TUESDAY 18TH JUNE 2024

New Report Says Nigeria’s Liquefied Natural Gas Expansion Drive Faces Severe Future Risks

Tinubu's Reforms Meant to Refocus Economy for Sustainable Growth, Says Kwara Governor

Pleads for patience from citizens

Rivers LGs Crisis: Showdown Looms, Armed Group Vows to Sack Council Chairmen

CP to troublemakers: steer clear, don’t be used as cannon fodder Asari Dokubo urges council heads to vacate office immediately Invoke ‘doctrine of necessity’ to stop impending anarchy, group urges National Assembly

Steering Committee, held at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, ... yesterday

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum; World Bank Vice President for Human Development, Mamta Murthi; Minister of Education, Brazil, Mr Camilo Santana, and Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, after a panel session at the Accelerating Progress Towards SDG

Hammed shittu in Ilorin

Kwara State Governor and Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, yesterday, said ongoing reforms by

Ahmed Bola Tinubu were meant to refocus the economy and achieve long-term sustainable growth

the country.

in Ilorin, while receiving the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari on Sallah homage at Government House, AbdulRazaq, called on the people of the country

3-dAy

LAgOs TOurIsm And TrAdE FAIr...

to the Lagos State Government, Barr. Abimbola

Adrian Wood Returns to Nigeria, Moves to Rebrand Ntel with Fresh Investors

Plans to raise $550m for company’s restructuring

Emma Okonji

The former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN Nigeria, Mr. Adrian Wood, who left Nigeria in 2004, has returned to the Nigerian telecoms space as the new Chief Executive Officer of ntel, the telecoms company that was unbundled from NITEL and managed by NATCOMS.

Wood, who resumed on January 8, 2024, as the new CEO of ntel, took over from the former CEO, Dr. Babatunde Omotoba, with plans to raise $550 million for restructuring of the new ntel.

In his new role, Wood has been tasked to shop for fresh investors and to rebrand the telecoms company, and he has assured the staff of ntel of his commitment and desire to meet up with his new role.

In a letter sent out by Wood to all ntel staff, dated June 5, 2024, seen by THISDAY, he encouraged them to remain steadfast and assured them of his commitment to introduce fresh investors and to rebrand the company

in few weeks time.

He also told them about his several meetings with the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), which took over the management of ntel since last year and plans by AMCON to return ntel to its new investors.

He also told them about his meeting with the management of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

In the letter, Wood told ntel staff of his plans to introduce new products and services that have not existed in the Nigerian telecoms space.

Part of the letter read: “On 21 May, I visited the EVC/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Aminu Maida. We had a very productive session about the forward plan for NATCOMS, our role in industry building, as well as the prospects for raising equity and debt capital to fund a complete new 4G/5G network design and rollout nationwide.

“Dr. Maida made several requests

To attend inaugurationRamaphosa's for second term

deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu will Tuesday depart Lagos for Pretoria, to attend the inauguration of his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa. According to a release issued on

Monday by presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, the inauguration of President Ramaphosa followed his re-election as President for a second term.

President Tinubu will return to Nigeria after the ceremony.

for support on NCC’s initiatives, which we will do. In the background, I have been engaging with potential institutional investors.

“When the new financial business plan and offering document is ready soon, there will be a roadshow to raise (estimated) US$500 million to US$550 million, to restructure, rebuild and develop NATCOMS.

“Already, together with CIO Anthony Adegbola, one New York investment fund visited some of our Lagos facilities.” He also revealed that he had a meeting with African Capital Alliance, one of Nigeria’s (and Africa’s) premier private equity funds group.

“ACA was an early-stage investor

in MTN Nigeria. In fact, they told us it remains their investment with the best returns, ever.

“Next week I will be seeing three other potential institutional investors. All of them are Africa-focused, have investments in Nigeria in other segments, have offices in Nigeria and are seeking digital infrastructure projects to support with funding.

“Of course, it will take months of negotiations to secure large capital commitments in several stages. And that is the purpose of (55% NATCOMS shareholder) AMCON’s Facility – to see us through the crucial Project Management Office planning phase, new capital formation and network roll out, prior to relaunching the business,” it added.

LASG Reiterates Continuous Support for

SMEs as Lagos Tourism Trade Fair Ends

Following the success recorded at the three-day Lagos Tourism and Naija Brand Chick Trade Fair, which ended on Sunday, the Lagos State Government, has reiterated its commitment to continuously support Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs) to grow businesses.

Speaking at the final day of the Lagos Tourism and Naija Brand Chick Trade Fair in Ikeja, the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Arts, Tourism and Culture, Mr. Idris Aregbe, was quoted in a statement yesterday, to have said the trade fair has changed the lives of the vendors and impacted their businesses positively.

The sixth edition of the trade fair, which began last Friday ended on Sunday at White Stone, Oregun, Ikeja. It was organised in partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.

Some of the thousands of vendors and participants who took part in the sixth edition of the fair, tagged

“Buy, Sell, Network,” described it as a success and remarkable.

They also commended the Lagos State Government, particularly Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for providing opportunities for vendors to transact business successfully during the trade fair.

Speaking to journalists on the last day of the trade fair, Aregbe said Lagos would continue to lead when it comes to art, entertainment, commerce and industry.

He added, "It has been a great journey. It is indeed a fantastic project and initiative because people are happy. We have been able to create a partnership between Lagos Tourism and the trade fair.

“We have been able to use entertainment to push our brand. We have been able to use the event to educate the people on the streets of Lagos, and we have seen that Lagos will

continue to lead when it comes to commerce and industry.

"I am happy that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu supported this initiative. The trade fair has changed many of the vendors’ directions for business, sales, and passion. I am happy, and the partnership between Lagos State and Naija Brand Chick is a fantastic one. We have vendors from the UK and different parts of Nigeria. And they all appreciated the Lagos State Governor for giving them the opportunity."

Aregbe, while stressing the Lagos State Government's commitment to growing SMEs, said: "The government is not in competition with anybody. We are only complementing and supporting businesses, especially SMEs.

"Lagos is committed to the trade fair because we need to grow our naira. We need to support SMEs. Lagos is huge when it comes to

economic and entertainment values in terms of numbers, and we need to convert the numbers and values into something meaningful, and that is what we have done in the last three days to support SMEs.

"Any government or brand that is not supporting SMEs is not ready for business. Lagos State Government has demonstrated and shown other states that SMEs are something that we must show support for, and we must always find a way to support them and give them the nod that they need. And that is what we have done."

Also speaking, the founder of Naija Brand Chick Trade Fair, Mrs. Nelly Agboju, said the 2024 edition was impactful, especially on vendors. She commended Babajide Sanwo-Olu's administration for the success of the Lagos Tourism and Naija Brand Chick trade fair.

Rivers Tourism Devt Agency Partners Entrepreneur to Boost Entertainment Sector

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The federal government has denied as rumours in public domain reports that the Murtala Muhammed Expressed Way that runs from Kubwa to Asokoro in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has been renamed as Wole Soyinka Way.

The Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Rabiu Ibrahim, yesterday issued the statement denying the renaming.

He said renaming of the Murtala Mohammed Expressway Way had

never been contemplated by the administration.

It would be recalled that on June 4, 2024, President Bola Tinubu inaugurated a new road in the FCT codenamed Arterial Road N20 (from Katampe to Jahi), which links the existing Outer Northern Expressway (also known as Murtala Mohammed Expressway) to the Northern Parkway (also called Ahmadu Bello Way).

During the inauguration of the N20 (which is a new road), FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, proposed to the President that the road be named after African Nobel Laureate

Prof Wole Soyinka, a request which the President agreed to.

“Therefore, it is the Arterial Road N20 that is named after Prof Soyinka. The Murtala Mohammed Expressway remains unchanged and continues to bear the name of our esteemed former Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Mohammed,” the statement said.

It urgess all citizens to disregard any misinformation regarding the renaming of the Murtala Mohammed Expressway as a report that is entirely false and only exists in the imagination of its purveyors.

The Rivers State Tourism Development Agency (RSTDA) has sealed a partnership deal with the Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China to boost tourism and entertainment.

The move was aimed at rebooting the economy of the State and improve Ease of Doing Business (EoDB).

The partnership sealed after the Rivers State Economic and Investment Summit which ended on May 23, 2024, was unveiled at an event in Port Harcourt, yesterday, where the Director-General (DG) of the RSTDA, Mr. Yibo Koko, gave details of what he described as "low hanging fruits initiative to tap into

obvious advantages." Koko presented the Chief Executive Officer of the Housing and Construction Limited, China who has demonstrated capacity to join in the task as a partner in the project.

It was gathered that some banks have also indicated interest in partnering with the agency to achieve the objective of the Governor Siminalaye Fubara's administration in the tourism sub-sector.

It was further gathered that tourism alone could reset the economy, based on what worked for the State in years past when the city led other states and cities in entertainment and tourism.

The DG of the RSTDA, who spoke on the gains of the Rivers State Economic Summit and the Creative Art, said the Mayor of Housing was part of the panel on creative economy and his participation led to the decision to go back and start from the ‘Low Hanging Fruits Initiative’.

“The RSTDA wants the many good things happening in the state to be brought up deliberately. The state government wants entrepreneurs and investors to be the ones driving wealth creation and the growth of the economy," he added.

Speaking, the Mayor of Housing, China expressed excitement over the partnership with the RSTDA.

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Secretary

Salu-Hudeyin (middle); Special Adviser to the Governor on Arts, Tourism and Culture, Mr. Idris Aregbe (third left) and others at the final day of the three-day Lagos Tourism and Naija Brand Chick Trade Fair, held at Ikeja, Lagos...on Sunday.

BEHOLD NEW TOM-TOM BRAND AMBASSADORS...

Peter Obi to FG: Focus on Alleviating Suffering, Not New Presidential Jet

Chuks Okocha in Abuja Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has advised the federal

government not to contemplate purchasing new aircraft to add to the existing presidential fleet, but to focus on poverty alleviation. Obi described the alleged

recommendation by the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence that the federal government should purchase new aircraft for the

presidency as unacceptable and a clear show of insensitivity to the suffering of the people.

In a statement by his media aide, Dr.Tanko Yunusa, Obi said, "At a

Housing Minister, Dangiwa Emerges Chair, Caucus of African Housing Ministers

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, has been unanimously elected as the inaugural chairperson of the financial caucus of African Ministers of Housing and Urban Development.

This decision was made by shareholders of Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) at the institution’s 43rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Symposium which held in Kigali, Rwanda, a statement by his spokesman, Mark Chieshe said yesterday.

The Caucus of African Ministers of Housing and Urban Development, an initiative of Dangiwa during his tenure as the 42nd Chair of the Bank’s AGM Bureau, was officially approved by ShafDB shareholders and launched on Thursday June 13, the closing day of the Bank’s 43rd AGM.

It is designed to provide a platform for the ministers to collaborate, share knowledge, and develop policies and financing strategies to enhance their efforts in delivering sustainable and affordable housing solutions in their respective countries.

Besides, its aim is to create synergy by leveraging the collective strength of member countries, drawing on their unique experiences and resources to address Africa’s common housing challenges.

“Specifically, the Caucus will facilitate dialogue and information sharing by promoting best practices in housing policy, regulation, and implementation.

“It will help identify common challenges and opportunities in the housing sector to develop effective strategies for collective action and explore ways to mobilise resources and expertise from international partners, private sector stakeholders, and development organizations

to support housing initiatives,” the statement said.

Additionally, the caucus will serve as a continental advocacy platform to prioritise the housing sector among national governments and bilateral and multilateral institutions.

In response to his election, Dangiwa stated that the establishment of the Financial Caucus of African Ministers of Housing and Urban Development presents a unique opportunity to galvanise collective action and accelerate progress towards inclusive and sustainable housing development in Africa.

“I am excited that the shareholders not only considered and approved the establishment of the Caucus, which I proposed, but also went on to appoint me to lead it as the inaugural chair.

“I pledge to give it my best. By fostering collaboration, promoting innovation, and mobilising

resources, we can transform our continent's housing landscape and significantly improve the quality of life for millions of our citizens.

“ It is important for us to recognise that as Africans, we are one. We have a common continent; we have a common destiny, and our progress or backwardness reflects on us all.

We must therefore be deliberate in supporting ourselves to make unified progress across all sectors.

“As far as housing and urban development is concerned, it is up to us and Ministers of Housing and Urban Development ensure that we move forward together,” he said.

As chairperson, Dangiwa will lead and coordinate the activities of the Caucus, urging participants to anticipate significant outcomes from the body.

“This includes enhanced collaboration and knowledge exchange leading to innovative

housing policies and strategies, increased investments in affordable housing projects supported by international donors and private sector partnerships.

“It will also lead to improved access to decent and affordable housing for low-income populations contributing to poverty reduction and social inclusion.

“I also believe that it will lead to the strengthening of institutional capacities and regulatory frameworks to address housing challenges sustainably, and a heightened awareness and advocacy for housing issues, positioning them as priorities on regional and international development agendas,” he added.

ShafDB is a pan-African housing finance institution with shareholders from 44 African governments as well as the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the African Re-Insurance Corporation (Africa-Re).

time when our country is on the front page of global newspapers for facing its worst economic crisis, marked by high inflation, a falling currency, and widespread poverty, the government is contemplating buying new presidential jets.

"This demonstrates extreme insensitivity to citizens' struggles.

"With rising insecurity, poverty, hunger, and homelessness, this decision highlights the disconnect that is apparent between the government and the people.

"It is unacceptable as the situation in the country today more than ever demands a more compassionate use of resources, prioritising citizens' welfare.

"It's on record that our presidential jets have an average age of 12 years, purchased when most Nigerians could afford necessities. Now, as our country faces significant challenges, including a high debt profile, our citizens are in even greater need.

“Instead of adding to our luxuries, we should be focused on alleviating their suffering and finding solutions to their problems.”

The statement added, "For long, our bad leadership has made our priorities, as leaders, to be at variance to the needs of society, which is why we are headed now south, as a nation.

"To elucidate further, despite dropping down to the fourth-largest economy in Africa, with a GDP of $252 billion and a per capita income

of $1,080, with huge debt burdens and borrowing to service debts, yet, we are spending $15 million for our Vice President's residence, while the USA, the world's largest economy with a GDP of $25 trillion, about 100 times our GDP, and a per capita income of $80,000, about 80 times ours, still houses their Vice President in Number 1 Observatory Circle, a house built over 100 years ago, and whose value is less than the $15 million we are spending on our VP's residence.

"A reputable real estate company reports that the US Vice President's Official Residence is valued about $7.5 million today. "While we had earlier refurbished the old VP residence with $2 million, the over 100-year-old US Vice President's house has only undergone wide-scale renovations twice, funded by taxpayers' money; in 1993 and 2021. Every new US VP is free to finance any minor refurbishing from his funds.” Obi further stated, "It's, therefore, time to stop this impunity, insensitivity and shamelessness and refocus on the needs of our people.

"We must prioritise education, healthcare, and lifting our citizens out of poverty. Let us work together to build a nation that truly serves its people, not just the interests of a few.

"Let's rise to the challenge, and build this new Nigeria, which is now more possible than ever before.”

Lulu-Briggs Foundation Awards Scholarships to 59 Rivers Law Students

Yinka Olatunbosun

The O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation has again demonstrated its commitment to quality legal education in Nigeria by awarding N120,000 cash and brand-new laptops to 59 law graduates of Rivers State origin at its 15th Law school students scholarships award ceremony.

The event, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, also marked the 94th posthumous birthday of the scholarship's grand benefactor, the late High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs. He established it 2009 to assist law students who solicited his support in paying the increased Nigerian Law School admission fees.

Welcoming guests, the Chairman of the foundation, Mrs. Seinye O.B. Lulu-Briggs, acknowledged her late husband's great legacy.

"He was the foundation's grand

benefactor, and his generous support laid the basis for us to keep going. Please join me in a hearty round of applause in gratitude and memory to him and his large heartedness," she said while acknowledging the guest's support.

Mrs. Lulu-Briggs congratulated the 59 recipients, who joined 931 previous beneficiaries, all law graduates from Rivers' 23 local governments that had benefited since 2009.

She urged them to "champion the cause of upholding the rule of law and making a positive impact on our society" while using technology.

"Technology has become an indispensable tool for lawyers. So, along with the scholarship, we are honoured to present each of you with a brand-new laptop. Consider these laptops not just machines but gateways to a vast legal library,

research resources, and platforms for collaboration."

The foundation's Chairman also highlighted the impact of legal education, noting that it is indispensable in addressing the Niger Delta crisis and strengthening civil society.

Mrs. Lulu-Briggs noted that "legal education plays a crucial role in strengthening civil society in general. Lawyers and legal professionals serve as guardians of justice, defending the rights of the marginalized and vulnerable. Through their expertise, they provide legal aid, fight for social justice, and ensure accountability of public officials. By investing in legal education, we can foster a society that values the rule of law and respects the rights and dignity of every individual."

The chairman disclosed that the Foundation was open to

collaborations with governments, individuals, institutions, and corporations to increase its reach further and reiterated its commitment to Nigeria's development through education.

In her engaging lecture entitled 'Navigating the Legal Landscape: Through the Lenses of an Academic," the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Ibadan, Professor Oluyemisi Adefunke Bamgbose, and the first female Professor of Law in Nigeria to be conferred with the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), described Mrs O.B. Lulu-Briggs as "an amazing woman" and gave insights on how to have a successful legal career. Professor Bamgbose said: "Simultaneously, legal practitioners in academics can handle actual legal cases, represent clients, and navigate the intricacies of the legal

system. This hands-on practice keeps them abreast of current legal trends, changes in legislation, and judicial decisions, which they can also incorporate into their teaching. By combining these roles, legal practitioners in academics enrich the educational experience with practical examples.

"Legal practitioners who are not in academics can engage in academic activities if they have a passion for disseminating knowledge. You can bring the town to the gown, making the work easier and richer."

The Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University and Chair of the occasion, Prof. Nlerum S. Okogbule, who was ably represented by Professor Victor A. Akujuru, commended the foundation for its uncommon philanthropy in education, health and well-being and congratulated the recipients.

L-R: One of the Cavemen Brothers and new Tom-Tom Ambassador, Kingsley Okorie; singer and another new Tom-Tom Ambassador, Adedamola Adefolahan, popularly known as Fireboy DML, Managing Director of Cadbury West Africa, Oyeyimika Adeboye, one of the Cavemen Brothers and another new Tom-Tom Ambassadors, Benjamin James, at the unveiling of the new Brand Ambassadors in Lagos...recently.

ECOBANK ADIRE EXHIBITION...

L-R: Executive Director, Commercial Banking, Ecobank Nigeria, Kola Adeleke; Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Bimbola Wright; Former Chairman, Ecobank Transnational Inc, Emmanuel Ikazoboh; Deputy Managing Director, Carol Oyedeji; Chairman, Luwaji Advisory and Former General Counsel, AFC & ADB, Dr. Adesegun Akin-Olugbade; Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Titi Olujobi; and Company Secretary, Ecobank Nigeria, Kenneth Okere at the Ecobank Adire

Zulum: Electricity Remains Borno’s Major Challenge

Urges prayers for Tinubu, Shettima, others

Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has expressed dismay over recent vandalisation of electricity towers along Maiduguri-Damaturu highway, disrupting power supply to Maiduguri, Borno State Capital.

Zulum said this in Saudi Arabia yesterday, while addressing Borno

pilgrims camped in Minna. Zulum, however, expressed commitment to addressing the hardship faced by people in Borno State, including the electricity disruptions resulting from the destruction of T193 and T194 towers.

Zulu said, “Borno State Govern-

ment, under my leadership, will do everything possible to ease the hardship Borno people face. The problem of power remains a major concern in Borno State; I was told that after rehabilitation of the towers initially destroyed, two of them were destroyed again.”

He added, “This is not an easy task, but I want our people to continue to pray and be patient; both the state and the federal governments are working to establish a sustainable energy supply to Borno State.”

Zulum also commended Borno State 2024 hajj committee for their

CSOs Task National Assembly on Swift Passage of Key Fiscal Bills

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

A cluster of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), under the auspices of the Growth Initiative for Transparency (GIFT), has tasked the National Assembly to expedite action on the proposed amendment to rescue Nigeria from its current dire economic and fiscal straits and position the country on the path of sustainable growth and development.

The CSOs also commended the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, for leading the charge to amend the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA), 2007.

The GIFT cluster, led by OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative and comprising Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), HipCity Innovation Centre, CLICE Foundation, and AdvoKC, said it was happy the FRA amendment bill had been introduced officially in plenary and is now awaiting second reading in the House of Representatives.

The GIFT cluster, supported by the Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE) project

funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), said in a statement that “there should be a quick passage of this important bill and subsequent assent by President Bola Tinubu.

It affirmed that responsible debt management, fiscal transparency, and successful fiscal reforms were critical for sustainable development in the current economic environment.

The groups said they believe that by proposing steps to strengthen budgetary restraint and guarantee that government expenditure is in accordance with the nation's development priorities, the amendment of the FRA will significantly address fiscal indiscipline and rascality in Nigeria’s public finance management.

While regretting that the 9th Assembly failed to pass the bill, the cluster expressed satisfaction that its advocacy efforts and engagements with the House leadership and other policy actors had yielded positive returns.

“The passage of this bill will be a major step toward making Nigeria's public finance management structure

and processes more responsible, accountable, and sustainable,” the statement said.

The GIFT cluster expressed its appreciation to Kalu and other bill co-sponsors, as well as other legislators, government organisations, and development partners, whose cooperative efforts had been crucial in achieving the important milestone.

“As a cluster, we applaud the 10th Assembly for keeping to its promise of ensuring legislative reforms to drive efficiency within government as a vehicle for economic growth and development,” the statement said.

It added that the FRA amendment bill, when passed into law, will ensure long-term macro-economic stability of the national economy, and secure greater accountability and transparency in the fiscal operations within the medium-term fiscal policy framework.

“This bill will also arm the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) to facilitate increased revenue remittances from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), which is paramount considering the debt

challenges the country has been plunged into.

“This is consistent with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recommendations that Nigeria enhances its fiscal institutions to improve the nation's economic resilience,” the CSOs said.

commitment to the welfare of Borno pilgrims at all stages of this year's hajj exercise.

He also called on Nigerians to pray for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Vice President Kashim Shettima and other leaders to navigate the challenges currently faced in service to the country.

The governor said “We have intensified prayers for peace to reign in Nigeria, particularly Borno State. I have also called on Nigerians to pray for our leaders, beginning with His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and all other leaders.”

He added, “We have no other country than Nigeria. Therefore, I want to emphasise that people should pray for the progress and development of Nigeria and for our economy to grow.”

Zulum, also charged Nigerians to give more time for the Tinubu administration to fix the myriads

of problems facing the country. He called for unity among Nigerians to achieve meaningful development.

“I want to call on Nigerians to be patient; let us give some more time to this administration. We must put our heads together and ensure Nigeria remains one indivisible entity. Things will never be feasible without the support of all and sundry,” Zulum was quoted in a statement to have said. He also said, “Nigeria is a big country of multiple tribes, with two main religions, Islam and Christianity. Islam does not condone any form of hatred towards the other religion; Islam requires simple coexistence between Muslims and non-Muslims.”

The governor stated, “For Nigeria to move forward, there is one very important thing we must consider: unity of purpose. Therefore, I call on all pilgrims here to eschew violence and embrace each other so that we can move forward.”

Asharami Synergy Restates Commitment to Superior Products in Aviation Fuel Market

Asharami Synergy Limited, a Sahara Group downstream company in Nigeria has attributed its perfor- mance in the aviation fuel market to the firm’s commitment to safety, technology driven solutions and environmental sustainability.

Speaking in Vienna, Austria, at the IATA Aviation Energy Forum, Head, Downstream Africa, Sahara Group, Foluso Sobanjo, said Asharami Synergy had a pedigree of exceptional performance in the market that spans two decades in

Nigeria. Aviation fuel is also known as Jet A1.

“Asharami Synergy is the leading aviation fuel supplier in Nigeria with over 20 per cent of the market share. We have several certifications from the International Organisation for Standardisation in recognition of our commitment to excellence, quality, and safety.

“With current storage capacity of about 31 million litres owned and operated by Asharami across the nation, a fleet of 20 bowsers,

National Assembly Pledges Quick Take-off of Orthopaedic Hospital in Jos

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

House of Representatives Committee on Specialty Health Care has commended the acting Medical Director (MD) of the National Orthopedic Hospital, Jos, Prof. Icha Onche, for utilising the little resources available to him for so much achievement at the hospital, assuring that efforts are on top gear to ensure a quick take-off of operations at the hospital.

The committee which was in Jos, for oversight function also toured other health facilities and medical schools in Jos, to inspect the centres and assess the availability, adequacy and functionality of medical and training facilities, services, and personnel of the institutions.

It also measured the actual implementation of the 2023 Appropriation Act as approved by the National Assembly, detailed analysis of capital

projects implementation and overhead releases, Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), staff nominal roll, and staffto-students’ ratio.

Addressing journalists after going round the Orthopaedic Hospital, Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Alex Egbona, said they had previous interaction with the Medical Director in Abuja, on the need for the take-off of the hospital for the benefit of the people.

He said, “So, the inspection of the facility became necessary to have first-hand assessment on progress of work and to see what needs to be done for a smooth take-off of the hospital for the benefit of our people.

“And to our surprise, despite the lean resources, the acting Medical Director has done well and as we go to Abuja, we are going to appeal to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to make sure more funds are

released for this hospital to take-off in a short time.”

On his part, Onche expressed optimism for the quick take-off of the hospital, saying, “If you ask me when we will open our doors, I am hopeful for September, but I wish it could even be earlier.

“For me, orthopaedics is a passion and a lifestyle. I am fully committed and willing to sacrifice everything to ensure the hospital takes off successfully. Thereafter, I can rest knowing I have done my part.”

The MD appreciated the Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang and former deputy speaker of House of Representatives for their interventions leading to progress of work at the hospital.

He said, “Fortunately, when the Deputy Speaker was in office, he generously provided us with an intervention fund of N400 million,

which was domiciled in the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) account since we were none-existence then, and this fund went a long way in supporting the renovation exercise.

“The governor of Plateau State has also been very supportive, overseeing internal network projects with significant funding. We are very grateful for his support and encouragement.”

He, however, observed that the inflation between December 2023 and March 2024, made the contract sum insufficient.

“When the contract was awarded in September last year, it was for N437 million (already creating a deficit of N37 million). And with the current inflation rate, the contractor has abandoned the site in the last six weeks.

“I had to report this to my ministry, and the Permanent Secretary

visited us to see the situation firsthand. The Rt. Honorable Deputy Speaker also visited to see how his intervention fund was being utilized. We are very grateful for these visits and the attention given to our hospital.”

He said the Egbonna’s committee has also been very supportive, stressing that the Committee thoroughly inspected every aspect of the hospital.

“We have completed a Bill of Quantities (BOQ) outlining the extent of work done, the work left, and the costs needed to complete the renovation. The Ministry of Health and Social Services has this information. We also plan to approach the governor of Plateau State once more for further intervention to complete our work,” he added.

The MD also appreciated the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for being supportive.

and ongoing plans for capacity expansion, we keep innovating to deliver outstanding Jet A1 solutions,” a statement quoted him to have said.

According to Sobanjo, Asharami Synergy offers solutions that resonate with the operations of local and international airlines in Nigeria.

“Our distinctive mark of excellence and safety make Asharami the responsible provider of choice for aviation fuel in the Nigerian market,” he added.

Also speaking in Vienna, Chief Executive Office, Asharami Synergy, Nomnso Dike, said the company had been strategic partners with IATA since 2009, adding that Asharami’s diversified product supply chain facilitates availability and competitive pricing in the market.

“We are constantly investing in technology to drive efficiency in our business hence the adoption of the i6 solution that increases efficiency through digitalised tracking of our into-plane fueling operations, whilst also helping to reduce CO2 emissions.

“In addition, our dashboard tracks and analyses our customers’ consumption patterns, thereby enabling us to forecast demand accurately and ensure consistent product availability to meet all our supply obligations. This ensures our customers can rely on Asharami for responsible and seamless supply,” he stated.

Sobanjo commended IATA for leading the charge towards sustainability in the sector as all stakeholders continue to work towards enhancing safety and reducing emissions.

Exhibition in Lagos... on Saturday

PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN

FCCPC to Sanction Stores, Cartels over Price Fixing Allegations

James Emejo in Abuja

Acting Executive Vice Chairman/ Chief Executive, Federal Consumer Competition and Protection Commission (FCCPC), Dr. Adamu Abdullahi, has said the commission would begin to sanction open markets, cartels and supermarkets found to engage in price fixing going forward.

Abdullahi said the consumer rights’ commission had also launched an advocacy to educate operators and traders on price fixing procedures.

Price fixing is an illegal practice in

which competing businesses agree on setting the price of products or services instead of allowing market forces to determine prices naturally through competition.

This collusion can take various forms and is designed to achieve mutual benefits for the companies involved at the expense of consumers and the competitive market environment.

In Nigeria where the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which measures the rate of change in prices of good and commodities remained elevated at 33.69 per cent in April, price fixing could further undermine the

group made the call in a statement by its National President, Mr. Igbini Emmanuel.

The controversy over the tenure of local government chairpersons in Rivers State yesterday took a fresh twist after some armed youths threatened to force out council heads found occupying their offices after the expiration of their constitutionally guaranteed terms by midnight of Tuesday.

But Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr Olatunji Disu, addressing journalists yesterday at the state police headquarters, warned troublemakers to shun any planned violence in the state. Disu said anyone found fomenting trouble will face the full wrath of the law.

