THURSDAY 6TH JULY 2023

After Buhari, Tinubu Wades into NUPRC, NMDPRA Altercation over Overlapping Functions

Sets clear lines of operations pending PIA amendment

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Barely two months after Nigeria’s

erstwhile President, Muhammadu Buhari intervened in the incessant clashes between the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream

Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), President Bola Tinubu has again moved to halt the continuing trend.

In a memo sighted by THISDAY in Abuja yesterday, Tinubu sought to establish clear lines of demarca- Continued on page 10

tions between the responsibilities of

Tinubu, Shettima, APC Close Defence in Obi, Atiku's Petitions

www.thisdaylive.com

Cracks Widen in APC over NWC

President meets national chair, secretary at State House Mwadkwon: Choices of minority leaders constitutional

The crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) widened

Continued on page 10

PDP Leadership in Disarray, Fails to Secure Minority Offices in N'Assembly

For the first time in a long while, especially, since Nigeria’s return to civil rule, the main opposition party, in this case, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), failed to assert any form of control or influence in the choice of the minority leadership in both chambers of the National Assembly, when the federal legislature chose its principal officers recently.

The development not only left PDP in palpable disarray, but also further exposed the party’s gradual and systemic weakening by some of its own, who would not let any opportunity to take their supposed pound of flesh against the party leadership slide.

Although, not unexpected, the aggrieved group of former five governors of the party appeared visible in the politics of the minority leadership. They were also believed to have compromised the current leadership of PDP, under Umar

Continued on page 10

THE REGENT SCHOOL, ABUJA

WINS

UK OUSTANDING SCHOOL AWARD...

L- R: Head of Assessment Mr. Akin Alufa, Headmaster, Mr. Labuschagne, Proprietress, Mrs Amsa AbdulRazaq, and Senior Teacher, Mr Joe Dyer , at the presentation of the British School Overseas ( BSO) Inspection Report that awarded The Regent School, Abuja outstanding in all categories, the first and only school in West Africa to achieve this feat. See story on page 37

JAMB Result: Chidoka Urges Nmesoma to Come Clean, Explain How She Got Fake Result... Page 35

Deji Elumoye, Adedayo Akinwale and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

G-5 compromises party headship, steals the show How other opposition parties sold out, went for ‘the money’

L-R: Project Advisor Sadeeq A. Mai-bornu; General Managing Director of UTM FLNG limited, Julius Rone; President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; France Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Emmanuelle Blatmann and Executive Director -Business & Strategic Planning, Ken Anyanwu, during a meeting of UTM Floating Liquified Natural Gas Limited ( FLNG) with President Bola Tinubu at Presidential Villa….yesterday. See story on page 8

SANWO-OLU MEETS DELEGATION FROM PRINCE’S TRUST INTERNATIONAL...

L-R:

FG: Individuals, Corporate Bodies Owe 11 MDAs N6tn

Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja

The Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning has disclosed that it uncovered "monumental debts" of approximately N6 trillion being owed 11 federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) through the consolidation efforts of the Debt Analytics & Reporting Application.

The Director of Special Projects, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mr. Victor Omata, made the disclosure in Asaba, Delta State, during a one-day sensitisation programme for the South-South geo-political programme on federal government's debt recovery drive through the Project Light-House Programme.

The debts were in the form of debt liabilities to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS); refunds to the government by companies that failed to deliver on projects for which payment had been effected, unpaid credit facilities granted to both corporate entities and individuals by the Bank of Industry (BOI) and Bank of Agriculture (BOA).

Others were judgment debt in favour of government, and debts owed Pension Transition Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) by insurance companies, among others.

But despite the huge outstanding debts, data from the government's Project Lighthouse Programme revealed that many of the individuals and corporate bodies owing the MDAs and refused to honour their obligations were still being paid especially through platforms such

as Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) and Treasury Single Account (TSA) due to lack of visibility over such transactions.

Omata, who was represented at the event by a Deputy Director in the Special Projects Department in the Ministry, Mrs. Bridget Molokwu, disclosed that the core focus of Project Lighthouse (Phase 2) was the recovery of debt owed to the federal government by individuals and companies through the instrumentality of the debt recovery capability of Project Lighthouse.

According to Omata, the ministry, through the consolidation efforts of the Debt Analytics & Reporting Application was able to aggregate monumental debts of approximately N6 trillion from 11 MDAs.

"These debts, according to him, came to the spotlight from data aggregated from over 5,000 + debtors across ten (10) MDAs. The debt aggregation effort is still ongoing, he added," a statement issued by the Director, (Press/PR) in the Ministry, Mr. Stephen Kilebi stated.

The statement further quoted Omata as soliciting participants' support and commitment to changing the revenue narrative by innovatively exploiting the great power of Big Data Analytics, Data Science and related technologies.

He also sought the participants' cooperation in providing quality and relevant information (debt-related data) to populate the platform, reiterating that debt recovery will reduce the country's indebtedness,

tract day-to- day revenue generation, get true profile of debt recovery porfolio, block revenue leakages and loopholes, adding that Project Lighthouse Programme has come with this recovery process.

He noted that the organisations stood to benefit immensely from the intelligence generated from the Project Lighthouse Programme.

Omata, disclosed that Project Lighthouse Programme was designed to help solve the intractable and perennial problem of debt recovery by using big data analytics technology.

The system collects, integrates and analyses data from revenue generating agencies in order to create

insightful information for improved decision making on debt recovery.

Omata further explained that the Project Lighthouse Programme was one of the portfolio projects under the Strategic Revenue Growth Initiative (SRGI) of the federal government, adding that the initiative had enabled the aggregation of relevant economic and financial information from multiple agencies who did not share data before.

He added that generally, revenue loopholes had been aided by poor information sharing and enforcement. The importance of the project was to leverage on big data technology to help in blocking revenue loopholes, identifying new revenue

opportunities, optimising existing revenue streams especially the nonoil revenue as well as improving fiscal transparency, he buttressed.

Data from Project Lighthouse Programme, he said, revealed that many companies and individuals who owed government agencies and refused to honour their obligations were still being paid especially through the government platforms such as GIFMIS and Treasury Single Account (TSA) due to lack of visibility over such transactions. He hinted that the ministry had taken steps to address the major revenue loopholes some of which included the issuance of a ministerial directive on September

26, 2019, to all MDAs, with a view to aggregating all government debts across the public finance space, to have a single window on the credit profile of the Federal Government and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) regulatory approval on March 31, 2021.

Others were the extension of the functionalities of the debt recovery capability of the Lighthouse Project Programme.

He added that the above measures would enable the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to fully automate the debt recovery process and make settlements of debts as seamless as possible.

House Moves to Halt Ceding of Cross River Communities to Cameroon

Juliet Akoje in Abuja

The House of Representatives yesterday resolved to stop the moves to cede Danare and Biajua Communities in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State of Nigeria through Pillar 113A to the Republic of Cameroon.

The House also invited the Director General of the National Boundary Commission and Surveyor General of the Federation to answer questions as to why pillar 113A had not been found.

Consequently, the lawmakers

resolved to investigate and assess the case of potential land encroachment by the Cameroonian Government and consult with legal experts, land surveyors, and other relevant professionals to ensure a thorough understanding of the technical aspect involved in ending the encroachment.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion jointly sponsored by members of the House from Cross River yesterday, presided by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu.

Victor Bisong Abang, while presenting the motion said on October 10,

Over 189,000 Children Lack Access to Routine Immunisation in Six Months, NPHCDA Reveals

Fidelis David in Akure

The Executive Director of National Primary Health Care (PHC) Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, has revealed that from January to June 2023, a total of 189,310 children in the South-west zone lacked access to or were never reached by any routine immunisation.

Shuaib, stated this at the Quarterly Review meeting of South West Traditional Leaders’ Committee (SWTLC) on PHC Delivery, held in Akure, Ondo State, organised by the Federal Ministry of Health in collaboration with NPHCDA.

He explained that the meeting was aimed at promoting an effective

primary health care delivery to the people of the South-west in particular and Nigeria in general. His words: "These children are referred to as zero dose children.

Notably, Lagos has the highest count, with 79,279 zero dose children, followed by Oyo state with 53,812 children, Ondo with 30,280 children, Osun with 19,737 children, Ogun with 3,204 children, and finally Ekiti with 2,998 children who have never received any form of vaccination effort.”

Specifically, Shuaib, said the federal government, in collaboration with development partners, would be introducing the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine into the national immunisation schedule

by September 2023.

"The HPV vaccine is highly effective in preventing the most common types of Human Papilloma Virus that cause cervical and other types of cancers. We would be reaching out to you to help communicate to your communities the importance of these vaccines.

"As respected leaders of our nation, I respectfully implore Your Majesties to consistently advocate for immunisation and other PHC services. By utilising your influential and revered position in society to emphasise the significance of regular immunization and other PHC services to parents and caregivers, we can overcome obstacles and enhance the

acceptance of vaccines, ensuring that every child receives these life-saving treatments. By taking this action, we can stop the spread of cVPV2 and achieve a comprehensive enhancement in the health and welfare of our communities.

"The foundation of a wellfunctioning health system lies in its PHC system. It serves as the initial point of contact for individuals seeking healthcare services and plays a crucial role in disease prevention, health promotion, and community engagement.

“By fortifying our PHC system, we can ensure that quality Healthcare services reaches every corner of Nigeria", he stressed.

2002, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) had ruled that the proprietorship of the Bakassi peninsula belongs to Cameroon, due to an agreement between the governments of Nigeria and Cameroon during the civil war. He said in July 2012, the Supreme Court ruled that Cross River State had no right of ownership of over 76 oil wells due to the loss of its littoral status when portions of the peninsula were ceded to Cameroon by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

"The ICJ ruling decides the retracing of the Cameroon-Nigeria International Boundary line from the Lake Chad region (Yola) to the Atlantic Ocean (Bakassi), subsequently United Nations (UN) set up two Committees to implement the judgment which led to the establishment of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission (CNMC), made up of representatives from Nigeria, Cameroon and officials of the United Nations.

"The fieldwork which involves the location of the boundary points and placement of boundary pillars by the judgment was undertaken by a Joint Technical Team (JTT), a sub-body of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission, with both countries' representatives on the JTT while technical expertise is supplied by a foreign contractor and paid by the CNMC,” he stated.

He further stated that, "The field exercise or demarcation conducted by the JTT must be an adopted demarcation in any sector considered valid and conclusive by the CNMC.

"The Anglo-German agreement of the Cameroon-Nigeria boundary of 12 April 1913, indicated a total of 114 boundary pillars from the Lake Chad region (Yola Adamawa State) to Agbokim in Etung Local Government of Area of Cross River State, planted by the Anglo-German had serial numbers written on the pillars, six of the boundary pillars fall within the Danare community in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State, the international boundary its include; 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, and 113A respectively.

"The Anglo-German agreement clearly states that the contextual pillar 113A is 9.6 Km from pillar 113 into the forest leading to pillar 114 that fall in Agbokim in Etung Local Government Area."

He argued that under the principles of federalism, the federal government has the responsibility to protect the territorial integrity of all federating units, and not unilaterally cede, sell, mortgage, or allocate any part of a federating unit to another country without the consent of the House.

"The lack of concerted effort by the JTT to trace a critical pillar point that will determine the correct boundary line has generated controversy.

“It is a worrisome situation that even when the team understands that they are lacking in their assignment because a critical pillar is yet to be retraced, instead of the team going back and doing the needful, they decided to propose a straight-line projection to close the gap between pillar 113 to 114."

Says revenue loopholes in govt being aided by poor information sharing, enforcement Reveals companies, individuals owing govt still benefit from GIFMIS, other intervention programmes

Founder, Standard IBTC Bank, Mr Atedo Peterside; Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Barr Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin; Founder and Chairman, Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, Mr Aigboje AigImoukhuede; Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Chief Executive Officer, Prince’s Trust International, Mr Will Straw and Chair of Trustees, Prince’s Trust International, Mr Shabir Randeree, during a meeting with the Governor, at the Lagos House, Marina, ... yesterday

SERVICE OF SONGS IN HONOUR OF OTUNBA SUBOMI BALOGUN...

Petrol May Sell Higher in Nigeria as OPEC Moves to Shore Up Crude Prices

Secretary General vows to ensure market stability

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

There are concerns that Nigerians may pay more for petrol as some members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) continue to extend their voluntary crude oil production cuts into the month of August to shore up the international price of the commodity.

Crude oil rates remain a major determinant of petrol prices worldwide, taking up as much as 80 per cent of the price of the product. As at 8pm yesterday, the price of Brent, Nigeria’s oil benchmark was $76.72 while US oil, WTI crude was selling for $71.88.

OPEC’s defacto leader and the world’s biggest crude exporter, Saudi Arabia, is said to be dissatisfied with the current prices and has recently embarked on reducing its crude production, alongside Russia and Algeria.

While Saudi Arabia is cutting 1 million barrels per day into August, Russia and Algeria volunteered to lower their August output and export levels by 500,000 bpd and 20,000 bpd, respectively. Nigeria which recently removed all its subsidy payment on petrol does not refine products locally as a result of dilapidated refineries and therefore has to depend fully on imports and subjecting the country

to the volatility of market forces. Some other factors that determine the prices of petrol aside the price of crude include refining cost, shipping cost, distribution and marketing cost as well as taxes and levies imposed by Nigeria.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), recently said that Saudi Arabia would essentially need oil prices to sell at $80.90 per barrel to balance its budget this year.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, sometime ago said Nigeria was comfortable with $50 oil so as not to chase away the country’s customers and encourage them to

embrace renewables.

Since there’s a direct relationship between the international price of crude oil and pump price in Nigeria, especially in a free market setting, a rise in the price of the commodity which had been selling around the low $70s before now, could lead to a rise in the pump price in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, OPEC Secretary General, Haitham Al-Ghais , said yesterday that the oil cartel will continue to work to ensure market stability as billions of people are dependent on oil for their daily lives.

Speaking at the ongoing 8th OPEC International Seminar in Vienna, attended by delegations from Nigeria, Al-Ghais said that despite

GetFundedAfrica Unveils AI-powered Customer Relationship Management System for Startups

In a move set to reshape the landscape of startup fundraising in Africa, GetFundedAfrica has launched its AI-powered Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system tailored specifically for startups.

With a focus on streamlining investor engagement, optimising fundraising efforts, and maximising the success of entrepreneurial initiatives, GetFundedAfrica’s CRM for Fundraising is poised to become a game-changer for the investment ecosystem across the continent.

According to a statement yesterday, leveraging the power of artificial intelligence, GetFundedAfrica’s CRM for Fundraising merges advanced data analytics, automation, and personalised communication, heralding a new era of efficiency and precision in the fundraising realm.

In a rapidly evolving startup landscape where technology plays an increasingly pivotal role, the CRM solution was designed to propel startups towards success by enhancing operational efficiency, driving investor engagement, and optimising fundraising campaigns like never before.

“We are thrilled to introduce our AI-powered CRM for Startups,” CEO of GetFundedAfrica, Adebola (Debo) Omololu said.

“We believe this groundbreaking solution will redefine how startups in Africa engage with investors and achieve their entrepreneurial goals.

“By combining cutting-edge technology with personalised

communication, we envision a future where fundraising becomes an efficient and highly impactful process.”

The statement noted that a standout feature of GetFundedAfrica’s AI-powered CRM was its ability to harness big data analytics, make investor recommendations and development of an investor-readiness score for every startup.

By dissecting vast volumes of historical data, the CRM identifies

and segments potential investors based on their interests, investment capacity, and entrepreneurial inclinations.

“Armed with these comprehensive profiles, startups can now craft highly tailored fundraising strategies, precisely targeting the right audience with compelling messages at the most opportune moments.

“The CRM’s automation capabilities are set to revolutionise investor engagement by reducing manual

and time-consuming tasks, such as data entry, investor tracking, and personalised communications.

“These automations free up precious resources, empowering startup teams to concentrate on nurturing meaningful relationships with investors. With its intuitive interface and user-friendly design, the CRM caters to startups of all sizes, providing a powerful toolset to unlock their full fundraising potential,” the statement added.

all the debate about jettisoning fossil fuels, oil remains very important for the planet, and sustainability should be achieved.

“The concept of sustainability is essentially about balance. Sustainability relates to how we fulfil the needs of our current generations without compromising the needs of our future generations while ensuring the balance between three pillars of sustainability: economic viability, environmental protection and social equity,” he said.

But he reiterated that OPEC was not also against working towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“Oil is too central and fundamental for life. We recognise this reality and constantly strive to reduce our environmental footprint and we can all move toward a sustainable and inclusive energy transition,” he stressed..

He added that the ongoing energy transition in the world should be inclusive in nature where the voices of everyone should be taken into consideration.

“Sustainability and inclusivity are terms that are repeated so often. Inclusivity relates to ensuring that all voices are heard in discussions of the energy transition, including developing and developed countries, producers and consumers,” Al-Ghais said.

While arguing that renewable energy sources were not sufficient to achieve the climate goals outlined in the Paris Agreement,

the secretary general noted that: “There is no one-stop solution to achieve sustainability”, adding that multiple pathways should be embraced to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement.”

Nigeria recently pledged to meet the Paris Agreement, an international treaty on climate change that compels signatories to work toward limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, by 2060.

Also speaking at the event, Antonio Oburu Ondo, President of the OPEC Conference in 2023 and Equatorial Guinea’s Minister Of Mines And Hydrocarbons, said that it will be difficult for the world to function without oil.

“The energy reality is that the world cannot do without oil. It has been central to our past, it is fundamental to our future, and it is pivotal to our present. It is a 24/7 commodity. We cannot do without it,” he argued.

OPEC has been attempting to keep oil production and price steady, pumping an average of 28.57 million barrels a day in June, a modest increase of 80,000 a day from May.

Despite initial predictions for a rally this year, oil prices has instead sagged about 12 per cent so far in 2023 amid a lacklustre post-pandemic recovery in China and fears that rising interest rates will trigger a global recession.

Resident Doctors Extend Ultimatum to FG by Two Weeks

Insists on 200% salary increase

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has extended the strike ultimatum issued to the federal government by another two weeks.

NARD insisted on the immediate implementation of a minimum of 200 per cent increment in the CONMESS salary structure and an upward review of associated allowances.

The association is insisting that the government should address all its six point demands, failing which it would no longer guarantee industrial harmony in the health sector nationwide.

In the communique issued at the end of the extra-ordinary National

Executive Council (E-NEC) meeting of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), held virtually yesterday, the doctors resolved, "to further extend her already expired ultimatum issued to the government by two weeks with effect from Wednesday July 5, 2023."

It said the meeting held virtually was to appraise the level of implementation of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with government on May 19, 2023, following the five-day warning strike embarked upon by the association on the 17th of May 2023.

The communiqué jointly signed by NARD President, Dr. Orji Emeka, General Secretary, Dr.

Chikezie Kelechi and Publicity/ Social Secretary, Dr. Umar Musa, warned that if at the expiration of the further extended ultimatum by July 19, 2023, all the demands of the doctors were not met, NARD cannot guarantee industrial harmony in the health sector nationwide.

Among the demands of the doctors were the immediate payment of the 2023 MRTF as contained in the approved 2023 budget in line with various agreements reached with the government.

The agreement was that the government should without further delay pay all outstanding arrears owed members including the hazard allowance and the skipping arrears of 2014-2016, and the

arrears of consequential adjustment of minimum Wage, saying there was no justifiable reason to keep owing the arrears and allowances.

The doctors also demanded the immediate release and the implementation of the guidelines on one-for-one replacement of clinical staff to cushion the effect of the massive manpower shortage in our various hospitals nationwide.

NARD also asked the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to discontinue the downgrading of the membership certificate issued by the West African Postgraduate Medical and Surgical colleges.

NARD further demanded the immediate payment of all salary

arrears, the implementation of the CONMESS salary structure and new hazard allowance and domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act and payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund to our members in the State Tertiary Health Institutions nationwide.

The NEC of NARD further insisted on the immediate implementation of minimum of 200 per cent increment in the CONMESS salary structure and upward review of the associated allowances as requested in her previous letters on the subject matter, adding that the current economic realities in the country cannot justify the continued payment of CONMESS as it is at the moment.

L-R: Children of deceased, Mr. Ladi Balogun;Mrs. Banke Balogun; Mrs. Uche Balogun; Mr. Jide Balogun; Widow Olori Abimbola Balogun; Mr. Ggoyega Balogun; Mrs. Emma Balogun; Sister of deceased, Mrs. Ronke Aetere; Mr. Bolaji Balogun; Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) and his wife Mrs. Victora Gowon during Service of Songs in honour founder of First City Monument Bank Group (FCMB), Late Otunba Michael Olasubomi Balogun held at Harbour Point Victora Island Lagos...yesterday

PHOTO: MUBO PETERS.

COURTESY VISIT BY ANYIM AND OLISA METUH TO THE PRESIDENT...

Tinubu, Shettima, APC Close Defence in Obi, Atiku's Petitions

Alex Enumah in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and the All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, closed their cases in the two petitions filed by Mr Peter Obi and the Labour Party (LP) and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). yesterday, also, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) closed its case soon after calling one witness, who among others, informed the court that a technical glitch occurred during the presidential election.

Although the respondents had hinted of calling several witnesses to defend the results of the presidential poll, only INEC and Tinubu called one witness each, while APC adopted that of Tinubu and Shettima.

INEC had at the close of a pre-hearing session indicated that it would call two witnesses, Tinubu and Shettima, 39 and the APC, 25.

However, shortly after opening their defence and calling just two witnesses, the respondents announced the closure of their defence in the two petitions.

In the first petition marked: PEPC/03/2023 between Obi and LP against INEC, Tinubu, Shettima and APC; the second and third respondents, through their sole witness, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, dismissed all criminal allegations against Tinubu, stressing that a United States Report as far back

as 2003 cleared Tinubu of any criminal allegations; be it forfeiture or drug-related.

Speaking on the sum of $460,000 Tinubu was said to have forfeited to the United States over alleged complicity in drug deals, the senator, who claimed to be a member of the Nigerian Bar and the New York bar, observed that the forfeiture was in respect of a civil suit rather than criminal.

Bamidele pointed out that the court document relied upon by the petitioners did not contain any conviction or sentencing. He faulted Obi for filing the petition on the grounds that he (Obi) was not a member of LP as at the time he was sponsored as the presidential candidate of LP.

Meanwhile, the witness told the panel that a total of 10,929 votes that accrued to Tinubu and APC in Kano were missing while transferring the results from INEC's Form EC8D (state) to Form EC8D (A) national.

During cross examination by Obi and LP's lead counsel, Dr Livy Uzoukwu, SAN, the witness, who said he was relying on report of the ECOWAS election observer mission, disagreed with a portion of the report that condemned the incidents of killing of an LP candidate in the South-east.

He also admitted not having licence to practice law in the State of Illinois, where Tinubu was said to have forfeited the sum of $460,000.

In the second petition marked:

PEPC/05/2023, between Atiku and PDP against INEC, Tinubu and APC, the witness maintained that the forfeiture case against Tinubu in the US was not criminal.

On the issue of shortfall of 10,929 votes belonging to APC, Bamidele admitted not being in Kano State and at the national collation centre during the collation of results. He added that he was not aware that the agent of PDP at the national collation centre walked out and refused to sign the results in protest against alleged rigging of the presidential election.

Bamidele, among others,

maintained that Tinubu was not mandated by the constitution to score 25 per cent of votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) before he could be declared winner.

He disagreed with Atiku's lawyer, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, on the special status conferred on the FCT, arguing that states, like Lagos and Kano, have special status as centres of commerce.

