MONDAY 15TH JUNE 2020

Dangote Boosts Diversification with Maiden Clinker Shipment to Senegal MAN lauds export drive Dike Onwuamaeze Dangote Cement has reaffirmed its status as the biggest cement producer in Africa with the exportation of 27,800 metric tonnes of

clinker to Senegal.

With this historic maiden voyage at the weekend from its Export Terminal located in Apapa Port, Lagos, Dangote has gradually made Nigeria, which until recently was

one of the world's largest bulk importers of cement, first self-sufficient in cement production, and now an exporter of cement clinker to other countries.

The exportation of the

clinker from the Dangote Cement Export Terminal would also place Nigeria as one of the leading clinker exporters in the world.

The company is expected to increase the quantity of

clinker export to other African countries within the next few weeks, it was further learnt.

It said the clinker exportation would enable Dangote Cement to take advantage of the African Continental Free

Trade Area, and by so doing contribute to the improvement of intra-regional trade within the ECOWAS region.

The company's new drive Continued on page 9

World Bank: With More Transparency, FG Recovers $3bn from Oil Sector... Page 8 Monday 15 June, 2020 Vol 25. No 9198. Price: N250

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Obaseki Parleys Wike, Emmanuel, PDP NWC over Edo GovTicket To meet PDP South-south govs, aspirants To take final decision after consulting Buhari APC govs pledge to resolve Edo, Ondo crises Chuks Okocha, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja, Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt, Okon Bassey in Uyo and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City With

his

disqualification

from the race for the ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September governorship election in Edo State, Governor Godwin Obaseki, at the weekend, began talks with

the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to actualise his second term bid.

THISDAY gathered that to secure the gubernatorial ticket of the party, Obaseki on Saturday night met with

the Chairman of the main opposition party, Prince Uche Secondus, and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

He followed this up

yesterday with a visit to Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, who is very influential in the party.

After the meeting with Wike, Obaseki left for Uyo where he met behind closed-

doors with his Akwa Ibom State counterpart, Mr. Udom Emmanuel.

Obaseki and Wike met behind closed-doors at the Continued on page 9

Buhari Orders Probe into State House Shooting President not in harm's way from incident or COVID-19, says presidency Confirms first lady's security aides breached Aso Rock regulations Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered investigation into Thursday’s shooting in State House by his wife's Aide-deCamp (ADC), vowing that the law must take its course.

Reacting to the incident, the presidency, in a statement yesterday by the presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, said the president acknowledged concerns generated by the development, adding that he's not by any means in harm's way.

Usman Shugaba, ADC to the First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, had fired two shots in the precincts of the State

House on Thursday night, while attempting to apprehend the president's private secretary and nephew, Sabiu Yusuf, in his house.

The ADC had led some of his colleagues along with the first lady and three of her children to Yusuf's house after a heated argument, following the president's wife's insistence that he should self-quarantine after returning from a trip to Lagos, the epicentre of COVID-19 in the country.

She had said Yusuf's refusal to self-quarantine after returning from a trip during the interstate lockdown, puts Continued on page 9

Presidency, Northern Elders Trade Accusations over Insecurity... Page 5

PERFECTING HIS NEXT MOVES...

L-R: Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and his Rivers State counterpart, Mr. Nyesom Wike, during a visit to the latter in Port Harcourt...yesterday

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NEWS Presidency, Northern Elders Trade Accusations over Insecurity

Group News Editor Ejiofor Alike

Email Ejiofor.Alike@thisdaylive.com, 08066066268

Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja and John Shiklam in Kaduna The presidency and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) yesterday engaged in a war of words over the worsening insecurity in the north.

Earlier, NEF had fired the first salvo when it accused President Muhammadu Buhari of failure to tackle the deplorable security situation in the north.

It said both the president and governors of the affected states have lost control.

But the presidency dismissed the allegations, describing NEF and its Chairman, Prof.

Ango Abdullahi, as an irritant without credible membership.

The president's media adviser, Mr. Femi Adesina, in a statement, said Abdullahi is only synonymous with NEF and vice-versa, describing the former vice-chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, as a General without troops.

He recalled that Abdullahi had supported another candidate against his principal at the 2019 presidential election, saying his action is antipathy.

The statement read: "The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) in a statement Sunday signed by its so-called Convener, Prof.

Ango Abdullahi, alleged that the insecurity in some northern states of the country was an indication that President Muhammadu Buhari and the governors of those states have lost control over the protection of the people which is a constitutional duty.

"We are not surprised by this latest statement by Prof. Abdullahi, and our

past position on what his group represents remains unchanged: a mere irritant and featherweight.

"The former vice chancellor signed the statement under the banner of Northern Elders Forum (NEF). Hearing that title, you would think the body was a conglomeration of true elders. But the truth is that NEF is just Ango Abdullahi, and Ango Abdullahi is NEF. "It is a quasi-organisation that boasts of no credible membership, and its leader is akin to a General without troops.

"Before the 2019 presidential election, the one-man army called NEF had shown its antipathy against President

Buhari, and its preference for another candidate. They all got beaten together.

"NEF is merely waving a flag that is at half-mast.

"President Buhari steadily and steadfastly focuses on the task of retooling Nigeria, and discerning Nigerians know the true state of the nation. They don’t need a paper tiger to tell them anything."

Earlier yesterday, NEF, in a statement issued in Kaduna,

by Abdullahi, said the security situation was getting worst by the day as people were being maimed and killed by bandits.

He said the current situation in the north had demonstrated that the Buhari administration

“has woefully failed in provision of security and welfare of citizens."

According to Abdullahi, the group is worried by the rising insecurity in communities and resulting in deaths and loss of property in the North. “Recent escalation of attacks by bandits, rustlers and insurgents leave the only conclusion that the people of the North are now completely at the mercy of armed gangs who roam towns and villages at will, wreaking havoc.

"It would appear that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and governors have lost control over the imperatives of protecting people of the

North, a constitutional duty that they swore to uphold,� the statement said.

He said going by the worsening security situation in the North, it would not be out of place to say the people "have never experienced this level of exposure to criminals who attack, kill, maim, rape, kidnap, burning of villages and rustling cattle, while President Buhari issues threats and promises that have no effect.�

While calling for an urgent action to redress the situation, NEF said: “It is now time to say, enough is enough. Our people are known for their patience and respect for constituted authorities, but all governments must be aware

by now that all northerners have been pushed to the wall. “The forum is aware that some citizens are contemplating peaceful protests, which are their constitutional rights, to draw attention of President Buhari and all levels of authority to the plight of people of the North. “The forum urges all citizens to conduct themselves in peaceful and responsible manner, and it urges governments to respect the rights of citizens to express their opinions peacefully."

Abdullahi added that NEF is consulting other groups and organisations to join it in demanding action and relief from the orgy of violence unleashed on the North.

DANGOTE BREAKS NEW GROUND...

L-R: Project Manager, Apapa Clinker Export/Gypsum Import Terminal, Dangote Projects Limited, Mr. Francis O. Obiakor; Managing Director, Greenview Development Nigeria Limited, Mr. Akin Omole; Group Executive Director, Dangote Industries Limited, Alhaji Sada Ladan-Baki; Director, Export, Dangote Industries/Dangote Cement Plc, Ekanem Etim, and SGM, Head Community Aairs and Environment, Dangote Cement Plc, Mr. Tukur M. Lawal, at a ceremony to mark the exportation of clinker to Senegal from Dangote Cement Export Terminal, Apapa in Lagos...weekend.

COVID-19: Concerns Mount over Looming Blood Scarcity in Hospitals Virus not transmitted by blood transfusion, says Lagos 403 New Cases Move Tally to 16,085 Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja and Martins IďŹ jeh in Lagos The federal government has expressed worries over the likely reduction in the quantity of blood available for hospital treatment nationwide due to restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Lagos State Government allayed fears that COVID-19 could be transmitted through blood transfusion, saying there's no study to back up the claim.

In a speech at the commemoration of World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) 2020, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said shortage of supply from blood banks might lead to avoidable deaths, morbidities and ill-health.

According to him, getting enough supply of safe blood is at high risk during this outbreak of pandemic.

Ehanire described safe blood as a critical and indispensable healthcare requirement both for treatment and urgent interventions.

With a population of over 200 million, Ehanire added that Nigeria’s estimated blood need is about two million units per year.

The minister expressed worries that the required estimated two million units of blood per year is currently not being met.

"During this COVID-19 pandemic, the supply of safe blood is at risk because regular blood donation drives have had to be postponed or deferred and regulations for self-isolation, lockdown and fear of infection have hindered the usual blood donors from accessing blood donation centres.

"Transport and trade restrictions have also led to disruptions of global supply chains, putting countries at risk of shortages of critical supplies and equipment used for blood donation, processing, testing and transfusion, to patients in need of blood," he stated.

Ehanire said the Nigeria's National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) had been striving to provide adequate supply of safe blood, screened with modern fully-automated enzyme linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA) technology.

"In 2019, about 24,483 units of blood were collected and screened from volunteer blood donors through the 17 centres of NBTS network, while 19,676 units of blood were issued to

various hospitals nationwide for transfusion purposes," he said.

Ehanire explained that the ministry is currently considering proposals for a major investment, from public and private sectors to upgrade the capacity of the National Blood Transfusion Service to enable it to produce blood components and plasma-derived medicinal products at a commercial scale that meets international best standards and to enter the world market.

Pandemic Not Transmitted by Blood Transfusion, Says Lagos At the commemoration of this year’s World Blood Donor Day in Lagos State, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, faulted claims that COVID-19 could be transmitted through blood transfusion.

Abayomi, in a speech delivered yesterday through a Zoom Live Feed organised by Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service (LSBTS) to commemorate the occasion, said the COVID-19 pandemic should not deter residents of the state from donating blood to save the

lives of others.

He said: “Scientifically, there are no confirmed reports of COVID-19 being transmitted by blood transfusion anywhere in the world. With the practice of health protocols at blood collection sites, including hand washing, use of hand sanitisers, among others, it is safe to donate blood."

Speaking on the theme, ‘Safe Blood, Saves Lives - Give Blood and Make the World A Healthier Place,’ the commissioner said encouraging and promoting voluntary blood donation in a safe and conducive environment were the goals of the state government.

He said: “This year’s theme came at a time we are having COVID-19 pandemic, various phases of lockdown and travel restrictions. This resulted in some challenges to our blood donation drive. The need for blood transfusions and medications based on blood components has however continued despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The LSBTS voluntary blood donation centres were open all through with an extension in our opening hours.

"This shouldn't only be about blood collection from donors or its transfusion, but the collection of convalescent plasma from

those that have recovered from COVID-19 infections in preparation for an interventional study in the treatment of patients with severe COVID-19 infection."

403 New Cases Move Tally to 16,085 With 403 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed yesterday, the total number of confirmed infections in the country has risen to 16,085.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), in a tweet on its official Twitter account, also said a total of 420 patients had died of COVID-19-related complications in Nigeria, while 5,220 cases had been discharged. “On the 14th of June 2020, 403 new confirmed cases and 13 deaths were recorded in Nigeria. “No new state has reported a case in the last 24 hours. “Till date, 16,085 cases have been confirmed, 5,220 cases have been discharged and 420 deaths have been recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory. “The 403 new cases are reported from 20 states - Gombe (73), Lagos (68), Kano (46), Edo (36), FCT (35), Nasarawa (31),

Kaduna (17), Oyo (16), Abia (15), Delta (13), Borno (13), Plateau (eight), Niger (seven), Rivers (seven), Enugu (six), Ogun (six), Kebbi (three), Ondo (one), Anambra (one) and Imo (one).

Lagos Discharges 48 COVID-19 Patients Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said the state has discharged 48 COVID-19 patients from its isolation centres. This brings to 1,185 the number of successfully treated persons in the state.

According to him, 31 of those discharged are males and 17 females.

"Those discharged include two Indians, four Americans, two Polish, one Brazilian and one Dutch. Fourteen of the patients were discharged from Lekki, 11 from Eti Osa, 10 from Agidingbi, eight from Gbagada, four from Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital and one from Onikan isolation centres.

"With this, the number of COVID-19 cases successfully managed and discharged in Lagos is now 1,185," he said yesterday.

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NEWS

World Bank: With More Transparency, FG Recovers $3bn from Oil Sector Projects recovery of additional $20bn DPR releases strategic plan for oil industry survival

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The World Bank and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), the global standard for the promotion of openness in the oil, gas and mineral resources management, have said Nigeria has so far recovered about $3 billion as a result of more transparency in the sector.

A report released by the World Bank’s Extractives Global Programmatic Support (EGPS) Multi-Donor Trust Fund and EITI, at the weekend, noted that through the work being done by the Nigerian Extractive Transparency Initiative (NEITI), about $20 billion in revenues could still be retrieved.

This was coming as the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Nigeria’s oil sector regulator, has released what it described as the strategic plan and policy for the survival and success of the industry post-COVID-19.

While acknowledging that the country still faces developmental issues, including the need to reduce economic dependence on oil and rebuild social infrastructure, both organisations, however, noted that Nigeria has made improvements in the governance of its oil sector. “Reports, policy briefs and other knowledge products published by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI)

Two Policemen, 11 Others Killed in Benue Clash, Niger Attacks Laleye Dipo in Minna and George Okoh in Makurdi A total of 13 people, including two policemen, were killed in a communal clash in Benue State and bandits’ attacks in Niger State.

While 10 people were killed yesterday in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State following a clash between Adana, Olegeje and Olegogboche communities, bandits killed three people, including two policemen, in separate attacks on communities in Niger State.

Also, troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have nabbed a local militia leader, popularly known as Alhaji Audu from Olegeje community, and recovered one AK-47 rifle and 60 round of ammunition from him during the clash.

Earlier, some militia groups had attacked three communities of Adana, Olegeje and Olegogboche all in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.

The attacks were allegedly led

by Audu and other members of his militia group.

They had launched an attack on Adana community which led to the death of 10 persons, while others sustained injuries.

It was initially alleged that the attack was carried out by herdsmen.

But a resident of the community, Job Emakwo, said it was a communal clash involving the three communities as a result of the activities of some militias in the areas.

He told reporters that Audu and his group went to Adana in search of one of their gang members and started shooting sporadically in all directions, killing two persons on the spot and injuring others.

Emakwo added that there was a misunderstanding between the three communities over a parcel of land, which earlier had claimed the lives of some persons.

He said immediately troops of OPWS stationed in Agatu heard about the clash, they rushed to the affected communities and stormed a militia camp and apprehended Audu.

Audu was said to have been later identified as one of the leaders of the local militia who

instigated the fight among the three communities.

He said the troops recovered one AK-47 rifle and 60 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition with two magazines from Audu.

When contacted, OPWS Force Commander, Maj. Gen. Adeyemi Yekini, said he could not comment on the Agatu attack and directed further enquiries to the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) Information Department.

Also, the Public Relations Officer, Benue State Police Command, Catherine Anene, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed that there was an attack in Agatu, but the police were yet to establish whether it was caused by herdsmen or was due to a communal clash.

Anene could not also confirm the number of death at the time of the report, but said policemen who were deployed in the area to maintain peace were yet to establish contacts with her due to network problem in the area.

Also at the weekend, two policemen were killed in a shootout with bandits at Kussau village in Erena district of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

The third person was earlier murdered in Gurmana village in the same local government area.

The two policemen were identified as an Inspector and a Corporal and were said to have accompanied some engineers of the Shiroro Hydro Electric Dam on routine maintenance of some installations.

They were said to have died after running into the gunmen and exchanging fire with them.

One of the bandits, according to a report, was killed though the engineers they were detailed to protect escaped.

The police, however, did not confirm the death of the policemen as the Public Relations Officer of Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said: "Two policemen are missing after an encounter with some armed bandits at Kusasu village in Shiroro Local Government Area."

He confirmed that the two missing policemen were among those detailed to provide security to some engineers from Shiroro Hydro Electricity dam on routine maintenance work of power facilities.

have been a catalyst for ongoing reforms and have helped the country to identify about $20 billion in recoverable revenues, and to recover approximately $3 billion into government coffers to date,� the global bodies stated.

Having enacted the Nigeria EITI Act in 2007, the World Bank publication noted that though there’s still much work to do, the country has made some progress in terms of reducing the opacity in the extractive industries. “Previously, the industry was opaque, with little reliable public information on production levels, crude oil losses, government investment in the upstream projects or downstream information. “The EITI in Nigeria encountered some initial hurdles in publishing accurate and

timely reports on key sector data, such as production, revenues and governance processes. “Some reports were delayed by several years, meaning that those who could hold the state accountable for oil revenues – such as investors, companies, civil society organisations and the media – received data only several years after the reporting period. “With the help of the World Bank’s Extractives Global Programmatic Support Trust Fund, NEITI has now succeeded in producing its reports in a much more timely and efficient manner,� the report noted.

Describing the country as having made satisfactory progress in implementing the EITI standard, the report added that Nigeria remains one of the eight countries that achieved this

assessment, among the EITI’s 53 member countries.

Both organisations commended NEITI for working hard to release prompt reports on the extractive industries, including the one on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which succeeded in drawing the attention of the Nigerian authorities. “A 2017 policy brief on unremitted funds highlighted more than $20 billion, which the national oil company, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), should have contributed to government revenues, highlighting the urgent need for oil sector reform. The brief received widespread attention, generated a national dialogue and caught the attention of decision-makers.

"Another policy brief

highlighted the failure of the federal government to adjust the royalty in production-sharing contracts in line with the price of oil and inflation, as provided in the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract Act. The brief contributed to an amendment to the law, which was then enacted eight months later,� they said.

According to the two bodies, stakeholders, across the legislature, presidency and national oil company, have embraced the spirit of transparency and reform inherent in the EITI process, sparking a wider change in the country and driving forward oil sector governance and policy reform.

The World Bank and EITI explained that as a result of Continued on page 12

MOURNING MAIKANTI BARU...

L-R: Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, and Emir of Misau, Alhaji Ahmed Suleiman, during his condolence visit over the demise of his predecessor, Dr. Maikanti Baru, in Misau, Bauchi State...weekend

Masari Explains Military's Inability to Stop Banditry Francis Sardauna in Katsina Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, at the weekend attributed the inability of the military and the police to end the wave of banditry in North-west to their low capacity and being overstretched.

Masari, at an interactive session with journalists in Katsina, said the military and police did not have adequate manpower and equipment required to operate in all the troubled spots across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

"Even members of the armed forces have limited capacity in terms of the equipment available to them and the money given to them," Masari added.

He stated that despite the peace agreement entered with the bandits, they, in coordinated attacks with their accomplices from Zamfara, Kaduna and other neighbouring states, have continued with indiscriminate killings across Katsina State.

According to him, under the exclusive list as enshrined in the constitution, security is the sole responsibility of the federal government, adding that "we provide 90 per cent in terms of whatever is expected of us, based on resources available to us."

He also said the peace accord his administration signed with bandits terrorising the state lasted for only seven months.

Irked by the collapse of the peace deal, he said the state government would no longer negotiate with the bandits because they had breached the rapprochement between them and government.

Masari lamented the resurgence of banditry and kidnapping in the state despite the peace accord.

Two peace deals were separately signed by Masari and the bandits.

The first was on January 15, 2017, while the second took place between September 4 and 9, 2019.

At the early stage of the

deals, there was a significant reduction in massive attacks on the state’s rural communities.

But the recent resurgence of banditry in Faskari, Batsari, Sabuwa, Danmusa, Dutsinma, Kankara, Kurfi and Safana local government areas of the state has claimed more than 200 lives.

The fresh onslaught has forced thousands of residents of the affected local governments, who survived the deadly invasions, to flee their ancestral homes to the headquarters of the councils’ areas, including Katsina, the state capital.

Masari, at the interactive session, said the role of the state government at the moment, was to complement the efforts of security agencies to flush out the hoodlums rather than cutting a deal with them.

He said: "We entered into various phases of dialogue with the bandits on the prompting of the security agencies. By the time we completed talks, we reached an agreement on so many solutions.

"Even if we were not able

to meet their demands 100 per cent, we were able to meet up with between 70 and 80 per cent.

"But the peace accord from my records did not last for more than six to seven months; then it broke down again and that is the position we are in at the moment."

The governor described the marauding bandits as being worse than wild animals in the forest, saying they kill indiscriminately without any purpose or reasons.

"In the forest, a lion or a tiger kills only when it is hungry and it doesn’t kill all the animals; it only kills the one it can eat at a time.

"But what we see here is that the bandits come to town, spray bullets, kill indiscriminately for no purpose and no reasons.

How can a human being behave the way that an animal cannot even behave? That is why I say that they are worse than the animals in the forest. For me, there are no longer innocent persons in the forests."

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PAGE NINE DANGOTE BOOSTS DIVERSIFICATION WITH MAIDEN CLINKER SHIPMENT TO SENEGAL earned it commendation from the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN), which lauded it for leading the way for Nigeria to become one of the biggest cement and clinker exporter in the world.

Speaking during the departure of the ship conveying the clinker from the Export Terminal at the weekend, Group Executive Director, Dangote Group, Alhaji Sada Ladan-Baki, said the increased exportation of clinker and cement to other African countries would not only place Dangote Cement among top clinker exporters in the world, but also boost Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings and reduce unemployment in the country. “The beauty of what we have done is that we are going to be generating foreign exchange for the country in terms of dollars and Euros.

For every batch of clinker we export, the money comes back to Nigeria. The amount we are talking about is not small.

Presently, Dangote Cement should either be number one or number two exporter of cement in Africa and the revenue we have generated in the form of foreign exchange is running into millions. Today, we have formally launched the Dangote Cement Export Terminal. We are still going to do another major launch when the second ship is going out of the country,� he added.

Ladan-Baki recalled that only a few years ago, Nigeria was one of the world's largest bulk importers of cement, saying "Dangote has gradually made Nigeria self-sufficient in cement production as well as an exporter of clinker to other countries."

According to him, the company would also be

launching its export terminal in Onne in the next few days to enable it to export clinker, initially to its grinding facility in Cameroon and then to new grinding plants the company is building across West Africa.

He explained that not only would this generate foreign currency for Dangote Cement to support other expansion projects outside Nigeria, it would also help to increase the output of the Nigerian plants.

Besides, it would help to improve job creation and increase prosperity in Nigeria.

He stated: “This terminal will assist Dangote to actualise the full potential of the company’s investment in cement. You know as usual, when the rain comes, sales decline, but not clinker export. This feat by Dangote is going to generate a lot of jobs because the Export Terminal has already created

jobs to many Nigerians.

"As at now, the numbers of employed Nigerians at the terminal have reached 100. We are targeting about 200 to 300 workers in Lagos Terminal alone.

"But, apart from job creation opportunities, the exportation of clinker by Dangote will position the country to participate fully in the Africa Free Trade Liberalisation Agreement when it comes into being, so that Nigeria will be protected against foreign products. It will also help the country compete effectively with every country that are in the business of exportation of clinker. At Dangote Cement, we are going about it aggressively and we are seeing it as an opportunity.�

Ladan-Baki said the company had also concluded plans to increase its clinker and cement export to other

countries. “This vessel, being the maiden ship, is exporting 27,800 metric tonnes to Senegal and this is just a tip of the iceberg as to what we have in plan. What we have in plan is to send clinker from Nigeria to Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Ghana. Cameroon as an example, takes about 82,000 metric tonnes every month.

Our target is to export at least four million metric tonnes of clinker annually to various parts of Africa.

"That is our target that we hope to achieve within the next one to two years. This particular voyage is going to our sister company in Senegal.

We have an integrated plant of 1.5 million tonnes and this one is expected to give the plant additional clinker that is required for the plant to sustain production. In the next one week or two, we

are going to be shipping 82,000 metric tonnes to Cameroon in batches of about 25,000 to 29,000 metric tonnes per voyage,� he added.

Speaking on Dangote’s achievement, the Acting Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Chuma Oruche, praised the President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, for leading the way in the export of product from Nigeria to other countries.

According to him, this feat by Dangote Cement is capable of boosting Nigeria’s foreign earning and reducing unemployment in the country.

He said: “The export of clinker by Dangote Cement at the weekend will definitely be beneficial to Nigerian economy in terms of export earnings, job creation and wealth creation for families connected with these achievements.�

did not happen around the president's house, but some distance away.

He said the president had promptly reacted to the development by insisting that the law must take its course.

The statement read: "Presidency wishes to acknowledge concerns expressed by several members of the public regarding the recent incident among the occupants of the State House, which escalation led to the arrest of some staff by the police.

"This is to assure all and everyone that the President

and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari, is not, and was not at any time in any form of danger arising, either from deadly infections or the reported incident by security personnel which is currently under investigation.

"This particular incident happened outside the main residence of the president.

"Armed guards and other security personnel assigned to the State House receive the necessary training of especially weapons handling and where they come short, their relevant agencies have their rules and

regulations to immediately address them.

"Having authorised the proper investigation to be carried out into this unfortunate incident by the police, the president has acted in compliance with the rule of law.

"That a minor occurrence is being used by some critics to justify attacks on the government and the person of President Muhammadu Buhari beggars belief.

"In this particular instance, the president says the law should be allowed to take its course."

In a tweet on his Twitter handle yesterday, the governor described his disqualification as an act of injustice. “I appreciate the sustained show of solidarity, support and goodwill from Edo people and Nigerians in the face of injustice by the @OfficialAPCNg screening committee. “I will be making my next move known after I complete consultations with my supporters and meet with @MBuhari,� he said.

of Edo and Ondo states 2020 governorship elections.

"Forum members are confident that the party will resolve all current challenges and emerge stronger.�

BUHARI ORDERS PROBE INTO STATE HOUSE SHOOTING the first family in danger of COVID-19 infection.

Sabiu, popularly known as Tunde, (having been named after the late Brigadier Gen. Tunde Idiagbon, Buhari's Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, when he was Head of State in the 1980s), had resisted pressure from the first lady to proceed on self-quarantine after returning from Lagos last Monday where he visited his wife who had just put to bed.

His refusal, citing instances of the president's Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, and Mrs. Buhari's daughters,

Halima and Zahra, whom he said respectively returned from trips without going into selfquarantine, culminated in the decision to storm his house to arrest him.

In the ensuing melee, Shugaba fired two shots, described as 'security breach' in the State House, which forced Yusuf to scamper for safety into the nearby house of his uncle, Mr. Mamman Daura.

The incident, which has generated grave concerns across the country, compelled the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, to order the detention of Shugaba

and his colleagues.

Besides, the incident caused concern about the safety of the president.

But the presidency allayed fears about the safety of Buhari, saying he's not under the threat of COVID-19 infection.

Describing the incident as minor, Shehu, who admitted the arrest of the first lady's security aides, explained that armed men attached to the State House, are always trained on the do's and don'ts of their briefs, including resistance to shooting.

He added that the episode

OBASEKI PARLEYS WIKE, EMMANUEL, PDP NWC OVER EDO GOV TICKET Government House in Port Harcourt.

Notwithstanding his talks with the opposition, Obaseki has said he would not take any decision on his political future until after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

However, APC governors, under the auspices of Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), have resolved to intervene in the crises rocking the party's chapters in Edo and Ondo states.

Sources confided in THISDAY that the meetings were part of the efforts to secure serious commitment and soft landing from the PDP leaders before Obaseki would take the final decision to join the party.

A source privy to the meetings told THISDAY that the governor would also meet the five PDP governors from the South-south in Port Harcourt, as well as all Edo State governorship aspirants of the party.

According to sources, Obaseki's meeting with Secondus and members of NWC of the party was not conclusive as he was told to meet other stakeholders of the party.

