TUESDAY 16TH JUUNE 2020

In Historic Move, NNPC Releases Audited Results to Public Figures show gradual recovery of some subsidiaries

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has officially released, for the first time, its audited statement of accounts to the public.

Though the corporation has been sending copies of the annual statements to the presidency and the National Assembly in the past, it was learnt that the new initiative followed a resolve by the new

management to promote transparency in its operations.

However, the 43-year organisation, in its 2018 audited statement, which THISDAY saw yesterday on its website, did not present

a consolidated report of its activities as a unit.

But it made public the accounts of its listed subsidiaries - 20 in all, including companies floated offshore for the corporation’s

international business.

NNPC’s decision has also received commendation from stakeholders, including BudgIT, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in the country that applies technology

to intersect citizen engagement with institutional improvement, describing the Mele Kyari-led NNPC management as having blazed the trail to reduce Continued on page9

NBET Tackles Omotosho, Olorunsogo Gencos over N13.2bn Payment...Page 5 Tuesday 16 June, 2020 Vol 25. No 9199. Price: N250

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FG Targets Three-year COVID-19 Response Plan Suspends airline for flying Naira Marley to Abuja concert 573 fresh cases rally total to 16,658 with 5,349 discharged, 424 dead Olawale Ajimotokan, Onyebuchi Ezigbo, Kasim Sumaina in Abuja, Chinedu Eze and Martins Ifijeh in Abuja The federal government has

said it's developing a threeyear response strategy to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

It has also suspended a private charter company,

Executive Jet Services Limited, for flying a controversial pop artiste, Naira Marley, and his crew, to perform at a musical concert organised by Jabi Lake Mall in Abuja on Friday night.

At the regular briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic, yesterday in Abuja by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire,

said in view of the assessment that the pandemic might last for a longer period, the federal government had decided to map out a three-year health sector response plan,

which would guide efforts at containing the virus in the long-run.

"COVID-19 will be with Continued on page 8

Oshiomhole: We Can’t Bend Party Rules to Favour Obaseki APC NWC briefs Gambari on Edo gov's exclusion Gov, deputy set to join PDP this week Wike knocks govs’ forum for abandoning colleague Omololu Ogunmade, Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday gave further insight into why the party failed to give Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, the right of first refusal in his re-election bid and why he was eventually excluded from the race for its ticket in the September governorship election in the state.

Oshiomhole, after a meeting of members of the party's National Working Committee (NWC) with the Chief of Staff to the president, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, described APC as a party governed by rules, insisting that the party

could not have bent such rules to favour Obaseki.

The party last weekend disqualified the governor and two others from contesting the June 22 governorship primary.

Obaseki, who had said he would not appeal the disqualification, has started negotiations with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on whose platform he planned to actualise his second term bid.

THISDAY gathered yesterday that barring any last-minute change in plans, Obaseki, his deputy, Hon. Philip Shaibu, and other top government officials, would defect to PDP this week.

Oshiomhole, while answering questions from State Continued on page 8

Buhari, Lawan, Gbajabiamila, Tinubu, Others Mourn Lagos Senator... Page 33

MY CONDOLENCES...

L-R: Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Senior Pastor, Trinity House Church, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, during the speaker's visit to Ighodalo to condole with him over the death of his wife, Ibidun, in Lagos... yesterday sunday adigun

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

GIVING ACCOUNTS TO SHAREHOLDERS...

L-R: Chairman, Dangote Cement Plc, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Group Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Michel Puchercos, and Non-executive Director, Mr. Olakunle Alake, at the 11th Annual General Meeting of the company in Lagos...yesterday

NBET Tackles Omotosho, Olorunsogo Gencos over N13.2bn Payment Buhari insists NBET MD must complete four-year term Iyobosa Uwugiaren in Abuja and Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) has faulted many entitlements by Omotosho Power Generation Company in Ondo State and Olorunsogo Power Station in Ogun State, which recently threatened to sue the company in the London Court of International Arbitration following a dispute over N13.2 billion Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).

The two Gencos recently accused NBET of mismanaging PPAs it signed with the them, which led to the alleged deduction of N5.2 billion from their accounts as foreign exchange differential.

NBET was also accused of withholding another N8 billion from the two Gencos, which the bulk trader claimed was surplus payments to them by the Market Operator (MO) for power supplied to the national grid.

The Chairman/CEO, SepcoPacific Energy Company Ltd, Chief Deji Adeleke, the owner of the two plants, was said to have sent a protest letter to the regulator and the Minister of

Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, who is also the chairperson of NBET, raising some issues over PPA. In the letters, NBET had instituted and sent dispute notices to the Gencos, claiming discrepancies in their March 2020 capacity payment invoices, which were thought to have been settled.

However, in a letter with reference Number: NBET/ CEO/PECL/2020/296 dated June 8, 2020, signed by NBET Managing Director/CEO, Dr. Marily Amobi, the company expressed serious concern about Adeleke's persistent quest for NBET to pay his power plants N5.25 billion, despite knowing that the sum is still in dispute. “It is even so when you have deployed all forms of tactical approaches to having these funds paid to your companies without the conclusion of the processes that we need to follow to aggregating the premium your power plants have earned, which should be refunded and passed on to the consumers from whom your companies took the funds from. “You have done the following: issued threats to the MD/CEO

at different occasions and sought interventions from our principals in government. In a letter you often present to them chronicles of the situation, which you know to be untrue. “Seeing that you have not made any progress, you have now resorted to use the print and social media to, in our opinion, blackmail the company and the government,� Amobi added.

Amobi said by the forensic evaluation NBET carried out in 2017, it was discovered that other generation companies like Adeleke’s power plants earned premium, adding that NBET has since then concluded and clawed back N18.9 billion as well as $76 million from two separate power plants. “We are currently processing a claw of approximately $19.4 million from one of the same power plants. It is gratifying that none of these other power plants have deemed it appropriate or professional to deploy the arsenal that you have so far used, to intimidate and blackmail government officials from carrying out statutory roles," she stated.

The letter noted that the bulk trader had since 2017

made unsuccessful attempts to meet with Adeleke and his representatives to resolve the base exchange rate that should be applied to his plants and agree on the clawback that NBET needs to charge against his companies. “It is to be noted though that our most recent estimate of the potential clawback NBET should recognise against your power plants revealed an aggregate value of over N15 billion," NBET said.

On the refusal by NBET to accept the monthly true-up invoices from Adeleke’s power plants, Amobi stated that PPA provides that the difference in the foreign exchange rate at the time of receipt of the invoice from his company and the date at which the payment is made, should be recognised on a bi-annual and not a monthly basis.

NBET also justified its refusal to refund Adeleke’s companies the amount MO erroneously paid to them above the amount the president approved. ‘’As the chairman may recall, in the financial year 2016, the Federal Ministry of Power secured a presidential approval for the sum of N14,579,285,557:27 to be paid to four generation

companies. The payment was defined as covering portions of the debts that these four plants were owed by MO for pre-transitional electricity market liabilities, covering the period of November 2013 and January 2015.

"In the absence of any other source of funding, it was discovered that the funds for the payment be taken from the Collection Account of the International Customers. As you know, the International Customers Collective Account, which is in US$, belongs to all generation companies," she said.

Amobi explained that the sums the president had approved for Adeleke’s power plants were paid to them in dollars at CBN exchange rate that prevailed at the time, with Olorunsogo receiving $13.7 million (N4.208 billion) and Omotosho earning $13.166 million (N4.020 billion) – in excess of what the president had approved.

She said when reconciliation was carried out, as directed by the federal government, NBET was instructed to deduct the sums paid to the four companies, above what the president had approved for them. “The relevant section of the approved report states as follow:

NBET can go ahead and subtract the sum of N4,208,535,131:25 ($13,782.179:30) and N4,020,520,405:38 ($13,166,466:88) from the outstanding of Olorunsogo and Omotosho – MO had already reconciled with the above mentioned Gencos as being overpaid. ‘’By deducting the said sums as NBET did, the organisation carried out a lawful directive of Mr. President. You may recall appealing to the MD/CEO of NBET on several occasions, to reverse the deductions that were already made against your power plants. And on each of those occasions, the MD/CEO counselled you on the impossibility of doing so," she said.

She explained that NBET only applied the base exchange rate of N169/$1 for Adeleke’s plants for 13 months based on the clarification from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) that his companies’ base tariff was derived using the N169/$1 exchange rate.

NBET added that N5.2 billion, which Adeleke claimed Continued on page 9

IG Briefs Buhari, Says 799 Rape Suspects Arrested 719 cases reported in five months Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mohammed Adamu, over the upsurge in rape incidents nationwide.

Briefing State House reporters after the meeting, the IGP said cases of sexual violence against women had been on the rise as a result of the lockdown caused by the outbreak of COVID-19, adding that 799 suspects have so far been arrested.

According to him, 717 rape cases have been reported in the last five months, 631 of them have been investigated and charged to court, while the remaining 52 cases are still being investigated.

Adamu also said the police and other security agencies

as well as non-governmental organisations and civil society organisations had been collaborating to jointly check the scourge, adding that the federal government has joined the league with a view to stemming the tide.

"It has come to the public knowledge now that because of the COVID-19 restrictions, we have surge in cases of rape and gender-based violence. These are cases that are now coming up but we want to let members of the public know that rape and gender-based violence has been there.

"The law enforcement agents have been dealing with these cases. In most cases, members of the public are not aware of the actions that the law enforcement agents have been taking.

"The Nigeria Police so far from

January-May 2020 has recorded about 717 rape incidents that were reported across the country.

About 799 suspects have been arrested; 631 cases conclusively investigated and charged to court and 52 cases are left and under investigation.

"The police and other security agencies and other non-governmental organisations have been collaborating, to see to it that these cases of rape and gender-based violence are dealt with.

"The NGOs and CSOs that have the capacity to deal with this kind of offences have been cooperating with law enforcement agencies in capacity building, management of victims of rape and similar offences and procedures for collecting evidence, towards successful prosecution. The government

has taken the matter to another level now because of the surge we have noticed," he said.

Adamu appealed to Nigerians whose loved ones are victims of sexual violence and anyone who comes across any victim of the menace to promptly report the matter, saying failure to do so would only embolden rapists to continue with the nefarious acts.

He described rapists as wicked, saying they engage in the act for many reasons, including ritual purposes and mere urge for emotional satisfaction.

He added that the federal government is committed to addressing the matter.

Adamu, who was flanked by the Ministers of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and Women Affairs Development, Mrs.

Pauline Tallen, said they were also partnering international agencies involved in cases of sexual violence.

"I will call on every Nigerian that has, or comes across any victim of sexual offences or rape or gender-based violence, to quickly report to law enforcement agents because keeping it without reporting it will give room for the perpetrators to continue to commit the offences.

"It is a very wicked offence.

It is a very serious offence. It is very wicked of an individual to engage in rape or defilement and there are a lot of causes. Some are doing it for ritual purposes.

Some are doing it because they are within the family and they see the victims and have the urge to go into it and do it.

But such people should not be

allowed to go scot free.

"I am just here to inform you that government is doing something about it and you can see me with the Ministers of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and Women Affairs Development, Mrs. Pauline Tallen.

"From now onward, national partnership with every stakeholder is what we are going into and not only within the country but within the subregion. We have to partner with organisations that are involved in this. We know we have been working seriously with UNODC, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes and other civil society organisations. So, just to tell you that government is doing something seriously to curtail this type of offence," Adamu explained.

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Northern Groups Demand Sacking of Service Chiefs over Insecurity Threaten protests, issue 14-day ultimatum Eromosele Abiodun, Peter Uzoho in Lagos and John Shiklam in Kaduna A coalition of Northern youth groups under the umbrella of Coalition Against Killings in Northern Nigeria (CAKIN) and the Northern Groups Coalition (NGC), have asked the federal government to stop the massive killings and raiding of communities in the North by bandits and Boko Haram insurgents. A former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof.

Usman Yusuf, has also added his voice to the protestations over the worsening insecurity in the North, decrying the unending killings and calling on the northern elite to speak out.

In separate statements issued yesterday in Kaduna, the coalition decried the deplorable security situation in the North and demanded the immediate removal of the service chiefs.

The coalition called on President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle the insecurity and stop the maiming and destructions of lives and property.

CAKIN, in its statement, gave a 14-day ultimatum to the federal government to stop the killings in the North, warning that it would be left with no option than to mobilise citizens for protests until the government is shut down.

The youths gave the order yesterday in a joint statement signed by representatives of seven northern youths groups, including Isa Abubakar of Northern Youth Council of Nigeria; Yerima Shettima of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum; Yusuf Idris Amoke of Northern Anti-corruption Front; Mohammed Salihu Danlami of Arewa Youth Assembly; Murtala Abubakar of Joint Action Committee of Northern Youth Association; Dr. Idris Mohammed of CUPS; and Gambo Gujungu of Arewa Youth Forum.

The group lamented that five years into Buhari’s administration, the security situation has continued to

escalate, leading to massive killings and destructions.

It said Buhari had failed Nigerians who gave him massive support, believing that as a retired military General, he had the capacity to tackle the security challenges bedevilling the country. “It is on a sad note that this coalition wishes to remind the federal government and government at all levels, that the primary responsibility of government anywhere, particularly the one that was democratically elected by voters, is to protect the lives and property of citizens. “Recall that Nigerians, particularly Northerners, voted President Muhammad Buhari en masse to power in 2015 in anticipation that as a former military head of state, and a retired General, he is positioned to deal decisively with all forms of threats to the security of our people, particularly challenges of Boko Haram that had caused hardship and unprecedented destruction of lives and economy activities. “Alas, five years into President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure, instead of reducing insecurity, it has escalated thereby exposing great numbers of our people to avoidable deaths and loss of property in a manner that history has never witnessed before. “As patriotic citizens, it is our constitutional duty to raise voices and call attention to the killings that is taking place across states of the Northern regions on a daily basis and mobilise citizens on how to constructively engage government at all levels and make demands to end the killings. “The coalition is saying enough is enough and an end must be put to the mindless killings of our people particularly in the villages, and the non-challant attitude displayed by government and its agencies to the plights of people going through horrific experience in the hands of criminals that seemed to have overwhelmed our security agencies," it stated.

The group therefore called on the president to relieve the service chiefs of their duties, probe all security personnel living above their legitimate earnings and the abolition of security votes by state governors.

The coalition also demanded the immediate implementation of community policing. “The coalition from today, June 15, 2020, gives a 14-day ultimatum to the federal government to end killings in the entire states of the North. “After the expiration of this ultimatum, any reported case of killings will leave the coalition with no option than to mobilise citizens to take to the streets until the government is completely shut down,� statement said.

On its own, NGC demanded “a total overhaul of the leadership of the nation's security apparatus and inject higher levels of competence, integrity and accountability."

The group said it would embark on a protest today against the killings in Katsina.

The statement signed by the spokesman of the group, Mr. Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, said the second round of the

protest would hold in the various northern states capitals on Saturday.

The statement said the protest “shall take the form of a controlled gathering at the palaces of respective heads of the traditional institutions or Houses of Assembly in the states� to submit written letters of complaint for onward transmission to higher authorities.

It added that the protest “shall not in any way involve mass street processions, pathway obstructions, denigration or tampering with symbols and or structures.�

The statement urged governments and security agencies to respect the constitutional rights of citizens to express their opinions peacefully.

Meanwhile, a former NHIS Executive Secretary, Prof.

Usman Yusuf, has decried the unending killing of Nigerians in the northern part of the country by bandits and called on northern elite to unite and speak out.

In a statement issued yesterday, he accused Buhari of not caring about the plight of the people whose wives are being raped and children killed by bandits.

The president, he alleged, seemed distant, uncaring and out of touch with the sufferings of his largest support base.

He said: “It has never been in his nature to commiserate or empathise with people in real time in their hours of need. “He does not send a delegation to condole with the people, or leaders of the communities affected. From Adamawa to Zamfara, the death toll all across Arewa is mounting.

Images of the massacres are too gruesome to watch and the stories from survivors too heartbreaking to hear, but hearing and watching we must, because this is the reality under which our people have been living silently for years. “The roll call of the nameless dead are too numerous to count, neither the federal nor state governments keep any records of the number of people killed, injured, kidnapped, women raped or cattle rustled.

"People in the region feel that all they have to show for voting in President Muhammadu Buhari in massive numbers are increasing poverty, death and destruction to their lives and livelihoods and the

painful emotional trauma of rape of girls and women in rural communities. They feel abandoned and unappreciated with no meaningful federal government presence in their states and are left at the mercy of these murderous bandits.�

Nigerian elite, he added, are fixated on the recent riots in the United States following the death of the African-American man, George Floyd. “For me, the simple message I see in these riots is that America, the most powerful nation on earth, went up in flames because a human life was lost," he explained.

According to him, despite the carnage going on in the North, the elites have become non-challant.

He said: “We need no reminder that all of us owe our folks and the places we come from, a debt of gratitude we can never repay. Today, we are who we are because of them and the foresight, vision, and selflessness of the leaders of the time who invested in us and nurtured us into the productive citizens that we became. The least we can do is to raise our voices against these injustices to them.�

BATTLE AGAINST RAPE...

L-R: Minister of information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, and Minister of Women Aairs, Mrs. Paullen Tallen, at a press brieďŹ ng after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja... yesterday photo: state house

Dangote, BUA Renew Tussle over Edo Mines’ Ownership Obinna Chima Dangote Group and BUA Group yesterday resumed their tussle over the ownership of the mining sites in Obu, Okpella in Edo State.

Both companies stated their positions on the mining site in separate statements.

BUA Group, in its statement, alleged that a Federal High Court in Benin City had restrained Dangote Industries and the police from interfering with its operations at the Okpella mining sites in Okpella, Edo State in a judgement delivered recently.

BUA said: “BUA wishes to inform its shareholders, employees, customers, regulators, host communities, security agencies and the general public that the Federal High Court, Benin, in a recent judgement, has made an order which upholds BUA’s fundamental rights to peaceful possession of the mining sites in Obu, Okpella, Edo State (operated by BUA Cement and which BUA became seized by virtue of mining

leases granted by the Federal Government of Nigeria), without unlawful interference from the Inspector General of Police, first respondent; Commissioner of Police, Edo State, second respondent; Dangote Industries, third respondent; and Dangote Cement Plc, fourth respondent. “It would be recalled that BUA was legally operating its various mining sites in Obu-Okpella, Edo State before the above-named respondents abruptly disrupted our operations at three of those mines in 2017 during the pendency of two other matters. “The first and second respondents at the behest of the third and fourth respondents invaded and shut down the operations. We then approached the courts to enforce our fundamental rights to the property of the mines as well as our rights to continue operating from those mines. Whilst we were awaiting judgement, we continued to sustain our operations from our other numerous mines in that area unaffected by these actions."

The statement added that the court upheld its argument over the ownership of the mining sites and that the first and second respondents were used to invade, and disrupt its operations in the disputed mine sites, while the case was pending in court. “The court accordingly granted an order restraining the first and second respondents (the police) as well as the third and fourth respondents (Dangote Industries and Dangote Cement Plc) from interfering in any manner whatsoever with BUA's operation of disputed mining lease sites.

The two other matters remain pending in court. “This judgement is one major step towards the final vindication of our rights over the mining sites and in line with BUA's position that it holds the legal mining leases to the disputed sites, and that all parties in this dispute allow the courts be the final arbiter as has been our mantra,� it stated.

BUA explained that it has resumed operations at the Obu-Okpella mines.

However, in its reaction, Dangote Group, in its statement, denied the claim of ownership of the mining by BUA Group.

It advised the regulatory agencies to, “disregard completely the unfounded and mischievous claim and publication by BUA Group,� saying “it was riddled with misrepresentations and deliberate distortions of facts.�

Dangote Group, in the statement signed by the Group Executive Director, Devakumar Edwin, explained that Dangote Group through its lawyers had vigorously defended the suit filed by BUA Group, seeking a perpetual injunctive order against further interferences with their purported fundamental rights to property and privacy.

He said the group had appealed the high court judgment “and until the appellate court rules, BUA cannot lay claim or even operate on the mining site.�

Giving details of the case, Edwin recalled that in 2014, Dangote Group and AICO entered into an agreement for the transfer of 2541ML from

AICO to Dangote Group. “AICO thereafter applied to the Ministry of Mines for the approval of the transfer vide a Mining Lease Transfer Form dated 11 July 2014. In 2016, the Ministry of Mines wrote to Dangote Group to convey the approval of the ministry for the transfer/assignment of 2541ML from AICO to Dangote Group with effect from 03 February 2016. “Following the approval of the ministry, Dangote Group became the legal holder and owner of the Mining Lease No. 2541ML. The 2541ML Certificate was thereafter endorsed to reflect the transfer from AICO to Dangote Group,� he added.

Dangote Group warned the public and those working with BUA Group not to take any steps to enter, mine or interfere with the disputed mining leases pending the determination of the appeal and/or the two suits pending before Umar J. as any such steps would be considered a contempt of court.

He noted that the Supreme Court in the case of Governor

of Lagos State v. Chief Ojukwu (1986) 1 NWLR (pt. 18) 621), has held that “once a party is aware of a pending court process, even when the court has not made a specific injunctive order, parties are bound to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the court process.�

Edwin faulted BUA Group's claim to the title pursuant to Mining Leases 18912 and 18913.

He said: “However, as recently as 09 October 2019 while its wholly incompetent fundamental rights suit was still pending, BUA Group through its subsidiary (Edo Cement Company Ltd) applied to the Director-General of Mining Cadastre Office & Centre, Abuja for the renewal of the said Mining Leases Nos. 18912 and 18913. In response to BUA Group's renewal applications, the Mining Cadastre Office, in Abuja in its letters dated 18 October 2019 wrote back to BUA Group to inform them in very categorical terms that the Mining Leases Nos 18912 and 18913 were non-existent and were not valid Mineral titles.

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PAGE EIGHT OSHIOMHOLE: WE CAN'T BEND PARTY RULES TO FAVOUR OBASEKI House reporters in Abuja after the meeting with Gambari, said APC was not a party of “big men� but an organisation where the same rule applies to all irrespective of status.

He said the party decided to be strict in screening contenders for the election to avoid a repeat of the loss it suffered in Bayelsa State where it lost the state to PDP after winning the governorship election only because it failed to do thorough screening.

APC candidate in Bayelsa State, Mr. David Lyon, was stopped from being sworn in on the eve of his inauguration as the Supreme Court, in a judgment, disqualified the deputy governor-elect, Senator Biobarakuma- Degi-Eremienyo, on account of inconsistencies in his credentials.

Under the 1999 Constitution (as amended), a governorship candidate and his running mate hold a joint ticket and their fate, until after inauguration, are intertwined.

According to Oshiomhole, APC could not afford to bend the rule for the governor, both of whom have been engaged in a war of attrition for about a year now, because it would be a big risk for the party to take.

On speculation that Obaseki is planning to quit APC, Oshiomhole said he was not prepared to speculate on his imminent exit from the party because no media report had suggested that.

To buttress the point that all party members are equal, he said even President Muhammadu Buhari had to subject himself to the rule of the party by having his consensus candidacy in the 2019 election affirmated at the presidential primaries.

"I don’t know about exit.

What we see from your media, electronic and print, is that he visited a number of PDP governors. We read from electronic and print that those consultations may have to do with his plan and so on. But we are not here to speculate.

"Our party is not a party of big men. It is governed by rules. Both the small and the big are subjected to those rules. I’m sure you will agree that our president led by example when we conducted direct primary in the last presidential election.

We still went to Eagle Square for affirmation.

"So, if the president did not have the right of first refusal because our constitution does not provide for it, we cannot under any circumstances now bend the rules when it comes to some people and change the rules when it comes to others.

"Our duty as the management board of APC is to ensure that we obey strictly the provisions of our constitution, which empowers the National Working Committee to conduct primaries for president, governors, National Assembly, and state Houses of Assembly," he stated.

Asked if he did not envisage a revenge from Obaseki at the forthcoming June 22 governorship primary in the state by strictly enforcing the regulations prohibiting a large gathering and promoting social distancing in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, Oshiomhole said if the opposition PDP had successfully conducted congresses in the state last week, he would not expect the governor to frustrate his own party.

"In the face of that law, we saw last week, and I’m sure you guys are very vigilant, that PDP conducted ward congresses to elect their delegates that will go to stadium, and with that, you start to reason whether people can gather up to 5,000 in a stadium. Can you achieve social distancing with 5,000 people in one location?

"Can you rather have a situation where you don’t carry people from villages to the centre? If they vote in their respective wards, you will not have more than 100 to

150 persons queuing to vote and maintain social distancing, and wear face masks. So, we will find a way round it.

"He is our governor. We are law-abiding. But if PDP can conduct activities across 192 wards with the same law, I don’t think our governor will discriminate against his own party. So, we are hopeful that everything will be peaceful," he added.

Obaseki, Edo APC Faction Set to Join PDP this Week Edo State Chairman of PDP, Hon. Anthony Aziegbemi, yesterday said Obaseki and Shaibu would join the party this week.

He spoke to THISDAY while clarifying the status of the governor and the deputy governor who are currently members of APC. Aziegbemi said Obaseki and Shaibu were about to conclude their membership of PDP and resigning from APC. "Governor Obaseki and the deputy governor have concluded plans to join us in PDP and they are welcomed,� he added.

According to him, Obaseki would join PDP with all members of his APC faction and other well-wishers as well as stakeholders.

Aziegbemi said arrangements were in top gear for Obaseki to register as a member of PDP in his Oredo Ward 4 of the party in Edo South Senatorial district.

It was gathered that until Obaseki and Shaibu join the party, there are already plans for the National leadership of PDP to either summon the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party to grant him a waiver that would qualify him to run for election on the party's platform despite not meeting the minimum number of years a new member must be in the party to be eligible to contest elections.

Alternatively, it was gathered that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party would exercise the powers of a waiver on behalf of NEC. THISDAY gathered that when the governor, who is currently consulting with critical stakeholders of the party, concludes the talks, that the party may push for a few days upwards review of the state congress earlier billed for between June 19 and 20.

As part of the consultations of the stakeholders, Obaseki is expected to reach out to the Chairman of PDP Governors' Forum, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambawul of Sokoto State.

A source close to the governor confirmed plans by the governor and his associates to defect to PDP this week.

However, he said the defection would be preceded by the resignation of the governor and his loyalists from APC. Reacting to a question on when Obaseki would meet with the president to consult him on his next move, the source said the governor was initially billed to meet Buhari yesterday but he doubted if that would be possible for now given some new developments. He refused to elaborate on the new developments.

Ganduje Backs Obaseki’s DisqualiďŹ cation Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, yesterday said the decision of APC to disqualify Obaseki from seeking re-election on its platform was the right one.

He was also optimistic that the ruling party would win Edo State poll without Obaseki.

Ganduje, at a press briefing in Kano, said "APC was guided by the party's constitution, electoral laws and the constitution of the Federal

Republic of Nigeria before arriving at the decision.� “As far as the issue of Edo State is concerned, we are more worried about legality.

We have to follow rules and regulations while conducting our affairs for the election. “As far as Kano State is concerned, it is doing whatever it takes for APC to win Edo State election because all the right procedures have been followed. We will win the election,� he added.

Wike Knocks NGF for Abandoning Obaseki Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has criticised the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) for not defending Obaseki's interest.

He described NGF as a toothless bulldog that could only bark and not bite.

Addressing journalists at Government House in Port Harcourt yesterday, Wike said it was novel that a sitting governor would be disqualified from running for a second term by the same APC on whose platform he became governor.

"Ordinarily, I won't speak about the challenges being faced by Obaseki because I have no business with APC. But I will speak because the Nigeria Governors' Forum is now a toothless bulldog that can bark but cannot bite.

"It is most unfortunate that I belong to a forum that cannot bite. Nigeria Governors' Forum died immediately APC took over in 2015. Before then, the Nigeria Governors' Forum was very powerful. APC killed governors' forum and whatever position the forum takes now is in the interest of the ruling party.

Nobody seems to respect the Nigeria Governors' Forum again because we have given ourselves out," he stated.

Wike also said the Progressive Governors' Forum (PGF) had become beggarly and could not defend Obaseki.

The governor said: "Governor Obaseki is a

member of APC and I campaigned against him in 2016. How can you say that a sitting governor is disqualified because his certificate is defective? A sitting governor who was presented by APC national chairman. Has he (Oshiomhole) apologised to Nigerians? Has he apologised to Edo people? He should apologise to Edo people. How can a man who doesn't have a certificate claim that the certificate of a sitting governor that attended Nigeria's premier university is defective?

"APC governors call themselves progressive governors and their national chairman is also progressive.

APC governors have refused to come out and say we can't take this; they are only begging. Imagine, Governor Obaseki being disqualified by someone who does not have a certificate," he said.

He explained that APC was basking in impunity but warned that the people of Edo State should not be taken for granted as they would react during the elections.

But reacting to Wike’s attack, the spokesman of NGF, Mr. Abdulrazaque Barkindo, said in a statement that Wike could not have referred to the governors' forum as beggars' forum as he's a strong member.

"Governor Wike is an old member of NGF and a strong one at that. He could not have referred to NGF as a beggars forum,� Barkindo added.

According to him, the utterances of the governor should be blamed on Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Paulinus Nsirim, whom he said "could not distinguish between NGF and the Progressive Governors Forum which is the political platform of APC governors."

"NGF has six core mandate areas and politics is not one of them. NGF is happy to state that Governor Wike is one of its strong members and has delegated his deputy governor to the forum and she has never missed any meeting," he said.

FG TARGETS THREE-YEAR COVID-19 RESPONSE PLAN us for a long time and we shall keep learning as we go along. In this respect, the Federal Ministry of Health is developing a three-year Health Sector COVID-19 Response Action Plan, which we shall use as a roadmap with which we can plan over the next 36 months," he added.

He described the new plan as the product of learned minds, which is divided into "short-term, medium-term and long-term, with a flexibility to accommodate what changes or what we learn additionally about COVID-19 along the way."

On the strike embarked upon yesterday by resident doctors, the minister said efforts were being made to resolve the dispute.

He explained that the ministry met with the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Health Services, Dr. Tanko Sununu, in a bid to persuade the medical doctors to go back to work.

"We had a meeting with the House Committee Chairman on Health. We clarified many of the issues they raised and I appealed to them that this is not the time to embark on strike. The issues are being attended to. The issue of Personal Protective Equipment

(PPE) has been dealt with and we have supplied PPE to all the states," he stated.

FG Deploys Teams in Rivers, Cross River Ehanire also said the Ministry of Health had deployed fresh teams in Rivers and Cross River states to work with the states’ epidemiologists to further deepen the response against COVID-19.

"We are collaborating with states to strengthen their response according to needs. An arrangement has been reached to send collaborative team to Cross River State in the coming days to complement the work of the state government," he added.

Ehanire said efforts were on to increase the number of laboratories with priority given to states without a laboratory with PCR capability, including Cross River and Kogi.

"Despite the rising figures, the case fatality rate remains at about three per cent, which is lower than many countries, but not a cause for relief. The increasing pace of testing will yield more cases, but we need to also be proactive in keeping fatalities low.

"It is still strongly advised that those who test positive

present themselves at a treatment centre. This is most especially so for those with underlying ailments like diabetes, hypertension, cancer, HIV, TB or are above 60 years of age," he said.

The Representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Fiona Braka, said current research studies by WHO showed that asymptomatic patients could transmit the virus to others at close quarters.

She said there were asymptomatic patients who still infect others with the virus.

The Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, who was asked about measures being taken to respond to possible health problems resulting from the recent concert attended by Lagos-based musician, Naira Marley in Abuja, said the centre was monitoring the situation.

"We have a lot more work to do than to pursue that but if we have infections arising from the party then we will definitely act," he said.

Nigeria Records 573 New Cases of COVID-19

Nigeria has recorded 573 new cases of COVID-19, bringing to 16,654 the number of confirmed cases in the country.

NCDC, in a breakdown, said yesterday that Lagos recorded 216 new cases, Rivers 103, Oyo 68, Edo 40, Kano 21, Gombe 20, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) 17, Delta 13, Plateau and Bauchi 12 each, Niger 10, Kebbi nine, Ogun and Ondo eight each, Abia seven, Nasarawa five, while Borno, Kwara, Benue and Anambra one each.

It said: "Nigeria has recorded 16,658 cases of COVID-19.

5,349 persons have been discharged, while 424 have unfortunately died."

FG Suspends Airline for Flying Naira Marley The federal government has suspended Executive Jet Services Limited for flying the controversial pop artiste, Naira Marley, and his crew, to perform at a musical concert organised by Jabi Lake Mall in Abuja on Friday night.

The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, announced the suspension yesterday during the media briefing in Abuja.

Sirika added that the Nigeria

Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) would impose a heavy fine on the pilot, A. Adebiyi, that operated the controversial flight.

He said NCAA only approved a return flight from Lagos to Abuja, but not for Naira Marley and other passengers on the Legacy 600 flight.

The minister said the flight, from the application, was to convey Hon. Justice Adefope Okojie to Abuja and back to Lagos for an official assignment.

He explained that the ministry approved the application because it considered the judiciary as part of the essential services to be delivered in this challenging time.

Sirika said although the approval was given for June 14, including a leeway of 24 hours, the operators chose to fly on June 13 at about 6.00 p.m.

The minister said the flight operation violated the authority's approval, adding that such infraction has become a norm for the airline operator.

He announced the indefinite suspension of Executive Jet Services, in addition to maximum fine according to the law.

He said the captain of the flight would be fined for giving wrong information to the control tower in accordance with the law.

THISDAY learnt that the name of Naira Marley was not in the manifest given to Continued on page 9

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TUESDAY, ͚͞˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž T H I S D AY

NEWS

Resident Doctors Begin Strike, Exempt Colleagues Treating COVID-19 Patients Gbajabiamila appeals for reconsideration of action Onyebuchi Ezigbo and Udora Orizu in Abuja Doctors yesterday commenced a nationwide indefinite strike to press home their demands for better welfare.