The witness also refused to confirm that Tinubu was the first person to be declared president without securing 25 per cent of votes cast in the FCT.

On the suit filed by Attorneys-

General of six states against the Attorney General of the Federation at the Supreme Court over the outcome of the presidential election, the witness admitted that neither Atiku nor PDP was a party, admitting further that none of the respondents was also a party.

He denied newspaper reports that his party, APC, "kicked against BVAS, IReV". He said it was not a statement from the party.

At the end of cross-examination, Tinubu and Shettima's lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, shortly after asking for the discharge of the witness, announced the closure

of Tinubu's defence, adding that everything that has a beginning has an end.

But rather than open its own defence, APC, through its lead counsel, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, announced that the third respondent had opted to rely on the evidence of Tinubu and Shettima's witness.

Fagbemi said, "Having taken a sober reflection of the entire case, we have enough evidence and we are not calling any witness, we announce the closure of the case of the third respondent."

Tinubu Pledges Support for Completion of Africa's Largest $5bn Floating LNG Project

Promises to remove all obstacles hindering its timely completion 7,000 new jobs in the offing

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has pledged the federal government's support for a Nigerian firm, the UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas Limited, and its foreign partners, for the timely actualisation of their floating gas project.

Speaking yesterday, at the State House, Abuja, while playing host to the management of the company and

BudgIT Launches State Fiscal Transparency Initiative

BudgIT has launched its States Fiscal Transparency League (SFTL).

The SFTL initiative builds on the recently concluded World Bank's State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability, and Sustainability (SFTAS) Program, which promoted fiscal transparency and facilitated accountability in public resource management.

The World Bank had developed SFTAS, a four-year program to support the government’s objective and encourage a common set of fiscal behavior aimed at fiscal transparency, accountability, and

sustainability.

Based on this, BudgIT explained in a statement yesterday, that its States Fiscal Transparency League initiative was designed to sustain the gains of the World Bank’s SFTAS by tracking how well states maintain fiscal transparency, accountability, accessibility, and effective public finance management.

“The SFTL program is a quarterly assessment focused on various aspects, including Proposed Budget, Approved Budget, Citizens’ Budget, Budget Implementation Reports (BIR), Audit Report,

eProcurement Portal, MediumTerm Expenditure Framework (MTEF), Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, Accountant General's Report/Financial Statement and States' Functional Website/Fiscal Repository.

“In line with the criteria above, we conducted an assessment of all 36 states in Nigeria for the first quarter of 2023. From our findings, nine states were progressive as they adhered to the SFTAS guidelines, 24 states performed averagely, while three states had poor performance,” the statement added.

its foreign partners, the President, according to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Mr. Dele Alake, promised to remove all impediments to the timely completion of the facility.

He said: "It is a must for any government to support. Let me know if there are any bottlenecks, we will break them."

Tinubu commended UTM FLNG Limited as well as its technical partners, Technip Energies of France, and its Japanese counterpart, JGC, for the initiative and partnership.

"Yes, we have abundance of gas on the ground. However, the extractive industry needs the injection of your kind of partnership to be able to promote growth.”

The president applauded the conglomerate for the massive investment which, he said, would promote growth and protection of the environment.

Briefing the president earlier, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of UTM Offshore Limited, Mr. Julius Rone, said the project aligns with Tinubu's promise to develop Nigerian gas resources as a source of sustainable energy and economic development for the country.

He said when the facility gets upstream by the Fourth Quarter of 2026, it would process 1.5 million

meterric tonnes of Liquefied Natural Gas for foreign market, and produce 300,000 metric tonnes of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) for domestic use.

Rone said the company would cater for 25 percent of domestic demand for LPG.

He, therefore, solicited for Tinubu's support to eliminate any encumbrances that may endanger the delivery of the project by the targeted date.

In her remarks, the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Emmanuelle Blatmann, described the project as a milestone, cementing the French presence in Nigeria's economic space.

The facility, she said, would advance the economic diversification agenda of the federal government by tapping into the country's abundant gas deposit.

When delivered, she said, the gas from Nigeria would be viable as an alternative source of gas for Europe.

Speaking with newsmen after meeting with the President, CEO of UTM Offshore Limited, Rone disclosed that the multi-floating LNGs are being implemented with a $5 billion loan from AFRIEXIM Bank. According to him, Tinubu assured them that his administration would provide full support for the project because it fits into his programme to revive the economy and provide more jobs.

Rone revealed that the project has the capacity to produce 300,000 tons of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) per year and would provide 7,000 direct jobs for Nigerians.

He said it was the first time in Nigeria that an indigenous company would be involved in such project that would contribute to decarbonisation.

Rone added that the floating LNG project which was the first in Nigeria was expected to come on stream in the first quarter of 2026.

He also talked about the president's assurance towards delivering the project as scheduled.

His words: "Mr. President said there is no obstacle to deliver this project. That we will have this project delivered is a must, is not if we want to do it, that we should take it and go back that this project will be delivered and any obstacle we envisage on the way we should not waste time to get back to him through the Chief of Staff and the other officials working directly with him.

"So for us that is an assurance to continue to invest our money that is quite assuring for the investors that came all the way from Japan and Paris to visit Mr. President because they believe in this project.

So by the special grace of God, Nigeria, we will have our first floating LNG fourth quarter in 2026".

Say ex-Anambra governor's name not in LP's register submitted to INEC Allege shortfall of 11,000 votes in Kano Atiku: president, first to be declared winner without 25% in FCT

R-L: Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; former PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh; President Bola Tinubu, former Senate President, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, and Special Adviser, Special Duties, Communication & Strategy, Mr. Dele Alake, during a courtesy visit by Anyim and Metuh to the president at the Presidential Villa, Abuja... yesterday

UNCTAD: Nigeria Posted Negative FDI of $187m in 2022 Due to Equity Divestments

Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja

Nigeria posted a negative Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows of -$187 million as equity divestments defined the investment environment in 2022, the World Investment Report 2023, which was released yesterday by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has revealed.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) had earlier in April indicated that FDI into the country fell by 33 per cent in 2022.

The UNCTAD report also showed that foreign flows to Africa dipped to $45 billion in 2022 from the record $80 billion in 2021.

They accounted for 3.5 per cent of global FDI.

According to the World Investment Report 2023, international project finance deals targeting Africa showed a decline of 47 per cent in value.

It stated that the number of greenfield project announcements rose by 39 per cent to 766. Six of the top 15 greenfield investment megaprojects (those worth more than $10 billion) announced in 2022 were in Africa.

In North Africa, Egypt saw FDI more than double to $11 billion as a result of increased cross-border merger and acquisition (M&A) sales. Announced greenfield projects more than doubled in number, to

161. International project finance deals also rose in value by two thirds, to $24 billion, according to the report. Also, it showed that flows to Morocco dipped slightly by 6 per cent, to $2.1 billion.

“However, in West Africa, Nigeria saw FDI flows turn negative to -$187 million as a result of equity divestments.

Announced greenfield projects, however, rose by 24 per cent to $2 billion.

“Flows to Senegal remained flat at $2.6 billion while FDI to Ghana fell by 39 per cent to $1.5 billion.

“In East Africa, flows to Ethiopia decreased by 14 per cent to $3.7 billion; the country remained the second

largest FDI recipient on the continent. FDI to Uganda grew by 39 per cent to $1.5 billion on investment in extractive industries. FDI to Tanzania increased by 8 per cent to $1.1 billion.

“In Central Africa, FDI in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remained flat at $1.8 billion, with investment sustained by flows to offshore oil fields and mining. In Southern Africa, flows returned to prior levels after the anomalous peak in 2021 caused by a large corporate reconfiguration in South Africa,” it added. According to the report, FDI in South Africa was $9 billion – well below the 2021 level, but doubled the average of the last decade.

“Cross-border M&A sales in the country reached $4.8 billion from $280 million in 2021. In Zambia, after two years of negative values, FDI rose to $116 million,” it added.

The report revealed a widening annual investment deficit that developing countries were facing as they work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

“The gap is now about $4 trillion per year – up from $2.5 trillion in 2015 when the SDGs were adopted,” it added.

The report showed that global FDI fell 12 per cent in 2022 and analysed how investment policy and capital market trends impact investment in the SDGs, particularly in clean energy.

It highlighted that developing countries needed renewable energy investments of about $1.7 trillion each year, but attracted only $544 billion in clean energy FDI in 2022. According to the report, although investments in renewables had nearly tripled since 2015, most of the money have gone to developed countries. It called for urgent support to developing countries to enable them to attract significantly more investment for their transition to clean energy. It proposed a compact setting out priority actions, ranging from financing mechanisms to investment policies, to ensure sustainable energy for all.

Damagum, who might have given the party away to the G-5 governors, and let them steal the show.

The G-5 – Nyesom Wike (Rivers), ‘Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Samuel Ortom (Benue) – were believed to have skilfully played the “requisite money politics” with the other opposition elements, who were willing “cash and carry” aiders in the planned decimation of PDP.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, had Tuesday announced Senator Opeyemi Bamidele as Majority Leader, Dave Umahi (Ebonyi South) as Deputy Majority Leader;

Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South) as Chief Whip; Senator Lola Ashiru (Kwara South), Deputy Whip; Simon Mwadkwon (PDP, Plateau North) as Minority Leader; and Oyewunmi Olalere (PDP, Osun West) as Deputy Minority Leader. In the House of Representatives, the Speaker, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, named Hon. Julius Ihonvbere as Majority Leader; Hone Abdullahi Halims as Deputy Majority Leader; Hon. Bello Kumo as Chief Whip; Adewunmi Onanuga as Deputy Chief Whip; and Kingsley Chinda, an ally of Wike, as Minority Leader. With this development, the mainstream PDP evidently lost

CRACKS WIDEN IN APC OVER NWC

yesterday as three members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) dissociated the committee from a statement by APC Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, on the election of principal officers of the 10th National Assembly.

But President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, met with Adamu, and the party's National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, at State House, Abuja.

In a related development, opposition senators from the six minority parties in the upper chamber, yesterday, maintained that the emergence of their principal officers was in line with relevant provisions of the country's constitution and the Standing Rules of the Senate.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio had on Tuesday announced Senator Opeyemi Bamidele as Majority Leader, Dave Umahi (Ebonyi South) as Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South) as Chief Whip, and Senator Lola Ashiru (Kwara South) as Deputy Whip.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, equally, named Hon. Julius Ihonvbere as Majority Leader; while Hone Abdullahi Halims was announced as Deputy Majority Leader; Hon. Bello Kumo, Chief Whip; and Adewunmi Onanuga, Deputy Chief Whip.

But speaking on Tuesday during a meeting between NWC and APC governors, Adamu said the party's NWC had no hand in the emergence of the principal officers.

He stated, "The election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives has been determined and announced, and their responsibilities. The remaining offices will be determined by the two chambers.

“I had a courtesy call on Saturday from the President of the Senate and his Deputy. The following Sunday, I received the speaker and his deputy speaker coming to me for Sallah's homage.

"But, I am just hearing a rumour now from the online media that there have been some announcements in the Senate and House of Representatives. The national headquarters of the party of the NWC has not given any such information or communicated about the choice of offices."

However, three NWC members, who spoke to some journalists on the condition of anonymity yesterday in Abuja, expressed worry that it would appear that the national chairman had made up his mind not to work harmoniously with President Bola Tinubu.

The NWC members pointed out

that during the meeting, many APC governors, who spoke on the issue, cautioned the chairman and urged him to reach out to the leadership of the National Assembly and resolve the matter amicably.

The NWC member stated, "It was unanimously believed at the meeting that the emergence of leaders of the two chambers of the National Assembly is with the blessing of the president.”

Another NWC member added, "It would appear that the national chairman has made up his mind not to work harmoniously with President Asiwaju, as he repeatedly keeps disputing decisions he has made towards constituting his government."

The NWC members distanced themselves and the NWC from such actions that clearly undermined the smooth take off of the APC federal government under Tinubu and called on the national chairman to desist from such, too.

Tinubu Meets Adamu, Omisore at State House President Bola Tinubu met with the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and the party's national secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, at State House, Abuja.

The meeting might not be unconnected with developments within the ruling party, especially the forthcoming national caucus and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings of the party. The meeting came a day after the National Assembly selected its remaining principal officers, a development kicked against by the leadership of the APC.

‘Choice of Minority Officers Constitutional’

Opposition senators from the six minority parties, yesterday, maintained that the emergence of their principal officers was in line with relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Standing Rules of the Senate.

The minority lawmakers insisted that the officers for the positions were proposed for appointment and other members confirmed them.

Minority Leader of the Senate, Simon Mwadkwon (PDP, Plateau North), clarified this while briefing journalists after a meeting with his members in the six opposition parties.

Mwadkwon described the 10th Senate as unique in several ways,

out to the G-5 and the theatrics of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC).

APC was believed to have reached an understanding with the G-5 to undo their party at every opportunity. From all indications, the mainstream PDP does not own the minority leadership in both chambers of the National Assembly, as those that emerged are not a true reflection of its choice.

Typically, this development might have begun to relegate the opposition party, which watched helplessly as it was played out to the background of action in the legislature.

The G-5 had allegedly enlisted and

adding that it is the most diverse senate in Nigeria’s history. The upper chamber is composed of senators from seven political parties, including APC, which has 59 senators, and the opposition parties of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and Young Progressives Party (YPP), which produced 50 members of the senate.

The text of the briefing was titled, “Building a virile and constructive opposition caucus in the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the benefit of Nigeria and Nigerians.”

Mwadkwon stated, “In terms of rules of procedure for the nomination of Minority Leadership of the Senate, Section 60 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) empowers the senate to make rules to regulate its procedures.

mobilised all the other opposition parties, especially Labour Party (LP), whose members were alleged to have resorted to “cash and carry” politics. The group was said to have effectively “captured” the other opposition parties and might continue to instigate them to always stand in opposition against PDP.

The path to PDP’s current disunity started at the party’s presidential primary last May, when one of the presidential aspirants and former governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, stepped down for Atiku Abubakar, a development believed to have altered the equation and swung things in Atiku’s favour.

“Premised on the constitutional mandate, and by the authority of the Nigerian senate, the senate Standing Orders 2022 (As amended) issued as the rule book to guide the conduct of legislative businesses, including the appointment of principal officers by the senate.

“Consequently, the senate Standing Orders (2022) in Chapter Six (6), pages 21 to 22, Senate Rules Nos 27, 28, 29, and 30 provided for the Minority Leadership positions, including the Minority Leader, Minority Whip, Deputy Minority Leader, and Deputy Minority Whip ‘Who shall be senators, nominated from the minority parties in the senate.’

“The critical emphasis here is that the officers must be (1) Serving Senators of the Federal of Nigeria, who are (2) Members of the Minorities Parties in the Senate and the word nominate in the Oxford language dictionary means to "Propose".

PDP LEADERSHIP IN DISARRAY, FAILS TO SECURE MINORITY OFFICES IN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY both industry regulators, pending the amendment to the contentious portions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) by the National Assembly.

Wike, also a presidential aspirant, did not take kindly to Tambuwal’s decision, especially the following day, when the suspended National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, thanked Tambuwal and described him as the “hero of the convention.”

These series of events soon led to a rebellion orchestrated by Wike and his friends. They insisted that for the balancing of power, Ayu must resign from his position and pave way for a southerner to become PDP’s national chairman, since a northerner, in the person of Atiku, had emerged presidential candidate of the party.

Wike and the others contended that the condition was what they all agreed to when Ayu was nominated as the party’s chairman. They insisted that Ayu’s refusal to go after Atiku emerged was a breach of understanding and trust that could not be overlooked.

But while the party did not object to the request and claim outright, it noted that it was only possible after the general election, a decision the G-5 rejected and since then waged war against the PDP leadership. Though the crisis cost some of the G-5 members their elections, they continued to fight.

Little wonder Wike and others moved against PDP two days ago at the National Assembly, when it became clear that Tambuwal, a man said to have stopped Wike’s presidential ambition by standing down for Atiku, was being tipped as the party and Atiku’s choice for Minority Leader.

Interestingly, the G-5, THISDAY gathered, had resolved to continue to stand in opposition to PDP and seize as many opportunities as they continue to avail themselves to give back to the party a dose of its own treatment.

TINUBU, SHETTIMA, APC CLOSE DEFENCE IN OBI, ATIKU'S PETITIONS

The five-member panel adjourned further hearing in the two separate petitions till a date that would be communicated to parties.

According to the electoral law, following the closure of the case of the respondents, they are to file their written addresses within 10 days, while the petitioners have seven days to respond. Both petitioners and respondents then have another five days to exchange further briefs.

Both Obi and Atiku, in their separate petitions before the Presidential Election Petition Court, were seeking the nullification of Tinubu's victory at the February 25 presidential election.

Their grouse was that the election was marred by gross irregularities, corrupt practices, and non-compliance with the electoral laws. They said Tinubu did not score 25 per cent of the votes cast in the FCT, and that he was not qualified to be on the ballot on account of controversies surrounding his educational qualification, citizenship, age and alleged drug related offences.

The chairman of INEC, Professor Yakubu Mahmood, had on March 1 declared Tinubu winner of the presidential election, saying he scored majority of the lawful votes cast in the election.

AFTER BUHARI, TINUBU WADES INTO NUPRC, NMDPRA ALTERCATION OVER OVERLAPPING FUNCTIONS

The official communication by the president to the Ministry of Justice was titled: “Delineation of Regulatory Oversight Between Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Pending Clarifications by Way of Amendment to the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.”

In May, just before his exit, Buhari had directed the NUPRC to take over the supervision of all crude oil export terminals in the country in a bid to end the frequent altercations.

At the time, Buhari who also doubled as the Minister of Petroleum Resources, in a letter written to the agencies and copied International Oil Companies (IOCs) specifically directed the NMDPRA to hands off any activities that had to do with regulatory work at crude oil export terminals in Nigeria.

The then president further instructed the NMDPRA to immediately comply with an earlier Senate Resolution on the matter to exit the terminals.

The federal government also urged the minister of state at the time to ensure immediate compliance and report back within 14 days that the resolution was being adhered to by all stakeholders.

But hardly had the content of the memo been fully assimilated when a

few weeks later, another public clash occurred after the NMDPRA accused ExxonMobil of being involved in the ‘illegal lifting' of petroleum products from an offshore terminal without its authorisation.

As THISDAY later found out, the accusation by the NMDPRA was just a continuation of the power tussle between both oil and gas industry regulators.

However, ExxonMobil debunked the allegation, saying its operations were carried out in full compliance with the law, with sources within the company confirming that it was “the fight between NUPRC and NMDPRA over who controls export...messing up the image of the country.”

But to fully ensure that the new directive sank, Tinubu in the letter he personally signed, deployed the use of a diagrammatic illustration to push home his point on the limits of each agency, and asked that it be gazetted immediately.

He admitted that there were some form of ambiguity in the law, prompting the clashes and attempted to delineate the line of responsibilities for each of the agencies.

The new president stressed that the NUPRC shall be the exclusive technical and commercial regulator in respect of upstream petroleum operations and facilities, while the NMDPRA shall be the exclusive technical and commercial regulator in respect of petroleum operations and facilities from the exit of the crude

export terminals and the entry gate of the natural gas processing plants.

“The above-mentioned subject matter and related correspondences refers. In delineating the responsibilities of the NUPRC and NMDPRA, certain provisions of the PIA have inadvertently created ambiguity and overlap in regulatory scope.

“The recent issuance of conflicting directives to lease/license holders has created uncertainty in the regulatory and operating environment in this critical sector to the Nigerian economy.

“To facilitate a conducive operating and investment climate pending clarifying amendments to the PIA, I hereby direct as follows: NUPRC shall be the exclusive technical and commercial regulator in respect of upstream petroleum operations and facilities.

“This responsibility encompasses the licensing, administration, monitoring of petroleum facilities that are operationally linked from extraction to and including crude export terminals and the gate of the natural gas processing plant,” the letter dated June 26, stated.

On the other hand, it added: “NMDPRA shall be the exclusive technical and commercial regulator in respect of petroleum operations and facilities from the exit of the crude export terminals and the entry gate of the natural gas processing plant.

“In accordance with Section 318 of the PIA, integrated upstream and midstream petroleum operations shall

be considered as upstream petroleum operations. Consequently, pursuant to Section 8(d) of the PIA, NUPRC shall have sole jurisdiction over the technical and commercial regulation of integrated petroleum facilities for upstream petroleum operations.”

The president maintained that the determination of whether petroleum facilities qualify as integrated facilities shall rest solely with NUPRC.

He added that clear guidelines and criteria shall be established by NUPRC to ascertain the integration status of facilities and ensure consistent application of the criteria.

Tinubu urged the NUPRC and the NMDPRA to immediately comply with the directives and ensure that no duplication of regulatory responsibilities occurs henceforth across any activity.

“This includes refraining from overlapping regulatory functions relating to activities leading up to and including export terminal operations,” he pointed out.

The president further highlighted that the directives have implications for staff deployment and financial sustainability of the NMDPRA.

“The ACE NMDPRA, CCE NUPRC and the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, under the auspices of the Chief of Staff to the President, shall resolve to work out the modalities and proffer solutions, including potential amendments to the PIA. I hereby request that this is published in the Federal Government Gazette,” the memo concluded.

POLITICS

Omololu: We Won’t Allow Rebels within Afenifere to Derail Yoruba’s Progress

National Organising Secretary Of Afenifere,

apex socio-cultural organisation before the 2023 polls, President Tinubu’s decision to end fuel subsidy and unify foreign exchange system as well as Afenifere’s expectations from the new government, among other issues.

With the leadership crisis that threatened Afenifere before the 2023 elections, it appears the contemporary Afenifere has lost its founding core values?

I disagree with you to a large extent. There is a need to understand what Afenifere stands for and how it has pursued the vision of its founding fathers.

First, Afenifere is a legacy organisation of the Yoruba Nation. The word was coined to represent the values and ideals of the Action Group in 1951. It was designed to emphasise and illustrate our core values founded on the principles of egalitarianism, democratic social welfare and a life more abundant for all. These are the virtues that the Yoruba family holds very dearly and which Afenifere has consistently applied with integrity for decades.

Second, Afenifere has enjoyed the trust and support of our people not only in South-west states, but also in other Yoruba-speaking states namely Kogi and Kwara. This was demonstrated during the last presidential election. President Bola Tinubu is one of our illustrious sons, and we did our best to rally support for him at different levels.

Third, we owe Afenifere’s pre-eminence over and above all the Yoruba socio-cultural organisations to the astuteness, commitment and self-sacrifice of our founding fathers led by the late sage and first Premier of the Western Region, Pa Obafemi Awolowo.

Pa Awolowo exhibited focused, farsighted and diligent leadership qualities with awesome

and matchless integrity.

He made so much personal sacrifice for the good of the people of the Yoruba Nation, a rare feat that we are now praying God will help Asiwaju Tinubu attain now that he has taken charge as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. These ideals still govern our interventions and operations till date, and we exhibited our flinching support for Asiwaju’s presidential aspiration.

Now that the general election has been concluded, what steps are being taken to resolve divisions in the ranks of Afenifere

leaders?

As a socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere treasures the culture of consultation and consensus. The division you are talking about was as a result of lack of consultation, especially among a few members led by our acting leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo.

Since the military proscribed the Action Group in 1966, the focus of Afenifere, especially from 1987, remains Yoruba-focused. However, this focus is coated with macroNigeria thought.

Whatever we do as a socio-cultural organisation, our people must be carried along. As a matter of principle, we cannot and must not impose an idea on them.