The source said it was in continuation of the high-level meetings that the embattled governor visited Wike yesterday and would also meet the PDP South-south governors to seek their support in joining PDP. According to the source, Edo State governor would between yesterday and today meet with PDP South-south governors in Port Harcourt.

The source said the choice of Port Harcourt as the venue of the meeting was strategic

because the views of Wike would be needed.

The source added that this was because one of the major stakeholders in Edo State PDP and a former state Chairman of the party, Mr. Dan Orbih, is close to Wike.

Orbih, who has always been anti-Obaseki, is said to have thrown his structures behind Hon. Omoregie Ihama, who is the favourite of the three aspirants, if the choice Obaseki is eventually ruled out.

Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Paulinus Nsirim, confirmed the meeting with Wike, but said he was yet to ascertain the reason for Edo State governor’s visit.

He said: "It is true that Obaseki is here but for now, I cannot say why he is here.

But whatever is the matter, we will let you know in due course."

Obaseki also visited Akwa Ibom State yesterday and met behind closed-doors with Governor Udom Emmanuel, as part of his consultations with PDP leaders.

The governor reportedly arrived the Government House in Uyo at about 4.00 p.m.

Sources told THISDAY that Obaseki left at about 6.00 p.m after a meeting with Emmanuel.

Details of the meeting were not disclosed as the visit was said to be a “private visit.�

While Obaseki was still holding talks with top PDP leaders, it was gathered that the Igbinedions (Gabriel and Lucky) have started mobilising support for him, alongside Chief Tom Ikimi; but THISDAY could not confirm this claim.

THISDAY gathered that after that round of meeting

with PDP governors, Obaseki would hold another round of meeting with the three governorship aspirants of the party.

The tree aspirants, Omoregie Ihama, Gideon Ikhine and Kenneth Imasuagbe, paid the mandatory N21 million governorship and expression of interest forms to signify their intention to run.

The trio were screened by the Hon. Kingsley Chinda-led committee, but for strategic reasons not unconnected with the ongoing talks with Obaseki, the outcome of the screening is not yet out.

THISDAY gathered that the reason for the meetings is to ensure all stakeholders are on the same page on Obaseki's quest so as to forestall any crisis that may arise if all stakeholders are not carried along before the governor's defection.

The source said: "If everything goes as planned, we are looking for a consensus ticket for Godwin Obaseki at the June 22 primary election, where the delegates will affirm his candidature.�

THISDAY gathered that though PDP has been in the opposition in Edo State for 12 years now, it does not want to make any mistake now that the opportunity has presented it to return to power since APC is seriously divided.

"We are aware that APC has a big financial machine behind it and they know the implications of the outcome of the September 19 governorship election on the political future of the APC National Chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole.

"If APC loses Edo gubernatorial election, it means that under Oshiomhole,

the party lost Rivers, Zamfara, Bayelsa and Edo states due to internal wranglings under him.

"This could cause him the office of the national chairman and affect his political future.

"And Ondo State governorship election may follow such bandwagon.

Therefore, APC would like to come out strong with huge financial war chest and none of the three PDP governorship aspirants are strong enough to meet APC financial bulldozer.

"It was for this reason that PDP will present a candidate that has the financial strength to meet APC challenge in this matter. We have to present the best in terms of acceptability and financial muscle.

"None of the three as at now can meet this challenge.

"If everything goes as planned, it is expected that Obaseki could be asked to choose a deputy running mate from one of the three aspirants that are not from Edo South and others would be compensated with political appointments for themselves and their followers," the source stated.

It was learnt that after critical stakeholders of the party had reached a consensus to admit Obaseki, PDP NWC would grant him waiver, depending on what was agreed on, to smoothen his emergence as the party's governorship candidate.

Obaseki to Take Decision after Meeting Buhari Obaseki has said he would unveil his next step after meeting with the president following his disqualification

by APC.

APC Govs Pledge to Resolve Edo, Ondo Crisis APC governors have stated their resolve to intervene in the current crises rocking the party's chapters in both Edo and Ondo states.

The party also knocked out two other aspirants, Mr. Chris Ogiemwonyi and Mr. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, whose disqualification APC Appeal Committee and the party's National Working Committee (NWC) subsequently affirmed along with that of Obaseki.

Chairman of the forum and Governor of Kebbi State, Mr. Abubakar Bagudu, in a statement yesterday after a teleconference meeting of the governors held on Saturday, said they had resolved to work for the unity of the party.

According to him, the governors "unanimously reaffirmed the commitment of all Progressive Governors Forum to work for the unity of our party; collectively agreed to work to ensure strengthening fair and democratic internal party mechanism for the selection of party candidates in all elections, especially in respect

Committee Can’t Uphold DisqualiďŹ cation Never Appealed, Says Obaseki However, Obaseki yesterday faulted APC Appeal Committee for upholding his disqualification.

The governor, in a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said there was no ground for the decision because he did not lodge any appeal before the committee. “The charade of Adams Oshiomhole and his puppet screening committees seems to know no end. “As if the embarrassment which they brought to the party through the shameless and unjust disqualification of Governor Godwin Obaseki by the screening committee was not sufficient, they have now gone ahead to announce that the appeal committee has upheld the dubious disqualification,� the statement said.

The governor wondered how the committee could uphold an issue that was not appealed.

The governor said he had been unequivocal in his stance that he was not going to appeal the so-called “disqualification by a screening committee that can best be described as a gathering of court jesters, who congregated to massage the ego of their paymaster, who is Comrade Oshiomhole.�

Continued on page 12

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NEWSXTRA

Buhari, Obaseki, Ezekwesili, Others Mourn Ighodalo's Wife Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja and Chiemelie Ezeobi in Lagos President Muhammadu Buhari; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; a former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, and others yesterday commiserated with the Senior Pastor, Trinity House Church, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, over the passage of his wife, Ibidun.

Ibidun, a co-pastor of the Lagos-based church, and founder of Elizabeth R, an upscale event planning company, died early yesterday, barely one month to her 40th birthday.

A member of the family, Asue Ighodalo, in a statement issued yesterday, announced Ibidun's passage. “The Ighodalo and Olaleye Ajayi families are deeply saddened to announce the sudden loss of our beloved wife and daughter, Mrs. Ibidunni Ituah-Ighodalo, who passed away in the early hours of today. “As you will understand,

this is a difficult time for our families and we will appreciate some privacy during this time. All information of burial proceedings will be provided in due course,� the statement added.

The president, in a condolence message by his media adviser, Mr. Femi Adesina, expressed shock at the passage of Ibidun.

The president said he shared the pain and sorrow of the family at the sudden death, and prayed God’s comfort for the entire family, friends and members of Trinity House.

The president recalled that Ighodalo faithfully prayed for the country, and the government, noting that he sent him a personal letter of condolence when his former Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari, passed away in April. “Please accept my condolence. May God give you the fortitude to bear the loss, and strengthen you at this trying time,� he said.

In his condolences, Obaseki

said he and his wife, Betsy, were saddened by the death of Ibidun.

The governor, in the condolences signed by him and his wife, said: "Betsy and I received the news of the passing of your dear wife, our dear sister, Ibidunni Ighodalo, with great shock.

We are deeply saddened by this devastating loss.

"As close friends, our grief is hard to describe in words.

"Ibidunni was one of the finest among us; she was full of life and gave herself to causes that edified life and living. In her personal capacity and through the Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation, she impacted society, helping to bring joy and happiness to peoples’ lives.

"She was a solid pillar behind you in shepherding Trinity House, where you brought alluring finesse to the study and practicalisation of God’s word.

"We send our deepest condolences to the Ighodalo and Olaleye Ajayi families and Trinity House, in the

wake of this devastating news."

Ezekwesili, in her condolences, wrote on her Twitter page: “Life! Ibidun Ighodalo? Just gone...like a candle in the wind. Too much of a heartbreaking news. “May God comfort our very dear Pastor Ituah and rest of family in the way that only He can in Jesus name.�

Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said: “Unbelievable! Ibidun dead? My own dear sister!

I am still hoping I will be told it’s not true!�

On her Instagram page, co-Pastor, Royalty Church Nigeria, Pastor Sumbo Adeboye, wrote: “This hurts badly but we choose to celebrate you and all you lived for. �You lived, you loved, you nurtured, you led and above all, you loved the Lord.

Rest in peace beautiful. May God comfort the Ighodalo and Olaleye Ajayi families on the sudden loss.�

IPC Events, a consulting agency wrote: “I refuse to be

sorrowful right now. Instead, I will celebrate you; I will celebrate the life that your lived and the work that you did. “I will celebrate the person that you were, Goooosh!

You're amazing, kind hearted, hardworking and diligent. “You loved God so much, so I rejoice I celebrate you today mentor, friend and leader. You are loved! Rest in power.�

THISDAY learnt that her husband was reportedly conducting the funeral service of a 25-year-old man, when the news broke about the death of his wife.

Ibidun, who was said to have been battling some ailments for the past four years, died in the wee hours of yesterday in a hotel room in Rivers State.

The former beauty queen was said to have travelled to Port Harcourt to handle the setting up of a COVID-19 isolation centre.

She was said to have been shuttling between Rivers and Bayelsa states in a bid to set up isolation centres in both

states.

The mother of two, Keke and Zenan, recently celebrated her 13th wedding anniversary with her husband last February.

Already her Instagram page has been de-activated, while that of her husband and the church are still running.

Aside her entrepreneurial feats, the deceased distinguished herself through the Ibidun Ighodalo Foundation, designed to bring joy to couples battling infertility.

In one of her numerous social media posts, she had said she battled infertility and had undergone In-vitro Fertilisation (IVF) 11 times and they all failed.

Having explored the IVF route unsuccessfully, the deceased first adopted a daughter, Keke, and just about last year, she added a son, Kenan.

Inspired by her own travails, she set up the foundation to help parents such as herself carry out IVF and with each success, she shared her joy.

Shareholders Re-appoint Nigeria's Oramah as Afreximbank President Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja Shareholders of African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) have reappointed Nigerian-born Prof.

Benedict Oramah as President of the pan-African multilateral financial institution for a second five-year term.

The decision was announced in Cairo, Egypt at the bank’s 27th Annual General Meeting (AGM), which was held by the circulation of resolutions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his acceptance statement released shortly thereafter, Oramah told the shareholders

that the bank’s ultimate goal under his second term of office is the realisation of Africa’s strategic ambition to create an integrated market.

He said: “We want an Africa where the foundations of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) are laid expeditiously so that the 84,000 kilometres of borders that have divided us for ages can begin to come down."

AfCFTA, he added, would “drive the industrialisation of Africa, support the emergence of regional value chains, turn Africa’s creative and cultural

assets into engines of growth, grow jobs for the continent’s youth, convey respect to Africans wherever they may be and better prepare the continent to compete more effectively in the global markets.�

He noted that between 2015 and 2019, Afreximbank disbursed over $30 billion in support of African trade with over $15 billion channeled towards the financing and promotion of intra-African trade. “We will aim to double intra-African trade financing so that by the end of my term, it will constitute no

less than 40 per cent of the bank’s total assets, with aggregate disbursements, on a revolving basis, over the five years exceeding US$30 billion,� he announced.

In office since 2015, Oramah’s re-appointment was one of the key decisions taken by shareholders during the bank’s 2020 AGM. A resolution proposing the re-election of Mr. Stefan-Luis Francois Nalletamby as a director representing Class “A� Shareholders and Mr. Kee Chong Li Kwong Wing as a director representing Class “B� Sharefolders was also approved by the meeting.

In addition, the 2019 audited accounts were approved, as well as the proposal to raise an additional US$500 million in equity within Afreximbank’s current Strategic Plan dubbed “IMPACT 2021-Africa transformed.�

The approval to raise additional equity was in recognition that an amount of $1 billion earlier authorised to be mobilised had almost been fully raised. “I make a commitment that with your support, the bank will remain well capitalised throughout my term of office and beyond. We will continue

our efforts to diversify sources of equity to include the markets, while ensuring that the bank’s development focus remains unchanged,�

Oramah assured the bank’s shareholders.

Afreximbank is a panAfrican multilateral financial institution with the mandate of financing and promoting intra-and extra-African trade. It was established in October 1993 and is owned

by African governments, the African Development Bank and other African multilateral financial institutions as well as African and non-African public and private investors.

impact on all key sectors of global economy, including global tourism, travels, hospitality, energy sector and transportation.

He noted that for instance, on April 20, WTI crude oil slumped into negative for the first time, while the United States unemployment rate in April and May reported as 14.7 million and 13.3 million respectively.

On oil and gas and the Nigerian economy, DPR director stated that the sector oils the wheels of the Nigerian economy as it contributes approximately 10 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He said: “The sector is also responsible for about 80 per cent of government revenues as it is also the principal source of foreign exchange earnings and Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs).

“There are, expectedly, direct impacts of falling oil prices on the country, which include change in budget benchmark as well as the revised 2020 budget. “These have brought about a new normal also known as a new reality which is that COVID-19 may be with us for some time. The world would have to learn to work and live around it. “The global economies gradual easing of lockdown; slow, sustained growth in the economy and changing work environment and work processes are signs that the world will need to work and live around it.�

Auwalu urged businesses in the sector to deploy online resources, work tools and electronic media resources, noting that businesses must swim to remain afloat or drown without innovating.

faulty academic credentials to fly APC flag in the September 19 governorship election.

But Ojezua described Imuse as an impostor who should not be taken serious.

He said Imuse was the subject of contempt proceedings, which was initiated by him.

"Imuse is an impostor. He has no basis to speak on behalf of Edo State APC. He

simply displayed mischief and ignorance. Everything he said is of no effect and it should be ignored.

"Imuse is the subject of contempt proceedings which I initiated and which I will pursue to a logical conclusion.

Right-thinking members of the public should disregard the lies of drowning Imuse and his confused supporters," Ojezua said.

WORLD BANK: WITH MORE TRANSPARENCY, FG RECOVERS $3BN FROM OIL SECTOR progress being made, the Senate Committee on NEITI Reports was established, following the organisation’s presentation of its key findings and remedial issues for legislative action. “A joint committee between NEITI and the NNPC was set up. The committee is addressing pending remedial issues relating to public disclosure (involving NNPC and its subsidiaries) and developing time-bound strategies to improve transparency as part of its reform agenda. “The federal government has now reconstituted the Presidential Committee on Revenue Monitoring and Reconciliation, of which NEITI is a member. The work of the NEITI has set in motion broader transformations across government and the oil industry. “Such advocacy sets the

stage for the people of Nigeria to benefit fully and equitably from the country’s resources at a time when they most need it. “Nigeria now has the highest number of people lacking electricity access in the world, at a total of 85 million Nigerian citizens. Greater transparency and accountability should contribute to an overall reform process that helps Nigerians gain crucial access to electricity and accelerates the government’s economic recovery and growth plan,� the global bodies said.

DPR Releases Strategic Plan for Oil Industry Survival The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Nigeria’s oil sector regulator, has released what it described as the strategic plan and policy for

the survival and success of the industry post-COVID-19.

DPR Director, Mr. Sarki Auwalu, at a webinar organised

by Future Energy Leaders Nigeria (FEL) entitled: “Nigeria Oil & Gas Sector: Surviving and Thriving Post COVID-19,� underscored four key areas the sector is deploying to stay afloat despite troubles and threats posed by the pandemic to the economy. “There is no better time for strategic repositioning and business optimisation.

There are four ways this can be achieved. The first, which is cost control and management, has to do with realignment of cost of production per barrel as well as corporate, business and financial stewardship. “The second is portfolio rationalisation and asset optimisation. For this, there would be project screening and maturation; and contract

renegotiation,� a statement at the weekend by the agency quoted Auwalu as saying.

According to him, the third step to achieving strategic repositioning and business optimisation is a “new business and operational resilience, which include vertical integration model covering the refineries; operational excellence; and compliance. “The last in that stage is strategic partnership; contracting models; service provider open access; and shared risks and returns.�

Auwalu noted that for surviving and thriving beyond COVID-19, DPR has embarked on marginal field bid round, policy and regulations, business environment and investment drive as well as making 2020 ‘the year of gas.'

COVID-19, according to DPR boss, caused a shutdown of markets globally with

OBASEKI PARLEYS WIKE, EMMANUEL, PDP NWC OVER EDO GOV TICKET of the pro-Obaseki faction the APC constitution.

Obaseki, Mr. Anselm Ojezua APC Faction of the party, Mr. Anselem Imuse accused Obaseki, and Dr. Aisosa Amadasun Recommends Ojezua, and the Organising Ojezua, Amadasun and others should be expelled from Expulsion of Secretary of the party, also of shopping for injunctions the party for violating the Obaseki, Ojezua loyal to the governor, Dr. and rulings to circumvent provisions of our constitution," The pro-Oshiomhole faction of APC in Edo State yesterday recommended the expulsion of Obaseki for violating the party's constitution.

Also recommended for disciplinary action is Chairman

Aisosa Amadasun.

Acting Chairman of the proOshiomhole faction, Col. David Imuse (rtd), told reporters yesterday in Benin City that the three persons and others went to court in violation of Article 21, sub-section D5 of

the processes of law and the provisions of the party in defiance of democratic norms.

"In the light of this, the SWC of the APC Edo State has recommended to the NWC that Governor Godwin

Imuse said.

He added that after the bitter experience of losing the governorship of Bayelsa State in court after a well-deserved victory in the election, it would be foolhardy to allow a candidate with dodgy and

MONDAY JUNE 15, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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COMMENT

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

LIVING WITH AND DEFEATING COVID-19

Tajudeen Kareem writes that the course of the pandemic will largely depend on individual and collective responsibility

G

iven the confirmation that there is ongoing community transmission of COVID-19, with high rates of infection in 20 densely populated LGAs across the country, efforts must be intensified to contain the virus. Though the lockdown implemented in certain parts of the country has had a disproportionate effect on poor and vulnerable populations, attempts to successfully contain the disease is dependent on mass mobilization of all segments of the population in support of the national response.

Nigeria has lessons to learn from highly populated countries as China where a combination of efforts at all levels by the government including sub-national levels, as well as individuals have helped to slow the spread of the virus. A critical element that enabled this is adherence to advisories issued by government, especially on restriction of movement and social interaction. The pressing need for this in Nigeria has been reiterated repeatedly by the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha. Severally, he has appealed to all citizens to take personal responsibility for the safety of family, household and communities!

On the other hand, Japan appears to be winning the fight against the disease without implementing mass testing or lockdowns. This can be attributed to adherence to physical distancing measures, regular hand washing and widespread use of face masks, among other government directives. A combination of these public health measures has proven critical in the country’s fight against the disease. In Sweden, though gatherings of more than 50 people remain prohibited, restaurants, shops and gyms were open because citizens have shown compliance with guidelines from the government. The approach of these countries may be considered extreme or lax, but ultimately, they are yielding results because their citizens have also taken responsibility in the fight against the disease.

In Nigeria, misinformation and perceptions that the coronavirus disease is not real or is being exaggerated have devalued sensitization messages and negatively impacted adherence to government directives. However, for any country, the responsibility to slow the transmission of COVID-19 must be borne by individuals, because government leadership and coordination of the entire response alone would be ineffective without individuals assuming responsibility.

Over 80% of people who contract COVID-19 have mild to moderate symptoms. Data from countries with advanced health systems indicate that older adults with underlying illnesses are more vulnerable and are

MISINFORMATION AND PERCEPTIONS THAT THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE IS NOT REAL OR IS BEING EXAGGERATED HAVE DEVALUED SENSITIZATION MESSAGES AND NEGATIVELY IMPACTED ADHERENCE TO GOVERNMENT DIRECTIVES

likely to die. In Nigeria, the age group affected most is 31-40 years old, but majority of fatalities have been older adults, over the age of 50.

The recent data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control shows that about three quarters of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria got the virus from unknown sources. This is a strong indication that community transmission is now the main mode of transmission of COVID-19 in the country, most likely passed on from people who may have had no idea that they are carrying the virus. These asymptomatic transmitters or “silent spreaders� are likely to be younger mobile adults, who now pose a significant threat to the containment efforts for COVID-19. These individuals have no symptoms and do not feel ill and so are unknowingly spreading the virus.

Unfortunately, confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria are on the increase and this could be partly attributed to inadequate adherence to the recommended public health measures as seen in both mainstream and social media. There is an evident disconnect in people’s knowledge of the risks they take when they do not adhere to public health measures, despite the presence of silent spreaders in communities.

With no vaccine and treatment for COVID-19 yet, the reality is that the pandemic may continue for a while so there is a need to readjust our lives to the “new normal�. As a nation, we need to re-imagine a future with COVID-19, until a vaccine or treatment is found. Many countries are slowly easing the restrictions on lockdowns, however, no country is completely out of the woods and the entire course of the pandemic will largely depend on individual and collective responsibility we take.

The sooner we align with the efforts of the government, the faster we can exit from all the restrictions put in place and resume life with less curfew, ban on inter-state movement, closure of leisure centres; all the things we enjoy. So, when you leave your house without wearing a face mask or covering, share unverified claims, fail to adhere to hand washing advice or using a hand sanitizer, joining large gatherings of people or refuse to stay home when ill - you must ask yourself, are you part of the problem or do you want to be part of the solution?

More important, as part of our civic duties, we should endeavour to spread the right information to others around us who have difficulty grasping the situation while government intensifies risk communication at the grassroot.

Kareem, communication expert, wrote from Abuja

THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON FOOD SECURITY

Ă?ĂœĂ“Ă?Ă‹Ă˜ Ă?Ă?Ă™Ă˜Ă™Ă—Ă“Ă?Ă? Ă˜Ă?Ă?ĂŽ ÞÙ Ă&#x;ĂœĂ‘Ă?Ă˜ĂžĂ–ĂŁ Ă?Ă˘Ă‹Ă—Ă“Ă˜Ă? Ă?ÙÖĂ&#x;ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜Ă? ÞÙ Ă’Ă?Ă–Ăš Ùà Ă?ĂœĂ?Ù×Ă? ÞÒĂ? Ă“Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;Ă? Ă™Ă? Ă?ÙÙÎ Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;ĂœĂ“ĂžĂŁËœ ĂĄĂœĂ“ĂžĂ?Ă? Njuguna Ndung’u

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has affected all sectors of economies globally. Here in Africa, the crisis has drastically impacted food security. Supply chains, food and nutrition security, as well as current and future production functions, have been negatively impacted by a host of factors related to the COVID-19 crisis. Food supply and food security is a basic human need and basic requirement for survival in difficult times. Several studies of food policies, food security and nutrition outcomes in Africa seem to show that lack of access to sufficient nutritious food leads to health problems including under-nourishment, immune deficiencies, stunting, illnesses and higher child mortality rates.

The onset of the COVID-19 crisis has exponentially increased the continent’s food security problems.

Food supply chain distribution networks have been severely constrained. The numerous negative impacts of the health crisis are having a compound effect on all facets of food security, including food production, safety and distribution. Regional lockdowns, curfews, closures of markets, restrictions on border crossings and movement limitation measures (while necessary for public health and safety concerns), hamper the functioning of the agricultural sector, and Small to Medium Enterprise (SMEs) that make up the continent’s supply chain backbone. These restrictions exacerbate food insecurity and nutritional deficits issues across Africa, affecting: Agriculture: The inability to perform normal farming and agricultural processes has led to crop losses and food shortages.

This affects communities.

Manufacturing: The manufacturing sector across all industries, including food production, has been hit hard. The COVID-19 outbreak has led to business interruptions, which have had a domino effect on economies: business owners suffer economic difficulties, which then lead to employee cut-backs, job losses and even complete shutdowns of companies.

Job losses then lead to communities suffering financial struggles impeding access to sufficient and nutritious food.

Distribution: A major impediment to food security is limited distribution options. The COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted all aspects of the food supply chain, including the logistics related to food handling and distribution. Even when food supplies are available, there are barriers for it reaching

consumers, most especially due to movement restrictions imposed to reduce the spread of the virus.

While the COVID-19 health crisis has had an immeasurable adverse effect on food security in Africa, it is vital to remember that food scarcity was an existing issue pre-crisis. The crisis is amplifying and aggravating prevalent problems such as severe poverty, poor infrastructure, insufficient investment and resources, skills and knowledge deficiencies; and ineffectual policies related to the food and agriculture sectors in Africa. Additionally, it highlights the need to strengthen Africa’s agricultural and food manufacturing industries to reduce the reliance on food imports from outside the continent. The inability to import food due to logistic restrictions is causing further shortages as, according to The World Economic Forum (WEF), Africa is more dependent on externally sourced food imports than locally manufactured food.

African economies need to urgently examine solutions to help overcome the critical issue of food insecurity. This will require a collaborative approach

by African governments, public and private sectors; and pooling of resources and sharing of knowledge aimed at alleviating the severe food insecurity situation. The African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), has undertaken numerous research projects and addressed this issue on several fora, including recently at the Senior Policy Seminar (held earlier this year in Abuja, Nigeria) on the theme “Agriculture and Food Policies for Better Nutrition Outcomes in Africa� . At the seminar, The Abuja Declaration, was adopted by senior policymakers from around Africa as an affirmation of their support of agriculture and food policies for improved nutrition outcomes in Africa.

AERC has implemented several activities focusing on Agriculture and Food Policies, most recently under the “Analysis of the Impact of Agricultural, Food and Nutrition Policies on Nutrition Outcomes in Africa� (AFPON) programme. This project seeks to contribute to the recent interest in leveraging agricultural development for improved nutrition by exploring the link between agricultural policies and nutrition outcomes in Africa. The research linked agricultural policies to nutrition outcomes such as stunting, wasting, anemia, child mortality, micronutrient deficiencies, obesity and malnutrition, among others. The study also attempted to

understand, among other things, how gender access to productive agricultural resources, such as land, affect the nutrition of individuals and households in sub-Saharan African countries, how agricultural productivity, agricultural extension and advisory services affect nutrition outcomes; and establishing the policies and practices that would best improve food security and nutrition status.

AERC has also looked at the fragility of growth in African economies, health financing in Africa, climate change and growth in Africa, why poverty persist in Africa, the continent’s lack of growth, - inequality or poor redistribution or inclusive growth policies - as well as youth unemployment. Furthermore, the Africa rising narrative seems to be fading: Why? It is due to lack of capacity to sustain the policy environment to its conclusive end coupled with weak institutions that cannot define the appropriate incentive structures for sustainability.

The observation across African countries is an exacerbation of the already acute lack of food security, primarily due to extreme poverty, resulting from institutional and policy failure. Indeed, there are many potential reasons why supposedly well-crafted policies often fail to be adopted, and even when they are adopted, why they fail to achieve their desired objectives. It has been noted that policymakers often place excessive emphasis on “best practices,� at the expense of other factors such as commitment, coordination and cooperation, which are deemed plausible determinants of a successful policy. Also, the preponderance of power asymmetry (the unequal distribution of power) in the political arena contributes to policy failure as it facilitates resource diversion - through mechanisms such as clientelism away from contributing to policy success.

Successful policy implementation can, however, be achieved by bringing about change in the incentives, preferences and beliefs of key players such as elites, citizens and international actors, as well as by creating space for contestability and participation.

This may be achieved, as well, by reaching beyond institutional forms to address institutional functions over and above capacity building - to alleviate power asymmetry, and beyond the rule of law to address the role of law.

To succeed in overcoming African food security challenges, research and implementation need to be employed with regard to factors such as: agricultural,

farm input and farming credit policies; agricultural and food manufacture education systems; food and nutrition policies; government financial aid policies related to agriculture and nutrition; local support and advisory services for the agriculture and food industries; food and socio-economic aid to communities during and after the COVID-19 crisis.