Reacting to the dispute yesterday in Port Harcourt, as he celebrated Eid-el-Kabir, ex-armed agitators’ leader, Asari Dokubo, advised the chairmen of the 23 local government areas in the state to accept the end of their three years' tenure in good faith and avoid creating a crisis.

However, a civil society group, Vanguard for Transparent Leadership and Democracy (VTLD), called on the National Assembly to intervene in the Rivers State council dispute by invoking the “Doctrine of Necessity” to stave off a looming anarchy. The

for the reforms.

According to him, "The last one year has been a period of determined economic reforms and these reforms are meant to refocus our economy and achieve long-term sustainable growth for our country."

He added, "We acknowledge how the reforms have affected the purchasing powers of our people.

"We plead for patience, support and understanding while different initiatives are designed to bring lasting ease for all.

"As Allah says, ease is certain to follow a period of difficulties. There is hope on the horizon."

AbdulRazaq, said his administration was executing various infrastructural projects, agricultural programmes, and economic initiatives to improve the standing of the State.

He stated further that, "This Sallah and before it, we have committed a lot of resources to support vulnerable households and many others across social strata.

"For sustainable growth and job creation, we are executing various infrastructural projects, agricultural programmes and economic initiatives to improve the standing of our state.

"A new national minimum wage is already in the works, along with the consequential adjustments for higher cadres. Kwara will not be left behind in this very important conversation."

AbdulRazaq, applauded the Emir for his support for the administration and for turning the Ilorin Durbar to a national attraction.

"Tomorrow is Durbar in Ilorin, just as we have some other sociocultural activities in different parts of our state.

"We thank our communities for reviving our culture. Your Royal Highness stands tall in this regard for how the Durbar is turning out to be a national attraction," the

The council chairmen, who had threatened to remain in office after the end of their tenures, were banking on a law passed by the Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly, which extended their tenures by six months, following the alleged failure of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to conduct fresh local council elections.

The drama unfolded as some youths occupied some of the local government headquarters in the state, and called on the chairmen to vacate their offices.

In Degema and Asari-Toru councils, youths took over the local government headquarters, vowing to occupy the secretariats till Wednesday, when work will resume after the two-day public holiday to mark the Muslim festivities. They said they were against elongation of the tenures of the council heads.

But the council chairmen continued to send mixed signals yesterday as to whether they were ready to leave or not. In Port Harcourt City Local Government Area (PHALGA) and Obio/Akpor, THISDAY observed that security was beefed up to forestall a breakdown of law and order.

In Emohua, the council chairman,

Governor said.

"I am glad that we have an environment that allows our culture to thrive. I urge our people to be peaceful and orderly as they troop out for these colourful cultural events, which are our heritage.

"I have approved that the Durbar be streamed live on Kwara TV and Radio Kwara (Midland FM and Kakaki FM), including their online platforms, so that everyone can see the beauty of this cultural event," he added.

Earlier, Emir Sulu-Gambari commended the governor for his investments in human and infrastructural development in the State, saying he was proud of his achievements.

"The impact of the Governor could be felt in all spheres of development. In the Governor's presence, I prayed God to grant his second term ambition because he did excellently well in the first tenure, and God answered the prayer.

"You hardly sit in your office due to your commitments towards transforming the State. I am always proud of you, and Kwarans are proud of you. Kwara is witnessing development under your leadership.

"When he came to pay me appreciation visit, he got a message that he has been appointed as the Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum and within some minutes, he received another message that he has been nominated for the National Honour of Commander of Order of Niger (CON).

“Your excellent performance speaks for you. You are a silent achiever, and your achievements are visible even to the blind," he added.

The Emir urged the people of the state to continue to support the administration of AbdulRazaq for progress and development.

principles of free competition and fair market practices, leading to higher prices, reduced innovation, and overall market inefficiencies.

And due to its harmful effects on consumers and the economy, it is strictly regulated and heavily penalised under antitrust laws in the country and globally.

However, addressing stakeholders during a one-day sensitisation workshop organised by the commission for students in Nigerian tertiary institutions, Abdullahi said need for sensitisation so traders and supermarket operators will acquaint themselves with the law

Chidi Lloyd, announced via a press statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Bright Jossy, that the council will begin distribution of cutlasses and hoes to farmers from today, June 18, stressing that it is expected to last one week.

Likewise, in Khana, the local government chairman, Thomas Bariere, announced a one-week clean-up exercise in the council, which will commence today, while in Ikwerre, it was gathered that the chairman, Samuel Nwanosike, also announced a one-week cultural festival in the council area.

In Eleme, the council chairman, Barilormate Ollor, was seen in an online video warning people from the area to desist from coming close to the council headquarters or they would be made to meet their forefathers earlier than expected.

But the chairmen of Opobo/Nkoro and Bonny local government areas, who were not part of the disgruntled council heads, had already done their end-of-tenure thanksgiving at the weekend.

Nevertheless, in a five-minute video, trending yesterday, some armed men are seen crossing a creek, and expressing their readiness to “return sanity” to the councils. Leader of the group, whose name could not be ascertained, is heard declaring in the video that they are back from the river ahead of Wednesday, prepared to deal with any resistance from council chairmen that would refuse to vacate office.

The leader, wearing a black top engraved with G. ASABUJA, says, "Today, is Saturday, June 15, I am back from the river, the creek; preparing and about to take over local government areas on Wednesday, because Monday and Tuesday are

One of the risks, the report stated, was that the Nigerian LNG exports might struggle to compete on the global market after 2030, with gas projects costing more to produce in Nigeria than in key competitor countries.

The authors calculated the weighted average breakeven gas price to determine the relative costs needed for projects to be economically viable, stressing that higher breakeven gas prices imply increased vulnerability to stranded asset risks.

The report stated that most national production would become commercially unviable if global gas prices dropped below the domestic breakeven prices. Relatively high breakeven gas prices, it said, signalled higher production costs and lower profit margins for domestic gas producers, which could impact investment decisions and market competitiveness.

It added that increased competition could reduce demand for Nigerian LNG as LNG exporters face exposure to global markets, even when offtake agreements are in place.

Nigeria currently exports about 60 per cent of its LNG to Europe. However, these contracts, the report noted, might not insulate the country from a global downturn in demand, as off-takers might choose to accept penalties and break contracts if the commercial incentives were great enough.

It stressed that the new EU methane import performance standards might

before sanctions are applied against violators.

The FCCPC boss further disclosed that a committee had been set up and given three months to draw up a curriculum to be rolled out in schools to start teaching Nigerian students more about consumer rights as part of the commission's mandate.

He said, "We have embarked on advocacy visit to open markets across the country and supermarkets to educate the operators and traders on what the consumer protection law stipulates.

“For instance, you can't go to

public holidays.

"We are back to take over all the 23 local government councils. So, the council chairmen should wait for us. We are coming. We will ensure every council caretaker goes.

"It is my hobby and business to work with the government, to relate to the government to fight crime. Those who said government will not drink water and keep cup, we will join hands and follow them anyhow they want it.

"I work with the Joint Task Force; I am in charge of anti-bunkering in South-south. I have come back home. Half of my men are back. We are taking over all the local government areas.

"But, for now, we are enjoying, flexing, preparing for Wednesday. I am hosting my boys for Wednesday. So, let all the caretakers be prepared to host my boys on Wednesday, too.”

The leader specifically calls on the chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Nwanosike, to prepare and wait for the group, vowing that he (the group leader) will be present at the council secretariat.

He declares, "Nwanosike Ishi, wait for us on Wednesday. I volunteer to come to Ikwerre LGA. I will be there. Wait for us, there is no problem. You will learn how to respect elders and authority."

THISDAY gathered that Fubara had earlier sent names of a sevenman caretaker committee for the 23 councils to the House of Assembly led by Victor Oko-Jumbo for screening and confirmation.

The council chairmen and the House of Assembly members loyal to the Minister of the Federal Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, had been at loggerheads with the governor. However, Disu warned against

also impact export opportunities, depending on the emission levels from Nigeria’s upstream and LNG operations and actions taken to reduce them.

According to the report, investing in LNG may not generate expected revenues as time may be running out for profitable investments.

The report said, “Though there are high hopes of contractual commitments for Nigeria to supply LNG to Europe, this does not come without risks. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has predicted a glut of gas when this infrastructure is up and running, likely in the next decade, as Europe seeks to diversify its energy mix and reduce overall gas demand.

“If gas projects are not profitable, then the government cannot collect revenues.”

On plans to replace oil revenues with gas revenues, the report said LNG projects might have a combination of long-term offtake agreements and short-term sales on spot markets. In both cases, it stated that prices were usually indexed to market prices.

The report stated, “Proponents of LNG suggest that it can potentially replace the diminishing oil revenues, sidestepping the need for fundamental economic reforms. LNG revenues are currently around $74 billion per year and account for around seven per cent of total government revenues.

“To replace declining oil revenues, there would need to be continued strong international demand and high prices for LNG and continued sustained investment in LNG produc-

the market and see a particular price tag on an item and when you go to pick it, they will tell you the price is higher, it is misleading and deceptive and the law does not allow that.

"Also, those traders in the open markets form associations on different food items like yam, egg, rice and others and sit down to fix prices of such items. They become a cartel of price fixing and we at FCCPC are going there to tell them the law is against that.

"What we are doing now is sensitisation, and after that sanction will follow for those defaulting."

violence, saying culprits will face the full weight of the law. He gave the warning yesterday, when he spoke with journalists at the command’s headquarters, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt.

The police commissioner appealed to parents to caution their children against getting involved in the crisis, warning that they should not allow their wards to be used as "cannon fodder."

He vowed to protect life and property in the state, and ensure a safe and secure environment for all.

Disu said, "My job as a police policeman is to protect lives and property. And that is what we have gone out to do since morning.

"We are aware of the crisis that has to do with the tenure of the local government chairmen and we have got one court order or the other, and the Court of Appeal has given an order for everybody to exercise restraints till the 20th of this month (June), just about three days away.

"So we expect everybody to respect it and not take laws into their hands and allow peace to continue as it is."

The Commissioner of Police added, "Sincerely, you know our officers have been out for the past three days. I just finished addressing them and I thank them for the good job they have done; and because they have been out since 4am, and they just came back, we are not taking it lightly, we are ready to go.

"Our officers have been on a show of force and we have had additional men given to us from the headquarters, the equipment has been serviced and we are ready to go.

"This is just to assure members of the public that as far as we are concerned, we are ready to do our jobs of protecting lives and property.

tion and export capacity. Operations would need to be undisturbed by theft and social unrest. All of these conditions are uncertain.”

The study stressed that there was a high likelihood that new LNG infrastructure might be stranded as additional investments in LNG faced real risks.

It said, “Natural gas, as a whole, accounted for 10.1 per cent of the country’s energy mix and 52.8 per cent of net exports in 2021 , as gas is primarily a commodity for export.

“Global LNG prices are likely to remain above the cost of production; as a result, new LNG infrastructure investments are also unlikely to recover their capital, rendering them stranded assets.

“If assets are stranded, then the government will be forced to choose between writing off such investments or providing subsidies to keep projects operating. There is a risk of throwing good money after bad.”

The report said due to the current global net-zero commitments, fossil fuels faced projected reductions in demand as Europe’s dash for gas demand was likely to drop further, considering that natural gas consumption in Europe fell by seven per cent in 2023, reaching its lowest level since 1995.

According to the study, “Second, competition from other producers is likely to squeeze prices. Major LNG exporters such as Qatar, Australia, and the United States have been ramping up their gas capacity for export and making improvements

"We have warned anybody who would want to take laws into their hands. I want to use this opportunity to talk to parents to call their children to order and talk to them so that their children will not be used as cannon fodder in this crisis."

In his intervention, Dokubo advised the council chairmen to accept the end of their three years' tenure in good faith and vacate their offices.

Speaking yesterday in Port Harcourt, while flanked by stakeholders of the Muslim community in the state as part of activities to mark the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, Dokubo said tenure elongation was an aberration He stated that the chairmen, whose tenures expired on June 17, could not extend their time in office in contradiction of the oath of office they swore to.

Dokubo warned the chairmen not to invite the wrath of the "people's power".

He said, "Local government tenure has expired today (June 17, 2024). They should quietly go home. If they want to seek re-election in accordance with the constitution, they should go and seek re-election.

"But there is no tenure elongation in the constitution. Their position is tenure-bound, and that tenure has expired. Let them not cause unnecessary problem for the people of the state. And I want to advise young people, that look, don't allow yourselves to be used."

Similarly, a former Majority Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja, in an interview with Channels Television, said he was sure that the chairmen will not exceed Tuesday night in their offices.

Continued on page 21

on their LNG infrastructure and technology, rendering themselves more competitively placed against smaller players, like Nigeria.

“Even if demand does not collapse, Nigeria could find itself priced out of the market by cheaper producers. And finally, the eventual transition to a low carbon world could leave LNG assets stranded, mirroring challenges faced by other fossil fuel production infrastructure.

“For this reason, extending LNG infrastructure not only undermines global targets for net-zero emissions by 2050, but also suggests that green energy policies will not be implemented.”

The think-tank said Nigeria needed to pay immediate attention to addressing the challenges in its economic model. The expansion of LNG projects in Nigeria, it said, required careful long-term, scenario-based, and sound financial analysis.

“It is crucial to consider issues related to inequality, environmental sustainability, and economic dependence on fossil fuels,” it added.

Before embarking on statesupported LNG for export expansion, it noted that contingency planning needed to account for the possibility that demand might fall as new capacity came online or was in commercial operation.

“Some of the global risks can be offset with local demand generation, but for export-led projects, there remains a substantial risk,” the report stated.

Abdullahi

Emmanuel Addeh, Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

DELL TECHNOLOGIES INNOVATE WITH DATA SUMMIT...

Obaseki: We Must Stop Blame Game, Focus on Charting Roadmap for Nigeria’s Devt, Prosperity

Reveals how state transited from subsistence to large-scale agriculture Now has over 70,000ha oil palm plantation under cultivation

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has emphasised the need for Nigerians to move beyond trading blames and picking faults. Obaseki urged unity in efforts to save the country from pervasive economic challenges and place it on the path of progress.

According to a statement yesterday, Obaseki, who spoke in Benin City, said the country was at a crossroads. He emphasised the need for serious conversation between citizens and leaders of the country on how to chart a path for the future of Nigeria.

The governor said the country

was in dire need of bold, fearless, and courageous leaders to confront and navigate the difficulties currently facing it.

According to him, “This is a time that we need fearless leaders that will say things as they are. This is so that we can look for a way out. The solution to our national problems can’t be restricted to certain ideas, as Nigeria is a large country with problems, and this is the time for everybody and leaders from the entire spectrum to have a serious conversation about the future of Nigeria.

“This is not the time for trade blaming, fault picking can’t be now as we all should come out and put our hands on deck to steer the ship of Nigeria out of troubled waters back to safe water.”

He stated that his government had been proactive, making plans when the tell-tale signs began to show that the country's economy was going in the wrong direction.

Obaseki said the state government had over the past seven and a half years embarked on reforms and programmes to place the state on a steady growth trajectory.

He stated, “I thank God that we have been vindicated today, as our sincerity has helped us prevail over every situation. We see prospects for a better economy because of the institutional reforms we have introduced to better manage the state.”

Obaseki added, “We have always prevailed because the majority of Edo people understand, appreciate, and endorse what our government has done. This has been the reason for the courage with which we have tackled any problem we faced along the way.”

Obaseki further said his admin-

Alausa: Nigeria to Have Biggest Aesthetic Care Centre in Africa

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has pledged that the federal government would create an ecosystem to make Nigeria the biggest cosmetic care centre in Africa.

He stated this at the launch, in Lagos, of Afrimed, a subsidiary of Afrimedical Manufacturing and Supplies Limited, which built one of Africa’s largest Syringe manufacturing factories in Nigeria. Afrimedical Manufacturing and Supplies Limited is a subsidiary of Mikano International Limited.

The fully automated factory is located at Ogun State.

Lauding Afrimed for its pioneering role in the cosmetic sector in Nigeria, Alausa said, “As a government we have to quickly move to ensure we're creating an enabling environment and regulated better so that we can ensure that our citizens are getting safe (aesthetic) care.

“And as we do that, will create more trust and more people will come and begin to expand the ecosystem where we can actually become the biggest aesthetic care centre in Africa.

“That's the intent and that's what we plan to do. And we will move to create and regulate this area better to create trust. So I commend you for being a leader in this area.”

He added, “Aesthetic is deeply intertwined with our health and quality of life. Addressing issues

ranging from skin to reconstructive surgery, aesthetic solutions play a crucial role in a comprehensive healthcare environment.

“These solutions not only help individuals regain their physical appearance, but also restore their confidence and maintain wellbeing contributing to a holistic recovery.”

The minister also called on stakeholders in the aesthetic healthcare sector to apply modern techniques and technology, as well as making the care accessible and affordable for Nigerians.

He added, “As we celebrate this significant achievement, I urge all stakeholders in the healthcare sector to embrace these advancements and collaborate to make aesthetic healthcare accessible and affordable for all Nigerians.

“Aesthetic solutions play a crucial role in a comprehensive healthcare environment, and help to improve an individual’s well-being.

“Aesthetics in healthcare is not merely about appearance; it is deeply intertwined with our overall health and quality of life.

“These solutions will not only help individuals regain their physical appearance but also restore their confidence and mental well-being, contributing to a holistic recovery and improved life satisfaction.”

The Chairman of Mikano International Limited, Mofid Karameh, said every product coming from Mikano International Limited was top quality.

Karameh added, “We have done a lot over the years and we will continue to do the best work. I am sure the product which is coming from us will be the best in the country.

“Our syringe manufacturing subsidiary, Afrimedical Manufacturing and Supplies Limited has one of Africa’s largest syringe factories, built following WHO standards, right here

in Nigeria, with a production capacity of 1.8 billion syringes per annum.

“Our syringes are ISO certified and are sterilised using the latest Electron Beam Sterilisation technology.

“It is an ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems and ISO 13485:2016 Medical Device Quality Management Systems certified company.

istration had moved the state from subsistence to large-scale agriculture and built on the lessons of the Edo State Oil Palm Programme (ESOPP).

The governor stated that lessons from running large-scale oil palm plantations had been transferred to developing commercial cassava farms used for manufacturing of flour and ethanol in the state.

According to Obaseki, “We still produce food in Nigeria at the subsistence level, which is inefficient. It is sad because before the civil war, when we had commodity boards and people were investing in larger-scale farming, which was more efficient, agriculture was the mainstay of the economy and we didn’t have crude oil at that time.

“So, subsistence farming for 200 million people is not just going to work. We have got to think about production on scale because we're a huge country – a large country with a lot of landmass. But do we have that culture of agriculture? We produce food like every part of Nigeria, but we don't do it efficiently. You have small farmers going in, doing their shifting cultivation.”

On what the Edo State Government did differently, he said, “What we try to do in Edo is to think about how to cultivate large-scale farms. To start with, you have to go for the

value crops like oil palm, rubber, and cocoa. We started from that end because of the advantage we have in attracting investors.

“We did a forest audit and realised that we had quite a lot of land that, unfortunately, had been deforested, which we could use for oil palm cultivation.

“We then launched the Edo State Oil Palm Programme (ESOPP). It was not about just giving out land, but a programme where we help you get land, survey the land, demarcate, go to the communities, deal with the communities, engage them, compensate those who you need to compensate, then do your nurseries, and get planting materials.”

The governor said Edo State currently had the largest agricultural programme in Africa, with more than 70,000 hectares of oil palm plantation. He added, “What that does for us is that once we have people who now have the expertise to prepare the land for oil palm, I can then move them to help me prepare land for cassava, maize, and other crops.

“More importantly, what we have done as a government is to bring them in and organise them. My concern is my people, the citizens, who are going to work with them. We focused more on developing capacity.”

CIFCFIN Partners IPAC to Vet Credentials of Political Candidates Before Primaries

Bennett Oghifo

The Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria (CIFCFIN) is partnering with the Interparty Advisory Council (IPAC) to ensure that candidates standing for elections across party lines have genuine credentials.

In line with this, the institute would deploy cutting edge forensic tools to vet and authenticate certificates of aspirants before primary elections.

During the 2019 Bayelsa State gubernatorial election, the deputy governor-elect was disqualified for presenting forged documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which led the opposition party’s candidate to be sworn in as governor.

CIFCFIN President, Dr. Iliyasu

Gashinbaki, who stated this recently during the institute’s 7th direct membership graduation ceremony and award of Fellowship at EFCC Academy, Abuja, said such a situation would be a thing of the past.

“The institute has decided to tackle the issue of fake credentials which has brought a lot of shame and disgrace to our country once and for all. We live in a country where tax clearance certificates, academic institutions credentials and even our passports can easily be forged.

“So the institute took it upon itself that this would be our contribution as this administration marks one year in office, that we will put an end to this and we have taken far reaching steps to ensure it happens across board,” he declared.

Gashinbaki, also disclosed that the institute, during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Internal Affairs recently, highlighted forensic and fraud investigative techniques vital in maintaining and managing Nigeria’s identity management system to block and prevent fraudulent activities such as identity theft and data breaches to ensure that the identity management system is secure and reliable.

“The Institute discussed various ways of partnering with the Ministry and agencies under it such as National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to provide forensic technical support in this area,” he added.

The President said the partnership would enhance the credibility of

identity management and rebuild Nigeria’s international image, “which is essential for various socio-economic activities, including banking, voting, and accessing government services.” According to a report on identity fraud cases in West Africa by Ask Nigeria, the country ranks 9th in Africa for multiple attempted frauds on national ID cards with an 18 per cent fraud rate. Also speaking, CIFCFIN Registrar/Chief executive, Dr. Isa Salifu, said the institute intends to practically encourage, support and expose members to the use of Artificial Intelligence in the conduct of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigations to nip corruption and all manner of fraudulent activities in Nigeria in the bud.

L-R: Chief Technology Officer, Data and AI Solutions, Dell Technologies, CEEMETA Region, Hani Khalaf; Chief Enterprise Data Officer, Stanbic IBTC, Toyin Ogunmola; Chief information Officer, Interswitch, Patrick Okebu; Group Chief Information Officer, Access Bank Group, Venkatesh Rathnam; Chief Data Officer, FirstBank, Steve Asemota; and Regional Manager, Dell Technologies, Central West Africa Region, Abdel Sarsri, during the Dell Technologies Innovate with Data Summit, Nigeria in Lagos... on Friday

Bennett Oghifo

LAUNCH OF TERRAHAPTIX ROBOTIC FACTORY...

Military Rescues 35 Women, Children in Lake Chad, Airstrikes Kill Over 80 Terrorists in Katsina

NSCDC repels banditry attack at Nasarawa State Command Headquarters

Ikechukwu Aleke in Abuja, Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia and Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), yesterday, disclosed that air strikes by the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji killed more than 80 terrorists hibernating at a hideout location at Gidan Kare Village of Ruwan Godiya Ward in Faskare Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State.

This was as troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), deployed to Operation Lake Sanity 2, under the Task Force Wulgo, successfully rescued 34 women and children from the clutches of Boko Haram terrorists and killed one terrorist during clearance operations conducted in the Mazuri, Itsari, Mudu, and Maleri villages on fringes of Southern Lake Chad in Nigeria.

Also, yesterday, operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Nasarawa State, said they repelled an attempted attack on their State command in Lafia by suspected bandits.

A statement from the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, AVM Edward Gabkwet, on the Katsina airstrikes, revealed that 45 motorcycles, belonging to the terrorists were also burnt the operation.

The NAF also said the air strikes became necessary following intelligence that terrorists numbering over 100 were reported to be burning houses at a settlement

about 5 kilometres away from Gidan Kare Village, stressing that overhead the village at about 8.30pm, several houses were observed to be on fire with the entire village in pandemonium.

The MNJTF also revealed that no fewer than three fighters from the Islamic State's West Africa Province (ISWAP) based in the Jabilaram camp, a secluded islet on Lake Chad, surrendered to the vigilant troops of Task Force Wulgo.

Gabkwet explained: "Air strikes by the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji have continued to record the expected outcome as several terrorists have been eliminated with their motorcycles destroyed.

“In one of such strikes carried out on the night of 15 June 2024, over 80 terrorists hibernating at a hideout location at Gidan Kare Village of Ruwan Godiya Ward in Faskare Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State were confirmed eliminated and 45 motorcycles burnt.

“The strikes became necessary following intelligence that terrorists numbering over 100 were reported burning houses at a settlement about 5 kms away from Gidan Kare Village. Overhead the Village at about 8.30pm, several houses were observed to be on fire with the entire Village in pandemonium. Moments later, 12 motor cycles were seen departing the Village and trailed along a footpath out of the village to a location near Gidan Kare Village and Kuka Shidda Camp, where they joined up with a large number of

their cohorts.

“Other terrorists were also observed arriving the location from different directions, an indication that the location was a massing up point with the terrorists likely planning to further attack nearby villages.”

The statement added: "Having been presented such a rare opportunity, authorisation was sought, obtained and the location was immediately struck at exactly 9:40pm, with over 80 terrorists confirmed eliminated and about 45 motorcycles burnt down, while few surviving terrorists were observed fleeing or limping off.

“Further intelligence received after the strike also revealed that the terrorists were closely linked with notorious terrorist kingpin, Yusuf Yellow, and his close associate Rabe Imani.

“These strikes, along with others

before now, have no doubt disrupted terrorists’ activities in the area."

The NAF spokesperson further said the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, also praised efforts of the Air Component as well as other security agencies in diminishing the capabilities of terrorist elements in the north-west.

He said the CAS made the commendation when he fêted the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji at 213 Forward Operating Base, Katsina.

Abubakar said: "As we continue the fight against insurgency and banditry bedeviling our dear nation, I want to commend and appreciate your resoluteness and gallantry."

He also said the successes by the Air Component Operation Hadarin Daji in synergy with other security agencies have continued to contribute to security within the region.

He urged the troops not to relent in their efforts and dedication to the fight against terrorism and all forms of criminality in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, troops of the MNJTF deployed to Operation Lake Sanity 2, under the Task Force Wulgo, successfully rescued 34 women and children from the clutches of Boko Haram terrorists and killed one terrorist during clearance operations conducted in the Mazuri, Itsari, Mudu, and Maleri villages on fringes of southern Lake Chad in Nigeria.

A statement by Chief Military Public Information Officer, MNJTF Ndjamena - Chad, Lt. Col. Abubakar Abdullahi, disclosed that three fighters from the Islamic State's West Africa Province (ISWAP), based in the Jabilaram camp, a secluded islet on Lake Chad, surrendered to the vigilant troops of Task Force Wulgo.

He said: "In a series of MNJTF

operations targeting terrorist activities, the troops of Operation Lake Sanity 2, under the Task Force Wulgo, have successfully rescued 34 women and children from the clutches of Boko Haram terrorists and neutralised one terrorist during clearance operations conducted in the Mazuri, Itsari, Mudu, and Maleri villages on fringes of southern Lake Chad in Nigeria on 15 June 2024.

“Relatedly on 17 June 2024, three fighters from the Islamic State's West Africa Province (ISWAP) based in the Jabilaram camp, a secluded islet on Lake Chad, surrendered to the vigilant troops of Task Force Wulgo.

“The fighters, identified as Babakura Abubakar (20 years old), Abacha Kyari (28 years old), and Mohammad Adam (29 years old), are currently undergoing interrogation for further action.

Muftwang Condemns Attack on Taskforce in Bukuru

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has condemned the attack on the Task Force responsible for enforcing Executive Order 003 by some criminal elements.

In a statement by his Director of Press and Public Affairs (DOPPA), Mr. Gyang Bere, the Governor said the task force was mandated to regulate buildings and vehicular traffic within the Greater Jos master plan, lamenting that the sad

incident that occurred yesterday, at the Bukuru market in Jos South Local Government Area where individuals brazenly assaulted members of the joint task force was an act of lawlessness.

Mutfwang, expressed regret over the shameful actions of the miscreants, who not only targeted the task force but also endangered the lives of traders.

He emphasised that the market

Lluvia Health Commemorates Maiden Int’l Day of Play with Children Suffering Chronic Health Challenges

Sunday Okobi

A group that advocates for the integration of play and play therapy in paediatric healthcare settings, Lluvia Health Organisation, yesterday commemorated the International Day of Play (IDOP) by putting together a day of therapeutic play and arts for children with various chronic health challenges such as sickle cell, cancer, and developmental delays. In recognition of the immense benefits of play for children, the United Nations has earmarked June 11 as the International Day of Play. This day marks a significant milestone in the child

health advocacy space as efforts to invest in and protect the right of every child to play are now being made on a more cohesive and global scale. The day was organised in collaboration with Upbeat Recreation Center, The Children’s Art Gallery (TCAG), and Bama. The children were engaged in painting, collage making, and colouring led by TCAG to help improve different skills such as creativity, communication, independence, and teamwork.

The Founder and Executive Director, Lluvia health Organisation, Dr. Amenze Eguavoen, while explaining the focus on children

with chronic health conditions said: “For children with chronic health challenges, play is often a wish in a well as they miss school and play-time with friends and family due to frequent hospital visits and sick days in bed. Children with developmental delays face even more barriers due to stigma and poor access to assistive technology to improve their functional capabilities thereby restricting their interaction with other kids and opportunities for play and skills building.

“For movement and balance, they engaged in physical play activities such as rock climbing and jumping at the Upbeat trampoline park.

The event allowed children and parents bond as they created art pieces together and played at the trampoline park after which they engaged in counseling sessions.