That explains why we generously supported Asiwaju’s presidential aspiration because he is the choice of the Yoruba people. This is where Afenifere stands.

Coincidentally, this is where the APC stands. Any other dissenting opinion is a voice in a cuckoo land. Afenifere will not allow itself to be used to rebel against the choice of the people and still be pretending to be speaking for the same people.

Our mission is to strengthen the unity of the Yoruba Nation; fight for the rights of the Yoruba people and protect the civilisation of the Yoruba Nation.

Afenifere is no doubt under the leadership of Chief Reuben Fasoranti. After his daughter, Mrs Olufunke Olakunrin, was gruesomely murdered, Pa Fasoranti appointed Pa Adebanjo, as the acting leader and Oba Diipo Olaitan as the deputy leader. But any statement

or action against the authority of Pa Fasoranti shall henceforth be deemed abominable, rebellious and sacrilegious.

Put differently, it will be seen as a sin against the spirit of the Yoruba people. The media should please take note.

In his celebrated article titled “In Yorubaland, a King Is not Buried Alive,” published in The Guardian on November 3, 2022, Chief Dare Babarinsa, provided a valid illustration of Afenifere’s culture and its modus operandi.

Afenifere does not operate like the western organogram. We operate the way our forefathers laid down. It is called “olori ebi system” (the head of the family). The leader of Afenifere remains in that position until he dies, even if he is invalid or stepped aside.

All meetings must hold in his house, he must be briefed about all the outcomes of the meetings and decisions. By implication, an acting leader only chairs meetings on behalf of the leader. The moment he sees himself as de facto leader, confusion set in.

As a people, Yoruba protect their values and culture jealously. Hence, we remain principled on issues that are fundamental to our values as Yoruba’s foremost socio-cultural organisation. No acting leader can assume the position of leadership until the leader is called home. Doing so is an act of treachery, and it is regarded as a coup, which cannot stand the test of time.

Okocha: No Known APC Politician in Rivers Worked for Tinubu’s Victory

Former Chief of Staff to ex-Minister of Transportation, Tony Okocha, in this interview with Emameh Gabriel, speaks on how the Rivers state chapter of the All Progressives Congress went into the the 2023 polls as a divided house and the role played by former governor, Nyesom Wike, in President Bola Tinubu’s victory in the state.

There are different persons laying claims to supporting the victory of President BolaTinubu in Rivers State during the recently concluded 2023 presidential election. Can you tell us your own side of the story?

Why I have decided to speak up is the fact that people are now attempting to stand truth on the head in respect to how Bola Tinubu won the 2023 presidential election in Rivers state. I’m not the type that allows falsehood to fester. Some of the narratives are caste on falsehood and blatant lies.

Now there is the penchant from different quarters especially from the quarters that rejected Tinubu. My worry is that you may just not have agreed to work with Tinubu.

Its a different ball game. But that you worked with Tinubu and then at the point that you were needed the most, mid-sea, you jumped ship. You rejected, you goofed, on your own. You ported to another party or chose not to work for Tinubu again, and then only to return when the victory is here to say I was Tinubu’s first son. Does that work?

So can you shed more light into how the problem within the ranks of the APC started in Rivers?

When we left the PDP with my former boss, Rotimi Ameachi, we had an APC that was initially robust. We were all united.

We fought many battles but problems started, of course naturally it is typical of politicians. The problem started when the decision as to who will be the governorship candidate of the

party for the 2015 election was taken. Now the problem was, who was going to be the candidate of the party. But trust what chief executives can do.

In spite of all the scheming, all the subterranean movements here and there, its not that we didn’t know who the popular candidates would have necessarily been.

But for the fact that chief executives like to protect their interests. They will always want to have a successor. So in our case, that anointed successor was different from the popular person. So our problems started.

But again, we decided to close ranks for the 2015 elections. So when a

candidate was chosen single handedly, against the wishes of over 95% of the stakeholders of the party. Knowing of course that politics is about number and what you can bring to the table. Well, we were able to persuade the other person being Senator Magnus Ibe whom all of us felt was then a better candidate for the party. We were able to persuade him to go back to the Senate while Dakuku Peterside ran the election for governorship. Unfortunately, we didn’t win. The PDP came with their state might from the federal level. And then Governor Wike who was then the Minister of State for education, and candidate of the PDP, won the election.

So fine, we went to court to battle. The Court of Appeal nullified the election, the Wike group went to the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court reversed it and said he was governor, so he was governor. Like I said, we started the APC in Rivers as a robust party. When we had problems, when we started our postmortem here, our party got divided. We got fragmented.

We were broken into factions. My former boss, Rotimi Ameachi, was leading a faction, he was a leader of the party, by reason of the fact that he was governor. And he was a super Minister. So he was leader.

But by his own act, he had caused a division in the House. So that approach divided us, Amaechi led his own group and Magnus led his own group. I belonged to Magnus camp. Because for me, that was where the injustice of the matter was. The side of Amaechi was clearly high handed.

Now we had two camps clearly. And so those

two camps battled. We left the political scene and we were going to court every day back and forth to the Supreme Court.

You recall the famous Ibrahim Omar matter in Supreme Court. So that enmity in quote continued until the primary election.

Magnus wanted to be governor, we were siding Magnus to be governor from our own side. But the forces from this side, Ameachi had more money. He had proximity advantage to power. He was funding APC at national level. So even when we’ll get close to achieving whatever we wanted to achieve, he throws in his weight and the whole thing will return to his favour. So that was our plight. And that continued to the presidential election, the presidential primaries for 2023. It was clear. Amaechi group supported Amaechi. Our own group led by Magnus supported Tinubu. Unfortunately, while we were everywhere mobilising for support for Tinubu, believing that maybe the process of the primaries to determine the candidate will be direct primary, which allows that every member of APC to vote. That was our initial thinking. Unfortunately, at the time the party brought out their guidelines, we were completely shut out. The party said only LGA chairmen. So 69 delegates from Rivers state, our group didn’t meet up with the requirements. Magnus was not a delegate, I wasn’t a delegate to that election. But the most important thing is that everyone from Rivers state knew we were for Tinubu.

Kole Omololu, in this interview with Gboyega Akinsanmi, speaks about the leadership crisis that befell Yoruba’s

Omololu

Okocha

Nwobike: Giving Back to the Legal Profession

Dr. Joseph Nwobike, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, is the Lead Partner of a multi-disciplinary law firm, Osborne Law Practice, with offices in Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Abuja. Recently, he made history as the first legal practitioner to single handedly build and donate a befitting Bar Centre free to any Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in Rivers State, writes Wale Igbintade

It is often said that the true meaning of wealth is giving back to the society at large. This is true, and applicable to Dr. Joseph Nwobike SAN, who through philanthropic gestures has empowered many people over the years.

Interestingly, Nwobike’s charitable gesture had gone beyond community development, and has made history as the first legal practitioner to single-handedly built and donated a befitting Bar Centre free to any NBA branch in Rivers State. The Bar Centre, named ‘Dr. Joseph Nwobike SAN Law Centre’ was erected on an expansive land at Alimini Isiokpo town, Rivers State, and was officially commissioned on Friday June 23, 2023, by the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi.

Inaugurating the Bar Centre, the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi commended Dr. Joseph Nwobike for the kind gesture, stressing that he has written his name in gold, and made the jobs of lawyers in Isiokpo easy, as they now have a befitting office to carry out their legal-related activities.

The Chief Judge admonished lawyers to constantly support the Nigerian Bar Association in its quest to promote the rule of law and its activities. The jurist, who noted that the donor is the first lawyer in the state to build and donate a secretariat for the Nigerian Bar Association, admonished lawyers to always find ways of helping the Bar and young lawyers to grow professionally.

He stated that Dr. Nwobike has made giant strides in the legal profession, adding that building a modern Bar Centre for the Isiokpo branch is laudable and worthy of emulation by others.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the NBA Isiokpo Branch, Dr. Cashmia Ofurum, copiously thanked Dr. Nwobike for donating the magnificent edifice to the Branch.

In his remarks, the donor, Dr. Nwobike said that the event was the high point of the promise to build and donate the secretariat which he made in September, 2022 to the Branch’s Executives, following their plea for office accommodation.

He thanked God for his provision which made it possible for the project to be delivered within time. He urged the NBA Isiokpo Branch to put the building and its facilities to their best use.

Dr. Nwobike said the donation was an expression of his commitment to sustaining the branch, and giving back to the profession from which he has benefited immensely.

‘’This project, I must confess, is one of my little ways of giving back to the profession from which I have derived so much. In all, I want to thank God for providing the means, grace and divine understanding which clearly enabled the completion of this project within this time, he stated.

According to Nwobike, it all started on August 22, 2022, when some Isiokpo-born lawyers, and other members of the Nigerian Bar Association, Isiokpo branch visited his chambers in Lagos on the activities and challenges facing the NBA Isiokpo Branch, as well as problem of office accommodation confronting the Branch since its creation in 2002.

He said he accepted to support the Branch and immediately directed one Stephen Alu, to source for land in Isiokpo Town for that purpose.

"I purchased the land, and on the September 22, 2022, handed over the ownership of the two plots of land to the Branch at a ceremony attended by the executives and members of the Branch, At that event, the Branch Chairman, Dr. Cashmia Ofurum, in his address, pleaded for my assistance to their quest to construct a befitting secretariat for the Branch. Following this plea, I announced my decision to build and deliver a befitting secretariat on that land to the Branch within the shortest possible time. What we are gathered here today, being the 23rd of June 2023, is the highpoint of that unconditional commitment made by my humble self to the NBA Isiokpo Branch on that day’’, he stated.

He thanked members and executives of the Branch for naming the secretariat after him and that he was indeed humbled by this gesture.

He also commended the Chief Judge of the State, the judges of the various High Courts, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Rivers State, the members of the Inner and Outer Bar, Traditional Rulers and other dignitaries presented at the occasion.

"I thank the Honourable Chief Judge of the State, the judges of the various High Courts here present, the Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Rivers State, the members of the Inner and Outer Bar, Traditional Rulers and other dignitaries who found this event worthy of their physical attendance’’, he stated.

Earlier in his welcome addresses, Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Isiokpo Branch, Rivers State, Dr. Cashmia Ofurum, expressed appreciation to the donor for putting smiles on the faces members of Isiokpo branch.

According to him, it was at the NBA annual general conference that two members of the branch decided to pay a courtesy visit to Dr. Nwobike, adding that it was the visit that paved the way for the inauguration of the Bar Centre.

He said: "The NBA Isiokpo Branch is indeed proud to play host to the commissioning exercises of her property and Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN), NBA Isiokpo Law Centre. Upon our being sworn in as the Chairman of the Family Bar, we bought the property at Igwuruta town and renovated same. Wilcox Abereton, SAN sponsored the painting of the property. We appreciate you, Elder. Our property at Igwuruta town is located in a serene and cozy environment and consists of: One bedroom flat apartment; three self-contain apartments and four

lock-up shops.

"We are confident that this property would yield income of at least N1military annually. This is a shift from the previous situation where the Branch will depend mostly on gifts from the Government and members of the public to survive.

‘’The NBA Isiokpo Branch is further blessed with a wonderful breakthrough by God Almighty through Dr. Joseph Nwobike, SAN. While at the NBA annual general conference last year, Stephen Alu, Simple Oroha (both members of Isiokpo Branch) and Chigoze Amadi, the current Director Public Prosecution, Rivers State (Port Harcourt Branch) decided to pay a courtesy visit to Dr. Joseph Nwobike, SAN. I must categorically state here for the records that it was that visit that paved the way for the commissioning of the Bar Centre that we are witnessing today.

"As providence would have it at that courtesy visit, Dr. Joseph Nwobike SAN decided to buy two plots of land and donate same to the NBA Isiokpo Branch. As if that was not enough, the Learned Silk, true to his word began raising this edifice for the Branch. The Branch equally bought two additional plots of land to add to the one donated to us and sent a token to facilitate in developing the area we purchased, and before we knew it, the learned silk has completed this building within a shortest possible time. Learned Silk, it is not enough to name the Bar Centre after you, the

Branch shall eternally remain grateful to you’’, he added.

The historic occasion attracted many high court judges, magistrates, senior lawyers and other dignitaries from far and near, including His Royal Majesty King Blessing A N Wagor JP, Wagidi XL, who led other traditional rulers to the occasion.

Some of the dignitaries at the event include judges of the State’s Judiciary, the Solicitor-General of the State, Mr. Egerton Madume, Director of Public Prosecution of Rivers State, the Paramount Ruler of the Isiokpo Ancient Kingdom, HRM Blessing Wagor The Wagidi XL, Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Chris Ezem, the immediate past Secretary to the Abia State Government, Hon. Eloka Tasie-Amadi, former Rivers State Commissioner for Works, lawyers, the clergy, among others.

Dr. Joseph Nwobike has been being a legal practitioner for over three decades. He attained the prestigious rank of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2009, and Notary Public for Nigeria. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1992 after graduating with 2nd Class Upper Honours at both the University of Lagos and the Nigeria Law School, Lagos.

He holds the Master of Laws and Doctorate degrees from the Universities of Lagos and Abuja respectively. A fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), and Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria. He drafted, and managed the legislative advocacy that led to the enactment of, the Chartered Institute of Local Government And Public Administration of Nigeria Act, No.1, 2017.

Nwobike has conducted extensive litigations at all levels of the court system across Nigeria, and has advised on several researches and successful litigations in the United States of America and the continental Europe. His practice interest areas are in financial transactions, tax appeals, legislative advocacy, capital markets, commercial and public interest litigation as well as secured credit and proprietary interest transactions.

He has authored and published several authoritative articles on a number of legal interest areas.

Nwobike

It is often said that the true meaning of wealth is giving back to the society at large. This is true, and applicable to Dr. Joseph Nwobike SAN, who through philanthropic gestures has empowered many people over the years

KILLINGS IN NIGERIA’S NORTH CENTRAL

The violence in the region is causing largescale dislocation, writes ABIMBOLA ADESEGUN

WIKE AND ASO VILLA

See page 21

THE STRATEGIC PLACE OF MASS ENLIGHTENMMENT

IN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

RONKE BELLO urges the Tinubu administration to constantly match communication with real time actions

I had written and “kept this article in view” to adopt a well known phrase in the nation’s bureaucracy. This was until I read the respected scholar, theorist, polemicist and journalist, Chidi Amuta’s piece: “Tinubu Should Avoid Wike’s and Buhari-era Parade of Rank Incompetence,” recently published in *USAfrica.* Amuta’s typically well-worded, pungent and enlightening piece, convinced me to dust up my essay and align myself with his thoughts. I’ve been Amuta’s admirer for the better part of the past four decades. This was before I was fortuitously joined with him in the Yemi Ogunbiyi dispensation in the good old *Daily Times.* He was up there chairing the Editorial Board of the organisation, while younger elements like us honed our craft as interrogators

Nigerians and the world at large continue to anticipate with bated breaths judicial pronouncements on the multivalent controversies devolving from the recent general elections. The polls have been broadly adjudged as having been heavily soiled in the oil and grease of sleaze and phenomenal compromise. Aggrieved parties are variously seeking adjudication by the courts in the land. Bola Ahmed Tinubu who was Republic on Monday May 29, 2023, has since set out to work. He has made some appointments and commissioned inquests into the endeavours the predecessor government.

Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN), had become a virtual “traditional ruler” in his position. He was appointed in the twilight of the Goodluck Jonathan presidency, and retained all through the tepid eight-year Muhammadu Buhari era. On his part, the youthful Abdulrasheed Bawa,

See page 21

EDITORIAL ABUSE OF PUBLIC

HOLIDAYS

the executive suites of the Department of State Services, (DSS). More contemporaneously, Tinubu has sacked the boards of several public institutions, many of which were the automated teller machines, (ATMs) of some erstwhile

In exercise of the approval of the National Assembly enabling him appoint 20 Special Advisers, Tinubu has named occupants of some of the advisory portfolios. One could almost close his eyes and list some of them who have been Tinubu’s henchmen for decades now. Dele Alake and Wale Edun were bound to be insiders in a Tinubu superstructure, any day. A Secretary the very experienced George Akume, a retired bureaucrat and former governor of Benue State; a longserving federal parliamentarian, and a National Security Adviser, (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu have also been named. New heads of the nation’s defence and security forces have been appointed, among others, following a holistic sweep of those inherited from the preceding government.

Since Tinubu was pronounced “President in-waiting,” immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has

mendicancy to Olympian levels. You should have witnessed his unashamed kowtowing and grovelling before Tinubu, when he, Wike, dragged the new helmsman to Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State, even before the new President was inaugurated, to commission a project executed by his erstwhile government. laughters thoroughly mistimed. There was no concealment of his covetousness for accommodation in the evolving governance scheme. This is a man who spent all the initial

climaxed with an eight-year stint as chief executive of perhaps Nigeria’s second richest state.

At the height of his “power and glory,” buoyed by two government-owned jets at his beck and call, Wike reportedly boasted to many of his audiences that on no account does he pass the night in Abuja. In the aftermath of Tinubu’s inauguration, however, Wike has relocated wholly to the nation’s capital, sleeping and waking up in Abuja every day. He has reportedly been hopping from the State House, to the federal parliament, and gatecrashing into the hotel rooms and homes of associates of the new President. He has become a very regular caller in Aso Villa, a veritable janitor actually. Who says a novel janitorial schedule cannot be created for him in the State House scheme by the way? Within him three times! His carriage indeed, has been like that of a sole sponsor of the 2023 general elections.

Wike, the husky-voiced sea lion of the creeks into a vulnerable pussy cat. He now has to ride on the backs of third parties to access the seat of power. When he is not on the tails of Seyi Makinde, Governor of Oyo State and his colleague in the *G-5,* he is tagging along with his former foes like Dave Umahi. And this is all in the bid to gain access into the highly restricted State House. He marched with his *G-5* allies to visit the President days into the new administration, barely seeking the second opinion of his mirror. This was before he turned out oddly in a group photograph of his *G-5* and the President. The miscued buttoning of for several days!

Wike “forcefully herded” the new President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and a host of

local church in Obio-Akpo local government area of Rivers State a fortnight ago. They attended a simulated “thanksgiving service” in his honour. It was a programme which he kinsmen, the fact that he was still a big player on the national political podium. At that event, Wike attempted to impugn the integrity of the local chapter of the PDP. He alluded to a scam “poisoning” at the state secretariat of the PDP years ago, which allegedly threatened his vital organs. Surprisingly, in Wike’s several media appearances many of which he held in the gardens of *Brick House,* Government House, Port Harcourt, no allusion has ever been made to this incident.

Unknown to him, however, he opened himself up to further public derision by such cheap, illusory concoction. Phrank Shaibu, a media aide to Atiku Abubakar, spontaneously his “kidney and lungs,” if it ever happened, was a product of career alcoholism. Shaibu reminded Wike that he, Wike, had earlier day, by gulping bottles of “40-year aged” vintage whisky! The shelf price of one bottle of Wike’s favourite daily “morning tonic,” by I checked, no Vice Chancellor in any public Nigerian university, no professor, earns one million naira as total pay package in a month. There may be exceptions though, probably a handful whose professorial chairs are being bodies or well endowed individuals. Yet, these intellectuals are the bastions of very engaging knowledge production and impartation for national and global development.

The point is that Wike desperately needs of an existence in anonymity, away from the razzmatazz and klieglights of the public environment. Not after being over-pampered at our collective expense for a whopping 24 years! He is enamoured by having aides and He loves to stand behind the lectern and rehash *Timaya’s* popular song, *as e dey pain dem, e dey sweet us.* He loves to hop and prance before excitable audiences. He will not be able to do all of that as a private citizen. Wike has estranged himself from the political class in Rivers State on account of his weird specie of leadership, he doesn’t have many friends back home.

Wike loves the allure of power. During his cross-country consultations ahead of the PDP presidential primary last year, Wike’s sole sing-song was: *Give me that power, just give it to me and see what I will do with it.* His advocacy and solicitation bore no references to a broad vision, a mission statement, a manifesto. He only wanted power to transit from Rivers State-owned airplanes, to those of the federal government as president.

Olusunle, PhD, poet, journalist, scholar and author is a Member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, (NGE)

TUNDE OLUSUNLE urges the former Governor of Rivers State to look for something else to do

KILLINGS IN NIGERIA’S NORTH CENTRAL

Nigeria’s north central, previously known for serenity and bustling economic activities has today become one of the most insecure regions in Nigeria and indeed around the world given the level of wanton killings and destruction owing to the activities of rampaging criminal gangs, a mix of religious fundamentalists and herders men, who in the guise of grazing cattle have resorted to all manner of criminalities, including land grabbing and kidnapping for felonious venture of kidnapping innocent citizens and obtaining huge ransom while also engaged in killing of persons and sometime families perceived to hold contrary religious activities of these bandits over the years has upon the poor, innocent and mostly underprivileged citizens, disrupted livelihoods, and strained social cohesion with huge economic

social development workers and other international and local non-governmental

extremist attacks summoned courage to speak about his near- death experience in the hands ordeal in the hands of bandits, a development worker, Paul Amufor, stated that his agony started when he was posted as a temporary

of the days, while on duty, he was accosted and accused of promoting western education having direct links with the secret police, an

it was merely aimed at scaring him not until he was hounded and brutally attacked at began chasing him, and threaten to shoot at took a slim chance and made an escape from the attackers but not without being directly received the news that he was top target on the watch list of the attackers as having been marked for elimination for his alleged role in

RONKE BELLO urges the Tinubu administration to constantly match communication with real time actions

THE STRATEGIC PLACE OF MASS ENLIGHTENMMENT IN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

For leaders, essential communication strategies in the public sector help ensure a message or program is understood and gets through to the target audience with as elements of a program’s success and operation, making them vital to develop as best as possible, this is participatory governance and is the order of sane and working informed the citizens are about the policies of their government the more they develop interest in participation either in support or been attacked by the masses simply because they were not well informed or involved in the process or processes that led to the formulation and implementation of those that what people do not understand they their government and this is something the

even to those who may not embrace Public policy leaders can construct path of understanding through strong communication, not just about stating facts but conveying facts in a manner that fosters a sense of trust and responsibility

threat to safety and peace in the north central region especially in Plateau, Benue and Kogi States with a vast amount of the population living under serious fear, while many are in

extremist ideology have further compounded tensions in Nigeria and unleashed a wave of insecurity across the central region which for many years had seen both Muslims and Christians live happily in same communities,

With ethno-religious tensions very high around most parts of Nigeria, religious extremism has emerged as a powerful insecurity-creating force jeopardizing the Extremist religious groups have always aimed sort of disagreement, motivated largely by fanaticism, has destroyed towns, taken many lives, and caused fear and division among many hitherto peaceful communities in between religious groups have developed

Violence which breaks out in the course of minor disputes or provocations, often which many families are killed and properties worshippers have been victims of senseless attacks, and places of worship have often

Worried about the situation and his safety, he sought for help to escape the community and was on able to get help for a number of days in hiding as his communication was hiding and several attempts, with the help of villagers, he managed to make an escape and headed for the state capital, Makurdi, where However, unknown to him, his family was already being monitored and two nights after he returned, his house was attacked and fortunately he had arranged to stay in a hotel with his family while planning on how to

destroyed, the assailants were unable for the last time to get a hold of him, and his escape

Paul Amufor and his wife and kids abandoned for the south western city of Lagos where he said he struggled for months to overcome the trauma, even though he never felt entirely safe since the attackers seem to have more than enough information about him and may still many victims of similar attacks in recent past, With attacks by the Boko Haram terrorists’ sect not abating, upsurge in the activities of bandits has crept into Nigeria’s fractured security system in recent years, creating

bandits frequently work in gangs and engage in various degrees of crimes, including cattle rustling, land grabbing, and kidnapping for ransom and wanton killings of children and the displacement of thousands of people and

Adesegun

the leader must ring with the voices of the explicit about programs and policies, it is also very crucial to reach out to the masses with messages of hope and inspiration whenever

instance in 1984, under the military, there was character called Andrew who bemoaned the hardship occasioned by lack of basic amenities like power, roads and water and wanted to leave Nigeria for greener pastures abroad he was persuaded to stay back, that there was back then in what will be referred to today experienced some frustrations about life in Nigeria then, what usually followed was, was not just a tool for mass enlightenment but for awakening patriotism and belief in ones

to constantly match communication with real time actions and as the policies rolls out because the world today is over informed government must be alive and deliberate at pushing through the necessary and means public leaders must communicate the concerns, needs, and goals of all constituents,

Our government need to design a clear engagement strategy which can yield representation through direct engagement with people within heterogeneous communities can ensure policies are shaped holistically and not geared toward Secondly, with a better understanding of dive into the minutiae of public policy issues based on hearing how they community ownership, more engagement with a community can allow its members to provide a deeper insight into a proposed policy based on a community’s historical and cultural context since informed and Our nation has experienced some turbulence in the past decade due to improper management of information occurrence of such must be curtailed to the barest minimum through swift and strategic dissemination of information by the most capable hands in the land in out at the earliest possible outset of a crisis but also constantly and clearly communicating data to the public as the

understand how to adjust their communication strategies to directly the goal or situation, good public leaders have the leadership and critical thinking skills to build a strategy that optimizes gathered, leaders need to pare it down in a way that conveys the most essential information to the public in a clear, unambiguous manner even in languages gives the public its best chance of fully grasping the information that can impact dissemination, engagements and buy in/ building trust between the led and the leader after all according to HE Luccock

communication is the language of leadership’ according to James Humes, this government under the leadership of at getting it right because as a leader whose backbone is the people and whose message of renewed hope resonates with where the citizens are as they look forward

Bello PhD, a Publicist and Policy Analyst, member

The violence in the region is causing large-scale dislocation, writes ABIMBOLA ADESEGUN

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA

Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

EDITORIAL

ABUSE OF PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

The public holidays act should be enforced

Ahead of the Eid-el Kabir celebrated across the country last week, the Katsina State government shut down all primary and secondary schools

to “enjoy” the 2023 festival with their families. Similarly, against the two days granted by the federal government for the event, the Kano State government also approved one-week Sallah break for all primary and post primary schools in the state. Last year, Kano approved 10 days for the same festival.

