FRIDAY 5TH AUGUST 2022

Nigeria Secures $1.5bn Loan From US to Boost Solar Power Infrastructure Buhari: Initiatives would help develop local capacity through technology transfer Deji Elumoye in Abuja Nigeria has secured a $1.5 billion loan from the US-EXIM Bank to boost solar power infrastructure in 10 different locations in the country. Chief Executive Officer

(CEO) of SUN Africa LLC, USA, Adam Cortese, disclosed this yesterday while speaking with newsmen after a meeting of a delegation of the company with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja.

Cortese explained that the loan was a government-to-government facility on a concessional rate of over 20 years.

According to him, the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) will own the assets,

which he said would not only generate low cost electricity but also enable the company to pay back the loan.

Cortese stated, "Once again, this is government-to-government financing. It's built upon the

success that we've had in Angola recently, where we've delivered roughly $2.6 billion of solar PV storage and transmission capacity.

"I think the important point to note here is, yes, it's a government-to-government loan,

from the US-EXIM Bank to the government of Nigeria, but it's being done on a concessional rate; over 20-year tenure, which is extremely attractive.

Continued on page 5

Insecurity: We'll Remove Senate President if He Blocks Buhari's Impeachment, Says Fadahunsi... Page 8 Friday 5 August, 2022 Vol 27. No 9978. Price: N250

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Kwara Under AbdulRazaq Utilising Our Grants Efficiently, Says UBEC... Page 32

Adamu: APC's All Muslim Ticket Positive Development Party names Lalong, Keyamo campaign DG, spokesman I was chosen not as Christian, says Plateau governor Shettima asks opposition candidates to name people they mentored like Tinubu

Deji Elumoye in Abuja The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday rose in stout

defence of its all Muslim presidential ticket saying it signposts positive development for Nigeria.

This was just as the party also announced the Governor of Plateau state and Chairman of Northern Governors (NGF), Simon

Lalong and Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo as the Director General and Acting Spokesman of Bola

Tinubu Presidential Campaign Organisation respectively.

Speaking with newsmen after a close-door meeting with

President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja, APC Continued on page 5

At Last, Atiku, Wike Meet, Move to Resolve Their Differences Former VP throws down the gauntlet, says Nigeria can't make progress without restructuring PDP presidential candidate appoints Dino Melaye, Daniel Bwala spokespersons Ayu: Osun election signposts victory for PDP in 2023 Chuks Okocha in Abuja Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the embittered Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike yesterday met in Abuja, in a move aimed at resolving the differences in the main opposition party ahead of the 2023 general elections.

A reliable source told THISDAY

that the meeting took place at the residence of Prof. Jerry Gana at Asokoro.

Also, Atiku yesterday stated that restructuring was the solution to Nigeria’s multifarious problems, embracing a time-honoured panacea that successive governments have chosen to ignore, and throwing down the gauntlet to a political class plagued by a corrupt tendency Continued on page 5

JOINT EFFORT TO CURB FOREX SPECULATION...

Executive Chairman, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa (left) and Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Idris Isah Jere, after a closed door strategy session on improved synergy in the ongoing efforts to stem illegal Forex speculation by foreign nationals at the NIS Headquarters, Abuja...yesterday

Ex-Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun Dies at 74...

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Ex-IGP, Tafa Balogun Dies at 74 Chiemelie Ezeobi and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja A former Inspector-General of Police, Mustapha Balogun, is dead.

He died at the Reddington Hospital in Lekki, Lagos State at about 8:30 pm yesterday after a brief illness, family sources said.

Force Public Relations Officer and Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Olumuyiwa Adejobi, however, said the police high command was yet to be informed of his demise by his family as is the practice as at the time of filling this report.

Born August 25, 1947, in Ila

Orangun, Osun State, he was appointed the IGP in March 2002.

Balogun died at 74. The cause of death is not yet known.

He was a member of cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police Course 3.

Having worked in various Police commands throughout the federation, and earning his promotions as at when due, Tafa, was at a time, the Principal Staff Officer to former Inspector-General of Police, Muhammadu Gambo, Deputy Commissioner of Police Edo State, the pioneer Commissioner of Police in Delta State.

He was also CP in Rivers and Abia States.

Balogun would be remembered for visiting the dreaded Okija Shrine in Anambra State, in a show of force, at a period of high-wire politics in the state.

It was widely believed that the shrine where politicians allegedly took oath of allegiance at the behest of their godfathers, had a reputation for neutralising recalcitrant adherents.

But in a dramatic twist that ended his career, the former police chief was arrested and manacled by the then Nuhu Ribadu-led Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

(EFCC) over corruption allegations.

"Can you imagine? Can you imagine?", he had said while showing journalists his cuffed hands.

Towards the end of 2004, there were allegations of corruption on a massive scale, against him in which he was accused of pocketing public money and taking bribes from politicians and criminals. These led to his forced retirement in January 2005.

On 4 April 2005, Tafa Balogun was arraigned at the Federal High Court, Abuja on charges involving about N13 billion obtained through money laundering, theft and other

sources. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission under Nuhu Ribadu brought 70 charges against Tafa Balogun covering the period from 2002 to 2004.

Faced with overwhelming evidence, he made a plea bargain with the court in exchange for returning much of the property and money. He was sentenced to six months in jail and was released on 9 February 2006 after serving his sentence, part of it in Abuja National Hospital.

Since that humiliating end to his police career, he had largely withdrawn from the public eye, only

making occasional appearances at social events.

Tafa, a fellow of the premier highest military institution in Nigeria, the National War College, later became the Assistant Inspector General of Police A.I.G Zone One, Kano, from where he was named the 21st IGP of Police on March 6, 2002.

He attended the University of Lagos, graduating in 1972 with a B.A. in Political Science. In May, 1973, he joined the Nigeria Police Force.

While a police officer, he gained a law degree from the University of Ibadan.

THISDAY that all parties had ruled out defection to another party, saying, however, there must be a meeting to discuss inclusivity.

The source had said, "As far as we are concerned, we are open for discussion. We want everything to be put on the table. We remain in the party, we are not going anywhere, we want to be seen as equally stakeholders."

THISDAY had reported that a camp in the PDP led by Wike had allegedly given conditions for peace, which included being considered equal stakeholders in the party.

"I am particularly thrilled by the theme of this conference, 'Be Strong and Courageous', because the times we live in call for men and women of courage, who will stand up to be counted in the battle to rescue and rebuild Nigeria.

"There is no gainsaying the fact that Nigeria’s unity is under serious threat today. The mutual suspicion, distrust, and, sometimes, hostility among the various ethnic groups have reached levels never experienced before, fuelling separatist agitations across the country.

"This is largely due to the general discontent occasioned by the broken promises, dashed aspirations, and the lop-sidedness in power-sharing under the current federal government.

"As I said some time ago, a situation where the top guns in the nation’s security architecture are dominated by persons from a particular ethnic/religious group does not augur well for the unity and progress of the country.”

Speaking further, he said, "Nigeria can only grow if ethnic, religious and tribal divides dissolve, and a pan-Nigeria goal is truly desired and embraced by all. We must act swiftly – and decisively – to calm the raging storm, regain confidence in the Nigerian project, and halt the drift towards chaos and anarchy.

"The forthcoming 2023 elections offer us the opportunity to do the needful and move Nigeria in the right direction. It calls for sober reflection and strategic thinking as against the mindless euphoria, sensationalism, and herd mentality that brought us to where we are today.

"Going forward, we need mature, wise, and experienced leaders who will inspire hope in our country and foster a sense of belonging among all Nigerians.

"I am an ardent believer in the restructuring of Nigeria, especially as it relates to fiscal federalism and devolution of powers.

"Restructuring does not mean we jettison the federal system of government. In fact, I believe that it is more functional and realistic for our ethnic, linguistic, religious, and cultural diversities.

"I guarantee you that the states and Nigeria will develop faster when

the proper federal structure is put in place."

The former vice president assured that if voted as president in 2023, he would prioritise education in the country, as no nation could develop beyond the knowledge base of its citizens. He recalled the late Nelson Mandela’s words, "Education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to change the world.”

Atiku added, "You can, therefore, imagine my pain and grief to see students of our tertiary institutions idling away at home when they should be in school.

"It not only distorts the academic calendar, it also robs the parents and the students of their hope for a better future.

"I wish to use this opportunity to respectfully call on the federal government to urgently reach a compromise with striking university lecturers and reopen our universities.

"No nation can afford to have its students to be idle or roaming the streets and expect to achieve peace, security, and inclusive economic growth."

He called for the harnessing of the creative energies of the youth to accelerate national development by providing them with a solid education system that equipped them with the right skills-set and leadership credentials.

According to him, "As a corollary to the above, Nigeria needs a well thought-out policy to tackle youth unemployment through skills training and entrepreneurship development programmes.

"The army of the unemployed in our country is a recipe for disaster.

To get out of the current quagmire, we must, as a matter of urgency, begin to think more in terms of equipping them with the technical know-how, vocational skills, values and resources to become job and wealth creators, as well as giving them employability skills.

"We must be intentional, determined, and resolute about this to avoid a situation where graduates from our educational system roam the streets in search of non-existent jobs."

Welcoming guests earlier, National President of AYF, Mr. Alex Akpata,

AT LAST, ATIKU, WIKE MEET, MOVE TO RESOLVE THEIR DIFFERENCES to exploit societal disequilibrium.

As part of preparations for his 2023 election campaign, Atiku yesterday appointed Senator Dino Melaye and Dr. Daniel Bwala as his spokespersons.

In a related development, National Chairman of PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, yesterday, said the party’s recent victory in the Osun State governorship poll was a clear pointer to the fact it was on its way to victory in the 2023 general election.

Atiku had won the PDP presidential primary in May, which Wike was poised to win, but for a last-minute withdrawal by Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, which the Rivers State governor perceived as betrayal.

A reliable source told THISDAY

that the meeting between Atiku and Wike took place at the residence of Professor Jerry Gana at Asokoro.

The meeting was first brokered by members of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), who met Atiku at his Asokoro residence. THISDAY gathered that Atiku, after the meeting with the BoT members, contacted Gana, also a BoT member, who acts as a liaison between the PDP presidential candidate and Wike.

With the time agreed for the meeting, Wike flew into Abuja and proceeded straight to the residence of Gana, where the meeting took place.

Wike had since returned to Port Harcourt after the meeting.

But the source did not give details of the meeting.

The source simply said, "The ice has been broken. They (Atiku and Wike) have commenced talks and in a few days time, the details of their meeting would be made public. Wike is expected to brief members of his campaign group."

The source further said the meeting was the first step in the reconciliation process and was attended by only Atiku and Wike.

The source added, “The meeting showed that there is a commitment to resolve their differences that arose from the presidential primary.

Actually, both of them agreed to nominate certain number of persons, equal numbers, to meet and trash out the issues one by one.”

An insider at the meeting and Wike supporter had on Sunday told

ADAMU: APC'S ALL MUSLIM TICKET POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, described the party’s same faith ticket as a “positive development” for the country’s politics.

Adamu, who was flanked at the briefing by APC presidential candidate, Mr. Bola Tinubu, his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima and Governor Lalong, stressed that the dust raised by the same faith ticket would be settled before the February, 2023 presidential poll.

Tinubu’s choice of running mate in July, this year had attracted criticisms across the country especially from the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Several groups, religious and civil society organisations had argued that floating a MuslimMuslim ticket does not reflect the country’s religious diversity.

However, commenting on the issue yesterday, the APC Chairman said despite the concerns raised, there were those who see a same-faith ticket as a positive development for the country’s politics.

“Yes, we have been hearing concerns being expressed. In the APC, we believe very strongly, that no matter what description, no matter what faith you will associate with any one of our candidates, we are first and foremost Nigerians.

“There is no doubt in the fact that we have people who stock trade on some of these religious issues. Just like you have people expressing fears, or concerns about a Muslim-Muslim ticket, there are Christians that welcome it as a positive development, in Nigerian politics. They are Nigerians," he added.

Adamu also assured that the party recognised the concerns, saying the party would, “put them to rest” before the election which is seven months away.

He said: “We are extremely sensitive to some of these sensitivities of fellow Nigerians or fellow members of our party. But the fact of the matter is, one issue does not determine a candidate or determine victory.

“The party has taken a very careful deep look at the Nigerian situation and the political space.

And we believe very strongly that notwithstanding the expression that we're hearing, we will be working on amicable solutions to the sentiment and we're very

sure by the grace of God we'll put them to rest before the elections."

On the purpose of their visit to the President, the APC Chairman announced the party’s choice of Lalong as DG of its Presidential Campaign Organisation saying the APC settled for Lalong because of his “ability”.

Adamu said, “We are here today to see Mr. President Muhammadu Buhari to brief him and to get his buy-in and approval of plans that we are having regarding our campaign outfits. So, we're on the same page with Mr. President regarding our organogram and the individuals that are going to be playing different roles within the organisation structure in the campaign outfits.

“The person who is going to be the DG the Director-General of the APC presidential campaign organisation is Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State. He will lead the campaign.

“We have a campaign spokesperson in the person of Hon Festus Keyamo. Now, there would be a deputy in his office.

The deputy spokesperson will be Barrister Hannatu Musawa.”

Also speaking, Lalong emphasised that the party chose him because of his ability and not as a Christian.

According to him, “I'm not a Christian candidate. I was not nominated as a Christian candidate.

The party said I've been nominated because of my ability. I've been a very loyal member of the party.

I joined APC because I believe in APC. “Second, I'm not only the Governor of Plateau, I'm chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum.

So I am able to carry out leadership in any capacity. I only want to express to you that I am surprised that I'm being announced now. I am sure we'll not disappoint you.”

On his part, Tinubu's running mate, Shettima, claimed that the same-faith arguments were machinations of a petrified opposition.

Citing the Ribadu-Bafarawa same faith presidential ticket of the Action Congress of Nigerian in the 2011 general elections, the former Governor of Borno state advised Nigerians to focus on issues and not the faith of the candidates.

According to the serving Senator: “In 2011, the presidential candidate and the vice-presidential candidate

of the ACN. Both of them were Muslims. Nobody raised an eyebrow. Now, the opposition have seen a winning combination and they are petrified, deep down to the marrow of their bones.

“We will not trade in insults, lies and mischief. We have established a track record of excellence. Let our opponents show what they have done in their respective states.

“How to propel this nation to greatness is much more important than playing on the sentiments of Nigerians. Poverty knows no religion or ethnicity. Insecurity knows no religion or ethnicity.”

He also asked opposition parties' candidates to make public the number of people they mentored in the course of their political career.

Shettima recalled that Tinubu, since his time as Governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 had mentored a lot of politicians currently doing well in the nation's political space.

"Asiwaju has mentored a lot of people right from Vice President to Works Minister and several governors and ministers. He mentored all of them," he said.

He, therefore, asked the opposition candidates to, “tell us who they have mentored in the country.”

"So, we are waiting to hear or see the list of people they have mentored," the vice presidential candidate further said.

Atiku Says Nigeria Can't Make Progress Without Restructuring Meanwhile, Atiku spoke on the need to restructure the country at the 64th Annual Bible Study Conference of the National Council of Anglican Youth Fellowship (AYF) of Nigeria.

He was represented by his running mate and governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, at the event held at the Ekiti Diocesan Camp Ground, Iyin-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

Atiku, who was Special Guest at the Bible study conference, highlighted the need for the country to be restructured. He said Nigeria was in dire need of knowledgeable, capable, and experienced leaders, who would break the cycle of failed leadership and take it to the level of growth and prosperity.

The former vice president said devolution of powers and resources to the sub-national governments and the guaranteeing of a constitution that allowed equity, justice for all, and inclusiveness in governance, such that none was left out or oppressed, were what Nigeria needed to run a proper federal structure.

According to him, Nigeria should continue as a federation but not in its present form.

Atiku stated, "I advocate a proper federal structure that recognises the federating units and the federal government as mutually coordinate, and not subordinate one to the other, yet cooperative among themselves, distinct from the current structure where states exist as mere appendages of the centre.

Continued on page 36

NIGERIA SECURES $1.5BN LOAN FROM US TO BOOST SOLAR POWER INFRASTRUCTURE "What's unique about this model is that NDPHC is going to own its own assets. So, it's going to own its own generation base and our project will deliver a low levelised cost of electricity, which will not only allow them to pay back the loan from EXIM Bank, but generate a profit on top of it."

Speaking while receiving the delegation, Buhari declared that the rapid integration of solar power into the country’s energy mix would lead to an increase in electricity access to underserved and unserved communities.

He said his administration had embarked on several reforms aimed at revitalising Nigeria’s energy sector and improving energy access to communities across the country.

The president commended the interest of the US developer to invest in Nigeria’s power sector, pledging that the federal

government would remain committed to collaborating with the private sector in improving energy access, creating jobs, and industrial development.

Highlighting some of the reforms embarked upon by his administration to address Nigeria’s energy need, the president listed the signing of the Nigeria Climate Change Bill in November 2021, implementation of the Power Sector Recovery Programme with the World Bank, and the Nigeria Electrification Programme aimed at enhancing energy access to remote communities.

He added that the Presidential Power Initiative with Siemens was aimed at achieving end-to-end alignment across the electricity value chain.

According to the president, “Initiatives like these will go a long way in developing local capacity through technology transfer and relieving transmission

constraints through the generation and distribution of electricity in the local Distribution Companies Franchise Area, making off-take easier. ‘‘The Ministers of Finance and Power as well as other agencies of government will remain available at all times, to ensure the achievement of this significant project as part of our efforts towards achieving Net Zero Emission by 2050. ‘‘I am pleased to note the technology transfer content embedded in this initiative as well as the employment generation potentials.

“I thank you all for coming and look forward to receiving regular updates as you achieve significant milestones in developing your projects in Nigeria."

Earlier in his remarks, Founder, Sun Africa LLC, USA, Mr Goran Rajsic, said the renewable infrastructure company hoped to

deliver solar power in multiple locations across the country, just as it had done in Angola, with financing done through the US EXIM Bank. Rajsic pledged that his organisation, working with other leading energy companies, had the capacity to do what Nigeria required in the area of power.

“We will create something that will be of immediate need for Nigeria, and last for years to come,” Rajsic stated.

He described what Sun Africa LLC, USA had in mind as “a partnership for energy and infrastructure, which will revolutionise both the industrial and agricultural sectors.”

Speaking also at the occasion, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), Chiedu Ugbo, said the company will utilise the loan facility to provide solar power at 10 sites, starting with five.

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T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2022

NEWS

Group News Editor: Goddy Egene Email: Goddy.egene@thisdaylive.com, 0803 350 6821, 0809 7777 322

64TH ANNUAL BIBLE STUDY CONFERENCE OF ANGLICAN YOUTH...

L-R: Delta Governor/Vice Presidential Candidate, PDP, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; National President, Anglican Youth Fellowship of Nigeria, Alex Akpata; Akoko Diocesan Bishop and Bishop of Ondo Diocese, Rt. Rev'd Jacob Bada, and Bishop of Diocese of Ekiti, and Youth Coordinating Bishop of Ondo Province, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev'd Stephen Oni, at the 64th Annual Bible Study Conference of the Anglican Youth Fellowship of Nigerian at Iyin Ekiti, Ekiti State... yesterday SAMUEL JIBUNOR

FG: Terrorism Has Not Significantly Disrupted Food Production Says 3.6m indirect jobs created through $2.4bn externally funded agric projects Puts national food reserve at 60,000 metric tons Agric ministry constructs 765.36km rural roads Deji Elumoye in Abuja The federal government has disclosed that acts of terrorism in the northern parts of the country have not significantly affected agricultural production.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Abubakar, who made this known yesterday at a news briefing at the State House, Abuja, also said about 3.6 million indirect jobs had been created from $2.4 billion worth of externally funded projects being implemented by the present administration.

Answering a question on reported inability of farmers in the northern part of the country to access their farms, Abubakar said though the federal government was concerned about the development, it had not significantly hampered food production.

The minister stated, “About farmers not being able to access their farms in the North-east, North-west, and North-central, yes, it’s a concern for the government. However, if

you notice, our production still has not dropped to any significant level and it's one of the reasons why we have this arrangement for the agro-rangers to provide some measure of security to be able to access the farms.

“Truly, if you cannot completely access farms all over, you will expect a drop in the production, but right now, we are doing everything possible to make sure we maintain through that security provision and other things that we may not necessarily mention, but you can see food still being produced for the most part.”

On the gains being derived from internationally funded projects, Abubakar said $538 million was approved for special agricultural processing zones to support inclusive and sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria.

According to him, another project worth $575 million is being implemented to improve rural access and agricultural marketing in participating states while strengthening the financing

institutional base for effective development, maintenance and management of rural roads network.

He listed the participating states to include Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Kwara, Kebbi, Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, Plateau and Sokoto.

The minister noted that government was also implementing the Value Chain Development Programme Additional Financing (VCDP-AF) 2020- 2024 to enhance, on a sustainable basis, incomes and food security of poor rural households engaged in the production, processing and marketing of rice and cassava.

He revealed that the project was currently being implemented in nine states, including Niger, Benue, Ogun, Ebonyi, Taraba and Anambra, Nasarawa, Kogi and Enugu "to scale up the achievement recorded in the original VCDP states."

Abubakar said Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes Project (ACReSAL, a $700 million project, was being implemented by three ministries, namely, Environment, Agriculture, and

Water Resources, with the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) being the beneficiaries.

"The project objective is to mitigate and build the resilience of Nigerian farmers to climate change. The project duration is six years -2022 to 2028. Over One million degraded land will be restored within the six years project cycle," he stated.

Another project being funded externally is Climate Change Adaptation and Agro-business Support Project (CASP), which the minister explained is to increase incomes, enhance food security and reduce vulnerability for smallholder farmers, particularly women and youths in the participating states, Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe, Borno, Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara.

The cost of the project is $87 million and it was designed for 2015 – 2021 but extended to March 2022.

The World Bank/Federal Government of Nigeria Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) is being

UN Warns of Looming Economic Slowdown, Stagflation Dike Onwuamaeze Barely one month after the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) lamented that the escalating price of diesel is crippling the production capacity of its members, a United Nations’ (UN) report has given an indication that the Nigerian economy might be assailed with more energy turbulence.

The UN’s report, which was released on Wednesday, August 3, warned that rising fossil energy costs might be priced beyond the reach of many developing countries, adding that the global economy would be faced with growing fears of a looming economic slowdown that might lead to a return to stagflation at the end of 2022 or in 2023.

The report, which was captioned “Global Impact of War in Ukraine: Energy crisis – UN Global Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance, August 2022,” also stated that the, “world is in the grip of a major energy crisis with countries worldwide affected

by extremely high and volatile prices, particularly of fossil fuels as rising energy prices may price out many developing countries, with a high level of impact on the most vulnerable citizens, from energy markets.”

It said the global cost-of-living crisis had been threatening to push more people into food insecurity and extreme poverty by the end of 2022 as prices of goods and services kept rising across the world and affecting the most vulnerable people due to the ripple effects of the war in Ukraine in all its dimensions.

The report, which was written by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTD), stated that, “there are growing fears of a looming economic slowdown that, coupled with high inflation, might imply a return to stagflation at the end of 2022 or in 2023.

“Consumer price indices keep climbing, consumer sentiment is deteriorating and leading industrial indicators in many countries suggest a slowdown

in production.

“However, the signals are not altogether clear: unemployment is still falling in some major markets; and UNCTAD model data on gross domestic product show signals of a slowdown but this has yet to gather pace.

“Stagflation would ultimately accelerate the cost of-living crisis by reducing household income, straining countries’ fiscal spaces and increasing financial market pressures.”

The report stated that debt repayment and financial conditions in developing countries would be worsened despite the fall in commodity prices due to a strengthening United States dollar.

It said: “Since the beginning of 2022, the currencies of developing economies have depreciated by 5.1 per cent against the dollar; with a depreciation of 2.1 per cent in June. In the same period, the yield of sovereign bonds from these economies increased by 162 basis points; with an increase of 64 basis points in June.

“As a result, developing

country debts and import bills are coming under further pressure.

By June 2022, the trade deficit of low income countries was about 2.5 billion higher than it might have been if the prices of key commodities had stayed at pre-war levels.

“In addition, in the 62 most vulnerable countries, food import bills have increased by $24.6 billion since the start of the war.”

The UN further warned that in the short term, developing economies would struggle to obtain the energy supply they need while vulnerable populations would inevitably be pushed further back with regard to access to energy and clean cooking solutions, thereby losing hard won gains in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7.

It said: “A potential ‘scramble for fuel,’ in which only those countries paying the highest price can gain access, would be devastating for a multilateral system based on trust and proportionality. Sky-high prices and growing social discontent are putting many governments under pressure.”

implemented at the cost of $500 million.

The minister explained that it was an initiative, which adopted a Community Driven Development (CDD) approach targeted at promoting smallholder resilience and commercialisation by facilitating linkages and private sector investment in selected valuechains in the livestock sub-sector.

On the soaring food prices, despite these spirited interventions of government, Abubakar said they were not peculiar challenges to Nigeria; rather it was a reflection of the global economic value chain system.

According to the minister, Nigeria being part of the international community, is exploring ways to manage the situation to suit its own peculiarities as a nation.

He said, "We released about 70,000MT(2,333) trucks of Assorted Food Commodities (AFC) approved

by Mr. President to cushion the

effect of COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020 to the vulnerable populace in the 36 states and FCT. "This was followed by the release of 5,000MT of maize to Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) to stabilise the hike in price of maize in the open market and to ensure that PAN members remain in business, in 2020. Then there was also emergency release of 1,480MT of assorted food commodities to support IDPs in Kaduna and Katsina states in 2020.

"Currently, releasing 40,000MT of assorted food commodities approved by Mr. President to the vulnerable populace, IDPs through Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, religious bodies and Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) to cushion the effect of high price of food commodities, currently, the National Food Stock balance is 60,000MT of Assorted Food Commodities after the releases".

NNPC Records Marginal Increase in Domestic Gas Supply to Power Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has disclosed that it supplied a total of 594 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (mmscfd) to gas-fired power plants in the country in the month of October 2021.

A statement by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Garba Muhammad, indicated that the figure was against the 557 mmscfd supplied the previous month, which was September 2021.

It added that the data was contained in the NNPC's Monthly Financial and Operations Report (MFOR) for October 2021, the 75th in the series since the company started publishing the report in 2015.

The total gas supply to power for the month, according to the report, translated to an average power generation of about 2,944 Mega Watts (MW) compared to 2,701MW for the previous month.

A further breakdown of the gas production and supply matrix for the period under review, it stressed, showed that a total of

197.71 Billion Cubic Feet (BCF) was produced, while 121.05BCF was commercialised.

Of the commercialised volume, 34.93BCF, the report stated that it went to the domestic market while 86.13BCF was exported.

"This implies that 62.54 per cent of the average daily gas produced was commercialised while the balance of 37.46 per cent was re-injected, used as upstream fuel gas or flared.

In the downstream, the report showed that a total of 1,101.02 million litres of white products were sold and distributed by the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) in the month under review, compared with 1,390.19million litres in the month of September 2021.

"This comprised 1,098.17 million litres of PMS and 2.84 million litres of AGO which also translates to a sales revenue of N147.36 billion," it stated The report also indicated that a total of 28 vandalised points were recorded on the company's pipelines in October 2021, representing a 33.33 per cent increase compared to 21 recorded in September 2021.

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TINUBU VISITS BUHARI...