In her remark, the Child Health Officer, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Azeez, who highlighted the importance of events like this on the holistic development and well-being of children, said: “Play and art are powerful tools that transcend simple entertainment. They are vital in promoting physical health, supporting emotional well-being, enhancing emotional resilience, and fostering social interaction.”

was designated by the government to accommodate lawful business activities with an appeal to street vendors to relocate accordingly.

The statement added, "The Governor lamented the reckless behavior of the attackers, who wielded dangerous weapons to inflict harm and loot shops, resulting in the destruction of vehicles owned by innocent traders. Tragically, one of the suspects fatally shot his accomplice during the chaos."

He called on security agencies to swiftly apprehend all perpetrators and ensure that they face justice without delay. He reiterated the State government's unwavering resolve to confront troublemakers decisively.

Highlighting the broader purpose of Executive Order 003, the Governor said that its intent was to safeguard Jos from deterioration into a slum and a haven for criminal activities.

He reaffirmed his administration's commitment to collaborating with law-abiding citizens across all divides to foster peace and unity in the state.

Mutfwang also appealed to religious and community leaders in the affected area, to guide their followers against unlawful conducts and implement measures to thwart criminal elements who may exploit the situation to cause disorder.

Bukuru town in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State

came under rampaging hoodlums attack yesterday, after they hijacked skirmishes between officials of Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB) and traders at Kugiya market in the area.

The hoodlums threw the entire town into confusion, burning and destroying houses and cars as the traders scampered to safety.

There had been a recent Executive Order number 003, 2024 signed by the Governor of the state, Caleb Mutfwang directing that all illegal structures obstructing traffic in Jos/ Bukuru metropolis be removed.

The JMDB, guarded by Policemen and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the state, had on Monday moved into the area to execute the order when they met stiff resistance from the hoodlums. It was gathered that the hoodlums, armed to the teeth; with cutlasses, clubs and other dangerous weapons, engaged the Security Operatives that were with the JMDB, a development that degenerated into full blown mayhem leading to razing of shops, cars and other properties.

An eyewitness, Mr Garba Tanko said at least ten cars parked in the premises of Nanret Pharmacy and supermarket were torched by the hoodlums who also hauled stones at the security operatives.

L-R: Director, Terrahaptix Robotic Factory (TRF), Dr. Nnamdi Chife; Chief Operating Officer, TRF, Engr. Maxwell Maduka and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Nathaniel Nwachuku, during the official launch of Terrahaptix Robotic Factory in Abuja... recently

PhOTO: ENOCK REUBEN

LAWYER

Osigwe, Ikwuazom, Erojikwe: Who’ll Lead

Mazi afam Osigwe, San Chukwuka Ikwuazom, San Tobenna erojikwe

Quotables

‘Will we continue those regular long winded and long winding court trials? Or will we wholeheartedly, embrace arbitration as a business friendly dispute resolution mechanism? For me, the dispute resolution mechanism, law and order, is the soft infrastructure that will drive economic growth.' - Babatunde Raji Fashola, CON, SAN, former Governor of Lagos State

‘The celebration of democracy day was by a tiny segment of the population - political office holders. But, for the majority of our people who are wallowing in poverty, there’s nothing to celebrate' - Femi Falana, SAN, Human Rights Lawyer & Activist, Recipient of the IBA Bernard Simons Memorial Award

The Bar and Bench in Justice Abuse

Last Thursday, I participated in the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos Branch Law Week’s Bar & Bench Forum, as a Panelist in one of the sessions. I found the two Panels that l listened to, that is, the one before ours, and then mine, quite interesting. While the first Panel discussed technology vis-à-vis the Lagos High Court, with Hon. Justice Adenike Coker tracing how things were when they were elevated to the Bench in 2001 to date, and members discussing areas that could be improved upon, the topic of discussion for my Panel was “Relationship Between the Bar and the Bench: Expectations of the Judex”. Members of my Panel were Hon. Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye, the Administration Judge of the Lagos High Court; Hon. Justice Olayinka Faji of the Federal High Court; Abimbola Akeredolu, SAN; Olawale Fapohunda, SAN; and our Chairman/Moderator, Charles Edosomwan, SAN.

We, however, extended the scope of our topic to include expectations of the people, and for me, the people, particularly the common man, since the Judex would be limiting it to the expectations of only judicial officers. In any event, only two out of the six of us on the Panel, were Judges. In fact, Mrs Akeredolu, SAN, observed that other parts of the Judiciary like the Court Registry Staff must be added to the topic of the collaboration of the Bar and the Bench, as the Registry also plays an important part of administration of justice, quite capable of making or marring the efforts of the other two. Mrs Akeredolu cited the example where the Court Registry Staff fail to insert court processes into the court file, and matters are adjourned because the processes are not before the Judge on the court date, thereby delaying the case. Though it is not part of a Lawyer’s job description, many don’t leave it to chance, and are at the Court Registry the day before their matter comes up, and even again on the morning it comes up, to ensure that all processes are in the court’s file!

I think it is more useful to look at the relationship between the Bar and the Bench vis-à-vis what is expected of each body individually and jointly; whether their relationship has achieved the goals it is supposed to, that is, enhancing administration of justice, and if it hasn’t, how the goals can be achieved. However, because of time constraints, I for one, was unable to tackle the topic as deeply as I could or should have.

What is Expected of the Bar and the Bench I did begin by stating the fact that, it is necessary for the Bar and Bench to have a cordial relationship based on mutual respect, a collaboration to serve the interest of justice and uphold the rule of law. But, it goes beyond that, because the Judex expects all members of the Bar give due respect to the Judiciary (contempt proceedings can be brought against a Lawyer who disrespects the court); adhere to the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners, and conduct their cases properly with utmost professionalism. Part IV Section 30-38 of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2023 (RPC) provides for what is expected of a Lawyer in court, not just by Judges, but, generally, as officers in the temple of justice; for example, Lawyers must prepare their cases properly before filing them and they must not to do anything that will cause a delay in the administration of justice (or support their clients to do same); they are not to manipulate the legal system for the benefit of their clients; nor are they to go to all manner of media to insult Judges, but to channel whatever complaints such Lawyer may have against a Judge to the proper authorities, that is, the Chief Judge of that Court possibly for a reassignment of the matter to another Judge, or if necessary, to the National Judicial Council (NJC).

Judges are expected to uphold their Judicial Oath contained in the Seventh Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended in 2023)(the Constitution) and abide by the Code of Conduct for Public Officers contained in the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution, among which is to carry out their duties honestly in accordance to the Constitution and the law; to interpret the law correctly, when called upon to do so; to protect the rights of the people; to be a check and balance on the other two arms of government, the Executive and the Legislature; to be incorruptible; to be impartial and independent; to enforce the law equally, whether for the rich or the poor; to adjudicate on cases judiciously and judicially, applying the law correctly in reaching a decision; and of course, to give Counsel their due respect. These are the reasonable expectations that everybody has of the Bar and the Bench, and the expectations they have of each other. This is because, if each side collaborated to play its part like it should like as I have outlined above, then administration of justice in Nigeria would have reached an enviable level. Alas! Unfortunately, we seem to be heading in the opposite direction in some ways, as we see a collaboration between the Bar and the Bench, particularly at the level of the Magistrate, High Court and maybe even the Court of Appeal at times, to truncate the administration of justice, so much so, that many dissatisfied litigants not only insist on going through every court until they exhaust their right of appeal at the Supreme Court, as one of my Panel members stated, they then sometimes subsequently proceed to the ECOWAS Court thereafter, if they are dissatisfied with the outcome of their case in the Nigerian courts.

The Bar & Bench Relationship Vis-à-Vis the Common Man: Magistrate Courts

onikepo

onikepo.braithwaite@thisdaylive. com onikepob@yahoo.com

“The less financially able Defendants are held in custody, paying no mind to their fundamental rights to liberty, innocence until proven guilty, humane treatment etc…Is this not a collaboration between Prosecution Counsel and the Magistrates/ Judges, to somehow deny Defendants justice? Isn’t this ironical, considering the fact that the courts are meant to be the last hope of the common man, and not a path to his suffering?”

To answer Mr Edosomwan, SAN’s question as to how the Bar and Bench relationship affects the poor, I started off by quoting Femi Falana, SAN, who stated thus: “Rich suspects are usually admitted to bail, either by law enforcement agencies or trial courts. But, poor suspects are subjected to prolonged pretrial detention on the orders of Magistrates, while awaiting the legal advice of the Director of Public Prosecution. In many cases, poor suspects are held in prison custody for years, because the legal advice of the DPP is not forwarded to Magistrate Courts by Police Prosecutors….”.

The less financially able Defendants are held in custody, paying no mind to their fundamental rights to liberty, innocence until proven guilty, humane treatment etc (see Sections 35 & 36 of the Constitution). Is this not a collaboration between Prosecution Counsel and the Magistrates/Judges, to somehow deny Defendants justice? Isn’t this ironical, considering the fact that the courts are meant to be the last hope of the common man, and not a path to his suffering?

Even if the ’mens rea’ isn’t to deliberately keep people in custody awaiting trial for years, the omission to do the needful timeously results in the same negative outcome. The Magistrate Court is the first point of contact of majority of Nigerians with our court system, because for civil claims, the monetary value usually falls within the purview of the Magistrate Court, and in the case of criminal matters, the Magistrate Court is usually the first port of call for the Police and other law enforcement agencies. Meanwhile privileged Defendants like former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, are cosseted and protected by the Bar and the

with no consequences meted out to defaulters, that is, both the Police Prosecutors and the Magistrates that allow them to appear before them.

High Courts

Similar negative collaborations between the Bar and the Bench, occur in the higher courts. Section 115(1) of Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State 2015 (ACJL) permits Defendants charged with offences punishable with death to be admitted to bail by a Judge of the High Court. Section 161(1) of ACJA, however, provides that such bail for Defendants charged with offences punishable by death, shall be under exceptional circumstances which are listed in Section 161(2) particularly 161(2)(b), in circumstances where there’s delay in investigation, arraignment and prosecution for a period exceeding one year. See Omodara v State 2004 1 N.W.L.R. Part 853 Page 80 at 89-90 & Anaekwe v COP 1996 3 N.W.L.R. Part 436 Page 332.

On the contrary, there are always delays beyond one year. The Prosecution is never ready with their witnesses, meaning that they are not fully prepared to go on with their cases, which then suffer numerous adjournments, while the less fortunate Defendants languish in custody awaiting trial. The common man is made to suffer for the lapses in the system. They remain in custody for years, and are not tried within two months of their arrest. See Section 35(4)(a) of the Constitution. After arraignment, some Judges, continue to grant incessant adjournments at the behest of the Prosecutors, many times for flimsy reasons. The Prosecutors face no sanctions from the courts for these delays, and it’s no surprise therefore, that this has become the norm. This seeming collaboration between Judges and Prosecutors, maybe even ‘esprit de corps’ since they all work for the State, certainly doesn’t serve the interest of justice. Mrs Akeredolu, SAN emphasised the fact that costs awarded by courts aren’t punitive enough, and if they were, it would certainly make Lawyers sit up.

Bench, so much so that he is the one that is giving the appointment date of when he will appear in court as if he’s doing the court a favour, despite the fact that he is facing serious money laundering charges to the tune of N80 billion. It appears that the Magistrate Courts are largely unsupervised, and there is a collaboration between the Bar and the lower Bench at that level, to truncate the administration of justice, as opposed to enhancing it. Despite the fact that Section 23 of the Nigeria Police Act 2004 which permitted Police Prosecutors to prosecute cases in any court, has been repealed, Section 66(1) of the Nigeria Police Act 2020 (NPA) permits only a Police Officer who is a qualified legal practitioner to prosecute cases before any court, and Section 106 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 (ACJA) authorises only legal practitioners to prosecute cases in court, unqualified Police Prosecutors are still appearing and prosecuting cases in the Magistrate Court, and the Magistrates not only raise no objection to this blatant breach of the law, they allow it. In Raphael Obijiaku v Chief Joe Obijiaku & 2 Ors 2022 17 N.W.L.R. Part 1859 Page 377 at 400-402, the Supreme Court held inter alia that “Prosecution of criminal proceedings can be undertaken by either a law officer in the Ministry or Department of the Attorney-General, or a private legal practitioner authorised by the Attorney-General, or a Police Officer who is a legal practitioner. These are the persons authorised to prosecute a charge, either at the Magistrate Court or Superior Courts of Record”. Sadly, the precedent established in this case remains largely unfollowed,

The Bar and the Bench: Collusion to Abuse Court Process I also discussed the issue of forum shopping and abuse of court process, and how this is one of the most popular forms of unholy collaboration between the Bar and the Bench, even though it results in negative outcomes and confusion. Counsel files the client’s case in a court that clearly has no jurisdiction to hear the matter, but where there is assurance of getting a favourable order from that court. The Judge knows that the Constitution does not give the court jurisdiction to hear the matter, but goes ahead to hear it anyway, and gives a favourable order to whoever the Judge is partial to. In this circumstance, the Judge not only breaches the judicial oath by descending into the arena to take sides, but collaborates with Counsel to do injustice. It is not the expectation of any right thinking person who cherishes the rule of law, that the Bar and Bench would collude to be unfair and unjust, antithetical to the behaviour that is contemplated for officers in the temple of justice.

In this circumstance, the argument is that maybe if there was a better structure within the High Court system; Lawyers, instead of untrained clerks, working in the Filing Department of the Court Registry to check processes before they are filed, then possibly half of the cases that are misfiled in the wrong courts, wouldn’t be.

Conclusion

This is really just a tip of the iceberg. Some of the solutions that may be considered in order to break this unholy alliance between the Bar and the Bench to form a more healthy, positive and effective one that is expected from both of them, are 1) Could there be definite timelines set out for criminal cases like election petitions, so that Defendants don’t languish in custody ad infinitum or sine die? 2) If the prosecution cannot produce its witnesses after three adjournments, then can bail applications of the Defendants be taken, and bail granted to those who meet the conditions for bail? and 3) For the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (Bar) and the NJC (Bench) to both come down hard on Lawyers and Judges who engage in all manner of abuse of court process. For example, if a Lawyer files a matter in a court that has no jurisdiction to hear it, and instead of dismissing it for lack of jurisdiction or possibly transferring it to a court that possesses the requisite jurisdiction, the court goes ahead to hear and determine the case, both Counsel and Judge should be sanctioned heavily by their respective bodies. This kind relationship between the LPDC and NJC, will help to instil discipline into the Bar and the Bench.

Mr Fapohunda, SAN, mentioned that there are over 50,000 Defendants in custody, awaiting trial, and this is why the Correctional Centres are over-congested. Considering the fact that Nigeria is not known as one of the safest countries in world, and instead is riddled with crimes like kidnapping, banditry, and herder/ farmer killings, the rather small number of Defendants and Convicts in custody, in comparison with our 200 million or more population, in itself shows a failure in our administration of justice system, and a need for it to be completely rejigged.

My dear colleagues, kindly, share your views on the relationship between the Bar and the Bench in Nigeria, and how it can be fostered to enhance administration of justice. Thank you.

chief Justice of Nigeria, hon Justice olukayode ariwoola NBa Presidenr, Y. c. Maikyau, SaN

Inconsistency of Nigeria Police Regulations 126 and 127 with the Constitution

Facts

Following the dismissal of a female Police Officer, Omolola Olajide from the Nigeria Police Force, on the ground that she got pregnant while unmarried and thus, liable to be discharged from the Force in accordance with to Regulation 127 of the Nigeria Police Regulations made pursuant to the Police Act, Cap 19 Laws of the Federation, 2004; the Appellant filed an Originating Summons at the Federal High Court for the determination of the constitutionality or otherwise of the said Regulation 127. Specifically, the Appellant sought the determination of whether the provision of the said Regulation is not in contravention of the provisions of Sections 37 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution and thus, unconstitutional, null and void; whether taking into consideration the provisions of Regulation 127, the provision of Regulation 126 of the Nigeria Police Regulation which entitles only pregnant married female Police officers to maternity leave, does not contravene the provisions of Section 37 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution and; whether the provisions of Regulations 126 and 127 of the Nigeria Police Regulations are not violent contraventions of the provisions of Articles 2, 3, 5, 18 and 19 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

The Appellant then sought inter alia, declaratory orders to the effect that the provisions of Regulations 126 and 127 of the Police Regulations contravene the provisions of Sections 37 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution; Articles 2, 3, 5, 18 and 19 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and thus, unconstitutional, null and void; and that the practical implementation of the said Regulations amounts to discrimination against all unmarried female Police officers in the Nigeria Police Force on the grounds of sex and circumstances of birth.

The Appellant also sought an order striking out Regulations 126 and 127 of the Nigeria Police Regulations for being inconsistent with the Constitution, and an order directing the Respondents to provide to all unmarried female Police officers in the Nigeria Police Force all the amenities and facilities that they are entitled to under the Labour Act and as applicable to married female Police officers in the Nigeria Police Force.

The Respondents joined issues with the Appellant by filing a counter-affidavit, and after taking arguments of counsel, the trial court dismissed the Appellant’s suit for lacking in merit. Dissatisfied, the Appellant appealed to the Court of Appeal.

Issue for Determination

In determining the appeal, the Court of Appeal adopted the issues formulated by the Appellant as subsumed hereunder:

Whether the trial court erred in law and occasioned a miscarriage of justice when it failed to grant the reliefs sought by the Appellant, on the basis that a grant of the same will lower the moral and professional standards of the Nigeria Police Force.

Arguments

Counsel for the Appellant submitted that it is the duty of all government agencies to observe and apply provisions of the Constitution, and that any arrangement agreed to by any prospective member of the Nigerian Police at the point of entry, is not sufficient to constitute a waiver of their constitutionally protected rights. He referred to UNILORIN v OLUWADARE (2003) 3 NWLR (PT. 8080) 557 at 583. He argued that Regulation 127 of the Nigeria Police Regulations seeks to regulate the life of citizens in an unfair and unnatural manner, and should be struck out for being discriminatory against unmarried Police women. He contended that the said Regulation 127 is inconsistent with the provisions of Sections 17(2) a) and 42 (1) of the 1999 Constitution which provide that, no citizen of this country shall be subjected to any disability or deprivation or discrimination

In the Court of appeal of nigeria abuja judicial division Holden at abuja

On Friday, the 3rd day of May, 2024 Before the lordships

joseph Olubunmi K. Oyewole adebukola I. Banjoko Okon efreti abang justices, Court of appeal

Ca/aBj/CV/454/2022

Between

THe InCORPORaTed TRuSTeeS nIGeRIan BaR aSSOCIaTIOn aPPeLLanT

And

1. THe aTTORney-GeneRaL OF THe FedeRaTIOn

2. THe POLICe SeRVICe COMMISSIOn

3. THe nIGeRIa POLICe FORCe ReSPOndenTS

(Lead Judgement delivered by Honourable Joseph Olubunmi Kayode Oyewole, JCA)

based on circumstances of birth or sex.

Counsel argued further that the provisions of Sections 37 and 42 of the Constitution and Articles 2, 3, 5, 18 and 19 of the African Charter on Peoples’ and Human Right protect the citizens from discriminations based on sex, religion, ethnicity and discrimination based on sex is not restrictive in application. He contended that Regulations 126 and 127 which only recognise certain category of women as being entitled to procreate are discriminatory, and in breach of the right to privacy and family life. He contended that the trial court wrongfully allowed its moral inclinations, to becloud its perception of the issues in contention.

On his part, Counsel for the Respondents argued that the provisions of Regulations 126 and 127 of the Nigeria Police Regulations, when related with the masculine nature of Police duties, were not in violation of Sections 37 and 42 of the Constitution.

“…Regulations 126 and 127 interfere with the private lives of female Police officers and discriminates against them on the basis of gender, and this is a clear contravention of Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution which unequivocally forbids discrimination of any citizen on the basis of gender, or circumstances of birth”

He submitted that fundamental rights are never absolute, and that exceptions must be made for regulations such as those under consideration, which aim to ultimately achieve work efficiency and productivity and optimal commitment. He submitted that the restriction imposed by Regulation 127 was time bound, and should be considered lawful time bound restriction. He argued further that female recruits, having consented at the point of their enlistment to be bound by the said regulation which expects female recruits to be unmarried to ensure absolute dedication until after two years in the Force, are bound by the principle of volenti non fit injuria and cannot turn round to claim that their fundamental rights have been infringed. He urged the appellate court, to dismiss the appeal.

Court’s Judgement and Rationale

In its resolution of the appeal, the Court of Appeal juxtaposed the provisions of Regulations 126 and 127 of the Nigeria Police Regulations to the effect that an unmarried woman Police officer who gets pregnant shall be discharged from the Force, against the provisions of Sections 37 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution which guarantee a citizen’s rights to privacy and forbids any law in force or any executive or administrative action of the government from subjecting a citizen to disabilities or restrictions by reason of circumstances of birth, ethnic group, place of origin, sex,

religion or political opinion.

The Court in interpreting the said sections, referred to the admonition of the Supreme Court in DIRECTOR OF SSS & ANOR v AGBAKOBA (1999) LPELR-954 (SC) at 42-43 that, in dealing with the fundamental rights provisions of the Constitution, while not being unmindful that the stated rights may be qualified, it is imperative that the protected rights be interpreted as will accord with the values of a humane and civilised democratic society where the rule of law prevails.

The Appellate Court held that while Regulation 126 of the Nigeria Police Regulations provides that pregnant married women Police officers may be entitled to maternity leave, Regulation 127 provides that an unmarried woman Police officer who becomes pregnant shall be discharged from the Force and shall not be re-enlisted, except with the approval of the Inspector General. The Court held that a careful appraisal of these Regulations discloses that an unmarried female Police officer on account of her gender, cannot procreate.

The Court held that the argument of Counsel for the Respondents, that the said Regulations were to assist in the efficiency and productivity are misplaced as any doubt about the discriminatory nature of the Regulation 127 dissipates in the face of Regulation 118 of the same Nigeria Police Regulations also referred to by the Respondents’ Counsel, that requires female applicants to the Nigerian Police to be unmarried, and Regulation 124 which requires a female Police officer who is desirous of getting married to seek and obtain the prior permission of the State Commissioner of the Police to marry; whereas male officers are not required to seek any corresponding approval. The Court held further that the discriminatory nature of Regulations 126 and 127 are notwithstanding, the exception in subsection 3 of Section 42 of the Constitution that the right guaranteed shall not invalidate any law that imposes restrictions with respect to the appointment of any person to any public office, as the said regulations are not service wide, but are gender based.

The Court found that Regulations 126 and 127 interfere with the private lives of female Police officers and discriminates against them on the basis of gender, and this is a clear contravention of Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution which unequivocally forbids discrimination of any citizen on the basis of gender or circumstances of birth. The Court held further that the arguments of Counsel for the Respondents that the deprivation involved was consented to by prospective female Police officers and they cannot subsequently complain, flies in the face of the constitutional provisions expressly granting them the rights involved as citizens of Nigeria. The Court held that the rights given go beyond those for the personal benefit of the individuals involved as could be waived by them, but are public rights outside the purview of any individual to waive.

The Court held that the finding of the trial court that the Regulations in issue are necessary for morality and discipline in the Police Force are erroneous, particularly in light of the fact that no such inhibition or restriction was extended to male Police officers. The Court held that morality and discipline do not have gender bias.

On the overall, the Court of Appeal held that Regulations 126 and 127 are inconsistent with the provisions of Sections 37 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution, and are therefore, null and void to the extent of their inconsistency. The Appellate Court also advised the Respondents to carry out a comprehensive review of the entire Police Regulations, to ensure that they accord with the demands of a modern society operating under the rule of law.

Appeal Allowed.

Representation

Mr B. B. Lawal with Miss H. K. Salami for the Appellant. Mr T. D. Agbe (Assistant State Chief Counsel, Federal Ministry of Justice) for the Respondents.

Reported by Optimum Publishers Limited, Publishers of the Nigerian Monthly Law Reports (NMLR)(An affiliate of Babalakin & Co.)

Honourable Joseph olubunmi Kayode oyewole, JCa

NBA Lagos Law Week: ‘Time to Upgrade’, Lawyers Told

Stories by Steve Aya

The Nigerian Bar Association Lagos Branch recently held its annual Law Week event, which brought together legal professionals from various sectors. The theme, "Charting New Legal Frontiers: Practice of Law in Nigeria, Cross-Border Alliances & Partnerships", reflected the Association’s commitment to exploring the evolving landscape of legal practice. The event featured a Keynote

address, plenary sessions, and discussions on emerging trends and challenges in the legal profession. Participants emphasised the importance of adapting to global shifts in legal practice, embracing technology, and protecting clients' personal information in the face of cybercrime.

Lawyers have been told to upgrade and equip themselves, so that they can better face the competition coming from International law firms. These

Emir of Kano to Speak at NBA-SBL Annual Business Conference in Abuja

The 18th International Business Law Conference, proudly hosted by the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL) is set to take place from June 26th to 28th, 2024, at the Abuja Continental Hotel.

This year's event is significant as thought leaders, legal experts, and business professionals from around the globe will gather to explore the latest trends, challenges, and innovations in business law in Nigeria and beyond.

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos to herald the coming event, the Chairman of NBA-SBL, Dr Adeoye Adefulu, said that the event is coming at a time when the nation is facing difficulty in many areas and the ease of doing business has been eroded by the difficult economic challenges facing the nation, hence, the theme for this year’s event is ‘Survive and Thrive’. “And, because of this we have carefully selected Speakers for this year’s event with the Emir of Kano, HH, Muhammad Sanusi II, as the Keynote Speaker.”

Dr Adefulu added that the choice of the Emir is not political in any way, but, is based on the fact that he is an Economist, whose works have had a lasting effect on the lives of Nigerians.

Also speaking on the event,

Mr Ose Okpeku, the Chairman of the Planning Committee, said that just like last year's Conference, this year’s event will be a hybrid event, while Mr Ugonna Ogbuagu, added that there will be five plenary sessions discussing the capital market, agriculture, technology and innovations, legal practice and partnership, while there will be various breakaway sessions including one on sports betting.

This Conference will be the largest gathering of Business Lawyers in Nigeria, with over 1,000 Lawyers and legal professionals expected to converge at the venue. With approximately 20 working sessions covering all practice areas relevant to Lawyers and the Nigerian business community, attendees can anticipate invaluable professional development and networking opportunities.

Since its inception in 2004, the NBA-SBL Annual Business Law Conference has been a pivotal platform for decision-makers in the economy’s public and private sectors. The 2024 Conference promises to attract a distinguished faculty of knowledgeable Speakers and resource persons, from within and outside Nigeria.

The NBA-SBL will also be celebrating its 20th anniversary at this year’s event, as well.

were the views of most Speakers.

Setting the tone for what was to come, the Keynote Speaker, Mr Segun Osuntokun, whose Address was titled “Adapting to Global Shifts in Legal Practice” spoke extensively on the need for law firms to be prepared to face the coming of International firms who are coming to Nigeria with well structured administrative style, well functional offices, good salary structure, and urged Lawyers to rise to the game in paying their staff well so that they can retain them, because Nigerian Lawyers are very talented and are sought after by a lot of International firms.

“We must embrace technology and the new world of ICT, and the development of AI and its solutions. While protecting your clients is very important, you should think about it in line with cybercrime and its attendant implications, particularly when it comes to the very vexed issue

of stealing of clients personal information with you. This is an area where international law firms invest a lot ,and you should do the same’’, Osuntokun added.

Following the Keynote Address, the first plenary session delved into the topic “Global Legal Trends and their Impacts on Nigerian Legal Practice: Navigating the New Norms”. Expert Panelists including Mr George Etomi; Dr Gbolahan Elias, SAN and Dr Eyimofe Atake, SAN, provided insightful perspectives on emerging trends and sparked thought-provoking discussions among attendees.

Mr George Etomi, stated emphatically ‘’that the Nigerian legal system needs modernisation to stay competitive globally. He noted that we should assess the sector’s worth, to understand the growing international interest. Additionally, collaboration with the Government is crucial, to ensure Nigerian law firms are

Public Presentation of Adeniji Kazeem's Book

The book, “Nigerian Law of Electronic Transactions,” written by the former Lagos State AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice, Adeniji Kazeem, SAN, turned out to be the meeting point of notable jurists, Judges, politicians, and Lawyers, who all praised the former AG, for his contribution to legal practice.

Setting the ball rolling was the Attorney- General of the Federal and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN. The Chairman of the event was Alhaji Femi Okunnu, CON, SAN.

Prince Fagbemi said: “Let me reiterate that the publication of resource materials such as the book being unveiled today, is a welcome idea. It is timely, and could not have come at a better time.

“In some of my recent public interventions, I have emphasised the fact that legal practice/ education, and indeed, all

spheres of human existence, can no longer feign ignorance of the pervasive effect of information and communication technology on our lives.

“This has even become more pronounced with the proliferation of Artificial Intelligence, wherein physical human involvements are now gradually being limited and/ or phased out in the way we live and do business.

“Expectedly, therefore, and as legal professionals, we cannot but take the bull by the horns, in proffering the ground rules for a seamless transition from our present situation to this new world order. As we navigate the 21st century, the intertwined nature of law and technology becomes increasingly desired”, he added.

Governor Babajide SanwoOlu and his Deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, represented by the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice,

prioritised, particularly for foreign clients with cases in the country’’.

Earlier in his Welcome Address, the Chairman of NBA Lagos, Mr Olabisi Makanjuola, said that this year’s theme, “ChartingNew Legal Frontiers: Practice of Law in Nigeria, Cross-Border Alliances & Partnerships”, reflects our commitment to exploring the ever-evolving landscape of legal practice with precision and purpose. Picture this, not just as an ordinary gathering, but as a crucible of ideas where seasoned professionals and aspiring legal minds converge to engage in meaningful discourse.

