FRIDAY 12TH JUNE 2020

Osinbajo Committee Projects 39.4m Job Losses by Dec Says Nigeria losing N185bn oil revenue monthly Buhari gets report, optimistic about strong economy Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja A report by the Economic Sustainability Committee (ESC), chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has projected that unemployment

in Nigeria may rise to 39.4 million or 33.6 per cent in December.

It also predicted a monthly oil revenue loss of N185 billion for the country.

Osinbajo presented the

committee's report to President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Abuja.

The president set up the committee on March 30 to come up with economic sustainability plan as a

response to challenges posed to the economy by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The committee was also constituted to come up with monetary policy measures in support of the plan; provide

a fiscal/monetary stimulus package, including support to private businesses (with emphasis on strategic sectors most affected by the pandemic) and vulnerable segments of the population.

Other mandates of the committee included identifying fiscal measures aimed at enhancing distributable oil and gas revenue; increasing Continued on page 9

Senate Approves $28bn Loans for FG In One Year, Says Lawan... Page 5 Friday 12 June, 2020 Vol 25. No 9195. Price: N250

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Suspense as APC Screening Committee Summons Obaseki, Ize-Iyamu, Others Panel to submit appraisal report today Iyobosa Uwugiaren in Abuja The fate of all the six Edo State governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress

(APC) hung in the balance yesterday as the party's Screening Committee to determine their suitability or otherwise for the contest

Appeal committee to begin sitting

wound up sitting without a report.

THISDAY learnt that the committee would submit its report today during which

each aspirant would know his stand.

Ahead of the submission of the report, the committee has summoned all the aspirants,

who were screened between Wednesday and yesterday to appear before it at the party's national secretariat in Abuja.

Those in the race are the

incumbent Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; a former Deputy Governor of the Continued on page 58

COVID-19: Another Total Lockdown Unlikely, Says FG Rules out resumption of sporting activities for now With 681 new cases, incidences rise to14,554; 4,494 discharged, 387 deaths NCDC testing capacity hits 10,000 daily Says aviation authorities to determine flight resumption Olawale Ajimotokan, Kingsley Nwezeh, Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja and Martins IďŹ jeh in Lagos Despite the spike in COVID-19 cases in the country, the federal government yesterday downplayed the possibility of imposing another total lockdown on parts of the country to mitigate the spread of virus.

There has been a steady rise in number of confirmed cases in recent times.

In its daily update yesterday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced 681 new cases of COVID-19 to bring the total to 14,554. Also, a total of 4,494 people have

been discharged nationwide and 387 deaths recorded.

A breakdown of the fresh cases showed Lagos topping the chart with 345 new infections followed by Rivers - 51; Ogun - 48; Gombe - 47; Oyo - 36; Imo - 31; Delta - 28; Kano - 23; Bauchi - 18; Edo- 12; Katsina12; Kaduna - 9; Anambra - 7; Jigawa - 5; Kebbi - 4; Ondo - 4; and Nasarawa - 1.

However, reacting to fears of another possible lockdown imposed on Lagos and Ogun States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for about six weeks at beginning of the pandemic, the Chairman Continued on page 9

Lawan, Gbajabiamila, Tinubu Make Case for Sustenance of Democracy... Page 8

FOR A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY...

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) (left) and President Muhammadu Buhari, at the presentation of a report by the Economic Sustainability Committee, chaired by Osinbajo, to the president, at the State House, in Abuja...yesterday state house

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

Senate Approves $28bn Loans for FG In One Year, Says Lawan Raises revised 2020 budget to N10.810tn Confirms 42 career ambassadors-designate, Appeal Court president Deji Elumoye and Chuks Okocha in Abuja President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, yesterday said the Senate in the last one year had approved a total of $28 billion as loans to the federal government.

It has also passed the revised 2020 budget figure for the fiscal year, jacking up the figure proposed by the executive

by N301 billion to make it N10.810 trillion.

In addition to passing the revised budget, the Senate, at its plenary yesterday, also confirmed Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem as the Court of Appeal president and ratified the nomination of 42 people as career ambassadors.

Lawan, in a speech to mark the first anniversary of the Ninth Senate, said there were requests during the period under review by the executive to access both foreign and local loans to fund developmental projects.

He said: "In order to support and enable the government raise the necessary funds for national development, there were requests for approval to borrow, both from the domestic and foreign sources.

"We have approved foreign loans of about $28 billion in the last one year. We had ensured proper scrutiny for the desired projects and programmes of government, the conditions of the facilities; before approving such borrowing requests.

The task ahead of us is to ensure tracking, monitoring and supervision of how the loans are applied. We must ensure that the target projects remain, and that there is value for money also."

He also stressed the need for government to look for alternative means of funding its capital projects, saying that "the current experience of low revenues to government, also challenges us to think and evolve new or additional sources of funding government projects, especially, for the development of our infrastructure."

Lawan added that "while borrowing may be inevitable, we should also consider a Public Private Partnership (PPP) as a means of funding some of the government projects."

Also yesterday, the Senate raised the N10.509 trillion proposed by the executive as revised budget for 2020 fiscal year by N301billion, passing N10.810 trillion as aggregate expenditure for the revised budget.

The N301 billion added to the earlier proposal made by the executive came from increases from capital expenditure proposal, which was increased from N2.230 trillion to N2.488 trillion; recurrent expenditure rose from the earlier proposed N4.928 trillion to N4.942

trillion and statutory transfers increased from N398.505 billion to N428.033 billion.

The Senate also reviewed parameters assumptions of the revised proposals like $25 per barrel oil price benchmark increased to $28 per barrel; 1.9m barrel oil production per day target reduced to 1.8 million barrel per day while budget deficit rose from N2.28 trillion to N4.17 trillion.

Other highlights of the revised budget proposal forwarded to the Senate by Buhari penultimate week, including N2.951 trillion debt servicing and N500 billion as intervention fund for COVID-19 were retained. Also, the N360 to a $1 exchange rate was retained.

Shedding more light on the increases, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, said increases made on oil price benchmark from $25 per barrel proposed to $28 per barrel, accounted for N5 billion spread on different votes earlier proposed.

According to him, out of the N5 billion expected as additional proceeds from increased oil price benchmark, N1.746 billion was added to the statutory votes of N44.2 billion for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and N816 million added to N20.944 billion earlier proposed for the North East Development Commission (NEDC).

Other increases included N1.709 billion added to the earlier votes of N51.120 billion of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and N897 million added to the N25.560 billion earlier proposed for Basic Health Care Fund.

Earlier in his lead debate for the passage of the revised budget, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Jibrin Barau, said his committee in analysing the budget proposals observed that there were cuts in all items in statutory transfers, increase in the debt service and general reduction in the overhead component of the budget (excluding the health sector).

Others are reductions/zero provision to some projects in the capital component and new provisions on service wide votes and capital supplementation to cushion the socio-economic disruptions and shock of COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking after the passage of the budget, Lawan said the various standing committees of the Senate should, through the power of oversight, ensure the implementation of all appropriations made, as passed.

He said: "We must ensure accountability in the execution of the just passed revised 2020 budget in the interest of Nigerians. The best way of doing this, is to carry

out thorough oversight on both the revenue generating agencies and others executing the budget in one way or the other."

Senate ConďŹ rms 42 Career Ambassadorsdesignate, Appeal Court President The Senate yesterday confirmed the appointment of 42 career ambassador-nominees as ambassadors-designate.

It also confirmed the nomination of Justice DongbanMensem as president of the Court of Appeal as well as James Kolo as Commissioner

of the Federal Character Commission (FCC).

The confirmation of the career ambassador-nominees was sequel to the consideration of the report of the Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa-led Committee on Foreign Affairs, which screened them.

The confirmation of Justice Dongban-Mensem was also sequel to the presentation of the report of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, headed by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, which screened her.

Kolo was confirmed after the consideration of the report of the Senator Danjuma La'ah-led Committee

on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs, which screened the nominee.

The ambassadors-designate confirmed by the Senate are: C.O Nwachukwu, Abia; A. Kafas, Adamawa; R. U. Brown, Akwa-Ibom; G. A. Odudigbo, Anambra; O. C. Onowu, Anambra; Y. S. Suleiman, Bauchi; E S. Agbana, Bayelsa; B. B. M. Okoyen Bayelsa; G. M. Okoko Benue; A. M. Garba, Borno; M. l. Bashir, Bomo; M. O. Abam, Cross River; A. E. Allotey, Cross River; G. E. Edokpa, Edo; and A. N. Madubuike, Enugu.

Others are: Adamu Lamuwa, Gombe; Mr. Innocent A. lwejuo, lmo; M. S. Abubakar, Jigawa;

Y. A. Ahmed, Jigawa; S. D. Umar, Kaduna; A. Sule, Kano; G. Y. Hamza, Kano; N. Rimi, Katsina; L S. Ahmed-Remawa, Katsina; M. Manu, Kebbi; l. R. Ocheni, Kogi; l. A. Yusuf, Kogi; M. Abdulraheem, Kwara; Mrs. W. A. Adedeji, Lagos; and A. U. Ogah, Nasarawa.

The remaining are: A. A. Musa, Niger; N. A. Kolo, Niger; S. O. Olaniyan, Ogun; A. R. Adejola, Ogun, E. Awe Ondo; O. Aluko, Osun; I. A. Alatishe, Osun; V. A. Adeleke, Oyo; M. S. Adamu, Plateau; l.

N. Charles, Rivers; Z M. lfu, Taraba and B. B. Hamman, Yobe.

Meanwhile, the Senate has adjourned plenary till Tuesday.

THE ECONOMY MINDERS...

Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin EmeďŹ ele,(left) and the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroluem Corperation (NNPC), Mr. Mele Kyari, at the presentation of the Economic Sustainability Committee's report to President Muhammadu Buhari, at the State House, Abuja...yesterday godwin omoigui

Buhari Asks ECOWAS Commission to Evolve Economic Recovery Plan Addresses Nigerians today Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday told the ECOWAS Commission to come up with an economic recovery plan that will help member-states overcome the devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Buhari will also today (Friday) address the nation in commemoration of this year’s Democracy Day. A statement yesterday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said the president’s message would be broadcast by 7a.m.

A separate statement by presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, said the president, while speaking during a virtual meeting with the President

of ECOWAS Commission, Jean Kassi-Brou, agreed to provide logistic support to enable the sub-region receive and distribute procured and donated medical equipment using Abuja as the hub.

Shehu, who said the president who was speaking at the meeting in his capacity as the ECOWAS COVID-19 Champion, noted that the pandemic was yet to reach its peak in the sub-region and warned against laxity in fighting it.

The president called on member-states to continually sensitise their citizens on preventive measures and expressed appreciation on behalf of ECOWAS member-states for the “swift interventions made to the West

African Health Organisation (WAHO) and the Africa Centre for Disease Control by the Jack Ma Foundation."

Buhari commended the support given to the sub-region so far from “development partners such as the European Union, African Development Bank, France and Germany for their financial contributions in the procurement of medical supplies.�

He urged member-states to work closely with one another in order to overcome the pandemic.

The president of ECOWAS Commission, on his part, advocated additional strategies to assist the sub-region in fighting the health and economic impact of COVID-19.

"According to Kassi-Brou,

these include, the need for advocacy at continental and global levels, particularly with the G20, World Bank, United Nations and the African Development Bank among others, for support to negate the health and economic damage to the ECOWAS sub-region; and mass awareness campaign to achieve behavioural change among the citizens of the community with effective customs, security and health protocols put in place throughout the sub-region.

"The president of the ECOWAS Commission used the occasion to condole with the government and people of Nigeria on the latest Boko Haram attack on Gubio Local Government in Borno," the statement added.

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Lawan, Gbajabiamila, Tinubu Make Case for Sustenance of Democracy Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu in Abuja President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan; House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, have stressed the need for the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria.

The trio, in separate goodwill messages yesterday to mark the 21st anniversary of the country's return to civil rule after decades of military interregnum, saluted Nigerians for their sacrifice, perseverance and courage that made a new political order possible.

Lawan, in a message entitled: ‘Democracy Day Message to Nigerians,’ said Nigeria’s ability to govern itself 21 years after June 12, 1993 election showed that democratic rule had come to stay.

He urged Nigerians to be confident in democratic governance.

He said: “June 12 has become a metaphor in our country for free, fair and credible elections and a memorial for the day in which Nigerians stoutly rose above ethnic and religious sentiments to deliver a panNigerian mandate for the revival of hope in their country's unity and attainment of its great potential. “The heroic demonstration of patriotism by the Nigerian voters on June 12, 1993, will continue to inspire generations

of their compatriots to promote national unity and defend democracy in Nigeria. “Having come this far in our journey as a nation, we have no reason to doubt our ability to govern ourselves and attain our great potential as a nation. “Our uninterrupted practice of democracy in the last 21 years attests that democratic civil rule is taking roots and becoming firmly entrenched in Nigeria.�

Lawan assured Nigerians that lawmakers would continue to provide the platform for improving democratic practice.

He said: “While there is a consensus that democracy is the best form of government, it is also important to stress that democracy is a process that evolves with time. “We should, therefore, continue to have faith in the capacity of our system to deliver the dividends of democracy to our people. “The ongoing process of the constitutional amendment and the much-awaited electoral reforms will take cognisance of our past pitfalls and the democratic ethos required to guide us to where we want to be. “I urge us all as Nigerians to embrace a healthy democratic practice devoid of desperation and violence.�

Also, Gbajabiamila expressed satisfaction that June 12 has now become Nigeria's Democracy Day, courtesy of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led government.

Gbajabiamila, in a statement,

congratulated Nigerians for marking this year's Democracy Day, saying that since 1999, the country has come a long way in democratic practice and the system is growing by the day.

According to him, Nigeria has learnt a lot in the last 21 years of uninterrupted democracy.

He urged Nigerians to remain united in the face of daunting challenges facing the country.

He also called for prayers for the country to overcome the security challenges in Nigeria.

He said Nigerian leaders and the citizens must work toward sustaining the country's democracy as it is the system

that protects the interest of all.

In his Democracy Day message entitled, ‘June 12: A milestone for democracy,’ Tinubu warned against the return of the country to dictatorship.

The former Lagos State governor said the election of June 12, 1993 changed Nigeria profoundly, adding that many people laboured, struggled and sacrificed for democracy in Nigeria.

He said: “They fought not that we would have democracy day, but that Nigeria might exist as a democracy every day. “In our democratic system,

nobody can dictate your beliefs and your thoughts unless you voluntarily permit them to do so. These things are what true democracy means and they are what we celebrate today. “The government too has continued to exhibit tolerance of constructive criticism and demonstrate endurance in a bid to nurture our democracy. A relentless battle is being waged against corruption. This fight would have been impossible or ineffective under a military dictatorship. “If we look at where we were and where we are now, we have cause to be thankful. We

have left dictatorship forever behind. We see new and better ways to define and execute our democratic journey. “Nigerians deserve congratulations and commendation for their investment in democracy and for how far we have come.

"However, we equally must warn and remind ourselves how far we must go. We must continue to work to entrench and improve our democracy. We must continue to be vigilant and keep watch over our democracy and ward off those who may want to draw us back toward a dimmer period.�

A LIFT FOR EDUCATION...

L-R: Managing Director/CEO, First Bank Plc, Dr. Adeola Adeduntan, and Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during the presentation of 20,000 e-learning devices for Lagos State schools by the bank in Lagos...yesterday

Govs to Declare State of Emergency on Rape Mandate Tambuwal to discuss with speakers on financial autonomy for states' legislature Chuks Okocha in Abuja Governors have agreed to declare a state of emergency on rape and other gender-based violence against women and children.

The governors, under the auspices of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), after a virtual meeting, also renewed their commitment to ensuring that offenders face the full weight of the law.

In a communiquĂŠ issued at the end of its 10th teleconference meeting, the 36 state governors commended President Muhammadu Buhari for accepting to postpone the implementation of Executive Order 10 on financial autonomy for states' legislature and judiciary, pending further consultations with all stakeholders.

They also mandated the Deputy Chairman of NGF and Sokoto State Governor, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, to continue to engage the Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly on how to ensure agreeable modalities for the implementation of the executive order.

The communiquĂŠ of the meeting held on Wednesday, which was released yesterday, was signed by the Chairman of the NGF and Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

According to the communiquĂŠ, the governors agreed to, “Declare a state of emergency on sexual and gender-based violence.

Governors strongly condemned all forms of violence against women and children and committed to ensuring that offenders face the maximum weight of the law; “Call on state governors that have not already domesticated relevant gender-based protection laws to domesticate the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, the Child Rights Act and the updated Penal Code to increase protection for women and children and ensure speedy investigation and prosecution of perpetrators in addition to creating a sex offenders' register in each state to name and shame.�

They also had discussions with the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Pauline Tallen, who addressed members on the rising case of rape and gender-based violence in the country, which has escalated threefold since the enforcement of the COVID-19 lockdown.

The governors called on state commissioners of police to provide detailed reports on the actions taken to strengthen their response to sexual and gender-based violence through the Family Support Units and Force Gender Units at the state

and local government levels.

They said they would commit additional funding for the prevention and response to sexual and gender-based violence through appropriate Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

They also endorsed the communiquĂŠ of the meeting of the First Ladies in Nigeria, held on June 7, to evaluate and mobilise action to check the alarming rate of sexual violence against women and girls, including all forms of violence against women.

The communiquĂŠ said the forum met with the Chief of Staff to the president, Professor Ibrahim Gambari; the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), on the executive order.

The communiquĂŠ added that the governors discussed the implications of the contentious executive order, which among others, mandates the allocation of appropriated funds to the state legislature and judiciary in the states' appropriation laws as a first line charge upon the Consolidated Revenue Fund of each state.

The governors resolved to "congratulate Mr. President for the decision to postpone the formal publication of

Executive Order #10 of 2020 in the Official Gazette to enable further consultations among all stakeholders.

"Through the NGF Committee led by the Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State, continue meeting with the delegation of the Conference of Speakers and other stakeholders to work out modalities for resolving all concerns regarding Executive Order #10 amicably," it added.

The governors reiterated their position that "the proposed Control of Infectious Diseases Bill, 2020 takes into account the crucial role of state governments within Nigeria’s federal system in responding to pandemics in the country. “Specifically, state governors should be conferred with the powers, among others to, declare any place within their state an infected area; make regulations and directives towards prevention and further spread of an infectious disease within the state; establish states’ centres for disease control; the discretionary powers of Mr. President and the director general as contained in the proposed bill should be reviewed.

"Finally, while cautioning on certain human rights violations in the proposed

bill, governors also highlighted potential contraventions with the Nigerian constitution."

The governors also endorsed the work of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s Committee to consolidate measures to gradually open the formal and informal sectors of the economy, especially agricultural activities in rural areas, manufacturing (including the distribution of goods across states), markets, construction, hotels and restaurants (takeaways only), and worship centres based on existing COVID-19 protocols.

They also agreed with the Presidential Taskforce (PTF) to prioritise government’s response in hotspots across the country that account for the largest share of COVID-19 cases.

The communiquĂŠ said the governors encouraged citizens who have COVID-19 symptoms to go for testing to ensure that they receive timely care and that their families are protected from being infected.

States are already working with the PTF to ensure that there are operational testing laboratories in each state, it stated.

The communiquĂŠ also called on each state government to develop a strategy for opening its economy based on the guidelines agreed to by the PTF and the NGF. The governors passed a

vote of confidence on the newly-appointed Chairman of the Police Trust Fund to steer a responsive and responsible police force and called on him to ensure that the composition of the PTF Board is representative of the country’s diversity.

They urged the chairman of the trust fund to seek legal advice on the funding sources of the organisation as the current arrangement in its Act, which amongst others, sources its funding from 0.5 per cent of the total revenue accruing to the Federation Account violates the constitution.

They commended the World Bank on the provision of $750 million additional financing for the State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability Programme for Results (SFTAS).

In addition, they pledged to ensure that their Ministries of Finance, Budget and Planning are positioned to access available funding to strengthen the COVID-19 response of state governments.

The governors also endorsed the recommendations of the NEC Ad-hoc Committee on COVID-19, which highlights key public health and macroeconomic actions for the federal and state governments, many of which states are already implementing.

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PAGE NINE COVID-19: ANOTHER TOTAL LOCKDOWN UNLIKELY, SAYS FG of Presidential Task Force of COVID-19, Mr. Boss Mustapha, ruled out the possibility of another total lockdown.

Mustapha, at the regular press briefing by the task force in Abuja, said another lockdown might not be necessary while the federal government in terms of strategic implementation of its policy would not be looking towards that direction as the country' “cannot be moving forward and begin to move backward again.''

His clarification was in response to a suggestion seeking to know if the federal government might be contemplating another review of the total lockdown in the light of the exponential daily increase in the number of cases.

He explained that the federal government would rather concentrate on how to strengthen what it had put in place, as well as to ensure compliance with all other nonpharmaceutical interventions already developed. ''I have indicated in my first address on this subject that we will study the situation, look at it and see how we are going. And if there is need for review that such will be advised by data, by science, by experiences of other jurisdictions and by the peculiarities of our environment. ''To go back to a total lockdown must be taken into context of what we do desire to achieve after we locked down for about four or five weeks and see how we fare. So, the issue of review might not have that in contemplation because you can’t move forward and begin to move backward again. ''In terms of strategic implementation of our policy, we might not be looking towards that direction, but we might be looking at how to strengthen what we have put in place, how to ensure compliance and all other non-pharmaceutical interventions we have put in place,'' Mustapha said.

According to him, the country has got to the state where every Nigerian must take responsibility and take ownership of how to navigate

the pandemic to stay alive and survive it.

He said government was working with community and religious leaders and all forms of informal leaderships to cede the ownership of fighting the virus to the people.

He also expressed concern over the projection by the Director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Dr. Anthony Fauci, projecting 200,000 Americans to die from COVID-19 by September this year.

He said Nigerians should be concerned about the projection, which goes to say that the virus is real. ''September is just down the road. We are talking about three months. I am worried if as a people and as a nation we don't see this. The truth about this is that there is much government can do but the responsibility has now been ceded to the Nigerian people,'' he stated.

Sporting Activities Can’t Resume for Now, Says FG Mustapha also said sporting activities, particularly the Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL), would remain suspended.

He noted that the federal government was not too particularly excited about opening up for sporting activities, especially football, which attracts a large crowd and which if allowed, will contravene the PTF's protocol that forbids all gatherings of people exceeding 20, except in places of work. ''I don't see the excitement that will be achieved if we allow sporting activities or the football league to resume in an empty stadium. A lot of European countries where this is a big business are thinking of opening in a deliberate manner and in a slow pace manner. "And many countries are saying when they finally resume, it would be teams playing in empty stadia. We will get there too, but now we are concerned with the few activities that we have allowed to resume and we have given ourselves one month within which we are to do a thorough

assessment and see how we fare,'' Mustapha added.

NCDC's Testing Capacity Now over 10,000 Daily The NCDC has said that the country’s laboratory facilities can now test more than 10,000 samples for COVID-19 daily.

The Director General of NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, at the press conference, however, said the centre currently tests between 2,000 samples and above daily.

Ihekweazu added that the implication of the statistics is that the laboratories are not getting enough samples to operate at optimal capacity.

He said: “We are pushing hard on it; we are between about 2,000 tests per day or thereabouts; sometimes a little bit less. We have activated a new laboratory in Oyo State at the University College, Ibadan - affiliated to the University Teaching Hospital there. So, a lot of work is going on; in Ondo State, the Lassa fever laboratory has been converted to COVID-19; right now, Jigawa, Ekiti States, so there is a lot of work going on. “However, today you may have seen the release of more testing numbers; it should have been released yesterday; they were delayed. So, we really need to emphasise these numbers. Right now, we are working at 10-20 capacity utilisation of our laboratories. So, we have the capacity to test a lot more. We can test about 10,000 samples per day and probably more if we are pushed hard. So, the laboratories are there; samples are not coming as sufficiently as we want. So, we really ask over this weekend, every state to push harder. We have been working with the states’ epidemiologists. The only way we can know if we are on top of this is by testing and we are ready to do that.�

He explained that Genexpert machines installed will start functioning as from June 14, adding that NCDC has been working round the clock over the week to distribute cartridges to the seven centres where the Gene-Xperts are located go make sure that they are ready for operations on

June 14.