For robust and impactful change, the following need to form part of the policy matrix when it comes to Africa’s food, agriculture, and nutrition goals: Supply Chain Protection: Emphasis on protecting supply chains from any form of disruptions in the short term. This is especially so with countries going through lockdown, and the need for facilitated border crossing through a coordinated approach of testing and social distancing measures being employed; Protection of Private Investment: Outright measures to protect private investment – they will be crucial for now and the future recovery process.

African Market Development: Outright measures to protect and develop markets - they will be needed in the medium term for speedy economic recovery. Fiscal Space Building Efforts: African economies should re-negotiate external debt serving to postponement for least a year. This will preserve liquidity/expenditure and support a build-up of fiscal space that will assist most economies in Africa to ride over the current shocks. Food Reserves: A key way in which African economies can build resilience to mitigate and manage shocks is to create buffers - with one vital safeguard being strategic food reserves. As previously emphasized to policymakers in discussions on this subject, Africa’s short-term crisis relates to food self-sufficiency, and the current heavy reliance on rain-fed agriculture is a precarious practice. Food reserves will be required as a buffer to support adjustment in times of drought and subsequent famines that put pressure on fiscal reserves, as well as for other crisis situations.

Digital Technology and Innovation: The use of the digital technology and the digital space to move enterprise activities forward. So far, in most countries, the deployment and use of digital technology in the financial services, government e-services and online learning has supported most socio-economic activities.

Professor Ndung’u is Executive Director, African Economic Research Consortium

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T H I S D AY ˾ MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020

EDITORIAL THE BANK ROBBERY IN KOGI STATE The security agencies must apprehend the culprits and bring them to justice

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he audacious bank robbery that led to the killing of eight police personnel and a civilian in Isanlu, Kogi State, last week, is vile and contemptible.

The commando onslaught and blood-letting that characterised the attack have also exposed the state of security in the country. On duty officers, including the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), were eliminated by the dare-devil criminals who ransacked their station before they carried out the robbery.

Aside highlighting rising insecurity in the country in different manifestations, the Kogi tragedy also brings to fore the fact that personnel of the Nigeria Police Force have become easy prey for criminals.

In other climes, criminals would only attack or kill a policeman as a last resort because of the backlash. But the unprofessional conduct of most of our officers and men exposes them to such attacks. For starters, most policemen, while on duty, never seem to be combat ready. Visiting a Nigeria police station, one is likely to encounter officers THERE IS URGENT sleeping behind the NEED FOR THE POLICE counter while some TO REAPPRAISE THEIR treat themselves to MODUS OPERANDI IN alcoholic drinks. At work, many walk ORDER TO SAFEGUARD around in slippers LIVES AND BUSINESSES with their guns placed carelessly on the floor.

While we therefore commiserate with the families of the deceased, this tragic episode should be another wake-up call. That eight police personnel could be caught off guard and decapitated by common criminals in a single attack does not bode well for the country. The police authorities must do everything to apprehend the culprits and bring them to justice. But beyond that, there is also a need for house cleaning because this has become a recurring trend. The pertinent questions are: If policemen could be easily neutralised right in their station by a band of criminals,

what then is the fate of the ordinary people? Could this be an insider job perfected by informants within its ranks in collaboration with some compromised bank officers?

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T H I S DAY

EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI AJAYI, DAVIDSON IRIEKPEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS BOLAJI ADEBIYI, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS PATRICK EIMIUHI, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO HEAD, COMPUTER DEPARTMENT PATRICIA UBAKA-ADEKOYA

lthough the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has ordered a manhunt of the perpetrators of the attack, there is need for a thorough reappraisal of security strategy around our commercial banks. The mode of operation of these criminals is predictable enough.

The hoodlums have developed the habit of routinely attacking nearby police stations before unleashing brazen raids on banks wherever they operate. The erosion of trust in our police will continue to diminish for as long as robbers kill their personnel and make away with their arms before robbing commercial banks. Meanwhile, the serial raids on banks will affect the efforts towards financial inclusivity and impact negatively on the economy.

We insist that a thorough searchlight be beamed on the sources of arms of these rogue elements, some of whom have used dynamites to blow up the bank’s vault before carting away unspecified amounts of money. Perhaps most urgent is the need for the police to reappraise their modus operandi in order to safeguard lives and businesses. It should also ensure that their personnel are well-motivated and well-equipped.

This is in addition to constant retraining of its workforce in modern trends in crime fighting given that the criminals are also upping their game and are having access to sophisticated arms.

There is need to firm up security patrol in our rural communities particularly those that are within the interstate borders. Much more importantly, a solution needs to be found to the incessant armed robbery attacks that have put many bank workers at great risks and clearly endanger our economy. But first, the authorities must ensure that those who executed the brazen attack on innocent citizens in Kogi State are apprehended and made to face the full wrath of the law.

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Management Of Covid-19 In The FCT

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he outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic took the world by surprise, thereby dislocating communities, disrupting social cohesion among peoples and tasking governments at all levels to innovate various measures aimed at curtailing the spread. Nigeria’s federal capital Abuja was also not spared from the ravaging effects of the pandemic.

In the midst of fear, tension and anxiety among residents about the negative effects of the novel coronavirus, the Federal Capital Territory administration under the minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello, took up the gauntlet and was able to manage the spread of the virus in the territory.

The administration immediately put proactive measures in place such as closure of mass-gathering places like cinemas, churches, mosques, hotels, events centres, night clubs, conference centres and strict regulation of markets in the territory. The strategy of staggering the markets days also helped in reducing unnecessary cluster of people in the markets and with these containment measures, the minister also found it necessary to constitute a task force which was mandated with the enforcement of the protective measures.

In addition to this, the minister embarked on a weekly appraisal of the workability of existing measures and protocols as rolled out by the World Health Organisation and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Where any gaps existed the minister ensured that they were closed and rendered needed support to all the institutions involved in reducing the spread of the coronavirus, including frontline health workers and security personnel, all in a bid to keep the FCT residents safe.

As the nation’s capital and with the presence of numerous international organisations, federal ministries, departments and agencies, containing the spread of the deadly virus was particularly challenging, but the managerial acumen of the FCT minister played a prominent role as he rose to the occasion, rallied all stakeholders to brace the challenge and provided the needed logistics support towards the realisation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision of seeing Nigeria flatten the curve in the spread of the deadly pandemic.

As the pandemic continued to increase across the globe, the leadership of the federal capital exhibited an unmatched willingness and desire to tackle the challenge frontally. The results are visible and this has imbued the FCT residents with confidence that they are in safe hands and that the leadership of the territory cared for their wellbeing and welfare.

Today the citizens are full of encomiums for the minister and his team having been working behind the scenes to secure their lives.

Definitely such altruistic leadership as exemplified by the minister has not only set him apart from others but should be emulated by contemporary and future leaders in the country.

Going forward and with the benefit of hindsight and experience, governments at all levels must endeavour to budget more funds for the health sector and knowing that it is cheaper to maintain a functional health system than running helter- skelter to contain an unforeseen and unpredictable enemy. Even on this score kudos must be given to the minister for ensuring that since his assumption of office the health sector always received adequate attention, hence they were able to reduce the spread of the coronavirus to a manageable level.

Worthy of mention also is the symbiotic relationship between the FCT administration, NCDC and the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustafa. Throughout the period of the lockdown, the proactive efforts of the FCT administration to lend a helping hand wherever and whenever it is needed was manifest and unsurpassed.

Similarly the FCT administration had a hectic time controlling the interstate movement of people yet the minister’s avowed commitment to save the lives of residents remained the driving force for the task force to endure sleepless nights on the FCT major highways to check the influx of people into the territory during the lockdown.

The cooperation of religious bodies in the FCT with the administration can also be attributed to the leadership style of the minister as he applies consultation, dialogue and persuasion in dealing with such sensitive issues, hence their total compliance with the periodic protocols being rolled out by the FCT administration.

Though Nigeria and the entire world have not left the danger zone of the pandemic completely, yet it is consoling that other states can benefit from the exemplary leadership of Mallam Bello, who with a single-minded determination continues to provide a selfless leadership to the residents of the federal capital Abuja.

Beyond visible achievements of the minister in the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, there is room for improvement in the health sector, especially in the area of data collection, management and storage. This will help patients immensely to access the needed health personnel, drugs and attention in times of emergency.

Chukwudi Enekwechi, Abuja

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T H I S D AY ˾ MONDAY JUNE 15, 2020

Group Politics Editor NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG

POLITICS

Email: nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com 08114495324 SMS ONLY

M O N D AY D I S C O U R S E

In Edo, APC Governorship Screening Committee Reaches an Expected End Nseobong Okon-Ekong and Adibe Emenyonu write that the disqualification of Governor Godwin Obaseki by his party, the All Progressives Congress from its Edo State governorship selection process opens the gate for more political intrigues, while Edo continues to be a theatre of political war

Iduoriyekemwen

Airhiavbere

Amadasun

Ize-Iyamu

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and other leaders of the party, including members of Edo State APC caucus at the National Assembly. He told journalists that the other six aspirants, including the former deputy governor of Edo State, Dr. Pius Odubu, had stepped down for him and that he had their support.

Posing a question mark on the eligibility of Obaseki to seek the Edo APC governorship ticket, the governor was said to have sworn to an affidavit before a High Court in Abuja and stated under oath that he graduated from the University of Ibadan with a BA degree in Classical Studies in 1976. However, the University certificate he attached to his nomination form bears 1979. That is not all, the committee also concluded that Governor Obaseki’s Higher School Certificate and National Youth Service Corps discharge certificate were flawed.

In the case of Ogiemwonyi, the committee observed inconsistencies in his names, whereas Iduoriyekemwen was disqualified for instituting suits against the party without exhausting all intra-party mechanisms for settlement.

Agreeing with the conclusions of the Ayuba group, the Screening Appeal Committee of the APC for the Edo State governorship primaries approved the disqualification of

the State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, from participating in the exercise.The Appeal Committee headed by Dr. Abubakar Fari. said: “It is inconceivable that the same University will award two certificates with separate dates for the same graduate.

We also find it difficult to vouch for the authenticity of his National Youth Service Corps certificate. There is no indication as to where he served. We find that he should be disqualified.”

The question many observers have raised is whether the documents presented by Obaseki this time around are different from those which he secured the governorship slot in his first tenure.

Obviously frustrated by the outcome and convinced that he would not get a fair hearing in a matter over which Oshiomhole, his estranged political godfather has an interest, Obaseki who had repeatedly called on the APC National Chairman to excuse himself from political cases involving him in Edo State because of potential conflict of interest or lack of impartiality, said he will not appeal the submission of the APC Edo Screening Governorship Committee.

However, many were not surprised at the outcome of the Edo APC governorship screening exercise. What would have shock-

ing is if an unexpected result had emerged, like allowing Obaseki to contest the party’s governorship ticket.

The unfolding political drama in Edo, which still promises many twists is at a sobering payback stage, in which Oshiomhole is set to take a pound of flesh. When Obaseki spearheaded a move to oust the man who gave him political power and fame without recourse to niceties, but failed in the bid, he should have been wise enough to know that no one touches the tiger by the tail and goes home without bruises if he is lucky not to be consumed by it.

During the campaign that brought Obaseki to power, Oshionhole went against the popular warning and supported the current governor of Edo State against all odds.

Many warned then that he was putting a snake into his pocket, but he ignored them.

He went ahead to ensure his wishes were granted even by some unbending cynics.

However, no sooner he took over than Obaseki began to manifest the traits people warned Oshiomhole about. First, he toyed with the idea of retiring old politicians and replacing them with younger elements. This he did by appointing Special Assistants (SA) and Senior Special Assistants (SSA) in each of the 192 wards and 18 local government areas of the state respectively and made them accountable to him.

The second move he made was to alter the tripod of power sharing structure in the state when he initiated the impeachment of Victor Edoro as Speaker based on the ill advice of one of the assembly members to him that Oshiomhole planted Edoro to impeach the governor.

The third move which eventually broke the camel’s back was the controversial inauguration of nine members out of the 24 members of the state house of assembly on June 17 last year. All entreaties to have them inaugurated was rebuffed.

It would be recalled that in the heat of the Edo State House of Assembly crisis, a top government official said, “it was deliberately done. Just give them three months and they will come begging. Why should they challenge the governor on the choice of who becomes Speaker of the House.”

That matter is ongoing, defying different moves by party leaders, including the National Assembly calling for a truce.

he name Jonathan Ayuba, arguably had some recognition in the academic world, where he is designated a professor. However, his leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Screening Committee has suddenly shot him into national recognition. For many keen watchers of the polity, the Ayuba committee had a script from the Adams Oshiomhole led National Working Committee of the APC and followed it to the letter, in order to achieve the desired result-disqualification of Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State from seeking a second term on the platform of the APC. The reasons adduced by Ayuba and his team mates for striking out Obaseki’s name from the list of contenders for the Edo APC governorship ticket only strengthens the series of actions taken to achieve this objective.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Prof.

Jonathan Ayuba-led Screening Committee also disqualified Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi and Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen. In the political calculation of governorship aspirants on the platform of the APC in Edo State, it is widely known that Pastor Osaze Ize-Iyamu, Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi and Dr. Pius Odubu had a pact which they publicly signed a couple of weeks ago, agreeing to surrender their governorship ambition in favour of Ize-Iyamu. By the same token, Iduoriyekemwen is acknowledged as ally of Governor Obaseki, who was filling the political space in readiness to handover his structure and supporters to Obaseki at the right time.

What the APC screening committee has done with the obvious exclusion of Obaseki and Iduoriyekemwen is to leave the nomination field wide open for IzeIyamu. The supposed contest for the Edo APC governorship ticket on June 22 between Ize-Iyamu and Odubu may have already been decided before those affected hear about it, leaving them with no option but to accept it.

On the day he picked his governorship nomination form, Ize-Iyamu was in the company of five other aspirants: Prof. Ebegue Amadasun, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, Engr.

Chris Ogiemwonyi, Hon. Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma and Hon. Saturday Uwuilekhue

The question many observers have raised is whether the documents presented by Obaseki this time around are different from those which he secured the governorship slot in his first tenure. Obviously frustrated by the outcome and convinced that he would not get a fair hearing in a matter over which Oshiomhole, his estranged political godfather has an interest, Obaseki who had repeatedly called on the APC National Chairman to excuse himself from political cases involving him in Edo State because of potential conflict of interest or lack of impartiality, said he will not appeal the submission of the APC Edo Screening Governorship Committee

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T H I S D AY ˾ MONDAY JUNE 15, 2020

MONDAY DISCOURSE

Obaseki

Odubu

Ogiemwonyi

Oshiomhole

But the governor allegedly sponsored the stoppage of an alleged National Assembly taking over the affairs of Edo State House of Assembly through a court order obtained in Port-Harcout, Rivers State On his own part, however, Obaseki has accused Oshiomhole of being the one fueling the crisis in the state by backing the Edo Peoples Movement (EPM), a pressure group within the state APC made up of the 14 yet-to-be inaugurated members-elect of the Edo State House of Assembly, displaced party leaders such as the three former deputy governors of the state, senatorial party leaders, youth leaders etc.

Simultaneously, the Obaseki-Shaibu Movement (OSM), a pressure group within the party has also emerged, thus paving the way for complete polarization of the party between the National Chairman of the party and the state governor.

The ensuing battles on different fronts has made Edo a theatre of political war, where Oshiomhole was at different harassed and even stopped from entering the state, while property of leading persons in the camp of the National Chairman were destroyed, setting the stage for mudslinging, cheap propaganda, physical battle, preventing groups from hold meetings and more wanton acts of highhandedness.

Having ruptured the relationship with Oshiomhole, Obaseki began to make new friends especially from members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that made a surprising good showing in last February’s election into the senate. The relative success of the PDP in the National Assembly elections was not only shocking to the ruling APC in Edo State, it showed clearly that there was a gaping hole in the wall of the APC that could be exploited to the advantage of the PDP. While the APC leaders in the state continued to trade blame on what happened, the PDP consolidated on its win. Thus, Obaseki looked to the PDP to endorse his second term ambition while his part members looked forlorn.

Nonetheless, certain elements in the Edo APC waited for the opportunity to ambush Obaseki. On the sidelines, they raved the engine of intra-party opposition as the party primary election approached. Clearly, it is their time to pay the governor back in his own coin.

Obaseki may have seen the handwriting on the wall, but he was not willing to go down without a fight. He too armed his foot soldiers and the battle for the soul of Edo APC entered an irreversible course of selfdestruction. The Edo governor compounded the matter by first contesting the mode of the governorship primary election. He did not just take it up with party leaders, but was quick to use his proxies to go to court, challenging the propriety or otherwise of the party NWC to order direct primary, knowing fully well that it is unheard of for a candidate in an examination to dictate to the examiner, the kind of question to set.

His penchant to head for the courts fast, without first exhausting the internal party mechanisms provided for conflict resolution many have remained the greatest undoing of the governor.

Chief Bisi Akande, the first National Chairman of the APC expressed similar views shortly after the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari, APC National

Leader, Asiwaju Tinubu; and other party leaders in the crisis that almost consumed Oshiomhole as a result of his removal by an Abuja high court.

Before the indefinite suspension of that NEC meeting, Chief Akande who played his part as interim national chairman frowned at the increasing number of court cases being filed by party members that has to do with disputes regarding the leadership of APC, saying that the fact that all party members do not agree on all things was not abnormal because politics, after all, was the art of resolving conflicts and disputes in a manner that strengthens institutions as well as relationships between people who share common institutions.

According to him, “I am a bit taken aback by the swift resort to the courts by some members, who seek external decisions on what are intrinsically internal matters best determined by deliberative process that is part and parcel of democratically-oriented party politics.”

Akande did not stop there. He said, “I do not know the motivations behind this litigation conduct. It is not in my nature to ascribe negative or harmful motives to any. Those seeking access to the courts to decide what are basically political questions, perhaps, think they are doing the right thing.

If this is the case, I must state that they are innocently in error. Their actions are harmful to the party in compound ways. First, the subject they bring to court is not amenable to judicial pronouncement. The matter by which court decisions are rendered - one side wins, the other loses - is not the best way to resolve political disputes.”

Nevertheless, it is not over yet for Obaseki as it was gathered that a meeting has been fixed for him to meet with President Buhari this week the same way he did when he obtained in intent and nomination form.

Although nobody can predict what may be the outcome of the meeting, two things may take place. One, the intervention of the president on his behalf or going there to bid him farewell as he moves to another

political party to actualize his second term ambition.

Already, it was gathered that Obaseki has allegedly made arrangements to defect to the PDP. Last Saturday, about 10 governors of the party met him to join the party and pick its governorship ticket.

One of the governors from a South-south state is said to have led others in the overture to woo Obaseki to join the party.

According to an inside source, Obaseki was weighing other options like moving to a new political party but was advised against it as he may not have any financial and moral backing, rather he will end up wasting his time and resources to no avail. More so that any party that does not have even a single governor will amount to political suicide and bad market strategy. But there have been lone cases like former Governor Mimiko of Ondo State who stood his ground and served his two terms as governor on the platform of the Labour Party, in the South-west region surrounded, largely by APC governors. In Anambra State, the All Progressives Grand Allinace (APGA) has rebutted every move by either the PDP or the APC to win the governorship slot.

The rationale behind moving to the PDP therefore, as reliably informed is based on the fact that he will get massive financial and moral support from PDP governors.

But will Obaseki surmount the likely opposition that would great his defection and possibly picking the party ticket is another huge question begging for answer. Again, what is the guarantee that those who have being nurturing the party with the aim of picking its governorship ticket will not sabotage the efforts.

Again, will Obaseki dump his deputy, Philip Shaibu because he cannot get the PDP ticket without making compromises such as the party in question producing the deputy governorship candidate?

Besides, what is the faith of party big wigs like Omoregie, Ogbeide-Ihama, PDP member, representing Oredo federal constituency; M. Kenneth Imansuangbon,

who has put up a strong political campaign team already in every nook and cranny of the state meeting party delegates to cast their votes for him as candidate? Or Gideon Ikhine, who has a formidable team in place to ensure his dream is actualized, will all these aspirants just wash their hands off and help to crack a kernel for the foul?

Meanwhile, a movement of young Edo professionals christened “I am Edo” has been launched in Lagos. The movement, whose mission is to inspire a spirit of patriotism in Edo people, and mobilize citizens action for good governance, has also endorsed the second term bid of the incumbent governor, Godwin Obaseki, pledging support for his candidacy under any party.

Speaking during the launch event, Tony Usidamen, convener of the ‘I am Edo’ Movement, noted, “For far too long, hard-working sons and daughters of Edo have distanced themselves from politics and governance in the state, and watched as a few entitled politicians, who are a demographic minority, call the shots in the affairs of the state, and brazenly plunder our commonwealth.”

“As major stakeholders in the Edo project, we the young professionals—home and abroad—can no longer stay on the sidelines.

This is why the ‘I am Edo’ Movement was birthed to galvanize Edo people to take control of their destiny, and join in the process of restructuring, remodeling and rebuilding the state, so that all citizens can journey towards their dreams with confidence and dignity.”

“Indeed, the power and responsibility for social change lies in the hands of the people.

Through media advocacy and grassroots campaigns, we want to encourage participation in the electoral process, drive systemic changes in the community, local government, and state administration, and engender inclusive socio-economic development in line with the principles of democratic governance and social justice.”

On the choice of Obaseki as their preferred candidate in the September 2020 gubernatorial election in the state, Usidamen said, “The positive impact of the intervention programmes of the Obaseki administration across key sectors of the economy—including education, healthcare, agriculture, power, manufacturing and industry, roads and infrastructure, art and sports, law and order, and the civil service—is clear for all to see.”

“And so, when one finds a crop of leaders who go against the grain, selfless men and women that identify with the challenges and aspirations of the people they govern, and are committed to economic and material advancement of the majority rather than a few, it is only natural that we support them. The credential of the other major contender, who seems to have the backing of self-acclaimed godfathers in the ruling APC, pales in comparison.”

Ensuring that government works for the public good requires informed, organized, active, and peaceful citizen participation.

The overarching goal of the ‘I am Edo’ Movement, said the convener, is to instill a real sense of pride and patriotism in all people of Edo heritage, home and abroad.

It is a vehicle through which citizens can aggregate their interests, voice their preferences, and exercise the power necessary to effect sustained change.

The unfolding political drama in Edo, which still promises many twists is at a sobering payback stage, in which Oshiomhole is set to take a pound of flesh.

When Obaseki spearheaded a move to oust the man who gave him political power and fame without recourse to niceties, but failed in the bid, he should have been wise enough to know that no one touches the tiger by the tail and goes home without bruises if he is lucky not to be consumed by it. During the campaign that brought Obaseki to power, Oshionhole went against the popular warning and supported the current governor of Edo State against all odds.

Many warned then that he was putting a snake into his pocket, but he ignored them. He went ahead to ensure his wishes were granted even by some unbending cynics

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Quick Takes Lagos Launches New Learning Initiative

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Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh (right) and Inspector General, Nigeria Police Force, MohammedAdamu,whentheNIMASADGpaidhimaworkingvisitattheForceheadquartersinAbuja...recently

FG Targets Construction of 300,000 Houses in 12 Months Obinna Chima The federal government is targeting the creation of 1.8 million jobs through the construction of 300,000 homes in the next 12 months, as part of initiatives to stimulate growth in the economy.

The mass housing strategy is part of the Nigeria Economic Sustainability Plan that was submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari recently, by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo-led Economic Sustainability Committee.

According to the 76-page report obtained by THISDAY at the weekend, the project which is estimated to cost N317 billion, is expected to be implemented by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and Federal Housing Authority.

ECONOMY The strategy envisages a twotrack approach. The first track is aimed at easing bottlenecks in the delivery of social housing while the second track would deliver affordable homes through direct government interventions in house construction. “In addition to the jobs created in the process of increasing the national housing stock, the strategy will also motivate increased domestic production of building materials. “Features of the strategy include developing standardised home design to streamline production methods and costs, engagement with States Governments to provide suitable land banks and giving construction contracts with guaranteed off-take to a mix of

established developers and consortiums of young professionals in the building sector (architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, accountants, etc.) as small and medium scale contractors. “These groups will in turn generate the associated artisanal jobs. In addition, construction sites will function like factories for the light manufacture of inputs for house construction, such as locks, keys, nails, doors, window frames, cement bricks, paint plants, etc. to be used on location,� it stated.

According to the plan, in order to create indirect jobs and save on costs, it is intended that all the materials to be used in the houses would be produced in Nigeria.

Financing would be arranged through the designation of a Homes’ Warehousing Agent who would purchase the completed

homes from the developer teams and from whom individual buyers will eventually purchase homes. “In Track 2, between them, the Federal Housing Authority, the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and the Public Building and Housing Development Programme will support the creation of construction and associated jobs over the next 12 months. “This will involve building 10,840 units of low, medium and high income units across the six geopolitical zones. “Under the Public Building and Housing Development Programme, a further 12,008 houses,� it stated.

It also disclosed that for the construction of houses to continue uninterrupted across the country, the Federal Ministry of Works

The Lagos State government has announced the launch of a toll-free counselling line and students’ worksheets.The solution enables students call in order to receive home schooling on Mathematics and English Language, and also have free and direct access to counseling.

The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Education District 3, Dr. Olufolayimika Ayandele in her opening remarks, during a webinar conference, revealed that the goal of the toll free counseling program was to bridge the gap in the education system, thereby supporting students who have to be at home due to the lockdown.

According to her, this initiative was in line with the government’s T.H.E.M.E.S. agenda of the Lagos state government.

Ayandele added: “We understand the need to keep students and youths adequately and eďŹƒciently engaged as the world faces lockdown. “With this, we would be able to continue the learning processes of our students and also provide a support system for them as they live through the pandemic. “The Lagos state government remains dedicated towards enforcing initiatives which would tackle crime and upgrade the security within the state. On her part, the Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Folasade AdeďŹ sayo said, “The students will one day lead.We have governors, commissioners, ministers among them. “Eventually they would grow to lead us when we are retired, so we must develop their outstanding skills, and then create an atmosphere for them to thrive and excel.

EY Holds Session on Governance

Ernst & Young (EY) will tomorrow host a special pan-Africa webinar to discuss some of the pertinent Boardroom issues bordering on how companies can respond to business disruption in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thewebinarwiththetheme:‘Governanceforbusinessresilience—leading from the top,’would feature special panel discussion to be spear-headed by experts in boardroom matters and moderated by Benson Uwheru, a Partner in EY and seasoned professional in governance and risk issues.

Accordingtoastatement,EYhassetupthepanelsession,whichpromises to be very interactive, seasoned and high-proďŹ le Boardroom experts, including Chairman, MTN Nigeria, Ernest Ndukwe; Dean, Lagos Business School, Enase Okonedo; Chairman, Access Bank Plc, Dere Awosika; and Chairman, Kenya Airport Authority & NCRA Bank, Isaac Awuondo, among others, would focus on key areas including, managing business disruption-the role of the Board of Directors; leadership in uncertainty as well as building for long-term value. “SpeciďŹ cally,thespeakerswillbelookingathowtheCOVID-19pandemic has fundamentally aected the way businesses operate. “Regardless of the business environment, the Board remains ultimately responsible for how companies respond to business disruption and given the events of the past three months, Boards must work proactively with management in ensuring business continuity,â€? it stated.

Ecobank Partners African Union

The AUDA-NEPAD (the African Union Development Agency) and Ecobank Group have announced that they are committing resources to Africa’s micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs).