We view the extra days granted by the states as ill-advised, unnecessary, and most inappropriate. The overall implication of the extension was that the entire week was rendered work-free, and a major loss for students in the states.

A region struggling to catch up with the rest of the country in education should not indulge in such behaviour.

According to reports, the education gap between most states in the northern part of Nigeria and their southern counterparts is widening due to several reasons, including the inability of schools to cover syllabus early.

Studies elsewhere have shown that chronic school absenteeism, starting as early as preschool and kindergarten, puts students at risk for poor school performance and school dropout. Students are more likely to succeed in academics when they attend school consistently. It’s hard to build children’s skills and progress if they are frequently out of classes. Besides, students who are not in school on a regular basis are more likely to get into trouble with the law and cause problems in their communities. A state like Katsina whose rural schools are frequently attacked and disrupted by bandits needs all the time to bring all pupils to standard by keeping them in schools. It may not be obvious but successful schools reportedly begin by engaging students and making sure they come to school regularly. The consequences

T H I S D AY EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITORS WALE OLALEYE, OBINNA CHIMA MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE

T H I S D AY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

Letters to the Editor

of low attendance are serious for all children and for the community.

But there has been a consistent pattern of abuse of the public holidays act (as amended) in the country. Governors are known to declare impromptu holidays to commemorate largely political events without regard for the negative consequences on the economies of their states. The federal government has also been in breach of the law on several occasions. In 2016, for instance, it arbitrarily increased the Eid-el Fitr holiday from two to three days. Besides, the law says if any holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, then only those days shall be for public holiday. This has been breached many times over. Yet, when holidays are declared impromptu, they disrupt long-standing business and even social plans, which may take a longer time to straighten out.

Although under the Public Holidays Act, 1979, the Minister of Internal to make some special adjustment, we think that government, at all levels, needs to become more responsible about this matter. The times require that every Nigerian puts in more productive man-hours either in school or at work to revive the withering economy. The federal government should ensure that the letter and spirit of the Public Holidays Act is upheld by streamlining public holidays and making

Accordingly, we urge the federal government and the states to abide by the law, which has established a certain number of holidays known to all and sundry, including New Year Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Workers’ Day (May 1), National Day (October 1), Christmas Day, Democracy Day, and such other days as the minister may declare to be for public holiday in celebration of the Muslim festivals of Eid-el Fitr, Eid-el Kabir, Eid-el Maulud.

There should be an end to frivolous holidays which impinge seriously on national productivity.

Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-300 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (750- 1000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive. com along with photograph, email address and phone numbers of the writer.

LETTERS

NIGERIA’S POOR RANKING IN GLOBAL SKILLS REPORT

The latest execrable ranking of Nigeria in the global skills report for 2023 embracing the last position with war-devastated Somalia performing better than Nigeria should be a cause for public concern and outrage especially when viewed in the context of action-

The Global Skills Report 2023 presents data on 100 countries drawn from Coursera’s registered learner base of more than 124 million learners with particular focus on three of the most popular job-relevant skill domains: business, technology and data science.

The lackluster performance of Nigeria on global stage ranging from ease of doing business to the simple task of meeting our OPEC allocated quotas when other oil nations have built capacity to surpass their quotas have made a mess of all the indices of economic growth and consequently widened the poverty net astronomically.

In the midst of these state of anomie comes the new president Bola Tinubu who seems to possess the drive and requisite work

The above highlighted strengths of the president notwithstanding, two things can constitute a chin in his armor.

current expenditure far in excess of capital expenditure. A clinical reform of the national budget must take place going forward. nomenclature of allowances not tangential to the measures of performance.

Related to this is the need to remove the imprimatur of per-pectation of Nigerians are left to complete such tenure as we have witnessed in last eight years leaves much to be desired. performance at the subnational levels. Governors and council executives consume 60% of national revenue without collectively contributing as much to the revenue pool.

Tinubu should work alongside the National Assembly to reinvent the state assemblies and foster more measurable and accountable legislative oversights.

For a governor to be allowed to appoint 200 special assistants who are remunerated from borrowed funds underscores the decadence of state parliaments.

President Tinubu must bear in mind the fact that Nigerians hardly pay attention to what happens at the sub-national though they consume 60% of the commonwealth.

As States and Local Governments continue to be the weakest link in the chain of renaissance, their opaque public accounting and the emperor-like temperament of the governors keep public focus away from them leaving citizens to see the federal government as the only tier of government worth holding accountable.

The way to manage the excesses of governors and their local councils without infringing on separation of powers would be the recondite tasks before the president and his think factories to fathom but surely not a task to be left at the whims of political expediency.

My humble prognosis on this would be to establish a neutral ombudsman that would beam a critical searchlight on the activities of state governors and their council viceroys using globally recognized key performance indicators to rate tectonic deliverables of states, recommend rewards for performing states and expose dere-

This denouement if escalated to federal ministries and parastatals has a potential to engender healthy competition that can shore up Nigeria’s impetus for appreciable sectoral global rankings in the foreseeable future.

There should be an end to frivolous holidays which impinge seriously on national productivity

RATES AS AT JUNE 21,2023

Nigeria’s .ng Domain Name Users Rose from 189,158 in March to 193,085 in May

Emma Okonji

Having maintained a steady growth in nine consecutive months from June 2022 to February 2023, Nigeria’s .ng domain name registration, renewal and restoration continued to grow with a new record of 193,085 as of May this year.

The current statistics, which THISDAY obtained from the official website of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), the body responsible for managing Nigeria’s country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD), showed that the .ng domain name registration,

renewal and restoration, rose again from 189,158 in March this year, to 191,215 in April, before reaching 193,085 in May.

THISDAY had reported that the .ng domain name registration, renewal and restoration, grew from 178,813 in June last year to 183,792 in December, before reaching 184,425 in January 2023.

In July 2022, the figure grew to 180,162 and from August to September same year, it increased to 181,275. From October to November 2022, the figure increased again to 183,169. In December 2022, it increased again to 183,792 before it reached 184,425 in January 2023.

The recent statistics showed another increase from 189,158 in March to 193,085 in May this year.

The ccTLD .ng domain name is Nigeria’s identity in cyberspace, which has the .ng at the suffix of every official email address that originates from Nigeria. In the United Kingdom, all official email addresses end with .co.uk, in United States of America, they end with .com, while in South Africa, official email addresses end with .co.za.

In Nigeria, NiRA has carried out several campaigns to sensitise Nigerians on the need to populate .ng domain name.

Reacting to the increased number of active .ng domain name users in January this year, the President of NiRA, Mr. Adesola Akinsanya, told THISDAY that Nigerians were beginning to understand the need to identify with .ng domain name for every online transaction and communication.

According to him, NiRA had in the past months, carried out several campaigns to sensitise Nigerians on the need to populate .ng domain name in order to advance Nigeria’s digital economy.

Representatives of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), led by Akinsanya,

last month, had a partnership meeting to successfully onboard the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). The meeting, Akinsanya said, explored the different ways the association could adopt the .ng domain, which aligns with the national second-level domain policy of the federal government. The Nigerian Medical Association President, Dr. Uche Ojinmah, expressed great enthusiasm for harnessing the possibilities offered by the .ng domain.

NiRA also hosted a highly successful virtual technical training session last month for

over 60 accredited registrars. The training was designed to create more awareness about Nigeria’s .ng domain name.

Led by seasoned facilitators, the training programme empowered registrars with the most up-to-date technical knowledge and skills on .ng domain name. The training covered a wide range of topics, ensuring that participants were equipped with the necessary tools to excel in their roles as registrars of .ng domain name.

Akinsanya said NiRA would continue to sensitise Nigerians and Nigerian businesses on the need to populate .ng domain name.

Report: Mobile Phones, P erfumes, Men’s Clothing,

Emma Okonji

A report by Jumia, one of the leading e-commerce platforms in Nigeria, has cited mobile phones, beauty and perfumes, men’s clothing, home (furniture, bedding, etc.) and men’s shoes as the most demanded categories by consumers in secondary cities and rural areas in Nigeria.

Titled: “E-Commerce in Rural Areas,” the report highlights Jumia’s remarkable achievement

Shoes, Top Online Shopping in Nigeria

in penetrating underserved regions and bringing e-commerce opportunities to previously overlooked populations.

Jumia’s online marketplace provides an extensive selection of affordable products, with consumers stating competitive pricing as the major reason for shopping online.

Analysing the report, the CEO of Jumia Nigeria, Massimiliano Spalazzi, said: “We see more demand by Nigerians on mobile

phones, beauty and perfumes, including mens’s clothing and shoes during online shopping on the Jumia platform. With an unwavering commitment to providing a comprehensive shopping solution, Jumia has successfully established a physical presence across the entire country, including remote areas, through its extensive network of 285 Pick-Up Stations (PUS) in hundreds of towns. By collaborating closely with select logistics partners,

Jumia has streamlined its supply chain operations, ensuring seamless delivery of products to the underserved markets.”

Spalazzi emphasised the company’s commitment to driving economic growth and improving lives through the expansion of e-commerce to secondary cities and rural areas.

According to him, “Bridging the digital divide and empowering communities with access to a wide range of products and services

through our online platform is a testament to our mission. We take immense pride in revolutionising shopping in the country, enabling Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to grow, and creating job opportunities for the youth.”

The report further underscores the important role played by JForce, a network of over 43,000 independent sales consultants, in educating consumers about Jumia’s offerings. Through localised and offline marketing

channels, JForce introduces rural populations to the world of e-commerce, fostering growth and driving brand adoption.

Giving details of the 285 PickUp Stations spread across the country, Spalazzi said the stations were introduced to bring online shopping and pickup closer to the people, even with people in rural communities.

The story continues online on www.thisdaylive.com

Achieving Data-driven Decision, Profitability in Organisations

and improve profitability and sustainability performance, should they effectively utilise Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) metrics, writes Emma Okonji

Experts are of the view that sustainability is crucial for humanity’s survival and is increasingly proving to be a key driver of business strategy, offering opportunities for positive environmental and societal impact while also increasing profitability. They however said organisations often face challenges in developing efficient and sustainable models.

A Nigerian supply chain management professional with a background in ExxonMobil, a global Fortune 10 energy corporation, and Cummins Inc, Mr. John Odebode, said one of the main obstacles that organisations faced in recent times, was about decision-making, where organisations often face the challenge of choosing between environmentally friendly options, which are often expensive, and cheaper alternatives that harm the environment.

SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY CHAINS

Highlighting the immense potential of sustainable supply chains, Odebode said: “This dilemma raises important questions about

prioritising profit over the well-being of the environment and human capital when positioning organisations as enablers of sustainability. Innovative approaches to investment and operational management, supported by an agile organisational culture, empower employees to enhance growth opportunities. It is crucial to align offerings with the United Nations’ sustainable development goals for 2030.”

Odebode who studied environmental ethics at the University of Lagos and green business management at San Francisco Bay University in California, United States, added that to effectively measure profitability and efficiency, organisations must assess sustainability impact through Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) metrics.

Supply chain management plays a critical role in achieving sustainability objectives, he said. According to him, considering the environmental impact in decision-making and implementation reduces waste, energy

consumption, and carbon emissions, fostering reliability, transparency, cost savings, customer retention, and competitive advantage.

He cited Ernst and Young, which had emphasised the importance of the supply chain, as it contributes over 90 per cent of an organisation’s greenhouse gas emissions and 50-70 per cent of operating costs, adding that Harvard Business School identifies four components for redefining return on investment (ROI) in supply chain sustainability: cost reduction, revenue growth, risk management, and intangibles.

In his practice, Odebode has facilitated compliance with environmental sustainability regulations from a supply chain standpoint by managing logistics for gas flaring monitoring devices and conducting research on hydrogen fuel cell manufacturing ecosystem as an alternative to mainstream energy.

He believes that organisations must embrace sustainability as a core principle integrated into their strategies.

According to him, “Sustainability is not just an ethical responsibility but also a driver of long-term profitability and success. To address decision-making challenges, organizations should prioritize the environment and human capital alongside financial considerations. Investing in research and development enables cost-effective alternatives that minimise environmental impact without compromising quality or customer satisfaction.

“By aligning strategies with the United Nations’ goals and utilising ESG metrics, organisations can effectively measure progress, make datadriven decisions, and improve sustainability performance. Proactive organisations actively seek opportunities to reduce their environmental footprint, enhance social well-being, and create shared value for stakeholders.”

By embracing sustainability as a core principle, organisations can navigate the path to profitability while making a positive impact on the environment and society, Odebode further said.

OADC Set to Boost Data Centre Infrastructure in Africa

Emma Okonji

Open Access Data Centres (OADC), the data centre infrastructure arm of West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC), has reiterated its commitment to build world-class data centres in Nigeria and across African countries in order to boost

data centre infrastructure on the African continent.

The company reiterated its commitment at a breakfast meeting, which held in Lagos on Tuesday.

Addressing chief executives and chief technology officers of banks and organisations during the breakfast meeting,

the Chief Executive Officer of Open Access Data Centres, Dr. Tunde Coker, said OADC remained committed to improving data centre infrastructure across Africa, and provide unlimited access to organisations, to enable them concentrate on their core customer business, while saving

cost of building and maintaining their own data centres.

According to Coker, “OADC is actively building data centres across Africa. We have taken the burden of organisations in building their own data centres, and we will continue to expand our data centres as the demand

Industry Stakeholders Task Tinubu on Choice of Information Minister

Raheem Akingbolu

As President Bola Tinubu continues to reposition the country for further development, stakeholders in the Nigerian marketing communications industry have identified effective communication as a major tool necessary to drive the process.

To this end, they have called on Mr. President to appoint experienced professionals to man the country’s Ministry of Information as well as the National Orientation Agency (NOA).

In their submissions, practitioners in public relations and advertising sector who spoke on the calibre of people Mr. President should appoint to various key positions, noted that time has come for professionals with hands-on experience in reputation management and brand positioning to be given the chance to contribute their experiences towards evolving and moulding the appropriate image for the country.

On his part, Former Chairman

of the Advertising Standards Panel of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Ade Akinde, highlighted the importance of hiring the services of professionals for the Nigerian Information Ministry and the NOA, saying it will be the only way of maximising the marketing of President Tinubu’s democracy deliverables to Nigerians and to other countries.

The stakeholders spoke at the 2023 Annual Conference of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), with the theme: ‘The Role of Marketing and Ethics in Nation Building’.

At the conference, the Director General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, (ARCON) Dr. Lekan Fadolapo, emphasised the need for marketing activities to adhere to core ethical principles to enhance Nigeria’s marketing economy.

Fadolapo stressed the importance of establishing enforceable standards of practice

that provide acceptable industrywide rules of engagement.

Such standards, according to him, will ensure that the interests of various sectors within the industry are safeguarded, as a failure in one sector could potentially have catastrophic consequences for others.

Speaking on the choice of ministerial appointment, Akinde, said communications have grown to become a serious national security asset that should be managed by highly experienced professionals as a means of ensuring better-coordinated policy management while also ensuring that the people are carried along in all that government plans to do.

His words: “The Ministry of Information, and its agency, the National Orientation Agency are important assets of the government that should be manned by experienced professionals. The NOA, by its mandate, is saddled with communicating government

policy, staying abreast of public opinion, and promoting patriotism, national unity, and the development of Nigerian society. What this means is that this agency should be on top of its game in diffusing policy and selling them to the people, without which the job wouldn’t be properly done. Only a thoroughbred professional who understands the tools and psychologies of communication management can best deliver results.”

Also, the Chief Exe executive Officer of the TBWA/CONCEPT, Kelechi Nwosu, emphasised the importance of employing communications professionals in all areas concerning information management and national mobilisation and urged President Tinubu to ensure he takes advantage of the large pool of experienced professionals in the industry for public communication and information management.

FintechNGR Harps on Digital Inclusion, Fintech Innovation

Emma Okonji

The Fintech Association of Nigeria (FintechNGR) has called for more digital inclusion, Fintech innovation and growth to boost digital transformation in Nigeria and beyond.

The association made the call during its 6th Annual General Meeting (AGM), which held last week in Lagos, and attended by members of the Board of Trustees

and Governing Council as well as prominent figures from the fintech ecosystem.

According to the association, FintechNGR, the premier national fintech association in Africa, is committed to accelerating fintech growth, fostering innovation, and advocating for regulatory reforms in Nigeria’s fintech landscape.

During the AGM, the President of FintechNGR, Mr. Ade Bajomo, expressed his gratitude o members

for their dedication, selflessness, and contributions to the association’s exponential growth over the past six years.

Bajomo re-emphasised the association’s commitment to achieving its three-pronged mandate of accelerating, connecting, and advocating for the fintech ecosystem.

Highlighting the financial stability of FintechNGR, Bajomo said: “Financially, FintechNGR

showcased its strength and resilience, with gross revenue reaching N190,551,861.00 while reserves grew to N80.6 million. Membership growth has been remarkable, as FintechNGR expanded from 56 members in 2018 to an impressive 375 members in 2022. The association represents sectors in the Nigerian economy, fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing among its members.”

increases. Our value proposition is to ensure that business that are connected to our data centres, maintain zero downtime in all their operations.

Speaking on the sustainability plan, Coker said Open Access Data Centres would ensure uninterrupted power supply to its data centres by building solar powered energy to run all its data centres.

“Since the launch of OADC in Nigeria, we have significantly improved the number of carriers on our ecosystem. We have commenced the expansion of the third floor of our Data Centre in Lekki, Lagos. We have also been building open access points to connect more organisations and businesses,” Coker said.

The General Manager, WIOCC Nigeria, Mr. Slawomir Cieslinski, said WIOCC would continue to offer connectivity services to data centre operators and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in a most cost-effective way that will enable them serve their customers better.

“The presence of WIOCC and OADC will boost connectivity as well as open access to data centre infrastructure in Nigeria and the rest of Africa. The issue of barriers and limitations to connectivity and data centre infrastructure will be over as WIOCC and OADC will continue to provide unlimited connectivity and open access from our data centre facilities,” Cieslinski said.

Blooming Greens School Tasks FG on Adequate Funding for Educational Devt

Gilbert Ekugbe

The Chief Executive Officer, Blooming Greens School, Mrs. Susan Babatunde Yamah, has called on the federal government to as a matter of urgency fund initiatives organised by schools aimed at developing the educational sector of the economy.

Speaking on the sidelines of the sixth edition of the Nigerian Spelling Bee Lagos edition hosted by Blooming Greens School, she said everything concerned about education should be prioritised, explaining that the spelling bee competition is a huge arm of literacy in English language.

According to her: “We decided to host it because we are very interested in literacy as a school and spelling is a huge arm of literacy in English Language. We are big in all of those. We are also happy that one of our pupils made it to the last round and will be going for the national round that will be hosted in Port Harcourt.

Every school must delve deeply into literacy to be masters in English language and have a great command. They must know what the words in English Language are spelt like.”

Worried over the lack of federal government financial support towards the spelling bee initiative, she said the initiative is organised by a group of learners who have decided to take spelling to the next level.

In her words: “This group involves families, schools but unfortunately, they do not have the funding. This is why schools like ours we pick up some of their bills by hosting it by making the environment for the competition available to them.”

She, however, solicited the support of multinational companies to support the spelling bee competition in their quest to contribute their quota into educational development.

Earlier, the National Coordinator, Nigeria Spelling Bee, Abdulsalam Ibrahim, said the event was to qualify four students from both senior and junior schools in Lagos State to the national finals billed to hold on the 26th-29th July, 2023 in Port Harcourt.

He said at the end of the national finals in Port Harcourt, winners in the senior and junior categories would win N1 million and N500 scholarship prize.

Organieations can effectively measure progress, make data-driven decisions,

Avoiding Kid’s Exposure to Lurid Lyrics

Through the use of satire and other literary tools, a recently unveiled television commercial, put together by X3M Ideas team for Nirvana, as a wake-up call on members of the society on their duties as parents, guardians and teachers draws a comparison between the purity of the children’s minds and water. While many have discussed this in hushed tones or play the ostrich, there is a general consensus that contemporary music in any society plays a strong role in shaping how children grow into adulthood and how these songs and music shape their lives and thinking. It must be admitted that over the years, especially with the coming of hip-hop music genre and the desire of song writers and their promoters to capture their audience, lyrics have become lurid and they tend to hype on the concepts of sex, drugs, violence and internet fraud. Ironically, these songs are not only listened to by adults but also kids as well as songs that promote these themes are played in occasions they attend and even their birthdays and they even use these songs to organise dancing competitions for them during their birthdays.

This is alarming. As these kids assimilate,

not only these songs, but the themes they promote. As depicted in a trending video –a communication material, pieced together by #teamX3M, a Lagos based creative powerhouse for Nirvana water brand to mark this year’s Children Day the company is reiterating the fact that there’s s subtle link between the purity of the children’s minds and the water.

That is why the campaign is not only instructive but a reminder of the inconvenient truth many have chosen to ignore or pretend it is not there.