L–R: APC Vice Presidential Candidate, Kashim Shettima, President Muhammadu Buhari and APC Presidential Candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during their visit to Presidential Villa, Abuja …yesterday

GODWIN OMOIGUI

Insecurity: We'll Remove Senate President if he Blocks Buhari's Impeachment, Says Fadahunsi Sunday Aborisade, Abuja With about a month to the end of the six-week ultimatum the senate gave President Muhammadu Buhari to end insecurity in the country or face impeachment, Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Customs and Excise, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, has said his colleagues have made up their minds to sack President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, if he attempts to frustrate the process.

The PDP chieftain representing Osun East Senatorial District stated this yesterday in Abuja during an interview with journalists, exactly one week after the ultimatum was issued.

Fadahunsi, while reacting to comments by presidential

spokesmen, Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu, which dismissed the impeachment move as mere “bravado”, said his colleagues had made up their minds to go ahead with the impeachment proceedings.

The retired Deputy Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service said majority of the senators across political party lines had already passed a vote of no confidence on Buhari because of his administration's inability to address the worsening security situation in the country. He expressed doubts about the ability of Buhari to tackle what he termed the embarrassing security challenges currently facing the country in six weeks, since he could not do so in seven years.

Fadahunsi vowed that the

VFD Group Announces ATIAT Leasing, VFB Bridge Merger VFD Group Plc, a sector agnostic proprietary investment company has announced the merger of ATIAT Leasing and VFD Bridge Limited.

The company also announced the appointment of two Executive Directors for the business, in line with its strategic direction of consolidation and focus.

According to a statement, prior to the merger, ATIAT Leasing provided leasing of equipment, vehicles, and financing (lending) to support and improve their customers' productivity needs, while VFD Bridge was formed to provide corporate financing to businesses, acting as a bridge between where they are and where they want to be.

Following the announcement of the merger, both companies would be known as ATIAT Leasing Limited.

ATIAT Leasing Limited appointed two Executive Directors in conjunction with the merger and to improve its customer acquisition drive and sustenance.

Obiageli Ejiofor was named Executive Director, Business Development, while Olisa Ifeajuna was named Executive Director, Operations.

Both executives have a diverse background in banking operations, retail, business, and business development.

Managing Director/CEO of ATIAT Leasing Limited, Kanayo Eni-Ikeh, while commenting on the merger, said: "With the

merging of both businesses, we offer our clients more product and service options that ensure their productivity is top notch." We unlock several opportunities for ATIAT to achieve and exceed its value with their combined wealth of product, services, customer knowledge, and new individuals to drive these aspects."

'With this merger, the entire VFD Bridge team has been absorbed into ATIAT Leasing Limited and would focus on all things lending, leasing, and financing for both retail and corporate customers,' he said.

In his comment on the merger, the Group Managing Director/ CEO of VFD Group Plc, Nonso Okpala said: "When we invested in Atiat Leasing more than two years ago, the business was solely focused on providing leasing solutions to corporate clients. However, since Kanayo took office, ATIAT has not only introduced new product offerings and increased capacity to manage its growing customer base, but it has also met and exceeded its revenue targets. I am confident that ATIAT Leasing Limited will benefit the Group and the ecosystem as a result of the merger and new management."

"It is worth noting that the expansion of ATIAT will be felt not only directly in Lagos, but also in Abuja, as the business has successfully taken and spread the ATIAT mandate for the past six months."

impeachment proceedings would commence as soon as his colleagues resumed from their current six-week annual vacation on September 20.

The opposition senator added, "We have been talking and giving suggestions on how we could end the insecurity challenges facing the country, but the head (Senate President) is hooked to the villa.

He has been frustrating all moves by us to take drastic measures against the president.

"We have now made up our minds to strike now that the iron is still hot instead of wasting our time, cooperating with the Ahmad Lawan leadership while the nation is being destroyed by terrorists, with no plan by the government to stop them. We won't wait until we are all killed.

"We have now decided to pull out of the rubber stamp arrangement so that the whole Nigerians would know that we have not been in support of

the failing economy, the huge debts accumulation, falling naira, insecurity across the country, and the unprecedented forms of corruption going on in the polity.

"Unfortunately, the man heading us now (Lawan) was leading the opposition lawmakers before and was challenging the rots in the system then. Now, he doesn't want anyone to challenge the Buhari government when things are falling apart every day.

"Any leader that opposes such challenge in a democratic setting must also be challenged because we are elected by the people.

"Go and interview most of the senators. There is no effective oversight of the ministries, departments and agencies of the federal government. Buhari will bring the budget and his people here will want us to pass it as he brings it. No examinations and heads of MDAs are doing

what they like.

"Those who voted for Buhari in 2015 thought he could contain the insecurity, being a former military general, but, unfortunately, things are getting worse under his watch and he appears helpless.”

Fadahunsi added, "That is why we resolved that if we come back on September 20 and discovered that the situation is still the same, with no appreciable steps taken, we would impeach him.

"We will first impeach anyone who says we will not impeach Buhari. If anybody tries to block us here, whether the senate Ppresident or anyone in the senate, we will remove the person.

"Mr. President is finding it difficult to sack his nonperforming security chiefs while those terrorising the nation are not being arrested. There is tension everywhere and something drastic had to be taken."

PDP senators had walked

out of the red chamber during plenary on Wednesday last week after Lawan blocked moves to commence impeachment moves against Buhari over the security situation in the country.

Reacting to the development, presidential media aides, Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu, had both condemned the action of the opposition senators.

Adesina had said, "I think it (impeachment) was just bravado, and sadly, security is not something you subject to bravado. You don’t begin to issue flippant ultimatums in something that is a matter of life and death."

Shehu had also said, “The performative and babyish antics of those senators staging a walk out notwithstanding, Senate President Ahmad Lawan’s refusal on Wednesday to entertain the ridiculous motion to impeach our president was quite appropriate and correct."

US, UK, Others Pledge Support as FG Moves to Launch National Plan for Financing Safe Schools Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja Amid serious security challenges across the country, the federal government disclosed yesterday that efforts were underway to launch a national plan for financing safe schools across the country.

This came as the World Bank, the United States of America, United Kingdom, Norway and other development partners reaffirmed their support for any initiative aimed at enthroning a secure and safe learning environment in Nigerian schools.

The Finance, Budget and National Planning Minister, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, who dropped the hint of the proposed national plan at a summit on 'Safeguarding Our Schools' (SOS) organised in Abuja, by the Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC), said the initiative which would be launched before the end of the third quarter of 2022, was to incorporate state level plans, as well as federal government sectoral plans.

Ahmed stated that this was with an emphasis on ensuring adequate budgetary allocation in order to create a safe environment for teaching, learning, and restoring confidence in the education system.

She said: "We at the Federal Ministry of Finance and National

Planning established a committee with members drawn from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, including Federal Ministry of Education, the military and other security agencies. The Committee has been working to collate inputs from the relevant MDAs and to develop a National Plan for Financing Safe Schools.

"The plan will incorporate state level plans, as well as Federal Government sectoral plans, with an emphasis on ensuring adequate budgetary allocation in order to create a safe learning environment for teaching, learning, and restoring confidence in the education system.

"Consultations are currently underway with States, local governments and other critical agencies of government, and the Committee is also working to identify the most transparent, effective and accountable ways of mobilising and deploying resources.

The goal is to develop a robust collaborative cost that prioritises plan which would adopt the whole society approach to safe schools."

The national plan, she stressed, would be implemented in phases, starting with 'Most at Risk States', local governments and schools' host communities, adding that it would clearly outline how Nigeria intends to protect her schools and

other learning places, so that children can once again return to learning in a safer and more secured environment.

According to the minister, in keeping with its responsibility to create a safer and more secure teaching, learning and living environment for her children, the Nigerian government had taken several steps in this direction. " As we are all aware, in 2014, as part of efforts to tackle these crises, the Federal Government launched the Safe School Initiative (SSI), focused on enabling children affected by conflict and insecurity to continue with their education unhindered.

"And on 31st December 2019, His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari formally signed the Safe Schools Declaration Ratification Documents, signaling the country’s commitment to implementing the inter-governmental commitment in Nigeria," she said.

Ahmed recalled that to further demonstrate its resolve and that of the people to address the serious challenges posed by conflicts and insecurity to safe schools, the federal government, in consultation with local and global stakeholders, convened a high-level forum on financing safe schools, in partnership with the Emergency

Coordination Center, UNICEF and other stakeholders.

The minister said this culminated in a collective set of commitments reflected in the Abuja Compact in October 2021, adding that Nigeria hosted the Fourth International Conference on the Safe Schools Declaration.

In his remarks, the Ekiti State Governor and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors' Forum (NGF), noted that education is a very strategic instrument.

He assured that state governments were committed to safe teaching and learning through adequate funding to ensure quality learning and quality education.

Fayemi called for the support of community development associations, patents- teachers associations and other stakeholders in safeguarding teachers and school children.

The governor stressed that security was a collective responsibility and insisted that host communities and other stakeholders must be actively involved in this regard.

In his remarks which was streamed live from London, a former British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, again restated his pledge to mobilise global effort to ensure safe schools in Nigeria.

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POLITICS

Acting Group Politics Editor DEJI ELUMOYE Email: deji.elumoye@thisdaylive.com 08033025611 SMS ONLY

Tinubu’s Three Decades of Democratic Struggle Kayode Oladele writes that the democratic pedigree of All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential flag bearer, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, stands him out as the best candidate to rule Nigeria come 2023

I

have a story to tell. It is one that is personal to me, unrelated to the rumours I have heard by word of mouth or on social media. This is my story of a Nigerian I have known for three decades.

I was thirteen years old in 1992, holed up in a boarding school in the newly created Kogi State, but still found ways to follow the exciting transition to democracy during this period. At that early age, I was a keen supporter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and a progressive by default. It was an ideology passed through bloodline. Some of the SDP figures I admired during this transition period were Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, Silas Daniyan, Babagana Kingibe, Jonathan Zwingina, Dapo Sarumi, and then Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola who came late into the party but took it by storm.

At this point and throughout the politics and drama of the Jos convention that produced MKO Abiola as the presidential candidate, I never heard of Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He was an SDP Senator but as a young boy in JSS3, I was more fascinated with names of Governors, presidential candidates, Senate President, Speaker and Chairmen of the two major political parties.

I was part of a generation that had never experienced democracy then, but strangely for me the 1993 electioneering campaign was a beauty to behold and experience. The annulment of that historic election hurt despite being too young to vote. It hurts so deeply I was helpless but still hopeful some patriotic Nigerians could help reclaim Abiola’s mandate of hope from Babangida and later Abacha. Patriotic Nigerians did show up and Bola Tinubu was one of them. Here began my story of the Bola Tinubu I know.

Pro-Democracy Activism In the months and years following the annulment of the 1993 presidential election, my late father would not spend a day without reading newspapers and would not spend a week without devouring the weekly newsletters. As he got done with one, I picked it to read. And as I read of the political struggles to reclaim the people’s mandate, the Epetedo Declaration, the arrests, clampdown on innocent protesters by the military and then Abiola’s incarceration, Bola Tinubu’s name and voice continuously came through.

It took me no time to add him to my list of those patriotic Nigerians I was looking for, joining Pa Anthony Enahoro, Professor Wole Soyinka, Dan Suleiman, among many others.

As most of them moved to exile to escape the brutality of the military, I jubilated, knowing fully well they were safe to continue the fight.

I was that happy when I read in the news that Bola Tinubu made it too.

The days of Abacha in power were dark, as dark as many nights without electricity in my village in Kogi State. Our only beacon of hope during this period was Radio Kudirat named after MKO Abiola’s wife who had been assassinated by the military regime.

My father must listen to Radio Kudirat every night at around 10pm. He would tune and tune until he got the underground radio channel playing Fela’s revolutionary music to welcome us. I would join him to listen to the brave exploits of our pro-democracy leaders home and abroad. Sometimes the audio would be so poor he would have to place the transistor radio close to his ear and then relay the information to me. Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s name wasmentioned multiple times on Radio Kudirat over the years we tuned in. He was with NADECO in exile, championing and funding the cause of pro-democracy and the battle to reclaim Abiola’s mandate. It was not a two-week struggle. It lasted four years until Abacha and Abiola died in 1998. By this time, I was at the end of my teenage years and had come to know Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the pro-democracy activist, for four years.

Abacha died and Abdulsalami Abubakar

Government moved Democracy Day to June 12 and the winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election formally awarded the highest honour in the land. This would not have happened without Bola Tinubu.

The ruling party is APC, and he was a cofounder. It was a great victory for democracy and pride for the Abiola family who have been scarred not only by the deaths of their beloved parents but also by the disrespect and disregard suffered in the hands of those who profited from this tragedy.

On this historic occasion, a final closure was brought to a democratic struggle that had been active for 25 years! Who can last that long, sustaining the fight without wavering?

That is the Bola Ahmed Tinubu I know.

took his place, promising a return to democracy in a year and creating the enabling environment for our pro-democracy fighters to return from exile. A promise he would keep. The joy of seeing them return was incredible. Bola Ahmed Tinubu was one of them and in no time joined the political process that would lead to the formation of Alliance for Democracy, a progressive party based on same ideology that late Chief Obafemi Awolowo lived for. He would later emerge as the Alliance for Democracy’s Governorship Candidate in Lagos State

Bola Tinubu’s victory was the most celebrated by me because he was the only exiled Pro-Democracy fighter elected Governor. He, among many others in NADECO, deserved to be elected to public offices, including that of the Presidency.

Nobody can erase the story of Bola Tinubu’s frontline fight for democracy between 1993 to 1999. It was a heroic story many of my generation experienced first-hand.

Tinubu’s fight for democracy and the drive to recognize the heroes of that struggle would continue for 19 years until the Federal

The fight for true federalism and good governance At the beginning of the Fourth republic, I was in Kaduna on an industrial attachment, and I had no reason to visit or follow events in Lagos. But Bola Tinubu ensured Lagos took the front page in Nigeria for the next eight years. I was old enough to see Tinubu take on a new battle for true federalism and good governance. It was a tough one, the opponent being a former military ruler who had never functioned in a democratic setting and was still raw in dictatorial tendencies. The battle was fought on many fronts – Independent power generation, creation of local development areas, Onshore/Offshore Dichotomy, funding for the dilapidated federal infrastructure in Lagos State. Obasanjo and PDP ensured Lagos was punished for it by withholding the much-needed federal allocations.

But Tinubu would maintain the same fighting spirit of the pro-democracy years and won all the battles.

-Oladele writes from Lagos NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

Mbah: Prospects of a Cerebral Leadership in Enugu Amechi Ugwele writes that Peter Mbah, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State, is ready to serve the people of the Coal City State.

P

eter Mbah is a top of the range fine craft, rendered in observable finesse of the best of specifications. He got education, the best of it at all levels, especially at the post graduate, management category, where the best of theories meet the boldest of practicalities.

Mbah got exposure, in governance and public service, where he actually began from, and then in business where he bestrides the private sector as a colossus, from whose head, barrier shattering innovations pulsate like galactical quasars, to influence the world and take leadership of an industry, oil and gas, where age old players were literarily made to learn from an Enugu young but very bold upstart.

Mbah’s effervescent presentations, in always delightfully regaling his audience with his well researched and flawlessly martialed points, and the processes of their execution, when elected, preeminently establishes his theory of innovative disruptive interventions, in the ways governance is done.

In a recent interactive session, he told newsmen that while he was yet to start campaigning, it was however worthy to note that his emergence was no accidental as the party had all along wanted the kind of governance that would, upon building on the achievements of the current administration, will deploy the latest ideas and methods, research and data driven, to get Enugu to its deserved place, in prosperity

and good governance.

Mbah emphatically noted that his government, when elected, would be people focused, and based on a threepronged approach of peace and security through youth employment, and provision of social services, and then infrastructures, sustainably deployed and managed to yield immediate proceeds upon activation.

His dream is to see poverty headcount as well as infrastructural deficit, decrease.

And he very well looks set to achieving all these as he believes so much in the potential of Enugu State and its many endowments, hence he vowed to exponentially grow it’s economy currently standing at a GDP of three billion dollars to thirty billion dollars, a quantum leap that would see it expand seven folds.

No doubt he has his eyes on the slippery ball of the critical sectors, noting that while as a major player in the oil and gas industry, the full exploration of the state’s oil and gas deposits would be a priority, agriculture will particularly receive an even more critical attention, to ensure its extensive value chain is exploited to the fullest, and give the much needed jobs to the people of Enugu State.

The kind of mental capacity, energy and verve; patriotism and nationalist ideals, and commitment, Mbah is gearing up with, are truly phenomenal in the history the state.

He has all the statistics, just as he does very well know their implications, in their prospects and impediments, to his programmes and good intentions for his beloved state, and is as such never in doubt as to how to take his very audacious steps.

Mbah’s soft spoke nature and mein indeed bely his steely resolve and tenacity. However, the glow in his eyes, his measured confidence and inspiring engagement, are easy give away to the economic reinvention and sonic boom about to be witnessed over the Coal City State, when the gubernatorial election is held and he is sworn into office, to realize his beautiful dreams for the good people of Enugu State.

-Ugwele writes from Enugu

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BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

A S

REPO

Group Business Editor Eromosele Abiodun Email oriarehu.eromosele@thisdaylive.com

08056356325

A T

A U G U S T

S & P INDEX

S & P INDEX

4 , 2 0 2 2 EXCHANGE RATE

OPR

11.25%

CALL

10.25%

INDEX LEVEL

613.31%

1/4 TO DATE

-0.85%

N416.86/ 1 US DOLLAR*

OVERNIGHT

11.50%

1-MONTH

9.56%

1-DAY

0.16%

YEAR TO DATE

7.64%

*AS AT LAST FRIDAY

3-MONTH

10.52%

MONTH-TO-DATE

0.44%

Pension Assets Hit N14.27tn as Number of Contributors Approach 10m Mark

Ebere Nwoji The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has said that the total pension assets in the country reached N14.27 trillion as at the first half of this year, representing a growth of approximately N843billion when compared with N13.88 trillion recorded at the end of March this year.

This is contained in the unaudited monthly report of the commission for the first half of the year 2022 released by the commission in its official website.

The fund, according to PenCom,

were contributed by a total of 9, 795,957 contributors who registered into the contributory pension scheme as at the period under review.

Out of the above number of contributors, PenCom said a total of 27,157 contributors dumped their former fund managers and migrated to new pension fund managers between January and June 2022, bringing the total number of RSA transfers processed by the commission to 78,549 since the opening of the transfer window barely two years ago.

The transfer window is an initiative of the commission, which gives contributors opportunity to move from one pension fund administrator to another.

According to PenCom, pension activities recorded the highest quarterly movements of contributors in the first quarter of 2021, 20.1 per cent quarter-onquarter, “an indication of increased competition in the industry.”

The commission said RSA registration grew by 2.8 per cent to stand at 9.79 million from 9.53 million recorded in December 2021, representing an increase

of 266,830 new RSA registrations in six months.

Investment wise, the commission said the bulk of the assets were invested in federal government bonds.

“Pension Fund Assets were mainly invested in federal government securities, accounting for 61.26 per cent of total assets.

The composition of investments in FGN Securities were as follows: FGN Bonds: 92.20 per cent, Treasury Bills: 3.45 per cent, and Agency Bonds, Sukuk and Green Bonds accounting for 1.29 per cent, ”PenCom stated.

It further said investments in corporate debt securities rose significantly by 26.11 per cent to N1.19 trillion in the review period while investments in real estate increased by 50.66 per cent to N236.2 billion as at June 2022 from N156.8 billion recorded as at the beginning of the year.

“Investments in private equity funds dipped slightly by 0.24 per cent to stand at N38.87 billion from N38.96 billion. PFA allocations to FGN securities stood at N9.01 trillion, a 2.67 percent increase from N8.77 trillion in December 2021, “it stated.

The report said PFAs raked in a total of N191.44 billion in the period under review.

Out of this, PenCom said the public sector accounted for N90.33 billion or 47.18 per cent while the private sector contributed N101.11 billion or 52.82 per cent.

It further said cumulative pension contributions from inception to the end of the first quarter of 2022 amounted to N7.77 trillion, which is an increase from N7.58 trillion as at the end of Q4, 2021.

Continued on page 19

NCAA: FG in Search of Urgent Solution to Resolve Aviation Crisis Chinedu Eze The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Musa Nuhu has said the federal government is doing everything possible to resolve the current crisis in aviation.

For the past six months airlines have been battling with high cost of aviation fuel, which spiraled the cost of air tickets.

Also, due to the scarcity of forex, operators have been finding it very difficult to take their aircraft

overseas for maintenance.

The reduction in the number of aircraft has also thrown up a challenge of limited supply of seats to meet the demand of air travellers, a situation that further increased the cost of flight tickets.

The Director General on Wednesday said the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika had been meeting with the Minister of Finance, the Senate, and House Committees Chairmen on Aviation and other stakeholders to see how they could urgently resolve the

crisis.

The crux of discussion, THISDAY learnt, was how to make dollars available for airlines to ferry their aircraft overseas for maintenance to ensure that airlines continue to operate safely.

Nigeria is also struggling to pay foreign airlines their revenues, which have been blocked in Nigeria due to paucity of forex, as Nigeria has been identified by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) as holding back the highest amount of the

revenues, put at over $500 million.

Nuhu lamented that aviation fuel has become the highest cost component in the operation of airlines and said that unless something is done urgently, air transport may be threatened in Nigeria.

“The Minister of Aviation has stepped in to resolve this problem.

Efforts are being made to see how some form of alleviation can come to the airlines. We do not refine Jet A1 (aviation fuel) in Nigeria. They are all imported. Ukraine war and

the depreciation of the naira have affected the supply and the cost of the product. Dollar is not readily available for the airlines. So the Minister and the Committees in the National Assembly with all relevant organisations are working together to resolve the matter. Efforts are being made meetings are taking place so that we will get a kind of solution that will bring respite to the industry,” Nuhu said.

He however noted that the crisis in the aviation sector cannot be isolated from all the other sectors

of the economy, remarking that resolving the issues in the industry has become paramount because air travel has become the choice for many Nigerians, especially now that travel by other means is being threatened by insecurity.

He also said that despite all the efforts being made to improve air travel, safety remains very critical and NCAA would do everything possible to ensure that airlines continue to operate safely.

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M A R K E T D ATA A S AT T H U R S D AY, A U G U S T 4 , 2 0 2 2 BILLS

BONDS DESCRIPTION Price ^14.20 14MAR-2024 13.53 23MAR-2025 ^12.50 22JAN-2026 ^16.2884 17MAR-2027 ^13.98 23FEB-2028

104.87

Yield 10.83

104.68

11.42

102.37

11.65

115.87 110.43

11.74 11.39

Change Updated (%) Time 29, -0.01 July 2022 July 29, 0.00 2022 July 29, 0.00 2022 July 29, 0.00 2022 July 29, 0.00 2022

MATURITY

Discount

Yield

OTC F X F U T U R E S

CPS

Change Updated Time (%)

NTB 11Aug-22 NTB 8-Sep22 NTB 13-Oct22 NTB 10Nov-22

14.50

14.58

0.41 July 29, 2022

9.75

9.86

0.00 July 29, 2022

9.00

9.17

0.00 July 29, 2022

3.90

3.94

0.00 July 29, 2022

NTB 26-Jan23

7.50

7.79

0.00 July 29, 2022

MATURITY FSDH CP VI 1-AUG-22 NENL CP I 24-OCT-22 FSDH CP VII 27-OCT-22 SIBP CP III 27-OCT-22 DLMG CP IV 11-NOV-22

Discount Yield

Change Updated Time (%)

15.12 15.14

-0.03 July 29, 2022

17.24 17.98

0.06 July 29, 2022

11.25 11.57

0.06 July 29, 2022

10.44 10.71

0.06 July 29, 2022

13.63 14.19

0.00 July 29, 2022

CONTRACT Current TENOR Contract Rate ($/₦) (MONTH) NGUS AUG 31 433.54 1 2022 NGUS SEP 28 2 435.39 2022 NGUS OCT 26 437.24 3 2022 NGUS NOV 30 4 439.09 2022 NGUS DEC 28 5 440.94 2022

Updated Time

July 29, 2022 July 29, 2022 July 29, 2022 July 29, 2022 July 29, 2022

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AIR WATCH

NPA Concludes Plans to Reconstruct Rivers Port Berths Eromosele Abiodun The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said yesterday that it has concluded plans with the terminal operators to begin the reconstruction of the collapsed berths at the Rivers Port in Port Harcourt.

The Managing Director of NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko, who disclosed this in Port Harcourt during his maiden visit to the port, said the NPA has given BUA Terminal, one of the terminal operators, the final approval for the submitted design, which means the NPA expects construction would commence soon.

According to him, the berths 5 to 8 of the BUA Terminal that were built in the 1920s, collapsed years back.

Bello-Koko said the NPA is dissatisfied with the speed at which BUA is carrying out the

repair works as the Authority expected that the reconstruction should have started a few months ago.

“We understand the need to plan properly but that plan is over and we expect that they should have resumed reconstruction on those berths,” he said.

For the Ports and Terminal Operators Nigeria Limited (PTOL), he said, the operator has a development plan that involves bringing down some of the shades in the terminal to improve the stacking areas and increase the terminal’s ability to handle more cargoes.

Bello-Koko said that the PTOL terminal also has some collapsed berths, which the NPA is discussing with them on how to rehabilitate so that bigger vessels will be able to berth at Rivers Port.

“We are very serious about

the need to increase traffic to the Eastern Ports that way we can decongest Lagos Ports. Though, most of these ports have draft limitations and we are looking at dredging deeper so that bigger vessels can come and enable economy of scale. We are beginning to see increase activities in Onne Port, which we are happy about, “he said.

On the access road, the NPA boss said there is need to rehabilitate the roads, which is outside the purview of the Nigerian Ports Authority, but that they are working with the relevant government agencies to see to that.

He said there is synergy between the Federal Ministry of Transportation and Federal Ministry of Works, adding that government is very serious about repairing all access roads to the port, which has happened in Lagos.

A I R WATCH

NAH C O R e c o rd s New Milestone with B oos t in E x p o r t s

NAMA: All Nigerian Airports Have Approach, Landing Aids Chinedu Eze The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has confirmed that all federal and state government owned airports in the country have approach and landing navigational aids.

The agency said they also have Satellite Based Performance Navigation procedures that can enable aircraft operate at any time of the day into these airports.

The acting Managing Director of NAMA, Mr. Matthew Lawrence Pwajok, made this known during the 26th annual conference of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) held in Lagos recently.

Pwajok who was a panel discussant at the seminar, noted that the idea of tagging some airports in the country as ‘sunrise’ or ‘sunset airports’ was misplaced, “given that almost all airports in Nigeria have instrument landing facilities for approach and landing, meaning they

are operating based on Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and not based on Visual Flight Rules (VFR) where they pilots are required to visually approach and land within Sunrise to Sunset time.”

According to Pwajok, “Apart from one or two private aerodromes, all federal and state government owned airports managed by NAMA are equipped with Instrument Landing System (ILS), except where they are temporarily unserviceable or the runway and approach lights are unserviceable, but nevertheless you cannot refer to them as sunrise or sunset airports.”

Speaking further, the NAMA boss noted that the agency had invested heavily in navigational facilities more than any other facilities, adding that, “apart from Owerri and Calabar where the agency is working to install Category II Instrument Landing systems (CAT II ILS), and Jalingo that has no instrument landing system for now, basically all airports in Nigeria have a minimum of CAT

II ILS, most of which were installed brand new, so there is nothing like obsolete navigational facilities.”

Pwajok said in a bid to tackle visibility issues in some airports during adverse weather, the agency commenced the implementation of Category III ILS in Abuja and Lagos airports while those of Katsina, Kano and Port Harcourt were being installed and would be ready before the end of 2022.

