FRIDAY 19TH NOVEMBER 2021

States to Get N18.2bn Each in Fresh Budget Support Facility CBN processing N656bn bridge financing, to spread over six months FG targets 50% COVID-19 vaccination, urges strict compliance to protocols ahead of yuletide Obinna Chima All of the 36 states in the country are expected to get N18.2 billion each from the fresh N656 billion

bridge financing facility that has been approved by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The fund is expected to help the state governments meet

financial obligations, especially the previous budget support facility due for repayment.

This was disclosed yesterday at the National Executive

Council’s (NEC) 121st meeting (10th in 2021), which was held virtually and was presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, with state governors,

Federal Ministers, the Central Bank Governor, and other senior government officials in attendance.

Accordinf to a statement by

the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, Office of the Vice Continued on page 10

Sanwo-Olu: Lagos Requires $15bn for Infrastructure Devt... page 6 Friday 19 November, 2021 Vol 26. No 9720. Price: N250

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NBS: GDP Grew by 4.03% in Third Quarter James Emejo in Abuja

EBONYLIFE LANDS IN HARVARD...

L-R: Harvard Professor, Prof. Andy Wu; CEO, EbonyLife Group, Mo Abudu and Professor Feng Zhu of the Harvard Business School, during Mo's visit to conclude plan by Harvard to teach case study on EbonyLife this month. By this feat, EbonyLife becomes first female African-owned MBA case study at Harvard varsity

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) yesterday revealed that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 4.03 per cent in the third quarter (Q3) of 2021, compared with Continued on page 10

Buhari: We Won’t Preempt States over Decisions on #EndSARS US seeks proper accountability of findings Govt’s lawyer disputes panel’s leaked report, doubts casualty figures Identifies 40 discrepancies in document, N800m spent on panel’s 13 months sitting

Emmanuel Addeh, Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja, Nume Ekeghe and Wale Igbintade in Lagos in Lagos President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, said the federal government would not take any action to block or anticipate the

outcomes of the various panels set up by state governments to investigate last year’s #EndSARS protests.

Rather, Buhari said his government would wait to see Continued on page 10

STRENGTHENING NIGERIA-US RELATIONS...

Visiting, US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken (L) and President Muhammadu Buhari, during Blinken's visit to the State House, Abuja… yesterday

Buhari Backs Direct Party Primaries, Says Gbajabiamila... Page 55

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

GRIEVING WITH THE DANGOTES, DANTATAS...

L-R: Africa’s richest man and President Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and the Patriarch of the Dantata family Alhaji Aminu Dantata, during the Vice President attendance of the burial of Sani Dangote in Kano on Wednesday

Sanwo-Olu: Lagos Requires $15bn for Infrastructure Devt LASG holds investors' roundtable, launches deal book Dike Onwuamaeze Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday disclosed that given the rising population and limited geographical space of the state, Lagos will require about $15 billion over the next five years for infrastructure.

Speaking at the third Lagos investors' roundtable and launch of a deal book organised by the Office of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Investment, Sanwo-Olu called on investors to optimise the advantages of the opportunities in Lagos State toward the goal of developing a 21st Century economy as projected by his administration.

The governor SanwoOlu also declared that the combined effects of climate and the security and economic challenges in northern Nigeria were putting pressure on the population of the state.

At the investment roundtable, which was attended by foreign diplomats, members of business communities, captains of industries and members of the State Executive Council, among others, Sanwo-Olu also called for partnership with investors and private sector, saying the implementation of the development strategies of his administration demands partnership and contributions of private investors.

He said: “We strongly believe that the continued growth and success of Lagos is premised on the strength and diversity of our partnerships.

It is such strategic partnerships that account for Lagos being by far the leading recipient of local and foreign direct investments in Nigeria. It is estimated that, in the last few years, about 80 percent of the investments into Nigeria, has come into Lagos.

“These investments remain vital to our economic growth and wellbeing, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and livelihoods across the city. This is the reason why a forum

like this is so important – as a platform for harmonising our respective visions and targets and agreeing on key actions that will not only strengthen existing investment partnerships but also initiate new ones.”

Sanwo-Olu stressed further that, “As a government, we understand the value of these relationships in fostering economic resilience, particularly during times of uncertainty, like this one we are in, marked by the combined effects of a global pandemic, climate change, global inflation, the burden of poverty and social and economic inequality, among others.

“As a low-lying aquatic city with over 22 million citizens, confined to the smallest landmass in Nigeria, Lagos is especially vulnerable to all the challenges of a sprawling, densely populated, climate challenged, fast-growing Megacity.

“We believe that given the rising population and limited geography space that we have, Lagos will indeed require about $15 billion over the next five years on infrastructure alone. $15 billion is about five times the budget that we currently have. Lagos budget is about $3 billion today.”

While assuring investors that Lagos was open and ready for investments, innovation and collaboration, SanwoOlu assured investors and private partners that the state government would create enabling policies and environment for them to thrive in Lagos and for their investments to be safe and secure, as well as ensuring that innovation thrives.

"Indeed we have a huge responsibility to develop critical hard and soft infrastructure that can act as a catalyst for what you do as investors. All of these we have been doing and will continue to do," the governor said.

Sanwo-Olu during the event also launched the ‘Lagos Deal Book,’ a compendium

of investment opportunities across the state as well as information about the incentives for making the investments and the processes for doing so.

He said: “I encourage you all to take advantage of the rich information contained in this Deal Book, to guide and inform your decision making.

Information, they say, is power, and there is something of value and interest to each and every one of you, inside the compendium.

“I also urge you all to continue to support, partner and collaborate with Lagos State and with one another, to create sustainable economic prosperity that will touch the lives of all Lagosians. I

would like to ask you all, to please spread the word; Lagos State is open and ready for investment, innovation, and collaboration.”

Speaking earlier, the Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and Investment, Mrs. Solape Hammond, said the roundtable was part of shared aspiration towards making Lagos the most preferred investment destination in the world.

She reassured the investors about the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration's determination to institute business-friendly measures to boost investors’ confidence and guarantee trust, adding that her office is working with relevant

Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government to minimise all perceived threats and scale-up strategic benefits.

"It is an incontrovertible fact that Lagos derived its age-long excellence partly from the worthy contribution of private investment to its socio-economic development, hence, the commitment towards creating a conducive atmosphere for private businesses to strive.

"As carefully exemplified by Mr. Governor Babajide SanwoOlu in his developmental agenda, T.H.E.M.E.S, the utmost goal is to make Lagos the most desirable investment destination in the world. The ability to attract investment

remains the hallmark of healthy economies all over the world," she said.

Also speaking, Commissioners for Transport (Dr. Frederick Oladeinde), Energy (Mr. Lere Odusote), Agriculture (Ms Bisola Olusanya), Tourism, Arts and Culture (Pharm. Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf), Health (Prof.

Akin Abayomi), Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure (Engr. Aramide Adeyoye) and Director-General, Office of Public Private Partnership (Mr. Ope George), who spoke passionately on huge investment opportunities in different sectors in the state and urged investors to tap into them.

Dangote Group Calls for Ports' Reforms to Enhance AfCFTA Kingsley Nwezeh and Nume Ekeghe

The Commercial Operations Officer, Dangote Group, Mr. Rabiu Umar, yesterday called for the reform at ports in Africa as well as the ease of regulations and bureaucracy that prevented free flow of trade across the continent in order to realise benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.

He said this in an interview on The Morning Show, a breakfast programme of THISDAY’s sister broadcast arm, ARISE News Channel, on the sidelines of the ongoing Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF).

He stated that there was a renewed interest in Dangote group and Nigeria from other African countries.

