THURSDAY 10TH SEPTEMBER 2020

Banks Record N263.78tn Electronic Payment Transactions James Emejo in Abuja The total value of transactions through electronic payment channels recorded in the second quarter of 2020 stood at N263.78 trillion with a transaction volume of 2,160,436,659 , according to

the NBS, in its report released yesterday.

The report was titled: ‘Selected Banking Sector Data: Sectorial Breakdown of Credit, e-Payment Channels and Staff Strength (Q2 2020)’.

According to the report, online transfer transactions

dominated electronic payments with N72.25 trillion with 1,317,621,686 in volume of transactions.

The value of cheque transactions stood at N2.29 trillion while NEFT transfers accounted for N59.55 trillion.

Transactions via Automated

Teller Machines (ATMs) amounted to N37.44 trillion while Point of Sale (PoS) transactions stood at N999.91 billion.

According to the NBS, mobile app transfers amounted to N6.92 trillion, while USSD transfers totaled N1.04 trillion.

According to the NBS, the banking industry credit to the private sector stood at N18.82 trillion in Q2 compared to N18.49 trillion in Q1 with oil and gas and manufacturing sectors accounting for the highest allocation of N3.62 trillion and N3.07 trillion

respectively in Q2.

Total credit to agriculture stood at N903.70 billion compared to N853.27 billion in the preceding quarter.

While the banking sector gross loans stood at N18.90 Continued on page 8

Nigeria’s Public Debt Stock Rises to N31tn... Page 6 Thursday 10 September, 2020 Vol 25. No 9285. Price: N250

www.thisdaylive.com TR

TODAY'S WEATHER

ABUJA 25°C-33°C

MAIDUGURI 31°C-31°C

UT H

& RE A S O

ENUGU 25°C-28°C

N

KANO 27°C-33°C

LAGOS 24C-27°C

PORT HARCOURT 20°C-30°C

Malami to Open up on Magu, Ready to Testify before Salami Panel Says P&ID judgment victory for Nigeria Emma Okonji, Nosa Alekhuogie in Lagos and Alex Enumah in Abuja The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), yesterday expressed his readiness to appear before the presidential panel investigating the suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr.

Ibrahim Magu, to substantiate his allegations against him.

Responding to the demand

by Magu's counsel, Mr. Wahab Shittu, that he should appear before the panel, headed by a former President, Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, Malami, while featuring on The Morning Show, the flagship programme of Arise News, the broadcast arm of Continued on page 8

Subsidy Regime Corruption-ridden, NNPC Insists Marketers tip Nigeria to become W'Africa's refining hub

Chuks Okocha, Adedayo Akinwale, Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja and Peter Uzoho in Lagos The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday defended the federal government’s decision to remove the subsidy on petrol, insisting

that allowing market forces determine practices was in the overall interest of the poor.

Group Managing Director of the corporation, Malam Mele Kyari, who spoke when he appeared on a live TV programme last night, posited that petrol subsidy Continued on page 8

KING’S COLLEGE ‘MAFIA’...

L-R: Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; frontline businessman, Mr. Atedo Peterside; and National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.), all old students of King's College, Lagos, during the inauguration of the National Steering Committee for preparation of National Development Plan in Abuja…yesterday

Constitution Review: Senate Extends Memoranda Submission till Next Week...Page 9

2

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 •T H I S D AY

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 • T H I S D AY

3

4

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 •T H I S D AY

5

THURSDAY, ͚͸˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž T H I S D AY

NEWS

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

Nigeria Overtakes India as World Capital for Under-five Deaths

Ejiofor Alike Nigeria has overtaken India as the world capital for under-five deaths, according to the 2020 mortality estimates released by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The development comes two years earlier than the World Bank projected.

The global bank had said in 2018 that Nigeria would take over from India as the world capital for deaths of children under the age of five by 2021.

According to World Bank figures, India recorded an estimated 989,000 under-five deaths in 2017, while Nigeria recorded 714,000 deaths in the same year.

UNICEF, in the report titled: 'Levels and Trends in Child Mortality', said Nigeria recorded an estimated average of 858,000 under-five deaths in 2019 as against India, which ranked second with 824,000 deaths out of 5.2 million under-five deaths globally.

TheCable reported that the statistics, which covered a period of three decades–1990 to 2019– showed that 49 per cent of all under-five deaths in 2019 occurred in just five countries: Nigeria, India, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia. “Nigeria and India alone account for almost a third,� it said.

The report said under-five mortality rates declined by almost 60 per cent since 1990.

However, the UN expressed concerns that “while the extent and severity of the mortality impact of COVID-19 on children and youth is still unknown, the potential of a mortality crisis in 2020 threatens years of remarkable improvement in child and adolescent survival from 1990 to 2019, the period covered in

this report. “The global under-five mortality rate declined by almost 60 per cent from 93 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 38 deaths in 2019.

Meanwhile, mortality among adolescents aged 10–19 fell from 13 deaths per 1,000 adolescents aged 10 in 1990 to 8 deaths in 2019—a 39 per cent decrease. “Even with that progress, some 5.2 million children died before reaching their fifth birthday in 2019 alone.

Tragically, many of those children died of preventable or treatable conditions.�

According to the data in the report, Nigeria recorded 209,000 neonatal deaths in 1990– a 61,000 increase compared to 270,000 deaths in 2019.

The figures for number of deaths among children aged five to 14 also increased from 104,000 in 1990 to 119,000 in 2019.

Nigeria’s population has doubled since 1990, which means the percentage of neonatal deaths in the country has reduced, but the absolute numbers are higher.

The report said while child deaths are uneven across regions, the situation is worse in sub-Saharan Africa and Central and Southern Asia. “In 2019, sub-Saharan Africa carried more than half of that burden with 2.8 million under-five deaths (53 per cent), followed by Central and Southern Asia with 1.5 million (28 per cent). “The regions of Australia and New Zealand, Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, Northern Africa and Western Asia, Europe and Northern America, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand) account for the remaining 19 per cent of under-five deaths.

“Sub-Saharan Africa also bears the brunt of deaths among children and young people older than age 5, accounting for 44 per cent of deaths age 5–24,� it stated.

The report added that while the COVID-19 pandemic has limited direct impact on child mortality, countries worldwide are now experiencing disruptions in child and maternal health services due to resource constraints and a general uneasiness with using health services due to a fear of contracting COVID-19. “While current evidence indicates the direct impact of COVID-19 on child and

youth mortality is limited, indirect effects stemming from strained and under-resourced health systems; limitations on care-seeking and preventative measures like vaccination and nutrition supplements; the socio-economic strain on parents and households resulting from job loss or economic downturns; and stress to children and parents associated with abrupt societal shifts may be substantial and widespread. “Moreover, many of these indirect effects may not be apparent for some time after the pandemic recedes and may reverberate for an

extended period following the pandemic," it UNICEF Director, Henrietta Fore, said: “The global community has come too far towards eliminating preventable child deaths to allow the COVID-19 pandemic to stop us in our tracks. “If the child survival targets are to be met on time, resources and policy must be geared toward not only sustaining current rates of decline but also accelerating progress, which would save millions of lives. If the trends from 2010 to 2019 continue, 53 countries will not meet the SDG target on under-five mortality on time—if

all countries were to meet that target, 11 million under-five deaths would be averted from 2020 to 2030. “Achieving child survival goals and heading off a reversal of progress in child survival in 2020 will require universal access to effective, high-quality and affordable care and the continued, safe provision of life-saving interventions for women, children, and young people. “If all countries reach the SDG child survival targets by 2030, 11 million lives under age five will be saved—more than half of them in sub-Saharan Africa.�

HONOUR FOR THE GOVERNOR...

Enugu State Governor, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (left), and National President, Law Students' Association of Nigeria, Mr. Emmanuel Nwobodo, during a visit to the governor in Enugu‌yesterday

APC Accuses Obaseki, PDP of Assembling Thugs Opposition jittery of imminent defeat, says gov's aide 17 lawmakers warn banks against N1.5bn loan approved by Assembly Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Governor Godwin Obaseki, yesterday traded words over an allegation by the main opposition party that it sighted suspected thugs allegedly imported from PDP states at the Government House in Benin.

Also, 17 factional lawmakers of the state House of Assembly, yesterday warned banks against granting the state government N1.5 billion loan earlier approved for Obaseki by the other faction of the state legislature led by Hon. Frank Okiye.

A statement by the Chairman of the Media Campaign Council of APC, Mr. John Mayaki, said: "Buses loaded with strange faces have been spotted entering Benin City,

capital of Edo State. The buses with unidentifiable registration numbers have been increasingly sighted around Ring Road, making their way to the Government House, Benin as well as other major cities in the three senatorial districts of the state.

"We have it on good authority that within the space of two weeks, Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have ferried into the state busloads of thugs from neighbouring PDP states."

But the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, dismissed the APC’s allegation, saying, the main opposition party is jittery having realised that its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, is no match for Obaseki. “So far, according to our findings, nearly a thousand

thugs are being housed across sections of Government House in Benin, and at designated hotels across the three senatorial districts of Edo State. The only mission they have is to function as disruptive and destructive elements at polling centres during the election," Mayaki said.

Responding on behalf of the governor, Osagie faulted the allegation and accused the APC of churning out lies and propaganda in its bid to get the September 19 poll cancelled or postponed.

He said: “Recall that we raised the alarm earlier that the APC is committed to derailing the forthcoming election. The party’s tactics include the daily publication of falsehood and fear-mongering by the media handlers of its gubernatorial candidate. “The party’s ultimate aim is to get the attention of the electoral umpire and security

agencies and mislead them into cancelling or postponing the Edo gubernatorial poll. “Another strategy of the APC is to accuse the PDP of the set of desperate and illegal actions that the APC is guilty of in order to divert public attention from its rigging strategies being perfected in some hotels in Kogi, Edo and some South-west states.�

He urged the police and other security agencies as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to deliver an election that is devoid of violence and electoral malfeasance.

17 Lawmakers Query N1.5bn Loan Approval The 17 factional lawmakers loyal to former APC National Chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday held a plenary session at a secret location where they warned

banks against the N1.5 billion loan approval given to Obaseki by the other faction of the state legislature.

Speaking under matters of urgent public importance, the factional Deputy Speaker Hon. Emmanuel Agbaje, who represents Akoko-Edo II, said the loan was approved “by an illegal gathering of dissident members in the Government House..."

He said the purpose of the loan was to fund the second term bid of the governor and his party, adding that “their election is not an official matter of the state, [and] we as a House cannot afford to sell the future of our children.�

The member representing Oredo West Constituency, Hon. Chris Okaeben, said he and his other colleague from Oredo State Constituency were embarrassed by the action of the governor.

The factional Speaker,

Hon. Victor Edoror, asked the legislative clerk to send clean copies of the resolution to Obaseki, Attorney-General of the Federation, the DirectorGeneral, Debt Management Office (DMO) and all anti-graft agencies.

The 17 lawmakers said they had terminated the appointment of the Clerk of the House, Mr. Yaya Omogbai, who they said had been on suspension and also announced Mr. Samuel Efezokhale as the acting Clerk of the House.

But in his reaction, Okiye said responding to their action is like giving the 17 lawmakers credibility, and described them as impostors that should be investigated by the police.

He said he was expecting the police to investigate them as ordered by the court for treason and felony, as according to him, “what they are doing remains a big joke and of no value before the law."

6

THURSDAY, ͚͸˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž T H I S D AY

NEWS

Nigeria’s Public Debt Stock Rises to N31tn Lagos, Rivers, A’Ibom top list of indebted states Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja Nigeria's total public debt stock rose from N28.628 trillion ($79.303 billion) as at March 31, 2020 to N31.009 trillion ($85.897 billion) by June 30, 2020, the latest data released by the Debt Management Office (DMO) has shown.

This comprises debt owed by the federal, sub-national governments (states) and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The DMO attributed the N2.381 trillion ($6.593 billion) increase in the debt stock to the $3.36 billion budget support loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), new domestic borrowing to finance the Revised 2020 Appropriation Act (including the issuance of N162.557 billion Sukuk), as well as Promissory Notes issued to settle claims by exporters.

The agency explained: "The data shows that in naira terms, the total public debt stock, which comprises the debt stock

of the federal government, the 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory stood at N31.009 trillion or $85.897 Billion. The corresponding figures for March 31, 2020, were N28.628 trillion or $79.303 billion.

"The increase in the debt stock by N2.381 trillion or $6.593 billion was accounted for by the $3.36 billion Budget Support Loan from the International Monetary Fund, New Domestic Borrowing to finance the Revised 2020 Appropriation Act, including the issuance of the N162.557 Billion Sukuk, and Promissory Notes issued to settle claims of exporters."

A breakdown shows that the federal government's domestic debt stock as of June 30, 2020 stood at N15.445 trillion (N15,455,699,131,531.00).

This comprises debts arising from Nigerian Treasury Bills, Nigerian Treasury Bonds, FGN Savings Bond, FGN Sukuk, Green Bond, and Promissory Notes.

CJN Swears in 85 Judges for Ondo, Edo Elections

INEC to engage 17,000 staff for Ondo poll Alex Enumah in Abuja and James Sowole in Akure The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, will today swear in 85 judges to adjudicate on election petitions from the upcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States as well as by-elections scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

While the election in Edo State is slated for September 19, that of Ondo comes up on October 10.

The 85 judges are drawn from the Federal High Court and state high courts.

A statement yesterday by the spokesperson of the Court of Appeal, Ms. Sa’adatu Kachalla, said the judges would be inaugurated in Abuja.

After the inauguration, the judges will undergo a one-day training on the election petition tribunal matters, to be organised by the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, on Friday.

Meanwhile, INEC yesterday said it would recruit no fewer than 17,000 staff for the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State.

INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mr. Festus Okoye, gave the figure yesterday in Akure while opening a workshop for journalists on elections.

Over 50 journalists from the print, electronic and online media organisations

participated in the workshop.

Okoye said of the figure, 15,000 would be ad hoc staff, made up of members of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) and students of federal tertiary institutions, supervising presiding officers and collation and returning officers.

According to him, supervising presiding officers will be drawn from the staff of federal tertiary institutions in the state while collation and returning officers will also be senior staff of federal tertiary institutions.

However, Okoye said the collation officers and returning officers would be drawn from federal tertiary institutions outside the state.

The commissioner said INEC was prepared to conduct the election in line with COVID-19 protocols.

He said the commission would work with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to ensure compliance with COVID-19 protocols.

He said the INEC would provide basic Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including face masks, sanitisers, infra-red thermometers and disinfectants at polling units for its staff.

Okoye added that the commission will enforce strictly the provision of the COVID-19 protocols as it would not allow any voter without a face mask to vote.

He urged journalists to also observe the protocols while carrying out their assignments during the election.

The 36 states of the federation and the FCT also accounted for a domestic debt of N4.189 trillion (N4,189,699,078,909.01) during the period under review.

Foreign debt component as at June 30, 2020, was $31.477 billion while domestic debt accounted for $54.419 billion of the total public debt of $85.897 billion (in dollar terms).

The DMO explained that it

expects the public debt stock to grow as the balance of the new domestic borrowing is raised and expected disbursements are made by the World Bank, African Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank which were arranged to finance the 2020 Budget.

"It will be recalled that the 2020 Appropriation Act had to be revised in

the face of the adverse and severe impact of COVID-19 on Government’s Revenues and increased expenditure needs on health and economic stimulus amongst others.

"Additional Promissory Notes are expected to be issued in the course of the year, this, and new borrowings

by State governments are also expected to increase the public debt stock," the agency added.

Meanwhile, the latest debt statistics show that Lagos State with a total domestic debt of N493. 318 billion is the most indebted state in the country, followed

by Rivers with N266.936 billion (N266,936,225,79) Akwa Ibom and Delta with N239. 209 billion (N239, 209,746,919.94) and N235,860 billion (N235,860,479,518.82) respectively.

SECURING SECURITIES...

Managing Director, Central Securities Clearing System Plc, Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri (left), and Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission, Mr. Lamido Yuguda, during a meeting between SEC and CSCS in Abuja‌yesterday

FG: New Devt Plans to Tackle Infrastructure Deficit, Production Cost

James Emejo in Abuja

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, yesterday identified the goals of the country's proposed development plans as boosting infrastructure development and supporting the reduction of cost of production of goods and services, among others.

She said these were critical for diversifying the economy and revenue base, poverty reduction and job creation.

Ahmed said the proposed plans, which she described as fully-national given the participation of stakeholders from all strata of the economy in its formulation would also focus on addressing constraints that hampered industrialisation and transformation of the economy.

She spoke yesterday in Abuja at the inaugural meeting of the National Steering Committee (NSC) for the preparation of the Medium Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) 2021-2025 and Agenda 2050, which is the co-chair.

Ahmed said though the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) agreement had opened competition among African countries, as the continent gradually becomes borderless, only countries with actionable development plans would make the greatest impact on the new dispensation.

She, therefore, charged the

steering committee to ensure that the new plans facilitate improvement in product complexity and mapping in order to acquire greater market share of the product complexity space to diversify revenue base.

She said the plans must also support the attainment of global agendas, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as the AU and ECOWAS Agenda so the country could remain relevant among the comity of nations.

The minister added that various regions of the country have been pursuing different economic cooperation within their regions and hoped that the proposed blueprint would take into consideration the comparative advantages available to regional blocs to build a virile Nigeria.

Ahmed said the implementation of previous and existing development plans, including the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) 1986-1980 and the three-year rolling plans, National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS), National Vision 20: 2020, Seven-Point Agenda, Transformation Agenda (2011 -2015), and the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) by various administrations had contributed to Nigeria's development.

However, she said the country is confronted with another opportunity to develop new plans to drive government

policies in the next decade.

Ahmed said: "Clearly and from all indications, the objective of the plans had not changed from the previous plans.

"It is all about diversifying the economy and revenue base, reducing poverty, wealth and job creation among others.

"To achieve these objectives and also play significant roles in the global markets, the plans must pay serious attention to the development of infrastructure and reducing cost of production of goods and services."

The minister, however, stated that the lofty goals of Vision 2020 had been truncated partly by crude oil price crash due to shocks in the international market in 2016, a situation that led the economy into a recession with negative GDP growth.

Also speaking at the inauguration, the Founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Mr. Atedo Peterside, who is the chairman of the NSC, urged members of the committee not to be discouraged by the country's sordid history of abandoning various development plans.

He said previous plans under past administrations had only disappeared on the shelves, noting that economic blueprints were hardly implemented.

Peterside, who had participated in the development of several plans under the

administrations of the late President Musa Yar'Adua and former President Goodluck Jonathan, said the NSC should see the new task as an opportunity to create a movement to liberate and develop the country.

He said the committee should forget the past, and seize advantage of the country's present economic predicaments and launch a bold plan to achieve economic success.

He added that just because previous plans failed does not foreclose further attempts.

Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, also said the terminal date for the existing development plans remained December 31, 2020.

He said some remarkable feats had been recorded though the country was yet to attain the 20th position in the world economy and grow at double-digit as envisaged by current plans.

He said: "It is, however, safe to state that the implementation of ERGP pulled the economy out of recession unto the path of economic growth as the economy experienced eleven quarters of consecutive GDP growth since exiting recession.

The GDP grew from 1.91 per cent in 2018 to 2.27 per cent in 2019 but declined to 1.87 per cent and 6.10 per cent in the first and second quarter of 2020 respectively due to the impact of COVID-19."

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 • T H I S D AY

7

8

THURSDAY, ͚͸˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž T H I S D AY

PAGE EIGHT MALAMI TO OPEN UP ON MAGU, READY TO TESTIFY BEFORE SALAMI PANEL THISDAY Newspapers, said he was ready to testify before the panel if invited.

He stated that as the chief law officer of the country, he has a responsibility to assist whatever investigation that is taking place both locally or internationally.

He has also described the recent judgment of a UK court, granting Nigeria more time to appeal the $9.6billion arbitral award to Process & Industrial Development (P&ID) Limited, as a victory for the country.

He said: “For your information, I have signed and executed around eight witness statements before the Commercial Court in the UK, which translated to the victory we are celebrating today.

"So, the idea of testimony, the idea of appearance of the Office of the Attorney-General and indeed with the particular reference to Abubakar Malami before any panel, before any tribunal- local and international for the purpose of supporting an investigation that will see to the establishment and unraveling the truth associated with an issue under consideration is not new.

I will in no way exercise any restraints as per honouring an invitation for the purpose of supporting any inquiry. “So, if Ayo Salami panel invites Abubakar Malami (SAN) as a person or the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, for any testimony or any

clarification, for any examination or cross-examination for that matter, Abubakar Malami will definitely and gladly within the spirit and context of rule of law be there to testify and will submit myself to be crossexamined within the context of the rule of law.�

According to him, his position is to be submissive to the rule of law and he will be ready to cooperate with any institution when called upon to clarify issues, be examined or crossexamined.

He added that he has along the chain of arbitral process submitted to uncountable invitations and responded to uncountable requests to clarify issues and execute uncountable witness statements in putting the records straight and the case of Salami will not be an exception.

The minister said the judgment by the UK court, which established a prima facie case of fraud against P&ID in the failed Gas Supply Processing Agreement (GSPA) with Nigeria, is victory for Nigeria.

The minister stated that if the judgment had been against Nigeria, it could have led to an attack on the national assets both locally and otherwise.

He said those found guilty in the P&ID contract would be punished.

According to him, "Looking at it further from the implication of

such attachment on our national budget, the amount awarded to Nigeria as fine is a bit in volume and size, an amount that could have been enough to address our national budget as it relates to health and education combined together. It is also an implication that could perhaps translate to an attachment of commercial assets and perhaps maybe inclusive of the national reserves. “The total implication of this is an outright negative effect and affection to our financial standing locally and internationally. It would have certainly affected our economy that is already fragile, taking into consideration, the prevailing financial situation internationally. “Looking at the volume and size of the award, it is an arbitrary award that amounts to about $10 billion.�

The minister added that “from the perspective of the implications, based on the huge award, which translates to about one-third of our national budget, the volume would certainly have affected our educational and health sector to the extent that we would not have had anything left after payment. The implication would have had an unimaginable negative effect on our economy and financial standing internationally.�

Giving clarifications to the statement he had earlier made that heads would roll among

those involved in the deal that led to the fine, Malami said: "Heads have started rolling already, taking into consideration that extensive investigation as to the genesis and circumstances of the associated compromises.

Certain elements have already been charged to court, heads have started rolling as certain convictions have been recorded arising from the P&ID contractual saga and indeed, heads will continue to roll taking into consideration that investigations are still ongoing."

Shedding light on the possibility of considering settlement, Malami said: "Government operates in continuity and the settlement aspect is something that was inherited by the government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari. At the time we came on board, we found an existing provision that the government has indeed offered to pay P&ID an amount within the region of over $800 million, but the offer was turned down by P&ID and was claiming damages for breach of contract.

"In the continuity principle on the basis of which the government is expected to operate, we found that element of the offer as being excessive, unreasonable and baseless against the background of perhaps limited appreciation of the prevailing facts and

circumstances.

"At the end of the day, our decision saved the nation the sum of over $800 million that was rejected by P&ID, which could have been an extraordinary negative effect on our economy. “Looking through the entire processes, it came to light that there were a lot of misgivings, compromises, apparent collusion and conspiracy. One lesson we need to learn from the P&ID saga is to understand clearly that a culture of impunity, compromise and breaches in processes and procedures has long been established and rooted in the Nigerian context and governance structure of Nigeria, before coming on board of this government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari. A further reason that needs to be learnt is that under this administration, a new contract has already evolved,�

Malami said.

Reacting to the recent call for his probe, the minister said no one in the system was above investigation.

"The fact remains that this whole P&ID matter is indeed a collective responsibility. It is also a function of collaboration among the agencies of government.

If the Office of the AttorneyGeneral or the personality of the attorney-general and Abubakar Malami is called to question, it is only natural they

investigate and I don’t think the office enjoys any immunity. I do not claim exclusivity as far as investigations are concerned.

If there are reasonable grounds for suspicions of offences, compromises, criminal conspiracies associated with P&ID, it is only natural to ensure that no stone is left unturned, "he said.

Responding to the claims

by Shittu that credit should be given to his client for the reprieve the UK court has granted Nigeria in the P&ID saga, Malami explained that it was a collective effort by various institutions. “I wonder how one personality can claim a victory associated with an institution and is governmental. The police played a part, the minister for information and culture played an extraordinary vital role as well, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided the secretarial services in the United Kingdom. So, I wonder where a personalised claim can fit into the circumstances of a collaborative effort. The Ministry of Finance was equally there.

The governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) played a key role out of the desire to ensure that the foreign reserves and commercial assets both locally and internationally were not attacked. Nobody is claiming exclusive victory arising from P&ID," Malami explained.

new modular refineries would help in actualising the national dream.

The Chairman of MOMAN, Mr. Adetunji Oyebanji, who issued the statement, also said deregulation could help Nigeria to shift to alternative energies such as gas and solar energy.

He said Nigeria must ensure the development of green alternative energy sources and encourage the people to use it.

According to him, cheaper and cleaner alternatives to petrol and diesel must be provided to the public, especially as full deregulation of the Nigerian petroleum downstream sector commenced.

Oyebanji added that the association was also supporting the gas initiatives of the federal government and keying into the autogas policy to give Nigerians a cleaner and a greener alternative to power their automobiles, homes and other equipment.

"The idea of deepening the use of gas comes at a very auspicious time as we grapple with increasing petrol prices due to the deregulation of the petroleum downstream sector," he said.

He stated that the imperative to develop CNG and cooking gas as alternatives to petrol and other fuels had never been more critical, especially with the recovering crude oil prices and the rising demand of refined products ahead of the winter months in Europe.

The statement said: "Using other countries where gas has been adopted and integrated as an alternative auto fuel as case studies, gas requires government support and interventions to take root. The gas value chain is awash with opportunities for new investment, skills development and enhancement of our local public transportation infrastructure.

"Clear policy directives and legislative framework aimed at generating demand, as well as Customs duty and tax waivers will be required and fast-tracked to jump-start the sector and attract investment into the gas space.

"Nigeria, being a gas country must be able to benefit locally from its abundant gas reserves and transfer the advantages to the Nigerian consumer."

the same regime promised to fix refineries but has reneged.

Secondus also said it was laughable that the government and its enablers gathered together at the Villa on Tuesday to “clap for themselves� over unverifiable claims of achievements.

But the APC in a statement signed by the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yekini Nabena, said the PDP and Atiku were being hypocritical in their assessment of issues relating to the increase.

Nabena said: “The PDP and Atiku’s reactions to what has been adjudged inevitability by many experts clearly depict the height of hypocrisy demonstrated by them on many issues relating to the progress and wellbeing of Nigeria. “The PDP’s outburst indeed exposes once again its real fraudulent character and plot to patronise Nigerians and make them suffer in perpetuity by keeping a fraudulent subsidy arrangement that feeds a few individuals at the expense of the masses.�

SUBSIDY REGIME CORRUPTION-RIDDEN, NNPC INSISTS was corruption-ridden and only served the interest of the elite.

Kyari said the move to deregulate the market took a long while because it was difficult convincing President Muhammadu Buhari to sign off on the move because he (Buhari) was worried that the poor would be negatively affected by higher prices.

He said: “Petroleum subsidy has been a big issue for over 20 years. Every corruption you are aware of in the downstream sector of the industry is in one way or the other connected to fuel subsidy. “Several licences were given to people to build refineries across the country and none could deliver, maybe only just a few. The reason is very simple because people are not sure when you produce petroleum product what price they are going to sell. “Because we know that those prices are not marketdetermined and there will be a subsidy element in it, everybody failed to deliver on it. The end result is that this burden is left to the NNPC and the government as a whole.�

The NNPC boss argued that the anger being expressed by the people due to the growing prices of the product may be justified but noted that it was grossly misplaced. “Government has to provide for that gap that exists. It's easy for people to get angry that prices have gone up. Just like other commodities because there can be challenges that people will naturally face,� he said.

According to him, the brunt of the sleaze in the subsidy system was borne by the poor who he said are being misguided by the elite who are gaining from it.

Kyari said: “Only a Buhari regime can make this decision.

People will not appreciate the fact of the lost opportunity because you are spending an enormous amount of resources, over N10 trillion spent in the last eight to nine years, all trying to service that. That also includes the element of

forex lost to it. “Subsidy is an elitist thing.

Only the elite have three, four, five cars. They have many cars in their houses and fill their tanks. The ordinary man loses in infrastructure, hospitals are not built, and schools are not built. Ultimately, the brunt of corruption is borne by the ordinary man. “Overall they lose everything and get nothing. The anger is coming from those who are not aware they are being cheated.

They are being engineered to do those things.

"The outburst is understandable but misplaced because Nigerians are not aware of the opportunities lost.�

On why the president delayed before approving subsidy removal, he said: “The reason it took that long is the persuasion of the president who is a pro-people president.

He shares this personally that ordinary people should not suffer because of the acts of people in government or institutions.�

Kyari further disclosed: “There's a difficult conversation in government to see how we move from this situation to a situation of reality without hurting the ordinary people, adding that “until very recently, the president was not convinced that we should make this move. “It’s clear we can't afford it anymore. Ordinary people deserve more infrastructures.

We need to free up resources.

It was a difficult decision for the president but it will unleash activities in the sector.�

He maintained that with the decision, more jobs would be created, more schools would be built, stating that the long term benefits outweigh the immediate pain.

Asked if there were palliatives to cushion the impact of the hike in fuel prices, the GMD noted that with the economic sustainability programme, small scale businesses, among others, will have access to about N2.7 trillion.

He said the national oil company was engaging the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),

adding that “within a very short time, oil marketing companies will have access to forex just like the NNPC.�

He said currently, all the four refineries have been shut down deliberately because “delivery of crude oil is challenged and compromised,� and can’t function at full capacity.

Kyari explained that the corporation was conducting full rehabilitation and would, thereafter, operate a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) model.

Marketers Tip Nigeria to Become W'Africa's ReďŹ ning Hub Meanwhile, major marketers yesterday listed the gains of the deregulation policy, which include making Nigeria the refining hub for West and Central Africa and a net exporter when the policy blossoms.

The marketers spoke against the backdrop of the deregulation and liberalisation of the petroleum downstream sector, which has made the federal government hands off petrol price-fixing with the marketers determining the cost of the commodity.

However, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus, has restated opposition to the policy that has triggered a higher price regime for petrol, accusing President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) of failing Nigerians.

But the ruling party took on the PDP and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who had earlier faulted the high petrol price under deregulation, saying they were being hypocritical in their assessment.

The marketers, under the aegis of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), stated in a statement yesterday that the new federal government’s policy on alternative energy as well as the coming on stream of

Buhari, APC Failed Nigerians, Says Secondus Secondus yesterday said Buhari and the APC have failed Nigerians with the deregulation policy that has made petrol to be costlier.

He said the PDP under his leadership identified with Nigerians who have been exposed to hardships, poverty, hunger and death on account of the government's failure to fulfill its campaign promises to protect lives and livelihoods.

The PDP national chairman was addressing party supporters in Abuja.

The PDP members were in Abuja to protest the hike in the pump price of petrol and electricity tariffs as well as the rising cost of living.

Secondus said: “When they were looking for power in 2015, they promised to provide jobs for our youths, they promised to reduce the pump price of petroleum products and protect lives and property. What do we have today? When they took over, a bag of rice was N18,000 today, it is N35,000.

Is this progress?�

He advised the administration to admit its failures and make policies that will encourage a private sector-driven economy as a way out of the current national quagmire.

He said the recent increase in the pump price of petrol was unjustified, noting that

BANKS RECORD N263.78TN ELECTRONIC PAYMENT TRANSACTIONS trillion, Non -Performing Loans (NPLs) stood at N1.21 trillion as against gross loans of N18.56 trillion and NPLs of N1.18 trillion in Q1.

The total staff strength of the Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) was estimated at 94,498 staff.

TOP GAINERS NGN NGN % FIDSON 0.27 3.98 7.2 PZCUSSON 0.25 4.25 6.2 CUSTODIAN 0.15 4.95 3.1 FCMB 0.06 2.26 2.7 JOHNHOLT 0.01 0.56 1.8 TOP LOSERS NGN % ROYALEXCHANGE 0.03 0.27 10 LIVESTOCK 0.06 0.60 9.0 C & I LEASING 0.35 3.55 8.9 MBENEFIT 0.01 0.20 4.7 UACN 0.30 6.00 4.7 HPE Nestle Nig Plc â‚Ś1,175.00 Volume: 269.629 million shares Value: N2.871 billion Deals: 4,155 As at yesterday 9/9/2020 See details on Page 37

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

9

NEWS

Constitution Review: Senate Extends Memoranda Submission till Next Week Total memo now 68 Omo-Agege advises Nigerians to lobby lawmakers for state creation Deji Elumoye in Abuja The submission of memoranda by the general public to the Senate committee on constitution review which was scheduled to close on Tuesday has been extended till next week Friday.

This is just as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, advised agitators for additional state creation to be ready to lobby both federal and state legislators as well as other geo-political zones in the country.

THISDAY learnt that the extension of the date for the collection of Memoranda from interested groups and individuals was not unconnected to enormous pressure mounted by various interest groups physically and through telephone calls to the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo- Agege in his capacity as Chairman of the Committee.

It was gathered that the committee had to go against its earlier plan to stop the collection of Memoranda on Tuesday in line with 14 days grace given for that purpose on August 26, 2020, when it called for submission of memoranda from Nigerians.

A secretariat staff told THISDAY “We were supposed to stop the collection of Memoranda yesterday (Tuesday) or even today (Wednesday), based on the earlier announcement made to Nigerians, but a counter directive has been given that such collection should continue till Friday, September 18, 2020, apparently due to pressures being mounted on the Committee”.

As at close of work on Wednesday, 18 additional Memoranda were submitted in addition to 50 others earlier collected by the committee, making the total number to stand at 68.

Among the Memoranda collected by the Secretariat of

the committee on Wednesday, were those from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Movement for creation of Zuma State out of Niger State, Movement for creation of Savana State out of Gombe, Taraba and Adamawa States.

Others include Yiaga Africa, Okun Development Association, Benue State Government, Concerned Nurses Association of Nigeria, Urhobo Progressive Union and Zontai International, among others Omo- Agege had in advice on Wednesday to State creation agitators while playing host to the apex socio-cultural umbrella body of Urhobo people in Nigeria (Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), said getting the buy-in of other legislators and groups from other parts of the country are key and very important for such agitations if they are to see the light of the day.

His words: “Let me also make this clear that the constitutional review exercise is not a tea party by any means. It is a very tedious exercise. If you check Section 9 of the Constitution, it lays out a very difficult procedure that you must go through before you can achieve success with respect to the amendment.

“I don’t know what is in your submission but what I hear from the grapevine is that there is a likelihood that UPU is asking for a state. If that is right, I am sure you also know the provisions of Section 8 of the Constitution.

“That is even more tedious than every other procedure because unlike other sections of the Constitution that recognises a constitution amendment bill to pass with a two-third majority of both chambers here and a two-thirds majority of state assembly, for state creation, which is under Section 8, it requires four-fifth of the majority.

Even more majority than the regular two-third.

“But that is not to say it is impossible. If the demand is

IG Produces Bayelsa Governorship Candidate after Third Court Order The Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Mohammed Adamu, yesterday complied with the repeated orders of the Federal High Court in Abuja, compelling him to produce a governorship candidate in the November 16, 2019 governorship election in Bayelsa State, Mr. Vijah Opuama.

Opuama who was the Liberation Movement’s governorship candidate, was arrested by the policemen from the IG’s monitoring unit on the premises of the state’s Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Abuja, on August 15, 2020 while waiting for judgment to be delivered on his petition challenging the outcome of the disputed poll.

The IG had ignored the two previous orders issued by Justice Taiwo Taiwo on August 3, 2020, and subsequently on September 2, for the production of the detainee in court.

The judge had on Monday issued the third order, directing the IG to produce Opuama in court yesterday.

The judge had threatened to summon the IG to personally appear in court should he fail to obey the third order.

But following the court’s third order, the detainee was finally produced in court yesterday.

He was produced from Suleja prison where an Upper Area Court in Zuba, Abuja, ordered him to be remanded after the police filed charges of resistance of arrest against him at the court on September 4.

Opuama’s lawyer, Mr. Danaba Pius, told Justice Taiwo yesterday that the police “rushed” to arraign his client at the Upper Area Court after they were served the September 2, 2020 order, directing the production of the detainee in court on September 7.

genuine and legitimate, there is no reason why it should not succeed. But you have to do the needful. You have to reach out to others. You have to lobby as to why this should be the case.

