's tenets as APC conducts its congresses

across the state on Wednesday and therefore urged the party’s faithful to conduct themselves in an orderly manner and comply with the party’s guidelines.

In his address, the leader of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), the apex leadership body of Lagos APC, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, charged all the party members to work hard for the ruling party to retain Lagos during next year's elections.

He also advised the party members to ensure that people with integrity are elected during APC congresses and primaries, adding that they must discourage saboteurs from being elected as delegates and party candidates during the APC primaries and 2023 polls, respectively.

Also speaking, the Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, appealed to the members to support, work and abide by any party decision to ensure the party's success.

He appealed to the party members to sacrifice where necessary for the common interest and the progress of the ruling party, especially in the interest of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who is seeking to clinch the APC presidential ticket.

Lagos APC Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, while imploring party members to use internal mechanisms to resolve conflicts, said no local government or party chair at the council level had a right to write the Independent National Electoral Commission

(INEC) for redress on any issue without first exploring the internal conflict resolution of the party.

Ojelabi also encouraged party leaders and members to show commitment and passion toward the ongoing continuous voters' registration by encouraging people to register for their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) before the June 30 deadline.

The stakeholder's meeting was attended by Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, GAC members, Lagos APC executives, members of the Lagos State Executive Council, members of the National Assembly and Lagos House of Assembly, Conference 57 and party chairpersons from 20 local governments and state’s technical support committee, among others.

Orjiako pointed out that the overall goal of the new initiative launched by Seplat, was to restore, recover and reforest solving biodiversity loss, and in the process naturally increase our carbon sequestration, in line with SDG 13 on Climate Action, which seeks to reduce greenhouse gasses and fight climate change.

Brown, in his intervention, explained that while trying to reduce carbon emissions, Nigeria needs to also eradicate energy poverty.

Stating that oil would remain a big part of the energy mix, he added that the tree planting exercise would aid reforestation, create employment, saying that the programme has multiple facets, including biodiversity.

“So it's about food security, it's about education, it's about growth within the country by diversity and netzero. And what we're trying to do is trying to complement the efforts of the federal government and stakeholders to really have a positive impact,” he pointed out.

Brown further explained: “The ‘Seplat Tree 4 Life’ campaign, which we are launching today, is an initiative that will position us for enduring social impact in environmental stewardship, job creation, youth/women empowerment and addressing poverty.

“We will deliberately engage women, youth and communities for sustainable food production and a sustainable environment through tree planting in their communities and mindset change.

"We have adopted a two-prong approach. To advocate for Tree Planting and Protection to instill the consciousness of the importance of tree planting and the responsibility of citizens to ensure its success.

"Plant Trees - run afforestation/ restoration programmes with a commitment to plant one million trees annually, comprising majorly economic trees."

Chuba-Okadigbo, while speaking said that coming at a time the oil and gas industry is facing unprecedented challenges, the Seplat initiative should be lauded.

“The good news is that concerted efforts are being made on climate action and asking what we can do to mitigate climate change,” she explained, adding that the solutions would involve everyone.

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NEWS

INAUGURATION OF APC STATE SCREENING COMMITTEE...

L-R:Member National Working Committee, All Progressives Congress (APC), Tolu Bankole; APC National Legal Officer, Ahmed El-Marzuk; National Organizing Secretary, Sulieman Argungu; Deputy National Chairman North, Photo: ENOCK REUBEN Sen. Abubakar Kyari and Deputy National Chairman South, Emma Eneukwu, during the inauguration of APC State Screening Committee Members in Abuja... yesterday

Nine Killed, Several Injured in Kano Explosion, Osinbajo Visits Scene Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano At least nine people yesterday died and several others injured after a gas explosion occurred at the Sabon Gari area of Kano State.

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who visited the scene of the incident, commiserated with

the victims.

Osinbajo was in the ancient city to meet with delegates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the party's primary election, before the explosion occurred.

The explosion hit the business areas on Aba Road in Sabon Gari, Kano, where schools and houses

House Pledges Support to FCT-IRS, Others to Enhance Operations Revenue agency introduces e-tax clearance certificate to check forgery Udora Orizu in Abuja The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has promised that the 9th National Assembly would support the Federal Capital Territory, Inland Revenue Services, (FCT- IRS) and other revenue generating agencies to enhance their operations.

The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Wole Oke, gave the assurance when the Acting Executive Chairman of the Service, Mr. Haruna Abdullahi appeared before the lawmakers to answer questions on various issues raised against the agency which was referred to it by the House at plenary.

This was as the agency disclosed that it had introduced Electronic Tax Clearance Certificate (e-TCC) to improve service delivery and checkmate activities of fraudsters who could forge such document.

Addressing the lawmakers, Abdullahi explained that the tax clearance certificate was a document being issued by the tax authority to certify that an individual or a business was compliant with the appropriate requirements as stated by law within a stipulated period of time usually for the three preceding years.

He said the e-TCC had fortified the process thereby making it difficult for anyone to forge such document because of the of the introduction of QR CODE, adding that this effort would ensure that the agency does not lose revenue.

Abdullahi said, "This in line with Section 85 of the Personal Income Tax Act 2011 as amended, which states that whenever the relevant tax authority is of opinion that tax assessed on the income of a person for the three years immediately preceding the current year of

assessment has been fully paid or that no tax is due on income or that the person is not liable to tax for any of those three years, it shall issue a tax clearance certificate to the person within two weeks of demand for the certificate by that person or give reasons for the denial.

"Application for TCC must be made and duly endorsed by the taxpayer and annual income declaration Form A and three years income declaration form must also duly completed and signed by the taxpayer.

“Taxpayers should always endeavour to declare their income accordingly with evidences that would be satisfactory to the mangers of the tax authority while due diligence would be carried out appropriately within the stipulated time.

“It is evident that the issuance of the TCC is at the discretion of the Service in its justification based on the items listed in section 31 of FCT-IRS Act, 2015 and PITA, 2011 (as amended) may issue or not issue a tax clearance certificate."

Commenting, Oke urged the general public and taxpayers to report any violation of the law concerning issuance of TCC to the management of FCT-IRS. He advised that the FCT-IRS should consider legislative arm as collaborator who would work to ensuring smooth operation of the service.

"We will support you in whatever way to generate more revenue in the FCT, try to have record of all the people resident in Abuja, the data is important, ask for bank statement to know the actual tax to collect. We will support FCT-IRS and help the Service to bring more people to the tax net", he added.

around the area were affected.

It was gathered that a number of houses including Winners’ School adjacent to the point of the explosion were badly affected.

Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje said the state would take measures to regulate welding vocations in densely populated areas to avert future occurrence.

A resident of Sabon Gari area, Joseph Abiodun, who participated in the rescue of some of the victims confirmed that at least nine corpses were recovered.

"The explosion occurred around

10am, because there was no excavator immediately after the incident, we used hands and some light equipment to bring out the bodies," Joseph said.

He confirmed that some chemicals were found in shops that were badly damaged by the explosion which were handed over to security personnel.

Pastor Mike Ajibola whose Church was a few meters away said over 50 children from nearby Winners School, Kano adjacent to the point of explosion were rescued with some sustaining injuries.