Speaking on the benefits of the AfCFTA and how it would impact Dangote Group, “The trade barriers highlights a lot of issues

around infrastructure, around diplomacy, around ports. For example, if you take the port situation, you may get your goods to the port and it takes such a long time. If I give the example of Nigeria to get them out of the country or into the country.

“I was on a panel yesterday and someone from South Africa said it's cheaper to move goods from Durban to China than from Durban to Cape Town. So, the challenges are not just related to a particular region, they're all across.

“Bringing down these barriers will mean that goods and services can move much more freely and that will definitely give us a competitive advantage on the continent from one country to another.”

On the ongoing IATF meetings as it relates to Nigeria and Dangote Group, he said there was renewed interest in Nigeria.

“I think what has been

impressive is the level of interest. From across the continent, many countries come in to find out what we do, trying to either sell us a solution, or try to buy something from us. I mean, we've had all from all over I mean.

"We have presence in 10 countries, like I said, including South Africa. So we had people come in, who are in South Africa to ask to do business with us. We have had people who want to know about our fertilizer business, for example, and all sorts and of course, the famous refinery, people are interested in finding out more and how they can collaborate and do business with us. So, it's been a worthwhile trip so far", he said.

On what should be done to boost Intra-African trade, he said fixing infrastructure, tariff reduction, ease of payments and settlements should be priority.

"It's a very difficult process. It is not just about the road transport or the quality of the roads you have. We don't have a rail system and of course, you know, road transportation is very expensive. The second part is the tariffs, the systems and the process, the bureaucracy.

"So for us to get to where we need to get to, I think the key condition is to remove these barriers to trade, the biggest one being infrastructure, you need the infrastructure to move goods across the second part of it, you need to cut out the red tape, from a diplomatic perspective, from a customs perspective, from even a payment settlement perspective, which is one of the things the Afreximbank has done with the settlement system among the African countries meaning that you are kind of dollarising the economies of these countries", he said.

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YOUR LOSS, OUR LOSS...

L-R: Businessman, Deji Adeleke; Chairman, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Kashim Imam; Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun and Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, during a condolence visit to the Dangote family in Kano over the demise of their son, Sani Dangote...on Wednesday

NCDMB: Nigeria's Gas Reserve to Last Another 50 Years Despite Increase in Consumption Volume Energy crucial to powering African economies, says NLNG Peter Uzoho The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has stated that Nigeria's current proven gas reserve which stands at 206 trillion cubic feet (tcf) would last another 50 years even if the current seven billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) consumption volume was doubled.

The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr. Simbi Wabote, disclosed this yesterday in Lagos, while delivering a paper titled: "Nigeria in the Unfolding Integration of African Market: The Oil and Gas Sector Perspective," at the ninth anniversary of Realnews Magazine.

Wabote spoke just as the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited stated that energy would be definitely required to power Africa's economic development as being pursued though the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA).

The NCDMB boss also warned that the current pressure by Europe and industrialised nations for banks to stop financing oil and gas projects in the spirit of energy transition may escalate to the point where world technological companies would be pressured to halt the manufacturing of

technological tools used for oil and gas exploration and exploitation.

He said in consideration of the shared volume of Nigeria's gas reserve, the country, as being said, is a gas province with pockets of oil deposits.

"It is estimated that even if the current gas consumption level in Nigeria is doubled (we are told that we consume about seven billion standard cubic feet of gas per day). Even if you double that, the gas reserve will still last for another 50 years in Nigeria.

"Now, there is also a discussion as to 206tcf as being the proven gas reserves and in some circles, the unproven gas reserves totalled 600tcf of gas. It is also a wellknown fact that Nigeria is highly dependent on revenues from the oil and gas industry to power its economy," Wabote said.

He said Africa oil map revealed a rapid spread of the discovery of hydrocarbon, especially in the last two decades, pointing out that between 2005 and 2015 alone, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Liberia, Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania became new additions to the league of countries with hydrocarbon resources.

Stating that Africa is particularly sitting in oil and gas reserves, Wabote said in 2021 alone, Namibia announced

discovery of 120 billion barrels of oil comparable to the Beaumont basin in Texas, United States of America.

Other new oil discoveries in the continent, according to him, included the two billion barrels discovered in Côte d'Ivoire, the 700 million barrels discovered in Ghana and the 250 million barrels discovered in Angola.

According to him, with the 37 billion proven oil reserves which was the 11th largest in the world and 206tcf proven gas reserve, the ninth largest in the world, Nigeria is well known as a strategic player in the global oil and gas industry.

Wabote said with the huge newly discovered and yet-to-be discovered hydrocarbon resources across the African continent, it was therefore pertinent to evaluate the implications of the unfolding integration of African market for the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

However, Wabote warned that the current pressure by Europe and industrialised nations for banks to stop financing oil and gas projects in the spirit of energy transition may escalate to the point where world technological companies will be pressured to halt the manufacturing of technological tools used for oil and gas exploration and

exploitation.

He said European countries were at the forefront of the push for energy transition because the level of their hydrocarbon resources had plummeted and they are now looking for renewables as the alternative and trying to force every other country to join the fray.

In its Net Zero 2050 Report, the International Energy Agency (IEA) had called for an immediate halt of fossil fuels supply projects.

Some of the major European banks have heeded the call by announcing a halt of financing of hydrocarbon-related projects as part of their support for decarbonisation efforts.

Wabote said the pronouncements have direct and indirect implications on the global energy ecosystem, as nations, businesses, and individuals adjust to the shifting energy landscape.

"Why am I saying this? Now they have pressured the banks to stop funding hydrocarbon projects, very soon, they will pressure all the technology companies to stop developing tools required for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbon if Africa doesn't wake up," he explained.

For Nigeria and Africa at large, he emphasised that Africa's

industrialisation agenda was at the heat of AFCFTA, stressing that fossil fuel remains a very significant part of energy mix required for the industrialisation of the continent.

In addition, he noted that the revenues obtained from the sale of hydrocarbon resources remained key driver of the economies of the African oil and gas producing countries.

He maintained that the pullback of investment on hydrocarbon development project was a challenge for oil producing countries such as Nigeria, pointing out key areas of focus that could be used to address the challenges.

He said: "The first is the collaboratory platform provided

by AFCFTA to provide funding and the technology required to operate and develop hydrocarbon projects.

"The second is to have in place an investment-friendly law such as the Petroleum Industry Act 2021. This will come in handy to attract the much needed fund for projects development when the effect of premature halting of new hydrocarbon projects leads to supply shortages with attendant unbearable price hikes.

"Last point I would to make is on the need to increase in-country hydrocarbon resource utilisation.

For crude oil, this must be realised

Buhari Directs MDAs to Study NIPSS Report on Policy Design Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has directed Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) of government to study the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Report on how best to ensure effective policy design and implementation, with a view to implementing some of its recommendations.

The report entitled, “Getting Things Done: Strategies for Policy and Programme Implementation in Nigeria,” was presented to the president at the State House, Abuja, yesterday, by the Senior Executive Course 43 (2021) of NIPSS, Kuru, Plateau State.

Receiving the report, the president, according to a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, assured the course participants that it

would be treated with the seriousness and the urgency it deserves.

He declared: "I am directing the MDAs and the National Steering Committee on the Vision 2050 to study the Report, with the view to diligently consider the recommendations presented and incorporate them as part of over-all execution strategy."

Emphasising that this administration has invested great efforts in the provision of good governance and making tremendous progress at getting the desired results, president Buhari said: “This report becomes important and timely in our quest to enhance service delivery to our citizens.”

On the importance of NIPSS and its course participants, the president noted it was always a delight to receive their input on

important issues that are of very great concern to the government and the nation.

According to him: “No nation will progress without paying close attention to the ways policies are made and implemented, as it is often unclear how best to ensure effective policy design and implementation.

