FRIDAY 7TH AUGUST 2020

W’Bank Board’s Meeting Failure Delays Nigeria’s Loan Request Obinna Chima The $1.5 billion, which is the first tranche of the federal government’s $3 billion request from the World Bank is to be delayed as the much-awaited meeting of the multilateral institution’s board of directors

didn’t hold yesterday as scheduled, THISDAY learnt.

A reliable source disclosed that the federal government would now have to wait till either September or October when the multilateral institution’s next board meeting would hold.

Attempt to confirm the development from the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, was unsuccessful as she failed to respond to THISDAY’s text and WhatsApp messages.

Ahmed had in June

disclosed that the country expected that when the board of the World Bank meets on August 6 (yesterday), the $1.5 billion facility the country requested for would be approved.

“We have met largely all the conditions for the facility

and we are on course. And the amount that we are raising in the first instance is $1.5 billion for the federal government and around September or October, we are hoping to get the facility that is meant to support the state and the amount is between $1 billion

and $1.5 billion,” the minister had stated.

The federal government had said it was seeking about $7.050 billion, from multilateral financial institutions and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Continued on page 9

CACOVID Begins Distribution of N23bn Palliatives to 10m Nigerians... Page 8 Friday 7 August, 2020 Vol 25. No 9251. Price: N250

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Political Crisis in Edo Deepens as Assembly Speaker is Removed Obaseki pledges support for Okiye Ize-Iyamu congratulates Edoror Chuks Okocha, Udora Orizu in Abuja and Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The crisis rocking the Edo State House of Assembly over its inauguration festered yesterday as 17 members removed the Speaker, Hon. Francis Okiye.

The removal, though in controversial circumstances, reflected the political divide between Governor Godwin

Obaseki and his erstwhile godfather and predecessor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, whose loyalists spearheaded yesterday’s push aside of Okiye.

Okiye was replaced by Hon. Victor Edoror, representing Esan Central, as the new speaker.

Also elected was Hon. Continued on page 9

Buhari Tells Security Agencies to Deepen Cooperation DHQ says US warning on ISIS not new Chuks Okocha, Kingsley Nwezeh, Onyebuchi Ezigbo and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday directed the armed forces and all security agencies to henceforth promote and implement comprehensive security philosophies and measures driven by longestablished principles of

jointness and synergies through inter-agency cooperation.

He also said his government's policy tripod of ushering in economic prosperity, taming corruption and engendering an enabling security environment would not be realised without an armed force fit for the purpose.

He spoke at the graduation Continued on page 9

WORKING AHEAD...

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), during a virtual meeting with biotech and pharmaceutical companies on COVID-19 vaccines in Abuja…yesterday

INEC Inaugurates Portal for Live Transmission of Results... Page 5

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

INEC Inaugurates Portal for Live Transmission of Results Warns parties on Edo, Ondo gov elections

Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday launched a portal where election results from polling units can be viewed in real-time, as part of the efforts to strengthen transparency in the election result management system.

The electoral body also warned political parties that engage in violent campaigns and thuggery that it will not shirk its powers to ensure that extant laws and rules of electioneering campaigns are obeyed.

The commission said that the extant laws must be observed during the electioneering activities.

In a statement issued yesterday by the National Commissioner in charge of Voter Education and Public Information, Mr. Festus Okoye, the commission urged political parties’ candidates and their supporters to endeavour to conduct their campaigns in line with extant laws.

Okoye in the statement said, "It is important for political parties, candidates and their supporters to keep in mind that there are extant laws and regulations that they must adhere to during campaigns.

"The commission will not shirk its responsibility to enforce the rules of the game."

According to Okoye, "Political parties must realise that Edo and Ondo states governorship elections are taking place at a time of a global pandemic and the Commission is working

assiduously to observe and comply with all health and safety protocols issued by the Commission and health authorities.

"With the pandemic taking its toll on the citizenry, the people of Edo and Ondo states must be saved from the added burden of violent and raucous elections. Political parties must remember that Edo and Ondo State governorship elections have strict constitutional and statutory timelines and threats of violence or actual violence can disrupt those timelines and create a constitutional crisis."

Okoye explained that it has observed also with deep concern the escalating levels of violent actions and incendiary statements by political parties, candidates and their supporters in the run-up to the Edo and Ondo states governorship Elections.

INEC said political parties and candidates "must on no account underestimate the resolve of the commission to enforce the rules and regulations and apply appropriate sanctions against those who choose to break them.

"The commission remains determined to conduct peaceful elections in the two States and in the outstanding National and State Assembly bye-elections, "Okoye stated.

He said that the "Commission will continue to engage stakeholders in the two States on the need for free, fair, safe and peaceful elections, given that it has committed enormous public resources in preparing

for the elections. Therefore, the Commission will view gravely any disruptive actions by political actors".

Going forward, Okoye said that INEC will work with and collaborate with the security agencies to contain all incidents or threats of violence before and during the elections.

It also said that "regulatory agencies with roles in the elections, especially those dealing with insecurity, hate speech and abuse of mass media, must step up their

activities and ensure that all those that break the law are held to account."

The commission reassured the people of Edo and Ondo states of its determination to conduct credible and safe elections in the two states, stating that, "The Commission shall not hesitate to discontinue the process should the actions of political actors lead to cogent and verifiable threat and/or breakdown of law and order before or during the elections".

"To further strengthen the

transparency in the election result management system, the commission has decided to introduce a dedicated public portal, the INEC RESULT VIEWING (IReV) that will enable Nigerians to view Polling Unit results real-time as the voting ends on Election Day." Okoye, in a separate statement, explained that INEC wishes to emphasise that this does not constitute electronic collation of results as the collation of election results

shall remain as provided for by law, a manual process of completion of relevant result sheets and their upwards collation until the final results are determined.

It said that this innovation will commence from the Nasarawa Central state constituency by-election in Nasarawa State scheduled for Saturday 8th August 2020, thereafter, it will be extended to the Edo and Ondo governorship elections as well as all subsequent elections.

NEW COMMANDER...

New General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Lagos, Maj. Gen. Godwin Umelo (left), and Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during a courtesy visit to the governor in Lagos…yesterday

Clark: Naming Rail Stations after Awolowo, Jonathan Demeaning Deji Elumoye in Abuja An elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, has described the naming of some of the rail stations after former President Goodluck Jonathan and Chief Obafemi Awolowo as a dishonour to their legacies.

Clark in an open letter, yesterday in Abuja, addressed to the Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, said Jonathan as a former president and Awolowo, a towering political leader until his death, deserved more than that.

He added that lumping together of people who have not made any meaningful marks in the country’s development alongside great men like Awolowo and Jonathan is not acceptable.

The Ijaw leader, therefore, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to withdraw the honour.

Clark, however, said his people saw the federal government’s gestures to the two leaders as degrading, especially when it has to be shared with such a calibre of people listed alongside them.

Clark, a Federal Commissioner for Information

in the First Republic, also stressed the need for Amaechi to commence moves to reconcile with his kith and kin across political divides in his home state, Rivers.

He stated that the main purpose of writing the letter was not unconnected with the naming of Agbor train station after Jonathan, which he described as demeaning and humiliating.

"My main reason for writing this letter is on the recent action by the federal government and the Ministry of Transportation, which is currently under your watch, that is, the naming of the Agbor Railway Station after His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the immediate past President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

"While it is said to be an honour on the former president by the federal government and your ministry, the Ministry of Transportation, because it is a known fact that the resuscitation of rail transport is one of the legacy projects of the former president, but for us in the Niger Delta and indeed to well-meaning Nigerians, this ‘honour’ diminishes the prestige of a former president

when the honour is also bestowed on others. One is not in any way adducing that the others are not deserving of the honour bestowed on them, but the same way official responsibilities differ in importance and risks, the same consideration should be borne in mind when honouring people."

According to him, naming the railway station in Agbor, Delta State, ‘Goodluck Jonathan Railway Station and Complex’, is a misnomer.

He said the umbrella body of the Niger Delta, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), had issued a statement to condemn the action, which it described as “meaningless and belittling to the person and status of the former president” and “demands the immediate reversal…. Instead, a befitting national infrastructure should be named after him.”

"I am in total support of the position of PANDEF, as the Convener of PANDEF, and leader of the Niger Delta region," he added.

Clark was also concerned about how government named train stations after the late Chief Awolowo and two of his political aides without

considering the status of the principal, Awolowo.

He stated: "How can Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the Premier of Western Nigeria, be honoured with the naming of a railway station after him in addition with persons who were pupils who benefited from his free education scheme in Western Nigeria? Even in giving national honours, there are different awards for a different cadre of persons.

"It will interest you to know, Hon. Minister of Transportation that Chief Lateef Jakande was one of the closest aides to Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Alfred Rewane was one of his (Chief Obafemi Awolowo) assistants, who held the post of a political adviser. So how will such persons feel to be honoured equally with their principal?"

The elder statesman also urged Amaechi to reconcile with his political enemies in Rivers State.

He said: "I wish to also use this medium, as I see it as my responsibility as your ‘father’ and leader of our people, to advise you, dear Hon. Minister, to go back home and consider reconciling with your kith and kin and friends both in the All

Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Let bygones be bygones.

"You will recall that the leaders of the South-South People Assembly, under my leadership made every attempt to reconcile you with former President Goodluck Jonathan, but our attempts proved abortive. Even when the revered Rev. Jesse Jackson of the United States of America intervened in the matter in 2014, you remained adamant; you rather kept away from me and some of the leaders of the South-south.

"I remember you came close to me when former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili, had issues with you. I supported you to the end at the time because I felt you were treated unfairly.

To the glory of God, things turned in your favour when the Supreme Court gave judgment in your favour.

"I recall, perhaps, that it was in recognition of my support for you, that you flew in an helicopter to my country home, Kiagbodo, to visit and thank me in the company of some prominent Rivers State leaders,

Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas, former Minister of Aviation; His Highness, Prof. Dagogo Fubara and Dr. Doris Fisher, whom you later appointed commissioner.

"During the visit I can still remember with nostalgia, the three statements you made: You apologised to me on behalf of your cousin, His Excellency, Sir Celestine Omehia, whom you felt was disrespectful to me because of my support for you at the time. You assured me that you were not a cultist and that you were a devout Catholic, confirmed and baptised in the faith- that I should take you as your son.

"I gladly accepted all of the above statements and things where smooth sailing between us until you became a ‘super governor’ as chairman of the governors’ forum at the time.

You started having issues with the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, whom you felt I was supporting against you because of my stand on your attitude towards him.

Since then, you completely stayed away from me, until this year when you called to congratulate and wish me a happy 93rd birthday.”

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CACOVID Begins Distribution of N23bn Palliatives to 10m Nigerians Dike Onwuamaeze The private sector-led Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) yesterday formally flagged off a nationwide distribution of multi-billion naira food palliative and other relief items to mitigate the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerable Nigerians.

The relief materials for which the private sector operators are spending about N23 billion will cover 1.7 million families amounting to about 10 million people across the 774 local government areas in the country, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

CACOVID’s Administrator and Chief Executive Officer of Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), Mrs. Zouera Youssoufou, told journalists in Lagos that the food distribution is the next phase in the line of actions mapped out by the coalition to partner government in the fight against the pandemic and relief the vulnerable people of the burden posed by the outbreak of the disease.

Zouera said with the announcement in Lagos, the coalition had divided the country into six geo-political zones, adding that the distribution was being flagged off simultaneously in states such as Adamawa, Yobe, Ekiti Ogun, Delta, Edo, Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna, Plateau, and Nasarawa.

The offer of food palliatives is in addition to donations by CACOVID, of medical equipment in some instances to state governments to strengthen their response capacity and outright building of isolation facilities in about 38 centres in the country for which the Coalition had spent about N15 billion to help ease off the pressure on the states and federal government in their responses to the pandemic.

CACOVID has also helped to reinforce the testing capacity of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) with the

donation of over 300,000 test kits and PPEs. The coalition will also soon commence the third and final phase of its COVID-19 response plan.

Youssoufou, displaying some of the food items, said each family that would benefit from the palliatives would receive in various quantities, rice, pasta, garri, maize, semo, noodles, salt and sugar.

She explained the rationale behind the involvement of private sector operators in the fight against COVID-19, saying the irreducible minimum the private sector could do as partners in nation-building is to collaborate with government at all levels to help fight the pandemic and reduce the hardship it has brought upon the nation and the people.

“CACOVID has since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic been committed to providing relief packages to the most vulnerable.

The coalition’s primary focus was to aid the federal government in the fight against COVID-19.

“Having done this successfully, we are turning our attention to offering a reprieve to households who have been adversely affected by the scourge of the virus. Through this Food Relief Programme, we will be reducing the risk of a second viral wave by encouraging people to remain indoors rather than expose themselves when seeking to provide food for themselves and their families,” she said.

The Aliko Dangote Foundation CEO stated that the coalition will be working closely with state governments through the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) to ensure all targeted families are reached and that it is done transparently.

“The state governors and FCT minister, through the State Implementation Committee, will appoint a coordinator to diligently record and send an accurate and complete copy of the inventory tracker and goods delivery notes to the CACOVID Operations

Centre daily through the State CACOVID Representative to ensure timely and efficient delivery and proper transparency and accountability.

“The Food Relief Programme is being managed by the CACOVID Operations Centre in Lagos and we have procured the various food items from leading Nigerian fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies to achieve the necessary scale, speed and quality assurance at carefully negotiated prices that reflect value for money without creating negative market distortions. Each pack or box is clearly identified and marked as ‘Not For Sale’.

“CACOVID has laid out an elaborate plan and will be

distributing the relief packages to the target beneficiaries across all 774 local government areas in Nigeria with the state governors and the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as champions of this initiative in each state,” Youssoufou added.

According to her, since the resources of CACOVID are the contributions of private sector operators, operations and the account are being audited to ensure transparency and accountability.

Explaining the strategy being adopted for the distribution, CEO, AspireCoronation Trust (ACT) Foundation, Ms. Osayi Alile, who is also CACOVID Operations Implementation Committee member, explained

that the coalition was not political party biased but discharging its mandates to all Nigerians as laid out in the CACOVID objectives and goals.

“The state government, through the State Implementation Committee will organise for representatives of all the state local government areas (LGAs) to collect the allocations for each LGA and oversee the redistribution to each ward and onto each eligible beneficiary at the grassroots subsequently based on an agreed distribution schedule,” she said.

In his remarks, Dangote Group’s Chief Corporate Communication Officer, Mr. Anthony Chiejina, stated that while the food distributions

are going on across the nation, the coalition would continue to intensify its grassroots awareness campaign on the virus simultaneously.

“While the people are being fed, we are also telling them that the virus is real and what should be done by way of hygiene to stay safe,” he stated.

Another CACOVID leader and the Group Head, Corporate Communication, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Amaechi Okobi, pleaded with the media to help inform the people of the food distribution phase of the coalition action plan, saying the people deserve to know what is being done to complement government’s efforts to reduce the effects of the deadly virus.

WORTHY REPRESENTATIVE...

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri (left), and Commissioner, Federal Character Commission, Hon. Tonye Okio, during a courtesy visit to the governor in Yenagoa…yesterday

CBN Mulls Review of Payment System Vision Strategy Nume Ekeghe The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday unfolded plans to review backward its 10-year Payment Systems Vision (PSV-2030) strategy, which will now span a five-year strategy and rechristened as PSV-2025.

The CBN said the move was in response to evolving development of blockchain technology and other payment systems disruptions.

The CBN had announced that it had started the implementation process of the PSV 2030 to replace the PSV 2020, which aims to significantly reduce financial exclusion, promote electronic banking as well as other alternative banking channels.

CBN Director, Payment Systems Management Department, Mr. Musa Jimoh, spoke on the review of the strategy at First Bank’s FinTech Summit 4.0, where stakeholders gathered to discuss ‘How Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence will Disrupt FinTech in Nigeria.’

He added that the central bank was working on breaking down the licences for operators in the financial technology sector

to allow small players in the industry access markets as it works on harmonising data in the financial sector as well as other initiatives that would deepen the payment systems framework in Nigeria.

Speaking on the payment system vision of CBN, Jimoh said: “Because of the ability of changes in technology is so high, we cannot wait 10 years to begin to review our strategies again.

"So, what we are proposing is to have a five-year strategy, which would then be called PSV-2025.

And once we get approval for this, we would be looking at initiatives for the next five years.”

On how to expand the payment systems, he said: “Some of the initiatives we have put on the table, and some of the things we are trying to implement to deepen acceptance of payment systems and open the market for innovators and small businesses to enter the terrain.

“First is the regulatory sandbox, which is already in the public which we shared a draft framework for people to comment and then get back to us. We have gotten a lot of feedback and I am happy enough to announce that we

are working together with the financial conduct authority in the United Kingdom in developing this regulatory sandbox and eventually we would customise it to our environment to ensure that it fits into our own ecosystem.

“Second is the open banking regime, which we have started working on in order to allow the entire ecosystem to work symbiotically. We want a situation where there would be no exclusivity on account data being held by banks again.

"Banks should be able to open up their accounts database and let fintech companies and other small companies add value-added services on account information they hold.”

He said the plans would also enable the market to be more resilient and responsible.

“There are other initiatives that are coming up but we need to focus on these ones because we know they would basically drive the ecosystem into the future.

“Also, on artificial intelligence and big data, what the CBN is trying to do is to see how we can harmonise this data and provide a database where people can slice dice and trend what the future of payment holds in

terms of the activities that have happened within the payment infrastructure,” he added.

Commenting on small companies being able to participate, he stated: “We like to create an environment where small companies that don’t have the financial muscle to take licence from CBN can also participate.

"What we have done now is to tier our licences basically to collapse our licences into four categories, so we would be coming with a new licensing model that would enable the small companies to come into the forum without going through those stringent conditions that the regulars would impose on big companies.

“These are the things we are looking to implement in the next five years.”

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank and its subsidiaries, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, said FirstBank was constantly evolving with technology and trends and would continue to leverage on and collaborate with fintech companies to offer valued services to its customers.

Adeduntan said: “There is no doubt that the fintech industry is

the fastest-growing sector within the Nigerian economy, which is run by a sizeable number of young entrepreneurs. Since the inception of the First Bank digital innovation within the sector has positioned the bank as a partner of choice to many fintech players. At First Bank, we provide an array of digital financial services with the use of various payment channels to reach a carefully segmented audience with tailor-made financial solutions.

“You are aware of the first bank digital lab where we try to create new digital experiences, enhancing new channels and products as well as leveraging between fintech and non-fintech within the ecosystem for coinnovation.

"The sudden emergence of COVID-19 has provided a ready canvass for stretching our fintech readiness and exploit. First Bank has been demonstrating outstanding readiness in this important space.

“Indeed, COVID-19 has become a catalyst for the accelerated innovation that we greatly desire. The business world and the workplace have changed dramatically.

However, at First Bank, we have seen the COVID-19 era from a positive lens as a period of new opportunity, therefore, the era calls for a deliberate approach in reviewing and identifying new opportunities.

“Incidentally, fintech is part of the new opportunities and that is why we have for this edition elected to concentrate on how blockchain and artificial intelligence will disrupt the sector in Nigeria.”

Also, speaking on what was being done to curb the use of bitcoin technology for fraudulent activities in Nigeria, the Executive Director, Technology and Services at Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), Mr. Aminu Maina, said NIBBS and CBN were looking into the trend.

He said: “It is an area that is being actively looked at from a regulatory perspective and the CBN is also asking for our opinion in terms of industry infrastructure but rest assure we at NIBSS are here to ensure that the industry is secure in terms of where we stand at the centre of interconnection and the CBN is also here to ensure that the financial industry upholds its integrity.”

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PAGE NINE POLITICAL CRISIS IN EDO DEEPENS AS ASSEMBLY SPEAKER IS REMOVED Emma Agbaje (APC, AkokoEdo II), who became the deputy speaker.

In the spirit of the political divide, Obaseki, who is now the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the upcoming September 19 contest, assured Okiye of his backing even as the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag bearer, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, congratulated Edoror.

The first sign of trouble emerged in the early hours of yesterday when a detachment of policemen swooped on the Assembly complex ostensibly to forestall a run on the chamber by unauthorised persons.

But this would appear a decoy as 14 members, who had been refused entry since the convocation of the Assembly in June last year, gathered in a secret place in Benin where they were reportedly sworn to oaths of allegiance and office by the Deputy Clerk, Mr. Tom Efezokhae.

They, thereafter, removed Okiye and installed Edoror.

The crisis arose from the proclamation of the Assembly by the governor in the night of June last year, with only 9 of the 24 members, holding its inaugural meeting where Okiye was elected speaker. The Assembly was subsequently shut for 14 days.

On July 11, 2019, the House of Representatives intervened and set up a fact-finding committee to

investigate the crisis in the Assembly and requested the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, to shut down the complex pending the outcome of its investigation.

The House would later give Obaseki an ultimatum to issue a fresh proclamation to enable all members of the Assembly to congregate to elect their leaders. The Senate on July 30 concurred with the request.

But the governor ignored the ultimatum and refused to issue a fresh proclamation.

The matter moved to court on August 3, 2019 with the Federal High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt restraining Obaseki from issuing a fresh proclamation to the Edo State House of Assembly and on September 12, 2019, upheld the proclamation made by the governor and also stopped the National Assembly from taking over the functions of the Assembly.

In the meantime, two of the 14 members loyal to Oshiomhole crossed over to the Obaseki group, while the remaining 12 abstained from the Assembly and refused to present themselves for inauguration, forcing the speaker to declare their seats vacant on December 4, 2019.

But on January 7, 2020 a Federal High Court stopped INEC from conducting byelections into the 12 seats declared vacant.

THISDAY gathered that yesterday’s push by the 17 lawmakers was given teeth

by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, who gave the legal opinion that, enabled them to secure the police protection required to proceed on their course of action.

Analysts, however, faulted the action of the 17 lawmakers, citing the Supreme Court judgment in the case of former Oyo State Governor, Chief Rasheed Ladoja, which declared as unconstitutional legislative sessions held outside the parliamentary building.

Justice Niki Tobi, who read the lead judgment, said: "It appears to me from the intention of the Constitution that the House of Assembly will sit in the building provided for it and for that purpose. By the provision of section 104 of the Constitution, the House shall sit for a period of not less than one hundred and eighty-one days in a year.

"By section 108(1), the Governor of a State may attend a meeting of the House of Assembly either to deliver an address on State affairs or to make such a statement on the policy of the government as he may consider to be of importance to the State.

“In my humble view, a community reading of the two sections show that the intention of the Constitution is to make the House of Assembly sit physically in the building provided for

that purpose. If I am wrong and the appellants are right, it will then mean that the governor has to move to a hotel to address the members anytime the House sits there and he wants to take advantage of section 108."

However, earlier yesterday, a contingent of policemen was said to have taken over the legislative complex, denying access to the building.

The police siege, considered as an attempt to take over the state legislature to pave the way for the removal of the speaker and the sacking of Obaseki drew outrage from a cross-section of the people.