Also, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed that nine dead bodies had been recovered so far from the rubbles of a collapsed building beside a primary school following explosions from a gas cylinder at Aba Road in Sabon Gari area of Kano.

The Director General of the Agency, Mustapha Habib Ahmed was at the site of the incident and coordinated the rescue operations.

According to a statement by Mr. Ezekiel Manzo, obtained by THISDAY in Kano, the agency

mobilised excavators being used for the rescue operations and said the NEMA team would ensure complete removal of the rubbles to retrieve all trapped persons.

The agency also revealed that 10 persons were rescued alive and two were discharged from the hospital after the treatment.

Ahmed instructed the NEMA rescue team to remain at the site until the conclusion of the rescue and to work together with security agencies and other response organisations present at the location.

2023: Saraki Vows to Tackle Poverty, Unemployment if Elected President Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan Former Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, yesterday assured that if given the opportunity to lead the country in 2023, his administration would hit the ground running from the first day.

The former Kwara State governor also said issues of insecurity, mass unemployment, disunity and poverty are going to be addressed within a short time because he already has a policy plan and programmes which he described as his contract with Nigerians before assuming office.

Saraki gave the assurance yesterday, while addressing Oyo State delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at Ibadan.

The former governor of Kwara State, while noting that he was better prepared and has the capacity, energy and network the citizens are looking for among the aspirants, said he was delighted to see the passion with which people were responding to his call for support to clinch the party ticket According to him, "The response has been great. I'm seeing a desire of our delegates to look for someone with capacity, I'm seeing the desire of our delegates to not talk about where you come from because the poverty and insecurity now knows no tribe, no religion and its without limitation, what it knows is who has the capacity to rescue Nigeria, the person who has the energy to fix Nigeria.

"I see great passion by a lot of the youths looking for somebody they can connect with and the

response I'm getting across the country is very encouraging, there is an energy we are building up.

“People are looking for somebody who is well prepared, who has shown he has the capacity and who is prepared for the job, not somebody who just want the job for the sake of the job. That is encouraging.

"We are carrying on the work, we are not going to take anything for chances. I am a fighter; I will keep on fighting till the last day.

And I am really encouraged that people really want somebody that can do the work.

"I see the wish of the delegates, the passion of the delegates in

looking for the best candidate, looking for somebody who is well connected. There is energy, there is building up, people are sensing it that perhaps the time has come truly for us to fix this country by having somebody that has the capacity.

"I have the capacity and that message is coming across that indeed, I have the capacity and people are saying that I have the capacity and from the messages, that I'm prepared. We have our policy spelt out, we are the first aspirant that told Nigerians this is my contract with them, so, it is not somebody that will waste another six months before he

decides on what to do.

"From day one we are going to hit the ground running, we are going to address insecurity, we are going to provide jobs for the youths and we are going to lead this country, unite this country and that energy, the responsibility is so great, I thank the people of Oyo state for the love they have shown today and I promise you we will do this together."

The PDP presidential aspirant had earlier paid a courtesy call on Governor Seyi Makinde, at the Oyo State Government Secretariat, Agodi, where he had an interaction with the governor on his mission.

DEBORAH’S MURDER: FILE CHARGES REFLECTING GRAVITY OF SITUATION, NBA TELLS SOKOTO GOVT these lawlessness and restore public confidence in government and due process.

“The African Bar Association calls for the hunt down and diligent prosecution of those fully or remotely connected with this grievous crime. The gory photos and live videos circulating round the world of this incident has added a further devastating blow to the already dented image of Nigeria as a responsible country in the comity of civilised world.

“We join the world to condemn the gruesome murder of Ms. Deborah Samuel and insist that the full wrath of the Law be brought to bear on the perpetrators. # JUSTICE FOR DEBORAH,” it added.

Adeboye Postpones Sokoto Crusade over Murder of Deborah

Samuel Meanwhile, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has postponed a crusade scheduled to hold in Sokoto State following the killing of the female student.

The crusade titled, ‘Light Up Sokoto Crusade,’ was scheduled to hold physically in the north-west state from May 16 to 17, 2022.

However, Adeboye announced the postponement of the crusade in a Facebook post on Monday night, saying the shifting of the programme became necessary due to the unrest in the state.

According to him, the planned religious event would now hold virtually at a later date.

He wrote: “Postponed but God

turned it around. We Trust in Our God’s Big Picture Plan! When God turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

We serve a God who specialises in using the impossible situation for his glory.

“If you are in doubt, look closely at the death and resurrection of Jesus! Devil thought he killed Him, but His death and resurrection resulted into life for many. He keeps turning it around for our good. It is in this might that we proceed!”

The Christian Association of Nigeria had called for a nationwide protest slated for May 22 to demand justice for the slain Sokoto student, even as her murder continued to attract widespread anger.

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ANYIM MEETS WITH SOUTH WEST PDP DELEGATES...

R-L: PDP presidential aspirant and former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim; Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde; his Chief of Staff, Hon. Segun Ogunwuyi, and Chairman Advisory Committee to governor, Ayoola Agboola during Anyim meeting with South-west PDP Delegates in Ibadan... yesterday

‘ASUU Queried Detained Accountant General's Source of Wealth Last Year’ Says AGF was warming up for Kano seat of govt Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Bauchi Zone, had last year, queried the source of wealth of the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Ahmed Idris.

Idris, who was arrested by EFCC on Sunday in Kano and flown to Abuja on Monday, is presently undergoing interrogation by investigators of the anti-graft agency.

The union had asked Idris to

explain how he acquired some multi-billion naira properties in Kano State.

ASUU’s Bauchi Zone Coordinator, Prof. Lawan Abubakar, in a statement, sought the AGF’s explanation regarding his source of wealth and how he bought Sokoto Hotel in Kano at the sum of N500 million and ordered for its immediate demolition to build a multi-billion naira shopping mall.

The union, which then confirmed that the project was ongoing, report-

EFCC Arrests Ex-Speaker, Patricia Etteh over N287m NDDC Contract Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arrested former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs Patricia Etteh, over her alleged involvement in N287 million contract awarded by the Niger Delta Development Company (NDDC).

THISDAY gathered last night that the former Speaker was picked up yesterday evening by the anti-graft agency and is presently undergoing interrogation.

Reliable sources told THISDAY Etteh was answering questions over her involvement in a N287 million solar power street light project in Akwa Ibom State executed by Phil Jin Projects Ltd. Though she was neither a director nor the contractor, the agency was probing a strange payment of

N130 million into her bank account by the contractor.

Further investigation showed that when Etteh was confronted she claimed that she gave a loan to the contractor.

However, the contractor was mobilised with N34 million by the Niger Delta Development Company (NDDC) and later received payment that exceeded the contractor sum.

"Immediately after the contract was awarded, the contractor was mobilised with N34 million. Two weeks after, the contractor was paid N253 million which when put together exceeded the contract sum of N240 million.

"Investigation showed that the company sent N130 million to her.

When she was asked she said it was a loan she gave to the contractor", the source said.

edly asked the AGF to account for the money he used in acquiring multi-billion naira Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange.