“Through insightful debates and thought-provoking discussions led by our carefully selected lineup of Speakers, Panelists, and Moderators, we aim to shed light on the most pressing challenges and exciting opportunities facing our profession today and tomorrow. Of particular interest,

“Nigerian

will be the riveting discussion on the future of the Nigerian Bar Association. This presents a unique opportunity for us to scrutinise visions, and actively participate in shaping the future of our esteemed association.

Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Planning Committee for the event, Mrs Folashade Alli, SAN, spoke extensively on the need for Lawyers to adapt to the global shifts in the legal world. She said, “We are navigating an era where global partnerships and cross-border collaborations are not just beneficial; they are imperative for success and sustainability”.

The atmosphere was charged with enthusiasm, as legal professionals from various sectors came together to exchange ideas and build connections. The weeklong event ended on Saturday, with Lawyers having fun with members of their families and loved ones at the Muri Okunola Park.

Law of Electronic Transactions”

Lawal Pedro, SAN praised Kazeem’s contribution to legal practice, saying the book came at the right time due to the current trends across globe.

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice Tsoho represented by Hon. Justice Olayinka Faji, hailed the author and noted that with the new book, Judges would now have more material to broaden their knowledge.

On his part, Kazeem said the inspiration to write the book, arose from witnessing the rapid digital transformation reshaping commercial transactions across Nigeria and the globe.

“The inspiration for writing this book arose from witnessing the rapid digital transformation reshaping commercial transactions across Nigeria and the globe. Here in Nigeria, we are experiencing a surge in electronic payment activity, driven by innovation and

changing consumer behaviour. Data from the Nigerian InterBank Settlement Systems Plc (NIBSS), paints an interesting picture. The value of electronic payment transactions reached a staggering N600 trillion in 2023, a 55% increase from N387 trillion in 2022. Transaction volume has also significantly risen from 5.1 billion in 2022 to 9.7 billion in 2023. While these figures may not all translate to completed commercial transactions from a purely legal standpoint, they undeniably point towards a massive increase in digital transactions across the nation.’’

Others who also praised the ex-Lagos AG, Kazeem, include legal luminary, Alhaji Femi Okunnu, SAN, former Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, who was represented by Mr Steve Ayorinde, and the State AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, SAN.

L-R: Mr Adeniji Kazeem, SAN; Mrs Ronkę Kazeem; Lagos AG, Mr Lawal Pedro, SAN; Mr Steve Ayorinde & AGF, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN

L-R: NBA Lagos Branch Chairman, Olabisi Makanjuola; keynote speaker, Segun Osuntokun; Chairperson, Law Week Planning Committee, Mrs Folashade Alli, SAN; Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, SAN and NBA General Secretary, Adesina Adegbite

Emir of Kano, HH, Muhammad Sanusi II

Lagos White Cap Chiefs & the Chief Imam of Lagos

Biola Oseni (left) and Mrs Yinka Odukoya

L-R: Austin Alegeh, SAN; Babatunde Ogala, SAN and and Koye Edu at the Public Presentation of the Book, ‘Nigerian Law of Electronic Transactions ‘

“If we do not maintain justice, justice will not maintain us” –

Francis Bacon

Introduction

The intersection between Law and Development, is as old as the evolution of Society. Man emerged from the Hobbesian state of nature into orderly society, when he started to formulate and apply informal rules to govern inter-personal interactions in place of the use of physical might. That, coupled with indigenous ways of conflict resolution, marked the gradual evolution of society from its primitive state to the Modern Nation State. As Society advanced, Law and Conflict Resolution Mechanisms, being its fabric, evolved with it, such that one became unimaginable without the other. Society crystallised into the Modern State, while the conflict resolution mechanisms crystallised into the modern day justice administration institution known as the Legal System or the Judiciary. Hence, today, it is impossible to think of a Modern State or Nation without a judicial apparatus. Just as Law is known to be a dynamic instrument of social change, the Judiciary is by the nature of its role, a catalyst for development. However, this is so, only where the Judiciary and its operators understand and play their role in a way that is in tandem with the society’s aspirations and in accordance with the Constitution and other Laws guiding their operation. Otherwise, it may become an antithesis of progress and indeed an enemy of society, rather than its bastion of hope.

The notion of the Judiciary being a panacea for national development, rests in the belief that by the nature of its historical and constitutional roles, it can effectively stabilise the society, create the right environment for policies and endeavours of governments and individuals to thrive, and by its decisions, point the society forward in the right direction. It is assumed that the Judiciary will effectively play its constitutionally assigned roles of Guardian of the people’s rights; Vigilant Watchman against executive and legislative excesses; Unbiased Arbiter of disputes; and a firm Defender of the Constitution in all seasons. Inherent in the notion is the further supposition that the Judiciary will be independent minded, untainted by politics, unaffected by primordial sentiments, incorruptible and above board in all matters of integrity. A Judiciary that fails to tick any of these boxes, is a threat rather than a panacea for national development. Society is safe only when the Judiciary is trusted, even if the other arms of government are not trusted. But, it is in grave danger when trust and confidence in the Judiciary is lost, even if the other arms of government are trusted. Therefore, to foster national development, the Judiciary must first earn and sustain the trust and confidence of the people. In matters of trust and confidence, especially concerning justice dispensation, perception holds a significant place. It is therefore, not to be ignored. While reality and perception may not always fully coincide, it becomes worrying when the gap continues to widen. What the widening gap signifies is that there is a growing disconnect between judicial action and societal expectation. While judicial decisions are not and should not be based on public emotions and expectations, they ought to reflect and advance collective societal aspirations and national ethos. They should advance public good. Conflicting court decisions in particular, give the Judiciary a bad name, and diminishes its nation building potentials in the minds of reasonable members of the society.

The Judiciary as Society’s Bulwark In the Modern State, there are three arms of government, namely the Legislative, the Executive and the Judicial, playing complementary roles in the advancement of the society. The critical relevance of the Judiciary is seen in the fact that even in non-democratic States,

“But,

The Judiciary as a Panacea for National Development

This is a Paper delivered by Honourable Justice Abiodun Akinyemi at a one-day Special Webinar for Judges and Judicial Officers in Nigeria, under the auspices of the Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria which held on Friday, May 31st, 2024

(including Nigeria under military rule), where democratic institutions including the Legislature are abolished or suspended, the Judiciary is still allowed to exist and function, even if under hostile conditions. This is because even despots and totalitarian regimes realise that they need the Judiciary, howsoever impaired or decapitated, to give a semblance of legitimacy or humanity to their unconstitutional actions. This is not surprising, because even the unjust realises that justice is the bedrock of a just society. Without justice, peace is hampered and without peace, economic, social and political developments are impossible. The development of modern nations is therefore, hinged upon the existence of vibrant and independent judicial systems. An informed, virile, independent, articulate, incorruptible and unbiased judiciary is the society’s bulwark against anti-democratic forces.

The ability to bring every man, high or low, under the authority of the Law without fear or favour, in addition to ensuring that justice is equally rather than selectively dispensed, are important factors that enhance a judicial institution’s nation-building credentials and inspire trust and confidence in the populace. Without the interventionist role of the courts, society will be in chaos, as citizens will take matters into their own hands.

Even the most vocal critics of the Judiciary, have never denied the importance of the Judiciary’s role in the advancement of the society. While there will always be room for improvement, it cannot be denied that the role of the Nigerian Judiciary in pre and post-election disputes, has brought some sanity into the electoral process. While some have criticised the

it is in grave danger when trust and confidence in the Judiciary is lost, even if the other arms of government are

trusted. Therefore, to foster national development, the Judiciary must first earn and sustain the trust and confidence of the people. In matters of trust and confidence, especially concerning justice dispensation, perception holds a significant place”

Judiciary for getting involved in political and electoral disputes and even accused it of ‘installing’ people into political offices, the question to really ask is: ‘Where else would political disputants go, if they are unable to resolve their disputes, other than the courts?’ And, of course, as everyone knows, the Judiciary does not institute or invite these litigations; it is aggrieved citizens who bring their cases before the courts and tribunals. And, the courts and tribunals are duty-bound to hear them. In the process, the courts have developed a humongous amount of electoral jurisprudence, which has helped in no small measure in advancing our democracy. Nation States mature with age and experience, and judicial precedents and legal jurisprudence play a huge role in nations coming of age.

The Judiciary and National Development

National Development refers to the capacity of a country to attain steady positive growth or advancement in critical areas such as the economy, infrastructure, political and electoral processes, education, health, science and other indices that culminate in better living standards for the citizenry and an improvement in the gross domestic product. National development is not the responsibility of the Executive alone. Constitutionally, it is the joint responsibility of the three arms of government and their agencies, acting complementarily. By Section 4 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Legislature is vested with the power to make Laws to foster national development. By Section 5, the Executive is vested with power to formulate and execute policies and projects, in line with those Laws. By Section 6, the Judiciary is vested with power to interpret and apply the Laws in a manner that will engender the necessary enabling legal environment, for the peaceful execution of the policies and projects intended to bring progress to the nation. The Judiciary is therefore, not an outsider, a bystander, or an on-looker, but an active participant in the task of nation building. It is not an antagonist of the other arms of government, but a progressive collaborator, even

while serving as a check of their excesses and illegalities. Standing in the gap between State and Citizens, and ensuring that the constitutionally entrenched rights of citizens are not violated by the State or other citizens; ensuring that the citizen also performs his constitutional duties and obligations towards the State; firmly and impartially applying the law by visiting law breakers with appropriate consequences; dispensing Justice with competence, fairness, impartiality, transparency, dispatch, and courage; thus, inspiring confidence in the citizenry, are ways by which the Judiciary contributes to national development. Quick disposal of cases, certainty of judicial outcomes in line with established precedent and extant laws, avoidance of unnecessary technicalities and conflicting decisions, zero tolerance for corruption and abuse of judicial process, including forum shopping, are all attributes to be found in a judiciary that is fulfilling its role in national development. Whether in Commerce, Security, Law and Order, Political Governance or Human Rights, the performance or non-performance of the judicial role can make or mar the wellbeing of a nation. No matter how sound and wellarticulated the policies of the governments are, if they get entangled in legal disputes which the courts are not able to properly resolve, the nation’s economy and overall national development can become imperilled. Commercial disputes which linger on for too long in the courts, is a disincentive for investors, who, out of frustration may decide to take their investments elsewhere where the judicial terrain is more certain and business friendly. On the other hand, an efficient, effective, impartial and independent Judiciary, is an incentive for investors, local and foreign, thus, helping the growth of the economy. Similarly, quick and transparent adjudication of political and electoral disputes by the courts lends credibility to the electoral process, thereby conferring legitimacy on elected officials, while also encouraging the most able of citizens to participate in the electoral process, thereby improving the quality of representation and by implication, providing better governance. Confidence in the justice system is therefore, a catalyst for good governance and national development.

Hon. Justice Abiodun Akinyemi

Former Lagos State attorney-General and Commissioner for justice, Mr adeniji Kazeem San presented his new book titled, ‘Nigerian Law of Electronic Transactions’ last Tuesday at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja. Here are some of the eminent personalities who graced the event PHoToS: KoLa aLLI

Author of Nigerian Law of Electronic Transactions, former Attorney-General of Lagos State, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, SAN

Onikepo Braithwaite

Mr Biodun Jaji (left) and Mr Akin Kekere-Ekun

Attorney-General of the Federation & Minister of Justice, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN

L-R front: Mr Remi Bashua, SAN; former Lagos State Attorney-General, Mr Olasupo Shasore, SAN and Mr Babatunde Ogala, SAN L-R behind: Mr Koye Edu and Hon. Kunle Fasinro

Front: Mr Kayode Sofola, SAN (left) and Mr Sina Sofola, SAN Behind: Dame Winnie Akpani

Mr Steve Ayorinde (left) and Chairman of the Occasion, Alhaji Lateef Olufemi Okunnu, CON, SAN

L-R: Mr Adeniji Kazeem, SAN; his Wife, Mrs Ronkę Kazeem and Mr Ajibola Edwards

L-R: Hon. Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, JSC (Rtd); Hon. Justice Olayinka Faji; Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN and Lagos State Attorney-General & Commissioner for Justice, Mr Lawal Pedro, SAN

Dr Kemi Pinheiro, SAN

Former NBA President, Augustine Alegeh, SAN (left) and Hon. Justice Adewale Abiru, JSC

Hon. Justice Iyabo Akinkugbe (left) and Hon. Justice Adenike Coker

L-R: Hon. Justices Iyabo Ishodi; Abike Fadipe and Abiola Soladoye

Osigwe, Ikwuazom, Erojikwe: Who’ll Lead NBA?

every two years, nigerian Lawyers go to polls to pick their national officers; and this year, 2024, is an election year for the nigerian Bar association (nBa). For this year’s election, three candidates are vying for the position of President of nBa; Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN; Chukwuka Ikwuazom, SAN and Tobenna Erojikwe. as the three Candidates lock horns for the contest which will be held electronically and by universal suffrage next month, as usual, Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi fielded questions for each of the Candidates, to know more about them and how they’ll run the nBa, if nigerian Lawyers entrust them with the mandate

1) Kindly, tell us briefly about your career as a practitioner, what roles you may have played in the NBA in the past, and what support you have given to our Association

2) Why should Nigerian Lawyers entrust you with running the affairs of the Association for the next two years? What have you done to secure their confidence in you, enough to cast their votes for you?

3) What would you say is the edge you have over your other contenders for the office of NBA President? What are the main points of your campaign? And, how do you intend to fulfil your promises in your two-year tenure?

4) The Nigerian Bar Association has in the past years been called to question by Nigerian Lawyers, over its handling of national issues and the loss of its voice when it matters most. How do you intend to return the NBA to its place of relevance and glorious days of Presidents like Alao Aka-Bashorun?

5) There has mostly been a no-love-lost relationship between NBA Presidents and General

Secretaries. How will you ensure this doesn’t happen in your tenure as President, if and when you win?

6) new Remuneration Order 23 has excited Nigerian Lawyers. How will you ensure that Lawyers are well remunerated when you become NBA President, particularly the young Lawyers who are poorly paid by Seniors?

7) Many Lawyers have been brought before the Disciplinary Committee, including very senior Lawyers, and most of them seem to either get away with their wrongdoing or get off lightly. How will you handle the menace of Lawyers engaging in abuse of court processes like forum shopping, filing matters in courts that don’t have jurisdiction etc?

8) Encroachment on the legal profession by other professionals is a huge threat that the NBA hasn’t been able to exterminate over the years. Lawyers continue to lose revenue to Accountants, Surveyors and others. What is the way out? What about the influx of

“In the short term, I will focus on enhancing access to justice, promoting professional development opportunities….my long-term vision is to position the NBA as a proactive force for positive change in Nigerian society, championing justice, equality, and the rule of law”

foreign Lawyers into our jurisdiction, which is on the rise? How will you handle this if elected?

9) level of confidence do you have in the ECNBA to deliver a credible, free and fair election, that will usher you into office?

Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN

1) I started my legal practice during my compulsory National Youth Service with Chike Chigbue & Co. in their Abuja Office in 1999. In 2002, I founded the Law Forte (Legal Practitioners, Corporate Consultants, and Notary Public) in Abuja, where I currently serve as the Senior Partner. In 2006, I became a Notary Public of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. I have expertise in legal advisory, banking law, corporate law, arbitration, property law, civil litigation, and commercial practice, among other relevant fields.

As a member of the NBA Abuja Branch, I have had the privilege of serving in various roles at the chapter, State, and national levels of the NBA. I served as the Publicity Secretary between 2006-08 at NBA Abuja, and then served as Chairman of the Branch in 2010-12. I have served in various committees, always ensuring diligence and the overall delivery of optimum results.

As Chairman of NBA Abuja, the Unity Bar FC (the football club of the NBA Abuja Branch), was transformed into a laurel-winning team. I love sports and encourage the development of skills, while fostering unity and comradeship. I also am an ardent mentor to young Lawyers, contributing to the growth of the Bar. I contributed to the continuing professional development CPD, by writing papers and journals on viewpoints and various subjects that relate to the advancement of the legal profession.

I served as General Secretary of the NBA (2014-2016). I was also a member of the Legal

Aid Council of Nigeria (2014-2016). I was a member of The Council of Legal Education (2015-18), a member General Council of the Bar (2015-2022), and I am a Life Bencher (Life Member of the Body of Benchers of Nigeria). I was a prosecutor at the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee of the Body of Benchers from 2012-2014, until I was elected the General Secretary of the NBA. I am currently the Chairman of the NBA National Remuneration Committee, where we are creating a policy to ensure the better welfare of Lawyers, by ensuring we are remunerated correctly for the services we offer.

2) I believe Nigerian Lawyers can confidently entrust me with the running of the Affairs of the NBA. I am a dedicated and pragmatic leader, which can be seen through the diligent work which I have done in the different roles I have played over the years. I believe that active participation and leadership, are the keys to driving meaningful change within any organisation. Rather than merely voicing dissatisfaction or proposing improvements from the sidelines, I am committed to offering my services to enact the positive changes and leadership our Association needs.

As NBA President, my key priorities will be multifaceted, addressing both immediate concerns and long-term strategic goals. In the short term, I will focus on enhancing access to justice, promoting professional development opportunities, and fostering a culture of inclusivity within the Association. In the medium term, my goals include strengthening the rule of law, advocating for legislative reforms, and addressing systemic challenges facing the legal profession. Ultimately, my long-term vision is to position the NBA as a proactive force for positive change in Nigerian society, championing justice, equality, and the rule of law. They should entrust me to raise an NBA that provides a professional and inclusive platform where every Lawyer, regardless of experience level, can contribute meaningfully. That has been my leadership over the

Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN Chukwuka Ikwuazom, SAN

Tobenna Erojikwe

Osigwe, Ikwuazom, Erojikwe: Who’ll Lead NBA?

years. My focus will be on delivering tangible benefits to our members, fostering professional development, and creating a wealth of opportunities for all. Moreover, I am committed to ensuring the NBA operates with transparency and accountability, in the management of its resources. I am confident that I can enhance the public perception of our Association, improve member benefits, and create an inclusive environment where all members - regardless of age, gender, political affiliation, or religious belief - can actively participate in governance. My vision is for the NBA to reclaim its rightful place, as a leading professional body in Nigeria.

I am particularly committed to ensuring that all members - especially those who are disabled, vulnerable, female, aged, and young - receive the full benefits of their membership. Additionally, I aim to strengthen and unify the Bar. My tenure as Chairman and General Secretary, provided me with valuable insights into the complexities of managing a diverse and dynamic organisation like the NBA. I learned the critical importance of fostering unity, addressing member concerns, and advocating for the integrity of our profession. These experiences have equipped me with the skills and perspectives, necessary to navigate the challenges and maximise the opportunities of the NBA Presidency.

I want to be part of NBA that’s engaging and achieving practical results, without spending so much money organising conferences all the time and achieving nothing in the lives of members. The NBA was at one time focused on the delivery of services; it was known for action, not words. The NBA must get out of hotel rooms and conferences, and impact positively in the lives of Lawyers.

3) I would say my edge over the other candidates, is my years (experience) built over time from the various roles I have played in the Association. With due respect to other contestants, I have been involved in several policies and activities to move the Bar forward. I am driven by a deep belief in the crucial role our Association plays in upholding the rule of law, and advancing the welfare of all Lawyers. My candidacy is distinguished by a commitment to transparency, inclusivity, and effective leadership. My vision is to proactively identify problems, anticipate challenges, and deliver solutions that create a wealth of opportunities and benefits for every Lawyer. My mission is to improve the standing of the Association, by proactively addressing issues that impact our members. This involves promoting the welfare and working environment of Lawyers, and ensuring that all members - particularly female, senior, and young Lawyers - reap the full benefits of their Association membership. By focusing on these goals, I aim to foster a more supportive and dynamic professional community.

The main points of my campaign are to enhance members' welfare and development through: the promotion and protection of the interest of Lawyers. We shall create an Endowment Fund for legal education, and ensure the protection of the legal industry in Nigeria by ensuring non-Lawyers and foreigners do not carry out legal services reserved for our Lawyers. We shall also ensure the protection, security and dignity of members.

I will strengthen the Human Rights Committee of NBA by establishing a Human Rights Attorney Support Network, by Reinvigorating Public Confidence in the NBA and strengthening Institutional Structures and Efficiency.

4) I intend to reinvigorate public confidence in the NBA and indeed, return her to her glory days or might I say more glorious days, as the glory of the new should surpass the former. I will structure a more effective and proactive response, to human rights initiatives and public advocacy. I intend to set up a standing Litigation Committee that will institute actions in respect of alleged human rights violations, as well as other matters of public interest to the legal profession. This Committee will also work with the human rights committee of Branches to render pro bono services to deserving members of the public, and also take requisite legal action where Lawyers have been assaulted, harassed, or prevented from carrying out their lawful duties.

The NBA, being a strategic Association in the polity, must play the role of a watchdog. I will therefore, ensure we watch events in the polity, comment critically on same, proffer advice/solutions, and also render legal services and assistance where necessary. The NBA under my watch, shall consistently speak up on issues affecting the legal profession and administration of justice, constructively engage with the various tiers of government and other stakeholders, and present proposals and blueprints for dealing with such issues. We will shape opinions and influence decisions that will improve the administration of justice, reform the Judiciary, and engender due process of law and the fortunes of our society. NBA under my watch, will not be found wanting in this regard. We will live up to the billings. We will ensure the NBA maintains its

leading role in matters of National Public Interest, as well as engage in ‘Rule of Law’ advocacy. Many feel that the NBA is unresponsive to their needs, particularly when they encounter challenges while serving their clients. Additionally, there is a perception that the NBA fails to voice its stance during critical national moments. My goal is to address these concerns by ensuring that the NBA becomes more engaged, supportive, and vocal. I am committed to leading an NBA that not only listens to its members, but also advocates for them effectively.

5) In my tenure as General-Secretary, I had a thriving work relationship with the then President of the Association, Augustine Alegeh, SAN, which has continued even after our tenure in office. We routinely have retreats and hangouts for the entire team I served with even during the NBA conferences, which fosters fellowship. When I was Chairman, I ensured a harmonious relationship with my excos, and ensured teamwork was the order of the day. My relationship with my excos, has continued till today.

Naturally, conflicts can arise from human relations, but, they need to be avoided and managed with understanding and maturity at all times. When conflicts occur, it is necessary that they are managed in such a way that they do not embarrass the Bar. Matters should be handled internally, with professionalism. I will imbibe adequate team spirit and a good leadership style, that ensures every member of the NBA leadership team and the entire Bar works harmoniously. Everyone has something to contribute, to the proactive Bar. I encourage ideas, contributions, and even criticism

6) It should be noted that the Legal Practitioners (Remuneration for Business, Legal Services and Representation) Order, 2023 which was made by the Legal Practitioners Remuneration Committee (the Committee) and signed into law on May 16, 2023 in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 15(3) of the Legal Practitioners Act, does not extend to fixing or prescribing minimum salary or remuneration to be paid to young Lawyers employed in private legal practice or some other form of employment. It is therefore, a misconception to say that it is expected to address the “poor remuneration” of Lawyers.

The responsibilities of the Remuneration Committee of the Bar (NBA) are (1) receiving and considering application for an approval or refusal from a legal practitioner who intends to charge or agree to any remuneration for any business or service which is lower than the amount specified for any of the businesses or services in Scales 1- 5, in the Schedule to the Order; (2) receiving a report from a person who has knowledge that a legal practitioner has charged or agreed to a remuneration in contravention of the provisions of the Order, investigating the infraction and upon a prima facie case being

“Under my leadership, the NBA will prioritise the defence of the rule of law and the protection of the rights of members of the Bar, the Bench, and the public”

made, reporting the erring legal practitioner to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee; and (3) receiving an affidavit from any legal practitioner who in consideration of his/her relationship with his/her client by consanguinity or affinity, charged no fees for legal services provided to the client an affidavit disclosing the facts and circumstances justifying rendering gratuitous service to such client.

As can be seen from the above, the functions of the Remuneration Committee do not extend to fixing or prescribing minimum salary or remuneration to be paid to young Lawyers employed in private legal practice or some other form of employment. Sadly, the NBA and the Legal Practitioners Remuneration Committee do not have any power whatsoever, to fix the minimum wage for Lawyers. The National Assembly has the power as prescribed in its exclusive power, to make laws for minimum wage in the Minimum Wage Act (Item 34 of the Exclusive Legislative List). As President, I will prescribe to the National Exclusive Council of the NBA to issue a directory to Lawyers and NBA Branches, to stipulate a minimum wage to be paid to Lawyers in private practice.

7) The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC), is in charge of the discipline of Lawyers. I will ensure that the Committee carries out its functions effectively and efficiently, to bring to book those who are in default or in the wrong. The importance of discipline cannot be overemphasised, as it protects the nobility of the legal profession. I will advocate for the amendment of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee Rules 2020, to fully restore the role and power of the NBA in the investigation of complaints of professional misconduct against legal practitioners.

I will establish disciplinary committees across all Branches, to monitor the compliance of Lawyers with the dress code, conduct, and activities in courts. Prioritise disciplinary proceedings, to ensure that petitions against Lawyers are expeditiously determined. Pursue an aggressive awareness campaign, to draw attention and remind members of compliance and infraction issues. Enhance self-regulation of Lawyers by the NBA, as part of her disciplinary mechanism.

8) I will utilise litigation and advocacy to ensure that non-legal practitioners are precluded from the legal services industry. I will protect the legal industry in Nigeria from the influx of foreign law firms and practices by non-law firms. Commence disciplinary actions against Lawyers who advance such. It is in violation of the laws. It's not proper for them to take jobs, meant for Nigerian Lawyers.

9) I have a laudable level of confidence, in the ECNBA. To the best of my knowledge, the ECNBA will not fail to deliver a free and fair election. The men and women who make it up are people of integrity, and I have no doubt they will live up to the expectations placed on them to ensure an impartial election.

The integrity of the ECNBA ensures a just and unbiased election, as has been tested and is trusted to deliver the will of the Lawyers who have voted over the years. As such, I have complete trust in the system, I have complete trust in the ECNBA.

Thank you Learned Silk. Best of luck in the election.

Chukwuka Ikwuazom, SAN

1) I received my LLB degree from the University of Nigeria in 2000, and was admitted to the Nigerian

Bar in 2002. I gained admission to Columbia University, New York, where I earned an LLM in 2009. Notably, I was honoured with the Harlan Foske Stone Prize for academic excellence and awarded the Judith R. and Michael E. Thoyer scholarship at Columbia University. Admitted to both the Nigerian and New York State Bars, my expertise spans diverse practice areas. I have litigated landmark cases and advised on complex commercial transactions. I am a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.

I am a Partner at Aluko & Oyebode, where I lead the Taxation Practice. In 2020, I was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

I have actively served the NBA in diverse roles. As a member of the NBA Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL), I served as Vice-Chairman of its Employment and Industrial Relations Committee for two terms. I was a member of the Technical Committee on Conference Planning for the NBA Annual General Conferences in 2019 and 2020 and the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee for the 2019 Conference. In 2017, I was elected Chairman of the NBA Lagos Branch. As Chairman, I pioneered several transformative policies and practices that redefined leadership at the Branch. I initiated knowledge-sharing sessions at Branch meetings, introduced individual and group mentorship programmes for young Lawyers, reconstituted the Branch’s Continuing Legal Education Committee and provided leadership and direction for the Committee to deliver free and regular professional training and seminars to members. My administration institutionalised financial accountability and transparency by providing detailed, easily understandable, and scrutable monthly financial reports to members. Under my Chairmanship, the Judiciary Relations Committee of the Branch collaborated with the Commercial Disputes Legal Network to produce the Administration of Civil Justice Bill, a transformative Bill that will significantly address the challenges with administration of justice in Nigeria. This Bill has been enacted into law, by Ekiti and Delta State.

My administration commenced the construction of a befitting Bar Centre for the Lagos Branch, and left a significant amount in the Bar Centre account. Currently, I serve as the Chairman of the Building Committee of the Lagos Branch.

I served as a member of the National Executive Council of the NBA for an unbroken period of 4 years (2017 to 2021) and was reappointed in 2022 for a two-year term. I currently chair the NBA Security Agencies Relations Committee (NBA-SARC).

In recognition of my notable contributions to the Bar, I was honoured with a distinguished service award by the NBA Lagos Branch during its 2023 Annual Dinner and Awards Night.

2) I have the relevant experience to lead the NBA, having chaired its largest Branch with distinction, having been a member of the National Executive Committee for more than 5 years, and having held high office in one of the most vibrant Sections of the NBA (the NBA-SBL). The transformative policies and practices pioneered by my administration in the Lagos Branch, have been adopted by other Branches, and even at the national level.

As a partner in Aluko & Oyebode since 2011, I have been part of the leadership group of one of Nigeria’s most successful law firms for 13 years, and learned useful lessons in leadership that I will deploy as President of the NBA. My membership of the New York State Bar, has also exposed me to how an association of Lawyers can be run effectively and efficiently.

Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN chukwuka Ikwuazom, SAN Tobenna Erojikwe

osigwe, Ikwuazom, erojikwe: Who’ll Lead NBA?

I have the right values, competence and vision to lead the NBA, at this critical period of our journey. As Chairman of the NBA-SARC, I have demonstrated that I can speak truth to power, and that the NBA under me will fulfil its mandate of upholding the rule of law.