A former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, described the crisis in the state, arising from the irreconcilable differences between Oshiomhole and his successor, Obaseki, as a threat to the forthcoming election in the state.

The PDP Governors’ Forum, chaired by Sokoto State Governor, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, condemned the invasion of the Assembly while the main opposition party urged the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, to immediately stop the action and not to provide security cover for the perpetration of illegality by the APC.

How Okiye Was Removed It was, however, learnt that Hon. Sunday Aghedo

of Ovia South-west moved a motion signed by the 14 members-elect calling for Okiye's removal.

He was seconded by Hon. Ohio Ezomo, (APC- Owan West).

The motion nominating Edoror was said to have been moved by Hon. Washington Osifo (APC Uhunmwode) and seconded by Hon. Eric Okaka (APC, Owan East).

Hon. Chris Okaeben (APC, Oredo West) moved the motion that got Hon. Emma Agbaje (APC, Akoko-Edo II) who acted as speaker extempore to be elected as deputy speaker.

In his address after his election, Edoror said the legislature would focus on its core duties and not pursue the removal of any member of the executive.

He called for unity and togetherness, stating that there was no victor, no vanquished.

Edoror also urged the Edo State Commissioner of Police and the Inspector General of Police and other security agencies to eject the thugs who he claimed invaded the legislative complex in Benin to allow for a rancour-free plenary today.

At the end of the session, Ohio moved the motion for adjournment and announced that plenary will resume today.

In his reaction, Okiye dismissed his removal as a non-issue.

He said: "I don't want to respond because it is a

non-issue."

Police Barricade Assembly Complex The premises of the Assembly had been taken over by security men from the Edo State Police Command in the early hours of yesterday.

There was a rumour that the lawmakers loyal to Oshiomhole had perfected plans for sitting at the Assembly complex, which is currently under renovation.

On Wednesday, Okiye had also raised the alarm, alleging that the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, and other leaders of APC had perfected plans to invade the Assembly with a view to removing Obaseki.

Therefore, the early morning siege on the Assembly was considered as part of the plot, given the fact that the lawmakers had been meeting within the precincts of the Government House since the legislative building was being renovated.

Okiye later visited the legislative complex where the head of the police officer in charge of the Assembly premises, Mr. Timi Peters, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), denied the alleged takeover, describing it as a rumour.

Okiye, after being briefed

by Peters, noted that the official report at his disposal was that the place was being invaded.

Continued on page 34

BUHARI TELLS SECURITY AGENCIES TO DEEPEN COOPERATION of Course 28 of Nigerian Defence College, Abuja, a day after the United States warned that terror groups, al-Qaeda and ISIS, have begun a clandestine movement into West Africa and exploiting local grievances and divides to drive their terror campaign.

However, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday downplayed the warning by the United States African Command (AFRICOM), stressing that it is not new.

Buhari, at the Course 28 of Nigerian Defence College graduation, said the goals of his administration would not be realised without an enabling security environment.

He said: "We cannot reach these goals without an enabling security environment. This is the part for all the Nigeria police, intelligence and security agencies and other significant state and non-state actors engaged in the provision of security.

"Moving forward, the armed forces and all the security agencies must promote and implement comprehensive security philosophies and measures driven by long established principles of jointness and synergies through inter-agency cooperation, defence transformation and

reorganisation of the military to make it fit for purpose."

The president, who was represented by the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd), charged heads of security and defence services to ensure the realisation of these aspirations.

Earlier in his remarks, the Commandant, Nigerian Defence College (NDC), Rear Admiral M.M. Kadiri, said the NDC Course 28 was duly trained and prepared for higher challenges of national security and defence, having benefited from the statutory curriculum and special programmes in the college.

He said a total of 107 participants were presented for graduation.

DHQ Says US Warning on ISIS Not New The Defence Headquarters yesterday said it would treat the warning by the US on the movements of terrorists to West Africa as a wake-up call to continue to contain terrorism in Nigeria.

Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, Coordinator of the Directorate of Defence Media Operations (DDMO), Maj. Gen. John Enenche, said while it was on top of the

situation, the call was not a new one as the Nigerian military had arrested foreigners among terror groups operating in Nigeria.

He said: "Will I call it a piece of advice or our attention being drawn to the fact that terrorists from other zones are coming here?

I think it would be good for us to be keeping records of events as they unfold.

"For me this is not the first time they are raising such an alarm. The alarm is as old as maybe, five or 10 years ago and the armed forces and the country are conscious of it.

"When the conflict in Libya was declared officially ended, which did not end what happened, it was we, our NIA, state service and all that raised the information that these people are moving.

"Have we not captured foreigners among the people that have been terrorising us in this country? So, it is just like a call to keep doing what you are doing."

Enenche assured the public that the security agencies were on top of the situation.

Kaigama Urges Danjuma, Akume Others to Help End Tiv, Jukun Conflict Meanwhile, the Catholic

Archbishop of Abuja metropolitan Diocese, His Grace, Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, has urged influential leaders in Taraba and Benue States such as Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), Chief Paul Unongo and former governors of Benue State, Senator George Akume and Senator Gabriel Suswam, to collectively work for an end to clashes between the Tiv and Jukun ethnic groups.

While lamenting the numerous deaths and wanton destruction of properties that have resulted from the inter-state communal clashes, Kaigama said land dispute and politics have been identified as the major causes of the conflict.

Speaking at a women conference at Masaka in Nasarawa State, Kaigama also urged the women to intervene and speak to their sons to drop their arms and embrace peace and brotherly love.

"I beg our eminent and respected elders such as Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), Sir and Lady Abu King Shuluwa, Mr. John Mamman, Senator George Akume, Mr. Damian Dodo (SAN), Senator Gabriel Suswam, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, Chief Paul Unongo, Elder Sam Ada, Senator Joel Ikenga and others to individually and collectively speak out

clearly and emphatically to calm nerves," he said.

Kaigama called on the federal and state governments to seriously check the reoccurring crisis, adding that the conflict has succeeded in destroying the agriculture and scaring investors thereby plunging the population into greater poverty

Again, UK Warns Citizens against Travelling to Some States Meanwhile, the British government has again warned its citizens against travelling to Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe States, as well as riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.

It also advised its citizens against travelling within 20 kilometres of the border with Niger and Zamfara States.

The travel advisory was updated yesterday on its website by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO).

The advisory was first issued when the global lockdown was imposed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

It said that the advice is being kept under constant review.

"The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)

W’BANK BOARD’S MEETING FAILURE DELAYS NIGERIA’S LOAN REQUEST Authority (NSIA) to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the economy. It had given the breakdown of the amount as $3.4 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), $2.5 billion from the World Bank and $1 billion from the African Development Bank (AfDB) as well as $150

million to be drawn from NSIA. Already, the Board of the IMF had in April approved the country’s request for the emergency financial assistance under the fund’s Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) to support the federal government’s

efforts in addressing the severe economic impact of the COVID-19 economic shock and the drastic fall in oil prices.

Similarly, the Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in June approved a $288.5 million loan to help Nigeria

tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate its impact on people and businesses.

The loans are also expected to help the federal government achieve set targets in its Economic Sustainability Plan which aims to stimulate the economy by

preventing business collapse and ensuring liquidity; retain or create jobs using labourintensive methods in key areas like agriculture, facility maintenance, housing and direct labour interventions; and undertake growthenhancing and job-creating infrastructural, among others.

advises against all travel to Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe states; riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states, and within 20km of the border with Niger in Zamfara State.

"The FCO advises against all but essential travel to Bauchi, Zamfara, Kano, Kaduna States, within 20 km of the state border with Kaduna and Zamfara states in Niger State, west of the Kaduna River, Jigawa, Katsina and Kogi States, within 20 km of the border with Niger in Sokoto and Kebbi States, and "non-riverine areas of Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers and Abia states."

TOP GAINERS NGN NGN % SEPLAT 29.00 350.00 9.0 FIDSON 0.27 3.42 8.5 STANBIC 1.50 33.00 4.7 ETERNA 0.08 1.90 4.4 UPDC 0.04 0.96 5.0 TOP LOSERS NGN % UBN 0.40 5.00 7.4 LEARNAFRIC 0.07 0.94 6.9 LINKASSURE 0.02 0.38 5.0 JAPAUL 0.01 0.21 4.5 MAYBAKER 0.10 2.80 3.4 HPE Nestle Nig Plc ₦1,256.80 Volume: 173.748 million shares Value: N2.133 billion Deals: 3,646 As at yesterday 6/8/2020 See details on Page 29

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T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͵˜ 2020

COMMENT

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

GBAJABIAMILA, AKPABIO AND THE NDDC

The House of Reps should be commended in its bid to make the NDDC accountable, writes Uche Njoku

I

t is never easy fighting graft in a corruption-infested society. A former Minister of Finance and the coordinating minister for the Economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala lamented how he labored but achieved little in eliminating corruption in government. “When you fight corruption, Corruption will fight back’, she lamented.

There are many ways alleged corrupt individuals fight back.

They create a clog in the wheel of justice if the anti-graft agencies succeeded in dragging them before the court of law. They have enough to hire the best attorney in town who is vast in how to drag a case for decades. Alternatively, a suspect can impugn the integrity of the investigators through unfounded, spurious allegations just to shift attention from the substance of the probe and get the public distracted.

The drama staged by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio during the probe on alleged mismanagement of whopping N81.5bn within a spate of six months that the Interim Management Committee (IMC) took charge of NDDC was a well scripted plot to truncate the fact-finding mission of the panel.

He rambled all through the session. Most of the answers to questions asked were off point and largely irrelevant to the truth-finding mission.

The shameful diversionary tactic of the minister had earlier played out when he took a swipe at a former NDDC boss, Joi Nuniel who accused him of turning the commission to his money machine.

Rather than countering the weighty allegations of corruption leveled against him, Akpabio regaled Nigerians with story of how the former NDDC boss had four bad marriages.

That same mischief was the joker Akpabio unleashed on the investigating panel. He knew that Nigerians and the media will be fixated on graft allegations against members of the investigating parliament, even if he later recanted, the damage had been done and already got temporary reprieve. As expected, the leadership of the House of Representatives led

by Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila took up the gauntlet against the loquacious minister and challenged him to publish the names of lawmakers who got contracts of the NDDC. In his usual style, Akpabio recanted and said he was misquoted. The confidence of the Speaker that members of the ninth assembly never abused their office and privileges to line their pockets as alleged by minister made him to mull legal action to protect the integrity of the parliament from being smeared further.

When he could not withstand the bombardments from many quarters, Akpabio hurriedly released a list containing names of certain individuals who were mostly members of the eighth National Assembly as alleged beneficiaries. The minister deliberately misled the public by engaging in outright falsehood and misrepresentation of facts. Most of the projects listed by Akpabio were constituency projects that lawmakers attracted to their respective communities. The minister is yet to prove that firms that executed these projects are owned by lawmakers.

A simple check at the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC would have lifted the veil on the actual owners of these companies rather making bogus allegations just to distract the public from the massive financial heist under his watch.

The spokesperson of the House Benjamin Kalu aptly captured the

THE PUBLIC OUTCRY AND THE MEDIA PERSECUTION OF THE LAWMAKERS OVER THE AKPABIO ALLEGATION WAS A DISSERVICE TO THE PARLIAMENT THAT WAS BENT ON UNRAVELING THE MASSIVE LOOTING IN THE NDDC

rabble rousing minister and exposed his mischief contained in the irrelevant eight-paragraph letter in wrote to the speaker.

Kalu said, “Following this disturbing allegation, the leadership of the ninth House issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Minister to publish a list of the legislators allegedly awarded 60% of the entire projects of NDDC between January and May 2020. Instead of publishing the list for the world to see in the interest of transparency, the minister in his usual diversionary tactics, chose to send an irrelevant eight-paragraph private letter to the speaker regarding projects of 2018 which pre-date the ninth House of Representatives and had little to do with the bogus claims he made”.

He added, “The projects presented in the Minister’s letter are not within the scope of the investigation and do nothing to address the leadership’s ultimatum for him to publish the list of names of the members who he claimed took 60% of NDDC projects from January to May 2020”. Till date, Akpabio is yet to satisfactorily prove that 60 percent of the contracts went to the members of ninth National Assembly. The House spokesman continues, “Nevertheless, it will interest Nigerians to know that paragraph three of the Minister’s letter fully exonerated the ninth Assembly. Also, in paragraph seven, the minister completely withdrew his previous statement about 60% of the NDDC projects being awarded to members of the ninth Assembly.

“It is also instructive for Nigerians to note that the total number of projects in the 2019 NDDC budget was 5959 out of which 5416 projects were rolled over from 2018, which the ninth Assembly obviously had no influence or control over.

Therefore, unable to prove his claims, the minister presented an ineffectual spreadsheet of only 266 projects out of which about 20 projects were attracted by past members of the National Assembly as constituency projects, not as contractors, but in furtherance of their representative mandate.

“The projects presented in the minister’s letter are not within the scope of the investigation and did nothing to address the leadership’s ultimatum for him to publish the list of names of the members who he claimed took 60% of NDDC projects from January to May 2020.

“Also, contrary to the mischievous narrative being peddled on the internet, the only mention of the Chairman of the NDDC Committee of the 9th House of Representatives, Rep. Tunji Ojo in that letter, was as to his alleged request for the complete payment of 19 contractors who had approached him with complaints over NDDC’s non-payment for their services. This is however, an allegation which has been completely refuted by Rep. Ojo and for which there is no evidence linking him.

“The one member of the House mentioned in that letter only attracted the project to his federal constituency, in the same manner that the NDDC MD, EDFA, EDP, Chairman, etc., applied to the Commission for attention to the needs of their people and were obliged.

This attraction of projects did not any way mean that contracts were personally awarded to them.

Njoku wrote from Ilorin

A SHRINKING SLICE …

The mass resignation of Obaseki’s aides bodes ill for the Edo government, argues Ben Ewan

H

e boasted that Edo is not Lagos, a veiled reference to how former Lagos governor Akinwunmi Ambode lost the confidence of party men and his second term bid scuttled.

The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki believed he had been weaned politically and his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole who is also is benefactor had no say in his government.

Obaseki declared war against the man who brought him from corporate sector and paved way for him in the murky waters of Edo politics to become the governor of the oil-producing state.

He forcefully seized the House of Assembly and enthroned his stooges and acolytes as key officers of the House. The governor was not ready to take chance with his bid to retain power. He deployed the full components of power to control power structures in the state and his former party, All Progressives Party (APC). He blasted Oshiomhole and warned him to steer clear of the nomination process that will produce the standard bearer of the party. He rejected the party’s preference for direct primary and dictated indirect primaries. Strange!

As the intrigues and scheming hot up, the governor failed the assessment of the screening committee and rather than wasting time, pronto he defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where the leaders of the party arm-twisted other frontline candidates for Obaseki to fly its flag.

The governor who thought he had learnt enough to be a man of his own in politics is getting more than he bargained for. To his chagrin, many of his core supporters and members of his cabinet are deserting him and returning back to their first love, APC in droves. Councillors , who are representatives of the people at the grassroot ditched him for Ize-Iyamu.

Pathetically, the Obaseki family rejected him and

pledged support for the APC candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu. Victor Obaseki, a cousin of Governor Godwin Obaseki, who spoke on behalf of the family said although Godwin Obaseki is a kin, he won’t be getting the support of the family. ”I am here today in company of my cousins to support Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.”

This is a major setback to the governor’s second term bid. If the respected Obaseki family could publicly pledged their support to another person, it speaks volumes. You can’t know a man more than members of his clan.

Other major pillars of support are also crumbling so fast. Patrick Iyoha, a director of a support group, Obaseki/Shaibu Movement also left the governor’s camp for the APC. Iyoha, despite being a member of State Waste Management Board, he was not comfortable with the political moves of the governor. Likewise, Mr Gabriel Oiboh, who until his resignation was Chairman State Post Primary Education Board.

Earlier, three commissioners of the Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Area Development Commission had on Monday resigned their appointments. The commissioners are: Osamwonyi Atu, Emmanuel Odigie and Rilwanu Oshiomhole — represented Edo South, Edo Central and Edo North senatorial districts respectively. Paul Ohonbamu, the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation had also resigned. On Wednesday, Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Gender, Agatha Onos also quit the Obaseki government. In a letter of resignation, Onos reaffirmed her loyalty to the APC. These developments are strong indicators to what might be the fate of the governor on September 19.

Elections are about numbers and as the support base of Obaseki continues to sag, danger looms. It will be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle for Obaseki to retain the plum job.

Obaseki can’t soar on the strength of performance.

Many residents of Edo State are not impressed by his mediocre performance in office. He failed to consolidate on the gains of the former governor, Oshiomhole which would have boosted his rating among the people. In his bid to cling to power at all costs, the governor had abandoned governance for electioneering. It is also alleged that the finances of the state are in bad shape.

More than once, the governor had threatened to use the instruments of power to crush political opposition. He warned the former governor who piggybacked him to power to stay away from the state. In his state of confusion and jittery, he recently declared that he will respond to violence with violence.

It is worrisome that a governor who claims to be popular among the people of Edo will be threatened to bring down the state just to remain in power.

Every man’s work will speak for him. If truly he has touched the lives of the common folks in Edo, he should not be jittery. But alas, the realities are here.

Obaseki’s desperation is also wrecking the legislative arm of government in Edo. He literally forced members to be in bed with him against their will.

In few cases, when financial inducements failed, the governor deplored intimidations and harassment.

Hon Yekini Idaiye, deputy speaker was also impeached in a controversial manner and a supporter of the governor, Roland Asoro was chosen to replace him. Idaiye alongside Hon Emmanuel Agbaje and Nosayaba Okunbor representing Orhionmwon North constituency had recently declared for Ize-Iyamu. On Thursday morning, to forestall breakdown of law and order, Police took over the state Assembly complex.

Despite orchestrating violence and fanning ember of discord among the lawmakers, the governor had consistently failed to have total grip on the

parliamentarians. Agbaje who addressed supporters in Igarra over the weekend, revealed the highhandedness tactics of Governor Obaseki. He said: “The only time I can remember that I was a true house of assembly member was the first one year and five months and that was when Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was governor.

“During the period, Adams Oshiomhole approved our constituency projects: I cited one in Ward One, I cited a second one in ward 8 Enwan Mixed Grammar school, I cited one in Ososo Secondary school, they are all there, uncompleted.

“Oshiomhole mobilised the contractors with 50 per cent of the value of the contracts and that is where the job has stopped till today. Since then, for the past four years we have been begging for those jobs to be completed even when we have not got new ones, is that fair?

“Today, I am pained because I have wasted years in the house of assembly without being able to deliver on my campaign promises to my constituents, without being able to meet the slightest of the projections we promised our people because we have a system that doesn’t care about anybody.

Here we have an opportunity and this opportunity is very simple, it is either we want to continue like this but me I don’t want to end my eight years like this.

“The opportunity is that we get a change, a new system that will now bring out better governance that will benefit all of us so the choice is for our people and I know that we are not foolish.

“They say they did roads in Akoko-Edo, the World Bank did roads for us. We are happy even though the standard of those roads is nothing to write home about because they are almost all being washed away.”

The die is cast in Edo. Ewan wrote from Benin

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T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2020

EDITORIAL RETHINKING SECURITY VOTES Security votes should be spent with discretion

A

bove all other attributes, security of the citizens is what defines a state. This significance is reflected in the Nigerian constitution in a very crucial manner. That perhaps explains why the only appropriation vote over which the executive at both the federal and the states is granted discretionary spending is the security vote.

This is the letter of the constitution. The spirit (the ennoblement) is the expectation that high office holders will exercise this discretion with utmost fidelity to the public interest. In the increasingly festering culture of corruption in Nigeria this spirit is observed more in the breach. And it is getting worse.

In a recent report, Transparency International Defence and Security (TI-DS) and Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) disclosed that a whopping N241.8 billion ($670 million) is being spent annually by the federal government as ‘security votes’ in a manner that lacks transparency and accountability. Titled, SECURITY VOTES HAVE ‘Camouflaged Cash: BECOME A CLEVER WAY How ‘Security Votes’ Fuel Corruption in

BY WHICH POLITICAL Nigeria’, the report OFFICE HOLDERS, revealed that while IN COLLUSION WITH the 2018 defence SECURITY AGENCIES, budget is estimated DEFRAUD THE PUBLIC to be some $1.2 billion, more than $670 million extra was being handed out annually without proper oversight. Because these transactions are mostly in cash and not subject to legislative oversight or independent audit, many public officials, according to TI, “channel them into political activities or embezzle them outright.”

As we argued in the past, the scale of this abuse is best left to the imagination when we extrapolate from the brazen corruption to which non-discretionary spending is usually subjected in our country. The situation is worse in the 36 states where the governors behave more like emperors. That is why we believe

Letters to the Editor

there is need for a thorough review of how security spending should be channelled with a proper structure put in place at all levels so that there would be value for money and less abuse.

W

T H I S DAY EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI DEPUTY EDITOR YEMI AJAYI, DAVIDSON IRIEKPEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE

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

e acknowledge that not all security expenditure (properly understood as such) can stand public scrutiny without jeopardising its overarching purpose of maintenance of law and order and defence against internal and external violation. But nothing can justify the current situation where the executive allocates to themselves jumbo sums of money that is spent without any accountability on issues that have nothing to do with the security or welfare of the people.

Invariably, security votes have become a clever way by which political office holders, in collusion with security agencies, defraud the public.

In the particular case of the governors, they are harder put to justify the scale of their discretionary receivables when it is realised that all constitutionally recognised security operatives and infrastructure are funded by the federal government. Incidentally, the misuse of security votes became a subject of debate when in the course of the fight between him and then Oyo State Governor Rashidi Ladoja about a decade ago, the late Lamidi Adedibu said he expected a certain percentage of the security votes being collected by the former to be given to him almost as of right.

What is particularly worrying is that this abuse is not only at all levels of government, it has been extended to virtually all public agencies, including academic institutions. Yet, more than ever before, Nigeria is in dire need of accountable and public- spirited leadership. The governors, most of whom are now seeking public sympathy on their inability to pay the wages of their workers, should urgently remedy their profligate ways while President Muhammadu Buhari who came with the agenda to fight corruption should lead from the front on the issue.

That is the surest way to show a serious commitment to the fight against graft in Nigeria.

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-200 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (9501000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.

Fake News And The Social Media

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hatsApp is Nigeria’s biggest social network which can be found in the phones of 85 per cent of Nigerian social media users - but too often the platform is used to spread dangerous misinformation.

During the last Ebola outbreak WhatsApp users were told to bathe in salt water to protect themselves from the deadly disease. As a result, at least two people died.

The recent Covid-19 outbreak has been no different, with raw onion, olive oil, garlic and shaving all preposterously peddled as a “miracle cure” in a pandemic which has already claimed the lives of almost 1000 Nigerians.

This week the app has finally taken action to stop the spread of fake news on its platform by introducing a magnifying glass icon next to messages forwarded at least five times.

By clicking on the icon users can quickly search the internet to see if the claims are true. But not in Nigeria. So far, only users in Brazil, Italy, Ireland, Mexico, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States are able to use the fact-checking service.