The second virtual workshop facilitated by McKinsey recently, provided an opportunity to reaďŹƒrm the importance of sustaining market access and strengthening capabilities for MSMEs. During this session, high level representatives from the African Union Commission, regional development banks, development ďŹ nancial institutions, international organisations and commercial banks from the Continued on page 22 continent, agreed to put in place the AUDA-NEPAD “100,000 MSMEs by 2021â€? programme.

The AUDA-NEPAD MSME programme has will have ďŹ ve pillars: AUDA MSME Academy; MSME Financing Support Programme; MSME Marketplace;MSMEMicro-healthinsuranceScheme,andMSMEdigitalplatform.

TheďŹ vepillarsweredesignedtoensurethatMSMEsacrossthecontinent are supported to become more resilient, improve their market access and take advantage of technology to tap into the African market of 1.3 billion consumers and leverage the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement. “In May, Nigeria implemented close to a 350,000 b/d production cut following the OPEC agreement to reduce output.

This will have huge implications on government revenues, fiscal deficits and current account balance,� the report added.

National budgets and their benchmarks have been being reviewed in Nigeria, Angola and Gabon.

Therefore, the Lagos-based financial institution pointed out that with lower revenue, fiscal deficits were expected to increase

OPEC Production Cut Poses Challenge for Nigeria, Says FSDH The crude oil production cut agreed by members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to rebalance the market could pose more challenge challenging for Nigeria and other oil exporters, analysts at FSDH Merchant Bank have stated.

The financial institution stated this in its latest macroeconomic review for the second quarter and 2020 outlook.

OPEC recently agreed a 23 per cent production cut to address the supply glut and rebalance the oil market. A significant number of the large oil producers had

ECONOMY a high compliance rate – Saudi, UAE and Kuwait recorded a 100 per cent compliance rate.

Nigeria was expected to cut 417,000 barrels per day with target production at 1.41 million barrels per day (mbpd).

However, production in May was estimated at 1.48mbpd suggesting a compliance rate of 95 per cent. “With relatively lower oil prices as a result of COVID-19, oil exporting countries are expected to suffer revenue loss

and exchange rate pressures in 2020. In addition, OPEC cuts which were implemented to rebalance the market could make the situation challenging for oil exporters,� FSDH stated in the report.

According to data from OPEC, Angola’s output declined by 4.4 per cent to 1.34 million barrels per day (mbpd) in May, from 1.4mbpd in March.

Also, in Nigeria, output declined by 3.7 per cent to 1.78mbpd in April from 1.844 in March, while Gabon experienced a 4.46 per cent production decline during the period.

“We are excited to promote education and have consistently demonstrated this in our support of 10 universities and three secondary schools on infrastructure projects�

CEO, FirstBank of Nigeria,

Continued on page 22

Dr. Adesola Adeduntan

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BUSINESSWORLD FG TARGETS CONSTRUCTION OF 300,000 HOUSES IN 12 MONTHS and Housing, CBN and the Family Homes Fund (under the Ministry of Finance) are making arrangements for purchase through cooperatives and for warehousing of completed houses, which would then be mortgaged or let out on rentto-own basis.

In addition, part of the plan is to develop a mass agricultural programme: This is expected to bring between 20,000 and 100,000 hectares of new farmland under cultivation in every state of the federation.

According to the document, the aim is to create millions of job opportunities, directly and indirectly, over a 12-month period. “A significant number of Nigerians will be incentivised to engage in farming and agroprocessing, as that is a field in which Nigeria has comparative advantage. “The Minister of Agriculture and the CBN Governor have agreed a detailed plan of action in this regard,� it added.

OPEC PRODUCTION CUT POSES CHALLENGE FOR NIGERIA, SAYS FSDH

across oil exporting countries.

It projected that in Nigeria, deficit as a percentage of GDP was projected to exceed the stipulated three per cent in the Fiscal Responsibility Act and that current accounts would also face pressure in 2020. “Fall in crude oil price triggered by lower demand will negatively government revenues and forex inflows. “Crude oil output will fall below the initial budgetary target of two million barrels per day.

State governments will struggle to meet financial obligations “Direct implications on construction industry, cement industry, consumer spending, etc,� it stated.

In 2019, net FAAC allocations to the 36 states of the federation and the FCT totaled N2.47 trillion. In the first quarter of 2020, allocations to state governments stood at N669 billion. “With the anticipated lower revenue profile as a result of COVID-19 and its impact, revenues shared among the three tiers of government is expected to decline in the year.

Group Business Editor

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Senior Correspondent

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents

Chinedu Eze (Aviation) Eromosele Abiodun (Maritime) James Emejo (Finance) Ebere Nwoji (Insurance) Chineme Okafor ((Energy) Reporters

Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (ICT)

NEWS

FG Begins Preparation for ERGP Successor Devt Plans James Emejo in Abuja

He said it is, “not only about postulating possible probable and preferable futures only but about creating the future we desire.�

According to him, the concept demands “shaping and moulding the future into an image we would prefer which should not be limited by the prism of the present or by whatever may be in fashion at any moment.�

Nonetheless, the team’s terms of reference include the review of existing plans, policies, programmes and projects in the thematic areas, review

assumptions, parameters and forecasts used in the previous sectorial plans and align with current realities as well as conduct SWOT analysis of the thematic sectors, review existing research reports and share findings as well as consider the advantages and disadvantages of the approaches for policy topics being explored among others.

Giving the timelines for the assignment, the minister further directed the team to produce and submit the final reports on the various thematic areas for the first

MTNDP 2021-2025 to the Central Working Group not later than September 30, 2020 and MTNDP 2026-2030 by February 2021.

Also, it is expected to submit the final report for the Nigeria Agenda 2050 by July 2021.

In carrying out their tasks however, Agba urged the team not to lose sight of the important role the country plays in the global economy adding that the plan must be comprehensive and have the capacity to accelerate the attainment of various regional and global agendas particularly

the AU Agenda 2063, ECOWAS Integration Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

He said the federal government had already agreed to use the Econometric and Input-Output models for the preparation of the macroeconomic framework for the two medium term national development plan while the dynamic Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) and system dynamic-based Integrated Sustainable Development Goals Simulation (iSDG) for Nigeria Agenda 2050.

The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, has inaugurated the ‘agriculture and water resources and cross cutting issues’ Technical Working Groups (TWGs) for the development of the Medium Term National Development Plan (MTNDP 2021-2025 and 2026-2030) as well as the Nigeria Agenda 2050.

He said the initiatives were designed to succeed the current Nigeria Vision 20:2020 and the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP 2017-2020).

The minister said the proposed plans were meant to address developmental challenges in all aspects of the country’s national life within the agreed timeframe.

Speaking during ceremony which was held via web conference, he said the inauguration of the group became imperative given the fact that the existing development plans are expected to lapse in December 2020 while the 2021 budget is to be guided by the plan.

Noting that there was limited time to deliver on the task at hand, Agba said the team had been selected based on their wealth of experience, expertise and dedication to national assignment over the years to assist in putting together implementable successor plans.

The minister further recommended the application of the L-R: Deputy Director, General Services at Jumia, Mr. Musa Makoji; Regional Manager, Mr. Fredrick Kolo; Director, General Services, Mrs. Juwaretu Olumoko; concept of futurology for a long Director, Hospital Services, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Adebimpe Adebiyi, andTechnical Adviser to the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Ahmad Baba, during the term perspective plan. donationof100,000certifiedfacemaskstotheFederalMinistryofHealthbyJumiaNigeria inAbuja...recently

FIGHTINGCOVID-19PANDEMIC

Shippers’ Council to Enforce SOP in Cargo Evacuation Eromosele Abiodun The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) has announced that it will ensure that Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in cargo evacuation at the nation’s seaports is adhered to.

The Executive Secretary/ Chief Executive of the NSC, Mr Hassan Bale made this known at the resumed evacuation of cargoes by rail in Lagos.

Represented by Director, Regulatory Services, NSC, Mrs Ifeoma Ezedinma, he said in order to ensure that things move smoothly, the NRC and APM terminal would have to adhere to the SOP. According to him, “There are many challenges in the port right now due to the shutdown which has resulted to congestion, but with this reintroduction of evacuation by rail, we believe

it will go a long way in the port decongestion. “The rail evacuation will reduce cost, the economy of demand and supply will also come to play as it will give room for our exports which are languishing on the road to gain access to the port.�

Also speaking, Railway District Manager, NRC, Mr. Jerry Oche, said the new agreement for the evacuation of cargoes would work because of the SOP was binding on everyone and shippers’ council was standing as the supervisor. “We have been on this for quite some time, but the difference today is that we are starting with an; in the past, all we were doing was that everyone was doing his or her own thing. “Now we have it binding on everyone and we have shippers’ council as a supervisor; yes, we have done it in the past and I

tell you this will work because this is different,� he said.

The district manager said a train was made up of 19 wagons and each of the wagons could take 40ft or 20ft containers.

According to him, if they are doing 40ft it means 19 trucks off the road and if it is 20ft that would take 38 trucks off the road.

Oche, said APMT had urged them to do four trips but they were starting with two. �We want to start small and increase, but we believe we can do more than four trips,� he added.

Oche said adopting the standard gauge would improve their operation, “and when the standard gauge comes, it would be on auto pilot, a seamless operation driving itself.�

Also speaking, External Affairs Manager, APM Terminals, Mr. Daniel Odibe, said it would

help bridge communication gap that they had experienced with the system in the past. “This is an important milestone being achieved here, and it is something we have always asked for, and for receiving trains into the terminal and servicing them. “It will definitely help in planning, bridge communication gap that we have experienced with the NRC in the past and lead to more efficient operation with more cargo being handled through the rail tracks,� he said.

Odibe commended the shippers’ council for bringing together the NRC and APM terminals to bridge that communication gap. “Right now, we have an SOP that will enable us receive the right containers coming to APMT without any hindrance and also enable us services the trains

within the agreed timelines. “We do not envisage more challenges with the commencement of the SOP and it will also create a platform for us to meet, review the past and seek ways to improve. “What we proposed was for four trains in a day within every 12 hours but the NRC advised we start with two and scale up as we go, assuring us that the process would be sustained,� he said.

Odiba said their intention when they constructed the rail line in 2013 and connected it to the national line was to provide alternate mode of evacuation of cargoes to customers.

He said the event would increase the number of containers evacuated through the rail line, as it was coming at the best time, when the bridge was closed for repairs.

Firm Unveils Solution for Security Analysts, IT Administrators Emma Okonji Sophos, a cyber-security firm has unveiled an updated version of its Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solution designed for both security analysts and Information Technology (IT) administrators.

The firm stated that significant advancements and new capabilities make it faster and easier than ever before for security analysts to identify and neutralise evasive threats, and for IT administrators to proactively maintain secure IT operations to reduce risk.

Sophos also published new research, “An Insider View into the Increasingly Complex Kingminer Botnet,� underscoring the use of servers in carrying out attacks and the importance of threat intelligence in detecting such activity. The opportunistic Kingminer botnet attempts to gain server access by brute-forcing login credentials, and Sophos now finds that it’s using the infamous EternalBlue exploit in an attempt to spread malware among other attack mechanisms.

Announcing the advanced

solution, the Chief Product Officer at Sophos, Dan Schiappa, said: “Cybercriminals are raising the stakes, stopping at nothing to capitalise on expanded attack surfaces as organisations increasingly move to the cloud and enable remote workforces.

Servers and other endpoints are all too insufficiently protected, creating vulnerable entry points that are ripe for attackers to exploit. “Sophos EDR helps identify these attacks, preventing breaches and shining light on

otherwise dark areas. Live querying capabilities only available with Sophos EDR in Intercept X enable organisations to search for past indicators of compromise and determine the current system state. This level of intelligence is critical in understanding changing attacker behaviors and reducing attacker dwell time.�

President, Data Integrity Services, Sam Heard, said: “The new version of Sophos EDR gives us the threat intelligence and security expertise needed to know how to prioritize and where to start

our investigations so we can remediate issues requiring urgent action. “The new features combine the strongest protections with the industry’s most powerful EDR to automatically detect, prioritise and investigate threats, so we can remotely respond to incidents with speed and precision. The pre-configured queries in particular are a game changer not only for security pros to threat hunt, but for IT admins to do their everyday jobs.�

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MONDAY INTERVIEW

Kyari: Efficiency, Production Cost Will Shape Oil Firms’Future The Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Mele Kyari, in this interview with Gulf Intelligence’s Halftime, spoke about developments in the international oil market, how oil and gas companies in Nigeria were able to navigate the challenge posed by the Covid-19 as well as factors that would define the future of the oil market going forward. Peter Uzoho brings the excerpts: know, putting up a splitter plant is much quicker, much easier and much cheaper. It also gives you all the white products that you need as quickly as possible. So, when we have a combination of the 200,000 barrels per day condensate refinery, 445,000 of our own capacity put back on place, and you have the 650,000 barrels per day at Dangote, all in place within three years, what you will see will be a monumental shift in the demand and supply direction. Actually, we have seen a possibility of a reverse flow into Europe because many of the refineries in Europe, as you are aware, are being shut down permanently and therefore there may be requirements to provide white products even to Europe in the short term to come. And of course, the African market will become the market for Nigeria. This is our target, this is realisable, and every step is being taken to make sure that we can put this on the table.

What is your thoughts on the decision that OPEC+ made in order to extend the deeper cuts till July, what is the perspective of Nigeria on that decision?

It is obvious that market has not achieved balancing and it is not likely to do so before the end of the year and not very soon even in 2021. And everybody’s forecast indicates that we could still be at oversupply of up to seven million barrels even by the end of the year. That means that this market will not rebalance until we do some certain things to make sure we pull down the production, and the supply naturally comes down with that. And it is very understandable.

The OPEC+ agreement was to extend the cuts agreed last month and to make sure that at the end of the year, we can bring down that number of the oversupply from the forecast of 79 million barrels to something lower than that, so that prices can rebalance.

The temporary shift in prices that we have seen recently in the last couple of days, or last 10 days, to be specific, is indicative of some response to the cuts and some response to the increased demand that we have seen in the market.

Looking at oil prices that have recovered quite dramatically in the last six weeks, is there a danger that they climb too fast, too high?

My thoughts are that it is actually driven by mobile sentiments than by demand because we haven’t seen that significant rise in the demand.

And, of course, even the cuts, as you are aware, there are many failures in achieving the 100 per cent conformity with the cuts, which means the volume that are supposed to get out of that market are still there. And therefore, the price rise that we saw, that significant jump, appears very, very cosmetic to me. And I see that if we don’t contend with the supply, we could still slide back to the early March price level.

On that point, obviously, Nigeria was identiďŹ ed as one of the countries that have not yet met its commitment or obligation under the OPEC+ agreement and would be expected to do more cuts in the July-August period.

What’s your view on that, is Nigeria able to make such deep cuts in July and August?

Yes. First of all, it is true that we have not achieved 100 per cent conformity by the end of May. But I’m convinced that by the end of June we will reach full conformity. The reasons are very different. Managing reservoirs in Nigeria is very different from other jurisdictions and you have to have a plan around the wells themselves because we have very aged wells. If you pull them down at the same time in a very dramatic manner, you may not be able to recover them.

So, if we look at last 10 days of data, for instance, which is available, you’ll see that we are actually below conformity level. We have gone beyond conformity to a level that we are also still trying to manage that. It was a gradual process to cut down production by well and by reservoir level and I know that the current numbers we are seeing today will take us to full conformity by the end of June. So, the concern is appropriate. But obviously it didn’t see the realities around our production system. But of course, we are fully committed to making sure that we comply with those cuts. We see no problem actually with that.

There is an expectation in the announcement from OPEC+ that because Nigeria and a few other countries didn’t meet the 100% in May-June, you’ll have to make up for that in July and August. I’m wondering how much more of a cut will you need to do in order to make up for May and June?

If you noticed the numbers, you’ll see that our oversupply was a little less than 100,000 barrels, against the agreed numbers. So that’s really not significant. And you do not really need August and September to balance for that. And the cuts that we’re doing today, the shutdown that we’re experiencing today will ensure that latest by mid of July we would have come to full conformity.

I think we can actually achieve that conformity

Kyari even by the end of June.

Now, with the rise in shale oil production, the quality of that sweet oil coming out of the US has competed quite directly with Nigeria and other West African oils in that market and had pushed Nigeria a lot towards Asia.

I’m wondering with the sort of decline in shale oil production in the US. Does that create an opportunity for Nigeria to build some market share in the US? It’s a very flexible market situation. As you may be aware, the spread between WTI and Brent has never closed. We’ve never seen this close spread, less than a dollar between WTI and Brent, which technically means that there will be no incentive to move crude from the US even into Europe, because we can’t get cheaper crude because of the balancing that will be created by freight. You’re sure the market, even the European markets still remain available, to Nigerian grades and similar grades around West Africa. Looking at the markets beyond the COVID-19 situation, you’ll see that the Nigerian grades are strategically placed in such a way that in a market that is looking for gasoline-rich grades.

As you are aware, the challenges that others will face, will not come to Nigeria. We are still seeing very significant appetite for Nigerian crude. We do not have significant overhang in the market today, much less than any other type of grade that is in the market. And obviously, until the shale oil production comes back to full production, you will not see movement from the US into Europe for a while to come. And we also are aware, of course, of the pickup in the consumption in the United States, even when you produce the producer would be very wary of this. We will not see that quick recovery even in the United States. And therefore, overall, what I see coming is a good opportunity for Nigerian grades to be the grade of choice, because all the consumption rises that we’re seeing today are coming from gasoline-rich crude oil. And of course, there would actually be a competition for Nigerian type of grades. So, we have no fears that the whole world is our market today.

In terms of Nigeria’s oil industry in the ďŹ rst half of 2020, everybody had a big shock from so many different things. How was it held up operationally because in other places Covid-19 impacted and literally affected operators on the ďŹ eld?

The Nigerian oil and gas sector was better prepared than most industries across the globe.

We saw the challenges coming. We engaged our partners across the businesses to establish very clear business continuity plans such that our terminals keep operating, our rigs don’t come down. Our pipelines are operating, and literally, except for

the OPEC+ intervention, we actually saw increase in production which was indicative, probably, of greater efficiency during the Covid-19 period because you have less interruptions, and also a number of resorts to technology which ensured that people work more efficiently and decision making became much quicker and ultimately. What we saw was actually some very marginal or very insignificant increase in our production number in some days outside the Covid-19 period. So, for us as an industry, the only thing we lost is price. Otherwise, in terms of efficiency, in terms of getting things done quickly and efficiently, I think Covid-19 has actually become a very good thing for us.

Soon after you were appointed, you said you were focused on building up Nigeria’s capability to produce more products and reďŹ ne more products, how is vision progressing now with nearly one year into your position?

Yes, a number of things are going on to bring that into realisation. As you are aware, Nigeria is the largest consumer of finished products, gasoline, fuel, oil and everything that you can think of. We are actually the market in West Africa. About 70 per cent of gasoline consumption in West Africa is actually done in Nigeria. Therefore, it is the largest market available because of the size of our economy, our population and many other factors that play out. So, for us, it’s an opportunity to ensure that we become the supplier for the West African. You can’t do that except you’re able to refine, and you can’t refine except the refineries are in place. A number of interventions are going on. One that everybody knows is the Dangote Refinery, 650,000 barrels per day refinery, which will come on stream, possibly by the end of 2021 or maybe early 2020. If that happens, it will be a game changer for the whole region because the overall production will be far higher than the consumption that Nigeria will require in current circumstances. And then we have a combination of four refineries with total capacity of 445,000 barrels a day, all of them are on shutdown today for very clear reasons. And it is a very informed decision. We shut them down so that we can get them fixed properly. We are rehabilitating them, we are getting the best of class to make sure that they work. And our plan is to make sure that these come on stream, latest by the end of 2022 or early 2023. Once that is done, you have a combination of 450,000 barrels per day refinery capacity owned by the national oil company. You also have a 650,000 owned by the Dangote Group. And a third level intervention we’re doing is to create the splitter units, the condensate refineries. Total capacity plan of about 200,000 barrels per day and that could also come on stream by 2022, because, as you

If you consider the ďŹ nancing aspect of what’s required for those major projects and for any capital investment into oil production and oil processing, it is so large and yet the appetite from the typical sources of ďŹ nancing is shrinking due to both the economic reasons, but also due to climate and other sensitivities. How do you envisage the availability of capital to meet your goals?

I can share with you. When we tried to look for private finance to fix one of our refineries, actually it was oversubscribed surprisingly. And as we are trying to see private sector investment in making sure that we don’t finance this refinery from our cash flow, we had significant interest indicated by very serious financing institutions.

It may be a global challenge, but for us we don’t see that local difficulty because we see apatite, we see many banks talking to us. And the reason is very clear and understandable. When you produce gasoline here, you have a market for it. You have 52 million to 60 million liters of PMS consumption per day. And it is a country on a growth line and we have a lot of people in the informal economy.

Our four refineries can only make 80 million liters of gasoline and the 200,000 barrels per day condensate refineries will also not make all of it. Probably only 10 million liters of gasoline. So, you still need the Dangote Refinery to come in place to meet the national demand.

What’s your thoughts are about coming out of this very tumultuous period for the world and for the energy markets?

A number of things will change. First of all, the only companies that will survive the future are companies that are able to produce at the lowest cost possible. Cost will become a major issue because if you don’t produce cheap, nobody will buy from you people, will have options. Secondly efficiency becomes a major element of every operation. Now, if you are not able to deliver on time and on schedule and on cost, others will leave you behind and you will not catch up. Thirdly, but most importantly for National oil companies, they must look outwards, they must look at the situation where third party injection of capital becomes the primary line of business because the states can no longer fund some of these businesses and the combination of these three is such that this industry going forward will become very dynamic, will be petrochemical centric. And definitely we have seen through the Covid-19 period, people have now learnt that you don’t have to leave your home to work and that means less consumption in the years to come or particularly of the liquid products and what will become material now are companies what will be able to convert the petroleum resources they have and in the oil business into petrochemical products because even when you stay at home, you will still make use of petrochemical products and variations of our power-related products. So, what we see coming and we’ll adjust that as a company is to see that this world is changing, the forecast for 20 to 30 years is no longer holding and we have to be more efficient, we have to be more cost prudent and ultimately, businesses in the oil and gas will survive only when you do the combination of this.

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FG Approves N13bn for Pest Control James Emejo in Abuja The federal government has approved the sum of N13 billion intervention fund for pest control across the country.

The fund is to ensure uninterrupted agricultural activities during 2020 farming season, control trans boundary pests and minimise the impact of the COVID – 19 pandemic as well as guarantee both nutritional and national food security.

Minister of Agricultural and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono, disclosed this during the flag – off of the 2020 dry season control of Trans boundary (Migratory) pest (Quelea birds, Locusts and Grasshoppers) for 12 Front line Northern states which was held in Kebbi State at the weekend.

He said the global pandemic and reports of desert locust outbreak in East Africa and the Middle East with the possibility of spillover of the huge locust swarm into West Africa including Nigeria, necessitated the proactive measures, including control of all trans boundary pest to ensure uninterrupted food supply in the country.

In a statement, the minister said the present

administration under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari is determined to fight any menace that would truncate the tremendous success recorded so far especially in the agricultural sector He said:�’The choice of Kebbi State for the flag off is deliberate, in view of the extensive agricultural activities in the state and the immense cooperation and collaboration of the state government in the implementation of agricultural interventions over the years’’ He commended the Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and the other governors of the Front line states for their collaboration and cooperation with the ministry towards reducing the effect of the migratory pests in the 12 states.

In his remarks however, Bagudu commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his vision and people orientated policies in the agricultural sector which he said, would ensure job creation, food security and boost the economy for the betterment of Nigerians.

The 12 frontline states are Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara ,Katsina,Kano,Jigawa,Bauc hi,Gombe,Adamawa,Taraba ,Yobe and Borno.

‘Fintechs Key to Bridging Financial Inclusion Gap in Africa’ Peter Uzoho The Senior Vice President/ General Manager, West Africa, MasterCard, Ebehijie Momoh, has stressed the need to strengthen financial institutions and develop robust payment systems, following the disruptions caused by the Covid-19.

This, she said becomes pertinent not only to keep people safe, but also as a means to extend financial inclusion, especially among the vulnerable in this challenging economic environment.

She said this at a forum organised by The Economist Intelligence Unit to launch a report titled: “State of play: Fintech in Nigeria, sponsored

by Mastercard and MTN Group.

She noted that Nigeria has seen a surge of new and simplified apps to help merchants, businesses and consumers.

Mainstream banks, initially slow to react to the digital era, have quickly adapted to offer apps and tools in areas like loans, while non-traditional players—including telecom companies and retailers such as supermarkets—are entering the finance space, Momoh added.

According to her, recent reforms, such as easing entry of start-ups into the capital markets and the creation of a fintech sandbox, could also lead to an enrichment of the ecosystem. “While there is no fintechspecific law as yet, a sector roadmap provides overarching direction to the industry. “A legal framework may prove necessary to manage the emergence of new types of fintech and accelerate fintech solutions for “insurtech� and wealth management,� she added.

However, Momoh pointed out that to develop and flour-

ish, Nigerian fintechs need to address shortcomings in the broader ecosystem. “While venture capital investment is forthcoming, the majority comes from abroad with Nigerian investors currently playing a small role. “As the sector matures, skills gaps are emerging outside of product development in areas such as business management and marketing. “As a global fintech leader, Mastercard is proud to support Nigeria and the rest of Africa in digitization efforts for a more inclusive economy. “The Fintech in Africa story is already one of the world’s greatest techsuccess stories — Africa’s fintech industry is expected to be worth more than $3 billion in 2020 (according to Ecobank research). “And according to a 2016 study, The long-run poverty

and gender impacts of mobile money, fintechs have lifted almost 200,000 households out of extreme poverty, and enabled almost the same number of women to move from subsistence farming into business. “At Mastercard, we believe that fintechs are contributing to the rapid digital transformation that makes lives more convenient, simpler, and rewarding – especially across Africa. “We firmly believe that fintechs, and subsequently financial inclusion can drive growth and prosperity. “This is why we have pledged to bring a total of one billion people and 50 million micro and small businesses across the globe into the digital economy by 2025. “As part of this effort, there will be a direct focus on providing 25 million women entrepreneurs with solutions that can help them grow their businesses,� she added.

Platform Capital Refurbishes, Donates Lecture Halls to UNILAG Platform Capital has refurbished and also donated three ultra-modern lecture halls to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) to support the take-off of the institution’s Business School’s Executive MBA programme.

The intervention is expected to improve the learning environment, culture and provide access to worldclass technology and content partnerships with universities across the globe.

A statement explained that during the refurbishment, the entire building was renovated, and lecture halls were fully fitted with state-of-the art technology including interactive white boards, sound systems and versatile furniture, to ensure a best-in-class digital learning environment for students.

Commenting on the intervention by Platform Capital, the Vice Chancellor, UNILAG, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, said, “This is a unique facility given to the university by Platform Capital and we are grateful to have received a facility like this which will enable students to have online lectures real-time. This will not only increase our ranking but will also increase our visibility as a university that is e-learning compliant.�

Also, the Executive Director, University of Lagos Business School (ULBS), Prof. Abraham Osinubi said:

“The goal of the ULBS is to create a business synergy in education, leadership and management in a world-class setting and we thank Dr. Akindele of Platform Capital for providing us with the facilities which we need to effectively implement our goals.�

In addition to the refurbished rooms, the Chairman of Platform Capital, Dr. Akintoye Akindele, pledged $10,000 as a prize to the best graduating student, automatic employment at Platform Capital and its portfolio companies for the top three graduating students and internships for students of the ULBS Executive MBA programme annually.