The doctors, under the auspices of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), said the strike, which took effect in the early morning hours of yesterday, would exempt members attending to COVID-19 patients for two weeks.

Such frontline workers are, however, expected to join the strike after two weeks, if the dispute has not been resolved.

However, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has expressed surprise over the nationwide strike

and appealed to the doctors to reconsider their action.

NARD President, Dr. Aliyu Sokomba, at a press conference in Abuja, listed their demands to include the immediate implementation of the revised hazard allowance and payment of the COVID-19 inducement allowance as agreed by the government and healthcare workers three months ago and payment of minimum arrears to members.

He said: "NEC resolved to proceed on an indefinite nationwide strike from today, 15th of June 2020 by 12:01a.m, with the exemption of our members attending to COVID-19 patients at designated COVID-19 treatment and isolation centres for two weeks, after which if things

remain the same, they shall also be co-opted to join the strike.

"This exemption is in recognition of the intervention of the Honourable Speaker, House of Representatives, the Chairman, House Committee on Health Services, Dr. Tanko Sununu, and other stakeholders as well as a demonstration of our goodwill to Nigerians."

In a communiquĂŠ jointly signed

by Sokomba; NARD Secretary General, Dr. Bilqis Muhammad, and Publicity/Social Secretary, Dr. Egbogu Stanley, the association listed other demands to include “universal implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act in all federal and state hospitals and ensuring pay parity among doctors of equal cadre, provision of funding for Medical

Gbajabiamila has appealed to the striking doctors to reconsider their action.

Gbajabiamila, at a meeting last Tuesday with the leadership of the resident doctors and the

executive arm, led by the two ministers manning the Federal Ministry of Health, had urged the doctors to extend the strike ultimatum to allow the government more time to meet their demands.

But the speaker, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, said he could not believe that despite the steps taken by the National Assembly to intervene in the matter, the resident doctors could still embark on the strike.

He appealed to them again to call off the strike, while all the resolutions reached at last week's meeting are implemented.

He also called on them to consider the plight of average Nigerians as they consider shifting their position.

billion in 2018.

Duke Global Energy Investments Limited, carrying out the business of oil prospecting, production, mining, drilling, storage, transportation, refining and distribution of oil and gas of all types of hydrocarbons and petroleum products, had an authorised share N100 million during the period.

It made a loss of N41.6 million in 2018 as against N85,828 million in 2017, while Duke Oil Services, UK grew from $5 million dollars from 2017 to $5.9 in 2018 in terms of cash and equivalent at the end of the year.

In the period under review, the company did not have any contractual employees as staff were provided to the company by other group entities under service agreements.

Meanwhile, NNPC has received accolades from BudgIT "for publishing the audited accounts of its subsidiaries and business divisions for the first time and also launching the Open Data segment on its website, as a measure to promote transparency

in its financial operations."

The organisation through its Communications Associate, Iyanu Fatoba, said there was no doubt that the Kyari-led NNPC management had blazed the trail by making the audited report of all NNPC’s subsidiaries available online. “For the past four years, BudgIT, through the Extractives Consultative Forum and with support from the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), has been engaging key oil and gas stakeholders annually; including officials from NNPC, Department of Petroleum Resources, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, civil society organisations and private individuals. “These engagements have centred on ways by which NNPC can become more transparent, assume and maintain the status of a commercially viable entity, as its consecutive losses are not sustainable in the long term. “A financially viable and transparent NNPC is pivotal to the Nigerian economy as the

government still largely depends on revenue from oil to finance its budgets. “Over the years, BudgIT has consistently requested that NNPC should make its audited report available to citizens in addition to publishing its monthly financial and operations reports, to further ensure transparency and accountability,� the organisation said.

It encouraged Nigerians to download the audit reports and other data put up by NNPC, study them, and ask questions.

A Project Officer at BudgIT, Adejoke Akinbode, however, noted that while these are important steps regarding transparency, more still had to be done by the federal government to reform NNPC. “The federal government needs to reform NNPC to reverse the trend of the massive losses recorded by some of the NNPC subsidiaries annually. This audit report is a laudable step towards showing Nigerians the true picture of what is going on in NNPC,� the group noted.

“We wish to re-emphasise that all relaxed measures are still subject to review and advisories issued are for personal and public safety purposes,� he stated.

Mustapha rallied Nigerians to ensure that the level of transmission of the virus is reduced.

He said: “If you listen to me conscientiously in the past four weeks I have spoken about personal responsibility. It is our responsibility. We are not your frontliners anymore. The choice of whether you will get to the hospital is yours. “You, my fellow people, you are your last liners now. What you do, what you say, your actions, will determine where you will end. “We have gotten to a stage where no amount of enforcement will cut this tool for us. It is the choices that we make that will determine what will happen. The governments of subnational will try to do their best but it is the

choices of the people that will determine how effective that will be," he said.

Mustapha added that one of his relatives in Adamawa State died of COVID-19 and was buried at the weekend in line with COVID-19 burial protocols.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has withdrawn the emergency use of hydrochloroquine and chloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Announcing this yesterday, the agency's Chief Scientist, Denise Hinton, said new information from large clinical trials suggested the drugs were unhelpful in treating the disease.

In May, Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control

(NAFDAC) had said it would continue with the clinical trial of the drugs to ascertain their efficacies.

This was even as the World Health Organisation (WHO), which earlier called for suspension of the use of the drugs, reversed its decision.

Hinton said the revocation of the authorisation for its use was on the request of the acting Director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, Gary Disbrow, after due consideration.

He said: "After reviewing new information from large clinical trials, we believe that the suggested dosing regimens are unlikely to produce an antiviral effect.

"More recent randomised controlled trials have found the drugs do not benefit COVID-19 patients, and doctors have reported that hydroxychloroquine can cause heart problems.

handover to the new MD/ CEO. Your handover notes should be copied to the Minister of Power and Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning. “The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning and chair of NBET board thanks you for your services to the nation and wishes you well,� the letter said.

Before the latest information, Mamman had said Buhari approved the sacking of Amobi and for Ewelukwa to take over from her.

In January, Buhari had also overruled Mamman by reversing the suspension of Amobi.

The agency was also moved from the ministry of power to the ministry of finance.

Residency Training in the 2021 Appropriation Bill, payment of all arrears owed our members in federal and states tertiary health institutions, arising from the consequential adjustment of the national minimum wage.�

In addition, the doctors are demanding "stoppage and immediate refund of all illegal, unjust and callous cut in salaries of our members by Kaduna State and other state governments."

The doctors had met to review the 14-day ultimatum issued to the federal government, which elapsed two days ago.

The meeting was attended by over 500 doctors past presidents, caucus leaders, committee chairmen and observers.

At the NEC meeting, the doctors noted the sorry state

of the healthcare delivery system characterised by the perpetual unavailability of personnel protective equipment for healthcare workers in the hospitals with the attendant increase in infection rates, the unnecessary suffering of patients and their relatives, the financial hardship, the obsolete equipment, and machines and technology.

Gbajabiamila Urges Doctors to Reconsider Strike

IN HISTORIC MOVE, NNPC RELEASES AUDITED RESULTS TO PUBLIC opacity in government business.

While some of the subsidiaries made losses during the period under review, many of them, however, bounced back after years of negative figures, to the path of profitability.

For one of the companies, the Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL), which provides hydrocarbon exploration services, revenue increased significantly by about N1.3 billion or 7.76 per cent in 2018 from 2017, with total comprehensive income of about N3.2 billion in the same period as a result of actuarial gain.

However, actual profit was N154 million compared to 2017 with just over N4 million, for the company that offers upstream sector geophysical and petroleum engineering services in the oil and gas industry.

It has 17 major customers, including the International Oil Companies (IOCs) with a staff strength of 197 in 2017 as compared to 192 in 2018.

For the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), which executes joint

operations and other exploration and production activities for NNPC and oversees the federation's interest in the joint operating agreements in 2017, total revenue stood at N3.2 trillion and increased to N5 trillion in 2018. But it wiped off its loss, which stood at N1.6 trillion in 2017, and turned in N1 trillion gain in 2018.

Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited (KRPC), in 2018, had an operating loss of N64.5 billion compared to N112 billion in 2017, with total comprehensive loss put at N111.8 billion in 2017 which decreased to N64.3 in 2018.

The Wheel Insurance, another of its subsidiaries, experienced a decrease in insurance liabilities from $9 million in 2017 to $8.2 million in 2018. The company recorded a net cash from operating activities from $2.3 million in 2017 to $7 million in 2018.

As for the Petroleum Products Marketing Company Limited (PPMC), engaged in the supply and marketing of refined

petroleum products, the company made a total comprehensive income of N11 billion in 2018, as against a loss of N42.5 billion in 2017.

The Port Harcourt Refining Company made a loss of N45.5 billion in 2018, down from N55.7 billion in 2017.

Nidas Shipping Services (NSS), a subsidiary of the national oil company, which provides marine transportation, incurred an operating loss of $1.4 million in 2018.

For the Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company Limited (NPSC), which is into transportation and storage of products, the loss before taxation in 2018 was N767 million, while total income for the year was N11.2 billion. There were no figures for 2017.

As for the National Engineering and Technical Company Limited (NETCO), which provides engineering, procurement, construction, supervision and project management services in the sector, profit for 2017 after tax was N2.4 billion against 4.5

FG TARGETS THREE-YEAR COVID-19 RESPONSE PLAN Executive Jet Services Limited.

It was gathered that it was the name of Fashola Babatunde, presumably the Minister of Works and Housing, and nine others that were shortlisted for the flight.

THISDAY also confirmed that it was the approval already secured for the airlift of Justice Adefope Okoji.

Also yesterday, the National Coordinator of the PTF on COVID-19, Dr. Sani Aliyu, said it was left for the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to decide whether to prosecute Naira Marley for violation of the interstate movement and social distancing on COVID-19 control.

Aliyu added that PTF would support whatever decision taken

by FCTA in that regard.

FG Warns States against Reopening Schools, Viewing Centres

PTF has warned states proposing to reopen schools and other activities of mass gatherings to suspend such contemplations.

PTF also said there were still possibilities of a review of all relaxed measures, adding that relaxation of restrictions “does not mean carelessness and that life is back to normal.�

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of PTF, Mr. Boss Mustapha, lamented the continued violation of measures put in place to curb the spread of the virus, including ban on interstate travel.

Mustapha, in his opening speech at the press conference in Abuja, warned that the country was not ripe yet to allow activities that could attract large gatherings. “We have received reports that some states are contemplating the reopening of schools, television viewing centres, sports stadium and other places where large gatherings could take place.

“PTF re-emphasises that it is not yet safe to do so and that utmost caution should be exercised. PTF guideline should still be complied with while considering decision of this nature,� he said.

He also raised concerns over the disregard for guidelines, measures and regulations across the country, saying the relaxed measures are still subject to review. “In the course of our monitoring and surveillance of compliance across the nation, we have observed an escalation of the level of non-compliance with simple measure to keep social distancing, wearing of masks in public places, sanitation and hygiene. “This is more prevalent in markets, motor parks and some places of worship. I wish to remind you that PTF has already issued guidelines for the mode of operations at places of worship and urge state governments to ensure strict compliance with PTF guidelines.

US Suspends Emergency Use of Chloroquine for Treatment

NBET TACKLES OMOTOSHO, OLORUNSOGO GENCOS OVER N13.2BN PAYMENT to be the financial implication of applicable base exchange rate, has not been passed on to the distribution companies as the sum is still in dispute.

Buhari Insists NBET MD Must Complete Four-year Term Meanwhile, the presidency

yesterday reversed the earlier announced termination of Amobi's appointment.

It also directed NBET boss to serve out her four-year term, which expires next month against the position of Minister of Power, Mr. Sale Mamman, who had earlier in a statement instructed her to immediately vacate the office.

The letter conveying the

information, which was obtained by THISDAY last night, was signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Dr. Mahmoud IsaDutse, and was also copied Mamman. “I write to convey the President's directives regarding your appointment as the MD/CEO of the Nigerian NBET. The president

has approved that you serve out your tenure at the completion of which you should hand over to Dr. Nnaemeka Ewelukwa who is to take over from you as the MD/CEO. Your appointment which took effect from 25th July, 2016 for four years is to end on 24th July, 2020. “Please ensure smooth transition and comprehensive

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T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍ´Ëœ 2020

COMMENT

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

A JURIST ON EAGLE’S WINGS

Justice Dongban-Mensem is cut out for her job, writes Mike Adekwagh

T

he Governor of Plateau State and Chairman, Northern Governor’s Forum, Simon Bako Lalong captured the core essence of the jurist when he stated recently: “Over the years , Justice Dongban-Mensem has left a legacy of excellence and humility in all the places she has worked as well as a positive impression on the people she has had dealings with�.

Earlier, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Dr. Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad while swearing her in as Acting President, Court of Appeal, described her as “ a seasoned judicial officer who has been doing her job satisfactorily....�

But who is this jurist the Senate of the Federal Republic confirmed as President, Court of Appeal on June 11, 2020? What are her antecedents?

Justice Monica Bolna’an Dongban-Mensem was born on 13th June, 1957 to the family of Pa William Mensem in the Dorok Chiefdom of Shendam Local Government Area, Plateau State.

After acquiring her LL.B and LL.M degrees from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, she studied for a postgraduate diploma at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies in London. The jurist is an authority in Criminal and Civil Procedure Law, Taxation and International Public Finance, Public International Law, Legislative Drafting, Constitutional and Administrative Law and International Commercial Transactions. She was a Visiting Lecturer on Press Law at the Catholic Media Centre, Kaduna from 1988-1992 and part-time Lecturer at the University of Jos between 1989 and 1997. The top-notch jurist who is married to the District Head of the Dorok Chiefdom, His Royal Highness, Miskoom David Isa Dongban can be rightly described as a judicial officer that holds both the gavel and the scepter. Fondly called Bolna’an by her late father, a name she cherishes, Boina’an, is a Goemai lexicon meaning, “I yield unto the Lord.�

Monica, her first name, is of Latin origin, meaning “advisor� or “counsellor�. Justice Dongban-Mensem is known generally as a lover of humanity.

She counsels, she guides, she directs, and she helps.

Truly, the past three months have been very eventful in the Court of Appeal as she held court as Acting President. She was always at her duty post. The court, both the headquarters and the Abuja division, was given a facelift. She toured the entire court complex five times, giving instructions on what needed to be put right. Old and abandoned files, broken chairs and tables that littered the place have now been evacuated.

She has equally been sitting on appeals in order to keep the wheel of justice turning. This she did as a way of encouraging her fellow Justices who were afraid of returning to their duty post for fear of contracting the dreaded coronavirus. In Abuja division alone, six panels were set up in early April and over 200 cases were taken in the first week alone, thereby clearing a substantial number of the backlog of cases. Counsel whose cases were taken are quite happy with this. The courts in the Abuja division are now with a Dressing Room for lawyers.

On the coronavirus pandemic, a health talk was held in Court two of the Abuja division on Friday April 17, 2020 where renowned public health professionals were invited to enlighten the staff of the court on causes and

SHE IS THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE COURT TO HOLD WEBINARS. SO FAR, SHE HAS CONVENED FIVE VIRTUAL MEETINGS WITH PRESIDING JUSTICES, IT STAFF OF THE COURT AND DEPUTY COURT REGISTRARS IN THE VARIOUS DIVISIONS OF THE COURT

prevention of the virus. This was replicated in all the 20 divisions of the Appellate Court.

Of utmost interest to Justice Dongban-Mensem is the automation of the court’s processes and systems. She is the first president of the court to hold webinars. So far, she has convened five virtual meetings with Presiding Justices, IT staff of the court and Deputy Court Registrars (DCRs) in the various divisions of the court.

Her leisure is writing, reading, golfing working with children, women and the elderly. Even with the huge task of constantly doing research and writing judgments, she has published a much sought after book, “The Defendant.� The judge is a mother of three children and four grandchildren.

Coincidently, her confirmation by the Senate on Thursday June 11, 2020 coincided with the birthday of her first son, the late Prince Samson Kwapda’as Dongban, a humble, compassionate and amiable young man whose death eight years ago in Jos, Plateau State capital, has remained a painful loss the jurist is fighting hard to deal with. It is in his honour that she founded the Kwapda’as Road Safety Demand (KRSD) Trust Fund on September 23, 2011, a road safety advocacy that has become one of the most popular road safety NGOs in Nigeria.

KRSD Trust Fund is now a member of the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety.

Similarly, troubled by the deplorable condition of the public schools in her immediate community, Ngootugu’ut, the Justice built the Pa William Mensem Memorial School, managed by a charity called Pa William Mensem Educational and Scholarship Foundation (PAWMESFO).

Though in a remote village, the school provides nearly all the facilities and services found mainly in highly rated schools in the big cities of Nigeria. She believes this is a way of widening educational opportunities for children of underserved communities. And now, children in Ngotugu’ut and surrounding villages are beneficiaries.

Justice Dongban-Mensem is a woman of many firsts - first to succeed a fellow woman as President of the Court of Appeal; first woman from the North-central region to head the Appellate Court and, first indigene of Plateau State to get to the Court of Appeal.

She is a quintessential intellectual, a versatile and incorruptible jurist, a leading star on the bench. Once she appears in her sartorial splendour, she personifies equity and justice. A friend to many, Justice Dongban-Mensem radiates love, compassion, and generosity.

Her good work has earned her a steady progression on the bench, rising from a magistrate, to a High Court judge, to a Justice of the Court of Appeal and now the President of the Court of Appeal. Her vision is to enhance staff welfare and training and entrench professionalism; thus enabling speedy dispensation of justice.

Now fully empowered as President, she is now on eagle’s wings to chart a new course for the Court of Appeal.

Adekwagh wrote from Abuja

TETFUND AND COVID -19

Elemdi Akowe ĂĄĂœĂ“ĂžĂ?Ă? ÞÒËÞ ÞÒĂ? Ă?ĂœĂžĂ“Ă‹ĂœĂŁ ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă?Ă‹ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ĂœĂ&#x;Ă?Ăž Ă“Ă? ĂŒĂ?Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă—Ă‹ĂŽĂ? ĂœĂ?Ă–Ă?Ă Ă‹Ă˜Ăž Ă“Ă˜ Ă?Ă?Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă’Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ Ă?Ă™Ăœ Ă?ÙÖĂ&#x;ĂžĂ“Ă™Ă˜ ÞÙ ÞÒĂ? Ă Ă“ĂœĂ‹Ă– ĂŽĂ“Ă?Ă?Ă‹Ă?Ă?

T

he COVID -19 pandemic may have brought the world to its knees but it has also actualized a situation in which ultimately each nation swims or sinks depending on the capacity of its people to think out ways and means of checking the lethal scourge of the novel corona virus. This was clearly depicted in the coincidence of a Madagascar herbal treatment taking the stage already dominated by breakthroughs in the scientific research world of vaccine and drug therapies. Such explorative initiatives did not make the headlines in Nigeria despite undisputed abundance of medicinal flora and a less appreciated but internationally accredited array of scientists and researchers. But that absurd disdain for local assets was not going to persist.

Even as we lost face by following the lead of the Madagascans in coming up with a potent herbal anti-dote, our scientists and academicians as well as the herbalists did not sit back in despair. Several of them made their presence and products known if only for the record. It was however in the academic field that the most profound developments for now and the future national prowess in the critical aspects of public health and related research and innovation boosted patriotic fervor.

As a prolific researcher, TETFUND Executive Secretary, Professor Elias Suleman Bogoro’s professional instincts were promptly alerted by COVID-19, refreshing his well-considered conviction that “research on problem solving suitable for our Nigerian content and environmental growth are the best option for industrial development,� which he fine-tuned for current relevance with “Covid-19 has emptied our classrooms but shouldn’t empty our minds�. Those words were to counsel Nigerian students and lecturers alike to make the most of the lockdown period by engaging in research, reminding them that the nation was counting on local

content inventions and ideas to fast-track national development and self-reliance with particular reference to businesses, technologies, governance and job creation.

Prior to the outbreak of the corona virus, significant progress was being recorded in rectifying the retrogressive disconnect between research agencies and academic institutions on one hand and between the academic community and the industrial and private sector on the other. The momentum of this desirable change received a jolt of policy thrust and financial muscle from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund whose Executive Secretary, Professor Bogoro had become the leading solicitor, advocate and focused promoter of the neglected research-toinnovation strategy for national development.

Since his triumphant recall-by-popular-demand of staff, Professor Bogoro has forged ahead in upgrading TEFUND’s Education Support Services, which he set up earlier, with more research-oriented initiatives by securing greater support from the federal government through the education ministry, a venture that became fortuitous by the time COVID-19 spread to Nigeria. In particular, TETFUND earned Presidential backing for funding six medical simulation, research and training facilities, covering zones of the country, which should include molecular science laboratories capable of testing and diagnostics for COVID 19, Lassa fever and similar viral diseases.

It is also envisaging the research leading to a breakthrough in the World Health Organization’s quest for certified vaccine against COVID-19, infectious diseases and other deadly diseases as a step towards consolidating the new research and development strategy in tertiary institutions to reverse the trend of medical tourism and attendant capital flight. The institution-based research is aimed at research capacity building in Tertiary Education Institutions.

The idea is to identify specific entry points from

where research by medical experts in universities, colleges of medicine, teaching hospitals, research institutes and centers of excellence can be initiated and funded to boost the new research and development drive in tertiary institutions which has led to the local production of sanitizers, prototype ventilators and PPE in universities. For a more comprehensive facilitation and enhancement of excellence in science-based disciplines, TETFUND also secured Presidential approval to establish two centers of excellence in each of the six zones of the country, to be hosted by first, second and third generation universities, this year. Additionally, TETFUND has just approved six COVID-19 Research grants to the tune of over N200m in support of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.

Professor Bogoro’s tireless advocacy, impact –seeking motivation and reputation for prudence and patriotism has greatly enhanced the priority rating of Research and Development in our tertiary institutions, rapidly transforming TETFUND into the leading hub for channeling substantial funding into strategic national development initiatives as highlighted in Presidential approval for boosting the TETFUND National Research Fund(NRF) to the unprecedented amount of N5 billion for the 2019 NRF Call for Proposals, initially through concept notes. Private institutions and the private sector were invited as research partners in many of the grant applications in keeping with international best practices and objectives of the policy.

The outcome saw to the evaluation, recommendation and approval of 128 research grant applications, with the endorsement of Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, whose confidence in Professor Bogoro’s credibility, competence and capacity manifested in the triumphant reinstatement of the professor as Executive Secretary of TETFUND January, 2019, three years after he was inexplicably hounded out. In a related development, Professor

Bogoro has further expanded TETFUND’s scope of progressive partnerships by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology to boost research and development in pursuit of national development.

The partnership is expected to create and maintain synergy between research agencies and academic institutions as research institutes share their research and findings to enhance academic excellence and outputs in the academic institutions.

Less than two years after his re-instatement, Professor Bogoro’s commitment and capacity to reinvigorate and expand the nation’s research and development resources by strengthening and deploying the mandate and potential of TETFUND is beyond contention. The impact of his stewardship in elevating strategic scientific research activities to their rightful ranking in development policy formulation, academic curriculum and blueprint for industrialization has no doubt also enhanced TETFUND’s profile and added value to its performance in salvaging the education sector. It vindicates the respect and international recognition he has earned, especially as a leader on the pioneer Council of the Think Tank for Translating Research to Innovations, Strategies, Evidence for Policy and National Development created by the University of Ibadan Research Foundation. His patriotism is also reflected by his choice of remaining in Nigeria to contribute his quota to the strenuous national salvage operation, rather than relishing his comfort zones across the globe as consultant and management adviser of international, national and regional projects supported by the World Bank, UNDP, USAID, DFID, IPCR, OSIWA, NDI, FHI, NACA, and IFES, among others. By God’s grace Professor Bogoro’s uncommon patriotic commitment to the national cause shall benefit generations and shall be a reference point to others in the service of nation and humanity.

Akowe wrote from Ilorin

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 2020

EDITORIAL BATTLE OVER NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CLERK The National Assembly should be focused

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he attempt to review the revised conditions of service for staff by the newly reconstituted National Assembly Service Commission has created unease within the nation’s highest lawmaking body. The immediate consequence of the bickering in the legislative houses is its toll on the quality of debate and legislation for good governance in our country. So the ultimate victims of this unfortunate state of affairs are citizens who are denied quality and effective representation.

The issue in contention is the report of a committee which recommended increased years of service from 35 to 40 years, and age from 60 to 65 years, whichever comes first. This decision has created division between the leadership and membership of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. It has also split the service commission into two opposing camps with implications for legislative work. While the majority of the National Assembly workers are said to be in agreement with the review and full implementation because of the THE ULTIMATE VICTIMS OF peculiarity of legislaTHE UNFORTUNATE STATE tive service, a few OF AFFAIRS ARE CITIZENS others are protesting WHO ARE DENIED against it because it QUALITY AND EFFECTIVE would confer what they consider an REPRESENTATION undue advantage on the current Clerk to the National Assembly whose tenure ordinarily ended in February this year.

Going by details of the report now being disputed, the clerk, Sani Omolori and no fewer than 160 officers, are expected to remain in office for about another five years, by raising the retirement from 60 to 65 years and years of service from 35 to 40. But the issue did not start with the agitation for the headship of the bureaucracy of the National Assembly. It has been a long time quest by their staff union for commensurate remunerations and conditions of service as obtained in other developed democracies. It was to draw the

attention of the National Assembly leadership that the staff union under the umbrella of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) staged a four-day protest in 2018. In resolving the dispute, a Memorándum of Understanding (MOU) which gave birth to the revised conditions of service was adopted.

But implementing it has become a serious problem.

I 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

nstructively, the motion for its adoption was moved at both Senate and House of Representatives chambers by current Senate President Ahmad Lawan (then in his capacity as Senate Leader) and Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila (then as House Leader) respectively during the Eighth session of the National Assembly. The contention is now about the tenure of the clerk because whatever affects him will impact on the career of other staff as well. So Omolori enjoys the support of PASAN who sees the move against the elongation of his tenure as an attempt to truncate the revised and adopted conditions of service being enjoyed by its members.

Halting the implementation of the revised conditions of service, other unions have joined to warn, would trigger industrial disharmony.

Rather than continue to squabble, the National Assembly should appreciate the importance of the image of its members and the institution in public consciousness. Often accused of corrupt practices, demanding bribes during budget proceedings, allocating to themselves huge allowances and emoluments, and turning oversight functions into avenues for shakedown, our Senators and House of Representatives members are not well regarded by Nigerians. The country needs a focused legislature to help move the country forward with good laws that would engender unity, ensure foreign investments and security for all, not unnecessary bickering. The way forward should be dialogue.

It is therefore our hope that the current politics of acrimony between the chambers will give way to common sense so that both can resolve whatever the issue is over the tenure of the clerk of the National Assembly.

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Letters to the Editor

Towards A Better Nigeria

R

ecently, precisely on June 12, we celebrated National Democracy Day. This is quite significant from many perspectives. First, it signals the official recognition of June 12 as a milestone in our political landscape.

Second, considering that we have had 21 years of unbroken democratic experience since 1999, it could be safely affirmed that democracy is steadily becoming an entrenched political culture here. Third, the supreme price paid by many Nigerians over the annulled June 12 election is not in vain. Fourth, our country could be a better place, if we all chose to play our role rightly.

Certainly, we have not really had it so smooth since independence in 1960. But then, no nation ever really has it smooth. The most developed nations of the world today equally had their evolving phases, but they were resolute and focused on their preferred destination.

Thus, every Nigerian has a role to play in moving the nation forward. There is no point in passing the buck. We should stop the blame game. We must all have a rethink about the future of our nation. If some are building and others are pulling down, the building will definitely collapse. No matter what happens, this is the only country that we can call our own.

Politics, religion and ethnicity should not be used as platforms to divide us. It doesn’t matter where we are, we can get to where we ought to be if we are determined to build a stronger and better nation. We can do it. We have the potential. We have the resources.

All we need is a strong resolve to start afresh. Let nothing diverts or deters us from this noble course.

That we have remained as one indivisible entity for almost 60 years in spite of all odds is quite impressive. With steady economic growth, a stable democratic government and broad support from development partners, the Nigeria of our collective dream and aspiration could be attained.

To consolidate democracy, restore a functioning economy, and promote sustainable economic growth, we need to strengthen the various organs of government and other institutions of governance.

We must keep focusing; keep doing the right things for our country. We must do all we can to escape the condemnation and damnation of history and posterity.

We cannot be the people and the generation that gave up even as others fought to save their own countries. Nigeria is our country, it is the one we truly own. Let us be united in saving our nation.

Our outward expression of unity will reflect our inward unity of purpose.

All levels of government must become more committed to the welfare of the people, especially through the provision of basic infrastructure and amenities that would make life better for the citizenry. Perhaps, this may reduce the pressure on the people for daily survival.

For the progress of our nation, it is imperative to raise a critical mass dedicated to restoring the destiny of Nigeria by living above corruption, fighting corruption and conquering corruption. When every Nigerian is ready for positive change and truly live for such, our collective aspiration for a better country would not be disillusioned.

Against the backdrop of a growing population of idle youths,

especially in the northern part of the country, we need to come up with a clear-cut youth policy that will channel the youthful vigour of our youth into proper use. If not, the army of the unemployed youths in the country could constitute a time bomb, waiting to explode anytime.

The renaissance of June 12 must be a lesson for us on the need for national cohesion. We should not allow needless tribal and ethnic sentiments to keep dividing us. If we do, we would only be making a mockery of our 60 years of nationhood. Individuals and organisations with influence and means should educate the masses on the imperative for national unity, harmony and cohesion.

Lee Kuan Yew, architect of modern Singapore, visited Nigeria a few days before the military struck on Saturday, January 15, 1966.

His visit was in connection with the Commonwealth Conference held in Lagos on Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. His conclusion about Nigeria in 1966 is contained in a book he wrote in 2000 titled: ‘From Third World to First’. In the book, he concluded thus: “I think their tribal loyalties were stronger than their sense of common nationhood”. Years after the iconic leader made that remark, can we in all honesty say we have overcome tribal prejudices?

One would like to close with the enduring words of Gerald R. Ford, the 38th president of the United States of America: “Even though this is late in an election year, there is no way we can go forward except together and no way anybody can win except by serving the people’s urgent needs. We cannot stand still or slip backwards. We must go forward now together”.

Tayo Ogunbiyi, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY JUNE 16, 2020

16

POLITICS

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

A Life of Protests: The Politics of Charles Oputa Nseobong Okon-Ekong writes that Mr. Charles Chukwuemeka Oputa, better known as Charly boy is an unconventional rights campaigner who sometimes establishes advocacy groups with ridiculous nomenclature, albeit with underlying messages that are not lost

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harles Chukwuemeka Oputa, better known as Charly Boy is in a hurry to reach the landmark age of 70 years.

There are two accounts of his age. One suggests he was born in 1950. The other puts his birth year at 1951. However, both are in agreement on his birthday as June 19. Speaking with this reporter on the issue of his correct age, he answered tongue-incheek, “Age is a number,” he said. If you say I am 40 years. That is fine.

Whatever you say is what I am.”

Longevity runs in the family. His father, the eminent jurist, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa passed on at 89 years in 2014. His mother, Mrs. Margaret Oputa died last year at 100 years.

Charles, the second son of the Oputas was a precocious child.

He was only a teenager when he registered his first rebellious act. Sent to the United States of America to study Law so he could walk in the dignified footsteps of his father in the legal profession, he deviated and followed his mind to study Communication Arts.

Since that apparent assertion of his independence, he has not shied away from confronting any challenge that confronts his conviction.

Back in Nigeria, he chose to live on his own terms, charting a path that was uncommon. The entertainment industry that he delved into had accepted only one deviant-Fela Anikulapo-Kuti-after he badgered the existing institutions with irresistible creativity that forced many to overlook his moral extremities. Then came Charly Boy with his divergent mannerisms. He had a wellstructured script in which he was the protagonist, along with his willing wife, Diane, an African-American. This was a rare couple. Their outlandish items of dressing were irritating to many, but it caught and retained the attention of the youths.

It wasn’t long before the rest of the society who thought they were mad, started paying attention to them. Charly Boy was a mad man with a reason!

It took a couple of years for Mr. Oputa to earn a slot on primetime television with the Charly Boy Show and attract so much traffic to his residence that that part of Lagos was named after him. The television programme later metamorphosed into a personality interview session with some of the biggest names in Nigerian governance and business, including past Nigerian rulers.

While many still underrated his intelligence and ability to rally people round a common goal, he emerged as President of Nigerian performing musicians. In that capacity, Mr. Oputa was finally positioned to play activist and advocacy roles. He also deployed this newfound power to charity, like when he helped to raise money to help restore the health of his friend and co-entertainer, Tina Onwudiwe.

The first institution of state to taste the force of protest was the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the Federal Government’s broadcast corporation. In a never-seen-before protest, Oputa led Nigerian musicians to lock the gates of the main broadcast station in Victoria Island, Lagos for days, demanding payment for use of artistes’ works.

For his unwavering stance against bad governance and injustice, Oputa is frequently linked to protests to upturn obsolete hierarchies and kick out old

Oputa

cultures that impede the unfettered freedom and lifestyle he cherishes.

In pursuit of this dreams and ambitions, he has been known to cross the line back and forth; sometimes looking confused to his critics. But his fierce passion for change can’t be mistaken and many times he has suffered personal discomfort in the process.

In the rebel life that has become his trademark, Oputa keeps no permanent friends or permanent enemies. He picks a placard and gets in the front of a protesting crowd, wherever his conviction takes him.

Whether he is standing with commercial motorcyclists, pensioners or students, he takes each advocacy seriously and does not mind being brutalised by the police and the military. It takes a lot of guts to march with military pensioners to defence headquarters to ask for their entitlements. He has also championed the cause of widows.