If people weren’t already using the internet to verify claims like “the disease which has killed over 700,000 people around the world can be stopped in its tracks by leaving an onion on your carpet” before forwarding them to their friends and family I’m not sure how much an emoji is likely to change – but at least it’s something.

But it is incredible that over 20 million Nigerian users are being excluded from this service – not least given the comparatively low levels of digital literacy in our nation compared to countries where the fact-checking facility is being rolled out.

Ultimately, Nigeria needs a high profile national digital literacy campaign

to help social media users to better critically consider the information they see online. With so much political information being shared online – much of it just as unreliable as the medical advice above – our democracy depends upon it as much as our health and safety.

This campaign must come hand-in-hand with a renewed effort to build a digitally-skilled workforce for the 21st century – with the World Bank estimating that less than one percent of African children currently leave school with basic programming computer skills.

We also need to remove data charges from online educational resources.

WhatsApp is Nigeria’s biggest social network simply because users do not need to use much data to access it. The fact the government remains deaf to calls to make this the case for learning resources – especially when so many youngsters need help to catch up with their schooling after the disruption of the coronavirus– is impossible to understand.

Until then, we need social media companies to take the necessary steps to protect their users from fake news and harmful half-truths. And at the Digital Democracy campaign, which I lead, we’re already doing our bit.

Our free Rate Your Leader app allows voters to get vital information direct from their elected representatives, person to person, straight from their smartphone.

If they think the information they get isn’t reliable or honest, they can rate the source of that information accordingly, directing their neighbours to information sources which are reliable and credible.

At the same time, politicians can get potentially life-saving messages straight to people in their communities, as well as building a more accurate picture of what matters most to the people they serve.

Joel Popoola is a Nigerian tech entrepreneur and digital democracy campaigner. Joel@rateyourleader.com

Be The Face Of Truth Facebook

F

acebook has finally removed a false claim from President Trump’s page, the claim being that children are less susceptible to the COVID-19 virus.

The advice from a Presidential press conference should come from Dr Anthony Fauci and really only him. Facebook has a right and a responsibility to remove inaccurate information, especially life threatening, but they and the other social media platforms have a long way to go with so many medical lies out there including the nature of the virus, the spread of the virus and especially the treatment options. Eventually, hopefully, there will be a vaccine and it must be available cheaply and without unfounded fears about the vaccination process.

There are many lies out there, moon landing doubters, rigged elections, Elvis sightings and even Lizard people but fortunately they are so silly no one believes them. When the proponents are interviewed, they are even more obviously from the deranged thinking of some lost souls. This is the danger behind the misleading information from President Trump, most people have trust in their president and see the role as being a leader and a source of accurate information backed up by the best experts available.

It’s time to emphasise the right and responsibility of social media platforms to provide access to correct information and to remove falsehoods and perhaps to consider their original purpose, as Facebook was designed to connect not to divide.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY AUGUST 7, 2020

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POLITICS

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

2023 Presidency, Mamman Daura and the Peoples’ Alternative

Lagos-based journalist, Adewale Adeoye, warns against the dangers of allowing a few Nigerians called ‘the cabal’ to determine the leadership of the country in 2023

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iscourse about the 2023 Presidential election is in a continuous state of motion, ever unstable, never with a definite shape. Recently, one of Nigeria’s most powerful figures, Alhaji Mamman Daura, a confidant of President Mohammadu Buhari and evidently the most outstanding pillar of the administration spoke his mind. It appears to be the summary of the thinking within the caucus of the Buhari kitchen cabinet. He said the next President of Nigeria can come from anywhere in the country. On the surface, he spoke eloquently, presenting a classic radical and even Marxist position that places premium on merit as against parochial judgments. Daura seldom speaks. When he does, he chooses his medium and his strategic audience. He spoke through the BBC Hausa Service. A psycho-analytical overview of Daura’s statement has various implications. First, his audience. Mamman Daura addressed his traditional constituency, the Northern masses who pay magic attention to BBC Hausa service with record 17.7million weekly listeners in the North. Majority of the listeners are Northern Muslims . The timing; he spoke at a phase of grave concern about fears that certain powerful interests in the core-North are bent on retaining power in the zone; he spoke at a time the agitation for rotation of power from the North, again to the South is gaining momentum. Let us not forget: He did not raise this issue in 2011 and 2015, why now when his own “people” are expected to quit the stage in 2023?

The statement appears deliberate; it has become the thermometer to gauge the mood of Abuja principality and powers; also a carrot, to measure the feelings of politicians in the South who feel a deep sense of the right to clinch the Presidency in 2023. For one thing, Duara’s statement means many things; that Nigeria needs a truly nationalist leader with emphasis on quality. Many progressives share this position with Duara but with different motives. Daura has no known radical tradition. It is then safe to assume that there is hidden thick clothing behind what appears like harmless linen. It is now certain that the core North, including Mamman and his caucus will present a candidate in 2023. Most likely, the group will present a person from the North. Stretched further, the group will present a candidate from anywhere in the country who must defend the interest of the Daura group. It is also a clearer confirmation that President Buhari is not on his own, he reports to a stealth leadership within. That is the short and bold message which Daura appears to have presented in the most diplomatic manner possible.

Given the power and influence of the caucus in today’s politics, it will be a grave error to undermine its formidable strength, but it is also a grievous error for the Daura group to overestimate its strength and undervalue the flood of resistance that may flow from his adversaries.

There is no doubt that today, Nigeria faces serious problems of corruption, underdevelopment, sectionalism in the allocation of positions, sharing of state resources and opportunities, poverty and hunger. These have continued to fuel violence, extremism and brigandage in some parts of the country. The consequences are pronounced in deeper ethnic division, tribalism and the increasing tempo of secessionist agitation.

This is the time for a unifying political figure that understands the history and dialectics of the challenges facing the country and who is prepared to guarantee justice, equity and fair play. However, the need for a fair-minded President in 2023, does not in any way contradict the need for the rotation

of power which is an unwritten convention not only in the political parties, but also in the sub-consciousness of many Nigerians.

Why a President with a national outlook is needed, this does not eliminate the quest for such a candidate from the South neither

The Edo State We Will See Under Ize-Iyamu Michael Ovienmhada, a Political Commentator and Author paints a picture of Eldorado if Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu wins the impending governorship election in Edo State

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got a call from Pastor Osagie IzeIyamu in early 2016. I had never met him but someone had given him my number. He said—- “My name is Osagie Ize-Iyamu. I would like you to come and work for my campaign. I have seen several of your articles and one thing that is not in doubt is that you love Nigeria. Well, Edo State is Nigeria.

Here’s a chance to get your feet in the mud.”

I was bowled over, thankful that someone so esteemed had recognized my work and at the same time thrown a challenge. You challenge an Esan man to your peril. We do not back down. He sent me a ticket and I flew to Benin to join him at dinner. Before my trip, I had called up some of my friends in Benin to ask them questions. Who was this fellow? What does he stand for? What are his antecedents? Everyone I spoke with, friend or foe, had one thread running through their assessment of him—a common refrain about him was—That guy is a leader.

Our country has been in search of people who would lead from the front.

Since the demise of the First Republic when the titans were vanquished in an unfortunate coup and subsequent counter coup, Nigeria has been in a state of suspended animation. Nothing has been spared the hurricane of military governance that blighted the moral, economic, political and ethical fabric of our country. However, Edo State was in some measure, spared the disaster that befell the nation in those years because we were fortunate to have Samuel Ogbemudia and Professor Ambrose Alli. Those two, helped to stop the general slide of underdevelopment that enveloped the

rest of the country. In my discussions and interactions with Osagie leading up to the elections of 2016, what I saw was a man who was very single-minded and focused on the task ahead, calm, rarely agitated and always ready to listen.

These are attributes we need sorely in Nigeria but which, sadly, have been missing from the political landscape. As the 2020 elections are upon us, we need to take a cursory look at Edo State in the last four years. One thing is clear. Obaseki is no longer an unknown quantity. In 2016, he barely spoke a word. Oshiomhole spoke for him, interviewed for him, danced for him and sang for him.

Obaseki just stood by Oshiomhole’s side, smiling, almost handsome, compared to his godfather. We all wondered, mouths wide open, our brains spinning. How could a man stake so much for another human being? Oshiomhole at the time reminded me of John the Baptist. John, humbled that he would baptize Jesus, quickly became small in his own eyes and we all know that John was no small guy. A man who could confront Herod and challenge him that what he had done by taking his own brother’s wife could not have been a small guy by any measure. However, when he saw Jesus—he declared without equivocation —he must increase and I must decrease. Even though I was working for Ize-Iyamu at the time, we could not but admire Oshiomhole’s total endorsement of Obaseki and his willingness to stake his own future on a man he barely knew. We then concluded that Oshiomhole must have known something we did not know.

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

does it assert the predominance of such a candidate only in the core North. The reality is that even if a section continuously produces the best President for any country, meeting the needs of Nigerians, it will not stop the agitation for other sections to assert the right to lead the country. When a section thinks it must continuously produce the leadership of the country, it oils a feeling of entitlement, shows contempt for the ability of other zones to govern the country, promotes the politics of exclusion, the very essential ingredient of equity and it diminishes the hope of having a territory that offers equal opportunities to her citizens regarding the right to aspire to rule. Rotation is also supported by historical factors given the plural nature of Nigeria.

Let us face it, the core North has some advantages. The number of voters in the North-West in 2019 was 18,505,984 voters, South-West zone was 14,626,800, South-East had the lowest with 8,293,093. Lagos has 6,048,156 registered voters, while Kano comes second with 5,149,070 voters. SouthSouth,11,101, 093 and North East, 9, 929,015.

The North West and North East alone have 28,434,999 voters. With the North Central, the number of voters in the entire North comes to 39,021,964 while the South West, South East and South-South together comes to 35,656,908. The North has a clear difference of 3,365,056 voters ahead of the South.

In 2015, registered voters were 68,833,476 but increased to 73,944,312 as at January 2018 and peaked almost at 80million as at December 2018. Youths between 18 to 35 made up 51,11 percent while people between 36 and 50 years formed 29.97 percent.

It is an old maxim that the North has always been accustomed to electoral advantage, which seems to have been reinforced by careful plotting from the past years. The creation of States, local governments, wards and constituencies orchestrated largely by the military governments of Gens Ibrahim Babangida and Sanni Abacha, has strengthened the potential of the core-North to determine the electoral fortunes of the country, to some extent. The last three decades have also seen other factors leading to a demographic and electoral shift in favour of the core-North. While the North continues to record large turn out on election day, the potentials continue to diminish in the South.

Education and economic independence have lifted the South, but have also become the albatross of the South when it comes to electoral consciousness. Every available fact indicates that on election day, more people vote in the core-North than anywhere else.

For a political system that places less value on ideas, the high level of illiteracy in the core North has become a source of electoral gain, providing the impetus for high turnout of voters. There is also the recent mass movement of people from the Magreb region, displaced by the armed conflict, many of who see Nigeria as their save haven.

Many of them have registered as voters in Nigeria. Increasingly, this group is becoming a strong electoral force and given the bond of faith and tradition, their preferences during elections are predictable. The reality is that given the balance of registered voters, the North today has the best advantage to produce the highest number of votes, but this is not automatic. Variables like ethnicity, religion, party structure, campaign strategy, networking of the individual candidates are bound to affect a North-South fixation in the electoral synergy. Yet the North has witnessed unprecedented polarization in recent years, breaking a once unified whole.

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

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY AUGUST 7, 2020

17

PERSPECTIVE

‘No new friends’: Lessons from Steve Ayorinde at 50 Ayeni Adekunle, Founder of Black House Media, writes a moving eulogy on a former member of the Lagos State cabinet

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was going through a twitter thread last night, where a couple of young Nigerians talked about comedy skits and c haracter stereotyping. You know, Lasisi Elenu with the snapchat lip filter, Ogbeni Adan an d his father-son shenanigans, Taaooma and her mom’s slap, and so on. Then someone said ‘I really like what Josh2Funny has done, by introducing different new characters.

Juga really cracks me up’.

So I spent a good part of my Sunday going through Josh’s videos. This rather resourceful gentleman has eight characters – mama Felicia, Bro Zakius, TTP, Juga and so on.

Le t’s take Juga: A neighborhood lay about who’s been there and done that. He’s now the corner street story teller, dishing out history notes that are mostly false, often exaggerated, and usually unasked for. He’s upset that everyone seems to leave the area once they make it, never to return. ‘Why can’t we all still be here living as one?’, he asks his friend who wonders loudly what’s wrong with moving up and out of the streets.

We all know a Juga: a ‘friend’ from way back who still plays foot ball at the same field we all gathered 20 years ago; a talkativ e, braggadocios one who has gin for breakfast, knows everyone’s secrets, and ‘is just about to make it’.

We also know those friends who to be fair to Juga, can’t wait to change their phone number, their names, even their face, once they taste a little success.

Onc e they ‘blow’.

And then we know those who und erstand the value in straddling the past and the present; in living the streets, even after leaving.

Steve Ayorinde belongs to this last set, and it’s something I find really inspiring.

To be clear: there are many things I like about Steve – his sharp mind, his contrarian views, his love for art and culture, his hard work, and his dedication to supporting his friends and community.

But I’ve known him since the early 2000s when I was a reporter at Encomium, and he a mid-level corresponded at the Punch. Feminar Café, inside LTV 8 in Agidingbi was the close-ofbusiness joint for everyone that mattered in media and entertainment, and I stopped by every night to pass time until traffic subsided. Steve was a regular, along with ‘Yinka Oyedeji, Gbe nga Adeyinka, ‘Biodun Kupoluyi, Tunmise Adekunle, and others.

Many people read my music column in Encomium and encouraged me. Steve was one of them. And he never stopped advising me to find my way to a national newspaper.

When he became editor of The Punch, the first arts writer in Nigeria to accomplish that, I was already established at THISDAY where I ran a two-page weekly column in the Sunday newspaper. I ran into him at Visa’s in Opebi, one Sunday night. And he asked whether I was ready to move. I said I’d consider it.

I know he would have had to join other communities and familiarize with other constituencies. But each time I turned round to look, he was steadfast in his devotion to his first constituency: media, arts and culture

Humour Among Thieves Felix Oboagwina, a Lagos-based journalist holds up the exemplary conduct of Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Bashir Abubakar who turned down a tempting offer of huge bribe money, but was ironically sacked with ignominy

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ssistant Comptroller General of Customs (ACG) Bashir Abubakar has learnt in the hardest way that two rights can turn into a wrong. Just in 2018, the world toasted him for rejecting a bribe of $412,000 (circa N171 million) from unscrupulous Tramadol drug smugglers, but this year he got disgraced out of the service after leading a raid on the warehouse of a suspected imported rice smuggler in Daura, the President’s hometown in Katsina State.

Breaking at the same time that corruption scandals rocked the investigation of government parastatals in the National Assembly, news of Abubakar’s dismissal (part of a general sacking exercise in the Customs) practically slipped under the radar; and the irony in the Customs man’s story failed to get the deserved media limelight.

An honest man fell at the same time scandal was born. And scandal stole his spotlight.

After merely nibbling at the dismissal of the crack Customs Officer as breaking news, the media subsequently gave Abubakar’s travail the cold shoulder treatment without doing follow-ups. Editors rather followed the bandwagon of attention devoted to reporting the National Assembly committee oversight sittings that stank of suffocating stenches of sleaze, corruption and thievery.

The theatre of the absurd staged by members of the President’s cabinet dominated the traditional media and quickly went viral on social media.

A number of MDA heads and ministers appeared at the legislature’s oversight investigations to display sadistic humour.

In addition, these dramatis personae appeared determined that if they must fall they would achieve two things: Firstly, they would not fall alone; and secondly,

they might go down with their integrity in tatters but with their sense of humour intact.

Begin with the Nollywood-style fainting of Professor Kenebradikumo Pondei, Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) under scrutiny. Move to the “off-the-mic, it-is-enough” episode of the Niger-Delta Minister Senator Godswill Akpabio, who had accused Federal legislators of securing 60 per cent of the commission’s contracts.

Akpabio’s diatribe came days after the legislative enquiry saw him crossing swords with former NDDC MD, Ms. Joy Nunieh, who claimed to have dealt him a dirty slap for sexually harassing her. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, The Right Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, joined the fray to challenge Akpabio to open the Pandora Box on NDDC contractors in the National Assembly. In the mix, the Labour Minister Chris Ngige came to trade insults with a “Mushin Boy” Lagos Legislator instead of concerning himself with the corruption in the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), a parastatal in his portfolio.

And then the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Sadiya Umar Farouq, mounted the stage to dillydally over delays in NPower beneficiaries’ monthly stipends running into billions, only to allege Federal legislators had been allocated hundreds of slots, a charge they dismissed as a fabrication. Similarly, the opposition has raised hell over how the ministry could claim to spend N13.5 billion, about N679 million daily, on a school feeding programme with children unable to attend classes due to the pandemic.

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

Steve and Olumide Iyanda had tried to get me into Punch after I quit Encomium years earlier. But I failed the Punch English test.

Now that my THISDAY column was proving popular, and Steve had become the editor at Punch, perhaps it was time to try again.

Few things come close to the feeling of satisfaction that swept over me when the Punch letter came. A company that refused to hire me because I failed their English test was now writing and requesting for me to be a paid external columnist, writing just two pages every week, with no need to show up at the office, and with a pay that was three times what THISDAY was offering me to become a full time employee. Steve did that.

And the day my column e-Punch debuted, he put my photograph on the newspaper ’s cover I know you’ll hear similar stories from many of his friends and colleagues, so I will not bore you with more from my own personal file.

But I wish Juga would have spent time with Steve when he became a commissioner in the Lagos State government and in Nigerian parlance, ‘a big man’.

Every time I had cause to see him (at night of course), Steve would pick the same places he hung out while he was a newspaper editor. He would be in the company of the same old friends, he would often drive himself.

Steve Ayorinde was first Commissioner for Information, and later Commissioner for Tourism and Culture, in Lagos State, from 2015 to 2019. But if no one told you, you’d think he was still an art editor at The Guardian or The Punch.

I know he would have had to join other communities and familiarize with other constituencies. But each time I turned round to look, he was steadfast in his devotion to his first constituency: media, arts and culture. He was unrepentant in his commitment to friends of yore.

And he was stubborn about maintaining his simple, stable, even if nocturnal lifestyle.

I don’t believe in the concept of ‘no new friends’. But I also don’t support discarding your old friends just because of a change in your status. And Steve was the first person to really show me that one could have both.

I believe that’s why it was really easy for him to fit back into his old life, once it was time to leave government. One of the key reasons why people would kill to remain in public office, apart from the apparent and perceived benefits, is that there’s really nowhere to go back to. They’ve ruined old relationships. Cut everyone off, and built a new life around the corridors of power. How would they confront men like Juga?

For Steve it wasn’t a problem at all. In fact, Juga would rather die than mention him as one of those who ‘forget boys for area’.

There’s a lesson there for me, and I hope you find one too, as we all wish this remarkably strange gentleman a very happy 50th birthday.

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FRIDAY AUGUST 7, 2020 •T H I S D AY

19

T H I S D AY Ëž AUGUST 7, 2020

BUSINESSWORLD

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

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Quick Takes FAA Gives Update on Boeing 737 Max

STOCK-TAKING

L-R: Board Member, International Chamber of Commerce Nigeria (ICCN), Dr. Babatunde Ajibade; Secretary General, Mrs. Olubunmi Osuntuyi and Vice Chairman, Chief Raymond Ihyembe, during the 2020 Annual General Meeting of the Chamber held in Lagos... recently PHOTO: KOLAWOLE ALLI

NAMA Cries Out for Financial Bailout Chinedu Eze The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) is broke and in desperate need for operational funds.

To this end, the agency has cried out for an urgent bailout from the federal government.

This was disclosed to THISDAY, by the Managing Director of the agency, Captain Fola Akinkuotu, who confirmed that NAMA was able to pay salary of workers in July due to the effort of the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, who facilitated a loan that the agency added to its existing funds to pay its personnel. “NAMA is facing financial difficult so we need bailout in order to survive. Last month we took a loan to pay salaries and this month too we will need another loan to add to what

AVIATION we have in order to be able to pay salaries. “So we need the bailout in order to sustain our service.

We earn revenue from the passenger service charge, which is collected by NCAA and shared by the agencies. We also earn revenue from en-route, terminal and navigation charges.

But domestic airlines don’t pay us so we rely on international carriers, which pay us through IATA,� the NAMA boss told THISDAY. With about 3,000 workers, NAMA needs about N1.5 billion monthly to pay its workforce and this is in addition to the urgent financial need to sustain its service because it powers most of its aeronautical installations with generators, as most of the

equipment are located in remote areas, in order to ensure total radio and radar coverage of the nation’s airspace.

Akinkuotu, explained that like some other aviation agencies, NAMA barely generated revenue during the lockdown period, saying to make its case worse, it does not make much money from domestic airlines.

The agency, however, relies on terminal and navigational charges paid by foreign airlines and collected for it by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for its main revenue, he stressed.

Since the closure of the airspace on March 23, 2020 only cargo and evacuation flights have been operating.

Evacuation flights don’t pay the needed charges to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and others because evacuation flights are deemed

emergency flights.

The NAMA Managing Director also told THISDAY that the agency earns revenue from the five per cent passenger service charge, which is collected

by NCAA and shared by the aviation agencies and the other sources are en-route, terminal and navigational charges. So, it only anticipates to start earning revenue once more, when international flight operations resume.

He explained that without international airlines operating it would be difficult to earn revenue. “We long for international flights to resume but that is dependent on the Minister of Health because coronavirus is a health issue; it is not an aviation issue. Until the Minister certiContinued on page 20

Maritime Workers Threaten Showdown with Foreign Shipping Firms Eromosele Abiodun Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), the umbrella body of maritime workers in Nigeria, has vowed to resist attempt by foreign shipping companies to circumvent the recent marine notice issued by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

President General of MWUN, Mr. Adewale Adeyanju, in a statement said the government notice No. 106 as well as the Associated Stevedoring regulation 2014 were operational guidelines issued by NIMASA to all dock labour employers and private operators of any work location including ports, jetties, onshore or offshore oil and gas or bonded terminals, inland container depots (ICDs), off dock terminals, dry ports and platforms has been flouted. “We have noticed with dismay

MARITIME that some of the stakeholders mentioned above have continued to flay this government directive by their blatant refusal to grant the government appointed and NIMASA registered stevedores and dock workers access to the operational areas allocated to them by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). “This is not acceptable to us as we cannot seat back, fold our arms and watch our members being disallowed to perform their statutory duties that fetch them their daily bread. “We therefore use this medium to sound a note of warning to those stake holders who feel that they can always flout government directive with impunity and in effect expose our members to starvation, to have a rethink and allow the government ap-

proved and NIMASA registered stevedores and dock workers access without let or hindrance, the operational areas government allocated to them to perform their legitimate duties.�

The workers, he stated, shall not hesitate to engage in a manner that has never been witnessed in Nigeria, with stakeholders that see themselves above the law.