“We would want Gentlemen of the Press to assist us in the conduct of two Investigations.The first is to uncover who bought the version of the Sokoto Hotel in Kano with a whooping sum of N500 million cash down and demolished it the next day for an on-going development of a multi-billion naira shopping mall.

“How and where did he get

Channels Television, reiterated their earlier call for the immediate sack of the NRC management over gross incompetence, lamenting that most of the relatives of the victims had become helpless.

According to him, some of relatives are attempting to commit suicide due to the lingering stay of their loved ones in the custody of the terrorists.

He, however, appealed to President Muhammad Buhari to facilitate the speedy rescue of the Kidnapped victims as the commander in chief of the nation’s Armed Forces, stressing that the lives of the people should be of utmost importance to the president and the federal government.

had “continued to throw spanners in the wheel of progress of the concerted efforts, aimed at amicable resolution of its disagreement with federal government.”

He also alleged that the AGF insisted on Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, in order to gain N16,000 per enrollment of each of the academic staff of universities on the salary payment platform.

“While the Minister of Labour and Employment, has continued

to exhibit all manners of antics and insisting that government does not have the money to responsibly educate its citizens, the AGF has continued to greedily and selfishly count on the gains of N16,000 per enrollment of each academic staff he would have made “Thereby insisting that ASUU members be enrolled on the only payment platform he has now, Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS,” said the coordinator.

2023: Ortom, Jonathan Hold Closed Door Meeting Party to hold presidential convention at MKO Abiola stadium, Abuja Chuks Okocha in Abuja Amidst continued controversy of his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, yesterday held a closed door meeting with former President, Goodluck Jonathan at the latter’s residence in Abuja.

Also, ahead of its governorship, Senatorial, House of Representatives and State Assembly primaries, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) informing the regulatory body of its new dates for the primary elections.

Ortom served as Minister of State, Trade and Investment, and later the Supervising Minister, Ministry of Aviation, in the Jonathan’s

administration.

According to Ortom’s chief press secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, “The duo met behind closed doors for more than 40 minutes and discussed frankly.

“Although none of them spoke to the press when they came out, they were beaming with smiles with the former president exchanging pleasantries with everyone on the governor’s entourage.”

It is believed that the fortunes of the PDP and the victory of the party in the forthcoming general elections may have been central to their discussions.

Some of the governor’s aides who accompanied him included Dr. James Anbua, his Principal

On March 28, gunmen attacked passengers on an Abuja-Kaduna bound train at Dutse Forest in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna state.

Eight People lost their lives, 26 were injured while 62 others including women and children were kidnapped during the attack. One of the victims, who was pregnant, has been delivered of her baby in custody, while the another pregnant woman was released last Sunday.

The NRC spokesman had said additional security measures had been put in place at both the train stations and the track to ensure the safety of passengers, hence decision to resume service.

Special Assistant; Hon Steven Amase, Principal Private Secretary to the Governor; and Hon Abrahams Kwaghngu, Principal Special Assistant on Special Duties to the Governor.

Meanwhile, the alleged registration of former President Jonathan with the All Progressives Congress (APC) was still mired in controversy as at press time.

Last week, it was reported that Jonathan was a registered member in his ward, but it was debunked.

Although Jonathan was yet to announce his defection from the PDP, under which he was elected Deputy Governor, Governor, Vice-President and President, the purchase of APC Presidential forms

for him had set tongues wagging.

A group called Nomadic Pastoralists and the Almajiri Communities led by one Ibrahim Abdullahi had picked up the forms on Jonathan’s behalf, although a source later said a northern governor paid for the forms.

Meanwhile, the PDP has resolved to hold its presidential convention at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja, on May 28th and 29th.

The APC would hold its presidential convention at the Eagle square on June 4.

The PDP resorted to the Abiola Stadium for its presidential convention because the APC had booked the Eagle square venue before it.

Russian-Ukraine War Creating Hardship in Nigeria, Says FG Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Train Attack: Relatives of AbductedVictimsVow to Disrupt Services Resumption Following the announced resumption of services on the Abuja-Kaduna route May 23 by the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), the relatives of the abducted victims from the train that was attacked in March, have vowed to disrupt the services.

The Deputy Director, Public Relations of NRC, Mr. Yakub Mahmood, had on Monday announced the planned resumption of services.

However, reacting to the statement the Chairman of the Concerned Relatives of Abducted Persons, Dr. Abdulfatai Jimoh, accused the NRC management of being insensitive towards the plight of the victims and their families. Jimoh, who spoke on

money for such investment? The second assignment is to assist uncover who is hiding to invest multi-billion naira in the Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange.

How and where did he get money for such investment?”, they had asked.

On the ongoing strike, Mr Abubakar blamed the AGF and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, for impeding resolution of the industrial action.

According to the union, the duo

The federal government has said that the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine was partly responsible for the hardship in the country.

Speaking when he received the global Open Government Partnership (OGP) Award, recently won

by Nigeria for onward transmission to President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, noted that the current inflation in the country was a global phenomenon.

The award was presented to the minister by the Executive Secretary, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Dr Ogbonnaya Orji in Abuja as part of the activities to commemorate the OGP week in Nigeria.

The award was won during the last Global Summit of OGP member countries held in Seoul, South Korea.

Insisting that the Buhari administration has not failed , Agba maintained that there were various projects in the country to show , including, according to him, the Second Niger Bridge which is nearing completion, the development of rail infrastructure, the Oweto Bridge, among others.

He stated that the countries on the leadership level, like Nigeria at OGP was because of their commitment to fighting corruption, saying that while revenue was dipping, the country’s commitments were increasing.

“Our revenues are lower now than they used to be. Covid-19 has created its own problems and with the ongoing Russian-Ukraine

war , it has become even worse.

“A lot of countries are going through hardship. Prices of food items across the world have gone up and countries are going through a lot of inflation like the United States which is like the highest in 40 years and in the UK in 30 years.

“For us, the inflation started falling for eight consecutive months only to go up in December and in January and with the Russian Ukraine war, it has created some more hardship in terms of food supply and all of that.

“And of course there is the general reaction of prices. But while other countries are still in recession we have since left, our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is positive and going higher and this has to be applauded,” Agba said.

WEDNESDAY MAY 18 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS

NDLEA Arrests Wanted Drug Baroness, Seals Her Mansion in Delta Michael Olugbode in Abuja A 59-year-old drug baroness, who has tentacles in Delta State and adjourning states has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) when her palatial mansion where she cooks and distributes crack, cocaine, methamphetamine and other illicit substances was raided.

A statement yesterday by the NDLEA Spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said the backbone of a major cartel distributing drugs in Delta and adjourning states was broken last Sunday following the arrest of a wanted 59-year-old drug baroness, Bridget Oghenekevwe Emeka, a.k.a Mama, by operatives of the NDLEA, at her palatial mansion where she cooks and distributes crack, cocaine, methamphetamine and other illicit substances.

He added that: “No fewer than nine of her staff and associates were arrested along with her in coordinated simultaneous operations at her expansive residence and drug bunks where she accommodates drug users and sells illicit substances to them and others in parts of

Warri, Delta state.”