A rights campaigner who sometimes establishes advocacy groups with ridiculous nomenclature, the underlying messages are not lost. For instance, it may sound laughable to head a group called ‘Save Nigeria from Nigeria’,

but that is exactly what he did. Come to think of it, is Nigeria not on a course to self-destruct? In 2012, the musician turned rights activist was out on the streets to lead the Fuel Subsidy protest. For this, he was put out of circulation for some time by the authorities. Oputa had at another time led a protest to pressurise the Federal Government to prosecute a former Petroleum Minister, Mrs Deziani Allison-Madueke for alleged corruption.

In recent tines, however, the myriad of controversies that attended the OurMumuDonMovement which he cofounded with Mr. Deji Adeyanju appears to have dwarfed every advocacy related effort of the past. OurMumuDonDo was characterized by all the elements that makes a blockbuster: fiery characters, tension-soaked seasons filled with twists and the prize of big money, which led to cutthroat rivalry and treachery.

The pressure group started well, for all intents and purposes. Its major goal was to awaken the consciousness of Nigerians to reject the two major political parties”the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 national elections. It would later be

For his unwavering stance against bad governance and injustice, Oputa is frequently linked to protests to upturn obsolete hierarchies and kick out old cultures that impede the unfettered freedom and lifestyle he cherishes. In pursuit of this dreams and ambitions, he has been known to cross the line back and forth; sometimes looking confused to his critics. But his fierce passion for change can’t be mistaken and many times he has suffered personal discomfort in the process

revealed that Oputa had some monetary transaction with one of the principals of the President Muhammadu Buhari campaigners, while Adeyanju was cooling his feet in Kano Prison on trumped charges spuriously arranged to take him away from the agitation.

Oputa, allegedly admitted he was paid, but that it was compensation for a video he produced against former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, who was then the presidential candidate of the PDP. The payment was fat and in excess of N100 million. After giving another thought to it, Oputa repudiated his earlier claim. Members of OurMumuDonDo were infuriated.

A faction of the group sacked him as Chairman, while another faction pledged loyalty to his leadership.

The connection with Buhari in that demeaning form was why many who could not understand his alleged receipt of bribe money were quick to label him a disappointment and a turn-coat.

This was the same Buhari against who Oputa had led a ResumeOrResign protest. He was wounded by the police in that protest, for which he sued the police in the Federal Capital Territory for N500 million. The court, however, awarded him N50 million in compensation.

A few months ago, Oputa surprised everyone when he and his group marched against the head of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), insisting that he must air his views on the wanton killing of Nigerians all over the country by suspected herdsmen.

For all his show of patriotism, Oputa is hated by his kinsmen in the Southeast of Nigeria, who are mounting a separatist agitation for an independent country, Biafra. He has a target for physical at an Abuja market when he showed resentment for President Buhari’s long absence from Nigeria on account of ill-health.

Oputa was also in the forefront of the OccupytheNationalAssembly protest..

Another protest championed by the former President of Nigerian musicians is the OneVoiceNigeria protest.

Explaining his penchant for civil disobedience, Oputa said, “I have spent over 40 years of my life leading protest for a better society, and I can tell you that street protest will not change our leaders.

“My father always told me back then that whenever I see injustice, I should fight it because it may come to affect me someday too, and that is my motivation for fighting injustice over these years.

“On several occasions, I have been tortured by the Nigerian police and the military for standing up to authorities to ask questions.

“However, on some occasions, I have been regarded as their friends, depending on the sensibility of those in power.

“I am not a professional protester, so now I have decided to use other means to hold leaders accountable.’’

Charly Boy who calls himself President of Frustrated Nigerians has recently promised to adopt other methods of pricking the conscience of his compatriot’s to demand for their rights. Apparently, his resort is to music and he will be churning out didactic and politically-charged messages under the broad theme, :NaWeBeGovernmemt.

A

WEEKLY PULLOUT

Mr Tawo Eja Tawo, SAN

NBA Elections Will be Free, Fair and Credible

16.06.2020

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16.06.2020

Reforms the Police Need Duties of the Police The recent murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, USA by Police Officers, and back home in Nigeria, some of the extra-judicial killings like the 2005 murder of the Apo 6 in Abuja and the 2019 killing of Kolade Johnson in Lagos, also by the Police, has made me ruminate about what exactly the role of the Police should be in society.

Undoubtedly, the role of any Police cannot be to murder people at will!

Section 214(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended)(the Constitution) provides for the establishment of one Police Force in Nigeria, while Section 4 of our outdated 1943 Police Act sets out the general duties of Police, which obviously do not include the killing of suspects and people generally, with gusto and aplomb. Section 214(1) provides that the main duties of the Police include: the prevention and detection of crime, the apprehension of offenders, the preservation of law and order, the enforcement of all laws and regulations which they are directly charged, and the protection of life and property..... Unequivocally, I can safely say whether in USA or Nigeria, one of the main duties of the Police is the protection of life and property, not the taking of it, especially for the wrong reasons like racism, tribalism, intolerance, hatred, torture during investigation and so on.

Section 33 of the Constitution guarantees every person’s right to life, except “......in the execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence” of which a person has been found guilty in Nigeria. So, where do the Police get off killing and maiming people the way they do? Is it because, hitherto, they have been able to get away with such abominable acts? Is it because such abominable acts are not frowned upon by the authorities, or even by the society at large?

Is it that many law enforcement agents are cruel and may be mentally unhinged, getting their ‘kicks’ from hurting others, or their judgement is impaired by alcohol and drug abuse?

Of course, we are aware that there is racism pervading practically every area of American lives, whereby the African American is discriminated against based on the belief that Caucasians are superior to them, and such prejudice is acceptable to the predominantly Caucasian authorities and a good number of the populace. Where the average African American motorist lives in fear of being pulled over by a Caucasian Police Officer, so also, many Nigerians are scared of being stopped at the checkpoints by Police, and we have been taught that whether right or wrong, not to argue with the Police in case they get violent or open fire, especially as majority of us are unarmed. Is it not ironical that, we live in fear of those who have a constitutional duty to protect us? “Police is your friend” - Indeed!

Javier Ambler: “I can’t breathe” In 2019, there was a similar case to that of George Floyd which took place in Austin, Texas - that of African American, Javier Ambler. It happened at about 1am on March 28. Mr Ambler’s offence? He failed to dim his headlights! He was chased for 22 minutes by the Police. He crashed his car, and then stepped out of it with his hands up, unarmed.

He failed to follow the command, to lay down on the ground. Several Police Deputies then jumped on him. He suffered from cardiovascular disease, and was also pleading that: “I can’t breathe”.

He lost consciousness, during the incident. The Deputies then tried to administer CPR on him until the Medics arrived, but it was too late. His death was ruled as a justifiable homicide, and the Deputies still remained in the employment of the Police Department.

Police Brutality Police brutality is a problem that is certainly not restricted to Nigeria alone, and whatever the reasons for this gross abuse of power, it is crystal clear that there is need for global Police Reform.

While the reasons for Police brutality differs from one jurisdiction to the other, a common thread that runs through many Police Forces, is simply abuse of power and a lack of accountability or adequate accountability. See Emunwa v IGP 2003 24 WRN Page 153; Fawehinmi v IGP 2002 7 N.W.L.R. Part 767 Page 602. In USA, racism is a major reason for Police brutality; in Nigeria, it is corruption, power drunkenness, lack of respect for the rule of law, penchant of law enforcement agents to take the law into their own hands instead of following due process, and lack of proper investigative skills, thereby resulting in a resort to torture of suspects (sometimes to

death), to extract confessions. See the case of Ibikunle v The State 2007 2 N.W.L.R. Part 1019 per Onnoghen, JSC (as he then was).

Societal Reform In tandem with Police Reform, there must be some serious societal reform - if not, the former will be ineffective, as well as a waste of time. If it is acceptable for a society to believe that African Americans are an inferior race, and therefore, they can be treated worse than animals and there will be no consequences for such unlawful actions, why would anyone expect the Police who are part of that wider society with such warped beliefs to do the right thing, or behave differently from the societal norms? Change must come from the society, spearheaded by those in positions of authority.

I recently saw a photo that trended on social media, in which two men - one Caucasian, one African American, with exactly the same criminal history, committed exactly the same crime. They were both sentenced, by the same Caucasian Judge. They were both convicted. The Caucasian was sentenced to two years imprisonment in a County jail, while the African American was sentenced to over 20 years imprisonment in a Federal prison! Such blatant partiality, racism and injustice displayed by a person who has been placed in a position of authority and trust to administer justice (a common occurrence in USA), is not only shameful and unacceptable, and cannot be allowed to continue - it is totally antithetical to the essence of justice.

Likewise, in Nigeria, if rape which is one of the most heinous offences that exists, is not taken as seriously as it should be unless it results in death like the case of Uwaila Omozuwa, or the case involves the defilement of little children, why wouldn’t rape thrive and continue unabated in this country? In Nigeria, rape is almost impossible to prove, unless the perpetrator is caught in the act; the Criminal and Penal Code Acts do not even provide for spousal rape which is quite rampant in our society, and the Police have become quite famous for “pooh poohing” domestic violence and spousal rape, referring to them as “a family matter” which they cannot interfere in! Similarly, it is not a matter of concern here that armed robbers are executed extra-judicially by Police without following due process, since they are vicious and a menace to society. After all, on conviction, they will face the death penalty anyway, so why not save everybody’s time by killing them straight away? See Section 1 of the Robbery and Firearms Act 2004. This unlawful practice of extra-judicial killing which may have begun with armed robbery suspects, has gradually trickled down to innocent citizens, because hitherto, perpetrators have been able to get away with it.

The bottom line is that, for every offence, there is a prescribed procedure to handle offenders, and there are laid down punishments upon conviction; and no one (including law enforcement agents) has the right to take the law into their own hands.

Naturally, even the mildest of persons may feel the urge to hurt an ‘animal in human skin’ who has raped a baby, but the law must be allowed to take its course, no matter how difficult it is

Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu

to let it, if not it will mark the onset of anarchy.

Police Reform Due to space constraints, I can only look at a few issues relating to Police Reform, as there are many facets to it. However, the goal of Police Reform, is to improve the integrity, function, efficacy and accountability of the Police Force; and also to respond to the ever changing/evolving needs of society.

For me, an important detail is the human resources aspect of such reform, that is, weeding out the bad eggs/undesirable elements from the Police Force, as well as the re-evaluation of the recruitment process of Police Officers.

Derek Chauvin who murdered George Floyd had 18 complaints levelled against him in the course of his 19 year career, in which only two ended up in discipline! It is not enough for an aspiring Police Officer to sit for a test, pass it, attend Police Training School, and be adjudged to be physically fit, to be deemed qualified to be recruited into the Police. Even at the entry level of the Nigeria Police Force, what are the educational qualifications required? The mental suitability of any hopeful is equally as crucial, while periodic evaluations while in the Force, are important. Mental suitability not only refers to the mental health of an individual, but their pre-dispositions/core beliefs. Those who are racists, tribalists, sexists, homophobic, prone to exaggeration, corrupt, hateful, cruel, violent, quick to anger, angry, trigger-happy, drug or alcohol abusers and so on, that is, they cannot pass the reasonable man’s test, have no business being recruited into any Police Force. In Nigeria, there’s a fairly common belief that some Police personnel, most especially those manning checkpoints, partake in the use of hard drugs - and because they are armed, anyone who argues with them could be on a suicide mission!

There has to be a better system of evaluation and recruitment, accountability for actions and transparency of disciplinary procedures for erring Police Officers. There must be better training for the acquisition of skill sets for whatever aspect of policing that Officers are deployed to, in line with international best practices. For Nigeria in particular, remuneration and welfare packages for Police personnel should be reviewed upwards, considering their harsh working conditions and the welfare of their families, should anything happen to them in the line of duty. This will enhance their feelings of job satisfaction, make them less desperate and frustrated, less prone to corruption and less inclined to lash out at people.

It is imperative that the choice of Inspector General of Police (whose appointment in accordance with Sections 215(1)(a) and 216(2)) should be made, taking into consideration such a person’s track record of service, because when such a person is “qualified morally, operationally and administratively, they could bring sanity to bear in the use of Police powers by their subordinates”.

The Public, Human Rights groups, the Media and other stakeholders, must also be consulted, to make useful inputs into any Police Reform initiative. One thing is certain, the American Police

“IN TANDEM WITH POLICE REFORM, THERE MUST BE SOME SERIOUS SOCIETAL REFORM - IF NOT, THE FORMER WILL BE INEFFECTIVE, AS WELL AS A WASTE OF TIME.....

CHANGE MUST COME FROM THE SOCIETY, SPEARHEADED BY THOSE IN POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY”

Departments and the Nigeria Police Force, are in dire need of reform.

P.S.: Disqualification of Governor Obaseki In APC v Engr. Suleiman Aluyi Lere (2020) 1 NWLR (Part 1705) 254, Rhodes-Vivour, JSC at 285 said: "Candidates are expected to obtain expression of interest and nomination forms, present their certificates for verification, and appear before a Screening Committee. This is the stage at which the domestic or internal affairs of the political party, are not justiciable. The courts will not dabble into how a member of the party is screened, or why a member was not cleared by the party to contest the primaries.

Put in another way, before a member of the party is cleared, the party has the power to disqualify their member, and is answerable to no one, including the courts. A dissatisfied member's remedy is to leave the party, and seek his political ambitions somewhere else".

In view of the recent ‘disqualification’ of Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State as an aspirant for the upcoming Edo State Gubernatorial election on the APC platform, based on “spurious” allegations regarding his HSC and NYSC certificates, my dear Colleagues, does the pronouncement in Suleiman Lere’s case open the floodgates for abuse by political parties to witch hunt and disqualify for nonsensical reasons, members who have fallen out of favour with their party’s leadership? Does the decision in Lere’s case oust the jurisdiction of the courts, which is guaranteed by Section 6 of the Constitution? Kindly, comment on this.

16.06.2020

NEWS/7

Ogun Inaugurates Duty Solicitor Advisory Committee of fundamental rights of suspects or detainees, The Ogun State Attorney- particularly the right to General and Commis- legal representation, sioner for Justice, Mr. adding that, closing Akingbolahan Adeniran, of the access to justice has inaugurated the gap by giving the poor Duty Solicitor Advisory opportunities that were Committee for the State, more readily accessible charging them to bring to the rich. justice, equity and sanity Adeniran said that the to the administration of Committee would also justice in the State. encourage the Police Adeniran stated this to seek other types of while inaugurating the evidence and become Committee through a PRUH HͿHFWLYH LQ FDUU\virtual programme, so ing out investigations, as to keep to Govern- noting that, it would ment’s orders on social further reduce forced distancing and for fear confessional statements of the world pandemic, quality of investigations, "Coronavirus", at POWA as obvious clues were Secretariat Hall, Police ignored.

Headquarters, Eleweran, He said that the ComAbeokuta, the Ogun State mittee which constituted capital. within-named "Police He said that the Com- Duty Solicitor Scheme", mittee would stand as ZLOO ZRUN ZLWK WKH R΀FH a mechanism for the of the Attorney-General provision of free legal ser- and Commissioner for vices in Police formations -XVWLFH DQG WKH 2΀FH DQG LQ IXOÀOPHQW RI WKH of the Commissioner of legal and constitutional Police. obligations concerning He noted that it would procedures for arrest, reduce prison congestion, detention and trial of and speed up the pace of suspects by the Nigeria criminal trials in the State, Police. noting that allegations He added that, it would of torture during Police ensure the enforcement interrogations would, Ademola Orunbon

Ogun State Commissioner of Police, CP Kenneth Ebrimson (left), and Ogun State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Akingbolahan Adeniran, at the inauguration of Duty Solicitor Advisory Committee, held at POWA Secretariat Hall, Police Headquarters, Ogun State Command, Eleweran, Abeokuta

henceforth, reduce.

Earlier Speaking, the Ogun State Commissioner for Police, Kenneth Ebrimson, disclosed that the aim of the scheme is to

Court Warns DPR, Petroleum Minister Over Oil Field Auction Peter Taiwo

Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court Ikoyi, Lagos, issued warnings to the Minister of Petroleum Resources and Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), not to breach its orders restraining them from taking any action on revoking the Ororo Marginal Field in OML 95, pending a suit challenging its status.

The warning was issued after the court was been LQIRUPHG E\ WKH 3ODLQWLͿ¡V counsel, Mr Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, that despite the order, DPR published an advertorial requesting for bids for Marginal Field(s) which may jeopardise the interest of WKH 3ODLQWLͿ 2ZHQD 2LO and Gas Limited.

Upon the application of Pinheiro, SAN, Justice Hassan renewed his directive that the Government maintain the status quo with regard to the revocation, pending the determination of the motion on notice, adding that, any breach of this order would be dealt with.

During the proceeding, counsel to the 3rd Respondent, Mr Babajide Ogundipe, informed the court of a pending applica-

foster community policing, strengthen service delivery by the Police, increase the protection and promotion of legal and human rights of suspects and detainees in Police custody, among others.

CP Ebrimson noted that, to ensure proper implementation of the scheme in Nigeria, the establishment of the Committee is provided for in paragraph 4 of the Force Order, which to be established at the Fed-

eral and State levels and would constitute the O/C Lega, Ogun State Police Command, Magistrates in the State Judiciary, the State Coordinator of Legal Aid Council, and representatives of Citizens Rights department, among others.

He said the Committee would meet periodically (every three months) with the Commissioner of Police and the Director General Legal Aid Council or its Supervisor in the State, to

review, advise and resolve any outstanding issues DÍżHFWLQJ WKH HÍżHFWLYH implementation of the Scheme, and that would DOVR DÍżHFW WKH VPRRWK running of the Scheme.

He added that the Advisory Committee would prepare regulations to guide its operational activities, saying that O/C Legal, Ogun State Police Command, and the Magistrates of Ogun State Judiciary would Co- chair the Committee.

Stark Legal Applauds SEC for Regulations are restricted from raising funds through the public.

7KH ODZ Ă€UP RI 6WDUN /HJDO He noted: “Section 22 (5) Solicitors, has applauded of the Companies and Allied Securities and Exchange Matters Act (CAMA) and Commission (SEC), for Section 67 of the Investment putting regulations in place and Securities Act (ISA), for crowdfunding in the restrict private companies limited by shares from private sector.

Speaking on the topic: ‘An inviting the public to subOverview of the Securities scribe for any of its shares and Exchange Commis- or debentures, and creates sion’s Proposed Rules on SHQDOWLHV IRU SXEOLF Ă€QDQFLQJ Crowdfunding in Nigeria’, without authorisation from the Managing Partner, SEC.â€?

According to him, due Mr. Ayobamidele Akande, to the high cost of raising lauded SEC. “Considering the increasing funds from traditional banks, rate at which investors and the regulatory restrictions to Ă€QDQFLHUV KDYH LQGLFDWHG public funding has impeded interest in the Nigerian the possible growth of these economy in recent times, entities. “SEC recently released SEC’s move to put regulations in place for crowdfund- a proposed regulation on ing in the private sector, is Crowdfunding, which is an applaudable strideâ€?, he WKH Ă€UVW KROLVWLF DSSURDFK to govern the industry and noted.

Akande, however, contin- align the country alongside ued that private limited li- several international jurisdicability companies in Nigeria, tions�, he commended.

Rebecca Ejifoma

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Marlin Sylva

tion and sought a date for hearing.

In an earlier proceeding, on May 27, the court had granted an order of interim injunction against the Respondents, following a May 19 motion ex- parte Ă€OHG E\ 2ZHQD 2LO DQG Gas Ltd. Justice Hassan issued an order stating: “An order of interim injunction of status

quo is hereby granted, retraining the Defendants/ Respondents from taking any step in respect of the revocation of the Ororo Marginal Field in OML 95 pending the determination of the motion on notice�.

7KH RLO ÀUP ÀOHG WKH motion on notice with the Minister, DPR and Guarantee Petroleum Company Ltd, as 1st - 3rd Respondents.

He described crowdfunding as the process of raising IXQGV WR ÀQDQFH D SURMHFW or business from the public, through an online platform.

On eligibility, Akande added that all Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) incorporated as a company in Nigeria with a minimum of two years operating track record, shall be eligible to raise funds through a crowdfunding portal registered by the SEC, in exchange for the issuance of shares, debentures, or such other investment instrument as the Commission may determine from time to time.

He, however, warned that every platform that facilitates interaction between fundraisers and the investing public (crowd) for the purpose of any investment-based crowdfunding, shall be registered with SEC as a crowdfunding portal.

8/

16.06.2020

Are Virtual Court Hearings Constitutional? (Part 3) Introduction

T

wo weeks ago, we looked at the nature of virtual court hearings and what it entails; and compared it to the normality of the traditional court hearing. Then, last week, we delved into the legal issues and challenges arising from the use of virtual court hearings. Today, we conclude the three-part topic on the constitutionality of virtual court hearings.

The Constitution and Virtual Court Sittings Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution, provides for the inalienable and undeniable right to fair hearing. This right expands to provide for an “open” trial, in which case the “proceedings of courts and tribunals established under the law [are] conducted in public”. This means that members of the public, must “have free and unfettered access” to the courtroom.

In CHUKWU v STATE (2012) LPELR – 15360 (CA), the court made it clear that: “the requirement of fair hearing in public, especially to a person charged with a criminal offence, is a Constitutional requirement. It is meant to preclude hearing of causes or matters in private, or in secret. Thus, by Section 36(3) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution (supra), the proceedings of a court or Tribunal including the announcement of decisions, shall be held in public. The hearing of the court in a particular cause, starts from the filing of the action or writ as the case may be, the calling of evidence, the addresses of counsel and the pronouncement of judgement. In all these, the proceedings must be in public.” Per TSAMMANI J.C.A. (P. 23-24, paras. C-G) In KOSEBINU & ORS v ALIMI (2005) LPELR – 11442 (CA), it was made clear that “by Section 74(m) of the Evidence Act, judicial notice should be taken of “the course of proceeding” in the lower court; and the course has been that proceeding including pronouncement of decision in the State or Federal High Courts, have always been conducted in the open court rather than the Chambers the lower court resorted to, in the delivery of its judgement”. The Appellant in this case had argued that, what amounts to a “public place” within the meaning of Section 36 (3) of the 1999 Constitution, is a question of fact. He had relied on the Supreme Court decision in N.A.B. LTD v BARRI ENGINEERING (NIG) LTD (1995) 8 NWLR (p 413) 257. In rejecting this argument out rightly, Muhammad, JCA (as he then was) who delivered the lead judgement, put it most succinctly, thus: “The Supreme Court's decision in the Barri's case, is a profound restatement of this practice and recognition of same. The Supreme Court per Kutigi, JSC at p. 276 of the Law Report in considering S.33 (1) and (3) of the 1979 Constitution and Order 43 (1) of the Lagos State High Court rules firstly stated thus: "These enactments clearly show that the learned trial Judge should have sat in public and in open court to deliver his judgement." Then, in a further amplification at page 291 of the report, Ogundare, JSC (as he then was) stated why delivery of judgment in Chambers contravenes the legislations under reference. He held thus: "A Judges' Chambers is not one of the regular court rooms, nor is it a place to which the public have right to ingress and egress as of right, except on invitation by or with permission of the Judge." It is my firm and considered view that a place qualifies under S.36 (3) of the 1999 Constitution to be called "public", and which a regular court room is, if it is outrightly accessible, and not so accessible on the basis of the "permission" or "consent" of the Judge. In the case at hand, but for the "permission" or "consent" of the Judge to have the judgement delivered in his Chambers, neither the parties nor their counsel and indeed, the public at large, would have had access as of right to the Judge's Chambers. It is of the essence of justice that not only should it be done, but that it should actually be seen to be done. Read the Apex Court again to this end, when in Barri's case (Supra) at pages 290-291 of the report, it states: "Any act of secrecy, however desirable it might seem, detracts from the aura of impartiality, independence, publicity, and unqualified respect which enshrouds justice given without fear of favour. Its acceptance by the public at large, and the confidence it demands, depend on these aura being strictly adhered to.”

The Supreme Court was more profuse in SIMON EDIBO v STATE (2007) LPELR – 1012 (SC) when, it held: “By Section 33(3) of the 1979 Constitution, the proceeding of a court or tribunal shall be held in public. Public means, for the use of everyone without discrimination.

Anything, gathering or audience which is not private, is public." "Learned counsel for the Respondent urged the court to follow Oyeyipo, and submitted that there was no miscarriage of justice by taking the plea of the Appellant in chambers. With respect, learned counsel is not correct. If

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad

there is a breach of fundamental right, it does not lie in the mouth of the party in breach, to canvass that there was no miscarriage of justice arising from the breach. The breach of the fundamental right being fundamental, overrides and overtakes the common law principle of "no miscarriage of justice.”

Indeed, Section 259 ACJA (1) provides: 259(1) Subject to the provisions of Sections 232 and 260 to 262 of this Act and of any other law specifically relating thereto, the room or place in which a trial is to take place under this Act shall be an open court to which the public generally may have access as far as it can conveniently contain them.

The following provisions of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure Rules) 2019, are also apposite.

Order 18 (4) Where the Court intends to formulate issues for determination, it shall be done in open court and on notice to the parties to attend the hearing for the formulation of issues for determination.

Order 20 (1) Subject to these rules and to any enactment relating to evidence, any fact required to be proved at the trial of any action, shall be proved by written deposition and oral examination of witnesses in open court.

Order 23 Judgement, Entry of Judgement The Judge shall after trial, deliver judgement in open court.

Order 23(9)(1) Where the defendant has no legal practitioner, such order shall not be made unless the defendant gives consent

“IT HAS BEEN ARGUED THAT, SECTION 36 (4)(A) AND (B) PERMIT COURTS OF LAW TO EXCLUDE CERTAIN PERSONS FROM THEIR PROCEEDING; AND THIS THEREFORE, MEANS SITTING IN SECRECY, THE EQUIVALENT THEY ARGUE, TO VIRTUAL COURT SITTINGS. THIS IS INCORRECT”

in person in open court.

It has been argued that, Section 36 (4)(a) and (b) permit courts of law to exclude certain persons from their proceeding; and this therefore, means sitting in secrecy, the equivalent they argue, to virtual court sittings. This is incorrect.

That a court must sit in public and in the open, shows it is actually emphasised by the exceptions provided in Section 36 (4)(a) and (b).

Section 36 (4)(a) & (b) state: “(4) Whenever any person is charged with a criminal offence, he shall, unless the charge is withdrawn, be entitled to a fair hearing in public within a reasonable time by a court or tribunal: Provided that – a. a court or such a tribunal may exclude from its proceedings persons other than the parties thereto or their legal practitioners in the interest of defence, public safety, public order, public morality, the welfare of persons who have not attained the age of eighteen years, the protection of the private lives of the parties or to such extent as it may consider necessary by reason of special circumstances in which publicity would be contrary to the interests of justice; b. if in any proceedings before a court or such a tribunal, a Minister of the Government of the Federation or a Commissioner of the government of a State satisfies the court or tribunal that it would not be in the public interest for any matter to be publicly disclosed, the court or tribunal shall make arrangements for evidence relating to that matter to be heard in private and shall take such other action as may be necessary or expedient to prevent the disclosure of the matter.”

These are but mere provisos (exceptions), to the sacrosanct rule of courts sitting in open court. This position was made clear in Ezeama v State (2014) LPELR – 22504 (CA), as follows: “It is my considered opinion that Section 36(4) refers to 3 basic things and stages in criminal adjudication: (1) fair trial (2) in public (3) within a reasonable time. It must be noted that, it has general applicability and common to all classes of criminal adjudication, while the exceptions are encapsulated in provisos (a) and (b). While the general provision may apply and affect the Appellant, his case does not come within the exceptions.

The exceptions refer to “uncommon criminal cases and accused persons” such as notorious criminals, political criminals, prisoners of war, juveniles or young persons, and all category of accused persons that their personality or trial may constitute a threat to the country’s defence, public safety, public order, morality, etc.

The Appellant is a common suspect or accused at the trial court and not an “uncommon criminal”, neither did his personality, trial or his case constitute any of the afore-listed threats to the State or country. Thus, there ought not to be a request for his trial not to be held in public”.

In the same vein, it is worthy of note that, “An application to protect a witness may be made by the court suo motu, or by the Attorney-General of the Federation or other relevant law enforcement or security agencies” (Section 34(a) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act, 2013. Similarly, Section 232 (1) (2) and (3) of ACJA buttress this point further by stating that: “A trial for the offences referred to in subsection (4) of this section may not, where the court so determines, be held in an open court”.

It is further provided in the said section that, where the court deems it fit to protect the identity of the victim or a witness, the court may take any or all of the following measures: (a) receive evidence by video link; (b) permit the witness to be screened or masked; (c) receive written deposition of expert’s evidence; and any other measures that the court considers appropriate in the circumstances. The names, addresses, telephone numbers and identity of the victims of such offences or witnesses shall not be disclosed in any record or report of the proceedings, and it shall be sufficient to designate the names of the victims or witnesses with a combination of alphabets.

Indeed, Section 259 (2) provides that: “(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, the Judge or Magistrate presiding over a trial may, in his discretion and subject to the provisions of Section 260 of this Act, exclude the public at any stage of the hearing on the grounds of public policy, decency or expedience.

(3) Where the court is sitting in a place other than a building, the authority given in subsection (2) of this section to exclude the public shall be construed as being authority to prevent the public approaching so near to where the court is sitting, as in the opinion of the Judge or Magistrate, to be able to hear what is taking place at the trial, or be able to communicate with a person allowed to be present.”

All the above provisions apply in equal measure; The Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act and the ACJA. THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK “A fair trial is one in which the rules of evidence are honoured, the accused has competent counsel, and the Judge enforces the proper courtroom procedures - a trial in which every assumption can be challenged.”- Harry Browne

LAW REPORT/3

Whether Failure to Obtain Leave to Appeal, Renders Entire Notice of Appeal Invalid

T Facts

he Appellant commenced a suit against the Respondents at the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt Judicial Division, via an Originating Summons. The court delivered its judgement, in favour of the Appellant. Dissatisfied, the Respondent filed an appeal before the Court of Appeal. The Appellant also filed a Crossappeal, against part of the decision it was dissatisfied with.

After briefs of argument had been filed and exchanged, the Appellant (as Cross-Appellant at the lower court), realised that it ought to have obtained leave of court before filing the Cross-appeal. Further to this, it filed an application for trinity prayers dated March 28th, 2006. In its ruling delivered on July 10th, 2006, the Court of Appeal dismissed the Appellant’s application. Thereafter, the Appellant filed a similar motion dated January 20th, 2007, seeking the same reliefs as contained in the application that was earlier dismissed.

The Court of Appeal, in its ruling delivered on November 7th, 2011, struck out the Appellant’s application, on the ground that the trinity prayers made in the application were similar to those made in the previous application dated March 28th, 2006, which was refused by the court. The court adjudged the application as an abuse of court process, and also held that it had become functus officio after its ruling of July 10th, 2006 refusing the earlier application.

Dissatisfied, the Appellant appealed to the Supreme Court.

In its Notice of Appeal, it raised five grounds of appeal, from which it distilled four issues for determination. Briefs of Argument were filed and exchanged. The Respondent filed a Notice of Preliminary Objection, against issues two and four of the Appellant’s Issues for Determination. At the hearing of the appeal, counsel for the Appellant abandoned issues two and four; thus, conceding to the Respondent’s Preliminary Objection. The Court considered the Appellant’s remaining two issues, in its determination of the appeal.

Issues for Determination 1. Whether the Court of Appeal was right to have held that, granting of leave to appeal is not sufficient to cure the defect in the Notice of Appeal that had earlier been filed without leave, having regard to the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of WILLIAMS v MOKWE (2005) 14 NWLR (Pt. 945) 249.

2. Whether the decision of the Court of Appeal refusing leave to appeal on ground of incompetence, operates as a bar to the Appellant bringing the same application before the same court, subsequently.

Arguments On the first issue, counsel for the Appellant contended that although the Appellant had filed the Notice of Appeal without leave of court in the mistaken belief that there was no need to seek and obtain leave, the Court of Appeal ought to have regularised their position as was done by the Supreme Court in WILLIAMS v MOKWE (Supra), rather than distinguishing the case and holding that leave cannot be granted retrospectively.

Counsel for the Appellant submitted that the distinction made by the Court of Appeal was erroneous, and had made the court lose sight of the real issue determined in WILLIAMS v MOKWE (Supra). He argued further that, a single valid ground of appeal is all that is required for a Notice of Appeal to be valid, and in view of the fact that not all the grounds in the Appellant’s Notice of Appeal were invalid, the Notice of Appeal was not void ab initio, as decided by the Court of Appeal.

Conversely, Counsel for the Respondent argued that, although decisions of the Supreme Court are binding and must be followed by the Court of Appeal, where the circumstances giving rise to the decision of the Supreme Court are different from the facts of the case before the Court of Appeal, the lower court is not bound to follow the decision of the Supreme Court, but may distinguish it as appropriate. Counsel relied on ADEGOKE MOTORS v ADESANYA (1989) 3 NWLR (Pt. 109) 250.