He added: “However, we would like to use this medium to request the Managing Director, NPA to look into the lingering issue of dredging the Calabar channel which contract we are reliably informed had been awarded many years back. We believe dredging the Calabar channel will positively boost trade and commerce in the Niger Delta area and further help boost revenue to the Federal government while also creating employments for Nigerians.�

Adeyanju assured members of

the public of maritime workers’ readiness to partner with the government agencies in maintaining peace and industrial harmony in the maritime sector, “and we will continue to do so as long as fairness, equity and justice which they have brought to bear in the system is maintained.�

NIMASA had recently directed all duly registered stevedoring companies with operational areas allotted by the NPA to mobilise to their work locations.

The directive, contained in a marine notice issued stated that the affected companies should report any encumbrances to the Agency. This is in line with the Stevedoring Regulation, 2014, gazetted by the Federal Government of Nigeria, developed pursuant to the NIMASA Act, 2007.

The agency equally notified

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has given detailed action andproceduresitwantstobemadebeforeBoeing737MAXplanescan fly commercially again. The 737 MAX has been grounded since March 2019followingtwofatalcrashes,whichkilled346people.

BBCreportedthatBoeinghopestogetthe737MAXbackintheairearlynext yearafterthechangesaremade.Proposedchangesincludeupdatingflight controlsoftware,revisingcrewproceduresandreroutinginternalwiring.

BBCsaidinarelatedreportalsopublishedonMonday,theFAAsaidthat Boeing’sownrecommendationshadsufficientlyaddressedtheproblems thathadcontributedtothetwofatalcrashes.

Once the proposals become official, Boeing can then make the changes and ready the planes for flight.The design updates will need to be made toallplanesdeliveredtoairlinesalongwiththosenotyetorderedorbuilt. “We’re continuing to make steady progress towards the safe return to service,workingcloselywiththeFAAandotherglobalregulators. “Whilewestillhavealotofworkinfrontofus,thisisanimportantmilestone inthecertificationprocess,�aBoeingspokesmantoldtheBBC. Whilethecompanyhopestogetthe737Maxflyingagaincommercially byearly2021,airlinesmaystillfaceweakdemandduetothecoronavirus pandemicandtravelrestrictions.

Therearealsootherhurdlestoovercome,includingthedevelopmentof pilottrainingprogrammes,independenttechnicalreviewsandtheresults ofsimulatortests.

Boeingisexpectedtocarryout737MaxsimulatorpilottrainingatGatwick Airport,whereBritishAirwayshasamajorpresence.

BA’sparentcompanyIAGsignedaletterofintenttobuy200ofBoeing’s 737MAXplaneslastyear.

EU Eyes Sustainable Fuel Quotas

The European Union is considering quotas to force airlines to use more sustainablefuelasitseekstoclampdownontheclimateimpactofaviation, theEuropeanCommissionsaidonWednesday.

Reutersreportedthatwhilethecoronaviruscrisishasslashedemissions from air travel this year, CO2 emissions from flights within Europe had climbedeveryyearfrom2013-2019,andthesectorisfarofftrackforthe EU’sgoaltobecomeclimateneutralby2050.

To help tackle this, the Commission plans to push airlines towards using lower-carbonfuels-suchasliquidadvancedbiofuelsandfuelsproduced byrenewableelectricity-insteadoffossilkerosene.

InaconsultationlaunchedonWednesday,theCommissionlaidoutoptions to do so, including setting quotas for airlines to use a certain share of sustainable fuels, and an obligation for the fuel industry to produce a minimumshareofthem.

Other options include European trading system for fuel carbon credits, Europeantendersforsustainablefuelsproduction,oranew“greenairlines� accreditationscheme.

Sustainable fuels make up a tiny 0.05 per cent share of EU jet fuel consumption, and have been hampered by high costs compared with conventionalkerosene,andalackofdemandamongairlines.

Aviation Has Biggest Pandemic Default Risk’

Theaviationsectorcarriesthebiggestriskofcorporatedefaultasaresult ofthecoronaviruspandemic,accordingtoasurveyofinsurerspublished bybrokerGallagheronTuesday.

Only29percentofcreditandpoliticalriskinsurershadseenclaimsdirectly related to the virus so far, the survey of underwriters, conducted in June andJuly,showed.

Companiesorlendersbuycreditinsurancetogetcoverfornon-payment forgoodsorservices.

Pandemic-relatedcreditinsuranceclaimsarehoweverlikelytoriselater this year or early next year, as businesses struggle to stave off default, saidMatthewSolley,managingdirectorofstructuredcreditandpolitical risksatGallagher.

Aviation,oilandenergy,andtourismwerethethreesectorsintheirportfolios thatconcernedinsurersthemost.

Virgin Australia, Air Mauritius and Colombia-based Avianca are among airlines to have ceased operations in the past few months, with planes groundedbylockdownsaroundtheworld.

Insurers also worry about non-payment by governments, with Zambia seenthebiggestrisk.

Inthebroaderpoliticalriskinsurancemarket,whichcancoverissuesranging fromexpropriationtowar,Argentinawasseenasthebiggestconcern.

“On palliative, the Minister is one of us.

He has always told us so; so the airlines are actually sticking to that�

Accountable Manager, Dana Air,

Obi Mbanuzuo Continued on page 20

20

T H I S D AY Ëž Íľ, 2020

BUSINESSWORLD NAMA CRIES OUT FOR FINANCIAL BAILOUT fies it healthy for international airlines to resume they cannot resume. “So we need to borrow money to pay salaries because we are broke. They should give us bailout. If bailout does not come we will have to continue to borrow to add to the little that we have. We are trying to very frugal. What we have can’t pay the salary of NAMA personnel,� he added.

About two months ago, the federal government hinted that it would give Nigerian airlines and aviation agencies palliative so that they would be able to sustain their operations.

THISDAY also learnt that NAMA is earning some revenue from cargo flights and over fliers, which is aircraft that fly through Nigerian airspace to other destinations.

The agency provides them weather reports, which they also pay for through IATA. An agency official explained that as long as NAMA radio communication system is working it would continue to serve over fliers, but aircraft movement is low generally as airlines are just resuming full operation in many countries.

MARITIME WORKERS THREATEN SHOWDOWN WITH FOREIGN SHIPPING FIRMS all operators of ports, jetties, onshore or offshore oil and gas or bonded terminals, Inland Container Depots (ICDs), offshore dock terminals, dry ports and platforms, and other work locations to grant duly appointed stevedoring companies access to their premises for commencement of operations.

It said only corporate bodies duly registered in Nigeria would be allowed to employ dock labour or engage in stevedoring work on board or from ships.

Such corporate entities must have satisfied the requirements for registration specified in the Stevedoring Regulation, 2014, and obtained a Stevedoring license from NIMASA. “Every dock labour employer or stevedoring company shall provide proper and safe working conditions for the convenience and proper working of its employees and ensure that all stevedoring plants and equipment supplied and being used in their operations are safe and in good condition,� the agency stated.

Group Business Editor

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

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Comms/e-Business Editor

Ă—Ă—Ă‹ Ă•Ă™Ă˜Ă”Ă“ Senior Correspondent

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Ă’Ă“Ă˜Ă?ĂŽĂ&#x; äĂ? (Aviation) ĂœĂ™Ă—Ă™Ă?Ă?Ă–Ă? ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜ (Maritime) Ă‹Ă—Ă?Ă? Ă—Ă?ÔÙ (Finance) ĂŒĂ?ĂœĂ? åÙÔÓ (Insurance) Ă’Ă“Ă˜Ă?Ă—Ă? Ă•Ă‹Ă?Ă™Ăœ (Energy) Reporters

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NEWS

WACT Reiterates Commitment to Deepening Investment in Nigeria Stories by Eromosele Abiodun The West Africa Container Terminal (WACT), has restated its commitment to deepening investment in Nigeria, particularly in increasing container-handling capacities at the Onne Port.

The Managing Director, WACT, Aamir Mirza, stated this during the company’s 20th anniversary celebration at Onne, Rivers State, recently.

Mirza, said the need for further investment in cargo handling equipment was in response to the significant volume growth witnessed in the Eastern Nigerian market since the company started operations 20 years ago.

He said: “We are celebrating our achievements of the past 20 years. In year 2000 when we started, we did about 35,000 container moves but last year we did over 200,000 moves, so cargo volume has grown over the years and recognising this growth, we are investing in this business. “We are at that point where we will experience new changes.

With more equipment coming in, the mode of operation will change, and we believe we are setting that up for the next 20 to 25 years so that we can serve our customers better in terms of service delivery, customer satisfaction and improved capacity.

“Right now, we are going to invest $100 million and will continue to invest over the years. For example, in 2019, we did about $14 million and in previous years, we have been doing that regularly.�

He said WACT has done a lot of work in marketing Onne Port to the global community even as, “the service level that the customers are getting in Onne is far superior to what they are

getting elsewhere in Nigeria.� “For example, we don’t have vessel waiting time, we don’t have issues with delivery of containers to our customers but customers taking delivery of cargoes from other locations still have challenges with vessel waiting time and service delivery,� Mirza said.

The WACT MD commended the dedication and hard work of the company’s workforce,

which he said contributed in no small measure to the company’s growth and success.

Also speaking at the event, the Country Manager of APM Terminals Nigeria, Klaus Laursen, described as impressive the successes recorded by WACT in its 20 years of existence, which he attributed to the growth in Nigeria’s economy.

Laursen said: “There will be no cargo coming in or going

out if it wasn’t for the economy of Nigeria. We serve only the population of Nigeria. So the first part of it is that Nigeria’s economy is still growing every year.�

While applauding the effort and contribution of the staff to the growth of the company, Laursen urged them not to rest in making WACT the most preferred container terminal in Nigeria.

20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

L-R: Head, Human Resource, West Africa Container Terminal (WACT), Josephine Eneje; Vessel Planner, Sokari Soopu; Managing Director, Aamir Mirza; Senior Supervisor, Berth Planning & Cargo Control, Ifeoma Nwabekee; and Country Manager, APM Terminals Nigeria, Klaus Laursen; during the 20th anniversary celebration of WACT at Onne Port, Rivers State‌recently

CIoTA President Advocates Safer Road Transportation The President of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIoTA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, has restated the institute’s commitment to safety of all modes of transportation in the country, especially those operated within the port environment.

Jamoh said this in Lagos while reacting to a recent incident where a container fell from a truck and landed on a commercial vehicle, killing the occupants, including two

employees of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

The CIoTA president, who is also Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), had in a separate telephone conversation with the parents of the deceased conveyed the institute’s condolences. He promised that the association would intensify its advisory role on transportation matters to rid the sector of unsafe practices and ensure smooth and safe

movement.

In an address to members of the institute, Jamoh said: “I spoke with both parents (Mrs. Ajoku and Mr. Nnaekpe) of the two youthful FAAN employees whose lives were sadly terminated by the fallen container while in a bus on their way from work. As your president, I extended our collective heartfelt sympathies to them in separate phone conversations. “While comforting them, I also assured them that CIoTA

will not only be lending a voice to this matter but will play its full leadership role of advocating for transportation safety on our roads.�

He disclosed that CIoTA had started engaging stakeholders in the industry in a bid to find a lasting solution to the issue of safety, particularly with regard to proper latching of containers onto articulated vehicles, a major challenge that has faced transportation within the port environment in recent times.

Jamoh said: “We have reached out to key state actors with a view to getting their commitments as we strive to work towards a broad-based programme that will involve critical stakeholders on the importance of safely and properly latching containers and cargo to trucks before they leave the marine and other importexport environments for our general road networks; while also addressing the important issue of the competence and mental status of the drivers.�

NIMASA to Safeguard Dockworkers’ Welfare, Rights The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has declared a renewed commitment towards furthering the interest of stevedores as captured in the 2014 Stevedoring Regulation.

Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, disclosed this in Lagos during a courtesy visit by the leadership of the National Association of Stevedoring Companies (NASC).

Jamoh pledged to work more closely with the NASC

to improve the working conditions of dockworkers in the country.

He sought closer partnership between the agency and NASC, and greater involvement of the stevedoring companies in the ongoing effort to amend the NIMASA Act. “We understand our responsibility towards the dockworkers and we are committed to ensuring that their rights and welfare are safeguarded at all times. Our recent directive to registered

stevedoring companies, via a marine notice, to mobilise to their work locations and commence operation is in line with that commitment. “NIMASA is, as always, willing and available to assist dockworkers. We remain committed to facilitating an enabling environment for stevedores to operate, and thrive. “As an agency, we need deeper partnership with the stevedoring companies and, indeed, more participation from you in the current effort

to amend the NIMASA Act and realise a more robust law that works for all of us. “But we also urge the NASC to be more proactive in communicating challenges you face to facilitate more timely interventions by the Agency.�

Jamoh appreciated the steps the leadership of NASC was taking to improve capacity and welfare of stevedores. He said closer collaboration between the association and NIMASA would result in more efficient operations at the ports and better working conditions for

dockworkers.

Earlier, President of NASC, Mr. Bolaji Sunmola, who led the visiting delegation, stated that since its inception, the association had provided a platform for discussion, formulation, and implementation of policies affecting maritime labour, with focus on cargo handling operations. Sunmola added that assisting NIMASA in the administration of Maritime Labour, as specified in the relevant enabling Acts, remained a primary focus of the NASC.

Phillips Consulting Launches Online Courses Philips Consulting Limited has introduced micro-services platform tagged pcl. Micro Courses.

Launched in Lagos recently, the solution is a tool that seeks to drive the reskilling of ecosystems and support diverse communities, with interactive platforms that bridge the transition gap into the future.

Speaking on the new online courses, Philips Consulting’s Senior Consultant Learning,

Innovation, Fokanferanmi Okojie, was quoted in a statement to have said, “Several mega-trends are bringing a radical shift to the way we work, live, and learn. We are looking, listening, learning, and creating banisters for all genres of the corporate world to transition smoothly on the unprecedented path to the future of work.�

Despite emergence from the pandemic lockdown, he said, “Our unemployment rates are

skyrocketing daily, the youths are shaken and those currently employed are unprepared for the future that is speedily presenting itself. “The systems designed to support learning at all levels are just as inadequately prepped for the change. The quality of our long-term professional talent pool is dwindling and the influx of youth into the workforce only fails deeper when they are onboarded to a corporate system

with no plan for the future of work,� he added.

Corroborating Okojie’s earlier exertion, Nwaji Jibunoh, Head of Training at Philips Consulting said, “Nigeria is at the inflection point where the name of the new game is how best prepared you are for the future. Upskilling yourself will no longer be about fulfilling requirements but about survival�.

As technology continues to evolve and adoption accelerated,

Jibunoh stated that moving closer and closer towards fully automated systems, the future of work and the emerging technology skillsets required, are no longer conversations for tomorrow, but rather, for today. COVID-19 has forced us to reimagine the way that we work digitally, and it has brought the reality into our lives in many unimaginable ways. The growth of the digital workplace will continue unabated.

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Union Gives Ultimatum to Airlines over Pilots’ Sack Stories by Chinedu Eze The National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) has issued a two-week ultimatum and threatened to withdraw the services of its members in the airlines that have sacked or plan to sack pilots and engineers in their employment recently.

NAAPE also tackled Bristow Helicopters for the lay-off of over 100 pilots and engineers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, alleging that the companies lied that it didn’t operate during the lockdown.

The president of NAAPE, Mr. Abednego Galadinma, made these known to newsmen, saying pilots and engineers have resolved to withdraw services of pilots and aircraft maintenance engineers across all airlines.

The body has also called the attention of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to as a matter of urgency prevail on the airlines to stop the unilateral sacking of pilots and engineers.

The NAAPE president said: “We demand that Bristow and Air Peace should im-

mediately recall all sacked pilots and aircraft engineers until all labour issues are resolved or be grounded by NCAA because of attendant safety concerns created by their action. “As a result of the known consequences of these illegal actions and our commitment to patriotic fervour, we shall be forced to withdraw our guarantee of industrial peace within the industry if this call is not heeded within two weeks. Our union will be left with no other option but to withdraw the services of pilots and aircraft maintenance engineers across all the airlines.�

The NAAPE president discountenanced the Bristow statement, which indicated that the termination of their 100 pilots and engineers would affect both Nigerians and expatriates, insisting that it was just a ploy to get rid of Nigerians. “To say the 100 pilots and engineers are not only our members is unsubstantiated and we do not know this because the management did not engage us. “Operators especially Bristow Helicopters have rendered our members

redundant despite assurances by government of support for their businesses in return for operators not layoff of staff. “These operators are already running on lean manpower with disproportionate number being expatriates yet, without regards to our expatriates and local content laws and executive order (5) they have gone ahead to lay off staff under the guise of COVID-19 pandemic.� “And they cannot be using COVID-19 as an excuse because the cessation of flight operations did not affect essential services like the oil and gas and Bristow and Caverton were operating during the lockdown. In fact you’d recall that our members were held by the Rivers State Government during the lockdown, so how can they be using COVID-19 as an excuse. It is on record that Bristow Helicopters operated throughout the lockdown, supporting oil and gas operations with government approval and guarantees service contracts in the same national interest but are now using COVID-19 to force redundancy on our members,� he added.

Virgin Atlantic Files for Bankruptcy Protection Virgin Atlantic Airways has filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy protection in New York, the United States, as the global airline industry reels from the coronavirus pandemic.

The protection under chapter 15 of the US bankruptcy code allows a foreign debtor to shield assets in the country. The crisis-hit Airline in July received a ÂŁ1.2 billion ($1.5 billion) rescue deal to keep it solvent just days before it was due to resume passenger flights.

The carrier said the recapitalisation plan would

be deployed over 18 months and has the support of shareholders, new investors and existing creditors. Virgin Atlantic’s US bankruptcy court filing stated that it had negotiated a deal with stakeholders “for a consensual recapitalization� that will get debt off its balance sheet and “immediately position it for sustainable long-term growth�.

Under that plan Richard Branson’s Virgin Group injected £200m, with additional funds provided by investors and creditors.

The billionaire Virgin boss had a request for UK

government money rejected, leaving the airline in a race against time to secure new investment.

The US filing is tied to a separate action filed in a British court, where Virgin Atlantic obtained approval on Tuesday to convene meetings of affected creditors to vote on the plan on 25 August.

In May, Virgin Atlantic, which is 51 per cent owned

by Virgin Group and 49 per cent by US airline Delta, announced that it would cut more than 3,000 jobs in the UK and close its operation at Gatwick airport.

Albakri Appointed IATA Senior VP The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that Muhammad Albakri, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East (AME) will be appointed Senior Vice President for Customer, Financial and Digital Services (CFDS), based in Geneva.

The appointment becomes effective on March 1, 2021. At that time Aleks Popovich, who currently holds the position, will retire. “Over the past 16 years Aleks has driven some of the most critical elements of IATA’s operations, while leading major transformational projects for the airline industry. “This includes IATA’s financial settlement products, which securely processed $457

billion of industry money in 2019, during a time of tremendous innovation in financial technology. “And he delivered critical flagship programs that continue to change the industry—introducing costeffective self-service options under the banner of Simplifying the Business, enabling airline retailing with New Distribution Capability (NDC), and streamlining decades of legacy processes with ONE Order. “Aleks leaves behind a great team with a clear focus on customer service that will continue to drive critical changes under the capable leadership of Muhammad,� said IATA’s Director General and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac.

Albakri joined IATA in

January 2017 after more than a decade in the leadership team of Saudi Arabian Airlines where he successfully fulfilled the roles of Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice President for Transformation.

At IATA, Albakri has been an agent of change, transforming the Africa and Middle East regional team to better serve member needs and pioneering the work of IATA’s Digital Transformation Advisory Council. “Muhammad is well prepared to guide the development of IATA’s commercial offerings, settlement services and digital leadership. In normal times, these are critical functions—even more so in the middle of an industry crisis,� said de Juniac.

As Pandemic Forces Layoffs in Aviation Sector

Bristow Chinedu Eze It was predicted. Industry stakeholders knew that without earning revenues for months, airlines would not have operational funds to maintain the pre-COVID-19 status when they resume service.

That was why insightful governments provided bailouts and palliatives to their airlines. The economic meltdown occasioned

by Coronavirus lockdown was global and aviation was the most affected.

But despite the bailout, airlines are forced to streamline their operations because, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), as far as COVID-19 still continues to be a threat, passenger traffic would be low for a long time; until vaccine is developed and distributed to the ends of the world so that everyone could access it.

All major carriers in the world have laid off personnel, engaged in salary cuts and some have applied for bankruptcy.

Nigerians were agitated on Monday when the country’s biggest carrier,Air Peace confirmed that it laid off 69 pilots in the process of restructuring the company for post-COVID-19 operations, stressing that the most important thing was to ensure the survival of the airline so that it could still engage those laid off today in future. “This decision was taken for the greater good of the company and its almost 3000 workforce, the affected pilots inclusive. The airline cannot afford to toe the path of being unable to continue to fulfill its financial obligations to its staff, external vendors, aviation agencies, maintenance organisations, insurance companies, banks and other creditors hence the decision to restructure its entire operations with a view to surviving the times. “The pandemic has hit every airline worldwide so badly that it has become very impossible for airlines to remain afloat without carrying out internal restructuring of their costs. Anything short of what we have done may lead to the collapse of an airline as could be seen in some places worldwide during this period. “Therefore, we decided to review the salaries being paid to all staff. The new salaries reflect a 0%-40% cut of the former salary depend-

If the NCAA oversight functions on the operators’ compliance to the economic regulations have been effective and efďŹ cient, I do not think the bickering we see between the workers and their employers would be so incessant

ing on the salary grades of every staff. Even after the cuts, it was obvious that for us to be able to sustain our operations and survive the times, some jobs must inevitably have to go,� Air Peace said in a statement signed by its spokesman, Stanley Olisa.

Seemingly peeved by the action of the union, the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), which obstructed its operations on Monday over alleged discriminatory treatment against Nigerian employees, Bristow Helicopters on Tuesday announced the sack of over 100 pilots and engineers.

The company in a statement signed by the management said, “The spread of the Covid-19 virus has severely impacted all sectors in the aviation industry, including our market, which primarily serves the Nigerian oil and gas sector. In addition, the ongoing downturn in the global oil and gas market continues to influence and determine the demand for our services. “The combined effects of these ‘arisings’ has resulted in very significant reductions to our business particularly a reduction in the number of contracted aircraft in Nigeria. As a result, the company must now restructure all aspects of its business.�

The Accountable Manager of Dana Air, Obi Mbanuzuo and the Managing Director of Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi, told THISDAY that if government had provided the promised palliatives it would help airlines to retain their staff, noting that what should be critical to government is that more Nigerians are not sent to the job market, which is already saturated, but the airlines may not have any other choice than to streamline their workforce in order to survive.