He noted that despite the high cost of diesel, the agency had always granted extended services to airlines, which made such requests and would continue to do so. He also assured airlines that search and rescue services are also provided by NAMA during the hours of extension as the agency collaborates with sister agencies, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and other critical stakeholders, saying that as long as an airport remained open, search and rescue would be available for the period of operation.

How Nigerians Can Travel Visa-free with Second Passport Nosa Alekhuogie Mobility Options Consulting Limited has announced that four Certified Canadian Immigration Consultants have joined the company to meet the increasing demand for a second passport from high-net worth Individuals across Nigeria.

According to a recently published index, Nigerian citizens have visafree or visa-on-arrival access to 46 countries.

The Nigerian passport is ranked 100 out of 116 governments. Separate from those 46 visa-free countries, there are 147 additional destinations where Nigerians need to get visa approval.

Vice President, Diaspora of Mobility Options Consulting, Tukeni Obasi, who explained how

Nigerians used to wait for months, sometimes longer, for visa approval to attend their child’s wedding or graduation ceremony, said with a second passport, Nigerians could travel visa-free to over 100 countries to attend foreign conference, business meetings, family engagement, or even on vacation.

“The best part is that spouse, children, siblings, and parents can be granted citizenship from a country that has a stable government and primary healthcare benefits among other exciting reasons. These combined benefits make a second passport very appealing to anyone looking to travel with limited visa requirements and looking to ensure their family’s safety and security,” Obasi said.

Vice President, Mobility Options

Consulting, Canada, Panebi Oboh, said: “With a second passport, you will always have the right to live and work in another country – thanks to the tax breaks, wealth management, additional life insurance, investment for your future, and a protective shield for your family. Through the Canadian Start-Up Visa Program, skilled entrepreneurs with innovative ideas could potentially open up an entirely new line of lucrative business opportunities to pursue.”

President, Mobility Options Consulting, Ebi Obaro, said: “Mobility is the biggest motivating factor for those who seek restriction-less travel so that they can freely move around for holidays and trade events without filling out lengthy visa documents and seeking appointments at visa offices.”

Turkish Airlines Moves to Combat Climate Change Rebecca Ejifoma Aiming to offset the carbon emissions caused by flights, Turkish Airlines has launched a new programme called Co2mission.

The programme aims to balance the emissions caused by all business trips of the company’s personnel.

Speaking on the Co2mission, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee, Prof. Ahmet Bolat stated, “We are continuing to take the initiative to combat the climate change which stands at the forefront of today’s global problems.”

He added that soon the airline would add another to its sustainability-

focused projects, which are proving themselves with successful results.

Bolat further highlighted that the projects supported by the carbon offset programme would also show their heartfelt commitment to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

“The decision to implement this programme is the result of our desire to conduct all our operations responsibly. I am sure that our passengers will also show great interest in the program with the knowledge that all of us are responsible for this beautiful world we share,” Bolat said.

As for the guests, the airline hinted that they would be able to fly more environmentally conscious voluntarily.

According to the chairman, with the programme, the national flag carrier will ensure carbon offset becomes achievable and practical for anyone with environmental awareness.

The Turkish airlines Co2mission page, which stated its operations on August 1 this year, offers numerous portfolio options of carbon offset with environmental and communal benefits such as renewable energy and forestation.

Passengers aiming to offset the emission of their flight can do so by contributing their desired amount to the project portfolio of their choice, thus purchasing emission reduction certification accredited by the United Nations.

Chinedu Eze and Oluchi Chibuzor Nigeria’s foremost aviation handling firm, Nigeria Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO Aviance) has recorded groundbreaking achievement with facilities and funding to boost exports.

The company, in collaboration with Nigerian Export Processing Council (NEPC), has pushed the federal government campaign to boost export further by building export processing centres across five states in an effort to reverse the country’s trade imbalance.

The centres in Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Port Harcourt and Kano will help reduce product rejection encountered

by Nigerian exporters in the international market.

With NAHCO Aviance recipient of the NEPZ grant, the project when completed in five months would boost export potential of the country to about two million metric tonnes per annum.

Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony for the Lagos State project, recently, the Executive Director, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Dr. Ezra Yakusak, said the country must continue to embark on projects that would reverse trade imbalance.

Yakusak, who noted that the project was in line with the NEPC export survival campaign, said the only way out for Nigeria to survive economically was to export.

He maintained that the non-oil sector remains a low hanging fruit for every Nigerians to plug into to gain foreign exchange in order to stabilize the economy.

“We are very delighted that the NEPC grant which we assisted NAHCO is working and is judiciously being used; I think we need to appreciate them because in some other balance when these grants are given they will say this is government money and of course the story is a different thing.

“Am so happy today that the grant that was given under the export expansion facility programme is working and I assure you that in the next four to five months that this building will be standing. Nigeria may not understand the importance of this, but when you hear the various cases of export rejection due to poor packaging you will understand that we need this badly,” he said.

For the Chairman, NAHCO Aviance, Dr. Seine Oladapo Fadeni, they are prepared in helping NEPZ achieve their dream of boosting the export processing areas when the project is fully completed across the geopolitical zones.

“We realised the fact that we need to boost the process of exporting Nigeria’s products, especially agricultural products, so that we can have more FX and our dollar does not depend on petroleum products alone,” Fadeni said.

Meanwhile, NAHCO Aviance has paid N665 million as dividend to shareholders as turnover grows by 44 per cent.

This was disclosed at its 41st Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos on the 29th of August 2022.

At the AGM, the Board of the company informed shareholders that the group turnover stood at N10.2 billion, representing a 44 per cent improvement over the 2020 financial year performance, despite the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on its operations.

As a reward for their continued trust and belief in the company, shareholders were rewarded with

a gross dividend of 41 kobo per ordinary share of 50 kobo each, amounting to N665 million. This was an increase of 341 per cent over the N12.5 kobo per ordinary share paid to shareholders at the end of the 2020 financial year.

The company also gave out one bonus share for every five shares held by the existing shareholders and assured the Shareholders that the 2022 dividend may be way higher based on Year-to-date performance in 2022.

The 2021 annual report and accounts of the group indicated that the N10.2 billion revenue was an improvement from the N7.1 billion it earned in 2020. The NAHCO Group earned N924, 855 million Profit Before Tax (PBT) in 2021, showing 156% increase from the previous year, which was N361, 279 million.

Profit after tax (PAT) also increased to N771, 615 million, indicating 155 per cent growth, compared to N302, 131 million of 2020 financial year. NAHCO Plc total equity under the year in review was N7 billion, showing an increase of 9 per cent when compared to that of 2020.

Fadeni assured at the meeting that the company would continue to be the leading ground handling company in Africa in terms of market share, client base, revenue, and profitability.

He explained that the Nigerian economy was fragile in 2021, after exiting recession in the last quarter of 2020. He however said that despite this, “Our focus in 2021 was a responsible and inclusive growth, which allowed us to be a source of stability for our customers during the challenging times. Closing the second year of unprecedented disruption, low interest rates and market volatility, NAHCO Plc earned N10.2 billion in revenue with improved capital base, growth in customers deposits, liquidity, and improved gearing ratios.’’

He lamented that the current high forex rate and challenge in accessing the foreign exchange and the global increase in the crude oil prices, has dampened the positive projections for 2022.

The Chairman explained further that despite various challenges, NAHCO had invested over N4 billion in the acquisition of Ground Support Equipment (GSE) and assured the shareholders that the company would perform better in the 2022 financial year.

NAHCO Plc is a Nigerian diversified group with interests in air cargo services, aircraft handling, passenger facilitation, crew transportation and aviation training, airport free zone and logistics.

So in order to express gratitude to its partners, NAHCO Aviation recently feted its clients in a dinner and promised to improve on its services.

At the dinner, the Chairman of the company, Dr. Fadeni said the company’s clients was the major reasons the company has grown over the years despite the myriads of challenges in the aviation sector.

NAHCO Aviance clientele cuts across clearing agents, airlines, Nigeria police, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria among others.

Fadeni stated that there are numerous challenges limiting the growth of handling business in Nigeria but assured that as a leading handling company in the country, NAHCO would continue to deliver quality and excellent services to its clients.

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2022

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BUSINESSWORLD

AVIATION

Nigerian Airports: Huge Investment, Little Returns Building airport is capital intensive and maintaining it is challenging because its regulation follows international standards and so far, many airports in Nigeria cannot generate enough revenues to sustain their operations. Chinedu Eze writes that novel strategies must be adopted to make airports profitable to justify the huge investments on their establishment

M

any state governments that built airports did not envisage the huge amount of money they would deploy every month for their maintenance. When they face that challenge they become flustered and start begging the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to take them over. FAAN has taken over many state owned airports. The airports that are generating revenue that can sustain them are Uyo international airport, where the state government has lofty aviation programme, which include maintenance facility, an airline and a future hub for the West Coast connecting the Equatorial region and Central Africa.

Asaba Airport was concessioned last year by the Delta State government and it is generating revenues to sustain itself. The newly built Anambra Sate Airport at Umueri, broke record for recording high load factor for airlines the first week they started operations to that destination. The FAAN has taken over or about to take over the airports at Osubi in Warri, the ones in Dutse, Bauchi, Gombe and Kebbi.

Bayelsa just completed its airport and United Nigeria Airlines has been operating there. Ogun is undertaking ambitious cargo airport and Ebonyi has advanced the completion of its own airport. How can these airports be made viable? It is also noteworthy that even many of the airports already under the management of FAAN are not financially viable.

FAAN manages about 21 airports, which include the airports in Kano, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Maiduguri, Kaduna, Calabar, Enugu, Owerri, Jos, Sokoto, Yola, Benin, Minna, Ibadan, Akure, Makurdi, Katsina, Ilorin, Zaria and Osubi airports. Out of these airports, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos generates the highest revenue, followed by the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. The revenues generated by these two airports are used to fund the others, except perhaps, the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, the Benin airport and the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.

REVENUE GENERATION Last week, the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) held its 26th annual seminar in Lagos with the theme: “Sunset Airports-the Safety and Economic Implication.” Stakeholders who attended the seminar spoke on various ways airports can be made to generate more revenue for self-sustenance and for profit. But looking at the reality of sunset airports, which refers to airports that are shut down by 6:30 pm; that don’t operate in the night, there are many consequences of such airports. The major factor is that airlines cannot operate there after dusk. This means that in scheduling, they must adjust their services to coincide the time service is allowed at the airport.

But THISDAY investigation revealed that often, operating aircraft might encounter delays in its services to other routes, so a flight that might be scheduled for 4:00 pm to a sunset airport may be delayed till 6:00 pm and the airline would have no choice than to cancel

the flight. So airlines cancel flights often because of sunset airports. Industry insiders blame airlines for what they described as improper scheduling but in a hostile operating environment, where VIP movement could delay flight for one hour without prior notice, a nonplussed scheduler knows that he has only 12 hours out of the 24 hours a day to schedule his flights. He faces a dilemma. The aircraft ought to be flogged for about 18 hours in day, but in Nigeria he could only get eight hours or less. Industry experts posit that aircraft underutlisation has its technical consequences on maintenance and life span of the equipment.

So operating for longer hours could give the airport more revenue. But FAAN Managing Director, Capt Rabiu Yadudu, recently said it would be financially challenging to operate beyond 6:30 pm to daylight airports because traffic to such airport may not justify such expenditure. But beyond aeronautical revenue, there are many things that can be done at an airport to drive more revenue.

The Chairman of the 26th LAAC Conference who is also the Group Managing Director of Finchglow Holdings, Mr. Bankole Bernard, explained that some factors determine if an airport should operate for 24 hours or not.

“Some of these factors include the traffic on the route, the cost of operations, sustaining business within the airport, the operations, navigational equipment and a long list of other factors. Having considered this, should all major airports in Nigeria operate 24 hours daily? I don’t think so. To drive this thought further, there are a few more important questions to ask. The first is, what level of traffic does the proposed 24 hours airports record annually? How many domestic airlines in Nigeria have schedules for 24-hour operations?

“What is the economic impact of operating for 24 hours? Who bears the cost of operations? Should FAAN decide to make provisions for 24 hours operations on these routes, are the airlines able to pay for these services, and has there been any intentional effort to drive traffic to our airports such as creating non-aeronautical sources of revenue like cinemas, amusement parks and other attractions around the airports?” Bernard asked.

Recommending what should be done to make an airport viable Bernard said: “We can start with the modernization of airport terminals with shopping malls. This will contribute to the commercial viability of the airports and other necessary infrastructures like the Internet and constant power supply to support businesses.

We must begin to think of an alternative power supply like renewable energy to keep the airport functional and reduce the cost of operation in the long run.

“This will also make the airport viable and attractive. Another area to consider is providing affordable hotels, which will give credence to investments. The ability to provide BnB (Bed and Breakfast) hotels around the terminals of some of

these airports will be of great attraction and will increase the viability of the airport as well. Lastly, there is the area of interconnectivity within the airports. The interconnectivity of the local airports to the international airports will contribute to the economic viability of these airports. It will also bring the connection to such airports; hence it will not be limited to one drop-off and pick-up.”

HUGE INVESTMENT There have been criticisms against governors building airports, which is capital-intensive investment. Some industry stakeholders say that agrarian states without robust finances will earmark huge amount of money and build airports, insisting that such airports serve the elite at high opportunity cost of providing, for example, potable water, electricity, inward roads that could connect the rural communities to the cities for the movement of farm produce.

But travel expert, Ambassador, Ikechi Uko, posited that building airports is good because it enhances easy and fast movement and the more states are connected by air the better.

Former Group Managing Director of Ethiopian Airlines, Tewolde Gebre Mariam had stressed that with four kilometer runway, a city could connect to the rest of the world. Ambassador Uko noted that investors do not like to travel by road; they like to travel by air, which is faster. For example, a foreigner who wants to invest in farming in Taraba would be happy if he could fly to Taraba state to inspect the farms but would be discouraged if he cannot get there by air.

At the 26th LAAC seminar, Ambassador Uko, during the panel discussion also remarked that aviation should not exist without tourism and entertainment, noting that tourism and entertainment bring people together so an airport with a hotel and shopping mall would become a rendezvous that could enhance revenue for the airport. He recalled that at the Owerri airport, the state government had built cargo facility that remain unutilized and noted that converting some of the structures to a hotel and mall could enliven the airport and bring in people who would spend their money there, pay for the gate fee and pay for car park. That way, the airport would be generating non-aeronautical revenues, while electricity from the mall and hotel powers the airport. As more people come to the airport advertisers will be attracted to place advert billboards at the airport premises, which would be enormous income to the airport.

INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGE One of the speakers at the 26th LAAC seminar and the Chief Operating Officer of Ibom Air, Mr. George Uriesi, spoke about the cost of daylight airports to the airlines. Many airlines have to cut

short their operations to these airports because they do not have landing facilities. For an aircraft that ought to operate for 18 hours, these airports shorten the operating hours of this equipment because of lack of night landing infrastructure.

Even some airports that have airfield lighting that enables aircraft to land in the night, like the ones in Benin, Enugu and Calabar, FAAN still designates them as daylight airports; so if an airline intends to operate there later that 6:30 pm it would pay N100, 000 to FAAN and N50, 000 per hour to the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) so that they personnel would be on duty and keep the airports open for the landing of the aircraft.

Uriesi observed at the seminar that Nigerian airlines are operating in a systemically limiting environment that makes it harder for them to be as productive as their colleagues in Europe, Asia and North America that fly their Class-C or Coach-C aeroplanes, Boeing A737s, Airbus A320s etc a number of blockers every day that makes them highly productive, high value asset versus Nigerian carriers which can hardly fly theirs to maximise it.

“The sunset airport phenomenon is a strange one, because it is one of the limiters. Most of the sunset airports are declared operational from 6:00 am or 7:00 am to 6:00 pm or 8:00 pm. What is strange is that all of them from the information declared have navigational and visual aids (which enhances landing in the night), CAT 1 or 2 ILS (Category or 2 Instrument landing system) and with runway lighting. If they have all of that, why is it declared a 6:00am or 7am airport?

The reason is that the productive limitation at most of our airports offers the airlines limited operational hours from the time you are planning your schedule.

“You can’t plan it optimally because you can only operate under certain weather conditions, among other limiters. Under harmattan, you may not be able to go into Calabar for a week, yet we keep trying every morning. Meanwhile, the aircraft is meant to do other things. All of that adds to why we can’t use the aircraft well. If the Navaid (navigational aids) in Calabar is working, what is harmattan?

“The impact of it is a significantly reduced window for aircraft utilisation, which is a serious threat to airlines’ survivability. The number of flights we do not utilise in a day because of those limiters is plus/minus three flights. That is N12 million worth of revenue daily opportunity and I’m using N60, 000 a passenger and 67 passengers a flight, which is very low for most aircraft. That will be N4 million revenue per flight, and 90 flights a month and N360 million of revenue off the table in a month for one aircraft. And in a year, it is 1000 flights and N4.3 billion per aircraft,” Uriesi said.

But there is growing campaign that airports that have night landing facilities that hitherto shut down operations by 6:30 pm can extend to 9:00 pm. That way the airports can earn more revenue.

So for airports to earn more revenue to sustain their operations, their management must bring in other businesses beyond flight operations to make them economically viable

PENSION ASSETS HIT N14.27TN AS NUMBER OF CONTRIBUTORS APPROACH 10M MARK In terms of contributions by the various funds, the PenCom’s report said the RSA fund II accounted for most of the fund

contribution with N6.24 trillion, representing 43.7 per cent of the total pension funds, followed by RSA Fund III with N3.86 trillion,

which represents 27 per cent of the total assets and existing schemes accounted for 10.1 per cent of the total funds, increased

by N85.78 billion to stand at N1.44 trillion, while the Closed Pension Fund Administrators (CPFAs) accounted for 10.7 per cent of

the total funds, standing at N1.52 trillion for the period.

Investments in the Nigerian stock market in the first half of

the year grew by an additional N53.85 billion investments, bringing the total investments to N969.16 billion.

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& RE A S O

Friday August 5, 2022 Vol 27. No 9977

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opinion@thisdaylive.com

www.thisdaylive.com

EDO AND THE LEADERSHIP QUESTION Edo state is suffering from leadership vacuum, contends JOSEF OMOROTIONMWAN

See page 21

THE FUTURE OF APC IN PLATEAU STATE TOM OSHIE urges the party not to repeat the Zamfara mistake

See page 21

EDITORIAL VIOLENCE AGAINST STATE AGENTS

See page 22

1

Next year’s presidential election is a disguised referendum to decide whether to keep Nigeria as one or not, writes REUBEN UMUNNA

NIGERIA 2023: A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OR A REFERENDUM? The 2023 presidential election is more of a referendum disguised as an election.

Underlying the election is an important question of whether Nigerians want Nigeria to remain as a country. What is the consequential implication of a win for each of all top three presidential hopefuls— Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Gregory Obi? A vote for Peter Obi’s presidency is a tacit vote in support for one Nigeria and a vote for Bola Tinubu or Atiku Abubakar is a vote to split Nigeria.

Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar are UHVSHFWLYHO\ WKH SUHVLGHQWLDO Á DJ EHDUHUV for the two largest political parties in Nigeria—APC and PDP. Both political parties and aspirants pitch policy continuity and business-as-usual to Nigerian voters.

The problem is that policy continuity, and business-as-usual means more economic and security misery to Nigerian voters. A younger, more awake voters are not having any of it. With feet of clay, Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar unfortunately, struggle under their inertias to rebrand, represent, and market themselves as men of reputable character.

Tinubu served as governor of Lagos State from 1999 – 2007. He is controversial. On the eve of the 2019 presidential election— President Buhari’s second term—bullion vans were seen leaving Tinubu’s residence in Lagos State. The vans were alleged to contain either huge sums of money or ballot papers to swing the election outcome for his party. Legal website, Plainsite.org, uploaded dockets of Bola Tinubus’s drug PRQH\ IRUIHLWXUH FDVH À OHV LQ WKH 8QLWHG States. Bola’s 2023 presidential bid is deeply challenged by transparency on the source of KLV ZHDOWK DJH DQG HGXFDWLRQDO FHUWLÀ FDWHV Between 1999 - 2007, Atiku Abubakar served as the vice president of Nigeria. +H LV WKH SUHVLGHQWLDO Á DJ EHDUHU IRU the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Like Tinubu, Atiku leaves in his wake a trail of corruption allegations behind him. In 2006, Atiku and one of his wives were implicated in an international bribery scandal along ZLWK :LOOLDP -HͿ HUVRQ $FFRUGLQJ WR D :DVKLQJWRQ3RVW DUWLFOH -HͿ HUVRQ ZDV quoted to have told his business partner that Atiku Abubakar had demanded a cut RI WKH SURÀ W ´DV D PRWLYDWLQJ IDFWRUµ IURP WKH L*DWH ,QF GHDO ,Q -HͿ HUVRQ ZDV sentenced to 13 years. Atiku, however, maintained his innocence.

Since 2015 under President Buhari’s ZDWFK 1LJHULD KDV VXͿ HUHG WURXEOLQJ WXUPRLO ,QÁ DWLRQ UDWH VXUJHG WR DQ DOO WLPH high of 18.6% in June 2022. A total of 1,532 deaths were recorded from terrorist attacks in 2017 alone, according to data from the National Consortium for the Security of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism.

Debt repayment exceeded revenue in Q1 of IRU WKH À UVW WLPH 2Q D VFDOH RI with 100 representing very clean and 0

for highly corrupt, Nigeria occupies 24th place on the 2021 Corruption Perception Index. Corruption is fundamentally threatening the legitimacy of governance in Nigeria. Yet, Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar, entrenched in various highSURÀ OH FRUUXSWLRQ VFDQGDOV WKHPVHOYHV are ostensibly opting not to campaign on any anti-corruption promise. Why? They know that given their public images, it is a tough sell to Nigerians. Since transitioning to democracy in 1999, blatant moneybag politics has dominated the Nigerian political space. For Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential election and post-election governance is businessas-usual. However, that electioneering model is about to be turned on its head.

Peter Obi served as a governor of Anambra State three separate times between 2006 DQG 8SRQ OHDYLQJ R΀ FH LQ 2EL became an advocate for good governance in Nigeria. Obi—a billionaire, maintains a frugal lifestyle. Peter Obi claimed he left Anambra with investments worth $156 million. He is quoted for claiming to have left N75B in cash and investment for the State. However, in 2021, Peter Obi’s name appeared in the leaked Pandora Papers that exposed the hidden wealth of the powerful.

Obi’s campaign for a new Nigeria resonates strongly amongst Nigerians between the ages of 25-44. And this is no coincidence. Unemployment rate for people between 15-24 is 39% and 32% for ages 25 7KH XQHPSOR\PHQW QXPEHUV UHÁ HFW D percentage points increase from 2015, when WKH $3& OHG JRYHUQPHQW WRRN RYHU R΀ FH Obi stands on his track record to campaign on transforming Nigeria from a consumer to a producing nation. Youths between 2444 are trusting Obi’s campaign promise. )RU WKH À UVW WLPH VLQFH 1LJHULD·V QDVFHQW democracy, a youth-led movement is picking up responsibility for building an inexistent structure funded through a highly decentralized and fragmented mechanisms that is challenging the two largest political parties. This movement marks a one-eighty GHJUHHV Á LS IURP WKH EXVLQHVV DV XVXDO

electioneering model where politicians and their parties rely heavily on vote procurement and rigging to win elections.

The fact that this is a never-been-attempted move presents the highest obstacle to Mr. Obi’s presidential bid. Nonetheless, Peter Obi has made it clear to his supporters that he isn’t in the business of purchasing votes. Peter Obi’s movement, spearheaded by the youth, is a rescue mission to save a severely ailing Nigeria. Supporters of Obi, known as OBIdients, are economically disenfranchised youth tired of reckless spending of public funds by old businessas-usual politicians.

President Buhari’s administration has left hopes dashed and public trust further debilitated as corruption cases went unprosecuted. As the 2023 presidential election draws close, the OBIdient movement continues to build behind Peter Obi’s narrative of transparency, accountability, and austere governance.

Peter Obi is the new hope that is expected to bring unrealized integrity-based potential from the Buhari led government.

Whether or not Peter Obi wins the 2023 presidential election, the legacy and voice of the movement built behind his campaign message remains clear—the era of moneybag politics in Nigeria has met its waterloo. The moral standards by which Nigerian politicians would be judged has been raised and business-asusual politicians such as Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar may be stranded with their dreams in hand. For Tinubu, he helped carve the Mr. Integrity branding that brought President Buhari to power in 2015. Unbeknownst to him, he was laying groundwork for the integrity narrative that would usher in Peter Obi’s presidential candidacy. Tinubu paved a clear path that he was never going to be eligible to tow.

Just as John Campbell, a former US Ambassador to Nigeria, titled his 2013 book ´1LJHULD 'DQFLQJ RQ WKH %ULQNµ 1LJHULD is indeed on the edge! Should a Tinubu or Atiku presidential bid become successful, it is unlikely that Nigeria would survive another four to eight years of businessDV XVXDO OHDGHUVKLS RͿ HUHG E\ WKHVH WZR Economic and security distress is likely to pull Nigeria beyond its elastic limit and eventually into several fragments. A vote for Tinubu or Atiku is an implicit vote to disintegrate Nigeria. A vote for Peter Obi, is a vote for what he represents—a chance to get Nigeria working, which can only be attempted by a president with integrity and credibility amongst other notable virtues.

Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election is a disguised referendum to decide whether to keep Nigeria as one or not.

Umunna (Ph.D.) is a Johns Hopkins University trained policy analyst. He writes from Washington D.C.

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T H I S D AY FRIDAY AUGUST 5, 2022

TOM OSHIE urges the party not to repeat the Zamfara mistake Edo state is suffering from leadership vacuum, contends JOSEF OMOROTIONMWAN

EDO AND THE LEADERSHIP QUESTION The French Humanist and Philosopher, Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), was essentially right when he quipped, “Why is it that man is born free but everywhere in chains?” At creation, we were all equal.

2Q JHWWLQJ KHUH ZH VRRQ EHJDQ WR ÀQG additions and subtractions on values that PDNH RQH OLIH GLͿHUHQW IURP DQRWKHU VRPH ethnic groups and races superior to others; and some institutions of government superimposed on others.

Wittingly or unwittingly, we have attempted to promote the Nigerian Judiciary

above the other branches of government.

Truly, it is a pseudo democracy, at best, where nothing happens until the Supreme Court pronounces. Thus, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), socalled, has been largely reduced to a bunch of errand boys who transverse the entire wards throughout the country, collating seemingly useless results; the Legislatures have been reduced to houses of empty QRLVH PDNHUV DQG ÀQDOO\ QLQH RGG IHOORZV sit in their hallowed chambers and veto the collective decisions of 50 million citizens who cast their votes, standing for hours under the scorching sun and in the rain!

Yet, when it comes to the power of the purse, the same Judiciary places a distant last because in times of appropriation, it is relegated to the background – A sharp reminder of the age long aphorism, “Monkey dey walk, baboon dey chop”, all in a twisted democracy.

In every situation, leadership soon becomes a major issue. For too long, Edo politicians occupied centre stage in the politics of Nigeria. Our homes were always in order; and we were the ones invited to settle others and arrange their homes.

Suddenly, things fell apart and the centre could no longer hold in Edo State. This KDSSHQHG ZKHQ *RG LQ KLV LQÀQLWH ZLVGRP decided to call our two great leaders, Chief Tony Anenih and Dr. Sam Ogbemudia, to higher glory almost at the same time. Since WKH SDVW ÀYH \HDUV RU VR ZKHQ WKHVH PHQ left, we have had a leadership vacuum.

Edo State politicians have been totally UXGGHUOHVV 3XW GLͿHUHQWO\ ZH KDYH EHHQ like sheep without shepherds. :H DOZD\V KDG RXU GLͿHUHQFHV HYHQ when these leaders were alive. But when we came across the dark moments, the duo went into the inner room and when they came out, they issued instructions and we followed.