Submitting further on the issue, counsel for the Respondent stated that the decision in WILLIAMS v MOKWE (Supra) was inapplicable in the circumstances of the case, and the Court of Appeal was right in refusing to follow it and rightly distinguished it. He contended that in WILLIAMS v MOKWE (Supra), the court granted leave after the Notice of Appeal was filed, because the leave sought was to appeal

Honourable John Inyang Okoro, JSC

In the Supreme Court of Nigeria Holden at Abuja On Friday, the 7th day of February, 2020 Before Their Lordships

Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili Olukayode Ariwoola John Inyang Okoro Amina Adamu Augie Paul Adamu Galinje SC.4/2008 Between NATIONAL INLAND WATERWAYS AUTHORITY

APPELLANTS

And THE SHELL PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY OF NIGERIA LIMITED

RESPONDENT

(Lead Judgement delivered by Honourable John Inyang Okoro, JSC) as a party interested in a final judgement and the decision in the case did not require leave and had nothing to do with retrospective regularisation of an appeal, unlike the instant case. Counsel argued that the

Appellant’s application in the instant case was premised on the nature of the part of the decision appealed against, which the Appellant labelled “Interlocutory” and which required leave of court by

“BOTH PARTIES TO THIS APPEAL, INCLUDING THE COURT BELOW AGREE THAT GROUNDS 3 AND 4 IN THE NOTICE OF APPEAL ARE COMPETENT AND RELATE TO THE FINAL DECISION OF THE TRIAL COURT, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE LEAVE. THIS MEANS THAT THE NOTICE OF APPEAL ITSELF WAS COMPETENT, BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO COMPETENT GROUNDS WHICH COULD SUSTAIN THE APPEAL”

virtue of Section 242(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

On the second issue, it was submitted on behalf of the Appellant that a decision of court refusing extension of time to file an appeal or application for reason of noncompliance, cannot create an Issue Estoppel in a subsequent action, appeal or application. Counsel relied on the case of MERCANTILE GROUP AG v AYELA (1995) 13 NWLR (414) 450 at 465-467. He opined further that, the merit of the Appellant’s application of March 28th, 2006 was never considered by the Court of Appeal in arriving at its decision of July 10th, 2006, because the only issue that was really considered was the technical issue of failure to obtain the required leave of court before filing the Notice of Appeal. The implication of this is that the appeal was only defective in form, because a condition for instituting it had not been met; hence, the Appellant was not barred from re-filing the application.

The Respondent, on the other hand, contended that when a court refuses an application for leave to appeal, that court may or may not be functus officio depending on the nature of the decision made thereon. He argued that, where the initial application for leave was not just refused but was dismissed for lacking in merit as in this case, the court is functus officio and lacks the jurisdiction to entertain a similar subsequent application. He cited MOHAMMED v OLAWUNMI (1993) 4 NWLR (Pt. 288) 384 and submitted that the Court of Appeal was right in declining jurisdiction to entertain the Appellant’s motion of January 20th, 2007 given that a similar application of March 28th, 2006 was dismissed for lacking in merit.

Court’s Judgement and Rationale In resolving the first issue, the Court relied on its decision in J.A. ADERIBIGBE & ANOR v TIAMIYU ABIDOYE (2009) LPELR-140 (SC) 20, Paras. D–F that a Notice of Appeal can be competent and valid, if it contains at least one valid Ground of Appeal. The Court held that, although the Respondent rightly clarified the distinction made by the Court of Appeal in the case of WILLIAM v MOKWE (Supra) and the instant case, however, the Court of Appeal was wrong when it held that the Notice of Appeal filed by the Appellant was void ab initio.

Considering that the parties, as well as the court below agreed that grounds 3 and 4 in the Notice of Appeal are competent and relate to the final decision of the trial court which did not require leave, it follows that the Notice of Appeal itself was competent, as there were two competent grounds which could sustain the appeal. The Supreme Court held, agreeing with the decision of the lower court that grounds 1 and 2 in the Notice of Appeal relating to an interlocutory decision were incompetent because leave of court was not sought and obtained before filing same; however, having adjudged grounds 3 and 4 in the Notice of Appeal to be valid, the said grounds saved the Notice of Appeal from being void ab initio, and the Court of Appeal ought to have heard the appeal on those two competent grounds.

On the second issue, the court agreed with the Respondent and held that, where a matter has been fully argued and determined on its merit, it will amount to an abuse of the court process to re-litigate the same issues already determined. The ruling of the Court of Appeal of July 10th, 2006 was final as far as the Court of Appeal was concerned, and the second application which led to the ruling of the lower court of November 7th, 2011 was indeed, an abuse of court process. The lower court having earlier decided on the same prayers in the first application, had no competence to entertain it again, as it would amount to sitting on appeal over its earlier decision.

Appeal Allowed in Part.

Dissenting Opinion Honourable Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili, JSC gave a dissenting opinion and dismissed the appeal.

Representation Adeyinka Aderemi with Idode Momoh Olajide and Osefan Anegbe for the Appellant.

Chief (Mrs.) A. Williams–Akinjide, SAN with E. Osagie for the Respondent.

Reported by Optimum Publishers Limited, Publishers of the Nigerian Monthly Law Report (NMLR)

4/ COVER

16.06.2020

NBA Elections Will be The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), is unarguably the largest professional body in Africa. With almost 200,000 members, the body’s biennial elections come with understandably humongous challenges. This year’s elections to its national offices present no less, and Mr Tawo Eja Tawo, SAN has been given the herculean task of midwifing the elections, which will be by universal suffrage and e-voting. In a chat with Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi, he outlined the responsibilities of the Nigerian Bar Association Electoral Committee (ECNBA) of which he is Chairman, and gave insights on how his Committee intends to deliver a free, fair and transparent election next month

A

few weeks ago, you assured Nigerian Lawyers that your Committee would deliver a credible, free and fair election.

What specific plans do you have in place to fulfil this promise, given the fact the last few elections of the Nigerian Bar Association were trailed with controversies?

The assurance to deliver a credible, free and fair election for the NBA, still stands. To achieve that, we will ensure adherence to the attributes or ingredients of a credible, free and fair election, to wit, inclusiveness, transparency, accountability and competitiveness in the 2020 general elections of the National Executives of the NBA. Inclusiveness; where members of the Bar are provided equal opportunities to participate in the elections either as voters or candidates subject of course, to the Constitution of the NBA. Transparency; where members and stakeholders can verify independently, the conduct of the electoral process. Accountability; where the rights of the members with respect to the conduct of the stakeholders and candidates in the election is sustainable, and competitiveness where members will have reasonable and equal opportunities to compete in the elections.

The Committee has a road map of activities for the election, which commenced with the issuance of a preliminary notice for the elections.

Thereafter, the guidelines for the elections were issued, and nomination of candidates opened on May 11th, 2020 and closed on May 29th, 2020.

We are in the process of screening the nominees, before publication of the list of candidates. There shall be a period for appeals, as provided for in the election guidelines. We have, and shall be issuing periodic statements, to put members in the know of the activities and the electoral process.

We are aware that one of the keys to the successful delivery of our electoral mandate, is the compilation of an authentic and credible voters register consisting of only the names of eligible voters as prescribed by the Constitution of the NBA, in order not to disenfranchise any qualified member from voting. Secondly, since the election is by e-voting, the deployment of a suitable election portal/platform that is easily accessible and user friendly is very important, and this has to be done on the advice and in consultation with a credible IT Consultant engaged for the purpose of assisting in the conduct of the election, which will also include voter education for the use of the election portal.

Nigerian Lawyers were shocked when you stated in a recent press release, that the NBA presented your Committee with an already prepared e-voting platform, over which your Committee had no input. This has raised serious apprehensions in the minds of many, that it could be a ploy to rig the elections in favour of a particular candidate.

Is your Committee ready to accept that voting platform to deliver the election? If so, how will you be able to convince Lawyers that the elections will be free and fair?

If you had the opportunity of reading my press statement No. 003 of May 15th, 2020 captioned “The Journey so far”, you would have discovered that those were not my words. However, I want to believe that was the understanding of the reporter who chose such a headline for his story.

What I said was that, the Committee was briefed that the NBA has its own e-voting platform/ portal for elections developed by an IT firm. I did not say the e-voting platform/portal was developed specifically for the 2020 elections, and neither did I say anything that should warrant an inference that the NBA developed platform was created for the purpose of rigging the elections, far from it. It may be of interest to point out that, the IT firm, TAVIA, that developed the NBA election portal/platform, is not conducting the e-voting election for the NBA; rather another IT

Mr Tawo Eja Tawo, SAN

consultant will do that. I went further in that statement to state that, in spite of the obvious advantages of the NBA portal, namely reduction in cost and security of members data vis- a-vis deployment of another election platform or portal, there was the need to engage an independent IT Consultant to analyse, assess and critique the portal as to its integrity, functionality and suitability for the elections, or otherwise advice on other options.

Let me say this, we as a people, not just Lawyers but Nigerians, have so much programmed and skewed our mind set and perception to negativism and pessimism, that we fail to see or look at the good side or intention of a particular exercise or project; rather we look and search for the bad, the ugly and the hidden agenda, even when none exist. That is why bad news sells faster. Having said that, what is wrong for

“IT MAY BE OF INTERESTTO POINT OUTTHAT, THE IT FIRM, TAVIA, THAT DEVELOPED THE NBA ELECTION PORTAL/PLATFORM, IS NOT CONDUCTING THE E-VOTING ELECTION FOR THE NBA; RATHER ANOTHER IT CONSULTANTWILL DO THAT”

an organisation that conducts a crucial election biannually to develop an election portal for use for its elections, rather than every two years an IT firm is commissioned or contracted to develop an election portal for the election, and discard same afterwards?

However, like I stated in the said Statement No. 003, the e-voting portal to deploy for the election would depend on the advice and report of the IT Consultant engaged for the election, upon analysing the existing NBA election platform.

Despite your warning to candidates for the various offices, it does appear as if your warning was observed in breach, as many of them have been on all media platforms practically campaigning and canvassing for votes, even when the ban had not been lifted. How do you intend to assure that all candidates play by the rules? Do your rules and guidelines permit aspirants traversing the length and breadth of the country, visiting Branches to seek for votes? If not, what are your Committee’s plans to deal with this?

What exactly do your rules permit for the canvassing for votes? After all, candidates must make themselves known to the electorate at large to share their manifestos and win them over.

The ECNBA has general powers to conduct the 2020 general elections of the NBA; those powers are however, subject to the NBA Constitution.

It is in consequence of those powers, that we issued guidelines for the election. The ban for the campaigns has not been lifted, because there are no candidates for the elections yet. Assuming at this stage an aspirant embarks on a campaign spree and upon screening he or she is rightly disqualified from contesting the election, of what benefit would the campaign be? Come to think of it, and in all frankness, what is the campaign for the NBA election all about? Is it

for vote buying or letting members know the candidate’s program for the Association and its members? If it is for the latter, paragraph 1.3(f) of the second schedule to the NBA Constitution 2015 (as amended) has taken care of that, to the effect that candidates are to submit copies of their curriculum vitae, comprehensive manifestoes and other campaign materials to the ECNBA for publication on the NBA website. Besides, with a few inquiries from colleagues, members will be able to ascertain and determine the capability of any of the candidates.

The essence of the guidelines and constitutional limitations and prohibitions to campaigns, such as traversing and criss-crossing the entire length and breadth of the country for votes, is to discourage unnecessary spending of money with the attendant urge to recoup same upon being elected.

In terms of any breach of the guidelines or the constitutional provisions by the candidates, we are monitoring the activities of the prospective candidates and their supporters, and we shall not hesitate to impose appropriate sanctions for any violation. This also brings me back to the issue of accountability which I mentioned earlier, as an ingredient of a credible election which pertains to members’ rights to question the conduct of the stakeholders and the candidates for the election.

Some Aspirants have been accused of enticing young Lawyers with juicy monetary offers, by asking them for their account numbers to help pay their practicing fees and Branch dues. Does this not amount to inducement and election malpractice? How are you responding to such allegations?

Inducement or monetary offers to voters, is vote buying simpliciter. It is an anathema to the tenets of democracy, and portends grave damage to any society or organisation that encourages it,

16.06.2020

COVER/5

Free, Fair and Credible as it will scuttle the right to conscientiously call those elected through vote buying to account.

In fact, it is inexcusable, both for the vote buyer and the vote seller.

Yes, asking for account numbers from some members for the payment of their Bar practicing fees and branch dues by aspirants or prospective candidates, especially during the election year, amounts to an inducement and election malpractice.

However, those are general allegations which we cannot act upon, without proof or evidence of such allegations. That notwithstanding, if the Committee by whatsoever means and ways finds out that any aspirant or candidate indulges or indulged in such or any other malpractice, the full weight of the relevant constitutional provisions will be brought to bear on such aspirant or candidate.

What is your position on ethnic endorsement or adoption of Candidates, despite the fact that the election will be by universal suffrage?

In my humble opinion, there is a seeming difference between endorsement of a candidate and adoption of a candidate. Endorsement of a candidate, is the support or approval of a candidate by a person or group of persons. Adoption of a candidate, on the other hand, is the choice to make a candidate a group’s own candidate, i.e. the group of persons put forward the candidate as their own and only candidate.

Generally, endorsements and adoptions are integral to democracy. Adoption is usually an off shoot of consensus amongst the aspirants or candidates, and the group or platform the candidates seek to represent. It follows therefore, that in the absence of a consensus, adoption of a candidate by a group becomes more or less ineffectual, because other candidates may likely emerge in defiance of the adoption. Having said that, adoption on its own is not bad in a democracy, provided there is a consensus.

My take here is that, adoption arising from a consensus is good because it tends to reduce acrimony, rancour, as well as tension, and brings about collaboration, peace, synergy, unity of ideas and understanding, not only amongst the aspirants or candidates, but also amongst the electorates.

The interim list of voters just released by your Committee, is riddled with so many errors and omissions. Although there is said to be a window of opportunity to correct these errors, it has been revealed that many Branches claim that they don’t have the capacity to verify the list of their members who have paid Branch dues. This will undoubtedly affect the eligibility of many voters. What remedies are available to ensure that Lawyers are not unduly denied their right to vote?

It is not correct to say that the interim voters list released by my Committee is riddled with so many errors and omissions, especially when the interim list is considered with the accompanying ECNBA statement No.005 in view. The import of your statement on the purported errors and omissions, is that the errors were occasioned by the Committee, and that is far from the truth.

Paragraph 1.2(f) of the second schedule to the NBA Constitution predicated the eligibility to vote at the elections on the twin requirement of payment of Bar Practicing Fees and Branch Dues as at when due, which by the Constitution is the 31st day of March of the election year, in this case 2020. To compile the voters list, the Committee’s resource for the assignment is the Bar Practising Fees list from the National Secretariat of the NBA, since Bar Practicing Fees is paid to NBA National, while the Branch Dues list from the 125 branches of the NBA, since the Branch Dues are paid to the branches.

Paragraph 1.3 (d) of the second schedule to the NBA Constitution stipulates that the full list of

“YES, ASKING FOR ACCOUNT

NUMBERS FROM SOME MEMBERS FOR THE PAYMENT OF THEIR BAR PRACTICING FEES AND BRANCH DUES BY ASPIRANTS OR PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES, ESPECIALLY DURING THE ELECTION YEAR, AMOUNTS TO AN INDUCEMENT AND ELECTION MALPRACTICE�

Mr Tawo Eja Tawo, SAN

all legal practitioners qualified to vote shall be published by the ECNBA in conjunction with the National Secretariat of the NBA, at least 28 days before the date of the election. Bearing in mind the said paragraph 1.3(d), the Committee asked the National Secretariat to request from the branches, the list of their members who have paid their branch dues. Based on our request, the General Secretary of the NBA early April 2020 requested for the said list from the branches, giving them about three weeks to do so. When the Committee realised that the response from the branches was very poor, it stepped in and made the request for branches to submit the said list of their members with proof of payment of branch dues not later than May 2nd, 2020. The time was further extended to May 9th, 2020.

Thereafter, the time for submission became open ended so to speak, just to accommodate all the branches. It was disheartening that as at May 29th, 2020, only about 36 out of 125 branches complied with the Committee’s request. From the list we got from the branches with proof of payment of branch dues matched with the Bar Practicing fees list from the NBA Secretariat, we could only compile a list with slightly below 10,000 names. The Committee had to fall back on the stamp and seal list of those who paid both their bar practicing fees and branch dues, and applied for the stamps. The rationale for the stamp and seal list is the assumption that to apply for stamp, the member must have paid both the bar practicing fees and branch dues. The stamp and seal list was obtained from the National Secretariat, bearing in mind the provisions of paragraph 1.3 (d) earlier mentioned. That was how we were able to get over 21,000 names, on the interim list.

The publication of the interim voters register was a strategy adopted by the Committee, to ensure the compilation of a credible voters register.

It was a clarion call for the branch Chairmen to take responsibility, and for members to call out their branch Chairmen to do the needful, in order not to jeopardise their chances of voting in the election. I want to reiterate and reassure that, no Lawyer with proof of eligibility to vote will be excluded and/or disenfranchised howsoever, from the elections.

I call on all members and branch Chairmen to utilise the window of opportunity created by

the publication of the interim voters register, to do the needful. I am happy with the response so far from the branches, and must say that the strategy is paying off.

How is the issue of Lawyers who were unable to pay their practicing fees before the deadline as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown, being resolved?

The period and time of payment of Bar practicing fees as at when due is a constitutional issue, which to me requires a constitutional solution i.e. constitutional amendment. Aside, procrastination and the culture of last minute rush by most people, I am not exempt, to meet datelines can be detrimental sometimes. I want to believe that, that was what affected most of our colleagues who couldn’t pay their BPF before March 31st, 2020 due to Covid-19 pandemic lockdown on March 25th, 2020, especially those in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun State. In any case, I do not rule out the fact that some junior colleagues may not have got the resources to do so before the lockdown.

What would you say are your biggest challenges in this crucial assignment, before and after the elections?

For now, my biggest challenge before the election is the compilation of an authentic and credible voters register for the 2020 general elections of the National Executives of the NBA, occasioned in the main by the initial lack of cooperation from most members and their branch Chairmen. To put a stop to the blame game, I was compelled to discuss and interact with some branch Chairmen via phone calls to ensure progress of the process, and the initial feedback was not encouraging. Some said members, have failed to produce evidence of branch dues payments and the like. But, I am happy to state that, most branches rose to the occasion, and the level of cooperation in that regard became remarkable. In any case, the Committee will not act contrary to the letters of the NBA Constitution.

On the issue of challenges after the election, we are yet to conduct the election, so I cannot at this stage know or speculate on what challenges await me after the election. I pray there are none.

We will do what is right under the Constitution, and by the grace of God, we shall conduct a credible, free and fair election; and I want to add that, such cannot be achieved without the cooperation and support of our members and

stakeholders. I urge our esteemed colleagues to own the electoral process by making inquiries and seeking for clarifications from the Committee, rather than get involved only by making derisive comments that will tend to distract on the electoral process.

Many are saying that the NBA needs to be overhauled; that it needs to refocus, to play the role of a true Bar Association. Do you agree? Going forward, what do you expect from the incoming NBA leadership?

Before you talk of overhauling or refocusing the NBA, you have to ascertain and examine the attributes of a Bar Association, of which the NBA is one. The Bar Association is meant to represent the interest of its members, promote their continuing education and training, as well as protect the professional integrity of the members. Beyond the interest of the members, the development of a strong, virile and independent Bar Association is central to democracy and human rights by protecting the rule of law, and providing a means and platform for citizens to assert their rights.

Agreed the NBA has to do more by championing the cause of justice, and defence of the rule of law.

However, it has been increasingly difficult these days for the NBA to speak with one voice, because the Association is constituted by members with diverse interests, opinions and views. It is not a crime or misconduct to hold and express different views from that of the Association, considering the guaranteed freedom of expression by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), provided such views do not run counter to the Constitution of the Association, or ethics of the profession. And that has always been the constraint of the NBA. I want to see a strong and virile NBA that will stand on the side of justice, the rule of law, and the rights of the citizens; as such NBA should get involved, and engage more in public interest matters. And, as legal practitioners who are members of the NBA, if we engage more in ensuring the sustenance of justice, rule of law and all that will be beneficial to the generality of the populace, it will invariably impact on the NBA as a Bar Association that all will be proud of.

Thank you, for having me express my humble views.

NEWS

Businessman to Forfeit N616.7m by Court Order Over Fraud Allegation Wale Taiwo

A motion ex-parte was granted against one Mr. Matthew Edeubie, owner of Flank Power Resources Limited, by Justice Chinawaeze John Aneke of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, to forfeit the sum of N616.7 million to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The application seeking an order of interim forfeiture of

N616.7 million discovered in a bank account belonging to Mr Edeubie, was brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to the Commission, the funds to be forfeited which were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity, emanated from Zenith Bank in bank drafts dated the 11th and 19th of February, 2020.

EFCC counsel, Rotimi

Oyedepo, told the Honourable Court that the application was brought under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related 2ÍżHQFHV $FW 1R which highlights the court has the statutory powers to grant the reliefs being sought, having stated that the monies sought to be forfeited are reasonably suspected to the proceeds of unlawful activities taken from the

Federal Governmsnt.

He further urged the court to grant an order directing the publication in any National Newspaper, the interim order under relief, for the Respondent or anyone who is interested in the funds sought to be forfeited to appear before the court to show FDXVH ZLWKLQ GD\V DQG ZK\ D ÀQDO RUGHU RI IRUIHLWXUH should not be made in favour of the Federal Government.

However, as contained in DQ D΀GDYLW RI XUJHQF\ VZRUQ E\ DQ LQYHVWLJDWLQJ R΀FHU of the EFCC, Chidi Nweke, "an intelligence report was received by the EFCC against one Mr. Mathew Edeubie of Flank Power Resources Limited.

"That the Agency traced some of the funds to the Zenith Bank account of Flank Power Resources Limited, containing funds sought to

be forfeited to the Federal Government.

"That if this application is not heard and determined expeditiously, the funds housed in the said bank account sought to be temporarily forfeited, will be dissipated".

Justice Aneke hereby granted the application made by the Commission, and adjourned the matter to June 29th, 2020, for mention.

6/

16.06.2020

The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Proposed New Rules on Crowdfunding: A Step in the Right Direction

T

Introduction

operators, is pegged at N100 million.

Part 3 provides for the general obligations and responsibilities, of every crowdfunding portal. The obligations include due diligence, monitoring & reporting, data protection & privacy, operating a trust account, recording and issue, publication & acknowledgement of warning statements.

Crowdfunding Platforms have the obligation to monitor investors, and take action against issuer misconduct. Also, they are expected to file both monthly and quarterly reports to the Commission. In addition, by the proposed Rules, SEC makes it mandatory for these platforms to establish appropriate safeguards, towards ensuring data protection and preventing privacy breaches. Also, the provision which states that every crowdfunding portal shall appoint a custodian, for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a separate Trust account for each funding round on its platform, is commendable. It must be mentioned that, the said financial institution must be registered as a custodian by SEC. Further, Part 4 makes provision for crowdfunding participants and their functions. These include, the investors and issuers. Part 5 details the process by which transactions through the crowdfunding portal, must be carried out.

The documents and general information to be obtained from an issuer proposing to be hosted on a crowdfunding portal, can be found in Part 6.

Importantly, Part 7 deals with the general restrictions placed on crowdfunding intermediary and issuers. On the other hand, Part 8 allows for additional requirements for a digital commodities investment platform willing to use the crowdfunding portal. Miscellaneous provisions are summarised in Part 9. Part 10 is the penalty clause. It states that where a crowdfunding portal or crowdfunding intermediary fails to follow the rules provided, a penalty of a fine of not less than N1 million and N10, 000 for each day a violation continues, is applicable.

s a Nigerian child who was born and bred in the country, I understand the power of giving and supporting members of one’s community or family. In traditional African society, many of our proverbs point to the need to be our brothers’ keepers, and this is often done through donations and collective investments with or without a profit motive. It is therefore, right to say that crowdfunding, albeit not in its most refined or commercial form, is not novel to the traditional African Society.

Modern Crowdfunding Today, crowdfunding has become a popular way of raising funds for businesses and individuals. The online nature of this financing model makes it possible for people and businesses across jurisdictions to raise funds for a common cause, as was the case during the President Obama campaign. This form of financing provides a platform for a startup founder to raise capital outside his own network of friends and family, without accumulating debt. The use of technology comes with known threats, as experts anticipate that flexible disclosure rules may result in massive fraud in the crowdfunding market. Undoubtedly, if not carefully regulated, this innovative financing model will fizzle out.

A Case for Regulation Crowdfunding can provide the much-needed boost to Nigerian infant industries, thus, providing employment opportunities.

Business promoters often cite access to finance, as one of the major factors militating against business operations. The numerous advantages attached to this form of fund raising, underscores the need for regulatory measures to be put in place. Jurisdictions such as the United Kingdom and Germany are constantly on the lookout for legal fraud prevention mechanisms, in relation to crowdfunding. Buttressing the importance of crowdfunding regulation, is the result of a recent study carried out by a United Kingdom based law firm, Nabarro, which mentioned that one in five companies that raised money on equity crowdfunding platforms between 2011 and 2013, had declared bankruptcy.

The Role of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Currently, the Investment and Securities Act (ISA), makes no provision for crowdfunding. As far back as August 2016, SEC, the primary regulator of securities in Nigeria, placed a ban on all equity crowdfunding activities in the country, sending out a caveat emptor warning to investors.

In spite of the announcement, various unregulated activities are being carried out, without appropriate guidelines and punishments for breach of same. The market is characterised by vulnerable investors who are constantly looking for quick returns, particularly in a depressed economy. These uninformed investors can only rely on effective securities regulation, to ensure that their investments in crowdfunding platforms/ schemes are adequately protected.

The proposed new rules were made, pursuant to the several functions of SEC as set out in Section 13 Investment and Securities Act 2007. Notably, these rules are in 3 parts: 1.Proposed rules on crowdfunding.

2.Proposed rules on regulation of fund management product.

3. Proposed rules on nominee companies. The writer’s focus is on the rules relating to crowdfunding.

Analysis of the Proposed Rules The regulations relating to crowdfunding are divided into ten parts, for ease of reference and convenience. The first part provides definitions of relevant terms including crowdfunding, crowdfunding portal, crowdfunding intermediary, investment-based crowdfunding, among others. Notably, the rules define crowdfunding as the process of raising funds to finance a project or business from the public, through an online platform. Also relevant, is the description of a crowdfunding portal as a website, portal, intermediary portal, application or other similar module that facilitates interaction between fundraisers and the investing public. It also discusses eligibility for registration, as a crowdfunding platform. The draft rules provide that, only duly incorporated Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with a minimum of 2 years’ operational record, are eligible to raise funds. The relevant definition of MSMEs, is that provided by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN). Though the rules generally require

Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission, Lamido Yuguda

prior registration of securities and investments before using the crowdfunding portal, it makes provision for some exceptions.

Part 2 makes provision for the general requirements and criteria for registration, as it relates to crowdfunding portals. It also highlights instances where the SEC may revoke the registration of a crowdfunding portal.

The minimum paid-up capital for crowdfunding portal

“AS FAR BACK AS AUGUST 2016, SEC, THE PRIMARY REGULATOR OF SECURITIES IN NIGERIA, PLACED A BAN ON ALL EQUITY CROWDFUNDING ACTIVITIES IN THE COUNTRY, SENDING OUT A CAVEAT EMPTOR WARNING TO INVESTORS. IN SPITE OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT, VARIOUS UNREGULATED ACTIVITIES ARE BEING CARRIED OUT, WITHOUT APPROPRIATE GUIDELINES AND PUNISHMENTS FOR BREACH OF SAME”

Comments on the Proposed Rules Securities regulation, is an important element of a properly functioning capital market. An effective crowdfunding regulatory regime will foster technology backed fundraising, by encouraging the participation of investors (both institutional and retail), bankers and project creators. SEC has adopted a disclosure-based regime of regulation, which seeks to ensure that investors have the information required to make informed investment decisions. Also, it must be mentioned that punitive measures for infraction of the rules, have been identified. However, one wonders whether the Investment and Securities Tribunal will be sufficiently equipped to penalise offenders.

Conclusively, the compilation of draft rules for crowdfunding is a step in the right direction. The crowdfunding rules seek to curtail any form of excesses, and regulate the amount of securities or investment instruments that can be offered and sold. It is however, important to put into consideration the risks relating to identity theft, money laundering and terrorism financing in relation to the due diligence to be conducted by the crowdfunding platforms.

The fact that there is a higher risk of identity fraud because of the anonymity that the internet offers, makes it imperative for platforms to extensively vet project creators and lift the corporate veil where expedient.

Further, penalties should be considered for instances where committed funds are not received, or situations where there are delays in payments that are processed on these platforms. The problem of lack of uniformity in charges put out by crowdfunding platforms, poses a challenge in developed climes. It is imperative to ensure that, uniform charges are applicable across board. An effective regulatory regime for crowdfunding though the primary responsibility of SEC, is not its exclusive preserve.

Cooperation and collaboration with other regulators and organisations including the Corporate Affairs Commission, National Information Technology Development Agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and Central Bank of Nigeria, cannot be overemphasised. Also, it must be observed that, the rules make no mention of peer to peer lending on such platforms, which still leaves a lacuna in this regard. Generally, peer to peer lending is executed through online platforms which put potential lenders in touch with potential borrowers, is fast-gaining ground as a viable finance option for Nigerian businesses. The responsibility may be on credit bureaus, to protect players in this space.

17

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍ´Ëœ 2020

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET OVERNIGHT OBB

A S

REPO 9.83 18.83

CALL 1-MONTH 3-MONTH

8.50 8.5 20

A T

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

Group Business Editor Obinna Chima

Email obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com 08152447875

J U N E 518.85% ͎̋˛ʹͰϹ 0.18%

1 1 ,

S & P INDEX 1/4 TO DATE YEAR TO DATE

2 0 2 0 11.42% 7.83%

EXCHANGE RATE ͹ʹͯ˚ͯ ̊ ̊

Quick Takes FBNHoldings Wins Award

FBNHoldingsPlchasannouncedthatitwonthe2020BestCorporate Governance in Nigeria Award by the World Finance.

World Finance is known for its coverage and analysis of the global ďŹ nancialservicesindustry,internationalbusiness,andtheglobaleconomy.

FBN Holdings won the award for the second consecutive year on the back of its strong corporate governance practices and outstanding leadership in the Nigerian ďŹ nancial services industry, according to a statement.

Commenting on the award on behalf of FBNHoldings, its Group ManagingDirector,UKEkesaid:“Winningtheawardinquicksuccession isademonstrationofnotonlythestrengthofourcorporategovernance practices but also its resilience. “As a holding company, we emphasize the highest standards in corporate governance across all operating entities in our quest to deliver value to our numerous stakeholders�

In the past 13 years, World Finance has been celebrating corporate achievements in the areas of corporate governance, innovation, and market leadership in the ďŹ nancial services sector across all the regions of the World.

Wema Introduces ‘ALAT for Business’

PROMOTING E-LEARNING

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu (right), being presented with the Roducate e-learning device by CEO, FirstBank, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, in Lagos‌recently

Experts Urge FG to Unbundle TCN, Liquidate Stake in Discos Stories by Chineme Okafor in Abuja

ENERGY

Experts in global energy business have asked the federal government to hasten its planned unbundling of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) into three separate entities.

They also advised the government to liquidate its shareholding in the 11 electricity distribution companies (Discos) to stimulate efficiency in the country’s electricity market.

Speaking during a webinar organised and hosted by the Covenant University’s Centre for Economic Policy and Development Research (CEPDeR), the experts hinted that Nigeria needed quick and sustained solutions to

her energy challenges.

The conversation was centered on ‘natural gas utilisation and energy market prospects in Nigeria’ post-COVID-19. Chair of CEPDeR, Prof. Evans Osabuohien, however explained that the goal of the webinar was to influence policy and enhance processes that will engender growth in Nigeria During their presentations, experts such as Dr. Obindah Gershon, who co-chairs the CEPDeR, said the government could take a cue from the successes recorded with the privatisation of power generating companies (Gencos) and Discos to liquidate its remaining interests or shareholdings in the sector.

According to them, the government has considered a three-tier separation for the transmission company which is fully owned by it; they added that such separation will increase transparency and enhance efficiency in the system.

The experts explained that despite an increase in power generation capacity to above 12,000 megawatts (MW), Nigerians have consistently struggled to have adequate power supply to grow their businesses or remain productive.

This, they noted was due to the poor operations of the transmission network which causes the grid to often collapse. “The lack of liquidity and fair pricing in the sector has also hindered investors from coming in to tackle the challenge, hence

the government’s intervention with the Siemens deal. The deal which is expected to ease the bottlenecks and disruptions of transmission will take place in phases. “The first phase will see an upgrade in transmission lines from 5,000MW to 7,000MW, then 11,000MW by 2023 and the final phase is to reach 25,000MW in 2025,� said Gershon.

Dr. Ekpen Omonbude, who heads Eraskorp Limited, said that Nigeria’s ability to generate funds have dwindled in recent years, thus forcing it to embrace more radical solutions like the removal of petrol subsidy.

Omonbude, noted that despite Continued on page 18

Report: World’s Highest Population without Electricity Resides in Nigeria Nigeria now has the highest number of people lacking electricity access in the world with a total of 85 million Nigerian citizens, a report co-authored by the World Bank has disclosed.

The report was co-authored by Extractives Global Programmatic Support (EGPS) and the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiatives (EITI) on the works of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) which they lauded.

Both entities explained that the works of NEITI had set enviable standards for reporting the activities of countries’ extractive industries.

They, however, noted that the

ENERGY works of NEITI on identifying and helping the country to recover misplaced extractive revenues should contribute to far-reaching reforms that would give the un-electrified population access to electricity. “Nigeria now has the highest number of people lacking electricity access in the world, at a total of 85 million Nigerian citizens. “Greater transparency and accountability should contribute to an overall reform process that helps Nigerians gain crucial access to electricity and accelerates the government’s economic recovery and growth plan,� thry stated

in the article.

According to the report, the bank’s EGPS is multi-donor trust fund which supports developing countries to govern their oil, gas and mineral resources in a sustainable and transparent manner to reduce poverty and boost shared prosperity.

It explained that Nigeria has made good improvements in the governance of its oil sector, bringing greater transparency and publishing credible and trusted data through the NEITI. “Reports, policy briefs and other knowledge products published by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) have been a catalyst for ongoing reforms and have helped

the country to identify about USD 20 billion in recoverable revenues, and to recover approximately USD 3 billion into government coffers to date,� it added.

Nigeria, it noted was one of the first oil-producing developing countries to engage with the EITI and enacted the NEITI Act in 2007 which is devoted to improving transparency, accountability and good governance through EITI implementation.

It said that: “The country’s early adoption of the EITI has seen NEITI become a “one-stop shop� for information and accurate data across the extractive sector value chain. Previously, Continued on page 18

As businesses around the world resume despite the COVID-19 pandemic, ALATfor Business is set to oer more value to businesses through its digital solution.