Reacting to the sack of pilots and engineers

by Bristow, Secretary of the industry thinktank group, Aviation Round Table (ART) and Chief Executive of Centurion Securities, Group Captain John Ojikutu (retd) excoriated labour for grounding the operations of the company at the critical moment the aviation industry is gravely under threat of survival. “It’s very unfortunate that we allow the labour unions to be obstructing the commercial operations of the regulated operators and I would blame the NCAA (the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority) for this development only if I can be proved wrong that what we are seeing happening to the regulated operators now is caused mainly by the Covid19 Pandemic. “Before the pandemic, we have witnessed the disruptions or the threats to operations of operators from Bicourtney Aviation Services Limited (MMA2), Caverton, etc, even lately to government operators (Arik Air) and you begin to wonder if the unions have become regulators of the industry. “If the NCAA oversight functions on the operators’ compliance to the economic regulations have been effective and efficient, I do not think the bickering we see between the workers and their employers would be so incessant,� Ojikutu said.

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T H I S D AY ˾ AUGUST 7, 2020

BUSINESSWORLD

ANALYSIS

Codesharing as Cost-saving Strategy Stakeholders believe code-share among the airlines may save cost and boost revenue, writes Chinedu Eze

B

efore the restart of flight operations on July 8, 2020, some industry observers felt that passenger traffic would be low because many Nigerians are still apprehensive about flying.

But there were others who believe that there would be progressive increase in passenger traffic as people jerk off the lethargy of the lockdown to kick-start their businesses. At the time flight operations started, many businesses were still on lockdown, some on partial lockdown and generally many Nigerians were financially sapped, as savings were deployed to provide food for sit at home.

But airlines did not imagine that passenger traffic would be as low as 30-35 per cent. Some flights airlifted about eight to 15 passengers, burning fuel of about 4000 litres per hour and overall cost of N2 million per flight. That was huge loss, which airlines that were coming out of lockdown and had not earned revenue for three months could not endure.

Industry analyst and consultant, Amos Akpan, had stated that before the resumption of flights, there was sufficient indications that traffic would obviously be low when airlines resumed flight operations, noting that airline owners anticipated this low passenger traffic and they were preparing their strategies to go through the season, adding that with their strategies in place and government’s support, some airlines would go through the lean traffic season.

Codeshare/Interlining That strategy should be collaboration through codeshare, which is an arrangement whereby airlines place their passengers going to one destination on one flight. This will save the airlines money because instead of three airlines putting three aircraft from Lagos to Abuja on Monday afternoon, for example, they would put it in one flight and save about 8000 litres of fuel and N4 million operational cost. That would be huge savings, as they share the revenue after the airline that operated the flight has deducted its costs.

Head of Communications of Dana Air, Kingsley Ezenwa, said the airline already has that working relationship with Azman Air and Max Air and it is talking with other airlines.

He observed however, that it would be easy to code-share with airlines that operate from the same terminal like in Lagos where Air Peace and Arik Air operate from the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), known as Domestic Terminal 1, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, while Dana Air, Azman Air, Max Air, Aero, Ibom Air and others operate from the main domestic terminal of the airport, known as MMA2.

Ezenwa, noted that there could be a little challenge in a situation where passengers would resist flying a particular airline because of their preference for another due to in-flight service and perceived safety, but any airline approved by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is airworthy and anyone that sure wants to get to his destination in time would not be held back by such prejudices.

“Interlining will also help the passengers because it will help to eliminate delays and flight cancellations. It will help Nigerian airlines to grow. It will also help the flying public and there will be harmony in the industry. But now competition is stiff and breeds animosity.

Interlining will be key to the survival of the airlines so we need to embrace it,” Ezenwa said.

Many industry stakeholders believe that it is ego rather than philosophy and purpose of the airlines that is responsible for lack of cooperation among Nigerian carriers, but until this challenge is addressed, the report that airlines go under after sometime may continue to live with us.

The campaign for collaboration of domestic carriers has been there for a long time. Some airlines have been reluctant to participate in the collaboration plans, citing incompatible business objective and philosophy and interests and have allowed the cutthroat competition, which drains their revenues, to persist.

Arik and Dana Air Threats The current low load factor is really a threat to the existence of domestic airlines. To safe their operations, domestic operators may not have many choices but codeshare may be the key to survival.

The Chief Executive Officer of Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi told THISDAY that there is no doubt that if the low traffic continues some of the airlines would go under; unless the investors recapitalise or the expected palliatives come from government.

He added that codeshare could be a saving strategy, which airlines must adopt in order to survive, adding that airlines may not have any other choice this time.

“We are also looking at interlining to assist us boost revenue. We are already talking with Dana Air. Airlines will have no choice but to interline to save their operations. I believe it is the way forward. It is not only Arik and Aero that will run out of cash. Many airlines will run out of cash; unless investors put in money. The load factor we have now cannot even buy fuel for the airlines,” Sanusi Said.

NCAA Support The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Musa Nuhu, however, told THISDAY that there is hope that when businesses reopen and go into full stream more people will travel by air because most travels in Nigeria is business; not leisure and currently businesses are yet to blossom after the COVID-19 lockdown.

He said NCAA would support the plan of airlines to interline because it would help them to save money and generate more revenue in their operations, as long as the interlining or code-share does not infringe on any of the

This will save the airlines money because instead of three airlines putting three aircraft from Lagos to Abuja on Monday afternoon, for example, they would put it in one flight and save about 8000 litres of fuel and N4 million operational cost

regulation.

Nuhu, added that it is the prerogative of the airlines to take the decision to interline because it is a business decision that has nothing to do with economic or safety regulation; that if they were able to get it together, NCAA would support them.

“Codeshare is not bad, but it is not something we can regulate. The airlines can agree to work with each other. There is hope that passenger traffic will rebound. People are just coming out of the lockdown and there is still fear in some people that they might get infected by COVID-19. Also, businesses have not started doing so well; so there will be more people willing to travel by air when business picks up.

“This is a global problem so it is not peculiar to Nigeria; we hope that with time, as the economy improves, the load factor will go up. Globally the aviation industry is in dire straits. We are working to encourage the airlines and give them whatever support we can give them. If they do well it would also boost the revenue of NCAA. So we want the airlines to do well,” the NCAA Director-General said.

Initial Attempt Travel expert and organiser of Akwaaba African Travel Market, Ikechu Uko, said he collaborated with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to develop interlining programme for Nigerian airlines through the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), but lackluster attitude of the body and obvious lack of enthusiasm in some of the airlines frustrated the realisation of that goal.

He said it would put domestic airline in profit making pedestal in almost all their operations, while they beat down losses. It would have eliminated flight delays, cancellation and made air travellers happy because it would have promoted on-time departures.

“The major reason why some Nigerian airlines are suffering is because they are not doing interlining and this is what gave rise to constant flight delays and sometimes cancellation.

“IATA was poised to assist Nigerian carriers and it has software for a seamless partnership among the airlines. IATA wanted to serve as brokerage organisation and with the software serve as clearinghouse for everyone.

“We had two meeting with IATA, but some airlines attended and others did not. In fact, it was the government of Ghana that showed greater interest. It wanted the system to be introduced in the West Coast. Interlining would have worked if Nigerian airlines had supported it,” he said.

The travel expert explained that all the airlines would not have to fly when they do not have full passenger load. After the peak hours they could do combined flights, where passengers billed on the tickets of different airlines would

travel with one flight.

“For Example, Dana Air may offload his passengers to Max Air at 8:00 am fight from Lagos to Abuja and at 11 am Max Air may offload its passengers to Dana Air. So each airline cuts losses and makes more money.

IATA wanted them to see the need of that,” he said.

Akpan had told THISDAY that operators should pull capacity per route in order to succeed.

“We must eliminate competition that is economically suicidal. Dana, Aero, Azman, Medview, Max, should approach a bank with an IT program that will make it possible for a passenger to travel on any of their aircraft with same ticket. The bank will sort out the monetary transfer to the carrier (notwithstanding the issuer). Rather than carry 50 passengers in competition, you turn your 50 passengers to another carrier, which already has 80 passengers on same route, and receive passengers from others to your destination.

“Airline management needs money from economically viable flight operations to stay safe. You make money to pay for spare parts, to fix tech snags, for checks, for salaries, for training, and to repay loans. To break even, load on B737 classics for one hour flight (point A – B) is 88 passengers at N25, 000 per seat.

Each time you carry 88 passengers you’ve met the cost of that hour’s flight (no profit),” Akpan said.

Competition Industry stakeholders agree that one of the major factors that have led to the short lifespan of Nigerian airlines is the intense competition and attendant animosity, where airlines celebrate one another’s misfortune and even blackmail one another.

Now, it is expected that airlines must work more closely and collaboratively in order to survive. THISDAY learnt that NCAA had made efforts to encourage collaboration among airlines in the past but it hadn’t worked because “some airlines were taking advantage of the others.”

Industry experts believe that flight delays and cancellation could be mitigated if airlines are working together. They explained that with such collaboration, operations to daylight airports would be easier because airlines can use one or two flights to those destinations before dusk.

Codeshare and interlining have been of immense importance to airlines globally because it has helped them to boost revenue and deeper collaboration can help them in sharing of spares. THISDAY learnt that some domestic airlines have helped one another in spares sharing, but it has not been instituted under firm collaboration, which would have guaranteed a more profitable and peaceful relationship without any residue of animosity.

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Rohtagi: Stallion Group Acquired Bajaj Franchise in Nigeria for Self-reliance Stallion Group recently acquired the Nigerian franchise of Bajaj Auto. In this interview, Managing Director, Stallion Auto KeKe Limited, Mr. Manish Rohtagi tells Bennett Oghifo the alliance will go a long way in empowering Nigerians to be self-reliant. Excerpts:

W

hy the Stallion Group acquire the Bajaj franchise in Nigeria?

For over 50 years, Stallion has successfully navigated the Nigerian terrain and has become a time-tested conglomerate that has its presence across the Nigerian economy. Stallion Group’s vision is to adopt global best practices and localise it to develop scalable, impactful and sustainable business that is committed to improving the socio-economic conditions of the communities.

Stallion brand is now a household name in Nigeria touching lives every day with its products; be it rice, fish, steel or auto sales, distribution and assembling. It employs thousands directly and indirectly; it is one of the foremost conglomerates hugely invested in the country gaining respect and trust of the community. Bajaj Auto, on the other hand, is a world leader in the intra-city vehicle space. Loved in 70 countries the brand stands for integrity, dedication, resourcefulness and determination to succeed and empower. With similar brand ethos we believe that this alliance will go a long way in empowering Nigerians to be self-reliant and improve the interests of the stakeholders be it employees, dealers, distributors, vendors, mechanics, unions, logistic operators or bankers.

What potential growth is there for you in the market with the Bajaj franchise?

We have years of experience in multiple countries, including Nigeria, and I foresee the

Bajaj is the world leader and market leader in North, Central Nigeria and many states in the East with dominant market share of over 85 per cent. Our focus has always been in keeping our employees and dealers satisfied. The core of our strategy in non-leading markets would revolve around our channel partners. The Nigerian customer is much evolved and well informed, and they have a keen eye for value for money and support by the company. We are committed to bring this to them.

Rohtagi opportunity that Bajaj has vast potentials for growth in the Nigerian market. Bajaj is the dominant tricycle brand with over 70 per cent market share in populous countries like India, Argentina, Columbia and many other Asian and Latin American countries. So, Nigerian success story is a matter of time. The right approach and service to the dealers and consumers to bring out the USPs of the product and essence of the brand will add strength for it to become the market leader.

What plans do you have for the Bajaj in the South-south and South-east market?

With the downtown in global economies, are you considering any form of ďŹ nancing package for prospective customers?

The downturn in global economy has had a lasting impact on many industries. Our customers are the ones who are most impacted by the pandemic, as a lot of them are daily wage earners.

Owning a tricycle in these times could be impossible if not supported through Micro Finance Banks and Non-Banking Finance Companies that come forward to support them through hire purchase.

In terms of financing packages, we have many MFBs and financing partners who are committed to support their purchases on best viable terms.

Tell us about after-sales and spare parts back-up The aftersales and spare availability has been the backbone of Stallion Group flagship brands like Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Changan, Ashok Leyland, KYC, Skoda, Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche. Service is one of the core strengths and the investment in state of the art sales and service facilities to support the requirement justifies the commitment towards the customers. We have well established processes which are laid down by Bajaj Auto based on experience on product and customer requirements. We will have a dedicated network of service and spares which will be handled by highly trained Nigerian engineers and technicians. Highest level of craftsmanship is what one can see in our dedicated team of engineers and technician.

Can you estimate the value for the 3-wheeler business in Nigeria?

Due to the lack of formal accredited market information entity, it’s difficult to estimate the actual market size. But based on the data for importation, it should be around 150,000 per year. There are about 400,000 tricycles (Keke) on Nigerian roads and there is potential of 2 million tricycles in the country. The 3-W market in Nigeria has high potential for growth, as it serves two fundamental needs; that of intra city commute in the lack of available options for public transport and employment generation.

We can make public transportation more affordable and cleaner The mode of commute is fuel efficient and least polluting in comparison to any tokunbo public carrier. With government’s support, Bajaj can also provide LPG and CNG options in the future. Stallion can bring it into the country.

We are confident that, with the help of policy makers, we can make public transportation more affordable and cleaner. Even if we estimate around 10 Keke per 1,000 Nigerians, there is a potential to have 200,000 tricycles on the roads that can provide affordable transportation to this country. The policy makers should focus on greener transportation system.

Why would a customer prefer the Keke Bajaj to other brands?

Bajaj Keke is known for its durability, speed and manoeuvrability. We have actively sought customer feedback to drive innovation, product and service improvement. With Stallion we run a very de-centralised operation with quicker decision-making which will help drive our operating efficiency. The RE- Keke and the load carrier category called Maxima Cargo is expected to grow at a much faster rate as Stallion will actively push for the adoption of Cargo tricycles by existing partner and customer ecosystem.

Bajaj is the pioneer brand of Tricycles in Nigeria loved by millions across the country and partnership with Stallion further adds to the strength.

What are your plans for the Bajaj brand under Stallion franchisee in the next ďŹ ve years?

Our immediate task is to establish and forge long term partnership with our dealers and channel ecosystem across Nigeria. Through these fulfilment partners, we envisage providing employment opportunity to five million Nigerians directly and indirectly over the next five years. Bajaj has always been a trusted and admired brand in Nigeria, so is the case with Stallion. The synergy is going to take market by storm.

How competitively priced will the new Bajaj be under Stallion compared to other brands?

Our pricing policy will be in line with the philosophy of increasing customer’s prosperity.

For us, customer ROI and profit is important, and we will ensure that our pricing decision is aligned to it. Price is an outcome of happiness of employees, dealers and customers and we will ensure that the thought resonates with all our stakeholders ubiquitously.

Oriental Energy Donates Palliatives to Akwa Ibom Communities Oriental Energy Resources Limited, an indigenous oil producer in Nigeria, has donated food items to its host communities in Mbo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, to cushion the effects of COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the company’s Head of Community and Government Relations, Dr. Uwem Ite, the food distribution was part of company’s initiatives to alleviate the hardship caused by the pandemic in the communities.

He made this disclosure at the presentation of the palliatives to the state government.

A statement quoted Ite to have said: “Distribution of the palliatives consisting of rice, garri and vegetable oil is one of the

many areas in which Oriental Energy plans to support the social development efforts of the state government this year.�

Receiving the food items on behalf of Akwa Ibom State Government, Secretary to the State Government and the Chairman of the State COVID-19 Management Committee, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, expressed gratitude to Oriental Energy for the gesture, saying: “On behalf of the State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, we appreciate the gesture of Oriental Energy Resources Limited. The Governor oversees everything that goes on in the state as far as the COVID-19 pandemic is concerned, little wonder that the Director General of Nigerian

Centre for Disease Control, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, commended the Governor for making the state a reference point in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic�.

Ekuwem, emphasised that Governor Emmanuel was resolute in his commitment to salvage the state from the viral disease and as such put facilities in place to ensure that the life of no Akwa Ibom person or resident was lost on account of the pandemic.

He said the state-of-the-art Isolation Centres, the PCR Laboratory, Emergency Operations Center, as some of the commendable programmes of the Administration to contain the spread of the virus in the State.

THIS WEEKEND WEEKLY MAGAZINE

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

Mele Kyari: Holding Sway at NNPC

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T H I S D AY ˾ ͵˜ 2020

COVER

Mele Kyari: Holding Sway at NNPC Despite the challenges of unprecedented oil crash, crippled refineries, unending hostilities in the oil producing communities, as well as unending litigation/dispute, abandoned capital projects, sub-optimal and very high production cost, that faced Mele Kyari, the 19th Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, upon on assumption of office, IWONUME EKEGHE writes that he has been able to hold his own by instituting laudable reforms that has yielded viable results

I

n the past one year, the petroleum industry witnessed an unprecedented oil crash that rippled globally. Invariably, this led to reduction in production and very low oil price for all affected nations. Nigeria was not left out of this slump in prices and its attendant consequences.

At the thick of this crisis was Mr Mele Kyari, the 19th Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), who had assumed office on July 7, 2019.

He had barely settled down when the crisis hit. The situation has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Having met the challenges of oil slump, crippled refineries, unending hostilities in the oil producing communities, as well as unending litigation/dispute, abandoned capital projects, sub-optimal and very high production cost, he didn’t fold and roll, rather, he rolled up his sleeves and got to work.

Initial Reforms At his inauguration, Kyari promised to run a transparent national oil company that can be scrutinised by Nigerians. One of his first move was to quickly implement an in-house strategic plan, hinged on cost-cutting measures and automation. Months after, those moves paid off as they set the corporation on a progressive course.

One of the major things he has done as the NNPC GMD was the scrapping fuel subsidy in April, setting the stage for full deregulation.

According to him, it made no economic sense spending billions of dollars annually to keep the price of petrol artificially low; rather than allow market forces determine the price, so the huge funds hitherto channeled into opaque subsidy payouts can take care of other critical issues requiring government funding.

But many of those who know him are not surprised at how he has been able to change the fortunes of the corporation. Fortified with many years of experience, Kyari is geologist by profession and was until his elevation, the Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division from 2015 to 2019.

Aligning with Global Trends Known to work in line with global best practices, he soon automated NNPC’s operations to align with global trends. As disclosed in series of tweets on his Twitter page, he wrote, “Today, we do 80-90 per cent of our business through automation. This company is changing for the better and it will remain an entity that all Nigerians will be proud of. What we are doing differently about the refineries is to rehabilitate them first and then get them to be run, just like the NLNG Model, where the NNPC Group will be a minority partner.

“Our long term goal is to be an integrated energy company that is commercially focused and wholly committed to deriving value for the benefit of its shareholders. The NNPC is leveraging technology and innovation to achieve the goal of building an energy company of global excellence. We call on stakeholders to collaborate with the corporation in an atmosphere that is beneficial to all and emplaces Nigeria on the path of growth and development”.

Cost Discipline Under Kyari, the NNPC has prioritised low-cost oil production and taken additional measures to ensure cost discipline across its operations, including renegotiation of contracts and other business obligations, thus saving 40 per cent of proposed budget and cost.

This he made known during an interface with the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), adding that “we

and internationally.

Discovery of Hydrocarbons On October 2019, Kyari announced the discovery of hydrocarbons in Kolmani River Well 2, in Bauchi, in the Upper Benue Trough, Gongola Basin. The drilling of the Kolmani River II Well was flagged-off by President Muhammadu Buhari on February 2, 2020.

NNPC acquired 435.54km2 of 3D Seismic Data over Kolmani prospect in the Upper Benue Trough, Gongola Basin. It was to evaluate Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Kolmani River 1 Well Discovery of 33 BCF and explore deeper levels. The well was drilled with “IKENGARIG 101” to a total depth of 13,701feet encountering oil and gas in several levels.

Kyari

have rolled out strategy to achieve sub 10$/ bbl UOC without jeopardising growth”.

Targeted Increased Production As quoted in recent media engagements, Kyari said the corporation targets increasing oil production from 2.3 million barrels per day to three million bpd and at the same time, working with partners to significantly reduce cost per barrel in order to improve the flow of the needed revenue to support economic diversification.

Diversification Kyari has continuously reiterated his commitment to diversify the Nigerian economy away from over-dependence on oil revenues; in order to avoid the risk of market fluctuations that may impact the nation’s fiscal equation. This he said is a priority by the Buhari administration to ensure revenues from oil and gas resources are utilised to support the emergence and growth of other non-oil sectors of the economy.

Thus, he said the NNPC has been repositioned to support the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari for economic diversification. A further breakdown shows the NNPC targets increasing oil production from 2.3million barrels per day to 3million bpd and at the same time working with partners to significantly reduce cost per barrel in order to improve the flow of the needed revenue to support economic diversification.

Establishment of Condensate Refineries “We are progressing with the establishment of condensate refineries to fast-track domestic supply of petroleum products. In the same vein, the corporation would support the actualization of the 650Kbbl/day Dangote Refinery, as well as other private initiatives along this line. Our plan is for Nigeria to become a net exporter of petroleum products by 2023.

Publishing Audits In line with his initial promise, on June 1, 2020, for the first time in NNPC’s 43 years of existence, it released its audited annual reports and financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2018.

The report encapsulated the performance of 20 of its subsidiary companies operating within and outside Nigeria. Also, the report showed that its subsidiaries recorded a total revenue of N5.04 trillion with a profit of N1.01 trillion but at the same time, it did not mask the losses the group recorded.

That move drew commendations from virtually all quarters as the move was a radical departure from the past where the corporation old norms published only its unaudited operational statements.

The Executive Secretary, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Mr Waziri Adio described the development as very good for the country’s image locally

Innovations Another achievement under Kyari’s watch was the successful signing of Innovation Agreement with NigerianAgip Oil Company (NAOC) to formalise the transfer of OMLs 60, 61 and 63 to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).

The GMD also launched the banners of the corporation’s downstream company, the NNPC Retail Limited, with a view to positioning the company as a market leader in the products distribution subsector in the country. Also under his watch, NNPC attained over two billion litres of premium motor spirit reserve and completed phase one of Port Harcourt refinery rehabilitation.

On the ongoing refinery rehabilitation exercise, he said upon completion, the services of a company would be procured to manage the plants on an Operations and Maintenance (O&M) basis, adding that the ultimate plan was to get private partners to invest in the refineries and get them to run on the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) model where the shareholders would be free to decide the fate of the refineries going forward.

Gas Footprint Expansion The NNPC GMD says there are ongoing plans to aggressively expand the domestic gas footprint with the delivery of the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS) II to double capacity from 1.1billion standard cubic feet of gas (BSCF) to 2.2BSCF and the OB3 gas pipeline to connect East and the West.

According to him, the gas commercialisation programme is meant to leverage the nation’s huge natural gas reserve base to stimulate growth and enable Nigeria’s migration from the current mono-economy into a diversified economy.

This journey began on June 30 when President Buhari laid the foundation for the AjaokutaKaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline project valued at $2.8 billion and Kyari, who is very passionate about the project said it would enable the injection of 2.2 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day (bscf/d) into the domestic market upon completion, and facilitate additional power generation capacity of 3,600 megawatts (MW).