“The gaps between policy design and programmes implementation must be closed in order for our country to continue to make meaningful progress.

“This was why I charged participants of the Senior Executive Course No. 43, 2021 to work on the theme: “Getting Things Done: Strategies for Policy and Programme Implementation in Nigeria."

Alluding to the report and the presentation done by participants of Course 43, the president noted that their research had drawn

attention to the numerous efforts of his administration in policy and programme implementation, as well as the challenges faced.

He acknowledged that the report also generated constructive and compelling recommendations with adequate implementation strategies. ‘‘The structure, content and mode of presentation of this report shows great commitment and hard work that has gone into it. ‘‘This confirms to me and our administration of the consistency and reliability of the National Institute in delivering on very critical and sensitive assignments of national importance. ‘‘While I congratulate the Participants for justifying the confidence in nominating you for this course, I wish to commend the National Institute for once more living up to expectations.

‘‘Let me express my pleasure at the level of knowledge and discipline you have openly demonstrated about our country and our challenges," he added.

President Buhari urged the course participants, mainly drawn from the senior cadre of Federal and State establishments, to put to work all they have learnt in their various establishments. ‘‘I am convinced that you are now well equipped for the task of handling higher and more complex responsibilities for the benefit of our country,’’ he told them.

Earlier in his remarks, the Acting Director-General of NIPSS, Brig. Gen. Chukwuemeka Udaya, told the president that the 85 participants of Senior Course 43 of 2021 were distributed into seven groups to interrogate the theme of the study.

through massive refining and production of petrochemicals."

Reiterating that oil and gas deposits were in abundance in Nigeria and Africa, Wabote said that the continent should not be swayed into abandoning their natural endowments because of the emotions and sentiments around energy transition.

While appreciating the focus of getting the oil and gas perspective in this unfolding integration of African economies, especially as it concerns Nigeria, the NCDMB boss noted that beyond all the attention being paid to energy transition, net zero emissions, green energy and others, the topic of the anniversary had elected to focus on the nexus between the oil and gas industry and the integration of African economies.

According to him, on January 2021, the whole of Africa became a one single market, courtesy of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCFTA), which effectively created the world's largest free trade area, connecting 1.3 billion people on the continent with the combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of about $3.4 trillion.

He said to ensure the realisation of the full benefits of AFCFTA, certain key elements needed to be addressed including, infrastructure, local content, energy transition, finding resource utilisation, human capacity development and expatriation, and services.

Also speaking at the same event, the General Manager, External Relation and Sustainable Development, NLNG, Mrs. Eyono Fatayi-Williams, stated that energy would be definitely required to power Africa's economic development as being pursued though the AFCFTA. Fatayi-Williams said economists had already agreed that the successful implementation of the continental initiative had in it the potential for Africa's manufacturing sector to double in size from what it is today to over a trillion dollars by 2025.

According to her, "This will create more than 14 million stable jobs and will ensure that Africa is talking to Africa. Energy will definitely be required to power the wheels of manufacturing and distribution and opening of sales opportunities for the oil and gas industry."

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PAGE TEN STAT E S TO G E T N 1 8 . 2 B N E AC H I N F R E S H B U D G E T S U P P O RT FAC I L I T Y President, Laolu Akande, the Minister of Finance Budget and National Planning, Dr Zainab Ahmed, informed the Council that the bridge facility was being processed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The fund would be disbursed in six tranches over a period of six months to the states.

Each of the 36 states would have a total loan amount of N18.225 billion; with a 30-year tenor, and a 2-year moratorium at an interest rate of nine per cent.

“The facility is to help the States afford the repayment of previous bailout facilities guaranteed for them by the federal government,” it added.

The council had July 15th, 2021, received updates on the budget support facility to states. At that meeting, the Finance Minister had informed the council that the deductions from state governments would commence soon as repayment for the previous bailout from the CBN. Subsequently, the states sought further support leading to the idea of bridge financing.

Ahmed had on Monday disclosed that the president had approved the facility, saying it was meant to cushion the effects of their resumption in the repayment of the three federal government bailout facilities namely the Salary Bailout, Excess Crude facility and Budget Support facility.

“Government will also continue to provide other financing options to states in the form of concessionary loan facilities to support the development of vital sectors of the economy such as health, agriculture and SMEs aimed to complement the states in fighting the pandemic, creating the needed job for the people and alleviating poverty.

“The combined effect of these policies would assist in addressing the current security and other socio-economic challenges confronting the nation,” she had explained.

Also at yesterday’s meeting, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning gave the Council an update on the Excess Crude Account which according to her stood at $60, 860,309.33 as of November 15th November; while the Stabilisation Account was N27,103,662,581.25 as of same date.

Similarly, Ahmed revealed that the balance of the Development

of Natural Resources Account also stood at N60, 884,460,981.23 as of November 15th.

Furthermore, the statement also revealed that during the NEC meeting, the Executive Director/ CEO of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, informed the Council on the Status of the country’s COVID-19 Vaccine roll-out.

Shuaib noted that Nigeria had received over 100 million doses of COVID--19 vaccines (from COVAX, African Union, other countries) which he said was sufficient to ramp up vaccination for about 50 per cent of the targeted population.

The total eligible population of Nigerians for the vaccine was over 111 million, he added.

“Given the availability of vaccines, we have started rolling out a plan to vaccinate 50 per cent of Nigerians, 18 years and above by January 31st, 2022,” the NPHCDA DG said, adding that there would be a scaling up of over 3,000 health facilities nationwide.

In his presentation to the Council on states’ performance report on COVID-19, the DirectorGeneral, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa said Nigerians must continue to maintain and sustain the COVID-19 response, especially as it enters the holiday period where there will be anticipated travels within and outside the country, as well as mass events to herald the holiday season.

Adetifa said the country should “maintain visibility of the outbreak by testing, continuing to encourage adherence to public health and social measures, encourage vaccination and address vaccine hesitancy.”

The DG, NCDC added that the Delta variant of the COVID-19 was still the dominant strain of concern in the country.

According to Adetifa, the number of COVID-19 cases presently was 213,321; No of Cases tested 3,440,172; Active Cases -4,142; Discharged Cases - 206,206 and number of deaths was put at 2,173 The council was informed on the global situation of Covid-19 with over 251 million cases and over five million deaths recorded.

In Nigeria, the NCDC boss revealed an increase in case fatality ratio (CFR) from 1.4 per cent in week 44 to 14.3 per

cent in week 45. He said Lagos’ contribution to caseload declined to 10 per cent, while Plateau’s proportionate contribution increased.

“Over the last four weeks, weekly cases have been declining in 11 states, increasing across two states. Monthly detection of variants of concern in Nigeria: Delta strain is still dominant,” he explained.

In terms of the current Cholera situation in the country, the NCDC boss put the suspected number of cases at 100,157 recorded in 32 states and the FCT, while the number of deaths was put at 3,449 “Multi-sectoral emergency operation centres activated at level 2 continues to coordinate the national response. Six states

reported 78 suspected cases in week 44 – Borno (32) and Kebbi (20) accounts for 67 per cent of 78 suspected cases. Rapid response teams to be deployed to Adamawa, Borno, Cross-River, Ogun, and Zamfara State,” he added.

Council stressed the need to encourage testing and vaccination and that citizens should adhere to public health and social safety measures, while on cholera, the council called for more investment in sanitation and water hygiene.

“Between now and the 1st quarter of 2022, Nigeria needs to reach 50 per cent of the targeted population by January 2022, in order to ramp up its vaccination.

The scaling up of over 3,000 health facilities nationwide. About

five per cent of Nigerians have received the first dose while three per cent have received the first and second doses “The agency is rolling out mass vaccination campaigns in densely populated areas like banks, markets and shopping malls and hard-to-reach population.