Akindele added, “The launch of the world class lecture halls was just phase one for the University. We are going to complete the entire building before the end of the year, install a full end-to-end fibre data link to complement the state-of-theart telecommunications and infrastructure. “With that in place, from these lecture halls, we can run programmes from Harvard to Silicon Valley Business School to ISM Paris and many more business schools online and real time for our best and brightest on the continent. If we educate and expose one mind who goes, innovates and solves a problem, imagine the compound effect of that on Africa.�

Stanbic IBTC Tasks Employees on Digitisation, Upskilling Hamid Ayodeji Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc has urged employees to embrace digitisation and build career resilience through diversity and upskilling in order to be outstanding in the workplace.

The Country Head, Human Capital, Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Olufunke Amobi, gave this advice during a Virtual Learning Series with the theme: “Building Career Resilience.�

Amobi revealed that forces of change such as globalisation and rapid technological advancements such as artificial intelligence, robotics, cognitive technologies and crowdsourcing, amongst others, are the rationale for the evolution of careers and

their shift from traditional to contemporary.

She noted that the traditional career path was defined in terms of linear progression up the firm’s hierarchy while seeking to obtain greater extrinsic rewards.

The contemporary career trajectory, on the other hand, focuses on experiences and competencies that exist across firms, driven by values that are more flexible and dynamic.

The Stanbic IBTC Holdings’ Country Head of Human Capital encouraged participants to build contemporary careers as well as a strong network to enable them attain success in their professions.

She also advocated the need for workers to invest in technology and exploit various websites for

free online courses to develop their digital literacy skills.

Amobi further stated that the pandemic has changed the workplace culture, emphasising that workers that would survive these times are those that can easily adapt in the rapidly changing world. She counselled employees to acquire various skillsets to enable them to respond to changes in the workplace, noting that “we are in a Volatile Uncertain Complex Ambiguous (VUCA) world.�

According to her, the internet age bordered on contemporary career, which is self-directed and non-linear. “Building diversity and depth of skill are key in multiplying knowledge and skillset and making them future

proof. That is the reality of the 4th industrial revolution that sees a rise of the internet age� she said.

She cited how most jobs during the lockdown were done remotely and online, adding that the dexterity in such times will be considered during recruitment processes. She however encouraged workers to build their careers based on their passion as that is a sure way to build their network faster while on the job.

She also urged workers to respond to the new normal by being proactive and not reactive. “There is the need to be creative, innovative and knowledgeable about digitization and the wave of change� she said.

NECA, Labour Unions to Sign Pact Dike Onwuamaeze and Chris Uba The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two central labour organisations in the country - the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) – in Abuja today.

The pact is aimed at forming a coalition between NECA and the labour unions to address

the challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic disease in the workplace and its impact on the country as a whole.

This was disclosed in Lagos by the Director-General of NECA, Dr. Timothy Olawale.

He noted that the collaboration was necessitated by the need to pool initiatives and actions in the fight against COVID-19 and any other external threat to Nigerian businesses and workers in the private and public sectors as social partners, whose

overall interest is enterprisecompetitiveness, protection of workers’ rights and development of country’s economy.

Olawale stated that: “The COVID-19 pandemic has done significant damage to businesses and changed the dynamics of the world of work. As employers and workers are both directly affected by the pandemic, it became necessary to work together in addressing the critical labour and socio-economic issues arising from the pandemic,

especially from the perspective of the work-place.�

He observed that the effects of the pandemic have taken the rate of corporate fatalities and job losses due to a worrisome level with “an alarming large scale negative consequences for our country.� He also commended the parties to the MoU and stated that the signing of the MoU would be done by the NECA, the NLC and the TUC with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) as witness.

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Photo Editor ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜ ÔËÖË Email Ă‹ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜Ë›Ă‹Ă”Ă‹Ă–Ă‹ĚśĂžĂ’Ă“Ă?ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁĂ–Ă“Ă Ă?Ë›Ă?Ù×

L-R: First Daughter of Late Winner of June 12 Presidential General Elections, Hon Lola Abiola-Edewor; her brother, Mr. Jamiu Abiola; Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; representing the State Governor and Wife of the late Politician, Mrs. Bisi Abiola, during the laying of wreath to mark 2020 Democracy Day, at the House in Ikeja, Lagos...recently PHOTO: STATE HOUSE

L-R: Edo North Representative, Nigerian Youth Parliament (NYP), Aderemi Ehenikafe Abigail; Minority Leader, NYP, Hon. Daniel Didi Uwadia and the Chairman Defense and Security and Delta Central Representative, NYP, Hon. Ogboko Kelvin Ighodotu, during a press brieďŹ ng condemning rape in Benin City...recently

Ministerof Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige (right) and the Minister of HumanitarianAairs, Disaster management and Social Development, Hajiya Hadiza Umar-Farouk during the presentation of the Economic Sustainability Plan to President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja...recently

Members of International Federation of Women Lawyers in conjunction with the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Plateau Council during a protest at Plateau House of Assembly, over rising cases of rape and all forms of gender-based violence on women, in Jos...recently

L-R: Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clement Agba; Director of Micro-Economic Analysis, Mr David Adeosun; and the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Olusola Idowu, during the inauguration of Technical Working Groups for the preparation of the Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP2021-2025), in Abuja..recently

L-R: Commissioner of Police, Ogun State, Mr. Kenneth Embrimson; Chairman, Makogi Area Community Development Committee (MACDC), Mr Rotimi Afolabi, and Director, Community Development Department, Ministry of Community Development and Cooperatives, Ogun State, Alhaji Mojeed Sorinola, during the oďŹƒcial Commissioning of Makogi Police Station, Makogi, Obafemi Owode LG, Ogun State...recently

L-R: Chairman, Senate Committee on Primary Health & Communicable Diseases, Senator Utazi Chukwuka; Chairman, House Committee on Health services, Rep. Yusuf Sununus and House Leader,Rep. Alhassan AdoDoguwa at the public hearing on the Bill to enact the Control of Infectious Diseases Act, organized by the House of Representatives at the National Assembly, Abuja...recently

Members of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, Ekiti chapter protest against rising cases of rape and all forms of gender-based violence on women in Nigeria, at Awedele Neighbourhood Market, Ado-Ekiti... recently

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Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, 08038901925

Celebrating 75 Years of Transforming Lives in Nigeria Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that the British Council Nigeria recently wrapped up 12 months of celebrating its 75th year presence in the nation and the millions of lives they have transformed, especially local communities

Cross section of guests with the Country Director Lucy Pearson and Operations Director Stephen Forbes at the Lagos Anniversary event

Anniversary Event Abuja with His Excellency the Vice President of Nigeria Prof Yemi Osinbajo represented by the Honourable Minister for State Foreign Aairs Amb Zubairu Dada

Lucy Pearson Country Director British Council with Programme participants at the Anniversary Event in Kano

Lucy Pearson Country Director British Council Nigeria and the representative of the Governor of Lagos State His Excellency Babatunde Sanwo-Olu, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Mrs. Abosede Adelaja

O

ver the cause of a year, gala events, community gatherings, TEDx-style talks and social media activities, both across Nigeria and in the UK, were held by the British Council in Nigeria to showcase 75 amazing stories of how the British Council has been a part of Nigeria in the last 75 years and how these in turn, have positively impacted lives in each community.

British Council Nigeria have been in Nigeria since 1944 and every year, they reach out to students, educators, policymakers, academics, researchers, creatives and entrepreneurs in Nigeria to change lives by creating opportunities, building connections and engendering trust.

To mark the celebration of its 75th anniversary in Nigeria, they kicked off the “Thanks to You�

75th anniversary celebration on June 8, 2019.

The campaign was aimed at recognising, as well as celebrating the thousands of participants, who have taken advantage of the various programmes on offer at the British Council to transform their lives and those of their local communities in Nigeria.

At the launch, Nigeria Country Director for the British Council, Lucy Pearson said, “at the British Council, we have realised that people deserve opportunities that can provide better livelihoods, and that valuable connections can facilitate these opportunities. “In Nigeria, we do this through our work in education, providing training and capacity building initiatives to people in the Arts, enterprise, society and education sectors. We also provide access to global opportunities through our exams, where we provide Nigerians with globally recognised professional and university qualifications right here in Nigeria. “Every year, we reach out to thousands of students, educators, policymakers, academics, researchers, creative and entrepreneurs in Nigeria

Itoro Eze Anaba founder Mirabel Sexual Assault Centre receives appreciation plaque from Moses Anibaba Regional Director British Council with our work across these sectors.“ Going down memory of some of the great achievements they have recorded over the years, the council said one project they are proud of is the Mirabel Centre, Nigeria’s first Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC).

According to the council, Mirabel Centre was championed by Itoro Eze-Anaba, a participant of one of their numerous programmes. In a statement made available to THISDAY, the council said: “The centre was established with our support in 2013 and managed by Partnership for Justice (PJ). It provides holistic and high quality medical and psychosocial services to survivors of sexual assault and rape. We have since setup 11 more assault centres across Nigeria. “We also work with a number of international partners to fund key programmes in Nigeria

such as the EU Funded Managing Conflict in Nigeria; Justice for All; Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme (NSRP); The Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) and more recently the Kano Literacy and Maths Accelerator project (KaLMA). “As part of our anniversary celebration we invited past participants of our programmes to submit stories of their experiences as part of our 75 Stories initiative to recognise and thank them for making a difference to society. We also had several events in Lagos, Kano and Abuja where our new state-of-the art building was commissioned

by His Excellency the Vice-President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. He described the British Council as “a success story in all ramifications�.

The Vice President was ably represented by the Honourable Minister of State for Foreign Affairs,

Ambassador Zubairu Dada. “In conclusion to the year long celebration, we have launched a week long ‘finale-quiz’ competition to invite all Nigerians to participate in our anniversary event before it ends on the 14 June 2020 and also win prizes for engaging with the 75 Stories published on our website. “To put the scale of the British Council's activities in Nigeria into perspective, in 2018/2019 alone, 2,935 teachers have been trained through schools and English language programmes since 2018.

More than 3,900 students across 26 schools have gained access to an international dimension in their education through the International School’s Award to help them prepare for successful future careers in an increasingly global economy. “Also, over 117,352 internationally recognised exams were taken by Nigerians connecting them to worldwide learning opportunities, helping to improve their life chances. In addition, 4,832 artists were provided with empowerment opportunities through training and networking platforms in 2018. “The British Council works with more than 10 million people every year out of offices in Abuja, Kano, Lagos and Port Harcourt reaching audiences of more than 52 million. The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We create friendly knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries. We do this by making a positive contribution to the UK and the countries we work with. “We invite all Nigerians to explore our website to see a compilation of all anniversary events and initiatives as well as learn more about how we are fostering enterprise growth across the length and breadth of the country. Find out more about us and the Finale Quiz at https://www.britishcouncil. org.ng/or on social media: Instagram & Twitter: @ngBritish // Facebook: https://www.facebook. com/BritishCouncilNigeria/.�

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Wadume: 10 Soldiers Shielded from Trial The Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami is seriously under attack for removing the names of 10 soldiers named as accomplices in the kidnapping charges involving an alleged Taraba State kidnapping kingpin, Bala Hamisu, also known as Wadume, Davidson Iriekpen writes

Buratai

Captain Balarabe

Malami

Wadume

T

In a confesssion after he was rearrested in Kano, the kidnapping kingpin had told his interrogators in Abuja that: “The police came to arrest me. When they arrested me, the army chased after them and opened fire. From there, they (soldiers) took me to their headquarters and cut off my handcuffs and released me. I went back to my house, but the police came to re-arrest me.�

The kingpin, who was a fish trader before he delved into arms trafficking and subsequently kidnapping, also claimed to have fuelled army patrol vehicles.

The Board of Inquiry (BOI) constituted to probe the matter had on October 8, released its report and recommended that the army and police should further investigate Captain Tijjani Balarabe, Sergeant Ibrahim Mohammed, Corporal Bartholomew Obanye, Divisional Crime Officer (DCO), Ibi Police Division, ASP Aondoona Lorbee and Insp. Aliyu Dadje for complacency.

The Joint Investigative Panel set up by the Defence Headquarters was headed by Rear Admiral I.T. Olaiya.

The BOI, in a statement by acting Director of Defence Information, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, also recommended that further investigation be conducted on Wadume for gunrunning and kidnapping. It was, however, gathered that no further trial had been carried out in line with the recommendation of the probe panel.

Apart from the fact that police investigations showed that the army captain exchanged 191 phone conversations with the kidnap kingpin between July 9 and August 6, 2019, in one instance, the logs showed that the two men exchanged 166 phone calls. Documents also showed that Wadume similarly made several calls to the Ibi DCO. The crime officer was alleged to have made over 200 phone calls to Wadume while the station officer allegedly destroyed evidence showing that the IRT operatives documented the operation to arrest the kidnap kingpin at the Ibi Police Station.

To worsen his case, Capt Balarabe in his statement to the joint investigation panel set up by the Chief of Defence Staff admitted that Wadume was his friend, noting that the alleged kingpin once gave him fish worth N50,000. Balarabe also said that Wadume gave him N200,000 to repair a patrol van which was having mechanical problems. “The N200,000 he gave me was as

a result of the challenges we had with the vehicle for patrolling the community. The local government chairman repaired two patrol vans as the Battalion (military) only gave me N7,000 for four months for fuel,� the captain stated.

On the attack on the IRT team, the commander explained that he was informed by a resident that Wadume was abducted by unknown persons in a bus, adding that he radioed the troops at the checkpoints to intercept the policemen.

He added, “I interviewed one of the men who said they were sent from Abuja to arrest Alhaji (Wadume). We moved the injured to the hospital and the DCO Wukari confirmed that they are policemen. “When I arrived at my camp, my soldiers, DCO Ibbi, ASP Lorbee and a civilian were removing the handcuffs from Alhaji. After removing the handcuffs, I asked Alhaji to ask the crowd to leave so that we can do our work.�

Balarabe disclosed that he asked the DCO to switch off his phone to prevent the military police from reaching him.

Many are wondering why it is difficult to prosecute the officers who committed the heinous crime?

Already, tongues are wagging that instead of answering hard questions inside the courtroom, Capt Balarabe has been transferred away from Taraba State and sent on a course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, where he is cooling off in a classroom.

The first sign that the Army was trying to shield the soldiers from prosecution came on March 16, 2020, when the matter was first mentioned in court. Mr. Simon Lough, the lawyer who was then prosecuting the case on IG’s behalf, complained to the judge that he was unable to produce the 10 soldiers in court because the Army authorities refused to release them.

This prompted Justice Binta Nyako, to issue an order directing the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, to release the 10 soldiers, including the army captain, for arraignment.

This order was ignored by the Army authorities.

Surprisingly, on June 3 the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), announced that he had taken over the case from the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mr. Mohammed Adamu, citing the “bureaucracy� in bringing the soldiers

to court and the need to allow the case to begin quickly as the reason for the amendment to the charges.

By the time the suspects were to be arraigned last Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, and the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Shuaibu Labaran, announced an amendment to the charges with the names of 10 soldiers and one police officer named as accomplices in the kidnapping charges were conspicuously missing, Nigerians did not need an explanation that they were being shielded from prosecution.

Apart from Captain Baralabe, other soldiers implicated in the killing and whose names were removed in the amended charges are, Staff Sgt. David Isaiah; Sgt. Ibrahim Mohammed; Corporal Bartholomew Obanye; Private Mohammed Nura; Lance Corporal Okorozie Gideon; Corporal Markus Michael; L/Corporal Nvenaweimoeimi Akpagra; and Staff Sgt. Abdullahi Adamu, and Private Ebele Emmanuel.

A policeman’s name, ASP Aondona Iorbee, as well as the name of one Ahmad Suleiman (aka Dan Ball); was also struck off the charge.

While the delay in prosecuting him and others had heightened concern among family members of the victims and suspicion among colleagues of the deceased in the police that they may never get justice, the dropping of the names in the amended charge

by AGF without any explanation has further confirmed attempts to let the soldiers off the hook.

Those diligently monitoring the case are wondering how the AGF and the Army would set a man with a strong confessional statement free. They even wondered how the AGF wants to successfully prosecute Wadume without the soldiers and policemen who aided and abetted him in the crime, especially when they are all tide to the evidence before the court.

This is why like many issues in Nigeria, observers imputing ethnic dimensions to the case with many attributing the delay in prosecuting Captain Balarabe to the fact it is because he is from a certain section of the country. They wondered if he was a southerner if it would have been difficult to prosecute him the same way it is now?

They believe that anti-social and heinous crimes occur and prevail because after the initial noise, everything dies down, lacking diligent follow up to ensure a satisfactorily punitive, deterrent and rehabilitative final resolution.

he story was not only chilling, the pictures that accompanied the dastardly act were gory and sent jitters down the spine of many Nigerians. Initially, many did not believe that the incident happened in Nigeria until when the kidnap kingpin, Bala Hamisu, a.k.a Wadume, was arrested.

He later told a shocked nation that some officers of the Nigerian Army actually assisted him to escape arrest.

Ten months down the line, not only have the officers not been courtmartialled and handed over to the police for prosecution, suspicion has heightened that their atrocious act is about to be swept under the carpet.

Wadume was on the wanted list of the Nigeria Police for kidnapping in Taraba and neighbouring states for a long time. He was specifically wanted for killing his victim, Usman Garba, after receiving N106.3million as ransom. He was assisted to escape from the custody of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) by soldiers attached to Battalion 93, Takum. The soldiers also attacked the police team conveying the kidnap kingpin to the Taraba State police headquarters in Jalingo on August 6, 2019.

Three policemen and two civilians working with the IRT were killed during the incident, while five other police officers were injured. The policemen who died were Inspector Mark Ediale, Sergeants Usman DanAzumi and Dahiru Musa.

They were killed by the soldiers along Ibi-Jalingo road in Taraba State, on Tuesday, August 6, 2019 after they had succeeded in arresting Wadume, an alleged kidnap kingpin who was on their wanted persons’ list for months. He was reportedly rescued after the soldiers had gunned down the cops.

The fugitive was subsequently re-arrested at his hideout at Layin Mai Allo Hotoro area of Kano State following a manhunt launched by the police special forces and IRT led

by DCP Abba Kyari.

In a viral video released shortly after he was re-arrested, Wadume had admitted that he was rescued from police custody by soldiers who also cut off his handcuffs. He had also told the detectives how he met the commander of the troops attached to 93 Battalion, Takum, led by one Captain Tijjani Balarabe at the palace of the district head of Ibi town, from where they struck friendship after the gang leader gave him N30,000.

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T H I S D AY Ëž JUNE 15, 2020

CITYSTRINGS

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, 08038901925

Laurels for NAFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s First All-female ISR Operation Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that the Nigerian Air Force recently made history when its first all-female crew successfully flew on an operational Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance mission

The female Marshaller, Aircraftwoman David Precious, marshalling the aircraft after arriving from the ISR mission

The ďŹ rst NAF Female Captain, Flying OďŹ&#x192;cer Oluwabunmi Ijelu (left), and the onboard technician, Lance Corporal Shawulu Godiya, conducting pre-ďŹ&#x201A;ight checks before the mission

Flying OďŹ&#x192;cer Oluwabunmi Ijelu (left), and the co-pilot, Flying OďŹ&#x192;cer Genevieve Nwaogwugwu, during the mission

The Mission Operator, Sergeant Njoku Patience, conducting preďŹ&#x201A;ight check on the ISR camera

W

hen it comes to female inclusiveness in a somewhat male-dominated military, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) takes the top as a force that has placed value beyond desk jobs on its female personnel. It is on record that this present-day NAF under the leadership of the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has engaged its female personnel in both operational and combatant roles.

These elite female group boasts of fighter, helicopter, transport and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft pilots. Presently, NAF has seven female pilots who have distinguished themselves in a field often seen as the exclusive preserve of their male counterparts. From Flight Lieutenant Blessing Liman and Flight Lieutenant Chika Ani to Flying Officer Genevieve Nwaogwugwu, Flying Officer Olubunmi Ijelu; Flying Officer Kafayat Sanni, Flying Officer Tolulope Arotile, and Flying Officer Chinelo Nwokoye, they play combat support roles.

Not one to do things in half measures, NAF again made history recently with the conduct of an operational ISR mission by some of its all-female crew.

According to NAF Director of Public Relations (DOPRI), Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, the mission, which was conducted on May 28, 2020 using the NAF Beechcraft KingAir ISR aircraft, had Flying Officers Oluwabunmi Ijelu and Genevieve Nwaogwugwu as Captain and Co-Pilot, respectively, with Sergeant Njoku Patience as the Airborne Tactical Observation System (ATOS) mission operator and Lance Corporal Shawulu Godiya as the on-board technician.

He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is noteworthy that Flying Officer Ijelu is the first female officer to

The Commander 307 Executive Airlift Group, Air Commodore Francis Edosa, while welcoming the all-female crew from the mission become a Captain on a NAF aircraft. The aircraft was also marshaled by a female Marshaller, Aircraftwoman David Precious.

The mission, which was preceded by the customary pre-flight briefing, originated from the 307 Executive Airlift Group (307 EAG), at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport and covered selected areas of interest in Niger State and its environs, where intelligence that would support NAF air interdiction missions as well as the operations of ground forces was gathered.â&#x20AC;?

The Commander 307 EAG, Air Commodore Francis Edosa, while welcoming the all-female crew from the mission, applauded them for displaying a high level of professionalism. He remarked that the feat was only made possible as a result of the commitment of Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, to providing a level playing field for all personnel, whether male

or female, to thrive and realise their dreams and aspirations in service to the nation.

This, he said, had translated into tangible positive results. He therefore thanked the CAS for giving the female personnel the opportunity to prove their worth in hitherto male-dominated specialties in the NAF. Meanwhile, according to Air Commodore Daramola, within the last four and half years of the current NAF leadership, there has been a surge in the involvement of female personnel in areas that were previously the preserve of men. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Five female pilots have been winged within the period, bringing the total number of female pilots in the NAF to seven. These include the first female fixed-wing fighter pilot, Flying Officer Kafayat Sani, as well as first and second female combat helicopter pilots, Flying Officers Tolulope Arotile and Chinelo

The ďŹ rst NAF Female Captain, Flying OfďŹ cer Oluwabunmi Ijelu, after the mission Nwokoye. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are also six other female student pilots undergoing training both within and outside the country. One of them is on course to become the second ever female fixed-wing fighter pilot in the NAF, while the other would graduate as the first ever female Qualified Flight Instructor (QFI) in the 56-year history of the service. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Many other female officers and airwomen are excelling in their various fields of specialisation including Regiment and Special Forces, Aircraft/Armament Engineers and Technicians as well as Air Traffic Controllers, amongst others. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The NAFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s objective in this regard is to maximise all of the potentials of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vast human resource pool, male and female, to ensure the effective, efficient and timely employment of Air Power in response to Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s national security imperatives,â&#x20AC;? he added.

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MONDAY JUNE 15, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Two Policemen, 11 Others Killed in Benue Clash, Niger Attacks Laleye Dipo in Minna and George Okoh in Makurdi A total of 13 people, including two policemen, were killed in a communal clash in Benue State and bandits’ attacks in Niger State.

While 10 people were killed yesterday in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State following a clash between Adana, Olegeje and Olegogboche communities, bandits killed three people, including two policemen, in separate attacks on communities in Niger State.

Also, troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have nabbed a local militia leader, popularly known as Alhaji Audu from Olegeje community, and recovered one AK-47 rifle and 60 round of ammunition from him during the clash.

Earlier, some militia groups had attacked three communities of Adana, Olegeje and Olegogboche all in Agatu LGA. The attacks were allegedly led

by Audu and other members of his militia group.

They had launched an attack on Adana community which led to the death of 10 persons while others sustained injuries.

It was initially alleged that the attack was carried out by herdsmen.

But a resident of the community, Job Emakwo, said it was a communal clash involving the three communities as a result of the activities of some militias in the areas.

He told reporters that Audu and his group went to Adana in search of one of their gang members and started shooting

sporadically in all directions, killing two persons on the spot and injuring others.

Job added that there was a misunderstanding between the three communities over a parcel of land, which earlier had claimed the lives of some persons.

He said immediately troops of the OPWS stationed in Agatu heard about the clash, they rushed to the affected communities and stormed a militia camp and apprehended Audu.

Audu was said to have been later identified as one of the leaders of the local militia who instigated the fight among the three communities.

He said the troops recovered one AK-47 rifle and 60 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition with two

magazines from Audu.

When contacted, the Force Commander of OPWS, Maj. Gen. Adeyemi Yekini, said he could not comment on the Agatu attack and directed further enquiries to the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) Information Department.

Also, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Catherine Anene, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed that there was an attack in Agatu but the police were yet to establish whether it was caused by herdsmen or was due to a communal clash.

Anene could not also confirm the number of death at the time of the report but said policemen who were deployed in the area to maintain peace were yet to

establish contacts with her due to network problem in the area.

Also at the weekend, two policemen were killed in a shootout with bandits at Kussau village in Erena district of Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

The third person was earlier murdered in Gurmana village in the same local government area.

The two policemen were identified as an Inspector and a Corporal and were said to have accompanied some engineers of the Shiroro Hydro Electric Dam on routine maintenance of some installations.

They were said to have died after running into the gunmen and exchanging fire with them.

One of the bandits, according to a report, was killed though the engineers they were detailed to protect escaped.

The police, however, did not confirm the death of the policemen as the Public Relations Officer of the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said: “Two policemen are missing after an encounter with some armed bandits at Kusasu village in Shiroro local government area.”

He confirmed that the two missing policemen were among those detailed to provide security to some engineers from Shiroro Hydro Electricity dam on routine maintenance work of power facilities.

PDP Decries Rising Wave of Killings, Banditry Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has decried the rising wave of killings and banditry in many parts of the country.

In a statement issued yesterday by the spokesman for the PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, the main opposition party blamed President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration for failing to contain the mindless killings.

Citing the insecurity expecially in Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, Borno, Kaduna, Kogi, Taraba states, the PDP said the incessant killing of vulnerable Nigerians by insurgents and bandits were unacceptable.

The party said it was greatly hurt by what it described as the horror, anguish, agony, torture and cruelty Nigerians are facing in the hands of bandits, insurgents and kidnappers.

It called on the federal government to rise to the occasion by tightening the security

architecture and securing the nation, to justify the huge resources it claimed to have spent on security.

The statement said: “Our party holds that the situation where marauders and insurgents, who had been pushed to the fringes by the PDP administration, had resurged under the APC, to the extent of occupying territories, ravaging communities and killing our citizens with reckless abandon, raises a lot of questions.

“The PDP further notes that the frightening situation where bandits have reportedly taken control of some parts of our nation and even grant permission and consent to residents before they can conduct weddings, naming ceremonies or operate their markets, is completely inexcusable.

“It is even more lamentable that the bandits had become so emboldened by the failure of the APC administration to the extent of holding Mr. President’s home state, Katsina, to ransom.

Five Persons Feared Dead in Ilorin Heavy Downpour Hammed Shittu in Ilorin About five persons have been feared dead following the heavy downpour in Oko-Erin metropolis, Sawmail area of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, at the weekend.

It was gathered that a Toyota vehicle containing five passengers was trapped at the nearby Oke-Erin bridge, when the downpour became more threatening.

EyewitnesstoldTHISDAYyesterday that: “On arriving at the tip of the bridge, one of the passengers reportedly alighted from the vehicle to check if the car could drive through, but was suddenly submerged under the bridge which collapsed as a result of the force of the downpour.