The 614 kilometer pipeline is expected to spark off economic activities that would ultimately deliver on a bundle of broad national economic aspirations in the petroleum industry through which the government targets to position the country’s abundant natural reserves as the key enabler for economic diversification from oil dependence.

In essence, the AKK pipeline promises a double barrel economic advantage for the country by earning direct income for the government and also helping develop indigenous industrial capacity by providing cheaper, cleaner and more sustainable energy.

It will become a consistent revenue earner for all stakeholders including the government by operating a tariff based gas transmission services to assist producers wheel gas to market.

It will also entitle the government to tax income, equity dividend and direct market returns on volume gas sales.

So, the AKK pipeline holds potential to feed power plants with adequate fuel energy to generate adequate electricity for homes and businesses. The pipeline can also directly feed industry and commerce with cleaner, cheaper gas energy. In both ways the AKK pipeline is going to enable the industrial sector of the economy optimise its potential for growth, job creation and contribution to gross domestic product (GDP).

Chairman of the Oilserv Group, Mr Emeka Okwuosa, whose firm is involved in the project said the consortium led by his company is working in concert to provide best in class EPC services for NNPC and Nigeria in consonance with the company’s track record of delivering world class pipeline construction even in most challenging terrains.

Passage of Deep Offshore Act On the recent passage of the Deep OffshoreAct into law, Kyari said the development has set the petroleum industry on the path of irreversible growth, adding that Nigeria as Africa’s leading exporter of LNG and the fourth in the world after Qatar, Australia and Malaysia, is ready to capture more LNG market with the Final Investment Decision of the NLNG Train 7.

COVID-19 Interventions Despite the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic, the NNPC under Kyari’s watch has, so far, pooled N21 billion from stakeholders in the oil and gas sector to prosecute the war against the pandemic. While 53 per cent has been earmarked for strengthening the nation’s health sector in form of constructing medical infrastructure across the six geopolitical zones in the country, the group’s Governance Committee comprising managing directors of oil companies and other Industry players, headed by the NNPC GMD, also allocated 26 per cent of the intervention funding to the deployment of logistics and in-patient support systems and 21 per cent of the sum to provision of medical consumables across the nation.

Dispute Resolution Given that one of the challenges he faced upon assumption of office was unresolved disputes, he tackled that headlong by ending long-standing disputes that threatened crude oil production and Nigeria’s economy alike.

His intervention led to the reopening of the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 25 flow station after two years of inactivity as a result of squabbles between the host community/Belema Oil and Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) since its inactivity robbed Nigeria 35,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

According to Kyari, such a loss was too colossal and unconscionable to ignore, especially for a country whose main economic pillar is crude oil export. By mid-September 2019, barely a month in office, he had brokered peace and got all parties in dispute to sheathe their swords.

Also, the Managing Director of Shell, Osagie Okunbor, was happy that the squabble had been resolved, just as he hailed the NNPC GMD for his efforts.

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

26

T H I S D AY ˾ ͵˜ 2020

POLSCOPE

áÓÞÒ ÎÎã ÎÓàáÜÓ ÏÎÎã˛ÙÎÓàáÜÓ̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙט ͸΀͸ͽ ͻ͸; ΁ͻͽ;

Edo and the Drumbeats of War

I

n Edo State, the die is cast. In 43 days from today, the political duel for the soul of the state would have been defined.

The combatants are the sitting governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki who wants to be re-elected for another term of four years, and Pastor Osaze Ize-Iyamu, the standing political adversary of Obaseki. The latter wants to unseat the incumbent.

The story of Edo State is pretty curious. Four years ago, the two-horse race was also between Obaseki and Ize-Iyamu. The difference now is that they simply switched their combat platforms. In 2016, Obaseki was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) while Ize-Iyamu was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

But in the instant contest, they have exchanged political parties. However, one re-occurring factor in both contests is an emerging godfather of Edo politics: Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the man who claimed that his major achievement as a governor was the annihilation of Tony Anenih, the then reigning godfather of Edo politics.

Oshiomhole made a song and a dance over how he terminated the culture of godfatherism in Edo politics. That was how he ran a loud political mantra of one-man-one-vote! Few years down the line, he’s become the ultimate godfather, who like an oracle must not only be consulted on what is to be done, but also the one to dictate who should be where. It is the resistance of his godfather status that is really at the root of the troubles he has with the sitting governor. Today Oshiomohole is fighting his last political battle. And that is why he’s going to put in his last strength.

In “marketing” and projecting Obaseki in 2016, Oshiomhole had said so many nice and princely things about Obaseki while literally and practically damaging the very character and person of Ize–Iyamu.

Few months ago, the social-media was awash of how Oshiomhole had virtually poured raw acid on the candidature of Ize-Iyamu, calling him many unprintable names.

Just as the candidates switched platforms, Oshiomhole has also switched the victims of his vitriolic attacks. In 2016, Obaseki was presented as a decorated angel and Ize-Iyamu as a three-horn demon.

In 2020, it has simply become the other way round. No thanks to the chameleonic character of Nigerian politicians, which most times, count for little or nothing.

Since the governorship campaign commenced, Oshiomhole has been struggling to explain and reverse himself on the terrible things he said about the candidate of his party: Ize-Iyamu.

But it doesn’t seem that the odium that Oshiomhole sprayed on Ize-Iyamu is sticking. The photo images of the APC campaigns are awesomely huge.

Massive crowd! It is doubtful if it is

L

Pondei

C

an you see why I am always wary of probes in Nigeria?

Can you in all honesty remember any probe that led to any meaningful rejig of the system or indicted people prosecuted diligently and jailed? Didn’t I say that all these probe drama of the sleaze in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) are mere legislative shenanigans?

Obaseki

all a rented crowd.

It is even more instructive that the APC rank is swelling with the resignation and decampment of many Obaseki’s supposed supporters, like the lawmakers at the national and state levels including, and curiously so, the declaration of support for Ize-Iyamu

by Obaseki’s larger family members.

But by last Wednesday, not only was the defecting Deputy Speaker of the Edo House of Assembly, Hon Yekini Idiaye, impeached, some members of the Obaseki family declared support for Governor Obasaeki while promising to “sanction” the erring members of the family.

Those who believe in Obaseki argue very strongly that the ill wind blowing him from his erstwhile political household is because he refused to surrender the treasury of the state to political buccaneers, who had before now, feasted mercilessly on public funds at the expense of development in the state Those who are literally shut out of the treasury door in Edo State are those shouting loudest on the need to sack Obaseki.

But Obaseki is accused of gross betrayal and of biting of the fingers that fed him.

Ize-Iyamu is pushing his SIMPLE agenda but it will not be so simple to find his way into the Osadebey House.

Today, both parties are fully kitted for a draggy duel. If the argument would be how persuasive either of the parties would be to convince the Edo voters to vote for them, based on their agenda, there would be little worry. But it is not.

It is getting clearer that it would

not quite be a campaign of issues. It would include a campaign for fist and might.

The Edo skyline is already filled with the flakes of violence. Despite claims to the contrary by both parties, it is clear that while they are campaigning, they are also building a rampart of arms, preparatory for a bloody showdown, when the need arises.

The signs are already very manifest.

We can smell trouble. Two weeks ago, a dress rehearsal of what is to come took place right at the palace of the Oba of Benin. Bullets were mutually fired. Not even the awe and royal reverence associated with the palace tempered the boiling urge to test their lethal capacity. Clearly, there is an aggregate state of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) between Obaseki and Ize-Iyamu’s supporters. Already, Obaseki and Oshiomhole have declared that no party has a monopoly of violence.

That is quite indicative of the rain that would follow the gathering cloud.

The sad worry and question is whose blood would flow at the end of the day?

While we do not know for sure is those who would be felled by the coming bullets. But it is certain that neither Obaseki’s children nor IzeIyamu’s children or even Oshiomhole’s children would be anywhere near the “war front” they want to turn Edo State into.

Those who would be the victim would be mere political plebeians. But it is all avoidable. Let them adopt the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s famous quotes : “My election is not worth the blood of any Nigerian” Only the living play politics. Only the unwise die for it.

Ovie Omo-Agege Waxing Strong at 57

Last Monday, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie OmoAgege turned 57. There was no fanfare. COVID-19 is still in town.

But the man fondly called Obarisi of Urhobo kingdom was well celebrated by his swathe of supporters across the country. His Pan-Nigerian status has been on a progressive growth. His staff reflect the broader national template.

Little wonder his people in Delta State almost venerate him.

It is not for nothing. Since OmoAgege got into the senate, the Urhobo nation seems to have suddenly found their voice and become a core- factor in the political equation of the nation.

Yes, it is the first time an Urhobo man ever got that high in the political organogram of the Nigerian state.

Clearly and markedly, Omo-Agege has shown that he is not a benchwarmer in the red chamber. His political adroitness is defined by his deep calculative moves in the larger polity.

Canticles….

NDDC: What Next After the Drama?

Omo Agege

He connects with the people, what with his many empowerment schemes.

And that explains why one of the most timely and popular Bills from him is

the Sexual Harassment Bill passed by the senate, and now awaiting the concurrence by the House of Representatives. It is one Bill that will gladden the heart of many women, nay all Nigerians, when it is passed and eventually signed into law by Mr President.

Determined to pull government to his people and his people into government, the Deputy President of the Senate also recently perfected the Bill to establish a Polytechnic in Orogun. There can hardly be a worthier representation at the centre, and that explains why he chimes well with his constituents.

Senator Ovie Omo-Agege like Lord Alfred Tennyson’s Ullyses, is showing strong signs that although much has been taken, there is energy, zeal and vision to do even more. I join in congratulating the Obarisi

Calm down. I can assure you that it is not business as usual. There is a process in establishing guilt. Don’t be too much in a hurry . , Don’t tell me that! For so many years now we have been hearing it will not be business as usual. But the more they make it a slogan, the more it turns out to be business as usual. Did you not hear the other day when the Speaker of the House of Reps, Femi Gbajabiamila hastily ruled that the fainting MD of the NDDC, Prof Kemebradikumo Pondei should no longer appear before the panel conducting the public hearing on the splurging of N81.5 billion in six months?

So you are one of the many people who did not understand Mr Speaker.

What he meant was that the panel had received enough information and details of the probe, and so compelling Pondei to appear again was unnecessary.

Hmmm, now that you have become the spokesman of Mr Speaker, so tell us what is next after all the drama. This is three weeks after. Where are we on the matter? Or do they think Nigerians will forget this one and move on?

Again, calm down. There is work in the mill. I am sure the report from the National Assembly will satisfy Nigerians. Already, the preliminary report from the Senate has shown that the so-called IMC team put in place by Senator GodswillAkpabio the minister of Niger Delta, spent N5 billion on medical allowances for themselves. N5 billion! Not even if all of them were cancer patients would they need that much to get a cure.

Or did you not also hear that the IMC team indeed embezzled N6.2 billion in the guise of distributing COVID 19 palliatives whereas everything they distributed were things that were in the store house of the commission? That nothing new was bought?

Or is it the distribution of face mask to police at the cost of N475million, as if the Nigeria Police Force is equal to Niger Delta, that we shall be talking about? Has the Police confirmed even receiving that money? They were simply spending money like fools.

Did you not also hear that while the NDDC Ogas at the top have been collecting N300 million every year for renting the Dappa Biriye House, that the edifice was actually given to the

commission rent-free, after moving out of No 8 Olumeni Close , GRA Port Harcourt?

Or did you not hear also that….. (raising his right hand) Enough! I am tired of hearing financial abominations!

What a plundering! What has been done to the people who gang-raped the region? That is what we want to know.

I can assure you that they will not go free this time. In fact, many people believe that both the minister of the Niger Delta, Akpabio plus all the Ali baba team that he constituted should be sacked from the stage without further delay. Allowing them to keep staying there would look like allowing them to preside over their own case.

But Akpabio has named some former governors like James Ibori, Emmanuel Uduaghan (both of Delta State) and Orji Uzor kalu (of Abia State) as those who also collected contract from the commission.

Do not mind Akpabio. Ibori and Uduaghan have denied the allegation.

Kalu admitted influencing the award of a contract for a road in his constituency, but added that not a dime was paid by the commission for the project. But the point is not so much about who did what contract, it is more about both the cost of the contract and whether or not the contract was even done. Was it not said by Mr Godsday Orubebe, former Minister of Niger Delta that he once awarded a contract to even Chief E. k Clarke and the latter collected the money and abandoned the contract? It is such criminal acts that the government should rise up against because that is why the region has remained highly undeveloped despite all the money sunk into it.

But please also ask Akpabio whether or not he was not the one that collected the contract for clearing water hyacinth and de-silting drainages for over N9 billion, amongst others? What about the 33 contracts Joi Nunieh, the former MD of NDDC alleged that Akapbio collected on day one of her resumption? Or why is it that eight months after,t he so-called forensic audit has not even started? Just who are the auditors? Does he even have the powers to appoint auditors for a federal agency? Is that not the job of the Auditor General of the federation? Tell Akpabiothathecannotbethrowingstones when he is sequestered in a glass house.

Look, in a country where people are in jail for stealing two tubers of yam or for snatching Nokia 3310, some people cannot be greedily amassing ill-gotten wealth at the expense of the people’s welfare and yet be allowed to run free on the streets. No! they should smell the walls of the prison, at least.

That’s what Nigerians want to hear and see. Period!

CORRIGENDUM

Andrew Yakubu Not Maikanti Baru Last week, while bemoaning the spate of corrupt cases in Nigeria, I mentioned the case of a former GMD of NNPC who claimed that the $9.8m found in his house for which is facing prosecution, was given to him as gifts by his friends.The said former GMD is AndrewYakubu, not Maikanti Baru as erroneously reported. Error regretted.

FRIDAY AUGUST 7, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ ͵˜ 2020

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PERSPECTIVE

NEXIM Bank: Assessing Three Years of Reforms Terhemen Ikyaave The volume of goods and services that a nation produces and sells to other countries impact the strength of its local economy. A strong export base promotes national self-reliance, creates jobs, ensures efficient resource allocation and capital formation for a country.

A good example is the South East Asian Tigers. The rapid growth and transformation of the economies of Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan owe their origin to the export-led strategy that their governments implemented between 1965 and 1995.

The good news is that Nigeria is on the same path, albeit with mixed results and plenty of room for improvement. Since 1986, Nigeria has pursued an export led strategy. This includes emphasis on non-oil exports such as Cocoa, Groundnut, Cotton, Palm Produce, Rubber and Grains owing to perennial fluctuations in the prices of oil in the international market.

One institutional component of this export strategy was the establishment of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) in 1991 to ensure sustainable growth of non-oil exports. Designed as an export credit agency, NEXIM provides finance and risk bearing services to exporters and has over the years played a leading role in defining the country’s export market.

In April 2017, the Buhari administration appointed a new management for the bank under the leadership of Mr. Abba Bello, a seasoned banker with over 28 years’ experience. The team inherited a huge portfolio of non-performing loans, weak internal processes, dwindling confidence in the bank by partners – regional and international- and a lack of professionalism in the conduct of the bank’s business.

Three years on now and the turnaround is remarkably manifest. From implementing a strategic re-alignment of business focus, aggressive debt recovery drive to the execution of bold initiatives to bolster its impact on non-oil exports, the Abba Bello management team is breaking new ground and repositioning the bank as a catalyst for growing the country’s non-oil export market.

NEXIM: From Insolvency to Profitability To start, the Abba Bello Management Team has successfully steered NEXIM from the brink of insolvency to profitability in three years. From posting a loss of N8.03billion in 2016, another loss of N569m in 2017, the bank has reversed the trend to record consecutive profits of N1.09billion in 2018 and N2.03bn in 2019.

Tapping Growth Potential of the Maritime Sector Next is the historic breakthrough in NEXIM bank’s efforts to open the country’s maritime industry. Early this month NEXIM, in line with its target to develop inland waterways, boost maritime trade and enhance the volume of Nigeria’s exports , successfully facilitated the consummation of a tripartite pact between Sealink Consortium and the federal government.

The deal consolidates efforts to establish a regional shipping company through a public private partnership (PPP) that will see the increased use of Nigeria’s waterways for transporting goods. The execution of the partnership will promote trade and mitigate the transport and logistic challenges that have increased cost of trade transactions. It will also help relieve pressure on Nigerian roads, introduce cost efficiencies in transport logistics and enhance regional trade between Nigeria and other countries.

“The idea behind the MoU is to facilitate export of the solid minerals out of the country, building efficiencies in our sea transport system. SEALINK will serve in the evacuation of the raw materials from the hinterlands through the inland waterways.

For us, this is a milestone. Providing effective

commodity in furtherance of government’s objective under One State One Product programme. The initiative is also targeted at promoting regional industrialization and poverty alleviation. Under the scheme, the bank has earmarked at least N1billion under favorable terms and conditions to each state of the federation for offer to the target beneficiaries, which are mostly SMEs. The State Export Development Programme also includes an Aggregator scheme, whereby the Bank provides support to a large exporting company, who in turn could support a large number of farmers under an outgrower arrangement. This ensures that the bank supports the entire export value chain, particularly in the agricultural sector.

NEXIM bank is also a major partner of the Nationwide MSME clinic, being conducted by the Presidency under the office of the Vice President.

Under the initiative, NEXIM bank has reached out to many SMEs and made vital contributions towards the provision of common facility centers towards assisting SMEs to upscale their products, thus increasing their domestic and international competitiveness.

In December 2018, the bank signed a tripartite agreement with AFREXIMBANK and Nigerian Export Promotion Council for a partnership to provide $1 billion financing to support Nigeria’s trade and investments in other African countries.

The Bank has since agreed modalities for the disbursement of the fund with Afreximbank and has started processing applications from exporters with focus on the regional market.

Bello

logistics; providing diversification sources for the nation’s economy and creating jobs,” Bello said.

Under the terms of the deal, Sealink is not only expected to foster maritime transportation of goods from inside the country but will also facilitate trade within West Africa. The partnership is of historic significance in part because there are currently no vessels that facilitate trade between neighbors in West Africa. Sealink is thus, positioned to fill the gap.

Revamp of CBN Intervention Programs to Boost Exports The past three years have also seen stronger collaboration between NEXIM Bank and the Central Bank of Nigeria in the management of two intervention schemes to boost funding support to the non-oil export sector, under a new philosophy of Produce, Add Value and Export (PAVE).

First is the N500 billion Non-Oil Export Stimulation Facility (NESF) that was initiated by the CBN , in collaboration with NEXIM to help redress the declining export financing and reposition the sector to increase its contribution to economic development.

The facility is designed to improve access of exporters to concessionary finance to expand and diversify the non-oil export baskets; attract new investments and encourage re-investments in value-added non-oil exports production and non-traditional exports; and shore up non-oil export sector productivity and create more jobs.

Other impact areas include supporting exportoriented companies to upscale and expand their export operations as well as capabilities; and broadening of the scope of export financing instruments. Within the past three years, due to process enhancement and an aggressive drive to make a difference, the Bello management team have processed loans under the scheme totaling N39.45 billion to 27 export companies.

Second is the N50 billion Export Development Fund (EDF). The fund is structured to stimulate and increase funding, especially to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) towards facilitating regional industrialization for value added exports and broadening Nigeria’s export basket and market

destinations. Since the CBN released the funds to NEXIM in February 2018 the bank has deployed a total of N52.9 billion to support 62 strategic export related projects.

Another notable initiative of NEXIM is the ECOWAS Trade Support Facility. Though launched a few years ago by the previous management, this initiative has been taken to the next level under the Abba-led administration. The export financing framework is designed to support small traders operating in the regional market to further the regional protocol under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS).

The bank is now poised to assist Nigerian exporters to upscale their products in readiness for the commencement of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Relatedly, NEXIM is the national guarantor under the Inter-state Road Transit Scheme (ISRT), designed to prevent diversion of goods transported by road to other ECOWAS countries, to prevent revenue leakages in member countries. Given that the operationalisation of the ISRT scheme requires inter-agency cooperation, the Bank is forging necessary alliances with other government institutions and other ECOWAS countries for successful implementation of the programme.

NEXIM is also promoting an export trading company, called NEXPORTRADE Houses Limited, in partnership with the export group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).

The Abba led administration is currently working with other stakeholders to rebrand and retool the operations of the company.

NEXPORTRADE provides a platform for SMEs to trade in the regional market by providing warehouses in other African countries where SMEs can display their goods to enhance their access to the regional market.

Equally important is NEXIM bank’s introduction of a State Export Development Programme. Through this programme, NEXIM is working with every state of the federation to develop at least one exportable

MASS as a Diversification Compass To ensure fidelity to the bank’s mandate as well as align corporate actions towards deliberate results and impact, the Abba Bello Team on resumption developed a new corporate strategy 2018-2022, which aims to make the Bank one of the leading export financing institution in Africa. In doing this, the bank revalidated its target sectors, described by the acronym MASS, which stands for Manufacturing, Agro-processing, Solid Minerals and Services. This MASS agenda serves as a corporate compass that guides institutional efforts designed to support the Buhari administration’s diversification strategy.

Driving Value Addition NEXIM bank within the past three years has also made remarkable strides in supporting exporters to embrace value addition in the lines of exports.

The push is in line with its PAVE philosophy which stands for “Produce, Add Value and Export” with the objective of helping Nigerian exporters earn more.

This renewed drive is significant. For instance, Nigeria is the largest producer of shea in the world but has no major footprint in the export of shea products. The story is the same for many other Nigerian exports like leather, cocoa etc.

NEXIM is orchestrating change. In 2018, one of the companies funded by the bank did the first major export of shea butter out of Nigeria. The Bank is also supporting operators in the leather industry to move up the value chains by producing leather products such as shoes, belts and bags.

Overall, the remarkable efforts of the Abba Bello Management team to reposition NEXIM bank are not only timely but necessary. Against the continuing turmoil in the global oil markets, the resulting negative impact on the country’s finances and trade balances along with the wide ranging effects on the economy, the country cannot wait much larger to engineer that drastic weaning off its dependence on oil. NEXIM therefore requires encouragement and increased support of government, partners, and stakeholders to lead the push in unleashing the potentials of non-oil exports as drivers of economic growth.

Ikyaave is a public policy analyst based in Abuja and can be reached via terhemenikyaave@ gmail.com

Flour Mills Posts N11.4bn Profit amidst Economic Downturn James Emejo in Abuja Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc has announced a profit after tax (PAT) of N11.4 billion, indicating 184 per cent growth in profitability for 2019/2020 financial period.

The achievement was recorded despite the prevailing economic headwinds and

difficult operating terrain particularly in Apapa, Lagos.

It also proposed final dividend increase of 17 per cent to N1.40 kobo for every ordinary share of 50 kobo.

The company’s Group Managing Director, Mr. Paul Gbededo described the performance as remarkable and assured investors of continued

improvement.

He said: “The 2019/20 financial year was a remarkable year for our Group and I am really pleased with the result.

“Our profit before tax saw a remarkable increase of 72 per cent to N17.5 billion while our Profit Afer Tax nearly tripled from N4.0 billion last year to

N11.4 billion in the current year.”