“As the Chairman of this committee, I am not supposed to take a position. You have to reach out to people, different geopolitical zones and make your case.

“If they see the merit in your argument, then they could, acting through their members in the House of Representatives and Senate, go with you and vote in support. You have to go out and lobby. You don’t stay at home and they reward you with a free state. It is only in the military that states are created

by Fiat. But under democratic set up in the 1999 Constitution

(as amended), the procedures are well laid out under Section 9 of the Constitution”.

He assured the UPU representatives that federal lawmakers from the area would not support anti-Urhobo legislation in the National Assembly.

Speaking earlier, leader of the group and Okobaro of Ughievwen Kingdom, HRM

Dr. Mathew Ediri Egbi (JP), Owahwa II said the group decided to pay a courtesy call on the Deputy President of the Senate after submitting its memorandum to the Secretariat of the Constitution Review Committee.

He urged Omo-Agege to always protect the interest of Urhobos using his position as the nation’s Number Six Citizen.

RALLYING AREWA’S SUPPORT...

L-R: Sarkin Fulani and Miyeti Allah, Alhaji Muhammed Sosal; Sarkin Hausawa in Benin, Alhaji Adamu Isa; Edo State Governor and governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; his deputy, Hon. Philip Shaibu; and the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Osarodion Ogie, during a courtesy visit by the Arewa Community, at Government House, in Benin City...yesterday

No Justification for Sexual Harassment, Osinbajo Insists Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday said there should be no excuse for rape.

According to a statement by his spokesman, Laolu Akande, the Vice-President spoke during a webinar on anti-sexual harassment organised by the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife and titled, ‘Finding safe spaces for female students in Nigerian universities.’

The event was said to have been based on the book, “Naked abuse: Sex for grades in African universities” written by a former presidential spokesman, Mr Olusegun Adeniyi.

The statement quoted Osinbajo as saying, “The victim must always be seen as the victim. There cannot be an excuse, especially given the

power configuration between students and lecturers, that the victim could have somehow invited the abuse upon themselves.

“I think it is an important consideration to be made and we must not allow that notion to persist.

“There is also the comparison sometimes made between demanding

bribes for service and sex for grades. Sometimes people will argue that a bribe is a bribe and there is no reason why the punishment for sex as the currency of the bribe, should be stricter than an ordinary bribe.”

Osinbajo made a case for a code of conduct based on best practices in appropriate student/lecturer interactions.

DSS, Others Screen Oyo Amotekun Applicants Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS); Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) as well as officials of Nigeria Correctional Centre yesterday screened applicants to the Oyo State Security Network, codenamed Operation Amotekun.

The Chairman of Amotekun in the state, Col. Kunle Togun (rtd.), said the security agencies were involved to weed out applicants with criminal records.

Togun said about 2,000 would be recruited into the outfit in the ongoing exercise.

Togun, who is a former Director, Directorate of Military Intelligence, said the operations of the security outfit would greatly reduce criminal activities especially in the rural areas.

Togun said, “ Recruitment into Amotekun started today (Wednesday) and applicants

have been coming. We are screening them to know who they truly are.

We don’t want to recruit criminals into the outfit.

That is why we are being painstaking on what we are doing. We don’t want to rush and make mistakes.”

Beneficiaries of ‘Trader Moni’ Not Willing to Repay Loans, NSIP Alleges The Kwara State Focal Person for the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), Hajia Bashirah Abdulrazaq-Sanusi, yesterday alleged that the beneficiaries of ‘Trader Moni,’ one of the programmes of the federal government’s NSIP designed to reduce poverty in Nigeria are reluctant to repay the loan.

Abdulrazaq-Sanusi said that about 10,000 people

benefitted from “Trader Moni” programme in the state with over N1.3bn disbursed to them, She, however, lamented that the people were not willing to repay the loan.

“Poor masses are not ready to repay the loan after collection because of the attitude of Nigerians to anything from the government, thinking it is national cake.

Also those that disbursed the money do not have records of beneficiaries like phone numbers and addresses, thus, making it difficult to track them for repayment,” Abdulrazaq-Sanusi said.

She explained that the programme was designed to provide soft loans to boost small scale businesses in the markets and was flagged off by Vice-President Yemi

Osinbajo in 2019 to support women with N10,000 as soft loans to be paid back, after which they would enjoy the next stage of N50,000.

Similarly, AbdulrazaqSanusi lamented that over 15,000 beneficiaries of N-Power Programme were showing lukewarm attitude to the state government programme of reabsorbing them into the MDAs.

10

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Eni Kicks as FG Demands $1.1bn Advance from Shell, Italian Giant in OPL 245 Case

Ejiofor Alike with agency reports

The Nigerian government yesterday asked a court in Milan, Italy, to order Royal Dutch Shell and Eni to pay the sum of $1.092 billion as an immediate advance payment for damages in the Malabu oil scandal, one of the oil industry’s biggest-ever corruption scandals.During the hearing of the corruption allegation linked to the acquisition of the Oil Prospecting Lease (OPL) 245 offshore field, lawyer to the federal government, asked for advance payment ahead of a more comprehensive damages package to be decided by the court at a later date.

But in a swift reaction, Eni said yesterday in a statement made available to THISDAY by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) that it was “highly disappointed that the prosecutors continue to use as evidence flows of money which occurred after the Company paid for the OPL 245 licence, in order to support its accusations of corruption against the company. Payment

for OPL 245 was made directly to the Nigerian government, in a clear, linear and transparent manner using an internationallyrenowned bank. Eni was not aware, and was in no way required to be aware, of any flows of funds following its direct payment”.

The statement signed by Folu Olapade argued that the civil party wrongfully presents a negotiation between Eni and Shell on one side and Nigerian government representatives on the other as illicit, alleging that the two companies were aware of unlawful intentions of the Government representatives.

“Eni maintains that it acted lawfully, dealing with the ministries of a sovereign government, traditionally competent with respect to operations such as these, acting properly in negotiations of this complexity through transversal, complex and proven processes for evaluation and analysis,” the statement added.

“In relation to the civil party’s suggestions that the price paid materially undervalues

the license, Eni emphasizes that the economic offer was congruous and reasonable when considering the value of the OPL245 exploration field and the investments necessary to be able to put it into production.

“The final amount paid by Eni to the Nigerian government was agreed by the parties following an in-depth geological, technical and economic examination; it also considers the historical evolution of the Nigerian and international oil markets. Suffice it to consider, for example, that at the end of

September 2011 the Brent was valued over 100 dollars, while today it is around 40 dollars.

“Moreover, the transaction price of $1.09 billion, net of the signature bonus, equals the assessment of OPL 245 made

by IHS for Shell in its 2009 arbitration against the Federal Government of Nigeria, when the British/Dutch company had no interest whatsoever in underestimating the asset to which it was laying claim,” Eni explained.

Reuters reported that the case

involves the 2011 acquisition of oil block prospecting licence by Eni and Shell, following the payment of $1.3 billion to the Nigerian government for the OPL 245 offshore field.

According to Reuters, “Shell says that the 2011 agreement was a settlement of long-standing litigation following the previous allocation of the oil block by the federal government to Shell and Malabo.”

It can be recalled that in July this year, prosecutors asked that the Chief Executive Officer of

Eni, Claudio Descalzi, be jailed and also for Eni and Shell to be fined together with some of their former and present executives.

In addition, the prosecutors also requested for the confiscation of the sum of $1.092 billion from all the defendants in the case, an amount which is the equivalent of the bribes that was alleged to have been paid out.

The lawyer representing Nigeria, Lucio Lucia, yesterday, joined in requesting for the seizure of that amount.

Nigeria’s COVID-19 Cases Rise By 176 to 55,632 Martins Ifijeh

Nigeria has recorded 176 new cases of COVID-19, bringing to 55,632 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 40 new cases; Lagos, 34; Plateau,

26; Enugu, 14; Delta and Ogun, 12 each; Ondo, nine; Oyo, eight; Ekiti, six; Ebonyi, four; Adamawa, Nasarawa, Kwara and Rivers, two each; while Edo, Osun and Bauchi recorded one case each.

It said: “Nigeria has so far recorded 55,632 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

43,610 patients have been discharged, while 1,070 persons have died.”

Crisis Hits South-west PDP as Fayose Fights Makinde over Control Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

Crisis may have hit the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-west as the former governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has warned the Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde, against tampering with the leadership of the party in Ekiti State and other South-west states, despite the position of the governor as the zonal leader of the party.

Fayose insisted that the Oyo State governor has no right to interfere in the local politics being played in each South-west state despite being a zonal leader of the party.

The former governor said this yesterday when he led the national delegates of PDP, including the chairmen of the party in Osun, Ekiti, Lagos states to Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

Fayose stressed that Makinde, though the only governor in South-west, should allow every state to be governed by its local leaders.

He noted that he is ready to fight anyone that wants to take over the structure of the party in Ekiti State from him.

He said, “There has been a reasonable cold war of who and who becomes the executive of

the zone. Governor Makinde has demanded that the zonal executive be sacked and a caretaker be fostered on the zone which the party did.

“But since the caretaker committee came into being, he has not allowed them to function because he produced the chairman.

“Beyond that, the fact that there is a sitting governor does not say I should go to another man’s state. Nobody should come to my state; if you come to my state, I will face you squarely.

“I will continue to respect him because he is my brother; I love him so much and I was part of his emergence.”

Earlier, the party in Ogun State had taken over the party secretariat barely a month after the leader of a faction of the party in the state, the late Senator Buruji Kashamu died.

The other faction led by Sikirullahi Ogundele took over the Secretariat from the Kashamu faction in a peaceful manner and held a zonal meeting afterward.

Rising from the meeting, a communique was issued and signed by the four states chairmen of PDP in South-West, which include Mr. Deji Doherty (Lagos); Sikirullahi Ogundele (Ogun); Sunday Olatunde Akanfe (Osun); and Bisi Kolawole (Ekiti).

RALLYING AREWA’S SUPPORT...

L-R: Sarkin Fulani and Miyeti Allah, Alhaji Muhammed Sosal; Sarkin Hausawa in Benin, Alhaji Adamu Isa; Edo State Governor and governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; his deputy, Hon. Philip Shaibu; and the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Osarodion Ogie, during a courtesy visit by the Arewa Community, at Government House, in Benin City...yesterday

My New Devt Plan’ll Lift 100m Nigerians Out of Poverty, Says Buhari Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said that his new development plan will lift about 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030.

The president stated this in Abuja when he inaugurated the National Steering Committee to oversee the development of the ‘Nigeria Agenda 2050 and Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP),’ which succeeds ‘Vision 20:2020 and the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP)

2017 – 2020.’

The new development plan is jointly chaired by Mr. Atedo Peterside and the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed.

Vision 20:2020 and Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) 2017 – 2020 will both expire in December 2020.

Speaking at the inauguration in the State House, Buhari said the main goals of the development plans are to lift 100 million Nigerians from poverty in the next 10 years following World Bank’s projection that

Nigeria will become the third most populous country in the world in 2050.

According to him, the Chinese development plans, which he said had brought no fewer than 700 million people out of poverty in the last 40 years is a good example to imitate.

He added that China’s development agenda only suffered a setback in the first quarter of this year as a result of COVID-19 outbreak.

He said COVID-19 pandemic, which has created economic crises for both Nigeria and the

entire world, also has its own inherent opportunities which he said presented the country with the platform to think and chart the part of progress.

Speaking on Vision 20:2020 and ERGP, Buhari said while the objectives of ERGP were conceived to include restructuring and sustaining economic growth as well as building a robust economy, Vision 20:2020 on the other hand, was conceived to put Nigeria on the path of sustainable socio-economic development.

Blasphemy: Ebenezer Obey, Others Urge Ganduje Not to Sign Kano Singer’s Death Warrant The Nigerian Music Industry Collective, which consists of legendary singer, Ebenezer Obey; and other heavyweights in the music industry like the President of Chocolate City record label, Audu Maikori; Obi Asika, Dare Fasasi, and others, have appealed to the Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdulahi Ganduje, not to sign the death warrant of a singer, Yahaya Sharif-Aminu.

Music executive and manager of Tuface Idibia, Efe Omorogbe,

made the appeal on behalf of the group in Instagram.

The singer, Sharif-Aminu, was accused of blasphemy against the Holy Prophet Mohammed and was subsequently sentenced to death under the Sharia laws in Kano State.

Pleading on the singer’s behalf, Omorogbe posted a statement on his social media page on behalf of the group.

Omorogbe appealed to the governor to use his ‘good office

to influence the implementation of the rule of law, which has obviously been disregarded in this case.’

The story read in part, “Your Excellency sir, we have been informed that Yahaya has been scheduled to be executed in less than a week, and we will like to appeal to you to use your good office to influence the implementation of the rule of law, which has obviously been disregarded in this case.

“Yahaya Sharif-Aminu is protected under the law, which gives him freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and protecting freedom of expression. We, as leaders of the Nigerian music and entertainment industry, are absolutely against this attempt to gag free thinking and expression and ask that justice is served by the over-ruling of this sentence and the dropping of all charges against him.”

EFCC Arrests 22 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Owerri Operatives of the Uyo zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), have arrested 22 suspected internet fraudsters at different locations in Imo state.

The all-male suspects, whose ages range between 20 and 41, were nabbed recently at “Sight and Services” within

“World Bank”, in Ugwuma Town and “Road Safety” by Toronto road, Egbu, Owerri, Imo State.

The suspects are: Chinonso Anozie Frank, Ogadibo Victor Chikeluba, Clinton Njoku Onyekachi, Okoro Edwin Chigozie, Anozie Chibuzor Harold, Anyaeriuba Canice,

Ogbuehi Anderson, Okere Nonye, Njoku Paul Chibuike, Ndalaka Felix Chukwuebuka and Anele Chibuike Timothy.

Others are: Chidi Kalu, Uparai Daniel, Ubochi Christian Ikechukwu, Udoka Obi, Chiagozie Morris Obiano, Moses Akaedite, Henry Princewill Chisom, Prince Ibe, Ugwuegbu

Fredrick Ekenna, William Peter Obinna and Udoka Ihiekwe Kelechi.

At the point of arrest, several cars and gadgets were recovered from the suspects including a black Lexus E5 330, a silvercoloured Toyota Corolla LE, a silver-coloured Toyota Camry and a blue Toyota Corolla LE.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 • T H I S D AY

11

12

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Edo Commissioner Resigns to Support Ize-Iyamu Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City Edo State Commissioner for Minerals, Oil and Gas, Mr Joseph Ikpea, yesterday resigned his position from the cabinet of Governor Godwin Obaseki, citing lack of trust and respect.

The resignation of Ikpea is coming barely 10 days to the state governorship election.

Before the latest resignation, Obaseki’s cabinet had lost other two serving commissioners who resigned their positions to support the governorship candidate of the

APC in the state, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

In the letter dated September 9, 2020 and addressed to the governor, Ikpea cited trust, respect and interest as reasons for his resignation.

He also attributed his resignation to his inability to abandon the All Progressives Congress (APC), he has helped to nurture in his council area and the state in general.

“Politics is all about interest, trust and respect for one another, but I have never seen any of this till date, and I am also not sure of it even if I am there tomorrow.

Ortom Expresses Shock over Killing of Wanted Militia Leader, Gana Suswam demands probe of incident Deji Elumoye in Abuja and George Okoh in Makurdi Benue State Governor, Mr. Samuel Ortom, has expressed shock over the interception of a government convoy, arrest and killing of Terwase Akwaza popularly known as Gana by military authorities.

Also, the former state Governor, Senator Gabriel Suswam, has condemned the alleged extra-judicial killing of the notorious criminal, who had been terrorising the state, and called for investigation.

Ortom made his feelings known yesterday at the Benue Peoples House in Makurdi while briefing journalists on the state of the second amnesty programme of his administration, which covers Sankera geopolitical zone.

He, however, noted that he was still awaiting briefing from the Commander of Operation Ayem A Kpatuma from Doma in Nasarawa State, Major General Moundhey Gadzama Ali, who promised he was coming to brief him on their operation.

The governor stated that five repentant youths from Ukum Local Government Area of the state, who were among those arrested by the Nigerian Army were released and were conveyed to the Benue Peoples House in Makurdi by the LGA Chairman of Ukum, Hon. Stephen Ayua, to be part of the amnesty offer.

The governor explained that the amnesty programme was not truncated as those who could not make it to Makurdi, due to the confusion created by the military operation, would be given another chance.

He urged the people of Sankera to remain calm as he was still investigating the circumstances surrounding the arrest and killing of Gana before taking action on the matter, stressing that he owes the Benue people the duty to protect their lives and property.

Ortom had earlier addressed the 42 repentant youths, and commended them for choosing to abandon their negative ways to open a new chapter in their lives.

Gana was killed yesterday in Nasarawa State by the military after exchanging gun duel with

them.

Meanwhile, Suswam has condemned the alleged extra-judicial killing of Gana by the military, and called for investigation.

Suswam urged Ortom to set up an independent judicial commission of enquiry with a view to getting to the root of the matter.

Suswam, who represents Benue North East senatorial district in the National Assembly, in a statement issued yesterday, which was titled: ‘A Time to Heal’, emphasised that setting up of an independent judicial commission of inquiry into the killing would unravel facts of the matter to serve as lessons for the future.

He punctured the claim by the military that the repentant criminal was armed at the time he was killed, saying: “The claim that Gana was killed in a gunfight needs further explanation because those who accompanied him and watched him being taken away, including his LGA chairman, do not believe he was in possession of any arm.”

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Power expressed concern that the repentant criminal could be killed by the military after he had formally laid down his arms.

He said: “I was totally dumbfounded to learn that while Gana was on his way to Makurdi, the state capital, to present himself to the state governor, who was waiting, his long convoy that included political leaders, traditional rulers, clergy men and security agencies was ambushed by alleged armed soldiers and he was isolated and taken away.

In the midst of the confusion, pictures began to circulate on social media of the bullet ridden body of Gana with a rifle callously placed on his side.”

“While I have been consistent in condemning the reign of terror he unleashed on his community, I cannot in good conscience as a lawyer of over three decades and a senior parliamentarian accept coldblooded extra-judicial murder of an unarmed person as a solution to our security problems.”

“Moreover, the party that is known today as APC was brought to Esan South East by me and over 90 per cent

of my supporters are APC members till date.

“So, it is difficult for me to leave the house that I built.

Considering also that this administration didnt recognise my leadership role,” he stated.

Ikpea, however, said he

would always be available to provide support to the government whenever called upon to do so.

OIL THIEVES IN TROUBLE...

L-R: General Officer Commanding (GOC), 6 Division of the Nigeria Army, Port Harcourt, Maj. Gen. Johnson Irefin; Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa; and Brigade Commander, 63 Brigade, Asaba, Brigadier General Ibrahim Jallo, during a courtesy call by the GOC on the governor in Asaba....yesterday

Wada Accepts S’Court Judgment on Kogi Election, Congratulates Bello Adedayo Adejobi The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the governorship election in Kogi State, Mr. Musa Wada, has accepted the decision of the Supreme Court on the election, and congratulated his main rival, the state Governor, Yahaya Bello, on his victory.

However, Wada in a statement said the Supreme Court verdict did not take into account the violence and disenfranchisement of citizens whose mandate had by the result of the appeal been silenced, but that being a democrat, he had to accept the verdict as there would always be an end to litigation.

He nevertheless lamented that the lot of the Kogi people was worsening by the day as evidenced in arrears of salaries and lack of basic amenities that make life worth living.

Wada congratulated Bello, and charged him to quickly address the sufferings of the ordinary man in the street, pointing out that other more

focused states were rising up to the challenges of development currently eluding the Kogi State.

He attributed the late acceptance and congratulating his opponent to certain indispositions, and pledged to continue doing his bid to help the ordinary Kogi man to have better living standards.

Osun Receives 15 Trafficked Girls from Lebanon Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo The Osun State Government yesterday received 15 of its citizens, who were trafficked in Lebanon.

The returnees were formally received on behalf of the state government by the Commissioner for Women, Children and Social Affairs, Mrs. Olubukola Olaboopo, and the

Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Diaspora Matters, Mrs. Titi Fadahunsi-Ajayi.

Addressing them during the reception, Olaboopo expressed delight that the ladies had returned alive from Lebanon.

She said the state government had put necessary measures in place for their reintegration into their communities as well as the state.

According to her, “I welcome our ladies back to the state of Omoluabi. You are safe in the state, and the government will do all that it can to ensure that you have a good life going forward.

“There is no harm in trying.

The fact that you went abroad to hustle does not mean that you should be stigmatised. We as a state are very proud of you for taking a bold step and trying

something new.

“You have had the experience firsthand, and you are going to be the state ambassador on issues of trafficking. The state government expects you to put in diligence in serving your motherland. You have seen the other side of life, and of course, you can see that there is no greener pasture anywhere but home.

UK Appoints New Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The United Kingdom Government has appointed Ben Llewellyn-Jones as the new British Deputy High Commissioner (DHC) in Lagos.

In a statement issued yesterday by the UK mission in Abuja, Lewellyn-Jones took over from Ms. Harriet Thompson, who recently concluded four years as DHC in Abuja and Lagos.

It described Lewellyn-Jones an experienced diplomat, who has worked in different parts of the world, including previously in Nigeria.

The statement said: “Ben will be focusing his time and energy on supporting trade, investment and development in Nigeria and growing commercial links between the UK and Nigeria.”

The statement added that Lewellyn-Jones previously worked at the British High

Commission in Abuja as a Political Counsellor from July 2014 to July 2017.

He was recently the Deputy High Commissioner to South Africa from August 2017 to August 2020, where he worked particularly to support trade and investment. Prior to that, he was the British High Commissioner to Rwanda from 2011 to 2014.

It added that throughout his career, Llewellyn-Jones has

held a range of responsibilities, including leading UK policy to prevent dangerous climate change, and working to support UK agencies tackling organised crime.

He served as the Deputy Head of the Climate Change and Energy Group at the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2009 to 2010, and the Head of the Third Country Relations Team at the UK Home Office in 2006.

Kogi Fixes LG Elections for December 12 Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

The Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC), has fixed the local government elections in the state for December 12.

This was announced yesterday by the Chairman of the KOSIEC, Mr. Mamman Nda Eri, during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Roverton Hotel, Lokoja, the state capital.

Eri assured that the

commission would conduct free, fair and credible local government elections.

He explained that the members of the KOSIEC have worked assiduously to put in place measures that would translate to successful conduct of “this important assignment.”

The implementation of the timetable for the conduct of the election, according to him, has commenced with the stakeholders’ meeting and the

issuance of the notification of election that would be held on December 12.

He also said that there would be sensitisation tour of the 21 local government areas in Kogi State on September 14 while collection of forms by the aspirants of various political parties is scheduled to hold between September 24 and October 2, 2020.

The KOSIEC also stated that the conduct of party primaries

would take place on October 6.

Eri noted that all forms are expected to be submitted at the KOSIEC’s headquarters on October 19 while verification and documentation would be carried out between October 27 and November 3, 2020.

The State Commissioner of Police, CP Ayuba Ede, also assured the people of the state of adequate security before, during and after the local government election.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 • T H I S D AY

13

14

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍŽËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

COMMENT

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

STREETS Okello AND GOOD GOVERNANCE IN AFRICA Oculi writes that street protests attract attention to bad governance

I

n the 1960s and 1970s, liberation movements seized Africa’s rural areas before grabbing government in urban centres. From Tunisia and Algeria in North Africa to Kenya, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Mozambique, Angola, South-West Africa (now Namibia), Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde and South Africa, liberation warriors fought from mountain tops and tropical bushes. Samora Machel in Mozambique’s bush outwitted and seized a star general of the Portuguese army.

In the model, guerrilla wars sucked energy from village populations by conducting themselves as friends and providers of health care and education for rural people as well as organising them in cooperative economic production for their own welfare.

Streets have become zones of contest by protestors armed with their feet and mouths: demonstrators occupy spaces in which their bodies are vulnerable to bullets, police batons and teargas. In Egypt, military tanks rolled over members of the Muslim Brotherhood along Cairo’s streets.

In Sudan, Omar Al-Bashir’s troops were accused of gunning down protesters in Khartoum and dumping bodies into River Nile.

Bashir was confronted by supporters of political parties he had banned following his military coup of 1989. This included Sudan’s Communist Party with a long record of organising secretive anti-colonial activities. The breaking away of South Sudan denied him oil revenues at a time of angry unemployed youths.

The disgrace of failing to ensure the territorial unity of the largest country in Africa infuriated people’s sense of patriotism and deepened disgust with 30 years of dictatorship.

Women graduates were alienated by daily humiliations of any male Islamist grabbing them on a street and dragging them to a police station for an assumed crime of being badly dressed. Anger drove people to demonstrations on streets to grab power for freedom.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, unemployed youths of Bakongo and urban migrants (from the north-western and central regions), became increasingly alienated by corruption in Joseph Kabila’s government; its failure to defeat terrorists funded by 85 multinational corporations - and military elites in Uganda and Rwanda engaged in exploiting valuable minerals, coffee and timber from a vast eastern section of the country – also eroded his legitimacy.

Elections won by Kabila’s faction tipped anger of crowds into seizing streets of Kinshasa.

In Burkina Faso unemployed youths were furious over the assassination of a very popular Thomas Sankara. His financial support to local women textile

IN MALI, KENYA, ZIMBABWE, UGANDA, NIGERIA, AND ETHIOPIA, CITIZENS HAVE RISEN UP TO SHOUT AND SCREAM AND OFTEN INHALE TEARGAS OR GUNPOWDER, IF NOT BLEED AND DIE AGAINST BAD GOVERNANCE

weavers (by promoting their products as substitutes to imports from France); his abolition of corrupt practices by ‘’traditional rulers’’ in rural communities, and his financial support to local industrial processors, including food processors as substitutes for imports from France, were blamed for his death in a conspiracy by Blaise Campaore. Corruption and secret police terror chased demonstrators onto streets.

In Algeria the Islamists barred from winning of elections in 1992 (by the ruling military elite with roots in the Front for the National Liberation of Algeria), joined other groups angered by corruption among a cabal around a senile and ailing President Abdul-Aziz Bouteflika to mount massive demonstrations demanding the fall of his government. The prospect of climbing into power under the cover of mass rage on streets in many urban spaces in Algeria was countered by a resolve not to lose power by the rump of the revolutionary war against French colonialism in Algeria.

In Mali, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Nigeria, and Ethiopia, citizens have risen up to shout and scream and often inhale teargas or gunpowder, if not bleed and die against bad governance. John Lewis, a star African-American Civil Rights combatant (who inspired the global ‘’Black Lives Matter’’ demonstrations), urged citizens to cause ‘’Good Trouble’’ for Justice. In Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe street protests were against stolen elections by governance rooted in corruption and ethnic patronage.

In South Africa women have demonstrated against a pandemic of rape, violence against women and ‘’Femicide’’ perpetrated by males whose derangement seems to be rooted in the end of racial dictatorship without their experiencing a curative violence by Black victims against white perpetrators. Franz Fanon outlined such a ‘’liberating violence’’.

The demonstrators promote civic participation as individuals demand new good governance measures against poverty; use Local Languages for education from Primary to University education; ensure free high quality health care for all; and industrialisation through their own genius. In D.R. Congo villagers are reported to have asked: ’’When will Independence Go Away’’, because the one of June 30, 1960 brought endless civil wars.

The current demonstrators accept responsibility for struggling to build good governance. They are filling toxic political seasons of failure and selfishness by politicians lacking self confidence and courage to be creative and patriotic; are obsessed with consumer goods and selfishness. The demonstrations are moments of crowd education in political courage for hungry youths.

VIOLENCE AND THE EDO POLL Election should not be a ‘do-or-die’ aair, writes Osa Igiehon

H

e spared no one in his rage. Philip Shaibu, the incumbent deputy governor of Edo State and the deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in September 19 election in the state has become a person of interest to critical stakeholders in Edo State.

The 50-year-old politician has been over heating the polity of Edo State with incendiary and provocative comments. He was ready to set the state ablaze to return back to power. He adorns Khaki and also passes himself off as a comrade like the former comrade Governor Adams Oshiomhole but he lacks the grace of the former labour union leader.

By their fruits, we shall know them, not by adopting a dress style of a sage but displaying despicable acts unworthy of nobles. He started with God as a child of pastor in Kaduna where he was born but the cares of life and vanity of power has turned him into something else.

In a recent viral video clip, the deputy governor was seen talking to a group of boys suspected to be thugs loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State. He boasted he was not a coward in the face of violence and concluded, “I have called the CP (Commissioner of Police) that they should arrest those boys. Failure to arrest them, I cannot guarantee peace�.

It is disturbing that Shaibu vowed

there will be violence if his political expectations are not met. The deputy governor was undermining the core of the social contract he signed with the people of Edo. While taking oath of office, he had sworn to ensure protection of lives and property of the people of Edo State. But his desperation to remain in government regardless of the popular will should be checked.

The people’s will should be allowed to prevail.

Many of his plots had been blown open by the vigilant All Progressives Congress (APC). After all, the third American President, Thomas Jefferson said, “Eternal Vigilance Is the Price of Liberty�. Shaibu once flew a kite that APC chieftains were planning to assassinate key political figures in the PDP which turned out to be false. When that failed, another sinister plot was unearthed. The deputy governor was orchestrating attacks on himself and his party and would later accuse the APC of masterminding the attack to elicit sympathy from the electorate and bring the APC into disrepute.

Col David Imuse (rtd), APC chieftain claimed that the Edo State Government, in connivance with a retired police officer from Kogi State, has been identified in series of plots in Edo State and beyond, plotting to stage an attack on their own convoy.

He said there was a planned contrived attack on the convoy of the deputy governor, in a bid to draw sympathy, pose as victims and set the stage for a

new wave of violent onslaught on the people of Edo State, some of whom have fallen victims to the reckless shootings by thugs and criminals. “According to reports available to us,� he said, “the mastermind of this disgraceful strategy has already recruited armed thugs for the mission with careful instruction to do enough damage on cars and other disposable items for the media drama that will follow. “The plan is by upstaging this violent act, they can falsely allege that it is the doings of the APC, carried out to foil their ‘booming and flourishing campaign’ when in truth, their campaign has collapsed,� adding: “They have to resort to staging attacks on their own convoy as a way to elicit pity and bring attention to their empty campaign. This reveals the hollowness of the PDP as a party that has run out of new ideas, hence resorting to desperate measures to disrupt the peaceful conduct of an election it is convinced that it has no chance of winning.�

Chairman of the Edo APC Media Campaign Council, John Mayaki said “The PDP has continued its attack on our campaign with armed thugs, militias, and other groups. In Owan East, thugs invaded all three venues of our campaign events, breaking chairs, and destroying facilities in the area. In Jattu, thugs also ensured that no APC rally took place because the sheer number of residents who are planning to attend would expose his rejection to the world and advertise him as a liability on the

PDP ticket.�

The revered Benin monarch, Oba Ewuare II at peace parley he convened at his Palace recently especially cautioned politicians against violence.

The monarch was astonished by the desperation and violent-inclination of politicians. “I have noted that Edo State’s politics has been in the news for quite some time for all the wrong reasons. I have been having sleepless nights for some days. We are all from Edo State. We are no strangers. “I became so worried when the conflict between Oshiomhole and Obaseki started. I have a personal relationship with almost everybody here (at the palace)‌ Enough is enough. Let the September 19 governorship election in Edo State be peaceful. Be mature and be proud of Edo State. Do not make Edo State a laughing stock.

Tell your boys to cease fire and drop their arms. Let your boys calm down.

Must it be a do-or-die affair? Do not turn Benin into a city of thugs. Do not kill yourselves, because of public office.

Stop the shootings. I am very sad about what is happening in Edo State. This is the worst scenario. Let us eschew violence and give peace a chance in Edo State�, Oba Ewuare II cautioned.

Now, that the throne has cautioned all, perhaps, politicians should listen to the voice of reason and rein the rampaging thugs in the interest of Edo people. Election is not do-and-die affairs.

15

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍŻÍŽËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

EDITORIAL

THE CHALLENGE OF FOOD SECURITY Widespread insecurity endangers the production of food

F

ollowing the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, a lot of countries had to shut down their borders and restricted movement to control the spread. One of the major concerns across the globe is the impact of the pandemic on food security, with the United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP) warning that the number of people at the risk of hunger may double by the end of the year. The goal of Nigeria has always been to diversify by making agriculture the hub of its economic growth while also achieving a hunger-free country. But at the moment, not only are we far from meeting that objective, hunger is now a real prospect for many of our nationals.

Nothing can be more disturbing than the recent disclosure that the federal government has borrowed 5,000 metric tonnes of grains from the strategic reserves of the Economic INSECURITY IN MANY OF THE RURAL COMMUNITIES Community of West Africa HAS MADE IT PRACTICALLY States (ECOWAS).

DIFFICULT FOR FARMERS No matter how TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE officials dress up the issue, the IN AGRICULTURAL implication is PRODUCTION OPTIMALLY grim. “The Government of Federal Republic of Nigeria loaned 5,000MT of assorted grains from ECOWA S Stock which was agreed to be paid back on grain for grain basis�, said the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mustapha Baba Shehuri. “Modalities had been put in place to replace the ECOWAS Stock before the advent of Covid-19 Pandemic. That notwithstanding, I can assure you that the stock will be replaced in due course.�

Meanwhile, the consumer price index for food has increased all through the pandemic period.

It rose from 14.9% in February to 15.18% in June 2020, showing an increase of about 0.28% within four months. Some of the states where food prices have gone up are located in major food-

Letters to the Editor

W

T H I S DAY EDITOR

DEPUTY EDITOR

˜

˜ MANAGING DIRECTOR

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR

CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD

EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL

MANAGING EDITOR

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

GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ˜

˜

˜ ˜

DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS

˜ ˜

DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR

SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS

˜ CONTROLLERS

˜

˜

DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION

HEAD, COMPUTER DEPARTMENT

Ě“

TO SEND EMAIL: ďŹ rst name.surname@thisdaylive.com

producing areas of the country. Sokoto is a major producer of beans, cowpea, groundnut, garlic, wheat, sugarcane, pepper, onions and tomatoes.

Groundnut, sorghum, sesame seed, maize, potatoes, tomatoes, onions and pepper are produced extensively in Plateau State. Likewise, Gombe is well known for groundnut, ginger, cowpea, sesame seed, tomatoes and pepper. Plantain, oil palm and cassava are largely produced in Edo State. Kano has extensive production of rice, garlic, sorghum, cowpea, wheat, pepper, onions and tomatoes.

However, insecurity in many of the rural communities has made it practically difficult for farmers to continue to engage in agricultural production optimally, thus affecting productivity and causing market disruptions with attendant food price shocks. Therefore, a peaceful environment is a sine qua non for productive agricultural engagement, which results in food security.

Food insecurity, on the other hand, mounts pressure on national security and invariably exacerbates national insecurity. Thus, sustainable food security under peaceful environment is an indispensable requisite to ensuring national security.

Available reports indicate that food price inflation is not likely to improve anytime soon if the predicaments facing parts of the country remain unresolved. This is a challenge when economic activity gradually picks up with the easing of lockdown restrictions. Nigeria is endowed with good arable land, weather and water supply and has the potential to be self-sufficient in food production. But even though farmers are becoming aware that much more can be achieved in agriculture through technology, most of them do not have access to new techniques. Modern tools of technology have to be massively introduced as hoes and cutlasses or depending on other nations cannot effectively feed the nation. There is an urgent need to adopt automated systems which the smallholder farmers can also use without breaking the bank. Many of our young people are already going in that direction. They only need to be encouraged and supported.

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to speciďŹ c 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.

IBIYEOMIE, OLARINDE, AND THE CHURCH

e have to face up to the truth; the truth about Christian fundamentalism. The church today has been sculpted in the image of extremists and demagogues – men who arrogate to themselves the power of life and death. They pronounce perdition on those who step on their testy ego and deploy the bloodhounds of hell against those who differ with them.

These men are the people Jesus the Christ dismissed as “brood of vipers�.

They have taken the word of God and revised it to fit into their foibles and weaknesses. They make themselves god and instruct their followers by a mundane canon. They make God in their own image. It is either their way or the thoroughfare to hell.

Really, we have a “Boko Haram problem� in the church. Love, grace, temperance, and compassion have taken leave of the synagogue. Some Christians, if given the latitude, will fight and kill for their pastors. They lost the logic of the gospel and have become mammonised by mammon-seeking pastors. They defend man but not God.