On his part, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said the ministry had repackaged the basic healthcare provision fund to conform with the provisions of the Act establishing it.

Ehanire said the fund had undergone some review and had become stronger and more robust.

"Basic healthcare provision fund was launched earlier by the president and it has started operating but a few months, the Senate Committee on Health invited the Ministry of Health and drew attention to certain areas, which they said were not in consonance with the Act and that we needed to correct those areas and that until this was done, we have halted activities.

"So, the correction took much longer time than was actually expected but the benefit of it is that something much nicer with a bigger package has emerged and those errors have been corrected. We have agreed to meeting with stakeholders to see how we would represent it to the public very soon," he said.

Ehanire added that 45 per cent of the 9,000 primary healthcare centres have so far been rehabilitated across the country.

FG to Demand Interim Report on Madagascar Herb On the update on the scientific investigation on the Madagascar herb, Ehanire said there were no findings yet.

He said none of the research agencies verifying the herbal mixture had come up with a report.

He added that he would soon demand an interim report from the agencies on what they have done with the herbal drug.

On growing constraints on medical doctors handling treatment, Ehanire said the ministry was planning to train more specialist doctors for the states.

He said the Ministry of Labour and Employment; Ministry of Health and the Speaker of the House of Representatives had been engaging the National

Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to address issues raised by the doctors.

"The disengaged resident doctors at University of Jos Teaching hospital were recalled by the Board of Governors. I am confident that resident doctors will show understanding and reciprocate government's efforts on the assurance that grievances shall be addressed," he said

are ready onwards, we will open the skies for domestic travellers and that’s when we will address the issue of interstate restrictions and curfew but at the moment, there is no plan right now to say, June 21, here we go.

It’s aspirational if anything,� he stated.

Aviation Authorities to Determine Flight Resumption, Says FG

The Lagos State Government has discharged 22 additional COVID-19 patients from its isolation centres, bringing to 1,047 the number of successfully treated persons in the state.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said 16 of the patients are males and six females.

He said: "Nine of the patients were discharged from Onikan, six from Lekki, three from Lagos University Teaching Hospital LUTH, two from Gbagada, one each from Agidingbi and FCC isolation centres.

"With this, the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases that have been successfully managed and discharged in Lagos has risen to 1,047."

The federal government has said the civil aviation authorities will determine when domestic flights will resume in the country.

The National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Dr. Sani Aliyu, during the briefing in Abuja, said contrary to report, the federal government did not say flights would resume by June 21.

Aliyu, at a previous briefing by the task force, had said the aviation industry was requested to start developing protocols that could lead to the resumption of domestic flights anytime from June 21.

But while giving an update yesterday, he said the PTF was yet to receive any update from the aviation sector on its preparedness to restart flight operations. “What we said to the aviation authorities is; you need to let us know from the 21st of June onwards if you are ready to start opening the skies. We didn’t say 21st of June skies open. “We gave them a window of three weeks to prepare and I believe they are still preparing. We did not ask them for updates how things are going but we expect them to get back to us. “The aviation industry is highly regulated. There are certain things they have to do before they start flying such as retraining of pilots, recalibrating the aircraft and ensuring safety at the airport to make sure people are safe. “We don’t have an update on that yet but we expect them to come to us by June 21. If they come back to us

by June 21 and they say we

Lagos Discharges 22 Additional Patients

EFCC to Probe Diverted COVID-19 Funds The Economic and Financial Crimes Commision (EFCC) yesterday said it would probe alleged cases of diversion of COVID-19 funds.

The commission said President Muhammadu Buhari had authorised the anti-graft agency to go after anybody no matter how highly placed.

EFCC Acting Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, warned against embezzling funds and items donated to contain the pandemic.

Magu warned that "monies and items for palliatives as a result of COVID-19, which are being diverted, will be thoroughly investigated and those found wanting will be prosecuted."

Magu, who spoke at a briefing to commemorate Democracy Day, noted that the commission placed premium on both enforcement and prevention strategies.

OSINBAJO COMMITTEE PROJECTS 39.4M JOB LOSSES BY DEC non-oil revenues and reducing non-essential spending towards securing sufficient resources to fund the plan; articulating specific measures to support the states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT); proposing a clear-cut strategy to keep jobs and create opportunities for new ones as well as identifying measures that may require legislative support to deliver the plan.

Presenting the report tagged: "Bouncing Back: The Nigerian Economic Sustainability Plan," at a forum attended by some ministers at the State House, Osinbajo said even if the price of crude oil in the international market stabilised at $30 per barrel throughout the year, Nigeria would still lose N185 billion monthly.

According to the vice president, millions of Nigerians will slide into extreme poverty by the time the COVID-19 pandemic ends while the gross domestic product (GDP) rate may fall to as low as -4.40 per cent and minus -8.91 per cent,

depending on the duration of the lockdown as well as the strength of the country's economic response.

He said: "In addition, the inevitable mandatory lockdowns and social distancing measures put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19 have had a severe negative impact on farms and factories, as well as on trade, transport and tourism.

"Several projections, including those done by the NBS on behalf of the Economic Sustainability Committee, showed: (i) a severe downturn in our oil earnings, as a result of which, even with oil price at 30 dollars a barrel, we would still have a shortfall of about N185 billion every month, in the amount available for allocation to the three tiers of government; (ii) that unemployment may rise to 33.6 per cent or about 39.4 million people by the end of 2020, if we fail to take prompt preemptive measures; (iii) that millions more will fall into extreme poverty, before the

pandemic ends; (iv) that GDP may fall to between minus 4.40 per cent and minus 8.91 per cent depending on the length of the lockdown period and strength of our economic response."

In addressing the looming doom, the vice president said his committee had opted to explore a strategy hinged on the president's mantra to “produce what we eat and consume what we produce.�

He said if the government would succeed in creating new jobs, it must encourage local production, with local services, local innovations and the use of local materials to produce foods, build houses and construct roads.

According to him, import in this situation must only be allowed to support local production while mass programmes aimed at creating jobs and making use of the local materials must be evolved.

He listed such programmes to be evolved to create jobs to include: mass agricultural programme, extensive public

works and road construction programme, installation of solar home system, targetting five million households and serving no fewer than 25 million Nigerians not connected to national grid.

The vice president enumerated other measures aimed at cushioning the effects of the pandemic to include: support for local production and manufacturing, provision of ample support for informal sector through low interest loans and easing procedures for registration, licensing and obtaining permits.

Others as recommended by the Osinbajo committee are support for urban and informal business people, MSMEs, especially such support that will support loan restructuring with banks, facilitation of broadband connectivity across the country and creation of a wide variety of technology and ICT jobs as well as expansion of Social Investment Programme, among others.

"Such will include: a Mass Agricultural Programme,

which is expected to bring between 20,000 and 100,000 hectares of new farmland under cultivation in every state of the federation and create millions of direct and indirect job opportunities.

"Extensive Public Works and Road Construction programme focusing on both major and rural roads and using locally available materials like limestone, cement and granite.

"Mass Housing Programme to deliver up to 300,000 homes annually, engaging young professionals and artisans who form themselves into small and medium scale businesses within the construction industry, using indigenous labour and materials. "Installation of solar home system, targetting five million households, serving about 25 million individual Nigerians who are currently not connected to the national grid.

"We have also recommended -(i) support for local Continued on page 58

TOP GAINERS NGN NGN % NEIMETH 0.23 2.57 9.8 UNITYBANK 0.05 0.57 9.6 ABCTRANS 0.04 0.49 8.8 JAPAUL 0.02 0.25 8.7 AIICO 0.07 1.18 6.3 TOP LOSERS NGN % CAVERTON 0.25 2.25 10 PRESTIGE 0.07 0.70 9.0 MBENEFITS 0.02 0.22 8.3 OANDO 0.26 3.30 7.1 JBERGER 1.40 19.85 6.5 HPE Nestle Nig Plc â‚Ś1,000.00 Volume: 337.129 million shares Value: N3.405 billion Deals: 3,880 As at yesterday 11/6/2020 See details on Page 53

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T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍ°Ëœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

COMMENT

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

MANDELA WELCOMES GEORGE FLOYD

Okello Oculi writes that the continent has some explanation to do why the youths did not come out in rage over George Floyd

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eorge Floyd was killed with a blunt knee. His neck was pinned down like that of a lamb or goat or cow for sacrifice. The triumphal posture of the police killer suggested that he felt as if he was subduing a lion. He may well have felt the fear of the judge who, after hearing Mandela’s defiant speech, sentenced him to life in prison. Both the judges and policemen at the two events were wasting vital human resources within forms of governance which mortally feared African power; the vey power whose slave sweat and anguish had built their respective economic power. During the memorial ritual at Minneapolis, a Liberian told a journalist that he had not been aware of the regime of brutality in which the American Police hunted and gunned down AfricanAmericans as a sport. The Liberian was a victim of a post- 19381945 World War policy by the American State Department to build a generation of future leaders in Africa who would be friends of the United States.

Through scholarships, short tours and refugee shelter, African students were welcomed but carefully kept away from rural slums in which ‘’Indigenous Nations’’(previously labeled arrogantly as ‘’Red Indians’’), were wasted by alcoholism; urban ‘’ghettos’’ in which African-Americans (formerly labeled derogatively as ‘’Negros’’), struggled to survive. That leprous side of America was carefully hidden.

White middle class families were trained in how to bestow love on African students and visitors allocated to them. The appetite for hamburgers, lager beer, semolina and barbequed steak, were taught through ‘’family menus’’. Weekend parties on or around college campuses allowed in scratches by gentle fingernails of marriage, or fleeting sexual indulgences at the expense of sweethearts or spouses left across the Atlantic Ocean.

Students from Korea, India, Pakistan, Iran and Libya remain valued for being gifted in Mathematics and Engineering sciences.

While Barrack Obama became the most visible juicy fruit in this human induction, there are silent engineers who have made fantastic inventions through following up their doctoral research into Stanford’s ‘valley of brains’. Each time politicians like Donald Trump light fires of prejudices against them, multinational corporations and the military establishment throw blankets of protection over them.

What has remained neglected are a competitive hospitality schemes mounted by African-American communities, including their more educated classes. Several factors have been blamed; including the active encouragement by government agents of

WHITE MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES WERE TRAINED IN HOW TO BESTOW LOVE ON AFRICAN STUDENTS AND VISITORS ALLOCATED TO THEM. THE APPETITE FOR HAMBURGERS, LAGER BEER, SEMOLINA AND BARBEQUED STEAK, WERE TAUGHT THROUGH ‘FAMILY MENUS’

bitterness who preach the gospel of: ‘’Africans Sold Us Into Slavery and Suffering’’. There was always the ‘’Haiti Mulato Virus’’ which induced ‘near-white Negros’’ and those Malcolm X attacked bitterly as ‘’House Niggers’’, to discriminate against their darker-skinned brethren.

Mohammed Ali introduced an economic element into this picture, saying that having seen the poverty in African countries, he was glad that his ancestors crossed the Atlantic Ocean. His defeat of George Foreman in the ‘’RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE’’ boxing match financed by President Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo), changed his mind. The collapse of his nervous system, due to consumption of carrots contaminated with DDT insecticide, crippled his diplomatic exploits after the end of his boxing career.

While Kwame Nkrumah welcomed Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.; W.E.B. Dubois and George Padmore to use the platform of newly independent Ghana for shaping a new face of Pan-African politics and diplomacy, successive African governments have failed to match the scale of harvesting Africa’s human resources which American Governments have sustained. For a start, Haiti’s historic defeat of a French fleet in defence of their revolution, remains unmarked. Likewise, a vigorous African intervention to erect good and effective governance on that tortured island country remains ignored.

An important lesson to learn from imperial reflexes of Britain and the United States is that of using tourists, business employees, religious missionaries, academic researchers, foreign correspondents, civil society groups and spies to write reports and journals about the complex textures of the United States, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Canada, etc., for the education of public opinion and foreign policy in Africa.

The ‘’Brain Drain’’ which has severely deepened intellectual weakness in African countries is not countered by attracting or training talents being wasted in the Americas due to racist denial of education and economic resources to their Africans. These ‘new immigrants’’ often remain primarily as ‘’native informants’’ to their hosts on African affairs.

Nelson Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah, Haile Selassie, Ahmed Ben Bella have the burden of explaining to George Floyd why Africa’s youth did not surge out in rage over his ‘Knee-Fixion’. A report that Tafawa Balewa, Sedar Senghor and Modibbo Keita got Senegalese and Malian marabous to make herbal brews (out of cries from COVID-19, unemployment, hunger, directed killings by the police to arouse votes for Donald Trump), and bomb Minneapolis and cities worldwide drew a smile from GEFOD.

SIGNPOSTS TO A PROMISING FUTURE Ă’Ă? Ëœ Ă‹Ăž Í–Í—Ëœ Ă“Ă? Ă‹Ă˜ Ă?ÚÓÞÙ×Ă? Ă™Ă? ĂšĂ‹ĂžĂœĂ“Ă™ĂžĂ“Ă? Ă?Ă?ĂœĂ Ă“Ă?Ă?Ëœ ĂĄĂœĂ“ĂžĂ?Ă? Emma Agu

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f I had any doubt about how deeply disorienting the COVID-19 pandemic has affected our psyche, it is the fact that the 56th anniversary of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) could have skipped my attention. As someone who has been associated with the Service in the past four years, I have come to appreciate the significant transformation that has taken place under the leadership of the incumbent Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar. It is in his ability to effectively translate President Muhammadu Buhari’s unparalleled support for the NAF, into epochal dividends, that Air Marshal Abubakar stands out not just as a patriotic military commander but a foremost transformational leader of men and materials. It is within this context that the 56th anniversary of the NAF should be considered and understood.

It is a huge task appraising the growth of a strategic institution such as the NAF in a very short article. Suffice it to say that this year’s anniversary of the NAF, the youngest member of Nigeria’s Armed Forces, deserves special mention, not only on account of the fact that, at 56, it has really come of age but also in recognition of the outstanding contribution the Service has made to the successes recorded in the counter-insurgency campaign, under the Muhammadu Buhari Administration. Doubtless to say, without the enhanced firepower of the NAF, culminating in highly destabilising aerial bombardment of the Boko Haram insurgents, the Nigerian Armed Forces would have been hard-pressed achieving even the modest “technical defeat�, of the insurgent group, that has been a perennial menace, over the past decade or so.

To those who would always dispute the successes recorded in the counter-insurgency effort, and that is without prejudice to the game of musical chairs that often plays out in the North East, it is noteworthy that, unlike the situation some years ago, today, neither do residents of the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja any longer dread visiting parks and gardens nor do they nurse any fears that they could be bombed at the various business plazas and places of worship, in the city. No longer are roads leading to

strategic national institutions barricaded all round, with intra-city commuters subjected to excruciating traffic snarls and pervasive commutation rigmarole.

While the NAF has recorded an array of achievements since inception, my intimate relationship with the Service, in the past couple of years leads to the conclusion that never has the Service had it so good in terms of financial and logistical support, on the one hand, and Service delivery, on the other hand.

Notable among these are the conscious pursuit of a diversity policy that has led to increase in the number of winged female combat pilots, from two to seven; successful induction (not unveiling), of the unmanned aerial vehicle (the Tsaigumi drone) in 2018; unprecedented growth of R&D epitomized in the domestication of aircraft maintenance and other equipment, manufacture of spares and placement of staff welfare and motivation on the front burner of leadership consideration. It is axiomatic that every change, especially the paradigm shifting changes of the nature that are sweeping through the NAF, could only have been driven by purposeful goal-directed leadership. I should restate that I have been privileged to be associated with the Service during this period. I can say, without any fear of contradiction that the ability of the NAF to revive unserviceable aircraft that were deployed into the counter-insurgency campaign, is attributable to the bold initiative of Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar and the extra-ordinary ingenuity of the officers, men and women who, when challenged by the CAS, rose ebulliently to the demands of the moment.

Also noteworthy is the fact that the domestication of equipment maintenance and repairs, by the NAF, has impacted positively on the country’s institutions of higher learning, research agencies and engineering companies. As has become lamentably obvious, though the country’s higher institutions incubate a reservoir of geniuses, not many have been given the opportunity to showcase their talents. That ugly narrative has changed in the Buhari era, with the Air Force signing mutually beneficial MOUs with 26 entities: universities, research institutes and engineer-

ing companies.

I can confirm that the relationship between the Nigerian Air Force and the universities has tremendously boosted the ability of the Service in the re-activation of unserviceable platforms as well as the maintenance culture that has been the mantra of the Federal Government. My investigation into the R&D strides recorded under the Sadique Abubakar leadership of the NAF, took me to the University of Maiduguri in Borno State. Our target was Engineer Muhammed Shuwa, of the Mechanical Engineering Department, a man whose creative genius was responsible for re-launching the hitherto unserviceable Alpha Jet aircraft, into service. Ironically, that feat was achieved after all hope had been given up, over failure to source the anti-skid test bench for the aircraft, from either original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) or other vendors. Shuwa stoically rose to the challenge and in collaboration with men of the R&D Department of the NAF, was able to produce an improved version of the anti-skid test bench kit.

Without the anti-skid test bench kit, the resuscitation of the firing power of the NAF, in the early days of the Buhari Administration, would not have been possible. While this collaboration has been warmly received by the universities, it is equally true that NAF personnel, who are charged with R&D, have found the collaboration, a most rewarding experience. Without exception, while not diminishing the contributions of his predecessors, all the officers with whom I interacted unequivocally extolled the unparalleled catalytic role of the current Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal SB Abubakar, in the paradigm shift, that promises to place the NAF on a stronger footing, in the years ahead.

If the visionary emphasis on R&D has led to phenomenal improvements in local capacity building and firepower, the doctrinal changes that have occurred, in the past four years, have transformed the Service into a better coordinated security machine, positioned to achieve its motto of “Willing, Able, Ready�; a motto that is driven by the CAS SB Abubakar Vision Statement which is: “To reposition

the Nigerian Air Force into a highly professional and disciplined force through capacity building initiatives for effective, efficient and timely deployment of air power in response to Nigeria’s national security imperatives�. The creation of two Commands: The Special Operations Command in Bauchi and the Ground Training Command in Enugu, constitute the high points of the dynamic changes in structure under the Buhari era.

Besides these radical changes, my personal observation is that Air Marshal Abubakar is a quintessential human resource engineer, not just a manager. While he demands loyalty to the President and the country, as irreducible minimum in the Service, he spares no effort or resource towards providing a welfare package large enough to motivate even the most recalcitrant Service personnel yet, prudent enough to adhere to the frugality that is the mantra of the Administration. From educational institutions to medical facilities, from personnel housing to barracks infrastructure, the past four years are regarded as perhaps, the renaissance years of the Service. To that extent, despite of the obvious internal security challenges, President Buhari can proudly beat his chest that the NAF, in its 56th year, has been an epitome of patriotic service.

With such highly motivated officers and men coupled with prudent management of resources, it is not surprising that the NAF has enjoyed the confidence and unflinching support of the President/ Commander-in-Chief. He has spared no effort in approving the procurement of much needed military aircraft and equipment. At the last count, 22 new aircraft have been inducted into Service with another 16 aircraft expected to be delivered soon. The Service has also received, for both training and combat purposes, eleven additional aircraft from the MDAs with six being flyable, since 2015. This makes the era the most provisioned since Nigeria’s independence.

It is perhaps instructive to note that more aircraft have been bought for the NAF, under the Buhari Administration, than at all other periods combined since 1999.

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EDITORIAL THE ESSENCE OF DEMOCRACY DAY President Buhari’s government must be all-inclusive

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y upholding June 12 as Democracy Day, President Muhammadu Buhari has demonstrated that the passage of time does not diminish courageous restitution. But on a day such as this, it is also important for him to begin to reflect on his stewardship and the legacy he intends to bequeath by 2023. He should understand that he is as much the president of those who voted for him as he is for those who did not. Most importantly, this is an opportunity for the president to lay to rest the growing impression that he is a sectional leader. He must now belong to all Nigerians while ensuring that we all belong to one indivisible nation.

If on June 12, 1993 Nigerians trooped out to vote without minding ethnic or religious differences, questions must be asked, especially on a day such as this, why we have become so divided along those lines.

Is it possible for Nigeria to vote for a Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian ticket under the current atmosphere of mutual recriminations and suspicions?

The essence of June 12 should not be lost on the president who begin to define his legacies to align not only with his THE SUMMARY OF THE governance and imJUNE 12 CHALLENGE mediate stewardship FOR THE NATION AND IN but also in tandem PARTICULAR, THE BUHARI with the mood of ADMINISTRATION, IS TO a nation that is in dire need of healing.

EMBRACE THE SPIRIT The significance of OF INCLUSIVENESS June 12 derives from AND JUSTICE FOR ALL the fact that on that NIGERIANS day, 27 years ago, Nigerians defied faith, ethnicity and nativism to speak with one undivided voice on the choice of national leadership. The summary of the June 12 challenge for the nation and in particular, the Buhari administration, is to embrace the spirit of inclusiveness and justice for all Nigerians. These values transcend pomp and mere

symbolism.

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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

he appeal of the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola—the man who symbolises the day—was not just in his philanthropic sweep across the nation.

A Baptist school boy who happened to be a Muslim, a street kid who rose to the pinnacle of the boardroom and a multi-millionaire who found time to commune with the poor, were combinations that appealed to the widest spectrum of the Nigerian electorate in that historic election. Although Nigerians cast their ballots without any hitches, the result was annulled before it could be officially declared by the military government headed by General Ibrahim Babangida. This was despite the fact that most Nigerians knew the late Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) had won. The struggle that followed led to the death of many pro-democracy activists, especially under the late General Sani Abacha. His death and that of Abiola, a month apart, in 1998 ushered in the current democracy on 29 May 1999.

To honour the memory of Abiola and the sacrifices he made, President Buhari has proclaimed June 12 Democracy Day in Nigeria, as opposed to May 29. Last year, he assented to the Public Holiday Amendment Bill to confer official recognition for June 12 as the Democracy Day. We commend President Buhari for his decision on June 12. But we urge him to imbibe the spirit of reconciliation to heal other wounds. Unarguably, our nation is bleeding from old and new injuries.

At no other time has the feeling of hurt in several parts of the nation been more pronounced than now.

Ordinarily, then, the recognition of Abiola and June 12 ought to be part of a national healing process.

As we reiterated last year, President Buhari will do well to break free from old prejudices and reassert his authentic nationalism as a statesman. This is the time to look again at the South-east where old and new collective injuries have joined to heighten the sense of alienation.

We wish all Nigerians Happy Democracy Day!

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Letters to the Editor

JUNE 12: Dream That Never Berthed

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remember in 1993 when as an eight-year-old starry -eyed lad, I was introduced to partisan politics. My father belonged to the then National Republican Convention (NRC) and he never told me to go and play outside when his political associates sauntered into our house for meetings.

As the child who was saddled with the responsibility of purchasing newspapers for him, I was unconsciously taught the ropes of partisan politics.

My mother was a sympathizer of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) because she was always in awe of the rags to riches story of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola.

June 12, 1993 came and the nation went to the polls to elect a leader that will lead them to the proverbial Promised Land. For the first time in the country’s electoral history, the nation voted for a Muslim-Muslim ticket as we were fed up of the ruinous military rule especially with the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida which greatly pauperized Nigerians. For the first time we were united, not minding our religious differences as our collective resolve was the common good. I recall that the religious resolve was absent in the 1979 Presidential elections when the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo ran with the late Chief Phillip Umeadi of the Unity Party of Nigeria on a Christian-Christian ticket. The nation had truly evolved.