Lagos has a target of vaccinating four million, while Ogun has a target of two million before Christmas,” the statement added.

It also revealed that the NPHCDA would soon rollout a means to validate all vaccination cards, as it was gathered that some persons were getting the cards without vaccination.

The statement also revealed that Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State briefed the council about how states

could benefit from the work of National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).

NEC therefore recommended that NASENI should focus on providing reversed engineering on certain key components of machinery useful to Nigeria; its operation should be guided by its mandates to avoid duplication of efforts; that Nigeria needs to see inventions on specific issues as such, regular updates are needed in order to keep track of NASENI’S operations; that NASENI should have a limited mandate as such, its mandate is undergoing review and the Vice President asked the committee to come up with a framework for NASENI’s operations, monitoring, and quarterly updates to NEC.

NBS: GDP GREW BY 4.03% IN THIRD QUARTER the 5. 01 per cent recorded in the preceding quarter of same year.

The Statistician General of the Federation (SGF)/Chief Executive, NBS, Dr. Simon Harry, who revealed this at a media briefing, said the negative impact of the COVID-19 continued to impact on economic performance.

He said despite the slower growth, the Q3 performance was considered a tremendous improvement over both Q1 and Q2 of the year, adding that there had been steady growth of the economy.

In nominal terms, aggregate GDP increased to N45.11 trillion in the period under review, compared with the N39.12 trillion recorded in Q2 and N39.09 trillion in Q3 2020.

In the same vein, real GDP which shows volume of economic activities, stood at N18.54 trillion, higher by N1.85 trillion compared to N16.69 trillion in Q2 as well as higher by N718.57 billion when compared to N17.82 trillion recorded in the corresponding quarter of last year.

The economy was largely driven by the non-oil sector which accounted for 92.51per cent of GDP, while the oil sector contributed 7.49 per cent to growth in Q3.

Daily oil production averaged 1.57 million barrels per day (mbpd) compared to 1.61mbpd in Q2 and 1.67mbpd in Q3 2020.

Oil growth rate stood at -10.73 per cent in real terms in the review period.

The SGF explained that the

negative GDP figures recorded in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic had serious base effects on output figures for Q2 and Q3.

Harry said: "I must state that the improvement being seen in the output growth over the last four quarters depicts a steady progress made in stemming the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated negative impact on livelihood, well-being, and the economy.

"Globally, many countries have witnessed an improvement in economic performances compared to 2020 when COVID-19 was endemic."

He said economic recovery remained a gradual process that requires consistent collective efforts to improve economic activities across the institutional sectors.

He explained: "However, in Nigeria the prospect of full recovery is glaring provided the current trend of improved economic performance is sustained in the rest of the year and beyond.”

Agriculture contributed 29.94 per cent to real GDP, higher than the 23.78 per cent recorded in Q2 while manufacturing accounted 8.96 per cent higher than the 8.69 per cent recorded in the preceding quarter.

Also, trade contributed 14.93 per cent to GDP, lower than the 16.66 per cent recorded in Q2.

“You might be looking at the 5.01 per cent as being higher than the 4.03 per cent but when you look at the base effects, you discover that the margin

between the two, certainly that of the third quarter was a higher figure compared to the 5.01 per cent as released in the second quarter of the year," the SGF added.

He insisted the economy was growing rather than declining.

"There was serious base effects affecting the figure because Q3 2020 recorded negative rate while Q2 2020 recorded negative rate. And so if you consider the margin between the two figures, you will discover that the economy certainly is growing rather than decreasing.

It is the base figures that have influenced the figure for this year," he added.

However, reacting to the GDP numbers, analysts have urged the federal government to deepen its poverty alleviation programmes so that vulnerable Nigerians would feel its impact.

They also advised the government to initiate policies that could enhance real growth and, "not paper growth" as well as curb the rising insecurity across the country.

The analysts who spoke in separate interviews with THISDAY, further advised the government to sustain current efforts at stimulating growth.

Managing Director/Chief Executive, Dignity Finance and Investment Limited, Dr. Chijioke Ekechukwu, said the economic performance showed that the country was still growing, adding that the government should continue to maintain the growth trajectory.

"Recall that year on year measurement was involved in determining the GDP growth.

"About this time 2020, the COVID-9 restrictions eased off and businesses peaked again.

"So whereas Q3 performance of 2021 grew year to date in real terms, the year on year comparison with Q2 of 2021 is expected to decline because of the base year effect," he said.

Also, the Managing Director/ Chief Executive, SD&D Capital Management Limited, Mr. Idakolo Gbolade, said the performance was as a result of the policies of the federal government currently being implemented by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

He said the federal government needed to look inwards to create a conducive environment for the economy to thrive by curbing the rising cases of insecurity and ensure that the CBN maintains its interventions in foreign exchange to reduce cost of production.

He urged the government to deepen its poverty alleviation programmes so that it would reach the original beneficiaries in order to make real impact.

Gbolade said: "The maintenance of the MPR at 11.5 basis point caused the economy to witness a higher economic performance.

"However, the headwinds of continuous hike in cost of commodities coupled with the rising cost of cooking gas and impending hike in petrol prices are a major concerns."

training, because military and civilian security forces are more effective, when they act in accordance with these values. And because it's crucial that Nigeria holds accountable members of the military, who commit abuses,” he said.

He went on to charge government to ensure the safety and wellbeing of groups involved in human rights advocacy, such as journalists, rights crusaders and others.

“Journalists, human rights defenders and others, Nigeria's very vibrant civil society are playing a vital role in shining a spotlight on these and other issues. Their ability to exercise freedom of expression and other basic human rights is crucial to advocating for individuals and communities and strengthening this country's vibrant democracy as we've seen in the successful efforts to promote electoral reform, and lower the age at which Nigerians can run for office.

“I look very much forward to meeting several of these leaders tomorrow (today), including faith leaders, who are defusing communal tensions, and promoting peace. And we look forward to Nigeria, Africa's largest democracy joining the summit for democracy next month. All participants from government, civil society will

make commitments to improve and strengthen democracy in our respective countries and strengthen the partnership among democratic nations.

“The range of issues that we're working on together is vast, but given the interests we share, and the challenges we have in common, delivering for our people demands that we find ways to deepen our existing ties and partnerships even further.

That's ultimately what this visit and the work that we're doing every single day, between our governments between our people is,that's what it's all about,” he said.

Talking about partnering in various areas, he said besides the 7.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines recently delivered at no cost to Nigeria, more would be delivered before the end of the year, citing other areas of collaboration between the two countries.

“First of all, working together to beat back COVID-19 and to build back better as we address the devastating impact that it's had on all of us, on our communities, on our economies. The United States has delivered 7.6 million doses of safe, effective vaccines to Nigeria, and we expect to send another significant number

BUHARI: WE WON’T PREEMPT STATES OVER DECISIONS ON #ENDSARS the steps the governors would take before considering any action on the outcomes of the inquiries.

The nationwide protests in October last year had resulted in loss of lives and wanton destruction of property.

Buhari, who spoke during a meeting with United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken,in Abuja, said his administration was inclined to allow the system work, and that the state governments would be required to take steps to address the issues raised in the panels’ reports before the federal government would step in.

But the United States government, which has since shown interest in the #EndSARS matter, said it would like to see that both the federal and the Lagos State governments ensured that the report of the panel received due accountability and attention.

However, counsel to the Lagos State government on the #EndSARS panel, Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), has rejected the findings of the panel, which were leaked on Monday.

Owonikoko also disputed the casualty figures recorded by the panel.

He claimed the leaked document was fraught with discrepancies and should not be in the public domain or be

taken as an accurate document, especially, as one of the signatories to the document, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), was absent for the most part of the hearing.