“The rain was preceded by a heavy storm, and many vehicles on the road couldn’t move again, so they have to be parked.

“But this particular Toyota car also parked when it arrived at the bridge. I saw one of the passengers coming down to check if the car could be driven through, but suddenly the bridge submerged in the water and he went down.”

THISDAY checks further revealed that two other passengers from the vehicle, who were curious that one of them who went out did not return, also alighted from the vehicle to check the bridge, and were also sunk by the submerged bridge.

Meanwhile, the remains of one of the submerged passengers of the car were later found in a stream yesterday morning at the Coca-Cola area of Ilorin.

It was gathered that since the collapse of the bridge at about 11p.m. last Saturday, the rescue and search unit of the state command of fire brigade has been working round the clock to recover the remaining missing bodies.

Residents of theareaalsoapplauded the timely response from the fire service personnel.

Speaking in an interview with journalists in Ilorin yesterday, the Comptroller of Kwara State Fire Service,AbdulWaheedIyandaYakubu, confirmed that two of the passengers in the submerged vehicle survived, but three others, including the driver, were still missing.

PROTECTING SOLDIERS FROM COVID-19...

L-R: Member, Emmanuel Chapel, Banana Island, Lagos, Mrs. Abiola Williams-Otufale; Commander, Central Medical Stores, Nigerian Army, Yaba, Col. Sylvester Anyogo and Chaplain, Emmanuel Chapel, Rev. Konyin Ajayi, and Church Administrator, Adebimpe Olicks-Fatogbe, during the donation of personal protective equipment to the army by the church in Lagos…weekend ETOP UKUTT

FCTA Shuts Jabi Lake Mall over Naira Marley’s Concert Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Ministerial Task Team on COVID -19, yesterday sealed the popular Jabi Lake Mall in Abuja for two weeks for alleged contravention of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) protocols on social gatherings and the 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The popular shopping mall was shut for staging a musical concert on Friday night, where the hip hop act, Naira Marley was the top performer.

The FCT Mobile Court, headed

by Magistrate Idayat Akonni, which sat in the mall’s premises, preferred three charges against the management of the shopping mall for the offence.

It sealed the mall for two weeks

for default of the COVID-19 protocols.

The crowd at the ‘’Drive in Concert’’ was large that organisers found it difficult to put it under control The Chairman of FCT Ministerial Enforcement Task-team on COVID-19 Restrictions, Ikharo Attah flayed the management of Jabi Lake Mall for violating the protocols of FCTA on COVID -

19 control by giving permission to Naira Marley to hold a concert in the premises of the Mall as well as conducting business activities beyond the normal hours allowed by the authorities.

Attah described the event as an embarrassment for the FCTA, adding it put the effort to control the spread of the virus in the FCT at great risk.

CAN Hails Buhari on Appointment of New Appeal Court President Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson Ayokunle, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing the new President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem.

In a statement signed by his Special Assistant (Media

and Communications), Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, CAN president commended President Buhari for resisting the pressure mounted on him by some forces not to send her name to the Senate for confirmation.

“CAN, therefore, felicitates Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem on her elevation, and wishes her a successful tenure in her service to the country, and prays to God

to grant her wisdom, knowledge, understanding, courage, commitment, good health and sound mind needed to serve and finish strong,” he said.

In the statement, CAN said it is not unaware of the plot to deny Dongban-Mensem of the exalted office despite her enviable reputation and credentials, but that those forces were frustrated with the resolve of the president to ensure justice and

fairness prevail over selfish interest.

According to the leadership of the Christian body, the confirmation of Justice Dongban-Mensem as the President of the Court of Appeal shows that President Buhari is being sensitive to the aspiration and yearnings of the populace to have a country where everyone has a sense of belonging irrespective of his religious, political and ethnic affiliations.

Delta Monarchs Advocate Stiffer Penalty for Rapists Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba Delta State Council of Traditional Rulers has called on relevant authorities to apply the full weight of the law on perpetrators of rape and other gender-based violence in the country.

The advice of the royal fathers was contained in a four-point

communiqué issued at the end of a meeting in Asaba, the state capital, where they frowned at the rampant cases of violent attacks on women and the girl-child in the state and the country at large.

The Chairman of the Council and the Obi of Owa, Dr. Emmanuel O. Efeizomor II, who read the communiqué at the

end of the quarterly meeting, condemned in strong terms the alarming rate of reported cases of rape in Nigeria.

While condemning the recent cases of rape and murder of innocent and helpless Nigerians, they urged the government at all levels to apply maximum weight of the law as deterrent.

The traditional rulers pledged

their unalloyed support for the fight against the anti-social act in its entirety.

They called on the judiciary and law enforcement agencies to handle the issues of rape with a high sense of justice, saying anyone caught in the dastardly act should not be spared but made to face the full wrath of the law.

MONDAY JUNE 15, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS XTRA

Military Kills 20 Boko Haram Fighters in Borno Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri The military said 20 members of Boko Haram/ Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) were killed during an attempt by the terrorist group to capture

Monguno, a town in troubled Borno State.

This is coming as the United Nations has raised the alarm that a four-year old girl was killed in the attack and 33 others injured.

The United Nations however

Nigeria Needs Strong Economy to Sustain Democracy, Says LCCI Dike Onwuamaeze The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has called on governments in the country to build a strong and virile economy as a critical arm of sustainable democratic government in the country and warned that worsening poverty posed a great risk to Nigeria’s democratic process and security.

The chamber said that a “strong economy driven by the private sector is fundamental to the building of strong democratic structures and processes. This is therefore the time to reflect on the critical gaps in our democratic structures and our economic architecture.”

The call was contained in a statement signed by the Director General of the LCCI, Dr. Muda Yusuf, which assessed the impact of two decades of uninterrupted

democratic governance on the economy and standard of living of Nigerians.

The statement acknowledged that the 21 years of democracy has earned the country enormous goodwill that has benefitted the country’s economy, adding however, that core democratic values like separation of powers and rule of law are yet to take firm root in Nigeria.

“We recognise that Nigerian democracy is still work-in- progress, but it is crucial to recognise the importance of these democratic ideals in the sustenance of our democracy “The political leadership at all levels should rededicate themselves to the creation of enabling environment for private sector development with emphasis on streamlining the democratic structures for cost effectiveness and better economics,” Yusuf said.

said more civilians could have been killed or injured in the battle that raged for about two hours, which also led to destruction of its humanitarian hub in Monguno.

Speaking to THISDAY, the Head, Public Information Unit, UN-OCHA, Nigeria, Eve Sabbagh, said: “Non-state armed groups penetrated Monguno town and clashed with military for about two hours. A four-year old girl was killed in the clashes and 33 injured. (There may be more civilians killed or injured).

“The non-state armed groups reached the area of the

humanitarian hub. The hub sustained light damage. All the vehicles in front of the hub were set ablaze. And an unexploded missile was found at the gate.”

She said: “There were more than 50 aid workers inside the hub at the time of the attack.”

Sabbagh who described the attack as unfortunate, said: “With COVID-19 we are trying to scale-up some key prevention actions and it is critical to continue working in Monguno camps which are overcrowded. There are 150,000 IDPs in Monguno.”

The military in a press statement

issued yesterday, however claimed that: “The Ground troops of Sector 3 and Air Task Force Operation Lafiya Dole successfully repelled attack on Monguno town and inflicted heavy casualties on Boko Haram /Islamic State of West Africa terrorists who attempted to breach Munguno town in Borno State on Saturday, June 13, 2020.”

The military in a statement signed by the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Defence Headquarters, Maj. Gen. John Enenche, said: “During the combined brave Sector 3 counter attack and precise ISR and

munition delivery by the Air Task Force, 20 Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters were neutralised and 4 of their gun trucks destroyed. The troops also captured some of the terrorists and their equipment.”

Enenche added that. “The High Command of the Armed Forces of Nigeria commends the Land component and Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole for the dexterity and professionalism exhibited during this operation.

The troops are further encouraged to remain resolute and decisive in their ground and air offensives in the theatre .

MARINE ENVIRONMENT...

UN Condemns Boko Haram PROTECTING L-R: Executive Director, Operations, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Mr. Shehu Ahmed; Director-General, Dr. Bashir Jamoh; and Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Victor Ochei, during the Director-General’s briefing of editors Attack on Borno in Lagos...weekend Michael Olugbode inMaiduguri United Nations has condemned last Saturday’s attack by terrorist group on Some parts of Borno State.

A statement issued by the Humanitarian Coordinator of UN in Nigeria, Mr. Edward Kallon, said the act of the group is vehemently condemned, It said the violent attacks by non-state armed groups in Monguno and Nganzai Local Government Areas last Saturday in which many civilians were killed, including a four-year old girl, 37 other civilians injured and a major humanitarian facility was damaged, stand condemned.

Kallon said: “I am deeply saddened by the news that many civilians, including an innocent child,

lost their lives in these horrific attacks. My deepest condolences go to their family. Those who were injured are also in my thoughts, and I wish them a speedy recovery.

“I am appalled by the continued violent attacks launched by non-state armed groups in civilian areas in Borno State.”

The statement said: “On June 13, non-state armed group aboard light trucks mounted with heavy artillery raided Goni Usmanti community in Nganzai LGA before penetrating the town of Monguno around 11.45 a.m. from two different entry points, resulting in clashes with the military which lasted for about two hours.

The armed assailants reached the humanitarian hub, where over 50 aid workers were present at the time of the attack.

Don’t Succumb to Plot to Remove Magu, Zenith Labour Party Tells Buhari Chuks Okocha in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has been advised not to be swayed by thickened plot by some politicians and public office holders to have the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC). Mr. Ibrahim Magu, removed from office.

The National Chairman of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Chief Dan Nwuayanwu, made the call while speaking to journalists yesterday in Abuja on an alleged plot to sack Magu.

The national chairman of the

party warned that attempting to remove Magu at this crucial period of the Buhari’s administration onslaught against corruption would affect one of the cardinal programmes of the president, which is the anti -corruption fight.

Nwuayanwu explained that information revealed that there is an attempt by some politicians, particularly those former office holders in the country, who are facing trial, to influence government functionaries and those very close to Buhari to relieve Magu of his appointment as quickly as possible.

He alleged that perpetrators of

the plot have prepared hundreds of millions of naira to prosecute the plan.

According to Nwanyanwu, “Most of the people who held positions in the past in various states, liquidated their states. And we the citizens from those states could see where these funds were put in. Some of them are facing trials, while some of them would have their trials commence very soon.

“But they don’t want it to happen, and that has led them putting heads and funds together to lobbying for his removal.

“So we are alerting the president

and the functionaries around him to beware of these unpatriotic criminals that have liquidated their states who are now getting ready to fight. Corruption is now fighting back again.”

Speaking on the sterling qualities of Magu and why he should remain in the saddle of the anti-corruption crusade, the party chairman said: “This is a man, if you listen to the president in his democracy day speech, acknowledged that over N800 billion has been recovered by Magu in cash, properties worth billions of naira, jewelries among others.

Gender-basedViolence Must Man, Wife Lose Three Children to Awka Fire Incident varying degrees of injury by fire Brave-Heart Flats at the firsst floor also saved, and we conducted David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka Be Treated like COVID-19, fighters, who put out the fire after of a three-storey building, close post-fire risk assessment of the Three children of the same they were alerted by neighbours. to St Joseph the Worker Catholic building.”

Says Lagos First Lady A resident in the area, Johnson Meanwhile, it was gathered Church at Iyiagu Estate, Awka. parents, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Segun James

The wife of Lagos State Governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has reiterated that gender-based and sexual violence against women and the girl-child must be treated with the same level of seriousness as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mrs. Sanwo-Olu stressed that the country needed to demonstrate the commitment in order to end the menace.

The state first lady, who stated this while receiving participants at a special all-male awareness walk organised by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) in collaboration with Partnership For Justice and Mirabel Centre Against Rape in Lagos, commended men of good conscience who have

decided to rise up to be counted, saying it is important for men to join the fight against sexual and gender-based violence.

According to her, “It is laudable to see men come out to send strong message against rape and to end sexual and gender-based violence in Lagos State. I am very happy that we are able to do this, and I hope this will not be the last time we are going to see men coming out like this.

“I pray by the grace of God that when we are going to repeat this event, we will have over 20 million men standing behind us. You know how they caused a movement in America where everybody came out, that is the type of movement we want to see here in Nigeria against rape.”

Anor, were last Saturday night seriously burnt in a fire incident in Awka, Anambra State.

THISDAY learnt that the fire which broke out in a residential building started in one of the flats after a can of kerosene that was at the back of a refrigerator exploded.

The fire caught the three children, who were in the flat, but were eventually rescued with

that one of the children died yesterday morning from wound sustained from the fire, while the other two have been transferred to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital in Awka for treatment.

The state Chief Fire Fighter, Mr. Martin Agbili, who confirmed the fire incident, said: “We received a distress call of fire outbreak at

“We deployed our firefighters and two fire trucks to the scene.

We put out the fire, and no life was lost, but three children in the flat were burnt and were rushed to the Prime Specialist Hospital at Awka.

“The cause of the fire outbreak was a kerosene explosion in a gallon kept at the back of a deep freezer. The building was

Obodo, who spoke to THISDAY, said one of the affected children died at about 4a.m. yesterday. It was however not clear the ages of the children.

Meanwhile, the state Police spokesperson, SP Haruna Mohammed, when contacted, said he was not aware of the fire incident or the death of one of the affected children.

Togo, Niger, Benin Owe Nigeria N32.04bn in Electricity Bills, Says NERC Togo, Niger, and Benin Republic did not pay their N32.04 billion bills for the electricity Nigeria supplied to them in 2019, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said.

According to data obtained

by The Premium Times from the NERC, the three countries received a total invoice of N32.04

billion for the electricity supplied to them in 2019.

The commission had earlier said the three countries owed Nigeria N29.97 billion.

Through its electricity transmission company, Nigeria supplies power to these countries, which are classified as international customers in the Nigerian power

sector.

Niger’s power firm, Societe Nigerienne electricity, failed to pay a total invoice of N3.01 billion it received in the first quarter of 2019; N3.69 billion in the second quarter, N4.1 billion in the third quarter and N2.07 in the fourth quarter.

Communaute Electrique du

Benin, a power firm owned by Togo and Benin, did not pay N9.74 billion for the power supplied to it in the first quarter; N7.16 billion in the second quarter; and N2.27 billion in the third quarter.

It, however, did not receive any invoice for the fourth quarter of 2019.

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NEWSEXTRA

IPI Nigeria Urges Philippine Govt to Free Rappler’s Editor, Ressa Peter Uzoho The International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria, has called on the Government of Philippines to immediately free a famous international journalist, Editor of Rappler and member of IPI Executive Board, Ms Maria Ressa, who is currently under trial over alleged cyber libel suit.

The Philippines Manila Regional Trial Court will today deliver a ruling in a cyber libel prosecution against Ressa.

The IPI in a petition written to the Ambassador Extraordinary/ Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the

Republic of Philippines in Nigeria, Mr. Alex Lamadrid, dated June 12, 2020, urged Lamadrid to prevail on the government of his country to withdraw all cases against Ressa, and uphold human rights, press freedom and democratic norms.

IPI Nigeria in the petition jointly signed by the Chairman of its Nigerian National Committee, Mr. Kabiru Yusuf; and Nigeria’s representative in the IPI Executive Board in Vienna, Wada Maida, said “we are deeply alarmed that this case appears to be based on a trumped-up indictment, in which the law

has been applied retroactively to charge and intimidate Ms. Ressa.”

The IPI said it appeared that the government of Philippines did not tolerate criticism of its actions, adding that it was dismayed that the government had filed as many as nine cases against Ressa in a blatant attempt to silence her and shut down

Rappler.

It said those legal cases, which were only aimed at criminalising Ressa’s reporting and carry combined sentences of more than 100 years in prison, included two libel prosecutions, two criminal cases alleging foreign ownership in Rappler and investigations of old tax returns.

According to the petition, “we

are aware that the cyber libel case is based on an investigative report that Rappler published on 29 May 2012 involving the former chief justice Renato Corona and a businessman.

“The businessman filed a libel complaint with the National Bureau of Investigations’ (NIB) cybercrime division in 2017 based on Cybercrime Prevention Act

of 2012, which became law four months after the story was published.

“Initially, in 2018 the NIB decided not to pursue the complaint, but the Justice Ministry reopened the case, applying the law retrospectively. Ms. Ressa was arrested on 13 February 2019 and had to spend time in detention before being released on bail.”

FG: 2020 Budget Review Not Austerity Measures James Emejo in Abuja Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, has assured Nigerians that the revision of the 2020 budget by the federal government was not intended to impose austerity measures on them.

Agba said that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration was looking at measures that would make economic recovery faster, in the aftermath of the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic and the looming global recession.

He said the major concern of government was how to ensure the retention of existing jobs and creation of new ones, adding that “we looked basically at how to save lives; how to keep our economy off the ravages of the pandemic by reducing the impact of vulnerabilities.”

According to him, “worldwide, economies, even the ones that were strong, were going into recession. We did not have enough fiscal buffers, this time round, as we had, as a nation, in 2015.

“So, the concern was how to keep our recession short-lived and shallow; how to stimulate growth

in order to ensure quick recovery, not just a U-shaped recovery but a V-shaped recovery, and how to build resilience going forward after learning some lessons.

“What were the foundational things that we needed to put in place? It was necessary to have some kind of stimulus-both fiscal and monetary- and also try as much as possible to deal with the real sector and the issue of implementation so that we can stimulate growth in the economy.”

The minister spoke as one of the discussants of the “Impact of COVID-19 on the Economy particularly on the 2020 and 2021 Budgets” during a live discussion programme- “Radio Link”- monitored on Radio Nigeria’s Capital FM 92.9 at the weekend in Abuja.

According to him, “The revision of the budget was not to come up with austerity measures. It was to move resources to areas that would give us more impact such as health, agriculture, works and maintenance of our highways, job creation for our youths and women, artisanal miners, support for MSMEs, providing bailouts to critical sectors of the economy, among others.”

No Missing N23bn in SDGs’ Office, Says Presidency Peter Uzoho The presidency has denied the allegation that N23 billion allegedly missing in the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was purportedly traced to the personal account of a former staff of the office.

The Head of Communication, presidential SDGs, office, Janet McDickson, in a statement yesterday, said no N23 billion was missing, adding that appropriated and released funds to the office were judiciously utilised in the discharge of its mandate.

“The attention of the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAPSDGs) has been drawn to recent online publications and subsequent social media posts asserting a certain ‘disquiet’ in the Office due to an alleged N23billion traced to the personal account

of a former staff of the Office.

“These reckless publications would have been wished away for what they evidently are; but for the need to set the records straight and put an end to these mischievous publications.

“Therefore OSSAP-SDGs wishes to categorically state that there is no N23 Billion missing in the Office. Indeed, appropriated and released Funds to the office were judiciously utilised in the discharge of its mandate,” McDickson said She also dispelled the allegation of transfer of staff from the office to cover up the alleged fraud, saying “it is pertinent to state that it is completely the prerogative and responsibility of the pool ministry or office to redeploy any of their staff seconded to any Ministry, Department or Agency in line with extant rules and guidelines.”

She said it amounted to a misrepresentation of facts for anyone to interpret such application of official rules as an “attempt to cover-up”.

ALL EYES ON INDUSTRIALISATION...

L-R: Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde; Special Adviser to the Governor on Minerals Resources, Mr. Segun Oni; and Director General, Oyo State Investment and Public Private Partnership Agency, Hon. Segun Ogunwuyi, during the governor’s inspection of Pacesetter Mineral Development Company, Oloba Burnt Bricks in Oyo...weekend

People Just Hate Abacha for No Reason, Says Wife A former First Lady, Mrs. Maryam Abacha, has stated that her husband, the late former Head of State, General Sani Abacha, has been painted black because people just hate him for no just cause.

She also faulted the recovered loots linked to her husband, stating the truth about Abacha’s contribution to Nigeria would become known in no time.

The former first lady stated

this in an interview with Kano Focus to mark the 22th memorial of the former military ruler.

He said the elite betrayed her husband, who died in 1998, despite “his contributions to the development of the state and country”.

“How come this man was not a thief until he died?

“What is this amount of money after 22 years you say oh we have found this amount

of money and we’re bringing it back?

“It is a shame to tell lies on a dead man! It is a shame to tell lies on your leader.

“If he had done wrong, God knows. If other people are putting the wrong on him, it is a matter of time.

“They will kneel down like America is kneeling down now.

Anybody that is evil will kneel down just like this corona has

come to shut this world.”

She described her late husband as a person who helped a lot of people.

“He worked in Kano and he planted Kano people, but there are people he helped a lot but they are not even greeting me now for no reason,” she continued.

“They just hate us. But why? It is Haram and Allah is watching us.”

Edo Group Backs Ize-Iyamu’s Governorship Ambition A community-based group focused on development in Edo State, Etuno Rebirth Group, has expressed confidence that Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu will emerge victorious as the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in its internal primary slated for June 22.

In an endorsement signed by its President and Secretary, Dr. Bello Mudashiru and Mr. Balogun Segun respectively, the group described Ize-Iyamu as a harbinger of hope and unity.

He was described as a dutiful leader and a party-man willing

to play by the rules and accept collective outcomes, irrespective of personal preferences.

The group said: “In a matter of months, the people of Edo State will be heading to the polls again to participate in an election that has gained added importance in light of global events such as COVID-19 that bear local consequences, and unique challenges that continue to confront our people in their collective aspiration for a life of abundance, security, and dignity.”

“The times we are in call for desperate, but measured

interventions. And unless we elect a leader who inspires hope, not fear; a leader who rallies the people, not divide them; a leader who displays a heightened ability of restraint and responsibility, not reckless and frivolous actions – we may not be able to meet, and surmount, these challenges.

“This is why as a communitybased group focused on development, we have decided to endorse Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu in his bid to emerge as the Governor of the state on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.”

“Our choice of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu is based on a very simple premise and it’s not only because he is a viable alternative to the present occupant of the office whose tenure has been distracted by avoidable political squabbles but due to his preparedness for the office. It is because, in and out of office, for decades, he has devoted himself to Edo State and preached a consistent, constantly revised, message of development in key areas to improve outcomes for our people and raise the standard of living for all.”

Borno Assembly Scores Zulum High on Performance Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri Members of the Borno State House of Assembly have expressed delight at the performance of the state Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, in the first year in office.

The lawmakers said they were amazed by the “countless projects” sited in their constituencies by the governor.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, made this assertion in a statement issued yesterday.

Lawan, in the statement, said

the Borno State Secretary to the Government (SSG), Usman Jidda, on Saturday unveiled 326 capital projects and 49 programmes and policies being executed by Zulum in one year.

The speaker said in addition to passing 10 executive bills and appropriating funds for the governor, lawmakers had undertaken series of oversights in their respective constituencies in the state, and they were very impressed by Zulum’s countless projects.

According to him, “As you know, it is our job as legislature to

appropriate funds for the executive and to oversee them. After approving funds, our members have done oversights and have been visiting their constituencies.

We are highly impressed by the countless projects across the state. Zulum’s performance is extraordinary.”

Lawan explained in the statement that as part of their support, the state Assembly has since passed 10 bills brought by the governor which established new policies and institutions of government.

“In the discharge of our duties

and in support of Zulum-led executive, the state Assembly has passed bills which created the security trust fund, education trust fund, contributory health insurance scheme, the Geographic Information Services, sustainable development and humanitarian response agency, while also amended some laws on public procurement, the state university, polytechnic, road maintenance and state independent electoral commission, all of which helped in moving the state forward under Zulum’s sound leadership,” the Speaker said.

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Group Urges Buhari to Recover FG’s N16bn from Lagos Free Zone Peter Uzoho A group that identified itself as ‘Concerned Maritime Stakeholders (CMS),’ has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to recover N16.1 billion from the Lagos Free Zone operator.

The group’s position followed the allegation by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) that it revoked the land lease agreement signed with the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL) because LADOL shortchanged the federal government, LADOL was also accused by the NPA of violating the terms of the land lease at Tarkwa Bay, near Light House Beach in Lagos.

THISDAY had reported that the NPA revoked the lease via a letter dated November 14, 2019 and addressed to the Managing Director of Messrs Global Resources Management Limited (GRML), the parent company of LADOL. According to NPA, LADOL also shortchanged the Federal Government by subleasing 11.2426 hectares of land out of the total 121 hectares leased to it at outrageous amount of money without recourse to NPA. THISDAY had also reported that the NPA revealed that LADOL collected outrageous $45 million (N16.2billion) from a third party for the 11.2426 hectares of land for which it paid only $524,105 (N37.73 million) to NPA.

A spokesman of LADOL had told THISDAY that he was not authorised to speak on the issue, which he said was in the court.

Though President Muhammadu Buhari had directed NPA to restore LADOL’s 25-year lease agreement, CMS has urged Buhari to direct the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe NPA’s allegation, recover the underpayment and prosecute all those involved in shortchanging the Government.

Secretary of the group, Mr. Idris Sanusi, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, urged the new Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari to draw the attention of the president to NPA’s sensitive allegation.

Sanusi alleged that before Prof Gambari came on board “they had misled Mr. President to believe that LADOL’s only infraction was that it subleased 11.2426 hectares of the land to a third party. They concealed the real fact from Mr. President.

“We have it on good authority that Mr. President does not have the facts of the issue at the Lagos Free Zone. They misled Mr. President to believe that NPA’s only grouse against LADOL was that it subleased part of the land to a third party without approval from NPA. That is not the whole story.

They failed to tell Mr. President that LADOL collected outrageous $45 million (N16.2billion) from the third party for the 11.2426 hectares of

land for which it paid only $524,105 (N37.73 million) to NPA. “This side of the story was concealed from Mr. President. It is very curious that they hid this fact.

“We call on Mr. President to ask EFCC to recover the money. We hope that Mr. President doesn’t act based on wrong advice. We are not against any associate of LADOL contesting for presidency in 2023 but the funding for the election should not come from our common purse.

“Prof. Gambari and EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu have a track record of integrity and we are hopeful they won’t allow the President to be misled,” Sanusi explained.

“Since NPA made the allegation publicly, LADOL has not come out to deny the allegation.

“So, EFCC should recover the balance of N16.16billion.

“We will pursue this matter to its logical conclusion. President Buhari’s no-nonsense posture on the issue of corruption is unprecedented and Magu has demonstrated that he is a good ally to Mr. President in the fight against corruption.

“We are counting on Prof.

Gambari’s unblemished record both nationally and internationally, to draw Mr. President’s attention to this alleged monumental fraud which is an act of economic sabotage to the Federal Government ”.

SERAP Seeks Details of N800bn Recovered Loot, Alleged Payments into Individual Accounts Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has sent a Freedom of Information Act (FoI) request to President Muhammadu Buhari asking him “to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, and the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed to publish a comprehensive list of names of people from whom N800 billion in looted funds have been recovered, the details of spending of the money and the dates of the recovery.” SERAP also urged the president to: “direct appropriate anti-corruption agencies to promptly, thoroughly and transparently investigate allegations that payments totalling N51 billion were made into individual accounts in 2019.”

In the letter dated June 13,

2020 and signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Mr. Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “Publishing the details regarding the N800 billion recovered loot and investigating the alleged suspicious payments into personal accounts would be entirely consistent with fundamental principles of due process, and Nigeria’s international anti-corruption commitments.”

According to SERAP, “The information will also reveal the truth of where money is going and why it is there, and allow Nigerians an opportunity to assess the impacts of any projects carried out with the recovered loot and the alleged payments into individual accounts.”