The presumed victory by Abiola united the nation also for the first time despite divergent political party lines as many Nigerians who

belonged to the NRC were united in their resolve to ensure that Abiola got his mandate. The likes of Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, for instance, who was a staunch member of the NRC became a sturdy voice for the de-annulment of the June 12 elections. The current Ekiti State Governor, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi in his book ‘Out of the Shadows’ revealed that he was initially opposed to the candidacy of Abiola but rallied round him and campaigned vigorously for his presidency. The June 12 election which was initially the beacon of hope for the beleaguered nation tragically metamorphosed into a bucket filled with blood. Many of the pro-democracy campaigners most notably late Chief Anthony Enahoro, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Dele Momodu, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, amongst many others, were forced into exile. The ones who preferred to remain in the country were hounded into detention – names like Senator Babafemi Ojudu, a former Director with The News Magazine, Dare Babarinsa of Tell Magazine, late Prince Ademola Adeniji-Adele, Chief Olu Falae, late Chief Bola Ige, late Lam Adesina, etc., were guests of the dreaded gulags scattered across the country. The likes of Pa Alfred Rewane, Kudirat Abiola, Madam Suliat Adedeji paid the supreme price by being victims of the assassins’ bullet.

Many politicians as time went on betrayed the June 12 cause as they convinced Abiola to renounce his mandate in preference for the New Sheriff in town – General Sani Abacha. Chief Abiola himself was clamped behind bars in 1994 after he declared himself as the President of the country in the famous Epetedo Declaration in Lagos.

After Abacha’s sudden and unexpected death, many incurable optimists were glad that Abiola’s mandate would become a reality but

the international community thought differently as powerful diplomats led by Kofi Annan, the then United Nations Secretary-General, Emeka Anyaoku, the then Commonwealth Secretary-General and Susan Rice tried their best to convince the businessman and philanthropist to give up his mandate in the exchange for a good life. The Chief was defiant and the only option was to take him out with the infamous cup of tea.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo who angered the Yoruba community by saying that ‘Abiola was not the messiah that the nation needed’ later emerged as the biggest beneficiary of the June 12 struggle.

He literarily walked through the valley of the shadow of death as he was also jailed by Abacha for treason. But for fate, he may have died in detention like his erstwhile deputy, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua.

The June 12 apologists prevailed on the Owu born leader to recognize June 12 as democracy day but he refused preferring to celebrate May 29.

Buhari in 2019, sensing his unpopularity, hurriedly made June 12 the democracy day as well as a public holiday in order to get the votes from the south west which proved to be the deal breaker for him in 2015.

Despite my disappointment with the Muhammadu Buhari-led presidency, I commend him for recognizing June 12 as the true democracy day. It is important for the stakeholders in power to ensure that the long awaited dividends of democracy get to the Man on the Clapham Omnibus.

I use this day to make the clarion call for restructuring and the strengthening of the states in a similar manner to how it was in the pre-independence era under the Lyttleton constitution.

Tony Ademiluyi, Lagos

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POLITICS

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

That Nigeria Might Exist as a Democracy Every Day On the event of Nigeria’s Democracy Day, Senator Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress pontificates on what democracy truly means

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he election of June 12, 1993 changed Nigeria profoundly.

That it would have this deep and positive effect was not always certain. Many people laboured, struggled and sacrificed for democracy.

They fought not that we would have Democracy Day, but that Nigeria might exist as a democracy every day. When I say democracy, I mean more than that we conduct periodic elections. Democracy means that we adhere to and live by the enlightened premise that all human beings are of essential value and are possessed of fundamental rights and liberties, which cannot be arbitrarily taken away or denied.

Democracy means that everyone has a right to peacefully influence and determine who governs them and how their government should work. It means that we all have a right to pursue our ambitions and aspirations so long as our actions do not wrongfully impede the aspirations and hopes of others. We have the right to believe, think and pray as we deem fit. In our democratic system, nobody can dictate your beliefs and your thoughts unless you voluntarily permit them to do so. These things are what true democracy means and they are what we celebrate today.

In this, we dare not forget how we got to this point. Planting the seedlings of democracy required much toil and sacrifice. Many potent forces tried to prevent both the planting and the harvest.

People like late Dr. Beko Ransome Kuti, late Gani Fawehinmi, Baba Omojola, late Pa Rewane, late Pa Enahoro, Baba Ajasin, Pa Adesanya, Baba Adebanjo, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, Femi Falana, members of the civil society groups, student-activists and others fought hard and struggled mightily on our behalf.

Many laid down their lives that we may have this brighter moment. Many people who we do not even know gave of themselves and lost life or limb to bring this moment to pass.

On this day, we duly honour such patriots. We remember them and commend their sacrifice. We mark this day that we not take this good form of government or their august labour for granted. We must keep and nurture democracy, not for its own sake, but for ours. Bashorun Moshood Abiola stood fast and strong despite the enormous pressure against him. Those who hated democracy and equality tried to break his spirit and make him lose hope that democracy would ever come to our land. Abiola withstood it all and held to a dream. They could not crush his spirit so they took his body. They did not allow his dream turn to reality but victory was still his because he held fast with uncommon determination and principle. In spirit, Abiola was truly the first president of this democratic period.

Here, I must commend President Buhari for having the political courage to make June 12 Democracy Day. It would have been easier to let things stay as they were.

But President Buhari, himself a man of integrity and honesty, realised the import of June 12 and understood that this day more than any other best symbolized our national pursuit of democracy. Despite political opposition, President Buhari helped set the record straight by making today, June 12, Democracy Day. I also congratulate our various governors including Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu of Lagos. They must all continue to do their level best to make the desired difference in the lives of our people.

We are recording appreciable progress on the political front. The Executive and Legislature are working harmoniously to deliver the programs and policies required for people to live a better more democratic existence. The courts are doing better in

protecting the rights of individual Nigerians. The press is free and robust although, like any nation, we must remain vigilant and do even more to elevate freedom of thought and expression.

The civil society remains alive and active

and holding government accountable to the people. The government too has continued to exhibit tolerance of constructive criticism and demonstrate endurance in a bid to nurture our democracy. A relentless battle is being waged against corruption. This fight

Abiodun’s Roads Revolution in Ogun Sunday Ilori asserts that Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has delivered on one his promises to the people by improving on road infrastructure in the state

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ne of the mission statements of Prince Dapo Abiodun, upon assumption of office on May 29, 2019, was to “improve productivity, mobility and connectivity through the provision of adequate physical road infrastructure across the state with particular emphasis on the rural areas.”

It is to his credit that he has not only lived up to this particular mission, but has also surpassed all expectations, thanks to the vision he has impacted on administering the state, especially in road construction and rehabilitation.

Days after he was sworn in as the fifth Executive Governor of Ogun State, Abiodun took a tour of the 236 wards across the state to ascertain the state of roads and what he saw was not pleasurable to him. He immediately ordered work to begin with a view to making roads across the state accessible, despite the meagre financial resources at the government’s disposal.

Cost-saving was the major planks of the Governor’s effort in this regard, hence, the signing of the Ogun State Road Maintenance Agency (OGPWA) Amendment Bill into law, which ultimately paved the way for the birth of the Ogun State Public Works Agency (OGPWA), leading to the massive road rehabilitation and construction in all the nooks and crannies of the state’s three senatorial districts.

This was a sharp departure from the past when foreign contractors were engaged in road rehabilitation and maintenance, thus, leaving room for sharp practices, aside barring provisions of employment for indigenes of the state.

The governor was unequivocal in his resolve. His commitment was also total.

“The OGPWA is today present and visible in different parts of our dear state, working round the clock to fix roads. The establishment of the OGPWA is part of our commitment to accelerate massive

road rehabilitation towards enhancing job creation, poverty alleviation, food security, open up the locked areas for development and generally ease commuting and movement of goods and materials; thereby ensuring the continued infrastructure growth of our dear state’s economy,” he said.

“Opening up our rural roads, in particular, will boost agriculture and development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.

We have also identified our industrial hubsAgbara-Atan-Ota axis, Ewekoro-Ifo axis, Sagamu-Ogijo axis-for special attentions.

We are as well exploiting our proximity to Lagos and, in this regard, we have entered into some key joint initiatives with Lagos State government,” he also said.

Although the Epe/Ijebu-Ode and Sagamu/Abeokuta roads built during the administration of Gbenga Daniel are federal roads, Abiodun has, nonetheless, rehabilitated them in partnership with the Private Sector in his resolve to open up the state to ease business and movement of people.

Among the roads currently being rehabilitated are Itoikin-Ibefun-Ijebu Ode road, Iperu-Ilisan road, Sango-Ojodu Abiodun road, Ilaro-Owode road, Abeokuta-SangoOta-Lagos road, Osi-Ota-Awolowo-NavyKola road, Balogun Kuku road in Ijebu Ode. The reconstruction of Opako Bridge in Adigbe, Abeokuta and many other township roads is ongoing, while the longabandoned 32-kilometre Akute-AjuwonAlagbole road has been earmarked for construction, although it is supposed be a joint effort by the governments of both Ogun and Lagos states.

So far, Ogun State can be described fittingly as a huge ground of road construction and rehabilitation.

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

would have been impossible or ineffective under a military dictatorship.

If we look at where we were and where we are now, we have cause to be thankful.

We have left dictatorship forever behind.

We see new and better ways to define and execute our democratic journey. For example, Youth and Women’s groups that in prior times had no voice or did not even exist. Now they are actively engaged and demanding political participation and a place in democratic decision-making.

This is how it should be. Within this new, dynamic and vibrant democratic and civil society lies the hope and promise of a better, more representative government and nation.

Democracy Day and our commemoration of it must not descend into empty ritual. We, as a people, have chosen democracy as our preferred form of governance not because it is easy to hold and make work. We choose democracy because it is the most humane and representative form of government the human mind has thus far devised and imagined.

Nigerians deserve congratulations and commendation for their investment in democracy and for how far we have come. However, we equally must warn and remind ourselves how far we must go. We must continue to work to entrench and improve on our democracy. We must continue to be vigilant and keep watch over our democracy and ward off those who may want to draw us back toward a dimmer period.

The nation now grapples with COVID-19 and its resultant public health and economic challenges. The government has performed admirably in explaining its actions to the people and informing us about the disease. Only a democratic government would have been so informative and open.

Only a democratic government would have initiated palliatives. Only a democratic government would have worked in a cooperative manner with the states to devise the best possible policies to fit local circumstances. By being frank and honest, lives have been saved and the pandemic contained. This has been democracy at work.

Government is still hard at work trying to protect the people from the virus and to revive the economy so that we can return the people to their livelihoods and to the road toward prosperity. The battle against the pandemic will ultimately be won. Even then, we still will have much to do. We still have challenges regarding economic development, economic inequality, administration of justice, violence against women and environmental degradation.

Yet, we have the human capacity to fight and win these battles. Democracy is the best avenue to harness and direct our collective abilities in the urgent resolution of these steep challenges. Thus, as we mark this day, let us be thankful to God and let us remember all of those who sacrificed to enable us to advance this far on our democratic journey. Let us also look eagerly ahead to the things we must do and the problems we must solve.

Let us not be weak and shy away from the obstacles in our path; let us learn from the courage and compassion of those who came before us. As they faced and won the battle of democracy over dictatorship, let us now use that democracy to win the present battle of national prosperity in all of its forms over poverty in all of its forms.

The times we face are not the easiest but we have a destiny to reach and a democratic roadmap on how to get there. Hand in hand, let us get there together.

I wish all Nigerians a memorable Democracy Day and many more years of enduring democracy. I implore you all to be safe and act with compassion toward one another.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY JUNE 12, 2020

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PERSPECTIVE VIEW FROM

AMERICA

chido@usafricaonline.com@Chido247

A Generation’s War Against Racism, Bigotries Chido Nwangwu expresses optimism that the sustained and structured dissents that followed the killing of Mr. George Floyd, an African-American will bring about a generational change against racial prejudice

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efore 9am on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, the magnificent worship center of The Fountain of Praise in Houston, Texas, has long lines of people. The lines extend outside the premises of the venue for the celebration of the life of George Floyd. He was killed with the knee of a Minneapolis Police Officer, choking his neck for more than eight minutes.

Inside, the church led by pastors Remus Wright and Mia Wright, is awash with praise and worship songs.

Cascading passages of healing.

Psalms and supplications for salvation.

Stirring verses of hope.

Demographically, the majority of those inside the church and outside are young persons with average age of 32 years-old with a sense of duty and passion for action against racism and police brutalities.

The Mayor of Houston, Sylvester Turner and many civic and community leaders are in attendance.

Messages of legislative reforms of the criminal justice and violent police engagement from our greater Houston U.S Congress persons Sheila Jackson-Lee and Al Green are delivered. Both are recipients of the USAfrica Legislative Leadership awards.

A sober reflection follows from a realitycheck by the most distinguished Rev. Bill Lawson who came to Houston since 1955.

He asks a critical question: Having seen many protests, will this go the way of the rest of them?

In the bowel of the church was the body of Mr. Floyd.

The pain and cries of the family waft through the church, intermittently.

Those surreal minutes have become animated battle cries, globally, to fight the injustices perpetuated by the police, not only in the United States but across the world.

I recall that the civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. in his, ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail (April 16, 1963) stated that, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Also, later the holocaust survivor, Nobel Peace Prize winner, Elie Wiesel in his book ‘Un die welt hot Geshvign (And the World Kept Silent)’ later updated as ‘Night’, wrote: “Sometimes we must interfere.

Whenever men or women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must- at that momentbecome the center of the universe.”

For additional historical context , let’s go back to the Friday July 19, 2013 comments

by Barack Obama [son of African immigrant and Caucasian mother] who became

the 44th President of the United States of America regarding race and the killing of a black American teenager, Trayvon Martin by white man George Zimmerman: “I said that this could have been my son. Another way of saying that is Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago. And when you think about why, in the African- American community at least, there’s a lot of pain around what happened here, I think it’s important to recognize that the AfricanAmerican community is looking at this issue through a set of experiences and a history that - that doesn’t go away.”

Why am I hopeful that these protests will bring about a generational shift against racism and assorted bigotries?

First, there are closer and greater levels of interaction between these young folks.

They network their various cultural and community skills which form a compelling tapestry of the American experiences.

They enrich each other as African Americans, Jews, Caucasians, Hispanics, Arabs and the multiplicity of cultures.

Second, they are all proud and respectful of the historical gifts and talents they bring to the economic enterprise, social commotion and creative artistry known as the United States.

Third, there is an increase in interracial marriages among the younger generation.

This is unlike in the 50s or 60s when different forms of discrimination and bigotry were codified against the interactions of white and “colored” peoples, “negroes”, “the Jews”, “Italians” and other communities.

Without a doubt, there has been progress in the racial profile and interactions in United States. No serious analyst will deny that, America still offers and shows that the richest concentration of black wealth in the world is in black America.

Fourth, the democratization of technologies and smart phones have virtually nullified the secrecy that covers the iniquities of police brutalities and other crimes committed against innocent individuals due to their race, color and religion over the past four hundred and sixty something years.

Would you have imagined if there were no smart phones to record the daylight murder of George Floyd in front of an Arab-owned store in Minneapolis?

Fifth, the doggedness to find out the truth about these killings, abuses and institutional racism masquerading in many forms cannot and do not make sense for a generation that develop the iPhone or built Tesla or manages the logistics of Amazon or manages Space X and its flight to the moon.

Sixth, credit must be given to the spectacular and dedicated movement, Black Lives Matter, for withstanding demonization and malicious distortion of its noble objectives of the respect and protection of all lives. As the common saying goes, charity begins at home!

Seventh, a wind of change is in motion, an irreversible motion. It takes extraordinary messaging and conscientization of the global communities to express their revulsion and principled opposition to the historic, wanton, unacceptable, inhumane and atrocious almost monthly killings of African-Americans especially their young men and women.

Slavery was bad enough; racism, bigotry, poverties and police brutalities must end, not only in America, but across Nigeria, Africa and the world.

The Man Who May Beat Obaseki Allison Abanum writes that Hon. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, member of the House of Representatives, representing Oredo Federal Constituency in Edo State and a governorship candidate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party has all it takes to defeat Governor Godwin Obaseki in the governorship race

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n September 19, Edo citizens will decide through the ballot the man that will pilot the affairs of the state in the coming four years. There have been speculations on who gets the ticket of the different political and subsequently becomes governor. Edo State has been on the spotlight for some time now. Considering the fallout of the war between the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and his estranged godson, Governor Godwin Obaseki, who he endorsed as governor in 2016, no one knows for sure how things will play out in the forthcoming APC primaries.

From all indices, we are in for a lot of drama in Edo politics.

As build-up to the governorship election is in top gear there is tension among leading officials that the results may not end well for the All Progressives Congress (APC), considering the internal political crisis in the state that remains unresolved since last year.

The rift between Mr. Oshiomhole with his erstwhile protégé, the Edo state Governor Godwin Obaseki who is seeking re-election for another four years, has contributed in the fractionalization of the ruling party in the state, with one faction pitching tent with Adams Oshiomhole and the other throwing their weight in support of Obaseki. There is also pending issue of 14 lawmakers who have not been sworn in one year after. The party is also faced with the challenge of whether the ticket should be zoned to a particular senatorial district.

Fresh controversy has further trailed the decision by the APC National Working Committee to adopt the direct primary in deciding the party’s flagbearer. They cited the spread of COVID-19 and APC 2018 NEC resolution. Apparently, there are certain conditions to be met if there is going to be an indirect primary and as it stands according to the committee none has been met in Edo state. But, Obaseki and his group are not buying that, they want the indirect primary used in the forthcoming primaries. How Obaseke/ Oshiomhole fraction hope to drive home their point is a matter for future decision.

For the APC, the battle line has been drawn for the governorship ticket of the state between incumbent Mr. Godwin Obaseki and Mr. Osagie Ize-Iyamu., a former secretary to the Edo state government, a chieftain of APC before defecting to PDP for failure to get the support of Mr. Oshiomhole for his governorship ambition. Now, he is back in the race on the platform of the APC. The question is, will he get the support from APC chieftains, considering Ize-Iyamu’s numerous court cases?

Obaseki’s average performance in the state during his first term in office may be speaking for him at the polls as Edo decides come September. We wish them the best at the primaries. However, a note of caution to APC is to tread with care and handle the internal crisis carefully and promptly so that the scenario that played out in Zamfara and Bayelsa does not playout in Edo. After all, a house divided against itself cannot stand.

Apparently, the race for the seat of power is between two big political parties, the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The choice of candidate nominated at the forthcoming party primaries by delegates will determine who gets the ticket to represent each party at the polls.

Meanwhile, under the umbrella of the PDP, among all other contestant; one man that stands out is Hon. Omoregie OgbeideIhama. A man with a heart of gold, focus, dedicated and commitment to service. He has been able to combine personal and corporate experiences in handling issues in law making that has placed him on a pedestal of

high achievers.

His working life began in Engineering, where he secured a position at the Exxon Mobil as a Drilling Engineer. With a Bachelor degree in Civil Engineering and an MBA in Oil and Gas Management from Robert Gordon University Aberdeen, Scotland. He has gained incredible experience working with several multinational that garlanded him with solid character and experience in the oil and gas sector before venturing into private business.

In public service, he was elected to represent the Oredo constituency at the House of Representatives. His love, passion and interest for the people of Oredo constituency is outstanding. As an active member of his community, he has contributed both his time and money to numerous charities and community development project in Edo state. Other committees he is currently serving includes Environment and Habitat; Ports, Harbour, and Waterways; Power, Basic Education; Housing; Capital Market; and Public Petition.

Some of his outstanding achievement since his election in 2015 and his re-lection in 2019 have earned him awards and recognition from various quarters one of which is the award by the Alumni of Edo State University, where he graduated as a Civil Engineer. The award is in recognition for his laudable achievements as he continues to fly the banner of his prestigious university through the results he has produced on any assignment embarked upon.

As Chairman House committee on Culture and Tourism, this fine gentle man set out to organize an Annual programme to ensure that culture which is our pride as a people is not relegated to the background. With the advent of modern technologies like the World Wide Web, the world become a global village. The tendency of alienating long aged culture passed down by our founding fathers was visible due to western civilization. In a bid to preserve the Edo culture and pride; the 4th Annual cultural orientation and sensitization programme for secondary school is being organized to ensure that every Nigerian child understands our long-preserved heritage and pride as well as practice it in their daily times.

In a bid to position Edo state in hall of fame; this proud son of the soil by virtue of his position as House committee chairman on culture and tourism went the extra mile.

Remarkably for the first time ever in over 40 years the National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFEST) was organized in Edo State in 2019. The one-week long event remains one of the major cultural festivals that provided a platform for assembling stakeholders in the Arts and Culture industry. it also provided an avenue for showcasing talents, embellished in rich cultural and artistic heritage for the purpose of fostering unity, spirit of national identity and peaceful co-existence.

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

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FRIDAY JUNE 12, 2020 •T H I S D AY

25

T H I S D AY ˾ JUNE 12, 2020

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET OBB OVERNIGHT

A S

A T

REPO 15.60 % 16.70 %

CALL 1-MONTH 3-MONTH

16 % 18 % 20 %

J U N E

Group Business Editor Obinna Chima Email obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com 08152447875

5 , 2 0 2 0

S & P INDEX INDEX LEVEL 1-DAY MONTH-TO-DATE

518.89 % 0.22 % 0.18 %

S & P INDEX 1/4 TO DATE 11.43 % YEAR TO DATE 7.84 %

EXCHANGE RATE N361/1US DOLLAR* *AS AT LAST FRIDAY

Quick Takes FG Urged to Support SMEs

SUPPORTING COVID-19 FIGHT

L-R: Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Agriculture, Mrs. Abisola Olusanya; Marketing Manager, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Mr. Abiodun Ayodeji; and Lagos State Permanent Secretary on Agriculture, Dr. Olayiwola Onasanya, during the company’s outreach project initiative to support the fight against the COVID-19 in Lagos...recently PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

Aviation Agencies Kick against 25% Remittance to FG Chinedu Eze Aviation agencies have kicked against the compulsory remittance of 25 per cent of the internally generated revenue (IGR) charged the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) by the federal government, saying the agency is in dire need of the funds for infrastructure upgrade and training.

A letter emanating from the Office of the AccountantGeneral of the Federation, Federal Ministry of Finance, dated April 27, 2020 with reference: OAGF.TSA/93A/111 and titled: ‘Pilot Commencement of Automatic Deduction of 25% Operating Surplus’ sent to FAAN and nine other government parastatals had directed that these agencies must pay 25 per cent inflows to the federation account.

AVIATION “This is to inform you that Mr. President has approved that 25 per cent of all inflows accruing to the under listed agencies and parastatals, other than those already earmarked either as consolidated revenue fund or federation account revenue item, passing through the CBN payment gateway (currently, REMITA) be deducted at source and per transaction as operating surplus,” it read.

The letter which was signed the Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, also directed that the amount deducted should be remitted real time to the FGN sub-recurrent account with the Central Bank of Nigeria.

However, reacting to the development, the Chairman

of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), FAAN, Mr. Shola Idowu told THISDAY in a telephone interview that the agency couldn’t afford such remittances now because it has literally been battered financially due to the COVID-19 lockdown, which forced closure of the airspace for over three months.

He said during this period FAAN did not earn any revenue and it has become financially paralysed that it cannot even pay the salary of the workers.

“What we are saying is, since the federal government has put FAAN into TSA (Treasury Single Account), this is the time government should come to the aid of FAAN because we are looking at what can be done to salvage the aviation industry and FAAN as an agency is adversely hit by the COVID-19

pandemic.

“This was why the labour unions wrote an open letter to the President. The cash cow (FAAN) is down and needs aid to survive. This is the time of drought.

“There is need to support FAAN now, support its workers welfare and every hand should be on the deck now. FAAN has been trying for the federal government. We know how much we could have generated if not for the coronavirus lockdown. Nobody should be sacked and government should address the immediate needs of the airports and workers,” Idowu said.

Speaking in the same vein, a unionist in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), told THISDAY that it was Continued on page 26

‘NPA to Save Nigeria Multi-million Dollars through Local Dry-docking’ Eromosele Abiodun The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala-Usman, has said the agency has granted the necessary approval to ensure that vessel owners dry-dock their vessels in Nigeria to save the country multi-million dollars spent on ship repairs outside the country.

Bala-Usman disclosed this while speaking during a webinar, titled: “COVID-19 and the Nigerian Maritime Sector: Lessons and Way Forward,” organised by maritime lawyer, Mike Igbokwe.

According to her, “NPA has given a waiver for vessels that are meant for servicing and dry-docking and this

MARITIME has enabled vessel owners to competitively dry-dock in Nigeria.