In the video, of about two and half minutes, featuring some select children, the opening montage is a gentle reminder of the fact that one in three of Nigerian songs actually promote sex, substance abuse and violence.

The video now shows these kids being asked about the understanding of some lurid songs and their choruses. For instance, the children are asked to say what they understand by “Chop banana”. They innocently say what they understand about that line which in actual sense is a lyric about sex which is actually delivered in a coded language.

They are also asked what they understand by “Riding it” (another sexually explicit lyric) and they give, yet again, very innocent responses.

The video now ends with the need to help these kids protect their innocence.

The campaign is a unique corporate social responsibility which touches an area many, including parents, have chosen to ignore. And that is why the Nirvana brand has created a kind of awakening that is not meant to directly promote the brand but highlight how much it values and cares for the society where the brand sells.

Conceptualized by X3M Ideas, a leading creative agency in Nigeria, the essence of the TVC was captured through a well-selected dramatic personae and a familiar setting to match. In the short video, the creative agency of the consumer goods company, tells an enduring story through exceptionally good Nigerian kids, which is currently trending. Beyond serving as a positioning tool for the brand, the campaign depicts how an unregulated entertainment industry can impact children negatively.

From beginning to the end, the agency brings a human face to the campaign and

connects well with an average Nigerian, especially children, teachers and parents.

From any angle one chooses to look at it, the campaign sends a powerful message which is difficult to ignore. Perhaps the greatest beauty of the commercial was the choice of setting and the Nigerian children which connect easily with the target audience. In a world that moves too fast, the campaign is saying; “safeguarding the innocence of our children must be done at all cost. Let’s all work together to preserve their purity.”

Again, the campaign has simply played up the uniqueness of #teamX3M. It will be recalled that one of the campaigns from the 11 year-old agency behind the commercial was recently adjudged among the best 40 most successful campaigns promoting good causes. In collaboration with the West Africa Research Centre (WARC), 2022 Good Report released its global report and listed the agency. The Good Report is produced in collaboration with WARC, worldwide authority on marketing effectiveness and publisher of the WARC Creative 100 Rankings, a global benchmark of creative excellence in advertising. Recent records have also shown that the agency occupies a special class among creative agencies in Nigeria and Africa.

Vitafoam Recognises Pupils for Creative Excellence

Vitafoam Nigeria Plc has partnered with the esteemed “I-Create Club” to nurture the entrepreneurial spirit and unleash the creative potential of young minds. Through their collaboration, the organizations aim to provide a platform for children to explore their entrepreneurial skills and lay a strong foundation for their future success.

In a recent event, the organization awarded six exceptional primary school pupils for their outstanding achievements in a highly competitive creative competition. The event garnered significant participation, with over 100 primary schools from across Nigeria, representing both the public and private sectors.

The comprehensive competition covered a range of categories including Business Plan, Pillow Art, Debate, and Recycling, with the objective of identifying young talents with a natural inclination towards entrepreneurship from an early age.

The distinguished winners of the competition are Korede

Obadimu (Pillow Art winnerState Primary School, Mangoro), Daniel Taiwo (Pillow Art winner - PeacevilleSchool), Jessica Chinaka (Debate winner - Kayron International School), IbijolaFadeyibi (Debate winner - Beehive School), Mukhtaar Akande (Recycling winner - Guided Treasures Muslim Nursery and Primary School), and

Ndumanya Grace (Recycling winner - Oke-Meta Memorial Primary School).

vision of developing future entrepreneurs by providing a solid foundation for young individuals. In his welcome address, the Group Managing Director of Vitafoam, Mr. Taiwo Adeniyi commended the “I-Create Club” team for their initiative in promoting sportsmanship among young individuals.

Raheem Akingbolu reviews a television commercial, which sends an enduring message to those involved in the act of child’s upbringing and urges stakeholders in the country’s fast moving entertainment industry to pause and ruminate over the Corporate Social Responsibility anniversary message.

A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager. Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

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

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg. Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA:

Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 04July-2023, unless otherwise stated.

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

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF.

Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

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

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS

Unlocking Mental Well-being: The Transformative Power of ‘Plethora of Thoughts’

Imagine a card game that can guide you through the labyrinth of mental health struggles. Plethora of Thoughts, an innovative card game, aims to do just that, offering a unique and therapeutic experience that forges deep connections,

Vanessa Obioha writes

In today’s world, the silent battle with mental health persists. As social media interactions overshadow genuine human connections, a growing number of Nigerians, both young and old, grapple with overlooked mental health concerns. The World Health Organisation in a 2022 report estimates that about 20 million Nigerians suffer from various degrees of mental illness or disorder.

For individuals struggling with mental health, the overwhelming feelings of hopelessness and isolation easily convince them that they are undeserving of happiness. But true happiness, a deeply personal and relative concept, often begins with the profound journey of self-discovery and self-awareness—a quest to understand oneself, foster personal growth, and safeguard emotional well-being.

Emotionally, self-discovery and selfawareness become the compass that guides us through the tumultuous tides of our inner landscapes. They unveil the hues of our emotions, unmasking their triggers and patterns, empowering us to develop effective strategies to manage stress, overcome challenges, and forge a path towards a healthier and more balanced emotional well-being.

There is a level of fulfilment that comes with self-discovery and self-awareness. By being true to oneself, it is easy to stay authentic and purpose-driven. Also, sticking to one’s core values plays a long way in developing a true sense of identity.

A notable role these components play is to help individuals foster healthy and enduring relationships. They provide individuals with the ability to understand their needs, establish boundaries, and refine their communication styles. Moreover, they enable individuals to identify patterns that might otherwise lead to unresolved issues, negatively impacting their emotional and mental well-being.

Among the many advantages of selfdiscovery and self-awareness, personal growth and development stand out. They empower one to identify areas for improvement, set meaningful goals, and make positive changes in your life. However, their value extends far beyond personal growth. They are invaluable tools for managing mental health challenges. They are like censors that raise alarms when your emotional state is on a dive. Recognizing their importance becomes a shield against distress, prompting individuals to seek appropriate support early on.

While traditional counselling and therapy sessions have long been the go-to solutions for addressing mental health issues, plethoraofthoughts.net, a card game, offers a delightful and harmonious alternative. Serving as a healing guide, each revealed

card in the game imparts valuable advice, providing a profound source of guidance and support.

Embedded within the game’s design are therapeutic elements carefully woven into the fabric of play. It consists of three different cards. The thought-provoking question cards beckon players to embark on a journey of self-awareness and healing. Meanwhile, the advice cards, brimming with wisdom and practical tips, extend beyond the game’s boundaries, leaving an indelible mark on all aspects of life. Additionally, the bonus cards deliver kind messages of support, each bearing the instruction “give this card to someone who...” in the bottom left corner, spreading a sense of interconnectedness and empathy.

Plethora of Thoughts can be played by two to six players. However, it offers the opportunity to play alone.

Players have to, first of all, find the question cards, shuffle them, and then divide the advice and bonus cards among themselves equally. Then a player will need to draw a question card and be open to answering whatever question is on the card on how it relates to them. This sense of vulnerability

rids shame and encourages players to be willing to seek help.

The other players thereafter will give a piece of advice they think would help the player or a bonus card. It is important to understand that some people need comfort while some need advice. There are no wrong answers in this game, just suitable advice. Each player must explain the logic behind giving that card and how the message would help the player who drew the question card.

The player asking the question will then decide which player’s card feels the most helpful and reward them with the question card to keep. Each player must take turns in drawing the question card, and the player drawing the card will not participate in advising on that round. The more question cards a player is awarded, the more the player is developed throughout this game. The game aims to have the most question cards amassed. The same advice card can be used in different rounds of the game. Once the question card is awarded to the person who

gave the best advice, the next player must draw a card and repeat the process.

Beyond the game itself, Plethora of Thoughts fosters a profound sense of connection and community. Within its play, players shed the cloak of vulnerability, defying the societal stigma that often perceives it as a weakness. The game acts as a catalyst, revealing the shared struggles and triumphs of mental health journeys, and uniting individuals in their pursuit of well-being. Through this bonding experience, players navigate the labyrinth of their emotions hand in hand, finding strength, understanding, and support in one another.

More importantly, Plethora of Thoughts stands as a testament to the transformative power of games. Its ability to foster emotional healing, promote selfawareness, and forge genuine connections transcends the realm of play, serving as a guiding light for those embarking on their mental health odyssey. With each card drawn and shared, a chorus of voices rises, reminding us all that we are not alone in our struggles. Together, we navigate the vast tapestry of our emotions.

Marken Strengthens Clinical Logistics in Nigeria

Mary Nnah

Marken, the clinical subsidiary of UPS Healthcare, has opened its first business office in Nigeria. As the clinical subsidiary of UPS Healthcare, only Marken provides a bestin-class quality management system, clinical and commercial cell and gene supply chain solutions, a global GMP depot network, direct-to/frompatient, home healthcare nursing services and industry-leading expertise all under one roof. With a presence in over 220 countries, Marken added the Nigerian office to its growing chain of

operations recently with a promise to go beyond to connect patients with new medicines, believing that when you truly go beyond, change becomes natural.

The new Nigerian office is located in Isolo, close to the Lagos International Airport.

Speaking on Marken’s ability to lead in clinical logistics in the country, Africa Network Manager, Marken, Jean-Luc Tabiou said, “We are driven by our passion for patients, Marken’s unique position within the biopharma and life sciences industry is unparalleled. We remain at the forefront of logistics innovation to bring new

scientific discoveries to patients around the world.

As a trusted partner, we take your trial from clinical to commercial and beyond with our unique, ever-evolving portfolio of supply chain solutions,” he added.

Tabiou, who spoke about the importance of the Nigerian market to his organisation, explained that “the Nigerian market is a very big market, by 2050, Africa will be the most populous country in the world, but currently Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa because where there is life there are people and where there are people there is need for people

to receive the treatment. So, this market is very important because we can’t develop our footprint on the continent without considering Nigeria.

Highlighting the difference between medical and other logistics, Tabiou said, “Medical logistics is different from other forms of logistics because it involves taking care of the temperature of the products and the duration of transportation of goods from one point to another. Each specimen has a viability period, and we must respect that”.

Confirming the earlier comment on the importance of the Nigerian market,

Manager Director Bwosi Investments, (Marken Partner), Rogers Bwosi said, “Nigeria is very important because Marken philosophy and what they do is save patients, bring services closer to the patients and Nigeria has a very high population and they are incidences or requirements of services then Marken services become very important for Nigeria.

“Nigeria has the largest economy in Africa and Marken needs to be present in that economy to serve the people of Nigeria.”

Apart from opening its corporate office in Lagos, the company has

also commissioned its state-of-the-art warehouse facility which can handle any clinical research and trials.

According to Bwosi, Marken has an unlimited speed of light, which means the organisation’s global network is unparalleled with the best logistics cold chain network to ensure speed to market.

“Our patient-centred care is unparalleled. Compassion and continuity of care from patient to protocol to optimize the patient experience. We have a network with complete end-to-end visibility with a trusted partner throughout the trial and beyond”, he said.

A sample of Plethora of Thoughts card game

Plethora of Thoughts card game

AfDB, ASEA Sign Agreement for $600,000 Grant to Expand Network of Linked African Exchanges

Kayode Tokede

The African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group have signed an agreement for a $600,000 grant to expand the number of linked African exchanges from 7 to 15 under the second phase of the African Exchanges Linkage Project or AELP.

The funds will come from the Korea African Economic Cooperation Fund (KOAFEC) Trust Fund, managed by the AfDB.

The AELP is a flagship project of ASEA and the Bank Group to link African capital markets, thereby promot-

ing cross-border securities trading, increasing liquidity and diversifying investment opportunities for investors.

AELP’s second phase will provide investors access to over 2,000 securities listed on up to 15 capital markets through a cross-border securities trading platform tailored to the needs of regulators, central depositories, policymakers, and stockbrokers. Participating stock exchanges include the Botswana Stock Exchange, where the grant signing took place; the Ghana Stock Exchange and six other stock exchanges. The grant will also support capacity building of institutional investors and capital market

operators.

President of ASEA and CEO of the Botswana Stock Exchange, Thapelo Tsheole, who signed on behalf of the association said: “We express our gratitude to the African Development Bank for their invaluable support and dedication to the development of African Capital Markets. With the generous grant funding, we are poised to expand technical connectivity and linkage among African stock exchanges, creating a broader pan-African network. Together, we are working towards a fully integrated Africa for the benefit of investors, businesses and governments across the continent.”

Ogbechie Urges Businesses to Embrace Change, Prepare for Disruptions

Group Managing Director of Rainoil Limited, Dr. Gabriel Ogbechie has urged industry leaders and entrepreneurs to embrace change in order to stay ahead of the curve and navigate the macro-forces affecting the Nigerian business scene.

Ogbechie, speaking on the topic, “Strategies to Position Your Business for Economic Growth in a Changing World,” at the recently concluded Global Leadership Summit in Lagos, emphasized the importance of ambitious goal-setting, effective strategy execution,

and vigilant monitoring of key performance indicators in order to thrive in today’s economic reality. The 2023 edition of the Global Leadership Summit for Business, themed, “Leading Effectively in Uncertainty,” featured Dr. Ogbechie alongside other business leaders such as the Chair Centre’s Founder, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, Principal Consultant, Sam Adeyemi Global Leadership Consultancy, Dr. Sam Adeyemi, and other accomplished business leaders

To flourish in today’s economic climate, Ogbechie

underlined the importance of industry leaders and entrepreneurs analyzing their business strategy, setting ambitious targets, and ensuring good execution.

This, he claims, was the driving force behind Rainoil’s investment in strategic assets such as the ultramodern multiproduct Tank Farms located in three locations with a total capacity of 150 million liters, the 8000 MT LPG Terminal in Ijegun-Egba, Lagos State, a fleet of over 330 trucks, and a retail spread of approximately 180 petrol stations across the country.

CRC Credit Bureau Introduces Delay Propensity Score

Nume Ekeghe

In an effort to mitigate risks and enhance profitability, CRC Credit Bureau Limited has collaborated with Dun & Bradstreet to develop the CRC Delay Propensity Score (CRC DPS), a scoring model that predicts the probability of borrowers, who have never been more than 90 days overdue, delaying their loan repayments within the next 30-60 days as a result of external socio-economic factors.

The score will also take into account factors such as credit history, dishonoured cheques, and financial data. CRC in a statement

noted that the model uses machine-learning algorithms to continuously refine its predictions based on new data sources. CRC Credit Bureau launched the Application Programming Interface (API) for data submission in the year 2020 to enable institutions submit information on their customers’ credit profiles daily.

Therefore, data is used to continuously retrain the model, which assists in enhancing the predictability of the score.

During a briefing, Group Managing Director/CEO of CRC Credit Bureau Limited

Dr. ‘Tunde Popoola, stated: “We’re excited to introduce

the CRC Delay Propensity Score to the lending industry. By providing lenders with accurate picture of borrower risk, we’re helping to create a more stable lending environment that benefits everyone involved. It also supports the deployment of advanced technology in credit processing as the DPS can be integrated into existing loan origination and servicing systems, making it easy for lenders to incorporate the model into their existing workflows.

He added that one of the key benefits of the CRC Delay Propensity Score is that it provides lenders with accurate and objective assessment of a borrower’s creditworthiness.

Wema Bank Commits N90m to Consumers Promo

Nigeria’s financial institution, Wema Bank Plc. has set aside a sum of N90m to reward customers’ loyalty through its 5 for 5 consumers promotion.

According to the bank, the gesture was in fulfilment of its promise to be a support system for its customers in their respective communities.

Speaking at the launch of the promo at Wema bank’s corporate headquarters in Lagos,recently, its Executive Director; Retail and Digital Banking, Tunde Mabawonku stated that the organisation desire to satisfy its customers across the board, hence the

promotional activity.

“Our goal has always been to provide seamless banking and improve the lives of all our customers, which is why we’ve created options for our digitally inclined customers, and other customers who may not have access to the internet through our USSD banking solution.

“But beyond seamless banking, we feel the need to give back to our customers. As it has become very important to us that we become that support system for customers.”

Mabawonku explained

L-R: President Aviation Round Table (ART)/Old Student, Comprehensive High School Ayetoro, Ogun State, Mr. Gabriel Olowo; flanked by an Old Student of the college, Mr. Segun Desalu; and other Old Student and former Executive Directo, Nigeria Inter

MARKET INDICATORS

further that the 5 for 5 Promo Season 3, which kicked off July 1 will run for one year, allowing two customers of the bank to win a star prize of N1 million each every month, in addition to several other cash prizes from N10,000 to N50,000 to be won by other customers.

To qualify for a win, Mabawonku advised bank customers to maintain a minimum of N5000 account balance monthly, in addition to executing at atleast five transactions monthly via their ALAT Debit card, ALAT app.

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage)

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

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT 16 JUNE, 2023

-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) Plc, Mr. Paul Lawal, all of Comprehensive High School Ayetoro Old Students’ Association,Abeokuta at the 60th Anniversary celebration/fund raising ceremony of the School in Abeokuta, Ogun State…recently

Investors Responding Positively to FG’s Policies, Says NGX CEO

Kayode Tokede

The Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), Temi Popoola has expressed optimism around the recent policies by the federal government since the inauguration of President Bola Tinubu, saying that investors are responding positively with bullish sentiments in the market.

Popoola who said this during a programme (NewsDay) on

BBC News monitored in Lagos added that he remained hopeful that the current bullish sentiments in the domestic bourse will be sustained in the long run.

Equity investors have endured long periods of bearish sentiments on the floor of NGX but that has changed considerably since President Tinubu’s policy statements on May 29, 2023.

Transactions on the exchange concluded the first half of the year on a positive note, with the NGX

All-Share Index (ASI) gaining 18.9 per cent and closing at 60,968.27 points, marking a significant milestone for the index as it reached its highest level in 15 years since March 5, 2008 when it stood at 66,381.20 points.

Investors have also had cause to smile as their wealth rose by N5.3 trillion in H1. This impressive performance, according to the CEO, came amid audacious macroeconomic reforms under the new administration after

a 5-year bearish cycle. He said, “In the past one month, there has been a change in administration and I would say a couple of things have happened. There has been a material change in policy management. We have gone from an unorthodox approach to something more orthodox, more traditional. This has engendered a lot of hope and I think the financial markets responded in a very positive fashion.”

The CEO also added that the liberalization of the FX market has transformed the economy. He added, “So in the past, there has been scarcity of FX and this liberalization policy has started to resolve that. So, we expect that our corporates can run more efficiently which means that they can be more profitable in markets like ours. We had a gap between the official rate and the parallel market in the past. This has

normalized now and there is increased propensity by foreign investors to bring money into Nigeria and that of course helps the general FX situation. The country is now open to foreign capital and what this does is to transform and improve the economy,”

While emphasizing the cyclical nature of the market, Popoola expressed positivity on the likelihood of the bullish sentiment lasting for the long term.

PRICES FOR SECURITIES TRADED ASOF JULY/05/23

Thursday, July 6, 2023

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 INDEX

1BUAFoodsPLC135.750.0%18.6%108.8%0.0%45.4%17.7%21.8x9.0x3.3%4.6% 2MTNNigeriaCommunicationsPLC274.000.4%10.4%27.4%0.2%91.7%13.2%15.4x12.9x5.7%6.5% 3AirtelAfricaPLC1,319.900.0%10.0%-19.3%0.0%18.6%6.2%2.7% 4GuarantyTrustHoldingCoPLC36.002.6%8.1%56.5%2.9%19.7%3.0%5.5x1.1x8.6%18.1% 5ZenithBankPLC34.100.6%7.2%42.1%-0.4%16.7%2.0%4.6x0.7x9.5%21.6% 6FBNHoldingsPlc18.503.4%4.8%69.7%8.5%16.1%1.5%4.4x0.7x2.8%22.9% 7DangoteCementPLC285.000.0%4.4%9.2%0.0%34.8%14.7%12.7x4.2x7.0%7.9% 8LafargeAfricaPLC29.752.6%3.7%24.0%0.8%12.3%9.1%9.4x1.1x6.9%10.6% 9UnitedBankforAfricaPLC13.102.7%3.2%72.4%6.9%20.4%1.7%2.5x0.5x8.3%39.4% 10SEPLATEnergyPLC1,399.800.0%2.5%32.5%0.0%5.7%2.8%10.3x0.6x3.3%9.7% 11NestleNigeriaPLC1,200.000.0%2.4%9.1%-4.0%110.1%12.8%20.2x20.5x5.1%5.0% 12AccessHoldingsPLC17.904.4%4.6%110.6%92.5%13.9%1.2%3.6x0.4x14.1%27.8% 13StanbicIBTCHoldingsPLC57.000.0%2.3%70.4%5.6%22.4%2.9%7.4x1.7x6.1%13.4% 14EcobankTransnationalInc15.800.0%2.2%49.1%3.9%19.1%1.0%1.8x0.4x3.2%56.5% 15OkomuOilPalmPLC235.000.0%1.7%42.4%0.0%47.7%23.5%13.8x6.6x5.1%7.2% 16NigerianBreweriesPLC45.000.6%1.6%9.8%0.0%-6.3%-1.9%2.2x3.0%-3.0% 17FidelityBankPLC7.902.6%1.7%81.6%12.9%16.7%1.4%4.3x0.7x5.2%23.2% 18FlourMillsofNigeriaPLC34.000.0%1.1%19.7%-0.3%11.4%2.5%6.6x0.7x15.1% 19TransnationalCorpofNigeria3.634.3%1.1%221.2%3.4%6.4%1.5%21.9x1.4x1.4%4.6% 20InternationalBreweriesPLC5.102.0%1.0%8.5%-1.9%-19.2%-5.2%1.2x-18.0% 21AXAMansardInsurancePLC3.84-2.5%0.8%92.0%-2.8%13.3%3.4%7.0x1.2x7.8%14.2% 22FCMBGroupPlc5.650.4%0.8%46.8%10.8%12.7%1.3%3.2x0.4x4.5%31.3% 23PZCussonsNigeriaPLC20.700.0%0.6%82.4%-5.9%29.0%8.7%7.0x2.0x4.9%14.4% 24GuinnessNigeriaPLC80.000.0%0.7%15.4%0.0%7.3%2.9%28.1x2.2x9.1%3.6% 25DangoteSugarRefineryPLC25.351.2%0.6%57.9%1.4%36.5%12.3%5.3x1.8x5.9%19.0% 26PrescoPLC195.007.7%0.6%41.8%9.6%53.4%13.5%10.1x4.6x1.0%9.9% 27UnitedCapitalPLC15.50-1.3%0.5%10.7%-1.6%38.7%1.6%9.5x3.5x9.7%10.5% 28BUACementPlc91.009.4%0.4%-6.9%-1.4%25.0%12.6%30.5x7.5x3.3% 29NASCONAlliedIndustriesPLC19.100.0%0.4%72.1%2.1%37.7%13.0%7.5x2.4x5.1%13.3% 30TotalEnergiesMarketingNigeri370.000.0%0.4%91.7%5.7%34.8%5.8%7.7x2.7x6.8%12.9% 31WemaBankPLC5.250.4%0.3%34.6%-0.8%17.2%1.0%4.0x0.8x5.7%24.9% 32JaizBankPLC1.800.0%0.3%95.7%7.8%27.5%2.0%8.4x2.1x27.8%12.0% 33GereguPowerPLC300.000.0%0.3%101.3%0.0%22.9x2.8% 34UnionBankofNigeriaPLC7.500.0%0.2%17.2%2.0%15.8%1.6%6.1x0.7x16.4% 35JuliusBergerNigeriaPLC30.000.0%0.2%22.4%-3.2%11.2%1.3%7.5x0.8x8.3%13.4% 36UnileverNigeriaPLC17.00-2.9%0.2%46.6%4.3%7.8%4.2%18.3x1.4x1.5%5.5% 37SterlingFinancialHoldingsCo3.893.7%0.1% 38ConoilPLC93.005.7%0.1%250.9%12.0%34.4%13.1%7.4x2.3x2.8%13.4% 39TranscorpHotelsPlc28.008.9%0.1%348.0%19.7%3.5%1.9%126.5x4.5x0.5%0.8% 40NotoreChemicalIndustriesLtd62.500.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%-27.3%-6.4%1.5x-16.5%

TickerPricePriceChg%

CHIPLC0.9910.0%

ETERNA25.4010.0%

CHAMS0.899.9%

ETRANZACT7.799.9%

SKYAVN12.259.9%

GOLDBREW2.019.8%

TRANSCOHOT25.709.8%

RTBRISCOE0.689.7%

UNITYBNK1.419.3%

HONYFLOUR3.709.1%

TickerPricePriceChg%

LASACO2.30-13.9%

PZ20.70-10.0%

WEMABANK5.23-10.0%

BUACEMENT83.15-9.9%

TRANSCORP3.48-9.8%

UPL2.48-9.8%

IKEJAHOTEL3.95-9.8%

TRIPPLEG3.05-9.8%

LEARNAFRCA2.91-9.3%

AFROMEDIA0.20-9.1%

TickerVolumePriceChg%

FCMB180.84.3%

STERLINGNG107.51.6%

TRANSCORP105.9-9.8%

UBA87.3-5.2%

ACCESSCORP77.8-6.0%

ZENITHBANK52.7-3.8%

JAPAULGOLD44.39.1%

GTCO43.8-3.8%

UNITYBNK37.49.3%

FIDELITYBK28.10.0%

TickerValuePriceChg%

ZENITHBANK1796.9-3.8%

GTCO1543.6-3.8%

ACCESSCORP1343.9-6.0%

UBA1115.8-5.2%

FCMB981.54.3%

NESTLE678.8-4.0%

DANGCEM645.60.0%

STERLINGNG411.11.6%

TRANSCORP381.0-9.8%

MTNN373.1-1.8%

Bulls Resurface... ASI up 1.3%

GAMING WEEK

Editedby NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG | ikotibok@gmail.com | Tel:

TikTok’s ‘Month of Gaming’ Spotlights Nigeria’s Gaming Community

TIK-TOK RAISES BAR FOR GAMING…

L-R: Partnerships Lead, Gaming and Sports, TikTok, Janine Anthony; Okoawo Jonah; Ayere Victor; Oyesanya Tosin, and Franklyn Nnamdi at the maiden edition of TikTok’s Nigeria Gamers Brunch held recently at the Landmark Towers, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The event held at the Landmark Towers attracted an array of gamers, game developers, game publishers, and stakeholders.