The letter, copied to Malami and Ahmed, read in part: “The public has a right to know how recovered N800 billion loot has

been spent, and the details and purpose of the alleged payments into individual accounts.”

“As a signatory to the UN Convention against Corruption, the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Nigeria has committed to ensure transparent management of public resources, and unhindered access to public information. These commitments ought to be fully upheld and respected.” “Transparency over transactions by the government is critical to ensuring public confidence in the integrity of management of public resources.

The authorities are required to set the highest standards of transparency, accountability and probity in the management of these resources and the programmes that they oversee.”

Obaseki Disqualified over Leaked Election Results, Aide Alleges The Political Adviser to Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, Hon. Osaigbovo Iyoha, has shed more light on the circumstances that led to the disqualification of his principal from the forthcoming primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Iyoha alleged that the party’s screening committee disqualified Governor Obaseki because the party’s plan to rig the primaries had been uncovered.

“They have results that were already prepared for this direct primary and somehow the

results got leaked.

“They couldn’t get to that direct primaries because they know that the results have been leaked from their own stables.

“So they just looked for the easiest way out. What could they have done? It is to go judge his certificate and say that the man was not qualified,” Iyoha said.

Iyoha regretted that despite the University of Ibadan attesting to the fact that Obaseki is an alumnus of the citadel, the highest decision body of the APC still disqualified the governor.

He noted that the Obaseki camp is fully prepared for the

September 19 governorship election in the state.

The governor’s special adviser’s claim comes two days after the ruling party prevented Obaseki from participating in its primaries ahead of the governorship poll in the state.

Governor Obaseki was declared unfit to contest in the exercise for allegedly presenting faulty certificates, and abusing his powers as Governor of Edo State.

There are also recommendations that the governor be sacked and ousted from the party over what some members of the APC have termed anti-party operations.

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NNPC Makes Audited Accounts Public The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has published audited financial statements online in a bid to improve transparency around its operations.

Bloomberg reported that the corporation has been

criticised for years of conducting Nigeria’s oil business in secret by publishing only unaudited financial reports.

The statements published on the company’s website yesterday were for 2018 and were signed by the Group

Kwara Speaker, Former Gov Trade Words over N2.7bn Road Contract Hammed Shittu in Ilorin Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Yakubu Danladi, has accused the immediate-past governor of the state, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, for allegedly turning the 33 kilometre Ilesha/Gwanara road contract into a conduit pipe to siphon the state funds.

The road contact worth N2.7billion was allegedly awarded by the former governor to a contractor during his administration “without any work done.”

But in a swift reaction yesterday, the former governor, through his former Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba, described the allegation raised by Danladi as political and has no effect.

He, however, said: “The contract for Ilesha Gwanara Road was awarded by the administration and the contractor was paid in relation to the work done. We paid according to specification of the job as approved by the state Ministry of Works.”

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin at the weekend on the activities of the state House of

Assembly in the last one year, Danladi also said the Assembly under his leadership has passed 22 bills and motions that were germane to the overall benefits of Kwara people.

According to him, “The former administration in the state awarded the surface dressing of the 33 km Ilesha/Gwanara Road to a contractor, and nothing was done on it.

“This is a popular road where this Otoge started. The youths in the area blocked our former House of Representatives member, and the video went viral.

“It is a 33 km road which the former state Governor, Ahmed, used as a conduit pipe to siphon the state resources because N1.8 billion had been paid to the contractor with nothing being done on the road.”

Danladi, who said the people in the area had never seen an asphalt road before, stated that the incumbent state Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, had awarded the road with asphalt tarring at lower cost and would be completed before the end of this year.

Ganduje Relaxes Lockdown on Mondays Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano To further cushion the effect and hardship caused by lockdown which was occasioned by COVID-19 in Kano State, the state Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has approved Mondays to be part of the days (Fridays, Sundays and Wednesdays) that lockdown is relaxed.

Ganduje in a statement issued and signed by his Press Secretary, Mr Abba Anwar, yesterday, quoted the governor as saying: “While I urge the people to continue observing the COVID-19

protocols, I wish to convey to all that Monday is now the fourth day of the week that lockdown is suspended.

People are now free to move freely on Mondays within the stipulated time, which is 6a.m. to 6p.m.

“But they must maintain social distancing, wear their face masks, use hand sanitizer and wash the hands with soap and running water.”

He directed that all markets and other public places in the state must continue to observe the protocols, as all hands must be on deck to effectively tame the pandemic.

SEC Denies Resignation of Acting DG Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has denied the purported resignation of its Acting Director General (DG), Ms. Mary Uduk, from the commission.

A statement issued by SEC’s Head, Corporate Communication, Ms. Efe Ebelo, said yesterday that “its attention had been drawn to a publication in the media on Sunday June 14, 2020, wherein the Acting Director General, Ms. Mary Uduk, is purported to have resigned from the commission and a send forth party slated for

Monday, June 15, 2020.

“The commission therefore wishes to inform the general public that the Acting Director General of the SEC, has not resigned her appointment with the commission, neither has she handed over to anyone.

‘Ms. Uduk, like every other staff of the commission, is awaiting the arrival of the new DG of SEC, Mr. Lamido Yuguda, who was cleared by the Senate last week.

“Stakeholders in the capital market and the general public are, therefore, advised to disregard the contents of the aforementioned publication as it was false.”

Managing Director, Malam Mele Kyari.

NNPC also published audited accounts online of its 20 subsidiaries and business divisions for first time.

Disclosure “is good for transparency and accountability,” Executive Secretary of Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Mr. Waziri

Adio, said in a response to a private message on Twitter.

“I urge them to make this a regular practice and in open data format.”

National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) is the group’s most profitable division, according to the statements.

It reported revenue of N5.04

trillion ($13 billion) in 2018 and profit of N1.01 trillion . That compares with a loss of N1.65 trillion in 2017.

The report shows total assets managed by NAPIMS at N18.6 trillion, with the oil and gas components valued at N14.2 trillion.

Its oil production subsidiary, the Nigerian Petroleum

Development Company (NPDC), reported a post-tax profit of N179 billion in 2018.

The corporation’s three refineries reported a combined loss of N154 billion with the Kaduna refinery recording zero revenue for that year.

NNPC didn’t publish consolidated audited accounts for the group.

INFRASTRUCTURAL RENEWAL...

L-R: Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo; Governor of Enugu State, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; and the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Edward Ubosi, during the inauguration of internal roads in Nsukka...weekend

Oyo Declares Free COVID-19 Tests The Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force has declared free COVID-19 tests for all residents in the ongoing community testing across the state.

This came as the task force disclosed that results for 22 suspected COVID-19 cases in the state came back positive.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, who made the disclosure via his verified Twitter handle, on Sunday, announced that the total number of confirmed cases in the state had risen to 491.

He tweeted, “If you have any strange fever or sudden

loss of taste/smell, please visit the nearest community-based testing centre to get tested for COVID-19.

“The COVID-19 confirmation tests for 22 suspected cases came back positive. The cases are from Oluyole (6); Lagelu

(4); Ibadan South East (3); Ido (2); Ibadan South West (2); Ibadan North West (2); Ibadan North (1); Egbeda (1); and Akinyele (1) local government areas.

“So, the total number of confirmed cases in Oyo State today is 491.”

Edo Guber Election: PDP Announces Members of Local Government Committee Chuks Okocha in Abuja The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has approved the nomination of some party members that would serve on the local government areas (LGAs)

congresses expected to hold on June 16.

The NWC, according to a statement by the PDP’s National Organising Secretary, Col. Austin Akobundu (rtd), mandated the committee to elect one national delegate

and one person living with disability in each of the 18 LGAs for the upcoming 2020 Governorship Election in Edo State.

The committee is made up of the Chairman, Mr. Ude Okochukwu and the Secretary,

Mr. Shabba Ibrahim. Other members of the committee are Mr. S.O. Olaifa, Mrs. Ada Fredrick Okwori and Mr. Moses Zuwoghe.

The exercise is scheduled for Tuesday, June 16, 2020, in each LGA of the state.

Abia Indigenes in US Send Palliatives toVulnerable People Back Home Emmanuel UgwuinUmuahia An American based non- profit organisation, the Hope Ministry Network (HMN), has provided palliatives to rural communities in Abia State to cushion the sufferings occasioned by the disruption of normal economic activities by the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic disease.

The provision of the palliatives was one of the ways the indigenes of Abia State who are living outside

the shores of the country are reaching out to help people back home to cope with the burden of survival.

The beneficiaries of the palliatives were vulnerable rural folks in Isiegbu Ozuitem in Bende Local Government Area (BLGA) of Abia State, who have been facing hardships following several months of lockdown.

According to the Founders of HMN, Dr. Emmanuel Igwe and his wife, Nnenna, said they were touched by the plight of the people

in Nigeria, hence the decision to provide succour.

The Former Chairman of BLGA, Mr. Chidiebere Asonye, who distributed the palliatives on behalf of HMN, said he ensured that the targets of the succour were reached.

Asonye lauded the Igwes for their philanthropic activities and for remembering the suffering masses in their home community.

The beneficiaries, who were drawn from the villages Obuofia,

Ofiavu, Agbolobo and Elu na Agbo expressed profound gratitude to the founders of HMN for their kind gestures and praised God for using them to help people in need.

Igwe, who talked with some of the beneficiaries via the WhatsApp, said the palliatives were the HMN response to the impact of the COVID-19,” which grounded economic and social activities and made it difficult for people to have bread on their tables.

Sports Academy Proprietor Lauds Buhari on MKO Stadium President Muhammadu Buhari has been commended for naming the National Stadium, Abuja after the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, the acclaimed winner of June 12 election and one of the greatest contributors to sports development in Nigeria with the unveiling of the new name for the stadium at the weekend.

The Proprietor of Oramah Sports Academy, Mr. Ifeanyi Pat Oramah gave the commendation in Abuja while speaking with journalists after the commemorative ceremonies.

He stated that the gallant action taken by President Buhari went beyond politics.

According to Oramah, the actualisation of the designation

would serve as an impetus to young Nigerians at home and abroad to contribute meaningfully to the development of sports and sporting infrastructure across the 36 states of the country. “ With this progress , I see Nigeria returning to our glorious years in sports where we had upwardly mobile Nigerians like the late Chief M.K.O Abiola, Chief

Emmanuel Iwuanyawu, Alaji Alyuf Salam, Uzor Orji Kalu and others nurturing to success, great clubs and investing heavily in sports development. This righteous step by the President would bring out the best in our rich men and women, both in and outside the country towards the development of sports in Nigeria.

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FOR THE RECORDS

One Year of Selfless Service to Our Fatherland Femi Gbajabiamila It is now one year since the inauguration of the 9th House of Representatives when my colleagues elected me as the Speaker. On that day, I committed to â&#x20AC;&#x153;use the legislative platform and the instrumentality of the law to make Nigeria a better and more perfect unionâ&#x20AC;?. I have, to the best of my ability, been keeping to that commitment in the past year.

I must admit that it is our fate to have assumed office at a time of global upheaval, with relentless change, both intended and unintended, cascading all around us to remake our world.

But as lawmakers, we have been handed an opportunity to rebuild our country, to finally put Nigeria in a position to achieve the greatness long foretold yet too long unattained. We govern at a time of national consensus in favour of radical change.

The House had begun on this path last year when, within three months of our inauguration, we adopted a Legislative Agenda that was bold in its commitment to reform, specific in its objectives and clear on the methods to achieve those purposes.

We also committed to delivering a fixed budget cycle, and by December of 2019, we had done exactly that. We committed to ensuring that Nigerians, wherever they may live, at home and abroad, are always assured of the support and protection of the peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s House. Time and time again, we lived up to that commitment in South Africa, in China and everywhere and every time the interests of our people were endangered.

The 9th House has consistently extended a hand of cooperation to organised labour. It has become a virtual certainty that it is to the House that the representatives of labour will first turn to seek resolution of crises that affect the welfare of their members and threaten to disrupt our economy and essential services, including education and healthcare.

Like us, organised labour in this country represents ordinary men and women who are doing their best to provide for their families and be satisfied in the accomplishment of earning a good living by the efforts of their own hands.

When parliament joins in common cause with labour, we reaffirm a historical partnership that accounts for much of the social progress in the world over the last century.

Our interventions on these and other matters of national importance did not interfere with or decrease the pace of our legislative output. We have in our first year, passed 37 long-awaited and much-anticipated legislation, including reforms of the federal governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public

procurement system, the Company and Allied Matters Act and the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts Act. We have proposed and passed legislation to achieve electric power sector reform, establish a process of presidential transition that ensures continuity in government and limits the possibility of political or constitutional crisis arising from anticipated or sudden shifts of presidential power.

We heard the cries of those Nigerians, who, living with disabilities, have found their opportunities for advancement in education and professional prospects, curtailed and constrained.

We passed on their behalf, the Physically Challenged (Empowerment) Bill, 2019 to promote accessibility and ensure that the barriers that stand in the way of people achieving their dreams no longer exist. We have delivered the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan Bill, and the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, both of which will place our country on the path to industrial self-sufficiency and economic growth that lifts people out of poverty, creates jobs that pay a living wage and ensures that more of our people can contribute to the continued

NIGERIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S COVID-19 RESPONSE AND POST-LOCKDOWN Nigeria must be prepared for the infection to run its â&#x20AC;&#x153;natural historyâ&#x20AC;? of disease progression.

While eased lockdowns will reduce economic, social and political pressures in the absence of signiÄ&#x2122;cant economic palliatiÂ&#x;es at scale, there will ineÂ&#x;itably be collateral damage by way of increased infection among the general population, increased disability within some 20% of the infected population and death within, at current best-guess estimates, around 3 - 5% of the infected population. This wider community harm should be anticipated, accepted and considered as uncontrollable collateral damage under the preÂ&#x;ailing local circumstances of an intelligent lockdown.

Our Recommendations: Key options should focus on messaging for preÂ&#x;ention, risk mitigation and behaÂ&#x;iour changeDz these must be our â&#x20AC;&#x153;Â&#x;accineâ&#x20AC;? for now.

This will entail: Č&#x160; oÂ&#x;ernment at all leÂ&#x;els, ciÂ&#x;il society and all releÂ&#x;ant partnersČŚstakeholders inÂ&#x;esting heaÂ&#x;ily in ehaÂ&#x;iour hange ommunication Çť Çź interÂ&#x;entions to bring the public to a shared understanding of the risks and repercussions of -Ĺ&#x2014;Ĺ&#x; infection. This will inÂ&#x;olÂ&#x;e greater inÂ&#x;estments in time, money and professional eÂĄpertise of behaÂ&#x;iour change scientists to lead the campaign. oÂ&#x;ernment must also lead by example; by practicing what they preach. Č&#x160; uilding a high leÂ&#x;el of trust among the people, and between the people and goÂ&#x;ernment institutions to aid adherence to oÄ&#x153;cial recommendations and guidelines for -Ĺ&#x2014;Ĺ&#x; preÂ&#x;ention. Trust is the currency of public health. We must motiÂ&#x;ate people to take personal responsibility for their health and wellbeing and dispel the myth of resilience against -Ĺ&#x2014;Ĺ&#x; circulating in certain segments of the society.

Č&#x160; ducating and empowering the citiÂŁenry to strike a balance between remaining at home where possible and Â&#x;enturing out where necessary. Č&#x160; reÂ&#x;iew of our national containment guidelines, particularly with regard to religious and large indoor social gatherings. t is our opinion that lifting the suspension on these Çťas recently announced by T Çź was premature; without the successful buy-in of the entire community for physical distancing, wearing of mouth and nose cloth coÂ&#x;erings and general hygiene etiÂ&#x161;ueÄ´e, there has already been a signiÄ&#x2122;cant uptick in the daily number of recorded cases of infection. Č&#x160; stablishing and maintaining nationwide community-led public health monitoring to support continued adherence to guidelines for social distancing and personal hygiene across sectors, eÂ&#x;en beyond the present outbreak and -Ĺ&#x2014;Ĺ&#x; becomes yet another endemic communicable disease. We note there is an army of existing but under-utilised community health workers and local goÂ&#x;ernment workers across the country that can be gainfully deployed in this regard. Č&#x160; ecentralising the national response in faÂ&#x;our of streamlined partnerships between the tate goÂ&#x;ernments, priÂ&#x;ate health sector, national and international N s and deÂ&#x;elopment partners in Â&#x;arious components of the response. ÇťTo include partnering for testing, contact tracing, isolation, treatment, surÂ&#x;eillance, training of health staÄ&#x203A;, and community mobilisation and empowerment.Çź Č&#x160; amping up testing and contact tracing which are essentially the main technical tools left aÂ&#x;ailable to us as we haÂ&#x;e neither treatment nor Â&#x;accine for now. We must improÂ&#x;e on our testing numbers and our result turnaround time in all 36 States of the Federation and so ross iÂ&#x;er and Kogi States must take steps to catch up with the rest of the ountry.

development of communities across the nation.

When the deadly Coronavirus arrived on our shores, it exposed the structural weaknesses of our system. We did not foresee, nor were we prepared for the global devastation of the COVID-19 disease. We were not ready to fight an enemy of this nature, and our lack of preparation has caused a great deal of loss and despair across our nation. We are still at risk of more severe damage to our economy and our national security. All of this is in addition to the existing threat of disease and loss of lives at a scale we will not long forget. I pray for the ill and the recovering, and I commit the dearly departed to a peaceful afterlife and ask for Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grace on those they have left behind.

The 9th House of Representatives responded to the emergence of the Coronavirus by passing in one session, the Emergency Economic Stimulus Bill as the first response by any arm of government to the economic issues that we foresaw would be the consequence of the arrival of this disease on our shores.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has long since begun to adopt and implement provisions of that Bill by granting deferrals on loan payments owed to federal government institutions and lifting tax restrictions on the Č&#x160; stablishing testing and contact-tracing protocols, leÂ&#x;eraging all the support of local and international partners that we can.

Conclusion The present system of centralised response led by the N only is often aÄ´ended by late response to callsČŚcitiÂŁen reÂ&#x161;uests and a lot of dissatisfaction and citiÂŁen distrust of the system. The N will be oÂ&#x;erwhelmed as the number of conÄ&#x2122;rmed cases rises daily.

The few dedicated N andČŚor oÂ&#x;ernment isolation facilities are also geÄ´ing Ä&#x2122;lled. There is equally a concentration of untapped expertise and human capital across the Â&#x;arious teaching and specialist hospitals and priÂ&#x;ate hospitals in the country that is largely uninÂ&#x;olÂ&#x;ed in the current national response because their health facilities haÂ&#x;e no speciÄ&#x2122;ed rolesČŻeÂ&#x;en when routine serÂ&#x;ices are put on hold in many of themČŻdue to the lack of adequate supplies of and standard precaution facilities.

There is a generalised concern that patients who need these routine serÂ&#x;ices might be experiencing more complications at home, and mortality Ä&#x2122;gures from their non-coÂ&#x;id health conditions might surpass those from -Ĺ&#x2014;Ĺ&#x; at the end of the pandemic, if nothing is urgently done about this.

The Federal oÂ&#x;ernment should therefore be more preoccupied with funding and standards seÄ´ing, training and supplies and demonstrating best practices, and enacting appropriate new protocols for diÄ&#x203A;erent sectors, whilst leaÂ&#x;ing much of the day-to-day implementation in the hands of the other releÂ&#x;ant stakeholders who haÂ&#x;e traditionally played such roles eÄ&#x203A;ectiÂ&#x;ely for other pandemics, notably and S. This will shorten response time, improÂ&#x;e accountability and help to build trust in the national response. t is the considered opinion of the nap

importation of essential medical goods needed in the fight against COVID-19 in the country.

I also set up a COVID -19 Response Strategy Team (CRST) to support the development and implementation of legislative interventions in response to the weaknesses that have been revealed by our management of the pandemic and the economic and social challenges arising therefrom.

In addition, members of the House contributed two months of their salaries to the Fund to fight COVID-19 in the country and inspired others to do the same across the country in whatever measure they could. We set up an AdHoc Committee to carry out robust and joined-up oversight of the federal governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s response to COVID-19.

We advocated for and achieved greater accountability and equity in the allocation and distribution of palliatives to those of our citizens most in need of assistance. We have initiated and are committed to a comprehensive overhaul of the statutory framework for managing Public Health emergencies in the country. As part of the amendment of the 2020 Appropriation Act, we provided the sum of Four Billion Naira to provide for the welfare of doctors in Nigeria.

This is of particular importance at this time when we are managing the public health crisis of COVID-19 in Nigeria.

The alarming rate of assaults against women and children all over Nigeria calls for nothing short of a state of emergency to mobilise government resources towards ending once and for all the scourge of sexual and gender-based violence in Nigeria.

To accommodate new realities, we resolved to conduct a review of the Legislative Agenda of the House of Representatives as the first step towards designing a post-COVID plan to address the identified weakness of our nationhood.

We will yearly return to that document to appraise our performance and conduct a candid assessment of our efforts.

I want to assure that I will always strive to ensure the unity of the House, recognising the particular concerns of the different constituencies that make up our great and beloved nation.

I also assure all Nigerians of our ongoing commitment to our country whose call we have obeyed, whose cause we have sworn to defend until that day when peace and unity, justice and prosperity is the inheritance of all who fly our nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s noble flag. With God on our side, and with the support of our people, we will not fail. r(CBKBCJBNJMB JT UIF 4QFBLFS PG UIF )PVTF PG 3FQSFTFOUBUJWFT

Foundation -Ĺ&#x2014;Ĺ&#x; Think Tank that establishing a -ready state in Nigeria requires: Ĺ&#x2014;Çź The full and willing participation of the people; 2Çź high leÂ&#x;el of organisation within communities; 3Çź Strong and decentralised public health serÂ&#x;ices which include an eÄ&#x153;cient testing, tracing and isolation capacity; Ĺ&#x161;Çź ontinuing to limit large religious, sporting and social gatherings of all kinds â&#x20AC;&#x201C; especially indoor gatherings; 5Çź ehaÂ&#x;iour hange ommunication Çť Çź strategies customised to local languages and cultures; 6Çź mplementation of new and safer protocols across most economic actiÂ&#x;ities instead of simply aÄ´empting to shut them down for seÂ&#x;eral months, as ptf and some state goÂ&#x;ernors currently adÂ&#x;ise, because the laÄ´er is unsustainable and directly threatens liÂ&#x;elihoods, thereby also indirectly threatening life; and Ĺ?Çź -ready hospitals, health care facilities and isolation centres in all 36 states of the federation.

The surÂ&#x;iÂ&#x;al of many of us will depend on both our indiÂ&#x;idual conduct and that of the collectiÂ&#x;e. Č&#x160; Â&#x17D;Â&#x2013;Â&#x2039;Â&#x17D;Â&#x203A;Â&#x153;Čą Â&#x2DC;Â?Čą Â?Â&#x2018;Â&#x17D;Čą Â&#x2014;Â&#x160;Â&#x2122;Čą Â&#x2DC;Â&#x17E;Â&#x2014;Â?Â&#x160;Â?Â&#x2019;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2014;Čą ČŹĹ&#x2014;Ĺ&#x;Čą Â&#x2018;Â&#x2019;Â&#x2014;Â&#x201D;Čą Â&#x160;Â&#x2014;Â&#x201D;Čą Â&#x2019;Â&#x2014;Â&#x152;Â&#x2022;Â&#x17E;Â?Â&#x17D;ǹȹ Â?Â&#x17D;Â?Â&#x2DC;Čą Â&#x17D;Â?Â&#x17D;Â&#x203A;Â&#x153;Â&#x2019;Â?Â&#x17D;Čą Çť Â&#x2018;Â&#x160;Â&#x2019;Â&#x203A;Â&#x2013;Â&#x160;Â&#x2014;ǟǰȹ Â&#x2039;Â&#x17E;Â&#x2039;Â&#x160;Â&#x201D;Â&#x160;Â&#x203A;Čą Â&#x2019;Â?Â?Â&#x2019;Â&#x161;Â&#x17E;Â&#x17D;Čą Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2018;Â&#x160;Â&#x2013;Â&#x2013;Â&#x17D;Â?ȹǝ Â&#x2019;Â&#x152;Â&#x17D;Čą Â&#x2018;Â&#x160;Â&#x2019;Â&#x203A;Â&#x2013;Â&#x160;Â&#x2014;ǟǰȹ Â&#x2039;Â&#x2019;Â&#x2014;Â&#x2014;Â&#x2019;Â&#x160;Čą Â&#x2039;Â&#x160;Â&#x201C;Â&#x17E;Â&#x17D;Ç°Čą Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2014;¢Â&#x2019;Â&#x2014;Čą Â&#x201C;Â&#x160;¢Â&#x2019;ȹǝ ǟǰȹ Â&#x17D;Â&#x2022;Â&#x17D;Čą Â&#x2022;Â&#x17E;Â&#x201D;Â&#x2DC;Ç°Čą Â&#x2014;Â&#x2014;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x152;Â&#x17D;Â&#x2014;Â?Čą Â&#x2018;Â&#x17E;Â&#x201D; Â&#x17E;Â&#x2013;Â&#x160;Ç°Čą Â? Â&#x2DC;Â&#x160;Čą Â?Â&#x17E;Â&#x2014;Ç°Čą Â&#x17D;Â&#x2DC;Čą Â?Â&#x160;Â&#x2014;Čą Â&#x201D;Â&#x17D;Â&#x2018;Ç°Čą Â&#x17D;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x203A;Â?Â&#x17D;Čą Â?Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2013;Â&#x2019;Ç°Čą Â&#x17E;Â?Â&#x2019;Čą Â&#x160;Â&#x2013;Čą Â&#x2122;Â&#x17E;Â?Â&#x17E;Ç°Čą Â&#x160;Ä´Â&#x2018;Â&#x17D; ȹ

Â&#x160;Â&#x153;Â&#x153;Â&#x160;Â&#x2014;Čą Â&#x17E;Â&#x201D;Â&#x160;Â&#x2018;Ç°Čą Â&#x17E;Â?Â&#x17E;Čą Â&#x160;Â&#x2014;Â&#x17E;Â?Â&#x160;Ç°Čą Â&#x17E;Â&#x152;¢ȹ Â&#x17E;Â&#x203A;Â&#x2018;¢Â&#x17D;Â&#x2022;Čą Â&#x17D; Â&#x2013;Â&#x160;Â&#x2014;Ç°Čą ¢Â&#x2019;Â&#x153;Â&#x2018;Â&#x160;Čą Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x203A;Â&#x2019;Ç°Čą Â&#x2019;Â&#x2014;Â&#x201D;Â&#x160;Čą Â&#x160;Â&#x2014;Â&#x2014;Â&#x2019;Ç°Čą Â&#x160;Â&#x2013;Â&#x2039;Â&#x17D;Â&#x203A;Â?Čą Â&#x2018;Â&#x17E;Â&#x2013;Â&#x2039;Â&#x17E;Â&#x153;Â&#x2018;Â&#x2DC;Ç°Čą Â&#x160;Â&#x2022;Â&#x160;Â&#x2013;Â&#x160;Â?Â&#x17E;Čą Â&#x17E;Â&#x153;Â&#x153;Â&#x160;Â&#x2019;Â&#x2014;Â&#x2019;Čą Â&#x17E;Â&#x2022;Â&#x17D;Â&#x2019;Â&#x2013;Â&#x160;Â&#x2014;Čą Â&#x160;Â&#x2014;Â?Čą Â&#x2039;Â&#x203A;Â&#x160;Â&#x2018;Â&#x2019;Â&#x2013;Čą ÇŻČą Â&#x160;ÂŁÂ&#x2019;Â&#x203A;Â&#x2019;

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MONDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Mainz Want Injured Awoniyi on Permanent Deal from Liverpool Duro Ikhazuagbe with agency report Taiwo Awoniyi who got injured in Mainz 0-1 home loss to Augsburg in their week 31 game of the German Bundesliga yesterday has become the target of Manager Rouven Schroder.