The application, which is the corporate version of ALAT, has a broad transaction limit of up to N2 billion, allowing businesses to carry out as many transactions as they require.

Speaking on its most notable features, Head, ALAT for Business, Samuel Robson, disclosed that the application allows account holders with single and multiple signatories operate their account virtually, without stepping into the banking hall to authorise transactions. “Thisisatimeforbusinessestoleveragesecureplatformsthatallow them to get on with their businesses virtually as this will help to keep their businesses aoat and keep them safe,â€? he advised.

Speaking further, he disclosed that with ALAT for Business, entrepreneurs can now, schedule payments to as many as 5,000 beneďŹ ciaries at once. “This will free up their much needed time and allow them to carry out more tasks,â€? he added.

Withthenewfeature,businessownerscannowcarryouttransactions without stepping into the banking hall.

Robsonexplainedthat,“thisisoneofthewaysWemaBankisleveraging digital technology to provide solutions to customers and help ďŹ ght the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.â€?

Ex-Odu’a GMDs Mourn Omotosho

Former Group Managing Directors of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, Chief Olu Mogaji, Chief Olufemi Adewumi and Dr. Adebayo Jimoh, have described as shocking and devastating the recent passing of Sir Remi Omotosho, a past GMD of the conglomerate.

This was contained in a statement made available to THISDAY in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, by the three surviving erstwhile leaders of the group.

Omotosho who died on June 5, 2020, had served as the sixth Group Managing Director of Odu’a Investment Co.Ltd from 1998 to 2004.

AccordingtothepastGMDs,whileservingtheOdu’a,“Omotoshomade considerablyworthwhilecontributionstothegrowthanddevelopment of the conglomerate, the collective patrimony of the Western States of Nigeria. “He had come to the Odu’a Group with a rich background in corporate business management; and he succeeded, in the short space of his directorship of the company, to improve on what he met on the ground in Odu’a. It is praiseworthy that his tenure remains a reference point for remarkable achievement in the group�.

They also eulogised him as a man of many parts whose tenure witnessed signiďŹ cant human capital development.

Thestatementread,“Recently,whentheBoardofDirectorsofOdu’a decided to constitute a body of Past Group Managing Directors, for purelyadvisorypurposes,SirOmotosho,asusual,playedanexemplary role in the work of the Body.

“The beauty of what we have done is that we are going to be generating foreign exchange for the country in terms of dollars and Euros�

GED, Dangote Group, Alhaji Sada Ladan-Baki

18

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍ´Ëœ 2020

BUSINESSWORLD EXPERTS URGE FG TO UNBUNDLE TCN, LIQUIDATE STAKE IN DISCOS losing more than half of oil revenues between 2013 and 2018 as a result of lower oil prices, Nigeria continued to keep petrol subsidies which were almost equivalent to half of the revenues generated within that period.

The country’s oil revenues, he explained, dropped from about $25 billion in 2013, to less than $15 billion in 2018.

Omonbude stated that abolishing the subsidy as announced recently, in addition to new measures such as the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme (NGFCP) and power sector interventions such as the Siemens deal, were good steps.

He, however, stressed the need for more of aggressive push towards the use of gas as 80 per cent of Nigeria’s power generation currently comes from gas, while oil and hydro make up the balance.

REPORT: WORLD’S HIGHEST POPULATION WITHOUT ELECTRICITY RESIDES IN NIGERIA the industry was opaque, with little reliable public information on production levels, crude oil losses, and government investment in the upstream projects or downstream information.� “The EITI in Nigeria encountered some initial hurdles in publishing accurate and timely reports on key sector data, such as production, revenues and governance processes. Some reports were delayed by several years, meaning that those who could hold the state accountable for oil revenues – such as investors, companies, civil society organisations and the media – received data only several years after the reporting period. “With the help of the World Bank’s Extractives Global Programmatic Support Trust Fund, NEITI has now succeeded in producing its reports in a much more timely and efficient manner. Most recently, NEITI achieved a key milestone: publishing its oil and gas report for 2018 in March 2020, nine months ahead of the EITI’s reporting deadline.

NEWS

DPR Rolls Out Measures for Oil Industry Survival Peter Uzoho The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has unveiled its strategic plan and policy actions for the survival and success of participants in the nation’s oil and industry post Covid-19.

The Director of DPR, Mr. Sarki Auwalu, listed four key areas being pursued by the agency to ensure that the industry comes out of the market crisis very strong and sustainable.

Auwalu in his keynote address at a Webinar conference on “Nigeria Oil and Gas Sector: Surviving and Thriving Post COVID-29,� recently, listed the four areas as Cost control and management, Portfolio rationalisation and asset optimisation, New business and operational resilience, as well as Strategic partnership, contracting models, Service Provider Open Access, and shared Risks and returns.

The Webinar was organised by Future Energy Leaders Nigeria (FEL) in conjunction with World Energy Council (WEC).

Auwalu said: “There is no better time for strategic repositioning and business optimisation.

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

For this, there would be project screening and maturation; and contract re –negotiation,� he said.

The third step to achieve

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

The director said the DPR had lined up some models for

business survival post-Covid-19 among which, according to him are marginal field bid round; policy and regulations; business environment and investment drive; and making this year the ‘year of gas.’ He stated that the pandemic had caused a shutdown of markets globally with impact on all key sectors of global economy, pointing out that, global tourism, travels, hospitality and SMEs were also affected.

He noted that the energy sector received a major hit during the lockdown as transportation was ground to a halt. “For instance on April 20, 2020, WTI crude oil slumped into negative for the first time, falling to negative (minus) $37 .63. The United States unemployment rate in April and May 2020 reported as 14 .7million and 13 .3million respectively compared to H22019 average of only only 3.6million. Worldwide statistics

follow similar trend,� Auwalu said. Stressing the importance of oil to the Nigeria, the DPR boss said that the sector oils the wheels of the Nigerian economy as it contributes approximately 10 per cent to Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

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

SomeofficialsofDPR

Oil Industry Receives Boost with Book on Jargons Peter Uzoho The oil and gas industry has been strengthened and elevated with simplified vocabulary with the launch of a new book entitled, ‘The Language of Oil & Gas.’ The book aims to promote effective communication, improved business transactions and processes. It was specifically designed to assist industry players and non-experts with

clear understanding of business and operations in the sector. The book is an enriched dictionary with complete explanation of oil and gas terminology, including detailed definitions that are extensively cross referenced on the upstream, midstream and downstream sub-sectors and developments in the industry. Written by Michael Owhoko, a renowned journalist and author, the well-researched lingo also serves as a tool and a bridge for

those whose activities revolve round the industry, enabling them to understand the peculiar petroleum language. “Most times, people do not realise the technical depth of the oil and gas industry until they are mid-way into the process. “The essence of the book is to provide a clear understanding of the industry jargon in a simplified form to enable stakeholders appreciate and have a deeper

knowledge of the industry�, Owhoko revealed in the book.

The book which is an updated version, is a must read not only because of its relevance to the business community but its impact on world economies and human existence, making it a collector’s choice.

The Language of Oil & Gas is published in the United States of America and it is currently on sale on Amazon, Barnes

and Nobles and other major bookstores worldwide.

Owhoko is a journalist, author and public relations practitioner who has mostly worked in the banking, oil and gas, and media industries. He is also the author of Career Frustration in the Workplace; Nigeria on the Precipice: Issues, Options, and Solutions; The Future of Nigeria; and Feminism: The Agony of Men.

AEDC, Aquivis Deploy Smart High-Tension Fault Detector Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Group Business Editor

Obinna Chima

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and Aquivis Technologies Limited, have announced the successful deployment of a smart hightension overhead line fault circuit locator in Nigeria.

The smart grid outage management solution by the Disco and its partner is the first of its kind

in Nigeria and a pilot project for the company, AEDC’s General Manager Corporate Communications, Mr. Oyebode Fadipe said in a statement.

According to the Disco, the technology which has been used in countries like United States of America, Canada, UK, Scotland, United Arab Emirates as well as South Africa would frontally address the long time it takes to repair faulty high tension circuits.

It would also take care of incidences of prolonged outages on the 11KV and 33KV overhead feeders, according to the company. “This is especially in the area of feeder/grid management where outages trigger the loss of power supply to numerous customers of different categories including homes, offices, medical and educational facilities. “The engagement of Aquivis to deploy the high-tension faults

clearing solution, forms part of AEDC’s initiative to reduce its Aggregate Technical Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) losses as well as improve network reliability of the 11kV and 33kV overhead feeders as well customers’ satisfaction�

AEDC noted.

The statement disclosed that the deployment of the solution by AEDC was part of her network reinforcement

programme to bring about improved network visibility, reliability and operational efficiency in AEDC. Managing Director of AEDC, Mr. Ernest Mupwaya, confirmed that the successful implementation of the smart overhead fault detection monitoring solution by Aquivis Technologies Limited has enabled the company to address the operational challenges of incessant tripping.

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

CRC Credit Bureau Launches Data Submission App

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) Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă?ÔÙ (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)

Peter Uzoho CRC Credit Bureau has launched its Data Submission Application Programming Interface (API).

The solution enables institutions access and submit data on their credit customers’ online real time.

The innovation is an automated medium that enables institutions,

provide CRC with information on credits immediately they are booked on the system and update existing credit records as soon as repayments have been made by their customers.

The API also enables them to access relevant information about their customers through live connections.

According to a statement,

traditionally, lenders submit credit data once or twice a month which leaves some customers who have paid, in between this cycle, either waiting for an update to be done, while others are not able to build a credit history especially if they have taken and repaid the loan before the information is provided to the credit bureau. An example of these are short-tenured facilities

e.g. 24 hours, 7-day facilities etc. “The traditional reporting often causes a delay for borrowers who want to access new loans immediately after they pay off outstanding facilities or for those who want to build credible profiles to access loans/postpaid products thereby improving their standard of living. “On the lenders side, they

spend additional man hours updating information manually thereby increasing their operational cost and negatively impacting efficiency. By adopting this technological advancement in data reporting, institutions can eradicate these challenges, as their customers begin to build credible profiles and histories immediately facilities are taken.

19

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍ´Ëœ 2020

BUSINESSWORLD

ANALYSIS

NNPC’s Drive for Improved Profitability Peter UzohowritesoninitiativesbeingembarkedonbytheNigerianNationalPetroleum Corporation to achieve profitability and cushion the effect of crude oil volatility This is not the best of time for economies and business entities. The effects of the coronavirus has shattered very many plans, aspirations and projections of business concerns globally.

The pandemic has thrown up an unprecedented whammy, and humans and businesses are currently struggling to survive.

Economies and livelihoods have been hit a great deal. The global oil market cum oil and gas industry just like every other market has witnessed monumental setback in history, no thanks to the heavy demand drop resulting to the crash of oil price.

However, as no business organisation is insulated from the shock, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has recorded its own pains and losses and is currently strategising on how to pull through and mitigate risks both in short term and in long term, and to remain profitable.

Being Nigeria’s cash cow and critical to the country’s economic survival, the NNPC under the leadership of astute petroleum expert and its Group Managing Director, Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari, rather than resorting to moaning and lamentation at this time, is taking a number of measures to strengthen its revenue base and be in a better position to provide sufficient buffers to the government for the good of the Nigerian people.

As if he foresaw the crisis happening now when he was appointed in July last year, Kyari, immediately he was inaugurated as the 19th group managing director of the national oil company, launched his TAPE agenda, an acronym for Transparency, Accountability, and Performance Excellence, and charged all heads of NNPC subsidiaries to work hard to deliver value to the country.

Kyari had, during a town hall meeting with NNPC staff in Abuja in November last year, urged the corporation’s workforce to redouble their efforts to ensure that the nation reaped bountifully from its vast hydrocarbon resources which the corporation has the mandate to superintend.

He specifically charged that it was imperative for the corporation to increase its level of efficiency, reduce cost and increase revenue across value chain of its businesses within the shortest possible period.

It was at that meeting he updated members of staff on the five-step approach for the corporation to attain global excellence via the TAPE agenda, which he listed as “Well defined processes benchmarked to World-class Oil & Gas company requirements, Right cost structure that guarantees value realization and profitability, Goals, priorities and performance guarantee, Suitable governance structure for strategic business units and Entrenching team work and collaboration with all key stakeholders.�

Without doubt, the NNPC under Kyari is gradually attaining the goals set for itself as evidenced by milestones recorded so far.

However, through its active support which led to the removal of the wasteful subsidy on premium motor spirit (PMS) commonly known as petrol/ fuel, few months ago, the revamping of some of its subsidiaries, venturing into non-core business areas as a way of diversifying its revenue sources, and entrenching efficiency across its businesses, the corporation is indeed on track in achieving its goal of improving profitability and increased value addition to the nation.

Revamping Subsidiaries One of the ways the NNPC is pursuing its goal of achieving profitability is through the steps being taken to revive some of its strategic business units so that they can be able to generate more money to support the corporation.

Some of its subsidiaries which were previously not financially independent and incapable of even meeting their financial obligations have received major turnarounds and are making returns to the corporation.

For instance, NNPC’s seismic company, the Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL), located in Benin, and its engineering company, National Engineering and Technical Company (NETCO) situated in Lagos have all been revamped and are now recording significant progress in terms of profitability and sustainability. “You see NNPC for example, we have a seismic

Mele Kyari company, IDSL, in Benin for example, which I was Managing Director of; it was a very small company six to seven years ago, but last year the company posted revenues in excess of $100 million. That’s still not too much money, but in an environment where you are looking for every penny to run the national budget, it is critical,� the Chief Operating Officer, Ventures and Business Development arm of NNPC, Mr. Roland Ewubare, had said in a recent televised interview.

He added: “We have an engineering company in Lagos called NETCO, that’s the national engineering and technical company. NETCO historically couldn’t pay staff salaries, but because of the work we have done in revamping all these businesses, NETCO only last year did over $150 million in revenues. “Now, they are totally independent and paying their own salaries and are able to contribute and stream dividends into the NNPC and to the federation.�

According to Ewubare, “there are different ideas and plans we have in place to diversify the income base of the corporation for the greater good of the nation and over the next few months you will see these things rolling out�.

DiversiďŹ cation However, in its effort to expand its revenue streams in order to be able to cushion the effect of volatility associated with the oil market, NNPC has also made entry into other business areas. From renewables to health, to real estate to logistics, among other business sectors, the corporation is signing off partnership deals with private operators in these areas of business to activate the initiatives. “In NNPC, what we want to do is to create an energy company, not just an oil and gas company.

And that’s why we are moving into renewable

One of the ways the NNPC is pursuing its goal of achieving proďŹ tability is through the steps being taken to revive some of its strategic business units so that they can be able to generate more money to support the corporation

energy,� Ewubare stated.

He further said: “We have initiatives around solar that’s paying off. We have biofuel agreements with various state governments. We are trying to activate those programmes more rapidly. Within NNPC itself, we have a bunch of non-core businesses. “NNPC is one of the biggest landlords in this country. Here in Lagos, just behind Chevron, we have 90,000 hectares of land in a country where there’s a housing deficit, we are happy to collaborate with private developers to develop these assets. “We have land in Port Harcourt, Kaduna and everywhere. We have hospitals and clinics all across the country. In a country where many of our citizens fly out on a daily basis to go seek medical attention abroad, if we are able to create centres of medical excellence here, then all that foreign exchange will be saved for the country. “And the ease of care will be better, since you do have your family here. So, we do have a bunch of non-core directorates. What we are trying to do now is to expand the businesses but primarily in collaboration with the private sector whose core business is around these areas. “Because we are oil men, not running hospitals.

So, if we have a medical type company that wants to collaborate with us, we will be happy to talk to them.�

He added: “Same for those in housing estate business, they are welcome. We talked about cost; about 30 per cent of our costs are on logistics. We are now having a conversation with some of the biggest logistics providing companies in Nigeria to have NNPC partner in their businesses. “All kinds of initiatives we have that are currently at incubation level. When they mature fully, the Nigerian nation will see the benefit of it and you and I as shareholders of NNPC will also get the benefits of it.�

Production Cost Reduction Realising that it would be unrealistic for the corporation to attain its profitability goal when it continues suffering losses as a result of high cost of crude oil production, the NNPC GMD had expressed his resolve to end the regime of high oil production cost. Kyari said the situation at the moment demands change of strategy, explaining that it would be profitable to produce at oil assets with cheaper cost of production.

The NNPC henchman had also set the end of 2021 as deadline for the attainment of $10 per barrel production cost benchmark. He said the corporation would rally its partners to follow suit as it is no longer bearable to see companies producing even as high as $90 per barrel. “Nigeria will cut production costs to $10 per barrel by the end of 2021.Costs have been too high for too long, he said, pledging that costs would fall or production stopped. “Some companies are producing at $90 per

barrel. This is unacceptable and industry must work together to bring this down. There are no subsidies for the upstream, if it is not economic it must shut down,� Kyari said.

He emphasised the need for industry operators to focus on projects that generate more cash, produce more resources – and at cheaper costs, citing the adoption of new technologies as one way of doing things cheaper.

Kyari added that the impact of coronavirus was a “blessing in disguise� for Nigeria, noting that while prices had suffered, they will come back but the pandemic has offered a chance for a reset.

He said talks with contractors had been fruitful and that they had been given the option of agreeing to cuts of 20-30 per cent on prices and that most had accepted the reset.

Subsidy Removal In response to the hash economic reality presented by the fall in oil price, the NNPC in collaboration with the federal government removed the subsidy which was being paid on imported petroleum products in the country.

The move ended the sole importer status of the corporation and eventually opened the door for private marketers to return to petrol importation activity.

Petroleum subsidy had been a major controversial issue in the Nigerian polity and had led to huge losses amounting to billions of Naira that would have been used to fix a number of the nation’s social infrastructure.

Justifying the subsidy removal, Kyari had said it was part of the cost cutting measures put in place by the corporation to support the federal government.

He said the subsidy was only serving the interest of the elite rather than the interest of the poor and less-privileged that it was supposed to serve.

According to him, “this will serve the ordinary people. It will make their leadership at every level accountable, it will also enable particularly Mr. President deliver on his objective to making sure that infrastructure projects are delivered -roads, hospitals, educational institutions are all put on the table and bring that distortion out of our entire economic framework. There is a clear distortion.

Whenever you are subsidising consumption you are creating a problem.�

Kyari also said by ending the subsidy on petroleum products, the corporation had also ended the subsidising of the product for even some African countries as they were equally markets for the subsidised petrol. “And as a matter of fact, many people may not know that you can find Nigerian petroleum even as far as in Sudan, in Central Africa Republic and in many other countries around us. So we have just become a market for all and we are literally subsiding West Africa,� he explained.

20

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍ´Ëœ 2020

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Stanbic IBTC Announces Board Changes Obinna Chima Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc has announced changes on its Board as well as the Board of its banking subsidiary – Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc. According to the financial institution, this followed the appointment of Mr. Yinka Sanni as Regional Chief Executive (West Africa) for Standard Bank Group.

In this role, Sanni would continue to have oversight responsibilities for Nigeria, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire as Regional Chief Executive, as well as the delivery of Standard Bank Group’s strategy across the region.

The bank also announced the promotion of Dr. Demola Sogunle as Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc. Sogunle’s appointment is however subject to receipt of

all required regulatory approvals.

Prior to the promotion, Sogunle was the Chief Executive of the Bank, and previously served as Deputy Chief Executive of the Bank. Prior to his appointment as Deputy Chief Executive of the Bank, he was the Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers, a position he held from August 2011 to December 2015. “Demola will also continue to serve as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of the bank,� the statement added.

Furthermore, the bank also announced the promotion of Mr. Wole Adeniyi as Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc. Until his latest appointment, Adeniyi was the Deputy Chief Executive of the Bank, and served previously as Executive Director, Personal and Business Banking.

Adeniyi is a first-class gradu-

ate of Business Administration from the University of Benin, Nigeria. He has an MBA from the Manchester Business School of The University of Manchester, UK. Mr. Remy Osuagwu was also promoted to the position of Executive Director, Personal and Business Banking Stanbic IBTC Bank. “With the appointment of Mr. Wole Adeniyi as Chief Executive of the Bank, we are pleased to announce the promotion of Mr. Remy Osuagwu to Executive Director, Personal and Business Banking, subject to receipt of all required Regulatory Approvals. “He takes over from Mr. Adeniyi in the execution of the retail strategy of the Bank and in his new role he will oversee the growth of both the Personal and Business Banking segments of the Bank.

Sanni

MARKET INDICATORS

StakeholdersSeekJusticeforLateCIINBoss Sunday Ehigiator With one year after the death of the Deputy Director-General of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Late Obianuju Ndubuisi-Chukwu, some stakeholders have stressed the need for justice to be served.

The then CIIN Deputy DirectorGeneral was strangled in her hotel room while attending the African Insurance Organisation (AIO) conference in Johannesburg, South Africa last year.

She was found dead in her room at Emperors Palace Casino Hotel and Convention Center in Johannesburg.

Sadly, since then nothing has been heard about the inquiry into the matter and her murderers are yet to be apprehended, by the South African authorities nor has the Nigerian government revealed any breakthrough on the matter.

Reacting to the matter, the

Executive Director, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Okechukwu Nwanguma said, governments of other countries don’t just move on when their nationals are killed, whether within the country or abroad.

He added: “This government treats lives of Nigerians with levity. The impression I get from the way government carries on is that lives of Nigerians don’t matter. Is there a day we don’t record incidents of killings by bandits, insurgents, kidnappers and armed robbers? “Governments of other countries don’t just move on when their nationals are killed, whether within the country or abroad. This gives the nationals the assurance that their governments care about them and that their lives matter. “It instills a sense of patriotism and sacrifice in them. But this can’t be the case for the average Nigerian who everyday sees that

those who run their government care less about their lives. They are selfish, incompetent and unpatriotic.�

Obianuju, a woman at her prime, was a top corporate executive who was representing Nigeria outside its shores before meeting her death. Her death cannot just be added to the numbers of unaccounted killings in Diaspora, he stressed.

On his part, the National Coordinator, Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP), Mr Chino Obiagwu, said: “The Nigerian embassy in South Africa has a consular responsibility to ensure that South African law enforcement authorities investigate and prosecute those responsible for the murder of this Nigerian citizen. “It is unfortunate that several killings of Nigerians in South Africa go unpunished and it has become the norm to just forget about these murders.

FITC Holds Forum on Enterprise Risk Management, Others The FITC has said it will host an Enterprise Risk Management Series themed; “Enterprise Risk Management and Business Continuity Planning,� this Friday.

The FITC Enterprise Risk Management Series is an innovative programme under the FITC Business Impact Series (BIS) umbrella.

BIS is a global platform designed to offer business insight, engagement, knowledge, and excellence to young, middle and senior-level professionals across diverse sectors including financial

services, energy, technology, manufacturing and other sectors across the Sub-Sahara Africa.

In 2020 alone, FITC has delivered several virtual programmes under its Business Impact Series with over 9,000 attendees from more than 860 organisations spanning 43 countries and five continents including Africa. “The risk landscape is becoming ever more challenging with the impact, scale and scope of events increasing simultaneously in unpredictability, probability and value. To successfully steer organisations towards resilience

and value, senior decision-makers need to embed enterprise risk management and business continuity management capabilities within their organisations. “They need to build metareadiness and deliberately design systems, processes and culture to maintain continuity and adequately respond to any future crisis while ensuring an effective (leadership) succession plan. This improves an organisation’s resistance to any severe business disruption, regardless of the event’s risk, scope, rarity and impact.

FG Raises N162.6bn through Sukuk Bond Sale Nigeria has raised N162.56 billion to help finance infrastructure projects through the sale of Islamic bonds to local funds and insurance companies, the Debt Management Office (DMO) said.

The government had planned to sell N150 billion of the sukuk in its third outing, the DMO said, but it increased the size of the offer after it received a more than

four-fold subscription.

According to Reuters, the agency said it expected to issue more bonds to improve infrastructure and plans to use the proceeds of the sukuk sale to finance 44 road projects across Nigeria. It did not give the maturity or the yield for the naira-denominated bonds.

Africa’s biggest economy had a series of debt issues lined up this

year before the new coronavirus pandemic triggered a plunge in oil prices, Nigeria’s main export, forcing the government to shelve foreign commercial borrowing.

The government is now tapping domestic markets and concessionary loans to help fund its 2020 budget deficit which has been worsened by lower oil prices that have slashed revenues and weakened the naira currency.

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

21

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍ´Ëœ 2020

MARKET NEWS

AIICO Insurance to Raise N3.4bn from Existing Shareholders Goddy Egene AIICO Insurance Plc is to raise about N3.486 billion from the capital market through a rights issue. In a notification to the dealing members yesterday, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) said AIICO Insurance Plc had submitted an application to the Exchange for the approval and listing of a rights issue of about 4,357,770,954 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at 80 kobo per

share. The rights issue would be made on the basis of five new ordinary shares for 13 ordinary shares held.

Before now and in compliance with the new minimum capital requirements, AIICO had concluded the private placement phase of its recapitalisation exercise with the uptake of 38.83 per cent of its shares by two strategic investors.

LeapFrog Nigeria Insurance Holdings Limited acquired a 28.24

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

per cent stake in the company, while AIICO Bahamas Nigeria Limited acquired a 10.59 per cent stake.

Shareholders of the company had an extra-ordinary general meeting (EGM) held last March, approved an increase in the authorized share capital to N18 billion through various instruments to meet the new minimum capital base for a composite insurer based on the NAICOM guidelines. They also

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

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

approved the raising of additional capital.

Speaking on the company’s recapitalisation efforts, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, AIICO Insurance Plc, Mr. Babatunde Fajemirokun said: “The future looks bright for our company. We are making progress in positioning our company for long-term sustainability. Increasing our capital base will enable us to strengthen our balance sheet,

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

provide additional capacity to underwrite more risks and deliver better returns to our shareholders.�

Meanwhile, trading at the stock market resumed on a bearish note as investors embarked on profit taking. The NSE All-Share Index (ASI) depreciated by 0.9 per cent to close at 24,954.25, while market capitalisation shed N119.2 billion to close at N13 trillion.

Also, activity level fell as vol-

O F

ume and value traded declined 29.5 per cent and 52.7 per cent respectively to 237.6 million shares and N1.6 billion. The most active stocks by volume were FBN Holdings Plc (24.4 million shares), Zenith Bank Plc (24.1 million shares) and FCMB Group Plc (19.5 million shares) while Zenith Bank Plc (N392.4 million), Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (N341 million) and FBN Holdings (N128.8 million) led the value chart.

1 5 / 0 6 / 2 0 2 0 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

22

TUESDAY JUNE 16, 2020 •T H I S D AY

" !

DISCLAIMER ON DEATHS FROM FIRST CARDIOLOGY CONSULTANTS HOSPITAL • It has become fashionable for some unscrupulous reporters, news media and bloggers to ascribe the location of the deaths of any VIP who had COVID-19 to our hospital • Ordinarily, hospitals should not have to brag about how many critically ill lives they save, just as death from critical illness may be due to the severity of the disease itself regardless of the skills and technology deployed to manage it • We wish to go on record that Senator Bayo Osinowo who unfortunately died yesterday, who on social media was claimed to have died at our hospital never stepped into our hospital and has no records here at First Cardiology Consultants Hospital • Our hospital is the first hospital to be certified for High Intensity Critical care (Level 3) for COVID patients. We are actually the final referral centre for the sickest patients who cannot be managed anywhere else • Our centre has the most advanced critical care services in Nigeria. We have admitted 28 severely ill people with severe respiratory distress from COVID-19, and only 5 of these have died (82% survival). These results are superior to the results from the United Kingdom where they have 60% survival for patients hospitalized in the Intensive care unit, • Some of the resources we have and have deployed here are only available in 5 regional centres in the United Kingdom • We had anticipated the spread of this disease to Nigeria way back in January and made significant structural and operational changes to our hospital such that we could provide critical COVID-care to patients, and still deliver in a safe environment, advanced non-COVID medical care comparable to those obtainable at elite medical centres abroad, to patients who hitherto depended on us for their advanced cardiac and medical care

23

TUESDAY JUNE 16, 2020 • T H I S D AY

Will Oil Prices Sustain a High Above $40 for the Second Half of 2020?

80.0 70.0

RESEARCH

Oil Price improved as demand picked up in late April $70.3

COVID-19 Effect Oil price fell to as low as US$9pb on April 2020

$ $59.6

60.0

Oil price increases Demand improves as OPEC cuts output

50.0 $40.8

40.0 Pre-COVID-19 Oil Price opened the year at US$69 pb

30.0 20.0 10.0

June-08, 2020

June-03, 2020

May-29, 2020

May-26, 2020

May-20, 2020

May-15, 2020

May-12, 2020

May 06, 2020

May-01, 2020

Apr-28, 2020

Apr-23, 2020

Apr-20, 2020

Apr-15, 2020

Apr-08, 2020

Apr-03, 2020

Mar-31, 2020

Mar-26, 2020

Mar-23, 2020

Mar-18, 2020

Mar-13, 2020

Mar-10, 2020

Mar-05, 2020

Mar-02, 2020

Feb 26, 2020

Feb 21, 2020

Feb 18, 2020

Feb 13, 2020

Feb 10, 2020

Feb 05, 2020

Jan-31, 2020

Jan-28, 2020

Jan-23, 2020

Jan-20, 2020

Jan-15, 2020

Jan-10, 2020

Jan-02, 2020

Jan-07, 2020

0.0

$9.1

Data Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

1

One major impact of COVID-19 is the significant decline in crude oil price.

2

This was triggered by lower demand for crude oil, arising from the shutdown of industrial facilities and movement restrictions across countries.

3

As countries continue to relax lockdowns and restrictions, oil prices have picked up since late April.

4

Oil production cuts have also sustained a price increase. Price rose to US$41 pb on June 8th.

5

Year to date average stands at US$40.3 per barrel.

Production cuts and higher compliance, triggers oil price increase in May OPEC Production Cuts from May 2020 and Compliance Rate - Thousand barrels per day Compliance May rate in May Target (Diff btw base (Target as a % Production & Target) Actual Cut

Base

1

of Production)

OPEC-10

26,683

20,599

6,084

21,493

96%

Saudi Arabia

11,000

8,492

2,508

8,490

100%

Iraq

4,653

3,592

1,061

4,128

87%

UAE

3,168

2,446

722

2,443

100%

Kuwait

2,809

2,168

641

2,177

100%

Nigeria

1,829

1,412

417

1,482

95%

Angola

1,528

1,180

348

1,340

88%

Algeria

1,057

816

241

812

100%

Congo (Br.)

325

251

74

310

81%

Gabon

187

144

43

226

64%

Eq. Guinea

127

98

29

85

115%

2

OPEC agreed a 23% production cut to address the supply glut and rebalance the oil market.

A significant number of the large oil producers had a high compliance rate – Saudi, UAE and Kuwait recorded a 100% compliance rate.

3

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

4

However, production in May was estimated at 1.48mbpd, suggesting a compliance rate of 95%.

5

Other SSA countries (excluding Eq. Guinea) recorded lower compliance.

Data Source: Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Energy Intelligence

Corporate Banking | Investment Banking | Treasury & International Banking Trade Services | Wealth Management | Asset Management | Stockbroking Tel: 234-1-2702880-2; 234-1-2702887 www.fsdhgroup.com; research@fsdhgroup.com MERCHANT BANK LTD

24

TUESDAY JUNE 16, 2020 •T H I S D AY

TUESDAY JUNE 16, 2020 • T H I S D AY

25

26

TUESDAY JUNE 16, 2020 •T H I S D AY

27

TUESDAY JUNE 16, 2020 • T H I S D AY

ADVERTORIAL

IMPACT OF COVID 19 ON THE COMPUTATION OF TIME UNDER NIGERIAN LAW The outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China sometime in December 2019, the eventual declaration of the virus as a pandemic in March 2020 by the World Health Organisation, and the discovery of the first case in Lagos State led to unprecedented lockdown measures initially in 3 states and subsequently the majority of the states of the federation. The government introduced several measures to curtail the spread of the virus, ranging from restrictions on large gatherings, closure of government offices and other businesses, imposition of curfew, closure of airports/borders, ban on sea and road travels, to ban on intra-state movement, amongst others.

Just like every other sectors, the virus did not spare the judicial sector of its damning effect. Many State and Federal High Courts followed Federal Government or State lockdown as the case may be and shut down. This pandemic is threatening the agelong principle that the courts must always remain open for the smooth administration of justice even under a state of war or emergency. These extraordinary measures by the Judiciary has raised new challenges concerning access to and effective administration of justice and case management. Time is of the essence in the administration of justice, and the enforcement of legal rights must be triggered within a given period after the right accrues. The time to commence a suit, respond to processes, deliver judgments and appeal are prescribed by the Constitution, Statutes and Rules of Court. Failure to adhere to the time and activate the jurisdiction of the Court timeously as provided for under the relevant laws may be fatal. While some breaches could be remedied by extension of time, some cannot be salvaged and thus totally extinguishing the cause of action of the aggrieved party.

This article has a narrow compass and would review how our Nigerian Judiciary is currently dealing with the challenges posed by the pandemic in terms of computation of time under the limitation laws on the one hand, and computation of time under the Rules of Court and propriety of penalties award on the other hand.

Judiciary’s Response to COVID-19 Since the confirmation of the first case of the virus in Nigeria, several directives have been issued by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, President of the Court of Appeal and Chief Judges of the State High Courts on the management of the risk posed by the pandemic to the justice system.

The first circular issued by the Chief Justice of Nigeria on the COVID 19 pandemic was dated the March 20, 2020 wherein His Lordship advised all courts to adhere strictly to the social distancing guidelines and ensure that sitting arrangements in courts conform with the recommendation by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. In a subsequent circular issued on March 23, 2020, the Chief Justice of Nigeria suspended sitting in all Courts in the Country for an initial two weeks which was eventually extended and made indefinite vide a subsequent circular dated April 6, 2020. The measures by the C.J.N. were in addition to the curfew imposed by the government and the directive that all government workers who incidentally man the Court registries should work from home.