The groundbreaking event introduced TikTok as a platform that fosters collaboration and propels the growth of the dynamic gaming sector through its programmes that provided attendees with the opportunity to engage, collaborate, and amplify their passion for video gaming, increase reach, monetise content, and grow a following for career longevity.

“We are launching our official

month of gaming in Nigeria this June,” Partnerships Lead, Gaming and Sports, TikTok,” Janine Anthony, disclosed.

“With this event, we are encouraging gamers to create any kind of creative content and collaborate among themselves. This is not just about how to TikTok, but also how to succeed in the gaming industry in Nigeria and beyond,” Anthony added. Although gaming is a smaller ecosystem when compared to other industries in Nigeria, it is growing.”

In her presentation, Anthony enlightened the attendees on tips for engaging audiences to convey

FORECAST

Malmo; Al Ahli Look to S trengthen Their P ositions on League Summit

Davidson Abraham

EGYPT PL

On Thursday, First placed Egyptian power house Al Ahli will take on National Bank Fc in Egyptian PL action. They have been tipped to win the game. Al Ahli will next be in action when they take on Future Fc away from home in a game which the newly crowned African Champions are expected to win or draw at the very least.

SWEDEN

Malmo has been tipped to extend their lead at the top of the Swedish League Summit with an easy victory over Sirius.

INT’L FRIENDLIES

In Preseason int’l Friendly matches, Salzburg is expected to

win or draw against Ferencvaros and Cardiff is expected to beat Penybont; While Fluminense and Vissel Kobe are tipped to win or draw against Sao Paulo and Consadole Sapporo respectively in Brazilian and Japanese top flight action.

NORWAY

In Norway, two Norwegian heavy weights will be in for what always seems to be a local Clasico in the Scandinavian country as Bodo/ Glimt host Molde. The home side has been tipped to win or draw given their home advantage and the fact that they’ve enjoyed a better form than their rivals in recent weeks. In other Norwegian top flight action, Tromso and Rosenborg has been tipped and expected to win or draw against Lillestrome and Aalesund respectively.

GAMBLING: PROBLEM OR PATHWAY TO PROSPERITY?…

L-R: CEO Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority Mr Bashir Are, Executive Secretary Association of Nigerian Bookmakers Mrs Olabimpe Akingba, Medical Director Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Yaba Dr Olugbenga Owoeye, President Association of Resident Doctors FNPH Yaba Dr Ismail Adesina, at a recent event at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Yaba, Lagos to discuss “Gambling Among the Youth: A Problem or Pathway to Prosperity.

their unique selling points and identifying their audience’s needs to increase their subscriber base, which will serve as parameters to attract investors and sponsors.

To further elucidate her points, a fireside chat was held to aid attendees in tapping into the strategies implemented by established gaming influencers on the platform. The fireside chat included Okoawo Jonah (Tactical Ceza), Ayere Victor (Khalamanja), Franklyn Nnamdi (Lordmoon the Pope), and Oyesanya Tosin (Queen of Venus).

The panellist began the session by addressing the negative perception of the video gaming

industry in society and the impact of such perception on the economy. They collectively acknowledged that this perception had hindered the sector’s growth. However, they also highlighted the positive role of social media in changing this erroneous perception.

Currently, gamers can push informative content on the platform through online gameplay, gamers’ stories, and showcasing of gaming setups. They also provide in-depth analyses and reviews of gaming products, game coding, and publishing information to help investors better understand the ecosystem.

In the area of collaboration between gamers to drive the advancement of the multibillionnaira industry, some gamers are beginning to break the mould by gaining recognition in the international gaming community utilising TikTok’s live-streaming feature. This allows them to connect and interact with like-minded individuals and enables them to benefit from the distinctive in-app gifting feature, which can be exchanged for monetary value.

“The algorithm doesn’t choose a part of the country it sends your videos to, it is worldwide. When you get people to reach out, you want to make sure that you are friendly. I always pay attention to my comments. I have worked with people from the UK, and the USA, to create gaming content,” Ayere revealed.

Game developers and publishers also had the opportunity to connect with talented gamers and content creators, fostering partnerships that can create innovative games and captivating gaming content. This collaborative spirit not only fuels the growth of the gaming industry but also cultivates a sense of community and support among its members.

Additional keynotes were

delivered by SSA Editorial Specialist (Gaming and Entertainment) at TikTok, Chidi Chiwetalu, on harnessing storytelling on the platform.

The event also highlighted the importance of inclusivity and diversity within the gaming community. Panellists emphasised the need for a more inclusive representation of gamers from various backgrounds, genders, and ethnicities. They stressed that by amplifying diverse voices and stories, the gaming industry could become more vibrant, engaging, and reflective of the wider society it serves.

With TikTok’s commitment to nurturing the gaming sector in Nigeria, the event began a month-long celebration dedicated to gaming. This initiative serves as a catalyst for aspiring gamers to showcase their creativity, build their brands, and explore avenues for success in the gaming industry.

By embracing gaming as a viable career path and leveraging the power of social media platforms like TikTok, Nigerian gamers are poised to make significant contributions to the global gaming landscape, propelling the industry forward with their unique talents and perspectives and reshaping perspectives in the gaming sector.

SUN

ADVISORY: +18 PERSONS UNDER 18 MUST NOT PARTICIPATE IN BETTING, GAMING OR LOTTERY ACTIVITY

In a remarkable tribute to the burgeoning gaming sector in Nigeria, TikTok, the short-form video social platform, spearheaded the Nigeria Gamers Brunch recently, writes Iyke Bede

IACA EXECUTIVE SECRETARY VISITS SGF...

Editors, Obaseki, Sanwo-Olu Mourn Ibiyemi, NewsDirect Publisher

Say his death saddening, shocking Governors sympathise with deceased family, media industry

Oluchi Chibuzor

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and his Lagos State counterpart, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday, expressed sadness and shock over the news of the passing of the Publisher of NewsDirect Newspapers Group, Dr. Samuel Ibiyemi on Tuesday.

They expressed their condolences in separate statements yesterday.

Aged 56, Ibiyemi who was a committed member of the NGE, succumbed to death at the Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilisan, Ogun State, where he was undergoing treatment.

In statement by the NGE President, Eze Anaba and its General Secretary, Dr. Iyobosa Uwugiaren, the profes-

Rwanda

sional body of all the editors in Nigeria described the late publisher as a committed member of the NGE, who made his mark in journalism profession - as a reporter, business editor, editor and publisher.

‘’Even when Dr. Samuel Ibiyemi was struggling between life and death on his sick bed at the hospital, he was still breathing journalism; he wanted to know from his colleagues the latest happenings on our society; he called to find out the outcome of the national biennial convention of the NGE in Owerri.

‘’We were regularly in touch with him and his family; he assured us of his determination to survive; we were looking forward to him coming out of the Babcock University Teaching Hospital in Ilisan, where he was

undergoing treatment.

‘’Dr. Ibiyemi was passionate about journalism profession and played his part in various newspapers before birthing his publication, Nigerian NewsDirect, some 13 years ago.

“He was a committed member of the NGE, and we take solace in the fact that he made his mark in the profession, as a reporter, editor and publisher, before his home call. His legacy, NewsDirect Newspapers, has continued to make impact with its rich content: informing, educating and entertaining readers, since it was created,” the editors stated.

While commiserating with the family, friends, and entire members of the journalism community on the passage of Ibiyemi, the NGE prayed that the Almighty God would give

Waives Entry Visas

for Nigerians, Other Africans

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The Rwandan government has waived entry visas to Nigerians, other Africans and members of the Commonwealth in order to promote the ease of doing business and attract investors into the Central/Eastern African country.

Speaking at the commemoration of Rwanda’s 29th anniversary celebration and liberation day in Abuja, on Tuesday, the country’s Charge D’Affaires in Nigeria, Mr. Vianney Rubagumya said: “In a bid to widen tourism and spur trade and investment, Rwanda has waived entry visas to visitors from all over Africa, the Commonwealth, and la Francophonie Nations.”

He noted that: “The move complements the ease of doing business strides and popularity as a preferred conference destination.”

He also disclosed that Rwanda was at advanced stages of expanding the operations of the Kigali International Financial Centre, which is poised to dispense innovative world-class services.”

The envoy said, “29 years after, liberation is still in process. At the forefront of the leadership agenda of H.E President Paul Kagame, animated by the Vision 2050 is the commitment to consolidate and sustain the journey towards self-reliance by ensuring holistic economic emancipation, as well as effective and accountable systems

of governance.

“In this process of liberation, Rwanda counts on her citizens of course, but also on her friends and partners. I therefore take this opportunity to commend the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the immense support during the transformation journey and the excellent bilateral cooperation.”

He stressed that Kagame’s attendance at President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s inauguration on 29th May, 2023, was an affirmation of the strong bond between Nigeria and Rwanda. He added: “Both countries are increasing cooperation, including in parliamentary diplomacy, Defense and security, aviation, governance, sectoral peer-to-peer exchange, and trade and investment.”

The envoy further noted that: “Rwanda’s renaissance, is conceived around three major choices, which H.E President Paul Kagame pointed out in his 7th April 2014 speech: Unity, Accountability, and Thinking Big.

“Based on those fundamental choices, Rwanda decisively embarked on structural socio-economic and political reforms, which have been guiding the transformational process.

“In this connection, some of the significant milestones include: reduced poverty levels between 1994 and 2018 from 78 per cent to 30 per cent, respectively; increased life expectancy from 51 to 69 years in the last two decades; 2nd best performer in the ease of doing business in Africa; 4th

top troop contributing country to the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations.”

The Nigerian representative at the anniversary celebration, Samson Itegboje, assured the Rwandan government of continued support towards building the Rwandan economy.

them, especially the widow and children, the needed strength at this difficult time and the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

The NGE added, “Dr. Ibiyemi’s memory will live on through the impact he made on the world. He is now in a better place and watching over us. We are praying for his loved ones and family during this difficult time.

‘’We are wishing his loved ones peace, comfort, courage, and lots of love at this time of sorrow. Our heart goes out to all of them at this difficult time. We will never forget Dr Samuel Ibiyemi. May God give him eternal rest.’’

The NGE said if the earth that would cover the late publisher would be light, it was because, he was a true definition of humanity, courage, truth faith and hard work.

Also, Obaseki expressed deep sadness over the passing of the renowned journalist.

In a statement, Obaseki said the news of the passing of Ibiyemi came to him as a rude shock, noting that he would be sorely missed.

According to him, “I am saddened by the news of the passing of renowned journalist, clergy, and publisher of Nigerian NewsDirect, Dr. Samuel Ibiyemi.

“Dr. Samuel Ibiyemi was a visionary and exceptional leader who dedicated his life to advancing the growth of our nation and uplifting

the lives of its people.

“A man of many parts, the late Ibiyemi started his illustrious career as a soldier in the Nigerian Air Force before he transitioned into journalism, where he made an indelible mark, establishing Nigerian NewsDirect over a decade ago, contributing his quota to excellence in journalism and the growth and development of our society.

“A devout family man and committed servant of God, his devotion to serving God led to the establishment of the Great Grace Apostolic Church, Gasline, Sango-Ota, where he served as its presiding minister, leveraging the platform to bring solace and hope to countless individuals, providing spiritual guidance and uplifting the hearts of the faithful.

“His legacy will forever remain etched in the annals of our nation's history and will be sorely missed.”

The governor extended his deepest condolences to the Ibiyemi family, the staff and management of Nigerian NewsDirect, friends, and associates, praying that God grants them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Also, Sanwo-Olu, described Ibiyemi's death as shocking and a colossal loss to journalism and the media industry in Nigeria.

Sanwo-Olu in a condolence message issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, said Ibiyemi's death was painful and heartbreaking, noting that the

rich experience and knowledge of the deceased will be sorely missed. Sanwo-Olu, who also commiserated with the Ibiyemi family, the management and staff of the Nigerian NewsDirect Newspaper over the death of the Publisher, said Ibiyemi had written his name in gold and the legacies he left behind are immense and indelible.

He said: “On behalf of the Lagos State Government, I sympathise with the Ibiyemi family, the management and staff of Nigerian NewsDirect over the death of an accomplished journalist and Publisher, Dr. Samuel Ibiyemi.

"I also commiserate with the Newspaper Proprietors' Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the president, executives and members of the NGE, the deceased friends, colleagues, and entire journalists in Nigeria over the demise of Dr. Samuel Ibiyemi.

"Dr. Ibiyemi was a brilliant, hardworking and versatile journalist, who had distinguished himself in the media profession as a Reporter, Business Editor and Energy Editor, before establishing his newspaper, Nigerian NewsDirect.

"He made lots of positive impacts during his lifetime, contributing meaningfully to the growth and development of journalism in Nigeria, as well as the economic and political development of the country as an employer of labour and publisher of one of the credible newspapers in the country.

Diri Inaugurates Germany-funded UNODC Projects in Bayelsa Community

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, yesterday, inaugurated two projects executed by the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) and funded by the German government.

The projects executed in Otuan community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area are a police post and a youth development centre. The projects also included the provision of a cassava processing equipment.

Diri, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, commended the German government and the UNODC for partnering with his administration on crime prevention and promoting community development.

He said the projects executed in

the community indicated that the collaboration between the state government and international development partners had yielded positive results.

The governor expressed appreciation to international development partners for working with the state government, stressing that the best way to control crime was prevention.

"I have engaged with various embassies in Nigeria. I have engaged with the United Nations and the European Union in Nigeria. Now part of the efforts that we have made and yielded fruits is what you have witnessed today.

"Thank you for working with the Bayelsa State Government and for listening over the years that the best way to control crime is to prevent crime. And that is what you have

done. We believe that this relationship will continue to flourish.

"We are the first state to establish an agency for crime prevention and crime control headed by Mrs Faith Zibbs-Godwin. Members of this agency have been working very hard with the UNODC, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) and other agencies to reduce crime and drug abuse."

Responding to the community’s requests, Diri directed the Commissioner for Education to ensure the immediate renovation of the dilapidated primary school as well as supply more chairs to the school. He also approved the expansion of the garri processing centre, construction of internal roads and installation of more solar lights in the community.

Diri, equally directed Coordinator of the Bayelsa State Community Safety Corps to identify the Otuan vigilante personnel that are qualified to be incorporated into the Corps to enhance security in the community and environs.

In her remarks, the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annett Gunther, said there was need to bring communities together and fashion out strategies to combat crime. According to her, "the aim is to increase the quality of relationship between communities and security forces as the best way to fight crime was its prevention."

Gunther, noted that the youth centre would engage young people in sports and skills acquisition in order to prevent them from substance abuse and crime.

L-R: The Dean and Executive Secretary of the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA), Thomas Stelzer; Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, SAN, OFR, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, during the visit of the IACA Executive Secretary to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in Abuja...yesterday

SENATE MINORITY TALKS TO THE PRESS...

JAMB Result: Chidoka Urges Nmesoma to Come Clean, Explain How She Got Fake Result

Candidate admits she got JAMB text message showing she scored 249 Anambra govt distances self from exam body’s claim against Nmesoma School: We'll accept outcome of DSS, Anambra govt investigation House tells JAMB to suspend all actions pertaining to alleged result manipulation, to investigate alleged special centres

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka, Kuni Tyessi and Juliet Akoje in Abuja

Former Aviation Minister a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Osita Chidoka, yesterday advised candidate that was alleged to have falsified her 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) result, Nmesoma Ejikeme, to, “come clean and explain how she got that result and who led her down that path,” saying that the result she had been parading with a score of 362 was fake.

This was just as Nmesoma, during an interview on Channels Television yesterday, admitted that she received an automated text message from JAMB indicating that her score was 249.

Chidoka, who commented on the raging issue on his Facebook page, pointed out that the candidate, “took her 2023 JAMB at my foundation’s Computer-Based Testing (CBT) Center at Obosi.”

He explained: “I got some calls from worried friends about Nmesoma’s result, which had Thomas Chidoka Center as her examination center. I allayed their worries that the result issue had nothing to do with the examination center.

“I observed two significant red flags when I saw her result online. First, our center is no longer addressed as Thomas Chidoka Center for Human Development on the JAMB portal since 2021.

“The correct name on the JAMB portal and Main Examination Slip is Nkemefuna Foundation (Thomas Chidoka Center for Human Development). Due to the difference in our CAC registration details, JAMB insisted we change to Nkemefuna Foundation with Thomas Chidoka in a bracket as an identifier. We implemented the name change in 2021.

“Her result showing Thomas Chidoka without the Nkemefuna Foundation, which was on her Main Examination slip, raised my suspicion about the genuineness of the result.”

He added: “The second red flag was the result template. A cursory review of some of those who took the last examination at our center showed a different result slip template with the candidate’s passport picture, JAMB watermarks, and no mention of the name of the examination center.

“I gave the young Nmesoma the benefit of the doubt and waited to see if she would explain how she got the result, which is obviously not the result template that Jamb used in 2023. I knew it was fake.”

The former FRSC boss noted that his Center had been involved with the JAMB CBT examination since 2016, “and I have come to trust the integrity of the JAMB online examination platform.” “As Corps Marshal in 2011, I used JAMB to conduct the FRSC recruitment exercise that is still adjudged a high-water mark in public sector recruitment. Those

recruited through that process wear their uniform with pride and continue to deliver value to the organisation to this day.

“For me, the real issue in this saga is the level of distrust of our national institutions. The social media frenzy and denigration of JAMB, together with the ethnic slant of a simple issue with clear and verifiable methods of resolution, is symptomatic of the deep distrust of our national institutions.

“This distrust was deepened in the past eight years with a horrifying descent of issues to our national fault lines. The Ethnicisation of the issue is sad and disappointing,” he added. Chidoka, commended the examination body and its officials, saying the exam body came out forcefully and defended its integrity vigorously.

“I was impressed. JAMB’s reaction and responsiveness should be made a minimum benchmark for government agencies. Our universities should write case studies of this saga so other institutions can learn how to navigate social media and information management in the face of unrelenting attacks.

“For Nmesoma, she should come clean and explain how she got that result and who led her down that path. If she does that, I will lend my voice to beg JAMB to note her age and show more leniency,” he added.

Meanwhile, the candidate has confirmed that she received an automated text message from JAMB

indicating that her score was 249.

Nmesoma, made this known during an interview on Channels Television.

Speaking during the interview, Mmesoma said the only SMS she sent to JAMB was through its support system: “That’s the only SMS I sent there.”

Asked if she got any feedback, she said, “They didn’t reply. If they check their JAMB Support System, they would see that I sent a text message. They didn’t reply.”

On the claim that she used an Airtel line, Mmesoma replied: “Yes,” but she added it was “not through USSD code”.

“The one I checked through the USSD code is the one of 360 that I saw,” she explained further.

Responding to the claim that the feedback from JAMB showed her score as 249, she agreed.

“Yes,” she said. “After all was said and done, I now saw that I got 249. I sent them a text message there to know what really happened — the JAMB Support System. If they go to their system, they will see it there” she said.

Before her interview, the board had placed a three years ban on the candidate.

However, Anambra State govern- ment has distanced itself from claims by JAMB, that Mmesoma’s result was fake.

The commissioner for information, Mr. Paul Nwosu, in a press release

yesterday, said investigation was still ongoing, on what transpired about the result, when JAMB made a press release labelling the result as fake.

The commissioner said this was more so, when it was the student and her school that came to the commissioner to report that she got 362, while JAMB was recognising someone who scored 360 as the highest scorer.

Nwosu said the Anambra State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, had called JAMB to intervene in the matter, but the board involved Department of States Services (DSS) to investigate the result, but even before investigation started, “JAMB made a press release disclaiming the student's result.”

He said a full investigation had been launched. He named the members of the committee investigating the result on behalf of Anambra government to include: Prof. Nkemdili Nnonyelu (Chairman); Prof. Mercy Okonkwo –member; Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh - member; Prof. Maduabuchi Dukor - member, Prof. Jaja Nwanegbo –member; Rev. Sr. Prof. Mary-Felicia Opara – member; Rev. Cannon Dr. Uchenna Umeifekwem - member, and Mr. Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata (MD, Anambra Information Communication Technology Agency) - member.

Nwosu's release read: "Anambra State Government has, for obvious reasons, been following the JAMB/ Mmesoma Ejike matter with keen interest.

Keyamo to EU Election Observers: You Overstepped Your Bounds

Insists body’s mandate does not extend to investigating candidates’ claims Group condemns attacks on EU 2023 polls’ report

Chuks Okocha and Emameh

Gabriel

Ripples of the European Union (EU) Election Observer Mission (EOM) report continued yesterday, with the former Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, criticising the report which indicted him for allegedly peddling fake news days to the 2023 general election in Nigeria.