According to him, the improved performance was attributable to its agro allied businesses which were in line with the company’s strategy to continue to grow the wealth of shareholders.

In a statement, he said: “We will remain focused

on increasing operational efficiency within the group as we continue to implement our accelerated cost optimisation plans across all businesses to ensure profitability in the new operating environment.”

He added that the company’s 2020 focus would be on improved customer experience and sustainable

growth.

According to the company’s audited financial performance for the year under review, the Group also realised a revenue growth of 9 per cent year on year to N574 billion.

It result further demonstrated remarkable growth in all key segments of food, agro-allied and sugar segments.

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MARKET NEWS

Japaul Gold and Ventures Assures Shareholders of Bright Prospects Goddy Egene The Chairman of Japaul Gold and Ventures Plc, Mr. Paul Jegede, has assured shareholders of bright prospects, following its new business focus from oil and gas servicing sector to natural resource management.

The company has diversified from oil and maritime services business to the exploration, mining, processing and export of minerals, such as gold, lithium among others. This made the

company to change its name from Japaul Oil & Maritime Services Plc to Japaul Gold and Ventures Plc. Addressing the shareholders at the annual general meeting (AGM) in Lagos, Jegede said with the constant change and decline in the oil and gas climate, Japaul has remained committed and proactive in its efforts to bring value to its shareholders which necessitated the diversification from the company’s core business as the company

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believes these natural resources are a viable substitute for oil.

According to him, the company has acquired mining and exploration licenses through buy-overs for the exploration, mining and exportation of gold, lithium, copper, tin, lead and zinc across seven states in Nigeria where strategic minerals have been discovered in commercial quantities and reserves.

“Since the diversification, Japaul’s finances have yielded positive financial outlook for the

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company and its shareholders.

For instance, from our 2018 financial year, N7.4 billion turned to N40 billion profit in 2019.The shareholders’ fund turned from N35billion negative to N4.6billion in 2019 financial year end while earning per share turned from N105 negative in 2018 to positive N653 in 2019,” Jegede said.

Also speaking, the Group Managing Director, Japaul Mr. Akin Oladapo, said they had had the foresight that the

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situation of the oil and gas sector would not improve for a long time.

“We started training ourselves in mining related businesses and the rest is history. We have bought mining and exploration licenses for Gold, Lithium, Lead, Copper, Tin, Zinc among others, which our company will be working with.

We already have Canadian expatriates that have been doing explorations works for us,

O F

Matrix Geotech in Toronto, Canada. Our strategy is to start mining gold as from 2021 to 2022 while exploration works continue on other licenses that we have,” Oladapo said.

He stressed that with this new business focus, Japaul is already positioned strategically for the supply of the oil of tomorrow to international markets which have unlimited demand as the world makes a more mineralintensive transition from fossil fuel to low-emission energy.

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NEWS

Fresh Attacks Claim 19 Lives in Southern Kaduna Another protest rocks Katsina over banditry John Shiklam in Kaduna and Francis Sardauna in Katsina At least 19 lives were lost yesterday as gunmen suspected to be herdsmen attacked five communities in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The Chairman of the council, Dr. Elias Manza, confirmed the development to THISDAY, saying 19 corpses were recovered after the attacks.

The attacks took place despite the 24-hour curfew imposed by the Kaduna State government on Zangon Kataf, Kauru, Jama’a and Kaura LGAs to stop persistent attacks, which have led to killings and destruction of property.

Many others were said to have sustained serious injuries and were rushed to the hospital.

Sources said besides the killings, the bandits, said to be Fulani herdsmen also burnt several houses.

Those killed were said to be mainly women and children who were either shot or slaughtered.

A community leader in Atyap chiefdom who didn’t want his name mentioned, said the five affected villages include, Apyiashyim, Atak’mawei, Kibori, KurminMasara, and Magamiya, all in Atyap chiefdom.

He said the attacks started by 11 pm on Wednesday and lasted till about 4 am without any help from security agencies.

“Information available to me showed that a total of 33 people were killed.

“In Apyiashyim, six people were killed, in Atak’mawei, 12 people were killed, in Kibori, seven people were killed, in Kurmin-Masara, three people were killed and in Magamiya five people were killed” the community leader

said.

He said those killed were mostly women and children who were either shot or slaughtered.

He said: “The Fulani herdsmen were on a rampage, they went from village to village, unchallenged by the soldiers and policemen deployed to enforce the 24-hour curfew imposed on our communities about two months ago.

“The herdsmen don’t obey the curfew, the curfew has emboldened them to invade our villages and kill people; the government must adopt a new strategy to stop the killings. This curfew is not working, it is causing serious pains”.

Spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command did not respond to a text message sent to his mobile phone for a reaction to the incident.

But the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union has, however, condemned the latest killings.

In a statement issued by the spokesman of the group, Mr. Luka Binniyat, the group said “33 Atyap natives” were killed “under the rigidly imposed curfew” by the Kaduna State government He said communities in the area had been “shut down with fierce armed military men patrolling and enforcing the 24 hours curfew” noting that “when the gunmen struck, they were not on the ground.”

The statement said “Last night, (Wednesday) around 11 pm, trucks loads of armed Fulani militia made their way through military checkpoints under the curfew and stormed Apiashyim and Kibori village”.

Manza said three corpses were recovered in Kurmin Masara, six in Apyia Shyam (Asha a Wuce) and 10 in Takmawai where the destruction of property was massive.

Again, Protest Erupts in Katsina over Worsening Insecurity In another development, some aggrieved youths yesterday staged a protest over renewed bandits’ attacks on Sanawa and Dogon Ruwa villages in Mekera ward of Dutsin-ma Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The protesters, who barricaded the ever-busy Zankara–Katsina highway at Turare town lamented the worsening security situation in the area and other villages in the state.

The angry youths, armed with placards and green leaves while chanting different war songs, warning that they would soon be left with no option than to take their destiny in their hands if the government failed to rescue the area from bandits.

One of the protesters, who craved anonymity, told THISDAY in a telephone interview that the protest was triggered by the fresh onslaughts on Sanawa and Dogon Ruwa villages by the bandits on Wednesday night.

He lamented that the marauding bandits during the invasion rustled all cattle and carted away an unspecified number of sheep belonging to residents of the affected communities.

According to him, residents of the affected villages who survived the deadly attacks have since fled to Dutsin-ma, the headquarters of Dutsinma Local Government Area for safety.

The source said that both federal and state governments have failed to tackle the deteriorating security challenges bedeviling communities in Dutsin-ma Local Government Area.

He said: "Yesterday (Wednesday) bandits, armed with AK-47 rifles attacked Sanawa and Dogon Ruwa

villages. They rustled all our cattle and sheep, and burnt all our foodstuffs worth millions of naira.

"To my greatest surprise, we came out this morning to register our grievances but the same police officers who could not protect us from bandits and cattle rustlers are now fighting us. It is our constitutional right to protest against government failure to address insecurity".

However, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Gambo Isah, a Superintendent of Police, was yet to respond to inquiries as at press time.

Fayemi, Tambuwal to Lead Govs’ Delegation to Buhari In a related development, President Buhari has accepted to meet an eight-man delegation of the governors of the 36 states of the federation to discuss the rising spate of insecurity in the country, but no date has been fixed for the meeting.

THISDAY gathered from one of the governors that attended a virtual meeting of the 36 governors with President Buhari that one governor will be selected from each of the six geopolitical zones.

But the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Fayemi and his deputy, Tambawul will be in attendance, thus, bringing the number of governors that would see the President to eight.

The governor, who spoke off the record, said that the forum has obtained the goahead to see the president.

"The President has agreed to see us, but no date has been fixed but certainly, it has to be any time soon. We are on a standby".

In the communique of the governors at the end of their 14th virtual meeting

on Wednesday, Fayemi lamented the recent attack on the convoy of the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum and the rapidly degenerating state of insecurity across the country.

The communique further said that, "The chairman stated that the NEC Ad-Hoc Committee on Security and Policing met on Tuesday 4th August 2020 with the heads of the nation's security agencies to discuss and review the security challenges in the country".

According to the communique of the meeting, the Chairman said that, "Resolutions reached will be

presented to Mr. President shortly".

The communique said that the Forum had adopted the report of the National Economic Council Ad-Hoc Committee on COVID-19 chaired by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, which recommended the immediate suspension of the requirement for state governments to provide matching funds to access grants like UBEC. The communique said that the Forum received further updates from Alhaji Aliko Dangote on behalf of the Coalition against COVID-19 (CACOVID) on the flag-off and distribution of CACOVID palliatives to states.

DMO Lifts Suspension on FGN Savings Bond Offer Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja Four months after it suspended the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN Savings Bond) offer, the Debt Management Office (DMO) yesterday lifted the suspension, as the debt securities will be on offer from Monday.

A FGN Savings Bond, which is tailored/targeted at retail investors and includes a guaranteed interest payment and repayment of the principal is issued by the DMO on behalf of the Nigerian government.

The DMO had in April suspended the bond offer following restrictions associated with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the DMO, in a statement, said it was resuming the offer from August 10.

The statement read: "The Debt Management Office (DMO) wishes to announce the resumption of

its offer of the Federal Government of Nigeria Savings Bond (FGN Savings Bond) effective August 2020.

"The DMO was constrained to suspend the monthly offers of the FGN Savings Bond in April 2020 due to the restrictions on activities and movement as part of measures adopted by the government to curtail the spread of COVID-19."

It urged the general public to look out for the advertisement of the offer for subscriptions in various newspapers and the DMO’s website.

"The offer for subscription will open on Monday, August 10, 2020, and close on Friday, August 14, 2020.

Investors are encouraged to continue saving through the FGN Savings Bond, as they attract good incomes and are secure, being a sovereign instrument, whilst also contributing to national development," the statement added.

POLITICAL CRISIS IN EDO DEEPENS AS ASSEMBLY SPEAKER IS REMOVED "From what you have told me, it is just a rumour. I am sure the rumour will even scare the intending invaders from carrying out the act," he said.

Obaseki, who came into the Assembly with a retinue of aides and party supporters, assured the people that he will do everything within his constitutional powers to protect the sovereignty of the legislature, noting that President Muhammadu Buhari had always maintained that the rule of law must be adhered to.

He asked Okiye to go about his normal duties, stressing that he is ready to give them protection.

He said: "I want to assure you that as the governor of Edo State, I will do all within my constitutional powers to protect the sovereignty of the legislative arm of government because Nigeria is governed by laws and the constitution of the country.

"Mr. President has always insisted that we must follow the rule of law and do things according to the law as nobody in this country is above the constitution and so this morning, Mr. Speaker, go about your normal duties as a parliament the way it

should and the way the constitution prescribes.

“For us as an executive, we owe you the entire instrument available to us constitutionally to protect you and to protect the state."

Shortly after journalists dispersed from the Assembly premises and after the departure of the governor, some persons were seen removing the roof of the building.

In addition, heaps of sand and gravels were also tipped in front of the Assembly gate, probably to prevent people from gaining entry into the place.

Outrage over Police’s Barricade Reactions, however, poured in shortly with the PDP governors condemning the barricade of the Assembly.

In a statement by the Director-General of PDP Governors Forum, Mr. C.I.D. Maduabum, the governors said: "We condemn unequivocally the police invasion of the Edo State House of Assembly in the early hours of August 6, 2020.

The House of Assembly was surrounded and cordoned off by the police without the

invitation or request of the legitimate authorities of the state or the House."

The PDP in its reaction charged the IG to immediately stop the barricade.

The party said the barricade by security agents was a direct coup against the democratic order of Edo State and a recipe for anarchy, chaos and bloodletting.

Addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, urged Adamu to act with dispatch to the barricade, which he said had heightened tension in the state.

He said if the situation was not halted, it would result in a bloody clash as the citizens were already charged to defend their symbol of democracy from a forcible takeover.

The PDP urged the police hierarchy to note that the provocative and lawless act by the APC is part of its plans to overheat the polity and create a security situation with a view of unleashing violence on the people, derail the democratic order in the state and blame it on security agencies.

He said: "We condemn this

notorious resort to self- help by the APC and their agents to forcibly take over power in Edo State through the back door.

"Our party has been informed that the plot is to use the illegal security operation to seize the processes of the House of Assembly and illegally inaugurate certain individuals whose seats have been lawfully declared vacant with plans to use them to pull down democratic structure in the state."

Atiku said the crisis in Edo State could threaten next month’s governorship election in the state.

In a Facebook post yesterday, he, however, asked the warring parties to sheathe their swords and let the people of the state decide who they want to govern them.

“What is happening in Edo State is a threat to constitutional order nationwide, and I strongly urge belligerent forces to reign in their proxies and abide by the rule of law. As I have previously said, without the rule of law, there will be no rule at all.

“The current goings-on portend grave danger, not

only to law and order in that state but to the coming Edo elections,” he stated.

The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) also called on Buhari to immediately call Oshiomhole to order and stop the attempt to forcibly take over the Edo State House of Assembly by the police.

CUPP, in a statement issued yesterday by its spokesperson, Mr. Ikenga Ugochinyere, said the attempt to use former members of Edo House of Assembly whose seats had been declared vacant to take over the House was an invitation to anarchy and treasonous.

It urged the president to halt the actions to avoid instigating electoral violence that will consume the nation and its hard-won democracy.

It also called on Obaseki to mobilise the citizens to resist those it described as ''political bandits.''

Okiye also hailed lovers of democracy who rose to the occasion to foil the attempted invasion of the state Assembly complex.

Okiye, who spoke in Benin City, called on “democrats the world over to remain vigilant and keep vigil over the happenings in Edo State

as anti-democratic forces are on the prowl and set to undermine core democratic values such as the rule of law and the constitution.”

He also described yesterday’s failed invasion of the Assembly complex as an act of treason.

“The Edo State House of Assembly condemns any attempt to operate the House of Assembly Complex at Ring Road, currently undergoing renovation as the inaugurated members and the Hon. Speaker have relocated the House via a letter widely circulated to a new address at Dennis Osadebay Avenue," the speaker added.

Ize-Iyamu Congratulates New Speaker Ize-Iyamu congratulated Edoror, describing his emergence as the end of a deformed and lopsided democracy.

In a congratulatory message signed by the Chairman of the APC State Media Campaign Council, Mr. John Mayaki, he said the emergence of Edoror as speaker was a victory for the state and all constituencies previously denied representation.

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NEWS

Southern, Middle Belt Leaders Reject Revived Water Resources Bill Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum (SMBLF) has rejected the controversial National Water Resources bill which was re-introduced in the House of Representatives last month.

The forum in a statement issued yesterday with the title: ‘We Must Reject Illegally Revived Water Bill’, and signed by Yinka Odumakin (Southwest); Chief Guy Ikokwu (Southeast); Senator Bassey Henshaw (South-south) and Dr. Isuwa Dogo (Middle Belt), stated that the bill “which

we thought was dead with the last legislative session has arbitrarily been reintroduced in the House in a breach of its rules, legislative convention and provisions of the 1999 Constitution before the House adjourned for a two-month recess on July 23, 2020, according to a newspaper report” On the assumption that the bill is projected for passage by the House on resumption from recess in September, the forum called on all the communities opposed to the bill “meant to grab land around waterways

for cattle herders, to organise community special sittings for their representatives to explain the meaning of this latest move and their roles in it.

“Freedom-loving Nigerians should be ready for protracted resistance to this move to grab

land around waterways for Miyetti Allah by the executive arm of the government.”

The forum said: “The bill seeks to bring all water resources (surface and underground) and the banks of the water sources under the control of the federal

government through its agencies to be established by the bill.

“Section 13 of the bill states that: ‘In implementing the principles under subsection (2) of this section, the institutions established under this Act shall promote integrated water

resources management and the coordinated management of land and water resources, surface water and groundwater resources, river basins and adjacent marine and coastal environment as well as upstream and downstream interests’.

Nigeria’s COVID-19 Cases Cross 45,000 Mark with 354 New Infections Martins Ifijeh Nigeria has recorded 354 new cases of COVID-19, bringing to 45,244 the number of confirmed cases in the country.

Announcing this yesterday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) recorded 78 new cases; Lagos, 76; Kaduna, 23; Ebonyi, 19;

Oyo, 18; Nasarawa and Rivers, 17 each; Delta, 16; Kwara, 15; Akwa Ibom, 13; Edo and Ogun, 12 each; Plateau, 11; Kano, nine, while Bauchi, Borno and Ekiti recorded six cases each.

It said: “Nigeria has so far recorded 45,244 cases of COVID-19. 32,430 patients have been discharged, while 930 persons have died.”

Gunmen Kill Man, Pregnant Wife, Two Others in Bayelsa Gunmen on Wednesday night invaded Azikoro village in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, killing four persons, including a pregnant wife and her husband.

The ramping bandits were also said to have attacked a church and set some buildings ablaze as well as vandalised some vehicles.

But the state Police Command said it was perpetrated by suspected cultists in reprisal.

A statement issued yesterday by the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Asinim Butswat, said the command had “launched a manhunt for the suspected cultists who murdered four victims and set a house ablaze.”

Butswat said the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mike Okoli, had visited the scene of the crime.

The statement said, “On 5th August 2020, at 2300hours, armed suspected cultists stormed the ‘Lion of Judah Church’, Azikoro village, Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, shot dead four church members namely; Alfred Marcus ‘m’ 30 years, Imomotimi surname unknown 25 years Gabriel Ejimofor ‘m’ 45 years and Uchechukwu Ejimofor ‘f’ 38 years and set ablaze a nearby building, damaged a vehicle and the church properties.

“Operatives of operation Puff Adder had earlier traced the hideouts of the cultists in the bush, dislodged them and burnt their camp. It is believed that this is a reprisal attack by the suspected cultists.

“Meanwhile, two suspects have been arrested and are cooperating with the Police in their investigation.

CONGRATULATIONS...

Enugu State Governor, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (left), and the new Commissioner representing the state in the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Mrs. Ginika Florence Tor, when the governor received her at the Government House, Enugu...yesterday

Buhari Extends COVID-19 National Response By Four Weeks Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the extension of the phase two of the COVID-19 National Response by another four weeks with some modifications that will address economic, socio-political and health concerns.

The presidential approval was disclosed yesterday by the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force of COVID-19, Mr. Boss Mustapha, at a press briefing in Abuja.

The task force has also disclosed that it is too early

to celebrate the declining cases because there has been reduced testing as a result of the Sallah break.

It has also called on the airlines to get ready to resume international flights while urging passengers to be at the airports three hours ahead of their flights.

Also under this latest extension of the phase two of the ease of lockdown, civil servants from Grade Level 12 have been directed to resume work at the normal working hours from Monday to Friday.

The federal government

has also said it is planning to work with the state governors to enforce the mandatory use of face masks and applying alternative legal ways of making people to change their behaviour to the use of face cover.

Mustapha said government extended the phase two of the COVID-19 national response after glaring apathy to nonpharmaceutical prevention measures in addition to lack of enforcement of necessary guidelines issued to preserve lives and insufficient engagement by some states with the national response.

He said to win the fight against the pandemic, the PTF resolved that it is important to ensure that restrictions are not completely relaxed.

With the extension until the first week of September, non- pharmaceutical measures like social distancing, nationwide curfew from 10 p,m to 4 a.m, use of face masks, limiting the number passengers on public transport, the restriction of banking staff to 75 per cent capacity or less and only 50 per cent occupancy of halls by customers among others will continue to be in place.

Okotie Kicks against Use of Face Masks in Church The Shepherd Superintendent of the Household of God Church, Rev. Chris Okotie has rejected the use of face masks in the church, saying it would amount to the reintroduction of the veil, which was abolished when Jesus Christ died on the cross.

According to him, the members of his Church will therefore, not resume service next Sunday, August 9, 2020, despite

the re-opening of churches by the Lagos state government.

The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced earlier in the week that worship centres would re-open from Friday, August 7, 2020. He said, however, that while worshippers are expected to observe all the standard safety guidelines, including social distancing, wearing of face masks or shield,

washing of hands, attendance is pegged at 50 per cent capacity for each worship centre.

In a special, 28-minute broadcast sent via whatsapp to his church members, Rev Okotie said although he accepted the imperatives of the safety precautions to contain the spread of the virus, the wearing of masks or face shield was unacceptable.

Citing various Bible references, the Pastor said, for Christians to wear any type of mask or face shield to church, is to reintroduce the veil, which was torn the moment Jesus died on the cross.

He said, with the tearing of the veil, there is no longer separation between God and his people, warning that wearing of masks would reverse the order, which is unacceptable.

UAE Denies Restricting Nigerians Herdsman to Die By Hanging in Ekiti for Killing Colleague from Visiting the Country evidence led against the accused The accused person was its sheath, while the other one Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has denied restricting Nigerians from traveling to the Arab country.

The UAE Mission in Abuja disclosed this in a statement it issued yesterday, which called on the public to always verify the authenticity of such reports and to seek information from the official sources.

It said: “In response to recent press and social media reports regarding purported travel restrictions between the UAE and Nigeria, and in an affirmation of the growing bilateral relations between the two friendly countries, the UAE Embassy in Abuja denies the accuracy of the information contained in these reports.

“At the onset of the COVlD-19 pandemic, the UAE took a number of precautionary

measures to combat the virus’ spread, including the temporary suspension on issuing UAE visas for all nationalities as of March 17, 2020.

“After entering the recovery phase of the pandemic, the UAE eased some measures on July 7, permitting visitors from various countries to adhere to the necessary precautionary measures, including by showing negative PCR test results within 92 hours of traveling to the UAE. This includes those visiting from Nigeria.”

The UAE government, however, noted that the travel between the UAE and Nigeria has remained limited due to the closure of Nigerian airspace, adding that the UAE Embassy in Abuja continues to work closely with the Nigerian government to obtain the necessary approvals to facilitate travel between the two countries.

An Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti has sentenced a 25-year -old herdsman, Mohamodu Haruna, to death by hanging for killing his colleague.

Pronouncing the death sentence yesterday while delivering his judgement, Justice Adekunle Adeleye said: “There are no surrounding circumstances that destroyed the cogency of the circumstantial

person.

“He is caught in the web of the last seen theory. In the result, I find the defendant guilty as charged. He is sentenced to death by hanging.”

During the trial, the prosecutor, Shirley Atanel, said the offence was committed on February 12, 2018, at Odo Uro, Iyin Ekiti in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.

said to have slaughtered his herder-colleague, Mohamadu Usman, which was contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code Law CAP C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

An eye witness gave a testimony that he saw two herdsmen coming with their cows while he was on his motorcycle and later discovered that one of them was returning a blood stained machete into

lied face down in the pool of his own blood with cut on his neck.

To prove his case, the prosecutor called four witnesses, including the Investigation Police Officer (IPO) during the trial.

Exhibits tendered were the accused confessional statements, photographs of the deceased butchered neck and a blood stained machete.

IPPIS: Non-teaching Workers Threaten to Stall Reopening of Universities Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Non-Academic Staff of the Universities (NASU) in the country has threatened to pull out of the proposed resumption of the tertiary institutions if the federal government would not correct the anomalies in salaries paid

on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

The union is also demanding the payment of arrears on earned allowances and minimum wage.