Limitation Laws and Access to Justice The limitation law is one of the procedural laws that regulate the time within which a legal right recognised under the law can be exercised.

These are contained in various laws and mainly in the Limitation Act and the Limitation Laws of the respective states. These laws regulate the time for filing the different causes of action ranging from breach of contract which is six (6) years, to claim of ownership of land which is 12 years and time for bringing an action against certain persons or institutions amongst several others (See generally, Limitation Law of Lagos State and Public Officers Protection Act). The time prescribed under the limitation laws are sacrosanct, and courts have over the years given these provisions narrow and strict interpretation. See Ajibona V Kolawole (1996) LPELR-299 SC. Failure to file an action within the prescribed period automatically abates the cause of action and the right of the aggrieved party to seek a remedy in Court. See Araka V Ejeagwu (2000) LPELR-533 SC. Also, no application for extension of time can be filed to revive an action that has become statute-barred where the statute did not expressly provide for such concession.

While it is conceded that the statute of limitation is sacrosanct and matters that have become statute-barred have died a natural death and cannot be resurrected, the breach that may be occasioned on account of the COVID 19 pandemic is undoubtedly sui generis (of its own kind) and may be a game-changer in the way the provisions of limitation laws are construed.

The jurisprudential basis for limitation laws is ensuring an end to dispute between the parties. It also punishes an indolent aggrieved party who chose to sleep on his right when same is breached. The closure of the Court and its registry to litigants due to the pandemic and absence of alternative means of access to justice through e-filing and remote hearing may not fall within the scope of the above jurisprudential reasoning. It could be easily argued that the inability to file an action during a pandemic is not as a result of laches on the part of the litigants, but rather, as a result of the policies of government on social distancing which makes access to Court impossible. It seems therefore unfair for a litigant to be punished by the same Court whose registry is closed, thereby denying such litigant access to justice.

the non-observance of the law) and Lex Non Cogit Ad Impossiblia (the law does not compel a person to do that which he cannot possibly perform) See Okon Bassey Ebe V Commissioner of Police (2008) LPELR984SC. Also, it is generally acknowledged law that the burden and sin of the inability of the registry of Court to discharge its duties to the litigants cannot be visited on the litigants as held by the apex Court in Kangnaan V Kangnaan (2019) LPELR 46502 CA. If the above is the case, the pertinent question is, how can this proposition be achieved within the context of our laws? It is opined that the suspension of the implication of the limitation laws can be realised through legislative or judicial interventions. Some jurisdictions have enabling statutes which empower a named person or office (in most cases the executive head) to suspend the application of limitation law in a state of emergency. Regulations and Orders are usually made in this regard. In Ontario Canada, a state of emergency was declared on March 17, 2020. The Courts were closed on the March 15, 2020 except for urgent matters in a fashion similar to Nigeria. In dealing with the challenge of time running against litigants based on limitation laws, Ontario passed Reg 73/20 under section 7.1(2) of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. The Regulation suspended the limitation periods under any provision of a statute, regulation, rule, by-law, or order of the Government of Ontario for the duration of the emergency. See www. dentons.com/en/insights/alerts/2020 . A similar approach was adopted in British Columbia with the issuance of Ministerial Order no. M086 titled Limitation Periods (COVID-19) Order. The order suspends certain limitations periods in the province of British Columbia and will remain in effect until the state of emergency declared on March 18, 2020, expires or is cancelled. See https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews Careful consideration of the approach taken by the jurisdictions outlined in the above paragraph shows that the suspension of limitation laws was done by issuance of Orders and Regulations by the Executive arm under emergency laws. In Nigeria, the Quarantine Act gives the President and Governors the power to make Regulations to deal with the issues relating to the pandemic. Further to the provisions of the Act, the President and some State Governors have issued several Covid 19 Regulations. The Regulations made by the Executives so far are of a limited scope dealing mainly with health and safety issues like imposition of curfew and restrictions of movement amongst others. The Executive arm have failed to exercise their powers under the Quarantine Act to make Regulations on legal measures to deal with the consequence of the pandemic on the limitation laws. Since we do not have laws with similar provisions with 7.1(2) of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act of Onatario which specifically allow regulations to be made by the Executive suspending the limitation law during a state of emergency, it thus appears that for us to achieve legislative intervention to put limitation laws in abeyance during the pandemic in Nigeria, there will be the need for a law to be passed by the National and State Houses of Assemblies. This may, however, be difficult as many of the State Houses of Assemblies have suspended their sitting indefinitely since the outbreak of the pandemic while the uncertainty on this key legal issue rage on.

Where the legislature fails to enact a law suspending the limitation laws, we argue that the Judiciary as the last hope of the common man and temple of justice could remedy the perceived injustice on litigants whose rights could be infringed by the strict application of the law.

The Court in achieving the above may will to exercise its constitutional powers to ensure the laws are interpreted only to give effect to the intention of the makers. The law should not take away the right of the litigant in a gangster-like fashion neither is it meant to visit the helpless situation of the Court on the litigant. The Court cannot leave litigants whose matters have become statute-barred as a result of the pandemic without a remedy. See Bello V A G Oyo State (1986) LPELR0 764 Sc. The reasoning of the Supreme Court in the case of Administrator and Executor of Estate of Abacha Vs Eke-Spiff & Ors (2009) LPELR-3152 on the rationale for the introduction of limitation law can be adopted by the Court to widen the scope of interpretation vis-a-viz the issue of the COVID 19. The Supreme Court per Aderemi J.S.C. held thus “However, Section 31(5) (a) and (b) of the same Edict provides for the postponement of limitation period in case of fraud concealment or mistakes.

It provides: ‘Subject to Section (E4) where in the case of any action for which a period of limitation is prescribed by the Edict either: (a) The action is based upon the fraud of the defendant; or (b) Any fact relevant to the plaintiff’s right of action has been deliberately concealed from him by the defendants.’The saying is that, ‘No prescription runs against a person who was hindered in bringing a court action’. Per ADEREMI, J.S.C. (Pp. 44-45, paras. E-A)

The recent uncertainty created by the administrative holding response of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, subjecting approval for a remote hearing of cases to superior directives of the Chief Justice of Nigeria underscores this point, as there is no clarity when such directive may come. There is also no clarity as to when the Federal Government would effectively lift the lockdown. Given the potential oninued spread of the pandemic, it appears there is no real control over the life span of these extraordinary containment measures.

In interpreting the implication of COVID 19 on limitation law, the Courts could build on the decision of the Supreme Court quoted above and the landmark judgment in Sifax Nigeria Ltd & 4 Ors v. Migfo Nigeria Ltd [2018] 9 NWLR (Pt 1623) 138 SC where# the Supreme Court departed from its age-long position of giving the principle of limitation law a narrow interpretation. Before the decision in Sifax Nigeria Ltd & 4 Ors v. Migfo Nigeria Ltd, the approach of Court to limitation laws is that pendency of an action in court would not stop time from running against the cause of action. Consequenlty, a party who commenced a suit before a court that lacks the competence to adjudicate on the subject matter will under the old regime lose the right of action if the matter becomes statute barred by the time the Court declares that it lacks the competence to hear the suit and therefore struck out the matter. The landmark decision by the Supreme Court in Sifax has now relaxed the strict application of limitation law and the new position is that the filing of a suit in court stops the application of limitation law to the cause of action during the pedency of the suit.

There is a strong argument in support of the position that application of limitation laws on matters that are time-bound should be suspended as a result of the lockdown imposed by the government. This contention is premised on the maxims Impotentia Excusat Legem (Inability excuses

These decisions of the Supreme Court have given a path for parties to explore and invite the Court to further expand the reasoning in the decisions in preserving the right of the litigants affected by the restrictions occasioned by COVID 19. The prescription of the law as to time though

mandatory, the Court in its quest to do justice ought generally to be imbued with the dictates of reason to accommodate a party that appears to have unwittingly run foul of the dictates of the procedural law. See Broad Bank Nig Ltd v Alhaji S Olayiwola & Sons Ltd (2005) 3 NWLR (pt 912) 434.

Section 15 of the Interpretation Act which deals with computation of time does not contemplate the precarious situation presented by this pandemic and thus did not provide a guide on how to address it.

Computation of Time, Access to Justice and Waiver of Penalties for Late Filings On the computation of time under the Rules of Court, unlike the rigid and strict application of limitation law where time cannot be extended by the Court, the Court is liberal in construing the provisions of the rules of Court prescribing a timeframe for the filing of processes.

Courts generally have the power to waive non-compliance and grant parties the indulgence to regularise their positions and seek for an extension of time to do any act which they failed to do within the timeframe prescribed. Litigants seeking the exercise of the discretion of the Court must, pay the requisite default fees as provided by the Rules (See Order 48 of the High Court of Lagos State Civil Procedure Rules 2019 and the Federal High Court Rules 2019).

The flexibility in the application of the Rules of Court is premised on the trite position that Rules of Court assist the Court in administering justice and non-compliance with the rules may not be fatal to the case of a party and could be remedied. See Order 7 of the High Court of Lagos State Civil procedure Rules 2019, which is replicated in the Rules of other Courts.

Although Judges are given the discretion to waive non-compliance with the Rules, a party seeking extension of time must pay default fees as a penalty for the breach. The Chief Judge determines the amount to be paid as penalty fees as provided in the Rules of Court or practice direction issued to that effect. The amount to be paid as default fee is as contained in Order 48 of both the Federal High Court and the High Court of Lagos State Civil Procedure Rules 2019 which provides for a default fee of N1000 per day. Order 48 Rule 4 of the High Court of Lagos State Civil Procedure Rules provides thus: The Judge may, as often as he deems fit, and either before or after the expiration of the time appointed by these Rules or by any judgment or order of the Court, extend or adjourn the time for doing any act or taking any proceeding: Provided that any party who defaults in performing an act within the time sauthorised by the Judge or under these Rules, shall pay to the Court a fee of N1000.00 (One Thousand Naira) for each day of such default at the time of compliance.

Further to the above-quoted provision of the Rules, it may be contended at face value that the payment of default fees is mandatory and Judges do not possess discretionary powers to waive cost in consideration of the peculiar facts that occasioned the delay which may be circumstances beyond the control of the party.

The pertinent question is whether parties will still be required to pay default fees covering the period of lockdown for failure to file processes within time? It is our respectful position that parties cannot pay default fees during the lockdown period of the pandemic as it is the Court that closed its doors to the litigants and could not turn around to punish litigants and counsel for failure to file processes during the pandemic.

As earlier mentioned, the statutes have given the Heads of Courts the power to make Rules to regulate the sitting of the Court in order to ensure seamless administration of justice. Pursuant to these powers, the Heads of various courts have been issuing practice directions on remote Court sitting amongst several others to deal with the peculiarity of the situation created by the pandemic. It is our considered proposition that a practice direction dealing with the suspension of payment of default fees during the pandemic should also be issued by the various Heads of Courts to avoid a situation where the sins of the Court would be visited on the litigants.

If the Chief Judge of the respective State High Courts and other heads of Courts fail to issue practice direction waiving payment of default fees during the pandemic, parties may apply to the Judge handling their matters praying for the waiver of default fees that accrued during the lockdown imposed by the government as a result of the pandemic.

This approach had been successfully tested before in cases before the High Courts (An application for waiver of default fees was granted by the Federal High Court in Suit FHC/L/CS/588/14 -A.I.C. V FAAN , but the High Court of Lagos State, however, refused a similar application in LD/3223LMW/2016 -Novojo Farms and Fisheries Company Limited Vs G.U. Okeke and Sons Limited.) This position is also in line with the fundamental duty of the courts to do justice. It is also in line with the revered legal axiom ubi jus ibi remedium (where there is a wrong there is a remedy) see University of Calabar Teaching Hospital & Anor V Bassey (2008) LPELR-8553 CA). The Supreme Court has established the need for substantial justice even in the absence of the support of a statutory provision in a plethora of cases. See Bello V AG Oyo (Supra).

Conclusion There is need for an urgent action to be taken by the enactment of laws, regulations and practice directions to deal with the uncertainties and seemingly unjust scenarios created by the pandemic as regards the application of limitation law and payment of default fees by the litigants.

It is becoming clear that the disruptive effect of this pandemic requires the different arms of government to be proactive, thinking outside the box and sometimes with no box, seeing that the Nation and the world appear to be dealing in uncharted territories and the future remains for now uncertain.

By Nnamdi Oragwu and Adeyinka Abdulsalam both of PUNUKA Attorneys and Solicitors, A law firm based in Lagos, Nigeria

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍ´, 2020

28

FEATURES

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

Ensuring Food Security Despite Realities of COVID-19 With closed borders and restriction of inter-state movements already straining weak food security, Chiemelie Ezeobi who was part of a conference on how to tackle this, writes on measures canvassed by stakeholders to overcome the challenges, and enhance food sustainability

F

ood security has always been of critical focus in Africa and its importance has been further highlighted by the new COVID-19 reality - the closed borders and corridors and restricted movement- straining already weak food security levels.

With the straining weak food security, occasioned by closed borders and restriction of inter-state movements, the role of smallholder farmer in the agriculture value chain cannot be overemphasised as people will rely increasingly on locally produced food in the coming months. But despite the important role they play in the agricultural chain, these smallholder farmers struggle to operate, achieve scale and contribute to the economy in line with their potential because of failures within the system to the success and sustainability of Nigeria’s agriculture sector.

This challenge and many more were the crux of a recent Zoom conversation held by Kola Masha of Babban Gona Company, Uka Eje of Thrive Agric, Ndidi Nwuneli, who is the Managing Partner at Sahel Consulting, and Debisi Araba who is African Region Director, International Center for Tropical Agriculture and an environmental policy expert.

In tackling the challenges faced by these smallholder farmers, these experts focused on the key themes of identity, access to credit, and value chain optimisation etc. According to them, “how do we ensure that the primary drivers of the sector - the smallholder farmers - are included and empowered, and their economic outcomes enhanced?�

Tackling “Smallholder Farmer Inclusion; Nigeria, Data and the Path to Food Security�, they said: “Over the last couple of weeks, there have been a lot of conversations around the executive summary of the 2019 Poverty and Inequality in Nigeria report released by the National Bureau of Statistics. Coming at a time when the coronavirus pandemic has clearly shown the level of inequality that exists within the Nigerian society, this document brought with it, proof of the many issues that have earned Nigeria the sorry title of poverty capital of the world. “One of the revelations that this document made was the uncanny relationship between agriculture in Nigeria and poverty. Every president Nigeria has had since democracy became our norm has implemented one agricultural development programme or the other, often backed by a large number of local and international partners, who believe in the agric sector being the key to the economic diversification the country dearly needs. “But to have the report show that the highest poverty numbers in a country with over 70 million poor people, were in households that depended on agriculture alone for their income explains how much work still needs to be done in the sector, especially for smallholder farmers.“ Masha is one of the entrepreneurs committed to fixing Nigeria’s smallholder farmer challenge through his company Babban Gona. For him and his team, low economies of scale resulting from many different factors such as poor access to finance, land issues, lack of extension services, and more, remain the reason Nigeria’s smallholder farmers experience low levels of productivity, as low as 20 per

A smallholder farmer

cent yield for the average Nigerian farmer, which continues to threaten the country’s food security.

He said the reason these smallholder farmers are pivotal to Nigeria’s food security can be found in the participation numbers for agriculture in Nigeria. “A 2017 survey of the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) showed that more than 80 percent of farmers in Nigeria are smallholders and they still account for more than 90 per cent of the agricultural outputs of the nation. “Even without considering poor smallholders’ welfare a food security threat given how low their productivity levels are, it is an underemployment issue as the agric sector employs about 70 per cent of Nigeria’s labor. “The pandemic border closures and restricted movements have hugely exposed our already weak food security levels, leading to price hikes in the market and a strain on consumers, thus showing why there is an urgent need to empower more smallholder farmers,� he disclosed.

Eje, whose company Thrive Agric, shares a similar vision as Masha, which is to get smallholder farmers the access they need to resources which are crucial to their work and the growth of the agricultural sector. Alongside them are Nwuneli and Araba.

According to them, in any conversation about inclusivity of smallholder farmers, data often takes center stage because it is easier to solve a problem when it is clearly defined and understood.

As Nwuneli put it, �we need to know who needs what, where they are, what they need most, how

Photo: Google

that impacts the sector, the nation and much more. The reason this is extremely important can be seen in how fundamental and foundational it is, especially for resource allocation. �For instance, while we have a good estimate of how many people work in the agricultural sector, across different demography and gender, there is still a problem with knowing in very fine details, what the chief challenge for smallholders in each locale is, and the extent of the impact it has on the efforts of those in other locales in preventing a looming food scarcity. �Different surveys have shown that poor access to market, poor access to finance, and inadequate knowledge of improved farming practices are the three biggest challenges to smallholders. While these findings form a step forward towards understanding the smallholder ’s plight, quantifying the problem in statistics such as required investment to reach a possible solution per region or locale, the number of affected farmers per issues, etc, paints a better picture and brings a target solution closer. �In Nigeria’s proposed 2020 budget, agriculture gets a meager 1.72 per cent allocation, which covers both capital and recurrent expenditure.

This very poor allocation, considering the fact that Nigeria has been signed to the Maputo agreement to allocate 10 per cent of its annual budget to agricultural development since 2003, will do little to lift smallholders out of the problems they face, given the poverty scale.�

Moreso, it is a small amount in relation to the spread of problems it is meant to cater to. This explains

why Araba from the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CAIT) opined that a lack of focus on exact goals we want to achieve might even be a bigger issue than the lack of access that exists, and might be making collaborative efforts with local and international partners less effective.

His stance remains that investing in vital infrastructure such as sustainable power will boost food production as well as reduce transaction costs for farmers, but more importantly, collaboratively tackling issues such as land degradation and soil fertility will go a long way to help farmers increase productivity, as the work they do at CAIT to restore soil fertility in many regions has shown. Clearly, a lot of support is needed to make agriculture work as a business in Nigeria.

Eje’s ThriveAgric currently has 18,500 farmers within its network spread across regions, who they support with key resources through crowdsourced investments from individuals who bet on the projected yields of these farmers.

The key goal for agritech companies like his is to help smallholders gradually grow their farming businesses, better improve their lives, those of their families and the people who work with them.

The agritech template has not only provided a means for more people to invest in smallholder farmers, and support their growth, it has also provided a framework for measuring productivity levels and the key levers leading to proportional development.

The growth for all parties involved is indicative of what can happen when we put smallholders first.

T H I S D AY ˾ JUNE 16, 2020

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FEATURES

The Amazing Potential of Nigeria’s Untapped Blue Economy Ehi Braimah

O

ne of the primary objectives of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) launched by the federal governmentthree years ago was aimed at diversifying the economy. With the price of oil in the global market always going up and down like a yo-yo, we do not need a prophet to tell us that the time has come for us to beam our searchlight on the non-oil sectorin the face of declining government revenue.

The 2020 national budget of N10.59 trillion ($29.42 billion)assumed an average price of oil at $57 per barrel if our production ranges between 1.7 million and 2 million barrels per day. That was not a bad projection although, on the face of it, the oil price benchmark appeared very ambitious. With the disruption wrought upon global markets

by COVID-19 and multiple constraining factors, oil price crashed below $20 at one point with far reaching consequences for the Nigerian economy.

With the declining demand for our oil which accounts for 90% of export revenue, Zainab Ahmed, Minister for Finance, Budget and National Planning, has announced adjustments to the budget. She has also asked everyone to brace up for the inevitable economic recession that would follow. In the meantime, the Economic Sustainability Committee headed by vice president Yemi Osinbajo is working round the clock to come up with solutions to weather the economic crisis since the pandemic hit the world.

One area the federal government and Osinbajo’s committee should consider immediately as a major revenue alternative to oil is our blue economy. Unfortunately, Nigeria is not tapping into the potential of the blue economy but it is not too late to begin with baby steps. What is a blue economy? Navy Commodore Daniel Atakpa, the immediate past Commandant of the Nigerian Navy Hydrographic School and blue economy expert, answers the question as follows: “A blue economy is an evolving maritime ecological concept aimed at the sustainable exploitation of ocean resources for economic growth, citizenry well-being and national development. Nigeria stands to gain immensely if we adopt and implement a credible strategy for harnessing the resources of the blue economy considering that the country is strategically located within the resource-rich Gulf of Guinea.”

The oceans cover two thirds of the Earth’s surface and they are a precious resource.

Emphasising the value of ocean resources, Natalie Parletta, a freelance science writer based in Adelaide -- the coastal capital of South Australia -- and adjunct research fellow with the University of South Australia, explained that the oceans are vital for planetary and human health. “Oceans help to buffer the impact of climate change.

These delicate ecosystems also provide habitats for millions of species; more than half the oxygen we breathe and food for more than a billion people come from the oceans,” Parletta wrote in one of her essays published in Forbes and Cosmos magazines. She also noted that an ideal model of a blue economy revolves around decision making that integrates economic, social and environmental needs for optimal benefits for all.

Nigeria has a coastline of about 420 nautical miles and an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 200 nautical miles which translates to a maritime area of 84,000 square nautical miles, says Navy Commodore Atakpa.

Nigeria is situated in the Gulf of Guinea and if we do the maths right by using one nautical mile as the equivalent of 1.852 kilometres, Nigeria’s maritime space (290 square kilometres) is about one third of our land area (924 square kilometres). In other words, Nigeria’s maritime space is the sum of the land areas of the following States and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory: Niger (76,363 sq km), Borno (70,898 sq km), Taraba (54,473 sq km), Kaduna (46,053 sq km), Lagos (3,343 sq km) and Abuja (7,315 sq km).

The current exploitation practice of the oceans in Nigeria is based on the tradi-

Braimah tional model: it is an unsustainable way of maritime practices of fishing, transportation and off-shore oil and gas exploitation.

However, blue economy, according to the experts, incorporates the emerging sectors of marine biotechnology, deep sea mining, off-shore renewable energy and eco-tourism amongst others. These ocean resources are embedded in the Gulf of Guinea, a major natural endowment; it means Nigeria is ignorantly seating on a blue economy with massive economic potential for the country if properly harnessed.

We do not currently have a blue economy which began globally about 10 years ago.

Even with traditional ocean economy which is the pathway to operationalizing the blue economy, we do not have reliable data. This is the time for policy makers to understand the concept of blue economy and embrace it as it is being done in other parts of the world.Three countries -- Republic of Ireland; Republics of South Africa and Seychelles – provide exemplary models for the establishment of blue economy bearing in mind that the concept was operationalized in these countries in 2012, 2014 and 2015 respectively.

At the last International Maritime Week which held at Oriental Hotel in Lagos (September, 2018), it was agreed that Nigeria has what it takes to operationalize the blue economy and make it work for enhanced economic growth. It is evident that the absence of a strategic maritime economic blue print, flawed institutional framework, maritime insecurity, lack of data as well as withheld Carbotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) are the bane of the maritime economy. Across Africa, fishing is a major economic activity in the oceans, lakes, rivers and fish farms. According to a UNDP report, fishing -- which is a major source of income for fishing communities in the continent -- employs about 12.3 million people between the ages of 15 – 64 years either as full or part time.

Writing for Raconteur magazine, freelance journalist Jon Axworthy listed five African countries with blue economy potential as follows: Madagascar, Somalia, Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria. Maritime transportation, deep sea ports, fishing, aquaculture and ship yards appeared to be common features in all the countries. However, sea cucumber farming is a big deal in Madagascar with 5,500 kilometres coastline.

In the case of Somalia with 3,000 kilometres coastline, the report indicated that their rich fisheries-based economy is threatened by the criminal activities of pirates thereby forcing foreign vessels to avoid Somali waters. The Kenyans are encouraged to eat more fish

because the country lies within the lucrative tuna belt and it is estimated that there are between 150,000 and 300,000 tonnes of fish swimming through the country’s expansive 200 nautical miles exclusiveeconomic zone (EEZ). South Africa’s blue economy strategy is anchored on “Operation Phakisa” (Phakisa means “hurry” in Sesotho, one of the country’s traditional languages) and their area of focus is the growth of domestic shipping (marine transport and manufacturing) because, from about 13,000 trade cargo ships that visit South African Ports every year to deliver imports and export local produce and minerals, only a handful are registered under South African flag, Axworthynoted in his special report on Africa’s “five champions” of the blue economy.

Nigeria’s biggest economic potential in the traditional oceaneconomy, Axworthy further revealed, is in shipbuilding and repair yards in addition to aquaculture, deep-sea development and seafarer training. But due to lack of investment in these areas, Nigerian maritime operations have continued to losemoney to foreigners. Ideally, oil export revenues should stay with us if we have a national carrier but we also lose significant revenue because of foreign ships lifting oil from Nigerian ports.

These are challenges we must address for a successful blue economy model. First, the federal government should understand the concept of blue economy and buy into it; second, establish a legal and institutional framework and muster the political will to adopt changes required to foster a blue economy; third, government should appoint experts tocome up with a blue economy strategy, and four, a new Ministry of Blue Economy (MoBE) should be created to implement the strategy. The proposed strategy must be “inclusive, environmentally sound and sustainable”. There is no doubt marine activities will boost Nigeria’s revenue, a position canvassed by Olisa Agbakoba, senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN). He estimated that Nigeria’s maritime economy has the capacity to create over 40 million jobs and generate N7 trillion revenue annually (Agbakoba, O., “Strategic Action Plan for Nigeria’s Maritime Sector”, Law Blog, 26 May 2015).

As a blue economy expert, Navy Commodore Atakpa says it is important that we worry about dwindling land-basedresources and rising global population. By 2050, the global population is projected to be in the region of 9 – 10 billion people and Nigeria is expected to have a population of about N400 million people. The oceans would provide the shock absorbers the global population needs to survive. The experts

have indicated that because of its resource endowment, the oceans can provide a means of livelihood for over three billion people.

Two years ago, Bjorn Gillsater, head of the Word Bank–UNHCR Joint Data Centre on Forced Displacement, attested to the value of ocean resources in his contribution to World Bank’s blog. “Blue economy is an asset that provides food, jobs, water and it is a source of economic growth,” Gillsater wrote. “It provides the source of livelihood for hundreds of millions of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world. By one estimate, it generates $3 – 6 trillion to the world economy. If it were a country, the oceanic economy would be the 7th largest in the world,” Gillsater stated.

However, exploiting the oceans comes with its own challenges – the precious resource is suffering from the effect of human activities. According to Gillsater, these problems have large implications in the global food supply chain and pose risks to human health. “Almost a third of the global fish stock is over fished; climate change is impacting the ecosystems in both the oceans and the coastline,” Gillsaterstated, sounding a note of alarm. Developments at some of the coastal areas have caused irreparable erosion; pollution and marine litter from both land and marine sources threaten the health of our oceans including its biodiversity.

The exploitation of ocean resources is receiving global attention. When the United Nations launched the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) five years ago with 169 targets to drive the goals, “Life Below the Oceans” was created as Goal No 14 (SDG14). This goal focuses on the sustainable management and protection of marine and coastal ecosystems. It also covers conservation and protection of ocean and aquatic life. The UN designed the 17 global goals to be a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all” and as a successor to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The expectation is that these goals would be achieved by 2030. According to Navy Commodore Atakpa, the UN recognises blue economy as an ecological economics development strategy that is re-enforced

by SDG14 which advocates the sustainable use of ocean resources.

As part of the global response, Gillsater noted in his blog post that the UN, World Bank and 15 other global stakeholders agreed on a joint road map for global development of the blue economy concept and countries such as Canada, Fiji, Germany, Grenada, Kenya, Norway, Portugal, Sweden are providing leadership at national and global levels. To facilitate action for SDG14, the road map framed activities for the blue economy in five areas: harvesting and trade of marine resources; extraction and use of marine non-living resources; use of renewable non-exhaustible natural forces (blue energy); commerce and trade in and around the ocean, and those activities that indirectly contribute to the economy such as carbon sequestration, carbon protection, waste disposal and biodiversity.

The SDG office at the Presidency is expected to play an active role when a national policy framework to establish the blue economy is put together and it is essential to note that SDG14 will be very significant in this regard.

Collaboration and engagement with states in the coastal region and agencies such as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) will be helpful, too. It is also advisable for the SDG office to engage the services of a blue economy expert to articulate SDG14 strategy, implementation and progress.

Indeed, there is a meeting point between the blue economy and the overall SDG mandate – the blue economy, as a standalone SDG14, is capable of facilitating the achievements of nine other SDG goals. Hopefully, the federal government will pay attention to the huge opportunities available in the blue economy as we strive to expand the revenue base of the country.

-Braimah is a public relations consultant and marketing strategist based in Lagos (ehi.braimah@brandimpact.ng)

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IMAGES

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍ´, 2020

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L-R: Secretary, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Mr. Suleiman Musa; President, Mr. Adodo Solomon; former President (NYCN), Olawale Ajani; and Vice President National Youth Council of Nigeria, Adamu Kabiru; during the Commissioning of the Council’s Center in Abuja...recently PHOTO: KINGSLEY ADEBOYE

Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. David Umahi (Middle) with Hon. Laz Ogbee (Left) and Mrs. Euphemia Nwali after swearing-in Hon. Ogbee as Commissioner for Inter-Governmental Aairs at EXCO Chambers, Old Government House, Abakaliki...recently

Minister of Humanitarian Aairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq(left) and Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Anthony Ojukwu, during the latter’s courtesy call on the Minister for colaboration on issue of People Living With Disabilities and welfare of Internally Displaced Persons. in Abuja...recently

Some sympathizers watch a bridge that was washed away by Saturday night’s heavy downfall, at Oko-Erin area of Ilorin in Kwara...recently

L-R: Social Welfare OďŹƒcer, Old Peoples Home, Lagos State Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development, Mr. Bamigboye Olajide, and Assistant Manager, Legal, Chi Limited, Miss. Oyinkansola Olude, during the company’s donation of cartons of Hollandia Evap Milk to the Old Peoples Home as part of the company’s continued support toward COVID-19 relief eorts in Lagos...recently PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

L-R: Members, House of Representatives, Hon Ayodeji Joseph; Hon Jimi Benson; Oniru of Iruland, Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal (Abisogun II); Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Femi Gbajabiamila and Hon Rotimi Agunsoye, during a courtesy visit to the Kabiyesi on his appointment as Traditional Ruler, at Oniru Palace, in Eti-Osa, Lagos...recently

L-R: Assistant Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Virginia Oyedeji; a resource person, Dr Tunde Ojo; Comptroller of Immigration, FCT Command, Mrs Angela Esekhaigbe; and another resource person, Dr Nnagha Onyedika, at a retreat on COVID-19 safety consciousness and next level of hostmanship, in NIS, FCT Command at Gwagwalada in Abuja....recently

Parishioners line up to wash their hands before entering the church for Sunday Mass as part of the measures put in place to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic at Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral Area 3, Garki Abuja...recently PHOTO: GODWIN OMOIGUI

TUESDAY JUNE 16, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY JUNE 16, 2020

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PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT Sanwo-Olu Lists Improvements in Lagos Housing, Infrastructure at Anniversary Bennett Oghifo

L

agos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has listed improvements to the state’s housing and infrastructure as part of his administration’s great leap towards a greater Lagos, which he promised when they assumed office a year ago.

Addressing Lagos residents during the commemoration of his administration’s first year in office, at the weekend, Governor Sanwo-Olu stated that the plan to construct the 4th Mainland Bridge would become clearer in the weeks ahead, as “we shortlisted eight out of the over 30 firms that expressed interest in the project.”

The governor said they are also working to make the roads better with several of them rehabilitated while others are

at various stages of completion.

These are, the Oshodi-Abule-Egba BRT Corridor, the Pen Cinema Bridge, the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, the Agric-Ishawo Road and the four junctions’ improvement projects at Allen Avenue, Maryland, Ikotun and Lekki, among others, stating that these projects would be completed soon and ready for public use.

“A major highlight of our intervention in roads was the commissioning of a network of 31 roads at Ojokoro area in December 2019,” Sanwo-Olu said, adding, that more completed projects would be commissioned in the coming days. These include: The Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) for our Bus Reform Scheme at Ikeja and Oshodi Bus Terminals; The Oshodi Abule-Egba BRT Corridor; Oyingbo Bus Terminal; Concrete Jetty with Shoreline Protection and Waiting Shelter at

Baiyeku, Ikorodu LGA; Fadipe/ Salami/Eyiowuawi/Odubanjo Streets in Shomolu LGA; Alhaji Akinwunmi Street in Mushin LGA; and Adagun-Imeke-IworoAjido-Epeme Road in Badagry LGA. The governor said he was satisfaction with the quality and progress of work on the transport infrastructure projects across the state and urged residents to be patient, “as we work to complete all of them to give you a better motoring and commuting experience.”

Lagos’ land and water topography has resulted in the building of some sturdy infrastructure that support water-based economy.

The governor said, “The Greater Lagos we promise you is a Megacity that is fully and confidently a 21st century economy. This is the thinking that has propelled us to sign a $629 million financing facility

aimed at completing the Lekki Deep Seaport project. When that project is completed, Lagos will have one of the most modern and capable Ports not just in Africa but in the world.

“It will stimulate the local, national and regional economies, and earn a well-deserved place as a container transportation hub in Africa.”

Gov. Sanwo-Olu also presented

the state’s stride in housing in the first year of his administration, stating that a 21st century economy should be capable of meeting the housing needs of its people.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hazmat and their wives, Ibijoke and Oluremi, at an exhibition at Child Health Centre, Lekki…recently

FMWH Resumes Emergency Repair of Lagos Bridges, Roads Fadekemi Ajakaiye The Federal Ministry of Works and Housing has resumed emergency repair of roads and bridges in Lagos State.

The Federal Controller of Works, Lagos State, Engr. Joshua Olukayode Popoola, at a recent tour, stated that the scope of work for the emergency repair of the Marine Bridge includes; the replacement of 72 expansion joints and the rubber; replacement of the bearing; skin repairs

of the pier; and jacketing.

The contractors were mobilised to site in January, he said but that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many left the site, leaving a few and work was skeletal, till they resumed again in May. He stated that the contractor for the Marine Bridge project is Buildwell Equipment Nig. Ltd, while the project manager is Engr. Ghassan Kaadi.