In a statement posted on his verified Twitter handle yesterday, Keyamo claimed the report did not deserve his response because “it was so presumptuous and outside their

mandate”.

The EU-EOM report noted that Keyamo and his ally, former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, propagated fake news ahead of the 2023 general election.

However, in his response, Keyamo said: “The part of the EU report that asserts that there was a single incident throughout the whole campaign where I retweeted a news item by a ‘suspicious website’ does not deserve my response.

“(Because) it is so presumptuous and outside their mandate and exposes a deep-seated bias about how the so-called observers went

about their assignment.

“However, for the education of the gullible and unfortunate ones who are jubilating over such a poor report, I will say a word or two.

“Firstly, their assignment is to observe and report. Their mandate does not extend to investigating claims made by candidates against one another and reaching conclusions on such claims. They are not journalists nor are they law-enforcement officers.

“They are just observers. Declaring any news as ‘fake’ when they don’t have alternative facts or findings by institutions statutorily empowered to investigate such claims is tantamount

to taking sides on the campaign trail and trying to defend a candidate against another. And that is very disappointing and unfortunate on the part of these observers.”

Meanwhile, the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has expressed dismay over what it described as uncharitable attacks targeted at the EU EOM on alleged irregularities said to have undermined and tainted the credibility of the 2023 presidential election. The Centre also cautioned groups it said had vested interest, "masquerading as CSOs against

attacks on partners of Nigeria’s democratic progress."

President Bola Tinubu had early this week rejected the report of the EU-EOM, and had described it as “a product of a poorly done desk job.”

He had said the EU did not provide any substantial evidence viable enough to question the integrity of the 2023 election outcomes.

But CHRICED in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, stated that it "strongly condemned the recent onslaughts, including the ill-tempered press statement from the Presidency denouncing the EU EOM report.”

"It's important to note that Miss Mmesoma Ejike went to the office of the Anambra State Commissioner for Education, Professor Ngozi Chuma-Udeh with her UTME result to protest that the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) didn't recognise her as the candidate with the highest score.

"The Commissioner in turn called JAMB to confirm her claim but she was told that Mmesoma's result was forged.

"It was at this point that JAMB authorities invited the Directorate of State Services (DSS) to investigate the matter and make its findings known.

“This was yet to happen when JAMB went public with the matter, thus eliciting the raucous conversations we've seen in the media."

Also, the Bishop of Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Nnewi Diocese, Rt Revd Ndubuisi Chukwuka Obi has stated that the church would accept any outcome of the investigation into authentic JAMB score of one of her students.

The church is the owner of Anglican Girls Secondary School, AGSS, Nnewi.

The Synod Secretary of the diocese, Venerable Godfrey Motuanya, who spoke to journalists yesterday, on behalf of the bishop said the church has decided to bar the student and the principal from speaking to the media, since the matter was being investigated by both the DSS and the Anambra State government.

"We are a very responsible com- munion, and we have resolved that since the matter is now being investigated by both the DSS and Anambra State government, there is no need over flogging the matter.

"We will rather wait for the outcome of their investigation, and we will abide by every outcome of the investigation.

"We have nothing to fear, one of the professors appointed into the panel is an Anglican priest. The governor is also the father of the state, so we believe that he will do what is best.

"The girl in question is our daughter. She is from Enugu State, but studies in an Anambra school. The girl who got 360 score too is from Anambra State, so we have nothing to fear. We will abide by whatever outcome that both the DSS and the state government finds out."

In a related development, the House of Representatives yesterday, directed JAMB to desist from any further action on the matter.

L-R: Senate Minority Leader. Senator Simon Davou Mwadkwon, PDP; Minority Whip, Senator Darlington Nwokocha , LP and Deputy Minority Leader, Senator 'Lere Oyewumi PDP, during a press conference by the Senate Minority caucus in Abuja... yesterday

NCC MEDIA ROUNDTABLE IN LAGOS...

Danbatta: Telecoms Investment in Nigeria Now $75.6bn

Emma Okonji

The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, has disclosed that the investment profile in the nation’s telecommunications sector, comprising foreign direct investment (FDI) and local investment reached $75.6 billion as of 2021.

Danbatta, disclosed this at an interactive session with stakeholders in the communications media ecosystem in Lagos, yesterday, where he provided his scorecards and landmark developments that have shaped the trajectory of growth in the telecoms sector since he became the chief telecom regulator in August 2015.

According to Danbatta, in 2018, investment profile in the sector stood at $68 billion. This, he said increased to $70.5 billion in 2019 and $72 billion in 2020.

At the end of 2021, the figure rose to $75,560,563,417.79 ($75.6 billion). The latest figure is the current official investment profile computed in the industry up from the initial $70 billion investment in the last few years.

Investment in the telecommunications sector in Nigeria is computed from two sources: the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the financial data obtained from service providers by the WhileCommission. the CBN collects and calculates an element of the telecoms sector to include FDI, portfolio and others, the Commission collects invest-

ment figures from telecom licensees described as domestic investment arising from capital expenditure (CAPEX) which form part of the total investment in the industry.

The NCC CEO said through effective regulatory environment put in place by the Commission, the telecom sector recorded tremendous growth from an initial investment profile of $500 million as at 2001, when the sector was fully liberalised.

Similarly, Danbatta said the telecom sector has continued to be a major contributor to Nigeria’s economy through an impressive the sectoral contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) quarterly, up from about 8.5 per cent in third quarter of 2015, contributing N10.126 trillion to the nation’s GDP in 2022

alone.

Citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Danbatta, was quoted in a statement signed by NCC Director, Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka, to have said the telecoms sector contributed N10.126 trillion as an aggregate quarterly contribution to GDP in 2022.

“In the first quarter, the sector contributed 12.94 per cent equivalent to N2.246 trillion while the second quarter witnessed an all-time high GDP contribution by the telecom sector to the nation's economy, standing at 15 per cent and valued at N2.593 trillion.

“The sector’s contribution to GDP in the third was 12.85 per cent and in the fourth quarter, it grew to 13.55 per cent, which are valued at N2.436

trillion and N2.851 trillion respectively.

“The growth trajectory continued this year as telecommunications and Information Services sector in Nigeria delivered a handsome N2. 508 trillion in terms of financial value contribution to the nation's gross domestic product, GDP, representing 14.13 per cent in the first quarter 2023,” he said.

Telecoms contribution to the country’s GDP has grown significantly since assumption of Danbatta as the EVC of NCC in August, 2015, according to available data from NBS.

From 8.50 per cent in 2015, it grew to 9.13 per cent in 2016 and to 8.66 per cent in 2017. In the last quarter of 2018, telecoms contributed 9.85 per cent to national GDP while it added 10.60 per cent in the fourth

President Meets with Anyim, Metuh at State House

Nigeria will achieve greater unity under Tinubu, says Metuh

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, met with a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, at the State House, Abuja.

Anyim, a former President of the Senate, walked into the Villa in the company with a former National Publicity Secretary of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),

Chief Olisah Metuh.

Speaking with newsmen after the meeting, the duo, who were bigwigs of the opposition PDP, expressed satisfaction with the initial steps taken so far by the President Tinubu administration, saying there was hope for the country.

Anyim said though there were other heart-to-heart discussions, the visit was primarily to encourage and congratulate the President on

his inauguration and the successes he has so far achieved.

“It was a great honour to pay courtesy on the president and congratulate him, first and foremost, for his successful inauguration as the 16th President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and also to encourage and congratulate him for the bold he has taken so far. We had a whole lot of heart to heart discussions, but primarily, it’s to congratulate him.

NDDC to Hold Niger Delta Stakeholders Summit

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, has announced that the Commission would soon hold a Niger Delta stakeholders’ summit to draft and push for the development of the region using the NDDC as a vehicle. This was as the NDDC boss has re-stated the Commission's resolve to fast-track the development of the Niger Delta region for the good of all its peoples

Ogbuku disclosed this yesterday, during a visit by a coalition of 27 leaders representing ethnic nationalities and professional bodies in the Niger Delta region, to the NDDC management team at the Commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt.

He explained: "When we resumed, the NDDC had no

approved budget. Now the budget has been passed by the National Assembly and we are ready to hit the ground running.

“The 2024 budget will be scrutinised during our proposed Niger Delta stakeholders’ summit where development items will be prioritised. Our programmes and activities will be presented at the summit. This will give all of us a sense of belonging in the developmental strides in the Region."

He added: "Our people have grown beyond the level of armed struggle and moved on to intellectual struggle. The Niger Delta has gone through different phases and some of our critical stakeholders were instrumental to the birth of NDDC. Leaders will come and go but the NDDC remains as a vehicle for development of the Niger Delta region."

Ogbuku received the leaders in

the company of other members of the NDDC management team, comprising the Executive Director Finance and Administration, Major General Charles Airhiavbere,(Rtd.) and the Executive Director, Projects, Mr. Charles Ogunmola, as well as and other directors of the Commission.

Earlier in his address, the President, Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Senator Emmanuel Ibok- Essien, said as committed patriots of the Niger Delta region, PANDEF, “the apex socio-cultural group in the region, has the blessings of our leader, Chief Edwin Clark, to visit you and give our solidarity to you and the management of the NDDC."

The coalition of leaders representing the various ethnic nationalities and professional groups in the Niger Delta region declared their unalloyed support for Ogbuku at the NDDC.

Metuh, on his part, expressed confidence that the Tinubu administration would achieve national unity.

“We came to see the President, to commend him for his very good take-off, the policies he has brought, his inclusiveness, and most of all, to canvass for the idea of participatory governance, participatory democracy.

“We believe that for policies and programmes, there has to be options and alternatives for those programmes, but only when we are together can we achieve success. Our nation has bled for over eight years, but we believe that from now onwards, Mr President has shown the way that the country will come together and then we’ll be able to

live happily,” he said.

Anyim, who declared his aspiration in 2022 to contest the last presidential election, was suspended by the PDP in March this year for alleged anti-party activity, rolled around his support for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi State, Mr Francis Nwifuru.

Also, Metuh had in October last year, announced his resignation from the PDP and partisan politics.

In a letter dated October 25th, 2022 and addressed to the party’s National Chairman, Metuh stated that his decision to leave the party was taken in the course of his recent medical trip abroad.

quarter of 2019.

Also in the second quarter of 2010, it added 14.30 per cent to GDP; 14.42 per cent in the second quarter of 2021. The highest quarterly contribution to GDP by the sector to the economy was 15 per cent in the second quarter of 2022.

Overall, Danbatta said the sector had become a major enabler of economic development in Nigeria, as it continued to positively impact all the facets of the Nigerian economy.

“As the regulatory authority for the telecom sector in Nigeria, we are happy that the sector has recorded phenomenal growth statistics in the past two decades of the liberalisation of the telecoms sector.

“However, we will not rest on our oars. We will continue to push upward to greater heights by encouraging expansion of frontiers to put Nigeria’s imprint on the global map of digital economy,” he said.

In addition to the growth in investment and GDP contribution, Danbatta said, “As of May, 2023, active voice subscriptions reached 221.3 million, equivalent of 115.91 per cent tele-density, while Internet subscriptions rose to 159.6 million.”

According to the CEO of NCC, broadband subscriptions on Third Generation (3G) and Fourth Generation (4G) networks increased to 92.2 million, representing a 48.28 per cent broadband penetration in the country.

Also, following the issuance of 3.5GHz spectrum licences for the deployment of Fifth Generation (5G) networks in Nigeria, marked by ultra-high speed internet, low latency and high capacity, and the subsequent commercial launch by two of the three licence holders, 5G subscriptions have grown to over 60,000 in many cities in at least 12 states of the Federation.

NUC Approves 44 New Programmes for Varsity in Katsina

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved 44 new programmes for the Federal University Dutsin-Ma (FUDMA), Katsina State.

The programmes which are to be offered by the university with effect from the 2023/2024 academic session, are 23 undergraduate and 21 postgraduate programmes. This was disclosed in a statement issued to journalists yesterday, by the Coordinator, Directorate of Public Relations and

Protocol (DPRP) of the University, Mr. Habibu Umar Aminu.

He explained that the approval for the commencement of the 44 new programmes was contained in a letter signed by NUC’s Director of Academic Planning, Dr. NB Saliu.

He added that the approval was sequel to an earlier resource verification visit to the university by NUC panel of experts to the proposed programmes with a view to assessing the human and material resources available for their establishment.

The statement read in part: “Some of the new undergraduate programmes include: B.Sc Mass Communication, LL.B Law, B.Eng. Mechatronics Engineering, B.Sc International Relations and Diplomacy, B.URP Urban and Regional Planning, B.Sc Applied Geophysics, B.Tech. Entrepreneurship, B. Tech. Textile Design Technology, among others.

“The new programmes are in addition to over 80 different others already being offered at the university at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.”

L-R: Former President, Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Mustapha Isa; Chairman, Editorial Board, Vanguard Newspapers, Ochereome Nnanna; Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta; Chairman, Editorial Board, The Nation Newspapers, Sam Omatseye, and Director, Human Capital and Administration, NCC, Usman Malah, at a media roundtable organised by the Commission in Lagos ... yesterday

CADBURY LAUNCHES THE BREATHE ACADEMY...

L-R: Category Lead, Gum and Candy, West Africa, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Morolake Emokpaire; Marketing Lead, West Africa,

Communications and Government Affairs, Frederick Mordi, during the official launch of the Breathe Academy by

Managing

FG Issues Flood Alert, Says 14 States May Record Heavy Rainfall

Shettima Says FG"ll address challenge of flooding in Jigawa

Deji Elumoye in Abuja and Ugo Aliogo in Lagos

The federal government of Nigeria has issued a flood alert, saying 14 states and 31 communities may witness heavy rainfall that could lead to flooding from July 4th to 8th.

The warning was contained in a statement by the Federal Ministry of Environment.

According to the statement, the states and communities were identified as Plateau (Langtang and Shendam); Kano (Sumaila, Tudun Wada); Sokoto (Shagari,

Goronyo and Silame); and Delta (Okwe).

Others included Kaduna (Kachia); Akwa Ibom (Upenekang); Adamawa (Mubi, Demsa, Song, Mayo-Belwa, Jimeta, and Yola); and Katsina (Katsina, Jibia, Kaita and Bindawa).

Also listed in the flood alert were Kebbi (Wara, Yelwa and Gwandu); Zamfara (Shinkafi and Gummi); Borno (Briyel); Jigawa (Gwaram); Kwara (Jebba); Niger (Mashegu and Kontagora).

The government also urged relevant stakeholders within the states concerned to take

precautionary measures to forestall the loss of lives and property.

The statement read: “The following locations and environs may witness heavy rainfall that may lead to flooding from 4th July – 8th July, 2023. Relevant stakeholders are advised to take precautionary measures to forestall loss of lives and property.”

Meanwhile, the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, yesterday, said the issue of the incessant flooding being experienced in Jigawa State would soon be addressed because of its negative impact on agriculture and food production.

He also reiterated the importance of peace for achieving any meaningful development in the country.

Shettima stated this yesterday, when a delegation of the Hadeija Emirate Council led by the Emir of Hadeija and Chairman of Jigawa State Traditional Council, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar Maje paid him a courtesy visit at the State House, Abuja.

Stressing the importance of peace for national development, the vice president further emphasised that peace was a major

Tinubu Mourns First FCT Minister, Mobolaji Ajose-Adeogun

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has mourned the demise of Nigeria's first Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Chief Mobolaji Ajose-Adeogun, who passed on last Saturday in Lagos.

The late Ajose-Adeogun who died at the age of 96, was appointed the Minister of Federal Capital in 1976 by the Murtala Mohammed military administration and served in the position till 1979.

Describing the former Minister and notable businessman as an eminent statesman for his contributions to national development, Tinubu, according to a statement issued yesterday, by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Mr Dele Alake, said the country and the people of Lagos State where he held an

important traditional title owed the deceased a debt of gratitude for his meritorious service over the years.

The president said: "I join the family, children, associates and Lagos State Government in mourning the death of Chief Mobolaji Ajose-Adeogun, an illustrious son of Lagos, who served our country excellently as the first Minister of Federal Capital Territory.

"Over 40 years after he served as a member of the Federal Executive Council, his records of unblemished and pioneering leadership of the FCT remain indelible till date.

"Chief Ajose-Adeogun will be remembered for his contributions to the economic growth of our country as an industrialist and businessman of note. He served his country well and the people of Lagos State where he was a

traditional chief even much more. I pray that his soul will find eternal rest."

The late Chief Ajose-Adeogun was a two-time Federal Commissioner for Cooperatives and Supply before his appointment as the

Federal Commissioner for Special Duties in charge of the Federal Capital Development Authority. He superintended over the planning and the design of the Master Plan of Abuja during his time as the FCT Minister.

perquisite for national development, noting that Kano and Jigawa States have been largely peaceful and are “islands of peace in an unending ocean of poverty, insecurity and depravity.”

He commended the Hadeija Emirate Council for a strong support to the Tinubu/Shettima Adminstration observing that, “as at the time we went to Hadeija, we were not in power and His Royal Highness was unequivocal in his support to us. It was a huge support and was anchored on the fact that our team was the best for the nation.”

Shettima who lauded the Hadeija Emirate for its developmental strides, disclosed that, “when I travelled from Kano to Hadeija, it was one of my happiest moment. I saw development coming up, I saw universities springing up, I saw a rice mill by Aliko Dangote, I saw so many development efforts.”

“I want to convey to you the message from President Bola

Tinubu that the challenges of the place will be adequately captured in the next budget”, he stated.

Commenting on the high capacity of the State for wheat production, Shettima said, “in the next programme, we want to cultivate a minimum of 100,000 hectares in the wheat belt, so nearly 50,000 hectares will be devoted to Jigawa State as it is one of the few states which grow wheat in the belt comprising Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Yobe and to Borno. I think Jigawa is our food basket.”

Earlier in his remarks, the Emir of Hadeija congratulated President Bola Tinubu and the Vice President on their successful inauguration and promised their continued support for the government.

While thanking the Vice President for the appointment of one of their sons as the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, he prayed God’s guidance and direction for the new Administration.

We've Hit 57% Growth in Metering, Says PHED Boss

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution (PHED) Plc, Dr. Benson Uwheru, has revealed that the firm has hit 57 per cent growth rate in metering of its customers.

He, however, pointed out that about 285,000 of them were still

unmetered.

The electricity distribution company has also revealed that its revenue hit N7 billion in June.

Uwheru, made the disclosures yesterday, in Port Harcourt, during a media parley to mark one-year anniversary of the company's operation under his watch as Managing Director.

According to the PHED boss, the

Regent School Wins First Outstanding British School Award in West Africa

The Regent School has been judged an 'Outstanding Schiol' by a team of British Schools Overseas (BSO) inspectors commissioned by the UK Department for Education (DfE) in England to inspect and accredit British international schools outside of the UK.

To be recognised by the DfE, a British school overseas must have an inspection report which shows that their performance against all the BSO standards is at least satisfactory. This reflects the standards required for continuing registration as a school in England.

The Regent School was adjudged 'outstanding' after a rigorous inspection. This is the first and

only school in Nigeria and West Africa to achieve the status.

The school was rated 'outstanding' for offering excellent quality of teaching and learning, innovative curriculum, visionary leadership and governance, standardised assessment, excellent child protection and safeguarding practices and top-end educational facilities.

The Regent Primary School, Abuja was founded in 2000 to provide a British-style education of high quality to Nigerian children, and to the children of expatriates living and working in Abuja.

At an event organised on Monday to celebrate the achievement, the headmaster,

Mr Joe Labuschagne, said that the remarkable accomplishment was as a result of the team work of his staff as well as four years of planning and preparation.

According to him, achieving a BSO outstanding rating was by no means an easy walk.

The event was attended by staff and parents of the school as well members of the diplomatic community. In a symbolic gesture, the headmaster presented the proprietress, Mrs. Amsa AbdulRazaq, a plaque as a memorabilia representing the inspection report.

AbdulRazaq in her remarks, said, “We are extremely delighted that our objective of being a top-class

school has been achieved with a resounding confirmation by the UK Government through the Department for Education (DfE).”

The Chief Inspector, PENTA International, Dr. Mark Evans, noted that the school "is a friendly and vibrant school that provides a very high standard of education and care. It has made excellent progress since the last BSO inspection."

Explaining the achievement, the Head of Assessment and qualified BSO Inspector in the school, Mr. Akin Alufa, said schools that are judged outstanding have stringent criteria to meet. They must cross all t’s and dot all the I’s in all ramifications.

distribution company has within one year made significant impact in power supply to its customers across its areas of reach and achieved result because of effective collaborations.

He said its tripod pillar of transformation was being achieved, adding that the vision of PHED was to become the number one electricity distribution company in the nation.

Uwheru said: "Customer services is a pillar of our transformation. We want to appreciate our customers across the states of our operation. The results we have achieved today is by the dedication of our customers.

“Our service delivery has continued to improve day to day. The steps we took last year have improved our delivery even in our franchise areas.

"We wanted to achieve operational efficiency and standardisation. We want to prove our processes through technology. We recorded significant improvement in the last one year."

On the increased revenue collection, the MD said "When we came onboard, the company was doing about N4.9 billion, but I am happy to announce to the press and our stakeholders that because we have improved service delivery, we have improved our energy allocations,

the service pay tariff, we have been able to grow revenues significantly above 50 per cent.

"Last month, we achieved a historic number in terms of revenue growth of N7 billion revenue. This is also a testament of our dogged determination towards investment."

Uwheru hinted that, "Aggregate of Technical, Commercial and Collections (ATC&C) loses which was almost hitting 50 per cent has come down to about 39.32 per cent which is also a positive achievement when you consider the target we had for 2023 which was at 38 per cent, although we are not within the regulatory benchmark, but through proactive steps we have been able to reduce our ATC&C loses.”

On reason for not Implementing the new electricity billing, Uwheru noted that the Electricity Regulatory Commission, (NERC), was yet to tell them to implement the increment, adding that that the firm was still working with its known tariff system.

He said: "The tariff has not been implemented. There is no order for us to implement the increments, so we are still using our old tariff.

"We are putting a human face to the business. We are showing empathy. We are showing trust and we are empowering our people."

Motsamai Pule;

Director, Yimika Adeboye, and, Head,

Cadbury Nigeria Plc in Lagos...on

COURTESY VISIT TO KANO GOVERNOR…

L-R: Executive Director, Greenwich Merchant Bank, Benson Ogundeji; Chairman , Kayode Falowo, and Governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf, during visit by the board members of the bank to the governor in Kano... recently

Rights Group Harps on Harmony among New Service Chiefs to Fight Terrorism

Chunk Okocha inAbuja

Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA), yesterday tasked the newly appointed service chiefs to rebuild the failing intelligence gathering capacities of the Armed Forces and ensure unprecedented harmony and synergy in the nation’s counterterror operations on land, air and

water.

The National Coordinator, HURIWA, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement tasked the new top echelons in the military to embrace teamwork and cooperation as they go all out against the enemies of Nigeria and those threatening the territorial integrity of the country.

The group said collaborations, especially between the Nigerian

APC Reinstates Suspended Chairman, Deputy in A’Ibom

Okon

Bassey inUyo

The suspended Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Akwa Ibom State Chapter, Mr. Stephen Ntukekpo, and his Deputy, Dr. David Umo Essien have been reinstated by the leadership of the party in the state.

The Acting State Chairman of the APC, Dr. Cyril Effiong Enemi, said that the issues that led to their suspension bothered on alleged mismanagement of the welfare of members.