1 John 3:10 puts a picture to these children of nemesis. “By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practise righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother and sister,� the Bible says.

Pastor David Ibiyeomie of Salvation Ministries, by his unrighteous paroxysm of attacks on Ifedayo Olarinde, better known as Daddy Freeze, has taken the chief table among the Pharisees Jesus condemned. He let off a volley of abominable invective against Daddy Freeze because the broadcaster differed with Bishop David Oyedepo. Ibiyeomie said Daddy Freeze insulted his “father� – Oyedepo – so, he would “kill and tear� him.

Ibiyeomie’s words: “Insult me; I won’t comment, but insult Oyedepo ... any day I hear you talk about him‌ Do they know his (Freeze’s) father?

Does Daddy Freeze have a father?

Who’s his father?� “That half-caste who is born by a Somalian? The day I hear him insult Oyedepo, I’ll deal with him. Oyedepo may not talk, but I can’t be alive and you’d insult my father. I can’t take it.

I’ll tear you to pieces... People who

have fathers don’t insult fathers. He’s insulting him because he has no father.

Does he (Freeze) look like a Nigerian?

Somebody they gave birth to on the ship. “I curse the day he was born. Tell him. This should be the last time he’d talk about Oyedepo. A man who is not married; he has no wife. He can’t take care of his home but he’s coming to talk on TV. If he has one, let him show us his father. Somebody that is a broadcaster, does he have a good job?

I will never be alive to see someone insult my father. You’re not born! I’ll kill, arrest him.�

What could be more ghastly from an aperture that supposedly preaches the Bible and praises God, and from the altar of God? How is he different from those seeking the death of a singer in Kano for simply making music they put a slant on?

Here is what Jesus the Christ has to say to Ibiyeomie in Matthew 23: ‘’They (Ibiyeomie and his ilk) pile heavy burdens on people’s shoulders and won’t lift a finger to help. Everything they do is just to show off in front of others. They even make a big show of wearing Scripture verses on their

foreheads and arms, and they wear big tassels for everyone to see. They love the best seats at banquets and the front seats in the meeting places. And when they are in the market, they like to have people greet them as their teachers. ‘’But none of you should be called a teacher. You have only one teacher, and all of you are like brothers and sisters.

Don’t call anyone on earth your father.

All of you have the same Father in heaven. None of you should be called the leader. The Messiah is your only leader. Whoever is the greatest should be the servant of the others. If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honoured.�

Really, by this singular egregious act, Ibiyeomie has failed in his calling as a preacher of the gospel. But there is room for repentance in Christianity.

As someone who once trained as a pastor myself, I suggest that Ibiyeomie publicly apologise to Daddy Freeze, put on sack-cloth and retreat into fasting and praying seeking the face of God. The Lord is merciful.

Fredrick Nwabufo is a writer and journalist

16

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 •T H I S D AY

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 • T H I S D AY

17

18

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

POLITICS

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

‘Emmanuel is Building an Akwa Ibom for All’ The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Ini Ememobong, recently paid a courtesy visit to THISDAY office in Abuja during which he had an interactive session with senior editorial staff. He spoke on a variety of issues including why the state is focused on aviation development as well as the rejected Water Resources Bill now being reintroduced in the National Assembly. Udora Orizu presents excerpts from the session.

W

hat’s your reason for visiting THISDAY? Having been made Commissioner of information on the 3rd of August 2020, I thought it’s right we should interface with THISDAY and most of the papers.

As the spokesperson for Akwa Ibom State, it’s critical that I inform you so that you can partner us in informing the society.

The Governor of Akwa Ibom State Udom Emmanuel is setting up an Akwa Ibom for all, strategically he’s making that statement.

We just received the fifth plane for Ibom Air and we are starting operations in Enugu very soon. It won’t be the states private aircraft, it’s a company formed with the good spirit of the Akwa Ibom person, it’s a company for all. It’s arguably the most reliable, most prompt airline conveying people between Lagos and Abuja, we are starting the Enugu route on the 14th of this month. The Governor has an agenda on focusing on critical areas like aviation development, rural and urban communities development we must focus on these areas, security etc. These are things we want to partner the media house with, to shape the thoughts of Nigerians and the global community. It’s for global citizens who appreciate that all you need is a location anywhere in the world and the world will come to you. Those are the things the Governor is projecting in building an Akwa Ibom for all. That Akwa Ibom is not just a destination for aviation but also a destination for investment. Even in COVID-19 and post COVID-19 we still have companies that are interested in trying to set up. And we are setting up because what we’re trying to do is to reduce the bureaucracy in investment. It is critical that in these last three years that he has as Governor that we deepen the discuss about Akwa Ibom and the ministry under my watch is very concerned about making the people who shape thoughts to appreciate what we want to deliver, they must understand it before they can convey it.

What Business model drives Ibom Air? The business model is a fully private firm, running clearly like private but government of course owning, government purchases the infrastructure and allow them run the low end fully as a private venture. We have companies like that running in Akwa Ibom, where the ownership, infrastructure, building are government but in the commercial end of it is run purely as a business where government cannot interfere. So on the low end it runs like any other business but the ownership is government. So there’s a reporting line where at the end they bring their full year account, so government will say look are you doing well? Why are you not doing well? So at that point, the dayto-day running doesn’t have government involved but the infrastructural purchase has government involved.

How many aircraft do you have now?

We have five, the last came in on Wednesday 2nd September. It came in during COVID-19 period so it has to go through the process of registration and some flights before it’s accredited. It was finally certified to fly and commence business on the 2nd.

What’s the rationale behind projecting so much in aircraft business, for a state that it’s commercial state is not yet at optimal stage. How’s Akwa Ibom coping especially now that health is on

everyday morning and evening, almost all the time, they 60% to 80% complete. The state government under former governor Godswill Akpabio had to make a deposit to say look and any day you fly below 40 percent, you take, we had to even battle with them to get back the money because there’s no single day we didn’t meet that benchmark. So the investment portfolio and His Excellency’s vision is to create a gateway into the state land, sea and water, which is why Ibom Seaport is also critical to what we’re doing. Not just Ibom Airlines, there are other airlines coming in and they are not empty. The commercial content of Akwa Ibom and it’s environs is bigger than what is speculated, Ibom Air within six months of its existence declared profits they surpassed their financial projections.

Ibom Air I assure you is a venture that is very profitable.

Ememobong the front burner, do you have a world class health facility that can stand the test of time?

Healthcare is a critical component of His Excellency’s vision and if you recall we have a world class isolation center during this COVID-19 pandemic. The case fatality is below 3.0, our contact tracing is at 98% and we have gone into community testing stage level. We have a PCR lab that the NCDC came and certified that it was state- of-the-art and commended the state government. Away from that, on how we are managing COVID-19 we started from Ibom Specialist Hospital which again is a world class facility which was prepared as a stop gap at a time when COVID-19 came. Before covid the Governor had reconstructed over six hospitals to world class standard, on his first 100 days. Ikono General Hospital in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, compares with any hospital in our country as we speak. It’s completely paperless and fully computerized. Because Ibom Specialist Hospital wasn’t meant to

be an Infectious Diseases Centre, what we did was to transit and build a world class isolation center and the PCR is part of it.

Healthcare is something that if Governor Udom Emmanuel is scored, he will score a 100 percent. But now we’ve realized that there’s still room for improvement in this September a lot more hospitals that are being remodeled are going to be commissioned. Going into investments in airlines, back in Governor Victor Attah era when we wanted an airport in Uyo, the argument was how do we create an airport in Uyo when Cross River State is less than few miles to Uyo. And the argument was look, 60% of passengers to Cross River come from Akwa Ibom and with the poor road nature our people used to miss a lot of flights but God through the reign of President Obasanjo approved it. Immediately we commenced flights from Uyo it is always full. The investment portfolio of the Governor has brought more than 12 industries. With the company in and out of Akwa Ibom, we run two flights out of Uyo

The investment portfolio of the Governor has brought more than 12 industries. With the company in and out of Akwa Ibom, we run two flights out of Uyo everyday morning and evening, almost all the time, they 60% to 80% complete.

The state government under former governor Godswill Akpabio had to make a deposit to say look and any day you fly below 40 percent, you take, we had to even battle with them to get back the money because there’s no single day we didn’t meet that benchmark. So the investment portfolio and His Excellency’s vision is to create a gateway into the state land, sea and water, which is why Ibom Seaport is also critical to what we’re doing

What’s your take on the reintroduced Water Resources Bill? Has Akwa Ibom taken a position?

You will recall that when the Bill was first introduced it didn’t just get condemnation from the states but also from right thinking Nigerians. The idea of playing ostrich has become a political disposition of people who don’t mean well for the country. We must think as Nigerians. We mustn’t align with issues because they affect us, we must align with issues because it has the capacity of breaking the country and further creating inequalities in the country. The water resources bill is a fundamental issue that has the capacity of not just creating unhappiness through the country but disturbing the unity of this country. The attempt to reintroduce it must be rejected. There’s this saying that goes like this ‘they came for pastors I did not fight because I was not a pastor, they went for Muslims I didn’t fight because I’m not a Muslim and at the end I was the only one left and they came for me and there’s no one to fight for me’. The Niger Delta states, everyone involved are taking positions we are calling on Nigerians to take positions, it’s the same position we took in mineral resources when there are different regime for mineral resources and the country is suffering from it because of the over dependence on oil, whereas we could have developed all our mineral resources at the same point and in COVID-19 we couldn’t find who to sell oil and the whole country is suffering. Even at the level of Commissioners of Information we are meeting and discussing because we must have a joint position. It’s a position to save the country because injustice to one part of the country is injustice to all. Our position is simple, Vexatious legislations like this should not be entertained, the National Assembly should be very busy.

Look at the probes, they were unable to complete the probes because the degree of theft is mind boggling and consuming.

So they have more serious things to worry about than to introduce vexatious legislations. The fact that a government now has a second term doesn’t mean they should be irresponsible. Your second term will finish and you will still be alive to see that seed of discord you sowed are becoming trees and at that point it becomes difficult so let’s not even plant seeds of discord.

The seed of discord through vexatious legislations must be refrained from, it does the country no good. Water is critical for everyone, now you want to federalize those resources. We should be united as a country to save humanity.

19

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

POLITICS DISSENTING VOICE...IN HIS OWN WORDS ‘I Want to See the Bayelsa that our Founding Fathers Nigeria Holds a Lot of Fought For’ Promise, Never Fulfills Any Nseobong Okon-Ekong dialogues with Mrs. Patience

Ama Zuofa Diri, a lawyer and wife of Governor Douye Iboro Otu, an Abuja-based businessman and Diri of Bayelsa State on her Good Values and Parenting politician laments that governments at various levels in Nigeria pointedly refuse to engage project, which is gaining some good traction Nigerian Law School Kano and here I am, doing my LLM review, I did my NYSC in Kogi state.

Patience Diri

Y

our Husband , Governor Douye Diri, Popularly called the Miracle Governor was at the Redeemed Christian Church of God Redemption Camp to thank God for His victory at the Supreme Court and he said He was fasting and praying during waiting period. Did you join him? What was your role?

I am a Christian who believes all power belongs to God. And my husband is a serious prayer warrior. I was equally fasting. I was always givng praise to God despite the odds knowing that it will end in praise. Though I break my fast sometimes around 12noon. But I was completely in the place of prayer.

How did you help him during the campaign?

I was actively involved in the campaign. I mobilized the women and youths from all over the state to support my husband. From my savings, I printed T- Shirts, caps, etc. On Election Day I was a foot soldier, coordinating logistics and making sure that everything. Just making sure that your candidate’s agent are well taken care of in terms of food and other refreshments can cause your failure if you neglect it. It is a very crucial role on Election Day, so that the agents can concentrate on their very important task and not be distracted.

How are you ensuring that the 35% leverage for women in governance is implemented?

My Husband has respect for women and he is confident that women will deliver effectively so you can be assured that 35% implementation is not an issue. However, it is important to clear the air that the person elected to govern is my husband and not me , so I can only advise as a wife but the truth is that my husband has great regard for women and will do everything within his means to support them. I am a lawyer by training. There are a couple of things that I can by way of advocacy. To start with, I will check with the member representing my state constituency in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly. I think the proper thing maybe to work with the legislators to initiate a Bill that will go through the whole legislative process and then become a proper law. That way, it becomes a state policy that will be continued beyond my husband’s tenure.

Kindly tell us about your growing up days and background?

I grew up in Port Harcourt. I schooled in Port Harcourt. I attended a nursery school because my parents wanted the basics not this days where you have children with cut and join education. I attended Springfield nursery school, Borokiri. I furthered to U.P Model Primary School Borokiri, I then furthered to governments girls secondary school, I moved down to Rivers state basic studies instead of just sitting at home waiting for jamb. I also did my diploma in between my results came out and I continued with Rivers State University of Science and Technology Now Rivers State University to study law and furthered to the

Did you practice as a lawyer?

Yes I did, Even as a corpper when they were chances of going home and not doing anything because we were posted to a local government.

I found a law chamber in Kogi state, though not a pleasant environment, because I wanted to practice, I went. I approached the chambers and appealed to be part of their legal team whenever they go to court and other outside legal practice, I walked with Ekemi Chamber that is Chief F.D Lot though I had the opportunity to work with a private company but I really wanted to practice so I choose to work with Chief F.D Lot, who is the former Attorney General of Rivers State and one of Bayelsa state’s oldest lawyers. After that, I felt a need to broaden my knowledge on legal practice. I want into the civil service because in civil service, there are various departments that can also assist you in your legal practice. I joined the ministry of justice as a State Counsel and I rose through the rank. At the moment, I’m an Assistant Director in the Department of Public Prosecution in the Ministry of Justice, Bayelsa state.

Do you see yourself as an activist, as lawyers are geared towards activism?

People say that they see that bit of me but the truth is, I was brought up to speak up, I was brought up to be truthful, I was brought up to see injustice and fight against it. When I do that sometimes people misinterpret it to mean activism, no it’s not. It’s just my upbringing to always do what is right, see what is right, protect what is right and if possible fight for what is right.

How are you using the instrument of the law as a lawyer to fight for the downtrodden?

I am a member of the international Bar Association, that holds conferences yearly and at such conferences, I speak about certain issues and when I attend, I make sure I speak about my country, share ideas. I am also a member of the Nigeria Bar Associations, so when the need arises to speak, I contribute. Also I am a member of the female lawyers we call it (FIDA).

I lend my voice to good causes at every point.

I have partnered with a lot of NGOs in respect of these.

What inspired your good PARENTING project?

I grew up to see my parents caring for people who were not their biological children, nursing them, providing for them. I grew up also exhibiting such tendency. My greatest passion in life is to raise the downtrodden from his disadvantaged position. I’ve done that at every opportunity I find myself. I have adopted children that are not from my own community, they are not related to me by blood, I took them in, some from their homes and I saw some on the street and I will be like, ‘why are you lying down on the street?

Why are you out by this time of the night?’ I have one that I have trained up, he now owns a tailoring shop. I have another from Southern Ijaw, because the environment where I lived, they were more of neighbours to me. I also have one I put through school from when I picked him up till he finished secondary school and he is rounding up his studies at the Niger Delta University (NDU). I have another that is in NDU right now in his Third Year. I have another in a private school and others who live with me. I have many others that are not living with me but on a monthly bases, I pay their fees, I try to support them to become better persons in society and that is my passion so whenever I am called upon, I do that all the time.

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

competent individuals

O

bserving Nigeria, you’ll quickly notice that this is a nation operating pretty much like a person trying to get on a nearby Starbucks WiFi while in a moving vehicle in central London - the traffic is slow enough for you to access the free internet but doesn’t wait long enough for you to browse a page. Arriving at every junction, you notice this repetition. End point, you always have a connection but never can hold it long enough to make progress. In Nigeria, you are always on the outside looking in, lapping on water like thirsty King Tantalus - the son of Zeus and Plouto - in Tartarus; hanging between Heaven and Hell, close enough to lap the water around him but not enough to have a drink from it. Of course, it is from him the word ‘Tantalize’ originated. Nigeria is a tantalizing nation; always holding promise after promise, decade after decade, never fulfilling any.

For a while now, many of us observing the nation shared with who ever cared to listen that judging by unfolding events, something was wrong in Nigeria. However, with the latest happenings now, it seems like something is wrong with Nigeria. In the words of Malcolm X, ‘we have been had, bamboozled, led astray, run amok…’

Petrol pump price just got a bump, it’s been increased to N152, currently retailing at N161 - at a time when oil prices are failing elsewhere. We have woken up to a total government turnaround, to discover the price for a kilowatt of power just gone up 100% while power supply remains same however!

All this is happening within a 24hour period and then, as a side kick, Don Jazzy and Queen Tiwa both just got savaged. They were invited by the DSS and a gag order allegedly placed on their political pronouncements.

What/who’s next? Meanwhile, however, all semblance of oneness have disappeared from the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), soon we might be witnessing events like it happened with the Nigerian Governors Forum where 9 was greater than 15 - but in the legal profession. Where do we go for succour?

Are you seeing the cracks finally coming forward? The scorpion whips, the predatory instincts of rulers, out of their dark enclaves have arose a new vision of ownership, whether it is for our basic water resources or our human rights, they are using the cloak of government to dagger our humanness.

We are facing an existential threat that now looms larger than Boko Haram, ostensibly promoted by the acts of people in power, unfortunately.

We are being pushed hard against texcoated walls, will our backs not lacerate?

We are stabbed with injustice and graft, are our pockets not bleeding dry? Now that they have chosen to stand against the wishes of the people, putting unbearable yolks of suffering and pain on us, shall we not revolt?

Amidst all this meanwhile, I got off a phone call only just yesterday with two great African sons performing great feats across the world, supported by systems that embrace innovation and intelligence. One is a British - Nigerian producer and filmmaker of Ghanaian descent, married to our Nigerian sister, he was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to the global black film industry by Queen Elizabeth. He is doing amazing stuff in ways words can’t completely describe.

The other is a full blooded Nigerian who is a former Special Adviser to the British Prime Minister. While in government, he brought to the table an inclusive system that broadened resourcefulness. Imagine

Buhari the many others who are doing many great things in places where systems work without fear or favour. They have unbridled passion for this place if only they are given space to operate. It is our duty to set free this nation and let excellence come in.

When people complain, whether it is Tiwa Savage or Don Jazzy, it means they’ve seen something wrong somewhere, they are Nigerians first. It is their inalienable right to advocate and speak up, regardless of their personal endeavors as internationally renowned musical artistes. With the advent of Twitter and other social media, it means such individuals can relate across spectrums and when things go wrong, their responsive feelers, through their broad networks, get quick feedback. As such, they speak out; not just for themselves but also because they reflect millions of voices they represent - a community of voices who share certain views and opinions but don’t necessarily have the platform to ventilate. The worst any responsive government can do is ignore these dissenting voices, the best would be to entertain them, engage them positively on public platforms, not quieten us with threats.

The Special Adviser to the British Prime Minister told me he was given the position even when he wasn’t a Conservative Party member; he was chosen purely because of his competence and accomplishments as an advocate for supporting the BAME community through enterprise and inclusivity.

He was able to transform the network between the BAME community and the British government - opening doors for hundreds of individuals and businesses so much so that it was noted that in two years, he had brought more people of black origin into the government fold than any other had from the beginning of the conservative government to date. This is what competence brings to the table; progress.

Observing Nigeria, when we fail to recognize and connect performance to competence, we fail. We fail as a government, as businesses, as society, as a people and as individuals. Our unravelling economy is as a result of a people failure, only. When we prefer ‘our thief to their thief’, the system becomes broken and things go in reverse.

A knee-jerk reaction means that as a government is unable to carry out its duties, it resolves to quieting dissenting views. It has begun.

What happens when your fuel price, food prices, transportation and power costs doubles? It tells the true value of both your democracy and your currency. We have lost both. Nigeria is unravelling fast. We have to find a rallying point to counter this present sectarian narrative to everything.

We now have a few.

20

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍŽËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

FEATURES

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, Tel: 07010510430

A Boost for SMEs Rebecca Ejifoma writes that given the effect of COVID-19 on SMEs, the Revv programme is set to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on about 10,000 small businesses across Nigeria

Caption: R - L: (1st Row)- Founder, CWG & Ausso Leadership Academy, Austin Okere; Chief Executive OďŹƒcer, Plentywaka and Farmcrowdy, Onyeka Akumah; Chief Executive OďŹƒcer, Clane, Ibrahim Babalola; 2nd Row: Chief Enterprise Business OďŹƒcer of MTN Nigeria, Lynda Saint-Nwafor; Associate Director, PWC Nigeria, Ada Irikefe and Chief Digital OďŹƒcer, MTN Nigeria, Srinivas Rao, at the virtual masterclass of The MTN Revv Program for SMEs

I

n Nigeria, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have continued to contribute their fair share to the growth of the country.

According to reports, SMEs employ over 80 per cent of the country’s total 90.5 million labour force, contribute 48 per cent to Nigeria's GDP and constitute over 80 per cent of registered exporters in Nigeria.

But despite the huge potential they possess, they remain largely bedeviled by a number of problems with limited financing options being one of the main drawbacks they face coupled with the recent ravaging effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

SMEs Prior COVID-19 In 2017, long before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the SME sector was doing well. In fact, the sector - comprising approximately 40 million SMEs - was doing so well that it contributed an estimated 48 per cent to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and employed 84 per cent of the country’s entire workforce according to a 2018 National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report.

This is no small feat. GDP is an important indicator of a country’s economic power; it is the aggregate value of the goods and services produced by a country within any given year.

According to the NBS, Nigeria’s 2017 GDP was worth about N113.7 billion. Of that amount, the SME sector contributed 48 per cent; that’s two percent short of half the total amount. This value that the SMEs provide that ensures the smooth running of the country is why they are referred to as the bedrock of the economy.

Ravaging Effect of Pandemic All this was before the pandemic and the accompanying lockdown that resulted in an unprecedented economic tailspin affecting business operations, consumer spending, loss of jobs and livelihoods. SMEs are no longer doing well. According to a survey published by the Fate Foundation and BudgIT on the ‘Impact of COVID-19 on Nigerian MSMEs’, 94.3 per cent of the total 1,943 respondents said the pandemic has negatively affected their business.

The report further states that among the

businesses still managing to stay afloat, 72.1 per cent cannot find the cash flow to continue running their business, and 59.2 per cent p are struggling to increase their revenue base.

When asked in what area they want to be supported, 72.1 per cent answered with cash flow; 67.7 per cent said they’ll need support to make sales; 89.4 per cent want the federal government to provide them with funding; 33.8 per cent need access to markets; 74 per cent want the private sector to support with funding; and 62.9 per cent want business support.

Revv Program Recently, MTN Nigeria came up with a novel initiative tagged The Revv Program to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on small businesses across Nigeria. Working with relevant stakeholders, subject-matter experts and the company’s executives, MTN Nigeria aims to support over 10,000 small businesses through The Revv Program.

Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, Ferdi Moolman, at the virtual launch of the programme called on large corporates to join MTN and “strongly position themselves to support SMEs as a foundation to the growth of a stronger economy going into 2021 and beyond�, saying “The Revv Programme is our way of standing with SMEs in their journey to rise through these challenging times�.

Adopting a four-pronged approach that includes masterclass sessions, support with productivity tools, access to market and advisory initiatives, the programme seeks to help SMEs relearn, readjust and retool their businesses. The masterclasses, which commenced immediately after the launch of the programme, focus on core areas of business management as part of a broader strategy to uplift the SMEs. This will be followed by the selection of The Y’ello 200 (two hundred top-performing SMEs from the sessions) that will enjoy exclusive access to a broad range of technology and productivity tools and services absolutely free, for a period of six months. They will also receive productivity support to enhance their business performance, in addition to access to MTN’s media assets for product marketing, which will open up new market opportunities for their business’ growth

and expansion.

Speaking at the launch of The Revv Program, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, enjoined private and public stakeholders to support SMEs to bounce back, saying “it is our collective responsibility� to transform Nigerian entrepreneurs, most especially those in the micro, small and medium enterprise sector.

Pantami’s colleague in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, CON, was optimistic that The Revv Program will address “the foundational digital needs as well as other skills such small businesses need to develop; these include access to information, infrastructure, funding and new markets.�

The Revv Programme will not be the first time MTN is supporting small businesses in the country. In 2018 the company launched the viral “Man In The Box� campaign with commendable outcomes for SMEs in the country. The idea was to support small businesses with technology solutions and create awareness for them by showcasing their businesses in the “Box� to the entire world.

For 24 hours and for free, selected businesses were showcased within the “Box� on LED screens, and across MTN’s social media platforms. Man In The Box was a huge success; it awakened Nigerians to the enormous untapped possibilities that litter the SME space. SMEs that were featured in the “Box� told amazing testimonies of how they witnessed growth and increased patronage of their businesses.

Again, MTN has proven to be that reliable support that’s always there for SMEs in Nigeria.

Like what happened with the ‘Man In The Box’, The Revv Programme will not only see small businesses increase their sales, but will aid dying businesses suffering from the drastic effect of the COVID-19 pandemic brought back to life.

Access to Right Funding Majority of the small businesses affected by the pandemic are facing funding problems. The first masterclass, themed “Accessing the Right Funding for Your Business�, addressed this need.

MTN Nigeria’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Modupe Kadri, together with other subject-matter

experts threw light on ways SMEs can access funding from investors, and the role a properly managed cash flow system plays. “Anybody that wants to advance some securities to you will want to know the strength of your cash flow management; how you generate the income streams and how you’re going to keep the lead on that. Same thing also applies to your costs.� “Compliance is key. From the start, make sure you have the proper structures; set up your businesses and register them properly; be tax compliant, because ultimately these are some of the requirements investors will check before injecting funds. If you’re able to sort that out in the early stages, you will be presenting yourself as a serious minded business owner who will attract the right kind of funding,� according to Kadri.

The Executive Director, Commercial Banking, Ecobank, Carol Oyedeji, says a business wanting to raise capital must show strong managerial skills of its cash flow, among other things. “There must be records showing the business has been doing well. So you must keep your books well. Also, how the loan request is presented matters. Then you must show that you also generate more money than you put into the business.�

A federal agency that has been very instrumental in assisting SMEs in getting funding is the Bank of Industry (BOI). The bank's Executive Director on SME, Shekarau Omar, said it is easy to get funding from the BOI when you understand that though the fund is provided by the government, it however remains limited, and so you have to know how to compete for it with other serious-minded small business owners.

As we transit to a post-COVID environment, small businesses that had their cash flow affected by the pandemic and are looking for new sources of income will have to pay attention to these tips. The good thing is, it does not matter how bad the pandemic may have affected their success, business will soon shape up for SMEs, especially the 10,000 small businesses to benefit from The Revv Programme. And with that they will continue to provide the much needed backbone for Nigeria’s economy.

21

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍŽËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

In Enugu, What Matters Most to Ugwuanyi is People's Welfare Chinweike Anaegbu

I

laughed reading one article published in one of the national dailies titled "Is Enugu really in the hands of God" written by one Obute Ifeanyi Titus, who claimed to be national secretary of Eyes on Democracy of Nigeria.

The article which was laced with fabrications, lies, fictions and deceptions, tried to interrogate the suitability, intent and genuineness of the slogan in reality and relation with the achievements of Ugwuanyi's administration in the state, especially in the area of security and welfare of the people.

For the mere fact that the writer faile to understand the simple import, divine and denotative meaning of the slogan raises a lot of questions on his person, motive, Christian faith, depth of knowledge and understanding of God. How would a sensible, sincere and reasonable person living in Enugu and has been witnessing and experiencing what has been happening in the state since Ugwuanyi assumed office question God's presence and intervention in the state.

It would be recalled that the Governor, a devout Christian, who appreciates God's interventions and presence in his life and that of the state, had on assumption of office in 2015, given God preeminence in the affairs of the state, knowing that just like every other mortal, that unless the Lord builds the city, the builder builds in vain. It is on this spiritual plank that he placed God in charge knowing that he and the people of the state cannot do much without God's presence, guidance and protection.

Since then till date, the slogan which is more spiritual than political has not been practised or observed in breach or pretence by Ugwuanyi's administration in formulating and implementing of its people-oriented policies and programmes.

Unless for those who are not indigenes of Enugu or not residing in the state or have not been following the government's policies and programmes since 2015, it is totally misleading and wrong for one to say that God's name is being dragged into deliberate deception with the slogan.

It is axiomatic that when Ugwuanyi assumed office in 2015, he met recessed economy, backlog of workers' salaries and pension arrears, especially in the council arrears and other daunting challenges capable of discouraging and derailing the morale and visions of a leader, who was prepared to lead.

Ugwuanyi took up the gauntlet with equanmity and charted a new path for the state in line with his administration's four points agenda, which include infrastructural development, peace, security, social justice and social services, good governance and employment generation.

Despite the fact that his government came into office and there was need for government to increase its revenue generation due to the recessed economy, Ugwuanyi surprisingly waived payment of Personal Income Tax as well as market tax for all traders in the major markets in the state. Till date, the waiver is still place and traders remained very grateful for it.

At the peak of COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor granted another tax relief and incentives to taxpayers in the state to caution the effect of Covid-19 pandemic. The relief ranged from a waiver of penalty and interest charged for remittance of Pay As You Earn (PAYE) deductions to a 50 per cent discount of all the assessed land use charge payment for year 2020. Personally, Gov. Ugwuanyi was at the forefront of the battle against Covid-19 pandemic at the peak of its spread in the state. His government provided all the logistics and financial support to the health workers who are the frontliners in the battle.

Also provided for the people of the state by Ugwuanyi's administration to alleviate the hardship occasioned by the pandemic in the state were varied forms of palliatives.

Since 2015, there have been adequate security of lives and properties, peace in Enugu State to the extent that many organisations, individuals and leadership of security agencies had adjudged

Governor Ugwuanyi

the state one of the safest and secure state with low crime rate in the country. To ensure adequate policing of the State, Ugwuanyi had after 2019 elections procured and donated 100 unit of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) patrol vans with communication gadgets to the security agencies to aid their operations.

Not resting on his oars, he repositioned the vigilante/ Neighbourhood Watch and purchased 260 security vehicles for their use in various communities. In the same wise, the government employed 1700 Forest Guards, which was the first of its kind in the country. Just recently the Governor signed the law that established the Forest Guards, thereby giving them the legal footing to operate optimally by securing and safeguarding activities in the forests across the state.

If truly Ugwuanyi's administration has abandoned and neglected the security and welfare of the people as claimed by the writer of the artice, how come and why did four prominent national dailies namely The Sun, Vanguard, Daily Independent and Leadership find Ugwuanyi worthy of being conferred with various awards in 2019 for his giant strides in the area of security, peace, development and welfare of the people of his state.

Saying that Ugwuanyi is a leader with heart of gold is like stating the obvious. He is very compassionate, humble and a known welfarist with a difference. His administration in its policies and programmes has always placed premuim on the welfare and wellbeing of the people.

It is line with this, that his administration had before now organised some welfare programmes that benefited the people, employed and still employing workers amidst the Covid-19 pandemic that has crippled the global economy.

Enugu is more of civil servants state than any other thing. Apart from clearing the backlog of salaries and some arrears of pensions his administration inherited, Ugwuanyi has consistently and promptly paid workers salaries every 23rd of the month and 13 month in December as Christmas bonus since 2015 till date. This is despite the astronomical increase in the state government's wage bill without corresponding increase in the monthly federal

allocation and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

He was among the first to approve and implement the N30,000 minimum wage for workers which some state governments, including some oil producing states are yet to implement till date.

On the account of his administration's feats, he was conferred with the award of the Most Workers' Friendly Governor by the leadership of the labour union for his love and care for the workers in the state.

His administration has equitably distributed political appointments and developmental projects across the zones, local governments, communities and wards to the admiration and accolades of the people. Testimonies and confessions abound of Ugwuanyi's peopleoriented policies and programmes that have alleviated people's penury and put smiles on their faces.

Ugwuanyi's inclusive and eclectic style of governance and politics which is unprecedented in the history of political leadership in the state has helped in uniting the state than dividing it.

His resounding reelection victory in 2019 with 95% of votes cast in the election adjudged as the most peaceful in the country is a clear referendum on his performance in office during his term.

Under Ugwuanyi's watch as governor in opposition for the first time since 1999, the state had witnessed more political cohesion and mutual respect than ever before. Today, there is no more intra and inter political parties' conflicts in the state that often set the political gladiators apart and the state in chaos.

Today, it is a different atmosphere of camaraderie among the political bigwigs and party faithful in the state, because Ugwuanyi has always carried everybody along irrespective of your status, religion or tribe.

His open-door policy and participatory government had made it even difficult for the so-called opposition to find their bearings in the state politics.

It is interesting that the writer in his concluding part of the worthless article against Ugwuanyi acknowledged that Ugwuanyi's

administration has significantly improved the IGR of the state, but failed to applaud him or explain how such was achieved, even in the face of the dwindling government revenue globally.

Meanwhile, this is one area Ugwuanyi has shown exceptional ingenuity and financial wizardry. He didn't improve the IGR by overtaxation or multiple taxation as alleged by the writer but by putting a square peg in a square hole with the appointment and reappointment of a renowned financial expert and seasoned banker, Mr. Emeka Odo as Chairman of the State Board of Internal Revenue.

The loopholes which before now were conduit pipes for politicians and their cohorts to siphon government revenue were plugged, prudence, accountability, fiscal discipline and transparency were introduced in government and made constant practice in government revenue generation. Initially, this didn't go down well with the beneficiaries of the old practice, but Ugwuanyi's administration maintained its position on this. That is why the state's IGR has kept improving since Ugwuanyi assumed office.

The improved and well-managed IGR is what has sustained the state and keep the government running, especially at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic that many state governments were slashing salaries of workers, but Enugu being financially viable was paying and still paying, and at the same time executing developmental projects mostly in rural communities across the state.

While some state governments have borrowed and continued to borrow with nothing much on ground to justify such borrowings, nothing has been heard about Ugwuanyi's government borrowing, but it has achieved a lot in different sectors with little resources at her disposal.

What else does one need to see to accept or believe that Enugu State is indeed in the hands of God with His notable goodness in Ugwuanyi's administration to the betterment and welfare of the people of the state. rAnaegbu writes from Abakpa-Nike, Enugu State

22

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 •T H I S D AY

23

T H I S D AY ˾ SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S

A S

MONEY MARKET OBB OVERNIGHT

A T

REPO 1.63 % 2.25 %

CALL 1-MONTH

3.67 % 5.08 %

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

S E P T E M B E R S & P INDEX INDEX INDEX LEVEL 1-DAY

4 , 2 0 2 0 S&P

588.78 % -0.35 %

1/4 TO DATE YEAR TO DATE

EXCHANGE RATE 4.61 % 22.37 %

N379/1US DOLLAR* *AS AT LAST FRIDAY

Quick Takes FG Begins Preparations for Nigeria at 60

AsNigeriaismakingpreparationstocelebrateitsDiamondJubileeanniversary asitturns60yearsonOctober1,2020,thefederalgovernmenthascalledfor creativeandinnovativeideasthatwillproduceauniquebrandandconcept forthecelebration.

The sub-Committee of the Inter-ministerial Committee that is organising the anniversary, came up with a challenge in which they are looking for talented, critical thinking and creative individuals or teams to produce the slogan, photograph, and a poem for Nigerians to mark the country’s 60th anniversary,from1stOctober2020to30thDecember2021.

To vote for the best brand and participate in the challenge, the committee advisedinterestedNigerianstovisitthechallengeportal:https://nigeriaAt60. gov.ng. According to the committee, the best brand and concept would be presentedtoPresidentMuhammaduBuhariandwouldbeusedincelebrating Nigeria’s 60th Anniversary.The winners will also receive prizes, in addition tobeingpartoftheepoch-makingevent.

Chairman,Diamond/Innovation/Changesub-CommitteeforNigeria@60 Inter-ministerialCommittee,Dr.IsaAliIbrahimPantami,whoistheMinister ofCommunicationsandDigitalEconomy,whomadetheannouncement,said: “Asthecountryeagerlyawaitstheunveilingofthewinningbrandandother elementsofthecelebration,welookforwardtotheactiveparticipationofall.”

TocelebrateNigeria’sDiamondJubilee,thefederalgovernmentofNigeria, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, has approved an inclusiveNationalIndependenceCelebrationprograminlinewithCovid-19 protocolsandguidelines.