Kaadi stated that they had done 10% of the job, as some

of the skin repairs have been done. The completion date of the project is April 2021. “Currently, we work in sections of 200m at once. One section of the road is in use, and as soon as that is finished, we open this and commence work on the other section,” he said.

On getting to Apapa, Popoola stated that work was ongoing in four sections of Apapa, they are; Liverpool, Creek Road, Tin Can, and Coconut. The scope of work here is the pulverization

Palton Morgan Appoints former EMAAR CEO as COO Fadekemi Ajakaiye Palton Morgan, Nigeria’s foremost property development holding company, in its quest to deliver exceptional real estate projects and drive the exponential growth of Nigeria’s property sector, has appointed former Emaar Pakistan Chief Executive Officer, Nidal Turjman as its new Group Chief Operating Officer.

Emaar Properties is one of the world’s most valuable and admired real estate development companies with diversified interests in real estate covering both commercial and residential property development. Emaar has collective presence in 36 markets across the Middle East, North Africa, Pan-Asia, Europe and North America; where Mr. Turjman served

almost 12 years in multiple leadership roles including CEO for multiple entities and developments regionally and internationally and led the growth and positioning of Emaar in several international markets.

Coming to the job with over 25 years of global experience and proven achievements in real estate development, property management, assets management, and diversified industries, which got him engaged in real estate investments in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, Pakistan, Egypt, Tunisia, Syria and Morocco, with key roles, which played in the decision to bring him on board Palton Morgan Holdings at this crucial time.

Mr. Turjman, will lead the new strategies and push policies that will sustain the

growth of Palton Morgan as the market leader in the largest African economy and fuel great innovation within the Nigeria property market.

He holds BS in Economics, Diploma of International Commercial Arbitration from Equity College, UK, and multiple executive development certificates in Project Management, FIDIC and Contract Management, among others.

Speaking on the appointment, Palton Morgan Holdings CEO, Adeyinka Adesope said the Group is pleased to welcome Turjman to the team as his career experiences bring further depth to the Palton Morgan workforce and supports the continued push for excellence, enhanced customers’ experience and improved performance across all its real estate portfolios.

of the existing asphaltic concrete, adding of the stone base before laying to attain reinforce concrete pavement, he said.

The thickness is about 200mm, which is about 8 inches. This will last longer than the regular asphaltic concrete. The busy nature of Apapa-Oshodi Road, and the load it carries prompted the change in design to continuous reinforced concrete pavement, to be able to withstand the heavy load involved, he said.

This construction has impacted

the economy by creating about 600 direct jobs for Engineers, Surveyors, Quantity Surveyors and Artisans working on this project, while the indirect ones like food sellers, suppliers of cement, reinforcement and others are not less than 1000.

Notably, during the lockdown, their contractors were still working on this road to make sure that November 2020 deadline was actualised, he said.

He stated that the regular travel time has also reduced,

saying for instance, Apapa to Oworonshoki that will take four hours previously, now took less than 15 minutes because of the completed section that has been opened to traffic. “Commuters and road users are now happy and we promise to complete the work in due time.”

The contract sum for this whole section is about N73 billion, while the main contractor for this, is Dangote Industries Ltd, subcontracted to Hitech Nigeria Ltd., he said.

Gtext Homes Empowers Real Estate Marketers Fadekemi Ajakaiye Gtext Homes, one of Nigeria’s respected real estate companies recently extended its kind gesture to the real estate industry as it gave cash prize and mentorship to young industry players.

After receiving entries from hundreds of realtors and real estate marketers across the country for Gtext Homes one million pitch contest, the Lagos-based real estate company selected three winners who, due to their passion for the property industry, were able to meet the requirements for the prize.

According to Gtext Homes, the three days mentorship class, which was part of the winners’ package, will enrich the young consultants with the knowledge that will enable them to succeed in real

estate marketing while the N1 million cash prize will serve as a catalyst in enabling them to achieve their goals.

“The idea of the 1 million pitch contest is to empower young real estate marketers.

The initiative is to help train and equip passionate real estate realtors with knowledge and funds that would enable them to attract more sales and become more successful,” Emmanuel Ikechuwku, Manager, Gtext Homes said.

Explaining how the 1 million pitch contest will impact the three winners, Gtext Homes said the training and cash prize is targeted at empowering the realtors by giving them leverage to become more competitive in the industry.

Meanwhile, the three finalists of the Gtext Homes 1 million pitch contest were

given the cash prize of N1million with the overall winner taking home N500,000, while the first and second runner up got N300,000 and N200,000 respectively.

“I am an independent realtor and the winner of Gtext Homes 1 million pitch contest.

I am very excited about the opportunity,” Maureen Ibeh, one of the winners of the competition said at the cheque presentation adding that she was “going to invest the money in promoting what” she knows how to do best“market and sell real estate.”

The 1 million pitch contest

by Gtext Homes, a subsidiary of Gtext Global, a group company managed by Stephen Akintayo is coming after the company’s Upgrade Summit of 2020, a similar initiative that made three SMEs N1 million richer.

How Socially-led Innovation can Bring Positive Change in Unchartered Times Muhammad Nabil There’s an old and somewhat overused saying attributed to Winston Churchill that is nevertheless appropriate in these uncertain times: never let a good crisis go to waste. A global pandemic certainly qualifies as a crisis, but what good can we generate from this exceptional challenge?

In my work with Microsoft

4Afrika I have had a front row seat to the innovation and creativity many African startups have employed to address pressing economic and social gaps and needs.

Whether it’s using agri-tech to improve farmer crop yields, using technology to deliver finance solutions to the previously unbanked or pairing solar power and IoT to solve power reliability issues, African innovation is alive and thriving, and

the Covid-19 pandemic has only fanned these flames of ingenuity.

Crisis drives sociallydrive innovation As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to unfold, it’s been inspiring to support and work with startups who are adapting their businesses and creating new platforms to support relief efforts. We offer technical and business support to

startups, hackathons and ideation sessions hosted by our partners, and work with partners throughout Africa to help them adapt and develop their solutions to address the current situation.

In Egypt, the local angel investor network Cairo Angels ‘We’ve got your back’ campaign has helped one startup develop a platform that connects vulnerable elderly people with volun-

teers who do their shopping and run errands for them, while a three-day Wild Card hackathon Microsoft 4Afrika supported saw SMEs and startups participating head to head to develop response systems designed to deliver social relief for those suffering Covid-19 disruptions.

In South Africa, Zindi, the first data science competition platform in Africa, has rolled out a series of weekend hackathons to a

data science ecosystem of engineers, scientists, academics, companies, NGOs and institutions, targeting a set of Covid-19-related datasets. And #Africa Vs Virus, an African Development Bank Ideathon supported

by Microsoft, addressed challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.

-Muhammad Nabil, Partners and Startups Strategy Lead: Microsoft 4Afrika

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TUESDAY JUNE 16, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Buhari, Lawan, Gbajabiamila, Tinubu, Others Mourn Lagos Senator

Osinowo didn’t die in our hospital, says First Cardiologist Hospital

Omololu Ogunmade, Deji Elumoye, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja,Segun James and Eddie AlegbeinLagos President Muhammadu Buhari; President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan; his deputy, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege; All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State and the National Leader of the party, Senator Bola Tinubu have described the death of the Senator representing Lagos East, Senator Bayo Osinowo’s who is popularly known as Pepper as shocking and a great loss to the party and the state.

This is coming as First Cardiologist Consultants Hospital in Lagos has described as false, a report in the social media that the senator died in the hospital, saying that the late Osinowo never stepped into the hospital as alleged.

In a statement issued yesterday, the hospital stated that it was the first hospital to be certified for High Intensity Critical care (Level 3) for COVID patients, stressing that it is actually the final referral centre for the sickest patients who cannot be managed anywhere else According to the statement, the hospital has admitted 28 severely ill people with severe respiratory distress from COVID-19, and only five of these have died, translating to 82 per cent survival rate.

“These results are superior to the results from the United Kingdom where they have 60 per cent survival for patients hospitalised in the Intensive Care Unit. ”Some of the resources we have and have deployed here are only available in 5 regional centres in the United Kingdom. We had anticipated the spread of this disease

to Nigeria way back in January and made significant structural and operational changes to our hospital such that we could provide critical COVID-care to patients, and still deliver in a safe environment, advanced non-COVID medical care comparable to those obtainable at elite medical centres abroad, to patients who hitherto depended on us for their advanced cardiac and medical care,” the statement explained.

Meanwhile, Buhari has condoled with the family of the late senator, and the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the death of the senator.

A statement by presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, said the president noted that Osinowo as a member of the ninth Senate, key member of the APC and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Industry, worked diligently to advance this administration’s objective of building a better and prosperous Nigeria.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and the National Publicity of the APC, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, have also mourned the late senator.

Family sources told THISDAY that

the Senator died from complications arising from COVID-19 pandemic yesterday morning, adding that his corpse would be buried yesterday in his home town, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, according to Muslim rites.

Lawan, in a statement, condoled with Senator Osinowo’s family, friends, political associates and also the government and people of Lagos State over the loss.

Gbajabiamila in a condolence message by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Lanre Lasisi, recalled his engagements with the late Senator all in an attempt to better the lives of the people.

On his part, Omo-Agege

described the late Osinowo as a passionate populist who represented Lagos East Senatorial District and his state with unflinching commitment.

In a statement he personally signed, Tinubu said he was deeply hurt by the sudden and unexpected passing of Osinowo.

According to the former Lagos State governor, the late senator was more than a close friend and political associate.

The upper legislative chamber had earlier lost Senators Benjamin Uwajumogu; Ignatius Longjan and Rose Oko, to the cold hands of death between December, 2019 and June, 2020.

Pharmacists Reject Mora as PCN Chairman,Threaten Nationwide Strike Martins Ifijeh

Pharmacists have rejected the appointment of Mr. Ahmed Tijjani Mora as chairman of the Governing Board of the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN).

Opposition to Mora’s appointment is being spearheaded

by President of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria (PSN), Mr. Sam Ohuabunwa, and all his predecessors, who have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the inauguration of Mora as the board chairman.

In an open letter to the president yesterday, and signed by all nine former and present presidents of the association, the pharmacists said should Mora be inaugurated, PSN would mobilise pharmacists to embark on a nationwide strike.

Signatories to the open letter are Ohuabunwa, and past presidents of PSN - Ahmed Yakassai, Olumide Akintayo, Azubike Okwor, Anthony Akhimien, O. Uwaga, Mohammed Yaro Budah, Eme Ekaite, and Philip Emafo.

They said: “The PSN observes with satisfaction a seeming tendency to appoint fit and proper persons as chairman of the PCN, which is a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Health that regulates and controls pharmacy in all aspects and ramifications which therefore grounds the PCN as

the template of ethics and values of the pharmacy profession.

“In the circumstance, our pedigree and heritage are determined by the moral and ethical quality of the person who is appointed chairman of the Governing Council of the PCN. “From all the evidence adduced above, it is our view that Mora carries a heavy moral and ethical burden, which gravely damages his suitability for the sacred job of chairman of the PCN. “We strongly enjoin the federal government to continue its tradition of consulting with the PSN as part of due diligence to ensure quality control of persons who emerge as chairman of the council.”

They called on the president to allow PCN produce three nominees through the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) from which the federal government will pick one to chair the board, adding that alternatively, Buhari can appoint any other pharmacist from the same zone with Mora.

“It may interest the president to note that the person the PSN originally recommended to the minister as chairman is Yaro Budah, who actually was nominated by the minister of health to the secretary to the federal government in a letter dated May 2018.

Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Akinkugbe Dies at 86 Martins Ifijeh Emeritus Professor Oladipo Akinkugbe is dead.

The foremost Professor of Medicine at the University College Hospital, Ibadan died yesterday at the age 86 after a brief illness.

Akinkugbe studied and taught at some of the world’s most prestigious universities, including the University of London, Balliol College, University of Oxford England and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA. He was Pro-Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt;

former Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria; former Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin; and a former Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ibadan.

He was Chairman, Vesta Healthcare Partners, and Chairman of the Presidential Projects Implementation Committee on the refurbishing of Teaching Hospitals in Nigeria.

Akinkugbe, who was highly respected in the academic and healthcare sector, was a recipient of the National Honour of Cote De Voire.

ELDERS’ WISDOM TO THE RESCUE...

L-R: Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Chief Kunmi Mustapha; members of the Steering Committee of the PDP Elders Forum, Chief Jacob Adetoro, Dr. Saka Balogun, Chief Sunday Ogunlade; Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde; and member of the Steering Committee of the PDP Elders’ Forum, Mrs. Mutiat Ladoja, during the inauguration of the committee at Government House, Ibadan...yesterday

NIMC Registers 900 Repentant Boko Haram Members The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has disclosed that it has registered about 900 repentant Boko Haram members.

In a statement issued yesterday, NIMC said as a strategic partner in the effort at tackling the security challenges in the country, it will provide reliable and secure data of repentant Boko Haram members who have been reintegrated into

society.

Director General of the commission, Mr. Aliyu Aziz reiterated the agency’s readiness to provide “accurate, secured and verifiable data when needed” .

“The commission has the capacity to support the FG in the ongoing war against security challenges through its functional and world-class verification and authentication services residual

in its modern and up-to-date database,” he said.

Coordinator of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. John Eneche said NIMC is one of the agencies involved in the deradicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration process of ex-Boko Haram members.

Enenche said no repentant Boko Haram member will evade arrest if they renege on

their pledge to give up arms, particularly with their data captured by NIMC. “The National Identity Management Commission is one of the agencies involved in the DRR process capturing of all repentant Boko Haram combatants on its data making it easy for them to be traced in any unfortunate incident,” he said.

Edo APC Crisis: Clark Condemns Disqualification of Obaseki Deji Elumoye in Abuja Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday condemned the disqualification of Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State from seeking re-election by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) describing the action as condemnable, very unfortunate, irresponsible, reckless, and appalling.

Clark, in a statement personally signed by him entitled “Edo State APC Crisis: No Individual is Bigger than Nigeria,” while advising Obaseki to defect to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if APC fails to upturn his disqualification also fingered the National Chairman of the party, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, as the mastermind of the exercise.

The former First Republic

federal Information Commissioner declared: “I condemn, in the strongest terms, the disqualification of the incumbent Governor of Edo State, by the APC screening committee under the leadership of a Professor, Ayuba Jonathan, over alleged inconsistencies in the governor’s academic credentials.

“What the Professor Ayuba Jonathan-led APC screening committee did is a shame to

the academic world, not listening or accepting the statement from the Registrar of the University of Ibadan, the country’s premier University, instead, it resorted to adopting pettiness and irregularities, to achieve a predetermined outcome.

The subsequent upholding of that illegitimate decision by the APC Appeal Committee is yet another action that leaves a sour taste in the mouth.”

FAAN: Air Passengers Must Arrive Three Hours before Flight Takeoff Chinedu Eze As planned resumption of domestic flights draws nearer, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has reiterated that passengers must arrive at least three hours before their scheduled flight takeoff time in order to go through check-in process and COVID-19 preventive protocols.

The agency, which made this known yesterday on its Twitter handle, said that passengers’ early arrival would enable efficient checks and screening before boarding.

“COVID-19 Flight Resumption Protocol for Passengers: You are advised to arrive at the airport three hours before your flight due to the new COVID-19 safety

checks,” FAAN wrote.

When asked if this directive applies to only domestic flights, FAAN said passengers for international flights are also required to be at the airport three hours before takeoff.

However, no date has been fixed for the resumption of international flights and there are indications that the June

21, 2020 fixed for resumption of domestic flights could be changed.

FAAN along with other agencies has been meeting with domestic airlines and airport operators on the modalities and health protocols for post COVID-19 resumption in accordance to standard practices.

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TUESDAY JUNE 16, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS XTRA

Wadume: Falana Seeks Arrest of Soldiers Who Killed Policemen Davidson Iriekpen Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr.

Femi Falana, yesterday added his voice to the growing calls for the arrest and prosecution of soldiers who killed policemen during

Gunmen Kill Two Persons in Plateau Attacks .Irate youths set police station ablaze over missing manhood Seriki Adinoyi in Jos Gunmen last Sunday evening attacked Kambang-Malul village of Daffo District of Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State killing the village head and one other.

This is even as armed robbers attacked a shop in Panyam village of Mangu LGA of the state shooting four customers at the shop.

Meanwhile, irate youths in the state have also set a police station ablaze over ‘missing manhood’.

Then gunmen who attacked Bokkos, suspected to be Fulani militias, ambushed the village head, Mr. Musa Ataka, and one Mr. Danjuma Taake while they were returning from a neighbouring village where they had visited a friend. They were

stabbed to death.

A source from the village said the two were hacked down by the assailants just by the roadside, adding that their remains were discovered by passersby who then alerted their families who came to evacuate them to Luna Hospital mortuary in Bokkos.

In Panyam, the four customers were shot by armed robbers at Point of Sales (POS) shop last Sunday while the shop owner, Chief Ifeanyi Ude, was transacting with his customers. The armed robbers, numbering five, reportedly forced their way into Ude’s shop, shot the customers, and made away with a huge sum of money, as they escaped unhurt.

The victims were immediately rushed to COCIN Rural Health Hospital in Panyam for treatment.

Katsina Police Declare Notorious Bandits’ Leader,Yankuzo Wanted Francis Sardauna in Katsina The Katsina State Police Command has arrested over 50 suspected bandits and kidnappers terrorising the state and also declared one Adamu Aliero Yankuzo, a suspected notorious bandits’ leader, wanted.

Yankuzo, according to the police, has been terrorising Katsina and Zamfara States as well as masterminded the recent attack on Kadisau village of Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State which led to the killing of over 52 people.

Consequently, the command has pledged a bounty of N5,000,000 on his head for anybody with useful information that could

lead to his arrest.

The state Commissioner of Police, Sanusi Buba, who disclosed this while parading other suspected bandits and kidnappers yesterday, said the suspect had killed many people and rustled hundreds of cattle.

He said the suspect coordinated the attack on Kadisau village in protest against the arrest of his son, Sulaiman Adamu Aliero, by the police on April 4, 2020.

According to the commissioner, “The command wish to declare Adamu Aliero Yankuzo, 45, a male from Yankuzo village of Tsafe LGA of Zamfara State, a notorious leader of group of bandits terrorising Katsina and Zamfara States, wanted.

Ondo Grants Tax Relief, Waivers to Businesses James Sowole in Akure The Ondo State Government has introduced tax relief and incentives for taxpayers and businesses to cushion the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.

The Executive Chairman of the state Internal Revenue Services (ODIRS), Mr. Tolu Adegbie, disclosed this during a chat with journalists yesterday.

Adegbie said ODIRS has donated 1,800 units of Personally Protective Equipment (PPE) to all the revenue generating Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the state.

He said the donation of the PPE was in addition to the donation of N1.364million by the staff of ODIRS to the state COVID-19 committee.

The chairman of ODIRS noted that under the tax waiver, the government has suspended implementation of the Hotel,

Restaurant and Event Centre Consumption Tax. According to him, tax due to start on June 1, 2020, is suspended in view of the peculiarly harsh impact suffered by the entertainment and hospitality sectors.

Adegbie also disclosed that the state government has also suspended the full implementation of the Land Use Charge rates based on property valuation.

He said: “The existing amnesty rates for residential property will subsist as follows: High Value Zone (HVZ), N7,000 to 10,000; Medium Value Zone (MVZ), N3,000 to N5,000, and Base Value Zone (BVZ), N1,000.00 to N3,000 per annum.

“Penalty and interest on arrears of Land Use Charge from the year 2017 to 2019 is hereby waived for residential property. This waiver applies to those who make payment on or before December 31, 2020.”

the arrest of Hamisu Bala, a.k.a Wadume, a suspected kidnap kingpin in Taraba State.

On August 6, 2019, policemen attached to the intelligence response team of the force, who arrested Wadume were shot dead by soldiers.

Three policemen and two civilians were killed during the incident, while five other police officers were injured.

One of the policemen killed in the incident was Assistant

Superintendent, Felix Adolije, who was described as one of the best among the team known for handling special crime cases across the country.

Although, a court had directed the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, to produce for prosecution, the army officers involved in the incident, the order is yet to be complied with.

In a letter addressed to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice,

Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), yesterday, Falana demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of 10 soldiers involved in the killing of the officers.

The human rights lawyer, who is the counsel to Adolije’s family, said the army has refused to “release the suspected killersoldiers to face justice.”

He said the 16-count charge bordering on terrorism, murder and kidnapping levelled against Wadume reinforces the need to

prosecute the soldiers.

He said he would take other actions if Malami refuses to comply with his request.

“The request of the police investigation team to interrogate the 10 soldiers who were indicted in the killing of the three policemen and two civilians as well as the kidnap of members of the public in Taraba State was turned down by the army authorities,” the letter read.

EDO POLL ON THEIR MINDS...

L-R: National Treasurer of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Adamu Fanda; National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu; National Chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole; National Welfare Secretary, Mr. Ibrahim Masari; and National Vice Chairman, North West Mr. Inuwa Abdulkadir, after the National Working Committee (NWC) of APC’s meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja ...yesterday GODWIN OMOIGUI

Ganduje Insists on Probe of Former Kano Emir, Sanusi Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has given a nod to the Kano State Public Complaints and AntiCorruption Commission to go on with the process of probing the deposed Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II. The governor made this known yesterday at the media interactive session held at Africa House, Government House, Kano.

The state’s anti-graft agency was investigating the deposed emir over alleged N2.2 billion scam on lands belonging to the Kano Emirate.

However, the process of probing

the emir was slowed down after Kano Elders Forum filed a lawsuit to challenge the investigation.

But in response to a question from a journalist, Ganduje stated that the embattled monarch has case to answer and would be prosecuted if found wanting.

The governor also stated that the anti - corruption commission would now have a hitch-free legal exercise as there is no pending case before a court to challenge the emir’s probe.

He noted that his administration intended to split the emirate into five as a reform to bring even development across the state.

“When we wanted to bring on board reform to our traditional

institution, the former Emir did not cooperate with the process of reform. The process was truncated; so, the only option for him was to find his way out. And that was what happened.

“That time there was this socalled Kano Elders Forum that tried to also frustrate the reform process. Their case was squashed by another court of competent jurisdiction.

“In the absence of all legal issues, the probe will continue.

When he took them to court to stop the agency from probing him, the case was quashed. So, they will continue probing him, according to the set down law.

“The reform of the traditional

institution was the sole aim of trickling down of development to other parts of the state, particularly the communities that house the new Emirates, that they were created,” he said.

Ganduje also announced that the state government will soon review the 2020 budget downward by 30 per cent in order to complete ongoing projects.

According to him, the decline in Internally Generated Revenue, (IGR), occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the need to be prudent on the government’s expenditure in order to achieve the completion of the projects before the end of his second tenure.

Sylva: Buhari Fully Supports Removal of Petrol Subsidy Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari fully supports the deregulation of petroleum prices in the country.

Sylva argued that the president did not need to make any formal announcement to that effect since he has lieutenants who speak on his behalf.

Speaking with Premium Times, the minister explained that the federal government was losing trillions of naira to the payment of subsidies before the bold decision to liberalise the market.

He noted that any marketer who engages in profiteering when prices eventually go up because of market dynamics will have much explanation to make.

“I don’t know why Nigerians

always say the president must say something. But, I can tell you the president is fully for deregulation and removal of fuel subsidy.

“Let’s face it. Deregulation was really hurting the economy.

One buys a product for so much and sell it a loss at a pump price, because of subsidy.

“Again, before you even buy the product, there is another loss, because the foreign exchange used

in paying for it is subsidised.

“In the end, the government was losing trillions of naira. If one policy saves about N1 trillion for the country, then we should all be happy” he stated.

Sylva maintained that when prices were reviewed downwards, there was no significant shift in the market, adding that instead, it was moving in the opposite direction.

Ekiti Moves to Build Cargo Airport Victor Ogunje in Ado-Ekiti The Ekiti State government has commissioned a contractor for the design and supervision of the cargo airport project in the state.

The decisions formed part of the outcome of the virtual meeting of the State Executive Council held in Ado Ekiti

yesterday.

The state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Muyiwa Olumilua, in a statement yesterday stated that the state Governor, Kayode Fayemi, and members of the council approved “the engagement of Messers KEFE Engineering Limited as the consultant for the design and supervision

of the Ekiti State Agricultural Cargo Airport project.”

The commissioner stated that the consultant was shortlisted and finally chosen as suitable, after a selective tender process and evaluation of the technical bids submitted by each of the prospective consultants.

“The duration of the consultancy would cover up

to the expiration of the project/ contract,” he added.

Meanwhile, the State Executive Council also approved the appointment of Prince Ajibewa Adeniran Oluwafemi of the Ajibewa Ruling House as the new Olorin of Orin Ekiti in Ido/ Osi Local Government Area of the state.

TUESDAY JUNE 16, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWSEXTRA

Senate: N4.4tn Spent on Power without Any Improvement in Supply Nigeria loses $29bn yearly to power failure, says Lawan

Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Senate yesterday advised the federal government to stop playing the ostrich over the failing power sector seven years after its privatisation.

It also disclosed that N4 .4

trillion was injected generally into the sector as intervention funds in the last 21 years, while N1.7trillion was specifically injected into the sector within the last five years, without corresponding improvement in power supply.

Atiku, Gbajabiamila, Sanwo-Olu, Others Mourn Ibidun Ighodalo A former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide SanwoOlu have mourned the demise of Pastor Ituah Ighodalo’s wife.

Atiku said yesterday that the life of Mrs. Ibidun Ighodalo, may have been short but it was “impactful”.

“Her Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation, a non-profit organisation was a source of blessing to many women. My deepest condolences to the Ighodalo and Olaleye Ajayi families. May her soul rest in peace,” Atiku tweeted.

Gbajabiamila has also expressed sadness over the demise of Mrs Ibidun Ighodalo.

The Australian High Commissioner in Nigeria, Ms. Clarie Ireland, has disclosed that Australia would help Nigeria to establish a gold processing centre that would end the export of raw gold out of the country.

Ireland made this statement when the National President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Mrs. Saratu Iya Aliyu, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the high commissioner at the Australian High Commission in Abuja recently.

Ireland said the high commission is working on a fiveyear engagement programme with the Nigerian private sector that

would provide technical assistance, investments and equipment in the area of services for the mining sector.

Aliyu used the courtesy visit to call for a deeper relationship between the Nigerian and the Australian private sectors to facilitate the development of the Nigerian mining and agricultural sectors.

The NACCIMA’s president acknowledged that the chamber had had a good relationship with the high commission, which dated back to August 2018 when the high commission’s involvement ensured the success of NACCIMA’s Mining Road Show in Melbourne and Perth that showcased the potential of the Nigerian mining sector and exposed Nigerian miners to Australian mining investors.

Ondo 2020: I Can’t Be Ajayi’s Deputy, Says Jegede James Sowole in Akure The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2016 elections and an aspirant in the July 22 governorship primary for October 2020 election in Ondo State, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), yesterday declared that he does not intend, either now or in the future, to become a deputy to incumbent Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Agboola Ajayi.

Jegede made the declaration in a statement signed by Eyitayo Jegede Campaign Organisation, stating that Ajayi was not yet a member of PDP. Describing the story as fake, Jegede said the reference made to an unknown Southwest officer of the PDP, was nothing but a product of a wicked figment of the writer’s imagination.

hearing on “the power sector recovery plan and impact of COVID-19 pandemic “, being organised by the Senate Committee on Power which began at Senate Committee Room 231 yesterday.

The President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, while declaring open the investigative hearing, was full of condemnation for

the signing of a pact, which he believed had dragged Nigeria into deeper financial crisis without meaningful outcome and therefore sought serious investigation into all aspects of the Share Purchase Agreement.

According to him, the overall expectation of the Nigerian government and the citizens was that the power sector, after

privatisation, would be far better but lamented that the expectation was yet far from being fulfilled.

“The purpose of privatisation, just to remind us, is not for government to wash away his hand, to run away from responsibilities.

When you have privatisation, you have Share Purchase Agreement.

This investigation should look at what has happened.

Gbajabiamila, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Lanre Lasisi, recalled the contributions of the late Mrs Ighodalo to the society.

Describing the late Ibidun “who was a personal friend” as an unassuming and down to earth individual, the Speaker prayed to God to grant her eternal rest.

Sanwo-Olu, who visited the family’s residence in Lagos, said he was shocked when he received the news that his friend, Pastor Ituah, had lost his wife and partner.

“Mrs Ibidun Ighodalo was an inspiration to many. I pray for strength for Pastor Ituah, their children, loved ones and the many she has touched,” Sanwo-Olu said.

Australia to Establish Gold Processing Centre in Nigeria Dike Onwuamaeze

Lawan lamented that Nigeria loses about $29 billion yearly to irregular and poor power supply.

This is just as the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, reeled out recovery plans being made by the federal government in the power sector.

These were fallouts from a three-day investigative public

According to the organisation, “For the records, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) has been a loyal member of the PDP whose dedication to the party is without fault and does not intend, either now or in the future, to become a deputy to Ajayi.

“The aspiration of Jegede predates the emergence of Ajayi as a deputy to the incumbent APC governor and is an aspiration that carries the spirit of every PDPmember who has remained loyal and has laboured for the continuity of this party against the consequences of the actions of those who worked against our party’s victory in the last elections.

“We take note of the attempt to misinform the public and create acrimony within our party, and urge all members to disregard the fictitious and maliciously intentioned story.

FOSTERING INDUSTRIAL HARMONY...

L-R: Acting Executive Commissioner, Legal and Enforcement, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr. Reginald Karawusa; Acting Executive Commissioner, Operations, SEC, Mr. Isyaku Tilde, and Acting Director General, SEC, Ms Mary Uduak, during a meeting between management of SEC and members of staff in Abuja... yesterday.

Oyo Reviews Curfew, Says Mosques, Churches to Operate at 25% Capacity The Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force yesterday announced that it has relaxed the curfew imposed on the state occasioned by the ravaging coronavirus pandemic.

The taskforce, which made the decision public after a twoand-a-half-hour meeting presided by its Chairman, Governor Seyi Makinde, added that the curfew in the state would now run from 10p.m. to 4a.m.

A statement by the Chief Press

Secretary to governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, confirmed that other decisions reached included the resumption of classes for Primary Six, JSS3 and SS3 students from June 29; resumption of work by all category of workers at the state secretariat from June 22, as well as the opening of mosques and churches, which are to operate at 25 per cent capacity; and the decision to limit public gathering to not more than 25 persons.

The statement indicated that the state secretariat, which was earlier shut on March 27 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and later reopened to staff on grade level 13 and above from April 27, would now be open to all other staffers from June 22.

According to the statement, students in critical classes are to resume at the end of June to ensure they are well-prepared for the public examinations ahead

of them.

The statement read: “The schools are to observe the COVID-19 protocols as released by the taskforce; ensure that stations for washing of hands are provided in all schools, while all students are to compulsorily wear face masks.

“Schools are to provide hand wash points with the support of their Parents/Teachers Associations (PTA).

Edo College of Education Workers Protest 11 Months of Unpaid Salaries Adibe Emenyonu in Benin-city Staff of the Edo State College of Education, Ekiadolor, yesterday protested unpaid 11 months salaries and pension.

The workers, who registered their protest before the state Head of Service (HoS), Mr. Anthony Okungbowa, when he visited the institution, lamented that their families have been made to suffer untold hardship especially at this period of the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic.

The workers, while berating the state government for playing politics with their lives, said without further delay, the government should defray their 11 months outstanding salaries.

Chairman of the College of Education Academy Staff Union (COEASU), Fred Omonuwa, while addressing the HoS and his entourage on behalf of other unions of the institutions, noted that the state government has stopped the payment of subvention to the institution,

and urged it to commence 100 percent payment of subvention to the college.

According to him, “It is pertinent to note that the Edo State Government is used to bringing inadequate subvention to the college owing to the 65/35 percent counterpart salary payment agreement between the government and college management.

“It is even now more worrisome that the state governor has gone ahead to stop the inadequate

subvention to the college. Some of the implications of this new development and insensitivity of the state government are that: ‘The staff as well as the pensioners and their families have been made to suffer untold hardship especially at this period of the ravaging coronavirus disease.

“Staff of the college and pensioners are currently being owed 11 months salaries with its attendant effect especially the inability to access medical facilities due to lack of funds.

NHF Allocates $22.4m to Tackle Humanitarian Crisis in Borno, Adamawa,Yobe Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri The Nigeria Humanitarian Fund (NHF) has allocated $22.4 million to address the vulnerability to existing humanitarian crisis in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States.

The allocation is also to cover vulnerability to COVID-19 pandemic.

A statement issued yesterday by the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian

Affairs (UNOCHA) said: “Today, the NHF announced a $22.4 million funding allocation for 2020 that will help address the increased vulnerability of people affected by both the COVID-19 pandemic and the existing humanitarian crisis in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States.

“This allocation is the fund’s largest since the NHF’s launch in February 2017, which comes at a critical time as the North-

east region enters its 11th year of protracted crisis while also grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The statement quoted the Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Edward Kallon, to have said: “Before and during the COVID-19 response, the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund has proven to be a rapid and flexible funding tool enabling aid actors to adapt

to fast-changing humanitarian emergencies.

“With the coronavirus now spreading across the country, the NHF swiftly provided emergency funds to procure essential personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline aid workers when the pandemic reached Nigeria. This allocation will further support urgent efforts in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States.”

TUESDAY JUNE 16, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

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24 HOURS...

24 HOURS...

House Queries N187bn Spent on School Feeding Programme Udora Orizu in Abuja The House of Representatives has queried the expenditure of N186 billion reportedly spent by the federal government so far on School feeding programme and has resolved to carry out a comprehensive investigation of the funds for accountability.

The National Coordinator of the School Feeding Programme,

Dr. Mrs Sinkaye Temitope and National Safety Net Coordinating Officer, Mr. Iowa Apera told the House Committee on Public Accounts that N64billion out of N186 billion said to have been spent was spent on feeding the school pupils alone.