“This is important for us to build that sector and retain jobs in Nigeria. We have done our bit in promoting that sector and I call on the associations to bring up any other areas where government can intervene and help keep that business in Nigeria and develop skill to retain job and grow the industry.”

She also said the NPA would discuss with shipowners on the issues of applicable policies around berthing of vessels in the West African region stressing that the NPA is keen to resolve the matter in a timely manner.

She also said the NPA was working with terminal operators to further deploy more equipment to ensure efficiency and timely clearing of cargo.

“We are improving efficiency at the ports; one of the things that have hindered us is the absence of a national single window.

We are working to ensure less human activity at the port by automating process.

“Some of the critical components however depend on the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), we are all pushing to drive that and ensure that this automation is implemented within the shortest period.

Speaking on the disagreement between terminal operators and consignees

over waiver granted during the lockdown, she said the NPA has asked the consignees to forward claims to it for refund.

“The NPA has granted waiver on rent free for consignees within the period of the lockdown, we had received some push backs from terminal operators where they were not willing to comply with the directive.

“We have encouraged all consignees to send directly to the NPA details of any consignment that had that they had to pay and we will ensure they are refunded.

We have been receiving several of the letters and we are auctioning them to Continued on page 26

The Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC),LanreBakare,hasadvisedthefederalgovernmenttoprovide fundingopportunitiesforsmallandmediumscaleenterprises(SMEs) in the country. Bakare disclosed this during a webinar with the theme: ‘WinningatBusinessduringCOVID19,’sponsoredbyFactoringandSupply ChainFinanceLimited,recently.

He noted that receivable financing presents an alternative to the mainstreamfinancingoptionsespeciallyforSMEs. Bakare,furtherexplainedthatsincetheinceptionofthepandemic,the economy has witnessed a disruption in supply chain and a continuous depreciationofthenaira.

Headdedthatreceivablesfinancingwouldserveasaninterventionto keepSMEsinbusiness,andcushiontheadverseeffectsofthepandemic andprotectfragilebusinesses.

Accordingtohim,“Earlypaymentisbetterthanborrowing.SMEscontribute notlessthan48percentofGDP;90percentofbusinessesand84per centofemploymentbeingcreatedintheeconomy.

“SMEswithcrediblecounterpartiesshouldhaveaplatformwherethey candiscounttheirinvoicestostayafloatinatimelikethis.Thegreatest financialreliefanyoneincludingthegovernmentcangiveSMEsinatime likethisisafundingwindowthatwillacceleratethepaymentofover-due Invoicesandtheiraccountreceivables.”

Red Star Distributes Palliatives

RedStarExpressPlcsaidithasbeeninvolvedinthedeliveryoffooditems toseveralless-privilegedcommunitiesinLagosandOgun.Accordingto thecompany’sGroupManagingDirector,Dr.SolaObabori,theseefforts weremadetosupportfamiliesandcommunitiesaffectedunfavorably bytheCOVID-19pandemic.

“Overthelastfewweeks,wehavebeenworkingwithsomeorganisations todeliverfooditems.Someoftheseorganisationsincludefarmshops, religiousorganisationsandnon-profitorganisations(NGOs).“Forexample, we have made a few deliveries for the United Way Greater Nigeria organisation.These organisations are keen to reach as many families andcommunitiesaspossibletodeliverfooditemsthatcanproviderelief inatoughtimelikethis.Wehavebeentovariouscommunitiestodeliver itemslikerice,beans,palmoilandgroundnutoil,”hesaid.

He commended the efforts of the organisations during the lockdown periodandpledgedthatRedStarExpresswouldcontinuetodeployits resourcestoensurethatmorecommunitiesarereached.

“As a company, we will continue to be involved with initiatives like this because we believe that it is our way of helping the families and communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are grateful for such opportunities and we welcome more organisations that we canmakesimilardeliveriesfor,”headded.

RedStarExpressPlcisaLicenseeofFederalExpress(FedEx)Corporation, theworld’slargestdeliverysolutionsprovider.Thecompanyhasover150 officesinNigeria,NigerRepublic,BurkinaFaso,andBeninRepublic;with anetworkreachspanningover1,500communitiesinNigeriaandover 200countriesworldwide.Itismadeupof4subsidiariesspecializingin areassuchasExpressDelivery,Logistics,Freight,Outsourcingservices, SupplyChainManagement,E-CommerceLogisticsSolutions,Printing and Packaging, E-Archiving, Business Enterprise Solutions, as well as AgroLogisticsandTrade.

Emirates Adds 16 More Destinations

Following the UAE government’s announcement to lift restrictions on transit passenger services, from June 15, Emirates said it will offer passengerservicesto16morecitiesonitsBoeing777-300ERaircraft.

Withtravelrestrictionsremaininginplaceinmostcountries,customers areremindedtocheckentryandexitrequirementsbeforetheirjourneys.

Theairlinesaidflightstothefollowingcitieswouldbeavailableforbooking onemirates.comorviatravelagents:Bahrain,Manchester,Zurich,Vienna, Amsterdam,Copenhagen,Dublin,NewYorkJFK,Seoul,KualaLumpur, Singapore,Jakarta,Taipei,HongKong,PerthandBrisbane.

In addition, from June 8, Emirates would offer flights from Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad for travellers from Pakistan who wished to connectonwardstootherEmiratesdestinations.

Withthislatestannouncement,Emirateswouldbeofferingflightsfor passengersonthebackofitsscheduledcargooperationsfromDubai to 29 cities, including existing flights to London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Paris,Milan,Madrid,Chicago,Toronto,Sydney,MelbourneandManila (from11thJune).

“The airports are going to be ready but we prefer to start with domestic operations and review our service with our own people” Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN),

Captain Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu

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T H I S D AY Ëž JUNE 12, 2020

BUSINESSWORLD AVIATION AGENCIES KICK AGAINST 25% REMITTANCE TO FG surprising that the federal government was demanding remittances from FAAN, which along with other aviation agencies has been ravaged by COVID-19 lockdown. “There is no justification in the first place to demand remittances from any of the agencies in the aviation industry. There is so much to be done in the industry so FAAN needs every money it could generate and now every agency is finding it difficult to even pay salaries. This is an industry that is begging for bailout. Government is not looking at the need to develop the aviation industry,� the unionist said.

Similarly, a FAAN official who pleaded to remain anonymous, told THIDAY that there was no big deal about complying with the directive, but that currently FAAN is struggling to pay salaries and may become insolvent if no help comes from the government.

The official noted that it is not possible for FAAN to remit the sum this year because for almost four months the agency has not earned any money.

‘NPA TO SAVE NIGERIA MULTIMILLION DOLLARS THROUGH LOCAL DRY-DOCKING’ the terminal operators to get clarification and ensure that refund is giving during that period,� he added.

On the lessons learnt from the pandemic, she said the NPA like every other stakeholder or organisation globally have had to come to terms with the realities of COVID-19 and provided the necessary understanding of what is required to operate while the pandemic is on. “We have noted the concerns of our personnel in line with what is required to board a vessel. Concerns about any form of infection has been some of the challenges we have faced-the need to be properly kitted and be safe while they embark on their duties. “We also at the beginning tried to understand the implementation of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Country (NCDC) as regards to port health and also ensure that both sides have a clear understanding of what is to be done.�

Group Business Editor

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Ogene

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Senior Correspondent

Ă‹Ă’Ă?Ă?Ă— Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ĂŒĂ™Ă–Ă&#x; (Advertising) Correspondents

Ă’Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂŽĂ&#x; äĂ? (Aviation) ĂœĂ™Ă—Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă? ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜ (Maritime) James Emejo (Finance) Ebere Nwoji (Insurance) Chineme Okafor (Energy) Reporters

Ă&#x;Ă—Ă? Ă•Ă?Ă‘Ă’Ă? (Money Market) Ă™Ă?Ă‹ Ă–Ă?Ă•Ă’Ă&#x;ÙÑÓĂ? (ICT)

NEWS

IMO Commends NIMASA, Navy on Anti-piracy War Stories by Eromosele Abiodun The specialised shipping regulatory agency of the United Nations, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has hailed Nigeria’s effort to stem piracy in its waters and the Gulf of Guinea, stressing that the country is sending a “strong and valuable message� to the global community.

The Secretary-General, of the IMO, Kitack Lim, made this known in a letter addressed to the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh.

The letter came amid recent arrests and first-time prosecution of suspected pirates under the country’s new antipiracy law.

Lim said he was impressed

by Nigeria’s efforts, “to address maritime security threats in the region,� adding that Jamoh’s “leadership and proactive response� to maritime security issues were laudable.

Jamoh had told the IMO Secretary-General at a previous virtual meeting following the arrest of some pirates by the Nigerian Navy, in partnership with NIMASA, that piracy in the region was being sustained by powerful foreign collaboration.

He appealed for support from the international community to complement the steps being taken by Nigeria towards ridding the country’s waters of maritime crimes. “I would also like to reiterate my congratulations to the Nigerian Navy on the

successful capture and arrest of pirates from the fishing trawler Hailufeng II, and more recently on the rescue of the crewmembers of the containership Tommi Ritscher, �Lim stated in the letter. “Those actions, together with all the other initiatives you highlighted in our meeting, including progress with the Deep Blue Project, send a strong and valuable message to the international community with respect to the considerable efforts your Government is making to curb piracy and armed robbery against ships

in the Gulf of Guinea,� he added.

The IMO Secretary-General reiterated the organisation’s readiness to assist NIMASA in the training of personnel and technical assistance, and also declared his willingness to talk to other member countries to assist in that respect.

He said IMO would help to deal with the issue of synergy in laws regarding piracy with other neighbouring countries.

In a related development, the Nigerian government has handed over the fishing vessel Marine 707 suspected to be

carrying out illegal activities in the Gulf of Guinea to the Ghanian authorities for further investigation and possible prosecution.

Nigeria also handed over 51 crew members including 48 Ghanaians and three South Korean nationals to the Government of Ghana and Korea respectively.

The vessel which had authorisation to fish in Ghana and Benin waters was arrested by the Nigerian Navy on the 18th of May, 2020 around the Southwest of Lagos waters with her Automatic Identification System

(AIS) switched off after being suspected to be used for piracy or being used as a mother ship to conduct piracy in the Gulf of Guinea was handed over to NIMASA after preliminary investigations by the Navy.

While speaking during the official hand-over of the Ghanaian flagged vessel and the crew to the respective authorities, Jamoh said that the Navy, NIMASA partnership which is now hinged on intelligence has put Nigeria on a pedestal of winning the war against piracy and other illegal acts at sea.

APM Terminals, NRC Restore Rail Service at Apapa Port APM Terminals Apapa and Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) have resumed the evacuation of containers by rail from the Lagos Port Complex Apapa as part of efforts to decongest the roads.

APM Terminals originally restored the rail service in 2013 running three times per week to Kano and Kaduna.

Speaking in Lagos, the General Manager, External Affairs of APM Terminals Apapa, Daniel Odibe, said the terminal and the NRC have developed a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), which would bridge communication gap and ultimately lead to more efficient cargo evacuation by rail.

The new SOP, he stated, was facilitated by the Nigerian

Shippers’ Council (NSC) adding that, “We wish to thank the Nigerian Shippers Council for facilitating this SOP directed at improving service delivery to shippers and consignees. This is an important milestone for the port. It is something we have always asked for. We want to have an SOP for receiving trains into the terminal and servicing them. It definitely helps planning when you have adequate information ahead of time.�

He said with the closure of a section of the Apapa Bridge for repair works, the resumption of cargo evacuation by rail will help in reducing backlog of cargoes at the port. “Our intention when we constructed the rail line in 2013 and connected it to the

national line was to provide alternate mode of evacuation of cargoes to customers. So coming together to improve on the number of containers that we evacuate by rail line is coming at the best time with the bridge closure. It will take away some trucks from the road, �he said.

On his part, Lagos District Manager of NRC, Jerry Oche, said: “A train is made up of 19 wagons and each of the wagons can take one 40feet or two 20-feet containers. So, if we are doing 40feet, that is 19 trucks off the road and if it is 20-feet, that is 38 trucks off the road per trip. We are starting with two trips per day and we hope to increase it in no distant time.�

Also speaking, Director,

Regulatory Services of NSC, Ifeoma Ezedinma, said: “This will help decongest our road because we now have multimodal transport – access to road, waterways and the train.�

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala-Usman, has said that APM Terminals Apapa has deployed equipment and cranes necessary for fast evacuation of cargo at Nigeria’s premiere port, the Lagos Port Complex Apapa.

Bala-Usman, who spoke on a TV programme monitored in Lagos, also decried the manual inspection of cargoes by the Nigeria Customs Service, which she says does not promote port efficiency.

She said there is need for prompt deployment of scanners

and automation of the cargo clearing process to reduce the burden of consignees.

She said: “We will continue to engage with our stakeholders but we recognise that we must enhance efficiency and ensure consignees get their cargo in a timely manner. Some of the things we are doing is pushing to ensure that vessels come in and cargoes evacuated in good time. “We are working assiduously with the terminal operators and the Nigeria Customs Service to fast track the process of evacuating cargo from the vessel and importantly the inspection of cargo. This is something that is of great priority to the ports authority, government and more so for Customs.�

‘Private Sector Inclusion Will Create Efficient Rail Transportation’ In a bid to spur efficiency in nation’s rail system, the Chartered Institute of Logistics Transport (CILT) Nigeria has urged the federal government to encourage private sector participation.

The institute lamented that the current monopoly, which sees the government and its regulatory agency, Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) as the only players in the sector.

The President of CILT Nigeria, Mr. Ibrahim Jibril, who stated this while speaking during an interview on television

programme monitored in Lagos, commended the government’s intensified effort to improve the railways. “I think the government is doing a commendable development in the rail system. I want to see an inclusion of the private sector. There seems to be a monopoly in the system at the moment because we only have the NRC and the federal government in it. Private sector participation would lead to a more efficient rail transportation system in Nigeria,� he said.

He, however, stressed the need to achieve intermodal transportation in the country, noting that an integration of other modes will be the best thing to happen to Nigeria. “The nation must have a plan to achieve intermodal transport.

This plan can be drawn from our national transport master plan. This master plan should come from the National Transport policy. Unfortunately, we don’t have this policy in the public domain at the moment, even though I’m aware that

there is a policy draft. The draft has been on ground for a while, but the government has to come up with that policy. “The policy would show the plans of transport development in the country and it gives room for intermodal transportation, “he said.

The CILT boss also encouraged transport stakeholders to reconsider the National Transport Commission (NTC) bill as it could address the challenges of pricing and dearth of professionalism across various

transport modes.

He said: “NTC bill doesn’t address the issues in the maritime industry or port sector alone.

The port is just one of the items NTC should address. I would suggest that stakeholders look at that bill again, particularly to regulate key aspects in the transport sector.�

He added that if all efforts to establish NTC fail, the industry must develop a way to control the multiplicity of prices and other regulatory issues across the transport sector.

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NEWS

FG Takes Delivery of B737-NG Full Flight Simulator Chinedu Eze The federal government has taken delivery of a modern Boeing 737-NG Full Flight Simulator (FFS), which will be installed at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) in Zaria, Kaduna State.

Making the disclosure, the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, who spoke during a television programme while analysing the strides of Nigeria’s aviation industry in the last five years said the equipment is “now at the Lagos seaport going through Custom clearing process and it will be taken to NCAT in Zaria for installation.�

The Minister said: “As we speak the simulator is at the seaport in Lagos, we are clearing it, the housing component which would house the simulator has been built and it will be on its way to Zaria for installation and

training would commence.�

Confirming the minister’s stance, Capt. Abdulsalami Mohammed, the Rector of NCAT said, “It is true, what the Minister said. The new simulator is at the seaport in Lagos waiting to be cleared and the installation will be done soon in the college.�

Earlier in the year when the Minister and NCAT Rector and some other officials were at the CAE, the manufacturer’s facility in Montreal to inspect the equipment (Boeing 737-NG Full Flight Simulator), Sirika said the installation of the equipment is going to reduce drastically the difficulty of the airlines in the country taking their pilots for recurrent and type-rating training outside the country. “This we know is costing our operators a lot, hence one of the reasons this development is dear to our hearts.

The airlines do not need to

go through the rigour of securing visas, no huge air ticket fares among others.

The school also will have more income and students willing to acquire type rating can do so without going outside the country. As a matter of fact, the coming of the simulator will bring a lot to the school,� said Sirika.

Abdulsalami further said: “We appreciate the effort of our minister who is driving all of these. Our attainment of the International Civil Aviation Organisation Regional Training Centre of Excellence status is being utilised. Year 2020 will witness a lot of activities in the history of NCAT. The multipurpose firefighting simulator is presently installed in the college; the delivery of the six diamond training aircraft is taking place and the installation of the B737-NG simulator is about to happen too.�

IATA Projects $84bn Losses for Airlines The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its financial outlook for the global air transport industry, stating that airlines are expected to lose $84.3 billion in 2020.

The global body said revenues would fall 50 per cent to $419 billion from $838 billion in 2019.

In 2021, losses are expected to be cut to $15.8 billion as revenues rise to $598 billion. “Financially, 2020 will go down as the worst year in the history of aviation. On average, every day of this year will add $230 million to industry losses. In total that’s a loss of $84.3 billion.

It means that—based on an estimate of 2.2 billion passengers this year—airlines will lose $37.54 per passen-

ger. That’s why government financial relief was and remains crucial as airlines burn through cash,� said IATA’s Director General and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac. “Provided there is not a second and more damaging wave of COVID-19, the worst of the collapse in traffic is likely behind us.

A key to the recovery is universal implementation of the re-start measures agreed through the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to keep passengers and crew safe. “And, with the help of effective contact tracing, these measures should give governments the confidence to open borders without quarantine measures.

That’s an important part of the economic recovery

because about 10 per cent of the world’s GDP is from tourism and much of that depends on air travel.

Getting people safely flying again will be a powerful economic boost,� de Juniac added.

Passenger demand evaporated as international borders closed and countries locked down to prevent the spread of the virus. This is the biggest driver of industry losses.

At the lowest point in April, global air travel was roughly 95 per cent below 2019 levels. There are indications that traffic is slowly improving. Nonetheless, traffic levels (in Revenue Passenger Kilometer) for 2020 are expected to fall by 54.7 per cent compared to 2019.

Report Suggests Heat Can Kill Coronavirus in Aircraft The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has shown that common ground heaters could be used to raise the temperature of aircraft interiors to levels sufficient to kill the coronavirus and other biological contaminants.

Flight Global reported that in two tests conducted in May 2020, the interior of a Boeing C-17 cargo aircraft was sealed using materials common to military installations and was heated to 10°C (50°F) above ambient temperatures over a six-hour period, the AFRL stated recently.

The heaters used in the experiment are found at all military bases, and are commonly used by maintenance crews to keep warm or to heat equipment. “Our goal with this test was to demonstrate the ability for any Air Force

base to assist with aircraft disinfection utilizing only commonly available equipment and materials,� says Doug Lewis, team lead of the 711th Human Performance Wing Protection Systems, which is leading the effort. “We knew that if we could prove the ability of this equipment to heat aircraft interiors to temperatures in the [49°C] range, we were potentially demonstrating an Air Force-wide disinfection capability, pending further laboratory results.�

Aircraft heating could be reapplied to commercial airliners or business jets, providing a cheaper and more effective means for cabins to be disinfected.

However, the six-hour period used in the experiment would likely be too time consuming during normal airline operations

as aircraft are often expected to turn around within less than an hour.

Airlines and charter operators currently use a variety of methods to clean aircraft cabins including spraying disinfectant and using strong UV lights to kill viruses that may linger on surfaces after infected passengers leave their seats.

The AFRL is working with research organisation Battelle to measure the effectiveness of heat to inactivate the coronavirus.

Early results appear promising, it says. “Preliminary results from Battelle indicate that the temperatures reached during the AFRL tests were sufficient to disable the virus to safe levels on surfaces materials including aluminum, silicon, and nylon webbing,� the AFRL added.

Need to Review Foreign Airlines’ Multiple Entry Points Chinedu Eze Industry expert and CEO of African Aviation Services, Nick Fadugba, has x-rayed the aviation industry in Nigeria and said multiple entry points and frequencies of foreign airlines are commercially disadvantageous to Nigerian airlines and do not achieve fair reciprocity.

Over 85 per cent of air travellers on international destinations are airlifted by foreign airlines in Nigeria and these foreign airlines are multi-designated to different major airports in the country; that one international carrier could operate to five airports.

To make the aviation industry more viable, Fadugba who delivered a speech during an aviation webinar organised by Aelex, a law firm in Nigeria recently, said the federal government should introduce a more enabling environment, review Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) with other countries and also take advantage of this period of COVID-19 pandemic to develop new aviation blue print to guide operations in the sector.

Fadugba, who is also the Chairman of African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA) said the current pandemic provides an opportunity to develop a new aviation blueprint for Nigeria, which could enable the country to fulfil its full aviation potential if properly implemented and recommended.

The chairman of AfBAA whose speech covered four key areas of the industry, which include regulatory environment, airlines, infrastructure and business and general aviation also called for the reduction or elimination of multiple taxes and duties on Nigerian airline operators and urged for stricter economic oversight of the airline industry with mandatory monthly reporting and publishing of financial and operational data.

He urged the new Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Musa Nuhu, to achieve the same success in airline industry financial and operational oversight as was achieved in aviation safety by his predecessor, Dr Harold Demuren.

Fadugba recommended that Nigerian airlines should revise their current business plans with greater emphasis on unit cost, load factor and yield (eg: Ethiopian Airlines’ Vision 2025 Strategic Road Map); raise more equity and working capital to strengthen their balance sheets; abide by aircraft finance and lease obligations or re-negotiate, rather than default, and seek professional advice in aircraft acquisitions.

Over 85 per cent of air travellers on international destinations are airlifted by foreign airlines in Nigeria and these foreign airlines are multidesignated to different major airports in the country

Fadugba

He said priority for the airlines should be on improved co-operations in key areas such as joint training, aircraft maintenance, spares pooling, joint operations, interlining, code-sharing, and win-win partnerships.

With respect to infrastructure, Fadugba recommended the construction of a new purpose-built airport terminal in Lagos to enable efficient hub and spoke operations seamlessly connecting international and domestic air travel, adding that sufficient funding could be available based on sound business plan.

The former Secretary-General of African Airlines Association (AFRAA) said the proposed building of a second runway in Abuja provides a unique opportunity to establish a free port zone aerotropolis to develop aviation-related businesses.

Fadugba noted that strong airport hubs are the key to air transport connectivity, which stimulates economic growth; and that modern and fully operational air transport navigation systems in Nigeria are vital for efficient services.

The Chairman of AfBAA noted that business and general aviation are critical to economic development and, therefore, should be part of the focus of the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) and the African Union (AU), as well as airlines. “For example, business and general aviation are not included in the AU’s Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). Business aircraft are an important business tool and not simply luxury transport,� he said.

Fadugba said AfBAA was advocating the implementation in Africa of the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) and International Standard for Business Aircraft Handlers (IS-BAH), similar to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) policy, to achieve global standards in Africa’s business and general aviation industry.

He said AfBAA) was established in 2012 as a not-for-profit organisation that fosters increased knowledge and understanding of business aviation in Africa, and promotes the tangible benefits that business aviation can contribute to Africa’s economic development and prosperity. “In 2018, AfBAA widened its remit to include both business and general aviation in Africa. This has significantly expanded and strengthened AfBAA’s footprint on the continent and has firmly positioned it as the official Voice of Business and General Aviation in Africa,� Fadugba said.

He assured that AfBAA would help to strengthen general aviation and business in Nigeria, collaborating with the federal government and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

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BUSINESSWORLD

ANALYSIS

Between Financial Intuitions and Airlines’ Success Chinedu Eze writes on the need for airline operators to look up to financial institutions for funding

T

he coronavirus pandemic has had a deleterious effect on the finances of businesses, households and governments. This is because beyond the pandemic, which paralysed businesses and social activities, so much money is being spent by individuals and organisations to prevent the spread of the virus.

One of the most affected sectors is the aviation industry, where scheduled passenger service was stopped in March till date. While aircraft fleet is in storage during this period, money is still being spent for their maintenance so that there won’t be corrosion or other kinds of damages.