PROJECT REVIEW REPORT

Former President, Nigerian Society of Engineers, Engr Adekunle Mokuolu (left), presenting the report of the Contracts/Projects Review Committee set up by Ogun State Government to the Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele at the Governor’s office in Abeokuta...recently

ITU Adopts New Regulatory Guidelines for Digital Transformation Stories by Emma Okonji The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has adopted new regulatory guidelines that would promote adaptive, resilient and collaborative regulatory system in advancing digital transformation.

Participants who attended the recently concluded ITU’s 20th edition of the Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-20), which held virtually, also highlighted the regulatory roles that would help drive digital markets to face unexpected events like the COVID-19 pandemic and emergencies.

The participants who were mainly telecoms regulatory authorities, agreed that in the wake of COVID-19, regulation could boost the readiness of digital markets.

TELECOM They therefore adopted GSR-20 Best Practice Guidelines, which is the gold standard for regulation to respond to the challenges of digital transformation in the aftermath of global crises and beyond.

ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao, said: “This crisis has demonstrated that information and communications technology (ICT) is a unifying thread that runs through all aspects of our societies and economies, and our approach to ICT investments must recognise and embrace this reality.

“At stake is the ability of regulators and policy-makers everywhere to unlock investment to support growth, jobs and innovation – but also to

save lives and demonstrate their value added in this increasingly connected world.”

The forum explained that national economies and citizens have been relying increasingly on digital infrastructure during COVID-19. The current crisis and the probability of new global emergencies means that regulators will need to switch to regulatory frameworks that are adaptive, collaborative, outcomesbased and technology neutral, the forum said.

The GSR-20 Best Practice Guidelines emphasised the need for coordination among all stakeholders, integrating sustainability into regulatory frameworks, maximizing benefits, while reducing harms of digital technologies, striving for transparency and trust throughout the regulatory

process. It also highlighted an evidence-based approach, and frequent revision of regulatory frameworks to ensure they remain fit for purpose.

GSR-20 Chair, Dan Sjöblom, said: “The GSR-20 Best Practice Guidelines cast a framework for progressive regulatory patterns and policy while charting the way ahead for industry and regulators. We have identified concrete steps to pursue regulatory reform towards achieving thriving, inclusive digital markets.

“As the pace of digital transformation accelerates, developing an effective regulatory approach is more vital than ever. In the face of new global emergencies, governments and regulators need to consider holistic, cross-sectoral, Continued on page 24

Microsoft CEO Seeks Policies to Cushion COVID-19 Impact The Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft, Mr. Satya Nadella has stressed the need for organisations to build critical infrastructure and to leverage technology in addressing the negative effect of COVID-19 on businesses.

Nadella, in a recent email he sent to all Microsoft employee, assured them of the willingness of Microsoft to continue to provide critical infrastructure for the communities where it operates and encouraged them to use such infrastructure to better their communities, especially at this period of COVID-19 crisis.

He stressed the need for critical infrastructure development in the areas of healthcare, communication, education, security, among others.

TELECOM According to him, “Microsoft technology solution in healthcare is being used for telemedicine, enabling user-intuitive solutions to share data and access critical information. St. Luke’s University Health Network in Pennsylvania and other health institutions across the globe are using Teams to video chat with patients most vulnerable to COVID-19.

“Last week, we released a new Power Platform template to help customers share information and collaborate during a crisis, and it has already been installed by more than 2,000 customers around the world.

Global universities have created interactive dashboard to visualize and track COVID-19 cases in

real time.

“All the data collected are available via a GitHub repository, and the solution is hosted by our partner Esri’s ArcGIS mapping and analysis software, on Azure. Most importantly, the solution is freeing up doctors, nurses, administrators, and other healthcare professionals to provide critical care to those who need it most.”

“Across the public sector, we are working with governments to help them engage citizens, share guidance, and enable employees to work remotely. In education, schools and universities around the world are turning to Teams for remote learning, Nadella said.

“In security, we are using our AI and human intelligence capabilities to stop attacks

designed to take advantage of the angst caused by the virus. As part of a recent spear-phishing campaign, attackers created emails to look like legitimate supply-chain reports related to COVID-19. Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection identified and blocked the attack in transit and shared signals with the Microsoft Defender service to protect all our customers,” Nadella added.

According to him, “We also know that technology has a role to play in accelerating progress for solutions to the pandemic. We are collaborating with research institutions to create an open, machine readable dataset of all scientific literature on COVID-19.

Our hope is that the content

HMD Global Delivers Phone Security Updates

HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, said it has introduced one of the mostsecureAndroidexperiencestothemobilemarketbydeliveringregular softwareandsecurityupdatestoensurepeaceofmindforNokiasmartphone customers.

Nokia smartphones lead in software and security updates against other majorAndroidbrandswith94percentoftheportfolioupdatedtothelatest Androidversionwithinayearofrelease.Additionally,withuptotwoyearsof freeOperatingSystem(OS)upgrades,Nokiasmartphonesprovideaccess tothelatestinnovationsforlonger.

Being one of the only smartphone manufacturers to bring the benefits of regularsoftwareupdatesacrosspricepoints,HMDGlobalstaystruetoits promisetoprovideapremiumexperiencetoall.ThelatestversionofAndroid 10isalreadyavailableacrossthemajorityoftheNokiasmartphonerange.

General Manager, HMD Global West, East and Central Africa, Mr. Joseph Umunakwe, said: “With Nokia smartphones, customers get a pure, secure andup-to-dateAndroidexperience,ensuringthereisnobloatwareforadded peace of mind. In July 2020, HMD Global reaffirmed its commitment to mobile, enterprise and cyber security through the creation of the Centre of Excellence in Tampere, Finland. The research and development hub is exploringnewwaysofdeliveringtechnologysuchasremotedevicelocking, enterprisemobilitymanagement,mobiledevicesoftwaresecurity,secure networkcommunicationandblackboxtesting.”

Lumos Nigeria Unveils New Products

LumosNigeria,providerofsolarhomesystem,inpartnershipwithMTNNigeria, hasannouncedthelaunchoftwonewproductofferings-LumosPrimeand LumosEco.ThenewproductswouldenableLumos’customerstosaveupto70 percentontheirpowercost,whilstalsohelpingthempoweravarietyoftheir electricalappliances.ThisreiteratesLumosNigeria’scommitmenttowards providing reliable and affordable access to power for average households andsmallbusinessesacrossNigeria.

Thesetwonewproducts,LumosPrimeandLumosEco,willreplaceLumos’ existinghomesolarsystemasmoretechnologicallyadvancedvariantsthat enable longer use. The new products can better power CCTV, bulbs, fans, laptops,televisionsets,radios,mobiledevicesandmore.

LumosPrimecomeswithtwosolarpanels,therebyallowingfastercharging.

It is suitable for customers who are looking to enjoy longer, lasting power using their electronic device. Lumos Eco comes with one solar panel and is designedforconsumerswithbasicpowerneeds.

With Lumos, consumers no longer need to worry overpower issues or rely ongeneratorstomeettheirpowerneeds.

Speaking at the unveiling of the new products, the CEO of Lumos Nigeria, Mrs. Adepeju Adebajo said, “Since its launch in Nigeria over five years ago, Lumos has been committed to solving the energy needs of Nigerians and we will continue to do so by building revolutionary products that meet the growingneedsoftheunderservedpopulace.Weareveryexcitedtolaunch thesenewproductsinpartnershipwithMTN.”

“The COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated that information and communications technology (ICT) is a unifying thread that runs through all aspects of our societies and economies, and our approach to ICT investments must recognise and embrace this reality” ITU Secretary-General,

Houlin Zhao Continued on page 24

24

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍŽËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

BUSINESSWORLD ITU ADOPTS NEW REGULATORY GUIDELINES FOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION and, to the extent possible, multi-national regulatory and policy approaches.�

The GSR-20 Best Practice Guidelines propose the following reforms: Agile framework for competition in digital markets: Regulators should support innovation and new business and licensing models that facilitate affordable access to and investment in health, enterprise, and educational services on digital platforms.

Codes of conduct (voluntary or enforceable): Regulators should guide digital platforms and support them throughout the process of creating codes, their implementation and enforcement in important areas, such as online content moderation on digital platforms, addressing misinformation and online news quality, and child online protection.

MICROSOFT CEO SEEKS POLICIES TO CUSHION COVID-19 IMPACT will help researchers develop deeper understandings and approaches to addressing the pandemic. We are expanding our existing partnership with Adaptive Biotechnologies to map the immune system’s response to COVID-19 and will make the data set freely accessible to speed development of treatments. “Finally, we are mobilising across the company to address the broader societal and economic impact of the virus.

To address the significant hardship that lost work creates for employees and families, we are paying our employees in our retail stores and our hourly service providers at impacted sites around the world their regular pay during this time regardless of hours worked. And we’re providing relief funds for local communities, contributing financial support to those on the front line of the response and to impacted small businesses. Our Tech for Social Impact team is working with nonprofits and international organizations like the United Nations to facilitate remote work and assist in their crisis response work. Last week, we released additional solutions for nonprofits and international organizations, which will be free for six months.�

Group Business Editor

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Senior Correspondent

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents

Chinedu Eze (Aviation) Eromosele Abiodun (Maritime) James Emejo (Finance) Ebere Nwoji (Insurance) Chineme Okafo (Energy) Emmanuel Addeh (Energy)

Reporters

Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (ICT) Peter Uzoho (Energy)

NEWS

Invest in Networks to Meet Data Demand, Ericsson Tells Telcos Stories by Emma Okonji Ericsson, a network connectivity company has called on telecoms operators (Telcos) across Africa, to focus more on network investments, in order to meet the growing demand for data, occasioned by the new normal, brought about by COVID-19.

Head of Project Management Operations, Ericsson West Africa, Mr. Anthony Okenwa, who gave the advice in one of his recent virtual presentations, said: “Africa has become a home to over a billion people and the population is expected to grow in the coming years. The sector of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is essential for Africa’s development and adequate ICT service deployment and digital connectivity will play a crucial role in the continent achieving economic sustainability.�

Citing a recent Ericsson Mobility Report, Okenwa said: “The forecast is that mobile data traffic in sub-Saharan Africa is estimated to grow by 12 times the current figures, with total traffic increasing from 0.33 Exabytes (EB) per month to 4EB by 2025. Meanwhile, average traffic per smartphone is expected to reach 7.1GB over the forecast period.�

He therefore explained that key drivers would be extensive network coverage and the reduction in prices of both devices and services, adding that the increase of mobile data traffic in Africa is driving operators to look at opportunities to optimize their network capacities, including complementing capacity via Wi-Fi networks.

“Hence, mobile and fixed networks have become key components of critical national infrastructure in Africa. In sub-Saharan Africa, Long Term Evolution (LTE) accounted for around 11 per cent of subscriptions in 2019. Over the forecast period, mobile broadband subscriptions are predicted to increase, reaching 72 per cent of mobile subscriptions. LTE share will reach around 30 per cent by the end of the forecast period, and LTE subscriptions are set to triple, increasing from 90 million in 2019 to 270 million in 2025,� Okenwa said.

He insisted that for for service providers, investment and modernisation of networks remained the

essential way to meet demand for data and futureproof operations for the benefit of all stakeholders, adding that it will also enable them to provide their mobile broadband community with the highest quality of service available, delivered via cutting edge infrastructure and technology to ensure a superior mobile experience for customers.

Access to high-quality broadband services is based on networks that supports rapid growth in internet traffic as well as competitive pricing. There is supporting evidence that proves that a rise in mobile broadband penetration can be linked to economic growth and job creation, he said.

“Although supporting evidence may vary in its estimation on the exact contribution to the economy, there are enough to support these claims in that an increase in broadband penetration are associated with increases in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), creating jobs, increase of educational opportunities, and enhancing service delivery and rural development,� Okenwa further explained.

He however, listed four key requirements needed to be addressed to establish the link between broadband penetration and economic growth to include: Broadband must reach a critical mass of a country’s citizens; Broadband access must be

affordable; Demand-side skills must be developed to optimize broadband services for personal and business use; Supply-side skills need to be developed in order to exploit the innovative potential of broadband.

As an augmentation of current mobile technologies, Okenwa said 5G could consequently ensure significant economic advantages for a country’s citizens. He however said the characteristics in speed, reliability and latency means that 5G could potentially be a technology, which will enable new markets, develop and transform current industries, as well as support socio-economic benefits.

MEDIA BRIEFING

L-R: Head, Customer Experience and Advocacy, ipNX, Christiana Okenla; Divisional CEO, Kene Eneh, and Head of Engineering, Chris Oputteh, during the launch of Fibre Optic Service Xtreme 100 and 200 high speed broadband internet plans by ipNX in Lagos...recentlyy

Companies Urged to Comply with Data Protection Regulation ESET Nigeria has urged companies to comply with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), insisting that compliance will impact on data protection governance, information systems and security configuration, as well as documented policies and processes.

ESET emphasised that organisations, both public or private which operate in Nigeria were expected to comply with the NDPR rules. These requirements are already in force, and its implications are complex and the potential penalties for non-compliance are severe, ESET warns.

The Managing Director, ESET Nigeria and Ghana, Mr. Olufemi Ake, who gave the warning during a recent zoom conference organised to discuss how organizations can comply with the data protection regulations, stated that encrypting data and

creating an additional authentication for data accessibility in organisations, were a few ways to help in meeting the new data security and compliance rules.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) introduced NDPR rule and enforced its compliance from January 2019 as the new requirement on collection and processing of personal data and requires such activities to be in accordance with a lawful purpose consent by the data subject.

Based on the enforcement, organisations have been mandated to put compliance measures in place within the first year of the regulation.

According to Ake, “Compliance with this regulation will impact data protection governance, information systems and security configuration,

as well as documented policies and processes.�

He also listed the objectives of the regulation to include: to safeguard the rights of natural persons to data privacy; foster safe conduct for transactions involving the exchange of personal data; to prevent manipulation of personal data; and to ensure that Nigerian businesses remain competitive in international trade through the safe-guards afforded by a sound data protection regulation.

Ake further said, “NDPR applies to all storage and processing of personal data conducted in respect of Nigerian citizens and residents and it covers transactions intended for the processing of personal data and to the actual processing of personal data and person(s) residing in Nigeria or residing outside Nigeria but of Nigeria nationality.

“Unlike the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), NDPR is not enforced on persons and organisations outside Nigeria that collect, store, or process data of Nigerians. “The Maximum penalty for breaches of data privacy rights on international transfers can be up to N10 million or two per cent of annual gross revenue of the preceding year, whichever is higher and based on the number of data subjects dealt with.

Other massive losses that non-compliance could cause are reputation damage and prosecution of principal officers in the event of a severe data breach.�

Ake however affirmed ESET’s readiness to assist organisations on NDPR compliance.

According to him, “To ensure 100 per cent compliance, organisations should ensure the follow-

ing solutions are deployed and proactively used. “Organisations are keenly advised to get a data loss prevention solution to ensure that sensitive data is not lost, misused, or accessed by unauthorised users. Most importantly the likes of ‘Safetica’ that classify regulated, confidential and business-critical data and identifies violations of policies defined by organisations or within a predefined policy pack, typically driven by regulatory compliance such as HIPAA, PCI-DSS, or NDPR. “Finally, organisations should also deploy data encryption technologies, develop organisational policy for handling personal data and other sensitive or confidential data, protect emailing systems and ensure continuous capacity building for staff.

T H I S D AY ˾ SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

25

BUSINESSWORLD

INTERVIEW

Balogun: Resilience Key to Digital Leadership Skill Senior Partner, Ventures, at Verraki, a technology and business solution provider, Mr. Kelvin Balogun, speaks on how organisations can build resilience for improved digital skills and what employers need do to enhance resilience among staff in today’s world of digital transformation. Emma Okonji brings the excerpt:

Y

humbling this can be. But that was where I learned resilience. What motivated me was I could always see a light at the end of the tunnel. I realised that if all the things we were working on succeeded, it would create a significant impact and say something very meaningful about us as black leaders. At that time, all my predecessors had been white. I was one of the first wave of African leaders to take over from the white leaders in Africa.

So I always said to myself ‘look: imagine when we get this right, what statement this would make’ and I would say that to my team as well. How this would allow us to say to the detractors that we have what it takes to address challenges like this, strategically and do it well, and that we have what it takes to build a world-class organisation. And that drive, that desire to create something of a larger impact drove us through those dark days even when the results were not coming, and this ultimately laid the foundation for what transformed not just Coca-Cola’s operations in Kenya but all of East Africa.

So, yes, purpose is at the centre of it, a belief in something larger than the challenges that you are dealing with. Someone asked me how come Nigerians have never collapsed over the challenges they have faced over the last 60 years? Well, there’s a Nigerian phrase ‘no condition is permanent’. People always feel that as crazy as this time, they are just precursors to a much better time and that gives us the energy to withstand the difficulties of the day.

ou are passionate about resilience as the most important leadership skill in today’s work place, where technology is at the centre stage. What does it mean to be a resilient leader?

Resilience is the ability to return something to its original form after being stretched or compressed. In the context of a person, it is the capacity to recover quickly from adversity, difficulties, or depression. In the context of businesses, it is the capability to deal with business cycles, the upside-down dynamism of operating in a volatile world that is uncertain, complex and ambiguous.

And these words, acting in concert, describe the global environment and of the country in the last few months. When we started this year, no one, without being clairvoyant, could have predicted that the year 2020 that we welcomed a few months before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, would shut down businesses, forcing many organisations globally to rethink the foundation of their business models.

Resilience is a quality of high-performing leaders because it describes how leaders deal with the curveballs that inevitably come towards organisations as they are being led strategically from where they are to a defined destination. Leaders must cultivate in themselves and others, what it takes to advance, adjust, and thrive, even within the operating context changing.

Balogun

So why is resilience an important factor in leadership role?

It is important because as a leader, you are the primary driver of the emotional balance of the organisation. You are the custodian of the energy level of the organisation. You carry the responsibility of helping to protect the energy of the people in terms of how they show up at work, or how motivated they are in doing whatever they need to do to move the organisation forward. Whenever curveballs come, the energy level is disrupted. For instance, news about a competitor’s success are external to the business but fundamentally can alter the confidence of the organisation, its energy, and the context within which people operate. It is the job of the leader to energise people in a way that enables the organisation to continue to perform and excel. That is why your emotional leadership or your resilience as a leader is extremely important. Resilience is a back-of-the-house type way of defining leadership, embodying all it takes to galvanise an organisation from where it is to a defined goal or vision.

How can people build resilience and why is it important in today’s business where technology is dictating the pace of growth?

For many years, I led fairly significant operations and one of the things I learned as I moved up the organisation, in positions of increasing responsibility, is what organisations look for when they want to put people in roles of increased importance.

When I was much younger, I used to think it was your academic depth, or how much knowledge you have or the finesse with which you use to do your work and all that. But what I later learned, when I now occupied a leadership position and needed to promote people into very critical roles was that the most important leadership skill is resilience. Yes, you want people who are competent and can get the job done; yes, you want people that can work well with others, who are compassionate and can lead teams, while engaging and inspiring people as well as themselves. Yes, you want people who can develop destinations that are logical and challenging and can navigate people there. But when it comes to determining who to give a chunk of, for instance, a three billion dollar target, that you have to deliver in a year, you realise it is based

on how they stand up in the crossfire of dealing with the day-to-day business. You know that the operating context is going to throw different curveballs to the business.

You know there will be bad days and bad news. You know when you introduce a business plan and you say you are going to do this in the next year; something that you rarely say is that this is conditioned on a set of assumptions and that this will be achieved only if all things work as planned.

Nothing works as planned, so the task of managing the organisation is how well you deal with those inevitable challenges and surprises that come your way. So you give the job to a soldier that you know will fight the battle, will not disappoint in the face of fire, understands what responsibility is, can motivate his troops, and can face the challenge of being the face of success or failure. That is why resilient leadership is extremely important.

So what changes in the person as he/ she moves from level to level?

The first thing that changes is self-awareness.

When we start, we have a notion of ourselves that usually is divorced from the reality of who we are and how we impact others. As you go through the crucible of challenges, you learn a lot about yourself from selfreflection and feedback from others. You can almost draw a straight line connecting the increase in your executive self-awareness, to your ability to operate at a much higher level, and your ability to impact the business in a positive sense. The other thing is attention, having flexibility and stability of focus through different situations. What challenging situations always tend to cause is to draw us into those situations, making you lose perspective of everything else. It is important to deal with the situation at hand but still keep the focus of where you are in the context of everything else. Unless you retain that focus, you cannot effectively steer the business. While everybody is focused on the issue that is demanding attention at hand, you need to lift your head and guide your people, to the promised land. So building that stability of focus is a critical part of building resilience.

What leadership role do you expect from a leader in building resilience in

their employees?

Communicate, communicate, and communicate, is the key leadership role. There are three sides to this; what you say, what your body language projects and the actions that you galvanise. What you say is extremely important. When something happens, people want to understand how you feel and what your take on it is as they can only get a glimpse of that from what you say. You have the opportunity to tell them what you see and what it means to you and what you believe about this issue. If you are the head of the team, you are communicating with the team. Communication is a critical way that leaders build resilience in employees.

Projecting confidence is also important because it is a more holistic communication when you project confidence. That is where self-awareness of your body language is important. You have to project an air of comportment, of confidence, of humility.

This must be done consciously; you cannot allow your body language to be whimsical or unintentional because everything that you do communicates. When the curveballs come, all the actions and inactions that you take to galvanise action gives your people confidence and a channel for their energy. When you do this, you kill negative energy and you galvanise the organisation to a better place.

What are your thoughts on the role of purpose in resilient leadership?

What keeps us going has to be the ultimate impact that we want to have and the significance of our destination to us, either as an individual or as a collective.

Why, for instance, would you take an examination that you have failed again?

It is because there’s a larger purpose; you have determined that this is the kind of person you want to become, this is a critical milestone in getting there, so yes, you may have tried and failed but will try again. The purpose is what drives us and you find it at the organisation level. I remember early in my career when I was running Kenya as the Country Manager for Coca-Cola. It was a very bad year and the numbers were poor. It didn’t help that I inherited it that way. During sessions, I would share my extremely negative numbers while some of my colleagues shared better numbers. Those who have held operations roles know how

How can leaders share a purpose with their teams in today’s digital world?

There is something a leader-mentor of mine once told me. He said that you see the organisation as an emotional collective, you recognise that as the leader, you are setting the tone for the collective emotion or energy level of the organisation. Some people are very clinical and emotionless but sometimes when things are difficult, people simply want an emotional anchor, a kindred to lift their spirits, help them to move to a better day. In one of my last assignments at Coca-Cola, I was posted to run the sub-Saharan business in South Africa. I was extremely tired and burnt out from the previous assignment but went to start. On the day I got there, while I was yet to unpack at the hotel and still mentally rehearsing the message to my new colleagues and organisation, the South African government announced they would impose a Sugar Tax. This was a significant amount of financial impact, a huge sum gone from my profits even before I could start operations.

Of course, it shook the organisation to its core. The organisation, including myself, was extremely confused. My first task was to address a town hall. I initially had a script of inspiring things I was going to say. But when I got there and looked at the staff, I told them the truth about what I had hoped to say. I then shared what the news meant to me at the emotional level, how I moved from despair to pulling myself together, and the resolve that every problem has a solution.

Then I asked that we all find the collective resolve to solve it and act in unity. Later on, I got to hear that what I said happened to be the message that was most relevant at that time. My new colleagues didn’t want to hear platitudes, inspiring messages about how this didn’t matter, examples of my strategies, or even what I had done before. They just wanted an emotional anchor, someone that was expressing what they felt yet gave them the confidence to move forward.

Authenticity in leadership is very important.

People know that you are not perfect and that you don’t have all the answers. But they expect you to show up, they want to see you represent the finest qualities, and create clarity for the situation at hand as well as the intended destination. They want you to galvanize them around the right set of actions.

26

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍŽËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

Ě“

ipNX Introduces Firms Partner to Enhance Digital High Speed Fibre Transformation Broadband Internet Stories by Emma Okonji

Nigeria’s information communication and technology (ICT) company, ipNX has launched its high speed fiber broadband internet service that will enhance speedy download in minutes while browsing the internet.

Tagged “FOS Xtreme�, the high speed internet solution, which is its new flagship series, was introduced this week into the market with two service plans, Xtreme100 and Xtreme200, offering speeds of 100Mbps and 200Mbps respectively.

The offering, which will be delivered to homes and SMEs, is the first of its kind in Nigeria, lending credence to ipNX’ reputation for being the industry’s pacesetter for technological innovation.

Speaking at the launch of the “FOS Xtreme� plans, the Divisional CEO, ipNX Retail, Kene Eneh, said: “Based on our traditions at ipNX, we are introducing two FOS Xtreme plans to the market “Xtreme100� and “Xtreme200�. More speed means more power and more productivity for our customers to be able to work, create, learn and play online without any inhibitions. The FOS Xtreme promise is to deliver the fastest internet access speed obtainable at any given time in Nigeria.� “We are at such a crucial time in history when productivity and output should not be affected by the challenges of the ongoing pandemic, thus as an innovative brand, we have invested in developing these novel plans that

will deliver the highest speed and quality of connection to subscribers,� Eneh added.

Head, Product Management at iPNX, Mr. Najite Ikutegbe, also informed that the concept of “Xtreme� would continue to hinge on ipNX’ strategic intent to lead in the development of products with boundless possibilities. “It is obvious at this time that Internet access has become ‘a way of life’ and more consumers are in search of data plans and services that will enable everyone and every device get connected with optimum speed concurrently,� he said.

He added that “FOS Xtreme� would remain for today’s power user, be it at home or at the workplace.

Addressing the issue of Right of Way (RoW)for the laying of its fibre optic cables to homes and offices, Eneh said as a responsible organisation, ipNX would continue to comply with the necessary directives for the approval of RoW from the state governments where it currently has coverage areas, to enable it deliver its high speed fiber broadband internet. She further explained that in areas where there are an existing ducts, IPNX would partner with the service provider and plug directly to the exiting ducts, instead of digging up roads to lay fiber optic cables. ipNX currently has fixedwired (fibre) and fixed-wireless operations in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Ibadan.

Foundation Appoints Obadare Chairman Advisory Board Dr. Obadare Peter Adewale, has been appointed as the chairman, Advisory Board of Cybersafe Foundation.

The non-governmental organisation is on a mission to facilitate pockets of change that ensure a safer internet for everyone with digital access and residents in Nigeria.

In his new role, Obadare will oversee the activities of the board and all sub committees as set in the Foundation’s corporate governance manual.

Obadare, who is the CoFounder and Chief Operating Officer of Digital Encode Limited, is a seasoned panAfrican CyberSecurity and GRC thought leader; a Fellow of the British Computer Society; Fellow Institute of Management Consultants; Fellow, Institute of Information Management; Fellow Institute of Brand Management; Chartered Information Technology Professional; the first PECB Certified Data Protection Officer in Nigeria; the first Ec-Council Licensed Penetration Tester in Africa; first Ec-Council Certified BlockChain in Africa; second COBIT 5 Certified Assessor in Africa Payment Card Industry; Data Security Standard Qualified Security Assessor (PCI DSS QSA), among other qualifications.

With over 50 international professional certifications to

his credit, Obadare is a wellrecognised subject matter expert with numerous successful engagements to his credit in Africa.

Commenting on the appointment, the Founder/Executive Director, Cybersafe Foundation, Confidence Staveley, said as they aspire to become very successful and impactful organisation, the Foundation recognises need to tap from the knowledge, experience and insight that Obadare brings, to enable them attain unprecedented new heights.

According to Staveley, “We are excited to welcome a seasoned cybersecurity leader as the chairman of our advisory board. His personal values such as passion, excellence, service and integrity align perfectly with that of CyberSafe Foundation. “We believe his knowledge, experience and insight, will catalyze attainment of unprecedented heights in our pursuit to enabling a safe cyberspace for Nigeria and in extension, Africa. There could be no better time to have such a valuable, passionate and expert leader for our advisory board�.

The board is responsible for creating vision for the Foundation, articulating its values and principles, setting goals, developing effective governance policy, meeting and monitoring standards.

Fuelled by a passion for technology and guided by the firm belief that Africa can be better connected to the digital world, 21st Century Technologies has formed a beneficial partnership with Centili, to promote digital transformation on the continent.

The Founder and CEO of 21st Century Technologies, Mr. Wale Ajisebutu, who announced the partnership, said: “Our combined experiences and knowledge of technology is legendary. I have always believed that one of the key elements of success is partnering with esteemed organisations such as Centili, principally to leverage on both companies’ core competencies to build the

most advanced digital services in Africa.�

Ajisebutu believes 21st Century Technologies and Centili are similar in many ways. He said both companies started out from humble beginnings, have experienced rapid growth, and are now having significant impact on the region and beyond. “21st Century Technologies is a regional powerhouse with huge infrastructure and a mission to provide world-class solutions to our valued customers through highly motivated talent and strategic alliances,�

Ajisebutu said, adding, “Our partnership with Centili will bring digital transformation to Africa which many economic sectors deserve. More impor-

tantly, it helps create a sense of focus and determination to succeed,� he said. “Working with Centili has allowed 21st Century Technologies to build the most compelling aggregator platform in Nigeria.

This solution will propel 21st Century Technologies to become the number-one aggregator Value Added Service (VAS) business operator on the continent. The partnership sees both companies creating digital services that will revolutionise everything from online retail to gaming, logistics to financial services, e-commerce to entertainment. As well as creating affordable access to technology and information, they are building new products and services that are deeply relevant to Africa. Together,

they are using technology to solve complex problems for key industries as diverse as healthcare and aviation, as well as empowering people to use technology as a resource for liberty,� Ajisebutu added.

Speaking on the mutual plan to drive digital transformation in Africa, Ajisebutu explained that as the world adapts to the new normal, 21st Century Technologies would continue to accelerate digital transformation. “We aim to position 21st Century Technologies as a company with operations across Africa to take advantage of emerging opportunities. We sincerely believe our activities will move Africa’s digital economy towards a new era, with the internet and data at its heart.�

MOU CONSOLIDAION

Commissioner Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Yobe State, Alhaji Barma Shettima (left), with MD/CEO, NEXIM Bank, Mr. Abba Bello, during an MOU signing ceremony between NEXIM Bank and the state in Abuja... recently

Internet Solutions Consolidates, Rebrands to Dimension Data Integrated information and communication technology (ICT) services provider, Internet Solutions Limited is set to rebrand and operate as Dimension Data by the end of this year in all its operating companies.

The rebrand, according to the company, would enable Dimension Data to consolidate its businesses, enhance efficiency and better deliver the changing technology needs of its clients in Nigeria.

This is part of Dimension Data’s larger plan to consolidate its businesses, enhance efficiency, and better deliver the changing technology needs of its clients in Nigeria.

As part of the rebranding strategy, the company appointed Olugbenga Olabiyi as the country manager to head the company’s business operations in Nigeria.

Commenting on the new developments, Olabiyi assured clients that the company would continue to deliver services seamlessly and efficiently even as the firm works through the rebranding and integration process. He noted that they would be focusing on developing uniquely tailored IT solutions as well as providing value-driven services through customer engagement and outstanding technology infrastructure - that advance productivity and busi-

ness growth. “We are happy to have received the government’s approval allowing us to rebrand and operate as Dimension Data.

Our vision is to be a partner of choice for businesses; delivering innovative, game-changing technology and solutions not only in Nigeria but in the Middle East and Africa,� Olabiyi said.

The Dimension Data Group of companies is also consolidating and rebranding all its subsidiaries in the Middle East and the rest of Africa where it has operations.

The realignment saw Internet Solutions Managing Director Richard Hechle appointed to head the group’s consolidated

business in East and West Africa.

According to Hechle, consolidating the firm’s business would help to unlock opportunities for greater innovation, as well as giving clients the power to build their futures using game changing technology. “Bringing all our people and operating companies together will allow us to effectively and efficiently execute our go-to market strategy and enable our clients’ success in a digital-first world. This digital-first world is characterised by technologies that are converging to deliver unified, hybrid and holistic solutions for real business impact,� he said.

Illumina, 54gene to Promote Genomics Facility Illumina Inc. has announced a collaboration with 54gene, a health technology company whose mission is to advance precision medicine capabilities in Africa through research, advanced molecular diagnostics and clinical programs. The partnership will support the establishment of a new genetics facility in Lagos, Nigeria, equipped with a suite of Illu-

mina’s cutting-edge sequencing and high-density microarray technology platforms, which will generate genetic information for health research and drug development.

Africa contains more genetic diversity than any other continent because the African genome is the oldest human genome. Yet it is estimated that fewer than three per cent of

the genomes analysed come from Africans, making it a potentially rich source of new genetic information for health and drug discovery research, which 54gene intends to leverage as a global research resource while ensuring Africans benefit from cutting edge medical innovations.

General Manager, EMEA, Illumina, Paula Dowdy, said:

“It’s incredibly important to ensure equitable access to genomic sequencing technology across the world so that genomes can be interpreted in the context of global diversity.

Through partnerships such as this with 54gene, we aim to remove barriers of access to sequencing and expand the benefits of genomics to as many people as possible.�

27

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍŽËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

Hollandia’s Initiative Stanbic IBTC Advocates Supports IDP Collaboration in Education Sector Camps, Orphanages Maduabuchi Ubani

Hollandia, a dairy brand in Nigeria from CHI Limited said it recently provided dairy nourishment to children in internally displaced persons’ (IDP) camps and orphanages in Lagos.

A statement explained that the gesture came at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic is disrupting food supply chains and availability and devastating livelihoods, leading to the deteriorating quality of diets and nutrition. “This nutritional challenge poses a threat to the human body’s immune function and good health especially to children who are disadvantaged or in vulnerable situations. “Hollandia Nurture A Child initiative addresses the challenge of malnutrition amongst Nigerian children and the overall wellbeing of the Nigerian child in general. “Under this initiative, Hollandia donated its tasty and nourishing Hollandia Evaporated Milk and Hollandia Yoghurt products to the children. “The beneficiaries include the Internally Displaced Persons Camp in Bogije, Ibeju Lekki, Lot Foundation Dustbin Estate in Ajegunle, Life Changers Orphanage in Festac, and Chosen Child Orphanage, Badia, all in Lagos,� the statement explained.

The initiative hopes to ease the challenges of children in vulnerable situations, currently experiencing inadequate nutri-

tion, by providing healthy dairy nourishment to boost their immunity and wellness. “As medical experts have confirmed, having a healthy immune system is especially important to defend the body against viruses, bacteria and other illnesses. “Hollandia Evaporated Milk and Hollandia Yoghurt contain nutrients such as Vitamins A, B1, B5, B6, B12, and D, Calcium, Potassium, Iron, Protein, Carbohydrates, Milk fat, etc., which are essential for growth, development, good health, and boosting the body’s immune system,� it added.

Receiving the products on behalf of the Internally Displaced Persons Camp, Bogije Ibeju Lekki, Mrs. Bose Aggrey, Executive Director, Web of Hearts Foundation thanked the management of CHI Limited for the initiative. “Sometime last year, we were beneficiaries of a huge product donation from Hollandia and we can attest that over 500 children benefited from the project. “We are happy that you find us worthy to partner with again this year. I am confident that the children would get the much required nutrition they need through consumption of Hollandia Evaporated Milk and Hollandia Yoghurt. “We are happy to receive them as we expect them to provide nourishment for the children here,� she said.

As the economy gradually reopens amidst the impact of COVID-19 in the country, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc has urged players in the education sector to create and explore possible collaboration opportunities.

Education has been one of the sectors severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Learning institutions have had to deliver lessons to students with varying levels of successes. However, some could not hold due to lack of infrastructure.

A few of the gaps in the education sector include requisite teachers’ training, lesson

delivery, curriculum content and school infrastructure, and these provide an opportunity for collaboration in the education sector.

A statement quoted the Executive Director, Personal and Business Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Remy Osuagwu, to have urged parents/guardians to give their children the best education, which they deserve regardless of the current challenges.

He noted that good education with no financial interruptions is a significant legacy for a child and parents must invest in their wards’ education while kick-starting their financial journey.

According to him: “The

COVID-19 pandemic was unprecedented, but it has reinforced the need to plan for the future of our children.