3) All three of us running for President, are good. However, I believe that I stand out from the other candidates. First, and with every sense of humility, of the other two candidates, one has never chaired a Branch, section or forum in the NBA, and although the other candidate has, he does not have the track record of excellent performance that I have. Secondly, I am the only candidate whose practice spans both corporate commercial work and litigation, and this puts me in a position to understand and proffer solutions to the challenges faced by both parts of the profession. Thirdly, neither of the other two candidates has my experience, being a part of the leadership team of a large commercial firm.

In my manifesto, I have listed several issues I intend to deal with as NBA President, but, the three things I will focus on primarily are: justice sector reform, regulation of the profession and welfare of the legal profession. Regarding justice sector reform, I will, among other things, push for the enactment of the Administration of Civil Justice Bill, ensure that we send our best to represent us in institutions such as the NJC and FJSC, institute a nationwide court monitoring system, push for statutory and constitutional reforms to eliminate undue delays in our justice delivery.

As it concerns the regulation of the legal profession, I will push for the enactment of the Legal Profession Regulation Bill. I believe that the proposals contained in that Bill, will go a long way in addressing the many regulatory challenges we face in the legal profession. Finally, to improve the welfare of the legal profession, I will devise innovative ways to enforce the Remuneration Order, 2023.

4) As NBA President, my approach will be both decisive and fearless in defending the rule of law and protecting human rights. The current state of impunity and undermining of the rule of law by security agencies and public office holders in Nigeria, calls for a resolute and fearless NBA.

Under my leadership, the NBA will prioritise the defence of the rule of law and the protection of the rights of members of the Bar, the Bench, and the public.

In my role as Chairman of the NBA-SARC, I have consistently spoken out against the wrongful conduct of security agencies.

5) One of the most important qualities I have imbibed working at Aluko & Oyebode for about 22 years, is the ability to work in a team and value the contributions of every member of the team. In our firm, the ability to work well as a member of a team, is a key performance indicator.

Throughout my time as Chairman of the Lagos Branch, disagreements among members of the Exco were swiftly resolved, and never made it to the public. As President, I will accord respect to every member of the National Executive Committee, and allow them to carry out their constitutional responsibilities.

6) As partners and leaders in our respective law firms, the three candidates in this election have had opportunity to implement the spirit of the Order in our firms. Any leader who fails to provide a decent wage to his employees, lacks the moral authority to enforce the standards under the Order. Young Lawyers know which firm among those of the candidates, offers the most competitive wages and benefits.

Under the Rules of Professional Conduct, 2023, non-compliance with the scale of charges prescribed under the Order is professional misconduct. The NBA under my watch, will strongly advocate for compliance with the scale of charges. We will put structures in place to ensure prompt reporting, swift prosecution of defaulters and devise innovative ways of enforcing the scale of charges.

7) As President, I will push for the overhauling of the disciplinary processes in the profession, in line with the proposals contained in the Legal Profession Regulation Bill. The current centralisation of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee and the undue delay in concluding disciplinary proceedings, do not promote discipline.

The NBA under my watch will put in place mechanisms that ensure that professional misconduct is promptly punished, regardless of the stature of the offender.

8) The Legal Practitioners’ Act and the Rules of Professional Conduct, make clear provisions on who can practice law in Nigeria. The NBA under my leadership, will jealously guard the right to practice law in Nigeria, which is the exclusive preserve of Nigerian Lawyers. We will set up monitoring teams across the country, and ensure that the full weight of the law is brought upon offenders.

9) I have great confidence, in the integrity of the Chairman and members of the ECNBA. I also trust that the President of the NBA, is determined to give us a credible election. However, given that technology is not failproof, we must all continue to pay close attention to, monitor and interrogate, the process.

Thank you, Learned Silk. Best of luck in the election.

Tobenna Erojikwe

1) My name is Tobenna Erojikwe. I was called to the Nigerian Bar in year 2000. Immediately after my call to Bar, I started my law practice career as an Associate at The Law Crest LLP. I practiced as a litigator and as a transaction Lawyer for a number of years before heading out to England, where I qualified as a Solicitor of the Superior Courts of England and Wales. Over a 10 year practice period in England, I worked in the private and public sector, specialising in Urban Regeneration Financing and Major Infrastructure Projects Advisory. I worked on many ground breaking transactions, and had the privilege of advising on some of the most notable urban regeneration projects in Europe. I returned to Nigeria in 2014 and have been a senior partner at the Law Crest LLP since then, working mostly now on energy related transactions.

I am a member of NBA Lagos Branch. I was co-opted as a member of the Exco of the Branch for 4 years, over two consecutive administrations.

During that period, I also served as Chairman of the Branch’s Continuing Legal Education Committee. I am a member of the Section on Business Law (SBL) and have played roles in the Section, including being a member of the Task Force on the Enforcement of the Local Content Act.

At the National level of the NBA, I served as a member of the Finance Committee, General Purposes Committee and member of the Legal Education Committee. I was Chairman of the Technical Committee on Conference Planning for the NBA Annual General Conference in 2022. In 2022, I was appointed to represent the NBA at the National Judicial Council for a period of 2 years. I was the Chair of the Policy Formulation and Project Implementation Team during the Olumide Akpata administration of the NBA.

I am currently the Chairman of the NBA Institute of Continuing Legal Education.

2) In the time that I have been involved in the NBA, I have had the privilege of being appointed to significant roles in the Association. I have discharged my responsibilities to the very best of my abilities. At the Branch level, I lead a team that transformed the Continuing Legal

“The NBA under my watch, will discuss the introduction of a more effective and efficient disciplinary system with the CJN and BOB, and seek to establish a decentralised system for determining culpability and enforcement of same”

Education design of the Branch, and laid a solid foundation over a period of 4 years for sustainability and progress. As Chairman of the Board of the NBA Institute of Continuing Legal Education, I have also led a team that has transformed that Institute from a previously moribund organ of the NBA to perhaps, the most effective organ. Over 200 world class trainings, a 700 man Mentoring Scheme, a Virtual Library, strategic partnerships with notable local and international organisations including Universities and law firms and more, stand to the credit of that Institute.

In my time in the NBA, I have shown a capacity to provide leadership and to develop creative and innovative ways of solving problems. In my role as Chair of policy formulation and project implementation during the Akpata administration, I demonstrated leadership in the development of workable ideas and implementation of complex initiatives. I have worked across two jurisdictions as a litigator and transaction Lawyer, in private practice and the public sector. I have over the years, garnered extensive experience and exposure which I consider crucial for the type of NBA that we intend to build. In the course of my career, I have through training and work experience, garnered extensive administrative and management experience which should serve me well if elected President of the NBA.

3) I will be running on my record of service to the Association, and the ascertainable value that I have led various teams at various levels in the NBA to achieve. I think that the work that I have done and continue to do in the NBA, gives the electorate great insights to my character, philosophy and ideology. For instance, the way and manner that I have run the Institute, illustrates my belief in investing in people and promotion of social mobility.

There are 3 main thrusts of my aspiration, and they are as follows: (a)To restore the Dignity of the Bar and reactivate its voice as a promoter of the Rule of Law - this would include a proactive approach to matters that relate to the Independence of the Bar, Independence of the Judiciary and Protection of Human Rights of citizens; (b) The restructuring of the the governance and administrative framework of the profession; and (c) Empowerment of members of the Bar through creating platforms of upliftment. The breakdown of the plans for my administration, are contained in my manifesto.

What I have found in the NBA, is that we spend an inordinate amount of time discussing things that we had discussed before. So, I will seek to implement resolutions of the NBA that had been previously passed, but not implemented. We will start immediately to implement the Access to Finance Scheme, Court Monitoring Scheme, Secretariat Reform, pursuing legislative advocacy for the passing of the Legal Education Bill, etc. We already have NEC approval to implement these schemes, so, implementation will start immediately and be completed within 9 months of the administration.

4) Nigeria needs credible men and strong institutions to play their role in its affairs, if it is going to achieve sustainable and positive growth. My antecedents clearly attest to the fact that I have always expressed my views on matters of national importance, and will not be afraid to speak the truth as the need and occasion requires.

5) Every member of the National Executive Committee of the NBA is elected independently, so, each would have an idea of how they think that the Association should be run, but, the buck stops with the President who has the responsibility to provide leadership and direction for the Association. If elected President , I will set out a clear vision of

leadership and will ensure that positive ideas from the Manifesto of other officers are included in the administration’s implementation roadmap. My focus will be on delivering value to the Association, and I will apply the leadership and management skills that I have acquired over the years to my Presidency of the Bar.

6) As you may be aware, in my role as the Chair of the Policy Formulation and Project Implementation Team during the Akpata administration, I played a major role in developing the terms of reference for the Remuneration Committee. The NBA spent two years developing the policies regarding remuneration including elements that had to do with a minimum wage scale. In the short term, we will immediately start implementing the aspects of the White paper on Remuneration which have not yet been implemented. We will also immediately start pushing for the harmonised version of the Legal Practitioners Bill, to be passed. The Bill contains proposals on far reaching structural changes, that would deal with most of the issues mentioned. Most importantly, we will be deliberate in investing human and material resources on capacity building, whilst seeking to expand the legal practice market by insisting on the full implementation of the LPA and the Local Content Act. We need to check the excesses of government officials who breach these rules, and fight to see that all earning opportunities for Lawyers are protected and properly ring fenced.

7) I will lead from the front on all matters that concern the Bar, and the ethical conduct of members. We have paid very scant attention to ethical standards and consequence management for bad conduct. I think it critical that we understand that, trust is an important aspect of our craft. We should do all within our power to ensure that we enjoy the confidence of the public, by having a disciplinary framework and an enforcement mechanism that instils confidence in members of the profession and the public. For the NBA to compete in an increasingly globalised world, the profession and its members must pay keen attention to the enforcement of ethical standards. Unfortunately, the role of the NBA in the disciplinary process is almost non-existent. The NBA under my watch, will discuss the introduction of a more effective and efficient disciplinary system with the CJN and BOB, and seek to establish a decentralised system for determining culpability and enforcement of same. In the meantime, wherever the NBA finds credible information about infractions such as forum shopping, such matters will be reported to the LPDC by the NBA

8) It is difficult to consider issues in isolation, so, in the long term, we must have the harmonised version of the Legal Profession which contains draft provisions on post-education qualification training regime including pupillage and mandatory continuing legal education. I make this point because efficient service delivery, is key to survival in the legal industry space. We must therefore, invest in career development so our that practices have the capacity to deliver services efficiently.

9) The Chairman of the ECNBA is a distinguished colleague, and has conducted himself very professionally throughout the process so far. My main concern, which I have written to the ECNBA about, is that the ECNBA hasn’t followed the process set out in the NBA Constitution. Following the provisions of the NBA Constitution, gives confidence to the system.

Thank you. Best of luck in the election.

Mazi Afam osigwe, SAN chukwuka Ikwuazom, SAN Tobenna erojikwe

Photo

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, CybertronAds Limited, SaintGermain Onwukeme; Senior Manager, Digital, DSTV, Onyeka Orji; Co-founder, Marketing Analytics Africa Limited, Ojeakhena Victor; Head, Sales and Strategic Partnership, Transsion Mobile Internet, West Africa, Jiani Chen; Commercial Director, Eskimi, West and Central Africa, Chukwudi Uketui; and Group Head, Digital and Communication, Tolaram Group, Kenneth Iruonagbe, during the Africa Marketing Technology and E-Commerce Conference in Lagos… recently

Osun State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Umar Adah; Chief of Staff to Osun State Governor, Kazeem Akinleye; state Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke; and Timi of Edeland, Oba Munirudeen Adesola Lawal, at the Ed praying ground in Osogbo to mark 2024 Sallah celebration… recently

Chief Imam of Jiwa, Mallam Isah Yaro, leading other Muslim faithful in prayers during the Eid-el Mubarak Sallah celebration at Jiwa prayer ground in Abuja… recently

PHOTO: ENOCK REUBEN

Representative of the president of Paediatric Association of Nigeria, Dr. Ifeoma Ezeoma (fourth from left); Executive Director, Lluvia Health Organisation, Dr. Amenze Eguavoen (middle back row in pink); and representative of Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Azzez Kafilat(second from right in black hijab), with participants celebrating the maiden International Day of Play in Lagos… recently

Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Hon. Femi Gbajamiabila (left), welcoming the Lagos State Commissioner of Police Fayoade Adegoke (right), to his residence during the Sallah celebration in Lagos… recently

Facilitator, Train the Trainer programme, Dr. Olugbenga Kehinde (left), presenting certificate of training to member of the Association of Travel and Tourism Writers of Nigeria (ATTWON), Mr. Abiodun Ajala (right), during the Train the Trainer’s one week programme organised by NIHOTOUR for tourism journalists, and hospitality and tourism stakeholders in Lagos… recently

Restructuring Nigeria Through the Law

Some members of the House of Representatives are not resting on their oars in their bid to restructure the country and make it work for all. Adedayo Akinwale reports

For quite a while, there have been several clamours for restructuring of the country. The reasons are not far-fetched, many believe that the quasi-federalism that the country is currently operating is not working, especially considering the slow pace of development.

In a federal system of government, the federal, state and local governments are recognised in the constitution and their roles and powers clearly spelt out without contradiction. While the federal and states have been performing the roles according to the constitution, the state governments have practically squeezed and stifled the local government out of existence.

Some also believe that insecurity that has practically taken over the country is as a result of the local government administration that the state governors, who are emperors, have refused to allow them function.

This is one of the reasons why some Nigerians have consistently called for the restructuring of the country. While almost all Nigerians agreed that there is a need to restructure the country, the mode of restructuring and the definition of restructuring have been a bone of contention.

Incidentally, as good as the world restructuring sound, the inability of the proponents to offer an explicit explanation or give a succinct definition of what restructuring means has made it difficult to make a major change in the system of government in the country.

Often times, the definition of restructuring depends on the side of the divide that the person propagating the concept is speaking from.

Over the years, the proponents of restructuring are mainly from the southern part of Nigeria who hold firm belief that the arrangement of the country was skewed to favour the northern part of the country, hence their clamour for restructuring.

On the other hand, at every point, political gladiators from the north have never been in support of restructuring the country. The reason for their position is simple, they believe that restructuring is targeted at the north and a ploy to outwit the north politically, hence, their stiff opposition to the idea.

After years of disagreement and with the incontrovertible evidence that Nigeria is not developing at a pace worthy of a country that prides itself as the giant of Africa, the House of Representatives appeared to be taking the bull by the horn through the instrumentality of laws by proposing some Bills that will have a far-reaching impact on governance and development of the country.

For instance, since March, 2024, some members of the Green Chamber led by the Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsely Chinda have intensified the push for adoption of the parliamentary system of government.

Expectedly, the lawmakers have met with socio-political organisations from the regions including the leadership of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Afenifere Renewal Group, among others, to get their buy-in in their effort to return the country to parliamentary system of government.

According to the proponents of parliamentary system of government, it was evident that the presidential system of government has failed the

country. They added that the pace of development achieved during the First Republic when the country practiced parliamentary system was far better than now.

Chinda during the meeting with the leadership of ACF said there was a need for a paradigm shift from the current presidential system of government.

He said: “We are here in continuation of our attempt to get to Nigerians to explain further the bills that we have proposed on the floor of the House which we expect will take us out of the present very laborious United States type of presidential system.

“But, what we are looking at, yes, we have called it a presidential system but it’s just a constitution review, a change of style that will reduce the baggage of government, a change of style that will make office holders more accountable. A change of style that will make government decisions arrived at easier and the execution carried out easier. A change of style that will make everybody in public office not to be a passerby, not to be sleeping but to be on his toes, and to be the best to our country Nigeria.

“We came to meet the ACF, to talk to them about this and to get their buy-in, just like we are also moving round to meet persons. We are also drawing from their wealth of knowledge because a lot of questions are being asked, a lot of suggestions are being made and we are enriching our own knowledge which will help us in lawmaking on the floor of the parliament.”

Responding, Chairman, ACF Board of Trustees, Bashir Dalhatu expressed delight over the initiative, and also assured the delegation of the Forum’s readiness to provide necessary support.

According to him: “But we have agreed that at the end, we are going to constitute a Committee that will be working with these Honourable Members, to look at the

draft bills they have prepared and to also make suggestions and inputs, that we hope that in the end will be for the best benefits to Nigeria and our people, and the whole country in general”.

Expressing divergent view, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, kicked against the plan to return the country to a parliamentary system of government.

He was of the opinion that the claims that Nigeria’s presidential system was prohibitively expensive were untrue, saying it was those voted into power that made the presidential system costly.

Against this background, he said having Nigerian federalism is not something to be afraid of or apologetic about. He pointed out that it was sheer laziness for Nigeria to be talking about copying what is done in America when it might not suit the country.

According to him: “We also must not confuse structure with human personalities. We talk about the presidential system being so costly that we cannot afford it and therefore we must go back to parliamentary system. Seriously? Are we really serious about that?

“Is it the presidential system that determines the salaries of our national assembly members? No! It is the human beings who are operating the system and who decide to make the presidential system costly. It is the people who we voted into power who decide exactly how much they are paid, who decide how much their allowances are. If we decide to cut the salaries and allowances of the executive and National Assembly by one third, we will find out that the presidential system is not as expensive as we have made it.

“It is just sheer laziness. We run away from the problem and then with an attempt to decide for the people, we come up with solutions and that solution is going to be put together by human beings who will decide what the salaries of the prime minister and parliamentarians will be,” Akinyemi noted.

Flowing from this, last Monday, a group of over 30 federal lawmakers the under the aegis of Reform Minded Legislators are seeking constitutional alterations to provide for the rotation of executive powers among the six geopolitical zones.

After years of disagreement and with the incontrovertible evidence that Nigeria is not developing at a pace worthy of a country that prides itself as the giant of Africa, the House of Representatives appeared to be taking the bull by the horn through the instrumentality of laws by proposing some Bills that will have a far-reaching impact on governance and development of the country.

The lawmakers are also seeking to amend the constitution to provide for a single tenure of six years for the President and Governors of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

This, the lawmakers said, would lead to reduction in government spending and wastage, efficiency in governance, and national stability by providing a single term of six years for the President and Governors.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, Co-sponsor of the reformers bills and member representing Ideato North/South Federal Constituency, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, said the electoral reform bills have gone through first reading, adding that they would be going for a second reading on the floor of the House.

He said the Bills, if passed into law, would help reduce the cost of governance and campaigns, unite the country, ensure a seamless transition, continuity, uninterrupted development, justice, equity, independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and efficient use of state resources, among others.

Ugochinyere stated: “We are a group of Reform minded Lawmakers committed towards using the instrument of lawmaking to reform Nigeria and our political process, constitutional and electoral reform has been a burning topic in Nigeria since independence from Britain in 1960.”

He added that this was in line with the realisation that the current political arrangement has some identified distortions, defects, and limitations that call for urgent, focused, and realistic attention, hence this initiative on political and electoral reform.

Ugochinyere noted: “These bills which are 50 in numbers have gone through first reading but today we are starting with public unveiling of about six of them while the remaining will come in the weeks ahead. It ranges from governance, economic, security, and justice sector reforms to social bills that will target unifying our nation and ensuring long-lasting peace and national cohesion.”

The lawmakers stressed they were cognizant of the fact that Nigeria in times past has deliberated on and accepted some of the proposals in the Bills, including the Justice Uwais electoral reforms, the Senator Ken Nnamani electoral reform committee, the Udoji civil service reform reports, the Confab reports, among others.

They said they are proposing: “Constitutional Alteration to provide for the rotation of executive powers among the six geopolitical zones to ensure equal representation and reduce the desperation and tempo of agitation for the creation of states.

To amend section three of the Constitution to provide for the recognition of the division of Nigeria into six geopolitical zones.

“To amend the Constitution to provide for a single tenure of six years for the President and Governors of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The reduction in government spending and wastage, efficiency in governance, and national stability by providing a single term of six years for the President and Governors.”

Abass

Chinda

Ugochinyere

‘Eid-el-Kabir’ Festival amidst Economic Hardship, Cholera Outbreak

As Nigeria commemorates the significant Islamic holiday of Eid-el-Kabir, the nation is concurrently grappling with the daunting challenges of economic hardship and a cholera outbreak, which have not only claimed lives, but collectively precipitated a precarious situation that necessitates caution, vigilance, and prudent measures to mitigate the spread of disease and ensure a safe and healthy celebration. Sunday Ehigiator reports

Eid-el-Kabir, also known as the ‘Festival of Sacrifice’, is a significant Islamic holiday commemorating Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son. Celebrated on the 10th day of ‘Dhu alHijjah’, the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendar, it is a public holiday in many countries, including Nigeria, where the Muslim population observes it.

The festival typically encompasses prayer, sacrifice, and charitable acts, allowing Muslims to congregate with family and friends, introspect on their faith, and express gratitude to Allah.

However, this year’s celebration is beset by two significant challenges: the surge in prices of essential food items necessary for the festivities and the cholera outbreak, which may also impact gatherings in public spaces.

SURGING

FOOD PRICES

A survey visit to the popular Mile 12 market in Lagos by THISDAY revealed that a full Basket of tomatoes which used to be sold for N60,000 two weeks before the Eid-el-Kabir festival, was now sold for N270,000 just a day before the festival.

The average cost of ram which was between N80,000 to N150,000, is now sold between N170,000 to N350,000 within the same period, while a bag of rice was sold for N94,000, as against N75,000 it was selling two weeks before the festival.

The prices of essential food items like onions, yam, groundnut oil, and other vegetables have skyrocketed, with onions increasing by 122.9 per cent to N971.9 per kilogram, unripe plantains by 114.6 per cent to N746 per kilogram, sweet potatoes by 105 per cent, Irish potatoes by 85.8 per cent, yam tubers by 92.5 per cent to N818.9 per kilogram, groundnut oil by 33.22 per cent to N968.76 per bottle, and vegetable oil by 33.99 per cent to N1,106.08 per bottle, compared to the previous year.

NBS REPORT

According to The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), through its Consumer Price Index report released on Saturday, June 15, 2024, Nigeria’s inflation rate climbed to 33.95 per cent in May, driven by persistent surges in food and non-alcoholic beverage prices. This increase marks a 0.26 per cent rise from the April rate of 33.69 per cent.

NBS said food inflation rose to 40.66 per cent in May, compared to the 24.82 per cent reported in the same month last year, indicating an increase of 15.84 per cent points.

The bureau said semovita, oatflake, yam flour prepackage, garri, bean, etc. (which are under bread and cereals class), Irish potatoes, yam, water yam, etc. (under potatoes, yam and other tubers class), contributed to the year-on-year increase in the food inflation rate.

Other contributors are palm oil, vegetable oil, etc. (under oil and fat), stock fish, mudfish, crayfish, etc. (under fish class), beef head, chicken-live, pork head, and bush meat (under meat class).

CHOLERA OUTBREAK

On June 9, 2024, the Lagos State Government declared a cholera outbreak. As reported by the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) on June 12, 2024, 324 suspected cholera cases have been reported in the state, including 15 people who died and 40

who were discharged.

Three suspected cases of cholera have been reported respectively in neighbouring Oyo and Ogun States.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported that as of June 11; 1,141 suspected cholera cases had been recorded across 30 states in Nigeria since January 1, 2024.

The top 10 states with the highest number of cases, accounting for 90% of the total, are predominantly located in the southern region, with Bayelsa state having the highest number of cases, exceeding 400, followed by Lagos, Abia, Cross River, Delta, and Imo states. Additionally, some states in the northern region, including Katsina, Nasarawa, and Zamfara, also reported significant numbers of cases.

In response to this, the Emergency Operations Centre has been holding daily meetings since June 11, with representatives from various government ministries and international organizations in attendance.

On June 12, the Lagos state government swiftly activated Rapid Response Teams, composed of experts in health, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and risk communication from government agencies at the Local Government Area (LGA) level.

Furthermore, the government prepositioned cholera kits in 24 health facilities across 20 LGAs by the end of May, in preparation for a potential outbreak.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Cholera is a bacterial disease spread through contaminated water and food. Cholera can cause severe diarrhoea, dehydration, and even death if the disease goes untreated. People living in places with unsafe drinking water, poor sanitation, and inadequate hygiene are at highest risk of cholera.”

In simple terms, you can get cholera from drinking water or eating food containing cholera bacteria.

The CDC said, most people who get cholera don’t get sick. However, cholera can cause life-threatening watery diarrhoea and vomiting.

“Every year, an estimated 1.3 to 4 million people around the world get cholera, and between 21,000 to 143,000 people die, but with early and proper treatment, even severely ill patients can survive cholera.”

The signs and symptoms of cholera, a highly infectious and potentially life-threatening disease, include a plethora of debilitating manifestations, such as profuse watery diarrhoea, intense vomiting, severe leg cramps, restlessness, irritability, rapid heartbeat, loss of skin elasticity, dry mucous membranes, low blood pressure, and dehydration, which if left untreated, can progress to severe acute watery diarrhoea with extreme dehydration, leading to death.

Cholera is not an airborne disease, but it is a highly infectious disease. It can be spread through direct contact with an infected person’s faeces or vomit, consuming contaminated food or water, touching contaminated surfaces or objects and then touching one’s mouth or nose, and poor hygiene practices, such as not washing hands regularly.

It is an acute diarrheal disease caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with the bacterium ‘Vibrio cholera’. It can also be caused by poor access to safe water and sanitation facilities.

However, cholera is not typically spread through airborne transmission, such as coughing or sneezing, nor through person-to-person contact, like shaking hands or sharing food and drinks, and also not through vector transmission, like mosquitoes or other insects.

Preventing cholera involves accessing safe drinking water, properly disposing of human waste and garbage, practising good hygiene like regularly washing hands with soap and water, properly cooking and storing food, avoiding contaminated food and water, avoiding close contact with sick individuals, getting vaccinated, implementing appropriate Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) practices, educating communities, and conducting regular surveillance and monitoring for outbreaks.

CURBING THE SPREAD DURING THE FESTIVITY

Medical experts warn that the current cholera outbreak may spread rapidly to multiple communities and states during Eid-el-Kabir celebrations unless prompt action is taken to contain the spread of the highly infectious diarrheal disease, emphasizing the urgent need for preventive measures to prevent a widespread public health crisis.

Speaking on the possibility of further spread during the Sallah celebration, the President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr Dele Abdullahi, stated that the surge in holiday season travel could lead to an increase in cholera cases.

Abdullahi said, “Cholera is a bacterial infection, so there is a possibility of it spreading to other states during the festive season.

“Because of the Sallah celebration, a lot of migration is going to occur. People will move from one place to the other, and many of them, possibly in the incubation period, will change location. The key here is for our healthcare facilities to maintain a high index of suspicion when they encounter any cases of vomiting and diarrhoea.

“I am confident that the outbreak will not spoil the Sallah celebration,” he added.

To curb the spread, the NARD President stressed the need to maintain optimal and high standards of hygiene.

“We need a high index of suspicion. Whenever we encounter patients with vomiting, we must quickly take them to health facilities. It is better to arrive there and find out that it’s just food poisoning than to be uncertain about the health condition we’re dealing with.

“People should also avoid self-medication and refrain from using unorthodox methods to manage their health issues at home. All these measures will help in curbing the spread of the disease,” he said.

In his submission while speaking with THISDAY, a medical doctor at Regions Stroke and Neuroscience Hospital, Owerri, Dr Malachi Ezegbogu said, that by implementing measures such as “ensuring access to safe drinking water, providing adequate sanitation and hygiene facilities, encouraging frequent handwashing, ensuring proper food handling, avoiding close contact with symptomatic individuals, promoting proper waste disposal, providing education on cholera prevention, offering vaccination and treatment services, and encouraging prompt symptom reporting, the risk of cholera transmission can be significantly reduced, enabling a safe and healthy celebration.”

The Social Promise of Nigeria’s Coastal Highway

Femi Taiwo

Across various regions, the struggle with inadequate road infrastructure casts a shadow over economic prospects and societal well-being

In an increasingly interconnected world, robust infrastructure plays a pivotal role in fostering social well-being and propelling economic growth. Strong connectivity through a well-developed network of roads, bridges, and highways acts as the backbone of a thriving society. It facilitates the seamless movement of people, goods, and ideas, fostering collaboration, innovation, and a more inclusive society. By investing in infrastructure and connectivity, countries can unlock a range of economic and social benefits that contribute to a more prosperous and inclusive society. This strong foundation is even more crucial for nations like Nigeria, with its vast size, diverse population, and growing economy.

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, a 700-kilometer project being built under an Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Financing (EPC+F) arrangement with Hitech Construction Company Limited, one of Nigeria’s top civil engineering companies, aims to transform Nigeria’s road infrastructure into action. Its impact, especially on the communities and people, cannot be overstated.

JOB CREATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Infrastructure investments have a multiplier effect on the economy, creating employment opportunities, stimulating demand for goods and services, and attracting private sector investments. At the Infra4Dev Conference, jointly organized by the World Bank and the International Growth Centre in March 2022, the consensus amongst the academic and policy-making community at the event was that investments in transportation and digital connectivity increase access to markets due to reduced transport and transaction costs, and further improve the ability of workers to find jobs and access them.

With improved transportation infrastructure and the enhanced connectivity it provides, businesses and organizations along the Lagos – Calabar Coastal Highway route will benefit from increased market accessibility – both within the nation and even into the larger West African market. This, supported by lower transportation costs, will result in higher incomes and investments, thereby stimulating local and regional economies.

In addition, it was argued that infrastructure investments affect the process of transformation of economies with jobs moving from low-productivity agricultural sectors to higher-productivity industrial and service sectors. This transition will foster economic diversification,

innovation, and productivity growth, ultimately driving sustainable development and prosperity. Moreover, upgraded infrastructure attracts private sector investments, spurring entrepreneurship and fostering a conducive environment for job creation and economic expansion.