Meanwhile, sources close to Alausa, the seat of the Lagos State government, said the government spent N800 million to fund the #EndSARS inquiry, which lasted 13 months.

Buhari was quoted as saying in a statement by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, that, “So many state governments are involved, and have given different terms of reference to the probe panels.

“We at the federal have to wait for the steps taken by the states, and we have to allow the system to work. We can’t impose ideas on them. The federal government has to wait for the reaction of the states.”

The president told the US Secretary of State that his administration remained committed to freedom of worship, adding, “No one is discriminated against on the basis of his or her faith.”

He expressed his appreciation to the US for the sale of weapons to Nigeria to fight insecurity.

“It’s helping us to stabilise the situation in the North-east, and we’ve made a lot of progress since 2015,” Buhari said.

But Blinken, who spoke at a joint press conference with

the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, at the State House, Abuja, charged the governments to see to it that the grievances of victims of security agents’ brutality were attended.

Blinken, who had held separate meetings with Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), and Onyeama, during which some agreements were signed, also noted that his country was working with Nigeria to address its security challenges.

“We're working with Nigeria to address security challenges, including those posed by Boko Haram, ISIS West Africa and other terrorist and extremist groups.

In meetings with the President, with the Vice President, with the foreign minister, we discussed the importance of a comprehensive approach that builds effective security forces, addresses the underlying drivers of extremism, and respects Nigerians’ basic human rights.

“The United States is committed to helping Nigeria do that by continuing to invest in our security partnership, and the institutions that strengthen the rule of law, and that hold accountable those, who commit human rights abuses, corruption and other acts that harm the Nigerian people. By tackling these issues, we can help to address some of the problems that have

been key drivers of insecurity.

“To that end, let me say that we welcome the conclusion of the investigation by the independent inquiry established by the Lagos State government to look into the events that took place at Lekki Tollgate in Lagos, in October of 2020, and this, of course, was amidst the #EndSARS protest, including the killings and other alleged abuses by the security forces.

“We anticipate and look to the state and the federal government's response to the findings, and expect those to include steps that ensure accountability and address the grievances of the victims and their families.

“We're also working closely with Nigeria to help the populations most affected by conflict and violence in the country, particularly in the Northeast, where the United States is providing vital humanitarian aid to approximately 2.2 million internally displaced Nigerians.

United States continues to build the capacity, together with Nigeria, of the military, including through the recent delivery of 12 A29 Super Tucano aircrafts, but capacity building goes much deeper than delivering military hardware, something that we talked about as well.

“We're also providing more human rights and rule of law

Continued on page 55

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T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021

COMMENT

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

CONTEXTUAL MASSACRE AT LEKKI TOLLGATE Justice Doris Okuwobi-Panel report leaves high government officials stranded, writes Bolaji Adebiyi

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uffeted by searing public condemnation of the brutal clampdown on peaceful protesters at Lekki Tollgate, Lagos by combined forces of the military and the police on October 20, 2020, Lai Mohammed, the nation’s minister of information and culture, struggled to deny the obvious. The country had been woken up by media reports of the horrific death of peaceful young protesters whose only weapon was the national flag they waved while singing the national anthem in protest of age-long and widespread police brutality. The youths had been at that nationwide, in the rain and in the sun, for about two weeks without any violent incident until the government introduced thuggery, first in Abuja, then Lagos.

When the introduction of violent thugs by state agents failed to dissuade the protesting youths, the army and riot police were brought in on the night of October 20 to disperse the youths massed at the tollgate of Lekki. Live bullets were reportedly used and many deaths and varying degrees of injuries were reported. It was an angry nation that queried the next day, the use of excessive force against a non-violent protesting young Nigerians.

The habitual instinct of government was to deny that the brutality occurred. The chief culprit, the army was the first to deny involvement. It, however, went incoherent when footages of its troops shooting during the incident surfaced.

Even that did not abate further denials. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos State would later admit one death. He did better than federal minister Mohammed, who insisted no death had occurred.

“It is the first world’s massacre without blood and bodies,” Mohammed said derisively a month after during a world press conference somewhere in Abuja where he scolded the media for an alleged inaccurate report of the incident.

The harshest part of his tongue was reserved for America’s Cable Network News and the British Broadcasting Service he accused of all sorts, including incitement of uprising, asking them to apologise to the federal government.

As the protests persisted with mounting public condemnation of the government, Yemi Osinbajo, learned silk and vice president of the nation, was brought in to do what he was known to do best: damage control. The National Economic Council under his watch quickly met and accepted the youths’ five-point demand, directing state governors to establish judicial panels of inquiry to look into their grievances. Tempers cooled as the panels began to emerge.

More than a year later, the one in Lagos, led by Doris Okuwobi, a retired judge, submitted its report on Monday.

It was a damning repudiation of all official narratives of the shameful incidence.

“While the protesters were waving the Nigerian Flag and singing the National Anthem, officers of the Nigerian Army shot, injured and killed unarmed, helpless and defenceless protesters without provocation or justification,” the report obtained exclusively by THISDAY said, adding: “The manner of assault and killing could in context be described as a massacre.” It stated emphatically that 11 persons died from the assault at Lekki and that four others were missing and presumed dead.

LAI WOULD CERTAINLY TALK IN A MATTER OF DAYS TO COME. BUT WOULD IT MATTER? WHAT WOULD HE SAY NOW THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN RECENT TIMES, A PANEL SET UP

BY THE STATE HAS DELIVERED A COMPOUND INDICTMENT OF GOVERNMENT AND ITS COERCIVE AGENCIES?

On the issue of bodies, it accused the police of blatant cover-up, saying a number of unidentified bodies were removed by security agents and the Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit and deposited at various hospital mortuaries in the state. It stressed that trucks with brushes underneath were brought to Lekki Tollgate on the morning of October 21, to clean up the scene and conceal evidence.

“The panel found that the Nigerian Police Force deployed its officers to Lekki Tollgate on the night of October 20, 2020, and between that night and the morning of October 21, 2020, its officers shot at, assaulted and battered unarmed protesters, which led to injuries and deaths,” it said, adding: “The police officers also tried to cover up by picking bullets.”

Without a doubt, these clear findings of the panel that included respected silk and human rights activist, Ebunoluwa Adegboruwa, have left many senior government officials who had denied the fact of deaths, stranded. In the meantime, only the military has given a preliminary response. The military, Lucky Irabor, its general and defence chief, said, remains a professional body, appealing to Nigerians not to denigrate it even as he said only a white paper on the report could attract a detailed reaction.

The police and the usually loquacious Mohammed have been tongue-tied so far, four days after Okuwobi submitted her report to Sanwo-Olu who has constituted a committee to produce a white paper on the implementation of the report.

To be clear, silence, particularly in the face of public agitation and wholesale condemnation of the government’s obvious wrong-doing, is not in the character of the federal minister Nigerians prefer to call Lai because of the similarity between its pronunciation and that of lie. As they mischievously put it, if it is from Lai, it could be a lie. He would certainly talk in a matter of days to come. But would it matter? What would he say now that for the first time in recent times, a panel set up by the state has delivered a compound indictment of government and its coercive agencies? Indications of what is to come are all over social media with hired hole-pickers poking fun at the report and saying panellists identified deaths without old bodies. Incidentally, it is this same social information space that the federal government has worked tirelessly to circumscribe that it is now using to preface its anticipated response. Again, it matters not what he says so long justice is done somehow.

As citizens await Lai’s response and the outcome of Sanwo-Olu’s white paper committee, what matters most now is the fulfilment of the government’s one-year-old commitment to harken to the demands of the youths. While submitting her report, Okuwobi told Sanwo-Olu that the panel awarded a total of N410 million to 70 victims of police brutality. These awards, she explained, came from a review of 235 petitions against police highhandedness. Although that’s a hefty sum, the government should be thinking by now not only how these compensations would be paid but also how citizens will no longer be harassed by security agents whose mandate is to protect the lives and property of Nigerians.