Early planning helps to take the financial pressure off parents in the years to come; and in times like these, parents must ready to welcome opportunities that will amplify the value of their children’s education.�

Although some institutions successfully employed technology to make delivery of content through TVs, radios and WhatsApp groups, infrastructure deficit, and lack of electricity in the country pose a considerable challenge to the efforts being made. “As a foremost financial institution that understands

the importance of protecting a child’s future by saving for their education, the Stanbic IBTC Children Education Savings Scheme – CHESS account enables parents /guardians to set up and manage their child’s account just the way they want,� Osuagwu, said.

He added that the scheme is, “available for children between ages 0 and 17 years with additional benefits for parents/ guardians who already have a Stanbic IBTC bank account.�

He said: “Asides paying an interest rate of 1 per cent above the interest rate earned on a savings account, and the CHESS account can easily be opened with a minimum opening deposit of N2,000.�

Banking hall

Covid-19: A’Ibom Reads Linkage Assurance Grows Profit by 894%, Riot Act to Tourism Rewards Shareholders Industry Operators Okon Bassey in Uyo Akwa Ibom State government has warned operators of tourism industry in the state to desist from practices that contravenes the Covid-19 guidelines.

As the state government reopens tourism businesses in the state, it further threatened to shut down any hotel that ignores the Covid-19 conditions for the industry to operate.

The state government gave the warning at a one- day Covid-19 seminar for operators in the hospitality sector in the state.

At the seminar with the theme: “Ensuring a Safer Akwa Ibom Hospitality Sector,� the Secretary to the State Government and Chairman Covid-19 Incident Management Committee, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem insisted hoteliers must adhere strictly to operational guidelines provided by government.

Ekuwem noted the hoteliers were part of the organisations that would help to check spread of coronavirus pandemic in the state. “Akwa Ibom has become the hottest most sought for as event centre in Nigeria. The visitors must stay in safe hotels when they arrive. “Their safety must be guaranteed in terms of strict adherence to covid19 protocol.

But if safety is poor, it would amount to de-marketing the state, thereby thwart the effort of the

governor in protecting the state against covid19 pandemic. “Your industry is much needed by visitors and residents of Akwa Ibom. You are indispensable part for the work of the governor to ensure that Covid19 is checked in the state.�

The Commissioner for Culture and Tourism said Governor Udom Emmanuel has successfully funded the process of training the proprietors of hotels in the state so that they can replicate it in their various organisations.

He said monitoring team have been constituted to check hotels who will not adhere to covid19 guidelines as they would sanctioned accordingly.

The chairman of Akwa Ibom Hospitality and Management Board, Mr. Ini Akpabio observed that the emergence and prevalence of Covid19 pandemic across the world has had unimaginable impact on personal lives, businesses, economies, states and nations.

He said tourism and hospitality sectors have been the most affected because the business involves human travels and consumption at destination points. “We are aware of the industry’s vulnerability in the fight for containment of Coronavirus which necessitated special attention by the state government to ensure the sector is proactively secured from being besieged by it.�

Ebere Nwoji Linkage Assurance Plc recently rewarded its shareholders with a bonus issue of one for four shares by the capitalisation of N1 billion from the company’s general reserve account.

Announcing this at the 26th Annual General meeting of the company held in Lagos, the company’s chairman, Chief Joshua Fumudoh, said in the 2019 financial year, the company recorded Gross Premium Written (GPW) of N6.52 billion, from the N5.39 billion it made in December 2018. This was a 21 per cent increase. Its profit before tax (PBT) also increased from N134.70 million in 2018, to N1.34 billion, representing an 894 percent growth.

Fumudoh also said the com-

pany achieved an underwriting profit of N409 million in 2019, compared to the N772 million losses recorded in 2018, while net claims paid was N1.7 billion compared to N2.7 billion. “The significant reduction in net claims was a result of improved underwriting and effective reinsurance arrangement�, he explained.

Shareholders applauded the board and management over what they described as an impressive results achieved in 2019.

They also appreciated the bonus issue, describing it as palliative to shareholders particularly at this time.

Also speaking, Managing Director/CEO of Linkage Assurance, Daniel Braie, said the company during the year under

review, developed a five-year strategic roadmap to guide its operations in achieving both short and long term goals.

He said the four strategic pillars in line with its balanced scorecard framework include business growth, financial excellence, operational excellence and customer intimacy. “In line with our strategic focus and business growth initiatives, the last quarter of 2019 was our starting point in delivering on our Strategy.

Using an agile approach and with strong dedication, we were able to achieve a significant milestone in revenue. This achievement acted as a catalyst to our desire to do more for both our shareholders and the customers,� Braie said.

According to him, the com-

pany, has embarked on digital transformation to improve her services especially to the millennials and remote customers. “In the bid to expand our product o erings and in response to demands from the market, we are also concluding approval processes to underwrite agricultural insurance risks.� “In the year 2020, we would embark on several initiatives in a bid to e ciently achieve our corporate objectives as enshrined in our Five-Year Strategic Plan.

Part of what we would do, is to communicate to every unit and department the overall strategic focus for the year and the specific initiatives, goals and objectives exclusive to their di erent departments,�

Braie added.

Visa Partners Drogba on ‘Where You Shop Matters’ Visa Inc. has unveiled a partnership with former footballer, Didier Drogba for its ‘Where You Shop Matters’ initiative, that is championing and supporting small businesses (SMBs) around the world while encouraging people to shop local.

As the Official Payment Services Partner for Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2021, Visa and Drogba would continue to partner to inspire and ignite excitement around one of the world’s most watched football

tournaments, taking place in Cameroon in January 2022. “Having lived and played in countries around the world, I have seen the important role that small businesses and entrepreneurs play in supporting communities everywhere,�

Drogba said. “After a very difficult year, it is vital that we all come together to support the small shops run by our families, friends and neighbors. My career wouldn’t have been possible without that

first ball bought from a local store, and together with Visa, I hope we can support other businesses that help make dreams come true.�

The campaign aims to help support SMBs get back to business and to prosper through a number of initiatives including its Visa Small Business Hub, a merchant platform providing tools and information on how to start, run and grow small businesses. The Hub also features leading merchants

who embody the passion and entrepreneurial spirit of small businesses. “From his early beginnings to becoming a global icon, Drogba’s football achievements are as inspirational as his incredible humanitarian work and efforts to support progress everywhere,� senior vice president and head of marketing, Visa Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa, Mohammed Ismaeel said.

28

T H I S D AY ˾ THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

BUSINESSWORLD

INTERVIEW

Assessing FMBN’s Post Covid-19 Housing Delivery Plan Terungwa Isaac

macro-economic stabilizer during periods of recession.

In Nigeria, the situation is not any different and explains the importance of the FMBN Housing Stock Development Initiatives to current efforts of the government to manage the devastating impact of Covid-19 on the national economy. In tough economic times like we are currently experiencing, increase in housing construction activities in the country holds great potential for economic growth.

First, the housing sector has a tremendous multiplier effect on the broader economy. It contributes to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and supports job creation and economic inclusion.

Experts have stated that in India for instance each new housing unit generates 1.5 direct and eight indirect jobs. In South Africa, each housing unit creates 5.62 direct jobs and 2.5 indirect jobs.

The big idea is that the projected increase in housing construction owing to the FMBN housing projects would help to accelerate economic recovery and promote economic inclusion by creating thousands of jobs for craftsmen and artisans such as masons, plumbers, welders, electricians, and painters

T

he impact of Covid-19 on the Nigerian economy is profound.

Nigeria’s economy was on the path of recovery from the 2016 recession before the pandemic struck. Growth slowly rebounded in 2017 and 2018 in part because of rising oil prices, increase in agricultural production and services. By 2019, Nigeria’s annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) peaked at about 2.2 percent.

However, efforts of governments to contain the virus combined with the volatility and collapse of global oil prices have put the brakes on economic activity erasing the rebound and modest gains made in recent time.

This development is worrisome.

What started as a health crisis has seeped malignantly into every facet of society including the housing sector. The pandemic has significantly weakened national finances and compromised emerging pillars of economic growth.

The World Bank in a recent report titled, “The Nigeria Development Update: Nigeria in Times of COVID-19: Laying Foundations for a Strong Recovery,” predicted that in 2020, Nigeria’s economy is expected to experience its worst recession in four decades. In the baseline scenario, the report says that the economy would contract by 3.2 percent this year.

This assumes an annual average oil price of $30 a barrel. It also assumes that the spread of COVID-19 eases by the end of the second quarter and is contained by the third quarter of 2020.

It added that with the uncertainty of the long-term economic impact of the global COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the speed, quality, and sustainability of Nigeria’s economic recovery will be determined by the effectiveness of its government’s response.

The broad import of this analysis is that governments at all levels and leaders of institutions that are designed to stimulate growth of critical sectors of the economy must redouble efforts to ensure quick economic recovery.

It is against this background that the ambitious efforts and initiatives of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) to ramp up housing stock development is so vital.

FMBN Mini Cities One of the latest of such initiatives is a plan to finance the development of FMBN Mini Cities. The project targets the development of 20,000 housing units annually over the next five years and is to be implemented in collaboration with reputable real estate developers.

According to the design, each project site planned to host between 1,000 to 2,500 units per project site. The house types include two bedrooms, 3 bedrooms and some terraces to cater for different income categories of Nigerians.

According to the plan, off takers - that is - persons that are interested in purchasing the houses through loans that will be provided by FMBN, would to be profiled at the inception of each project with strict adherence to the delivery timeframe.

Speaking recently, the FMBN boss, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa explained that the project is open for participation by all organizations that are participating in the National Housing Fund (NHF) Scheme.

“The FMBN Mini Cities project is open, and organizations are expected to submit the names of off takers – potential buyers – of the houses, for prior profiling before the project commences. Hopefully, we should start next month in Abuja on a site that will host about 2,332 houses along Kubwa expressway in Abuja.

“The land has been acquired and the developers are already on ground and

Dangiwa awaiting the Board approval for kickoff,” he explained.

5,000 Housing Units Next is the bank’s plan to deliver 5,000 housing units over the next twelve months under the National Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP) that was recently approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to stimulate economic growth and create jobs.

Clearly, the 20-housing unit per year FMBN Mini Cities project and the planned delivery of 5,000 homes within the next twelve months are not only historic but remarkable at many levels.

Besides creating jobs for thousands of Nigerian workers and the attendant positive economic benefits, the two housing development initiatives promise to add over 100,000 affordable units to the country’s housing stock in the next five years. Compared to the bank’s delivery of about 30,000 units since inception, the difference is remarkable.

This will increase access to affordable homeownership to thousands of Nigerians using the single digit mortgage loans and other innovative low-cost homeownership options that the bank provides. This includes the FMBN National Housing Fund (NHF) Mortgage Loan.

The mortgage loan is available to qualified workers that contribute to the NHF scheme at 6 percent interest per annum with payment tenors of up to 30 years. Loans under N5million attract zero equity down payment while only 10 per cent equity is required for loans ranging from N5m-N15. Subscribers are qualified to apply after six months of contribution of 2.5 per cent of monthly salaries.

Second, is the individual Home Construction Loan. The loan enables NHF contributors with unencumbered land, appropriate land titles and approved building plans to undertake self-construction.

It provides up to N15 million to NHF subscribers at seven per cent interest rate per annum with up to 30-year payment tenors depending on their age and number of years left in service. Third is the home renovation that provides up to N1 million for home improvement.

Another one is the FMBN Rent-To-Own Product. The loan allows beneficiaries to move into an FMBN-owned housing property as a tenant and pay towards ownership of the property in monthly or annual instalments over 30 years at an

interest rate of nine per cent.

Housing as a Catalyst for Economic Recovery Of even greater significance is the potential impact of the FMBN housing stock development initiatives on the much-needed economic recovery. Housing markets and housing construction in various economies have served as an engine of growth.

The housing sector has typically played a leading role in the process of economic recovery from depression. This is especially true in wealthier societies, notably the US and Japan. Studies in the US between 1959 and 1992 found that housing leads the business cycle, ahead of all other investments. In Japan, the use of public housing activities and housing loans as a macro-economic stabilizer to increase demand and create employment during recessions in the 1970s and 1990s was found to be highly effective.

Other countries, such as Thailand and Singapore, have also used investment in housing as a recovery measure. A key advantage of housing is that it is a domestic sector, and as such is protected from external influences. Therefore, it could be used to achieve short and long-term economic objectives.

Many experts also believe that mass construction of housing is a key element of Japan’s rapid economic growth since the mid-1950s. In Japan, government expenditures in housing construction have been high.

The government has pursued a deliberate policy of encouraging mass housing construction to stimulate the national rate of growth and an average of between seven and nine per cent of GDP each year has been devoted to housing construction. Expansion of homeownership has therefore been a core element of housing policy, mainly because it promotes economic growth and encourages savings and investment.

A similar policy approach has been pursued in Asia, notably Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan. In the development plans of these countries, housing has consistently retained a highprofile, mainly because the governments recognised housing as a foundation of economic. Consequently, housing enjoyed a high priority, supported by policies with strong economic logic: housing generates economic growth, creates wealth, creates employment and income, redistributes income, and serves as a

The National Affordable Housing Delivery Program Interestingly, the FMBN Mini Cities project and 5,000 Housing Delivery Plan would build on the momentum of the National Affordable Housing Delivery Program for Nigerian workers, which the FMBN is already implementing in partnership with the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA).

In the first phase of the programme, about 2,600 housing units are being delivered in thirteen (13) states across the six geopolitical zones of the country in addition to Lagos and Abuja, in batches of a minimum of 200 units per zone.

House types include finished semidetached bungalows as well as 1-, 2- and 3-bedrooms in blocks of flats.

Under the phase one, the FMBN sought and received five hectares of land from the participating states, while it provided construction finance to reputable estate developers to carry out the construction work. Potential beneficiaries are workers that are registered with the National Housing Fund (NHF) Scheme and contribute 2.5 per cent of their monthly income.

It is a good thing to note that the second phase of the FMBN and Labour National Affordable Housing Delivery Program for Nigerian workers is about to start as stated by the FMBN MD/CEO, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa. According to him, the bank is now requesting interested State Governors to provide up to 10 hectares of land for the siting of the expanded housing scheme in their states.

In conclusion, today’s unprecedented crisis will require an equally unprecedented response from the entire Nigerian public sector, together with the private sector. The Nigerian economy is expected to contract in 2020 by at least 3 percent. The slump in global oil prices will slash exports: more than 80 percent of Nigeria’s exports derive from the oil sector. Against this backdrop, the FMBN housing initiatives being planned in line with the National Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP) of the federal governments will contribute towards stimulating inclusive economic growth and driving recovery. It is therefore important that government and relevant stakeholders in the housing industry support the Board and Management of FMBN as they work to achieve these laudable plans.

-Terungwa is a policy analyst based in Abuja.

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍŽËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

29

Ekezie-Ekaidem: Union Bank Committed to Environmentally-friendly Business Practice The Head of Corporate Communications and Marketing of Union Bank, Mrs. Ogochukwu EkezieEkaidem, in this interview speaks on the bank’s efforts to drive social impact through its corporate citizenship sustainability finance. Dike Onwuamaeze brings the excerpts:

W

hat does it take for an organisation to make quality corporate social impact, especially in this COVID-19 pandemic environment?

Meaningful social impact can only happen through the collaboration of all stakeholders, namely the government, the private sector and even individuals. All of us have the responsibility to drive social impact, and our collective efforts have the potential to yield great results. I will say that there has been an obvious display of this collaborative spirit during this COVID-19 pandemic disease as key private sector players, including Union Bank, came together to support the government in the fight against COVID-19 on the platform of the Private Sector Coalition Against Covid-19 (CACOVID). Therefore, our role as a large corporate institution is not only to integrate sustainable practices into our businesses as part of our core but to also engage with, and educate our host communities, on sustainability issues and their impact on our world and its future.

True corporate citizenship happens when an organisation works to deliver on its social, cultural, and environmental obligations to its host communities. Businesses should also understand that they can make profit through corporate sustainably actions since sustainable practices and profitability are not mutually exclusive.

What drives Union Bank’s Citizenship Sustainability and Innovation strategy and how is it relevant to the bank’s wider corporate goals and business priorities?

We are very conscious of this important fact - we can only be as successful as the communities we serve. Statistics show that about 40 per cent of the Nigerian population live below the poverty line and are excluded

chain processes and contribution to social development. This knowledge has driven our dedication to report our activities in these areas in our annual CSI reports. We have a clear mission to play an active role in the development of our society while being more responsive to our stakeholders’ expectations of accountability, growth, and sustainability.

Ekezie-Ekaidem

from even the most basic financial services.

The obvious implication is that for us as banks we need to bring these citizens into the financial system for the long-term sustainability of our industry. If we can proffer effective solutions that close the gap and pull more people out of poverty then we as a bank stand to benefit from that. This explains why Citizenship Sustainability and Innovation (CSI) are central to the Union Bank’s core business and our commitment to the triple bottom line of responsible financial, environmental, and socio-economic development. Also, we are conscious of the need to track our sustainability initiatives and be accountable for our value

How does Union Bank identify areas in which to drive impact or are there speciďŹ c focus areas that have been earmarked?

Our CSI efforts come under five priority areas, which align with the 14 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These are areas that are critical for our environment and economy to flourish. They are environmental sustainability, innovation and economic growth, gender equality, stakeholder engagement and talent development. With these focus areas, our goals are to create an enabling environment for our communities and employees to thrive and continuously adopt environmentally friendly business practices. We support women empowerment, provide innovative solutions and drive financial inclusion towards the prosperity of the average Nigerian.

With the publication of Union Bank’s fourth CSI Report that chronicles the bank’s activities across these areas in 2019, what are the highlights of your CSI activities in 2019 and the ďŹ rst half of this year?

Our 2019 CSI report was prepared in line with the Nigerian Sustainability Business Principles (NSBPs) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards. Assurance of the report was also conducted by an independent auditing firm, Deloitte, to demonstrate our

focus on transparent reporting of our CSI efforts. I will highlight a few points from there. In 2018, we identified the education sector as an area we can support and drive impact. Based on this decision, we introduced Edu360, a robust platform designed to enable success for education stakeholders – educators, parents, government, and the children too.

Last year, we held the second edition of our annual Edu360 conference that recorded 6,800 people in attendance over the three days.

In addition, gender equality is another key focus area for us. We launched the alpher, which is our dedicated proposition for women that reinforces our support for women and women-owned businesses. The alpher is a platform to ‘enable success’ and empower women across all segments of the Nigerian society through capacity building opportunities, networking opportunities, scholarships and tailored financial services. In the same vein, we partnered with MamaMoni Empowerment Foundation to set up an Innovation Hub for low-income women and girls from underserved communities. The vocational training programme has been established to help these girls and women build sustainable means of livelihood. In January this year, we were proud to see the first batch of 60 women graduate from the programme, having acquired various vocational skills such as tailoring, make-up, and arts and craft making. The bank also awarded 40 scholarships to women entrepreneurs to build their capacity through the Enterprise and Leadership Programme (ELP) organised by China-Europe International Business School (CEIBS) in partnership with Leading Ladies Africa.

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

30

IMAGES

Adamawa State Governor,. Ahmadu Fintiri (left) and other state oďŹƒcials inspecting the abandoned state owned Fertilizer Blending Plant at Damare Community in Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa...recently

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍŽËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

Photo Editor ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜ ÔËÖË Email Ă‹ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜Ë›Ă‹Ă”Ă‹Ă–Ă‹ĚśĂžĂ’Ă“Ă?ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁĂ–Ă“Ă Ă?Ë›Ă?Ù×

L-R:The Corporate Aairs Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mrs. Sade Morgan; Honourable Commissioner for Forestry, Ogun State, Engr. Tunji Akinosi; and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Forestry, Ogun State, Mr. Lateef Adegbola-Benson during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Nigerian Breweries Plc and Ogun State Government on the Olokemeji Reforestation Project in Abeokuta, Ogun state...recently

L-R: Member, Imo North Senatorial Screening Committee, Mr.Ibrahim Bello; Secretary of the Committee, Dr. Udiukobong Akpoho; Chairman, Lawrence Dukwu and a member, Hon. Jonathan Modi, during a press brieďŹ ng on the screening exercise of Imo North at APC National Secretariat, Abuja...recently ENOCK REUBEN L-R; President of Fire OďŹƒcers Wives Association (FOWA), Mrs Amina Liman; Students, Government Girls Secondary School and the Principal, Mr Jafar Usman during the presentation of cartons of sanitary pads to the School by Liman in Karshi, Abuja...recently

L-R, President General, Ohaneze Ndi- Igbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, Governor Hope Uzodimma, Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe and Chief Dr E C Iwuanyanwu during a meeting on the Well-being of Ndi-Igbo at the Government House, Owerri....recently

L-R; Senior Special Assistant on Technical to minister Olu Adedayo, Honorable Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Olamilekan Adegbite and Director- general, Mining, Cadastre Office (MCO) Obadiah Nkom, during a visit to Minister office in Abuja...recently KINGSLEYADEBOYE

L-R Chairman, Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN),University College Hospital, Ibadan branch, Dr Dare Olulana; Vice Chairman, Dr Olusola Ibiyemi; and Chairman, Nigeria Medical Association, Oyo State, Dr Ayotunde Fasunla, during the Annual General Meeting of Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria, in Ibadan...recently

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Interior, Mrs Georgina Ehuriah; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Abdulazizi Abdullahi; and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Aairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Mr Bashir Alkali, during the Day-2 of the First Year Ministerial Performance Review Retreat at the Presidential Villa, Abuja...recently

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍŽËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

31

Members of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in collaboration with Labour Unions, protesting against hike in petroleum prices, electricity bills and other issues, in Ibadan...recently

L-R; Secretary to Rivers State Government, Mr Tammy Danagogo; Head of Service, Mr Rufus Godwin; and President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Ayuba Wabba, during a press conference on the signing of agreement for the minimum wage and suspension of the planned strike organised by NLC, in Port Harcourt...recently

L-R; Vice President, Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce, Prince Bimbola Olashore, Deputy President, Mrs. Bisi Adeyemi and the First Vice President, Mr. Uwamai Igein at the 41st Annual General Meeting of the Chamber in Lagos‌recently

.L-R; Fellow of Nigerian Society of Engineers, Chief Akintunde Zedomi; Guest Speaker , Dr Saka Matemilola, his wife, Mrs. Adijat Matemilola, and Chairman, Lagos Chapter, The Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers (NIMechE), Dr Uche Obiajulu, during a Public Lecture and awards on Robut Evaluation of Nigeria’s Petroleum Reservers and Resources in Lagos...recently

L-R: Hajia Fatima Muktar-Buhari, Marketing Enterprise Adviser of FGN/Ogun State Value Chain Development Programme, receiving a gift of Ogun State-made adire fabric from the State Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele at the Governor’s oďŹƒce, Abeokuta...recently

The Couple, Kenny Emmanuel and wife, Mojisola (middle) anked by the bride’s parents, Dr. Mathew Keyi, Publisher and CEO of Industrial Leaders Communications Ltd, and his wife Yinka, at the wedding ceremony of the couple in Abuja...recently

L-R: Head of Enforcement, Head OďŹƒce, Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Charles Amudipe; Director, NCC, Lagos OďŹƒce, Mathew Ade-Ojo; Deputy Director, Legal, Nigerian Copyright Commission, Lynda Alphaeus; Director, Inspectorate and Compliance, SON, Mr. Obiora Manafa; Enforcement OďŹƒcer, NESREA, Lagos Field OďŹƒce, Anyanime Ibah; and Assistant Chief Technical OďŹƒcer/ Head, Surveillance, SON, Benedict Preake, during the destruction of substandard electric cables worth millions of naira by SON held in Lagos,...recently

.L-R: Former Acting Governor of Taraba State, Gabar Umar; Former Deputy Governor, Taraba State, Armayao Abubakar; Chairman, APC Taraba State, Ibrahim El-Sudi and Former Deputy Governor Taraba State, Uba Ahmadu, during the Taraba State APC Stakeholders visit to the Mai Mala Buni led caretaker committee at APC National Secretariat in Abuja...recently . ENOCK REUBEN

32

T H I S D AY ˾ SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

HEALTH & LIFESTYLE

ÜÙßÚ ÏËÞßÜÏÝ ÎÓÞÙÜ˝ ÒÓÏ×ÏÖÓÏ äÏÙÌÓ ×ËÓÖ chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, Tel: 07010510430

Nigeria Media and the Fight against COVID-19 Misinformation While misinformation has become one of the biggest enemies of the fight against COVID-19 in Nigeria, the role of the media in providing accurate and evidence-based information to citizens cannot be overemphasised. Martins Ifijeh writes

E

ver wondered why many Nigerians continue to doubt the existence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the approaches taken by governments and health bodies against the outbreak?

Wonder no more. Misinformation and mistrust are often at the centre of people’s belief systems.

On the one hand, there is scientifically- proven, or at evidence-based information about the pandemic which Nigerians deserve to know about.

However, on the other hand, there is bizarre counter-information from different quarters, which in many instances overshadows the fact-checked information, because they are often driven by mischief, can be sensationalist in nature and filled with half-truths that appeal to the consciousness of Nigerian and those that believe in conspiracy theories.

The misinformation may even have been initiated by people who ordinarily have no prior experience or knowledge about epidemics and should, in reality, be ignored when they issue health directives. The level and speed of spread of their half-truths are just like wildfire in a burning dry forest, and the spread is further made possible by previously established preconceptions. It is therefore critical not to ignore the impact of the misinformation on citizens and the effect it has, hampering the fight against COVID-19. No thanks to the internet which has become a major driver of misinformation and disinformation in Nigeria; two enemies that now represent the biggest threats to the public health of Nigerians and response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

What is more worrisome is that traditional media, including radio, television and newspaper, mediums that are critical sources of information which should be the viral circuit-breaker meant to correct misinformation and disinformation about COVID-19 are often not living up to the critical role they are supposed to play by providing fact-checked and scientifically proven information in their publications or broadcasts, countering the sensationalist mistruths that are being spread around.

In some cases, the media propagates these half-truths without recourse to their authenticity or the credibility of the sources.

Recent audience insight polling from NOIPolls in August 2020, which looked at risk communications and community engagement found that the top sources of information about COVID-19 were TV and radio. As an example, when respondents were asked where they heard information that malaria drugs could cure COVID-19 , 25 per cent of respondents mentioned neighbours and people in their communities, 22 per cent stated friends and family, 20 per cent stated television and 14 per cent stated radio.

For clarity to explain the difference between misinformation and disinformation about COVID-19; the former is the creation and spreading of false or misleading information, without the intention to cause harm, while the latter is the intentional sharing of information with the intention of causing harm or creating social discontent. Both have been described by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, as bigger enemies of COVID-19 than the virus itself.

Misinformation about COVID-19 is being complicated by the evolving nature of the pandemic, and the speed at which knowledge about the virus continues to increase. There has also been significant back and forth about the efficacy of various therapeutics to cure or manage COVID-19 infection. There remain many unknowns about the virus and the knowledge vacuums are being filled by unfounded speculation and misinformation, contributing to the scepticism about the public health response and interventions being put in place.

COVID-19 Misinformation and its Effect on Nigerians Although the Nigerian government and public health experts have made efforts to update the citizens on health protocols and speedy evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, the spread of misinformation has started taking a toll on Nigerians, thereby endangering the noticeable progress already made in tackling the virus in the country.

For instance, according to results from NOIPolls in August 2020, while 74 per cent of Nigerians think the virus is real, 20 per cent remain sceptical about the existence of the virus. The reasons mentioned for not believing in the existence of COVID-19 include mistrust for the government.

Some people also state that they have not seen anyone infected with the virus. This is reflective in the level of compliance on face masks, social and physical distancing, utterances by some otherwise respected religious leaders, among others.

In addition, the messages that were previously left in the comments section of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Twitter handle are a further reflection of the cynicism and scepticism about the presence of the virus and the daily number of confirmed cases. At the beginning of the pandemic, comments were more of unity and patriotism. They prayed in their replies for the virus to go away. But as misinformation began to gain traction, Nigerian citizens began engaging with NCDC on Twitter by expressing their disbelief of the numbers announced daily.

Filling the Gap against COVID-19 Misinformation While misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy theories thrive during crisis moments, one institution that can salvage the situation is the media, mostly traditional media, because of the respect and audience they command. There are therefore a number of roles these institutions must play to help address the obvious gaps in information.

Promoting Facts, Prioritising Science The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, during a recent Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 update in Abuja, said that there was a lot of misinformation, fake news and conspiracy theories being peddled around the virus, and it was having a significant impact on the fight against the virus. He advised the media to be the link between experts/governments and the people, rather than having the citizens get their information from unverifiable sources such as social media,

which has been a major driver contributing to the spread of misinformation about COVID-19.

But for this to happen, the media must be ready to debunk and fact- check misinformation, countering it with evidence-based information, as well as choosing science over sensational reports that would, in the long run, erode trust in the public health response to the outbreak.

Just recently, Nigeria Health Watch, an Abuja-based health communications and advocacy organisation started their partnership with Meedan, a non-profit social technology company, leveraging their Digital Lab to counter misinformation about COVID-19 in Nigeria.

Through the partnership, both organisations gather misinformation or rumours around COVID-19 circulating in Nigeria, tapping into Meedan’s panel of public health experts who debunk and fact-check the misinformation/rumours, providing evidence-based responses on various platforms.

The Twitter hashtag #HealthFactCheckNaija has been used disseminate fact-checked information.

A public relations expert, and Head of Projects at The Billboard Communications, Rufus Onyebagu, said only a handful of Nigerians have experienced a pandemic before, hence misinformation was bound to happen, but that media houses have a duty to report only facts about the outbreak.

“The media should have experts, especially virologists, epidemiologists and public health persons to always defer to when it comes to matters of science and COVID-19. People believe in the media, and whatever they read or listen to has a way of changing their perception.”

Countering Controversial Misinformation He called on the media never to shy away from addressing controversial and countering stories that have gone viral about COVID-19.

“When some Nigerian pastors were championing 5G and COVID-19 theories, how many media houses assembled health and technology experts and published articles to say the two have no relationship. What prominence was this issue given by the media?”

He called on the media to dedicate a section of its work to addressing fake news and rumours about the pandemic, stressing that to be fair to Nigerians, they move along with misinformation because the real information is not put in their faces as against the wrong messages.

Non-politicisation of Stories While it is no longer news that many false stories about COVID-19 have political or even religious undertones, the media has a role to

remove strands of politics, religion and personal interest from every story regarding the public health of Nigerians.

“For me, when someone is discussing an issue, what I first lookout for is whether he is qualified to talk on the particular focus,” Onyebagu said, adding that, “for instance, if the discussion is about whether or not particular drugs work for COVID-19, I should be able to know whether the guest I am interviewing is an expert in that area, whether he or she has an interest because of the gains to be made from those drugs, whether or not there is a political undertone, among others.

The reason is, people will depend on that report to make their life decisions.

So, whatever should be published must be done with utmost professionalism.“ Role as Misinformation Circuit-breaker The PR strategist said if particular rumours or fake news go viral, it means that area of thought is what the people have interest in at that time, adding that it behoves on the media to also have an interest in the message, and then stop the fake viral information.

He said: “The media has the capacity to stop fake news that has gone viral. The best to do this is to fact check the information and bring the right perspective out.”

“The partnership between Nigeria Health Watch and Meedan leverages on various tools to disseminate fact-checked information. Given the importance and prominence of radio, debunked misinformation is disseminated via radio jingles and radio shows, which enables a two-way communication platform so listeners can call in and ask questions about rumours they may have heard.

“WhatsApp has also been a prominent platform in the spread of misinformation. The Nigeria Health Watch team has used this platform to disseminate information and have created short engaging animations that are used to counter and correct misinformation.

Anything that is in the public interest should concern the media and the various media platforms should collectively support in stopping the spread of misinformation. If the fake news is of public interest, the right message will also be of public interest if timely released,” he added.

With the media stepping up in its role against COVID-19 misinformation, fewer Nigerians will doubt the existence of the virus and will have greater trust and be more responsive to the approaches taken by the governments and public health bodies to halt the spread of COVID-19.

T H I S D AY ˾ SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

33

NEWS

NACA Unveils New HIV Test Kits, as Global Fund Pledges $890M Onyebuchi Ezigbo ÓØ ÌßÔË The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has formerly launched a new test kit for HIV, known as WONDFO HIV 1 and 2 Rapid Test Kit. While presenting the laboratory performance evaluation for the new test kit at a ceremony in Abuja recently, the Director General of NACA, Gambo Aliyu described it as a major milestone

which will boost the country’s effort at achieving the goal of testing 95 per cent of Nigerians that are HIV positive.

Aliyu, who was represented by the Assistant Director Community Prevention and Care, Mrs. Tolulope Oladele said the country has presently attained 73 per cent testing for HIV positive people.

“This is another effort by Nigeria in pushing towards achieving the target of 95-95 for

10,000IndigentstoBenefitfrom KwaraHealthInsuranceScheme Hammed Shittu ÓØ ÖÙÜÓØ No fewer than 10,000 indigents of Kwara State have benefited from the state health insurance scheme as part of the move by the government to bring healthcare to the doorsteps of the rural populace.

Already, the state government has upgraded the existing facilities at both primary and secondary health institutions so as to make the programme achievable.

Speaking at the launch of the first phase of the scheme in Ilorin tagged: “Go Alive (Access to Care), the state Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, said the programme was a direct response of the administration to the goal three of the Sustainable Development Goal (SGDs) which is access to good health and wellbeing of the populace”.

He said: “We are starting this scheme by onboarding at least 10,000 indigents as a test run. These indigents have had their premium fully paid, this means the health insurance is 100 per cent free for the indigents and hope to enroll many more indigents in the coming years”.

He opined that the scheme will help boost life expectancy, promotes good health, and strengthen the economy.

“It has the potential to prevent families from sudden

fall into poverty as a result of unforeseen health crisis. The insurance scheme takes care of basic health issues before they become complicated. Studies have shown that most of the health issues found in secondary and tertiary health institutions arose majorly because they were not tackled on time”.

While commending the partners of the scheme for their support, the governor urged the compatriots in the formal and informal sectors who are to pay a token as their own premium to enroll in the scheme because it was cheap, affordable, accessible, and was supported by carefully selected functional facilities and medical experts in the state.

In her remarks, the Executive Secretary, Kwara State Health Insurance Agency, Dr. Olubunmi Jetawo-Winter, said the launch provides one of the most sustainable and long term solutions to addressing existing and future health challenges.

She said the scheme would make basic healthcare available and accessible to every inhabitant of the state irrespective of their socio-economic class.

She therefore urged the people to make use of the scheme so as to allow them have access to quality and affordable healthcare delivery.

Foundation to Provide Eye Care, Health Services, Safe Water to 7.5M Nigerians Adedayo Akinwale ÓØ ÌßÔË Tulsi Chanrai Foundation (TCF) has said it is providing quality eye care services, primary healthcare and safe water to over 7.5 million Nigerians.

It also revealed that it has restored eyesight of over 128,000 blind eyes as part of its efforts to address avoidable blindness in the country In a statement issued last Tuesday by Mr. Sanjay Upadhyaya, he said the foundation aims to reduce avoidable blindness, predominantly cataract and glaucoma, among the rural poor of Nigeria, by providing high quality free surgeries.

He stated: “TCF strongly believes that these interventions are critical change agents and they give people a sense of selfcontrol over their lives. Today, with the support of partners, TCF is reaching out over 7.5 million Nigerians providing either quality eye care services, primary health services and safe water or all

of them.

“TCF currently has footprints in 28 states out of 36 in Nigeria.

The key impact of the programs implemented by TCF is as follows: over 4.5 million mothers’ and children’s health and wellbeing secured; over 3 million rural population are ensured with safe water; over 128,000 peoples’ vision restored.

“Since inception, TCF has restored eyesight of more than 128,000 blind eyes. Currently, TCF is performing over 10,000 surgeries per annum through the Abuja, Bernin Kebbi and Calabar centres established.

“Earlier till 2015, TCF also carried out free eye surgeries in two other eye-centres in Yola and Katsina states, which are now handed over to the respective governments.”

Upadhyaya noted that in Kebbi and Calabar, TCF implements the program in partnership with the respective state governments and is regularly conducting over 5,000 surgeries per annum.

HIV testing which is aimed at achieving 95 per cent testing of people who are HIV positive for them to know their status.

“So presently Nigeria has achieved 73 per cent for persons who are HIV positive to know their status. With the coming of WONDFO HIV 1 and 2 Rapid Test Kit , we are sure that we are one step closer to achieving that goal because we want a situation where there are different test kits for people to chose for testing their HIV status,” she said.