Also huge resources are being spent by airlines to meet COVID-19 preventive protocols on personal protection equipment (PPE), face masks, sanitisers, chemicals for flitting the aircraft regularly and training of personnel, including aircraft crew and others on how to manage boarding passengers and also in the aircraft cabin while onboard.

Even if airlines secure bailout funds from government, they would still need loans from banks to sustain their business.

Industry insiders have noted that guidelines and rules of engagement have been released; that the new normal is hand washing and sanitizers, wearing facemask, maintain social distancing and others.

They are of the view that aviation is tinkering with ideas like; aircraft should not be operated with more than 50 per cent to 70 per cent passenger load, noting that this would in turn cause the airline to rejig the breakeven passenger load per route and may even involve the maintenance and safety status as regards to the seating arrangement, the removal of seats, aircraft weight and balance may also be affected because of the COVID-19 situation, but it may not be the most suitable option for the aviation industry, but whatever is agreed on will still need huge resources to implement and airlines will need funds to implement them.

Inclusive Operation Industry stakeholder and Lead Consultant, Etimfri Group, Amos Akpan, said there was the need to include all relevant sectors in the plan to restart flight service, including financial institutions. He noted that prominence has been rightly given to the government’s regulatory and service providing agencies and that some attention has been given to the domestic airlines as much as such helps the image of the government.

“In this regard, the best is the Civil Aviation Act 2006 and the positive consequences which include the ability of Civil Aviation Authority to ensure compliance with safety standards and regulate the operators within the specific procedures.

“Indeed our safety records have improved.

The same progress is made with training under the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) and accident investigations on advisory reports under Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB). It is time we bring in other businesses in the industry as we plan to use this opportunity to restart the industry,” Akpan said.

Financial Institutions Akpan observed that there was need to have financial desks or financial institutions with financially skilled personnel on aviation and lamented the current situation where potential business capacities in the industry are not developed because of lack of interest or knowledge by financial investment institutions on aviation.

“The capacity to monitor performance is lacking because the investors/fund managers are not equipped with the accurate indicators to detect deviation or non-compliance.

Whatever we plan to do with are aviation sector, finance is critical to its successful implementation.

“We need institutions with desks that understand the rationale for investment in, for example, coaches between the airports and the surrounding cities; institutions that

would understand investment on maintenance (MRO); investments on specialised storage facilities within the airports, investment on training of technicians and building of small technical companies that build tyres and aircraft handling equipment, aircraft seat covers, catering utilities and aircraft brake.

“The investment funds are available but they need to be attracted into aviation. What will attract them? Inclusive discourse to share information. Training of aviation managers on financial accountability and reporting.

“There is no explanation as to why a financial institution has not spearheaded the clearing system in Nigeria where passenger tickets and cargo waybills are not paid into the final carriers account. This way, we can fly Aero contractors to Abuja from Lagos with a ticket issued by Dana Air. “Also Aero can repair a fault in an aircraft admitted into Arik’s hangar and get paid even though the maintenance was originally contracted between the aircraft owner and Arik. Of course, this would imply that the maintenance category falls under the same approval for the AMO (Approved Maintenance Organisation) by the Directorate of Airworthiness and Standards of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

Airline’s Financial Needs Some stakeholders believe that a percentage of the general cargo currently moved by road in Nigeria should be airfreighted. Akpan is of the view that as logical as this sound, it should be placed in a business module.

“The investment funders would like to see how this works within a business platform.

It needs to be financed and this implies

Indeed our safety records have improved. The same progress is made with training under the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology and accident investigations on advisory reports under Accident Investigation Bureau

that the cargo investment portfolio has to be analysed by a financially skilled person that has knowledge of cargo agency and the economics of metric ton per kilometers/cubic volume of cargo of available cargo space in the aircraft. If you fund it blindly, you will discover too late that the pricing of cargo has a ceiling and the breakeven load per flight differs per aircraft type.

“The importance of proper placement of finance is more pronounced in aircraft fleeting planning. The type of aircraft you deploy on a route is important. The reason is because if your aircraft type cost you N2 million to operate from Lagos to Abuja, you cannot be in business carrying a payload that earns you N1 million.

“This is bad when there are other aircraft types that would cost you N800, 000 to operate the same Lagos to Abuja flight with the same income of N1 million. If the financial institutions had this knowledge, they would not give the airline management the loan to purchase or lease the aircraft type that is not economically suitable for the operations.

“This has been a major problem with the Nigerian airlines and their bankers – wrong choice of equipment for their business module causes misapplication of investment funds,” he said.

Industry analysts have noted that financial management and fiscal discipline have also been an issue in airline business. They observed, for example, that the bank manager and the airline manager agree hypothetically to reserve funds from current income of the operations for planned and unplanned maintenance, but when the airline experiences a sales boom due to favorable income profile for the traveling public, and the management goes on unplanned expansion which incurs expenses and liabilities outside the airline’ budget, the effect of this indiscipline is noticed when the planned maintenance is due and the cost is not met as estimated, the banker would now have to give more loans to the airline to get the aircraft out of maintenance back into operation and the cycle of loan continues. This leads to overtrading, they noted.

Economic Regulation by NCAA Akpan explained that the monitoring unit of NCAA issues a form that airlines fill. The form seeks to obtain information that should help NCAA determine whether an airline is financially able to sustain operations; a form of economic viability test format within a period, “unfortunately, the form as designed cannot solve the problem it seeks to achieve.

The airline fills in that form as provided for the quantity of fuel lifted and the amount paid in the previous month, for example

fuel lifted in January 2020, while the form is filled in July 2020. The information input reflects the financial status of the airline for January not July.”

“Note that the fuel is not paid for when it is lifted; same goes for other supplies that constitute the key components in the cost of flight operations. If we cannot capture those cost items in real time, we are not properly situating them to determine the economic health of an airline. “By this method, the inability for the income to meet the cost will be established several months when the suppliers would have applied sanctions against excess credit limits.

“This applies to fuel, handling companies, staff salaries, and spare parts suppliers. The NCAA need to redesign the form to enable on time detection of the signs of financial insolvency. On time detection would enable timely intervention and application of corrective measures.”

THISDAY investigation revealed that so many portions of the Nigerian aviation are waiting to be exploited and the entrepreneurs are ready but investment funds are not ready.

The limitation has been the focus on government funds. The airlines have been privately owned and funded since the late 1980’s. The banks and the airline owners were making profit until the essence of knowing the dynamics of the industry became obvious with time.

The practice has been that the bank releases funds to lease or buy aircraft and gives working capital to the airline. In return the sales from cargo and passenger are taken in by the bank. Both parties get high volume of liquid money daily from sales.

Akpan noted that under this situation, airlines would require injection of funds for aircraft maintenance, the training and the fuel requests and these demands huge sums of money. When paid the airlines account would require re injection of funds with supplementary loan or commercial paper.

This starts the cycle of overtrading by the airline’s management that would eventually crystalize into insolvency or bankruptcy.

“The banker needed to know the difference in fuel consumed by B737-300 and a CRJ900 per hour and its impact on the economy of the routes operated. The financial sector needs to invest in knowing about aviation so they can fund it and reap the benefits, which are enormous,” Akpan added.

So for airlines to secure appropriate funding from the financial institutions, there should be proper understanding of the peculiarities of airline business to ascertain its nature of funding and there should also be transparent accounting by the airlines to build trust between them and the financial organisations.

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BUSINESSWORLD

PERSPECTIVE

Now That WTO Has Accepted Okonjo-Iweala’s Nomination Adedapo David Adamolekun

O

n June 9, 2020, the WTO communicated on its website that ‘Nigeria, on 9 June 2020, nominated Dr Ngozi OkonjoIweala for the post of WTO Director-General to succeed the current Director-General, Mr Roberto Azevêdo, who has announced he will step down on 31 August 2020.’

The WTO’s acceptance and announcement of Nigeria’s Okonjo-Iweala came in the face of days of frenzied media speculations following the initial communication by President Muhammad Buhari on June 4, 2020 of the Government’s choice nominee.

Concerns were raised that Nigeria might have lost her slot for nominating a candidate given the closure on 30 November, 2019 of the window set by the African Union.

Before pundits will restart another media spar on the correctness or otherwise of the WTO’s acceptance of Dr Okonjo-Iweala candidacy, let’s see what the WTO Procedures say regarding the nomination process.

WTO Procedures In a letter by David Walker, Chairman of the WTO General Council, dated 20 May, 2020 and available on the Organisation’s website, on the ‘Appointment of the Next Director-General: Communication from Chairman of the General Council to Members’, he shared some of the milestones for the appointment process as set out in the WTO Procedures.

Furthermore, Mr Walker clarified key administrative details relating to the nominations and provision of supporting information, viz: “The appointment process will start on Monday 8 June 2020. In line with the Procedures, Members shall have one month after the start of the appointment process to nominate candidates. i.e. from 8 June to 8 July 2020. All nominations and supporting information must be addressed to me, as Chairman of the General Council, and must be received by 8 July 2020 at cob in Geneva.

In line with the Procedures, the nominations and supporting information will be distributed to Members as they are received.

Nominations and supporting information should be addressed to: Chairman of the General Council World Trade Organization - WTO 154 Rue de Lausanne 1211 Geneva 2 Switzerland.”

It is imperative to understand that

Okonjo-Iweala

nowhere in the Procedures was it required that WTO member countries needed to first go through any regional bloc to submit nominations; or seek the endorsement of individual member countries to put out candidates for the position of the Organisation’s Director-General. It then beggars the question why it became an issue that Nigeria had risked the displeasure of some countries by an ostensible tardy submission of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s nomination on 4 June, or even 9 June 2020 when same was received and accepted by the WTO. Clearly, President Muhammadu Buhari acted in full compliance of the WTO Procedures in submitting Dr Okonjo-Iweala’s nomination; and well ahead of the schedule too, since the deadline is still four weeks away, 8 July 2020 precisely. But all that speculations are behind us for good now.

What should now be of primary interest to Nigeria and her friends is how to seize the moment and leverage on the golden opportunity to ensure the election of the first African, first woman, the region’s finest, and the globally acclaimed Dr Ngozi OkonjoIweala as WTO next Director-General.

Why Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Two developments in the past 12 months will be of seismic importance for the next generations of the African continent: the realisation of the need to proactively manage catastrophes such as the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters and the start of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA). In terms of the former, the world has strongly put its weight behind one of Africa’s egalitarian daughters, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Through her

leadership of the GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, world leaders have pledged an additional US$ 8.8 billion far exceeding the target of US$ 7.4 billion. These significant sums will see over 300 million children immunised over the next five years, including the creation and distribution of the COVID vaccine; the largest investment in immunisation ever made by lower-income countries mostly in Africa.

The success at GAVI sets the stage for the next challenge, ACFTA, the most ambitious trade zone project in the world.

The brilliance of the African Union Heads of States requires a collective ambition matched with global clout and outstanding diplomatic skills. No other region has tried to weld 54 countries into a single market and eventually a full customs union. It also flies in the face of the waves of nationalism, protectionism and populism surging around the world. The execution of which requires the experience for such negotiations can be gleaned from Dr Okonjo-Iweala’s successful debt cancellation of 60% of Nigeria’s external debt ($18 billion) with the Paris Club. The debt deal also included an innovative buy-back mechanism that wiped out Nigeria’s Paris Club debt and reduced the country’s external indebtedness from $35 billion to $5 billion. More on this below.

At the beginning of the year, while the United Kingdom was finally divorcing itself from the European Union, a group of almost twenty African heads of states were invited to London. The purpose of the visit was to cement the trading relationship between the two continents. Similar advancements have been made by the French, Chinese and Russians to name but a few. The battle for the hearts and minds of the continent is heating up. This highlights the fact that the global trade conversation has moved from the periphery for the continent. In that regard, a steady and recognisable hand is required to steer the global dialogue.

Brains and Mettle The rationale for her candidacy is transparent. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a global finance expert, an economist and international development professional with over 30 years of experience working in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and North America. She is Chair of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Since its creation in 2000, Gavi has immunized 760 million children globally and saved thirteen million lives. She sits on the Boards of Standard Chartered PLC and Twitter Inc.

She was recently appointed as African Union (AU) Special Envoy to mobilise International financial support for the fight against COVID-19 and WHO Special Envoy for Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator.

She is a skilled negotiator and has brokered numerous agreements which have produced win-win outcomes in negotiations. She is regarded as an effective consensus builder and an honest broker enjoying the trust and confidence of governments and other stakeholders.

Previously, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala twice served as Nigeria’s Finance Minister (2003-2006 and 2011-2015) and briefly acted as Foreign Minister in 2006, the first woman to hold both positions. She distinguished herself by carrying out major reforms which improved the effectiveness of these two Ministries and the functioning of the government machinery. She had a 25-year career at the World Bank as a development economist, rising to the No. 2 position of Managing Director, Operations. As a development economist and Finance Minister, Dr Okonjo-Iweala steered her country through various reforms ranging from macroeconomic to trade, financial and real sector issues.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a firm believer in the power of trade to lift developing countries out of poverty and assist them to achieve robust economic growth and sustainable development. As Finance Minister, she was involved in trade negotiations with other West African countries and contributed to the overhaul of Nigeria’s trade policy enabling it to enhance its competitiveness. She has closely followed developments at the WTO, as she believes that a strengthened multilateral trading system is in the interests of all countries, particularly least developed and African countries.

As Managing Director of the World Bank, she had oversight responsibility for the World Bank’s $81 billion operational portfolio in Africa, South Asia, Europe and Central Asia. Dr Okonjo-Iweala spearheaded several World Bank initiatives to assist low-income countries during the 2008-2009 food crisis and later during the financial crisis. In 2010, she was Chair of the World Bank’s successful drive to raise $49.3 billion in grants and low interest credit for the poorest countries in the world.

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

Executive Order 10 Will Deepen Democracy Simon Rogo

N

o Nigeria’s Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has been as underrated, and even as maligned as Abubakar Malami.

Yet, slowly but steadily, he is turning out to be the most impactful chief law officer of the federation the country has ever had.

After coming out with the legal instrument of the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit ( NFIU) which issued guidelines to states in May 2019 on ensuring that funds allocated to local governments go directly into their bank accounts, Buhari has now signed Executive Order 10 granting financial autonomy to legislature and judiciary in all the 36 states.

Malami said the executive order provides that: “The Accountant-General of the Federation shall by this Order and such any other Orders, Regulations or Guidelines as may be issued by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, authorise the deduction from source in the course of Federation Accounts Allocation from the money allocated to any State of the Federation that fails to release allocation meant for the State Legislature and State Judiciary in line with the financial autonomy guaranteed

by Section 121(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended).”

The AGF has explained the import of the

Malami

Order as being geared towards deepening democracy at the grassroots and ensuring effective implementation of the doctrine of separation of powers.

This is hardly disputable. Indeed the Order is simply an implementation of the provision of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended). Section 121(3) of the constitution says “any amount standing to the credit of the judiciary in the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State shall be paid directly to the heads of the courts concerned.” This is exactly what the Order has reinforced.

And there is no doubt that democracy as a system of government cannot thrive where

there is no separation of powers among the three major arms of the government- the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary.

Indeed that is what separates democracy from the other forms of government.

The framers of our constitution ensured that the doctrine of separation of powers was captured in the constitution to prevent one arm of the government, especially the executive, from becoming too powerful. The system of separation of powers divides the tasks of the state into those three branches so that no one institution can become so powerful in a democracy as to destroy the system.

But our experience has shown that this doctrine has not been respected by the political elites who dominate the other arms of the government once they get executive powers.

In many of the 36 states, the judiciary and especially the legislature have been at the beck and call of the executive. Many former state governors have lamented the lack of independence of state legislatures and even judiciary, after they left office.

So the Order, if enforced, would surely facilitate good governance and more rapid development in states.

The legislature provides an essential contribution to the quality of a country’s overall governance by adding value to government policy, initiating people-centred policies independently of government, and

enabling policy to be translated into social reality by means of the laws they make.

On the hand, an independent judiciary would promote the rule of law because it guarantees that judges would be free to decide honestly and impartially, in accordance with the law and evidence, without concern or fear of interference, control, or improper influence from the executive.

But what is even more important for now, which makes the Order relevant at this time, is the execution of Malami’s plan to transform the judiciary into a more efficient and technology-driven institution. Malami, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, had worked out how to cover lost grounds and digitize judicial functions in view of the covid-19 pandemic.

The AGF has rolled out measures for the transformation of the judiciary to enable it respond adequately and effective to the new normal. While announcing the Order, Malami in the first three years of its implementation, “there shall be special extraordinary capital allocations for the Judiciary to undertake capital development of State Judiciary Complexes, High Court Complexes, Sharia Court of Appeal, Customary Court of Appeal and Court Complexes of other Courts befitting the status of Courts.”

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

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THIS WEEKEND WEEKLY MAGAZINE

NEWS METRO THISLIFE ART WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com 07010510430

Ijeoma Ndukwe: Mentor, Coach, Agro Processor

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T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍ°Ëœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

COVER

Ijeoma Ndukwe: Mentor, Coach, Agro Processor Ijeoma Ndukwe is not just your average successful woman who has carved a niche for herself in the agrobusiness, but she has also distinguished herself as a mentor and coach for burgeoning business owners and individuals. In this interview with NUME EKEGHE, the mentor and coach, who also doubles as the MD/CEO of Bubez Foods Ltd, revealed how she started from home with N200 and has over the years grown the venture into a thriving sustainable business that has expanded into exporting its products

W

hatdoyouhavetosay about your business Bubez Foods and your coaching programs?

Under my leadership, Bubez Foods has made some tremendous progress within the agribusiness industry in the past eight years.

We’ve rebranded a local traditional meal, Pap/Akamu/Ogi and given it a global appeal. Also my most recent webinar series has pulled in almost 300 registration in 24hours and this a testament to how over the years I’ve been able to inspire people.

How has Bubez faired over the years?

Last year we exported a 20ft container of Bubez Pap to Houston, U.S. We carried out some research and development tests in Massachusetts U.S and another in Denmark to help us improve our processes and be well positioned as the global brand we’re aiming to become. We’re currently in the market to raise $5m for the next phase of our business.

As a business in these trying times, what has your ďŹ rm done to cushion the sufferings of the vulnerable people?

In the face of the food shortage crisis rocking the nation due to the lockdown, we are distributing extra fortified Bubez Pap powder to 260 families. It’s a box of 30 single use packs of three-base cereals, soybeans and vitamins and minerals, that is expected to feed a child for a month.

You mentioned your webinar pulled in almost 300 registration in 24hrs, how were you able to achieve this mileage?

The response has been huge, we have people in Ibadan, Ajah, Port Harcourt and so on, asking to receive a food pack but we can only feed so many and also distribution is affected because of the restricted transportation. I bless God that we are able to step in as an organisation and do our bit. It’s been an interesting journey watching the business I started from home with N200 (less than $1) grow into a thriving sustainable business with a factory in Abuja and two sales offices in Lagos and Portharcourt.

In these trying times, how would you advice on dealing with fear and seeking to upgrade one’s self conďŹ dence in times of crisis?

One of the questions I’m asked very often is, what are my fears and I wouldn’t say that I’m fearless, I know that fear is real and exists in different forms and ways. Fear is my currency, I trade my fears for my dreams. I don’t exhibit the fear of failure, my risk appetite is pretty modest however I am afraid of how big my ideas would grow, so that’s the fear that I keep upgrading my confidence level to deal with.

In this COVID-19 global pandemic crisis, a lot of people irrespective of status, are exhibiting different kinds of fears and anxiety. Worrying if the virus would get to them, worrying about their jobs, their

Ndukwe

finances and all kinds of things. In times like these, one of the instructions is “Don’t panic�, it’s for a reason, panic and fear lead to poor decision making.

However, as the Lead Brand Strategist at Leap to Limitless Global and a transformational clarity coach, I’m passionate about helping success-driven women create powerful brands. I coach people on how to create their dream lives utilising fears rather than dwelling on it‌we can’t stop the thoughts and fears, it’s what we do with them that matters.

I started Bubez Foods by imagining what getting my products in the hands of 1million people at a profit of N100 per piece would mean to my family and I. That was all the motivation and confidence I needed to push my dreams in spite of the numerous challenges that have come my way.

The crisis and it’s havoc can’t be denied.

Businesses like the UK’s Carphone Warehouse and Debenhams are either shutting down or filed formal notice of intention to appoint administrators, economies are on the brink of collapse, the number of deaths are staggering. Recently, BBC news reported that there have been over 1 million cases recorded globally. 6.65 million people have been reported to have filed for unemployment in the US in one week and the economists say it’s gunning towards a 30 per cent unemployment rate.

A lot of anxiety is rooted in worrying about the unknown and waiting for something to happen - COVID-19 is that on a macro scale, this was said by Rosie Weatherley, spokesperson for mental health charity Mind in the UK.The fear people are experiencing is real and very valid looking at those interesting stats.

Depending on your perspective, at least one of the positives in this season is that with the enforced lockdown in Nigeria, we are no longer too busy to spend time with our families whom we are actually working for.

People are having to reflect on their lives and are determined to make certain adjustments to their priorities once everything gets back to normal. People have also started taking their health seriously trying to boost their immunity against COVID-19 and I’m one of them...laughs. I take 500mg - 1000mg of Vitamin C daily plus my green smoothie.

I’m not taking any chances, I’ve got three amazing kids and a supportive partner to live for. Fear is a powerful force and stops people from capitalising on the opportunities that are presenting themselves. Dealing with fear is systemic and a choice just as facing any kind of crisis as you build your business.

How are you able to encourage people to remain positive in these times?

I have my ways of dealing with fear of any kind and that would be my advice to my mentees and everyone else in this trying time. I choose what I focus on because our thoughts control our feelings and actions. I consume less negative news and information.

I increase my knowledge base in that subject area from the experts. For example with the pandemic, I read information by the world health organisation to keepmyself abreast of the situation at hand, however t his I do once in two weeks. I need to keep my sanity and my focus. When I began Bubez Foods eight years ago, I went on to register and attend the Owner Manager ’s program at the Lagos Business school, to improve my capacity and sharpen my management skills.

Increased capacity helps combat fears and upgrade your confidence levels to help you make the right kind of informed decisions and take actions.

This is such an interesting conversation, I am having a free webinar “How to go from fear to confidence in 24hrs� (at the point the interview was conducted) and we have over 600 participants signed up for the webinar within 72hrs. That’s part of my own way of helping beyond the food distribution program.

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T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍ°Ëœ 2020

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Unity Bank Says Capital Raising Plan on Course Obinna Chima Unity Bank Plc yesterday said its capital raising journey is still on course, adding that steps are being taken regularly to enhance the value of the institution.

The bank’s Executive Director/ Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Ebenezer Kolawole, said this during an online media briefing to discuss the bank’s recently released full year 2019 audited results. “We are making efforts to make sure that we maintain a sustainable performance that would delight our suitors for recapitalisation. Our capital raising journey is on course and we are making sure that all the necessary things are put in place. “We are working with all our people in this regard. Even though Covid-19 has posed a lot of challenge in this regard, we are focused and we are on constant discussion almost daily and so by the time the coast is clear, we would move to the next level. “We hope to conclude very soon. We would continue to propel growth and create value for all our stakeholders,� Kolawole explained.

Unity Bank posted gross earnings of N44.59 billion for its 2019 financial year, up from the N34.65 billion it recorded in 2018.

The audited 2019 full year results

showed that the bank recorded a profit before tax (PBT) of N3.64 billion, from a loss position of N7.5 billion in 2018, while profit after tax (PAT) closed at N3.38 billion in the year under review, from a loss position of N7.695 billion.

According to Kolawole, the financial institution’s liquidity position is strong presently. In addition, he said the board and management of the bank has adopted cost-saving measures by eliminating any item that does not add value to the financial institution. He assured farmers across the country that the bank would continue to support their activities. “2019 was a year when we had so many regulatory headwinds and challenges in the market.

But despite that, we were able to rev up our momentum, just to make sure that we deliver value. “We have to really keep the bank up because we are in a capital raising mood. We make sure that daily, we continue to do things that would add value to the bank.�

Kolawole added: “We have over 1.5 million farmers in primary production that are banking with us. We have been very supportive to the agricultural sector even though returns from that sector is low.