Adebiyi, managing editor of THISDAY Newspapers, wrote from bolaji.adebiyi@thisdaylive.com

SECURING IMO STATE AND THE SOUTH-EAST Semiu Tobiloba writes that the Imo State governor is not in charge

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n Hope Uzodinma as Imo State Governor, the plan by the ruling All Progressives Congress was that through him, the party would establish a foot-hold in the South East. That plan has not just failed entirely, but also complicated the state of insecurity in the whole state.

With the result of the just concluded governorship election in Anambra State, it is evident that Uzodinma cannot help the ruling APC in the South-east, neither can the governor dodge the appeal pending before the Supreme Court or the future governorship election. For the ruling party, it is a case of ‘had we known.’

Since he was more or less imposed on the people as governor, the hitherto peaceful, beautiful and tourist- attractive Imo State has become a shadow of itself.

The state has been embroiled in avoidable blood-letting. Eminent people from the state are now afraid to go back to their homes because of insecurity.

There is a direct connection between insecurity in Imo State, which has since extended to other southeastern states and

the emergence of Uzodinma as governor of the state. When Emeka Ihedioha was at the helms of affairs in the state, there was peace. What changed?

Last week, a member of the APC in Imo State, and a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon Austine Nwachukwu, took a courageous decision. He resigned his membership of the APC. In his resignation letter, he said: “It is no longer a secret that the current political reality in Imo State and by extension Nigeria cannot guarantee the future of our teeming youths. I do not want to be counted as one of those who supported the regime that emasculated and destroyed the future of our youths.”

That verdict, coming from an insider, should convince those who are still sitting on the fence. First, it is a case of the legal rule -Nemo dat quod non habet, literally meaning “no one can give what they do not have”. As events in Imo State have shown since Uzodinma was foisted on the state as governor, he obviously lacked the capacity to govern.

At the beginning of the crisis, rather

than sought wise counsel from elders and opinion moulders in the state, he invited the army into the state. The result of that singular decision is the escalation in violence in the state.

Secondly, even though there is a governor in Imo, there is no governance.

When governments work, the people see the result. Since Uzodinma was declared governor of Imo State, there is basically nothing to show for it. President Muhammadu Buhari during his visit to the state commissioned the Naze/Nekede/Ihiagwa/ Obinze link road, a road that was poorly built and uncompleted. The governor claimed to have done some works but residents have always faulted him.

Yes, everyone is concerned about the insecurity in the South East. To a larger extent many know what the solution is. But not many are willing to take the bold decision that is required. There is a window of opportunity to correct the anomaly that led to Uzodinma becoming the governor of a state he didn’t win. That window is in the hand of the Supreme Court. In a judgment that defiled logic and commonsense, the

Supreme Court declared Uzodinma the governor of Imo State.

If the right thing is done, Imo will have peace, Southeast will become peaceful and by extension Nigeria will be peaceful. But it behoves on the federal government, the APC and the court to stop the disaster going on in Imo State.

What is happening in Imo State today is a clear case of injustice, which the people of the state find difficult to accept. If there is no miscarriage of justice, Imo will not have been plunged into intractable crises that have cost lives; shattered hopes; destroyed assets and cast gloom on the future of the state and indeed the South-east.

To borrow from a popular adage, justice is always the forerunner of peace. For peace to return to Imo and by extension South-east, it behoves on the federal government and the ruling APC to as a matter of national priority work for equity, fairness and justice, a socio-political tripod on which peace stands and thrives without let or hindrance.

Tobiloba, a legal practitioner, wrote from Abeokuta

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T H I S D AY • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021

EDITORIAL YET ANOTHER GAS EXPLOSION The authorities could do more to stem the trend

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erhaps exasperated by the spate of gas explosions, particularly in Lagos, the Senate last week directed its Committee on Petroleum Resources (downstream and gas) to conduct an investigation into the remote and immediate causes of the explosion at the Ladipo Spare Parts Market, Mushin, Lagos. The explosion killed five persons, including a 10-year-old boy.

What makes the Lagos recent tragedy disturbing is that in the past few years, gas explosions of different variants have claimed many lives in the state. Between 2016 and 2020 similar incidents happened in Abule-Egba, Ijegun, Ile-Epo, Oke-Odo, Baruwa, and Abule Ado, all in Lagos. In Baruwa, a densely populated suburb of Lagos, an LPG tanker was in the process of discharging its content at a time the station’s generating set was running. The spark and the explosion which followed threw the discharging tanker across the road. Aside the loss of no fewer than five lives, 25 buildings, 16 WHAT MAKES THE shops, a private school LAGOS RECENT TRAGEDY building, a hotel DISTURBING IS THAT IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, GAS and several vehicles/ EXPLOSIONS OF DIFFERENT tricycles were razed.

While the DepartVARIANTS HAVE CLAIMED ment of Petroleum MANY LIVES IN THE STATE Resources (DPR) has harped on the need for plant operators to take necessary measures to ensure the safety of end-users of cooking gas, it does not appear as if these operators observe any safety standards. That a power generating set would be on at the time gas was being discharged is the height of negligence. The recent Mushin incident itself reportedly happened in an open space used for all kinds of activities - beer parlour, mechanic workshop, spare parts sale, and more.

While we commiserate with the families of the deceased, the explosions are by no means restricted to Lagos. Not long ago, a chlorine cylinder exploded at the

Letters to the Editor

Plateau State Water Board treatment plant at Lamingo, Dogon Karfe, Jos South local government, leaving eight people dead, among them a pregnant woman and children. Dozens of others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

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

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

lso of increasing concerns are gas explosions of the domestic kind, mostly as a result of leaking cylinders. Ironically, this is coming amid intense campaigns on the need for Nigerians to drop kerosene for gas as a cheaper and cleaner means of cooking. In recent years, fatal explosions have been reported in Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Ogun, and Jigawa States. In one of the incidents, the gas escaped into the air and got to a fire point where a lady was operating a restaurant, killing people along the way. The gas explosion at Arakale market in Akure, Ondo State was traced to an illegal gas re-filling plant which wounded many and razed many shops.

Perhaps the most sensational was the Abule Ado explosion in the Amuwo Odofin local government area of Lagos in March 2020. It killed 23 amid large-scale destruction of property. According to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the explosion was caused when a truck rammed into a gas cylinder stacked in a gas processing plant near a vandalised petroleum gas pipeline. More than a year after the tragic event, reports on investigation of the incident are still being awaited. Will anything come out of the Mushin explosion?

To avert these tragedies, it is important to educate households on the need to gradually replace their metal gas cylinders with fibre cylinders, which is said to be fire- resistant. Also, the promise to phase out and replace the gas cylinders in circulation with more advanced ones should be hastened. Some households have been using the same cylinders for upwards of two decades. That is a disaster waiting to happen. Besides, the relevant authorities need to constantly sensitise operators of all gas retail outlets on how to operate their business with minimal risks.

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

IS CLEAN WATER FOR DOMESTIC USE TOO BIG A DEMAND?

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he child dying of cholera because her hygiene was compromised by severe water scarcity surely knows that in Nigeria, the basics are at a premium.

So does the child who has to trek miles to fetch water to wash himself before trekking miles to school on an empty stomach to sit in a classroom that has neither chairs nor windows.

Water has always been one of man`s most important resources and for good reasons. Man needs water to drink, to wash, to cook and for industrial purposes. The value of water to man was strongly emphasized by the Covid-19 pandemic which caught many African countries cold, harshly highlighting the severe shortage of water large families in large rural areas have to grapple with. In short, water is life.