The NASU further said that it has passed a vote of no confidence on the IPPIS

and is currently considering the ‘University General and Peculiar Payment Platform (UG3P), which is in its final stages of completion.

In a resolution issued yesterday that was jointly signed by the President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities

(SSANU), Mr. Samson C. Ugwoke, and General Secretary of the NonAcademic Staff Union, Mr. Peters Adeyemi, the workers stated that they were ready for showdown anytime the universities would be directed to reopen after the COVID-19 lockdown.

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NEWS XTRA

Ngige: States Not Meeting their Responsibilities in Health Sector Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has accused most state

governments of not doing enough to equip hospitals in their domains.

Ngige made this accusation yesterday when he welcomed

Group Commends Akeredolu on Appointment of Special Adviser Ezekiel Okpuzor Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs (AYE) has commended the Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, for appointing Dr. Francis Summy as his Special Adviser on Entrepreneurship Development.

According to a statement made available to THISDAY yesterday.

“Akeredolu has taken a great step by appointing the best to actualise the goals and objectives of Ondo State.”

The Executive Director

of AYE, Joy Michael, in the statement disclosed that youths and entrepreneurs in the state would be fully equipped with the appointment which she described as great development.

She said: Entrepreneurship development is a key catalyst in stabilising the economy that has been terribly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Michael emphasised on the pandemic and the wisdom of the state governor in taking entrepreneurship development seriously.

PDP Govs Condemn Police Invasion of Edo Assembly Chuks Okocha in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, under the leadership of Mr. Aminu WaziriTambuwal. has condemned the invasion of the Edo State House of Assembly by members of the Nigerian police The governors in a statement that was issued by the Director General of the PDP Governors Forum, Mr. C.I.D. Maduabum, said: “We condemn unequivocally the police invasion of the Edo State House of Assembly in the early hours of August 6, 2020. The House of Assembly was surrounded and cordoned off by the police without the invitation or request of the legitimate authorities of the state or the House.”

The PDP’s governors said that the invasion was apparently to give cover to the unlawful

and illegal attempt to seize the House of Assembly in aid of unconstitutional acts being hatched by some former members-elect of the Edo House of Assembly.

The forum condemned as “illegal, unconstitutional, and an act of impunity, the purported swearing in of some former members elect and purported election of new presiding officers in a private residence in Benin without the legitimate officials of the House of Assembly as required by law. “It is the height of political brigandage and desperation. Why are the perpetrators of this illegal and unlawful activity afraid of facing the electorate in a free and fair election? Why are they afraid of the giant strides and impressive performance of His Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki?”

the President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Innocent Ujah, and insisted that the federal government has been doing a lot to meet the needs of the health sector.

“We started implementing the Healthcare Act, especially the aspect that had to do with the funding of the basic healthcare.

We do our federal component, the states are reluctant to do theirs, and you know that aspect

The federal government has denied frustrating the evacuation process of stranded Nigerian students from Saudi Arabia.

The Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ferdinand Nwoye, said yesterday that the unfortunate allegations by the “misinformed students” were absolutely false and should be disregarded.

Nwoye said: “The attention of

the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to a misleading video in circulation, fabricated by some misguided, unpatriotic and ungrateful Nigerian Students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and attendant media reports alleging that the government of Nigeria, particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja; the Embassy of Nigeria in Riyadh and the Consulate General of Nigeria in Jedda, have deliberately refused to

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin Kwara State High Court yesterday lifted the interim injunction restraining the state government from constructing anything on the civil service clinic land, better known as Ile Arugbo, following repeated failure of counsel to the claimant, Asa Investment Limited to appear before the court to fully prosecute its case.

The Asa Investment Limited, which is purportedly owned by a former Senate Leader, the late Dr. Olusola Saraki, had taken the Kwara State Government to court after the latter reclaimed the land, which it said was unlawfully taken over by the firm without any right of occupancy or payment to the owner, the state government.

The court, presided over by Justice Abiodun Adebara, also awarded a penalty of N200,000 each in favour of all the four defendants- Kwara State Governor, Attorney General, House of Assembly, and Bureau of Lands - and another N50,000 to the police on account of the failure of the claimant to allow the case to proceed to hearing on various occasions.

Justice Adebara took the decision after the counsel to the claimant, Mr. Akin Onigbinde (SAN) again failed to attend the court session yesterday.

Onigbinde instead sent a letter, accompanied with a medical

facilitate their evacuation to Nigeria for holiday since 15th May, 2020.”

Nwoye said the group further alleged that the Embassy of Nigeria in Riyadh and the Consulate General of Nigeria in Jedda refused to issue permits to students to travel home and failed to secure Over Flight Clearance and Landing Permit for the Saudi Arabian Airlines - SAUDIA to airlift Nigerians from the Kingdom.

Abdulrazaq Appoints IPI Member as GM of Herald In furtherance of the bid to return Kwara State-owned media houses to the paths of viability and sustainability, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has appointed a member of the International Press Institute (IPI), Mr. Yomi Adeboye, as the new General Manager of the Kwara State Printing and Publishing Corporation, publishers of The Herald newspapers. The appointment is with effect from July 24, 2020.

Adeboye is the current Editor of The Herald with supervisory editorial responsibility for all the titles published by the corporation.

The governor said Adeboye’s appointment was based on his records of professional performance, ability, dedication, competence and wealth of experience in the print media sector.

He urged him to see the appointment as an opportunity

“Unfortunately, the federal government’s budgeting did not align with the N20 billion agreement on doctors hazard allowance.

He said that government has overshot the estimate by N2 billion bringing it to N22 billion.

According to him, the federal government has run around to make up the money and is now processing payment for

the June hazard allowance.

He urged the NMA to cooperate with the federal government in making states to live up with its expectation by doing their own part in allocating required funds to the health sector.

Earlier, Ujah requested that federal government should ensure stricter implementation of agreements it reached with the doctors.

Court Lifts Injunction on Ile Arugbo, Awards Penalties against Asa Investment

FG Denies Frustrating Evacuation of Nigerian Students from Saudi Arabia Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

has to do with treatment of emergency cases. The basic healthcare is the cornerstone of the health care system,” he said.

He, however, said that the government is experiencing problems with the implementation of the new hazard allowance for health workers, which rose due to the additions of new staff in some health institutions.

to contribute to the development of Kwara State.

Adeboye

report, saying he was advised to undergo bed rest between August 3 and 10, 2020.

After many adjournments at the instance of the claimant, Onigbinde had again on July 8 agreed to an adjournment for July 22 but he later said he could not attend the sitting.

That led to the adjournment to August 6, which Onigbinde again did not attend allegedly on medical grounds.

Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Kwara State, Salman Jawondo, who appeared for the government, said the claimant was “deliberately wasting the time of the court” and urged Justice Adebara to dismiss the case for lack of diligent prosecution and to award

N250,000 penalty each against the claimant and in favour of the defendants.

Jawondo, who insisted that Asa Limited was just buying time

with the numerous adjournments, wondered why other counsel to the claimant cannot continue with the case in the absence of Onigbinde.

HEALTH PROACTIVISTS INITIATIVE This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) Abuja for registration under Part C of Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Imadojiemu Marietta Osetohanmhen 2. Imadojiemu Mayne Eboseta 3. Ofomi Andrew Oghenelunor

system that prioritizes a multisectoral action against non-communicable diseases.

To link people living with non-communicable diseases with a multidisciplinary health care team for effective follow-up.

To match people living with non-communicable diseases with affordable health insurance plans to promote health access

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris AIM AND OBJECTIVE To educate people on the need to take Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, P.M.B. proactive steps while creating virtual 198, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this communities that offer peer support for publication. the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases.

To advocate for policies and a health SIGNED: CHAIRMAN

FRIDAY AUGUST 7, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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FRIDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Adu Back Home after Four Months Lockdown in Côte d’Ivoire Nigeria’s Number 1 chess player, Oladapo Adu, is back home in Nigeria after being stuck in Côte d’Ivoire for four months and five days due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

Adu had been stranded in the Ivorian capital Abidjan since 24 March,when flight restrictions and border closures left him stuck

as he attempted to return home from the African Chess Championship.

“It’s nice to be back home - I feel relieved and happy this is all over. I have never had an experience like this in my life”, Adu told BBC Sport Africa yesterday.

Adu had travelled from the USA to Freetown, Sierra Leone, where he

represented Nigeria at a zonal Chess Championship, which ended on 20 March.

But by this point the coronavirus outbreak had become a full-blown pandemic, leading to the ban on flights by countries and the closure of borders.

He had to stay with friends of another competitor from the tournament, Ivorian

Simplice Delgundo, and later moved in with an Ivorian family.

“It was tough living with strangers in a strange land - having to depend on them for your survival,” he said.

“But I am grateful to them. They took care of me for months even when it was not convenient for them.”

Adu’s return was finally secured through Nigeria’s Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire, Mohammed Gana. He was prompted to intervene after several reports of Adu’s case in the media.

He proceeded to arrange a return flight for Adu and 30 other stranded Nigerians in Abidjan.

“The ambassador said

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Guardiola: We Want to Play Our Own Game against Real Madrid Pep Guardiola has warned that Manchester City want to impose their game when they meet Real Madrid in their postponed Champions League match this evening, believing his side are ready to face the 13-time champions.

City host Zinedine Zidane’s team in the second leg of their last-16 tie, leading 2-1 after their win in the Bernabeu in February.

Guardiola’s side lost their Premier League crown to Liverpool but have a chance to finish the coronavirusinterrupted season by becoming European champions for the first time.

“We want to play our own game,” the City boss said at his pre-match press conference on Thursday.

“We want to impose our own style on the game, whether we’re defending or playing on the counter-attack or whether Madrid are countering.

“What we want to try and do is take the game to certain areas of the field where we can hurt Real Madrid, where we can show the qualities of our players.”

He added: “I had the feeling now, today, that we are ready to play the game on Friday and do a good performance and win the game,” he said.

“That’s my feeling, we are ready.”

But Guardiola warned that it was vital for his side to cut out the defensive mistakes that have hurt his side this season.

“More than conceding the goals, it’s the way that we conceded the

goals,” he said. “When they are brilliant and make a good action we have to accept it.

“But for most of them it was goals that could have been avoided.

We have to avoid it.

Making mistakes in this competition punishes you a lot.”

Guardiola revealed defender Eric Garcia has turned down the offer of a contract extension at the Etihad Stadium.

The highly rated 19-year-old centre-back has been linked with a return to his boyhood club Barcelona.

“He told us he doesn’t want to extend his contract with Manchester City,” said Guardiola. “He has one more year then after that he doesn’t want to extend.

“We want it but he doesn’t want to extend the contract. I imagine he wants to play in another place.”

Real Madrid Manager Zinedine Zidane named 24 players on Wednesday for the trip to Manchester, where Madrid are aiming to overturn the 2-1 firstleg defeat to reach the quarter-finals.

Zidane left out Welshman Gareth Bale even as suspended Sergio Ramos traveled with the squad.

Bale, 31, has had a turbulent season, hardly featured for Madrid this year.

Despite Madrid storming to the La Liga title, Bale made only two appearances during the 11 games after La Liga resumed, one of them from the start.

TODAY’S FIXTURES (@8PM)

Juventus v Lyon Man City v Real Madrid

he was not aware of my situation until he got some pressure from Nigeria to get me out of Ivory Coast,” Adu explained.

“He said my case had been on the news and he knew he had to intervene.”

Adu, however, is said to be disappointed that the Nigerian Chess Federation (NCF) had not spoken to him, despite enlisting him in the ongoing Online Chess Olympiad competition while still stranded in Abidjan.“At the time I was enlisted, Nigerian the Chess Federation did not even know of my whereabouts - I was still stranded in Abidjan when I was selected to represent Nigeria,” explained a bewildered Adu. Nevertheless Adu is now participating in that online championship, which runs to 30 August.

The Nigerian Chess Federation did not respond to questions from the BBC.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and address as ABEGUNDE TITILAYO OMOTOLA, now wish to be known and address as ADERIBIGBE TITILAYO OMOTOLA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as IBRAHIM MOHAMMED now wish to be known and addressed as IBRAHIM MOHAMMEDKATSINA. All former documents remain valid. Institutions and Authorities concerned and the general public please take note.

Oladapo Adu is back home after four months lockdown in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire due to Covid-19

Ali, Akif Win 2020 African Freestyle Football Competition David-Chyddy Eleke inAwka

The freestyle football championship tagged: Freestyle Unlocked Africa 2020 came to an end last Sunday, with Egyptian Mohannad Hosam and Fatimaezzahra ‘Fatima’ Akif from Morocco winning the finals of the 3rd African Freestyle Football Championship.

Hosam and Akif both smiled home with $1,000 each as winners of the male and female categories of the competition respectively.

The month-long virtual dramatic freestyle football battle, which witnessed several displays is the third African Freestyle Football Championship was promoted by Feet ‘N’ Tricks International, the largest promoter of

freestyle football in Africa.

The games which were hosted online this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, began on Wednesday, July 1, 2020 with 152 entries from 21 countries.

Valentine Ozigbo, the Chairman of Feet ‘N’ Tricks International who presented prizes to winners expressed pride at the rapid growth of freestyle football on the continent since the inception of the tournament in 2017.

“When we started this project a few years ago, it was all about passion for an art-form that deserved to be given a front seat in the world of sports,” the respected business leader said.

“Today, we have just held the third successful continental championships, that is in addition to four

Nigerian tournaments.”

“Thanks to all our sponsors. MTN, who is our headline sponsor this year, my foundation, Valentine Chineto Ozigbo Foundation, and Eko Disco. Also thanks to our broadcast partners, PlusTV Africa and HipTV. Thanks to all our other media partners who supported this competition” Mr Ozigbo said.

Other winners in the competition include, Yousef Ayman Riesco (Egypt) and Lubna Omar (Sudan) each of them received $750, while Ayoub Haouas (Tunisia) and Evelyn Okafor (Nigeria) who both placed 3rd got $500 each.

The 4th placed winners, Samir Saidi (Algeria) and Yasmine Rais (Morocco), took home $250 each.

I. Formerly Known and addressed as GBADEBO ESTHER OPEYEMI, now wish to be known and addressed as OYEJIDE ESTHER OPEYEMI. All documents remain valid.

The general Public to take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as MR. NNANNA IKECHUKWU SAMSON now wish to be known and addressed as NNANNA CHIGOZIE SAMSON. All formal documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS OLAWALE DAMILOLA ROSELINE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ARIKAWE DAMILOLA ROSELINE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as ALEXANDER AFAM KANU, now wish to be known and addressed as ALEXANDER AFAM OGBONNIA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MRS MAUDLINE CHIBO ANYOMI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS MAUDLINE CHIBO NWANKWO. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

FRIDAY AUGUST 7, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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MISSILE

Monarch to Akpabio

“This is a clarion call to President Buhari to sack the Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, without further delay in order to forestall the impending, looming crisis that may worsen the already down trodden economy of the country, so as to avoid total collapse. He has either by commission or omission tarnished the good image of the Federal Executive Council as a serving minister” – Paramount ruler of Seimbiri Kingdom in Delta State, Dr. Charles Ayemi-Botu, calling on the Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, to resign or be fired.

OKEYIKECHUKWU

EDIFYING ELUCIDATIONS

okey.ikechukwu@thisdaylive.com

PDP and Rumour Mongering T here is a strong rumour in town, as I write. And it has been around for about five years now. Propagators of this rumour believe themselves to be stating a fact of our general experience, when they make certain statements about the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The statements in question revolve around their evaluation of the actual performance profile, and status, of the party; which is one of the parties that is not in power at the centre today. This “dangerous” rumour, which initially gained currency because the party came second in the elections, has to do with the claim, mostly by the party itself and some media reports, that the PDP is the major platform for opposition politics in Nigeria today. This is altogether absurd, if we are to take political opposition seriously.

A press-release-wielding political party that is thoroughly divided within, and against, itself is hardly anything but a viable and coherent opposition.

The earthworm, for instance, is not a species of Anaconda, or a python. The fact that it is longish and crawls on its belly does not make it a python, or a Boa constrictor. No, it is simply an earthworm and nothing more. True, it has no legs and generally wriggles like a snake as it moves. But it is still an earthworm. It is just like a butterfly daring to prance forward, to be numbered along with golden eagles just because it can wobble about in the garden’s gentle breeze under very benign weather.

Let it venture upwards in turbulent winds and let us see what would be left of it. Now nothing prevents the butterfly, or someone who believes that every flying thing is an eagle, from making untrue claims. It is only when the earthworm, or its sympathisers, try to propagate such falsehood as truth that the consternation around them will quickly bring them to their senses.

To call the PDP an opposition party, or to tag it the major opposition party in Nigeria today, is to take one “necessary” condition for real opposition party politics for a “sufficient” condition that qualifies a party for that appellation. Just as there are necessary and sufficient conditions for any creature to be called a python, or an eagle, there are also necessary and sufficient conditions for serious opposition politics. Chief Obafemi Awolowo, among others, met the necessary and sufficient conditions in this regard, because he had both an ideological distinctness and an engagement strategy that stood out in bold relief. The PDP has none of the above. It also does not seem to be working towards becoming a serious party, or transmuting into an intelligent opposition that is working towards taking over power and offer better leadership. It is not a coherent and articulate opposition by any stretch of the imagination today.

Can we say in all good conscience that the PDP has a genuinely respected Council of Elders that can call anyone to order today?

There is too much bitterness and bad blood within the fold. There is a reprehensible fixation on hegemony building and on maintaining and driving the old “godfather” legacy that ruined the party. That is why the current party leadership is laughable at best. That is also why the tenure and job of the current chairman, who is a nice gentleman in his

PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus own right, may end like that of Adams Oshiomhole of the APC. The latter did his best to change the geography of Edo politics, where he was governor for eight years. He did in Odigie Oyegun, to become party chairman in controversial circumstances. Then he finally did himself in politically. Even at that, he still cannot read the handwriting on the wall. But that is not our concern today.

The PDP recently held primaries to choose its flagbearer in one of the South-west states.

Contrary to all calculations, the people of the state said “enough;” and rejected a deputy governor who was endorsed as the chosen candidate by the party. They voted in someone of their choice, despite threats, entreaties, money politics and the resolute and determined intervention of a concert of relevant party godfathers. But are the lessons filtering through to the hawks and die hard traditionalists within the party, who cannot see that this is not 2007? This should wake the party up to the fact that it is imploding because of its determined refusal to revisit the circumstances, presumption, and attitudes, that gave rise to its current leadership; and which has dominated its operation within the last six years. It should worry the party’s

stakeholders that their platform is not moving forward at all.

The animosities arising from the 2015 PDP primaries held in Port Harcourt is still there, and is still simmering at the same unseemly temperature. It is one thing to say that someone’s hand was forced open and the candidacy of the party “snatched” from him in Port Harcourt. It is another to say that the party had any business holding the event in Port Harcourt in the first place, if not for the arm-twisting that many resented deeply. This is quite apart from the grievances of those from the South-west, who were dumbfounded by the arbitrary “reallocation” of the party chairmanship months earlier.

Then you have Sule Lamido, Makarfi and others who felt scandalized by what they considered the “ingratitude” of a party that saw their steadfast loyalty as nothing. The fact that the best products of the primaries were political returnees, no doubt men of considerable influence and political relevance on their own, rankled to no end with many.

Even today, it still rankles and fuels all manner of subterfuge, as we move towards 2023. Yes, arrows of perfidy are being sharpened, even before 2023 is in sight.

Those calling for equity today, in terms of how badly they were treated during the 2019 party primaries they personally hosted, would therefore seem not to have come to equity with clean hands. The choice of venue for that party’s last primaries, as well as the earlier mentioned foisted party leadership, laid the foundations for much that has become irreconcilable today. It is because the aggrieved is yet unforgiving that the party is nowhere near about being mended. The PDP is desperately masquerading with itself, believing that we are not aware that many of its governors have some kind of understanding with the ruling party, including those warming up to decamp and get a vice presidential slot with the ruling party. That is why many political actors, as well as bystanders, are asking: “Who were all these people and where were they in 1999? What warrants their presumption?

What makes them think that they have become big enough to take over a party founded by others? And how many of them who are

PDP must now stop trying to convince itself that Nigerians are blind and deaf to its internal wrangling. No matter what you use to decorate a house, no matter the texture of your lawns and the fancy lights you put around the fence, for as long as people get indications of clamour, name calling and disorder from within, even passers-by will maintain an abiding suspicion, if not conclusion, that all does not go well within

billionaires today were billionaires before the return to democracy? Etc., etc.

Having performed disastrously in a poorly coordinated 2019 presidential campaign partly because of enemies undermining the project from within, and with 2023 around the corner, the PDP must now stop trying to convince itself that Nigerians are blind and deaf to its internal wrangling. No matter what you use to decorate a house, no matter the texture of your lawns and the fancy lights you put around the fence, for as long as people get indications of clamour, name calling and disorder from within, even passers-by will maintain an abiding suspicion, if not conclusion, that all does not go well within.

But since the party somehow still manages to pass itself off as an opposition party, even while its members are seeking favours and attending nocturnal meetings with the ruling party, we must conclude that the meaning of political opposition has been reconfigured to accommodate reprehensible exhibition of political illiteracy as political opposition.

Unless, of course, we are prepared to look the other way and let the party off by saying that the meaning, efficacy and intent of its type of political opposition is a closely guarded secret – known only to people on drugs, or in Kukuland.

For the record, the PDP must remember that the likes of Awo, Aminu Kanu and other politicians of the first and second republics played opposition politics. Where is the party’s Abubakar Rimi, Okadigbo, Tunji Braithwaite, Paul Unongo, Franca Afegbua, Nnia Nwodo, and others? Who is the PDP’s ideologue today?

When, where and how will they get an Ojo Maduekwe from? Who are the respected elders? Did we not see the APC’s dogged, well-articulated and roundly comprehensive opposition before the 2015 elections? Never mind that the APC government birthed by that tenacious opposition termed out to be all gas and no substance.

The PDP still cannot even “do expo” and copy somebody – anybody at all – in opposition politics. It ran a sleepwalking presidency that saw it out of power in 2015, because it stood by as if paralysed while it was branded locally and internationally as “not very strong in the war against corruption.” The unfortunately unfair stigma stuck. On top of that, poor internal democracy, among other problems, led to the exit of several governors. The inability to design a containment strategy in the face of a house crumbling upon itself was the last straw and the 2015 elections was became burial ceremony. Now, that rumour mongering is trying to redefine the current PDP for us, let us look at Ugochinyere of UPP, several civil society organizations, media commentaries and editorials; especially those that are not unduly hysterical and which offer meaningful criticism, fair approvals and alternative and conceivably reasonable solutions to issues. That may give us a sense of what the PDP is not doing. If opposition politics is about sound understanding of national needs, an engagement strategy designed to use that understanding to galvanize national consciousness around a clear ideological template and drive all that by intelligent strategic communication, then we must politely tell the PDP to wake up.

Folly is different from creativity.

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