“Unity Bank understands that food sustainability is very key, so we make sure we pay more attention to primary production such as rice, maize, sorghum, cotton, among. We deliver exceptional service to the agricultural sector and that has made us to win so many awards in the agriculture sector.�

In his contribution, the Head of Strategy of the bank, Mr. Ibukun Coker, pointed out that the financial institution has been on a transformation journey for four years.

He said the bank has continued to work towards becoming a dominant player in the retail segment of the bank. “As a result of that, we have continued to promote products that encourage financial inclusion.

We have done more in terms of agency network. “On the retail space, last year we opened up credit products for our customers – salary advance banking and other soft loans to MSMEs. “So, a combination of that has helped us to increase feebased income as a bank. We have created a niche on agric business and we have continued to expand our collaboration with the rice farmers association, cotton farmers association, ginger farmers association, and others.

FirstBankDonatese-LearningDevicestoLagosState First Bank of Nigeria Limited has presented 20,000 units of e-learning devices to the Lagos State government.

The devices are for distribution to school children.

The items were presented to the state government yesterday.

With the gesture, a statement from the bank quoted the Lagos State Governor, Babajide SanwoOlu, to have said the state had found a, “real development partner� in FirstBank.

According to the governor, the intervention came at a time the state was massively deploying technology to transform the conventional mode of teaching and learning.

The presentation of the devices which was also in partnership with Robert & John (an edu-tech company who owns Roducate) was part of activities implemented to close the gap caused by the disruption in children education’s due to schools’ closure, following the COVID-19 pandemic.

So far the bank has enabled over 10,000 free sign-ups to the

Roducate e-learning platform with the goal to empower one million students.

Sanwo-Olu said: “When we were developing our vision to change the face of education in Lagos, we knew from the outset that we could not achieve much progress in improving the quality of learning without using technology as a strong enabler.

So, it is not out of place that we are witnessing more infusion of technology in learning and this intervention by FirstBank could not have come at a better time.� “It feels great when you have people and organisations share in your vision and working with you to realise it. I’m glad to say that we have found a real development partner in FirstBank, which has supported us to actualise the vision we have signed to achieve.

Many years back, nobody foresaw Coronavirus (COVID-19) would come and disrupt our ways of life. These devices will be useful to our pupils in the current circumstances we have found ourselves.�

“FirstBank and all technical partners that worked on this project have written their names in the heart of students that will be using the device to learn.

They will be forever grateful for passing the future to them.�

Speaking on the presentation, the Chief Executive Officer, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, said, “the e-learning initiative aligns with our Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability initiatives and falls under one of our key strategic pillars, thus Education through Support to our Communities.� “We are excited to promote education and have consistently demonstrated this in our support of 10 universities and 3 secondary schools on infrastructure projects; our support of 10 universities with professorial Chairs and provision of financial literacy, entrepreneurial and career counselling to over 80,000 students in over 80 secondary schools in the country,� he added.

Sterling Bank kits 5,000 Highway Managers Sterling Bank Plc has donated 5,000 customised reflective uniforms to Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).

The initiative is expected to make highways managers in Lagos State safe as they work to keep the environment safe.

Regional Business Executive, Institutional Banking (Lagos region), Mrs. Mojibola Oladunni, made the donation to the Acting Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) in Lagos recently.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Oladunni said the bank would continually engage in initiatives that would protect the environment especially those that

are connected to the protection of lives through its partnership with LAWMA. She said the donation of the reflective highway managers’ uniforms to LAWMA “is one of the ways the bank contributes to the wellbeing of skilled and unskilled workers in the communities in which it does business across the country.�

Commenting, Odunmboni said, “Sterling Bank has been supporting us over the years and today they have donated another 5, 000 uniforms to us again for the kitting of our sweepers.�

He said the uniforms came at a time the authority had just expanded the number of sweepers across the state, noting that

the donation will be adequate for distribution to all the sweepers on its payroll. He appealed to the management of the bank to continue its good gesture to LAWMA and other agencies of the Lagos State Government.

Sterling Bank has donated more than 60,000 uniforms to agencies that keep the environment clean in different parts of the country in the last six years. It also embarked on national cleaning exercises in more than 20 states of the federation. Some of the states are Lagos, Kaduna, Abia, Delta, Ekiti, Adamawa, Bauchi, Katsina, Kwara, Plateau and Ondo. Others are Kano, Kogi, Oyo and Benue states.

Unity Bank MD/CEO, Tomi Somefun

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

SEPTEMBER 2019 Money Supply (M3)

35,029,779.72

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

7,374,356.91

Money Supply (M2)

27,655,422.82

-- Quasi Money

116,533,891.21

-- Narrow Money (M1)

11,121,531.60

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,625,047.69

---- Demand Deposits

9,496,483.91

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

13,911,335.83

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

21,118,443.89

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

35,918,179.45

---- Credit to Government (Net)

10,452,199.38

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

11,007,422.79

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

25,465,980.07

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

-14,799,735.56

--Other Assets Net

7,000,253.07

Reserve Money (Base Money

2,005,600.83

--Currency in Circulation

4,677,530.81

--Banks Reserves

317,121.43

Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

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

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

Ëž Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁ ÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ě‹ ͯ͹Ϲ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE Ëœ ͡ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $37.09 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $38.89 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

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

SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

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MARKET NEWS

Neimeth’s Share Price Rises 102% as Investors React to 939% Profit Growth Goddy Egene Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc yesterday maintained its lead on the price gainers’ table at the stock market as investors continued to swoop on the equity.

The stock has thus, recorded a gain of 101.8 per cent in two weeks since the company announced its half year results ended March 31, 2020.

Interim report and accounts of Neimeth showed significant

growths across key performance indicators with growing sales and operating efficiency driving operating profit by 225.28 per cent.

Specifically, turnover grew by 19.4 per cent to N1.165 billion in 2020 compared with N975.98 million recorded in 2019.

The company recorded growth across its two business segments of pharmaceuticals products and animal health products with the animal health products showing strong prospects for the top-line

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

with 897.5 per cent growth during the period. Profit after tax soared by 939 per cent from N5.447 million to N56.596 million in 2020.

Neimeth’s share price, which opened this year at N0.62 per share has soared to N2.57 as at yesterday, showing an increase of 315 per cent year-to-date.

The price appreciation has been attributed to the increasing prospects of dividend payment in the current business year after shareholders of the company at

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

their annual general meeting earlier in March 2020 approved a balance sheet restructuring that would see the write off of accumulated losses and primed the company for dividend payment from net profit. The Managing Director, Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc, Matthew Azoji, had said the half-year showed early gains of the company’s five-year strategic plan, noting that the company would vigorously expand and

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

reposition its businesses to cement its position as a leading player in not only Nigeria’s healthcare industry but also in the wider West African region while simultaneously ensuring good returns on investment to shareholders.

According to him, the strategic direction for 2020-2024 would see the company implementing bold and gradual expansion initiatives including the upgrade of its factory at Oregun, Lagos state;

O F

development of new manufacturing facilities and expansion of the company’s marketing drive to Sub-Saharan Africa. “Our results show that we are on course to achieving our strategic growth objectives. We remain committed to our goal of repositioning the company to play greater roles in the healthcare industry, deliver better returns on investment to shareholders and greater benefits to all other stakeholders,� Azoji said.

1 1 / 0 6 / 2 0 2 0 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

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FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

FBNQuest Launches the FBN Halal Fund for Ethical Investing Goddy Egene FBNQuest Asset Management, a subsidiary of FBN Holdings recently launched the FBN Halal Fund in a bid to provide investors with investment options that improve financial inclusion and align with ethical beliefs. Regulated by the

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the FBN Halal Fund is an open-ended mutual fund designed to meet the needs of investors seeking long-term income generation, as it offers an opportunity for exposure to a broad range of fixed income Shariáh-compliant investments.

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

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

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

It offers a key benefit of providing flexibility and liquidity for investors with ease of entry and exit. Returns from the Fund will be distributed to unitholders semi-annually. In order to provide investors with confidence regarding strict adherence to Shariáh principles, the FBN Halal Fund will adopt a best practice

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

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

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

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 10Jun-2020, unless otherwise stated.

approach with its governance structure through a Shariáh Advisory Council of Experts, an Investment Committee, a Custodian, and a Trustee.

Commenting on the product launch, the Managing Director of FBNQuest Asset Management, Ike Onyia, said: “The FBN Halal Fund will be actively

managed under Islamic finance principles, a respected Shariáh advisory council of experts and our seasoned portfolio managers who are guided by valuable experience.”

“The fund was introduced based on the need to create value-driven connections with our clients. Being a member of one

of the strongest and most dependable financial groups in Africa, our goal is to constantly provide a wide range of solutions to support the evolving needs of our partners, and the opportunities for diversification through this Fund further affirms our client-centric approach to service delivery,” he added.

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

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

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

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 112.87 114.16 -23.74% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 3.63% Nigeria International Debt Fund 310.93 310.93 -0.57% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.93 0.94 3.08% ACAP Income Funds 0.78 0.78 10.17% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 6.50% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.62 2.68 6.46% info@anchoriaam.com ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market N/A N/A N/A Anchoria Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Anchoria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 14.64 15.08 -4.44% ARM Discovery Fund 340.71 350.98 -1.37% ARM Ethical Fund 30.27 31.19 4.10% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.23% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund 95.55 96.22 -0.55% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 5.16% CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 0.07 0.05 6.96% Paramount Equity Fund 11.35 11.80 -8.35% Women's Investment Fund 109.29 110.09 -1.09% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 5.17% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 97.66 97.87 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 107.22 107.47 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.03% Coronation Balanced Fund 0.91 0.92 -1.52% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.42 1.42 7.20% EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 4.17% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 4.35% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,227.86 1,237.54 5.99% FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,289.16 1,290.45 6.12% FBN Balanced Fund 147.10 148.18 0.19% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 5.03% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 115.76 116.51 0.29% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 116.13 116.87 0.10% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 118.43 119.86 -8.99% FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.87% Legacy Debt Fund 3.77 3.77 3.04% Legacy Equity Fund 1.10 1.12 -3.22% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.11 1.11 2.27% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A Coral Income Fund N/A N/A N/A FSDH Treasury Bills Fund N/A N/A N/A GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.96% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 120.39 121.06 11.91%

GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gdl.com.ng Web: www.gdl.com.ng ; Tel: +234 9055691122 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn GDL Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.28% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.27 2.31 3.74% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 9.96% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 143.57 144.12 0.11% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.22 1.24 4.53% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,130.36 1,130.36 4.83% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Meristem Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.40 1.42 14.26% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.89 11.95 5.56% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 3.15% PACAM Equity Fund 1.07 1.08 PACAM EuroBond Fund 106.41 108.65 SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 116.83 119.78 -0.87% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.01 1.01 3.72% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 2,521.35 2,532.80 3.92% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 210.33 210.33 3.31% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.88 0.89 -0.56% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 273.87 273.95 3.78% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 154.92 156.64 2.66% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.40% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,674.15 7,756.30 -1.46% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.16 1.16 2.50% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 118.18 118.18 0.00% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Bond Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Eurobond Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Wealth for Women Fund N/A N/A N/A QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 10.39 10.53 1.17% Zenith Ethical Fund 12.08 12.21 4.02% Zenith Income Fund 23.44 23.44 5.40% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 3.74%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

3.50 114.44 52.79

-63.85% 2.22% 1.42%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

8.90 91.36 69.64

9.00 93.23 70.88

2.24% -1.25% -5.58%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund Union Homes REIT

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

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

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

2.99 4.22 11.65 11.85 181.19

3.03 4.30 11.75 12.05 183.19

-15.73% -28.37% -3.84% 13.94% -3.61%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

108.29

16.90%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

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FRIDAY, ÍšÍşËœ ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž T H I S D AY

NEWS

FG Extends Deadline for Marginal Oilfield Bids to June 21 Crude oil price slumps to $38 over concerns on demand Ejiofor Alike with agency reports The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) yesterday extended by one week, the deadline to register to bid for Nigeria’s marginal oilfields, which will now close on June 21.

The DPR launched the first marginal field award round in nearly 20 years on June 1.

Applicants initially had until June 14 to register, but the timeline has been moved to June 21. The DPR, the nation’s petroleum regulator, did not give a reason for the extension, a report by Reuters said.

The marginal oilfields comprise 57 fields located on land, swamp and shallow offshore terrains.

Meanwhile, oil prices tumbled around seven per

cent yesterday, fuelled by renewed concerns about demand destruction as new cases of coronavirus tick up globally, while the United States saw another large build in crude inventories.

US COVID-19 cases surpassed two million on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, and new infections are rising slightly after five weeks of declines.

The US Federal Reserve has expressed concern that consumers will continue to restrict activity to avoid becoming infected, limiting demand.

Brent crude futures fell $2.80, or 6.7 per cent, to $38.93 a barrel.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell $2.98, or 7.5 per cent, to $36.62 a barrel.

Brent and WTI were set for

their worst daily drops since April 21 and 27, respectively.

The Fed said the US unemployment was set to reach 9.3 per cent at the end of 2020 and it would take years to fall back, while interest rates were expected to stay near zero at least through next year.

On the supply side, US crude inventories rose unexpectedly by 5.7 million

barrels last week to a record high at 538.1 million barrels, government data showed on Wednesday.

It also showed US gasoline stockpiles grew more than expected to 258.7 million barrels. Distillate inventories, which include diesel and heating oil, rose by 1.6 million barrels, although the increase was smaller than in previous weeks.

Court Reaffirms INEC’s Powers to Deregister Political Parties Alex Enumah in Abuja Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has again held that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has powers to deregister political parties.

Justice Chikere gave the ruling yesterday in Abuja while delivering judgment in a suit by 32 political parties challenging their deregistration

by INEC. INEC, on February 6, had deregistered 74 political parties for failing to win any seat in the last general election.

Dissatisfied, some

32 political parties had approached the court to challenge the decision.

In a motion on notice with suit number: FHC//ABJ/ CS/444/19 between Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) and 32 others Vs. Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and INEC (1st and 2nd respondents respectively), the applicants prayed the court for an order restraining INEC from removing their names from the list of registered political parties.

Although 33 political parties filed the matter in court, two of the parties, Labour Party (LP) and African Democratic

Congress (ADC), were later dropped from the suit because INEC did not deregister them.

On June 3, the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) had prayed the court to be joined in the suit, making the total number of the de-registered parties to be 32.

Delivering judgment in the suit, Justice Chikere, however, reaffirmed the powers of the INEC to deregister political parties.

The court held that Section 225(a) of the constitution gives INEC the powers to deregister parties that failed to comply with the provisions of the constitution.

It also held that the plaintiffs failed to prove their case and subsequently dismissed the suit.

According to the judge, the parties failed to state sufficient facts to support their claims while stating that where a provision of the law is unambiguous, it ought to be given its simple interpretation, hence, Section 225(a) of Constitution is clear and unambiguous and should be interpreted in support of the deregisteration.

The court also vacated an earlier injunction granted to the parties and dismissed their suit in its entirety.

The parties had filed their suit last year to restrain INEC from deregistering them when they got to know about the plans of the commission.

Earlier, the judge in February had issued an order restraining INEC from acting on the notice deregistering the 32 political parties, pending the determination of the suit.

With this judgment, it now brings to 36, the number of political parties that the court has affirmed their deregistration.

With the judgment, the fate of the remaining deregistered parties hang in the balance.

For now, only 18 political

parties not deregistered are the lawfully recognised political parties in Nigeria.

Some of the affected 32 political parties are, Advanced Congress of Democrats, Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party, All Blending Party, All Grand Alliance Party, Better Nigeria Progressive Party, Democratic People’s Congress, Freedom and Justice Party, and Green Party of Nigeria.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, had also ruled in favour of INEC against the National Unity Party (NUP) and Hope Democratic Party (HDP).

pleased by the job done, particularly that it had extensive consultations with relevant institutions.

He expressed faith in the recommendations, adding that the proposals will serve the country's desire for a truly competitive economy. “I am pleased to hear that the Economic Sustainability Committee consulted with both the National Economic Council and the National Assembly and I look forward to a continuing partnership with both organs, to implement what I consider a national plan. “As we go forward, we must chart a new course and remain steadfast. I believe the priorities contained in this plan present a practical way of achieving our desire of a truly competitive economy that can support our people and secure our future. “I congratulate the Economic Sustainability Committee for completing this critical national

assignment in good time. I believe that with God’s help and in a sense of duty to prosperity we will successfully reset our economy for a brighter future,� he said.

Buhari described the COVID-19 pandemic as a trying time, particularly for operators in the informal sector.

He noted that the pandemic has taken a huge toll on the economy as businesses have slowed down.

He commended Nigerians for their resilience during the pandemic and also praised health workers, describing their efforts in containing the pandemic as super human.

He said: “While the COVID-19 pandemic spread through our towns and cities, it continues to take a massive toll on the economy.

I know that many of us have experienced great difficulty during this time, businesses

have considerably slowed down and in certain instances, operations closed, work days have been cut short and personal liberties restricted, people have lost their jobs and earning a living has indeed been difficult. “This has been a trying time for those in the informal sector, which constitutes a large part of our economy, important family celebrations were held without the presence of loved ones, schools are closed and parents have had to resort to home schooling in addition to juggling other responsibilities. “Despite all these, Nigerians have done their best and persevered. I must salute Nigerians for their resilience in adapting the realities of the COVID-19 effect while also recognising the super human effort of our frontline health workers who continue to play a critical role in keeping our country and people safe.�

Shortly after he was screened late on Wednesday, the governor had said he might not get justice from the party and accused Oshiomhole of being a judge by proxy in his case.

Obaseki who had arrived at the national secretariat on Wednesday, had stayed longer than the other aspirants that were earlier screened.

"The last time I came here, I asked that Oshiomhole recuse himself from the process in the interest of peace and justice. But as a party man, I have had to go through the screening like everybody else.

"Since he is the judge and the jury in this matter, I will just wait for the outcome of the screening. I have given them

all the information they need; the controversial certificate from the University of Ibadan has been tendered.

"Like I said, as a party man, I have gone through the screening process but I do not believe that I will get justice because Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is an interested party in the Edo process.

"One of the questions that I was asked was that why did I issue a gazette that will prevent the party from performing direct elections in Edo State - that did I not see it as an anti-party activity? I just felt that if we put politics above the lives of the people of Edo State, we may be missing the point," he had said after he was screened.

OSINBAJO COMMITTEE PROJECTS 39.4M JOB LOSSES BY DEC production and manufacturing of all that is possible, including tech apps, software, shoes, garments, steel fabrication, ceramics and furniture, with the required capital and essential machinery, (ii) the provision of ample support for the informal sector through low interest loans and by easing procedures for registration, licensing, obtaining permits, etc.

"By these means, urban and informal business people like mechanics, tailors, artisans, and petty traders, will be encouraged to improve and develop their services; and (iii)Support for MSMEs, especially in assisting to restructure their loans with banks. "Among others, this will assist businesses in the pharmaceutical, aviation, hotels and the hospitality industry, private schools, road transportation, technology companies, and the creative

industry, amongst others.

"Facilitation of broadband connectivity across the country and creation of a wide variety of technology and ICT jobs.

"Expansion of the Social Investment Programme, through an increase in the number of cash transfer beneficiaries, N- Power volunteers and sundry traders enjoying small and micro loans through the MarketMoni and TraderMoni schemes.

"The preexisting conditional cash transfer will also be extended to cover a larger number of the extremely poor," he said.

Osinbajo explained that if success is expected from these plans, the secret will rest on their implementation, "faithful execution of the plans," adding that to achieve this, every minister will be responsible for supervision of the implementation plans in their respective ministries.

He said ministers would be responsible for building synergy among stakeholders in both the public and private sectors while the ESC would only oversee the implementation plan, "ensure inter-ministerial co-ordination, and report regularly to the president, while expenditure is monitored through the National M&E framework and the Budget Office of the Federation."

Thanking the president for the confidence reposed in the committee to do the job, Osinbajo said the committee was confident that if the proposals were adopted and thoroughly implemented, "Nigeria will avert the worst of the impending economic headwinds, and convert this crisis to a victory for the Nigerian economy."

In his remarks, Buhari congratulated the committee on the report, saying he was

SUSPENSE AS APC SCREENING COMMITTEE SUMMONS OBASEKI, IZE-IYAMU, OTHERS state, Dr. Pius Odubu; a former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Osagie Ize-Iyamu; Mr. Chris Ogiemwonyi; Mr. Matthew Iduoriyekemwe and Mr. Osaro Obaze.

THISDAY gathered last night that the screening committee was still putting together its report, as at the time of filling this report, and is expected to submit its finding to the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

A member of the committee told THISDAY that a text message had been sent to all the aspirants informing them to report at the party secretariat for the sitting of the Appeal Committee, slated to begin

at 10am.

It was gathered that all the aspirants were summoned so that anyone disqualified who needed to seek redress would have the opportunity to do so immediately.

The source said: "I don't know who was cleared and who was not; as I am talking to you, they are still compiling their report. And the party had already sent messages to everybody that Appeal Committee will sit tomorrow, Friday.

"Since the NWC does not know who is cleared and who is not cleared, we have sent messages to all of them, informing them about the Appeal Committee sitting

on Friday."

The source added that by today, all the aspirants will come to the party's headquarters to check whether they have been cleared to take part in the June 26 primary or not and whoever needs to see the Appeal Committee will do so.

Another party chief confided in THISDAY that the chances are high that the screening committee might disqualify Obaseki, who has been having a running battle with APC National Chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, on account of alleged anti-party activities.

It was gathered that the governor allegedly filed multiple cases both at the Federal High Court and the

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on Wednesday to restrain the Screening Committee from going ahead with its assignment but ‘’failed woefully.’’ ‘’The constitution of our party is very clear; there are internal mechanisms for resolving our problems before going to court. It will amount to anti-party activities for any party member to take the party to court – with the sole aim of preventing the party from conducting a primary for Edo State governorship election’,’ the source stated.

Should he be disqualified from running on APC platform, it would not come as a surprise to Obaseki.

FRIDAY JUNE 12, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

59

NEWS

Magu: We’ve Recovered N980bn, Private Jets, Oil Vessels Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, has said the agency has recovered assets worth over N980 billion.

He told reporters at a press

conference yesterday in Abuja to mark the 2020 Democracy Day that the agency also recovered non-monetary assets such as estates, private jets and oil vessels.

Besides, the commission secured 2,240 convictions in the past five years.

CAN Urges N’Assembly to Reject Infectious Disease Bill Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has raised the alarm that the proposed infectious disease legislation is capable of causing disunity and anarchy in the country if allowed to sail through.

The Christian body said that apart from the various infractions to the country’s constitution, the bill also seeks to curtail the people’s freedom.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja yesterday shortly after presenting the position of the Christian body before the Public Hearing organised by the House of Representatives, the General Secretary of CAN, Mr. JB Daramola said that the Control of Infectious Disease Control Bill can trigger anarchy, disorder and insecurity in the country.

“It is superfluous but undermines every other

authority in the country, the president, state governors and others. The Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) will be made a “Frankenstein monster” with omonibus powers because he will be empowered to restrict fundamental rights and freedoms at will in abuse of constitutionally established institutions and processes without any form of accountability, “ he said.

Daramola said that CAÑ believed that if passed into law, the proposed legislation would violate the supremacy of the 1999 Constitution.

He said that that after a careful study of the proposed bill, CAN was compelled to make some observations.

First, CAN said that the bill does not meet the basic requirement for legal enactments for the common good of the country.

“We shall be marking the 2020 Democracy Day as a commemoration of our progress in the democratic project.

“As you all know in your regular reporting, the EFCC is not only ahead, it is clearly so. We are on course in all the cases we are prosecuting.

Our scorecard in the area of

conviction is 2,240 in the last five years.

“We have recovered assets in excess of N980 billion and quite a large array of nonmonetary assets like property, estates, private jets, oil vessels, filling stations, schools, hotels, trucks and other automobiles, jewellery, plazas, shopping malls, electronics, among

others.

“The EFCC takes both enforcement and prevention strategies very seriously. Our enforcement is not about tough talks, it is about tough actions.

It is not about rhetoric, it is about professionalism. It is not about seminars, it is about criminals and how to bring them to book,” he stated.