He said apart from various quantities of crack cocaine, methamphetamine, molly and loud seized from her home

and drug bunks; a pump action gun, 15 cartridges, documents, two cars, mobile phones, drug paraphernalia such as sodium bicarbonate

and polythene wrappings were also recovered for further investigation.

Babafemi also disclosed that while five of her staff that cook,

cut, package and distribute the drugs were found in her house located at Favour Street, Otukutu, Effurun Warri, four of her associates were equally

arrested at her drug bunks in other parts of the town during the raids by Strike Force officers of NDLEA supported by the military.

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NSCDC Rescues Four Jack-Rich: I‘ll Revamp Nigeria’s Economy, Deal with Unemployment Under-aged Girls in Kwara Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Hammed Shittu inIlorin The Kwara State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has rescued four under-aged girls who were being trafficked from Port Harcourt to Ilorin, Kwara State capital, for the purpose of being used as sex slaves.

In a statement issued in Ilorin and signed by the State Commandant of the NSCDC, Mr. Makinde Iskil Ayinla, said that the men of the command have been able to rescue the victims following a tip off from the members of the public.

The statement reads: “The state command was alerted by a concerned citizen of a suspected

case of human trafficking involving four under aged girls (names withheld) with ages ranging from 15 to 16 who were brought to Ilorin from Port Harcourt for purpose of using them as sex slaves or prostitute. “The operatives of the human trafficking unit of the corps swung into action and rounded them up at the point of entry.”

He explained further that one Gift Rita, 37, who was suspected to be the mastermind of the trafficking, has been arrested.

Ayinla added that the four victims and the suspects have been handed over to the operatives of the NAPTIP in the state for further action and possible prosecution of the suspect.

Imansuangbon’s Name Disappears from Edo National Delegates List Adibe Emenyonu in Benin-city

Political temper was heightened yesterday in Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State over the sudden disappearance of Kenneth Imansuangbon’s name from the state list of national delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Following the development, a social political pressure group, ‘Esan South East for

Justice’, yesterday condemned the alleged removal, describing the action as criminal and undemocratic.

Imansuangbon had last weekend at a congress of the party conducted in Ubiaja, the administrative headquarters of Esan South East LGA and supervised by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), won with 156 votes against his opponent Giwa Agbomherere, who scored 50 votes.

Gov. Ugwuanyi Thanks Stakeholders for Existing Peace in Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has expressed gratitude to all stakeholders of the state for the enduring peace and progress being witnessed in the state since the inception of his administration.

Gov. Ugwuanyi, who disclosed that Enugu is a reference point for peace in the country, said that he does not take the support, solidarity and cooperation of the stakeholders of the state towards the actualization of the enviable feat for granted.

Addressing the people of Udi Local Government Area, when they

paid him a solidarity visit yesterday, Gov. Ugwuanyi expressed delight at the maximum support and solidarity they have given him since he assumed office in 2015.

The Udi people were at the Government House, Enugu, to commend Gov. Ugwuanyi for the peace and good governance in the state as well as to appeal to him for the zoning of the Enugu West Senatorial District ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the council area in the spirit of justice, equity and fairness.

A presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tein Jack-Rich, has promised to revamp the country’s economy and deal with youth unemployment if he emerges Nigeria’s leader in 2023.

The billionaire businessman, who spoke on ARISE News Channel, THISDAY’s broadcast

arm last night, noted that having been in business for 24 years, he was the right person to lift Nigeria from its current impoverished state.

Describing 2023 as unique, he argued that Nigeria remains a high consumer economy, importing most of its basic needs, saying he couldn’t fold his arms while things continue to go astray.

“You see it (economic hardship) is almost hitting Western Europe

right now. So that inclement economic shock wave will hit us real hard and you need a president who can mitigate that exposure by ensuring that what we have as strategic economic agents are activated.

“So, Nigeria needs the president that understands the dialectics of macroeconomic components, how to establish those key footprints within a geopolitical zones and states.

“So, you need a president that can work with state governments to understand their economic policies and models such that when the exposure comes, the mitigation is there,” he argued.

He added that the next president must have a strong and in-depth understanding of how the “microeconomic engine” works, so that the country can have a stable growth and be able to balance its budget.

ASUU Strike: Military Men Allegedly Disrupt Protesting Students in Ondo

Fidelis David in Akure

Some military men yesterday disrupted the protest embarked upon by joint students of public universities in Ondo State over the prolonged strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The angry students started the protest on Monday and barricaded the Akure-Ilesa Expressway in Akure, the state capital, preventing vehicular

movements and caused traffic logjam for several hours.

According to an eyewitness, the students converged again yesterday and barricaded the road. However, after some hours of the protest, some military men in camouflage, who were traveling along the road in convoy, met the expressway barricaded by the protesters.

He said that the military men, after talking to the students to clear the road for them

but following the students refusal, they shot into the air and dispersed the protesters, cleared the road and went on their way.

The eyewitness said: “When the soldiers got to the scene and met the road barricaded, some of them came down to speak with the students but they (students) refused to open the road.

“Suddenly, the soldiers shot sporadically into the air to

disperse the protesters. Many people around the area also ran for safety. After that the soldiers cleared the road and their vehicles passed.”

The eyewitness, howeve,r noted that nobody was killed in the minor fracas. The identity of the military were not ascertained as at the time of filing this report but some said they were soldiers while some identified them as men of the Nigeria Air Force.

Makinde Inaugurates New Sasa Market, Preaches Unity Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has declared that religion, ethnicity, and other differences should never be allowed to divide residents of the state.

The governor stated this at the Sasa Market, where he inaugurated an ultramodern facility with 200 lock-up shops, 84 units of open shops, eight units of toilets for men and women, office unit, trailer, and car parks.

He charged the market men and women who will occupy the new facility, to dwell in peace,

saying: “I want to admonish you to continue to work together.

When the crisis started, the Hausa people were with the Seriki while the Yoruba people were with the Baale. But today, I want everyone to see this development as a symbol to unite everyone.”

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the ultramodern Sasa Market was built following two separate incidents at the old market, quoting the governor as saying

that the incidents must never be allowed to recur.

He said: “Let me start by welcoming everyone to this ultramodern Sasa market.

This commissioning we are experiencing here today is a moment of rejoicing but I don’t want us to forget how we got to this point. Whoever forgets the mistakes of yesterday will repeat but I pray that we won’t repeat the mistake that brought us to this point.

“The separate incidents that

occurred in November 2020 and February 2021 remain a footnote in history that should not repeat itself. We must not allow things like ethnicity, language, religion or any such matters to divide us.

“When the last incident happened, few of my colleagues came because people were concerned throughout Nigeria and you know that if the incident was not well-managed then, it would have spread throughout the whole of the country but we thank God for the management.

FG, Private Sectors Urged to Invest in $250,000 Energy Innovation for Devt Michael Olugbode in Abuja In a bid to make Nigeria the start-up capital of Africa, the federal government and the private sector have been advised to invest in the $250,000 worth energy innovation across communities in the country.

The call was made yesterday by the Executive Director, Innov8 Hub, Eduard Singhatey, during

the inauguration of the E-Cube Smart Village in Abuja.