Essentially, these men were successful leaders, but they left without successors.

Perhaps unwittingly, these past leaders might have trusted wrong targets who KDYH VLQFH GLVTXDOLÀHG WKHPVHOYHV IURP leadership. They now stand for nothing and those who stand for nothing can easily fall for anything.

As the saying goes, God made man; man made money; and money made man mad. When it mattered, these men found themselves in exalted positions where they stole themselves into poverty by acquiring primitive wealth and humongous property in State and World Capitals which wealth could not be maintained, without hanging on to any Political Party in power – good or bad.

Unable to help themselves, talk more of leading others, these men are now to be found permanently on the corridors of power – mere hangers-on!

Sometime someday, these, too, will come to pass and Edo will bounce back to its proper position in the scheme of things.

Knowing what our frailties are, we must now begin in earnest to search for the next Governor of Edo State.

In Nigeria, geography is destiny. Where you are born shapes the course of what you will become in life. Elements of the Fulani/ Hausa of Northern Nigeria as well as the Yoruba of the Southwest region may never know how it feels for you to know that you are a Nigerian but no matter how good you are, you can never aspire to become President of Nigeria, from the day you are born to the day you die – barring a major accident. This is a stark reality that the minority groups, so-called, must live with all their life.

At no time did nature intend that the good qualities of the minorities should be left out in the scheme of things.

Edo State is divided into three broad groups with the following geographical spread: Edo South (58%); Edo North (23%); and Edo Central (19%).

Edo Central, the Land of the Esan people, ÀQGV LWVHOI LQ D PLFURVFRSLF PLQRULW\ 7KHVH divisions are apparently made into a ZDWHU WLJKW FRPSDUWPHQW WKDW LV GL΀FXOW to change. They have tried to annex nearby Uhunmwode Local Government area to increase their area and population, without success.

Essentially, like in the case of Nigeria, in the current set-up, barring a major accident, the Esan man knows that he cannot become Governor of the State. Not even the “Esan Agenda” can come to the rescue. The moment Party ‘A’ picks an Esan candidate and Party ‘B’ picks from say Edo South, Party A has lost the election, given the propensity for Nigerians to want to vote for the “son of the soil”.

That’s the way it has always been, and it is so bad that every Party now bypasses Edo Central even in the choice of a running mate for the Governor.

Shall we continue to ignore this minority area that is full of highly eligible individuals who can add real value to the state?

(GR 6WDWH FDQQRW DͿRUG WR NHHS JHWWLQJ it wrong. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, otherwise known as discrimination in the reverse must come to the rescue!

Omorotionmwan writes from Canada

THE FUTURE OF APC IN PLATEAU STATE “I order you to hold a free election, but I forbid you to elect anyone but Richard my clerk”. This statement was the authorization of King Henry II of England [1133-1189] in his writ to those electing the Bishop of Winchester LQ 7KH UHPDUN DͿHFWHG WKH LQWHJULW\ RI King Henry II as it was greeted with negative reactions being that it was an order that constrained freedom. The electorates were not allowed to vote their consciences as they were suppressed by the order of the King. That was not democratic in any sense. It means the election was literally hijacked leaving

the electorates with no choice. That was an indirect way of telling them that the election would not hold but Richard would emerge the winner.

The above statement has reincarnated in 3ODWHDX 6WDWH $3& 7KH SDUW\ LV VXͿHULQJ WKH same misdeed in the hands of the Governor, Mr. Simon Bako Lalong. The State APC gubernatorial primary election was hijacked by him and his hatchet men leaving no space for freedom of choice. It is important to state that there are 207 Federal electoral wards in 3ODWHDX IURP ZKLFK ÀYH SHUVRQV HDFK ZHUH supposed to be elected as ad-hoc delegates who will in turn be accredited to vote at the state congress for the governorship primary.

But it may interest the public to know that there were no prerequisite delegate elections even though some party faithful actually bought the forms. Some did not buy, but their names were on the voters list. There was no election, but a winner emerged. This goes to show that nothing would have given foundation to the purported gubernatorial primary election claimed to have been held on 26th May, 2022.

It is typical of Governor Lalong to take care of himself while he watches the state drown. The RQO\ WLPH KH LGHQWLÀHG ZLWK WKH DVSLUDWLRQV RI Plateau people was in 2015 when he reminded them that the other party and all it stood for was corruption and nepotism. Granted, the people would not condone such variance to good governance. Lalong dismissed the then legislative assembly on the ground that the executive was building an Arabian Eldorado.

For lack of vigilance, the people got swayed, Lalong became the governor and that was all.

Today he is performing far below the government he incited people to sack. He is found wanting in every area of governance.

To mention one will be injustice to others as it is all encompassing. Now that the people are seeing a way to change the beloved state for the better, Lalong is coming again to plant an unknown person who would be doing his bidding in the person of Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe.

It is my candid advice that the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress should look into the sham election that the party purportedly conducted in Plateau State. Mr. Simon Bako Lalong has a record

of being a respecter of superiors so they could look away for him to harvest what he did not sow. Dariye was his superior. It was convenient for him to close down the legislature to prove his loyalty then. Now ZKHQ WKH VWDWH IHOW 'DUL\H VKRXOG EH OHW RͿ the hook at Kuje, he is keeping mum. After all, he is now the governor. Now he wants Abuja to kowtow to him to perpetrate his vice grip on the state without questions so that he could award the most expensive contract one could think of; so he could referee an election to re-launch himself.

The third term agenda!

But barring any issues emanating therefrom, Dr. Goshwe has the right to stand for election as a Governor in Plateau State. It is curious that as of the time he came forward to present himself to the quest, he was not conscientious to walk within the rule. He was still enjoying his time as a Commissioner at the Independent National Electoral Commission when the door for membership registration and revalidation of the party particularly in Plateau State was shut in April, 2021.

Nentawe enjoyed his REC position up till December, 2021.The National headquarters of the party cannot in any way convince the public that he was issued a waiver. Neither can the party make a claim of consensus candidate as they cannot prove that the written consent of all the other cleared aspirants for the gubernatorial position have been secured voluntarily or secured at all. These acts are ÁDJUDQW DEXVH RI WKH $3& FRQVWLWXWLRQ DQG the Electoral Act, 2022.

On a moral consideration, an immediate past Resident Electoral Commissioner wanting to be governor leaves a lot to bother about in terms of free and fair election. It is equal to taking the position on what you have been supervising. Even though no legislation shuts him out on that ground, there is no guarantee of a free and fair conduct of the Plateau State gubernatorial elections with him being a candidate. His stooges are still there waiting to do his biddings.

APC, Plateau State is only postponing the evil day. It is either they clean the mess now or regret later. The Zamfara State case is not far-fetched. APC, Zamfara swept the entire 14 Local Government Areas of the state. However, the Supreme Court declared Bello Matawalle of PDP the winner of the governorship race owing to the fact that the Idris’ votes were “wasted”; that the party did not conduct valid primaries in the build up to the elections. That judgment should serve as a lesson for political parties as they ought to follow legitimate guidelines and rules.

The opposition parties in Plateau State must have gone to rest waiting and knowing fully well that APC does not have a candidate yet. And if they proceed ZLWK WKLV ÁDZHG IRXQGDWLRQ LW LV FKHHUV IRU the oppositions.

The way forward for APC in Plateau State: The National headquarters should advise the party stakeholders in the state to sit, dialogue and settle with all the other aspirants to achieve a possible consensus candidate within the allowed time- frame.

Oshie is a legal practitioner

22 4

T H I S D AY

FRIDAY AUGUST 5, 2022

EDITORIAL

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

VIOLENCE AGAINST STATE AGENTS There is need for a comprehensive confidence building to rekindle the trust of citizens in security agencies

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T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2022

23

BUSINESSWORLD

PERSPECTIVE

Promoting Healthy Heart for All Ages Nneka Nelson

T

here is a popular belief that consuming heart-friendly meals that will keep one’s heart strong and healthy should be the concern of older people who are the most susceptible to coronary heart diseases.

But this is a misconception that may lead to a carefree attitude when it comes to the choice of healthy edible oil to cook with for younger people. Ensuring a healthy heart should be a priority for people of all ages.

Standing in the kitchen, Funlola Rhodes, a Lagos-based housewife, was shocked at her mother-in-law’s reaction. In her eight years of marriage, she had never heard the typically playful Mama Gbolahan raise her voice. Not even to scold any of her grandchildren.

Funlola had just poured a few centiliters of soyabean oil into the pot of sizzling vegetable soup when her husband’s mother reprimanded her. “What are you doing?!”

Mama Gbolahan exclaimed. “Soyabean oil?

In everyone’s food?”

For a brief moment, Funlola wondered

if this was one of the septuagenarian’s pranks as she was one to take the pressure off big family events with practical jokes. But any doubts Funlola may have had about Mama Gbolahan’s seriousness quickly disappeared with her next words, “Don’t you know soyabean oil is only for the aged?”

Funlola and the other family members in the kitchen could not help but burst into laughter. “Mama, that’s just a myth,” she said. “Soya bean oil is actually great for everyone, even children!”

Mama Gbolahan’s erroneous sentiment on Soya bean oil seems to be gaining ground but it is important to reiterate that Soya bean oil is essential for everyone despite their age. However, given the increased risk of heart disease with age, it is easy to see how Soya bean oil has slowly gained a reputation as a “geriatric” cooking oil.

The journey to a healthy heart begins from childhood, therefore starting early with the right choice of edible oil is critical for growth, development, and long-term heart health.

Soya bean oil is an edible cooking oil

that has been associated with several health benefits due to its high PUFA (Polyunsaturated fatty acid) content. In particular, it helps promote skin health, reduce cholesterol levels, prevent bone loss, and provide essential Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. What’s more, it is a versatile cooking oil, making it easy to incorporate into a variety of recipes as part of a healthy diet for people of all ages.

Everyone can enjoy the benefits of Soya bean oil as it is a powerhouse of PUFA content, which is generally regarded as “good” fat. When consumed in the earlier stages of life, PUFA intake plays a preventive role against Coronary Heart Disease, cognitive decline, and some cancers in adults. For children, PUFAs are required for normal cognitive and psychomotor development.

The body cannot create PUFA hence it must be deliberately included in one’s diet as part of a healthy lifestyle throughout one’s life.

According to the research by Soyconnection.com, dietary recommendations support incorporating

Soya bean oil into healthy dietary patterns for general health and chronic disease prevention.

“Soya bean oil, when used as a replacement for other types of edible oil which are laden with saturated fat, improves good blood cholesterol levels and may lower the risk of heart disease, thereby making it a heart-healthy dietary choice for people of all ages,” the report stated.

With 5x more PUFA than the popular Palm Olein (Vegetable Oil) brands, Golden Terra Soya Oil ensures heart health for people of all ages by providing the requirements for optimal development.

As you prepare your next meal, feed your heart 5x PUFA with Golden Terra Soya Oil, the leading soya oil brand in the Nigerian market with its increasing presence across the country.

It is 100% pure soya oil, totally sourced and manufactured in Nigeria. Individuals and families that use Golden Terra Soya Oil every day enjoy heart-healthy and brain-boosting meals that enable them to drive for the optimum daily.

Golden Terra Soya Oil is available in sachets, 700ml pet bottle, 2.5L & 4.5L kegs. t /OFLB /FMTPO JT B CVTJOFTT BOBMZTU CBTFE JO -BHPT

NCAA: FG IN SEARCH OF URGENT SOLUTION TO RESOLVE AVIATION CRISIS On flight delays, which has become worse since the scarcity and high cost of aviation fuel, he said that aviation fuel is not evenly distributed in every part of the country, disclosing that while it is available in Lagos, it is scarce in many other parts of the country, so waiting for the product could delay airlines from operating their flights as scheduled.

“Initial report is that Jet A1 is available in Lagos but scarce

in other parts of the country.

This problem is coupled with the fact that marketers demand cash before they sell the product to airlines, as some of them have outstanding debts with the marketers. I am not trying to excuse the airlines. There is no excuses; passengers should not be delayed and if passengers are delayed they must be compensated in accordance to the directives in our passenger bill of rights,” he said.

Acknowledging the efforts of the airlines, the Director General said airlines were set up as businesses, and as businesses the objective is to make profits, but regretted that the airlines have found themselves in the situation where they are struggling to survive.

“It is unfortunate that ticket prices are high, but this is business and the airlines expect some profits but this is the way it is now. But I would rather

shut down an airline than to compromise safety. We in NCAA cannot provide forex but we are working together with the Ministers of Aviation and Finance to see how the situation could be improved, but as I said earlier, the situation in the aviation industry should not be isolated from the other sectors of the economy,” he said.

Nuhu regretted that almost all the aircraft have to be flown out of the country to conduct

major aircraft maintenance and now that some aircraft are due for maintenance there would be less number of seats so it is envisaged that there should be increase in fares.

Out of 10 existing airlines on schedule services, Aero suspended its operations recently, while NCAA grounded that of Dana Air, thus bringing the number of airlines in operation to eight.

The NCAA Director General said the authority is currently carrying

out financial and economic audit on the airlines to ensure that despite the challenges besetting the industry, the airlines operate safely.

“We are not policemen so we don’t police the airlines.

We work together as partners, but our objective is to ensure that airlines operate safely. We work with them and give them the assistance they require.

Failure is not an option,” he said.

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FRIDAY AUGUST 5, 2022 •T H I S D AY

This

Weekend

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2022

NEWS The Art Hotel Redefines Hospitality Space in Nigeria See page 27

POLSCOPE Nigerian Issues that Bother Me (2) See page 28

Group Features Editor: CHIEMELIE EZEOBI chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com

07010510430

TR

UTH

& R E ASO

N

WEEKLY MAGAZINE

Garlands for Nigeria’s

Silent Heroes

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COVER

Garlands for Nigeria’s Silent Heroes ÒÏ ÓÑÏÜÓË ÓÖÏØÞ ÏÜÙÏÝ áËÜÎÝ ÓÝ Ë ØÙØ ÑÙàÏÜØ×ÏØÞËÖ ÙÜÑËØÓÝËÞÓÙØ áÒÓÍÒ ÜÏÍÙÑØÓÝÏÝ Òß×ËØÓÞã áÓÞÒ ËØ ËáËÜÎ ÞÒËÞ ÏâÚÜÏÝÝÏÝ ÑÜËÞÓÞßÎÏ ÙÐ ÞÒÏ ÝÙÍÓÏÞã ÐÙÜ ÞÒÏÓÜ ÕÓØÎØÏÝÝ ÞÙáËÜÎÝ ÐÏÖÖÙá ÓØÎÓàÓÎßËÖݘ ÐË×ÓÖÓÏݘ ÍÙ××ßØÓÞã ËØÎ ÏØàÓÜÙØ×ÏØÞ ËØÎ ÞÒÏÓÜ ÝÓÖÏØÞ ÒÏÜÙÓÍ ÝÏÜàÓÍÏ ÞÙ ÍÙßØÞÜã˛ ÏÍÏØÞÖ㘠ÓÞÝ ÐÙßÜÞÒ ÏÎÓÞÓÙØ ÒÏÖÎ ÓØ ÌßÔË ËØÎ ͚͒ ÓÑÏÜÓËØÝ ÍÙ×ÚÜÓÝÓØÑ ÔÙßÜØËÖÓÝÞݘ ÚÜÙÐÏÝÝÓÙØËÖݘ ÍËÚÞËÓØÝ ÙÐ ÓØÎßÝÞÜã ËØÎ ÝÏÍßÜÓÞã ÚÏÜÝÙØØÏÖ áÏÜÏ ÜÏÍÙÑØÓÝÏÎ ÐÙÜ ÚÙÝÓÞÓàÏÖã Ó×ÚËÍÞÓØÑ Òß×ËØÓÞã ÞÒÜÙßÑÒ ÞÒÏÓÜ ÜÏÝÚÏÍÞÓàÏ ÏØÎÏËàÙßÜݘ CHIEMELIE EZEOBI ÜÏÚÙÜÞÝ or their silent contributions to the development of society at large, 19 Nigerians were recently honoured at the fourth edition of the Nigeria Silent Heroes Awards (NSHA). Held at the Ball room, Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, the awardees comprised journalists, professionals in specialised fields including the oil and gas sector, as well as security personnel.

Some of the silent Heroes for this year’s award include the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; Rt Hon Ndudi Elumelu; Dr. Mabel Magbulu, CEO of Eagles Height Estates; and Comrade Ejiro Wisdom Otarigho, the heroic tanker driver, who drove a burning truck away from a densely-populated area in Delta State to avert a disaster which could have claimed many lives.

Themed “BREAK THE BARRIER, DREAM AGAIN’, “this year’s edition recognised farmers, artisans, technocrats and uniformed people oiling our nation’s wheel of progress, as well as deliberately and silently shaping our nation for our next generation,” the NSHA Convener, Odita Sunday-Udemaguna said.

F

NOMINATIONS

First came the nominations and some of the categories include silent heroes in policing and intelligence, SME Industry, hero of maritime security and business, ICT development, telecommunication, transparent banking culture, hero of faith, social justice and worker’s welfare, as well as crime and disaster reporting.

Others were silent heroes in philanthropy, oil and gas sector development, developmental journalism, hero in broadcasting, school quality advocacy, amongst several others.

SELECTION PROCESS

For the organisers, the process to select the crop that were honoured was a Herculean task as it was imperative they do not deviate from their vision of honouring silent heroes in the society.

According to NSHA Project Director, Mrs. Sonia Odita Sunday-Udemaguna, the initiative was anchored on a process of identification, recognition and celebration of those whose life activities have positively impacted humanity within or outside their own immediate environment.

“They were carefully nominated among millions of others in view of the outstanding contributions they have made silently over the years in their various spheres to add value to humanity.

“In all honesty, I must say that the awardees in their individual capacities and activities, particularly in the public space; have remained humble and not audacious in self-praise, in spite of their outstanding achievements; hence we have chosen to honour them as Silent Heroes.”

AWARD CEREMONY

At the ceremony, dignitaries wined and dined before the award proper. At the award ceremony were two 5-star Generals including Rear Admiral Jason Gbassa, who represented the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; Minority Leader of Nigeria’s House of Reps, Representative of the IGP, the Force Spokesperson, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi; two DG’s of parastatals, one Permanent Secretary, captains of industry, SSA to a governor and more.

While the Chairman of the occasion was Sir p Mike Ejiofor, former DSS Director, the special guest of honour was Dame Pauline Tallen, the Minister of Women Affairs.

The highpoint of the event was the unveiling of the ‘’Silent Heroes’’ Magazine and the presentation of certificates and plaques to awardees.

Each awardee went home with a well crafted trophy, a Hall of Fame Crystal Plaque, a framed certificate in an imported leather box and a medal of honour.

While expressing her deep p appreciation to the management off United Bank for Africa (UBA), Zenith h Bank, Mr. Osadebe Osakwe of North h China Construction Ltd and others forr their encouragement and support, thee project director said the vision has come me to stay, adding that “in furtherance of the initiative, we like to disclose our ur intention to institute the Africa Heroes es Awards in the nearest future with a view to celebrating our unsung achievers ers

within the continent of Africa”.

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE

According to NSHA Convener, Mr. Odita SundayUdemaguna, the Nigeria Silent Heroes Awards is all about celebrating excellence and achievements of deserving Nigerians.

He said: “Lot of people are over celebrated, while hundreds of Nigerians doing very heroic things are under-celebrated. This is the reason I founded the Silent Heroes Awards Initiative, an NGO set up to celebrate unsung heroes. ‘’Those celebrated were carefully nominated among millions of others given the outstanding contributions they have made over the years in their various spheres to add value to humanity.”

AWARDEES

Among the crop of awardees for this year’s edition were Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; IGP Alkali Baba Usman, Mr Kennedy Uzoka of UBA, Mr Kashifu I. Abdullahi, HRM Oba Dr Amb Joshua Olawale Aminu, Dr Mrs Favour Ugwuanyi, Dr Mrs Shade Olukoya, Mrs Anna Dickson Ishaku, Hajiya Dr Aisha Bala Mohammed, Miss Olayemi Esan, and Mrs Owen Omogiafo.

Others are Comrade Dr Nuhu Solomon Anyegwu, Dr Bone Efoziem Chinye, Dr Ishaq Hadejia, Hon Barr Pius Ukeyima Akutah, Dr Ross Oluyede, Mr Laurence Izegbu, Barr Yinka Sanni, Comrade Amb Ejiro Wisdom Otarigho, and Alhaji Hamzat Lawal.

ABOUT NIGERIA SILENT HEROES AWARD

As a non-governmental organisation, the Nigeria Security Heroes Award that recognises humanity with an award that expresses gratitude of the society for their kindness towards fellow individuals, families, community and environment and their silent heroic service to country.

The award is an annual event organised by individuals with reputation in Nigeria’s media sector to honour and celebrate personalities and institutions who have dedicated substantial part of their financial resources, intellectual/technical expertise, in adding value to humanity in various spheres of life over the years.

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Th e Ar t H o t e l Re d e fi nes Hospitality Space in Nigeria Stories by Mary Nnah The Art Hotel recently hosted a phenomenal launch, introducing its state-of-the-art five-star business hotel to the public. The hotel located in Oniru, shows off its cutting-edge architectural design and innovation, a fusion of art, business, and luxury.

With a team of hospitality experts, the intimate art-deco hotel rooms are well suited for tourists, business travelers, High Net-worth individuals, industry leaders, art enthusiasts, etc.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who was a special guest of honor, said the hotel, which attempts to promote Nigerian arts and crafts, accommodates a gallery with an extensive display of diverse

Nigerian arts for the public viewing in celebration of Nigeria’s vibrant culture.

According to him, the hotel showcases some of the best Nigerian artworks and crafts.

“The Art Hotel brand is a new offering associated with art, style, culture, sophistication, and contemporary creativity that promises quality service and genuine guest experiences to deliver customer satisfaction in a distinctive environment.

“This project had been strategically crafted to showcase our unique art, innovativeness, and creative works”, Mohammed said.

Guests which included; Dignitaries and industry legends who trooped out to celebrate the launch were heartily welcomed,

had a tour of the hotel, the rooms, and gallery, and were hosted with great food, drinks, and music.

A few of the esteemed guests were in attendance at the Grand Launch of The Art Hotel, including the Minister of Tourism, Alh. Lai Mohammed; Governor of Lagos State ably represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat; Royal Father of the day, Oba of Oniru, HRM Oba Gbolahan Lawal; HM Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan; Lawal, HM Oba Saheed Elegushi; Chairman of MTN Nigeria, Dr. Ernest C. Ndukwe OFR; Head of Service Lagos State, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola; Director General National Institute of Hospitality, Alhaji Nura Kangiwa; Madam Nike Art Gallery; Head Pastor

City of David Church, Pastor Idowu lluyomade; Director General Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, Mr. Foli Coker, amongst other notable individuals.

The event went on with the ribbon cutting, officially declaring the hotel open to the public, alongside Mr. Foli Coker, presenting the award for Dedication and Service to the Nigerian Tourism Sector to Tunji Abdul, Chief Executive Officer of The Art Hotel.

Speaking at the event, the CEO noted that the team will dedicate themselves to providing quality service and maintaining great customer values while infusing Arts and culture into the hospitality space in Lagos.

Dignitaries during the launch of Art Hotel, some of which includeChairman Nike Art Gallery, Nike Davies Okundaye; Minister of information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; chairman JKK Holdings, Tunde Yusuf; MuizBanire; Admiral Ayinla; Chairman Mojec International Ltd, Moji Abdul; AremoOniru and HabibOniru; Deputy Governor of Lagos State, KadriObafemiHamzat; Oba AbdulwasiuOmogbolahanLawal and Tunji Abdul

Kubanah Whisky Introduced into Nigeria Wine, Spirit Beverage Market For proper identification, competition and acceptance, the management of MP Master Piece Limited has unveiled its latest brand of whisky, Kubanah Whisky into the wine and spirit beverage market in Nigeria. Tl The whisky which is fermented locally with international standards is now circulating in the country. It is a unique brand being cherished

by Nigerian consumers and its demand is increasing daily.

In his welcome address during the unveiling of Kubanah Whisky in Yaba, Lagos, the Managing Director and CEO of the company, Emeka Ike said, “We are happy today for the

unveiling of our new brand, Kubanah Whisky which is seriously penetrating into the Nigerian wine and spirit market.

I want to categorically state here factors that propelled us to go into the production of our first brand, Skirt Brandy and our second baby, Kubanah Whisky in spite of all the economic and environmental challenges facing production processes in Nigeria.

“We also signed Destiny Etiko, Femi Adebayo, Nosa Rex and Emmanuel Abisi, a.k.a Nastyblaq as our brand ambassadors for the unveiling of Kubanah whisky”.

According to Ike, he was moved by passion and a burden

to make a difference with his product in the Nigerian market with international standard, adding, “again I want the world to know that Nigeria has all it takes to produce quality wine and spirit beverages.

“Today, we are in the Nigerian market to quench the appetite of an average Nigerian who consumes our brands. So, our brands are competing favourably in the Nigerian market, it’s purely made with local content”.

He posited that Nigeria cannot join in the Commonwealth of Nations until we embark on creativity, and productivity with local contents, adding, “we need to develop our country and the

best option is by building and developing local industries. “ If we do this, jobs will be created, kidnapping, banditry, obtaining by tricks known as yahoo, yahoo and all sorts of crime wave will reduce, and then, Nigerian business environment will begin to attract foreign investors, the economy will now bounce back.”

Ike said further that presently, the state of Nigerian industries is nothing to write home about, adding that Nigeria needs to wake up to her responsibility and should not be left in the hands of government alone, even though the government has a greater role to play.

Infytel,Freshworks Collaborate on Improved Customer,Employer Experience An Information Technology (IT) firm in Lagos, Infytel Communications Limited is collaborating with Freshworks Global Software, a service engagement software company, to train representatives from various organisations across Nigeria on user-based products to improve customer and employer experience.

The user-based training workshop with the theme, ‘The Future of CX’, was based on two tools deployed by Freshworks namely, Freshdesk and Freshservice, to drive service delivery.

Speaking during the programme, Freshworks’ Sales Manager of Africa, Francis Sirus, said: “Freshdesk, our customer experience tools are effectively used by large customer support teams to handle customer

Sales Head, Freshworks, Mr. Francis Sirus, MD/CEO InfytelCommunications, Mr. AnantSabat and Country Manager, Freshworks, Mr. Winston Vimal Raj during the user based training and workshop organised by Infytel Communications in collaboration with FreshworksInc to promote the latter’s product recently in Lagos

support inquiries effectively. At the end of the day, they learn how to delight their customers using our product, Freshdesk.

“The second product is Freshservice, which is an employee engagement platform.

Internally, for an IT team or

HR team, employees are their customers and most times, employees have a lot of inquiries from their support team.

NIGERIA INNOVATION SUMMIT UNVEILS DATE FOR 2022 EVENT The Nigeria Innovation Summit (NIS) has announced the seventh edition of its annual event, slated to hold all through one week starting Tuesday, October 4 to Saturday, October 8, 2022.

Now in its 7th year, the Nigeria Innovation Summit (NIS) is an annual event that brings together stakeholders from different sectors of the economy to discuss ground-breaking ideas, trends, opportunities and numerous verticals to accelerate innovation, attain global competitiveness and explore present innovative approaches to fixing existing problems, redundant economic playbooks, systems and structures.

This year’s summit is themed: “Re-imagining Innovation”, and will stretch through a week as the Nigeria Innovation Week (NIW). Highlights of NIW include the novel Nigeria Innovation Experience Talks (NiX Talks); Press Parley, Innovation Tours, Innovation Awards, the Grand Summit and Private Dinner with key C-Suites, stakeholders & policymakers.