If water is life, why do so many Nigerians in the rural areas as well as large cities have to live with severe shortage of clean water for domestic and industrial use? What is the government`s policy on water, and just how many drops of water have the ponderous bureaucracy of the various ministries of water resources across the country been able to provide to Nigeria`s poorest families?

For many Nigerians, water is liquid gold and has become increasingly difficult to come by in usable quantities. When people do not have enough water to drink, do their meals and wash themselves, life becomes a lot more difficult.

In the rural areas for example, the lack of easy access to clean water weaves itself into a treacherous tapestry that includes lack of power supply, poor roads, poor healthcare, abject poverty and a striking absence of economic opportunities. To escape this stranglehold, many flock to the cities, fueling rural-urban migration, where they find that many young people already in the cities are desperate to flee the country entirely.

In the cities, the men of the water board are feverish with the frenzy of ants. They move around peddling bills and threats of disconnection, and at the slightest sign of trouble, they disconnect Nigerians from water supply because somehow, disconnection gives them just more opportunities to make extra money.

Just as with many other bills imposed on Nigerians for essential services, water bills are usually bloated with extortion capriciously masked by convoluted calculations. When citizens demand some explanation for how the sums were arrived at, they are usually given short shrift by the irritable agents of these agencies. So, they are either forced to pay the extortionate amounts or face disconnection with Nigeria`s extremely ponderous legal system dissuading would-be litigants.

Is clean water especially for domestic use too big a demand on Nigerian authorities? Every now and then, grim statistics

are loosened upon horrified Nigerians about the deaths cholera visits on children and their families. How can cholera not thrive when there is no water to facilitate good hygiene practices?

In 2020, as the corona virus approached the country having had its fill of disease and death in many parts of the world, Nigerian lips trembled with questions about how the country was going to cope. Having followed the virus`s devastating journey through western capitals with efficient healthcare systems and adequate water resources, Nigerians wondered aloud how the country was going to find enough water to preventively wash enough hands to keep the virus at bay.

Thankfully, the country, and indeed the rest of Africa where so many families have so little water for use, was somehow spared the worst assaults of the virus.

Water is life. It is not for nothing that it is called the liquid gold. Poverty has a darkly humorous way of stripping life down to the bare bones and denying large families of adequate enjoyment of the basic things of life.

However, as Nigerians continue to experience a drought of good governance at all levels, those in charge must make conscious efforts to ensure that every household has enough safe water for domestic use. If this is done, children may just be kept out of the reach of killer diseases.

Kene Obiezu, keneobiezu@gmail.com

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY NOVEMBER 19, 2021

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POLITICS

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

The Soludo of Our Hopes Chukwuma Charles Soludo is not as difficult a person, as his hyper confidence suggests, writes Emeka Onwuocha

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he University of Nigeria Nsukka trained Professor of Economics, Professor Chukwuma Soludo who was the best student in his class, through his Bachelors , Masters and Phd, is an energetic and expressive personality.

But also factually, a brilliant, warm and relentless perfectionist, who is fueled by challenges and ever relentless in engagement.

Soludo has always wanted to be Governor of Anambra, it was as if the Central Bank governorship, was just an elaborate appetizer, so that even after his sojourn to the global heights of academia and economic management, he never lost sight of Anambra Government House.

The first time i met him, at the sidelines of a public function in Abuja 2013, I immediately asked him if he was still keen on the governorship, ‘Yes, very much he replied, without mincing words, ‘but we will see what the indices are, when the time comes.

And today, after many false starts and a failed attempt, he has won a crown of glory, and the unprecedented trust and mandate of his people, who braved all odds, despite many fears and hitches, in the buildup and elections proper.

His dramatic and resounding victory, has not only placed a burden of hope, like never before, on Soludo, but also on the people of Anambra.

A people overwhelmingly united in their trust, at a very challenging time in their lives and their history, to say the least.

Soludo must quickly shake off the awe, and get to work in proving himself.

Because while the demand of Central Bank Governor is embedded in layers of coporate insulation, the work of state governor directly affects the citizenry, each and every day.

And no governor of Anambra state will be scrutinised as much as Soludo.

Not just by the people of Anambra, but throughout the country and beyond, including even those who pretend, as if they are not very interested.

There have been extensive reviews of Soludo’s manifesto, so this ‘simple view’ will be made outside that framework, for a change.

I can summarize Soludo’s work ahead, in three category points… if he is able to manage these well, he will be overwhelmed by his pace, scale and results.

Firstly , He needs to immediately have at hand, a comprehensive designed, practicable and tailored master plan concept, complete with timelines and spatial detailing.

Perhaps, a revolutionary two pronged plan, one for statewide quality integrated infrastructure, on one hand, and another, to rapidly upgrade the standard of life and local business, and the quality and availability of healthcare, education and other social needs.

This task is not for the myopic, unimaginative or weak hearted, Providing a brand new physical infrastructure network , that carries water pipes, internet cables, electricity and drainage in parallel ducts, reaching all the centres of the state.

But it is no rocket science either.

If Dubai can do it in barely 20 years, Anambra can effectively make progress, in the next four years.

As they say in Anambra, those that have done it in other places , do not have two heads, and this must be the spirit of the Soludo sojourn.

For example, an Anambra born engineer/entrepreneur, based in the USA, should be able to land at the Anambra Airport with tech experts and investors, and immediately get on a light train to Nnewi.

Check them into a true five star hotel, and next day, they visit their proposed mechanised breadfruit farm and processing centre at Igbariam, which also has an attached agric tools sub- factory.

All being developed with state government incentive, support and partnership.

Then in the evening, he drives them cooly, with no fears, to Agulu Lakeside Resort , to watch the Egedege dance of Theresa Onourah perform, in an airconditioned ultra modern event centre.

For further example, He needs to properly decentralize Onitsha Market into several specialized trade districts of well adapted ultramodern facilities, incorporating residential estates, schools, etc And spread these into about five nucleus locations across the state to accelerate intra-regional development and reduce congestion, crime, dilapidation and discomfort.

Second point, peace and harmony is vital. So Soludo needs to manage the

Olawepo-Hashim Salutes Soludo, Anambra People A former Presidential Candidate and a Chieftain of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, Mr. Gbenga OlawepoHashim has congratulated Professor Charles Soludo of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, for his victory at the just concluded Anambra State governorship election.

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hile maintaining that the victory also belong to Anambra state and Nigeria, he saluted the “wonderful people of Anambra state who against all odds, filed out peacefully and performed their civic responsibilities.”

According to him, “our dear country Nigeria is the biggest winner. Glory to God as the country has again proved prophets of doom wrong.”

He also noted that “a lot of credit must also go to President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR who has created the atmosphere for non-interference in INEC’s conduct of increasingly more transparent elections since his second term mandate.”

Olawepo-Hashim enjoined the former CBN governor, to” as soon as he is sworn in, hit the ground running to deliver on his campaign promises as a mark of gratitude to God for this rare opportunity of service and gratitude to Anambarians who made enormous sacrifices during the election.”

“All Nigerians should celebrate this victory. Though my party APC did not come top in the final result, we can boast that our government created the atmosphere under which the votes of the electorates are beginning to count.

“Many Elders in the country led by former Head of state, General Abubakar Abdulsalam and Elders in Anambra deserve to be commended for their peace

building efforts towards the election,” he said.

He also maintained that the polls success remains “a welcome coincidence that the election in Anambra was concluded just when the conference committee of the two Chambers of the National Assembly agreed on the right of INEC to decide on the use of electronic transmission of results for future elections. This will become law once the president gives assent.”

According to him, “taken with the provision of Direct Primaries for the nomination of candidates by all political parties, it is evident that our great country is irreversibly on a path to democratic consolidation.”

nationalist agitation head on, by forging formidable confidential communication channels to the groups; And aggregating their demands with those of the larger populace, before pushing strategically and vehemently, for these positions, to be resolved by dialogue with the federal authorities and other friendly partners.