According to Singhatey, the energy innovation named E-CUBE concept worth $250,000 was invented in line with the Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs) 2030.

He said E-CUBE will help solve the challenges of rural needs in areas of e-learning, agriculture production,

telemedicine, community centre, water treatment and connectivity hub, noting that achieving development in the rural area is an expensive feat as there are millions of people that do not have access to electricity citing the World Bank report in 2020.

Singhatey said that the E-Cube Smart Village will be built with locally made building

materials, thereby providing job opportunities and building of capacities.

He added that the innovation will help sustain SDGs 1 (No poverty), SDGs 2 (Zero Hunger), SDGs 3 (Good health and well-being), SDGs 4 (Quality education); SDGs 5 (Quality equality); SDGs 6 (Clean water and sanitation) and SDGs 7 (Affordable and clean energy).

46

WEDNESDAY MAY 18, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSXTRA

Banire: We’ll Resist Attempts to Smuggle Aspirant into Race for Lagos West Senate A former Chairman of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Dr. MuizBanire, yesterday warned the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, to desist from any alleged attempt to smuggle in an aspirant into the race for Lagos West senatorial district election, saying it’s illegal and unacceptable.

Reacting to an exclusive report

by THISDAY yesterday that there were plans by the APC leadership in Lagos to smuggle in an aspirant for the Lagos West senate election after deadline, Banire, who confirmed the development, said he and other like-minds in the state, would resist any such thing in the ruling APC in Lagos.

Banire, who admitted to no longer being a member of the APC, said as a prominent Lagosian with stake in the politics of the state, more so as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, he would be interest in whatever goes on in any association in the state, as much as Nigeria in general.

“This is fraud and will not be accepted. I might have left their party, but that is my senatorial district and I’m interested in

what goes on there. Yes, we are aware only three people took the forms and one did not return hers, because she’d rather keep her current job.

“So, there were two left at the

close of submission and screening.

Therefore, any attempt to smuggle in an invincible aspirant, not screened and whose forms were not submitted, will be resisted vehemently and we’d go all out

to enforce what’s right.

“We have our eyes and ears in the party and no impunity would be encouraged under whatever guise – never again. This is not essentially a Lagos APC affair;

it’s a national office and no one will be allowed to micro-manage the system or manipulate others out,” he said.

THISDAY had exclusively reported yesterday that there

were plans by the Lagos State APC, to smuggle an aspirant into the race for Lagos West senatorial seat, after the deadline for the submission of forms and screening of aspirants.

A NEW MARKET FOR THE PEOPLE…

L-R: Olugbon of Orile Igbon, Oba Francis Alao; Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, and his deputy, Rauf Olaniyan, during the inauguration of Sasa Ultra Modern Market in Ibadan…yesterday

Police Destroy Illicit Drugs 2023: Wike Urges High Courts to Abide by Provisions of Electoral Act Worth N10m in Lagos Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Rebecca Ejifoma The Lagos State Police Command yesterday destroyed about 4,000 wraps of illicit drugs worth N10 million at Ewu-Elepe Dump Site in Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

In April, operatives of the Command’s Rapid Response Squad (RRS) were said to have intercepted the drugs at Mile 2 area of the state.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Ahmed Kontagora, who led the team, said the destruction followed a court order.

He added that three suspects were also arrested in connection with the seizure.

The substances seized included cannabis and others that were recovered in the last one month by men of RRS after diligent investigation.

The DCP further assured the public that the destruction will be a continuous exercise while adding that there will be no hiding place for criminals in the state.

“We still have some other drugs to be brought here very soon for the same destruction in accordance with the court order,” he pledged.

Heirs Oil & Gas’ OML 17 Wins Deal of the Year Award Heirs Oil & Gas (HHOG), Africa’s integrated energy company has been awarded the ‘Africa deal of the year 2021’by Project Finance International (PFI), following the $1.1 billion financing and acquisition of 45 per cent stake in OML 17 in 2021. The award ceremony which took place on Monday, May 9 2022 in London was a gathering of senior industry leaders across various sectors to celebrate excellence.

“On behalf of the HHOG team, I would like to thank PFI for this great honour which recognises the OML 17 acquisition deal, while

also acknowledging the efforts of the entire team involved in the transaction.” said Executive Director, Heirs Oil & Gas, Samuel Nwanze.

The deal, which was announced in January 2021, saw Heirs Holdings, the leading African strategic investor, in partnership with affiliated company Transnational Corporation (Transcorp), acquire a 45 per cent participating interest in Nigerian oil license OML 17 and related assets from the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, Total E&P Nigeria Limited, and ENI.

CHI Limited Hollandia Dairy Day Holds Today Preparations are in top gear to hold this year’s Hollandia Dairy Day celebration. The event, which is the second edition, would take place today , Wednesday, May 18, 2022, in Lagos. It will bring together relevant stakeholders towards driving national discourse on the unrivalled health and nutritional benefits of dairy consumption to people of all ages.

Retaining the same theme as last year’s edition, “Dairy Nourishment to Support Healthy Living,” this year’s Hollandia Dairy Day celebrations will

further highlight the role dairy consumption plays in our everyday nourishment. It will also address misconceptions regarding dairy consumption, while presenting innovative ways to incorporate dairy into the diet of all age groups for health benefits.

Commenting, CHI Limited Marketing Director, Mrs. Toyin Nnodi, said that this year’s Hollandia Dairy Day celebration is another opportunity to showcase the health benefits of dairy consumption to people of all ages.

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has urged State High Courts to abide by the provisions of the new Electoral Act, which he said prohibits them from handling pre-election or electoral matters. some State High Courts are already acting in contravention of the law.

The governor stated this Monday night, during a state banquet organised at the Government House, in Port Harcourt, in honour of Hon. Justice Mary Peter Odili, on her 70th birthday and retirement from the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Wike said: “The truth is that the Electoral Act says anything about pre election or electoral matters, is now to be decided by the Federal High Court.”

The Rivers State governor

however, stressed that those accusing judiciary in Nigeria of being corrupt, are not clean themselves He explained that while corruption in the judiciary undermines the courts’ credibility, those who often are quick to throw tantrum at judiciary, particularly legal practitioners, are culpable as well.

“For me, those who are abusing judiciary of corruption, their hands are not clean. Anybody

who is abusing judiciary or judges, their hands are not clean.

But, that does not also mean that even you in the judiciary should not keep your house in order.

That is the truth.”

Governor Wike declared expressed gratitude Justice Mary Odili, for creating the opportunity for him to meet her husband and former governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili, when he ventured into active partisan politics in 1998.

Bauchi Poly Joins Nationwide ASUP Warning Strike Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

The Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic (ATAP) Bauchi Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has resolved to join the two-weeks warning strike as declared by the national office of the union to press home their demands.

This was contained in a press statement jointly signed in Bauchi yesterday by the ATAP Chapter Chairman and General Secretary, Mr. Dahiru Musa

Abdullahi and Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar, respectively.

The press statement indicated that the decision to join the warning strike was informed by a circular issued by the National Executive Council of the union on May 11, 2022.