At a press conference in Uyo on

Tuesday’s night, Emeni stressed that the matter had been resolved and the affected officers reinstated.

According to him, “the substantive Chairman Ntukekpo, and his Deputy, UmoEssien, will now return to their positions, while I also return to my former position as the Eket Senatorial District chairman of our party.”

He recalled that the crises, which led to the polarisation of the party in the state, started in July 2, noting that “the issues that would have led to a serious Tsunami have been nipped in the bud.”

Abia Moves to Save Community from Erosion Menace

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

The Abia State Government has rushed in to offer help to the people of Ogbor community and residents of Ovom Street in Aba North Local Government, following a save-our-soul (SOS) message over gully erosion menace in the area.

Residents of the erosiondevastated area said that many houses had already been swallowed by the gully erosion while over 3,000 houses are

under the threat of caving into the gully thereby sacking the entire community.

The people in the erosion prone areas are presently in desperate situation as gully erosion threatens to swallow everything as the ground keeps caving in under the pressure of flood water.

The strident cries from the people have attracted the attention of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Aba Rejuvenation, Mr. Uche Ukeje, who visited the massive erosion site on Wednesday.

Alake Installs UK-based Property Magnate as Baagbeyi of Egbaland

Yusuf Ebiti

The Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo has installed Chief Tanimola Sanyaolu, a property developer and economist based in the United Kingdom(UK), as the Baagbeyi of Egbaland, Ogun State.

His wife, Mrs Abisola Tosin Sanyaolu, a financial expert, was also conferred with the title of Erelu Baagbeyi of Egbaland.

Many Egba chiefs and monarchs, including the Olu of Orile Ilawo, Oba (Prof) Alexander

Army, the Nigerian Air Force, and the Nigerian Navy will avert so many avoidable military airstrike casualties at the Boko Haram theatre of war in Borno, Yobe and

Adamawa states, amongst other places where insurgents and bandits are operating unchallenged.

HURIWA also urged the new Chief of Defence Staff, Maj. Gen.

C.G Musa; the new Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen T. A Lagbaja; the new Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral E. A Ogalla; and the new Chief of Air Staff, AVM H.B

Abubakar to work collaboratively and stamp out unprofessional conduct and indiscipline as well as weed out saboteurs within the Armed Forces.

NSCDC Arrests Six Suspects for Railway Slippers Vandalism in Kwara

Hammed Shittu

Kwara state command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) yesterday arrested six suspects with two 14-tyre DAF trucks fully loaded with railway slippers at Olooru in the Moro Local

Government Area of the state.

Parading the suspects in Ilorin, the state commandant of the NSCDC, Mr. Umar Mohammed, said that they were apprehended at about 12:00am on Wednesday by the personnel who were on night patrol.

“The six suspects: Yunusa Bello

(41), Sanni Taminu (35), Sanusi Lawal (25), Alhaji Makeri (33), Lukman Sanni (32), and Olabode Johnson (41) were all arrested with the items”, he said.

The state commandant, who warned those who engage in vandalising national critical assets and infrastructures to

desist from that or prepare to face the consequences, said that the command would not tolerate any act of vandalism in the state. In another development, the commandant also paraded another suspect, Babatunde Adekunle (41), who was arrested for ATM fraud.

Dadu’ut Failed as Senator, Don’t Appoint Her Minister, APC Group Tells Tinubu

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

Plateau South All Progressives Congress (APC) Compatriot has urged President Bola Tinubu not to consider Senator Nora Dadu’ut for ministerial appointment, noting that the Senator failed awfully when

she represented Plateau South in the National Assembly.

Addressing the press in Jos, the group, led by Nanmang Danladi also called on the national leadership of the party to intervene and ensure that Dadu’ut does not make the ministerial list.

But in a swift response, the Senator described the group as faceless and does not represent the voice of APC in the state.

Danladi said: “A diligent overview of Dadu’ut’s democratic expedition as a lawmaker of the 9th Assembly is evident that she is not a good

party stalwart or political figure in the state. She is alienated to having a roadmap of national politics that is a panacea for attracting dividends of democracy to complement the state.

“The professor’s performance in politics is very poor.”

CAN Condemns Attack on Worshippers in Ogun, Calls for Increased Vigilance

Emameh GabrielinAbuja

The national leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has condemned in strong term the attack on worshippers at the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Abule-Ori, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area

of Ogun State.

The body has also described the act as an assault on religious freedom in Nigeria, and therefore called relevant security agencies to beef up surveillance to protect citizens from further attacks.

It should be recalled that gunmen had on Sunday stormed a Redeemed

Christian Church of God (RCCG) parish in Abule-Ori, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, killing the officiating pastor and abducting seven members of the church, who were later rescued by members of Ogun State So-Safe Corps.

In a statement that was signed

by President of CAN, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, the association also described the loss of 12 pastors (officers), a baby, and a driver in a fatal accident on the same day, near Benin City, Edo State, as a devastating blow to the congregation, the body of Christ in Nigeria, and the nation at large.

Probe Masari’s Financial Misappropriation, Katsina Whistleblower Tells EFCC

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The Katsina-based whistleblower, Abdulmumin Shehu-Sani, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the former governor of the state, Mr. Aminu Bello Masari over alleged financial misappropriation.

Speaking at a press Conference in Katsina yesterday, Sani claimed that Masari misappropriated and embezzled public funds amounting to over N400 billion when he was governor of the state.

He added that Masari, who served Katsina under the platform of the All Progressives

Congress (APC) between 2015 to 2023, left corruption, squander mania and failure in all sectors of governance as his legacies in the state.

Sani therefore, urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu against appointing former Governor Masari into his cabinet because of what he

termed huge loss of finances and other resources in the state under his administration. The self-acclaimed whistleblower said President Tinubu deserves to work with persons of proven integrity who would add to the credibility of his government rather than those who will tarnish its image.

NAHCON Moves to Probe Poor Services Offered to Nigerian Pilgrims

Hammed Shittu in Makkah

Olusegun MacGregor, were present when the young industrialist and his wife received their title of the historic position, which had been vacant for decades.

Oba Gbadebo prayed for the couple’s continued well-being, longevity, and wealth.

The monarch tasked them with using their newfound status to promote harmony, growth, and peace in Egbaland.

Speaking on the new title, Chief Sanyaolu thanked the monarch for the honour and vowed to support him and Egbaland diligently and loyally.

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has set up an eight-man committee to review the services offered to Nigerian pilgrims at the Masha’ir(Muna and Arafat) by the Saudi Arabia authorities during the 2023

hajj operations and come up with a recommendation and position paper.

The poor services among others, it was gathered, include feeding and inadequate tents accommodation which led many Nigerian pilgrims to sleep outside the approved tents for the Hajj exercise.

A statement issued in Makkah yesterday signed by the NAHCON’s Deputy Director, Information and Publication, Alhaji Mousa Ubandawaki stated:”The decision was part of the resolution adopted at the end of a meeting between NAHCON, State Muslim pilgrims welfare boards and

Tour Operators”.

The meeting, according to the statement, was held at the Commissions Ummul-judd office in Makkah and was attended by the Executive Secretaries/Chairmen or Amirul Hajj of the 36 states, FCT, the Armed forces and members of AHOUN.

You are on Six Months Probation, Gov Yusuf Tells New Commissioners

Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano

Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has said the appointment of all his commissioners would be based on six months probation period after which a monitoring and evaluation team

will assess their performance. He said any commissioner who performs below expectation would be pulled out of his government, adding that those who perform well will be appreciated.

Addressing the commissioners

at a maiden executive council meeting yesterday at Government House, he stated that their appointments were based on merit, professionalism, previous performances and competency.

According to the governor,

“Let me urge you all to sustain the tempo of loyalty, dedication, commitment to duty and be honest in the discharge of your duties; be honest, accountable, and be mindful of the confidence reposed in us by the good people of the state.

Itsekiri Emerges Nigeria’s Fastest Man at World Championships Trials

Duro Ikhazuagbe

The U.S-based Usheoritse Itsekiri emerged Nigeria’s fastest man over the 100m distance yesterday as he hit the finish line in 10.02 secs to qualify for the World Athletics Championships scheduled to hold in Budapest, Hungary next month.

With Itsekiri taking the blue-ribband title, veteran Seye Ogunlewe of Lagos (10.11secs) and Alaba Akintola of Edo State (10.12secs) had to settle for the second and third spots in the race with held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin. City.

AHEAD BUDAPEST 2023

While still struggling to catch his breath, Itsekiri gushed to reporters at the mixed zone that he really worked had for his title.

"I prepared myself for this race and I am so happy I won," Itsekiri stressed with emphasis.

Earlier, home-based Blessing Ogundiran claimed the women’s sprint title in 11.50sec. Faith Okwose of Delta State placed second in 11.51sec, while Ese Brume who won silver medal in the women’s long jump event at the World

Championships in Oregon, USA, came in third in the 100m final in 11.52sec.

Brume said after the race that she used the event to prepare herself for the challenges ahead in the women’s long jump event.

Meanwhile, former African sprint Champion, Seun Ogunkoya, and officials of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) celebrated Itsekiri's fate yesterday in Benin City.

"It is a good race for Itsekiri and there is still room for improvement.

Nigerians should watch out for him in Budapest," Ogunkoya predicted.

Over 160 athletes, including some home-based, those from the United States and some European countries are on parade at the Samuel Ogbemudia for the National Trials to select Nigerian team for the 19th World Championship.

Last year, the same Ogbemudia Stadium was the venue for the National Trials, where athletes for both the World Championships in Oregon, and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, were picked.

DI MARIA

Argentina forward Angel di Maria has joined Benfica for the second time in his career.

Di Maria, 35, played for the Portuguese club between 2007-2010 when he first moved to Europe from Rosario in his native Argentina. He spent last season with Italian side Juventus after seven years with French giants Paris St-Germain.

"Welcome home, Di Maria," said the club in a video announcing his move, which is reportedly a one-year deal.

Di Maria won the Portuguese league and cup double in his last season with Benfica before moving to Real Madrid.

He will join close friend and compatriot Nicolas Otamendi, with whom he won the World Cup in Qatar last year.

SANDRO TONALI

Sandro Tonali has finally arrived in Newcastle after joining from AC Milan- with his wife Juliette Pastore already sporting the club's famous black-and-white.

Tonali, 23, completed his £52million move from Milan earlier this weekand has put pen to paper on a five-year deal at St James' Park. And two days after his transfer was finally confirmed after much speculation, the Italy midfielder has touched down on Tyneside as he prepares to join up with Eddie Howe's side.

On Wednesday night Newcastle shared footage on social media of Tonali's private jet landing in the city, before he is seen stepping out of the plane alongside his stunning partner.

Pastore, the Instagram model and fashion designer who has had an on-off relationship with Tonali for the last four years, even donned a black-and-white jumper to match their new team's colours upon arrival in England.

LUIS ENRIQUE

Paris Saint-Germain have confirmed the appointment of former Barcelona and Spain boss Luis Enrique as their new manager. It comes after the club earlier confirmed the sacking of Christophe Galtier after just one season.

Enrique has been out of work since leaving Spain at the end of the World Cup, and it is his first job in club management since his departure from Barcelona in May 2017.

Speaking to the club's official website, he said: 'I'm delighted to be joining Paris in order to enjoy a new experience.

Femi Solaja

Former Leeds United and Bafana Bafana Captain, Lucas Radebe, has picked former Ivorian striker and Chelsea legend, Didier Drogba, as his greatest African player to have graced the Premier League.

The revered former defender revealed this at the Premier League Africa XI trophy showcase in Lagos yesterday.

The Premier League trophy showcase is part of the activities lined up in celebration of PL Greatest Africa XI, to be announced at a Gala Night in Lagos tonight. The event will be hosted by Lucas Radebe and 1997 African Footballer of the Year, Victor Ikpeba.

Fielding questions at the trophy unveiling event, Radebe said “My greatest African Premier League player is Didier Drogba.”

Radebe also said that Arsenal Football Club legend, Thierry Henry, was the hardest striker he faced in his Premier League career.

He said Henry’s dynamism made him a very tough opponent, not just for him, but for other opponents.

“The toughest striker I faced in my Premier League career is Thiery Henry. You don’t just know how to approach him. If

you go tight to him, he lifts the ball over your head, he’s gone. He has a good understanding of the game. He drops deep, receives the ball, and he breezes past you with speed.”

Asked about his best moment as a Premier League player, Radebe said “I had many good moments with Leeds United. But my most memorable moment was when

I had to take charged of goal keeping role”.

Premier League Africa greates XI is part of activities marking the 30th anniversary of the Premier League.

Between March 24 and June 30, a 30-man list was presented to football fans across Africa to vote their best African footballers to have graced the EPL, on SuperSport website.

Players with the highest votes will be unveiled as EPL Africa XI.

'It's so exciting to meet new people, to live in this city, to learn a new language and, above all, to manage PSG.'

Radebe Picks Drogba as Greatest Premier League African Player Garba Lawal Applauds Eunisell Boot Initiative

Former Super Eagles star, Garba Lawal, has applauded Eunisell for initiating the Eunisell Boot award for the highest goal scorer in the

Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).

Eunisell has been recognising and celebrating outstanding performers

in the domestic top flight since 2018 to instil greatness in players and create awareness for the NPFL. Enyimba forward, Chukwuemeka Obioma, scored 16 goals last season to claim the prestigious Eunisell Boot.

"The Eunisell Boot award has made the NPFL more interesting. The benefits will push attacking midfielders and strikers to focus more on goal scoring.

"It is a fantastic initiative that will lead to the improvement of the League.

"I saw the decoration of Chijioke Akuneto, who won the 2021/22 Eunisell Boot Award and it was marvelous", said Lawal, who played domestic football for Julius Berger before leaving the country for professional football abroad and was a member of the Nigerian team that won gold in the football event at the Atlanta '96 Olympics.

Eunisell placed a premium value of N200,000 on each goal scored by Obioma, who will receive N3.2 million and the Eunisell Boot replica.

Luis Enrique (left) at his unveiling in PSG ....yesterday.

PHOTO: Reuters

Usheoritse Itsekiri...becomes Nigeria’s fastest man

TRANSFER NEWS...TRANSFER NEWS...

L-R: Former Leeds United and Bafana Bafana Captain, Lucas Radebe; Executive Head, Marketing, MultiChoice West Africa, Tope Oshunkeye; 1997 African Footballer of the Year, Victor Ikpeba; SuperSport Executive Head of Studio &OB Production, Mr. Felix Awogu and Head of Football SuperSport, Max Tshunungwa, at the Premier League Africa XI trophy showcase in Lagos...yesterday

Adeola Adenikinju to Nigerian Banks

“Thehighoperatingcostenvironmentofthebankingsectorshouldbe addressed.Theratiois23.5percentinTurkey,50.6percentinBrazil,41.0 percentinMalaysia,62.0percentinSouthAfrica,43.2percentinAngola,35.2 percentinEgypt,Kenyais45.2percentandGhana,46.1percent”—Amember oftheCBNMonetaryPolicyCommittee,sayingtheoperatingcostofNigerian banks(70.5percent)ishigherthanthatofothercountries.

OLUSEGUN ADENIYI

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

My Convoy is Longer Than Yours

Iwas listening to a radio phone-in programme last week when a final year student of a state-owned tertiary institution called to say there was no way he would be able to complete his degree programme going by the tuition fees just announced by his university. Other callers soon joined the programme to paint scary pictures of their uncertain future. From education to health institutions and markets, Nigerians are groaning under an astronomical hike in prices of goods and services. While these challenges have been with us for some years, they have now been heightened by President Bola Tinubu’s decision to halt fuel subsidy payment and merge the foreign exchange rates.

For those of us who have always advocated that Nigeria should stop “borrowing from tomorrow”, it is difficult to fault the president for the tough decisions he has taken in his first one month in office. To be honest, Tinubu had little room to maneuver given glaring threats of fiscal collapse since we were borrowing to pay for the subsidy anyway. But leaders who preach the virtue of sacrifice cannot live like emperor or revel in ostentatious lifestyle at a time millions of Nigerians are going through harrowing times. That is the meaning of the outrage that greeted the recent long convoys of both the president and that of the senate president, Godswill Akpabio.

I have heard the defence by supporters of the president that what was posted on social media (incidentally by a bragging Tinubu supporter) included the convoys of many governors and other top government functionaries. That may well be true, but they miss the point. What was on display is a metaphor for profligacy and abuse of public resources that have come to define officialdom in Nigeria. The real issue is whether a government that preaches sacrifice can continue with such indulgence, especially at a period when many people are going through hard times. Besides, most Nigerians are already aware that the length of convoys has become a source of power projection in the country. Yet, it is nothing but a symbol of waste that we must do away with.

Since the advent of the current democratic dispensation in 1999, Nigerians have been concerned about the cost of maintaining those who ordinarily are elected to serve the rest of us. On their website, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) opens with a statement on ‘Reducing cost of governance’, seeking a review of the day-to-day government expenditure in the country. “The cost of running government in Nigeria has been on the increase over the years to the extent that stakeholders are worried about the problem and are seeking ways to address the anomaly”, the RMAFC stated. Curiously, it is the same commission that recently proposed a 114 per cent increase in the remunerations of the president, vice president, governors, lawmakers etc at this most difficult period for the ordinary citizens. Nothing perhaps demonstrates the perplexing problem of high cost of governance in Nigeria better than the 2012 Oronsaye Report. The report identified 541 federal government agencies, 50 of which have no enabling laws, and made recommendations about scrapping some and merging several others. Both President Goodluck Jonathan who established the committee and President Muhammadu Buhari who inherited the report made a song and dance about its implementation. At the end, according to the latest infographic from BudgIT, the number of agencies in the federal government budget for this year is 929. So, rather than a reduction of these cost centres, we now have almost double the number of the federal quangos that we had eleven years ago!

Meanwhile, in a report published by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) 24 hours before he was sworn in for his first term in 2015, many Nigerians had expressed hope that Buhari would make reducing cost of governance a priority of his administration. “In most parts of the world, politicians do not go around with the long motorcade and number of aides they

go around with in Nigeria,” Pat Utomi, a respected professor of political economy, had told NAN at the time. “Governance should not be about moving in motorcades, living in mansions, and not stopping at traffic lights.’’ The hope that Buhari would change the narrative turned out to be misplaced, though the real challenge now is in the states where governors must begin to embrace prudence and accountability even if, like the former Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, they have trillions of “intellectual money,” with which to dispense patronage.

To the extent that the decision to end fuel subsidy regime and merge the exchange rates is not cost-free, government at all levels cannot afford to continue with the template of the past. On Tuesday, the Bank of America (BoA) sub-Sahara Africa Economist, Tatonga Rusike projected that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) may need to increase interest rates by at least 700 basis points before the end of the year to tackle soaring inflation occasioned by these two policies. He warned that if this decision was not taken, the much-sought foreign investment might be a mirage. The implication of Rusike’s intervention is that we are already in a Catch-22 situation.

It is therefore important for President Tinubu and his handlers not to misread the public mood. That he has used his honeymoon period to strike when the iron is still hot on two critical policy issues may have earned him momentary applause on decisive

leadership. But there are no predictable outcomes for those choices in an environment where several variables are beyond his control. So, there is a need for caution. Not hubris! Times like this indeed call for a measure of sobriety and there are lessons we can learn from what is happening in other countries. France provides a ready example.

Even when the unfortunate death of a teenager in the hands of a trigger-happy policeman may have ignited the violence, the people on the streets are those who feel that the system has been so rigged against them that their future is not secured. That was the point made so poignantly last Sunday by the editorial of ‘The Observer’, a British newspaper. “Poverty, ghetto-like suburban estates, joblessness, limited life chances and social alienation are problems facing younger people in many developed countries, not least Britain,” The Observer wrote, highlighting why leaders in the United Kingdom must pay attention to the underlining issues in Paris. “What’s happening in France is a warning to all.” If a society like France could experience such convulsion, then authorities in our country should be aware of the danger of what could happen when Nigerians feel pushed to the wall.

For years, many have called for a review of the perks associated with public office in our country. For instance, it is only in Nigeria that public officials travel abroad in first and business class compartments

and within the country, in private jets. In August 2016, I was invited by the Chinese government to speak at the China-Africa Public Diplomacy Forum in Tanzania. When the conference ended, I was at the Dares Salaam airport waiting to board the Ethiopia Airlines flight back to Abuja enroute Addis Ababa when the representative of President Xi Jingpin who declared the session open was escorted in by the Chinese ambassador and Tanzanian officials. On the flight, he was in the same economy class compartment with the rest of us. The message sent by the Chinese authority, which we are yet to imbibe in Nigeria, is that serving the public is about sacrifice.

While human nature predisposes people to act mostly in pursuit of self-interest, the essence of government is to subordinate the personal convenience of individuals to the imperatives of the common good. Yet, the crisis of present-day Nigeria is that there is little in our code of public conduct that encourages moderation or sacrifice. Rolling back conveniences, no matter how little, are usually some of the first steps public officials take when their country battle economic downturns. Beyond the fact that reduction in official vehicles will help save fuel and maintenance cost in our present circumstance, it will also send the right signal to the people that public officers are sensitive to their plight.

That is a timely message for the president and all the 36 governors.

Waking Up, Taking Responsibility

With the theme, ‘Wake Up and Take Responsibility’, Mr Tony Elumelu, CFR, is being joined on 19th August by two British women, Ms Dorota Oakley Matuszyk and Ms Juliet Lamin as speakers for the 2023 edition of the teens career conference of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, The Everlasting Arms Parish (TEAP). Elumelu of course needs no further introduction. From banking to oil and gas and the hospitality sector, he maintains a portfolio of investments across several industries on the continent. Chairman of both Heirs Holdings and the United Bank for Africa (UBA), Elumelu also sits on many public and social sector boards, including the World Economic Forum Community of Chairmen and the Global Leadership Council of UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited.

Ms Matuszyk is an educator with sound training experience across many schools in the United Kingdom. In one of her numerous works in Africa, Matuszyk

ran a pioneering online programme for teachers in Guinea Bissau and supervised their research on issues such as early marriage, teenage pregnancy, gender inequality and impact of disability and poverty on education. She has also undertaken sizeable fundraising to fight hunger, unemployment, and lack of education, mainly in Guinea Bissau, Uganda, Congo, Yemen, Syria, Ukraine, and Poland.

Ms Lamin is also an educator, community activist, youth mentor and licensed grief recovery specialist, who has worked with adults and young people with different complex needs across the United Kingdom. Following the death of her only son, Phillip Lamin in 2013, she founded a youth charity organization, PL9, where young people from several communities come together to counteract different challenges and be mentored to become leaders. The PL9 youths have collaborated with 118 academic institutions in the United Kingdom to organise youth talent shows, fundraise for cardiac risk and help provide

defibrillators in sports centres and churches. Those achievements have earned Lamin several honours, including the outstanding achievement award from the London Borough of Bexley.

Like previous editions, this year’s conference will bring together teenagers from Abuja and its environs to listen to expert advice on career choices in today’s dynamic and challenging world. In choosing ‘Wake Up and Take Responsibility’ as theme for the 2023 edition, our Pastor, Evaristus Azodoh (a consultant urologist and retired army colonel) believes that when young people make the right choices, they can also appropriate the credit for their achievements. Conversely, if they feel beholden to the actions or opinions of others, they inevitably live in the shadow of other people’s expectations, and this can result in frustration, bitterness, and failure.

For details about the conference and registration, interested teenagers should visit www.rccgteapteens.ng

Juliet Lamin

Dorota Matuszyk

Tony Elumelu