Awoniyi was involved in a head collision with compatriot Augsburg defender, Felix Uduokhai and had to be rushed off to hospital for medical attention. Despite fears, Mainz later confirmed on their Twitter handle he was not in danger.

Mainz who are sitting dangerously in the 15th spot, just three points above the bottom three of the German topflight, have signified interests to sign the 22-year old forward on a permanent deal from Liverpool to keep him at the Opel Arena.

The 2013 Under-17 World Cup winner with the Golden

Eaglets played just 23 minutes against Augsburg before he was substituted by Austrian forward, Karim Onisiwo.

Awoniyi joined Mainz last summer on loan and initially struggled for game time. However, the Nigerian has experienced something of a resurgence since the Bundesligaresumed, playing every game and scoring in the 2-2 draw at Koln, his first for the club and of the season.

Prior to yesterdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game, he completed 90 minutes in Mainzâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last two league outings, the most recent a shock 2-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am very, very positive about him,â&#x20AC;? Schroder told German newspaper Bild. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Taiwo never let himself down, always had his head up and the absolute will to improve was never negative. It is a symbol of how team sport works. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are in an exchange with Liverpool, that is an open position. We are now waiting

for the last games. Then weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see what the next steps are,â&#x20AC;? observed the Mainz Coach.

Awoniyiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s loan contract ends on June 30, with the Bundesliga wrapping up three days earlier.

He joined Liverpool in 2015 after shining for Nigeriaat the 2013 Under-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and the 2015 African Under-20 Championship in Senegal.

According to Goal.com, Awoniyiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s move to Anfield has been complicated by the failure to get a work permit which led him to loan spells at FSV Frankfurt, NEC Nijmegen, Royal Excel Mouscron and Gent.

His two stints at Mouscron were the most successful with a combined 21 goals and 10 assists in 47 appearances.

Awoniyi is pleased with his progress, which he hopes the coaching staff at Anfield are noticing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coming here is just to make myself better. Even without playing for a while, coming in on Sunday just really shows Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve really improved since coming to Germany. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the goal with being on loan,â&#x20AC;? he said previously on Liverpoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

official website. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m the same player as I was in the last few years. I personally have seen improvement in my game and I believe most Liverpool coaches have seen that as well. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just have to be prepared to improve myself and work on my weak points as well.

When Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m back at LFC, I hope they will see that.â&#x20AC;?

Only FG Can Fix Dates for National Sports Festival, Says Okowa ClariďŹ es pronouncements on Edo 2020 The Chairman of Edo 2020 National Sports Festival Committee, Tonobok Okowa, has cleared the air concerning reports in a section of the local media that the multisports festival had been scheduled for October this year.

He insisted that only the Federal Government can fix the new dates given the state of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.

Okowa, who is the chairman of Delta Sports Commission, said that the dates being circulated by a section of the media was a recommendation that came up after the committee reviewed the situation on ground with the Edo State government. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the first place, we as a committee cannot fix a date for the National Sports Festival.

It is the sole responsibility of Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports to fix the date after getting clearance from the relevant agencies handling the COVID-19 pandemic. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What Edo State government did was to suggest tentative dates, which the sports ministry will have to look into. It is wrong for some people to go to town saying that we have fixed a date for Edo 2020 National Sports festival,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Okowa said on Channels Television at the weekend.

The festival had suffered an initial postponement in March this year due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic worldwide.

The presidential committee was set up by the federal government to see to the hosting of the biennial event which is aimed at discovering and nurturing of local talents to represent Nigeria in regional and international sporting events.

The Minister of Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare had inaugurated the 11-man committee to inspect all health facilities for the festival in Edo State so as to ascertain the readiness of the state in hosting the games.

The committee, made up of members of the Covid-19 Task Force, Ministry of Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and six statesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Commissioners of Sports each representing the six geo-political zones of the country as well as representatives of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development began a threeday tour of sports facilities in Edo State on June 10.

Meanwhile, Tony Okowa has said that the committee was satisfied with the level of preparation by Edo State, adding that everything needed to fight COVID-19 were on ground in the state before going ahead. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have seen the facilities on ground in the state. We have been to the state specialist hospitals, the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, the testing centres, the screening centres and the isolation centres. We have been briefed on the ones to be improved upon and the steps the state is taking. We are impressed and convinced that Edo State is ready to host the National Sports Festival this year 2020. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The October 22nd date announced by Edo State government for the opening of the Games Village and October 25 for commencement of the sports festival as well as the November 4 for the closing ceremony are just recommendations. The final dates can only come from the Federal Government,â&#x20AC;?

Okowa concluded.

Taiwo Awoniyi been stretchered away from the Opel Arena after head on collision with Augsburg defender, Felix Uduokhai...yesterday

Sports Ministry Supports Ikhanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Medical Bills The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has financially supported

Kadiri Ikhana

coach Kadiri Ikhana who is recuperating from surgery.

Coach Ikhana was operated in one of the top hospitals in Abuja some months ago after crying out for help so that he can walk again.

Speaking on the gesture at the weekend, Sports Minister, Sunday Dare said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coach Kadiri Ikhana is an ex-international of note, he served the country, he was part of the historic team in 1980 and a one time Super Falcons coach. He brought smiles to the faces of football

loving Nigerians when he became the first Nigerian coach to win the CAF Champions League trophy with Enyimba FC. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I heard his plea for assistance and I sent one of my aides to him while he was in the hospital to ascertain the level of assistance required by the coach. What better way to show support than to foot part of his medical bills?

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what we have done. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Like I have always maintained, the welfare of athletes, ex-internationals and those who presently

are representing Nigeria remain our priority and we will continue to be on the lookout to assist in anyway we can. We wish Coach Kadiri Ikhana a quick recovery,â&#x20AC;? observed Dare.

The renowned soccer coach was part of the Nigerian team to the 1980 Nations Cup who were the first set of players (Green Eagles)to win Nations Cup for the country.

He also won the CAF Championships league with Enyimba Football Club of Aba in 2003.

Djokovic Knocked out of Own Tennis Tournament An emotional Novak Djokovic broke down in tears yesterday in front of a packed 4,000 crowd at his own tennis tournament after a 4-0 1-4 4-2 win over German Alexander Zverev sent fellow Serb Filip Krajinovic into the final. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am not crying because I got knocked out of the tournament, I am just overwhelmed by emotion because this reminds me of my childhood,â&#x20AC;? the 33-year-old told the crowd as he received a standing ovation from his compatriots. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been an emotional few days and I want to thank everyone who made

this possible. The important thing after this match is that we have one of our own in the final. I love you all and thank you so much for turning up.â&#x20AC;?

The tournament, held at Djokovicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tennis complex by the Danube River in Serbiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital, is the first leg of the charity event called The Adria Tour, with the second leg taking place in Croatiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coastal resort Zadar this weekend.

The third leg due in Montenegro on 27-28 June was cancelled on Saturday over coronavirus concerns while the final leg is to be staged in Bosniaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s city Banja Luka on 3 and 4 July.

With sets slashed to bestof-seven games, the players are divided into two pools on a round-robin basis and Djokovicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s win over Zverev meant that the two and Krajinovic all finished with a 2-1 win-loss record and an identical 5-3 set difference.

Krajinovic, who stunned world number one Djokovic on Saturday after losing to Zverev, squeezed through on the basis of having the best games differential among the three.

Austriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world number three Dominic Thiem and Bulgariaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 19th-ranked Grigor Dimitrov were playing in the

other section to decide which of the two will face Krajinovic in the final.

Novak Djokovic...knocked out of his own tournament

Covid-19: Time to Fix Our Sports Facilities, Says Egbe FIFA match agent and stadium facilities expert, Ebi Egbe, has called for Nigeria to make good use of the lull in sports as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic to fix her sporting infrastructure.

Egbe who is the CEO of

Monimichelle Group said at the weekend that the time to fix the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sporting facilities is now, even as he thumbed up Spors Minister, Sunday Dare, for moving in that direction. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The biggest challenge facing

Nigerian sports is that of the poor infrastructure in the country. Now that there is a lull in sports as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, this is the time to get it right in that area. If we fix our facilities during this period, Nigerian

sports, post Covid-19 would flourish. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m happy we have a visionary sports minister that is already towing this part.

The moves by the minister to rehabilitate the Abuja, Lagos and the other national stadiums is commendable.

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Wenger Worried Brexit May Change Status of Premier League Rules out taking over Arsenal as Chairman Arsene Wenger is concerned about how Brexitcould change the reputation and stature of the Premier League worldwide.

The former Arsenalmanager, 70, who

now has a role at FIFA as their chief of global football development, believes the influx of foreign players in English football could be in doubt, depending on the terms of how the UK leaves the

TRANSFER

Cavani, Thiago Silva on Way out of PSG Edinson Cavani and Thiago Silva are set to leave Paris St-Germain this summer after the conclusion of the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Champions League campaign in August.

Uruguay striker Cavani, 33, is PSGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s record scorer with 200 goals and Brazil defender Silva, 35, is club captain. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a difficult decision to make - they are players who made their mark on the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history,â&#x20AC;? sporting director Leonardo told Le Journal du Dimanche. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The stories were so beautiful.

But, yes, we are coming to the end.â&#x20AC;?

He added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had to make a logical decision. Maybe we are wrong, I do not know - there is never a perfect moment. Now the Champions League is still in sight, and the idea is to continue competing with them until the end of August. How it can be done is not yet clear.â&#x20AC;?

Both playersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; contracts are due to expire on 30 June. Ligue 1 was cancelled in April, but the

Champions League is due to be completed in August with a mini-tournament behind closed doors.

PSG resume training on 22 June and are already through to the Champions League quarter-finals after beating Borussia Dortmundin March before football was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Cavani had askedto leave the French champions in January amid interest from Spanish side Atletico Madrid, while he was also linked to Manchester United and Chelsea.

Last month, PSG signed striker Mauro Icardi for 60m euros (ÂŁ54m) from Inter Milan.

When asked if forwards Neymar and Kylian Mbappe would still be at the club next season, Leonardo said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nothing tells us otherwise. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They still have two years on their contracts and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re more thinking about the future with them. We want to go forward.â&#x20AC;?

Napoliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mertens Not Interested in Chelsea Switch Belgian forward Dries Mertens came close to joining Chelsea but will renew his contract with Napoli instead, journalist Kristof Terreur has told BBC Radio 5 Live. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In January when Chelsea knocked on the door, he was quite convinced,â&#x20AC;? Belgian reporter Terreur said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But once you are in the south of Italy, with good money and you are a god, why would you change that? â&#x20AC;&#x153;He would come to the Premier League as a nobody and in Italy he is a star.â&#x20AC;?

Mertens, 33, became Napoliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outright all-time top goalscorer on Saturday when his goal in the Coppa

Italia semi-final win over Inter Milanmoved him to 122 for the club, one clear of Marek Hamsik.

The Belgium internationalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contract expires at the end of the season, but he has reportedly agreed a three-year extensiondespite interest from Inter Milan and Chelsea.

Terreur added that Mertensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; love of London, where he and his wife regularly go for minibreaks, also made Chelseaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s offer attractive.

Chelsea have made attacking additions this summer, with a deal agreed for Ajaxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hakim Ziyech,andRB Leipzig striker Timo Werner expected to follow.

La Liga to Take Legal Action against Pitch-invader La Liga says it will take legal action after a pitch-invader breached security to get a selfie with Barcelonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lionel Messi at a behind-closeddoors game.

The fan, wearing an Argentina shirt with Messiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name and number, appeared on the pitch early in the second half of Saturdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 4-0 win away to Mallorca.

He managed to pose for a picture within a couple of metres of Messi before being grabbed by security staff.

La Liga said it considers the incident â&#x20AC;&#x153;to represent a criminal actâ&#x20AC;?.

In a statement the Spanish

league said it made clear its â&#x20AC;&#x153;total condemnationâ&#x20AC;? of the incident. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This type of conduct puts the health of others at risk and risks damaging the integrity of the competition,â&#x20AC;? it added.

The fan claims he scaled a two-metre high fence to gain access to Mallorcaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stadium. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had planned this ever since I knew the match was happening. I wanted a photo with Messi and to meet him because heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my idol,â&#x20AC;? the French Mallorca resident told radio station Cadena Cope.

European Union.

LaLiga, the Bundesliga and Serie Acould overtake the Premier League in commercial and economic terms if they are able to purchase the top foreign players, with the UK due to leave the EU at the end of 2021 - and Wenger is fascinated to see how it will play out. â&#x20AC;&#x153; C e r t a i n l y , subconsciously maybe for some people, it [Brexit] was to regain some sovereignty of their own destiny. And football is completely the reverse,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Wenger told UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Mirroryesterday.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;How will that change?

That will depend now on how Brexit will be applied to football. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve asked many people, nobody knows.

Will people inside Europe be considered as foreign players who cannot play in the English Premier League? I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know.â&#x20AC;?

As of now, it is unclear how or if Brexit will drastically change the accessibility of foreign players to play in the UK. Yet Wenger, who still lives in London, warned that with restrictive regulations on the movement of

people, it could be a blow to the Premier Leagueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worldwide brand as the best league in the world. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But if the rules are restrictive, they will kill the superiority of the Premier League. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Because today the Premier League depends on worldwide exposure, with the best players and worldwide ownership with multi-billion owners from around the world.â&#x20AC;?

Meanwhile, the 70-yearold ruled himself outof the running to become Arsenal chairman over the weekend.

Arsene Wenger

Cavani (left) and Thiago Silva are set to dump PSG this summer

Hertha Berlin Coach in No Hurry to Play Tousart Hertha Berlin coach Bruno Labbadia has said that they are in no hurry to give a Bundesliga debut to new recruit Lucas Tousart, who has barely played since scoring for Lyon against Juventus in the Champions League in February. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We must not forget that he hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t played a game for well over two and a half months,â&#x20AC;? said Labbadia, who met with Tousart in Berlin on Sunday.

Tousart, who joined Hertha from Lyon in January and was loaned back to the French club, scored the winner in a shock 1-0 win over Cristiano Ronaldoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Juventus in the last 16, first-leg of the Champions League

Just days later, both the Champions League and French league ground to a halt due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Hertha paid around â&#x201A;Ź25 million for the France under-21 defensive midfielder.

The 23-year-old is technically under contract with Lyon until the end of June, but the French league have abandoned their campaign, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Tousart, who has not played competitive football since early March, underwent a fitness test in Berlin on Saturday.

Labbadia implied that Hertha will not rush him into action with only three rounds

of matches remaining in the Bundesliga, which is due to finish in a fortnightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time.

The German league became the first top European league to resume in mid-May after a two-months hiatus.

Hertha were hammered 4-1 at home behind closed doors by Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday which keeps them in mid-table.

According to Labbadia, it could be that Tousart will not play â&#x20AC;&#x153;for up to four months in a rowâ&#x20AC;?, with the 2020/21 German league season now due to start in midSeptember, rather than August, because of the coronavirus crisis. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is almost equivalent to a major, serious injury. We

wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t underestimate that,â&#x20AC;? added Labbadia, who was appointed Hertha boss in April when Jurgen Klinsmann quit after just a few months in charge.

Tousart, who was reportedly also being courted by Tottenham Hotspur, RB Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, was one of four signings Hertha made when they spent around â&#x201A;Ź80 million in January.

Poland forward Krzysztof Piatek, who scored in Saturdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s defeat to Frankfurt, came from AC Milan, Brazil under-23 striker Matheus Cunha from Leipzig and Argentina midfielder Santiago Ascacibar from Stuttgart.

Okoro, Others Forced to Train Elsewhere after Stadium Closure Athletes are upset at being forced to find a new base after the early closure of Birminghamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Alexander Stadium ahead of the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

A planned reconstructionis now behind schedule due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

And Birchfield Harriers athletes, who have used the stadium since it was opened in 1976, are having to make do with limited facilities elsewhere. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes we havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even had hurdles to jump over,â&#x20AC;? converted 400m hurdler Efe Okoro told BBC Radio WM. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For the people who can drive, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been having to go to places like Stafford and

Redditch to run and train. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s becoming a bit challenging. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re having to think outside the box. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re even having to imagine we have hurdles to jump over.â&#x20AC;?

Announcing the decision last week, a Birmingham City Council statement said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We know that this will be disappointing, but the health and safety of site visitors is of paramount importance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every effort is being made to work with existing users, in particular Birchfield Harriers, to identify alternative provision.â&#x20AC;?

Birchfield were advised last week that they would have no access to either the main stadium

or warm-up tracks until after the Commonwealth Games, which is scheduled to run from 27 July to 7 August 2022.

However, that is contrary to what they were told when the announcement was made that the Perry Barr venue would host the Games.

Harriers, who have several medal hopefuls in their ranks, have made the decision to reduce their fees for 2020, as well as offering a yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s free membership in 2021.

At the same time they are trying to secure acceptable alternative training venues, in particular for their throwers and middle-distance runners.

Former 400m Olympic medallist Katharine Merry, who won the bronze behind Cathy Freeman at Sydney in 2000, ran for Birchfield in her heyday - and is still a big part of the club. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It will have a devastating impact on the athletes - and financially, for the club, it is huge,â&#x20AC;? she told BBC WM. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We know Covid has had a devastating effect but we feel a delay could have been caught up with. Now weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got nothing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re saying is that, if there has to be a slight delay in the construction, why canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t that still be caught up. Whereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the discussion?

Monday June 15, 2020

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Northern Elders to Buhari â&#x20AC;&#x153;It would appear that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and governors have lost control over the imperatives of protecting people of the North, a constitutional duty that they swore to upholdâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Northern Elders Forum (NEF) berating President Muhammadu Buhari over his seeming failure to tackle the deplorable security situation in the north.

ANAPFOUNDATION CORPORATE COLUMN

Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s COVID-19 Response and Post-Lockdown

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ban across State borders except for the most essential serÂ&#x;ices. Similarly, all categories of schools, cinemas, clubhouses, gyms and bars are to remain closed. The nationwide oÂ&#x;ernight curfew also remains in place, but the eÄ&#x203A;ectiÂ&#x;e hours haÂ&#x;e been eÂ&#x;ised To etween 10p.

And Ĺ&#x161;a. To Allow For ore Daytime usiness

ours, Thus educing OÂ&#x;ercrowding Which The Ill-AdÂ&#x;ised Shorter usiness Days And The ore Stringent Curfew Caused.

he unprecedented global COVID-19 pandemic is changing the face of human society and its systems, from healthcare to education, consumption paÄ´erns, the world of work, Â&#x;alue systems, political regimes and legal systems.

The condition was Ä&#x2122;rst reported in Nigeria in February 2020, and within a few weeks of its onset, we had entered the community transmission phase. Today, there are more than 16,000 conÄ&#x2122;rmed cases of COVID-19 across 35 States and the FCT, and oÂ&#x;er Ĺ&#x161;00 deaths and counting. ow Nigeria recoÂ&#x;ers from the eÄ&#x203A;ects of the infection will depend on the innoÂ&#x;ations we are willing to introduce and the reforms we are commiÄ´ed to implementing in the Â&#x;arious sectors of our society.

B. Assessing Possible Exit Strategies Out of Lockdowns

Our Considerations: A. Assessing the Initial National Response and the Transition to Intelligent Lockdowns s the infection started to take its toll and the number of new cases and deaths increased globally and across the country, the federal goÂ&#x;ernment and seÂ&#x;eral States implemented total lockdown policies in order to isolate people from the Â&#x;irus, as was the practice in most other countries at the beginning of the pandemic.

This essentially entailed closing our national borders to international traÂ&#x;ellers, closing all goÂ&#x;ernment oÄ&#x153;ces, schools, businesses, religious and worship centres and suspending large social gatherings. Only a few essential serÂ&#x;ices were exempted. This was accompanied by testing of symptomatic patients; isolation and treatment of conÄ&#x2122;rmed cases; tracing and quarantining of suspected cases. There was also enhanced public education on the need for social distancing and the adoption of good hygiene practices by all citizens using a Â&#x;ariety of traditional, electronic, print and social media channels.

The lockdown policy went on for weeks across the country, despite challenges and breaches and with seÂ&#x;eral extensions of the initially announced duration. oweÂ&#x;er, as the pain of a national lockdown grew intolerable, especially on the part of the least well-oÄ&#x203A;, and coupled with rising insecurity of liÂ&#x;es and property occasioned by the actiÂ&#x;ities of miscreants who could not earn a daily liÂ&#x;ing, a new consensus gradually emerged which held that managing, rather than defeating the disease would be a more realistic option.

This heralded the era of intelligent/partial/ eased lockdowns. In the Ä&#x2122;rst phase of the partial lockdown that lasted Ĺ&#x161; weeks, seÂ&#x;eral sectors of the economy were adÂ&#x;ised to reopen under strict guidelines (use of cloth face coÂ&#x;erings in public, physical distancing, frequent hand washing/use of alcohol-based hand sanitisers, cough etiqueÄ´e promotion, enforcement of oÂ&#x;ernight curfews and ban of interstate traÂ&#x;elÇź, with a Â&#x;iew to holding all the gains of the periods of prolonged lockdowns. These included the banking sector, small and medium scale businesses, public transportation, some goÂ&#x;ernment oÄ&#x153;ces and local/neighbourhood markets. usiness hours were restricted, and oÂ&#x;ernight curfews were enforced between the hours of Ĺ&#x17E;pm and 6am. oweÂ&#x;er, schools at all leÂ&#x;els, places of worship, night clubs, cinemas, party arenas and large markets remain closed.

Despite a daily announcement of new

Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire cases by NCDC and a rising death toll from COVID-19, in early June 2020, the Federal oÂ&#x;ernment introduced the second phase of the national containment strategy. This would inÂ&#x;olÂ&#x;e a cautious and progressiÂ&#x;e easing of the lockdown across the Federation oÂ&#x;er another Ĺ&#x161; weeks, with a stronger focus on high-burdened local goÂ&#x;ernment areas within identiÄ&#x2122;ed States. The goal of this phase was to gradually restore economic actiÂ&#x;ities across the country to protect liÂ&#x;elihoods, whilst balancing public health considerations. A nationwide set of minimum safety guidelines were proÂ&#x;ided for States to build upon to strengthen their local preÂ&#x;ention strategies against community transmission.

In this second phase, seÂ&#x;eral other public and priÂ&#x;ate sector institutions are expected to haÂ&#x;e a re-opening plan that is safe and practicable, in full compliance with NCDC safety adÂ&#x;isories and containment guidelines, with clearly spelt out codes of conduct and rules of engagement that will deÄ&#x2122;ne the â&#x20AC;&#x153;New Normalâ&#x20AC;? society. Some relief has been giÂ&#x;en or promised to labour and industry, domestic air transportation and the faith communities.

oweÂ&#x;er, there is still a nationwide traÂ&#x;el

Epidemiological and eÂ&#x;idence-based exit strategies out of lockdowns include the following: IÇź Wait for herd immunity to take hold, whereby 60-Ĺ&#x17E;0% of the population becomes infected, and so natural transmission of infection will cease. This is still far-fetched, as no country, not eÂ&#x;en the worst hit on the globe, has achieÂ&#x;ed this yet; iiÇź Wait for the naught (r0Çź, i.e. The possible number of new infections from an infected patient, to fall to 1 or less than 1. This will not happen until the infection has peaked, the curÂ&#x;e Ä&#x161;aÄ´ened and transmission risk tremendously reduced in the population through a combination of strategies. Nigeria is yet to achieÂ&#x;e this milestone; iiiÇź Introduce massiÂ&#x;e antibody testing that can serÂ&#x;e as immune passports for the re-entry of indiÂ&#x;iduals into work and society. Antibody testing, although relatiÂ&#x;ely inexpensiÂ&#x;e, compared with molecular pcr testing, is fraught with limitations as an exit strategy, because this testing modality is more accurate in locales where disease preÂ&#x;alence is aboÂ&#x;e a certain threshold and could generate false negatiÂ&#x;es in locales where the disease preÂ&#x;alence is low. Furthermore, the degree of immunity conferred by antibody presence in COVID-19 is not yet understood. The who has therefore warned against using rapid antibody tests as immunity passports towards reopening the economy in order to aÂ&#x;oid a false sense of security; IÂ&#x;Çź Wait for a widely aÂ&#x;ailable Â&#x;accine. Despite

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optimistic projections to the contrary, the prospects for this could take up to 1 to 2 years. ockdowns are simply not sustainable for the amount of time it will take to deÂ&#x;elop a Â&#x;accine; and VÇź Follow the 5-component who exit lockdown guidelines: A. CoÂ&#x;id-19 transmission must be under control; . The capacity of the health system must be suÄ&#x153;ciently built to detect, test, trace and isolate cases; C. Spread must be minimised in hot-spot areas; D. reÂ&#x;entiÂ&#x;e measures must be in place in schools, workplaces and other places of interest; . The community must be suÄ&#x153;ciently disciplined to comply with social distancing and personal hygiene guidelines.

The W O-recommended intelligent lockdown appears to be the most plausible strategy towards our lockdown exit in Nigeria today.

C. Situational Assessment and Intelligent Lockdown Risk Mitigation Scenarios An intelligent lockdown is appropriate for countries where the combined risk of spiralling economic decay and resultant social unrest supersede the intended beneÄ&#x2122;ts of a continuous lockdown. In order to strike a balance between liÂ&#x;es and liÂ&#x;elihoods, a policy of intelligent lockdown is already in place countrywide. ut Nigeria has not met the 5 components of the W O â&#x20AC;&#x153;exit lockdown guidelinesâ&#x20AC;? enumerated aboÂ&#x;e ( Â&#x;Çź. Our epidemic is not under control as is, and is yet to peak.

The capacity of our health system is not yet suÄ&#x153;ciently strengthened to detect, test, trace and isolate all cases of COVID-19, nor are our stockpiles of suÄ&#x153;cient for the use of all frontline health workers.

There are also competing political pressures that mitigate the transparent reporting of COVID-19 infection rates. This under-reporting has been obserÂ&#x;ed in Asia, Europe and the Americas and albeit less eÂ&#x;ident in Africa, is most certainly at play here. Therefore, we must accept that the infection rate is grossly underestimated in Africa in general, and in Nigeria in particular where a couple of states haÂ&#x;e Â&#x;ehemently opposed testing and where the exact cause of death is hardly eÂ&#x;er determined. As such, our risk mitigation approaches should be calibrated to this understanding, to aÂ&#x;oid complacency, driÂ&#x;en by a false sense of security, cognisant that the infection in Africa appears to haÂ&#x;e been moderated by a combination of epidemiological, ecological and demographic Â&#x;ariables.

Community spread of a pandemic infection in an intelligent lockdown scenario is dependent on a number of risk mitigation correlates: the degree of a countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public health policy enactment; goÂ&#x;ernance and performance accountability; the degree of collectiÂ&#x;e discipline or indiscipline of a citizenry, community education of diligence around personal hygiene, eÄ&#x203A;ectiÂ&#x;e social distancing and utilisation of E as deemed appropriate; the eÄ&#x153;ciency and agility of the preÂ&#x;ailing in-country public health infrastructure to implement eÄ&#x203A;ectiÂ&#x;e â&#x20AC;&#x153;identify, track, trace and respond processesâ&#x20AC;?; and the access of most of the citizenry to healthcare facilities and resources.

Continued on page 53

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