According to him, the EFCC is committed to the democratic project and the anticorruption agenda President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We will not relent on our assigned mandate. As I always emphasise, public ownership of the anti-corruption war is one of the best showcase of our patriotism,” he added.

COURTESY VISIT ...

Secretary-General, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Rev. Fr. Zachariah Samjumi (left), and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, during a courtesy visit to the minister in Abuja...yesterday

APC’s NWC Did Not Approve Direct Primary Again, Protesters Block for Edo, Party Chieftains Insist Major Road in Katsina over Insecurity Aggrieved youth yesterday blocked a major road in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State, protesting the activities of bandits in the state.

The Cable reported that wielding placards and chanting anti-government songs, the protesters demanded a beef up in security.

Motorists plying the route had to pull over by the roadside as the angry youth blocked the road.

The protest comes 24 hours after gunmen killed over 40 residents of Faskari local

government area.

When contacted, spokesman of Katsina State Police Command, Mr. Isah Gambo said he could not comment because the issue is being investigated.

“I really don’t know what to say about this because we are investigating. So right now I cannot say anything until our field officers have reported,” he told TheCable.

Before the latest attack, protesters had trooped to the streets of Yantumaki town, Danmusa LGA of Katsina State to demand improved security.

Buhari a True Democrat, Says APC Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that the declaration of June 12 as the Nigeria’s Democracy Day has further cemented the credentials of President Muhammadu Buhari as a true and genuine democrat.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, in a statement issued yesterday, said that in the annals of the nation’s political trajectory, June 12 would remain a historic day.

He stressed that this undisputed fact, which the Buhari-led government has officially recognised as a national holiday, was a testament of the ruling party’s appreciation on

the huge significance of the day.

Issa-Onilu stated: “President Buhari displayed political will in recognising and appreciating the sacrifices of many Nigerians in the enthronement of democracy in our nation and the ultimate prize paid by the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election, Chief Moshood Abiola.

“Going forward, the APC-led government would, in words and actions, continue to promote and consolidate on the gains of democratic governance in the country, with a view to entrenching its finest ideals on our body polity, while calling on all well-meaning Nigerians to imbibe this spirit in the overall interest of our beloved country.”

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

Some Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by the National Vice Chairman of the party, Salihu Mustapha, have said the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party did not approve direct primary for Edo State.

The founding members disclosed this in an open letter titled: ‘APC Crisis: It is time APC Leader, Asiwaju Bola

Ahmed Tinubu, Demonstrates Democratic Leadership’, which was signed by Salihu Mustapha, Chief Polycap Udah, Captain Mohammed Bala Jibrin, Mr. Ray Morphy, Alhaji Umar Kachalla Zubair, Dr. Sylvanus Amechi, Alhaji Shaba Emangi, Chief Emeka Enechi, Hon. Charles Idahosa, Hon. Mohammed Aboki Mahmud, Prince Mackor Shaka Momodu and Alhaji Yesufu Omonemi.

They revealed that it was

rather a unilateral decision by the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole.

The party chieftains who claimed to be part of the founding members of the party, in a letter addressed to Tinubu, said it was distasteful and undemocratic that the Constitution of APC and due process has been suppressed and suspended.

They wondered why the APC national chairman also wrote a letter to the

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to change the official address of the Edo State chapter of APC, contrary to Article 8 of the party Constitution, which also requires the approval of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.

They equally queried why the chairman unilaterally gave one of the governorship aspirants, Pastor Osagie IzeIyamu, a waiver without the approval of the NEC.

Secondus Urges N’Assembly to Resist Buhari’s Incessant Borrowings Chuks Okocha in Abuja The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has urged the National Assembly to resist President Muhammadu Buhari and his ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) incessant urge to borrow money.

“They are mortgaging our future, so you must resist them,” Secondus stated.

Secondus noted that the call became necessary and germane after it became obvious that President Buhari and his party are determined to mortgage the future of the country knowing well that they are as good as gone in the country’s polity.

The national chairman of the PDP told journalists after a behind-the-camera meeting with the PDP caucus in the Senate that the opposition is feeling concerned at the

frequency of loan approval by the legislators.

A statement from Secondus’ media office yesterday signed

by Ike Abonyi said the party chairman doubted the ability of the federal government to deploy the loans effectively.

“We feel, going by the experience of their inability to properly account for previous loans, that the borrowed funds are going into wrong hands and private pockets.

“This government lacks the needed capacity to appropriately utilise these funds because of poor control and inherent corruption in the system under their watch,” the statement noted.

Secondus also said the party leadership stressed to its members in the National Assembly the overwhelming importance of the electoral reform and the need to amend the Electoral Act urgently.

House Meets Service Chiefs over Rising Insecurity Udora Orizu in Abuja The House of Representatives yesterday held a meeting with heads of security agencies in Nigeria over the rising insecurity in the country.

The House had at the plenary last week, summoned the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno; Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin; Inspector-General of Police,

Mr. Mohammed Adamu; and Director-General, Department of State Services, Mr. Yusuf Bichi, to brief it on the efforts being made to bring an end to the killings, kidnapping and armed banditry in the country.

The summons was issued after the House adopted a motion, titled, ‘Need for the relevant security agencies to bring to an end the spate of oblivious kidnappings,

killings, and armed banditry across the country’, sponsored

by Hon Sada Soli.

Presenting the motion, Soli had noted that in recent times security situation in some parts of the country has degenerated.

He said that cases of kidnapping, killings and armed banditry have become a daily occurrence across the country, especially in Niger, Sokoto, Zamfara Kaduna and

Katsina states.

He also said the presidential directives has not helped to drastically reduce cases of kidnapping, killings and banditry in the country due to lack of sustained tempo in the intervention,.

The lawmaker lamented that the criminals have continued to regroup in different camps in the Government Reserve Forests and surrounding villages across the country.

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Obaseki, Oshiomhole’s Battle over Mode of Primary Election Shifts to Appeal Court Adibe Emenyonu in Benin The Federal High Court in Benin, Edo State, has stood down the suit brought before it seeking to stop the All Progressives Congress (APC) from conducting direct primary in the state and transmitted same to the Court

of Appeal.

The court adjourned the case to June 17, 2020, pending the outcome of the hearing from the appellate court fixed for June 16.

The legal battle between the state Governor, Godwin Obaseki, and the National Working Committee (NWC) of

EFCC Quizzes Ortom’s Aide over Alleged N42m Fraud George Okoh in Makurdi The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Makurdi Zonal Office, yesterday said it arrested Lt. Col. Paul Hembah (rtd), the Security Adviser to Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom.

In a statement issued yesterday by the zone’s Publicity Head, Ayodele Babatunde, the governor’s aide was quizzed over alleged N42million fraud.

According to the anti-graft agency, the security adviser had on July 12, 2019, transferred the said amount from his office to his personal account and withdrew the sum the same day.

The statement partly read, “The said sum was meant for

disbursement to the Benue State Vigilance group.

“The governor’s aide allegedly between October 2018 and May 2020 also abused his office by fraudulently paying the N20million monthly allocation meant for Benue State Vigilance Group into the personal account of the Commandant of the group, George Mbessey, instead of using the official account of the group.“The alleged offence, if established, violates the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.

“Hembah, who was quizzed for six hours, have volunteered useful information to our investigators and would be arraigned in court as soon as investigations are concluded.”

NSCDC Arrests Boko Haram Top Logistics Supplier in Borno Michael Olugbode inMaiduguri A top Boko Haram logistics supplier has been arrested in Borno State by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The state NSCDC Commandant, Mr. Ibrahim Abdullahi, while parading the suspect yesterday in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, said he was arrested with a car filled with fuel and other food products. The Borno NCSDC boss gave the name of the suspect as Bakura Ibrahim, a 35-year-old who was arrested on June 6, at the Muna Garage along Gamboru Ngala Road, Maiduguri.

According the commander, the suspect was arrested with “24 Jerry cans of 25 liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), seven cartons

of traditional medicine, 10 bags of fishing hooks and nets, and sex enhancement drugs”.

While giving an overview of the command’s success against crime said it was possible because of collaboration with other security agencies. “We have since move forward from sharing intelligence to arresting culprits and handing them to relevant department for prosecution.”

He added that his men have arrested three top Boko Haram terrorists and handed them over to the military for adequate action within the year.

Speaking on the recent scale of attacks by the insurgents, Abdullahi attributed it to the activities of informants, logistics suppliers and sympathizers and some sleeper cells that have become active and are living among residents.

the APC, resumed yesterday at the Federal High Court in Benin.

Also joined in the suit filed by the factional state Deputy Chairman of APC, Pastor Kenneth Asemokhai, and a governorship aspirant, Mr. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, is the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The two party chieftains had approached the court seeking to

restrain the APC from adopting the direct mode of primaries, citing COVID-19 and 2018 APC National Executive Council (NEC) resolution as the ground for their action.

According to the plaintiffs, who were represented by Ken Mozia (SAN) and John Odubela (SAN), the APC Constitution provides that the states should suggest mode of primaries to

the NWC, adding that they have suggested indirect primaries in which 4,000 delegates would participate with 500 delegates representing each ward.

But while the case came up yesterday, defendants in the suit had gone to the Court of Appeal, challenging the jurisdiction of the high court to hear the case.

In his arguments before

Justice Mohammed G. Umar, counsel to the second defendant, Mr. Roland Otaru, said the court lacks the jurisdiction to have given the order of stay of execution on June 8, and thus, decided to appeal on the matter.

He said the issue of jurisdiction is like a ‘traffic light’ that should be obeyed, and that going ahead with the case will amount to judicial reckless.

PROTEST AGAINST RAPE....

L-R:- Chairperson, Victoria Island Local Council Development Area (LCDA) , Hon. Abiodun Adu; her counterpart in Coker-Aguda LCDA, Hon. Akinyemi Obe; wife of Deputy Governor, Lagos State, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat; First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; Chairperson, Lagos Mainland Local Government, Hon. Omotola Essien; her counterparts in Oriade, Iba and Igando LCDAs, Hon. Ramotalai Akinola Hassan; Hon. Adedayo Oseni; and Princess Adeshina Williams, respectively, during an All-Male Awareness Walk Against Rape, Sexual and Gender-based violence at Alausa, Ikeja ...yesterday

Kaduna Assembly Removes Deputy Speaker, Beats Lawmaker for Snatching Mace The lawmaker representing Kauru Constituencyin Kaduna State House of Assembly, Hon. Isaac Auta, yesterday emerged the new Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, following the removal of the former Deputy Speaker, Hon. Mukhtar Isa Hazo, representing Milgoma Constituency.

Hazo was a former Chairman of House Committee on Local

Government and Chieftain Affairs before his elevation as the Deputy Speaker in February 2020.

Twenty-four members of the assembly passed a vote of no confidence in Hazo before he was sacked.

Meanwhile, there was a fracas during the swearing in of the new Deputy Speaker as a member attempted to snatch

the mace.

Immediately after swearing in the new Deputy Speaker, a member representing Makera Constituency, Hon. Liman Dahiru, broke into the floor of the Assembly and seized the mace.

As Dahiru attempted to make his way out of the chamber, the Sergeant-at-Arm grabbed him while other members made

frantic moves to retrieve the mace from him.

Dahiru was overpowered and had his clothes torn as other lawmakers dragged and hit him in an attempt to recover the mace from him.

The fracas forced the plenary to end in abruptly after the aggrieved member was dragged out of the floor of the assembly.

Lawan, Gbajabiamila to Meet Buhari over Insecurity The President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, will meet with President Buhari to discuss security challenges arising from the activities of Boko Haram insurgents and bandits in parts of the country.

The resolution to this effect was reached after the Senate considered a motion on the

resurgence of killings in Borno North by Boko Haram insurgents.

The motion was sponsored

by Senator Abubakar Kyari (APC – Borno North); and co-sponsored by Senators Kashim Shettima (APC – Borno Central); and Ali Ndume (APC – Borno South).

Kyari while relying on order 42 and 52 of the Senate standing rules, lamented the

killing of 90 persons – which included women and children – on Tuesday, June 9, 2020,

by Boko Haram insurgents following an attack on Foduma Kolum village of Gubio Local Government Area.

The lawmaker who further bemoaned the resurgence of what he described as “senseless killings” by the insurgents in recent weeks,

said 17 people were killed in Gajiagana, Magimeri local government on 17th May, 2020; and another thirty-three persons killed in Nganzai local government on May 22, 2020.

According to him, “these attacks are becoming very worrisome in view of the fact that the Nigerian Armed Forces recently started recording successes in the fight against insurgency.”

No Plea Bargain with Rape June 12: PDP Tasks Buhari on Electoral Reforms Suspects, Says Malami The Peoples Democratic Party At a media briefing in Abuja on President Buhari to initiate and return our nation to a state Alex Enumah in Abuja The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), yesterday stated that he was set to inaugurate the Inter-Ministerial Gender-Based Violence Management Committee to address the rising cases of rape in the country.

Among other tasks to be assigned to the committee is reaffirming the policy of opposing bail applications and rejecting plea bargain proposals from perpetrators of rape and child defilement.

The committee is also to ensure that such convicted offenders do not get prerogative of mercy.

This was contained in a statement issued by Malami’s

Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, Umar Gwandu, on Thursday.

The committee, according to the statement, will comprise “functional and skilled officers drawn from” among others including, the Federal Ministry of Justice, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs a Federal Ministry of Health, and National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Federal Ministry of Health, and National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Social Development Programme, It will also include representatives of the National Human Rights Commission, and the Nigerian Legal Aid Council, the Nigerian Police Force, and civil society organisations.

(PDP) has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to initiate the process of electoral reforms without further delay.

The party called on the President to rethink his position on the Electoral Amendment Bill passed by the Eighth National Assembly but to which he declined assent.

yesterday by the spokesman for the PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, the party charged President Buhari to return the Amendment Bill to the National Assembly within 14 days, with a strong commitment to sign it into law immediately it is passed by the federal legislature.

Ologbondiyan said, “Our party holds that it behooves

an electoral reform process immediately, even if that will be the only legacy that posterity will record for him in his eight years in office.

“Any failure to initiate an electoral reform will amount to a deliberate plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to kill our hard earned democracy

of nature where the will of any individual, supported by bandits and vagabonds will become the norm”.

The main opposition party also urged President Buhari take urgent steps to end what it described as nepotism and divisive body language associated with his administration.

Ondo Lawmakers Purchase APC Guber Form for Akeredolu

Adedayo AkinwaleinAbuja

Members of the Ondo State House of Assembly yesterday purchased the Nomination and Expression of Interest form of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the state Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, ahead of the July 20 primary election.

The ruling National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC had fixed cost of the form at N22.5 million.

The leader of the delegation and the Special Adviser to the Governor, Hon. Victor Olabintan, revealed that the state chapter of the party had decided to adopt indirect mode of primary to select the party’s standard

bearer, but added that the leadership of the party has a final say on it.

He said that Akeredolu has performed very well.

Olabintan said: “On our part in Ondo State, from the unit level to the state and to the national level, we have resolved in Ondo State to adopt indirect primary.”

Asked if the governor has the

support of the National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, in his re-election bid, Olabintan stressed that while Tinubu has the whole of Nigeria as his domain.

He argued that Tinubu does not support any candidate, but only wants the best candidate to emerge as the party’s candidate, adding that Akeredolu is the best.

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Senate Committee Threatens to Order Arrest of Sylva, Four Other Ministers Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Senate yesterday threatened to order the arrest of the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Pauline Tallen; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Timipre Sylva and three other ministers if they fail again to appear before its committee on

Public Accounts to answer audit queries on the 2015 accounts of their respective ministries.

The three other ministers threatened with warrant of arrest are: Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Minister of Power, Mr. Salleh Mamman and Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr. Olamilekan

Adegbite.

The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has therefore vowed to issue a warrant of arrest against the five ministers as well as the Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC) over their failure to honour its invitation to answer audit queries issued

against them by the Auditor General of the Federation ( AuGOF), Mr. Anthiny Ayine.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Matthew Urhoghide, issued the threat when all the heads of the six ministries and parastatals expected at the investigative hearing failed to appear before the committee.

According to him, it has become an embarrassing pattern of behaviour of persons charged with government functions in the country to disobey constituted authorities on issues of public spending and accountability.

“Over a month ago, we wrote to them to come and answer the audit queries raised against

them by the Auditor-General of the Federation in its 2015 Audit Report.

“But they have deliberately and irresponsibly failed to honour our invitation. Their failure to appear before this Committee amount to outright disobedience to constituted authority.

UNICEF Distributes Radio Sets to Children in Borno Michael Olugbode inMaiduguri The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has commenced the distribution of radio sets to all internally displaced and other vulnerable children in Borno State.

This, according to the UN agency, would enable children from all backgrounds to benefit from radio lessons being aired across the state to mitigate the closure of schools due to the spread of COVID-19 pandemic disease.

Speaking during the distribution of the radio sets yesterday in Maiduguri, the UNICEF Education Manager in Borno State, Dr. Nasser Kaddoura, stated that the initiative would be targeted at 1,500 children in its initial stage to ensure that no child is left behind.

Kaddoura said: “For conflictaffected children, the COVID-19 pandemic is a crisis within a crisis.

There is already a burgeoning number of out-of-school children in the Northeast region. The NICEF is actively supporting radio lessons in the state, but more children need to benefit from this arrangement. With support from ‘Education Cannot Wait,’ we are providing radio sets to internally displaced and other vulnerable children who cannot ordinarily afford a radio set.

“There is a high number of unaccompanied children, orphans and other minors who live in female-headed households in Borno. This initiative targets children in this category. Millions of children in Northeast Nigeria are out-of-school.

Police Dismiss Constable in Akwa Ibom Okon Bassey inUyo The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has dismissed a Police Constable for allegedly being a member of a secret cult The command in a statement issued yesterday said the Police Constable, with number: F/ NO. 513379 PC, Mfon Esio, was dismissed for discreditable conduct associated with cultism.

“The said Constable on May 20, 2020, was fingered in a Junior Vikings Confraternity initiation in which one Ubong John William

‘m’ was allegedly abducted to a bush on Marina Road in Eket, where he was forcefully initiated into the Junior Vikings Confraternity. “The Constable has been subjected to orderly room trial where he was found guilty of the offence and has been dismissed immediately from the Police Force,” the statement said.

The statement signed by the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Nudam Fredrick, said the dismissal of the police officer would serve as a deterrent to others of his like in the Force.

Eroton Hands over Donated Bus, Medical Supplies to Rivers Govt

ErnestChinwoinPortHarcourt

An indigenous oil firm, Eroton Exploration and Production Company, has donated a 16-seater bus and medical supplies to boost the efforts of the Rivers State Government to curb the spread of the COVID-19 in the state.

The medical supplies included 6,000 face masks and oxygen concentrators to aid the works of the state medical team.

Presenting the items worth millions of Naira to Governor

Nyesom Wike at the state’ warehouse in Port Harcourt, Eroton’s Operations Manager, Mr. Emmanuel Thompson, said the gesture was part of the firm’s efforts to assist the government in fighting the pandemic.

He said the firm earlier provided food palliatives, surgical masks and other items to its host communities and the independent petroleum producers, adding that its latest intervention was the culmination of the company’s palliatives on COVID-19.

Army Builds Four Classroom Blocks for Bauchi School

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

The Nigerian Army has built two blocks of classrooms and renovated another two blocks at Kili Primary School in Darazo Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

The Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, who commissioned the project, explained that it was part of the army’s Corporate Social Responsibility to its host community.

Buratai, who was represented by the Commander Nigerian Army Armoured Corps, Bauchi, Major General James Olusola Akomolafe, said Bauchi State hosts the Nigerian Army’s armoured corps, the School of Armour, the 33 Artillery Brigade and other army formations in some local governments.

He added that the state government gives them maximum supports to discharge their constitutional duties.

CONGRATULATIONS...

L-R: Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri; newly promoted Assistant Controller-General, Federal Fire Service, Pere Samson Karebo; and Chief of Staff, Bayelsa State Government House, Chief Benson Agadaga, decorating Karebo, at the Government House, Yenagoa... yesterday

IPPIS: Bayero University Sacks 30 Contract Lecturers Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano The Bayero University Kano (BUK) has terminated the services of more than 30 academic staff who were engaged on contract appointments in the university.

Those affected by the termination of appointment include the Chief Imam of Kano, Professor Sani Zaharadeen; Professor Abdulkadir Dangambo

of Department of Languages and many other senior lecturers.

Their appointments, according to the university authorities, where terminated because the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) would not accommodate contract staff.

Dr. Sai’du Ahmad Dukawa, who is one of the affected lecturers, confirmed that his

contract appointment has been terminated by the university.

“The university informed me that the termination was in line with the federal government directive for staff to enroll on the new salary payment platform (IPPIS).

“I have been on contract with the university for seven years.

My contract is renewed every two years and is supposed to

be renewed next year before it was terminated yesterday,” Dukawa said.

The University ViceChancellor, Professor Muhammad Yahuza Bello, said the contract academic lecturers had 40 days’ notice before their appointments were terminated against 30 days’ notice as contained in the contract agreement.

Ogun Assembly Approves N250bn Bond for Gov Kayode Fasua in Abeokuta The Ogun State House of Assembly yesterday granted the state Governor, Dapo Abiodun, approval to access a N250billion bond to stimulate the state economy and shore up the sharp decrease in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and funds accruing from the federation account, owing to the negative effects of COVID-19.

The loan is, however, to be accessed in tranches within

a period of three years at N100billion per annum.

The Assembly’s approval followed the passage of a resolution titled: ‘Request for Bond Issuance, Public Offering or Book Building to the tune of N250 billion’, moved by the Majority Leader, Yusuf Sheriff, seconded by Jemili Akingbade and supported by all the lawmakers through a voice vote at a plenary presided over by the Speaker, Hon Olakunle Oluomo.

The Assembly’s decision

was in line with Abiodun’s request for approval to access the credit facility communicated to the Assembly last month and read yesterday at the plenary.

According to the approval, the medium term financial programme would be carried out in tranches of N100billion annually through any of bond issuance, public offering, book building or such other methods as may be approved by regulatory authorities, while access to

other tranches were subject to further approval of the state House of Assembly.

Earlier, the Chairman, Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Olakunle Sobukanla, explained that due to the economic challenges occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, the state needed to access the financial instrument with a very low interest rate to further actualise the infrastructural development of the state.

House Passes 37 Bills in One Year, Says Gbajabiamila Adedayo Akinwale and Udora Orizu in Abuja The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has revealed that the lower chamber has passed a total of 37 bills in one legislative year.

Gbajabiamila who disclosed this yesterday during the first anniversary of the 9th House,

said that in the past one year, the lawmakers have been forthright and also presented themselves in the manner befitting of those whose voice carries within it the dreams of a nation.

He said, “We have in our first year, passed 37 longawaited and much-anticipated legislations, including reforms of the federal government’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.”

The Speaker stressed that the House heard the cries of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) by passing 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.

... Honours DCP, Abba Kyari for Exceptional Service Udora Orizu in Abuja The House of Representatives at the plenary yesterday honoured Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Abba Kyari, who is in charge of Inspector-General of Police’s Intelligence Response Team, over his exceptional service in the fight against criminality across the country.

The invitation and honour

followed a motion at the plenary on Tuesday that was moved by the member representing Chibok Federal Constituency in Borno State, Hon. Ahmad Jaha.

Jaha’s motion had noted that DCP Kyari was among the very few outstanding young officers of the Nigerian Police as Officer Cadet.

The lawmaker listing the DCP achievements said, ‘’The gallant

officer and hisß team recorded several successes in combating organised crime in Nigeria, which include arrest of the notorious kidnapper known as Evans in Lagos and the capture of the deadly kidnapper, White Vampire in Owerri, Imo State; arrest of the killer of the former Chief of Defence staff, Air Vice Alex Badeh; arrest of several Boko-Haram Commanders,

including bomb makers and those responsible for the kidnap of the famous Chibok girls; and the arrest of the deadly Offa Bank robbers that invaded Ofa town in Kwara and robbed five different commercial banks and murdered over 31 innocent Nigerians including a pregnant woman, making it the deadliest bank robbery in Nigeria’s history.’’