With the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, nearly 10,000 jobs are projected to be created. This will provide much-needed income and stimulate economic activity in the neighbouring communities. Women are expected to be among the primary beneficiaries of this initiative, gaining access to employment opportunities that can improve their livelihoods and contribute to the overall economic well-being of their families and communities. Women account for most of Nigeria’s unemployment and underemployment and only earn 77 cents for every dollar that men can get for the same work. Strategies for women’s recruitment and awareness campaigns programs among the workers and communities along the road will contribute to the improvement of women’s livelihoods in the coastal states of Nigeria.

While the estimated number of direct jobs created by the project is around 10,000, this figure does not fully capture other indirect and induced employment opportunities that will arise due to the project and

the subsequent increase in future economic activities. Moreover, the completed highway will facilitate the movement of people and goods, unlocking the economic potential of isolated and disadvantaged communities along the coast.

INCREASE IN TRADE AND COMMERCE

The construction of the Coastal Highway promises improved accessibility, fostering economic growth and regional development. With smoother transportation routes, businesses can more efficiently transport goods and services, stimulating trade and commerce. Furthermore, enhanced connectivity encourages the establishment of new markets and trade routes, potentially boosting the local economy. As a result, the region may experience a surge in economic activity, attracting both domestic and international investors seeking opportunities in Nigeria’s burgeoning markets. The improved infrastructure will not only benefit transportation but also attract greater investment across sectors, including Nigeria’s key exports like gas and oil.

Most of the nation’s gas and oil are being pumped in the project area, especially in the southeast of Nigeria. The highway will allow for better transportation

and increased investment interest for the gas and oil companies in Nigeria, which are the biggest exports of the nation.

ENHANCING ACCESSIBILITY TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES

Inaccessibility to healthcare, education, and other social services has long plagued many Nigerian communities, particularly those nestled in remote areas. According to the WHO Nigeria 2021 annual report, there is a significant urban-rural divide in the distribution of healthcare resources in Nigeria, with the majority concentrated in urban centers. However, the Lagos-Calabar Highway promises to reverse the trend. The completion of the Coastal Highway is anticipated to bring about significant improvements, notably in reducing travel time and fuel consumption compared to the existing route.

With the new highway, the distance between Lagos and Calabar will be shortened significantly. Currently, the journey from Lagos to Calabar via Sagamu, Benin City, Onitsha, Owerri, and Aba requires about 14 hours of driving time. However, with the highway’s completion, the travel time could be halved to about 7 hours.

Also, the addition of a train system alongside the highway will contribute to alleviating traffic congestion, reducing pollution, and offering a more efficient means of travel along Nigeria’s coastline. This integrated transportation infrastructure is expected to significantly enhance public transport satisfaction levels, especially for the over half of Nigeria’s population living along the coast.

PROMOTING REGIONAL INTEGRATION AND COHESION

Nigeria’s strength lies in its diversity, but true unity requires bridges—both literal and metaphorical—to span the divides. For too long, geographical isolation has hindered interactions and exchanges between diverse pockets of the country. As communities along the route interact more frequently, exchange ideas, and engage in commerce, they contribute to the emergence of a cohesive regional identity.

While the completion of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway undoubtedly represents a significant milestone, its true impact will be measured in the years to come as communities enjoy the benefits of improved connectivity and infrastructure. As Nigeria continues its path toward progress and development, investments in infrastructure projects like this highway will remain crucial for unlocking the country’s full potential and fostering inclusive growth for all its citizens.

• Mr. Taiwo is an economy analyst who wrote in from Lagos.

Niger-Delta Excellence Celebrated at Eve Afrique Redball Awards

In a night of inspiration, music, and awards, the Eve Afrique Empowerment Initiative celebrated outstanding NigerDelta indigenes at the 2024 Eve Afrique Redball Awards.

The 14th edition of the event, held at the luxurious Wells Cariton Apartment, Cubana Hall, Asokoro, Abuja, on May 19th, brought together distinguished guests to honour individuals who have contributed significantly to the development of the Niger Delta.

The theme, “Cultivating Progress in the Niger Delta - A shared responsibility, a case study of the Bille Kingdom Module, Call for Action”, set the tone for an evening of recognition and celebration. The event was a testament to the region’s potential and the impact that can be made when individuals come together to drive progress.

Elder Boma Vincent Benebo, one of the speakers, shared the inspiring story of the Bille Kingdom’s community development through shared responsibility.

He urged the people of the Niger Delta to take charge of their destiny and develop a blueprint for community development. His words resonated with the audience, emphasizing the importance of collective effort in achieving progress.

Engineer Adokiye Tombomieye, the Chairman of the occasion, highlighted the Niger Delta’s untapped potential and investment opportunities in various sectors. He emphasised the need to attract local and foreign investors to stimulate economic growth, creating a brighter future for the region.

Mrs. Rosemary John-Oduone, another speaker, emphasised the importance of collective responsibility for the progress of the Niger Delta. Her passionate speech encouraged the audience to take action, identifying areas where they could make a positive impact.

The MD/CEO of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Samuel Ogbuku, represented by Mrs. Mary Eferhoba Nwaeke, thanked Eve Afrique for

bringing together stakeholders to discuss the region’s progress. He pledged continued support and partnership with Eve Afrique empowerment initiatives, demonstrating the organization’s commitment to the region’s development.

The Eve Afrique Heart of Gold Award recognised individuals who have contributed to the development of the Niger Delta. Recipients included Ambassador Maureen Tamuno, Hon. Boma GoodHead, Stella Fubara, Dr. Paul Ibigobofori Wakama, Dame Julie Eniekedo Donli, Eniye Ambakederemo, and Magajin Garin of Fika, Alhaji Suleiman Gimba. Each awardee’s achievements and dedication to the region were celebrated, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.

The President of the Eve Afrique Empowerment Initiative, Ivy Davies Etokakpan, emphasised the importance of celebrating outstanding Niger Delta citizens and encouraging shared responsibility for regional development. She expressed her gratitude to the awardees and guests, acknowledging

the power of collective effort in driving progress.

The award ceremony ended with a live band performance, leaving guests in high spirits and appreciation for the inspiring stories and achievements celebrated. The Eve Afrique Redball Awards have once again proven to be a beacon of hope and inspiration, shining a light on the Niger Delta’s unsung heroes and celebrating the region’s triumphs.

The event demonstrated the power of collaboration and shared responsibility in driving progress and development in the Niger Delta. It served as a call to action, encouraging individuals to take charge of their destiny and contribute to the region’s growth. The Eve Afrique Empowerment Initiative has once again set a high standard for excellence, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.

As the Niger Delta continues to grow and develop, events like the Eve Afrique Redball Awards play a vital role in recognizing and celebrating achievements. They inspire others to strive for excellence, creating a brighter future for the region and its people.

Mary Nnah

The organiser of the Eve Afrique Heart of Gold Award, Ivy Davies Etokakpan (1st right) with some of the awardees at the event held in Abuja… recently

POLITY

Finding Common Ground: Proposing a Sustainable Minimum Wage and Social Benefits in Nigeria

By Emmanuel Uzo Obi

Introduction

The ongoing debate over the national minimum wage in Nigeria has reached a critical juncture, with negotiations between the Nigerian Labor Union, other workers’ unions, and the government. The demand for an increase in the minimum wage from N30,000 to N250,000 has been deemed unreasonable by many, including this author, due to its potential economic repercussions. However, the government’s counteroffer of N62,000 per month, while not meeting the unions’ demands, demonstrates their commitment to finding a sustainable solution. This article explores the challenges associated with a drastic increase in the minimum wage and proposes an alternative approach centered on social benefit packages.

The Current Situation

The Nigerian Labor Union and other workers’ unions are advocating a substantial increase in the national minimum wage from N30,000 to N250,000 per month. This demand stems from the rising cost of living and workers’ crucial role in the economy. However, the government’s offer of N62,000 per month, while a significant increase, has yet to be accepted by the unions, leading to a negotiation stalemate.

Economic Implications of an Unreasonable Wage Hike

A drastic increase in the minimum wage to N250,000 could have severe economic consequences. It would lead to a corresponding rise in the prices of goods and services, as businesses faced with higher wage bills would pass on these costs to consumers, resulting in inflation. This, in turn, would erode the purchasing power of workers, negating the benefits of the wage increase. Moreover, many private employers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) may need help to afford such a significant wage hike. This could lead to layoffs, business closures, and increased unemployment, further exacerbating economic instability. Additionally, the public sector, already burdened by budget constraints, might need to compromise other essential services to accommodate the wage increase.

A More Sustainable Approach

Instead of an unreasonable wage hike, a more balanced solution would be to accept the government’s offer of N62,000 per month on the condition that the government implements comprehensive social benefit packages. These packages, designed to cover basic needs such as healthcare, housing, food, and transportation based on income levels and household sizes, hold the promise of significantly improving workers’ living standards. This approach not only

PERSPECTIVE

ensures that workers’ living standards improve but also provides a sense of security and stability without causing undue strain on the economy.

Proposed Social Benefit Packages

Healthcare: Access to affordable healthcare is a fundamental need. The government should establish a robust healthcare system that provides free or subsidized medical services to all workers, both in the public and private sectors, as well as underserved populations. This could include preventive care, treatment for common illnesses, maternal and child health services, and emergency care. Free or subsidized medical services to all workers in both public and private sectors mean that the government will have to provide health insurance to cover healthcare costs and medical expenses to individuals and their families. Eligibility for this benefit will have to be based on income level and household size.

Housing: Adequate housing is crucial for workers’ well-being. The government could introduce housing subsidies or low-interest loans for low-income workers to enable them to afford decent housing. Additionally, investing in public housing projects would help alleviate the housing shortage and provide affordable options for workers. Housing subsidies will give vouchers to low-income families, older people, and people with disabilities to help them secure decent accommodation.

Food Security/Food Vouchers

Ensuring food security is essential for maintaining the health and productivity of workers. The government can introduce food assistance programs, such as food vouchers or subsidies, to help low-income

workers afford nutritious meals.

Supporting local agriculture and reducing food import dependence can stabilize prices and enhance food security. An example of this is the United States Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Transportation: Reliable and affordable transportation is vital for workers’ mobility. The government should invest in public transportation infrastructure, including buses, trains, and subsidized transport services, to ensure that workers can commute to their workplaces without excessive costs.

Education and Childcare: Investing in education and childcare services would benefit workers and their families. The government could provide free or subsidized education and childcare services to low-income families, ensuring that children receive quality education and care while their parents’ work.

Implementation Challenges

Implementing these social benefit packages would not be without challenges. One major obstacle is funding. The government would need to allocate significant resources to finance these programs. However, this could be achieved through prudent budgeting, reducing corruption, and improving tax collection mechanisms. A critical assessment of the benefits packages enjoyed by legislators needs to be undertaken to ensure that the wrong message is not being sent to the citizens. By addressing these challenges head-on, we can ensure a smooth and successful implementation of the proposed solution.

Another challenge is ensuring that the benefits reach the intended recipients. To address this, the government should establish transparent and efficient delivery systems, leveraging technology to minimize fraud and ensure that resources are distributed equitably.

Potential Solutions

To overcome the funding challenge, the government could explore multiple avenues. One option is to reallocate funds from non-essential projects to social benefit programs. Another is to seek international aid and grants aimed at improving social welfare. Additionally, public-private partnerships could be explored to share the burden of funding and implementing these programs. These potential solutions underline the government’s commitment to the successful execution of the proposed approach.

Ensuring effective benefit delivery requires robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. The government could set up independent oversight bodies to track the implementation of social benefit programs and ensure accountability. Additionally, leveraging technology such as biometric identification and digital payment systems could enhance efficiency and reduce leakages.

Digital management of social benefits packages through cards, such as debit or Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards, involves several key steps:

Enrollment and Verification: Eligible beneficiaries are enrolled in the social benefits program, and their identities are verified through secure digital systems. This can include biometric data, national IDs, or other secure forms of identification.

Card Issuance: Beneficiaries receive a card, like a debit or EBT card, which is linked to their account in the social benefits program. The card is equipped with a secure chip and personal identification number (PIN) to prevent unauthorized use.

Digital Disbursement: Funds or benefits are electronically transferred to the beneficiaries’ accounts on a regular schedule. This eliminates the need for physical cash distribution and reduces administrative costs.

Usage and Monitoring: Beneficiaries use their cards to access funds or benefits at authorized points of sale, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, and healthcare facilities. Transactions are automatically recorded, allowing for real-time monitoring and auditing to prevent fraud and misuse.

Data Integration and Analytics: The digital system collects and integrates data on usage patterns, helping authorities monitor the effectiveness of the benefits program. The federal government can analyze the data to improve program efficiency, target underserved populations, and adjust benefits as needed.

Support and Assistance: Digital platforms provide beneficiaries with easy access to support services, such as customer service helplines, mobile apps for balance inquiries, and transaction history checks, enhancing user experience and satisfaction. By leveraging digital management, social benefits packages can be delivered more efficiently, securely, and transparently, ensuring that resources reach those who need them most while minimizing the potential for fraud and administrative overhead.

Conclusion

The demand for an increase in the national minimum wage in Nigeria highlights the pressing need to address the rising cost of living and improve workers’ living standards. However, an unreasonable hike in the minimum wage could have detrimental economic consequences, including inflation and increased unemployment. A more sustainable approach involves accepting the government’s offer of N62,000 per month, coupled with comprehensive social benefit packages. By focusing on healthcare, housing, food, transportation, and education, the government can improve workers’ quality of life without causing undue strain on the economy. While challenges exist, they can be overcome through prudent budgeting, transparent delivery systems, and leveraging technology. This balanced approach ensures that workers’ needs are met while maintaining economic stability, fostering a more resilient and prosperous Nigeria.

•Emmanuel Uzo Obi is a professor of cybersecurity and a public affairs analyst and writes from North Carolina.

Navigating the Anthropocene in Nigeria: A Geoscientist’s Perspective

As aptly highlighted by Krakrafaa Bestman in his initial exploration (“The Anthropocene in West Africa: A Case Study of Nigeria”), Nigeria stands as a stark illustration of the complex challenges and potential solutions within the Anthropocene. This follow-up delves deeper, offering a geoscientist’s lens on the intricate interplay between human activity, the environment, and the oil industry, which fuels Nigeria’s economy.

A Land Transformed: Geological Footprints of the Anthropocene

Nigeria’s geological record is being indelibly marked by the Anthropocene. Deforestation, as Bestman highlighted (Bestman, 2024), is a prime culprit. Lost forests not only diminish vital carbon sinks but also exacerbate soil erosion. This erosion carries fertile topsoil into waterways, increasing sedimentation and disrupting delicate riverine ecosystems. Satellite imagery reveals a stark contrast: lush green forests transitioning to barren landscapes, a testament to the rapid deforestation rates exceeding 3.5% annually [World Bank, 2023].

Oil and the Niger Delta: A Geologist’s Lament

The Niger Delta, Nigeria’s oil heartland, presents a poignant case study. Decades of oil exploration and production have left a lasting geological scar. Spills and gas flaring have contaminated groundwater and altered soil composition. A 2017 study by NESREA, referenced by Bestman (Bestman, 2024), estimated a staggering 24

million barrels spilled since 1970. This crude oil infiltrates the subsurface, contaminating vital freshwater aquifers that millions rely upon.

Seismic surveys, a crucial tool for oil exploration, can also have unintended consequences. High-powered sound waves used for subsurface imaging can disrupt marine life behavior and damage vital spawning grounds. A 2020 study by the University of Lagos found a significant correlation between seismic activity and a decline in fish populations in the Niger Delta [University of Lagos, 2020].

Subsidence and Sea Level Rise: A Double Threat

The relentless extraction of oil and gas has another concerning geological consequence: subsidence. As hydrocarbons are removed from the ground, the land surface above can sink. This phenomenon, coupled with rising sea levels due to global warming, creates a double threat to coastal communities in the Niger Delta. A 2021 study by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency revealed subsidence rates exceeding 2 cm per year in some parts of the Delta [Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, 2021]. This, combined with rising sea levels, threatens to inundate coastal villages and displace thousands.

Beyond the Delta: Environmental Footprints Nationwide

The environmental impact of the oil industry extends beyond the Niger Delta. Gas flaring, a common practice for disposing of unwanted associated gas during oil production, releases pollutants like black carbon and methane into the atmosphere. Black carbon settles on land and vegetation, reducing plant growth and disrupting

ecosystems. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, contributes to global warming and exacerbates climate change. A 2023 World Bank report estimates that gas flaring in Nigeria releases over 8 billion cubic meters of methane annually [World Bank, 2023].

Geo-solutions for a Sustainable Future

The Anthropocene presents a challenge, but within it lie opportunities. Here’s how geoscientists can contribute to a more sustainable future in Nigeria:

•Geochemical Baseline Studies: Establishing detailed baseline data on soil and water composition in oil-producing regions is crucial. This data can be used to monitor future pollution and assess environmental damage.

•Geohazard Mapping: Utilizing satellite imagery and geological data, geoscientists can create detailed maps of areas susceptible to subsidence and flooding. These maps can guide infrastructure development and inform disaster preparedness efforts.

•Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS): CCS technology involves capturing CO2 emissions from industrial sources, like oil refineries, and storing them deep underground in geological formations. This technology can significantly reduce Nigeria’s carbon footprint and mitigate the effects of climate change.

•Geothermal Energy Exploration: Nigeria has vast geothermal potential, particularly in the volcanic regions of the North Central and Eastern parts of the country. Geoscientists can play a crucial role in exploring and developing this clean and renewable energy source.

Collaboration is Key: A Shared Responsibility Navigating the Anthropocene in Nigeria demands

collaboration between geoscientists, policymakers, oil companies, and local communities. Open communication and data sharing are crucial for developing effective mitigation and adaptation strategies. The oil industry, a vital part of Nigeria’s economy, must embrace sustainable practices. Investing in cleaner technologies, reducing gas flaring, and adopting stricter environmental regulations are essential steps.

Conclusion: A Geologist’s Optimism for the Future

As a geoscientist, I acknowledge the gravity of the challenges facing Nigeria in the Anthropocene. However, I remain optimistic. Nigeria boasts a wealth of talented geoscientists, a growing environmental awareness, and a burgeoning renewable energy sector. By embracing innovative solutions, fostering collaboration, and learning from the geological record, Nigeria can navigate the Anthropocene and build a more sustainable future for generations to come.

Citizen Science: Empowering the Public

The public, too, has a vital role to play. Citizen science initiatives can empower individuals to collect valuable environmental data, such as monitoring water quality or tracking air pollution levels. This data can be used by geoscientists and policymakers to inform decision-making. Additionally, supporting local environmental NGOs and fostering public education about the Anthropocene can create a groundswell of support for sustainable practices.

Ndiana Matthew

NLC President, Joe Ajaero

BUSINESS WORLD

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

As Nigeria continues to borrow to counter the prolonged reduced foreign exchange inflow into the economy, a THISDAY analysis of available data has shown that the country lost as much as 42 million barrels of crude oil to underproduction between January and May, 2024.

Data released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) indicated that going by the 1.58 million barrels per day quota allocated to Nigeria by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the country was supposed to produce 240 million barrels in the five months under review.

However, the data showed that Nigeria only managed to drill a

Dike Onwuamaeze

The federal government, in collaboration with its development partners in the livestock industry, has strategised for the control and eradication of Peste Des Petits Ruminants (PPR) in Nigeria.

The federal government explained that this would improve the livestock’s sub-sector and fosters the country’s economic growth, food security and enhanced livelihood of all Nigerians.

Speaking during the 3rd PPR

volume of about 198 million barrels of crude oil, leaving a deficit of about 42 million barrels of OPECsanctioned production during the period.

At an estimated average Brent crude oil price per barrel of $85 in 2024, it showed that the country may have lost a gross revenue of $3.57 billion to its inability to meet the revised OPEC production quota of 1.58 million bpd so far this year.

Nigeria gets over 80 per cent of its foreign exchange earnings from the export of crude oil and is therefore highly negatively impacted by either falling crude oil production or prices in the international market. For a long time, crude oil prices have stabilised at over $80 per barrel, but Nigeria has failed to markedly raise output during the period.

Roadmap and Blueprint Meeting for West Africa Countries held in Abuja, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Aliyu Abdullahi, stated that PPR, which is also known as sheep and goat plague, is a highly contagious viral disease that affects small ruminants.

The disease also causes significant economic losses and threatens the livelihoods of millions of rural families in West Africa.

Abdullahi noted that the impact of PPR extended beyond animal

The country has blamed oil theft, massive oil assets vandalism, deteriorating infrastructure in the country’s Niger Delta as well as years of underinvestment for its persistent inability to raise production significantly.

Nigeria in recent times, has resorted to borrowing to augment the little inflow of foreign exchange into the country’s FX market, first taking foreign loans of $1.71 billion to boost FX into the country in the first nine months of 2023.

In August last year, Nigeria’s state-oil firm, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) announced that it had secured a $3.3 billion crude oil repayment loan from Cairo-based Afrexim Bank that will support the government’s reforms to stabilise the exchange rate market.

health to affecting food security, economic stability, and the overall well-being of our communities and the most vulnerable in society.

He pointed out that the production, trade, and marketing of sheep and goats were seriously constrained by the continuous presence of PPR, which limited its productivity and access to markets.

He stressed that the eradication of PPR and other Trans-boundary Animal Diseases (TADs) is a critical component of the present

The NNPC in a post it tagged, “Relief for The Naira,” said the loan will immediately help to disburse funds to support the government in its ongoing fiscal and monetary policy reforms aimed at stabilising the exchange rate market.

Since the harmonisation of the foreign currency market segments in Nigeria one year ago, the naira has depreciated by an estimated 214.64 per cent against the dollar, closing at N1482.72 to a dollar last Friday, compared to the N471/$ it was selling at the government-controlled official market a year earlier.

Last week, the Board of the World Bank approved a $2.25 billion loan for Nigeria to shore up revenue and support economic reforms that have contributed to the worst cost-of-living crisis in many years for Africa’s most

administration’s agenda, adding that eliminating the disease would not only protect livestock but also empower rural communities and contribute to the nation’s economic resilience.

The minister pointed out that, “it is on record that since the inception of the PPR Global Eradication Programe, the ministry has developed a PPR Strategy for the control and eradication in Nigeria, national-wide socio economic impact assessment and prevalence studies has been carried

populous country.

The bank said in a statement that the bulk of the loan — $1.5 billion — will help protect millions who have faced growing poverty since a year ago when President Bola Tinubu came to power and took drastic steps to fix the country’s ailing economy, including fuel subsidy removal and floating of the Naira.

The remaining $750 million, the bank said, will support tax reforms and revenue and safeguard oil revenues threatened with limited production caused by chronic crude theft.

Despite repeatedly targeting a production of 2 million bpd crude oil for years, the country has failed to meet its OPEC quota, which was slashed from 1.74 million bpd last year to the current 1.58 million bpd.

But the NUPRC data showed

and in recent time over 12.5 million doses of PPR vaccine have been procured and deployed to the field for vaccination campaigns.”

He added that laboratory diagnostic capacity has been enhanced and stressed that Nigeria in the coming years would ensure animal vaccination of 75 per cent of sheep and goats against PPR.

Abdullahi highlight that the challenges also included gaps in funding, logistical hurdles in reaching remote areas, and the need for continuous training and

that instead of the almost 49 million barrels required to meet its OPEC allocation for each of the five months, Nigeria produced 44.22 million barrels in January, the highest this year. In February, the country produced 38.34 million barrels; 38.14 million barrels in March; 38.44 million barrels in April and 38.79 million barrels in May, all excluding condensates which are outside OPEC’s monthly computation. Crude oil production from the Bonny terminal declined considerably from 6.35 million barrels in January to 3.6 million barrels in May of this year, while Brass also reduced from 735,680 barrels to 635,929 barrels during the same period.

capacity building for our veterinary workforce.

In his welcome address, the FAO Representative AD Interim in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Koffy Dominique, who was represented by Dr. Otto Vianney Muhinda, stated that the meeting provided a crucial forum to enhance coordination among countries with the aim of spearheading accelerated progress towards PPR.

Ekpo Woos Canadian Businesses, Investors to Nigeria’s Gas Sector

The Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo has said the path to a sustainable energy future requires partnership, innovation, and a shared commitment to addressing global energy challenges.

He stated this at a welcome reception hosted by the Nigerian High Commission in Alberta, Calgary, Canada, where he attended the Global Energy Show, a statement by his spokesman, Louis Ibah, said.

The minister described the global energy show as a platform where the brightest minds and most influential leaders in the energy sector converge, saying the gathering offered an opportunity to showcase Nigeria’s immense potential in the global energy landscape, particularly in the gas sector.

“We welcome Canadian businesses and investors to explore Nigeria’s vast opportunities. Our government is dedicated to ensuring a stable and conducive environment for investments, with a focus on

Coronation Asset Achieves Record-breaking Subscription for Series 1 of Infrastructure Fund

Coronation Asset Management Limited has announced the successful closure of the Series 1 Offer of the Coronation Infrastructure Fund (CIF), raising an impressive N8.79 billion. The company in a statement said the remarkable achievement represents the highest subscription level ever recorded in the market for a debut infrastructure fund, with a subscription rate of 43.95%.

“This issuance marks a significant milestone as it achieved the highest subscription percentage in the market for a debut infrastructure fund, surpassing the previous rates of 33.75% and 24.70% recorded by the similar organizations. Additionally, it represents the largest amount raised in the market for a maiden infrastructure fund.

“We are immensely proud of the success of our Series 1 offer. This achievement underscores the confidence investors have in our ability to deliver substantial and sustainable infrastructure projects across Nigeria. The high subscription rate reflects the market’s recognition of our commitment to creating a prosperous future for our clients and the African continent. We are grateful for the support and look forward to driving impactful

change through our infrastructure initiatives. The success of the CIF Series 1 offer illustrates a strong investor appetite for well-structured and impactful investment opportunities in this sector,” Head of Infrastructure Fund at Coronation Group, Oladele Akinjo, commented.

Affirming Investors confidence in the Coronation brand, the Managing Director of Coronation Asset Management, Aigbovbioise Aig-Imoukhuede noted, “Coronation Group’s ability to secure such a high subscription rate is a testament to its robust market position and the trust it has garnered from investors over a sustained period of time.

“The successful closure of the CIF Series 1 offer marks a new chapter in Coronation Asset Management’s journey towards transforming Nigeria’s infrastructure landscape. This record-breaking subscription level not only sets a new standard in the market but also reinforces Coronation Group’s position as a trusted and visionary leader in the financial services industry. As the Group continues to drive impactful change, it remains focused on its mission to create sustainable wealth and a prosperous future for its clients and the African continent.”

Am ID FX Sq U eeze, nI ger IA r e C or DS 42m bA rre LS oIL Pro DUCTI on De FICIT I n F I ve m on THS

In addition, output from Qua Iboe fell from 4.2 million barrels in the whole of January to 3.96 million barrels last month, while Forcados slumped from 7.7 million barrels to 5.9 million barrels in May 2024. There was no major change in output at the Excravos facility, which was 4.1 million barrels apiece in January and May, while production from Odudu terminal fell marginally from 2.9 million barrels to 2.6 million barrels.

No production was recorded at all at the Aje, Asaramatoru, Okono, Anambra Basin, Ukpokiti and Ima facilities, although oil flow resumed at Utapate, and Ajapa. A breakdown of the production information further showed that Nigeria produced 1.42 million bpd in January; 1.32 million bpd in February; 1.23 million bpd in March; 1.28 million bpd in April and 1.25 million bpd in May this year. Nigeria, Africa’s biggest crude oil producer, also owns the second largest reserves of the resource on the continent. It also has over 209 Trillion Cubic Feet (TCF) in gas reserves, but is hardly able to get the required quantity out of the ground as a result of lack of investment and several bottlenecks in the sector.

transparency, efficiency, and mutual benefit,” Ekpo said.

The gas minister said Nigeria is blessed with one of the largest

natural gas reserves in the world, and is committed to harnessing the resource not only as a catalyst for economic growth, but also as

a vital component of its energy transition strategy.

According to Ekpo, in the past few years, the Nigerian

government has made substantial strides in creating an enabling environment for investment in the gas sector.

Report: Global Oil Market Likely to Face Large Supply Deficits Soon

A global oil market supply deficit is likely to appear as 2024 progresses, and continue into 2025, despite possible production increases coming from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) nations, according to a just-released market assessment.

A research note published by the international banking

group, Standard Chartered, forecast a sizeable 1.9 million barrels per day shortfall by the third quarter of 2024. This will then fall a little to 1.41 million bpd during 2025, it said.

The group argued that global oil markets will easily be able to absorb any increase coming from OPEC+ members as they consider rolling back

voluntary production cuts of 2.2 million bpd.

The OPEC+ announcement earlier in June prompted something of a sell off, with front-month Brent falling below $77 per barrel (bbl), more than $15/bbl below April’s high. Prices recovered soon after, with Brent for July delivery surpassing $82/bbl.

The banking group said

the price falls were based on a combination of factors, most notably macroeconomic pessimism and speculative shorts, Offshore Technology reported.

The group forecasts a decline to around $60/bbl for Brent crude over the next few months, with the long-term trend remaining bearish.

Coastal Highway: Compensation for Km 7 Onwards on Hold, Says Umahi

The federal government has said it is withholding payment of compensation to affected property owners from Kilometre Seven on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, due to alteration to the plan.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, said this when he inspected ongoing works on Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and other road projects on the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Dangote Tax

Credit Route and Eleko, among other axis, at the weekend in Lagos.