Oladele said the country had adopted a policy of undetectable

is the same as untransmissible to guide its strategy.

According to her, the country is close to meeting the 20-20 target of achieving 90 per cent testing for HIV. The officer in charge of the Coordinating Mechanism for Global Fund in the country, Ibrahim Tajudeen, said that over time, the Global Fund has been supporting Nigeria in the area of response to Tuberculosis, HIV and Malaria including Resilience System Strengthening for Health (RSSH).

Ibrahim, who said that Nigeria

has not been doing very well in HIV testing, mostly due to poor funding, added that there are plans to test over 3.5 million Nigerians. He also stated that the fund was planning to spend $79 million on provision of test kits between 2021 and 2023.

He said: “Over the period, we have been able to mobilise close to $2.7 billion which has been used to support the response across the three diseases as well as RSSH. “Coming to 2021 - 2023, Global Fund will be supporting the country also with additional

$890 million and within the space of HIV/AIDS, we will be spending about $79 million, that is within the space of 2021 and 2023 just for testing of HIV/AIDS”.

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of PREZZO SHED Investments Limited, Mr. Emmanuel Njoku, whose firm played key role in the evaluation of the test kit, said the tool is coming at an auspicious time when the federal government is concerned about the quality of effectiveness and efficiency in our healthcare delivery system.

PHARMACEUTICAL DRIVE AGAINST COVID-19

L-R: Director General, National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Dr. Obi Adigwe; Minister of State for Health, Senator Adeleke Mamora; and Professor/Researcher, NIPRD, Prof. Martins Emeje, during a courtesy visit to the FMOH in Abuja recently

Two-third of Nigerian Employees at Risk of Burnout, Survey Shows Martins Ifijeh A survey conducted by WellNewMe, a health technology firm, has shown that at least two-third of Nigerian employees are at risk of burnout.

The study which was conducted between May and August 2019 on 1,323 employees has shown that 64 per cent of employees have an increased risk of burnout with women having a slightly higher risk than men.

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when individuals feels overwhelmed, emotionally drained and unable to meet constant demands.

The study revealed that, “nearly two in 10 employees will require immediate assistance as they were already demonstrating behaviours that indicated that they were at crisis point.”

According to the study which is a modified version of the Energy Audit for Organisations (EAO), developed by the Energy Project, four key areas were examined, including physical, emotional, mental and spiritual burnouts.

It said: “Overall, about six in 10 employees were at an increased risk of physical exhaustion with women more likely to be at risk than their male counterparts.

“Some of its symptoms include chronic tiredness or

sleepiness, headaches, dizziness, sore or aching muscles, muscle weakness and slowed reflexes and responses.

“49 per cent of the employees were at an increased risk for emotional exhaustion.

Women are also slightly more than men to be at risk for emotional exhaustion. Signs and symptoms can vary from person to person, some of which might include anxiety, anger, feelings of hopelessness, lack of motivation and difficulty concentrating.”

The study also showed that three in 10 employees were at an increased risk for mental exhaustion, with no difference between the genders. “About 40 per cent were found to be an increased

risk for spiritual exhaustion, with men having a slightly increased risk”.

According to one of the coFounders of WellNewMe, Dr. Obi Igbokwe, despite its serious consequences for employers, burnout in the workplace is one of those conditions that companies across the world are struggling with.

He said: “Its effects are even more telling on low income countries like Nigeria, where burnout is commonplace. WellNewMe has developed a tool to help companies in determining the risks and have partnered with Green Oaks Consulting to provide a comprehensive and more holistic approach to managing individuals who need treatment.”

Gynaecologists Partner SANOFI for Training of Medical Doctors on Antenatal Immunisation Martins Ifijeh The Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON) through its committee on continuous professional development and training, has partnered pharmaceutical giant Sanofi Nigeria Limited on the training of medical doctors on “Antenatal Immunisation and its Role in Reducing Infant Mortality”.

The webinar which is scheduled to hold on Saturday,

September 12 will start by 12pm, Nigerian time. Among the eminent speakers at the event are; Prof. Beckie Nnenna Tagbo, Chief Editor of the Paediatric textbook titled “Quick Glance at Paediatrics”; Dr. Chizoba Barbara Wonodi, Nigeria Country Director for International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC), John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Dr Abidoye Gbadegesin, Vice chairman of Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Nigeria

(SOGON), Lagos Sector.

SOGON is the umbrella body for all gynaecologist and obstetricians in Nigeria and part of its mandate is providing opportunities for continuous professional development for members. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant restriction in movement and large gatherings, the organisation has resorted to organising webinars for members to gain more knowledge and

improve their practise.

This has been achieved by partnering with relevant organisations and resource persons from Nigeria and other countries to deliver best in class training and sessions, delivered online.

Medical Doctors interested in joining the webinar can register for free by visiting http://events.nordicalagos. org/antenatal-immunizationand-its-role-in-reducing-infantmortality/ to register.

34

T H I S D AY ˾ SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

NEWS

Medical Tribunal Convicts 3 Doctors for Incompetence, Neglect Onyebuchi Ezigbo ÓØ ÌßÔË The tribunal set up by Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCON) has handed sentences to three medical practioners for offences ranging from unprofessional conduct to neglect of patients put in their care.

One of the doctors, Dr. Iyoha of R-Jollad Hospital in Gbagada, Lagos, was convicted for exhibiting incompetence in the management of one “baby” Oluwole and was admonished by the tribunal.

Also Dr. Muikala, was convicted and sentenced to three months suspension, while the third doctor on this charge was acquited.

Iyoha was said to have administered oral chloroquine,fansidar and several other drugs to a three months baby who has been on artemether thereby further endangering the life of the child.

In the same vein, Dr. Zakari Muhammad of Muhamnadu Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital, in Kano was convicted and admonished for exhibiting incompetence in the management

of the case of Majjidda Aminu who is now deceased.

Late Aminu was brought to the hospital between April 21 and 22, 2008 for child delivery before she died. However, Dr. Muhammad was charged for negligence and for failing to attend to the deceased promptly after she started bleeding shortly after delivery.

But Dr. Rasaq Akindele of Gold Cross Hospital, Ikoyi, Lagos, who faced the charge of negligence in the management of one Mrs. Chidinma Gbenro, a sickle cell patient, was discharged and acquitted for lack of merit.

Similarly, Dr. Shehu Abdullahi was acquitted after his charge was struck out because the court of appeal had already absolved him of negligence from the same facts.

Speaking with journalists outside the tribunal in Abuja, the Prosecution Counsel, Sanusi Musa, said the charges were put against the doctors to sever as a deterrent to others and to make every one responsible for his or her actions.

SOGON Trains Nigerian Gynaecologists on Hysterectomy Martins Ifjeh The Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON), in partnership with Nordica Fertility Centre has trained over 520 gynaecologists on the different approaches in the use of hysterectomy.

Speaking during the webinar training recently, the President of SOGON, Prof. Ireti Akinola said although hysterectomy was not new to gynaecologists, as it was first performed over 200 years ago in Manchester, there were new technology on better ways around it. Hysterectomy is a surgery in which a woman’s

uterus (womb) is removed.

According to Akinola, new hysterectomy technology is relevant for practicing gynaecologist, adding that, “the different types of hysterectomy are geared towards saving lives, correcting deformities as well as relieving suffering of patients.

When planning hysterectomy, the patient should be considered first, not the disease or the doctor”.

Sharing his thoughts, a Gynaecologist and Obstetrician Laparoscopist, Helwan Univeristy, Egypt, Hossam Abdel-Mageed, said doctors with lack of experience should not

be involved in the procedure.

He warned that the first choice in hysterectomy should be vaginally. If not, then laparoscopically, adding that if these two were not possible, then abdominal hysterectomy can be considered.

He said: “Laparoscopic hysterectomy should compete with abdominal hysterectomy, not vaginal hysterectomy. on precautions, the doctor must have proper knowledge and experience of the procedure; must do counseling and have consent of patient; must be familiar with instruments, among others.”

The Head of Minimally Invasive and Robotic Gynaecologic Surgery Unit, University Hospital of Modena, Italy, Carlo Alboni said although there were no perfect ways to performing vaginal hysterectomy, there were ideal technique which tries to make small impact on the physical and psychological process of the patient.

The Chairman, Continnuous Development Committee, SOGON, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi said more of the training will be done so that Nigerian gynaecologists and obstetricians can be conversant with latest information on the area of specialty.

Otti Frees 18 Indigent Patients from Burden of Medical Bills Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia Succour has come to 18 indigent patients who could not pay their medical bills as a top Abia politician, Mr. Alex Otti, picked up the bills.

With this intervention, the patients who could not go home after they were discharged at Madonna Catholic Hospital Umuahia, have now left the health facility and returned to their respective homes.

Otti had visited his friend on admission at the hospital and was recognised by the helpless patients who besieged him and pleaded for his assistance to pay their bills.

Touched by their plight, the former gubernatorial candidate asked them to compile their names with the amount of each patient’s medical bill.

It was in fulfilment of his promise to the patients that Otti sent his media assistant, Mr. Ferdinand Ekeoma and Mr. Mike Akpara, a member of Alex Otti Foundation, to present cheques to offset the

medical bills of the affected patients.

The value of the cheques given to each of the benefitting patients ranged from N50,000 to N1.1 million.

Speaking with journalists after the cheque presentation, Ekeoma said the medical intervention by Otti was a normal philanthropic gesture that the former bank boss undertakes on regular basis.

He said his principal was deeply moved by the plight of the patients who could not go home after they were discharged, owing to their inability to pay their bills.

According to him, the cost of the medical intervention was immaterial to Otti, adding that “the most import thing is that the lives of our people have been positively (as) most of the patients lacked the resources to pay for their medical bills”.

The administrator of Madonna Catholic Hospital, Rev Fr Christian Anokwuru lauded Otti for coming to the aid of the patients, adding that some of them had already spent months after they were discharged.

L-R: Deputy Director Administration, National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi-Lagos, Mrs Adedoyin Roselyn; Deputy Director of Nursing Services, Mrs Makinde and Manager of Infax Nigeria Limited, Ijeoma Obas, during the presentation of donated medical equipment to the Hospital, in Lagos recently

Evercare Hospital Launches Telemedicine Platform in Nigeria Rebecca Ejifoma Evercare Group, a healthcare delivery platform that operates hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic facilities across Africa and South Asia, has launched a telemedicine platform tagged, Ecare.

Speaking on the launch, the Chief Medical Officer, Evercare Hospital Lekki, Dr. Ayo Shonibare said with the COVID-19 pandemic that has led to patients avoiding physical consultations in hospitals, there was no better time for

Nestle Intensifies its Sustainable Packaging Transformation Journey Martins Ifijeh Nestle is intensifying effort to make 100 per cent of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025 and to reduce its use of virgin plastics by one-third in the same period, the Global Head of Sustainable Packaging, Nestle, Veronique Cremades-Mathis has said. In a statement made available to THISDAY recently, she said the organisation has announced a series of new initiatives that include a $30 million investment to increase food-grade recycled plastics in some countries.

She said: “87 per cent of

Nestle’s packaging is already recyclable or reusable.

We have made strides in our transformative journey towards a waste-free future, but we know that we have more work to do.

“As the world’s largest food and beverage company, we are committed to putting our size and scale to work to tackle the packaging waste problem everywhere that we operate.”

“Even as COVID-19 has presented more challenges, the company’s commitment to sustainable packaging remains the same. “Nestle continues to play a leading role in helping solve the issue of plastic pollution

through its three-pillar approach launched in January 2019 which includes developing new packaging; shaping waste-free future; and driving new behavior.”

According to her, transitioning to paper packaging across various formats was already available in recycle paper wrapper in the UK; design and implementation of affordable and effective mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility schemes in over 20 countries; and the rolling out of a sustainable packaging education and training programme for over 290,000 of its employees, to accelerate behavior change and help the company meet its packaging objectives.

virtual interactions than now.

He said: “This platform was launched to help fill the gap by providing patients the ability to consult remotely and also give them the satisfaction of having the clinician interact with them face to face.

“Evercare exists to serve growth markets like Nigeria that need access to quality, comprehensive care that seeks to improve patient outcomes while reducing costs and increasing efficiency.

“As we seek to improve health outcomes for patients,

we will provide the expertise and resources required to strengthen our model and drive enhanced multidisciplinary care delivery system.”

He explained that the Ecare platform offers tele and video consultations with general practitioners and specialist doctors in various fields of medicine, adding that the platform brings about a change in the outpatient consultation model as it allows clinicians to reach out to

their patients remotely via a video conferencing model to be able to address their healthcare needs.

“It gives the patient the confidence, he said, of being able to have access to their Clinician in their time of need.

“The platform has a twoway add on feature that allows the patient to invite a friend or family member on the consultation and at the same time permits the clinician to invite a colleague in case of a multi-disciplinary or complicated consultation,”

COVID-19: UNICEF, NOA take Prevention Campaign to 1,200 Lagos Communities Not less than 803,000 persons in 1,200 communities in Lagos State have been captured by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to embark on a month-long campaign to flatten the curve of COVID-19.

The Director of NOA, Lagos State, Waheed Ishola, who made the disclosure in a statement recently, said the motorised campaign was designed to enlighten the general public on how to prevent themselves from

contracting the coronavirus, stating that the campaign was taken to the 20 local government areas of the state and that 1,200 communities were reached over the period of the sensitisation campaign.

According to him, “803,000 Lagos citizens were captured in the 20 local government areas of the state. In addition to the physical sensitisation, 200,000 informational and educational (IEC) materials were distributed during the exercise.

“We had five different

teams each with a motorised vehicle, public address system and other equipment like that. ”We distributed each of the five teams to the five local governments in Lagos State. Each of the team was assigned simultaneously to five local governments. We did five local governments in each week for four weeks.”

On the aim of the sensitisation programme, he said: “The campaign was to flatten the curve, and for all to take responsibility by obeying the non-pharmaceutical interventions in prevention of COVID-19.”

35

T H I S D AY ˾ SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

HEALTH

Using Technology to Combat COVID-19 While the world is gradually accepting the challenge and adapting to various safety measures occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, a new health app, Health Monitoring Service Nigeria, has been launched as a soothing balm to further mitigate the spread of the virus pending the discovery of vaccine. Rebecca Ejifoma writes

W

hen COVID-19 hit Nigeria this March, many feared for their safety. At first, it was the fact that it affected those with existing ailments the most, and then those whose immune systems were rather feeble, especially among the aged and the children.

Sadly, this orchestrated nationwide lockdown which further deepened the already struggling economy of the country as well as aggravated the endemic unemployment rate across the country.

It was in a bid to create a soothing balm to the health problems that the new health monitoring service app was launched in Lagos recently.

The Managing Director and CEO OOK Group Nigeria Limited, Omolara Svensson, said it is all out to give Nigerians peace of mind, coupled with hysteria over their COVID-19 status using technology solution this time.

Part of the features of the app is to give peace of mind from COVID-19 status, help Nigerians live their lives until vaccine is made available, and also keeps Nigerians ahead of the pack in productivity, reduce cost of care and improve patients ‘ experiences and outcomes.

Svensson emphasised that the health technology company, Isle of Man, works with health technologists to improve the health of people.

“When COVID-19 broke out, that put everyone on his toes to find a solution not just the scientists in terms of looking for a vaccine to either cure or prevent it but also health technology companies had to go back to their drawing books on how to contain the virus,” she noted.

The CEO, while acknowledging that vaccine is not something that is going to happen overnight, argued that the health monitoring app became necessary as substitute until there is a vaccine for it. This birthed the idea of the app.

Although she resides abroad, Svensson has brought the app to be launched in Nigeria, her country. “This is the first place it is being launched in Africa. Internally, between OOK Group and our partners, this has been test run”.

Technology can help in halting the spread of COVID-19

In her words, the CEO attested the app’s functionality when she said “We have been using it for a while and it gives a lot of peace of mind”.

She recalled also an incident of coming in contact with those who contracted the virus.

“Personally, a couple of times there were people I had contact with that came down with the COVID-19 a couple of weeks we have had contact. Honestly I was not bothered because all I had to do was to go check my severity level and I am fine.”

How the App Works While there is individual subscription, there is corporate subscription, too. “If you are a staff in a company, the human resource department or whoever is in charge does the subscription for all staff,” says Svensson.

A link will be sent to every staff, she

Healthy Eating: Choosing What Lands on Your Plate Mirabel Emma Aleladia Healthy eating is probably one of the biggest factors in determining whether or not you live a fulfilling life. What you eat affects everything that you do; for that reason, it is important that you are intentional about what lands on your plate. More interestingly, apart from your appearance, food has been closely linked with brain development and even your emotional wellbeing. The popular quote, “You are what you eat” refers not only to your body but very well applies to your state of mind. In a nutshell, what you eat determines the quality of life you will have.

Paying attention to our plate is especially important as we age, I always like to imagine my body like a car. We all know that friend or family member who has very good maintenance culture with their car, they’ve had this car for ages, but somehow it still works perfectly; they change the oils when necessary, service when due and more humorously treat their car like an egg. In the same way, our bodies are machines and when we put garbage in what we get is garbage out.

Eating healthy is not the easiest habit to cultivate, but it is definitely worth it.

I started my healthy living lifestyle when I woke up one morning, and I suddenly couldn’t fit into my size 8 clothes. All my life, I had never really gained a lot of weight sporadically, when I took a closer

examination of my lifestyle, I realised that I had radically changed my eating habits.

So, there I was with my new size 12 body, confused and fake surprised about it all.

In fact, I remember that I had been stress eating; this is a common habit and occurs due to emotional distress. I will talk about this more in my next article. I mapped out my journey to return to my normal figure and funny enough it involved very little exercise.

I became intentional about my portions and carefully chose what landed on my plate; in no time at all I was back to my former self. Again, it is not the easiest thing to do, but it is one of the most important choices you can make every day. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, we must change our psych and belief that eating healthy is not a matter of impermanence to understanding that it should be as vital as the need to breathe clean air.

Finally, my biggest philosophy on food is that it must be enjoyable and nutritious. There is a healthy meal for everyone; in fact, there are a variety of healthy meals that you can enjoy. The common ideology is that healthy meals are unenjoyable. However, this is a myth; there are equally as many delicious and nutritious healthy foods as there are unhealthy ones. A great place for you to start is @Snaxxsaladsandsides on Instagram, there’s a lot of variety for everyone, and it is definitely worth it. t"MFMBEJB JT B DPNNVOJDBUJPO BOE QVCMJD SFMBUJPOT TUSBUFHJTU

continued, so that they do their subscription themselves without the company having access to their data.

Accordingly, other features include subscribers required to put in their data twice daily for about five to seven days to be able to determine if they have been exposed or contracted COVID-19.

On the severity rating, the CEO added that it is divided into three parts. “Green is low risk of having COVID-19 severity level one to three.

Amber is mild risk; at this stage self isolate.

Red is a high risk of having COVID-19 and should seek immediate medical intervention and isolation.”

Svensson said that the system was built in a way that ensures adequate security. Data ownership is taken very serious with the HMSN, hence, the reason they have integrated such a high-tech personal identification system.

“The registered client of the service is the owner of all of their own data. They assign viewing rights to their personal data via the platform,” she noted.

Mr. Dion Croom, Founder/CEO, National Health Monitoring Services Limited, Isle of Man, who echoed Svensson, gave graphical illustrations of how the app works and its easy-to-access features for both individuals and corporate bodies.

Among the four ambassadors for the app is Nollywood ace actress, Shola Sobowale best known as Toyin Tomato, who called on Nigerians to the come to terms with the fact that COVID-19 is real.

“It is real. It is not a death sentence but you wouldn’t actually know when your body reacts to it. So, please prevention is better than cure. That is why the health monitoring service comes in,” she added.

With her transparent face shield jealously veiling her face from possible fluids, Sobowale implored everyone to download the app and monitor his or her own health. “At the end of it all, health is wealth,” she concluded.

Speaking on the role of technology as a challenge of under contact tracing, Dr. Tolulope Akin-Fawole of Lagos State Ministry of Environment, noted that indeed there is a gap that needs to be filled. “We have read that google and Apple have an exposure notification. And this is an app on our various platforms to assist in visual and public health agencies”.

In this situation if this gap is filled, she said, it can go a long way in helping to answer questions pertaining to contact tracing.

Although she described contact tracing as the process of monitoring persons who have been exposed an infected person or case, she further elongated it as a central public health response to infectious disease outbreak.

“Importation of the new Sars-Cov-2 from China to other parts of the world, highlights the need to understand the impact of contact tracing as a control measure,” she hinted during her presentation. Hence, mobile apps like the newly launched HMSN can increase the effectiveness of contact tracing compared to conventional approaches.

COVID-19: Health Experts Emphasise Technology in Medicine Funmi Ogundare Stakeholders drawn from the health sector and health management service organisations, recently, converged for the maiden virtual seminar organised by the International Health Management Services (IHMS) Limited.

The seminar was designed to engage consumers of HMO products to chart a path to recovery and build resilience for businesses following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The programme, themed, ‘Managed Healthcare during a pandemic and beyond: The Role of Technology in Medicine’, featured conversations on how technology and innovation can be adequately embraced to chart a path to recovery especially in managing patients.

In his remarks, the acting Chairman, Chief Olawumi Gasper who welcomed participants, said he believes that the contributions from

the programme, will go a long way in mapping the future of health-managed care in Nigeria and bring about new opportunities in the HMO ecosystem.

The Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Ebute Metta, Lagos, Dr. Adedamola Dada explained how technology in medicine could offer a whole lot of possibilities in transforming healthcare in the country especially during this COVID-19 pandemic.

He said there is need for healthcare providers to improve performance and patient outcomes through digital marketing, enrolee/ patient engagement and consultation, member eligibility verification, among others.

“There are a lot of technological innovations that is opened to us to solve some of the problems of access between caregivers and patients,” he said.

The Managing Director, Lagos Health Management Agency(LASHMA),

Dr. Emmanuella Zambia explained how the state health management scheme was inaugurated in 2018 and commenced access to care in 2019.

She said it is currently working in partnership with other states so that Nigerians could have access to healthcare with proper documentation and verification. The General Manager, NHIS Lagos Zonal Office, Mr. Olufemi Akingbade stressed the need for healthcare provider to look at communication preferences and vamping up processes by introducing new technologies to what they are doing.

“As a regulator, what I want for enrolees is customer satisfaction. The bridge between healthcare providers and patients is now being narrowed. You have to have a database of patients, so that you can take appointment to them via teleconferencing rather than have a congested waiting room,” he said.

36

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍŽËœ 2020

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Nigeria’s Forex Inflow Fell 43% in May Obinna Chima Foreign exchange (forex) inflows into the Nigerian economy fell by 43.2 per cent to $5.52 billion in May 2020, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has revealed.

The CBN disclosed this in its economic report for May 2020 obtained yesterday.

The decline in inflow, relative to the level in April 2020, was attributed to the lower receipts from oil sources, which fell sharply by 55.2 per cent because of the continued fragility in global crude oil demand.

According to the report, inflows through autonomous sources, particularly invisible purchases, declined by seven per cent to $3.51 billion, relative to the preceding month, while there was a 66.2 per cent fall in inflow through the CBN, which stood at $2.01 billion in May 2020.

On the other hand, aggregate forex outflows from the economy decreased by 23.9 per cent to $2.5 billion in May. But outflows through the CBN decreased by 30.9 per cent to $2.19 billion below the level in the preced-

ing month. However, outflow through autonomous sources, mainly imports and invisibles, increased significantly by 152.2 per cent to $0.32 billion above the level in April 2020 because of the partial ease in lockdown restrictions, the report stated. “With inflow of $5.55 billion and outflow of $2.50 billion, the economy registered a net inflow of $3.02 billion in May 2020, compared with the net inflow of $6.43 billion in the preceding month. “Forex supply to authorised dealers increased by 18.8 per cent to $1 billion in May 2020 from $0.84 billion in April 2020, due to rising demand as factories and businesses begin to reopen. “Forex sales at I&E window increased by 68.4 per cent to $0.28 billion, relative to the preceding month’s level of $0.16 billion.

However, interbank sales declined by 10.0 per cent to $0.055 billion, below the $0.062 billion sales in April 2020. “In May 2020, sales to BDCs remained suspended as international travels were yet to re-start,� the CBN stated.

It noted that the performance of the external sector during the review period continued to be undermined by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent partial lockdown of economies globally.

Despite the relaxation of the lockdown restrictions in most parts of the country, the economy remained in a lull during the month, owing to supply shocks, job losses and reduced income, as well as the effects of frozen business activities, it added. “The impact of the measures was felt mostly in the activities related to transportation, hotel, recreation and tourism, as well as supply chains and production. “Slowdown in these activities dampened business confidence, while undermining income generation, employment and expectations during the period.

Disruptions in the supply chains reflected in the 26.1 per cent (yearon-year) increase in commuter transport fares in May 2020 despite further reduction in the pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS) to N121 per litre from N125 per litre,� it stated further.

Brains & Hammers Completes 1,200 Housing Units in Abuja Emmanuel Addeh Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË Brains and Hammers, a commercial real estate company in Nigeria, has said it is determined to close the housing gap in the country, with the recent completion of the construction of phase one of its newest housing estate located in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Named the Brains and Hammers City, the first phase of the project, the company said, comprises 1200 completed housing units and currently has over 200 residents occupying their homes already.

Speaking during a media tour of the completed and on-going projects within the city, the Group Head of City Project, Maryam Bello, stressed that 600 additional units were also waiting to be occupied soon by their owners.

Bello explained that the phase two was expected to have about 1,000 additional units, with the

Nigerian Customs units built by the organisation in phase one already taken over by the government agency.

She said the city was built as a standalone where every occupant would have access to whatever they need as a family, including high level fibre optics for internet service, shopping malls, filling stations, schools, an orphanage, 24-hour power supply and top notch security.

On the affordability of the Brains and Hammers City project, Bello stressed that it was conceived as a self-sustaining and affordable housing project designed to cater to the housing needs of middle and low-income earners. “It consists of one, two, and three-bedroom flats. It also has four-bedroom terraces and fourbedroom detached houses. On completion, it would have a total of 3600 housing units� she said.

She added that the phase two

would be completed next year, while there is also the possibility of a mortgage payment plan for some persons, especially those who have an account with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN). “The significance of the completion of phase one of the Brains and Hammers City project is not lost on us as an organisation, nor on the residents who had their homes delivered to specification. “The expertise displayed during construction and the support we got from our clients played a significant role in achieving this feat. “As we enter the second phase of the construction process, we are focused on delivering every component of the Brains and Hammers City plan. Our concern right now is the delivery of homes to our clients, and ensuring this community is habitable and enjoyable� she noted.

Notore’s Solar-powered Water Project Lifts Bauchi community Notore Chemical Industries Plc has donated a 40,000 litre solar-powered integrated water project to Kangare Community in Bauchi Local Government, Bauchi State.

The project is a key part of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) aimed at enhancing the wellbeing of farmers and communities in which it operates in Nigeria.

The company will also sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bauchi State government to provide farmers inputs at affordable prices in 20 local government areas of the state.

Group Managing Director/ GCEO of Notore, Mr. Onajite Okoloko, who was represented by the company’s Head of Government Affairs, Mr. Yakubu Abdulrahman, at the inauguration

ceremony for the water project in Kangare, said: “As an active member of the Kangere farming community, Notore noted the shortage of potable drinking water as one of the major social challenges facing the community.

Consequently, we decided to construct a 40,000 litre capacity solar powered water project to support the state government’s visible efforts at ameliorating the living conditions of the good people of Bauchi.�

He said the integrated water project was meant to show the company’s support to Governor Bala Mohammed’s efforts at improving the lives of the people.

According to him, “To drive home our aim of championing Africa’s green revolution, through increased farm yields, Notore has recruited over 3,600 world class

extension service professionals to work hand- in-hand with farmers in almost all the 774 local government areas in the country, teaching them best farming practices.�

Governor Bala Mohammed said the state government would sign an MoU with Notore to ensure farmers reap bountifully from the government’s agricultural policy.

The governor said under the agreement, the state government would also ensure timely provision of extension services to farmers so as to improve their knowledge on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP).

He said the target of his administration was to increase yield and production, strengthen extension services and create wealth for the people.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JULY 2020 Money Supply (M3)

36,822,751.47

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

3,476,121.25

Money Supply (M2)

33,346,630.22

-- Quasi Money

120,764,479.02

-- Narrow Money (M1)

12,582,151.19

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,002,026.89

---- Demand Deposits

10,580,124.31

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,637,137.23

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

29,185,614.24

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

39,711,115.95

---- Credit to Government (Net)

19,521,851.08

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

0.00

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

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

-130,189,264.87

--Other Assets Net

3,472,017.70

Reserve Money (Base Money

13,421,827.07

--Currency in Circulation

2,395,917.03

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

11,025,910.04 317,234.17

Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

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

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

Ëž Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁ ÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ě‹ ͯ͹Ϲ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE Ëœ Íś Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $40.29 a barrel on Tuesday, compared with $41.64 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

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

SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

37

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍŽËœ Í°ÍŽÍ°ÍŽ

NSE Intensifies Efforts to Introduce Derivatives to the Capital Market Goddy Egene The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has intensified efforts towards the introduction of derivatives to the Nigerian capital market. In line with this, the NSE held a capacity building session recently.

The workshop held virtually was themed: “Adopting derivatives during stressed market conditions, which featured a special presentation from Derivatives

Consultant at C-Rubin Futures, and former Senior Manager of the New York Stock Exchange, and New York Futures Exchange, Charlie Rubin.

Rubin, highlighted the unique benefits of derivatives trading, saying: “Derivatives have been known to increase trading activity significantly across markets.

For instance, the National Stock Exchange of India is witnessing trading activity 25 times more than pre-derivative levels in

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

its 8th year since introducing derivatives. This accounts for four times more than its cash business. Markets are likely to continue to enjoy such activity due to the fact that derivatives provide a hedge against risk, facilitate short selling and allow investors to undertake leveraged buying and selling.�

In his remarks, Chief Executive Officer, NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, said: “The global financial market has seen good growth and in-

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

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

novation over the past 20 years, and derivatives have contributed substantially to this impressive development. Today, the global derivatives market is the main pillar of the international financial system and the economy as a whole. The exchange in its quest to be Africa’s preferred exchange hub, recognises the importance of a well-developed derivatives market and has worked assiduously to build the regulatory and technology framework as well as

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

the competence required to support the launch of a standardised Exchange Traded Derivatives (ETDs) market.�

According to him, the NSE began its journey to launching ETDs in 2014 with a feasibility study which showed that the Nigerian capital market is indeed ready for the more sophisticated investment products ETDs will introduce.

Speaking further on the efforts the exchange has made,

O F

the Head, Trading Business, Jude Chiemeka said: “NSE is committed to building a derivatives market that meets global standards. We have worked with regulators such as the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria to establish the right regulatory and legal framework for derivatives in our market. We also continue to build on the trading infrastructure that will ensure domestic and foreign stakeholders are able to

0 9 / 0 9 / 2 0 2 0 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

˾ THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2020

38

ଂ

ଂ

ଂ

ଂ

ଂ

ଂ

7 R S 7 U D G H V E \ 9 R O X P H

7 R S * D L Q H U V T ic k er

T ic k er

P ric e C hg %

P ric e C hg %

3.98

7.3%

Z EN IT H B A N K

35.8

-3.0%

PZ

4.25

6.3%

FB NH

33.4

-2.0% -3.2%

C UST OD IA N

4.95

3.1%

UB A

29.8

FCM B

2.26

2.7%

GUA R A N T Y

24.9

0.0%

19.2

-3.0% -3.6%

J OH N H OLT

0.56

1.8%

A C C ESS

T R A N SC OR P

0.61

1.7%

UC A P

18.7

WA P C O

12.15

0.8%

T R A N SC OR P

15.9

1.7%

P R EST IGE

0.52

0.0%

M B EN EF IT

15.1

-4.8%

M RS

12.45

0.0%

WEM A B A N K

8.1

-1.9%

C A P H OT EL

2.43

0.0%

F ID ELIT YB K

8.0

0.0%

7 R S / R V H U V T ic k er

Afrinvest West Africa Limited

Vo lum e

P ric e

F ID SON

7 R S 7 U D G H V E \ 9 D O X H

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

R OYA LEX

0.27

-10.0%

LIVEST OC K

0.60

-9.1%

T ic k er

Value

P ric e C hg %

GUA R A N T Y

605.1

0.0%

Z EN IT H B A N K

592.1

-3.0%

C ILEA SIN G

3.55

-9.0%

M TNN

526.7

0.0%

UA C N

6.00

-4.8%

UB A

182.6

-3.2%

M B EN EF IT

0.20

-4.8%

FB NH

166.9

-2.0%

VIT A F OA M

5.69

-4.7%

OKOM UOIL

149.3

-1.3%

H ON YF LOUR

0.90

-4.3%

A C C ESS

126.3

-3.0%

UN ILEVER

14.40

-4.0%

WA P C O

88.2

0.8%

UC A P

2.96

-3.6%

N EST LE

64.6

0.0%

R ED ST A R EX

3.60

-3.2%

CA P

61.8

0.0%

Brokerage

Asset Management

Investment Research

Ayodeji Ebo | aebo@afrinvest.com

Ola Belgore | obelgore@afrinvest.com

Abiodun Keripe | AKeripe@afrinvest.com

Adedoyin Allen | aallen@afrinvest.com Florence Warikam | fwarikam@afrinvest.com

Adedayo Bakare | abakare@afrinvest.com

39

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

MARKET NEWS

Visa Launches Loyalty Programme to Reward Cardholders Goddy Egene Visa has launched of a loyalty programme

to reward 28,000 cardholders in Nigeria with 10 per cent cashback when they spend up to N25, 000 using their Visa credentials online or

A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

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

via Point of Sale (POS) terminals. The offer will last till 30th of September, 2020.

The loyalty programme is part of Visa’s effort

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 08Sep-2020, unless otherwise stated.

to champion cashless transactions and is available to customers of all issuing banks of Visa cards.

Commenting, Vice President, Visa West

Africa, Kemi Okusanya said: “We are delighted to bring tailored offers to our cardholders so they can save when they pay with Visa. This

reward program is one of the many ways we are showing our commitment to digitizing the Nigerian economy.”

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

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

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

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Plutus Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.93 0.94 2.84% ACAP Income Funds 0.78 0.78 10.29% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 5.61% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.99 3.07 21.73% ANCHORIA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED info@anchoriaam.com Web:www.anchoriaam.com, Tel: 08166830267; 08036814510; 08028419180 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Anchoria Money Market 100.00 100.00 2.31% Anchoria Equity Fund 99.75 100.09 -2.19% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.27 1.27 10.24% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 14.49 14.93 -5.38% ARM Discovery Fund 341.84 352.15 -1.04% ARM Ethical Fund 30.61 31.54 5.27% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.15 1.16 15.61% ARM Fixed Income Fund 1.08 1.09 8.26% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.31% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund 96.92 97.60 0.88% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.58% CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.14 2.14 17.43% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 1.87 1.90 4.79% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 5.08% Paramount Equity Fund 11.57 11.77 -7.60% Women's Investment Fund 111.60 112.50 1.04% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.56% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 105.73 106.07 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 109.82 110.13 Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 103.49 103.49 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 3.34% Coronation Balanced Fund 0.96 0.97 2.97% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.56 1.56 17.40% EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B N/A N/A N/A EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,397.21 1,398.78 14.49% FBN Balanced Fund 152.37 153.40 3.78% FBN Halal Fund 107.83 107.84 7.83% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.54% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 121.33 121.75 4.96% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 121.37 121.79 4.47% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 116.19 117.99 -10.71% FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 3.21% Legacy Debt Fund 3.82 3.82 4.49% Legacy Equity Fund 1.15 1.17 1.54% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.12 1.12 3.48% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 3,162.99 3,198.17 4.02% Coral Income Fund 3,192.66 3,192.66 3.80% FSDH Treasury Bills Fund 100.00 100.00 3.91% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 3.93% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 113.40 120.63 8.45%

GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gdl.com.ng Web: www.gdl.com.ng ; Tel: +234 9055691122 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn GDL Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.03% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.31 2.35 5.61% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 8.38% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 150.46 151.20 4.97% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.25 1.27 7.08% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,134.76 1,134.76 7.17% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Meristem Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.40 1.42 14.27% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.88 11.96 5.59% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 3.06% PACAM Equity Fund 1.10 1.12 PACAM EuroBond Fund 108.03 110.62 SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 116.31 118.18 -5.19% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.02 1.02 6.62% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 2,521.35 2,532.80 5.69% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 210.33 210.33 4.98% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.88 0.89 -0.56% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 273.87 273.95 5.81% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 154.92 156.64 4.58% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 4.12% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,674.15 7,756.30 -3.02% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.20 1.20 3.81% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 109.26 109.26 4.85% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.16 1.18 -3.09% United Capital Bond Fund 1.85 1.85 6.97% United Capital Equity Fund 0.66 0.68 -5.79% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 4.70% United Capital Eurobond Fund 114.53 114.53 4.82% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.03 1.03 -2.05% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 10.41 10.52 1.25% Zenith Ethical Fund 11.61 11.68 -0.25% Zenith Income Fund 24.35 24.35 9.38% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 3.56%

REITS NAV Per Share

Fund Name SFS Skye Shelter Fund

Yield / T-Rtn

117.93

5.15%

53.40

2.59%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

9.16 85.48 66.69

9.26 87.33 67.91

5.15% -9.50% -11.24%

Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Money Market Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

108.03

15.02%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

40

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

INTERNATIONAL

EU Reserves 200 Million More COVID-19 Vaccines The European Commission announced Wednesday it has reached a deal with a sixth pharmaceutical firm, this time BioNTech-Pfizer, to reserve a further 200 million doses of a potential coronavirus vaccine.