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Atiku Lauds Abiola, Has Modernity Failed? – 1 Urges Honour for Other June 12 Heroes

Edited by: MJO Mustapha Email deji.mustapha@thisdaylive.com

Spahic Omer/IslamiCity

Introduction

Former Vice President Atiku thrown up all shades of characters Abubakar has lauded the sacrifices at the leadership levels.

“Many, if not all of them, made by the winner of the June 12 presidential election, the late have tried their best to deliver Chief Moshood Abiola, describing him as a symbol of the June 12 CHANGE OF NAME struggle.

Atiku also called for honour I, formerly known and addressed and recognition the late Chief as MRS. OLUKEMI MODUPE Alfred Rewane, Maj. Gen. AJALA now wish to be known Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua (rtd), and addressed as MS OLUKEMI Mrs. Kudirat Abiola; and many MODUPE AJETOMOBI. All forothers who lost their lives in the mer documents remain valid. The struggle to enthrone democracy general public take note. in the country.

In a statement in Abuja I, formerly known and addressed yesterday, the former Vice as FATOLU DANIEL O, now wish President expressed dismay that some Nigerians who were to be known and addressed as FAvictims of bad governance have TOLU OLUWASEUN ADEWALE. remained unsung.

“The celebration of Democracy All former documents remain valDay is an affirmation of our id. The general public take note. collective struggles towards I, formerly known and addressed a system of participatory government and acceptance of as ONOME ENDURANCE BAKUMO, now wish to be known and primacy of the rule of law.

“Along the line in the struggle, addressed as ONOME ENDURwhich spanned decades, many a ANCE OGUDO. All former docucompatriot paid the ultimate price. ments remain valid. The general While today may well be a day public take note. dedicated to democracy, it is also very well a remembrance day for our fallen heroes of democratic rule,” Atiku said.

He noted that while the country may have dedicated a day to celebrating democracy, it’s saddening that the leadership had not delivered enough dividends to the people to make them happy.

He said, “Between 1999 to the present time, our democracy has

good governance to the country.

But the results of their efforts, judging by what we have at hand today, clearly show that our best has not been good enough thus far.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as AYEGBA BEAUTY OJOMA CHIZOBA now wish to be known and addressed as JOHNSON EKEZIE BEAUTY OJOMA CHIZOBA. All former documents remain valid. The general public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS. TEMITOPE O. OLUSANYA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. KOFOWOROLA AMINAT ADEBUTU. All former documents remain valid. The general public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS TEMITOPE SEUN FABUSIWA, henceforth wish to be known and addressed as MRS. TEMITOPE SEUN OLANIYAN. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note I, formerly known and addressed as MR IBEGBUNAM CHIDUBEM KENNETH now wish to be known and addressed as MR IBEGBUNAM CHINEDU KENNETH. All former documents remain valid.

The general public take note.

Modernity is a universal term. It is at once a historical period, worldview and ideology. As such, it’s got much in common with modernism, which signifies the character or quality of being, thought, beliefs and ideas associated with modernity as an ongoing chapter in history.

The two concepts are often used interchangeably.

With its virtually global currency and endless ramifications, modernity was perhaps the most impactful phenomenon that has happened to mankind. To be modern, to live a modern lifestyle, and to get modernized - that is, to realize man’s instinctive and total well-being here and now - was on everyone’s lips. Ideas and experiences materialized and unfolded at all levels of existence: individually and collectively, unofficially and at the level of institutions.

However, as the especially 19th and early 20th century modernity euphoria started to subside, it became increasingly clear that modernity was not what it initially was meant and expected to be. Modernity was envisaged to become a generator, as well as personification, of ultimate truth and freedom, leading, in turn, to the creation of new and significantly better societies. The whole world was expected to be made an exceptionally better and more promising place.

At the core of this philosophy stood the belief in the perfectibility of humankind adorned with truth, equality, freedom and erudition.

The philosophical and civilizational paradigms of modernity denoted a synthesis of a theoretical utopianism, intellectual arrogance, and scientific along with technological overindulgence, which were permeated and sustained with the spirit of the notions of skepticism, humanism, nihilism and hedonism. Due to the extraordinary nature and scope of modernity, its escalating drawbacks led the world to a crossroads. The very existence of human species and delicate earthly ecosystems appears today to be at stake. If any turnaround in fortune is to be made anytime soon, some tough ontological together with matter-of-fact questions will need to be honestly asked and as honestly answered.

This article discusses the two-sidedness of modernity, emphasizing the consequences of its separation from and setting itself on a collision course with the spiritual and traditional realms.

Conceptualizing Modernity The word modernity is derived from the Late Latin adjective “modernus”, which means “modern”. The former is further a derivation from the Latin adverb “modo”, which means “just now, presently, at the moment”. Modern, it follows, is what is prevailing in our time.

Modernity is an aggregate of particular sociocultural beliefs, standards, outlooks and practices that began in Western Europe in the wake of the 16th and 17th century Renaissance and the 18th century Enlightenment. It is a comprehensive worldview and philosophy framed by a distinct historical epoch that witnessed a series of profound socio-structural and intellectual transformations.

As a cultural project, modernity achieved its maturity with the fruition of Enlightenment, and as a socially accomplished form of life with the growth of individual (capitalist, and later also communist) society.

To Hilde Heynen, modernity “constitutes that element that mediates between a process of socioeconomic development known as modernization, and subjective responses to it in the form of modernist discourses and movements.” That means that modernity is a phenomenon with an objective and subjective aspect. The former is linked to socioeconomic processes, and the latter is connected with personal experiences, artistic activities and theoretical reflections. Some people tend to separate the two domains, while others keep them together.

It was arguably during and in the immediate aftermath of the French Revolution (1789-1799) when monarchy as a system of government and the Catholic Church were dealt a heavy blow, triggering, as a consequence, the rapid rise of nationalism and boosting of citizens’ fundamental rights that revolved around freedom, liberty and equality - that modernity as a concept and life pattern got into full swing. Such was a time when the modern public was brought into being; when the notion of ‘man’ as an essentialist, transcendental subject developed; and in the wake of which Hegel, the first philosopher to experience modernity as a problem, “evolved a comprehensive legitimizing system to reassure modernity about itself”.

Accordingly, in historiography the late 16th and entire 17th and 18th centuries are described as early modern, while the 19th century with some of its prolonged periods of matchless technological

advance and economic growth - albeit coupled with a wave of political revolutions - is regarded as modern history proper. However, the late 19th and the first half of the 20th century - the latter having been forever darkened by the devastating and demoralizing World Wars - were a time when some serious doubts started to creep into the phenomenon and project of modernity.

As a result, modernity’s faith in absolute reason began to dwindle. It was maintained that below the surface of rationality lie impulses, instincts and drives that constitute a deeper reality. The beliefs in linear progress, absolute truths, ideal social orders and the regularization and control of epistemology were shaken to their core as well. The world was ever more torn between the experience of modernity as progressive and the experience of modernity as chaotic. Whereas modernity while at its peak felt that it had the whole world at its feet, the global events of the first half of the 20th century changed everything. The ubiquitous Western buoyancy that modern humanity would generate a just, unprejudiced, peaceful and thriving new age was thus unsettled forever.

The doubts and questionings culminated in gradual departing from modernity and modernism and their tendencies, and embarking on the idea, phenomenon and historical period of post-modernity and post-modernism. The latter’s historical framework is generally perceived as the middle and late 20th century. It connotes the latest phase in human intellectual and cultural evolution. By and large, post-modernism is a reaction against the intellectual and, to a lesser extent, social and cultural assumptions, beliefs and values of modernity. Post-modernism is characterized “by broad skepticism, subjectivism, or relativism; a general suspicion of reason; and an acute sensitivity to the role of ideology in asserting and maintaining political and economic power.” The common thread in both modernity and post-modernity is a bitter conflict with religion as a rival source of epistemology and morality, accentuating the value and agency of human beings, affirming that without religion and the interference of Heaven people are capable of leading ethical lives of personal fulfillment, and preferring rationalism and empiricism over the revelation.

As an outgrowth from Renaissance humanism and Enlightenment’s age of reason, modernity featured dominantly in effectively all aspects of Western culture and civilization. Its hallmarks centered on the questioning or the outright rejecting of traditional and religious doctrines and values; giving precedence to individualism, liberty, freedom, equality and skepticism; replacing “the religious understanding of nature with the new ‘mechanical philosophy’, which not only claimed to be a science of nature but also to be the only legitimate science of the natural world”, ensuring thereby “the triumph of a purely quantitative understating of the order of nature over the religious and qualitative one”; harboring an unwavering faith in ultimate social, scientific and technological progress; the emergence of the capitalism system, the market economy, industrialization, urbanization, secularization, nation-state and democracy.

Rejection of Tradition and Religion Modernity stemmed from a rather rebellious mood that coveted to regenerate the way people perceived and experienced life, politics, society, science and art. The status quo dictated by religious (Christian) traditions and political authorities was deemed too lethargic, corrupt, unfulfilling, and ailing to continue unopposed.

Religious dogmas, values and moral principles were questioned, or rejected completely, because of their arbitrariness, futile formalism, opacity and exertion of control over human feelings, yet total human existence.

On account of the novel scientific and technological dynamics and their constant advancements and discoveries, the proponents of modernity felt a sense of perennial anticipation and hope. They found it unwise and counterproductive to commit themselves and their potentials to any existing system of thought and life and thereby curtail the most prized commodities: creativity, resourcefulness and prospects. Their flames needed to be cherished and nurtured, rather than controlled or, worse yet, extinguished. To be modern and think as such was an exhilarating thing. The impending age of modernity and its modern world were meant to be the most exciting existential contexts to live in and to participate in whatever way in their bettering. In other words, modernity generated an aura of worldly paradise. On his path to an intellectual self-actualization and moral perfection, modern man felt invincible and unstoppable.

To Be Continued

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FRIDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

P R E - R E S T A R T F R I E N D LY

Ajayi Takes on Ighalo as West Brom Battle Man Utd Today Duro Ikhazuagbe Nigerian defender, Semi Ajayi will need to be at his

best this afternoon when his club, West Bromwich Albion take on Odion Ighalo and his Manchester United

Dele Ali Banned for One Match over Social Media Post on Covid-19

Also fined ÂŁ50,000, to miss restart of the season against Man Utd Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli has been suspended for one match by the Football Association over a post on social media about coronavirus.

Alli, 24, put a video on Snapchat in February in which he joked about the outbreak and appeared to mock an Asian man.

The England international has also been fined ÂŁ50,000 and ordered to under take an education course.

He will miss Spurs’ match at home to Manchester United on 19 June.

The video posted by Alli showed him wearing a face mask

Dele Alli slammed with one game ban

in an airport lounge, before moving the camera to show a man of Asian appearance, and then zooming in on a bottle of antiseptic hand wash. In his hearing, Alli said that he had “very quickly� realised the video may have the “potential to cause upset� and deleted it before catching his flight.

However, he said he had been “betrayed� by a friend who sold the video on his private account to the media.

In a statement, Alli said: “In response to the FA decision, I would like to apologise again for any offence caused by my behaviour. “It was an extremely poorly judged joke about a virus that has now affected us more than we could ever have imagined. “I’m grateful that the FA has confirmed that my actions were not racist because I despise racism of any kind. We all need to be mindful of the words and actions we use and how they can be perceived by others,� concludes Alli.

More than 41,000 people have died with coronavirus in the UK, and more than 416,000 worldwide.

teammates in two friendliest at Old Trafford.

According to reports from Old Trafford, the aim of the friendly is to keep both teams ready for the restart of the Premier League and the Sky Bet Championship suspended since early March due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It is the first time both Nigerian players will be facing each other since Ighalo returned to the English topflight on loan in January.

With the two games taking place at 1pm and 3pm respectively, West Brom’s first choice centre back Ajayi is expected to be handed a starting shirt by manager Slaven Bilic.

This could be another chance for another Super Eagles player to join the Red Devils if Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer finds Ajayi irresistible.

Solskjaer appears on the lookout for potential signings ahead of the opening of the transfer window, though defence is not a priority for the Norwegian football tactician as he has done

enough in that department to shield David de Gea from harm in the new season.

The last time Ajayi faced a Premier League team was back in January when West Brom were beaten 1-0 by West Ham in the fourth round of the FA Cup. Aside from that blip, the former Arsenal U23 captain is having another outstanding season for his club and has forced his way into the starting lineup of the Super Eagles.

Ajayi with excellent aerial ability has tallied five goals in the Championship.

Ighalo on the other hand is living out his dream, having secured extension till January ending at Old Trafford.

It is another chance to prove to OGS why he deserves a starting shirt when Manchester United restart the 2019/20 season against Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur next week Friday.

The Shanghai Shenhua loanee was one of the most prolific United players before football was halted in England, with four goals

Semi Ajayi (left) and Odion Ighalo will be involved in a friendly battle this afternoon

scored in 318 minutes spread across eight matches, which equates to a goal every 79 minutes and 30 seconds.

Earlier on Saturday, Ighalo scored a brace in a Manchester United 11-a-side training game at Old Trafford.

Manchester United defender Luke Shaw revealed through the club’s official website on

Wednesdaythat both teams shared the spoils in an eightgoal thriller and he got on the scoresheet twice.

Bruno Fernandes and Daniel James got the other goals for Shaw’s team, while Ighalo and fit-again England striker Marcus Rashford scored two goals each for the opposition.

Real Madrid Academy to Start Operations September, Says Wike Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said that the Real Madrid Football Academy in the state would be completed in August to enable it start full academic activities in September this year.

He said the new deadline is predicated on the fact that the contractors claimed to have lost 28 days because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wike extended the completion date when he visited the project site of the Academy at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Elekahia, Port Harcourt, to inspect the extent of work done.

Speaking to journalists, Wike said the academy would become operational in September when the new academic session begins.

He emphasised that the contractors would have no reason to delay completion of the project beyond August because the state

government would fulfil its financial obligation.

The Rivers State governor noted that the pitches and the administrative offices were ready but the academy cannot commence activities without the completion of the hostels and the classrooms that would be used by the students According to him, the aspect of academic activities is as important as the football training in order to give Rivers youths admitted into the institution a more holistic career path.

He expressed satisfaction with the quality of work by the contractor and urged him to redouble his effort to meet the deadline.

Speaking on behalf of the contracting firm, Mr. Julien Kan, Project Manager SPG Construction Nig Ltd, assured the governor that the project would be delivered on schedule.

Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, briefing President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja during the visit of the IOC chief to Nigeria...recently

Moshood Abiola National Stadium Witnessing Gradual Restoration The decision of the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare, in September last year to relocate his office to the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja has had two major impacts on the facility built in 2003.

One, it has become the centre of several activities, meetings, trainings and official government engagements.

Secondly, the stadium has witnessed a lot of improvements with limited funds available.

According to the Special Adviser on Media to the Sports Minister, John Joshua Akanji, “a number of evidences now exist to confirm these developments. The stadium

velodrome, the white shaped architectural piece has been fully restored to a 100 per cent functionality. “Prior to the Minister’s coming to the Stadium, that velodrome roof had holes while rodents had made the place their abode. Presently, it has been certified to host any continental and international event. “Recently, the African Cycling Federation held its continental championships there,� observed the ministerial aide.

Akanji also revealed that new barricade had been installed with new markings to make the place ready to host more sporting activities.

“The Rotunda Indoor Sports Hall which had a part of its roof completely blown off was fixed late last year and is now delightful to see children and young gymnasts practice there and also host competitions. “The multi-purpose indoor sports hall where basketball, badminton and other sports are played is also fully functional. “Also, about four Tennis courts are functional while the ministry is concluding plans with a private organization that has agreed to restore all the tennis courts at the Moshood Abiola Stadium,� he noted.

Akanji recalled that because

of the work the minister has carried out at the stadium, it became convenient for the Nigerian Olympic Committee to receive the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach alongside presidents of Olympic committees from over 25 African countries there. “Thomas Bach upon completing a tour of the main bowl marveled at the terraces and the design of the stadium and commended the Nigerian government for erecting such a sporting arena. “Of course, he wanted to see that the football pitch and tracks are quickly restored to the highest standard,� stressed the SA Media.

Friday June 12, 2020

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MISSILE

Ojudu to Fayemi “They have not called any meeting of leaders of the party. No meeting, no caucus, I don’t know how one man can run a show of the party. He (Fayemi) is a puppeteer. He beats the drum and others just dance to it” – Special Adviser to President Buhari on Political Affairs, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, berating Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, for depriving the state of good governance.

ABUBAKAR BUKOLA SARAKI GUEST COLUMNIST

Sexual & Gender-based Violence: Rising from This Low Point

W

hen I tweeted on the sad incident of the rape and murder of Vera Uwala Omozuwa in a Benin church last week, I did so for many reasons. First, it was the right thing to do as these incidents of violence against our women are becoming too frequent. Second, it was out of conviction that we all need to stand up and fight this dangerous trend depicting the new low that our country has sunk.

Third, I ruminated over the Uwa case and the question came to my mind: What else could a functional society have expected from that young lady? Instead of wasting the period of this lockdown on frivolities and immoral practices, she chose to reinforce her academic intellect by being busy with her books. With the assurance of a safe space of physical and spiritual protection, she chose to study inside a church auditorium.

Yet, our society failed her innocent choice, fatally.

Now, since the Uwa case occurred and got so much public attention, many more sordid cases had been reported. There had been the case of 18-year-old Barakat Bello in Ibadan who was also raped to death, the 12-year-old girl in Jigawa raped by 12 men including a 67-year old man, the 13-year-old Elizabeth Ochanya Ogbanje who was a victim of her guardian’s criminal tendency. The Daily Trust edition of June 6, 2020 stated that 65 cases of rape had been reported between January and the first week of June 2020.

The recent gory details of shocking dehumanisation and violence against the female gender compels sombre reflection on these incidents: and questions worth asking, and answering on whether this is how our society should be?

The swift reaction of the police to the case in Benin is encouraging and should be sustained and spread to all the other cases. 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.

There is no doubt that justice delayed is justice denied - thus delays in investigative and forensic processes, along with judicial delays do indirectly encourage criminals – and damage the innocent. There are many instances of the haphazard handling of investigation, prosecution and final resolution of crimes.

A question worth asking is what legislative measures exist to prevent sexual and gender based violence, and govern the conduct of agencies charged with the protection of law and order, and citizens? As the 13th President of the Senate for four years, the lawmakers encountered this same problem of the constant violence against the Nigerian female gender and our responses were swift.

On May 23rd, 2017, we debated a motion titled “The Urgent need to investigate the alarming rate of rape and sexual assault against women, children and vulnerable people across the country.” In our resolution, we urged the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), National Agency

Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu

for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and all security agencies to establish help desks to provide increased support for the victims. We also called on government to immediately activate the administration and implementation of the provisions of the Violence Against Persons and Property Act. Knowing the importance of frontline community audits and learning, we created a platform of formal engagement with Civil Society Organisations. One such CSO groups was the Women Arise for Change Initiative led by Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin. During one of the meetings with her organisation, I remember my assurance to her that “The Eighth Senate is in total support of your activities and you can take us as partners in this process of reducing Gender Based Violence. To us, it is a big NO to gender based violence”.

The Eighth Senate passed the Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Institution Bill 2016.

This bill inspired our stern response to the case of sex-for-marks complaint raised

by Miss Monica Osage, a student of the Obafemi Awolowo University against one of her professors. We directed our committees on tertiary education and women affairs to follow up with the University’s Senate, Governing Council and Federal Ministry of Education to ensure the lady in question got justice. It is a good thing that the professor was used to teach other randy lecturers a lesson. And since then, one can observe that sanity is reportedly returning into the university system in the area of lecturers - female student relationship.

While these legislative milestones may not have been front-page news, due to the appetite of the media for sensational and salacious news stories from the legislature rather that the catalytic debates on substantial issues of national development, they represented a new way of parliamentary workings, to put our citizens needs, and protections first.

The need to improve the performance of the Police led us into enacting the Nigeria Police Reforms Act which aims to amend and update the 77-year old Police Act which governs their operations. In working on this

law, we benefited from contributions from the Police, our development partners and many experienced individuals. Unfortunately, the House of Representatives was not able to conclude deliberations on the Bill before the eighth National Assembly adjourned sine die.

However, we successfully enacted the Police Trust Fund which aims to create alternative ways of funding the police, apart from budgetary allocation. The law provides that 0.5 per cent of the national gross income and .005 percentage of profits made by companies operating in Nigeria will go into a fund that will be used for equipping, training and welfare of police officers. This Bill had been in circulation since my period as Governor in 2007 when the idea was first presented before the National Council of States. It is to the credit of the eighth National Assembly that 11 years later, the Bill was given life and passed. One is happy that this law has been signed by President Muhammadu Buhari and the board to administer the fund has been inaugurated.

It is one thing to have the laws made by the legislature. It is another kettle of fish to get the presidential assent to them or even get the executive arm to implement the provision of the laws. That is why I believe that preventing and curbing violence against persons will require better co-operation between the legislature, executive, the civil society and the general public.

The co-operation between ordinary citizens and those they elected to bring about changes or resolve social welfare problems as evidenced by the public outcry and initiatives on these recent cases of rape excites me. We must have social justice in our society. And it is important we all commit and make a pledge to work against the evil perpetrated by some of our fellow citizens.

I am particularly encouraged to see that some public spirited youths are leading the on-going campaign against rape and other violence against the female gender.

I saw the raw energy being put into the campaigns by youths who want results and desire positive action from the authority. The recent initiatives by these young people who are raising funds to help provide financial succour to the families of victims are good.

I congratulate them for their sacrifice and selfless action which are good omen that the future of Nigeria remains bright.

My advice is that the rest of us should not limit our activism on these important issues to just press releases, tweets and Facebook posts. We should walk the talk. All of us - the President, legislators, governors, former public office holders, clergies and other opinion leaders - who have used the social media to express our outrage at the heinous crime against women must now play more active roles. The legislators must look at what laws need to be newly enacted, amended or repealed to deal with the current challenges. The technocrats in the executive must go beyond waiting to pick holes in the bills passed by the legislature and seeking to give reasons why the laws should be denied presidential assent. They

must co-operate with the lawmakers to ensure the bills are signed into law and full implementation commences in earnest.

The tendency is always for these anger to be expressed over a period of time and then we move on, behaving as if nothing has happened. Those campaigning against these social vices should stay on the course and ensure positive changes are effected. The end is to see justice served to the victims, the accused persons and the traumatised society.

We need the Police Reforms Bill to be enacted into law without delay by the current National Assembly. Both chambers should dust up the old bill and work on it. The emphasis of the police needs to shift to forensic investigation and necessary equipment must be provided to this end. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) should be equipped to take up cases on behalf of victims of violence. Ensuring justice for the victims of violence in the shortest possible time should now be their watchword.

With COVID-19 and the resultant budget deficit, fall in the price of oil and the value of naira, it is obvious the government can no longer meet its target on provision of infrastructure. However, there is still the easy objective that can be met. That is ensuring justice for all victims of violent attacks. Unlike construction of roads, building of power stations and other key infrastructure, the actions needed to redress these wrongs and send strong signals to rapists and violent predators among us do not require oil prices to rise or dollar exchange rate to the Naira to be lower. The issue of addressing injustice presents us with a low hanging fruit that we can quickly harvest. After all, what is needed is the commitment on the part of everybody to faithfully and conscientiously play their part.

What constitutes a good society is that it must be built on justice, law and order and protection of the weak from the indiscretion of the strong. We can start from these recent cases of Omozuwa, Barakat, Elizabeth and others to ensure all outstanding cases are swiftly concluded and justice served to all concerned. It is never too late. Even, in America, the George Floyd case has proved that the super power country is still grappling with the challenge of dealing with issues of violence against innocent citizens.

It is my belief that these recent sad occurrences present us with the opportunity, as a society, to make life better for all. The actions required need to be taken up by both the leaders and the followers. The followers must demand for these actions, canvass and agitate for them through lawful means. They must become more critical, discerning and thorough in electing leaders at all levels who have that respect and recognition for rights and social protections as a core compass guiding the courage to address endemic national malaise. Only then will we build a safe society for all citizens. t 4BSBLJ #PBSE $IBJS 5IF "GSJDB 1PMJUFJB *OTUJUVUF XBT UIF UI 1SFTJEFOU PG UIF 4FOBUF

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