The minister said that to resolve most of the compensation issues where a lot of critical infrastructure was affected, the government had reduced the entire corridor from Phase Two, Section Two of the coastal route, to effective pavements of 55km, including the 10 train tracks.

He said that the government had released about N10 billion

so far in compensation, according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Umahi said: “We are going to withhold compensation payment from Kilometre Seven because we have rerouted some of the sections, like the white sand beach.

“I know the indigenes have been praying very well. I think God has answered their prayers because we have also compressed the corridor to

55 effective pavements with 10 train tracks. We reduced the 10 tracks from 55 to 20, and we are taking it back also towards the beginning of this project.”

The minister said that after review, payment of the compensation would continue.

“For Section Two, we are going to have brand new enumerators so that they will also give us their opinions. It is going to be very, very fast,” the minister said.

Soy Excellence Center Seeks Collaborative Efforts for Food Security

Stories by Dike Onwuamaeze

The Soy Excellence Center (SEC) of the United States of America recently paid a courtesy visit to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)–CGIAR, Ibadan, to explore possible areas of partnership expansion that would contribute to food security in Nigeria and Africa.

The discussion between IITA and SEC was centered on capacity building and potential areas for further research collaboration.

The Director General of IITA, Dr. Simeon Ehui, highlighted the

institute’s vibrant research history that has consistently contributed to Africa’s agricultural and food systems in his discussion with the SEC.

Ehui, who is also the CIGAR Regional Director for Continental Africa, said: “We need to consistently be on our toes to evolve and work with national programs to avoid duplication and overlapping activities. We need to partner and work together to ensure the goal of delivering technologies derived from our research.”

He expressed IITA-CGIAR’s openness to expanding

partnerships and welcoming interested parties committed to achieving food security.

Ehui explained that IITA’s pivotal role in addressing food insecurity in Nigeria and across Africa has made it possible to build partnerships that have advanced its cause over five decades.

According to him, IITA-CGIAR has leveraged its proximity to the University of Ibadan, to strategically foster collaborations with academic institutions and other partners while aiming for a food-secure continent.

He emphasised the importance

of IITA’s alliance with other CGIAR centers and their unified agricultural research and development efforts.

The Leader of SEC’s team, Mr. Michael David, spoke about the partnership between both organisations under the IITA Business Incubation Platform (IITA-BIP).

David said that the partnership is a significant milestone, which led to IITA becoming a host partner for the SEC in the soybean program, which has been instrumental in advancing soybean research and development.

‘Role of Agriculture in Nigeria’s Development Cannot be Overemphasised’

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has declared that the role of agriculture cannot be overemphasized in Nigeria’s quest for a prosperous country.

Kyari made this claim in his speech to mark the country’s celebration of “June 12” as Nigeria’s democracy day.

He said: “We come together to celebrate Democracy Day, a day that symbolises the enduring spirit of our nation and the resilience of our people.

“It is a day to honor the sacrifices of those who fought

for our freedom, and a time to reflect on the progress we have made as a democratic nation.

As we commemorate this significant day, let us remember that democracy is not just about the right to vote, but also about ensuring that every citizen has a voice and an opportunity to thrive.

“In our quest for a prosperous Nigeria, the role of agriculture cannot be overstated. Our nation’s strength lies in the hands of our hardworking farmers, who toil day and night to feed our people and

drive our economy.”

The minister said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration remained committed to transforming the ountry’s agricultural sector.

“We are dedicated to implementing initiatives that will enhance food security, create jobs, and improve the livelihoods of millions of Nigerians.

“Our recent five-year roadmap signed with Belarus, to supply 2000 tractors yearly, assorted agricultural implements, and establish

service centers and assembly plants, is a testament to our commitment to modernising agriculture and ensuring sustainable growth.

“On this Democracy Day, let us renew our pledge to work together for a better Nigeria. Let us embrace the values of unity, equity, and justice, and strive to build a nation where every citizen can achieve their full potential. He added that the spirit of democracy would continue to guide Niger toward a future of peace, prosperity, and progress.

Stories by Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Phillips Consulting Launches ‘Talent Management Report 2.0’

Phillips Consulting (pcl.) has launched the ‘Talent Management Report 2.0’, a comprehensive guide to optimizing talent strategy in today’s competitive business landscape.

The report was unveiled at the Talent Management 2.0 Event, which brought together HR managers and industry leaders to discuss transformative talent management practices.

The landmark event provided invaluable insights and strategies for optimising talent management practices in today’s competitive business landscape, centred around the theme ‘Transformative Talent Management: Embracing Change for Competitive Advantage’.

Building upon the momentum of the previous edition, the Talent Management Event 2.0 delivered thoughtprovoking discussions, innovative solutions, and actionable strategies to industry stakeholders.

Focusing on empowering

organisations to elevate their workforce to excellence, the event addressed pressing challenges and emerging trends shaping the future of talent management.

In line with the theme of the event, the company unveiled the ‘Talent Management Report 2.0, The Balance between Economic Pressures and Your Talent Management Strategy’.

In a statement, Phillips Consulting’s Managing Director, Rob Taiwo, emphasised the significance of talent management, its role in social mobility and how business leaders can make a difference in managing talent.

According to him, “Beyond the boardroom, 63 per cent of Nigerians are multi-dimensionally poor, and talent management is a critical equaliser in the fight for social mobility and socioeconomic advancement. When both are in sync, they advance equitable opportunity, diversity and inclusion.”

Also speaking, Partner, People Transformation Unit, pcl., Olawanle Moronkeji, emphasized the need for imaginative, agile,

Letshego MFB Nigeria’s Promo to Reward Loyal Customers

Nume Ekeghe

Letshego Microfinance Bank (MFB) Nigeria has announce the launch of its “Save & Win Promo,” an initiative designed to reward customers for their loyalty and savings.

The bank in a statement that the promo would run from June 1, 2024, to December 21, 2024, with 10 customers win cash gifts of N100,000 monthly, grand prizes of N5 million, N2.5 million, and N1 million in the final draw in December.

The Save & Win Promo is part of Letshego’s commitment to encouraging financial discipline and rewarding its customers. Draws will be held in the last week of each month on a pre-announced date with winners selected randomly from qualifying participants.

To qualify for the promo, a customer who already has a Letshego MFB account, should maintain a minimum deposit of N50,000 - N200,000; obtain a Letshego physical debit card and complete five transactions, such as

buying power, airtime, data, transferring outwards, etc.

Winners will be notified via SMS through their registered mobile numbers and will also be contacted by their respective branches. The list of winners will be published on Letshego’s official website and social media pages monthly.

“Letshego MFB Nigeria is dedicated to fostering a culture of saving among our customers while rewarding them for their loyalty,” said Nkosana Ndlovu, Managing Director of Letshego MFB Nigeria. “We believe the Save & Win Promo will encourage savings culture and enhance customer engagement and satisfaction.”

Richard Tyotule, Head of Sales & Distribution at Letshego MFB Nigeria, added: “This promo is a testament to our commitment to our customers’ financial well-being. By saving with Letshego, our customers secure their financial future and stand a chance to be rewarded with exciting prizes. We are thrilled to launch this initiative and look forward to celebrating our customers’ loyalty.”

and inclusive talent management practices.

“Transformative talent management in the new

abnormal has to be imaginative, agile and inclusive in design and execution.”

Chief Talent Partner, YF Talent

Partners, Yemi Faseun, revealed: “Today’s workforce looks beyond pay. Organisations have stayed too long in the linear perspective

of managing talent, focusing more on pay and promotion rather than healthy work-life balance and positive work culture.”

New Marketing Book to Equip Young Nigerians for Success

Raheem Akingbolu

In a bold step to enforce and ensure inclusive and equitable quality education, and to promote lifelong learning opportunities for everyone under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG4) in Nigeria, Corporate Executive and Founder of the LightHouse Network, Nkiru Olumide-Ojo, launched her new book titled “Step Forward: Market Place Readiness.”

According to the National Planning Commission, Nigeria faces a significant challenge with approximately 53%

of its youth currently unemployed.

To address this pressing issue, Nkiru Olumide-Ojo dedicated her efforts to preparing young people for the job market, equipping them with the necessary skills to seize available opportunities or even create new ones.

In her opening remarks, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Lagos State Coordinator, Mrs. Yetunde Baderinwa, stated, “the marketplace today is dynamic, competitive, and full of opportunities; however, it also provides numerous challenges

that businesses must be ready to face. Market readiness involves understanding these challenges, adapting to changes, and strategically positioning oneself to capitalize on opportunities as they arise.”

Also speaking at the event, Founder of Ruff and Tumble, Mrs. Adenike Ogunlesi, addressed both the corps members present and guests who are already in the workplace.

She emphasised, “Be intentional about building your mindset. Stand your ground based on three

things: building your character, understanding what you value, and what your values are as a human being, and building your competence.”

Leading the panel session were Mrs. Ogunlesi; Mrs. Baderinwa; Director of Executive Education at Lagos Business School, Mr. Victor Banjo; a renowned radio and TV broadcaster, content creator, actor, and event host, Joseph Onaolapo (Jay On Air); and a dynamic young professional at Stanbic IBTC, Tobiloba Aboaba; among others.

Union Bank Commemorates World Environment Day

Nume Ekeghe

Union Bank Plc, has reemphasised the need to preserve and restore the global habitat through sustainable environmental practices. This clarion call was made during an event organised in partnership with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation to commemorate this year’s World Environment Day.

The event brought together various stakeholders, including

environmental rights activists, international partner agencies, corporate institutions, government agencies, and students of select secondary schools, to deliberate and engage in activities marking World Environment Day.

Speaking during the program, Head of Citizenship and Sustainability at Union Bank, Patricia Iwhewhe, echoed the importance of preserving our environment.

She said: “Land degradation

In a significant move towards enhancing corporate transparency and sustainability in Nigeria, Rubicola Consulting has teamed up with NGX Regulation Limited and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) to conduct an intensive workshop. “This initiative aligns with Nigeria’s rapid adoption of the IFRS S1 and S2 Standards. The full-day event is tailored for Chief Executives (CEOs), Chief Finance Officers (CFOs), Chief Sustainability Officers (CSOs), Chief Risk Officers (CROs), Directors, and other senior business leaders.

Prominent speakers at the event include Olufemi Shobanjo, Chief Executive Officer of NGX Regulation Ltd; Titi Oshodi, Special Advisor on Climate Change and Circular Economy to the Governor of Lagos State; and Tom Isibor, Market Head of ACCA Nigeria. The workshop will be facilitated by Evelyn Isioye, ACCA Regional Lead, Policy & Insight for India & Africa, and Joseph Owolabi, Founder of Rubicola Consulting,

Immediate Past Global President of ACCA, and the organizer of the event,” the organisers said in a statement. On March 22, 2024, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) unveiled its comprehensive Roadmap Report for transitioning to these new standards, emphasizing the importance of providing investors with relevant non-financial information related to social, environmental, and governance issues. This initiative aims to complement traditional financial performance metrics and bolster investor confidence.

Commenting on the upcoming workshop, Founder of Rubicola Consulting, Joseph Owolabi stated: “FRC has emphasised the importance of capacity building as part of the ‘Readiness Test Assessment’ and ‘Support for Adopters’ in the Adoption Readiness Working Group (ARWG) Roadmap report. To support the readiness of Nigerian companies, Rubicola is partnering with the Nigerian Exchange (NGX-Regulation) and Association of Chartered Certified

and erosion are not things stakeholders and policymakers can afford to ignore or gloss over. We all must get involved in helping restore and reclaim parts of our environment badly impacted by deforestation and desertification. Union Bank, as a sustainability champion committed to the preservation of our dear planet, appreciates and recognises the responsibility we have as humanity to look after our environment. We will continue to support and participate in programs dedicated to protecting and enriching our precious habitat.” Stakeholders like the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) have also been invaluable partners in progress and are at the forefront of helping to preserve and protect nature and its resources. This has served to not only improve the quality of human life but also to sustain present and future generations. NCF’s advocacy over the decades has positively impacted and influenced Nigeria’s environmental policy. Union Bank will continue to be a dependable ally in supporting this noble cause of environmental preservation.

Accountants (ACCA) to organize a full-day intensive workshop for senior business leaders.”

Sunday Ehigiator

Nume Ekeghe

L-R: Head of Treaty & Statistics, Reinsurance, Lawal Bello; Executive Director, Technical & Operations, Olufunmilayo Amanwa; Reinsurance Treaty Manager, Kehinde Adeyemi; and Managing Director, Gboyega Lesi, all of Leadway Assurance at the 50th AIO - African Insurance Organisation conference in Namibia where Kehinde Adeyemi was announced as the winner of the 2024 Next Generation Insurance Award… recently

Chartered

InstItute of dIreCtors VIsIts eduCatIon MInIster...

Hardship: Clerics, Politicians Knock Govs'

…Task them on internally generated revenue

sunday aborisade in Abuja

Religious and political leaders have accused governors of increasing the hardship currently being experienced in the country by relying wholly on their monthly share from the federation account.

They noted the governors could drastically reduce the economic hardship in their various states if they think outside the box and improve on their IGR.

The religious and political leaders stated this in their various submissions at a forum held in Abuja yesterday as part of activities to mark the 2024 Father’s Day. The leaders spoke on the theme, “The roles of Christian fathers in homes.”

The Vicar of St James Cathedral Church, Asokoro, Abuja, Benjamin

Over Reliance on Federal Allocation

Idume, said, "stoppage of the state governors’ dependency on federal government allocation is long overdue.

"The practice must stop to allow them to focus on harnessing the natural resources in their various states.”

Idume said, "What is the percentage of the civil servants in the labour market? They are just less than 5000 workers while the large numbers of workers are in the private sector.

"So, we are talking about building a country where everybody is happy and it requires everybody to be selfless to ensure there are equality from all sides”

Also speaking, the president of Christian Men Fellowship at the Cathedral, Emmanuel Ohakim believed that most bad leaders fail to learn from their fathers while

some were being brought up by bad fathers.

He noted that the men must not be distracted by financial pursuits and neglect their families, particularly, the children.

Ohakim said: "I am calling on all fathers to spend enough time with their children by holding morning devotions and having discussions with them after the day’s activities to know them more”

Also, Olusola Akomode, a former chief of staff, to the erstwhile Vice President Atiku Abubakar, appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the current government as there were enormous problems inherited from the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration and cannot be solved within a short period.

According to Akomode, 'You know

when a new government comes into power, there’s something we normally call a honeymoon period. But by its own pronouncement in power it may be that the honeymoon is canceled.”

The chairman of the Father’s Day Organising Committee, Ikechukwu Chukwunyere, said the day was to

enable all fathers, especially political leaders, to tow the right path in leading the people and providing good governance for the people.

Chukwunyere said: "We know our leaders are not doing what exactly they are supposed to do but we must not relent in praying for them according to what the Bible says.

"If we have a leader who never plans to be a leader or works on the script of his godfather, It will be difficult for them to satisfy the yearnings of the people. "Rather, they will prefer to serve their godfathers. Nigerians should choose wisely in the next elections come 2027."

APC Launches Entrepreneurship Programme to Revamp Nigeria's Economy

In a move to empower young Nigerians and drive social justice, the All Progressives Congress (APC),

through its Youth Wing, is set to launch the inaugural EnterpriseSkills Development Training (EDET) Programme.

Senator

I've Secured Jobs for 40 Graduates, Offset WAEC Fees for 300 Students, Says Ebonyi

The Senate Committee chairman on Information and National Orientation and Senator representing Ebonyi Central Zone, Senator Ken Eze, has secured employment opportunities for over 40 graduates in various federal government ministries and parastatals within his one year in office.

EDET is an intensive entrepreneurship skills training initiative that promises to transform the nation's economic landscape, with a star-studded line-up of speakers, including Governor Babajide Sanwoolu and Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.

Zone. Drilling of boreholes for the people at different locations. Periodic cash grant to the youths and stakeholders of Ebonyi Central Zone to cushion the effects of the present economic reality.

of thousands of talented youths and producing graduates fit for today’s competitive market economy, Senator Eze said.

He enumerated some of his bills sponsored which included a bill for an Act to establish Federal Polytechnic Onueke 2023 among other bills.

According to him: "other bills

and motions sponsored and moved include Bill for an Act to repeal and re-enact NBC Act 2024. Bill for an Act to repeal and re-enact Nigerian Press Council Act 2024. Submitted Bill for Price Control. Sponsored a motion to investigate the Activities of Electricity Distribution Companies across the country".

According to a statement from APC National Youth Leader, Dr. Dayo Israel, the five-day programme will equip over 1,000 young entrepreneurs with the tools and expertise needed to start, scale, and innovate businesses across various industries.

The programme's highlights include a pitch competition with a $5,000 seed funding prize, fireside chats with successful entrepreneurs, and a comprehensive toolkit that

extends beyond ideation. Participants will also connect with leading mentors, funding sources, and resources for their business success.

Briefing journalists on his oneyear stewardship in office, Senator Eze added that he has been able to pay West African Examination Certificate fees for about 300 indigent students from his zone.

"Distribution of over 100 cows, 10,000 bags of rice, other household items and cash running in millions of naira to the people of Ebonyi Central Senatorial District during 2023 Christmas celebration.

Consistent sponsorship of unity and peace advocacy across Ebonyi Central Senatorial District, and particularly in Ezza Ezekuna Clan.

President of the Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria, Alhaji Tijjani Borodo (L) with the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman (SAN), during a courtesy call to the Ministry by the Governing Council of the Institute in Abuja recently Obidigbo: South-East Politicians not Sincere About Calls for

His words: "I've paid WAEC registration fees for over 300 indigent students from my constituency who would have missed WAEC registration due to lack of funds and, also paid school fees for over 200 indigent students of tertiary institutions from the same zone.

"I followed it up by securing permanent and pensionable employment in federal government agencies for over forty graduates. When the trickled-down effect is considered, this translates to pulling over 200 of his constituents out of poverty.

"I have also restored electricity light in many communities across Ebonyi Central Zone. Installation of Solar Street light at different locations across Ebonyi Central

"I view human capital development as not just morally imperative for collective and individual growth, but a necessity and a veritable tool to unlock the potentials of any given individual or group.

"Recognizing the importance of an institutional framework for effective human capital development, I sponsored the Bill to establish the Federal Polytechnic, Onueke, Ezza South LGA in Ebonyi Central Senatorial Zone of Ebonyi State.

This Bill, when passed, will widen opportunities and improve access to quality vocational and technical educational training in Information and Communication Technology, ICT, and applied sciences for youths not just in Ebonyi Central but beyond.

"This will result in the mopping

david-Chyddy eleke in Awka

Elder statesman and former governorship candidate in Anambra State, Dr. Chike Obidigbo, has said that most politicians going to visit the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu are not sincere about their calls for his release.

In a press conference he convened yesterday, Obidigbo expressed his worry over the marginalization of Igbo and called on the federal government to address various areas of marginalization against the Igbo.

He said: "Many of the politicians going to visit Nnamdi Kanu and also making pleas for his release are

not sincere. Some of them just go there to take pictures with him and also use it to further their political agenda. Be it Soludo, be it Ifeanyi Ubah, none of them is sincere.

"Mr. Sunday Adeyemo, alias Sunday Igboho, regained his freedom and re-joined his fellow Yoruba people after the federal government dropped all charges of treasonable felony against him for calling for the separation of the Yoruba nation from Nigeria due to the murderous activities of Fulani herdsmen in Yoruba land under President Muhammadu Buhari.

"Also, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, the former Presidential candidate of African Action Congress (AAC), was allowed to breathe the air of

freedom after the federal government dropped charges against the young man for calling for 'Revolution Now' in Nigeria to address poor governance and bad leadership in the country.

"Just last week, the President of Myetti Allah, Bello Badejo, was declared innocent from the charges of terrorism after the federal government withdrew charges against him for setting up a nationwide Fulani vigilante to secure the country despite the existence of Nigerian security agencies."

He wondered why Kanu’s case should be different to the extent of keeping him in detention for three years now.

This initiative is designed to foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, addressing the challenges faced by young Nigerians in realising their business potential. Through the EDET Programme, the APC aims to create a vibrant ecosystem of young entrepreneurs who will drive economic growth, create jobs, and contribute to national development. The programme's impact is expected to be felt across various sectors, including technology, agriculture, creative industries, and more. The EDET Programme is open to all Nigerian youth, regardless of political affiliation or location. Registration is also free.

Speaking on other forms of marginalization, Obidigbo said: "It is worrisome that despite the creation of six geopolitical zones, which was expected to provide equal opportunities and inclusive leadership, the Southeast has not been supported to produce the president of this country.

"This imbalance in the leadership of the country underscores the other sore political points of lopsided allocation of number of states per zone. "While other zones have as many as seven and six states each, Southeast is being punished with just five states. This is sad when you consider that national cake is shared out on state-by-state basis.

Benjamin nworie in Abakaliki

Mary nnah

World Milk dAy CElEbrAtion And nEW dAiry PoliCy UnvEiling...

L-R: Senior Manager, Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition Limited, Ms. Fisayo Kayode; Head of Growth and Marketing, Câm Dairies, Mr. Ebenezer Arifaga; Dairy Site Manager, Kaduna Dairy Plant, Arla Global Dairy Products Limited, Mr. Samuel Ewarts; CEO, Milkin Barn, Mr. Tony Jibunoh; Consultant, Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition Limited, Mr. Afees Adeoye; Agricultural Economist, Mr. Edwin Aguddah;and Director, Department of Animal Husbandry Services, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), Mrs. Winnie Lai-Solarin; at the World Milk Day Celebration and New Dairy Policy Unveiling in Abuja ... recently.

Netanyahu Sacks War Cabinet Amid Growing Pressure

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dissolved the sixmember war cabinet, an Israeli official said yesterday, in a widely expected move following the departure from government of centrist former General Benny Gantz.

Netanyahu is now expected to hold consultations about the Gaza war with a small group of ministers, including Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer who had been in the war cabinet.

The move was announced as US special envoy, Amos Hochstein, visited Jerusalem, seeking to calm the situation on the disputed border with Lebanon, where Israel said tensions with the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia were bringing the region close to a wider conflict.

The Israeli military said on Monday it had killed a senior operative in one of Hezbollah's rocket and missile sections in the area of Selaa in southern Lebanon, Reuters reported.

The military also said its operations were continuing in the southern parts of the Gaza Strip, where its forces have been battling Hamas fighters in the Tel Sultan area of western Rafah, as well as in central areas of the enclave.

Hochstein's visit follows weeks of increasing exchanges of fire across the line between Israel and Lebanon, where Israeli forces have for months been engaged in a simmering conflict with Hezbollah that has continued alongside the war in Gaza.

Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes on both sides of the so-called Blue Line that divides the two countries, leaving eerily deserted areas of abandoned villages and farms hit by near-daily bombardment.

"The current state of affairs is not a sustainable reality," government

Gogo-Jaja said, “There’s no tension. By my assessment, everything is under control.”

He alleged that there were rumours that some persons wanted to loot the properties of the council’s, which prompted the youth to lay siege to some council headquarters.

The former lawmaker said, “There’s nothing to resist because I can assure you that no council chairman will report to the local government secretariat on Wednesday.”

Gogo-Jaja stated that if by Tuesday or Wednesday the governor did not send a list of replacement for the outgoing council heads, he would be failing in his duty as leader of the state.

But a civil society organisation called on the National Assembly to wade in by invoking the “Doctrine of Necessity” to prevent an impending

spokesperson David Mencer told a briefing.

Netanyahu had faced demands from the nationalist-religious partners in his coalition, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, to be included in the war cabinet.

Such a move would have intensified strains with international partners including the United States.

The forum was formed after Gantz joined Netanyahu in a national unity government at the start of the Gaza war in October.

It also included Gantz's political partner Gadi Eisenkot and Aryeh Deri, head of the religious party Shas, as observers.

Gantz and Eisenkot both left the government last week, over what they said was Netanyahu's failure to form a strategy for the Gaza war.

An agreement to halt the fighting in Gaza still appears distant, more than eight months since the October 7 attack on Israel led by Hamas fighters that triggered Israel's military offensive in the Palestinian enclave.

The attack killed some 1,200 people

and about 250 were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's offensive has killed more than 37,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health ministry figures, and destroyed much of Gaza.

Although opinion polls suggest most Israelis support the government's aim of destroying Hamas, there have been widespread protests attacking the government for not doing more to bring home around 120 hostages still being held in Gaza.

Along the northern border on Monday, the second day of the

Muslim Eid celebration, was relatively quiet compared with previous days, when rocket fire set off widespread brush fires in heatwave conditions.

A survey for the Jewish People Policy Institute, a Jerusalem-based think tank, found 36 per cent of respondents favouring an immediate strike against Hezbollah, up from 26 per cent a month earlier.

The Alma Research Institute, an Israeli think tank that focuses on the northern border, May had the highest level of strikes against Israel since the outbreak of hostilities last

October.

Israeli aircraft and artillery have pounded southern Lebanon and last week killed a senior Hezbollah commander in a strike against a command and control centre that drew a further intensification of attacks.

In addition to attacks by missiles and anti-tank rockets, there has been a marked increase in drone attacks that have underlined the strength of the arsenal Hezbollah has built up since the last major conflict between the two sides in 2006.

NCAA Aligns with NAMA, Says Nigeria’s Airspace Safe

Chinedu Eze

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has confirmed that Nigeria’s airspace is safe, thus aligning with the claim made earlier by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).

NAMA had explained that every part of Nigeria’s airspace is captured by the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON).

NCAA in a statement signed by its management, explained that two aircraft flew into restricted area recently because of adverse weather, stating that all aircraft flying at any point in time in Nigeria is captured by the radar.

“In furtherance to this, NCAA investigated two recent cases of violation of the prohibited flights zones - DNP4 - in Abuja and established that both violations comprised of controlled flights in a controlled airspace, but strayed into restricted airspace as a result of adverse weather,” NCAA said.

The agency said it can also confirm that NAMA had complete radar footages of the two violations

anarchy.

VTLD made the call in a statement made available to THISDAY.

The national president charged the National Assembly to “urgently invoke the ‘Doctrine of Necessity’ to save Rivers from a complete breakdown of law and order”.

Emmanuel said the group was worried about what would happen now that the three-year tenure of the 23 local government chairmen had ended. He said already, the political tension in the state had heightened between supporters of Fubara and his estranged political godfather, Wike. Emmanuel said, “It is sadly an undeniable fact that the state is right now facing grave and imminent danger with both opposing political groups gearing for full blown war on June 17 and days after the takeover and control of the administration

with full details of the identities of the aircraft and operators involved. This was only made possible due to functional Primary and Secondary Surveillance Radars in Abuja, adding that similar installations are in Lagos, Kano and Port-Harcourt.

“The Authority in keeping with its regulatory responsibilities issued an All Operators Letter (AOL DGCA/021/24) wherein the term 'unknown aircraft' was used as reported to NCAA which is the normal security terminology. However, as explained above, investigations revealed NAMA had complete footages and details of the aircraft that entered the prohibited flight zone.

“For purposes of clarity, the Primary Surveillance Radar alone only identifies aircraft as moving targets without aircraft identity. The Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR), on the other hand captures the identity of any in Nigeria’s airspace.

“The secondary radar forms a major component of the TRACON, and it is the equipment that allows for identification of any aircraft equipped with ATC Mode ‘S’ transponder.,”

of the local government councils.”

He said with the conflicting court judgements and pending suits relating to the lawful members and leadership of the state legislature, there existed no legislative organ to make laws for peace, order and good governance of the state as stipulated by Section 4(6) of the Nigerian constitution.

The group implored the National Assembly “to immediately invoke the doctrine of necessity in Rivers State, with a view to preventing the impending breakdown of law and order until such a time the state assembly was able to resume its functions”.

It further argued that by the express provisions of sections 4 and 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution, the National Assembly had the constitutional power to make laws for the peace, order, good government

NCAA said.

It also noted that the requirement for all aircraft flying in controlled airspace must have serviceable ATC transponders, which is international standards requirement

NCAA said that Nigeria ensures strict adherence to that requirement, which derived from Annex 6 of the Convention on International Aviation, documented in Part 7 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.

NCAA said that switching of their transponders while in flight makes it a violation of the regulations, and indeed a security breach, adding that any aircraft that puts its system off while flying in controlled airspace would attract appropriate sanctions in accordance with NCAA’s enforcement procedures, including possible criminal referral.

“As regards the improvement of Nigeria’s aviation infrastructure, Nigeria’s Radar coverage is being backed up with five additional MSSR stations at Obubbra, Ilorin, Talata Mafara, Maiduguri and Numan to augment the four existing Radar centers to achieve total coverage of the country.

of the federation or any part thereof.

The group called for the setting up of a five-member interim management committee, made up of men and women drawn from the academia, judiciary, religious groups, including professional bodies and non-governmental organisations, for each council.

It recommended that members of the committee “must be indigenes of the respective local government areas, who are not members of any political party and not known to be supporters or close associates of the governor or his predecessor”.

The group also recommended that the committee should administer the councils for not more than three months during which local government elections should be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“This is also in line with the Honourable Minister’s five-point agenda on infrastructure and fully supported by NCAA’s oversight in ensuring installed infrastructure continually deliver the desired output,” the Authority said.

It also said: “It is worth noting that such upgrade is normal global practice when dealing with any electronics system. These systems must be updated from time to time since technology is not static, and the Authority through its continuous oversight has not found NAMA wanting in this regard.

“ Thus, NAMA in coordination with the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development is working on system upgrade of the

Communication, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) infrastructure.”