The union said that “it is a well-known fact that the National Executive Council (NEC) of our great union is with mixed feelings on Wednesday 11/5/2022 decided to embark on a two weeks definite strike from 16 to 30 May 2022.”

“In line with this decision, the ATAP, Bauchi Chapter, is shutting down all its academic activities completely for the said period under review.”

The union pleaded for understanding from parents and the students noted and said that the decision was not taken for personal interest.

The statement urged parents/guardians, students and members of the general public to exercise patience as the union sympathizes with their situation, pointed out that the

strike action remain the only option left for the union.

The union also urged the students to continue studying their books at home before the said period.

It could be recalled that workers under the banner of Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Academic and Non Academic Staff Unions of Bauchi State Tertiary Institutions had recently decried the nonimplementation of promotions, yearly increments, among others.

People with Disabilities Victims of Sexual Abuse in Ekiti, Fayemi Laments laws in protecting the right of of violence against women due 85-year-old woman was also a

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

The First Lady of Ekiti State, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, has lamented that people living with all forms of disabilities (PWDs) are being sexually abused by those he described as “sex predators” in the state.

Mrs. Fayemi said the government has zealously been implementing the Gender-Based Violence Prohibition Laws (GBV) and other relevant

women, especially those living with disabilities.

The first lady stated this in Ado Ekiti yesterday at a sensitisation programme on GBV women organised for people living with disabilities in the state.

Going down memory the lane, Fayemi revealed that in 2020 nationwide lockdown caused by the breakout of COVID-19 brought an upsurge in all forms

to closure of work spaces around the globe, assuring the public that her husband, Governor Kayode Fayemi’s government won’t condone any form of discrimination against the physically challenged.

She said: “Sex predators don’t care whether one is disabled or not, or wear skimpy skirt or not.

They can do it to anyone. I have seen many physically challenged being sexually abused; even an

victim. What could have attracted her to these perpetrators?

“Apart from discrimination, the most urgent issues we are solving are lack of economic empowerment, education and training for the people living with disabilities. Though, while some of you are educated, you knew what you went through to acquire this. One aspect we have been able to ensure is that you have access to healthcare.

Osinbajo: Nigerians Must Build Nation that Works for All Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has stressed the need for Nigerians to create a country that works for all; a peaceful and secure society founded on law and order and the rule of law.

The vice president, who spoke yesterday, in Abuja after receiving the award of Leadership Person of the Year by the Leadership Newspapers craved for a society

that enables commerce and values productivity so that large and small businesses would grow and provide jobs and opportunities for millions of young people; a society where no one is left behind.

Osinbajo noted that leadership must also create a country that can provide, “by means of an effective social welfare scheme, a safety net for the very poor and the vulnerable; a united and tolerant nation where all, irrespective of

ethnicity, religion or political persuasion, are respected, treated fairly and justly, and have equal access to all opportunities.”

According to him, “we must build a Nigeria where a boy or girl does not say that, ‘I am from the south-west, or I am from the north-west or south-south or northeast, or north-central or south-east, but that I am a Nigerian, a citizen of one of the greatest and most prosperous nations on earth.

“This is the kind of Nigeria that those of us in this political tendency, to which Sam NdaIsaiah belonged, all attest to and believe.”

Osinbajo dedicated the award to millions of Nigerians who believed in the new Nigeria, “and who retain faith in our possibilities as a people and are doing their best every day in their various corners to build this nation through honest endeavour.”

47

WEDNESDAY, ͹΀˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Man Utd Tempt Osimhen with £146,000 Weekly Wage Offer

Struggling Premier League giants, Manchester United, are willing to pay Victor Osimhen £146,000 in wages per week if he agrees to join the Red Devils this summer.

Osimhen has been the subject of numerous transfer talks, with top Premier League sides like

TRANSFER NEWS Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle United, and Manchester United been linked with a move for the Napoli talisman.

The high demand for his

Marriage of Football and Technology as Bitnob Signs Multi-year Sponsorship with NPFL Bitnob, a company on a mission to redefine how financial services are built and delivered leveraging the bitcoin network, has signed a multi-year partnership with the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL), managed by the League Management Company (LMC) as an Elite Sponsor, making it the exclusive Fintech Partner for the league.

Speaking at the contract signing ceremony in Lagos yesterday, the CEO of Bitnob, Bernard Parah, described the partnership as “a vehicle to reach the people who need their solutions in business and wealth creation and at the same time provide the company the opportunity to contribute to the development of the domestic league which is a national asset.”

Parah stressed that “this partnership takes us to the people that need our solutions and helps us work with the NPFL to develop our league for more possibilities.

Bitcoin, just like football, is about hope, oneness, and freedom, and at Bitnob, we are excited to be making this happen to inspire hope and showcase possibilities in our own league. If we don’t believe in what is ours, then who will?”

Bitnob has established itself as a trailblazer and a company that sits at the cutting edge of leveraging bitcoin to solve everyday problems.

On the company’s website, Bitnob says one of its core values is crazy, and that means they think limitless, break barriers and do the impossible. With this partnership, Bitnob further strengthens this core belief by going where no one else in their industry has gone.

Chairman of the League

Management Company (LMC), Shehu Dikko, described the partnership as a marriage of football and technology which is critical to the next phase of global football.

“We are excited to see young minds choosing to invest in the growth and development of our domestic league. Football is a major passion point in the country, and we believe that the marriage of football and technology is critical to the next phase of football in our nation,” stressed Dikko.

In 2021, Bitnob achieved some groundbreaking feats, such as pioneering in Africa the lightning network, a layer 2 bitcoin protocol that enables instant and almost free bitcoin transactions for everyday monetary exchange.

Also, Bitnob was the first company in the world, partnering Bitwage, to process the world’s first bitcoin payroll on Lightning and was the only African Bitcoin native company to appear at the largest Bitcoin summit in the world in Miami earlier this year.

The unveiling ceremony which held at the luxury Radisson Blu Hotel in Ikeja was graced by President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick; CEO of LMC, Davidson Owumi; COO of LMC, Salihu Abubakar; Chairman of NPFL Club Owners Association, Danladi Isaac and LMC’ Head of Special Projects, Harry Iwuala.

The Bitnob team included Adewale Osideinde, the COO, Isioma Onyegikei, Head of Customer Experience, Abubakar Nur Khalil, Recursive Capital, an investor in Bitnob.

Edo Queens Sack Coach Wemimo for Poor Performance

Monday Gift lifts Bayelsa with first hat trick of the tournament The management of Edo Queens Football Club has announced the sack of handler, Wemimo Olanrewaju Mathew, following the abysmal performance of the team so far in the ongoing Nigeria Women Football League Super Six in Benin City.

Edo Queens were wasteful in their first match against neighbouring Delta Queens and were poor in their second match against Nasarawa Amazons. Edo Queens lost the encounter 1-0 to dent their ambition of winning the title as hosts.

Addressing the press immediately after the game, Chairman of Edo State Sports Commission, Yusuf Alli pronounced the sack.

"From my understanding and findings, I think the coach is not capable and at this point, we have to relieve her of the post.

"We have to sack the coach and let the assistant take over from now on. When the tournament is over, we will know what to do with Edo

NWFL SUPER SIX Queens, but for now, the coach is sacked,” stressed the sports commission chairman.