Speaking on this year’s edition, Programme Director at Nigeria Innovation Summit, Tony Ajah, said, “For the very first time, we’re extending the Summit across a week because we believe the usual two-day event may not thoroughly reflect how innovation and digital technology are causing rapid acceleration across different sectors of the economy. “ It’s indicative that Nigeria and other emerging nations have recognised digital transformation, emerging technologies, research and development, commercialisation, entrepreneurship and investments, as the key value drivers of an innovative ecosystem.

“It’s now time to embrace these value drivers and NIS will create the much-needed momentum to explore open innovation in Africa”.

Also speaking on the forthcoming event, GraceAkinosun, Partner at Nigeria Innovation Summit said “Innovation remains a non-exhaustive topic globally. In today’s world, it has become a necessity rather than an option, for corporations, governments and emerging businesses to thrive and keep up with changing functional dynamics.

“Yet innovation itself may be more complex than given credit for. That’s why it’s important to keep igniting conversations to demystify important frameworks that have proven to work in environments similar to ours.

“The NIS is designed to be the springboard of such insights and challenge the minds of stakeholders to begin leveraging innovation for more global competitiveness and digital acceleration. It’s high time Africa took its place as a leading continent on the global innovation index.”

In a few weeks’ time, the Nigeria Innovation Week’s full programme agenda will be unveiled alongside speakers and official partners for this year’s event. To participate in NIS 2022, visit the website as a partner or delegate, and register on the website.

FIRMS PARTNER TO ALLEVIATE WOMEN, CHILDREN FINANCIALLY Esther Oluku Inclusive Impact Investments B.V (Triple I), an investment firm has partnered Kennie O Cold Chain Logistics (KCCL) to alleviate women from poverty.

Triple I is an investment firm that directly invests in small and medium-sized enterprises in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, to lift people, especially women and children.

The Investment Director of Triple I, Bram BoogaerdttHooft, spoke on their resolve to support entrepreneurs to realise their full business potential and social impact by providing tailor-made, flexible and low-cost financial products.

“The firm has a deep understanding of the local context and maintains strong engagement with its portfolio companies,” he added.

Meanwhile, KCCL is a logistics company that offers temperature-controlled transport solutions to farmers, supermarkets, pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers across Nigeria.

Based in Ilorin-Kwara State, KCCL was it has boarded and trained more than 4,000 amall holder farmers in line with its objectives of improving food security efficiently.

“This would positively impact farm outputs and reduce waste between the farm gate and the food table.

The Managing Director of KCCL, Ope Olanrewaju, expressed excitement about the many more women and young people that would participate in their programmes.

He highlighted that the investment in KCCL is further a proof of Triple I’s belief in the nation’s entrepreneurial spirit. This is sequel to previous investments in So Fresh Neighborhood Market Limited, a food chain with healthy offerings; and Abod Success, a cashew processing company that offers products locally under the brand name Executive Choice and exports nuts and kernels to Europe and Asia.

These companies continue to take giant strides in the country’s agribusiness sector.

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POLSCOPE Nigerian Issues that Bother Me (2) áÓÞÒ ÎÎã ÎÓàáÜÓ ÏÎÎã˛ÙÎÓàáÜÓ̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙט ͸΀͸ͽ ͻ͸; ΁ͻͽ;

dominance is that? It was to avoid a scenario like this that the idea of the Federal Character Commission was founded. But even with it, there is an aggressive manipulation of the system to circumvent the provisions of the Federal Character Commission. Perhaps it should be reiterated that there are no second class or third-class citizens in Nigeria. We are all equal and deserve an equal slice of the national cake.

L

ast week, I began the examination of the curious issues that have been plaguing the Nigerian state. This week’s column is a continuation (and conclusion) of that series.

It is interesting to note that on the issue of security, the Nigerian state is still held down by the menace of Bandits and terrorists. With the unprovoked killings in Katsina, Plateau and Kaduna States early this week, it is clear we are in for a long night. At the end of July, 7,223 persons had been killed in this country, this year alone.

However, there is quasi-cheering news with the release of five more Kaduna train captives, last Tuesday. At that, 38 have been released, while 34 are still being held. One of the released victims, Professor Mustapha Umar Imam, a medical doctor, narrated a touching and harrowing ordeal saying he practically became the “medical doctor in camp”, as he kept treating both fellow captives and even the bandits, lamenting that there were no medications in camp at all, even as they ate, most times, just once a day. Understandably, he looked terribly languid and exhausted. Sad! Well, the other issues I will look at today include: POWER SUPPLY AS AN ENIGMA It is befuddling to note that government after government, the question of stable electricity supply has remained elusive and even appears like an enigma. It is shameful and difficult to explain that with all the human and material endowment of this country, we are unable to fix the issue of electricity supply, 62 years after independence.

Recently, we have been hearing reports of the grid collapsing, every now and then as if it is mounted on a match stick. The national grid at Osogbo, Osun State, was reported to have collapsed seven times in seven months, although an official of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), explained that the grid has not been collapsing, just that it is “system failure”, as if that makes a difference. The grid has forcefully shut down for over 140 times since the federal Government privatized the power sector. Rather than grow the megawatts being generated and distributed, the TCN has been transmitting megawatts of darkness all over Nigeria. And there is an annoying surfeit of explanations that don’t make sense. It is even more painful to note that the federal government has been spending huge sums, in foreign currency, to support the projects of electricity supply in the country, even though it is largely a private company. And you wonder if we are jinxed. There is no difference in efficiency and service delivery between when the power sector was government-owned and when it is now a privately run company/companies.

Put simply, is it that we do not have the money enough to install a system that can guarantee steady supply of electricity or we do not have the technical expertise to do it?

For Heaven’s sake, isn’t that all the hullabaloo about engaging Siemens to help us with our energy issues? How come that it remains an enduring pain to Nigerians?

Is it not embarrassing that a country of over 200 million people is being serviced by about 4,000 megawatt whereas a country like South Africa, with about 60 million people is serviced with over 55,000 megawatts.

Are we still wondering why our economy is wobbling?

Needless to say that the dismal state of our electricity supply has crushed many SMEs and even surviving companies are producing in tears, just as the cost of production has risen sharply because of the prevailing cost of diesel.

POROUS BORDERS Simply put, the border posts are like compound gates. They check those who enter and exit the country/ compound. The men and women of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) are trained to man the borders. Yes, there are several illegal routes (often bush paths) that circumvent the official borders.

So, while the Nigerian state spends huge sums every year servicing the manning of the borders, we yet see inpouring of illegal

Buhari

immigrants into Nigeria, some officially and others unofficially. Few years ago, the Buhari administration announced a policy of visa-on-arrival from many African countries, especially Fulani-dominated countries. Right from that time, the towns and cities of Nigeria have been flooded with foreign nationals from Niger, Mali, Chad, Gambia, etc. Many of the Okada riders who have become an affliction in our towns and cities, including some of the bandits, are not from Nigeria. They barely can even understand our pidgin English. Many of their motorcycles are unregistered. And nobody complains, not even the police. They are characteristically wild, tempestuous and violent. Many of them go around with the swag of miniature conquistadors. Not only do they seem to have come to stay, they even boast that they are Fulani, the rightful owners of the land.

The billion-dollar question is: where are the Immigration Officers? How did these strangers besiege our land with violence and death? No doubt, border posts are like cash dumps because of the heavy illicit deals they organize and execute.

Little wonder Customs officers and NIS officials lobby fat to be posted there.

The same heavily-manned-but-porous borders are where the smugglers of petroleum products pass through to neighbouring countries. The reason why Nigeria is spending ungodly sums in subsidizing petroleum products consumed even in other countries. Does President Buhari not know this? What has he done about it?

THE BANAL NEPOTISM IN NIGERIA It is perhaps safe and correct to say that until the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, we merely knew the dictionary meaning of the word ‘nepotism’. But Buhari came and caused us not only to experience what nepotism really is, he valourised the word. You don’t have to search far to know and see this. Now I understand the verbiage spewed by many Fulani boys: that Nigeria belongs to them---from Birnin-Kebbi to Bomadi, etc. These days I give deeper interpretation to the many accusations of some senior citizens including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Defence minister, Lt Gen Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (rtd) and recently, of Gov Samuel Ortom of Benue State, that there is an organised plan and plot

to Fulanise Nigeria. One instance had remained stuck in my head for over four years now. In August 2018, Professor Yemi Osinbajo was then the acting President (following the medical travel of President Buhari). He had sacked the DG of DSS, Mr Lawal Daura for deploying DSS operatives to block the National Assembly. The next in rank was Mr Matthew Seiyefa, an Ijaw man. He was named the acting DG, DSS by Prof Osinbajo. He was due for retirement in August 2019. But the notorious cabal in the Villa was very uncomfortable that such a sensitive position was being occupied by a non-Fulani, especially in the build-up to the 2019 general election at the time. Pronto, as soon as President Buhari returned, Mr Seiyefa was sacked. They could not even wait for him to retire in less than a year.

Worse still, before he was sacked, he was ordered by the late Chief of Staff to Mr President, Abba Kyari, to reverse all the postings he had made within the service, because he had distorted the arrangement of the oligarchs. Seyeifa was replaced by a Fulani, Mr Yusuf Magaji Bichi. I cannot forget this.

Looking through the template of governance in Nigeria, one would understand the true definition of nepotism.

There are 17 security outfits in Nigeria.

All 17 are occupied by Fulani persons.

Are you still wondering why the problem of insecurity (perpetrated by Fulani terrorists) looks intractable?

Mr Dele Momodu, a columnist in this paper, in April last year, chronicled the many offices occupied by Fulani men in Nigeria. More than a year after, nothing has changed. For each of the following positions named below, they are occupied

by Fulani persons, and thus they are all Muslims. The National Assembly, NNPC, Nigerian Customs, NPA, FIRS, Defence, EFCC, FCT, Transportation, Education, Finance, NFIU, Agriculture, Aviation, Army, Police, Power, Water Resources, NYSC, PTDF, NTA, FAAN, INEC, ICPC, Humanitarian Affairs, etc., etc. Even the Judiciary, until few weeks ago, was also occupied by a Fulani. Look around, what else is left of Nigeria that is not under the control of the Fulani? Until Justice Ariwo-ola became the acting CJN few weeks ago, all three arms of government (Executive, Judiciary and the Legislature) were all occupied by people of the same ethno-religious stock. What kind of

THE ASUU IMBROGLIO Since February 14, a day youngsters celebrate love, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been on the neck of the Federal Government, or is it the other way round?

Since then till now, all federal and many state universities have remained shut.

Long before now, it was somewhat a matter of status symbol if one was able to send his child to a federal University. Not anymore.

What is a show of status symbol now is that one is able to send his child to a foreign or at least a private Nigerian University.

Any parent who insists on sending his child to a Nigerian university is either deemed not to have the financial muscle to send the child abroad or he/she does not care so much about the child’s education and future.

It is difficult to explain why both parties have refused to have a common ground, even if it is for the expediency of saving the academic pursuit of young Nigerians---the famously claimed leaders of tomorrow.

While the government team argues that the employees cannot dictate how they should be paid by their employer (referring to the controversy over the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) system of payment), the lecturers insist that the issues are beyond method of payment. That since 2009, many elements of the agreements signed with the federal government have remained unfulfilled.

That ASUU will need about N1.3 trillion to redeem the standard of university education in Nigeria.

That amount cannot be beyond Nigeria. Since February till now, their salaries have been halted, thus throwing them into some kind of financial agony. Yet, they insist that it is for the good of the University education in Nigeria. That standards are dropping fast is beyond argument. Many years back, many West African countries looked up to Nigerian universities for quality education. Today it is the other way round. Nigerian parents now send their children to universities in Ghana, Niger, Lome and even Benin Republic--- just anywhere but Nigeria.

In all, it is clear that the Nigerian government does not care about the value of education in Nigeria. It is a ruinous position, as it destroys the very foundation of development. How can a nation develop without education?

The paltry 5.4% allocated to education in the nation’s annual budget, instead of the UNESCOrecommended 26% speaks volumes of the kind of attention education enjoys from the government.

Many of those who take decision on Nigerian education have their children schooling in foreign countries where the system runs robustly and efficiently.

Surely, the government cannot claim there is no money enough to meet the demands of ASUU. If one so-called Accountant General of the Federation, can steal over N80 billion, and N400 billion can be spent on poverty alleviation (even as poverty remains our presiding officer) and over N230 billion used in feeding unseen and unknown schoolchildren (even during the COVID months) and government can spend over N1.3 trillion per month to subsidise the importation of just petrol, and surreptitiously sends N1.145 billion to Niger Republic to buy vehicles (after extending rail line to them) then the Universities can and should be easily funded by the same government. It will surely be a matter of priority or opportunity cost.

How can a responsible government allow its universities to remain shut for nearly six months?

The two weeks ultimatum given by Mr President for the Minister of Education to resolve the impasse has expired. Nothing has happened. ASUU has instead announced the continuation of the strike by another four weeks. It may not even really end then. What kind of laissez faire government is this?

FRIDAY AUGUST 5, 2022 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ AUGUST 5, 2022

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Ehingbeti Summit to Unveil New Economic Roadmap for Lagos State Oluchi Chibuzor The Co-Chairman, Ehingbeti Lagos Economic Summit and Commissioner of Economic Planning and Budget, Lagos State, Sam Egube, has stated that the Ehingbeti Lagos Economic Summit scheduled to hold on October 11th and 12th would unveil a new Lagos State Development Plan (LSDP) 2022 to 2052 economic plan for Lagos State.

According to him, Lagos is a city of plans, pointing out that the 2022 to 2052 plan is a rollover from a 15 year plan that is supposed to close out in 2025.

At a pre-summit stakeholders engagement in Lagos, Egube stated that the move is hinged on the evolving changes across the globe, stressing that a long term plan that is practical, current and that would help deliver the

State’s vision of being a global financial hub that is safe, secured and productive.

“This meeting again to announce that Ehingbeti is here again and coming again and to celebrate that plan and give account of what Ehingbeti and Lagos has achieved with all the resolutions that we have,” he said.

He added that about 210 resolutions out of 222 it generated from the previous summit have been implemented so far representing a 95 per cent achievement.

He urged the private sector to take lead of the summit, pointing out that Lagos must continue to thrive for Africa to grow.

He stated that Lagos controls about 50 per cent of trading businesses in West Africa, adding that Ehingbeti represents the economic heritage of the Marina and Broad street areas

of Lagos State, which served as the springboard for Nigeria and West Africa Socio-economic development right from the time of European incursion.

Also speaking, the Senior Principal, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Mr. Olayinla Majekodunmi, said the LSDP 2022 to 2052 plan is being conducted to target five phases which includes prioritising focus areas and identifying key enablers, conducting baselines and target setting; developing strategic milestones; developing implementation road maps and supporting implementation and aligning stakeholders with the plan.

He said over 12,000 Lagosians have provided input into the plan which he said is anchored on thriving economy, human-centric city, modern infrastructure and effective governnace.

ManagingDirector/Chief Executive Officer, Presco Plc, Felix Nwabuko (Third From Left);Executive Director, Mr William Crockett (Left); Independent Non-ExecutiveDirector, Edem Bassey (Second Left); Independent Non-Executive Director, OsaOsunde (Third From Right); Company Secretary, Patrick Uwadia (Second FromRight) And Independent Non-Executive Director, HRH Prince Aiguobasinmwin O.Akenzua (Right) At 29th Presco Plc Annual General Meeting Held InEdo State, Recently

SEC: Desist from Unregistered Investments Crowdfunding Platforms Kayode Tokede The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has again warned investors about the activities of unregistered investments crowdfunding platforms.

Crowdfunding is the process of raising funds to finance a project or business from the public through an online platform.

Crowdfunding portal is a website, portal, intermediary portal, application, or other similar modules that facilitates interaction between fundraisers and the investing public SEC in its latest circular stated that it has observed with concern the fraudulent activities of some unregistered investment crowdfunding platforms and hereby strongly advise the investing public against making investment(s) with or through any crowdfunding platform not registered with the Commission.

The apex capital market regulating body stated that in recognition of the potentials and importance of crowdfunding platforms and the need to protect investors through effective regulation, had in January 2021 published its crowdfunding rules and requested well-intending crowdfunding platforms to register with the Commission and comply with the Rules by June 30, 2021.

According to the Circular, “The Commission by this circular hereby notifies the general public and operators of unregistered crowdfunding platforms, that operating any crowdfunding platform that is not registered by the Commission is illegal and may lead to prosecution of such operators and loss of investment by their clients.

“Members of the public are further advised to confirm the registration status of any entity soliciting their participation

in any investment scheme by contacting the Commission through its website: sec.gov.ng, e-mail: sec@sec.gov.ng, Phone no: 09-4621168”.

The commission had in the recently released rules on Crowdfunding, said, “A proposed rule has been developed to provide a regulatory framework permitting private companies with the required structure and mechanism in place to raise capital from the public through crowdfunding.”

It noted that Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) incorporated as a company in Nigeria with a minimum of two-years operating track record should be eligible to raise funds through a crowdfunding portal registered by the commission.

According to the commission, total fees payable to parties to a crowdfunding issue shall not exceed two per cent of the total funds raised.

Access Bank Moves to Protect SMEs in Northern Nigeria Nume Ekeghe

Access Bank Plc has announced that it has embarked on a business conversation with its customers especially the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with a view to support and promote their business engagement through sharing of different business promotion and protection bundles the bank offers.

In a statement, the bank said its Deputy Managing Director, North, Mr Victor Etuokwu made the preposition during its cocktails and business conversations held in Kano. He was quoted to have said: “The bank has found it very important to engage and interact with its customers to effectively support its customers, especially the SMEs to achieve success in their businesses.”

Group Head, Emerging Businesses unit of the bank, Mrs Ayodele Olojede in the statement stated: “The bank has developed enough business protection and promotion bundles that will allow for easy ways to grow any SMEs and other businesses adding that there are bundles that allows businesses to access loans of up to N10 million without any collateral.”

Rísé.ng Moves to Empower 36m NigerianYouths Oluchi Chibuzor Rise.ng, an innovative bluecollar online market source, has unveiled plans to empower 36 million Nigerian youths with capacity building certifications necessary to connect artisans to customers to provide employment and stem the country’s brain drain tide.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Rísé.ng, Mrs Olawunmi Akalusi made this known at the official launch of the Rísé.ng App in Lagos. Akalusi said Rísé.ng was created to bridge the supply gap for blue-collar jobs and introduce professionalism to the informal sector.

She said that Rísé.ng empowerment initiative called “Project Empower” was aimed at addressing the increasing youth unemployment and lack of startup capital.

“The programme will transform 36 million youths across Nigeria; one million per state, building their capacity through intensive training and internships.

“Thereafter, listing them on the rise.ng platform to reach a wider audience for business opportunities,” she said.

Speaking, Commissioner, Economic Planning and Budget, Lagos, Mr. Samuel Avwerosuo Egube, described Rísé.ng as a solution from the youthful

population that would empower artisans and create a market place around work ethics for blue collar jobs.

Egube said the development was in line with the governor of Lagos, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, administration’s agenda for the youths, particularly with the launch of the 30 year development plan for the state.

“We are building several stadia, and are working on the technology space to be the technology hub for Africa and it is the reason why we are laying 3,000 kilometers of broadband fibrotic ducts around the city to attract significant investments in huge data centres in the state.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JUNE 2022 Money Supply (M3)

48,865,823.53

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

167,956.2

Money Supply (M2)

48,797,867.32

-- Quasi Money

28,405,330.1

-- Narrow Money (M1)

20,392,537.22

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,722,785.91

---- Demand Deposits

17,669,751.32

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

6,242,394.29

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

42,623,429.24

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

57,267,178.05

---- Credit to Government (Net)

17,996,690.06

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

0.00

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

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

39,270,488

--Other Assets Net

5,566,430

Reserve Money (Base Money

11,320,304

--Currency in Circulation

3,259,269.15

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

11,320,303.72 384,377.56

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

June 2022

Inter-Bank Call Rate

11.10

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

13.00

Treasury Bill Rate

2.45

Savings Deposit Rate

1.38

1 Month Deposit Rate

3.48

3 Months Deposit Rate

4.55

6 Months Deposit Rate

4.97

12 Months Deposit Rate

5.30

Prime Lending rate

12.29

Maximum Lending Rate

27.61

˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ ͯͱϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT THURSDAY, MAY 7

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), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

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T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͳ˜ ͰͮͰͰ

BUA Foods Shareholders Approve N63bn Dividend, Commend Performance Kayode Tokede The shareholders of BUA Foods, yesterday approved N63billion dividend, the highest payout in the Food and Fast-Moving Consumer Goods sector of listed companies on the Nigeria Exchange Limited (NGX).

The shareholders gave the nod at the company’s inaugural Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the financial year ended December 31, 2021 held in Abuja.

The company had proposed a N3.50k per 1 ordinary share of 50kobo dividend payout, a sum of N63billiion. Speaking at the AGM, the National President of Starlite Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Mr Tunji Bamidele, commended the company on its exceptional performance for the fiscal year 2021.

He added that despite global security challenges, the company grew profits from N39 billion in the previous year to N69 billion in

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

2021, indicating a strong commitment to alleviating food security challenges. Addressing shareholders at the meeting, the Chairman of BUA Foods, Abdulsamad Rabiu, said: “2021 was a pivotal year in our corporate history. It charted a new path for us to fulfil our vision to meet Africa’s growing demand for food by promoting food security and nourishing lives.

Our bold decision to consolidate and restructure our business strengthened our productivity

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and improved our efficiency as a food value chain company.

“Our business has remained resilient despite global economic challenges and plays a significant role in the FMCG industry. This was evidenced by the positive financial results recorded for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2021.”

Speaking further on growth ambitions, Rabiu said, “Our expansion plans have positioned us to provide a more diversified

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

revenue stream in the years ahead, with a positive and demonstrable impact to create value for the business and shareholders.

“We are expanding our plant capacities across the entire business and investing in a backward integration program for sugar with farmers in host communities.

We plan to recommence our rice division by the end of 2022 and edible oils in 2024 to further accelerate revenue generation.

Also, our ongoing investments

O F

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in export infrastructure, supported by strategically located ultramodern plants, will improve our capacity to serve Africa and other markets.”

“We will continue to invest in the future with a clarity of purpose for shareholders and make a difference through our sustainable business model driven by a committed team executing well-thought strategies for growth and value creation as we continue to lead with purpose.”

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T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2022

INTERVIEW

Crawford: How to Build Resilient Organisations for Sustainable Success The University of Oxford-trained Ambassador Charles Crawford shares insights into how leaders can build resilient organisations irrespective of the headwinds. In this interview, he also explains why executives should attend TEXEM UK’s forthcoming programme on building resilient organisations for sustainable success.

Crawford, Prof Paul Griffith, and John Peters will deliver sessions of the programme, which is slated for August 22 to 25, in Birmingham, UK. In a time of instability and disruption, how does an organisation maintain loyalty and trust of its stakeholders?

Instability and disruption create and spread uncertainty. Uncertainty about what can be done and uncertainty about what's going to be possible in the months and years to come. To thrive in these increasingly fast-paced and disruptive times, leaders need to optimise their capability to successfully manage change. Of course, this is difficult, given that over 70 per cent of change initiatives fail.

Trust and credibility are critical to successfully implementing transformation but are particularly essential for success in turbulent times. So the best way to maintain trust and credibility both with your own team and with your customers and the wider public? Be unfailingly honest about current difficulties and how you plan to tackle them. Nothing is more annoying for customers than a business partner who makes false promises or runs into unforeseeable delays but pretends that everything will be delivered on time when he or she knows that that can’t happen.

Honesty is difficult. It needs a trustworthy team who feel they can give corporate leaders bad news.

It often requires more transparency than a company might typically feel is comfortable. And it relies on ruthless accuracy about what’s going wrong and what it might take to fix it.

Another thing to think about is presenting yourself as people who’ll do more than necessary. Don’t make current difficulties an excuse to deliver poor performance.

Show that your whole aim is to crash through those difficulties and get the job done for the customer, even if that means extra work, and some extra expense, for yourself. Your best business hopes may come from customers who know that you delivered what they expected despite plenty of difficulties and so are pleased to recommend you to others. For example, TEXEM, UK, never cancel programmes because stakeholders trust them, given that 70 per cent of their clients come on repeat business.

Post-pandemic, to effectively communicate intent, ambition, and promise to stakeholders, what are the defining factors for organisations?

It's fine, to be honest. But you need your colleagues and customers and business partners to hear that you’re honest.

This means having the knack of finding just the right tone. Of course, this tone must be conveyed by any speeches or interviews given by corporate

Crawford leaders and supported by just the right messages and interactions on social media.

This requires careful thought about what exactly you want to say and where you want the emphasis of your message to fall. For example, do you want to be reassuring – but realistic? Or realistic – but reassuring? All very subtle.

Plus, some of this can be done by personal touch.

If you have a client who needs your equipment but suddenly you face a delay caused by external problems, give that customer a call to let them know what's happening and what is a credible timeline for getting things back on track. Then they can at least adjust their planning and know that you are genuinely considering their needs. Many organisations cease to exist once the founder dies, given that the new managers do not have the requisite credentials to effectively engage stakeholders, which was a unique selling point of the founder. To glean more insights about utilising values to unlock scarce resources for sustainable success irrespective of challenging headwinds, attend TEXEM’s forthcoming executive development programme on Building Resilience scheduled to hold between 22 and 25 August in Birmingham, UK.

What ideologies should a post-pandemic organisation be rooted in to thrive in this age of disruption?

One ‘ideology’ that’s worth considering is how your organisation deals with mistakes. Do you have a company policy on this, and how is it communicated downwards through your teams and outwards to customers and the wider public?

Mistakes come in all shapes and sizes and are hard to manage because they are typically unpredictable.

Different behaviours cause different sorts of mistakes.

Laziness, carelessness, negligence, recklessness and simple stupidity each have their implications for how to tackle the ensuing problems and then take smart steps to make sure that the behaviour concerned is not repeated. Mistakes could cost a business its existence if it makes a company complacent and ignores the needs of the customers. Blackberry is an excellent example of a successful company that made costly mistakes by not listening to customers and living in denial. Blackberry insisted on producing phones with full keyboards — despite consumers' preference for touchscreens-we know the result-loss of market leadership and the ultimate death of the company.

One fundamental corporate culture that can be actively encouraged is getting your people quickly, to be honest when a mistake has happened, and not trying to cover it up or assign the blame to someone else. The damage caused by a mistake is often manageable if the error is tackled promptly.

But everything can get much worse much faster if someone pretends that a mistake has not happened or tries to cover it up.

Here too, there’s a subtle balance to be struck.

You want your team promptly to admit mistakes, but you also want them to know that mistakes are bad and that they must set tip-top standards of accuracy as their default way of working.

Above all, the signals sent from top management are all-important. If employees see their corporate bosses making mistakes and getting away with them, why should they think that their company takes mistakes seriously? Nevertheless, there are specific ways that leaders and their organisations can turn challenges into opportunities despite complex operating contexts, which the forthcoming TEXEM programme on Building Resilient organisations for sustainable success will address.

With a gradual and progressive return to the workplace, how do organisations help their

stakeholders?

By being honest and reliable. And by emphasising that the core culture of the organisation going forward is excellence, with no excuses.

The response to the pandemic in many countries has created a ruinous, if not pathological social nervousness amidst ignorant aversion to normal risks.