NCAA also assured the flying public that there was no cause for alarm as everything necessary wad being undertaken to ensure safe and secure air navigation in Nigeria’s airspace.

On the issue of welfare of Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs), NCAA said it recently intervened in a face-off between ATCOs and NAMA on the need for improved remuneration and working conditions for ATCOs. “Expectedly, in aligning with the Honourable Minister’s five-point agenda on capacity development, NCAA is extending this drive to other aviation professionals,” the regulatory agency said

LG Autonomy: Senate Awaits S'Court Verdict, May Review Existing Laws

The Senate has said it would await the decision of the Supreme Court on the controversial issue of local government autonomy before considering a review of the existing laws on the matter.

Senate spokesperson, Adeyemi Adaramodu, explained this in an interview with journalists in Abuja, yesterday.

He revealed that the Senate was currently constrained and was not in a position to present an opinion until the Supreme Court makes a pronouncement

Adaramodu, however, noted that there was a time in the nation’s history when local governments were largely autonomous but a time came when government decided otherwise.

He noted that some people have raised concerns about the revenue allocation formula via-a-vis the issue of equity among other issues.

Adaramodu said: “We might not be able to say much about it (LG authonomy) but then, we are

talking about distributing funds to local“Theregovernments. are indices that inform the distribution of funds to local governments. Equality, land mass, social indices. So, when we talk about one of seven of the schools in Akure, that's social indices. That is where they indicate how many hospitals.

“How many dispensaries? How many primary schools? How many junior secondary schools? Then population.

"So they distribute based on that. So, definitely there's a local government that has only one primary school, and there's another one that has 37 primary schools that are not going to get the same thing because of that formula. So just for education.

“But for local government autonomy, we'll not discuss further until the Supreme Court rules accordingly.

“When the Supreme Court rules, then the National Assembly will know where to take it from , whatever the ruling is.”

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

CELEBRATING DAY OF PLAY…

L-R: Representative of the President, Paediatric Association of Nigeria, Dr Ezeoma Ifeoma; Director, Lluvia Health Organisation, Dr. Amenze Eguavoen; representative of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Azeez Kafilat, and representative of the Children’s Arts Gallery, Mr. Clement Ogoh, during the celebration of the first International Day of Play, held in Lagos…recently

Gunmen Abduct Catholic Priest in Anambra as Police Arrest Gunrunner

David-Chyddy Eleke in awka

Gunmen have kidnapped a Catholic Priest in Anambra State, Rev. Fr. Christian Ike, just one month after another priest, Rev Basil Gbuzuo, was kidnapped and rescued by security operatives in the state.

This was as police in the state intercepted a gunrunner, Felix Owaya, from Delta State who specialises in supplying arms and ammunition to criminals.

Rev. Fr. Ike, the parish priest of St Matthew Catholic Church

in Ajalli, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, and a parishioner of the church, Mr. Ogbonnia Aneke were kidnapped in Ajali.

The abduction was said to have happened at about 10a.m. last Sunday when he was returning from a morning mass.

Anambra State Police Command confirmed the kidnap in a statement saying it received the information and deployed its intelligence and operational assets of the Command for possible rescue.

UNICEF: Nigeria Must Prevent Cholera Spread in Schools

Following the outbreak of cholera in Lagos and some states, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called for extensive measures to protect school children.

The UN organisation also called for concerted efforts to prevent disruption in the academic calendar over the spread of the disease.

The Chief of UNICEF Lagos Field Office, Celine Lafoucrier ,who made the call yesterday in a statement, said that the cholera outbreaks critically affected children and the young population.

According to Lafoucriere, these vulnerable groups face

substantial health high risks particularly children and young adults attending schools.

She noted that children were prone to severe dehydration and high mortality rate.

“There is therefore, urgent need for good sanitation, hygiene practices, improved access to clean water, regular handwashing with soap and clean water in order to combat the outbreak in schools,” she said.

Lafoucrier, however, solicited for adequate awareness across the country to sensitise the populace on cholera outbreak and preventive measures as part of efforts to address the issue.

Sokoto OGP to Submit Reports on Global Partnership

The Open Government Partnership (OGP) in Sokoto State has set in machinery place towards submitting it first annual report to the global partnership. Towards this, all committees are mandated to submit their reports to enable the compilation of the first OGP report at a two-day quarter three progress reviews of OGP State Action Plan (SAP) implementation in Sokoto State, organised by USAID State2State.

The OGP is a global partnership with over 100 countries where Sokoto State enlisted as one of the 200 sub-nationals in February 2022.

Sokoto OGP thematic areas focus on the importance of citizens’ engagements in achieving the OGP reforms and understanding the role and participation of CSOs in ensuring successful OGP SAP implementation.

Non-State Actors Co-Chair,

Dr. Auwal Ahmed Musa, who made presentations on the status, achievements and next steps for Sokoto State OGP SAP implementation in state since 2022, noted that: “The OGP implementation in the state has tremendously improve citizens engagement and participation in governance.

“The implementation of OGP in the state boosted citizens engagement in budget process and effective tracking, development of Community Development Charter (CDC) for five local government areas, and increase in GBV cases reporting and conviction.”

As parts of the next step agenda, CSOs are expected to initiate and identify advocacies, publish and distribute the SAP.

However, the inauguration of the reconstituted OGP, Steering Committee and Technical Working Group (TWG) in line with the new administration in Sokoto State was shifted to another date.

The Command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said: “Eyewitness account revealed that by 10:30 a.m. on Sunday,

the priest and two others were returning from St Michael Catholic Church Ndiokpaleke where they attended Aa morning service, at

Amagu Junction. “They were double-crossed by armed men operating in three vehicles, while the other two escaped the scene, the criminals took away the priest and some personal belongings of the occupants in the vehicle.

NiMet Predicts Three-day Thunderstorms, Cloudiness across Nigeria

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted thunderstorms and cloudiness from Tuesday(today) to Thursday across the country.

NiMet’s weather outlook released yesterday in Abuja, forecasts morning thunderstorms today over parts of Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Yobe and Gombe states.

It envisaged thunderstorms over parts of Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Kano, Bauchi, Katsina and Taraba states later in the day.

“Partly cloudy conditions are expected over the central regions during the morning hours with prospects of afternoon/evening thunderstorms over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Kogi, Benue, Nasarawa and

Kwara states.

“Cloudy skies are expected over the southern region during the morning hours with prospects of afternoon/evening rains over part of Ondo, Edo, Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi, Abia, Ekiti, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa and Lagos states,” it said.

According to NiMet, early morning thunderstorms are

expected over parts of Taraba, Adamawa and Kebbi states on Wednesday. It further anticipated thunderstorm over parts of Taraba, Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Gombe, Bauchi and Kaduna later on Wednesday. .

“Early morning thunderstorms are anticipated over

Prioritise Needs of Ordinary Nigerians, Methodist Archbishop

The Metropolitan and Archbishop of Abuja Methodist Church, His Grace, Most Rev’d Michael Akinwale, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to address the economic hardships facing Nigerians.

The Cleric made the appeal during the 2024 Men’s ‘Work-Week/Father’s Day

Thanksgiving Service at the Methodist Cathedral of Unity, Wuse, Abuja.

The Archbishop called on Tinubu to take decisive actions to address the hardship, stressing, a lot of Nigerians were suffering.

“A lot of homes are bleeding at this time. The government should do everything they can to

cushion the effect of this battered economy,” he implored.

He highlighted the house high costs of living, which, according to him, has placed basic necessities beyond the reach of the common man.

Tells Tinubu

“One thing we need to understand is that God is our provider. He is the one who has the ability to provide for us.

“As long as we are resolutely determined as a father to meet up our responsibility, God will always make a way for us.

“This is part of our Divine responsibilities as men. But the truth is that we know that we are equally being challenged by the economy.

Okaighele Youth Group Promises Collaboration with Edo Govt

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin-city

Members of the youth group called “Okaighele” in Edo South of Edo State have promised to cooperate and partner the state government, the state Police Command and other security

agencies to ensure continued peace in the state.

In a statement signed by 26 ‘Okaighele’ community youth leaders and made available to journalists in Benin-city yesterday, the group, however, appealed to the state government

to rescind its decision to ban their activities as they remain law-abiding always.

In the statement dated June 8, they deny any knowledge of involvement in secret cult activities in the state, adding that they are not members of any of the cult groups.

The statement also said they do not constitute security threat to communities as they have always played significant and decisive roles in mobilising the youths to maintain peace in their various localities.

Host Communities Development Trusts Get N80bn for Projects

Okon Bassey in uyo

Over N80 billion has been given to the Host Communities Development Trusts (HCDTs) for projects execution in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.

The National President, Host Communities of Nigeria, Producing Oil and Gas, Dr. Benjamin Style Tamaran-ebi, disclosed this at a town hall meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The meeting was organised by the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) in conjunction with HOSTCOM project management and advisory Konsult Limited, for Host Communities Development Board of Trustees. Tamaran-ebi, who spoke on ‘Host Communities Trust Financing and Utilisation of Host Communities Trust Fund’, tasked the host communities stakeholders drawn from Akwa Ibom and Abia States, including traditional leaders, to ensure responsible and transparent use of the funds meant for the implementation of projects in their impacted communities. He regretted that funds from the three per cent Operational Expenditure (3 percent OPEX) were yet to be allocated to affected communities who are yet to form their Trusts due to litigations arising from leadership struggle and other complaints.

Kano Inaugurates N21bn 85km Road, Bridge in Madobi

Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State has laid the foundation for an 85-kilometer road project worth about N21 billion in Madobi Local Government Area(LGA) of the state.

The governor said at the inauguration of the project yesterday , that the project

was poised to redefine rural landscapes and enhance the livelihoods of the populace.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 85 kilometers spans from Bridge Madobi to Madobi town, running through Yako to Kafin Mai Yaki, culminating in Kiru LGA.

He explained that the project underscored the commitment to bolster transportation infrastructure, which was crucial for agricultural and economic growth in rural Kano.

Additionally, the governor said a second project featuring

a 15-kilometer road and a 200-metre bridge from Madobi Town to Kubarachi to Kura was also underway.

“This will showcase the administration’s profound dedication to catalyzing progress across the semi-urban and rural areas,” he said.

Etsu Nupe, Niger CAN Task Muslims on Peaceful Coexistence

Laleye Dipo inMinna

The Etsu Nupe and Chairman of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, and the state Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have called on Muslims across the country

to live in peace with one another and adherents of other religions. In separate statements to mark this year’s Ed Il Kabir, both the Etsu Nupe and the state Chairman of CAN, Most Reverend Bulus Yohanna, submitted that without peace, Niger State and Nigeria in

general cannot achieve the much sought after development and transformation.

Etsu Nupe specifically challenged Muslim faithful to emulate Prophet Ibrahim’s virtues of sacrifice, obedience and submissiveness to the will of Allah, in order to be successful

in life, urging them to “shun societal ills and to always endeavour to do good for the betterment of all.

“Societal ills like bribery, corruption, drunkenness and gambling do not do any good to man, society, or the Muslim faithful, hence all believers are enjoined to avoid them.”

Onuminya Innocent in sokoto

Super Eagles Star, Ejuke, Signs Three-year Sevilla Deal

Femi Solaja

Fringe Super Eagles winger, Chidera Ejuke, yesterday became the first national team player to team up with Spanish side Sevilla as the club formerly signed the Nigerian on a threeyear deal.

Ejuke was part of the 2021 AFCON finals in Cameroon

where Nigeria crashed out in the second round to Tunisia after a perfect run at the roup phase of the tournament.

Ejuke began his European career in Norway, at Valerenga, for whom he signed in 2017 at the age of 19 and where he remained for two seasons, playing 59 games.

With 15 goals and 6 assists

in the Nordic country, he was signed by the Dutch Heerenveen and where in the campaign of his arrival, 19/20, he scored ten goals and six assists in 29 games, drawing the attention of CSKA Moscow, with whom he signs until 2024.

The former UEFA Europa League champions announced his arrival yesterday afternoon.

" Sevilla FC has reached an agreement with the Nigerian footballer Chidera Ejuke to become a new player for the Nervionense team, joining García Pimienta's squad as a free agent and signing for three seasons, until June 2027," the club confirmed Ejuke has eight caps for Nigeria.

FOURTH TIME CHAMPION...

Tobi Amusan won the Nigerian women's 100mH title for the fourth time yesterday. She powered through to the finish, clocking a time of 12.78s ahead of Adaobi Tabugbo who finished 2nd in 13.33s.

Brazil’s Calderano Signals Intention to Win WTT Contender Lagos

Brazil’s Hugo Calderano has signalled his intention to add the WTT Contender Lagos to his WTT titles after clinching his second WTT Star Contender title and his sixth WTT Series singles at the WTT Star Contender Ljubljana in Slovenia on Sunday, June 16.

The Thrill from Brazil chalked up an explosive 4-0 victory over French teenage sensation Felix Lebrun (11-9, 11-5, 11-7, 11-9) to clinch the men’s singles title.

The world No. 6 is listed as the top seed for the WTT Contender Lagos held a losing 1:2 record in the rivalry heading into Sunday’s final, and went toe-to-toe with Lebrun in the fast topspin exchanges as spectators at Hala Tivoli settled down for an

electric conclusion to the week.

According to WTT, Lebrun has upstaged Calderano in the WTT Star Contender Goa in India earlier this season and the French knew he had all the necessary tools to beat the Brazilian star and looked to bring the heat in game two, launching into the rallies with little to no time between points.

But Calderano was wise to the young Frenchman’s strategy, quickly getting into position to minimize the effect.

Trailing 2-0, Lebrun cut a frustrated figure at the table, lamenting his lack of precision as he struggled to contain his emotions.

But Calderano wasn’t distracted and would go on to

add another game to his tally as the margin between the finalists grew to three games.

Presented with a mountain to climb, Lebrun continued to bring the fight in the fourth, but it was too little too late on the day as Calderano capitalised on his healthy lead, hammering away at the ball to the finish line to get the party started.

The win helped the Brazilian to level the head-to-head series against Lebrun at 2:2, and he hoisted both arms in the air after the match, celebrating his triumph which signalled what Lagos fans should expect when Calderano comes calling.

Despite his overwhelming win, Calderano was magnanimous in victory when he said: "He

(Lebrun) is an unbelievably strong player right now, very best of the best. Nothing but compliments for him, he is a great athlete, still very young, but I'm sure he will keep improving. Of course, I didn’t expect to win 4-0, I just focused on my game, and on what I had to do. Fortunately, things went my way from the beginning and I'm very happy I was able to perform that well and close the match very quickly."

Meanwhile, Calderano has not hidden his intention to conquer Lagos amidst the array of stays heading to the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria, Lagos from June 19 to 23 at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.

Wober's Own Goal Gives

France Victory over Austria

An own goal from Maximilian Wober was enough to get France off to a winning start at Euro 2024 last night as they saw off a determined Austria outfit in Dusseldorf.

Kylian Mbappe's cross was diverted his net by the Leeds United defender, who spent the past season on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach, but Didier Deschamps' side were forced to work hard for all three points in a fast-paced and fascinating Group D clash.

The 1-0 victory sees France go second behind the Netherlands, who they play on Friday, on goal difference.

Tournament heavyweights like Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and England all claimed statement wins to kick off their Euro 2024 campaigns. France strutted onto the Dusseldorf Arena turf to lay down their marker.

Austria, led by former Manchester United interim boss Ralf Rangnick, had designs on upsetting the odds as they plotted a win that would blow Group D wide open.

The opening exchanges were fast-paced as the underdogs attempted to unsettle their more illustrious opponents with some fierce pressing, though Deschamps' outfit often had the tools to escape and move up the pitch. Unsurprisingly, Les Bleus captain Mbappe came closest to opening the scoring.

The new Real Madrid star raced onto Adrien Rabiot's neat pass and tried to pierce Patrick Pentz's goal at the near post, but the Brondby shot-stopper stood firm to save well and then gathered the resulting corner.

Austria began to feel their way into proceedings with Christoph Baumgartner and Konrad Laimer impressing in tight spaces, though the contest lacked many clear-cut chances before France went ahead somewhat fortuitously.

The 2018 World Cup winners might have fallen behind had Austria capitalised on some clever build-up play, but after Marcel Sabitzer nodded down Michael Gregoritsch's cross, Baumgartner couldn't produce a clean connection and his strike drifted wide off the feet of Mike Maignan. They were made to pay for it and it was Mbappe who helped break the deadlock, driving his way to the byline before his cross was diverted into his own net by Maximilian Wober, whose positioning was errant as he nodded an unintentional header into the far corner.

The second half began with Antoine Griezmann sporting a crimson dash across his forehead after being shoved into the advertising boards at the side of the pitch before Mbappe passed up a golden opportunity, racing clear but curling just wide of Pentz's post.

Chidera Ejuke...joins Sevilla in the Spanish La Liga

abati1990@gmail.com

Osinbajo to Churches, Christians

“Today what we hear from many of our pulpits is a gospel that is told to our faces of the attainment of wealth or prosperity, or physical and material wellbeing here on earth. The purpose of our faith is not personal wealth or wellbeing. Christ came to save sinners and we are required according to scripture to seek His kingdom first and all other things are added” --FormerVicePresident,Prof.YemiOsinbajo,tellsChristiansin governmentandpublicofficetofollowtheprinciplesofthegospelofChrist.

WITH REUBEN ABATI

June 12: Democracy Day With Lagos Lawmakers

One of the highlights of the recent celebrations of Democracy Day, on June 12, was the series of anniversary lectures organized to mark 25 years of Unbroken Democracy in Nigeria. At the Presidential Villa, Alhaji Bello Masari, former Speaker of the House of Representatives was Guest Lecturer on the subject: “25 Years of Enduring Democracy: Prospects for the Future”. In Abeokuta, Ogun State, at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, the Ogun State Government held a public lecture with the theme: “June 12-Defining Moment in the Democratic Development in Nigeria.” There was also a 2024 Democracy Day Lecture organized by the Aminu Kano Centre for Democratic Research and Training in collaboration with SEDSAC: Humanitarian Initiative titled “Democracy and The Nigerian Citizens: Profit or Loss?” The lecture was delivered by Dr. Sa’idu Dukawa. There were activities in other parts of Nigeria as well. It is interesting to see how June 12, its symbolism and place in Nigerian history has become a rallying point, that it was originally, and the man whose martyrdom underlines that symbolism, Chief MKO Abiola has now been accorded a rightful, and due recognition in the annals of Nigerian history for all that he did to champion the cause of democracy. This is both interesting and remarkable because indeed in this same country, many of those who benefitted from the democratic struggle conveniently revised the story of June 12. In the South West however, MKO Abiola Day was celebrated in Lagos, Oyo, Ondo, Ogun and Osun states. The Federal Government of Nigeria celebrated Democracy Day on May 29, the day Nigeria transitioned from decades of uninterrupted military rule to civilian rule in 1999. Despite the celebration of MKO Abiola across the South West – his statues were erected, streets, stadiums, schools and public buildings were named after him, and even with Lagos State iconizing some of the non-Yoruba heroes of the struggle, including Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Bagauda Kaltho and many others, some revisionists came up with the patently false narrative that June 12 was a Yoruba, South-West affair.

There were attempts to lobby the Nigerian Government to do the right thing: declare Abiola, the winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 Presidential election, grant him a post-humous national honour and make restitution for the injustice of 1993, beyond the fact of the political solution of 1999 which ensured that the two major contenders for the Presidency postmilitary era were Yorubas: Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (PDP) and Chief Olu Falae (AD/APP). The closest that Abiola and June 12 were acknowledged at the centre was in 2014 at the Nigeria Centenary Awards, honouring 100 remarkable individuals who have made great impact in the making of Nigeria in the last century. The Abiola family did not think listing their patriarch among a long list of persons including Lord Lugard and his consort, Flora Shaw was good enough. The family turned down the award. Despite this politics of acknowledgement, MKO Abiola and June 12 nonetheless lived on in the hearts and on the tip of the pens of many: the media, civil society, artists across the genres and more importantly, the progressives who gathered at his graveside, every June to remember and honour him.

The attempt to reduce MKO and the June 12 phenomenon to a narrow, ethnic moment has also been exposed for the lie that it is in the growing bibliography on the subject by both scholars and direct observers/participants. These writings include, Heroes of Democracy by Joe Igbokwe, June 1993: Annulment by Abraham Oshoko, Frank Kokori, The Struggle for June 12, Omo Omoruyi, The Tale of June 12: The Betrayal of the Democratic Rights of Nigerians; Wale Oshun, The Open Grave: NADECO and the Struggle for Democracy and Clapping With One Hand: June 12 and the Crisis of a State Nation; Humphrey Nwosu, Laying the Foundation for Nigeria’s Democracy: My Account of June 12, 1993; Abimbola Aboderin, Democracy and the Untold Story of June 12; Deba Uwadiae, Abiodun Adeniyi, Emeka Nwosu and Segun Olanipekun, Nigeria’s Aborted Third

Republic and the June Debacle: Reporters’ Account and Wole Soyinka’s memoir, You Must Set Forth At Dawn. The major turning point arrived on June 6, 2018 when then President Muhammadu Buhari changed Democracy Day from May 29, to June 12. As Buhari put it, “June 12 was the day when Nigerians in millions expressed their democratic will in what was undisputedly the freest, fairest and most peaceful elections since our independence. The fact that the outcome of that election was not upheld by the then military government doesn’t distract from the democratic credential of that process. Accordingly, after due consultations, the Federal Government has decided that henceforth June 12, will be celebrated as Democracy Day. Therefore, the government has decided to award posthumously the highest honour of the land GCFR, to the late Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 cancelled elections.” President Buhari sent a Public Holiday Amendment Bill to the National Assembly to remove May 29 as a public holiday and replace it with June 12. This was approved by the Senate. On Monday, June 10, 2019, President Buhari assented to the Bill. This was an act of courage and bold assertiveness that would for long be remembered as a key aspect of Buhari’s legacy. Other Presidents before him skirted around the Abiola and June 12 question or avoided it altogether, including Abiola’s kinsman, President Olusegun Obasanjo who had once quipped that “Abiola is not the Messiah Nigeria needs”. Buhari considered Abiola’s messianism so important, he gave him the highest honour in the land, placing him at the same rank as Nigerian Presidents and former Heads of State. He stopped short of declaring him the winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election, but he made it clear that the Abiola story is the Nigerian story. He practically shut up the reductionists and revisionists. With the amendment of the Public Holidays Act, turning June 12 into a national holiday, Buhari affirmed the nationalism of both Abiola and June 12. This was a special moment of epiphany for the President. He made a mark where others before him could not tread. The MKO Abiola story is a mix of narratives, false and true, intrigues, treachery, contradictions and tropes of disambiguation. Every year since 2019, the festival and the stories get re-enacted every June 12. I was invited to one of such special events, and for reasons of convenience and proximity, public and private, I was at the Lagos State House of Assembly Complex, Alausa, Ikeja to attend the commemoration of 25 years of Unbroken Democratic Governance in Nigeria put together by Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa and his colleagues. It was an evening event, a gala night, designed in the shape of a cocktail, with greater

emphasis on discussions and reflections on key themes about Nigeria’s democratic process. A total of ten guest speakers had been invited to speak on different aspects of the democratic project in Nigeria, drawn from government, business, and the diplomatic community. The guest list was broadly inclusive: members of the Lagos state House of Assembly, the Executive and Judicial Arms of Government, past and present, the civil society, academia, traditional rulers and chiefs, business chieftains, members of the diplomatic corps, the Lagos Governance Advisory Council, chairmen and officials of Local Governments and LCDAs in Lagos and general ladies and gentlemen. The hall was filled up.

The Lagos State House of Assembly section of the Secretariat in Alausa is a sprawling architectural wonder unto itself, with halls and large passageways, beautified and designed to give the lawmakers the dignity that befits that arm of government. As is to be expected the Assembly’s invitation was honoured. Oftentimes, when stories are told about State Houses of Assembly, it could be when the members are quarrelling with the Executives over budgetary allocations or the Governor needs their services to impeach an errant Deputy Governor. For the most part, State Houses of Assembly, especially in states where the ruling party in the state controls the majority in the House do their work obediently. They simply do as the Governor wishes. It was therefore refreshing to hear that a State House of Assembly wanted to do something that requires some serious thinking and reflection. I carried my two eyes and two legs to go and see.

There were ten speakers, including Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, former Governor of Lagos State (2007 – 2015) speaking on “Federalism: The Quest for a Perfect Union”, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) on “The Role of Nigerian Women in Nation-Building”, Mr. Debo Adeniran, Chairman Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) on “The Concept of Democracy and Human Rights”; Dr. Muda Yusuf, Director, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprises (CPPE) and former DG, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and industry offering “Economic Perspective on Nigeria’s Democratic Governance, Professor Eghosa Osaghae, DG, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) on “Nigerian Foreign Policy in a Democracy: Gains and Prospect” in addition to the Consul General of the French Embassy, Laurent Favier, Weert Buerner, the Consul General of Germany; Ugo Boni, the Consul General of Italy, Jonny Baxter, the British Deputy High Commissioner, Michael A. Ervin, US Political and Economic Chief in Lagos – all on “Foreign Perspectives on Nigeria’s Democratic Governance”. This was quite a broad range of topics and speakers, which I thought was rather long, but surprisingly everyone showed up and the evening soon got off to a spirited start. I was even more surprised that despite the design of the programme as an evening cocktail, with the people standing, people stood through it all till the end. Every Speaker had the chance to speak for about ten minutes. I recall a number of highlights. Hon Mudasiru Obasa, Speaker of the Assembly made an eloquent case for the role that the Lagos State House of Assembly has played in the democratic governance of Nigeria in the context of its own jurisdiction. Obasa was even generous enough going all the way back to the very first session of the House in October 1979 to date, that is - far beyond the 25-year reference term. He disclosed that the Lagos House specifically since 1999 has passed over 300 laws and 2,000 resolutions, many of which have become models for other State Houses of Assembly. Obasa is one of the longest serving legislators and Speakers in Nigeria. He has been a legislator since 2007 and Speaker of the Lagos Assembly since 2015. There must be something he does right that endears him to his constituency (Agege 1) and to his colleagues in Alausa. I was struck by two of his statements when he said, after paying tributes to the heroes of June 12, that “It is a duty to also remember those who are responsible for the annulment of that democratic process, some alive, some dead…This is also to remind those who

are coming behind us that the democracy we are enjoying today was built by some people, some of whom lost their lives and properties.”

Earlier the same day, in Abuja, President Bola Tinubu had delivered a Democracy Day Speech which was marred by the treatment of MKO Abiola in parenthesis, and the omission of many important heroes. The event in Abuja was also reduced by the thoughtless, sycophantic unveiling of a poorly painted portrait of President Tinubu at the Eagle Square on June 12. Obasa’s list was far more comprehensive and detailed than the President’s. And he did not forget to name and chide those who stood in the way of the people’s struggle, noting that “history will not forget all their roles while sabotaging the democratic progress of this nation”. Still, many names remain left out of the accounts simply because June 12 was truly the people’s struggle. How come Professor Humphrey Nwosu, the man who presided over the freest and fairest election in Nigeria has been forgotten? He was a hero. And why are we not naming the promoters of Association for Better Nigeria (ABN) by Arthur Nzeribe and Abimbola Davies, the disgraceful Youths Earnestly Ask for Abacha (YEAA) led by Daniel Kanu, rogue judges, and the hungry traditional rulers who identified with Abacha. Obasa’s list helped to give a fuller picture, more names and groups would still have to be called out for their role in the June debacle. Mr. Fashola, SAN echoed the same thoughts that we must ensure that democracy remains unbroken, and lawmakers have a crucial role to play in protecting democratic values, justice and human rights. Fashola posited that Nigeria is running a Federal system but the challenge is to make the system more perfect to protect individual rights. He believes that progress has been made in the past 25 years but there are still areas of improvement, citing the need for the Lagos Assembly to make laws, for example, to compel landlords in Lagos State not to collect rent for one or two years as is the norm. Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa made a case for women empowerment which naturally drew cheers from the women folk in attendance. Mr Adeniran was clear-minded about the important role of the civil society in Nigeria’s democratic process. Dr. Muda Yusuf said democracy must be protected to protect and attract investment, and thus promote prosperity. The diplomats from France, Germany, Italy, UK, and US in unison and almost in a rehearsed manner congratulated Nigerians and urged us to sustain and consolidate democratic rule. It is easy to hold talks in Nigeria, and commemorate anniversaries but the key challenge is for our leaders to walk the talk and live up to the same ideals and values that they espouse. In all, June 12 is about us, our country and how seriously we take ourselves and our future. The Lagos State House of Assembly should organize more events, to provide opportunities for interaction with the public, on key subjects and ideas which may not necessarily fall under the purview of public hearing. There are 40 members in the Lagos House, representing 20 Local Government Areas further sub-divided into Local Council Development Areas, with two members representing a Local Government. I met one of the members who introduced herself as Okanlawon, the only non-APC member in the Lagos Assembly. I predicted to her verily, that she would be a member of the APC before the 2027 election, given the nature of Nigerian politics. In the future, the Lagos State House of Assembly should allow us to sit down at public events of the type they had on June 12, and there should be room for interventions by the audience. Altogether, that was a good outing.

ERRATUM:

In this column last week: “A Day With Seyi Makinde,” (June 11), I wrote that “Governor Makinde is the only Governor to have broken the jinx of a second term in office in Oyo State.” My attention has been drawn to the fact that the honour of being the first to do so, belongs to late Senator Abiola Ajimobi, nicknamed KOSELERI, Oyo State Governor, 2011 -2019. I stand corrected. The error is regretted.

Late MKO Abiola