Assistant Coach, John Niyi, will lead Edo Queens in their remaining matches of the tournament.

Meanwhile, Monday Gift on Tuesday recorded the first hat trick of the Super Six Tournament.

She scored the goals in the 11th, 40th and 62nd minutes as Bayelsa Queens battered Naija Ratels 4-0 for a perfect run so far.

Two wins and six goals put Bayelsa Queens at the summit of the log on six points.

RESULTS Naija Ratels 0-4 Bayelsa Edo Queens 0-1 Nasarawa Rivers Angels 0-0 Delta

services is not far-fetched, as Osimhen is one of the hottest strikers in Europe at the moment.

The former Lille man has struck 18 times in 31 appearances for Napoli.

Manchester United have had a shambolic season, but they would look to incoming manager, Erik Ten Hag, to turn their fortunes around next season.

Many players would be on their way out of Old Trafford this summer as the Red Devils look to take a new shape moving forward.

According to teamtalk, Ten

Hag wants to bring Osimhen to Manchester. They however face a challenging task luring the Nigeria international, but they are looking to entice him by doubling his current earnings.

Teamtalk reports that Osimhen would earn £146,000 per week if he joins the former Premier League champions.

However, Manchester United would need to cough out as much as £85million if they want Napoli to budge.

Meanwhile, if Napoli agree to sell Osimhen this summer, they are speculated

to be eyeing Sassuolo hitman Gianluca Scamacca as a suitable replacement for the Nigerian.

The Italy international has been brilliant for Sassuolo, scoring 16 goals in 37 appearances. Also, Scamacca could be a decent bargain, as he is valued at €30million as per Transfermarkt.

Napoli paid Lille €75 million for Osimhen’s services two years ago, and factoring his potential, and the number of clubs vying for his signature, the Partenopeans would demand a substantial fee to let go of their star man.

Victor Osimhen...in hot demand

L-R: Super Eagles trio of Leon Balogun, Calvin Bassey and Joe Aribo will be amongst the five African players on parade for Rangers in the Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt in Seville, Spain…tonight

Aribo, Balogun, Bassey, Two Other Africans on Cusp of Making 50 Years History with Rangers Duro Ikhazuagbe with agency report Five African players are aiming to make history with Scottish giants, Rangers tonight as they play Germany’s Eintracht Frankfurt in the final of the Europa League in Seville, Spain.

They are Nigeria’s trio of Calvin Bassey, Leon Balogun and forward Joe Aribo. The other two are Amad Diallo (Cote d’Ivoire) and Zambia’s Fashion Sakala. These are the continent’s stars who are aiming to end Rangers' 50-year wait for a European trophy!

To get to the final, Glasgow Rangers saw off former European champions Borussia Dortmund and Red Star Belgrade in the knockout stages before overcoming RB Leipzig in the last four to set up a date with destiny.

For the Nigerian forward, Aribo, he has been a key part of a Rangers team chasing their second European title. Today’s Europa League final against Eintrach Frankfurt will be Aribo’s 65th game of a season where he has played almost everywhere for the Gers.

His versatility has made him one of coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst's most-trusted players. And while he may look thin and fragile, there is a lot of power in his sinewy frame.

The 25-year-old Londoner moved to Rangers in 2019 after a successful time with Charlton Athletic, where he helped the club gain promotion into the Championship. During his early days in Glasgow, he thrived under Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, winning the club‘s young player

E U R O PA L E AG U E F I N A L award in his first season. The next year he contributed eight goals to help the team to their first Scottish Premiership title in a decade.

He became a Nigeria international after qualifying through his parents and scored in his first two games for the Super Eagles against Ukraine and Brazil.

But he came under criticism after they failed to qualify for this year’s World Cup when he was outplayed

by Ghana’s Thomas Partey in Abuja. A labored performance in midfield was not enough to

see the Eagles reach the big stage.

He has recently been given the responsibility of leading the Rangers attack in a false nine role due to injuries to Kemar Roofe and Alfredo Morelos. He told The Scotsman newspaper he's learning as he goes along, with a little help from a former Bayern Munich man.

"It’s different compared to playing in midfield areas, of course.

But I want to add goals into my game so in that sense there is an easier chance to score," he said. "I’ve not really played that much up

front. It’s one I’m still adapting to.

"When I find out that I’m going to be playing up front, I speak a lot with assistant coach, Roy (Makaay).

He tells me some movements. He knows that I’m strong and can battle with defenders and back in."

After having to be subbed off after 45 minutes of the semifinal second leg win against RB Leipzig at Ibrox, Aribo recovered quickly and is set to return to the team for the final at the Ramon Sanchez Pijuan Stadium tonight. "It means a lot to us. We know how big it is, for us personally but also for the club. It’s a massive one for us,” he said.

FIFA Hails Oshoala for Winning the Pichichi World football governing body, FIFA has hailed Super Falcon and Barcelona Femeni striker, Asisat Oshoala for winning the Pichichi with the Catalan club despite suffering a two-month injury spell.

Oshoala was confirmed the joint top scorer of the Spanish Women’s football league on Sunday as her 20 goals proved enough for the award.

Alongside Geyse Ferreira of Atletico Madrid Femenino, Oshoala shared the top prize for the scorer’s award despite playing just 19 of Barcelona’s 30 games.

“20 goals and a perfect club season. Asisat Oshoala has always been unstoppable!,” FIFA wrote on their official Women’s World

Asisat Oshoala... credits teammates for her Pichichi award Cup page.

Oshoala has had a superb season, winning the league’s top scorer, and achieving a spotless league record.

Speaking on the award,

Oshoala said: “It's obviously been a team effort to get here, and l can only thank my team-mates and everyone at the club for this achievement," she said.

Barcelona scored 159 goals in 30 games as they didn’t drop a single point. They conceded just 11 goals to establish their exceptional dominance.

Barcelona Femeni will face Lyon in the final of the Champions League on Saturday as they hope to successfully defend the title they won last year.

Should Barcelona emerge champions, Oshoala would win the Champions League for the second time and become the first African to win it twice, a season after becoming the first African to win the award.

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

TR

UT H

& RE A SO

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Price: N250

MISSILE

Obi to Politicians

“I find it worrisome that while our our manufacturers, business people are not getting dollars to bring in critical goods into our country, the politicians have enough of the dollars to share and these people are those who have no legitimate means of earning this dollar” -– Former Governor of Anambra State and a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant Peter Obi criticising the dollarisation of the economy.

KAYODEKOMOLAFE THE HORIZON

kayode.komolafe@thisdaylive.com

0805 500 1974

So Much for the Third Force

O

ne of the legacies of that avatar of human freedom, Gani Fawehinmi, is the liberalisation of the democratic space. Among Gani’s many legal battles were the ones fought in favour of registration of political parties without the unconstitutional impediments. Cases were won by organisations wishing to be registered as political parties. The organising principle of Gani’s valiant efforts was that the emergence of dominant parties in the nation’s political landscape should be a result of a democratic evolutionary process.

Gani insisted on widening the frontiers of freedom including that of the space in the polity.