“Our chances to develop and deploy a safe and effective vaccine have never been higher, both for Europeans here at home, or for the rest of the world,” European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said.

“To defeat coronavirus anywhere, we need to defeat it everywhere.”

Brussels has previously signed deals with SanofiGSK, Johnson & Johnson, Curevac, Moderna and with AstraZeneca to be ready to procure doses quickly if and when any of the companies develop a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine.

“We are optimistic that among these candidates there will be a safe and effective

vaccine against Covid-19 to help us defeat this pandemic,” the EU health commissioner, Stella Kyriakides, said.

In a statement, BioNTech said the agreement includes an option for another 100 million doses. Deliveries could start as soon as the end of 2020, if the labs successfully clear the various tests phases.

“We have activated our supply chain, most importantly our site in Belgium, and are starting to manufacture so that our vaccine would be available as soon as possible, if our clinical trials prove successful and regulatory approval is granted” said Albert Bouria, chairman and chief executive of Pfizer.

Labs around the world are racing to produce a vaccine to help end the worst health crisis in over a century.

More than 200 candidate vaccines are currently being developed with roughly two

dozen at the stage of clinical trials with human volunteers.

Countries have also been scrambling to ensure they have sufficient doses, with the world’s wealthiest nations making pre-orders worth billions to secure deliveries

even before the vaccines have completed tests.

Amid concern US President Donald Trump will pressure regulators to approve a vaccine ahead of the presidential election in November, the CEOs of

nine companies — including BioNTech and Pfizer — this week pledged to “uphold the integrity of the scientific process”.

Specifically, the companies said they would only seek emergency authorisations for

vaccines “after demonstrating safety and efficacy through a Phase 3 clinical study that is designed and conducted to meet requirements of expert regulatory authorities such as FDA,” the US Food and Drug Administration.

Record Temperatures Pope Francis takes off his facemask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard during the COVID-19 infection, caused by the novel coronavirus in The Vatican…yesterday AFP Accelerating Rise of Sea Levels, UN Warns Trump Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize Amid Racial Tension in US Record temperatures are accelerating the rise of sea levels, melting glaciers and snow coverage and threatening the water supplies for billions, according to a major UN report Wednesday charting the “increasing and irreversible” impacts of climate change.

The multi-agency United in Science report said the world had seen its warmest five years on record in the last five years, adding that extreme weather events bore “a clear fingerprint” of climate change.

It comes after UN chief Antonio Guterres told AFP that nations must use the coronavirus crisis as a springboard to implement “transformational” green policies to make energy,

transport, industry and everyday life more sustainable.

If they fail, he warned humanity was “doomed”.

The report, coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), said humanity was not on track to meet the targets for emission reductions that would avert devastating global warming.

It highlighted “the increasing and irreversible impacts of climate change, which affects glaciers, oceans, nature, economies and human living conditions and is often felt through water-related hazards like drought or flooding”.

Warmer temperatures have seen reductions in the world’s glaciers and ice sheets, threatening fresh water supplies.

Pope Francis was seen Wednesday for the first time wearing a protective face mask as he attended his second traditional general audience before a limited public presence after a six-month suspension.

The pontiff — known for a fondness for close personal contact — however quickly removed the mask as he emerged from the car carrying him to the audience, which was suspended in February over the coronavirus pandemic.

But he shunned his usual practice of shaking hands and kissing babies as some 500 faithful filled a courtyard at the Apostolic Palace inside the Vatican.

At his second meeting since suspending general audiences on February 26, the crowd thronged behind a barrier and some even lowered their masks to greet the leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

The pope shook hands with prelates attending the audience and, smiling, then turned to the crowd, urging them not to shake hands and to return to their seats in order to “avoid contagion”.

Francis focused on the socio-economic impact of the pandemic which he said was

“without barriers”.

He advocated a society in which people should have more solidarity with their neighbours.

Pope Francis, whose birth name is Jorge Bergoglio, has shown little fear for his health since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic early this year.

Before Wednesday he had never appeared with a mask and had continued to receive visitors within the Apostolic Palace — albeit fewer groups than before.

Last Thursday he shook hands with a group of French actors committed to defending the environment. The group was exempted from wearing face masks and included the actress Juliette Binoche.

The 83-year-old pontiff found it difficult to wear a mask that restricted his breathing, a member of his entourage said Wednesday.

When he was 21 Jorge Bergoglio suffered from acute pleurisy and surgeons removed part of his right lung, according to his biographer Austen Ivereigh.

This forced him to give up his dream of becoming a Jesuit missionary in Japan and he also had to give up playing football.

US President Donald Trump has been nominated for the 2021 Nobel peace prize.

According to Fox News on Wednesday, Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a member of the Norwegian Parliament, submitted Trump’s name for the award, for helping to broker the Israel-UAE peace deal.

Trump’s nomination comes amid racial tension and violence in the US. In May, there was an outbreak of protests across US states after the killing of George Floyd, a black American man, by some

officers of the Minneapolis police department (MPD).

The protests turned violent in some cities and persisted for weeks. There have been other reported race-linked killings of black Americans by the police since Floyd.

In his letter to the Nobel committee on his nomination of the US president, the chairman of the Norwegian delegation to NATO Parliamentary Assembly, said the Trump administration has played a key role in the establishment of relations between Israel and the UAE.

“For his merit, I think he has done more trying to create peace between nations than most other Peace Prize nominees,” Tybring-Gjedde said.

“As it is expected other Middle Eastern countries will follow in the footsteps of the UAE, this agreement could be a game changer that will turn the Middle East into a region of cooperation and prosperity.

Tybring-Gjedde, who praised Trump in his letter, said he played a “key role in facilitating contact between conflicting parties and… creating new

dynamics in other protracted conflicts, such as the Kashmir border dispute between India and Pakistan, and the conflict between North and South Korea, as well as dealing with the nuclear capabilities of North Korea”.

The US president was also commended for withdrawing a large number of troops from the Middle East.

“Indeed, Trump has broken a 39-year-old streak of American Presidents either starting a war or bringing the United States into an international armed conflict.”

Lebanese Foreign Minister Tests Positive for Pope Francis Wears a Face Mask COVID-19, Says Ministry Lebanese Foreign Minister by Foreign Minister Charbel placed under quarantine for a Canada and Greece to Lebanon for the First Time in Public Charbel Wehbe has tested positive Wehbe, is positive. two-week period,” the ministry at a protocol ceremony to deliver for the coronavirus disease and “It came after the first one, said in a statement. copies of his credentials. been placed under a two-week quarantine regime, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

“The result of a PCR test, taken

which he took the day before yesterday (Monday), needed to be confirmed.

“Since then, the minister has

Wehbe was appointed as the country’s foreign minister on Aug. 3. On Monday, Wehbe met with the new ambassadors of

To date, the Lebanese health officials have confirmed 21,324 cases of COVID-19, with 207 fatalities and 6,722 recoveries.

Britain to Impose Six-person Limit on Meetings as COVID-19 Cases Surge Britain will re-impose a limit of six people for most social gatherings from Monday with the aim of curbing a resurgence in coronavirus infections by the end of the year, a top official said.

Britain’s Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the BBC on Wednesday that the ban on gatherings of more than six people would be needed for the “foreseeable future”.

“I really hope we can turn this round before Christmas.

“Three months is a long time in a pandemic, and I very much hope this strong rule, together with the local action we’ve taken, can work to do that,” he said.

The new rule reduces the the maximum participation in social gatherings from 30 to six in all indoor and outdoor settings, with the exception of weddings, funerals and team sports.

People failing to comply with the new measures could face a 100-pound (130-dollar) fine, doubling on each repeat offence and increasing up to 3,200 pounds.

Britain reported 2,460 new COVID-19 infections on Tuesday, bringing its total since March to more than 352,500.

Britain’s official death toll linked to the coronavirus pandemic is more than 41,500,

Europe’s highest total.

Health data analysts estimate the true death toll at up to 70,000, based on seasonal excess deaths, with many hundreds of thousands of others infected.

Health experts and opposition politicians have accused the government of a slow response to the crisis and criticised Britain’s low level of testing and poor preparation for a pandemic.

ECOWAS Gives Mali Junta One Week to Appoint Civilian Head, PM The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has issued an ultimatum to coupists in Mali to appoint civilian head of transition government and prime minister for the country.

According to the regional body, the junta has not later than September 15, to appoint the head of the transition

government and also Prime Minister. Both, the regional body said must be civilians.

The transition government will have one year to midwife a return to democracy, which was abruptly cut short by the Military junta.

The ultimatum was issued at the end of the 57th ECOWAS summit in Niamey, Republic

of Niger.

The Head of states and government decision was contained in a communique issued at the end of the summit.

It stated: “Regarding the situation in Mali, the authority reaffirms its determination to ensure that constitutional order is quickly restored in Mali, with a political transition led by a

civilian President and Prime Minister for 12 months.

“The authority maintains all the decisions taken at its extraordinary Summit of August 28, 2020 and notes the ongoing consultations between the Malian stakeholders initiated by the National Council for the People’s Salvation (CNSP). “

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 • T H I S D AY

41

42

THURSDAY, ͚͸˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž T H I S D AY

FOR THE RECORD

Sexual Violence against Women: Why Men’s Voices Matter Olusegun Adeniyi In writing my book, ‘From Frying Pan to Fire: How African Migrants Risk Everything in their Futile Search for a Better Life in Europe’ published in 2018, I visited many cities in Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. But it was on the continent (of Africa) that I was confronted with perhaps the worst instances of those emblems of shame for which our country is fast becoming notorious. In an International Organisation for Migration (IOM) centre housing trafficked under-aged girls in Bamako, the Malian capital, I met a Nigerian girl who shared with me her pathetic story of how she was cajoled to abandon secondary school by the sister of a friend who promised to take her abroad where she could earn big money working in a salon. And, as it so often happens, the story ended in Djinja Kayes, Southwest Mali, where she was sold to a notorious Nigerian ‘Madam’ who immediately forced the young girl into prostitution after subjecting her to a ritual oath.

In that book, I interrogated the desperation that made so many of our young citizens embark on perilous journeys that most often ended in the Sahara Desert, or on the Mediterranean Sea. But my experience in Mali opened my eyes to the vexatious issue of how vulnerable young women spend the prime of their lives satiating the pleasures of men and women who enslave and rob them of self-autonomy.

I also encountered this phenomenon in Benin, the Edo State capital in Nigeria, where I spent considerable time interrogating the Italian connections that facilitate trafficking these women. I included a chapter on my investigations titled ‘Edo and the Prostitution Ring’ in the book, and I have written several columns on the issue since then. My experience led me to ponder the plight of women and girls in Nigeria more generally.

Writing ‘From Frying Pan to Fire’ left me with the uncomfortable realization that much of human trafficking and irregular migration, and perhaps so many other ills in our society, are underpinned by sexual violence. I also came to the conclusion that this is a societal problem and it is going to take all of society to solve it.

However, for any intervention to be effective, it must deal with both the demand and supply side of the problem. Therefore, following the scandal involving Professor Richard Akindele and a female graduate student, Monica Osagie, at my alma mater, Obafemi Awolowo University, and at the Faculty of Administration from where I graduated, I saw sex for grades on our campuses as another dangerous dimension of the same malaise. And it occurred to me that to catalyse normative change, it would take all critical voices, male and female, joining in the conversation.

I am strongly persuaded that it is only when we succeed in curbing predatory behaviour on our campuses that we can truly begin to make education spaces safe for women and girls in our country and on our continent. However, in writing the book, I benefited from insights provided by respected female voices who are outspoken on the issue, including some that are here today. At the end, the use of two paragraphs from an online public statement at the back page of the book turned out to be a problem that generated social media storm.

The position of the African Feminist Initiative (AFI), which I accept, is that use of a part of their public statement as a blurb for the book and listing their names without seeking prior permission, undermined the concept of consent which is at the heart of the issue dealt with in the book. The good thing is, I learned some important lessons from that regrettable experience. The many interactions that followed the publication and the choices I eventually made, led me to choose this topic.

Student-teacher relationships have facilitated an environment for unwholesome practices on university campuses across the continent and this sustains my conviction that writing ‘NAKED ABUSE: Sex for Grades in African Universities’ was worth the effort. However, I withdrew the copies in circulation to make amends in the back cover and also enrich the narrative, following the feedback that I

Minister of Women Aairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen received. A new edition will be available within the next four weeks. But that development has not swayed my determination that men should be an integral part of the conversation on sexual violence in our society.

My decision to embark on the project does not detract from the fact that she who feels it knows it, and it was never my intention to usurp women’s voices as some of my critics claimed. I understand that in this battle, women can speak for themselves. Not only are they doing so clearly, the rest of the society is finally paying attention. I agree with some critics that this is not an area where men “have a starring role,� but insisting on dichotomizing voices that can advocate for better social practices is not helpful in the long run. Everyone who has a conscience should raise their voice on this salient social issue in order to be counted. If men should reduce sexual violence, especially in institutions of high learning in Nigeria and across Africa to a “women’s issue� and sit back, they are just as morally complicit.

Meanwhile, I understand those who argue that a dialogue that reflects their unique perspectives and values should be left to peers. For so long, women have been excluded from important conversations, including those directly affecting them. But considering that sexual violence is a symptom of a society that has allowed sexism and other forms of inequality to fester, the issue at stake is an ethical one. The burden of uplifting our society can therefore not be reduced to “women’s problem� and men conveniently shut up. It will take a collaborative effort of all critical stakeholders to rid the society of the problem in all its manifestations. And every voice counts.

If we agree that it is society that is harmed by transactional sex on our campuses, then it would be counterproductive to restrict those who should engage on the subject because the perpetrators of the violence can hide under the silence of their fellow men. No voice, whether that of an individual or a collective, should be discounted if we are going to put an end to what has become “entrenched notions of control and entitlement.�

Fortunately, this point is being increasingly made by stakeholders: From Gloria Steinem, respected American journalist and activist who has for the past five decades championed women’s cause and is generally regarded as the ‘Mother of Feminism’ to Julia Gillard, former Australian Prime Minister and leader of the Labour party from 2010 to 2013. Men, according to Gillard, have a critical role to

play in gender issues. While admitting that there is still a long way to go before there is a universal acceptance of equality of gender and that one should not oppress the other in any way or form, Gillard, who currently chairs the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, argues that, “we’ll only get there by drawing more men into the conversation.�

Here, let me make it clear. In this kind of conversation, it is important to reiterate that asking men to speak up is not tantamount to asking them to supplant women. What I advocate is for men to use the privilege that patriarchal society has afforded them to stand up to the same structures of power.

As men, we cannot afford silence. We can use our voices to reinforce the argument advanced by feminist advocates. After all, we are stakeholders too. We have mothers, wives, and daughters who are affected by this issue one way or the other, and we have a moral duty to stand up for them. The International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW) could not have been more apt when it says that a campaign like this works better when everyone plays since “both women and men live within patriarchal power structures, uphold those structures, are concerned by those structures, and are responsible for transforming them.�

In my book, I referenced Prof Oluyemisi Obilade whom I am meeting for the first time today, albeit virtually. She argued that not a few male lecturers see their female student as ‘fringe benefits’ and that, for me, is another reason men should challenge their peers on entrenched bad behavior. Incidentally, shortly after my book went to press, a friend visited my office and while discussing the issue of sex for grades, he shared with me a story which confirmed Prof Obilade’s thesis. In the course of his visit to a town in the South-west where a federal university is located, according to his account, a lecturer-friend visited his hotel and reportedly told him: “I will send one of my female students to keep you company for the night. Since our pay is meagre, that is the only ‘fringe benefit’ we enjoy on this job.� That mentality is wrong on all counts.

When a university lecturer readily pimps female students to male friends as the aforementioned instance demonstrated, it must mean that he ‘rewards’ those exploited female students with inflated grades. There are two crimes he is committing: sexual exploitation and the debasement of knowledge. Since both harm the individuals (whose worth and the credentials they parade are diminished) and the

larger society (left with certificated illiterates), ridding our campuses of such irresponsible male lecturers is critical. That is why peer to peer interventions should not be seen as encroachment on anyone’s turf. It is a collective moral responsibility.

The challenge, as Obilade also recounted, is compounded by the fact that in most instances, there are no avenues for seeking redress that students can access without compounding the harm being done to them. She cited cases of female students who would complain to their head of department about lecturers harassing them and the response they would get is: ‘Give him what he wants.’ What that suggests is an ingrained culture, and that is why interventions from men are likely to receive more traction. Taking advantage of the platforms that some of us have will definitely not hurt. Besides, as men, we can frame the narrative in a way that catches the attention of men, by looking at all sides, including those that women may find ‘offensive’ even when it is real. For instance, a chapter in ‘NAKED ABUSE’ addresses the ‘other side of the coin’ argument that men often make when it comes to sexual harassment and demonstrates that looking at the issue does not necessarily absolve perpetrators of accountability. The argument is that there are women and girls whose philosophy is to ‘use what they have to get what they want’. On university campuses, those kind of girls ‘willingly’ offer their bodies to lecturers in exchange for grades. It is important to address these kinds of argument, as I did in ‘NAKED ABUSE’, if we are to break down social resistance to gender equity.

Men’s voices are also important because they can reinforce that this is not an ‘us versus them’ situation that often necessitates unhelpful pushback. Men can amplify voices of the victims, contribute to holding an oppressive system accountable and put the message in places where the voices of women are discounted for the time being. From my experience, in using our voices, men can also unlearn some of the cultural gender discrimination we may not even be aware of.

The key issues in the phenomenon of sex for grades is the misuse of power and privilege on the one hand and abuse of trust on the other. But the problem is being reinforced by inequities that are “rooted in uneven dynamics that give disproportionate power to one group versus another�, and because of that, according to Laura Amaya, Clare Schroder, Sandra Medrano and Alexandra Geertz in their joint paper on why men must be drawn to the conversation, “Irrespective of the amount we invest in women, men also need to be willing participants in the redistribution of power between genders.�

I am well aware that when it comes to sex for grades on our campuses, one cannot canvass the argument of power redistribution since it is between the teacher and the learner but we can insist that such power be exercised with a high degree of responsibility.

When we were putting this programme together, I told the Vice Chancellor that I am more interested in listening to the views of our women, which is why we carefully selected the panel. I have certainly learnt a lot in recent weeks about gender. And some of the people here today are my teachers. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, Saudatu Mahdi, Joy Ezeilo and many others that are not here, like Oby Ezekwesili, Ayisha Osori, Bimbola Adelakun, Chioma Agwuegbo, Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, Molara Wood, Maryam Uwais, Ifioma Malo, Yemi Adamolekun, Ayo Obe, Ndidi Nwuneli, Hadiza El-Rufai, Ngozi Azodoh, Jackie Farris.

These are some of the voices I shall always listen to in these matters.

As I keep telling them, since we men are seen as part of the problem, it will not hurt if we are also part of the solution. Our joint endeavour today is therefore to begin a conversation on how we can find that solution, for the greater good of our beloved country. And continent! t5FYU PG NZ QSFTFOUBUJPO BU UIF 8FCJOBS PO A'JOEJOH 4BGF 4QBDFT GPS 'FNBMF 4UVEFOUT JO /JHFSJBO 6OJWFSTJUJFT PSHBOJ[FE CZ 0CBGFNJ "XPMPXP 6OJWFSTJUZ *MF *GF PO UI 4FQUFNCFS

43

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSEXTRA

Oshiomhole, Wife of Edo Deputy Gov Bicker over Alleged Threat to Life Adibe Emenyonu in Benin city Wife of Edo State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Maryann Shaibu, has petition the state Commissioner of Police over an alleged threat to life by the immediate-past Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole.

While reacting, Oshiomole described the petition as nothing but a futile attempt to divert the attention of Nigerians from the trending video of Mrs. Shaibu threatening to flog women old enough to be her mother if they dare exercise their fundamental human rights to attend any event other than the one she organises.

In the petition dated September 8, 2020, by her counsel, Idemudia Ilueminosen and Co, titled: ‘Threat to Life’, Mrs. Shaibu said Oshiomhole had threatened to deal with her after casting aspersions on her at a rally in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

The petition alleged that Oshiomhole at the rally sent several warnings that she (Mrs. Shaibu) should stay clear of campaigning for her party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on which platform her husband is running with Governor Godwin Obaseki for the September 19 governorship

poll.

According the petition, “We are further informed by our client that the said Oshiomole did not only threaten to deal with her, but he has also declared that he has sent some thugs to monitor her movements in Etsako West area with a view to carrying out the threat of ‘dealing with her’.

“Consequent upon this, our client, for fear of being hurt or harm by Oshiomole and the assigned thugs, has not been able to continue with her campaign anymore.

“It is on this note that we passionately appeal to you on behalf of our client to use your good office to investigate this incident.

“Investigation is also necessary with a view to bringing the said Oshiomole and his cohorts to book in order to avert any unpleasant and unforeseen harm coming to our client especially as the state gubernatorial election is close, precisely on September 19, 2020.

“This is moreso that the lives of our client and her family (by this threat) are at stake and the situation may degenerate into a full blown crisis if nothing urgent is done.

“We count on your good self to expedite actions on

Film Maker Asks Court to Stop Enforcement of Broadcasting Code Movie producer and director, Cas Chidiebere Obidike, has asked the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos to perpetually restrain the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) from enforcing the sixth edition of the National Broadcasting Code.

The amended code, which has continued to generate controversy, was unveiled last month in Lagos by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

In a fundamental human rights suit (No. FHC/L/ CS/1211/2020) filed before the court on his behalf by his counsel, Mr. Emeka Okpoko (SAN) of Straddle Partners, Obidike said paragraphs 6.2.11, 6.2.3, 6.2.4 and 6.2.17 of the code constitute gross violations of his fundamental human rights and freedom of expression enshrined in sections 37 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

In the suit filed on September 4, Obidike is seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the NBC, the sole respondent in the suit, and any of its agents or proxies from enforcing the aforementioned sections of the code.

In the affidavit in support of the originating motion, Obidike said paragraphs 6.2.3, 6.2.4 and 6.2.17 breach his right to privacy or have a likelihood of infringing upon his fundamental human rights.

According to him, the provision of the National Broadcasting Code requiring that broadcast rights to sporting events be submitted to the NBC for ratification within two weeks,

as stipulated in paragraph 6.2.3, and the revocation of the rights in the event of non-compliance, as noted in paragraph 6.2.4, will force him to divulge business secrets contained in contracts of sale/acquisition of broadcasting rights to movies and other media production.

He also argued that confidentiality clauses inserted in business contracts in which contracted parties are bound to comply with will be breached as a result of the code.

Obidike stated that paragraph 6.2.17, which mandates a broadcaster to, within 14 days, provide the original or certified true copy of agreements and other documents by which such contents have been duly acquired, prevents him as a private Nigerian citizen from engaging in the business of film making and business production and contravenes his fundamental human rights as enshrined in the 1999 constitution (as amended).

Citing Order ii, Rule 1 of the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009, the applicant insisted that any individual who deems that there is a contravention of fundamental human rights can institute legal action against such person or entity.

The affidavit partly read: “In the course of my business in the industry, I enter into contracts of sale/acquisition of broadcasting rights to movies and other media productions in which terms such as “confidentiality” are agreed upon in order to protect the parties’ interest such as privacy to business secrets against outsiders.

this grave concern to nip in the bud whatever may be the nefarious plan and intent of Oshiomole and his cohorts as life has no duplicate.”

Speaking through his media aide, Mr. Victor Oshioke,

Oshiomhole said he is focused on marketing the governorship candidate of the APC, and cannot, under any circumstances, be distracted by the “buzzing of baby mosquitoes like Mrs. Shaibu.”

According to him, “The allegation is baseless and an attempt to drag Oshiomhole’s name to the mud.

“This petition is nothing but a futile attempt to divert the attention of Nigerians

from the trending video of Maryann threatening to flog women old enough to be her mother if they dare exercise their fundamental human rights to attend any event other than the one she organises.”

FIGHTING INFECTIOUS DISEASES...

L-R: Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun; Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Rauf Olaniyan; Okere of Saki, Oba Khalid Oyeniyi Ayinla; and the state Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde, during the inauguration of the Infectious Disease Centre, Saki, Oyo State...yesterday

Relief as Doctors Agree to End Strike Strike unwarranted, illegal, Ngige insists Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja Striking resident doctors have reached agreement with the federal government to end their four-day industrial action.

The doctors also allegedly apologised to the federal government over their strike, blaming it on communication gap and bottlenecks in the implementation of agreement reached between the government and the association.

At the end of the reconciliatory meeting held yesterday at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the National Association of Resident

Doctors (NARD) accepted to meet with its executive council with a view to calling off the strike by today.

The communiqué issued after the meeting stated that: “In view of these understanding, NARD will consult with its executive council within the next 24hrs with a view to calling off the strike by September 10, 2020.”

The meeting agreed that nobody would be victimised for any activity connected with or for participating in the industrial action.

In a communiqué jointly signed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator

Chris Ngige; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN); Minister of State for Health, Senator Olorunmibe Mamora; Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris for the federal government, and Secretary-General of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Ekpe Philip Uche, and President of NARD, Dr. Sokumba Aliyu, the federal government accepted that the N4 billion appropriated for Residency Training under a wrong heading for Medical Residency Training will be vired before expenditure.

It said the process of

amendment is ongoing and is expected that the process and cash backing would be through in two weeks.

On the payment of outstanding 2014, 2015, and 2016 arrears, the meeting recalled that it had been agreed that the issue would be further discussed post-COVID-19, and therefore, no agreement was breached.

On the implementation of the payment of the Special Hazard/ Inducement Allowance, the meeting expressed satisfaction that the N20 billion already appropriated in 2020 COVID-19 budget has been exhausted to N19 billion.

Ile Arugbo: Saraki Drags Kwara to Appeal Court, Seeks Stay of Execution Hammed Shittu in Ilorin The Asa Investments Limited owned by the former Senate leader in the second republic National Assembly, late Dr. Olusola Saraki, and Alhaji Sanusi Baba-Eleku has filed a motion on notice before the Court of Appeal in Ilorin, requesting for an order for stay of execution against the ruling of the High Court of Kwara State.

Justice Abiodun Adebara had on August 6, 2020, delivered a ruling regarding the suit before

the lower court on the disputed Ile Arugbo.

The trial court in its ruling vacated the interim injunction it had earlier granted in favour of the Asa Investment Limited to preserve Ile Arugbo, and maintain the status quo pending the determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction filed by the applicants.

The applicants in the motion on notice filed before the appellate court dated September 4, 2020, said Justice Adebara’s ruling of August

6 has the effect of empowering the respondents to destroy the subject matter (Ile Arugbo) of the suit.

The applicants also sought an order of the appellate court to stay proceedings in the suit on Ile Arugbo pending the hearing and determination of the appeal before it.

They also sought an “order of the appellate court restraining the respondents- Governor of Kwara State, state House of Assembly, Attorney General

of the state, Director-General of the state Bureau of Lands and the Inspector General of Police (IG)-by themselves or through their servants, agents, privies or otherwise howsoever described, from taking any step or further step in recognition or in pursuance of the ruling of the state High Court delivered by Justice Adebara on August 6, in suit number: KWS/463/2019 pending the hearing and determination of the appeal lodged by the applicants against the said ruling.”

Okowa Attributes Insecurity to Unchecked Population Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, yesterday attributed the security challenges inhibiting socio-economic development of the country to a multiplicity of factors, including high rate of poverty, unemployment and the geometrical increase in the population of the country.

Okowa disclosed this while playing host to the Country’s Representative of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), Mr. Vladimir Kreck and the Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and

Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar Suleiman who were in Government House, Asaba on a courtesy call.

He said that there was need to look at the totality of the governance approach to security reforms such that it is not just about security agencies, saying “many times we blame the security agencies rather than address the root causes of the challenges”.

According to him, the country must address the critical issues concerning poverty and

unemployment as well as the growing family size in the contemporary Nigerian society as a way of tackling the challenges of insecurity in the country.

While thanking the Country’s Representative of KAS for his promise to give support in the area of security sector reforms, the governor noted that the nation needed reforms in the security sector to mitigate its security challenges.

“The security situation in the country is as a result of multiplicity of challenges that

we have; the unemployment situation is high, there is no doubt; the level of education is low; so when there is a lot of ignorance, the poverty rate is high and when you have a combination of all these, and more importantly is the fact that the population size is high.

“And when you have poverty combined with high population, you are running into a very big problem because you are giving room to families that would continue to breed more and more poverty.

44

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

24 HOURS...

24 HOURS...

Insecurity: North Central Zone Forms New Socio-political Group George Okoh in Benue The pan Northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), may have suffered a further depletionof its leaders from the North-central geopolitical zone, as the zone on last Friday established the North-central Peoples Forum (NCPF), which they said will help fight against insecurity and marginalisation in the zone.

The group said in spite of the abundant mineral and human resources available in the zone, the North-central has become endangered species in the comity of zones in the country with kidnapping, banditry and other forms of criminality taking place in all states within the zone.

However, it was not immediately known how the emergence of the new Forum will affect the activities of the

ACF which presently has immediate past Minister of Agriculture and a prominent son of the North Central zone, Chief Audu Ogbeh as its chairman.

Some prominent leaders of the zone who came together to form the forum include, former Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Jerry Useni, Former Minister of

State for Health, Gabriel Aduku who is the interim Chairman of the forum and former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Mantu.

Others include former Military Administrator of Kwara State, Col. David Bamigboye (rtd), former Deputy Chief of staff to the President, Chief Olusola

Akomode; Publisher of Leadership Newspaper Sam Nda-Isaiah; former Nigeria Ambassador to South Africa who is also a former Deputy Governor of Niger State, Mr. Ahmed Musa Ibeto; a media consultant, Alhaji Tajudeen Kareem; former Deputy Governor of Benue State, Chief Stephen Lawani and Alhaji

Alfa Mohammed among others Addressing the gathering, Useni who is also the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Forum said the existence of similar groups in other parts of the country has given rise to group affinity and solidarity among the states in a particular geo-political zone to canvass things of common interest.

FG, UNICEF Commit to End Attacks on Schools Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri The federal government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have expressed commitment to stop all forms of attack on educational facilities in Nigeria.

The commitment towards ending violence in schools is coming on the heels of the country securing $20 million for accelerated emergencies funding for the North-east region from Global Partnership (GPE).

They both expressed their commitment at the maiden commemoration of International Day to Protect Education from Attack held in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, yesterday.

Speaking at the occasion for the federal government, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, said the government recognizes access to quality education as a fundamental human right of every child, and has put in place many policies and programmes aimed at expanding access to quality education for all children irrespective of their religion, tribe or socioeconomic circumstances.

According to Echono, “In spite of these, many Nigerian children are denied this fundamental right due to the incessant attacks on our educational facilities.

“When school facilities are attacked, learners and teachers are abducted, killed or maimed, and schools are closed, millions of children are denied access to

quality education.”

He lamented that “this inhibits our national growth and development as a country,” stressing that “but we are committed to stopping all forms of attack on our educational facilities.

This was why Nigeria endorsed the Safe School Declaration (SSD) as evidenced by the letter signed by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, on March 8, 2018.”

The permanent secretary noted that the $20 million accelerated emergencies funding for the Northeast would complement the efforts of the Borno State Government, which is a humanitarian partner, towards providing quality education in emergencies to conflict-affected children in the region.

On it is own, UNICEF urged the government at all levels to prioritise the safeguarding of children and education institutions.

The international organisation said armed conflict, occupation of schools by military, gender-based violence, lack of gender-segregated latrines and sanitation facilities in schools will constitute an affront on the rights of children to education.

The UNICEF Chief of Field Office in Borno State, Mr. Maulid Warfa, while commending the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for its support for education programmes in North-east region, lamented the impact of armed conflict on children living in the region.

Akeredolu Assures Ijaw Indigenes of More Amenities James Sowole in Akure The Ondo State Governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the oncoming governorship election, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has promised to intervene in some of the challenges confronting the residents of Ese Odo Local Government Area of the state if he is re-elected.

Akeredolu gave the assurance at the Palace of Agadagba of Arogbo Ijaw Kingdom, Mr. Pere Zaccheaus Egbunu, when he visited him in the course of his campaign tour of Ese Odo Local Government.

The governor stated that he had ordered the redeployment of doctors and nurses to the hospital in the community to save the people the stress of seeking medical assistance in faraway Irele and its environs.

He assured the traditional head of his administration’s

commitment to renovate more schools in his domain and also employ sons and daughters of Arogbo to teach in those schools.

Egbunu, in his welcome address, commended Akeredolu for the achievements of his administration, which succeeded in fulfilling most of his previous electioneering promises by constructing roads, overhead bridges, hospitals, standard water supply schemes among others.

The monarch also requested the state government to complete projects in his community that were abandoned by past administrations.

The state governor was accompanied by the State Chairman of the APC, Mr. Ade Adetimehin, Mr. Olusola Oke, SAN, Mr. Isaac Kekemeke, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Donald Ojogo, Prof. Francis Faduyile, Mr. Ifedayo Abegunde and other leaders of the party.

TARGETTING HOUSING FOR ALL...

L-R: Managing Director/CEO of Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Senator Gbenga Ashafa (left), and the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during a courtesy visit to the governor, at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja...yesterday

Owa King Urges Traditional Rulers to Champion Peace, Development Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba Traditional rulers in the country have been urged to be alive at all times to their fatherly role of championing policies and programmes that would bring about peace and development in the society.

The Chairman of Delta State Council of Traditional Rulers, the Obi of Owa Kingdom, HRH Dr. Emmanuel Efeizomor II,

made the appeal during a thanksgiving service to mark the 61st anniversary of his coronation at his palace grounds in Owa-Oyibu, the administrative headquarters of Ika North-East Local Government Area of the state.

Efeizomor said their role as royal fathers placed great burden on them towards ensuring that there is peace and security in their respective domains

and the society at large without which development and progress would be impossible.

While expressing gratitude to God for the opportunity to preside over the throne of his forebears for over six decades and elevating him to a position of influence far beyond his traditional domain, the Owa king said he has been able to empower over 250 persons, including the physically challenged,

less-privileged and indigent students.

He also advised the youths particularly to take advantage of all opportunities in education and learning of skills as well as embrace reading culture.

The monarch commended the state Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, for his administration commitment to human capital and infrastructural development policies and schemes.

ACSPN, Others Seek Improved Media Contribution in Africa Peter Uzoho The Association of Communication Scholars & Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) has rallied some international organisations and professionals to seek ways of empowering African journalists to enable them discharge their civic obligations in a more socially-responsible manner for the betterment of the continent.

ACSPN recently held its Seventh Annual Conference virtually, with the theme: “Communicating Identities and Nationhood: Promoting Inclusive Democracy through Access to Information and Knowledge Societies”, in partnership with the united Nations Education, Scientific

and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Information for All Programme (IFAP), World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST), and the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON).

In a communiqué emanating from the conference and signed by the General Secretary, ACSPN, Prof. Nosa Owens-Ibie, the conference recommended amongst that Africans should change their mindset and determine their own and embrace emerging technologies so as to promote their own cause and tell their stories.

It emphasised the need for Africans to understand the worth of data, employ and engage data analysts as well as encourage

media and information literacy; and that journalists should embrace fact-checking as a response to falsehood.