The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Busayo Oluwole Oke and other members of the committee

expressed displeasure over the development, describing it as outrageous and unacceptable.

Consequently, the Committee currently investigating the management and utilisation of the Presidential Task Force PTF on COVID-19 however demanded a complete project audit of the programme immediately The lawmakers were visibly angered by a document

submitted to the committee which showed that the NICTO office received a credit of $400 million from the World Bank, $321 million from Abacha Restitution and another $400 million said to be balance from the government equity fund.

The National Coordinator told the lawmakers that the feeding programme had been ongoing since 2016 when the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs initiated

it and had so far gulped N186 billion in totality.

According to her, the budget breakdown showed that N63.2 billion, N32.2 billion and N124.4 billion were spent by the office in 2018, 2019 and 2020 respectively.

Other committee members including Hon. Chudi Momah (Anambra, APGA) and Hon. Miriam Onuoha (Imo, APC) denounced the report saying that many schools and communities

were yet to benefit from school feeding programme.

Momah was visibly enraged as it was documented that 200,000 pupils from different families had benefited from it from Ihiala LGA of Anambra State, which he refuted.

Oke said that the committee would lookatthedocumentssubmitted,adding that the funds mighty not have passed through appropriation by the National Assembly.

Lagos Postpones Basic Education Exam The Lagos State Government, through the State Examinations Board has announced the postponement of year 2020 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) until further notice.

The examination was scheduled to begin June 16 and end June 23, 2020.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Director of the Board, Mr. Supo Gbadegesin noted that the postponement was caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In view of the prevailing situation of global pandemic virus called COVID-19 and the precautionary steps taken by

the Lagos State Government to combat the deadly disease, Lagos State Examinations Board hereby notifies the general public, especially all duly registered Public and Approved Private Junior Secondary Schools in the state, that year 2020 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) earlier scheduled to commence from Tuesday, June 16-23, 2020 has been postponed till further notice,” he said.

He said a new date would be announced once schools re-open.

However, he said schools could still register JSS3 pupils for the examination online

HEALTH FACILITIES...

How NBC Code May Truncate UPGRADING L-R: Chairman of Nkanu West Local Government Area in Enugu State, Mr. Nwabueze Nnamani; Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; and Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Health, Dr. Ifeanyi Agujiobi, during governor’s inspection of facilities at General Hospital, Mo Abudu’s Netflix Deal Agbani... yesterday The broadcast code recently issued by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) may truncate the recently signed partnership between the United States streaming service, Netflix, and Mo Abudu’s EbonyLife TV. The partnership to create two original series and Netflixbranded films was announced last week as part of Netflix’s continued expansion into Africa.

Its announcement, however, coincided with the loud disapproval of the sixth NBC Code by prominent creative industry figures, who lashed out at provisions on exclusivity and undisguised attempt to legislate prices at which content will be sub-licensed among other issues.

Broadcast industry sources explained that sections 9.0.1 to 9.0.3 of the code, which proscribe exclusivity, make content sharing with competitors mandatory and the NBC the final arbiter in the event of a disagreement over content

prices between the rights owner and a licencee on areas that will occupy the attention of Netflix.

A content creator, Tosan Igbene, explained that Netflix goes into exclusive-only partnerships, and as such, may consider pulling the plug on the deal with EbonyLife TV if the NBC begins to implement the code.

He said: “Since the code prohibits exclusivity, it means that whatever EbonyLife TV produces could end up on other platforms. That will negate the exclusive agreement.

Importantly too, Netflix will hesitate at the prospect of the NBC determining what price it should charge as sub-licencing fees. The fact is that these sections and the whole code, as well as produced without stakeholders’ consultation will kill the Nigerian broadcasting industry.”

Another content creator, Boye Dare, contended that no investor will fold its arms and watch a regulation jeopardise its investments.

Julius Berger Distributes Food Items to Kaduna, Niger Communities As part of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc’s relentless efforts to support the Federal, States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) governments in the fight to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has continued to expand its food donation initiative to assist the vulnerable amongst the local communities and residents along the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Road.

The Julius Berger Corporate Social Responsibility scheme which is themed “Food for our Communities Campaign” and which has traversed all of the engineering construction giant’s operational regions and sites across the country, has now been extended to also cover all villages in Kagarko LGA of Kaduna State, and to Sabon-Wuse and Tafa in Niger State, all in Section 1 of the strategic Abuja-Kano Road

(AKR) project.

The Julius Berger food donation CSR initiative in Section 1 of the AKR Project was led by a project coordinator at the AKR project, Mr. Yusuf Ibrahim.

The Berger team visited the palaces of the village head of Sabon-Wuse, Alhaji Danladi Bake; the village head of Tafa; Alhaji M. Yahaya (Marafan Dullu-Tafa); the village head of Chauma, Mallam Ibrahim; Village head of Isah community, Alhaji Adamu Shehu; ward head of Bakura, Mr. Peter Daniel; village head of Gujeni; Mr. Philemon Auta; village head of Gidan Abe, Mr David Yohana; Wazirin Jere, Alhaji Mustapha; Mai Angwa Gbabu, Mallam Bashir Gbabu; village head of Chakwama, Mr Danladi Yerima; and the village head of Tanko, Alhaji H. Abdullahi.

FG Receives N1.69bn COVID-19 Donations in April, May The federal government said it has received a total sum of N1.69 billion as COVID-19 eradication support donations from April 1, 2020 to May 31, 2020.

This was disclosed in a statement by the Director of Information, Press and Public Relations, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Henshaw Ogubike, in Abuja.

Ogubike said that the

donations were received through designated commercial bank accounts and the Central Bank of Nigeria/treasury single account (CBN/TSA).

He made reference to the accounts opened recently with some commercial banks by the federal government through the office of the accountant-general, into which donations could be made.

According to Ogubike, this was in addition to the CBN/

TSA account, in order to ensure effective and efficient coordination and management of the funds.

He said a breakdown of the N1.69 billion indicated that a total of N792.12 million was received from April 1, 2020 to May 8, 2020, and details of that donation had been made public.

Ogubike also disclosed that N897.64 million was received from May 9, 2020 to May 31, 2020.

He added that out of the sum, the total amount received through commercial banks was N710.076 million while N187.56 million was received through CBN/TSA. “From May 9, to May 31, the sum of N100 million was received through Zenith Bank; N507.75 million through First Bank; N2.21 million through Access Bank; and N100.11million through GT Bank,” Ogubike said.

Presidency Accuses Katsina Traditional Rulers of Aiding Banditry PeterUzoho The presidency has accused some traditional rulers in Katsina, the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari, of colluding with bandits to wreak havoc on their people.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, alleged this yesterday on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily programme.

Shehu was responding to the frustration expressed by the state Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, in his Democracy Day state-wide

broadcast over the spate of insecurity in the state.

The presidential spokesman alleged that some emirs and districts heads in the state had been found complicit with the bandits by feeding them with informationaboutthestate,andallegedly collecting money in return.

According to Shehu, “It is not that we are making direct accusations at anyone, but it is also true that even in the president’s native state of Katsina, some traditional rulers have been found in collaboration with the bandits to harm their own people.

“In neighbouring Zamfara State,

emirs and district heads, quite a number of them, have been swept out of office. The issue that is that they are beneficiaries of whatever rotten system you have.”

The president aide said during the height of violent conflicts in Zamfara State, the Nigerian Air Force stationed aircraft in Katsina airport from where they could launch attacks against bandits in Zamfara State.

He alleged that once the aircraft took off, unscrupulous elements in Katsina State would quickly inform the bandits in Zamfara State that an attack was imminent, giving them

ample time to take cover.

He alleged: “At some point, the Nigerian Air Force had to keep a number of aircraft in Katsina, and they are still there, when Zamfara State was the epicentre of banditry.

“They realised that once aircraft took off from Katsina airport, before it got to Zamfara State for operation, telephone calls would have been made and targets would have disappeared. In the end, we were forced to be flying from distant places like Kaduna and Kano in order to undertake operations in Zamfara State.

Labour, Employers’ Body Sign MoU on Job Security Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Organised labour and the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to ensure that worker’s job are safeguarded during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking yesterday at the MoU signing ceremony between the NECA and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the committee room of labour house, NLC President, Ayuba Wabba,

said nothing has in recent times threatened the shared interests and aspirations of both employers of labour and workers like the novel coronavirus pandemic.

While NECA represented employers in the private sector, the NLC and the TUC represented trade unions and organised labour in Nigeria The labour movement asked the federal government to provide businesses with palliative, grant and fiscal support incentives, including downward review of tax and interest rates, in order

to give the businesses breathing space to maintain production at pre-COVID-19 level and to be able to protect jobs and income.

The labour leaders said they would also work with private sectors through the social dialogue process to prevent further loss of jobs in Nigeria.

Speaking during the signing of the MOU, Wabba said the body’s major concerns were job security, rights at work, social protection and occupational health and safety for all workers in the face of COVID-19 pandemic.

He said: “While we continue to call on the government and private sector employers to provide adequate protective and preventive facilities at the workplace, we will use the framework of this MoU to ensure that workers who fall ill are supported through paid sick leave to recover and be reinstated safely to their positions at work.”

Wabba added that labour would also defend the existing social protection nets such as pension and gratuity.

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TUESDAYSPORTS Transfer: Man Utd Target Ndidi to Replace Matic

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Femi Solaja with agency report Former English champions, Manchester United, yesterday added Nigeria and Leicester City holding midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi to their shopping list this summer as the club aims to return to winning ways it enjoyed over two decades under the watch of Sir Alex Ferguson.

According to UK’s The Express, the 23-year-old AFCON 2019 bronze winner with the Super Eagles last summer in Egypt, is also on the wish list of French champions PSG and former UEFA Champions League winners, Real Madrid in the recent time.

According to reports, while other big teams are looking at the Nigerian player passively, Manchester United Manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, has other plans among which is to get a suitable replacement for Nemanja Matic who only have a year contract extension

with the club.

And with imminent exit of the 31-year old Serbian who was signed by Jose Mourinho three years ago, Manager Solskjaer is said to be looking forward to building a more formidable midfield rank to better the team’s quest for glory in both domestic and Europe next season.

Although Manchester United’s primary targets are Bayern Munich’s French international, Corentin Tolisso and FC Aax’s Donny van de Beek, the competition from Real Madrid has made the Old Trafford scouts to look in the direction of Ndidi.

Ole Gunnar is also said to be fed up with Pogba’s off field news and needs players that are more committed to his football plans.

Ndidi who joined the English Premiership from Genks in the Belgian Jupiler League looks more realist to OGS. Should Manchester United meet the likely demands of Leicester City, Ndidi will be the second Nigerian to play for the

Red Devils after Odion Ighalo fulfilled his childhood dream through a January transfer deadline day loan move. That

loan has been extended till January 31 next year.

Ndidi began his Premiership spell three years ago after he

was signed by Leicester City as direct replacement to departing N’Golo Kante to FC Chelsea.

Since he took over the role,

the Nigeria has bolstered to become one of the best defensive midfielder in the world.

Awoniyi Sidelined for Two Matches Due to Aftermaths of Concussion Taiwo Awoniyi will miss at least two Bundesliga games after he suffered a serious concussion during a home loss to Augsburg on Sunday afternoon and was rushed to hospital.

Mainz 05 Sporting Director, Rouven Schroder, disclosed this in a video message yesterday morning.

Awoniyi was stretchered after mid-way through the first-half of Sunday game against Augsburg, which they lost in front of their fans 0-1.

The Liverpool loanee will now miss Wednesday’s clash against Borussia Dortmund and the match against Werder Bremen on Saturday.

Taiwo Awoniyi... sidelined for two matches due to the concussion

Speaking on the club’s website yesterday, the 22-yearold player allayed fears over the fall which caused his hospitalization on Sunday. “I feel much better now,�

Awoniyi said on Mainz official website yesterday.

While thanking the club’s medical personnel who rushed him to Mainz University Medical Centre from the Opel Arena, the former Golden Eaglet however admitted he lost consciousness. “The last thing I can remember from this scene is how I hit the ball with my head, then I passed out. It was difficult for me on the field to regain consciousness and was really awake.� “and it also took a little while before I could remember everything.

But I feel much better now,� stressed Awoniyi yesterday.

The forward has been with the Reds since 2015 but he is yet to feature for the Premier League club, having spent most of his time on loan, playing for Frankfurt, NEC, Royal Excel Mouscron and Gent.

With the defeat against Augsburg, Mainz are now three places above the relegation zone after gathering 31 points from 31 games.

They have won nine matches, drawn four and lost 18 games in this campaign and have only won one game in their previous seven outings.

Wilfred Ndidi wanted at Old Traord to replace Matic

Nantes Confirm Moses Simon’s Permanent Switch FC Nantes have made official Moses Simon permanent transfer from La Liga side UD Levante, but the French Ligue 1 side could still sell him on with offers pouring in from Spain, France and China.

Simon, 24, made the most of his loan spell at Nantes this past season in France, scoring nine goals.

He was also named the best player by the club.

However, the Super Eagles star may not feature for ‘The Canaries’ next season as they could go on to sell him for a

huge profit after triggering off a clause to buy him for five million Euros on a four-year deal.

A top source close to the player told SCORENigeria: “He has signed a four-year deal, but Nantes could still go ahead and sell him. “It’s like how Sporting Charleroi sold Victor Osimhen to Lille after they bought him from Wolfsburg following a successful loan spell in Belgium. “Moses Simon has so far attracted interests from Spain,

France and even China. “We just have to wait and see.�

Meanwhile, Moses Simon has promised to do more than what he achieved this past season in the French Ligue 1 after he completed his permanent transfer to FC Nantes. “For next season, I hope to do better than last season,�

Moses Simon announced. “I am really happy to sign for FC Nantes because my effort last season did not go in vain.

“I am excited to be part of the team again because I enjoyed their co-operation. “I appreciate the entire team and management. We will keep working hard to achieve our goal.�

He has some parting words for his former club. “I leave with some good memories from Levante, like the matches against Real Madrid and Barcelona,� he said. “I wish the club and the fans the best for the future.�

Whyte Puts Potential Joshua v Fury Clash in Jeopardy The World Boxing Council (WBC) has confirmed that it has a legal procedure against it from Dillian Whyte concerning the date of his mandatory heavyweight title fight.

Whyte is the mandatory challenger for the WBC belt after beating Oscar Rivas via unanimous decision in a final eliminator last July.

The Brit is currently the WBC ‘interim’ champion and

his mandatory bout is set to take place by February 2021.

That bout would currently be against Tyson Fury after he defeated Deontay Wilder in their rematch earlier this year - although the pair are scheduled to fight for a third time later this year.

However, a Fury versus Whyte clash is now in doubt after it was revealed that the former has agreed to two

mouthwatering unification fights against WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO champion Anthony Joshua in 2021.

As a result, Whyte has pursued legal action against the WBC. Speaking to Sky Sports, WBC President, Mauricio Sulaiman said: “There is a procedure with regards to the date of the mandatory in the heavyweight division.

“Upon direct advice of WBC legal counsel I am not in position to discuss any further.�

For now, Whyte’s attentions are towards Alexander Povetkin with the pair reportedly due to fight in August after their or i g i n a l M a y 2 d a t e was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Serena Williams Desires to Play at US Open, Says Coach Serena Williams “would love to play� at the US Open, according to her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou.

Williams, 38, had an injury-strewn 2019 but recovered to reach the final of last year ’s tournament in New York.

The 2020 US Open is due to start on 31 August with strict restrictions in place because of coronavirus.

“She’s definitely come back to tennis to win Grand Slams, that’s her goal,� Mouratoglou told BBC Radio 4’s Programme. “For a player to be out of competition is extremely difficult. So the US Open will be a first opportunity to win one. There’ll be a lot of restrictions and I have to speak with her to see if she will be able to

accept and manage those expectations.�

The former world number one and six-time US Open champion, who went out of the Australian Open in the third round in January, started the year by winning the Auckland Open - her first singles title since becoming a mother in September 2017.

Players including

Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Nick Kyrgios and Simona Halep have voiced their reservations about staging this year ’s event at Flushing Meadows, which could run without supporters or the media.

World number one Djokovic called the proposed protocols “extreme� while Nadal said he has “little desire�

to travel to New York.

It is expected that players will only be permitted to have one person to accompany them throughout the tournament, which Mouratoglou says could be an issue for Williams, who prefers to travel with her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. “I don’t imagine her being three weeks without

her daughter,� he said.

He jokingly added: “So she might have a new coach for the US Open, a bit younger. Considering our record in the last seven finals, her daughter might be more successful than me.�

WTA and ATP Tour events are suspended until the end of July at the earliest.

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TUESDAYSPORTS

LaLiga Celebrates Football’s Return With Urban Art Project Across Five Continents To champion the return of Spanish football on Thursday, June 11th, LaLiga launched ‘United Streets of LaLiga’, a worldwide urban artwork campaign to commission unique football-inspired murals in cities across the globe.

Urban artists from five continents and 12 separate locations were given license to bring to life the passion and excitement of LaLiga fans across the world and create unique pieces of urban artwork for fans to experience in person and share online.

The end result is a colourful array of bespoke artworks that blend colloquial characteristics and iconic LaLiga symbolism, while bringing to life the raw emotions embodied by the campaign #BacktoWin (in Spanish, #VolverEsGanar)

The #BackToWin campaign has been launched by LaLiga and its Spanish broadcast partner Movistar celebrate the importance of bringing back professional football for a series of stakeholders across society: including clubs, fans and the wider sports industry.

The locations for LaLiga’s eye-catching artwork include 12 cities across five continents: Mexico City (Mexico), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Bogotå (Colombia), Hong Kong (Hong Kong), Bali (Indonesia), Ho Chi Minh City(Vietnam), London (UK), Paris (France), Copenhagen (Denmark), Lagos (Nigeria), Dar Es Salam (Tanzania) and Kabul (Afghanistan).

Speaking about the campaign, Óscar Mayo, LaLiga’s Head of Revenue, Marketing, and International Development said:

“After 92 days without official matches we are delighted that football is returning. The fact that LaLiga is back means so much to everyone who loves football, and to celebrate we wanted to capture that raw emotion with our ‘United Streets of LaLiga’ campaign.

From Lagos to London and Bali to Bogota, our artists have brought to life the excitement of fans for the return of LaLiga and along with fans across the world we can’t wait for Spanish football to restart.t Guillermo Perez Castello, LaLiga Global Network delegate to Nigeria, added “LaLiga

knows the power of football to bring joy to millions of people and we hope that the return of Spanish football signals society’s gradual return to normality, so we wanted to celebrate by creating something inspirational. This piece of art embodies our victory as a society, by being back after these trying times. Nigeria is a Country of football and art and working with Osa Seven allowed us to bring those two passions of the local fans together. We are really thankful to him for how he has understood and embraced LaLiga’s #BackToWin philosophy to create something truly memorable�.

Osa Seven, graffiti artist, commented: “The story behind this piece of art is victory to me. It shows, the celebration of a goal.

One, celebrating that football is back, and two, celebrating life, that with everything happening, we still came out victorious�’.

The graffiti is located at the basketball court at 23road X close Festac Town, Lagos.

All the pieces of artwork can be viewed on LaLiga social channels here: Instagram: https://www. instagram.com/LaLiga; Facebook: facebook.com/laliga Twitter: Twitter.com/laliga This initiative is part of more

than 100 global activations that the league has organised to mark the return of LaLiga. Among them, exhibitions of LaLiga club shirts are on display above the streets of Madrid, Seville and Bilbao, while an emotive video along with fan images is being projected onto some of Spain’s most famous attractions, including Madrid’s Puerta del Sol and the City of Arts and Sciences complex in Valencia.

LaLiga officially returned on Thursday June 11th as Sevilla FC defeated Real Betis 2-0 in the world-famous El Gran Derbi.

Sevilla Suffer Late Own Goal to Stutter Quest for UCL Ticket Sevilla suffered a setback in their bid to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League group stage as a late own goal by Diego Carlos allowed visiting Levante to grab a 1-1 draw on Monday.

Julen Lopetegui’s side, who sit third in La Liga, hold a five-point lead over fifth-placed Getafe, although their closest rivals still have to play in this round of matches.

The five-time Europa League winners, who last played in the Champions League in 2017-18, are four points clear of fourth-placed Real Sociedad, with Atletico Madrid, Valencia, Villarreal and Granada also in the top-four hunt.

The closest either side came to goal in the first period was when visiting winger Munir El Haddadi’s brilliant free-kick crashed against the crossbar.

Sevilla did take the lead in the first minute of the second half, as former Barcelona player El Haddadi teed up Dutch striker Luuk de Jong to score his sixth league goal of the season.

Levante managed to create some late pressure and centreback Carlos put through his own net three minutes from time after a mix-up with goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik.

The draw helped 12th-placed Levante move 10 points clear of safety with nine matches to play.

Formula One Scrap Podium Celebrations Formula One will be forced to axe the traditional podium ceremonies when the disrupted 2020 season begins next month.

The sport will recommence in Austria on July 5 with strict safety procedures in place due to the coronavirus pandemic - and the infamous champagnespraying antics between the top three drivers will have to be stopped.

F1 Sporting Director Ross Brawn has insisted that the celebrations, which will instead be stripped down, may be held on the grid as part of ‘the new norm’ for grand prix racing.

The first eight races of the campaign will take place without spectators, and the paddocks for each team will be closely controlled and monitored to prevent the spread of infection.

It was also revealed that team staff will be regularly tested for Covid-19 and will have to ensure they adhere to social distancing guidelines.

But despite the rigorous precautions in place to ensure the sport can be held during the health crisis, the trophy presentations on the rostrum will not take place.

Brawn told the official F1 website: ‘The podium procedure can’t happen [as it does now], but we’re looking

at doing something on the grid after the race. ‘One option would be to line the cars up on the track and the drivers will stand in front of cars. ‘We can’t present the trophies, as you can’t have someone in close proximity presenting a trophy, but we have worked it out, we have plans and procedures, we’re looking at how we can present it on TV.’ The state of the sport for the foreseeable future will be a stark contrast to how events were run before the pandemic, but Brawn is certain that F1 will continue to enthral viewers in a similar fashion.

He insisted that the events will provide an ‘engaging and exciting product’, and added: ‘It will just be different. This is the new norm. ‘How long will this carry on? We don’t know, but this will be the new norm for the rest of the year for sure.’ F1 organisers still remain hopeful that they can stage 15-18 races this season, despite the Azerbaijan, Singapore and Japan GPs all being cancelled on Friday.

Reports suggest that the Sao Paulo circuit is also under threat because of the state of the pandemic in Brazil.

One of the La Liga artworks in FESTAC, Lagos celebrating the return of the Spanish topflight after almost three months due to the Covid-19 pandemic

Arteta Positive About New Deal for Aubameyang Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he is “pretty positive� about agreeing a new contract with 30-year-old striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Aubameyang’s current deal runs out in June 2021, and Arteta says the club have to show him why he should stay. “He needs to feel valued, he needs to feel he belongs to us and that we want him,� said Arteta.

The Gabon international says whether he signs a new deal is “possibly the most important

decision� of his career.

The forward has scored 61 goals in 97 appearances for the Gunners since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2018.

Arteta added: “I think at the moment I am extremely happy with how he’s been performing and behaving. “I have a really good relationship with him and we can discuss face to face a lot of things. So far as I’m aware I think he’s very happy at the club.�

However, while Arteta

remains optimistic, Aubameyang told French football programme Telefoot that he “hasn’t had an offer recently� from the club. “I did speak to the club quite a few months ago, and they know why nothing has happened yet,� he said. “It’s a turning point in my career and I want to be honest with everyone. “They have the keys. It is up to them to do their work and, after that, we will see how things go. It’ll certainly be a very difficult decision to make..�

In March, before the league’s suspension amid the coronavirus pandemic, Arteta said he wanted to keep Aubameyang “under any circumstances�and the club needed to discuss a new deal with their captain before the end of the season.

Barcelona and Inter Milan are understood to be interested in the forward.

Arsenal, who are ninth in the table, travel to second-placed Manchester City when the Premier League restarts on Wednesday.

Arsenal Manager, Mikel Arteta remains positive that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will extend his stay with the Gunners

TUESDAY JUNE 16, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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Tuesday June 16, 2020

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Price: N250

MISSILE Wike to APC Governors

“It is most unfortunate that I belong to a forum that cannot bite. Nigerian Governors’ Forum died immediately APC took over in 2015. Before then, Nigerian Governors’ Forum was very powerful. APC killed Governors’ Forum and whatever position the forum takes now is in the interest of the ruling party. Nobody seems to respect Nigerian Governors’ Forum again because we have given ourselves out” – Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, lamenting that the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) following its failure to speak up for embattled Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki.

TUESDAY WITH REUBENABATI abati1990@gmail.com

Okonjo-Iweala, WTO and Africa’s Chances

T

he announcement of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as Nigeria’s nominated candidate for the position of the Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) which would now be vacant by September 1, 2020, and not 2021, following the incumbent’s decision to take his exit a year earlier was received with great excitement among Nigerians. This enthusiasm is in itself a reflection of the high regard in which NOI, as she is otherwise known, is held by her compatriots. It didn’t matter that Nigeria’s President had withdrawn an earlier nominee for the post, Ambassador Yonov Frederick Agah, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and a long-serving WTO insider (since 2005). In a country where ethnic sentiments run deep and every public position is seen as an opportunity to re-enact primordial ethnic conflicts, it is significant that no one complained about an Agah being replaced with an Iweala as candidate for one of the world’s most visible positions. The resume of Dr. Okonjo-Iweala that was submitted along with her nomination by the Nigerian Government read like a national honours citation.

The general consensus is that Nigeria had chosen well. It was good to see Nigerians queuing up behind merit and accomplishment.

A two-time Minister of Finance in Nigeria between (2003 -2006) and (2011 -2015), and a one-time Minister of Foreign Affairs (June – August 2006), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is so famous in her home country that many believe if there should ever be a first female Nigerian Vice President or President, she is the most suited for the position. In 2012, and again in 2019, she had shown interest in the position of the President of the World Bank.

In 2012, she was Africa’s consensus candidate and in 2019, she was not nominated, but one of the key moments in her career was her outstanding performance as Managing Director (Operations) of the same World Bank.

Her brilliance in that position and as a renowned international technocrat makes her a role model for many Africans, especially young women for whom she represents a symbol as to the fragility of the proverbial glass ceiling, and a counter-figure for the naïve assumptions about the capacity of the girl-child. But WTO Directors-General are not elected by nationals guided by patriotic sentiments. The process requires nominations to be made, and each nominated person gets a chance to articulate his/her vision before the WTO General Council, representing the 164 member-states. A decision is arrived at through consensus, not voting. There is high-grade politics involved, as well as intense competition between developed and developing countries, and within an insiders’ club that seems to run the organization.

Okonjo-Iweala’s candidacy received an early dose of this when shortly after her nomination

by Nigeria, Egypt raised an objection on the grounds that the nomination was out of time because the African Union had set a deadline of February 10 for choosing a consensus candidate from Africa. Egypt argued that the nomination process by the African Union was announced in November 2019, and that in their reckoning, with Nigeria withdrawing the candidacy of Ambassador Agah, the AU was left with just two candidates from which

Okonjo-Iweala it could choose, namely Hamid Mamdouh of Egypt and Eloi Laourou of the Republic of Benin. This caused some concern among Nigerians. But the matter was resolved when, June 9, the WTO acknowledged Nigeria’s nomination of Okonjo-Iweala. Apparently the AU process is unknown to the WTO as the organization does not have a provision in its rules that nominees must be consensus candidates from their regional blocs.

The AU must be commended however for taking a pro-active step. As far back as November 2019, African leaders were already preparing for a WTO succession that was scheduled to occur in 2021 when Roberto Azevedo’s tenure as DG effectively ends.

The game changed in May 2020 when the Brazilian WTO DG announced that he would bow out a year earlier. The Chairman of the WTO Governing Council promptly announced a call for nominations, to commence on June 8 and end on July 8. Nigeria is not only within time, Okonjo-Iweala’s nomination is valid. Her nomination has been further strengthened by the Republic of Benin’s withdrawal of its own nomination. As at the time of writing this piece, three nominations are on the table: Egypt’s Hamid Mamdouh, Mexico’s Jesus Seade Kuri and Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. The game is on, and between now and the close of nominations, more nominations are likely to be made.

The name of Kenya’s Amina Mohammed has been mentioned. South Africa is said to be supporting Okonjo-Iweala.

I think African solidarity/unity is important.

It is not too late yet for Africa to choose a consensus candidate. In the round of nominations for the position of the Director General of the World Health Organization in 2017, Africa spoke with one voice, and stood

by Ethiopia’s Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus. Even now that he is under fire from the United States over COVID-19, African leaders are solidly behind him. Nigeria must lead the process of building an African consensus.

Many African leaders have said what Africa needs is trade with other continents, not aid.

An African as the DG of the WTO could help facilitate that objective especially in the light of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCTA) which may have

been short-circuited by COVID-19 and the fall-outs, but nonetheless remains a strategic continental plan. Post-COVID 19, Africa is bound to remain an important destination and source for global trade. Having strong, even symbolic presence at the WTO could be to the continent’s benefit.

The role of the DG, WTO is largely managerial and advisory, member-states reach their own decisions, still an African DG is not a bad idea. The timing for this could not have been better. An African incidentally has never been a Director General of the WTO, despite the fact that at least two African countries, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and South Africa, were founding members.

The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the precursor of the WTO was led

by Europeans from 1948 to 1993: United Kingdom (1948 -1968), Switzerland (1968 -1980), Switzerland (1980 – 1993), Ireland (1993 - 1995). When the WTO was formed in 1995, the DGs have been supplied by Ireland (Peter Sutherland, 1995, a carry over from GATT), Italy (1995 – 1999), New Zealand (1999 -2002), Thailand (2002 -2005), France (2005 -2013), and Brazil (2013 –August 2020). This profile not only shows that the WTO which is an intergovernmental organization, established to promote and regulate international trade has been dominated predominantly by Europeans.

There have been calls for a reform of the Organization, part of that reform should include making it more diverse and inclusive.

The EU has already discussed the possibility of having a European successor to Azevedo, and a return of the DG office to a developed country, and names have been mentioned: the European Commissioner for Trade, Phil Hogan, who has openly expressed interest, his predecessor, Peter Mandelson and the Spanish Foreign Minister, Aranza Gonzalez.

Africa must speak with one voice, and rally behind Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. It is not too late to persuade other African countries to act like the Republic of Benin and support Nigeria’s candidate and that includes Egypt. Nigeria must not see Egypt as the eternal rival: it must engage Egypt and other African leaders constructively.

Africa’s failure to unite on the question of the WTO Director-Generalship could promote Europe’s domineering presence at the organization. There are openings for opportunities. It is not certain for example, that the United States, this time around, will support a candidate from Europe, although the US is still probably studying the emerging nominations. Nigeria should seek the support of the United States for the position, and also lobby China, although that may be tricky, given America’s touchiness about the Chinese. It is almost certain that the United States will not support Mexico’s Jesus Seade Kuri. The possibility of a Latin American (Mexico) succeeding an exiting Latin American (Brazil) may not offer good optics.

Nobody knows how many more candidates will show up before July 8, but it must also be noted that there has never been a female Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Gender-sensitivity should be one of the reforms urgently required at the WTO. The Organization is looking for the best possible candidate. I do not doubt the fact that other nominees are talented persons,

Egypt’s Mamdouh is a WTO insider, Mexico’s Kuri has served in GATT and WTO and is a veteran of trade negotiations in addition to years at the Bretton Woods Institutions.

Whatever any nominee has in terms of experience, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s credentials are just as formidable and exemplary, and should a short-list be attempted she will rank at the very first level. The main criticism that I have heard is that her expertise is more in finance rather than trade. That ciriticism is as misplaced as the Egyptian objection to her nomination. Her resume as submitted by the Nigerian Government does not show any shortcoming in any area in terms of her experience and exposure.

The WTO says it is looking for “candidates with experience in international relations, encompassing trade and/or political experience, a firm commitment to the work and objectives of the WTO, proven leadership and managerial ability; and demonstrated communications skills.” Okonjo-Iweala is eminently qualified on all counts. The talk about the difference between finance and trade is the product of the perpetual rivalry between Ministers of Trade and Ministers of Finance. As Nigeria’s Finance Minister on two occasions, the country’s Customs department reported to her. What is Customs if not trade? As Minister of Finance, Okonjo-Iweala also led Nigeria’s negotiations within ECOWAS and with the Paris Club.

Besides, she is a development economist, and trade is an essential part of that career leaning. It has also been said that WTO is organized like a boys’ and insiders’ cult. It is time to smash that cult and let in a breath of fresh air. The big consideration in choosing Mr. Roberto Azevedo’s successor should be: what kind of Director General does the WTO need at this time: a saviour or a survivor?

The WTO does not need a survivor who will seek to service old paradigms and promote the same assumptions that have affected the organization’s efficiency. The WTO is heavily challenged and embattled. It needs to be saved and strengthened. Both COVID-19 and the unending trade war and friction between the United States and China present serious challenges for the next WTO DG. The US is opposed to the idea of China passing itself off as a developing country-member of the WTO. It has raised questions about fair trade, competition, tariffs, intellectual property and the body’s dispute settlement mechanisms.

China disagrees. Other countries have their grievances. The implications for a rules-based international trading system are dire. There is need to agree on a proper definition of what makes a country developed or developing, and move beyond the current self-classification regime. The WTO also needs to be repositioned for its trade liberalization objectives in the context of international regulatory co-operation.

The next WTO DG must be a person of high emotional intelligence, a neutral advisor and certainly not a Geneva trade cultist with vested interests who simply wants to hold the position and survive. COVID-19 disruptions and an increased wave of trade protectionism have changed the dynamics of global trade. There is also the unfinished business of the Doha Round. The emergence of the next WTO DG must mark a new beginning, not the end of the beginning, and certainly not the beginning of the end for the WTO. Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala fits the bill.

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