However, it is debatable if the present democratic space could be described as wide in real terms with the existence of the multiple political parties. What would be Gani’s view of the state of the parties if he were alive today? Such an assessment of the registered parties in terms of political relevance is vital in imagining the possibility of a third force in the polity.

In the last 12 years after Gani, a number of parties have been registered and deregistered based on the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC)’s guidelines. For instance, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is one of the parties that have been registered since the death of Gani. The other dominant party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has maintained its form (if not content) since 1999. Gani’s own National Conscience Party (NCP) is one of the parties whose birth predates the Fourth Republic. In fact, the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) was formed in the Second Republic. In this dispensation, governors have been elected on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra and Imo States. A governor has also been elected on the platform of the Labour Party (LP) in Ondo state. Like the NCP, the LP has been part of the political landscape since the abortive Third Republic.

There are 18 political parties currently having their names on the register of INEC. Apart the political parties mentioned above, the parties which are expected to present candidates for the 2023 elections are Omoyele Sowore’s African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Congress, Accord, Action Democratic Party (ADP), Allied People’s Movement (APM), Rabiu Kwankwaso’s New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), National Rescue Movement, Social Democratic Party, Kingsley Moghalu’s Young Progressive Party, Zenith Labour Party, Boot Party, Action People’s Party and the Action Alliance.

Yet, when recently the two dominant parties – the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – announced their outrageously high nomination fees, the development did not result into the scrambling for the nomination forms of the smaller parties that cost little or nothing. Hardly has any politician of consequence protested the high fees of APC and PDP by picking up the nomination forms of a smaller party.

This is despite the counsel of some civil

Soludo

society organisations that members of APC and PDP who could not afford the high fees should try other parties. In fact, one of the most visible contenders for the presidential ticket of the PDP, Bashorun Dele Momodu, seemed to be referring to this trend recently when he gave reasons why he elected to the join the race on the platform of PDP. He said you could not win a “national election” on the platform of a “local party.” Momodu was the presidential candidate of NCP 11 years ago.

In the election won by President Goodluck Jonathan, the performance of NCP was less than impressive. Perhaps, the barometer that Momodu has used in gauging the visibility of the smaller parties like NCP is the scantly mention of such parties in the mainstream media.

However the dialectical explanation for the poor performance of a small parties should go beyond Momodu’s correspondence of “national election” and “local party.” There are deeper questions to be raised about this trend in the polity.

The trend is that of the lack of a viable third force that could spring up amidst the plethora of political parties to contest for power with the APC and PDP. To be charitable to a number of seriousminded patriots, deep thoughts have been given to the place of a third force in the polity.

Only three months ago, it was announced that the formation of a third force to the APC and PDP was afoot. Names of genuinely committed Nigerians associated with the political efforts include those of Professor Attahiru Jega, Professor Pat Utomi, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, Professor Kingsley Moghalu of the young Progressives Party (YPP).

It is, of course, indubitable that the emergence of more formidable political platforms would enrich the whole process of making a choice during elections. In addition, other serious forces on the political stage would provide multiple perspectives on the problem of

underdevelopment and how to solve it. So it could be safely said that a formidable force has not yet emerged in the polity not because of lack of ideas about it. The problem has been the absence of structures to make the political force a reality. Here, a clarification is important. The structures meant in this discussion are vastly different from what Nigerian politicians routinely call “structures on ground.” In most cases what politicians call structures are a mixture of vulnerable party members who materially depend on the politicians for handouts and thugs who enforce their will especially during elections.

On sympathetic note, it is extremely costly for a typical politician to maintain these “structures on ground” in a society without social security. The politician picks as many bills as possible on behalf of his supporters.

And for a politician that retains the services of an army of thugs, the crude political culture could also be costly. This political culture is simply unsustainable on the long run.

This trend, of course, is not a substitute for a proper party organisation in which members belong to wards that hold regular meetings in which they are educated about party programmes. In the Second Republic, local party members paid dues as part of their membership responsibilities. Such political parties do not exist anymore. The politician now has to pay for members to even attend meetings in addition to being responsible for virtually all party expenses.

A viable political third force cannot be built on such a system of political clientelism in which votes are viewed as commodities. There is hardly any example of a respectable liberal democracy that is erected on that type of structure. It is a matter to ponder by the strategists of the dominant and smaller parties as well as sober students of Nigerian politics.

Apart from the APC and PDP, it is only the APGA that currently has a state governor elected on its platform. That is Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra state. In his remarkable inaugural address, Soludo endeavoured to do an ideological characterisation of APGA. He even located the ideological provenance of the part in the Nigerian and African political history. Now, it is not often that you find such an important effort at clarification of the ideological purpose of a party. In the statement, Soludo established the progressive basis of the programmes of the party he has pledged to execute in the interest of Anambra people. In other words, the word progressive in the party is loaded with meaning. So, progressivism is not a vacuous political category. Somehow, APGA has managed to remain politically relevant by

The minimum that is required of a party to make a difference in the polity today is the articulation of a social democratic programme.

having governors elected on its platform in the southeast since the 2003 election. In practical terms, it is such an organisation that is imbued with the prospects of developing into a third force. The prospects would even be brighter if a coalition of such parties could be forged on a programmatic basis beyond mere electoral expediency. These are steps that could become the building blocks for a formidable force or even more forces in the polity.

The other parties with such prospects include the PRP, SDP and AAC. If these other parties could be in charge of governance at the subnational levels like APGA, the possibility of a formidable force would be heightened. However, the tendency in Nigeria is for those desirous of a third force to hinge their membership of political parties on the presidential tickets of the party. That is why elements who are supposed to provide alternatives to APC and PDP are also migrating from one formation to the other like the members of the dominant parties.

Contrast the approach of the Nigerian smaller parties with that of Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in South Africa. The EFF founded in 2013 by a breakaway group of young politicians from the ruling African National Congress (ANC) has helped immensely in polarising debates on development issues in the country. The elements of EFF are not just fighting to hold political offices; they are also fiercely fighting for a programme of economic redemption. They keep reminding those responsible for “state capture” in ANC of the original promise of the struggle for freedom. The ANC tends to derail as a party rooted in a progressive ideology. But the EFF is awake to pursue the people’s cause against the widening inequality that still defines South Africa’s social structure.

So no one needs to be told that with a lot of promise the EFF constitutes another force to the ANC, the Democratic Alliance (DA) and other existing political forces in South Africa.

On a more optimistic note, the potentials for such forces are immense in Nigeria. For example, the efforts to reshape the PRP and LP are in this direction. The minimum that is required of a party to make a difference in the polity today is the articulation of a social democratic programme. However, the LP, for instance, is anything but social democratic in its content. Meanwhile, even in the metropolitan capitalist countries, parties in which workers have some influence are at least social democratic in character and content. But in Nigeria, parties that should be social democratic are joining the meaningless neoliberal chorus of the end of ideology. They end up with no articulation of a programme to transform the condition of the people. This is wrong-footed.

All told, a third force cannot be built and sustained by replicating what the APC and PDP have put on display for the electorate to make a choice. A different political culture has to be invented to distinguish the third force from the poltical Siamese twins called APC and PDP.

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