Nothing is more insidious or philosophically dangerous than the idea that every risk has to be ‘managed’ or mitigated or otherwise controlled by the state. Being open and honest about risk and encouraging intelligent risk management awareness can be a helpful message for any innovative modern business. Having a strategic approach to decisionmaking where all stakeholders have a symbiotic win-win outlook will lead to the success of all stakeholders as it is in their enlightened self-interest for all to succeed. To glean more insights on how to thrive during volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous times, you need to sign up for the forthcoming TEXEM programme on Building Resilience For Sustainable Success in An Age of Disruption.

Why should executives attend this forthcoming TEXEM programme?

Executives should attend this forthcoming TEXEM programme on Building Resilience for Sustainable Success in An Age of Disruption for many reasons.

First, this is a very topical programme that every organisation and their leaders need. Second, the quality of faculties, such as Prof Paul Griffith, the world's first professor of management to lead a team to launch a rocket and John Peters (former prisoner of war and chair of AMBA, accreditors of Harvard and INSEAD) will share valuable insights and challenge assumptions. Also, the TEXEM methodology, which comprises games, simulation, group discussion, role-play, observation, case studies, panels, and self-reflection, makes learning personal, fun, interactive and a thought-provoking experience.

For example, the first day of the programme, the 22nd of August, entails a working visit to Cadbury World. Gerald Baldwin, director of Cadbury world, will share insights into how the organisation has remained successful 250 years since it was founded.

It also includes a visit to Shakespeare's birthplace and a boat ride. Importantly, through this forthcoming executive development programme, participants will learn from each other, network and enhance their social capital. As a result, bumper return on investment achieved from attending this programme is assured and in manifolds.

NEWS

FG Okays Insurance of Public Assets, Liabilities, Seeks to Decentralise Premium James Emejo in Abuja The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha yesterday said the federal government plans to mandate Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to insure all government assets and liabilities.

The SGF, who dropped the hint when he received the governing board of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) in Abuja, added that a circular would soon be issued to that effect.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office (GSO), Dr. Maurice Mbaeri, Mustapha, also tasked the NAICOM team to come up with a draft document of what they want the circular to contain to guide the Office of the SGF in properly articulating the circular.

He said, “The draft circular should reflect what you want. If it meets the SGF’s expectations, it will be issued to the appropriate MDAs. "Send a draft copy of the circular to the SGF, and after the review, the circular will be released to the MDAs.” The SGF, however, decried the decline in budgetary allocation meant for insuring public assets.

Also, Mustapha, after learning that the premium to be paid for insuring public assets are centralised in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoS), argued that, “there is no way the HoS alone can cover insurance premium for all the MDAs." He therefore, requested NAICOM to, “write for the decentralisation of insurance premium amongst the MDAs.” Earlier, the Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Abubarkar Sani, pleaded with the SGF to support the Commission in executing a compulsory insurance scheme for all MDAs.

Sani said the Commission was interested in seeing all government assets insured, adding, "we want the SGF to issue a circular or letter to all MDAs on the necessity of compulsory insurance.”

NAICOM had since been canvassing for the insurance of public assets assets and liabilities.

The commission in February 2020, urged the federal government to adequately insure its assets and liabilities to avoid using taxpayers’ money to compensate victims amidst scarce resources.

The advice came amidst the growing agitation that the government should compensate victims of the recent

civil unrest occasioned by the #EndSARS protests across the country.

NAICOM Head, Corporate Communications and Market Development Department, NAICOM, Mr. Rasaaq Salami, said the protests, though unfortunate emphasised the essence of insurance in risks mitigation.

Kwara Under AbdulRazaq Utilising Our Grants Efficiently, Says UBEC Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) yesterday said Kwara remains one of the states expeditiously deploying its grants meant for the development of basic education.

Stressing that the organisation had a bad experience with Kwara State in the past over the utilisation of the matching grants, Deputy Executive Secretary (Services) of UBEC, Dr Isiaka Kolawole, noted that the collaboration between the state government and UBEC was commendable.

A statement by the Press Secretary, Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Aminat Atere, said Kolawole spoke shortly after inspecting some of the newly constructed SUBEB schools and the UBEC Model Smart School in Ilorin.

It quoted the commission’s official as having said however, that the not so palatable situation changed with the coming of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s administration, noting that the governor has been exemplary in the use of the funds so far accessed for school infrastructure.

"We can see value for money here. The funds are well applied. The outcomes are great. This is what we will actually encourage other states to do. Kwara

State is doing very well.

“I have seen things myself and I can give kudos to the chairman and his team," Kolawole noted.

Asked to comment on what the state had missed in the past, Kolawole said that Kwara was one of the most problematic partners before now, noting that all that had changed.

"We know what we went through in managing some states but Kwara State (today) is not one of those states giving us headache except what we had gone through in the hands of Kwara State in the years back. Under this dispensation, the state has been wonderful.

"Kwara has missed a lot. Average Kwara child has also been put at great disadvantage. Now, the pupils stand the chance to receive good standard education delivery.

"There is no way you won't have some states that will be lagging behind in many areas, while some will be in the forefront setting the pace. We have many states doing well too, but definitely some states have performed better whether in the areas of fund utilisation and in accessing the funds," he explained.

Kolawole urged other states of the country to emulate Kwara's latest investments in the education sector.

In his comments, the Chairman, Kwara SUBEB,

Prof Raheem Adaramaja, said the board was elated with the positive commendation from UBEC which would spur it to do more for the state.

"No commendation comes to us without hard work. We give glory to God Almighty and we also thank our governor for his leadership. He gave us every opportunity to triumph and we are working towards that. We are happy for that. We are going to improve on what we are doing.

"Presently, our presence is felt in all the 193 wards in the state. After the construction we started, we are now putting on digital literacy. This will also be extended to various schools in the state," Adaramaja said.

He added that the board would from next month begin free distribution of textbooks to pupils on English language, Mathematics, Basic Science as well as Technology and Social Studies, starting with primary four, five and six.

The UBEC team also inspected Burhanudeen LGEA School Ojagboro; Government Day Secondary School, Amule and UBEC Model Smart School Adeta in Ilorin.

The statement added that the government was fixing schools across the state in a bid to make learning environment more conducive and, along with other efforts to improve learning outcomes.

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T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2022

NEWS

NGE WORKSHOP ON JOURNALISM AND DIGITALISATION...

L-R: Lagos Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso; President of Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Mallam Mustapha Isah; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Vice President, NGE/Managing Editor, THISDAY, Mr. Bolaji Adebiyi; Chairman of the occasion & CEO, Diamond Publications Limited, Mr. Lanre Idowu; Publisher of Realnews, Maureen Chigbo, and Managing Director, THISDAY Newspaper, Mr. Eniola Bello, during an NGE workshop held at Alausa, Ikeja...yesterday

Don’t Gag the Media, Sanwo-Olu Tells Politicians NGE urges journalists to uphold ethics, ensure quality content NBC's fines imposed on DStv, NTA, others repressive, unconstitutional, says MRA Segun James and Wale Igbintade As the 2023 general elections draw closer, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has asked politicians and public office holders not to gag the media, saying press freedom was important in a democracy.

The governor said this at a workshop organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) with the theme: "Journalist and Digitalisation: the imperative of Good Corporate Governance," held at Ikeja, Lagos.

Sanwo-Olu, who was the Special Guest of Honour at the workshop, said ensuring good corporate governance and self-regulation of the digital space would completely eradicate false and fake news.

He assured that his administration would continue to promote press freedom and corporate governance as well as an enabling environment for journalists in the state. He also urged media practitioners to always regulate their activities in the digital space.

“I stand with you (media practitioners) in solidarity; to say that, indeed, your profession is not just a noble one, but it’s the one that gives the general public an independent assessment; holding our governance and government accountable at all times. And so, we need to be very careful as politicians and public officers that we do not gag this profession (media) and do not unduly stifle free press.

“Our government understands

Lagos Governor Appoints Seven Cabinet Members Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday appointed seven members into the State Executive Council to revitalise the administration’s effort towards improving good governance and service delivery.

The new members were appointed into the cabinet rank of Special Advisers.

They were sworn in at an event held in the State Banquet Hall in Alausa.

According to a statement, five of the appointees were newcomers, who filled in vacant positions, following the voluntary resignation of previous occupants.

Two, who previously resigned from the cabinet, were returned to take back their positions.

Sanwo-Olu assigned portfolios to the new cabinet members, appointing former member of the eighth Assembly in the State’s legislative arm, Hon. Sola Giwa as Special Adviser on Transportation.

Until his new appointment, Giwa was the Senior Special Assistant on Central Business District (CBD) to the Governor.

The Governor reappointed Princess Aderemi Adebowale as Special Adviser on Civic Engagement, the position she previously occupied.

Also, Mrs. Toke BensonAwoyinka was reappointed as Special Adviser on Housing.

Other appointees were Dr. Olajide Babatunde (Special Adviser on e-GIS and Planning Matters), Engr. Abiola Olowu (Special Adviser on Commerce and Industries), Mr. Robert Bolaji (Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy

Affairs) and Mr. Olufemi Martins (Special Adviser on Tourism).

Sanwo-Olu said his government considered seamless continuity in governance important, as he charged the new cabinet members to hit the ground running in delivering more electoral promises of the administration to the residents.

The governor said the new cabinet appointment further reinforced the established tradition of diversity and inclusiveness, stressing that the choice of the appointees was informed by capacity, accomplishments, commitment and proven track record of hard work and professionalism in their previous endeavours.

Sanwo-Olu said: “Today, we are bringing in new Special Advisers to replace those who voluntarily left the State’s Executive Council in previous months to pursue their political ambitions. As cabinet members, you join a small but privileged class of people whose ideas and decisions go a long way towards impacting the lives of millions of Lagosians on a daily basis.

“Your appointment is a testament to your capacity, your accomplishments and your track record of hard work, commitment, dedication and professionalism in your private and public endeavours. Your role, as you might have imagined, is a demanding one, requiring intense levels of hard work and dedication.

You are expected to hit the ground running, especially considering that we are in the final year of our first term in office.”

and appreciates that press freedom is the way in which we can hold government accountable. But it is also the responsibility of all of us here to ensure that we understand the thin line; and also self-regulate our activities.

“I cannot agree less with the President of the NGE that says that the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission should not only be independent, it should be equipped with men of impeccable character and integrity that can work like the Oxfam of this world and indeed sanction erring people but give freedom for all of you to do your work,” the governor said.

Sanwo-Olu stressed the need for media practitioners to self-regulate, even as he urged them to work towards the complete eradication of fake and false news.

“Regarding my view about corporate governance, it is also to ensure that in the digital space we eradicate completely within the profession false news and fake news.

“People sometimes rush to post something without doing proper due diligence to verify what they are posting and ask themselves what damage would I do if they found out what I posted is not completely true.

“You must be a bit more circumspect and know that once information is out there, you cannot retrieve it. That in itself puts a lot of

professional pressure on whoever that is posting any report,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu also sought continuous support from the media for his administration.

“I have enjoyed working with all of you and I am looking forward to enjoying more in the remaining part of my four years tenure. And if all of you feel so compelling during the election, I will also not mind being your governor again for another tenure,” he said.

Speaking earlier, the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mustapha Issa, said the media would not succumb to pressure from the government to determine the people’s right to information.

He said the situation where the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) that reports to the Minister of Information would also be the one to unilaterally imposing fines on broadcast stations for unfavorable reports was tantamount to gagging the media.

The NGE President who urged media owners to embrace good corporate governance and accountability, said the role of scrutiny of the media should not be that of the government alone, adding that the media should not be threatened.

Also speaking, a veteran journalist and the Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Lanre Idowu, said digitalisation had brought more

opportunities to journalism but has equally brought to the fore the need to uphold ethics, and quality content.

He said journalists must decide whether to embrace digital platforms or be out of business.

NBC's Fines Imposed on DStv, NTA, Others Repressive, Unconstitutional, Says MRA Meanwhile, the Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has called on the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to reverse its decision to imposing N5 million fines respectively on a television station and three pay-TV platforms for allegedly undermining Nigeria’s national security by airing documentaries on banditry.

MRA described NBC's action as wrong and unjustifiable.

The NBC had announced in a statement on August 3, that it had sanctioned Multichoice Nigeria Limited, owners of DSTV; TelCom Satellite Limited (TSTV); and NTA Startimes Limited for airing a documentary by the BBC Africa Eye, titled 'Bandits Warlords of Zamfara,' which the commission claimed glorified bandits and undermined national security.

It also fined Trust-TV Network Limited N5 million for its

documentary 'Nigeria's Banditry - The Inside Story', accusing it of contravening the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, Sixth Edition, especially Paragraphs 3.1.1, 3.12.2 and 3.11.2.

Owing to these, MRA Programme Director, Mr. Ayode Longe, however, stated in a statement: “We have no doubt that the decision to sanction the platforms and television station was actually taken by the federal government and is being enforced through the NBC in an effort to punish them for portraying the government in (a) bad light as it is clear that the government is embarrassed by its inability to address the challenge posed by the so-called bandits to the safety and security of Nigerians and members of the public at large.”

The MRA statement asserted that the documentary was consistent with the role assigned to the media by Section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution to uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people.

"It is ironic that while the government regularly dialogues with the so-called bandits and pays them obscene amounts in cash as ransom, thereby enabling their activities further, it has chosen to sanction media platforms for merely reporting on the bandits and the security challenge that they pose to citizens," said MRA.

Again, SEC Warns Investors against Illegal Crowdfunding Platforms Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has renewed its warning to investors patronising unregistered investments crowdfunding platforms.

Crowdfunding is the process of raising funds to finance a project or business from the public through online platform.

Crowdfunding portal is a website, portal, intermediary portal, application, or other similar module that facilitates interaction between fundraisers and the investing public In a circular released August 3,2022, SEC stated that it has observed with concern the fraudulent activities of some unregistered investment crowdfunding platforms and advised the investing public against making investments with or through any crowdfunding platform not registered with the Commission.

The Commission stated that in recognition of the potential and importance of crowdfunding platforms and the need to protect investors through effective regulation, it had in January 2021,

published its crowdfunding rules and requested well-intending crowdfunding platforms to register with the Commission and comply with the Rules by June 30, 2021.

According to the circular, "The Commission by this circular hereby notifies the general public and operators of unregistered crowdfunding platforms, that operating any crowdfunding platform that is not registered by the Commission is illegal and may lead to prosecution of such operators and loss of investment by their clients.

"Members of the public are further advised to confirm the registration status of any entity soliciting their participation in any investment scheme by contacting the Commission through its website.”

The commission recently released rules on Crowdfunding, stating: “A proposed rule has been developed to provide a regulatory framework permitting private companies with the required structure and mechanism in place to raise capital from the public through crowdfunding.”

It noted that Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) incorporated as a company in Nigeria with a minimum of twoyears operating track record should be eligible to raise funds through a crowdfunding portal registered by the commission.

According to the commission, total fees payable to parties to a crowdfunding issue shall not exceed two per cent of the total funds raised.

The SEC noted that the maximum amount which might be raised by a medium enterprise shall not exceed N100 million.

“The maximum amount which may be raised by a small enterprise shall not exceed N70 million; and the maximum amount which may be raised by a micro enterprise shall not exceed N50 million.

The limits set forth above shall not apply to MSMEs operating as digital commodities investment platforms or such other MSMEs as may be designated by the commission from time to time,” it said.

The commission explained that

retail investors might not invest more than 10 per cent of their annual income in a calendar year.

According to the rule, crowdfunding portal that is located outside Nigeria would be considered as actively targeting Nigerian investors, if the operator or the operator’s representative, promotes directly or indirectly the platform in Nigeria.

It stated that a crowdfunding portal might be registered and operated only by an operator registered with SEC as a Crowdfunding Intermediary.

The rule added that only entities registered with the Commission as an Exchange, dealer, broker, broker/ dealer or alternative trading facility as prescribed under the Act and the SEC Rules and Regulations might be registered as a Crowdfunding Intermediary.

It added that crowdfunding portal or crowdfunding intermediary that failed to comply with the rules shall be liable to a fine of not less than N1 million and the sum of N10,000 for every day the violation continues.

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CONDOLENCE VISIT...

L-R: Chief Investment Officer, Triple A Infrastructure, Adeniran Ajakaiye; Managing Director, Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria (InfraCorp), Dr. Lazarus Angbazo, and Chief Executive Officer, Triple A Infrastructure, Ike Chioke, during a condolence visit to Angbazo, over the passing of his father in Awayi, Nasarawa State…recently

Buhari Will Deliver Free, Fair Elections in 2023, NSA Assures

INEC projects 95 million may Vote in 1,491 constituencies Military pledges support, loyalty to constitution, president All eyes on Nigeria, says United States Chuks Okocha and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja As the nation inches closer to the 2023 general election, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major Gen Babagana Monguno (rtd) yesterday declared that PAresident Muhammadu Buhari was determined to bequeath a transparent election before exiting the seat of power and would not condone fraud in any form in what he described in Nigerian parlance as "wuru wuru.”

He said this at the opening ceremony of an election security

workshop with the theme: "The 2023 General Elections: Enhancing National Security Capacity for a Secure and Credible Electoral Process in Nigeria."

The NSA spoke as the United States Envoy to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard said the United States and the international community were watching the preparations for the 2023 polls.

She emphasised the imperatives of a peaceful conduct of the election and the need for the synergy of the security agencies ahead of the election and beyond.

She spoke as the Chairman of

Acting CJN Accuses Buhari's Regime, Past Administrations of Undermining Nigeria's Judiciary Alex Enumah in Abuja The acting Chief Justice of Nigeria ( CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has warned politicians and the executive arm of government to desist from actions capable of undermining the judiciary and the nation's democracy.

The CJN gave the warning while declaring open the 2022 Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA -SPIDEL) taking place in Abuja.

Ariwoola, represented by Supreme Court Justice Uwani Abba Aji, accused politicians and the executive arm of undermining the rule of law, especially when elections are around the corner.

"This conference is timely, and the theme fitly reflective of the season and time we are in. The electoral process has been set in motion, and the 2023 elections are just a stone's throw away. We are fully aware that it is in a period like this that the executives or those seeking and aspiring for political positions will not tread on the path of the rule of law, the Electoral Act and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but will rather act on their whims and fancies to clinch to power," said the acting CJN. He added that the "judiciary shall be in the centre stage of this to equipoise between the electoral players and further catalyse and

administer justice, fairness and equity in the courts where their petitions shall flow."

He further stressed that past and present political regimes in Nigeria "have not ceased to intervene and interfere in the premises of the judiciary and have almost diluted its supposed sanctity, whittled down its powers and authority and tampered with its independence and autonomy through various ways and means."

Ariwoola also stated that the "underminers of judicial authority must understand that since the three arms of government, though separated, fitly fused and joined together to bring out the best in any government or democracy, undermining one arm or the other is to spell doom and anarchy for that government, even to the detriment of the underminers."

In a keynote address, Supreme Court Justice Inyang Okoro considered disobedience of court orders as a direct affront to the judiciary or interference with the administration of justice.

"One of the dangers of undermining judicial authority is lack of confidence in the court system," he said. "Nobody, whether government or citizen, is allowed to undermine an order of court or judgment."

He suggested that disobeying court orders be made a criminal offence, different from the court's power to punish an offender for contempt.

the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, said the general election was critical and required concerted efforts of stakeholders to ensure its success.

Speaking in the same vein, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen Lucky Irabor, pledged the support of the military establishment towards the election even as he pledged loyalty of the Armed Forces to the Constitution and President Muhammadu Buhari.

Also, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, said that as part of its preparations for the 2023 elections, the Nigerian Police had commenced the training of 400 police officers across the 36 State commands.

Monguno said president Buhari remained committed towards conducting a free, fair, credible and transparent election devoid of fraud.

"The successes recorded in the recent elections in Anambra, Osun and Ekiti States clearly demonstrates Mr. president's commitment to bequeath a level playing field to all contestants and determination to bequeath the legacy of a strong institution and values to our beloved nation.

"This remains resolute and our commitment to guarantee a free, fair and credible election remains unwavering. I must reiterate that the president is firmly committed to delivering an election that is completely transparent which will

command the general acceptance of the general population.

"This election as far as the president is concerned will be devoid of, to use the Nigerian parlance, any wuru wuru."

In his contribution, Irabor, pledged the support of the military establishment for the election even as he pledged loyalty of the Armed Forces to the Constitution and President Muhammadu Buhari.

"What every Nigerian and friends of Nigeria want is free, fair and secure conduct of 2023 elections. Because as members of the armed forces, we give support to the civil authority and the Nigerian Police being the lead in internal security provisions, we give our support to civil authority in this regard.

"We, the entire hierarchy of the armed forces, will give our support. We as members of the armed forces have a covenant with the democratic process. The growth of our democracy is so pivotal. We are here not only to re-echo that covenant, but to assure every Nigerian that we are here to give support throughout the entire process and beyond.

"Let me use this opportunity to pledge our loyalty to Mr. President and the constitution and the Nigerian constitution," he said.

In his remarks, Yakubu, said the general election was critical and required concerted efforts of stakeholders to ensure its success.

He said the conduct of election

in Nigeria was akin to conduct of election for West Africa by Nigeria's sheer size and therefore, required concerted efforts of the stakeholders.”

He also disclosed that the commission have produced a revised code of conducts for security personnel during elections.

Giving details of next year elections, the INEC chairman said that the general election, "involves a projected voter population of about 95 million for the 2023 general elections which is over 20 million more than the combined voter population of the other 14 countries in West Africa."

Yakubu continued, "Voters will also elect candidates for 1,491 constituencies (one presidential constituency, 28 governorship elections, 109 Senatorial Districts, 360 federal constituencies and 993 State Assembly seats)."

He told the security agencies at the seminar that ensuring the safety and security of voters, election personnel and materials, candidates, party agents, observers, the media and transporters was enormous.

The INEC Chairman stressed further that, "This responsibility has become more challenging in the context of the current security situation in the country."

According to the INEC chairman, "election preparations, deployment and implementation constitute the most extensive mobilisation that could happen in a country, whether in peacetime or in wartime."

According to him "In Nigeria, it involves the recruitment and training of staff and managing the logistics for their deployment to 176,846 Polling Units spread across 8,809 electoral Wards, 774 Local Areas and 37 States of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“With about seven months to the next general election, there is time for proactive measures to ensure that the entire country is secure for election to hold nationwide.”

Earlier in his remarks, the Inspector-General of Police said that as part of its preparations for the 2023 elections, the Nigerian Police had commenced the training of 400 police officers across the 36 state Commands.

"Towards this end, we shall continue to ensure that requisite orientation and adequate preparations are made to guarantee professional service delivery by the Nigeria Police Force and ensure strong inter-agency synergy that will engender a peaceful, secure, and credible elections in 2023 in line with Mr. President’s vision," he said.

Also, a former InspectorGeneral of Police, Aliyu Attah, who spoke on behalf of former police chiefs, recalled that the June 12, 1993 election was cancelled by the Gen Ibrahim Babangida regime owing to security fears and urged the security agencies to ensure a peaceful conduct of the election.

Kuje Prison Attack: NSCDC Gives N2.8m to Family of Slain Officer Michael Olugbode in Abuja The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has presented a cheque of N2.8 million to the family of late Inspector of Corps (IC) Ilyasu Abraham, the personnel who died in the attack on Kuje Medium Custodial Centre.

Presenting a cheque of N2.5 million and the sum of N300,000 in cash to Mrs. Elizabeth Abraham and daughter, Abimiku Blessing at the Corps National Headquarters in Abuja, the Commandant General, Dr. Ahmed Audi consoled the family, over the loss of their bread winner and encouraged them that the officer

would be remembered as a hero, who died in active serve.

He explained that the money given to the family was in fulfilment of his promise to ensure that necessary compensation was given to the family in due time, stressing that, it was an intervention from government and the Corps to assist the deceased family in ameliorating some burial expenses.

He pledged his administration's support to the family of the slain personnel and reiterated his commitment to the welfare of all officers and men of the Corps.

The CG assured the daughter of late Inspector Iliya of employment into the Corps as soon as the

federal government gives approval for recruitment into the service.

The unfortunate incident of July 5, 2022, at Kuje Medium Custodial Center, where armed insurgents invaded the facility, had resulted in the death of Iliya, of the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT ) Command while he was on duty.

The Commandant General assured the nation that the Corps would not be deterred from protecting Critical National Assets and Infrastructure, lives and property of law abiding citizens and regulation of private guards amongst other mandates of the Corps.

The CG seized the opportunity

to call on Zonal Commanders, State Commandants, Area Commanders, CG's Special Intelligence Squad, CG's Special Anti-vandal Squad and Components Commanders etc, to continue to develop new strategies as they work in synergy with other security agencies in confronting all forms of security challenges affecting our dear country, Nigeria.

He also renewed his call on all citizens to continue to assist security agencies with useful and timely information to nip criminal activities in the bud, noting with optimism that all challenges of insecurity affecting Nigeria are surmountable.

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NDPCH BRIEFING ...

L-R: Chairman, PICTT, Muhammed Dahiru; Chief Executive Officer, Sun Africa Renewable Energy Solution, Adam Cortese; Project Development Director, Africa Sun Renewable Energy solution, Dr. Gabin Koucoi and Managing Director, Niger Delta Power Holding Company , Chiedu Ugbo briefing State House Correspondents shortly after meeting with President Muhammadu GODWIN OMOIGU Buhari at the Presidential Villa ,Abuja ...yesterday

Osinbajo to Military: You Need to Be Far Ahead of Terrorists, Criminals Seeks increased local arms’ production

Deji Elumoye in Abuja The recuperating Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has taken a critical assessment of the security challenges facing the nation with an urgent call on the military and other security agencies to be miles ahead of the terrorists and other criminals troubling the nation.

He also canvassed for necessary actions to be taken to increase local production of arms for use by the military in the fight against terrorism and banditry.

Speaking during a virtual interaction after receiving a presentation on, “Defence Transformation and National Security: Strategic Options for Nigeria of the Future,” from the National Defence College Course 30 participants, Osinbajo who is recovering from surgery as a result of injury on his knee, stressed that Nigeria’s current security challenges and emerging threats required the country’s military and other relevant stakeholders

to be several steps ahead of perpetrators while also stepping up local production of armaments.

He said: “If you look at the challenges that we are facing and the nature of those challenges, it is evident that we need to be many steps ahead of non-state actors in particular who are perpetrators of this asymmetric warfare that we are experiencing.”

He added: “It is clear that given current realities in our security situation, there is absolutely every need for us to fast-forward all our plans for the future so that we can be much more effective in dealing with the current threats and the threats that we will experience as we go into the future.

“One of the most critical areas is the question of local production of military hardware and I think it is a low-hanging fruit when it comes to manufacturing some of the hardware that we will need.

I think that there is a need, especially now to really look very closely at local production of our hardware, beginning with

Banditry: Sultan of Sokoto Promises to Protect Corps Members Onuminya Innocent In SokotoK The Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar 111 has assured 2022 Batch 'B' Stream 11 corps members posted to Sokoto that their safety is guaranteed despite wanton bandits' attacks in the North.

The Sultan gave the assurance on Thursday in his palace when the NYSC management team led by the NYSC coordinator in Sokoto and selected corps members paid him a courtesy visit.

Abubakar further assured them that they would be allowed to practice the religion of their choice.

According to him, Sharia law is not binding on non-Muslims and stressed that nobody would be forced to become a Muslim.

"In Sokoto, Sharia law is only binding on Muslims. Nobody will force you to wear (a) hijab or force you to obey Islamic laws if you are not a Muslim," he stated.

He urged the corps members to spread joy and embrace religious tolerance, encouraging them to be law-abiding and serve as role

models to the younger generations.

He implored them to perform their duties with diligence and guided by the NYSC Act and by-laws as well as workplace rules and regulations.