The conference advised that Africans should fashion out methods to empower media professionals to promote citizen representation and hold leaders accountable on issues of governance.

It said that media organisations should enhance fake news education/literacy level and train journalists to detect fake news; and that media organisations and relevant bodies should train Journalists on accurate health reporting.

It stated that that news consumer responsibility should include checking dates of news stories, checking veracity of

websites and question news sources, so as to help consumers develop the ability to separate facts from fictions.

According to the communiqué, the media has a role to play in providing credible and accurate information on health issues, while there should be regular capacity building for journalists to keep them up to date on emerging issues.

It added that the media should refrain from sensationalism and the first-topublish syndrome; pull localised interventions such as occasional use of second mobile phone, flashing culture, hiding caller identity, use of second-hand mobile phone, and multiple sim ownership to circumnavigate these challenges.

E-Tranzact Receives GAGE Awards on Use of Digital Fred Ojeh

E-Tranzact senior management team has received the award of ‘Best Use of Digital in Financial Services’ in the first edition of Africa’s most comprehensive digital awards, The Gage Awards 2020.

The Administrator of the GAGE Awards, Mr. Johnson Anorh, presented the award to the Chief Executive Officer of the firm, Mr. Niyi Toluwalope,

who led E-Tranzact team to receive the award.

Although the firm won the award in February 2020 during the first edition of the Gage Awards, the presentation of the trophy was not made until recently, primarily as a result of theCOVID-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown order.

According to Anorh in a statement, E-Tranzact has continued to provide financial services in the country since its

establishment in 2003 through its e-payment solutions.

He added that E-transact is duly recognised for its digital contributions in the financial space, making financial transactions and digital payments easier, contributing to the advancement of the country and continent at large, “as we experience new inventions and better digital services.

“GAGE Awards is set to

be the largest digital awards in Africa, celebrating the good of the web. It has now established an enviable standard with its maiden edition, which was held in February.”

Anorh said: “GAGE Award actively recognises and celebrates excellent digital delivery of products and services spanning across Nigeria and Africa in all professions and expertises.

45

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

24 HOURS...

24 HOURS...

FG Offsets N96bn Pension Liabilities James Emejo in Abuja The Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Dr. Chioma Ejikeme yesterday said a total sum of N96 billion had been disbursed to pensioners between July 2019 and August 2020 under the old Defined Benefit Pension

schemes.

She added that over N77 billion was paid as monthly pensions to 244,643 pensioners as at July while 87, 842 pensioners were paid arrears and gratuities of over N19 billion.

Speaking yesterday at a press briefing to commemorate her one year in office, the PTAD boss also stated that 670 million had

Anxiety over Fate of Four Kaduna Female Students Held in Captivity John Shiklam in Kaduna Palpable fear has gripped parents of the four female students of Prince Academy, Damba-Kasaya, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, who were abducted along with their teacher over two weeks ago.

The students were abducted on August 24, 2020, when bandits invaded the community at about 8a.m. that fateful day.

One person was killed during the incident, while many Junior Secondary School (JSS3) students of the academy, who were receiving lessons for their final examinations, were abducted.

However, some of the students were said to have escaped following the intervention of security agents who pursued the hoodlums to the bushes.

The four students, including their teacher, also a female, have been in captivity since then without any communication from the gunmen.

The parents of the students are becoming agitated following the killing of a 14-year-old girl, an officer of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and a police officer, who were also abducted by bandits in their homes at the

Mararaban Rido area of Kaduna metropolis on August 28.

The bandits were said to have killed their victims after collecting ransom.

Speaking in an interview yesterday in Kaduna, a family member of one of the abducted students said since their abduction, there had been no communication from the bandits.

He said: “We have been having sleepless nights over their whereabouts. We are deeply worried about the girls and their teacher. We are concerned about their safety.

“Right now we don’t have any information about them because the bandits have not been communicating. The kidnappers called only once after they were abducted.

“They called the parents to inform them that the girls are with them. Since then, they have not communicated again.

We have not heard anything from them.”

The family member called on the bandits to have mercy on the students and their teacher and set them free, adding: “I am appealing to them to fear God; have mercy on them and free them.”

UK Minister under Scrutiny for Attacking Nigeria over P&ID Court Case United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for the Home Department, Priti Patel, has come under scrutiny over her comments on the $9.6 billion arbitration fine case between Nigeria and the Process and Industrial Developments (P&ID) Limited.

Following last week’s UK court ruling in favour of Nigeria, Private Eye, a British current affairs news magazine, published an article on the involvement of Patel in the case.

P&ID had sued Nigeria for allegedly breaching the terms of a gas supply and processing agreement contract it reportedly signed in 2010.

In January 2017, a UK tribunal ordered Nigeria to pay P&ID $6.6 billion as damages, as well as pre- and post-judgment interest, all of which amounted to about $10 billion.

But the country initiated legal proceedings to challenge the ruling, alleging that the contract was fraught with corrupt dealings.

In an article criticising Nigeria for taking step to appeal the arbitral award, Patel had said the country must “shape up and honour its obligations” if it wants to

take part in global markets.

“In Nigeria, the unhappy experience of the firm founded by two Irishmen, Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) … demonstrates the risk that businesses will face in Nigeria,” she had written in the City A.M. She had also accused Nigeria of flouting international law and convention, adding: “Investors must consider this long-running scandal and weigh this obstinance against Nigeria’s mishandled economic potential.”

However, in a turn of events last week, a UK court granted Nigeria an extension of time and relief from sanctions in the $9.6 billion fine after ruling that it is “necessary to consider a considerable amount of the material to decide firstly, whether, as Nigeria contended, there is a prima facie case of fraud and how strong that case is, and secondly, the steps Nigeria took to investigate the alleged fraud from late 2015.”

In a piece seen by TheCable yesterday, Private Eye said Patel was “too busy” to explain her relationship with the court case.

been paid to 418 Next-of-Kins (NoKs) of deceased pensioners.

She said the payments included the balance of 33 per cent arrears for the parastatal pensioners, which had been outstanding since 2010 and was fully paid to the beneficiaries and NoKs in November/ December 2019.

Ejikeme was appointed ES in August 2019 following the appointment of Sharon Ikeazor, the immediate past Executive Secretary as a Minister of State for Environment by President Muhammadu Buhari.

She said her predecessor had laid a “solid foundation upon which we have been building a super structure and will continue to build”.

She said notwithstanding the impact of COVID-19, PTAD has within a year, brought smiles to the faces of pensioners and Noks, adding that “we have sustained and initiated reforms that have strengthened the administration of the Defined Benefit Scheme in the country”.

She added that the directorate made payments in December 2019 as well as in the second and third quarters of the year to various groups of pensioners to reduce the inherited liabilities.

The ES also disclosed that the sum of N44 billion worth of pension assets were currently trapped with 12 insurance underwriters, adding that legal actions had been initiated to aid recoveries.

She said the directorate

had filed an action under the undefended list procedure for the recovery of legacy funds and assets against four underwriters namely Goldlink Insurance Plc, Unic Insurance Plc, Standard Alliance Life Insurance Plc and Niger Insurance Plc adding that two out of the cases had been decided in favour of PTAD. She added: “PTAD is working assiduously on the recovery of legacy funds and assets in the custody of 12 insurance underwriters belonging to the defunct agencies. They were previously responsible for the pension payments to federal government parastatals and the universities.”

She however listed the key activities of the directorate over

past one year to include the completion of the nationwide verification exercise for the Parastatal Pensioners(PaPD) and continuous verification conducted mainly in our Lagos and Abuja offices and other eight state offices, computation of pensioners benefits, continuous computation of monthly pension payment and restoration of pensioners hitherto not on payroll to monthly pension payroll as well as monthly pension adjustments including overpayments and underpayments.

Others include, payment of arrears to pensioners on the payroll, review, computation and payment of death benefits to NoKs swell as complaints resolution among others.

DEMANDING FOR BETTER DEAL...

Hundreds of women laying siege to Chevron Nigeria Limited-operated crude oil tank farms in Escravos, protesting alleged breach of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by the American oil firm, in oil-rich Ugborodo community of Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State...yesterday SYLVESTER IDOWU

ASUP Alleges Fraud in Adamawa Polytechnic Daji Sani in Yola The members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) of the Federal Polytechnic Mubi (FPM), in Adamawa State, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to constitute a Presidential Visitation Panel (PVP) that would carry out forensic audit of the institution’s finances over an alleged fraud.

The Chairman of the ASUP, Mr. Hussaini James, told journalists yesterday in Yola

that the PVP would unravel alleged financial malpractices of the eight year tenure of the ex-Rector of the FPM, Dr. Sadiq Yahya.

James also called for the reconstitution of the governing board of the polytechnic that expired in May 2020 in order to checkmate the high level of financial profligacy and corruption in the institution.

The chairman of the ASUP alleged that the former rector sacked about 100 staff of the polytechnic, including the

National President of ASUP, Mr. Mohammed Ali Kabir, and his wife.

He said: “Dr. Yahya also bought a Jeep for N29 million for his personal comfort, over bloated the salaries of some workers and (cost of) executing projects in the institution, which was usually handled by different departments instead of department of works alone.

“It was on the wake of these impunities that the entire leadership of the union went to Yola Campus on September 4,

2020, to protest the ‘Kangaroo’ handing over that was done on September 3, 2020, in the night.

“The union, therefore, called on President Buhari, the Minister of Education and key stakeholders in the education sector to intervene.”

However sources in the FPM revealed that the ASUP and the former rector had a hostile industrial relationship for about eight years that deeply affected governance, management and administration of the academic institution negatively.

Jubilation in Taraba over Killing of Benue Militia Leader, Gana There was jubilation in the southern part of Taraba State yesterday following the news of the killing of the the most wanted warlord in Benue State, Mr. Terwase Kwaza, alias Gana by soldiers.

Youths, women, and the elders took to the streets of Takum, Wukari, and Donga

Local Government Areas (LGAs), dancing and singing to celebrate the killing of Gana who along with his gang, has been terrorising the people of the area for the past five months.

It was gathered that shortly after the news of the death of Gana filtered into Takum

town yesterday morning, the youths of in their large numbers took to the streets on their motorcycles jubilating and chanting war songs to celebrate the killing of Gana.

There were also jubilations in Wukari and Donga LGAs where women and youths came to the streets with leaves

and buckets of water singing and dancing to celebrate the death of Gana who they alleged had rendered several women widows.

Gana and his gang killed hundreds of people in the border areas between Benue and Taraba states in the past six years.

Rivers Set to Revamp Hospital, Approves N473.93m for Garden Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt The Rivers State Executive Council yesterday approved the revamping of the Kelsey Harrison Hospital in Port Harcourt Local Government Area.

It also approved the sum of N472, million for the

rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Zoological Garden.

The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Princewill Chike, who briefed journalists at the end of the meeting, added that the council also approved the revitalisation of the Dental and Maxilo-Facial Hospital.

Chike explained that the

approvals would enable the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH) to secure accreditation for internship and Dental Residency training by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria. He also said that the council approved the review of the operational agreement between the state

government and Ashes to Ashes Funeral Limited on the management of the mortuary at the RSUTH. The proposed agreement, according to him, would provide an opportunity for the RSUTH to train pathologists and morticians for the state and the country in general.

46

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

THURSDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Too Early to Compare Osimhen with Drogba, Says Rohr Duro Ikhazuagbe with agency report Super Eagles Head Coach, Gernot Rohr, have asked Nigerian football

fans to refrain from comparing new Napoli forward, Victor Osimhen with Chelsea and Côte d’Ivoire legend, Didier Drogba.

Aminu Al-Farouq Recalls with Passion How D’Tigers Won the 2015 AfroBasket Title 2015 Afrobasket champion with Nigeria’s D’Tigers, AlFarouq Aminu has spoken about his passion and pride representing Nigeria at the international level.

The Orlando Magic forward in the American NBA was guest of Sho Madjozi on the ESPN channel of DSTv, where he spoke passionately about how he cherished the 2015 AfroBasket title and other issues.

On winning 2015 Afrobasket with Nigeria, “Oh man, it was unbelievable. I know Nigeria so many times had tried to win, came out with silver. To kind of get that monkey off our country’s back, it’s unbelievable,” the Orlando Magic Star began.

Aminu who was born in Atlanta, Georgia to a Nigerian father and American mother, was selected with the eighth pick by the LA Clippers in the 2010 NBA Draft.

Another event that he so cherished and has stayed in

his memory since making his switch to play for Nigeria is representing Team Africa in NBA Africa Game 2015 and 2018 in South Africa.

“I shared the same basketball court with Hakeem Olajuwon and Dikembe Mutombo, not a lot of people get to say that. It was surreal… These are (my) childhood heroes, especially Hakeem, being Nigerian. I still remember my dad, he did not watch any basketball, but he knew who Hakeem was. He used to talk about his Dream Shake and things like that,” gushed the lanky forward.

He was one of the almost whole foreign-based players that represented Nigeria ‘s male team at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Aminu has also attended a number of Basketball Without Borders Africa camps and took part in an NBA camp in Lusaka, Zambia in 2012.

Sports Betting Company, 1960Bet, Unveils Mr Macaroni as Brand Ambassador Nigeria’s premier sports betting company, 1960Bet has rebranded to make their punters have a new lease of life after staging a strong comeback to the sports betting scene.

Speaking at a media session yesterday at the company’s corporate headquarters in Lagos, Executive Director Oluwatosin Ayoola, said that with a new management in place, “ We are staging a strong comeback and retaking our place as the market leader when it comes to sports betting in Nigeria. We are the pioneer in Nigeria and we have rebranded and set to give our customers the very best.

“To our customers out there, our message is this…you play, you win and we pay. And the payment would be prompt and straight to your bank account which is like cash,” observed Ayoola.

As part of the incentives to woo sports betting punters back to 1960Bet, the executive director of the foremost betting company in Nigeria announced that 1960Bet will be running an Independence promo beginning from today up until 30 September to celebrate the country’s 60th anniversary.

“The promo is open to any punter who stakes up to N1000 with the prizes ranging from N10,000 to smartphones and N100,000,” he stressed.

L-R: Sports betting company 1960Bet’s Executive Director, Oluwatosin Ayoola and Debo Adedayo (a.k.a Mr.Macaroni) at the unveiling/ rebranding of the company in Lagos...yesterday

The Franco-German gaffer insisted the former Lille of France top scorer is not yet on the same pedestal as the former football icon who is aspiring to lead Ivorian football as President.

Statistics of the achievements of the 2015 World Cup winner with the Golden Eaglets in Chile available Rohr’s claim as Osimhen scored just one headed goal over the course of last season. That goal was against Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League. He is however believed to possess the scoring ability of Drogba to warrant the comparison fans are making of the duo.

Drogba was known for his aerial prowess during his time with Chelsea with at least 34 headed goalsand was also a deadly free-kick taker, another attribute missing from Osimhen’s game so far when compared with Drogba’s.

According to ilnapolionline citing Il Mattino, Rohr explained : “He (Osimhen) is not yet like Drogba, he could become one by working hard to enhance his skills.

“I saw in the Champions League how Napoli plays, Victor will be able to take advantage of the spaces created by his new teammates.

“He is intelligent and prepared, he knows how to adapt to his companions and the game system. Deadly in spaces, he can play as first striker or with a partner.

“He has physique and speed, excellent left and right and above all great feeling with the goal.”

Osimhen scored back-to-back hat-tricks as Napoli defeated L’Aquila Calcio 1927 and Teramo in pre-season.

He is expected to make his Serie A debut in Napoli’s season opener against Parma.

Meanwhile, fresh facts have emerged why the in-form Osimhen would have been in Manchester United and not at the Italian Serie A side if he had not turned down the Premiership side’s offer.

According to UK’s Daily Mail, Osimhen rejected a potential move to Old Trafford before joining Napoli for £54million, his brother, Andrew Osimhen has revealed.

The fact that fellow Nigerian Odion Ighalo already played at Old Trafford meant Victor did not

contemplate the move out of respect.

“It is very true that Manchester United wanted Victor but he told me something like he had too much respect for Odion Ighalo to be competing for shirts with his senior colleague,” Andrew revealed.

“My brother holds Ighalo in high esteem and he just didn’t see himself going to Old Trafford to battle for a striking role with the highest goalscorer at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt.”

Both forwards have played in the Nigerian national side together. Osimhen has made nine appearances and scored four goals since his debut in 2017.

Ighalo joined United on loan from Shanghai Shenhua in January and his switch has been extended until the same month next year, though he is not Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s automatic first choice.

Osimhen was linked with a number of Premier League sides including Liverpool and Tottenham.

Victor Osimhen (left) at training with Napoli Head Coach Gennaro Gattuso ahead of the 2020/21 Italian Serie A season starting next weekend

Football Legend Nwankwo Kanu Commends Simba TVS’ Quality Service Former Super Eagles Captain and Nigeria’s living football legend, Kanu Nwankwo Tuesday in Kano commended Simba TVS, exclusive distributors of the Official Motorcycle and Tricycle of the Nigerian national team for the company’s unparalleled commitment to quality customer service nationwide.

Kanu, special guest at the inauguration of a further TVS workshop in Nigeria’s northern commercial capital, singled out the country’s largest operator in the sector for praises in its demonstrated devotion to growing it’s customers’ businesses over the years The football icon said: “I commend TVS for their focus on serving their customers nationwide. As Nigeria’s largest selling keke brand, they are trusted by the keke community in every part of the country. It is great that they put their customers interests first by offering the best products and after sales service and I wish them all the best”.

Reiterating service superiority as a key focus for

L-R: Sales Head Simba TVS, Amit Seth; Simba Group Head Marketing, Karthik Govindarajan; Nigerian football legend, Nwankwo Kanu; Business Head Simba TVS, Mahendra Pratap; and Service Head Simba TVS, Nitesh Kumar at the flag-off of Simba TVS roadshow in Kano on Tuesday

Simba TVS, its Business Head in Nigeria, Mr Mahendra Pratap said “the opening of our new workshop in Kano is further testimony to our commitment to supporting the nationwide availability of service centres, which is driven by our desire to support our customers across the length and breadth of Nigeria.”

Pratap added, “Simba TVS has long been associated with the development of football in Nigeria, and as the official

Motorcycle and Tricycle of the Super Eagles, it gives us great pleasure and is a massive honour for us to have the legend Kanu Nwankwo himself, with us to meet, greet and interact with our esteemed customers.”

Alongside the opening of their workshop, TVS on Tuesday flagged off the roadshow for northern states of Nigeria. According to Karthik Govindarajan, Simba Group, Head of Marketing, the purpose

of the roadshow is to further endear TVS Simba motorcycles and tricycles to Nigerians both in the city and in the hinterland in a bid to serve “our customers in the farthest regions of the country”.

After a tour of the well appointed and new, ultra modern facility, Kanu was especially elated at the quality of the equipment and personnel on display. “I am happy to join and congratulate TVS, a sponsor and supporter of the Super Eagles, for inauguration of their newest service centre and, once again, commend the Company for its commitment to after sales service”.

Founded in Nigeria in 1988, the Simba Group operates all through the length and breadth of Nigeria with investments in several sectors of the country’s economy. In addition to transport, Simba TVS also has interests in agriculture, alternative energy, backup power supply systems, networking and data transmission and ICT infrastructure development.

47

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

ThursdaySPORTS TRANSFER NEWS... TRANSFER NEWS... TRANSFER NEWS...

Real Madrid Ready to Accept £22m for Bale Real Madrid are ready to let Gareth Bale leave for a cut-price fee of £22million as they continue to try and free up their hefty wage bill.

Bale is reportedly desperate to leave the Spanish champions but the club are reluctant to pay off the remaining two years of his contract worth £30.2m.

Bale claimed recently that Real were making it ‘very difficult’ for him to leave the club.

But reports in Spain now suggest that Real would be prepared to let him go should

an offer of £22m be made for the 31-year-old.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Real Madrid Manager, Zinedine Zidane, doesn’t want Bale at the club but the board will only let him leave for a fee.

Zidane is meeting with Bale this week to decide what the next steps will be.

The sale of James Rodriguez to Everton for £20m earlier this week has already helped cut Real’s annual wage bill down from £312m and Bale’s departure would reduce it further.

The biggest sticking point for any side wanting to sign Bale is his weekly salary, which is put at £600,000 a week.

Manchester United are one side who could afford that but their interest in Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho is still active.

Tottenham have also been credited with a strong interest in their former player but money would be an issue.

Bale did try to leave for the Chinese Super League before the start of last season

but that move was blocked

by Real.

The Wales international told Sky Sports last week that the La Liga giants haven’t made it easy for him to find a new club.

He said: “I tried to leave last year and they blocked everything at the last second.

It was a project I was excited for but it didn’t materialise.

“There have been other instances where we have tried to go but the club won’t allow it or they have done something.

“So I guess it is for the club (to answer about what will happen). What can I say?

I want to play football. I am still motivated to play football so I guess it is on the club really. I can’t do anything, they are in control of everything “I have a contract so all I can do is carry on what I am doing an hopefully something comes up.

“It is in the club’s hands and they have made things very difficult to be honest,” concludes Bale.

Gareth Bale

Man Utd Making Progress in Efforts to Sign Sancho Manchester United have made progress in their efforts to sign England winger Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund.

The club have broken an impasse by agreeing a deal over wages and agents’ fee around any move that could materialise for their main target.

But there is still no guarantee of an agreement between the clubs before transfer deadline day on 5 October.

Sources close to Dortmund are adamant the club will not alter their demand for a fee in excess of £100m.

It had been suggested they needed to sell the 20-yearold, and would soften their

approach as deadline day neared.

And United have indicated they would be willing to pursue alternative targets if Dortmund did not reduce their demands.

Last week the Red Devils signed Netherlands midfielder Donny van de Beek from Ajax for £35m.

Meanwhile, sources have told BBC Sport that the impact of the coronavirus pandemic at Old Trafford will become apparent when the club release their 2019-20 financial statement later this month.

It covers a period including the first three months of the coronavirus lockdown.

Jadon Sancho is United’s top summer transfer target

Coutinho: Liverpool Awaits Another £5m from Barca Ronald Koeman’s decision to bring Philippe Coutinho back into the fold at Barcelona could prove very lucrative to his former side Liverpool.

According to Spanish outlet Sport, the Reds are in line for a £5million windfall if the Brazilian plays a further 15 matches for the Catalans this season.

It was one of a number of add-ons said to have been included by Liverpool in the £145m sale of Coutinho to Barcelona back in January 2018.

Under previous boss Quique Setien it appeared this clause would cease and expire with Coutinho having no future in the side.

But after helping Bayern

Munich win the 2019-20 Champions League - which included a role in the 8-2 demolition of Barcelona which cost Setien his job - Koeman is keen to reintroduce Coutinho into the side as he looks to shake-up a squad that became disillusioned by the end of last season.

There had been Premier League interest in Coutinho and any switch would have made an appearance clause redundant for Liverpool.

Arsenal, Tottenham and Leicester all had an interest in the former Liverpool attacking midfielder.

But Koeman was swift in reaching the Brazilian, according to the player’s agent Kia Joorabchian.

Etebo Joins Galatasaray on Loan Nigeran International, Oghenekaro Etebo has joined Turkish Super Lig club Galatasaray on a one year loan deal.

The Stoke City player announced his one year loan at Galatasaray on Twitter on Wednesday.

“I am very happy to come to such a big and historic club.

I thank our president and our vice presidents for their warm welcome. I really felt at home.

See you at the championship at the end of the season,”Etebo told the club’s official website.

“On this occasion, I would like to thank our President, all technical staff and all our fans for a warm welcome. ” The 24-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at Spanish club Getafe.

Etebo joined Stoke City from Portuguese Primeira Liga club CD Feirense in 2018.

2020 US OPEN...2020 US OPEN...

Serena Comes from One Set Down against Pironkova to Berth S’final German fifth seed, Alexander Zverev, also through to Last Four

Serena Williams kept alive her hopes of a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title at the US Open with a 4-6 6-3 6-2 win over Tsvetana Pironkova.

The American six-time champion, 38, struggled early on with the variety of shots from the unranked player who was in her first tournament in three years.

Pironkova, 32, broke in the fifth game en route to taking the first set.

The Bulgarian tired as Williams took the second and then broke twice more in the third to seal a semi-final spot.

Serena Williams in jubilant mode shortly after coming back from a set down to reach the semi final of the 2020 US Open

The veteran will now play former world number one

Victoria Azarenka or Belgian 16th seed Elise Mertens.

Elsewhere on Wednesday, German fifth seed Alexander Zverev similarly fought back from a set down in the men’s singles to reach his first US Open semi-final by beating a battling Borna Coric.

Zverev, 23, crumbled in the first set as the Croatian 27th seed threatened his hopes of a first Grand Slam title.

But two impressive tiebreaks and a late break in the fourth set gave the German a 1-6 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-1) 6-3 victory.

“I started playing a bit more

aggressively,” Zverev said.

“The way I was playing was not the level for a Grand Slam quarter-final. I don’t want to stop here.”

Zverev will play Spanish 20th seed Pablo Carreno Busta after he beat Canadian 12th seed Denis Shapovalov 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-4) 0-6 6-3 in a match that lasted more than four hours.

Carreno Busta, 29, who also reached the last four in 2017, said: “I am destroyed, but I am very happy. After this fight it’s tough to say but it’s incredible to be in the semi-final again.”

Premier League, La Liga Back on DStv, GOtv This Weekend Premier League and La Liga are back and DStv and GOtv subscribers can look forward to the first round of action from 11-14 September 2020.

Just a month and a half after the 2019-20 season wrapped up in late July, England’s topflight clubs are back in action and set for another marathon campaign which is set to squeeze a full season into a schedule which is a full month shorter than usual.

The action gets underway early on Saturday afternoon with newly promoted Fulham welcoming London rivals, Arsenal to Craven Cottage. This is airing live on

SuperSport Premier League at 12:30pm. The Gunners ended 2019-20 on a high by winning the FA Cup, and began 2020-21 in a similar vein, defeating Liverpool on penalties to claim the Community Shield title.

Meanwhile, Champions Liverpool, will be in action in a potential thriller in the late game on Saturday when they welcome newly-promoted Leeds United back to the Premier League, with the Whites set to play a top-flight match for the first time in more than 16 years. This will air live on SuperSport Premier League at 5:30pm.

Premier League matches,

Crystal Palace vs Southampton will also air live on SuperSport Premier League at 3pm on Saturday, while West Ham United vs Newcastle United will air at 3pm on SuperSport Football and SuperSport GOtv Football.

West Bromwich Albino v Leicester City will air live on SuperSport Premier League at 2pm. While Tottenham Hotspur v Everton will air at 4:30pm on SuperSport Football and SuperSport GOtv Football. Lastly on Monday, 14 September, Brighton & Hove Albion v Chelsea, live on SuperSport Premier League at 8pm and Sheffield United

v Wolverhampton Wanderers, live on SuperSport Premier League at 8pm.

Despite the absence of ‘heavy hitters’ from the first round of La Liga matches this new season, due to their participation in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League’s recent ‘mini tournaments’, there remains some great football to be played over the weekend, with the pick of matches coming from the ‘Derby del Turia’ between Valencia and Levante at Estadio de Mestalla, airing live at 8pm on SuperSport LaLiga and SuperSport GOtv LaLiga.

Thursday, September 10, 2020

TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N

Price: N250

MISSILE Osinbajo to University Lecturers “The victim must always be seen as victim. There cannot be an excuse, especially given the power configuration between students and lecturers, that the victim could have somehow invited the abuse upon themselves. I think it is an important consideration to be made and we must not allow that notion to persist” – Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, calling for an end to sexual violence on our universities.

OLUSEGUNADENIYI THE VERDICT

olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com

Now That Tomorrow is Here…

W

hen in the closing prayers after the church service his Pastor declared that it would be a week of INCREASE, according to a man on Twitter, he said a loud Amen.

But that was because he had no inkling that the increase he would encounter during the week would come from DSTV subscription, Pump price and electricity tariff!

Coming at a time the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that is ordinarily seen as unfriendly to the poor admonishes the federal government to adopt supportive policies, the timing of these decisions could not have been more inauspicious. What I find more interesting is that these policy choices are coming from the same people who were not only calling President Goodluck Jonathan names but worked tirelessly to sabotage him. Those who were not dancing at Ojota nine years ago were enabling the dancers while others were propounding theories as to why the talk about subsidy was all about ‘corruption’ and asking, ‘Who is subsidizing who?’

Now that the ‘Change’ exponents have suddenly lost their voices, some of us can sympathise with the government. We are not only borrowing money from China, we also now depend on borrowed grains from ECOWAS. To compound the situation, the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres warned last week that there is a risk of famine and widespread food insecurity in four countries, including Nigeria. But we need nobody to tell us that we are in dire straits. So, for those who ask for my position on the removal of subsidy and associated issues, I want to respond with the column published on this page on 13th October 2011 when President Jonathan was preparing to implement the same policy.

It was the first part of a long series at the time. But it captures the story of how our country arrived at this sorry pass and the choices that have now been forced on us. ============================== If the morning, as they say, shows the day, then we should brace up for trouble in the coming weeks. Following the public release of the 2012-2015 Medium Term Fiscal Framework and Medium Term Expenditure Framework, there is already a groundswell of opposition from labour and other stakeholders. And in the last few days, I have received several mails from readers who plead with me to throw my lot with ‘the people’ by opposing the complete deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum sector otherwise called removal of fuel subsidy.

I want to preface my intervention with a story I told sometimes in 1999 or thereabout which is still very relevant today. And like I did back then, I seek the indulgence of readers because the story is about a supposedly loving couple having problems which bordered on sex. The husband happened to be a man with healthy appetite hence he would not allow his wife any breathing space. After putting up with his antics for some years, she took the matter to her in-law as the ‘court of first instance’. After narrating her story, her mother-in-law asked whether her son was maltreating the wife in other ways;

Buhari she said no. Was he providing for her as he should? She answered in the affirmative.

The parents of the husband declared that the wife had no case because their son was only claiming his ‘rightful entitlements’.

Case dismissed!

Defeated, the poor woman accepted her fate for a while before reporting to her own parents. Let us call this the ‘court of appeal’. Here, they equally asked the same set of questions her in-laws asked.

Her mother however added: “Is your husband dating another woman?” She said no. In the ruling that followed, they scolded their daughter for attempting to shirk her ‘marital responsibility’. The appeal therefore failed and the man continued to claim his ‘entitlements’. Ultimately, the wife took the matter to their local pastor as the final arbiter, if you like the ‘Supreme Court’. The pastor sent for the husband so he could hear both sides. In his presence, the pastor asked the wife to retell her tale which she did. “Is it true?” asked the pastor to which the man replied: “It is true Sir but the problem is that I don’t want to have affairs outside.”

This, to the pastor, was a serious problem.

But after a discussion that involved bargaining and trade-off, it was agreed that a maximum of three times a day was enough for any couple. Thus a ceiling was effectively placed on how many times the man could ‘harass’ his poor wife a day. It was a Friday evening and back home, the man, quite naturally, claimed his ‘quota’ for that day.

Then came Saturday. To cut the story short, by mid-day, the husband had performed his ‘matrimonial obligation’ three times and the wife thought she would be left alone. When he therefore started behaving funny again, she exploded: “What is the problem? Have I not met my responsibility for today?”

Looking crestfallen, the husband replied: “Yes, I know, but please lend me one from tomorrow’s”.

The friend who told me this story said it was a real life situation. He may be right or it may just be a ‘Fabu’ but what is not

in doubt is that the tale is a metaphor for the Nigerian condition and our proclivity to borrow from the future. Like the irresponsible husband in the story whose marriage was definitely bound to crash at some point, we have been borrowing so much from the future that it is only a matter of time before we reach rock bottom. But I understand what the current agitation is all about.

Like most commentators, I can make a thousand arguments on why it is callous to overburden the poor of our people by removing the current subsidies on fuel. I can canvass brilliant ideas to justify why, if it is only cheap petrol that the people enjoy, so let it be. I can present moving stories of the social consequences of the removal of subsidy: The pain, the anguish and the tears to come. Yet given the situation on ground, there is no way we can continue with the corrupt, inefficient and unsustainable subsidy regime. To do so will amount to entrenching a culture of continually borrowing from tomorrow.

I have followed the drama in the Senate concerning a proposed motion by Senator Bukola Saraki where he noted that in the 2011 Appropriation Act, the sum of N240 billion was allocated for subsidy yet by August ending, N931 billion had been spent with a projection that by the end of the year, “we will have a fuel subsidy bill of over N1.2 trillion as against the N240 billion budgeted in the Appropriation Act.” Making allusion to the (mis)management of the federation account and the subsidy abracadabra by NNPC, Saraki drew the attention of the lawmakers to the fact that the 2011 Appropriation Act was based on “a Capital budget of N1.1 trillion for the entire country yet a single agency of government can incur the same amount without due

approval of the National Assembly.” As former chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Saraki is well aware the problem did not start with the 2011 Appropriation Act as fuel subsidy accounts mostly for the distortions we have had in budget planning and execution in the last decade just as it feeds the monumental corruption in our oil and gas sector.

Fortunately, President Goodluck Jonathan has finally come to terms with the reality that you cannot rule a country by Facebook!

Given my understanding of Nigeria, our president, especially in these difficult times, must be like the man leading the orchestra: he has to back the crowd. Now President Jonathan knows. And he deserves our support. We must understand that he didn’t create the situation under which we find ourselves today. All the leaders before him, with our collective connivance as a nation, had been borrowing from tomorrow.

Now that he has mustered the courage to say, “thus far and no more,” the least our lawmakers and other critical stakeholders can do is to offer their understanding and support.

However, while the argument for withdrawing fuel subsidy is compelling, there is an urgent need to carry along critical stakeholders in the media, civil society and labour because, to borrow an adage, it is much more productive to erect a fence at the top of the cliff than to build a hospital below. The days ahead are definitely bound to be very difficult and the month of December will be particularly critical.

But I believe there is an extent to which we can continue to borrow from tomorrow.

NOTE: This conversation has just started.

The Ife Webinar on Sex for Grades In the course of distributing free copies of my book ‘NAKED ABUSE: Sex for Grades in African Universities’, I contacted the Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife for their ‘allocation’. He immediately suggested a Webinar for the presentation where I could also speak on the theme of the book. That was what set in process the conversation of yesterday. I thank my brother, Laolu Akande, Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Vice President, who helped to secure the participation of his principal, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, SAN. His intervention yesterday was thought-provoking and should set the agenda for discourse. I also thank the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege whose bill on sexual harassment was recently passed by the Senate. That he attended much of the session that lasted more than four hours attest to his commitment to rid our society of the malaise. I also thank his Chief of Staff, Otive Igbuzor.

I must also express my appreciation to HRH Muhammadu Sanusi II, the 14th Emir of Kano, the First Lady of Ekiti State, HE Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, Secretary General, Women Rights Advancement and

Protection Alternative (WRAPA), Hajiya Saudatu Mahdi, Director, West Africa Office, Ford Foundation, Mr Innocent Chukwuma and Prof. Joy Ezeilo of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. None of them hesitated when I called upon them and they made the session of yesterday very lively. In attendance also were many friends and well-wishers, including my Governor, HE Abdulraham Abdulrazaq who only got to know of the Webinar on Tuesday. I also appreciate the former Governor of Cross River State, Mr Donald Duke.

There were also former Head of Service of the Federation, Mr Steve Oronsaye, former Director General, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Eng. Emeka Ezeh, Chairman, Caverton Group, Mr Remi Makanjuola, retired Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun President of the Queens College, Lagos alumni, Mrs Ifueko Omoigui Okuaru and Chairman, National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) Mr Ekpo Nta. I am sure there were many others I could not see but will extend my appreciation the moment I get the full list of attendees from Ife. Meanwhile, interested readers will find my speech on page 42

Printed and Published in Lagos by THISDAY Newspapers Limited. Lagos: 35 Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos. Abuja: Plot 1, Sector Centre B, Jabi Business District, Solomon Lar Way, Jabi North East, Abuja .

All Correspondence to POBox 54749, Ikoyi, Lagos. EMAIL: editor@thisdaylive.com, info@thisdaylive.com. TELEPHONE Lagos: 0802 2924721-2, 08022924485. Abuja: Tel: 08155555292, 08155555929 24/7 ADVERTISING HOT LINES: 0811 181 3085, 0811 181 3086, 0811 181 3087, 0811 181 3088, 0811 181 3089, 0811 181 3090. ENQUIRIES & BOOKING: adsbooking@thisdaylive.com