"If you are posted to (a) school, impact in the lives of the students, make them better than you met them," he added.

The monarch urged the corps members to respect the cultures and customs of their host communities.

"If you have (a) problem at the place of your primary assignment or where you are posted to, contact the district head over there. They are your guardians in the community," he advised.

NYSC Coordinator in Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Nakamba, said the corps members were exceptional in discipline and obedience to camp rules and regulations.

Nakamba added that they were in the palace to seek the royal blessings of the Sultan while thanking him for supporting the scheme.

armament.”

While making a case for improved investment in the Defence Industries Corporation (DICON), the vice president noted that every country of the world takes advantage of the crisis situation that it faces.”

According to him, “we mentioned India, Brazil, and even the more developed economies of the world, during the first world war, the second world war, it was these challenges that led to the development of their military-industrial complexes. We have a challenge today, there are so many zones where there are conflicts. Our law enforcement is spread out everywhere.”

Commending the course participants for their efforts in proposing innovations in the defence sector, Osinbajo emphasised the urgency of local production of arms.

“If we say the local companies should produce some of the mobile platforms like Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and Multi-Role Armoured Vehicle (MRAV), if we give them the contracts, they will produce, but if we choose to import rather than produce locally then we will never develop our militaryindustrial complex,” he added.

The vice president also spoke about the need for transparency in the management of resources meant for the acquisition of hardware for the defence and security agencies.

According to him: “There needs to be more accountability because every time you hear about 'we not having enough equipment,' but there must be accountability. I will like to see a framework for greater accountability within the Ministry of Defence that ensures that they

are able to account for military expenditure".

Earlier in a presentation on behalf of the Course 30 participants, Col. A. A. Adamu proposed, among other things, the restructuring of the Ministry of Defence to reflect contemporary challenges as well as contain emerging threats to defence and security.

He also highlighted enhancing Nigeria’s defence production capacity, leveraging technology and improving collaboration within and across Africa as determining factors for the effective transformation of Nigeria’s defence and security sector.

Adamu, on behalf of the course participants and the management of the National Defence College, prayed for the speedy recovery of the vice president, while thanking him for the opportunity to make

the presentation.

Research report presentation by course participants to the vice president is a prominent feature in the annual academic calendar of the National Defence College. Every year since 2016, participants of the college have presented reports of research conducted in key areas to the vice president.

In 2019, Course 27 participants presented a paper on “Water Resource Management and Regional Security: Lake Chad in perspective”; in 2020, Course 28 presented a paper on “Border Management & National Development, in Nigeria: The ECOWAS Protocol Relating to Free Movement of Persons, Residence & Establishment in Perspective”, while Course 29’s paper, in 2021 was titled “Creating Jobs & Opportunities for Africa’s Largest Youth Population”.

In Landmark Exercise, NDLEA Destroys over 560,000kg of Illicit Drugs Michael Olugbode in Abuja Over 560,000 kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs have been destroyed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in a single largest destruction in its 32-year history.

This was disclosed in a statement yesterday, by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, explaining that the exercise was, “the largest to be destroyed in the 32-year history of the NDLEA.” Babafemi said leading other top officials of NDLEA, other security agencies and members of the public in the burning of heaps of the illicit drugs, the Chairman/ Chief Executive of the agency, Brig.

Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) said the exercise was a strong message to drug barons and cartels that they would continue to lose their huge investments in the criminal trade if they fail to back out and look for other legitimate businesses.

He said a breakdown of the 560,068.31 kilogrammes of the illicit substances burnt at a brief ceremony in Badagary area of Lagos included: 7,414.519 kilogrammes cocaine; 161,206 kilogrammes heroin; 1,144.8 kilogrammes methamphetamine; 60,144 kilogrammes ephedrine;

311,416.19 kilogrammes cannabis sativa; 10,091.83 kilogrammes khat; 273.22 kilogrammes tramadol; 0.000170 kilogrammes benylin with codeine and 8,207.75 kilogrammes of other psychotropic substances, which were seized by commands in Lagos State including the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) command; Lagos state command; and the Seme Special Area command from persons convicted and sentenced by the Federal High Court as well as abandoned seizures.

Speaking further, Marwa said: “It is gratifying to know that our drug law enforcement efforts are not in vain. Our efforts not only resulted in the seizure of the aforementioned drugs but also culminated in the arrest, prosecution and conviction of the offenders in court. Since January 2021, we have arrested over 17,647 drug offenders of which 2,385 have been convicted in court.

“In the process, we have seized over 3.5 million kilos of assorted drugs. The business of today is yet another indication that officers and men of NDLEA are not relenting in the pursuit of the Agency’s mandate to make Nigeria safe from the drug scourge.

“I stand here today before you to give the assurance that NDLEA

will continue to explore various ways, legal and within the ambit of orthodox drug law enforcement, to address the drug problem in the country.

“And there is no better time than now to adopt evidence-based programmes and policies to counter the destructive impact of the drug scourge, which has pervaded our society in the past few years.”

Marwa, while assuring that the agency would not only focus on drug supply reduction said, “we are equally broadening our drug demand reduction efforts, and especially working hard on drug use prevention programmes.”

He added: “Among other measures, we are reaching out to young people through prevention messages on our social media platforms. We are not oblivious of the fact that some teenagers and young adults are being exposed to drugs at a very young age, particularly in deprived circumstances.

“The agency is working with other institutions to provide educational opportunities, vocational skills training and other socio-economic support for this vulnerable group.

“In everything we do, we strive to align our efforts with

international best practices. Only a few weeks ago, NDLEA launched a 24/7 toll-free call centre for people who are drug-dependent or suffering from drug use disorder, their families, employers of labour, and members of the public who need any form of help. The centre which has a team of dedicated, well-trained professionals in the mental health practices including psychologists, psychotherapist, psychiatrist and counsellors, currently receives calls in English, Pidgin, Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo languages.”

The anti-narcotics czar, while commending officers and men of the agency for their commitment that has made possible notable achievements of the agency, praised President Muhammadu Buhari for his political will in tackling the drug menace.

He said: “We equally appreciate the contribution of our local and international partners, who are instrumental to the successes we have recorded. We also thank members of society who are working with us to safeguard the health of our communities.

“I urge all stakeholders in this campaign against abuse and trafficking of illicit substance to not relent but intensify support for NDLEA.

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NEWSXTRA

SHELL ON WORKING VISIT TO UZODIMMA...

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State (left), shares a joke with the Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), Mr. Osagie Okunbor, when Okunbor paid a working visit to the Governor at the Imo State Government Lodge, Abuja...yesterday

Ortom: Terrorists Have Killed over 5,000 in Benue Since 2011 Insecurity: There may not be credible election in 2023, NNPP declares Launches 500 Volunteer Guards to Be Armed with AK-49, Wage War Against Terrorist Fulanis George Okoh in Makurdi and Francis Sardauna in Katsina Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has revealed that the unprovoked attacks by terrorists on unarmed people of the state since 2011 have claimed more than 5,000 lives.

Ortom said this yesterday, during the passing out parade of the first batch of 500 personnel of Benue State Community Volunteer Guards at Makurdi.

This was just as the Katsina State chapter of the New Nigeria People's Party (NNPP) yesterday decried worsening insecurity across the country and expressed concern that the outcome of the 2023 election may not be acceptable and credible.

Ortom said the worsening insecurity in the country had complicated Benue State’s security situation, saying other forms of criminality had started creeping in due to the federal government’s refusal to decisively address insecurity.

Ortom said it was due to the failure of the federal government that the state government decided to revisit the Benue State Vigilante Law of 2000, which was enacted to complement the conventional security agencies in the state to address emerging security issues.

He explained that the law had to be amended by his administration to pave the way for the Community Volunteer Guards to assist the conventional security agencies to curb insecurity in the state.

According to the governor, "By the provisions of the new law, the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards can therefore carry legally approved weapons which we have duly provided."

Ortom maintained that although the campaign of terror had spread across Nigeria, Benue State was specifically targeted because of his, "administration’s insistence on the rule of law rather than the rule of terror and for always standing with my people in their refusal to surrender their land, identity and Judeo-Christian faith and values to the Islamisation agenda," he said.

According to Ortom "The Benue State Community Volunteer Guards represent our modest attempt to support our communities in their daily struggle to escape the worst of the atrocities of the terrorists Fulani herdsmen.

"As we all witness, the passing-out parade of these able-bodied young men, we believe that security will

improve in Benue State.”

The governor also expressed optimism that "The issue of banditry, kidnapping, robbery and most of all, the issue of terrorists Fulani herdsmen attack would be reduced to the barest minimum."

He stressed that operations of the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards would be strictly guided by the enabling law, warning that any personnel found operating outside the law would be shown the way out.

Earlier, Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Lt. Col. Paul Hemba (Rtd) had said the first batch of 500 personnel of the Community Volunteer Guards have been trained as riot squad, unarmed combat squad and intelligence gathering to work with conventional security agencies at the grassroots to curb insecurity, urging the personnel to be professional in the discharge of their duties.

The Tor Tiv and Chairman, Benue State Council of Chiefs, His Royal Majesty, Prof. James Ayatse in a goodwill message commended the State House of Assembly for enacting the enabling law and pledged the full support of the traditional institution to the security outfit.

President-General of Mzough u Tiv, CP Iorbee Ihagh, (Rtd) and President-General, Tiv Youth Organization, Timothy Hembaor also gave goodwill messages on behalf of socio-cultural organisations in the state.

Insecurity: There'll Not Be Credible Election in 2023, Says NNPP Meanwhile, the Katsina State chapter of the NNPP has decried worsening insecurity across the country, and expressed concern that the outcome of the 2023 election may not be acceptable and credible.

The party expressed fear that the 2023 general elections might not hold as planned if the spate of insecurity and killings across the country were not urgently tackled by the federal and respective state governments.

Speaking at a media conference in Katsina, the chairman of the party, Hon. Sani Liti, added that the escalating waves of insecurity across the country might affect the credible conduct and result of the forthcoming general elections.

He reiterated that the pervading security challenges confronting Nigerians, especially in Katsina,

Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna and Niger States if left unchecked, would affect the conduct of free and fair election in the country.

He added that the government in power may use the security challenges bedeviling the nation to deprive eligible voters from electing candidates of their choice, particularly in frontline states, during the 2023 poll.

According to him, "The state spate of insecurity in Nigeria is alarming.

We therefore reiterated our call for a state of emergency on security in some states in the North-west and the North-central regions, including Katsina State.

"So, there is a need for the government to declare a state of emergency on security in the states for six months in order to address the security challenges; if not, there will not be credible elections in 2023."

The NNPP chairman, however, admonished residents of Katsina State to devise local means, including negotiating with the terrorists in order to end insecurity in the state.

Launches 500 Volunteer Guards to Be Armed with AK-49, Wage War Against Terrorist Fulanis

Governor Samuel Ortom has declared Benue's readiness to confront killer herdsmen killing and kidnapping residents, especially farmers in the state.

The governor disclosed this on Thursday during the passing-out parade of the first batch of 500 community volunteer guards held at the IBBS Square, Makurdi.

According to Ortom, the establishment of the security outfit is in response to President Muhammadu Buhari regime's failure to secure lives and property in Benue against marauding killer herdsmen.

'As a state government, this is one expensive investment we would have

preferred to avoid if it was not forced upon us by the perpetual siege that has been mounted on our land by vicious Fulani terrorists. Their reign of terror has led to the displacement of over 1.5 million persons from their ancestral homes and communities who are now living in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps," the Benue governor stated.

He added that the "recurrent and wanton attacks by terrorist Fulanis on unarmed and innocent people of Benue State have claimed over 5,000 lives from 2011 to date," declaring that "we are ready to wage war against this evil with the last pint of our blood nobody can intimidate us."

AT LAST, ATIKU, WIKE MEET, MOVE TO RESOLVE THEIR DIFFERENCES said Nigerians were faced with serious security and economic challenges. But Akpata urged the youth to be strong and courageous, saying the country would soon overcome its challenges.

He urged the youth to join politics and stand firm in voting for candidates that would protect the interest of the people.

Atiku Appoints Dino Melaye, Daniel Bwala as Spokespersons In preparation for his 2023 election campaign, Atiku yesterday appointed Senator Dino Melaye and Dr. Daniel Bwala as his spokespersons.

According to a statement signed

by Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, the two appointments take immediate effect.

Malaye is a politician and a member of the Eighth Senate, who represented Kogi West Senatorial district. He hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State Bwala is a legal practitioner, politician and public affairs analyst.

He hails from Adamawa State.

Atiku had previously announced three other appointments involving Eta Uso, Abdulrashhed Shehu, and Demola Olanrewaju, in a statement signed by Ibe, which said the appointments took immediate effect.

Uso, according to Ibe, was appointed Special Assistant Digital Media, Operations to the former vice president.

Uso is an alumnus of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a U.K trained Advanced Computing and Internet systems expert from

the University of Wales, Bangor.

He is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Computer Society, United Kingdom, and Nigeria.

The statement said Abdulrasheed, a professional media specialist with proven track record of excellence – with a decade of experience on the job at various media firms – was appointed Special Assistant, Broadcast Media.

He is a graduate of Mass Communications from ISM Adonai, Benin Republic, and holds a Master’s in International Relations and Diplomacy from Maryam Abacha American University, and Master’s in Journalism and Broadcasting from Girne American University, Cyprus..

Ibe also said Olanrewaju was made Special Assistant, Digital Media Strategy Olanrewaju is a communications and public relations strategist with a background in Nigeria’s history and political ideologies, developed during his days as a students’ union leader at the University of Ado Ekiti.

According to the statement, Olanrewaju “is involved in the startups of a number of businesses and brings media industry knowledge, digital media engagement and creative writing skills to shape perceptions, craft narratives and messaging for individuals, businesses and organisation.”

Ayu: Osun Guber Signposts Victory for PDP in 2023 General Elections National Chairman of PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, yesterday said the

party’s victory in the Osun State governorship election signposted its move to victory in the 2023 general election.

Ayu predicted that PDP would witness an increase in the number of governors coming to power on its platform. He said the party was confident of controlling the National Assembly, House of Representatives, most Houses of Assembly, and the presidency.

The national chairman spoke at an interactive meeting of the party's NWC members and former national publicity secretaries, state and zonal publicity secretaries and other key stakeholders.

According to Ayu, “We are definitely going to win the next election, we will increase the number of governors, we will control the National Assembly, House of Representatives, most State Houses of Assembly and, of course, the big prize, we shall return to the villa (Aso Rock Presidential Villa).

"During the elections in Abuja in the six local governments, people voted massively for the PDP. Out of the 68 councillors, PDP won 48 of those counsellors and APC came down to 18 or so.

"From the elections in Ekiti and Osun, again, it was clear that the preferred party that the Nigerian people want to take over power next year is still the PDP. This is not based on lies, it is based on realities.

"It's based on the reality of these two states elections - Ekiti and Osun - never mind we had hiccups in Ekiti for reasons which many Nigerian and party members know. We still keyed in on a very important state of Osun.

"This means we now control the heartland of the South-west.

We control both Osun and Oyo and if you control the heartland of the South-west, you are likely to win in the rest of the South-west in Ondo, in Ogun and, of course, the big prize in Lagos."

Ayu emphasised the need for the party as well as its members and supporters to continue to do the right thing.

He said, "The Nigerian people, as long as we continue to do the right things, they will believe us and they will definitely give us their mandate.

"We have already demonstrated this in the last six to eight months since we took over as the NWC of the party."

Speaking at the meeting, National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, disclosed that the party would soon unveil other programmes that would be beneficial to all and sundry.

According to Ologunagba, "We believe that together we can pilot the affairs of this party, and, of course, our nation, by ensuring that we have this conversation, and we intend to have it on a regular basis."

This, he said, would go a long way to "create communication and publicity structures and strategies for our party and, of course, for our nation because when we get into government, we believe that this body would be a permanent fixture in such a way that there will be consultation."

Ologunagba revealed that the meeting restated confidence in the national chairman of the party and the NWC in their running of the affairs of the party.

FRIDAY AUGUST 5, 2022˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS

Court Sentences Akpan to Death by Hanging for Killing Job Seeker in A’Ibom Okon Bassey in Uyo A 21-years old Uduak Akpan from Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State has been sentenced to death by hanging for the murder of a job seeker in the state, late Iniubong Umoren.

An Akwa Ibom State High Court, sitting in Uyo, the state capital issued the judgement yesterday after about one year of trial.

The Presided Judge, Justice Bassey Nkanang in his ruling also sentenced the accused to life imprisonment for raping the deceased lured to his father’s house in Uruan local government for sake of offering her a job.

In more than two hours judgement, Justice Nkanang, discharged and acquitted the convict’s father, Frank Akpan and sister, Anwan Bassey who were 2nd and 3rd defendants accused of accessory after the fact to murder, respectively.

“This court has proved beyond reasonable doubts that

you, Uduak Akpan is guilty of murder and you are charged accordingly. You are to die by hanging until you rot away,” the judge said.

Following the ruling, a mild

drama ensued as the convict attempted to escape from the court, but he was held at the door by security operatives.

Reacting to the judgement, the State Attorney-General and

Commissioner of Justice, Uko Udom said he was satisfied with the ruling on the case.

“I thank the presiding judge over the way and manner this matter has been conducted.

“The judge was able to take a day out, tried the case on a day-to-day basis and at the end of the day we had a judgement that the justice system works.

We are very happy about the

outcome of the case.

“As you can see, the first defendant has been led into custody and the 2nd and 3rd defendant have been discharged and acquitted.

ARCHBISHOP MARTINS MARKS 10TH ANNIVERSARY…

L-R: Bishop of Uromi Catholic Diocese, His Lordship, The Most Reverend Donatus Ogun; Archbishop of Ibadan Catholic Archdiocese, His Grace, The Most Reverend Gabriel Ojeleke Abegurin; The Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, His Grace, The Most Reverend Alfred Adewale Martins; and the Archbishop of Benin Catholic Archdiocese, His Grace, The Most Reverend Augustine Akubueze, during the 10th year installation anniversary of the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos and the ordination of nine Catholic priests in Lagos...yesterday

Stop Harbouring Criminals, Insecurity: FCT Police Warn against Unauthorised Use of Drones Amotekun Commander Warns Osun Residents Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

The Field Commander of the Osun State Western Security Network Agency codenamed: Amotekun Corps’, Amitolu Shittu, has warned the residents of the state to stop harbouring criminals in their domains.

He disclosed this while featuring on OSBC Radio 104.5FM programme tagged: ‘Ela Loro’, said the security outfit is ever battle-ready, warning that terrorists who attempt an attack on Osun State will meet their waterloo.

Shittu urged residents to stop harbouring criminal elements in

the state, adding that they should rather raise the alarm when they discover any unknown faces in their communities.

Shittu, who described the Yoruba people as peace-loving, and despise the shedding of blood, however, maintained that that has not made the tribe a coward, saying: “We are not cowards and we cannot live in cowardice.

“We are valiant warriors in the land, in the sea, in the air and we are warlords of warlords who are great in battle; we are unrepentant warriors on any battlefield.

Assembly Aspirant Sues INEC, Others over Primary Elections Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia

An Aspirant for the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Mr. Atose Mohammed Muazu, yesterday, dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to a Federal High Court sitting in Lafia over alleged unlawful substitution of his name.

Others dragged alongside the INEC by Muazu to the Lafia Federal High Court were the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Hon. Mohammed Omadefu.

The plaintiff was claiming to have won the party’s primary elections conducted on May 28, 2022, and therefore prayed the court to declare him as candidate of the APC in the 2023 general election for Keana State Constituency.

He also prayed the court to restrain anybody or INEC from recognising Hon. Omadefu, the allegedly substituted candidate for the election.

Counsel to Hon. Omadefu, Olabode Akimdele, said his client was the rightful winner of the primaries.

MTN Launches Home Broadband Services Ugo Aliogo and Ijeoma Okonji MTN Nigeria Communications Plc has announced its launch of Home Broadband services to accelerate broadband penetration in alignment with the federal government’s plan to achieve over 70 per cent broadband penetration by 2025.

With this launch, MTN Home Broadband services will be available to millions of Nigerian households.

Speaking at the event in Lagos, Chief Operating Officer, MTN Nigeria Communications

Plc, Hassan Janet, said: “At MTN, we believe that everyone deserves the benefits of a modern, connected life; hence our investment in industry-leading connectivity operations.”

General Manager, Fixed Broadband, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeke, noted: “Customers now have enhanced access to dedicated 24/7 support and online channels to place orders for MTN Home Broadband with options for home delivery.”

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command yesterday warned residents against unauthorised use of unmanned aerial vehicles otherwise known as drones in the territory.

A statement issued by the command said any such use of drones without clearance from the Nigerian Civil Aviation

Authority (NCAA) and obtaining approval from the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) becomes an offence.

It said the warning followed public outcry over sighting of drones hovering around personal and governmentrestricted air spaces contrary to extant laws and thereby creating fear and apprehension

in the minds of residents.

“The attention of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has been drawn to the indiscriminate and illegal use of personal and commercial drones in the FCT. Information at the disposal of the Command as well as public outcry on the sighting of drones hovering personal and government-restricted

air-spaces contrary to extant laws, thereby creating fear and apprehension in the minds of residents.

“Consequent upon the above, the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Babaji Sunday has directed the immediate enforcement of drone usage regulations, arrest of violators, and the confiscation of such drones.

Court Adjourns Mike Igini N5bn Libel Suit against Edo APC Chairman Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City An Edo High Court in Benin City, has adjourned the N5 billion libel suit instituted by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Mike Igini, against the Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Col David Imuse

(rtd) to September. 26, 2022.

The adjournment, which was granted by the presiding Judge, Justice Vestee Eboreime, was sequel to an oral application by the counsel to Imuse, Mr. Austin Osarenkhoe, yesterday who informed the court that at the close of sitting on Tuesday, August 3, he had a meeting with the claimant’s counsel,

Clement Onwuenwu (SAN), on the possibility of settling the matter amicably.

Osarenkhoe stressed that having settled a sister matter with the claimant out of court, earlier, he would like to explore the same window for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), and implored the court to grant his prayer.

In further demonstration of his seriousness at pursuing an out-of-court settlement, the first defendant’s counsel, stopped his further cross-examination of Igini after he had tendered copies of the Nigerian Tribune and The Sun Newspapers, which the claimant relied upon as the vehicles for the purported libel.

Ministry, PAP, NDDC Partner to End Pipeline Vandalism in N’Delta Delta Affairs, Mr. Umana NDDC worked in tandem to the peace and security of the Blessing Ibunge in PortHarcourt

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have resolved to tackle the issue of pipeline vandalism and illegal refining activities in Niger Delta.

The Minister of Niger

Okon Umana and the Interim Administrator of PAP, Col. Milland Dikio (rtd), said the agencies have resolved to formulate a common blueprint to develop the Niger Delta, end pipeline vandalism and illegal bunkering.

The duo agreed that it was high time the ministry, PAP and

develop common practical template to tackle the problems in the region especially oil theft related activities.

Umana, who spoke when Dikio and PAP officials visited him in Abuja, said such joint rescue plan was required because oil theft and pipeline vandalism were undermining

nation.

He said: “Those of us in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, the PAP, the NDDC and other stakeholders, including community leaders, should work together to address the burning issue in our region, which is the issue of oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

Dabiri-Erewa: Why Visa to Dubai Impossible to Access by Male Nigerians Below 30 Nume Ekeghe in Lagos, Kingsley Nwezeh andAdedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Chairperson, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa has noted that the recent incidents of various cult clashes and crimes committed by Nigerians

in Dubai have caused stringent visa accessibility requirements for males below 30 years.

She also said that the unfortunate incident of a Nigerian Mr. Alika Ogorchukwu, who was beaten to death in Italy is a priority of the Nigerian Embassy in Italy, stating that the accused must be tried and persecuted accordingly.

She said this yesterday when she featured on ‘The Morning Show’ on ARISE News Channel, a THISDAY broadcast station.

On Visa accessibility by Nigerians, she said: “I think a few Nigerians have taken bad behaviour too far and we have to admit and accept that. It is not about profiling or generalisation,

it has gone too far. So, what the Dubai authorities have done is they have made their visa processes more stringent. So, if you are below 30, no visa for you if you are male below 30. It is very difficult, they have made it so stringent that you are not likely to fulfill it. It doesn’t matter who you are.”

Work with Emenike to Ensure Victory for APC in Abia, Adamu Tells Ogah Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has urged the former Minister of State for Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Uche Ogah, to work with the party’s governorship candidate in the state, Chief Ikechi Emenike

so as to ensure victory.

It has emerged that Adamu was unhappy with those promoting disunity in the Abia State chapter of the party, saying that the Abia crisis is the most toxic among all the states with problems.

He expressed his displeasure at a meeting he held with stakeholders of Abia APC in

Abuja recently during which he specifically decried Oagh’s role in the lingering crisis.

Adamu was said to have expressed disappointment with Ogah, who has continued to lead a dissident group to destabilise Abia APC, having refused to allow peace reign even after all the major stakeholders had reconciled the feuding groups at a

meeting held on June 18, 2022 at Ntalakwu Oboro in Ikwuano Local Government Area of the state.

The APC chairman lamented that several efforts made to unify Abia APC have failed, adding that it was only in Abia that he imposed a sharing formula for elective positions in a bid to harmonise the two feuding groups.

38

FRIDAY AUGUST 5, 2022 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSEXTRA

Alleged Organ Trafficking: Ekweremadu to Remain in Prison Custody Till October 31 Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who is currently in the middle of an organ trafficking case, will remain in prison custody until October 31, the Central Criminal Court, United Kingdom, declared yesterday.

The UK court adjourned the case involving the senator, who is the lawmaker representing Enugu West Senatorial district and his wife, Beatrice after Ekweremadu appeared briefly.

The politician first appeared before the Uxbridge magistrates’ court in London,

where the lawmaker denied all the charges against him.

He has been in prison since the case was first adjourned to July 7, August 4, 2022 and now October 31.

However, last month , his wife, Beatrice was granted bail under strict conditions.

It was gathered that Ekweremadu had put in a request for a new counsel on Wednesday. Only 20 people, it was learnt, were allowed into the court premises to witness proceedings while all recording devices were barred.

The Nigerian lawmaker and his wife Beatrice are

facing charges bordering on conspiracy to arrange/facilitate the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.

Ekweremadu and Beatrice were arrested on Thursday, June 23 and remanded in a prison in the UK over allegations of plotting to harvest the organ of one David Nwamini, for use by their ailing daughter, Sonia.

The judge handling the case is going to hear pre-trial applications on October 31, although reports say the trial will commence fully on May 2, 2023.

EFCC Arrests Internet Fraudster, Two Others in Kwara

Hammed Shittu inIlorin

The Operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), have arrested a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps, Mr. Adetuberu Christopher Adetoyese, over an alleged offences bordering on cyber-enabled crime in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

Adetoyese, 28, who is currently serving in Ogbomoso in Oyo State, hailed from Ilesha, Ilesha West Local Government Area of Osun State. He was arrested at Ogele area of Eyenkorin, Ilorin.

A statement issued in Ilorin

yesterday by the commission media office said that “the suspect’s arrest followed credible intelligence on the activities of 419ners otherwise known as ‘Yahoo-Yahoo Boys’ within Ilorin metropolis and its environs.

“Items recovered from the suspect at the point of arrest include a Lexus car with registration number RBC 126 BJ worth N4 million, Laptop, iphone 11 promax and Samsung S9 Plus.”

The statement added that “in the course of investigation, Adetoyese revealed that he ventured into ‘Yahoo Yahoo Business’ in 2016 and had among other things built a house and

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as ADEMUYIWA OLUWAFERANMI IFEOLUWA, wish to be known and addressed as ADEMUYIWA OLUWAFERANMI JOSEPH. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS SERIKI IYABO ALIYU, wish to be known and addressed as MRS FOLALU IYABO JAMES. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS GOODLUCK ONWUKWE, wish to be known and addressed as MRS OKOROHA GOODLUCK CHRIS. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as OJO KABIR, wish to be known and addressed as OJO KABIR AYOBAMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as OJO KABIR, wish to be known and addressed as OJO KABIR AYOBAMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as AMEH GLORIA, wish to be known and addressed as AYAGHENA GLORIA . All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ONWUKAIFE TREASURE CHIDINMA now wish to be known and addressed as IKECHUKWU CHUKWUEBUKA CHIDINMA TREASURE. All former documents remains Valid. General public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as IJAOLA AMOS BABATUNDE now wish to be known and addressed as OSIYEMI-IJAOLA AMOS BABATUNDE. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note

I, formerly known and addressed as ANIRE AMADEDON AMACHREE, wish to be known and addressed as ANIRE OSINACHI ONYEOZIRI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as AKINBOYE BOLUWATIFE DESTINY, wish to be known and addressed as MRS FAITH AKINBOYE BOLUWATIFE FAVOUR. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS FAITH ONUOMA OKOJERE, wish to be known and addressed as MRS FAITH ONUOMA MEDOMEN CHUKWUDI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS GOODLUCK ONWUKWE, wish to be known and addressed as MRS OKOROHA GOODLUCK CHRIS. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as AGWU OYIDIYA URUM, wish to be known and addressed as UMEH VERA OYIDIYA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as TIMOTHY YAKUBU KUDU, wish to be known and addressed as YAKUBU TAIMAKO KUDU. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MOHAMMED DANLADI now wish to be known and addressed as MOHAMMED DANLADI GWAMPO. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note I, formerly known and addressed as AGWU OYIDIYA URUM now wish to be known, called and addressed as UMEH VERA OYIDIYA. All former documents remain valid. The general public take note.

sponsored himself in school with the proceeds of the illegal activities.”

Bauchi Governor to Compensate Aggrieved Aspirants Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has given solace to all the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aggrieved aspirants in the state, saying that he will look within his personal resources and compensate them.

Governor Mohammed stated this yesterday when he received the report of PDP Reconciliation Committee under the leadership of Senator Bala Adamu Kariya. The committee was charged with the responsibility of reconciling aggrieved members and strategising for the success of the party ahead of the 2023 general elections.

He enjoined all the aggrieved aspirants to follow his footsteps of embracing the spirit of sportsmanship in any contest, pointing out that even though he lost the Presidential primary election, he never expected anything from the PDP presidential candidate.

The governor said that the PDP in the state provided a level playing field for all the aspirants, adding that he will create a forum to personally meet with all the aggrieved aspirants to leverage on their nationalistic feelings.

Oyetola’s Petition Effort in Futility, Says Osun PDP Yinka KolawoleinOsogbo The Osun State Chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), has described the decision by the APC and the outgoing Governor of Osun State, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, to approach the Election Tribunal aftermath of their defeat at the polls as a wasteful voyage and an exercise in futility.

In a statement by the Caretaker Committee of the Osun State Chapter of the PDP, Dr. Akindele Adekunle, the party condemned the step embarked upon by Governor Gboyega Oyetola and the APC as anti-people and a challenge of God’s will, stating that the mandate given to the Osun State Governor-elect, Senator Ademola Adeleke, by the overwhelming majority of Osun people has come to stay.

The party further stated that while it is yet to be served with any election petition, we posited that neither the party nor the governor-elect is worried by the alleged petition as the election that produced the winner was adjudged to be of global democratic compliance.

WORLD OF ISLAM

Edited by: MJO Mustapha Email deji.mustapha@thisdaylive.com

The Hijrah, Urbanization and Human Development (2) By: Spahic Omer/IslamiCity from last week)

T

(Continued

he Prophet’s vision of the subject of personality and community building, as a launch pad for a wholesome urban development, was well-structured and arresting. He championed that under the auspices of Islam and its unique tawhidic worldview, the Muslims are seen as brothers to each other and their similitude is like a wall whose bricks enforce and rely on each other; they are like a solid cemented structure held together in unity and strength, each part contributing strength in its own way, and the whole held together not like a mass, but like a living organism. The Muslims are furthermore related to each other in such a way that if one of them (a part of an organic and formidable formation called the Ummah) is troubled by a problem of whatever kind, the rest of the body parts will remain disturbed and restless until the matter became solved.

Surely, for the reason of nurturing community members did the Prophet (pbuh) upon arriving in Madinah disclose to the assembled crowd some of the paths which invariably lead towards Jannah (Paradise) in the Hereafter, as well as towards individual and collective felicity in this world. Such paths are: implementing and spreading peace and concord wherever possible and by whatever lawful means, sharing and compassion, maintaining good relations with relatives (as well as with others), and praying at night when everybody else is asleep. The companion ‘Abdullah b. Salam said that these were the first words he had heard from the Prophet (pbuh). Without doubt, these were among the very first advices the Prophet (pbuh) gave following the Hijrah, because ‘Abdullah b. Salam was among the first to see, meet and hear the Prophet (pbuh). No sooner had he done so, than he embraced Islam, as he realized that the Prophet’s face “seemed by no means like the face of a phony.”

For the same reason did the content of the Prophet’s sermon at the first Friday prayer (Jumu’ah) in Madinah - as well as the content of the other sermons of his at this juncture - emphasize the importance of such issues as faith (iman), taking hold of the good and leaving the evil, brotherhood, sincerity, steadfastness, gratefulness for the blessing of Islam, the significance of helping one another in righteousness and piety and not in sin and rancor, the common cause of the Muslims, and the like.

Some of the underlying societal qualities and features of Islam, such as commitment to the established cause, justice, equality, and mutual understanding and cooperation, have also been manifested as early as during the exercise of determining the site of the first urban component in the city of Madinah, i.e., the Prophet’s mosque, and during the marking out of its boundaries.

At the earmarked location of the mosque there was a walled piece of land that belonged to some people from the Banu al-Najjar clan. The Prophet (pbuh) sent to them and asked them to suggest to him the price of the land. They replied: “No! By Allah! We do not demand its price except from Allah.” The Prophet (pbuh) accepted the offer and the occurrence typified as well as inaugurated, so to speak, a new phase of the unreserved keenness of the first Muslims to sacrifice whatever they possessed for the cause of strengthening Islam and the Muslim community. Additionally, the mosque proper was about to expand into an area used for drying dates which belonged to two youths, both orphans, named Sahl and Suhayl. The Prophet (pbuh) asked them too to suggest to him the price of the place. However, when they said that they demand no price for it, the Prophet (pbuh) insisted that they tell the price, since they were orphans and possessed little. Eventually, he paid them ten golden dinars. The money was Abu Bakr’s.

The Prophet’s scheme of personality and community building, as an integral part of his urbanization paradigm, reached its climax when he legislated the system of mu’akhah (brotherly association) among the Migrants (Muhajirs) from Makkah and Helpers (Ansar) from Madinah. The mu’akhah included 90 men, 45 from either side.

While some claim that the mu’akhah took place after the building of the Prophet’s mosque, albeit before the battle of Badr, others contend that it in fact occurred during the process of building

the mosque. The mu’akhah was accomplished in the house of Anas b. Malik. So binding was the treaty that the Migrants for sometimes were the heirs of the Helpers, and vice versa, instead of their own kindred by blood. Later, however, the verse 33 from the Qur’anic chapter al-Nisa’ was revealed and the matter of the Migrants and Helpers inheriting one another was cancelled.

Shortly after arriving in Madinah, the Prophet (pbuh) also organized the relationship between the various inhabitants of Madinah, including the Jews, and recorded it in a document (the Constitution of Madinah). The commitments of each group within Madinah and its rights and duties were comprehensively enshrined in the document.

That the society of Madinah was founded and was set to progress on the basis of commitment, love, mutual understanding, cooperation and support, was thus demonstrated in a striking applied fashion. As was the Islamic perception of believers envisaging them in their mutual love and affection as one entity whose components depend on and complement each other.

Furthermore, nurturing and developing exemplary community members in the young and constantly evolving city-state of Madinah was dealt with by God’s direct interventions as well, by means of prescribing guidelines and directives that targeted at both men’s and women’s steady spiritual and moral development, as well as at clearly defining their roles and standings in the community.

For example, in the night of al-Mi’raj, which occurred sometime between one and two years before the Hijrah, the institution of prayer (Salah) was prescribed to the Muslims. The prayers of those not traveling and of those traveling had both been of two rak’ahs, except the Maghrib (sunset) prayer which was of three rak’ahs from the beginning. But about a month after the arrival of the Prophet (pbuh) in Madinah, two rak’ahs in Zuhr (noon), ‘Asr (mid afternoon) and ‘Isha’ (evening) prayers were added to the prayers of those who were not traveling.

Certainly, this addition which came to pass in Madinah immediately after the Hijrah had scores of benefits for the spiritual and civilizational maturity of many Muslims, some of whom had just entered the fold of the new Islamic code of living, given that the task of one’s prayers is to restrain one from shameful and evil deeds (al-’Ankabut 29:45) and to foster honesty, goodness, conformity and dedication. As the Prophet (pbuh) experienced a midnight journey from the al-Masjid al-Haram to the al-Masjid al-Aqsa (al-Isra’), whence he traveled to the seven heavens (al-Mi’raj) where the prayer commandment was decreed, every human soul similarly ought to undergo a journey of its own in its religious growth in life. Praying five times a day at the divinely appointed times and as many rak’ahs as God asked us to take on - which in fact signifies conversing with our Lord and Sustainer, plus powering our soul and mind with the spirit of Truth - is the most invaluable asset that one may possess all through the long and thorny journey. Every single prayer is thus expected to elevate its executor a step or a degree off the wickedness and the confines of this world and towards a spiritual fulfillment.

So, the bigger number of those who willingly and enthusiastically tread on the said spiritual journey, ever ready to better themselves and those around them, the better the prospects for their ideals to materialize and flourish become. With such people aboard, imposing a struggle for the supremacy of God’s Word as the sole objective of existence will never be an impossible proposition, as plainly shown by the history of the Madinah city-state and by the history of other successful Islamic societies.

For the purpose of creating healthy and upright individuals who will constitute a healthy and virtuous society, the prescription of Adhan (calling to prayers), Siyam (fast), Zakah (the alms), Sadaqah al-fitr (charity of fast-breaking), Jihad (struggle for the holy cause), and some other legislative moves with regard to halal (lawful) and haram (forbidden) - all these came about as well during the earliest Madinah period. Although the citystate of Madinah was just about a few years old, yet some of the most crucial and decisive aspects of the individual, family and societal life have already been duly taken up. The aspect of urban development was just a dimension in a multidimensional cultural and civilizational mission undertaken by the Prophet (pbuh) and his followers.

39

FRIDAY, AU ͽ˜ ͺ͸ͺͺ ˾ T H I S D AY

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Group Sports Editor: Duro Ikhazuagbe Email: duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

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Two More Discus and Para Powerlifting Gold Medals Lift Team Nigeria As lateness costs two other medal prospects disqualifications Duro Ikhazuagbe On a day Team Nigeria began competing at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with disqualifications of two of the country’s gold medal hopefuls, Latifat Tijani and Onyinyechi Gift Mark from competing in the women’s lightweight para powerlifting event due to lateness, Goodness Nwachukwu and Alice Folashade Oluwafemiayo returned smiles back to the faces of compatriots with two gold medals.

First, Nwachukwu broke two world records in quick successions to win gold in women’s F42 Discus event at the Birmingham 2022.

In her first attempt, she threw a mark of 34.84m to get off on a perfect start.

She then went on to improve on her world record by setting a new one of 36.56m. Australia’s Sarah Edmiston won silver while the bronze medal went to Naibili Vatunisolo of Fiji.

Oluwafemiayo on the other hand, set a new world record with a total of 123.4kg to take the gold while her fellow Nigerian lifter, Bose Patricia Omolayo won the silver with a new Games record of 115.2kg .

C O M M O N W E A LT H G A M E S In the men’s lightweight, Innocent Nnamdi who was one of the five Para lifters earlier disqualified until protest from Nigerian officials made the organisers to allow him and Thomas Kure to compete, won a consolatory bronze in the event.

Malaysia’s Bonnie Bunyau Gustin won the gold with Mark Swan of England settling for the silver medal.

Also late last night, Ikechukwu Christian Obichukwu won the silver of the men’s heavyweight category. He lifted a total of 133.6kg to win the silver while India’s Sudhir was the winner of the gold with a new Games record of total lift of 134.5kg.

The story of how the Nigerian Para powerlifters got to the venue of the event late cast a blight on the competence of Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports officials at the Games. They claimed not to have received the email from the organisers asking all competitors to get to the venue of the event one hour before their events. They were told to be on ground at 1.45pm for weigh-in and kits inspection.

The Nigerian contingent arrived

the venue, at 1.55pmand claimed not to have received the email stressing no arrival after the deadline.

The organisers insisted the email was sent to the Nigerian

Paralympic Committee and were perplexed how in 2022 federation officials can claim not to have received such a message.

It’s Amusan, Brume’s Turn to Deliver Gold for Team Nigeria

After setting a world record to win the gold in the women’s 100m hurdles at the last World Athletics Championships in Oregon, USA, all eyes will be on Tobi Amusan as the heat of the event gets underway today.

Already, Amusan who is favorite to take the gold has

been to begin the quest for the precious metal in Heat 3.

In the Heat 3 are: Hannah Connell of Barbados; Michelle Jenneke of Australia; Michelle Harrison of Canada and Deya Erickson of British Virgin Island completing the squad battling for two automatic qualifications for the semifinal later tomorrow.

Ese Brume on the other hand, will begin her quest to take the gold in the women’s long jump when she starts her campaign in the qualifying round Group B that also; Samantha Dale of Australia, England’s Jazmin Sawyers, Lakshmi Saranji Silva Sandaradura of Sri Lanka, Claire Azzopardi of Malta, England’s Abigail Irozuru, Filipa Fotopoulou of Cyprus and Deborah Acquarium of Ghana.

Nigeria’s other entry in the women’s long jump, Ruth Usoro, is to battle Jamaica’s Ackelia Smith, Christabel Nettey of Canada, Rellie Kaputin of Papua New Guinea, Brooke Buschkuehl, India’s Ancy Sojan Edappilly, Tyra Gittens of Trinidad and Tobago, Lorraine Ugen of England and Maria Toussaint of Dominica.

Olarinoye, Lawal Rewarded with Wristwatches Worth N1.6m

REWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE...

Adijat Adenike Olarinoye (left) and Rafiatu Folashade Lawal were rewarded with Longines wristwatches worth £2,000 (about N1.6million) for setting new world records in their events at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham

Team Nigeria’s gold medalists and world record breakers in weightlifting, Adijat Adenike Olarinoye and Rafiatu Folashade Lawal, at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games were rewarded along with other record makers with a 2022 hydroconquest Longines wristwatches.

According to Longines who are partners of the Games, the watches are Special and Limited Edition worth £2,000 (N1.6million) each.

The duo won Team Nigeria’s first two gold medals of the Games.

Three Members of Sri Lanka's Team Abscond from Games Village ABILITY IN DISABILITY...

Nnamdi Innocent won bronze for Team Nigeria in the lightweight category of the para powerlifting

The Sri Lankan team has asked its athletes and officials at the Commonwealth Games to turn in their passports after three members went missing.

The nation, which is experiencing a major economic crisis, confirmed late Wednesday that a wrestler, a judoka, and a judo coach have disappeared from one of the Commonwealth Games villages housing athletes and officials.

It is understood the trio have

surrendered their passports so are not able to leave the country.

Officials have now removed documents for all remaining members of the team currently at the games in Birmingham.

All 161 athletes and coaching staff were granted standard 180day visas by the government for the event.

Sri Lankan team spokesperson Gobinath Sivarajah told The Telegraph in India that Birmingham police are investigating the absence

of the three members.

“We have asked all athletes and officials to submit their passports to our respective venue officials in all the villages after the incident,” he said.

“The police are investigating and the three cannot cross the UK borders. What has happened is really unfortunate.”

The scandal has overshadowed one of the country’s greatest athletics results after Yupun Abeykoon won the bronze medal

HiFL 2022: ATBU, IAUE, Unilorin Record Away Wins ATBU Brave Hearts, IAUE Minders and UNILORIN Warrior have recorded away wins in the first leg of their round of 16 matches of the ongoing Higher Institutions Football League (HiFL) season organised by Pace Sports and supported by StanbicIBTC, Bold, LIRS and Indomie Noodles in its fourth active season.

The Brave Hearts from the Abubarkar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi defeated the KASU Crocs from Kaduna State

University 2-0 in Kaduna while the Warriors from the University of Ilorin hedged former champions UAM Tillers from the University of Agriculture Markurdi 1-0 in Makurdi.

Goals from Isah Idris and Simeon Habka in the 8th and 85th minutes gave the Brave Boys from the Yankari Games Reserve victory over the Crocs while Mustapha Ogungbenro’s 14th-minute goal was enough for the Warriors to outclass the UAM Tillers at home.

In a local derby in Ado Ekiti, the EKSU Mountaineers from Ekiti State University dug deep from home support led by the school’s Vice Chancellor Prof.

Edward Olanipekun to beat FUOYE Dazzlers 1-0 through a goal from Olamilekan Adebunmi in the 82nd minute.

In a thrilling eastern derby, the IAUE Minders from the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education Port Harcourt defeated their host, DELSU Titans from the Delta State

University 3-2 in Ozoro.

Abel Eli of the IAUE Minders scored a hattrick with goals in the 39th, 47th and 84th minutes to put the Minders in a good place going into the second leg while Reginald Okonjo of the Titans scored the two goals for the Okowa Boys in the 26th and 42nd minutes via penalties.

The first round of the return leg of the matches comes up on August 10.BUK Stallions needs a goalless draw at home to oust defending

champions UNIMAID Desert Warriors while UNN Lions will seek to consolidate their two-goal advantage as they battle UNIPORT Sharks in Port Harcourt. AAUA Luminaries stands ousted from this year’s competition except they can overturn a two-goal home loss that they suffered when they tackle LASU Blazers in Lagos while KSU Steelers will stoop to conquer at home in their clash against FUTMinna Transformers after recording a 2-2 draw in Minna.

in the men’s 100m at Alexander Stadium in a time of 10.14 on Thursday morning.

At the 2018 Games on Australia's Gold Coast, almost one-third of the Cameroon team went missing after the event. Rwanda´s weightlifting coach also fled during a toilet break at the host stadium.

It was reported at least 230 athletes and officials lodged applications for protection visas in Australia after the event, but the majority were denied.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is poised for further unrest after demonstrators said they would defy demands from police to clear the Galle Face site in the capital of Colombo by Friday evening, which has been the epicentre of nationwide anti-government protests since April.

Protesters had called for a mass demonstration on August 9 in Colombo, in an attempt to get Ranil Wickremesighe, the country’s new president, to resign.

Bankrupt Sri Lanka owes over £39 billion to lenders but only has around £100 million in the bank, resulting in nationwide shortages of fuel, food and essential medicines.

Friday August 5, 2022

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UT H

& RE A SO

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Price: N250

MISSILE Ozekhome to Buhari, Lawmakers “It will evaporate into thin air. It possesses no teeth, not even gum, to bite. It can never mobilise the required two-thirds majority votes, to carry out the impeachment threat, otherwise, President Muhammadu Buhari has done more than enough to deserve impeachment. Do you not know that Nigeria has fallen into the category of failed states?…”–Senior Lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, doubting the plan of Senators to impeach President Buhari.

AKINOSUNTOKUN DIALOGUE WITH NIGERIA

akinosuntokun@thisdaylive.com

Kashim Shettima My Foot I

f there is any behaviour that triggers palpable indignation in me, it is the dismissal and trivialisation of requisite urgent constitutional reforms in Nigeria.

And this was precisely the behavior exhibited by former Borno state governor (and now the running mate to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the presidential ticket of the All Progressive Congress, APC) in a parley with the channels television. The gaffe has found contemporary resonance in view of his new public circumstances and the increasing imperative of decentralisation and devolution of powers in Nigeria. Significantly, it is a characteristic behaviour which would not have mattered if his public purview has largely remained Borno state with marginal national outreach.

In the said interview he unloaded “Restructuring my foot, let’s restructure our minds, let’s restructure our quality of governance. When people are talking of artificial intelligence, when others are talking of robotics engineering, of nanotechnology, we are talking of restructuring the federation..

Our problem is not an issue of devolution of powers, let’s be very honest”. It appears he he got his judgment beclouded by his inability to grapple with the correlation that behind the success of those societies he cited is the appropriate constitutional rules of the road.

For good and for bad, laws especially the constitution, are a prior category to leadership and governance. And we have the case study of Nigeria to prove the point. Who can entertain any doubt on the self-evident predisposing facility of regional federalism to the development heights attained by the three comprising regions of the West, East and the North in the first republic?.

Complemented by the Obafemi Awolowo utilitarian leadership, the constitutionally enabled regionalism was the bedrock on which the Western region stood to be counted on a projected development ladder that rivals the likes of the Asian tigers.

The same observation could easily be made of the Eastern region whose economy was rated as the fastest growing in the world at the material time. The healthy rivalry meant that the Northern region was equally set on a rapid modernisation momentum. In intellectual leadership capability and political legitimacy they don’t come better recommended than the trio of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and Sir Ahmadu Bello. In collaboration with the British colonialists and several constitutional conferences to the bargain these were the leaders who arrived at the reasoned conclusion that what suits Nigeria best is regional federalism.

And we have the empirical evidence of the comparative study of pre and post 1966 political history of Nigeria to make the case that the farther we deviate from the constitutional groundnorm of federalism, the deeper we sink into the morass of economic underdevelopment and political instability.

It is against the logic of this comprehension

Shettima

that the likes of Shettima still call the abiding wisdom of federalism to question. They will tell you that leadership is the be all tell all of governance as if leadership operates within a constitutional vacuum and that leadership and constitution are mutually exclusive.

I have found myself making this clarification now and again. Scientific study of society and policy prescription proceed from the premise of the worst not the best case scenario. In order to have an error proof prescription (as much as you can) you anticipate all that can go wrong and accordingly apply a preventive mitigation encapsulated in the constitution.

Beyond the requisite legal mandate of taking insurance policy on your vehicle is the self-enlightened anticipation of theft or accident. If you encounter neither happenstance then all is well and good but if you do then your loss is mitigated by the insurance you have taken. It is the same principle with the nexus between leadership and the constitution. If for instance, Peter Obi wins the presidency and goes ahead to fulfil his potential (regardless of the constitution) what happens after the completion of his tenure? Is Nigeria guaranteed to produce a good successor?

Against the run of his rhetorics and opposition to devolution of powers it is striking that the governorship legacy of Mr Shettima in Borno state includes the establishment of state and community police as attested in the underlisted excerpts “The Borno State government on Saturday, inducted a total of 2,900 youth volunteer force as members of a newly created Neighbourhood Watch, whose role includes sniffing out drug abusers and perpetrators of other related crimes” .

“The governor said the formation of N-Watch is part of his community policing initiatives which he said has yielded positive result in the past when it was tested with

the Civilian-Jtf. The Neighbourhood Watch (N-Watch) is a replica of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) that came into force in 2013 as a volunteer group helping the military to combat Boko Haram. Has a better argument for the decentralisation of the Nigerian police ever made?”

In similar dire straits and their backs against the wall, the governors of katsina and Zamfara states have gone a step further to call for individual citizen policing and local people’s militia. Echoing his katsina state counterpart Governor mutawallen of Zamfara state lately issued the proclamation that “Government has henceforth, directed individuals to prepare and obtain guns to defend themselves against the bandits, as government has directed the state commissioner of police to issue licence to all those who qualify and are wishing to obtain such guns to defend themselves”.

And here in the South West we can bear testimony to the difference the Amotekun corps has made to the security of the region.

The notoriety of Shettima (obscured by the widespread public censure of the Goodluck Jonathan presidency) was first brought to national attention with the abduction of 276 female students in a Chibok secondary school on the night of 14th of April 2014. Prior to the abduction the federal government wrote to the then Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima to alert him on the impending danger of terrorist attacks on secondary schools in the three North Eastern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa’.

The minister of education adverted the attention of the governors to the “current security challenges in the Norh East parts of the country and consequently directed that the candidates in the Federal Unity Schools be assembled in their respective state capitals where they are to sit for the examinations in a safe ocation. And enjoined the governors to make contingent arrangements for students in both public and private schools in your state to sit the examinations in safe location” In a subsequent inquiry, the West African Examination Council, WAEC testified that “The Borno state government refused to relocate the students from Chibok to safer places like Maiduguri.. Aware of the poor security situation in Borno and worried about the safety of students, the West African Examination Council, WAEC, declined to conduct its Senior School Certificate Examination in unsafe parts of Borno, including Chibok”.

In an unbelievable rationalisation of his failure to act against the evidence of these copious prior warnings and alerts, the governor protested that “No one anticipated that attack just like no Nigerian could have anticipated attacks on the secured Police Headquarters in Abuja by the Boko Haram in 2012”. And in direct contradiction of himself he admitted “It is however true that there were security concerns raised by the WAEC on the need for security to be provided in all examination centres without any emphasis on GSS, Chibok”.

When then the calamitous abduction became reality, the same governor refused

to call the president to brief him because “What happens in our unwritten protocol in Nigeria is that, in the event of major security problems, it is the president that summons a governor or calls him on phone or directs the Vice President to call on his behalf for sympathy”. Is this the nitpicking that the lifes of 276 students are about to Shettima? Is the laxity of the president sufficient justification for the wilful disregard of the governor to seize the initiative?

If Nigeria were to be invaded through Borno state by an external aggressor, would it be right of Shettima to sit back and follow his so called unwritten protocol? On the one hand, he disregarded and shunned the preventive directive of the federal government to evacuate the students and then turned around to blame the same president for not being responsive for the mess he created.

And then of course there is the extreme sense of poor judgement he demonstrated on the occasion of the Aeòkúta meltdown of his principal days to the presidential primaries of their party, the APC. On the following day in Lagos, he capped his tantrums on a live television programme with the absurd vituperation on vice president Yemi Osinbajo that “nice people do not make good leaders because they tend to be nasty. Nice men should be “selling popcorn and ice cream”.

According to the BBC, his credentials also include the peculiar story of the christmas day bomber, Mr kabiru sokoto “who was arrested in Abuja at a lodge owned by the governor of Borno state, Kashim Shettima” .

To recap, attitudes toward the restoration of federalism have spanned the gamut of genuine ignorance, feigned ignorance, paranoia and political arrogance. Whosoever is wilfully condemning restructuring especially those who do so in foul and obscene verbiage should know that he is implicitly attacking the founding fathers of Nigeria namely the British colonialists, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and Sir Ahmadu Bello.

These were the leaders (who acting with the political legitimacy reposed in them by the peoples of Nigeria) prescribed and gave us federalism as encapsulated in the 1960 independence constitution. To be clear, once again, the meaning of constitutional restructuring advocacy is the restoration of the principle of federalism employing the independence constitution as role model By the way, Mr Shettima has harboured a premonition for their presidential ticket.

He pronounced it dead on arrival with this prophecy in 2018. “Nobody had ever aspired to be president of this country and got it.

As popular as President Buhari is, with is bite-like grip among the Northern masses, on three occasions he couldn’t realise his dream.

The fourth one, we literally (the governors, the party, the party leaders) dragged him to contest the 2015 election. Go down the memory lane, the Nigerian presidency doesn’t go for the person who runs after it”. Did his principal not say it is his lifelong ambition to become the president of Nigeria?

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