He needs to instill, that military force will not work, and will only spread the agitation; And that the only true way forward, for all parties, is to pocket their egos, and discuss the undiscussable.

Nothing else will work.

To succeed in this, Soludo must build a credible alliance with all the other states in the region, for there’s no doubt that the people of the region are not only much more fundamentally united in thought today, but also all engulfed without exception, in the serious problems that challenge peace and development therein.

But while a pan-South-east initiative in security and politics is imperative, a redefined and immediate regional framework for infrastructural and development integration must take off, in practical terms.

This has been talked about so much more, than practicalised.

Soludo needs to push the question ‘what are we waiting for’? and follow through on a concerted work plan.

Thirdly, Soludo’s biggest tool is the huge human and material resources available in quality and quantity among the Anambra people, both in Nigeria, and around the world.

So, he needs to become a rallying point for all Anambrarians, both rich and poor, the educated and uneducated, including the half educated.

He needs to place himself above the fray, the dichotomies, power corridor rats, habitual trouble makers, gossips and all diversive and divisive trivialities; And sail the high ground, by busying himself in service, and in projects; And in so doing, inspire the people to cultivate a renewed trust in government and a new spirit of partnership, involvement and ownership of government.

Significantly, Soludo needs to set an agenda for the youth, where lack of direction has pushed many bright brains to self help, with a local cultism and drug addiction problem, growing more rapidly, than admitted.

Smart farming and tech hubs have not developed as fast as possible in Anambra, Soludo has an endless bank of smart youth to occupy a comprehensive and statewide programme in both departments , providing world class iinnovation and more jobs, and new possibilities in alternative career choices.

But he must also carry along the local communities, preserving their culture and improving their lifestyle, especially as he will need to reach understanding with them on land acquisition for thoroughfare expansion and development projects.

His skill in effectively courting, organizing and mobilizing the private sector, will be the most important in his administration.

Anambra is bursting with private wealth, people with the money and capacity to muster finance for any standard, in world class infrastructure.

-Onwuocha is a Real Estate professional, Certified Speech writer, Entrepreneur and Policy Consultant. He was the Special Assistant, Research, and Principal Speech Writer, to President Goodluck Jonathan, and hails from Nimo, Anambra State NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY NOVEMBER 19, 2021

17

PERSPECTIVE

Open Letter to Igbo Letters Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko draws attention to the resourcefulness of the new generation of Igbo youths

U.S, Kenya, Biden, Blinken and Uhuru Chido Nwangwu highlights the implications of the visit of the United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken to three African countries, namely: Kenya, Nigeria and Senegal

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n November 20, 2021, the United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, will wrap up his current visit to three African countries, namely: Kenya, Nigeria and Senegal.

Blinken’s assignment which ran from November 15, started with his first destination being Nairobi, Kenya — where he met with the country’s President Uhuru Kenyatta, Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ambassador Raychelle Omamo, business execs and some stakeholders in the eastern African corruption-afflicted country.

Substantially, the issue of regional security is top on the list of his priorities during his visit to those African countries. In Nairobi, he called for a cease-fire in the war in Ethiopia before it destabilizes other parts of the region.

Around the same region, the very recent military coup in the Sudan is a flash point of concern. In nearby Somalia, the radical Islamists al-Shabab remain a material danger to Kenya itself and Somalia.

Without any doubt, the recognition which Kenya still gets draws, too, from it being an important country in the geo-strategic power equation and intelligence interests of the United States. That is, whether it is Donald J Trump that is the President or Joseph Biden.

Recall that almost 10 days after the publication of the “Pandora Papers” (in October 2021) where it was revealed that Mr. Kenyatta, the President of Kenya, stashed away (with his family) $30 million US dollars in offshore accounts and secret tax havens, Biden hosted the same Kenyatta on Thursday, October 14, 2021.

Kenyatta, therefore, became the first African leader hosted at the White House by Biden.

The White House indicated that the meeting was part of “Biden’s commitment to the U.S partnership with Africa based on principles of mutual respect and equality.”

In an indirect dig at the controversial Uhuru and his opaque financial dealings, the White House stated, as quoted in USAfricaonline.com that the two leaders will highlight “the need to bring transparency and accountability to domestic and international financial systems…. discuss efforts to defend democracy and human rights, advance peace and security, accelerate economic growth and tackle climate change.”

Those issues, the U.S State Department

noted form important components of interests. Blinken will be “affirming our strategic partnership with Kenya. The Secretary and representatives of the Kenyan government will discuss our shared interests as members of the UN Security Council, including addressing regional security issues such as Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan. The Secretary will advance U.S.-Kenyan cooperation on ending COVID-19, improving clean energy access, and protecting the environment. The Secretary will underscore U.S. support for a peaceful and inclusive Kenyan election in 2022.”

As I conclude this analysis of diplomacy and national security interests, again, I recall my political science and international relations class at my great alma mater, the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) where I was taught the existential dynamics, strategic and material interests determine, substantially, “the games nations play.“ There’s an international relations magnum opus with the same name ‘Games Nations Play: Analyzing International Politics.’

It was published in 1972 by John W. Spanier.

These important engagements by Blinken, an experienced diplomat and international security expert, will be his first official trip to the African continent, as America’s chief diplomat.

-Dr. Nwangwu is the Founder and Publisher of USAfrica magazine and first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper published on the Internet, USAfricaonline.com

That almost 10 days after the publication of the “Pandora Papers” (in October 2021) where it was revealed that Mr. Kenyatta, the President of Kenya, stashed away (with his family) $30 million US dollars in offshore accounts and secret tax havens, Biden hosted the same Kenyatta on Thursday, October 14, 2021. Kenyatta, therefore, became the first African leader hosted at the White House by Biden.

The White House indicated that the meeting was part of “Biden’s commitment to the U.S partnership with Africa based on principles of mutual respect and equality.”

A

people’s history and achievements are usually closely tied to the leadership that pilots their affairs. Aside the golden era of 1940-1965, the Igbo cannot be said to have been fortunate with unique and exemplary leadership. The great Zik dropped in from the US, via Accra, Ghana, in 1937, where he had edited the Morning Post for 24 months. He quickly made his presence felt and talent appreciated by the political community of Lagos. He then proceeded to create robust awareness and thirst for western education amongst his people, inspired community effort in academic development, especially, through scholarships, community schools and general infrastructural development through communal efforts.

He then sent the 10 argonauts overseas and awaited their return, to assist him.

Established chains of Newspapers and emerged leader of the NCNC, after the passing of the legendary Herbert Macaulay in 1946. He inspired a whole new generation, designed the foundation and set the stage for the greatest leap in human history. He effectively organised the people, by establishing the Igbo Union. The Igbos previously only suitable for the position of messengers, houseboys and bottle washers, in the 1920s, suddenly covered the education gap with the South-west, and launched ahead to produce clerks, managers, store keepers and supervisors, by 1950. Hundreds of village schools built through communal efforts, transformed a people, within such a short time. Such miraculous transformation hasn’t been replicated elsewhere on the planet. Leadership, inspiring leadership.

Communities taxed themselves to educate indigent but bright kids, donations were raised and very gifted chaps were sent overseas under community scholarship. Soon, a confident, solid generation of Ndigbo who could hold their own anywhere emerged.

Playing prominent admirable role in education, commerce and industry, science, medicine, technology, sports and politics.

The eboes earned everyone’s admiration, respect and of course, envy. Those certainly were the best years of the Igbo.

Everything was shattered on 15th January 1966. And on the 29th of July 1966, as General Ironsi was taken out in Ibadan, Ndigbo fell into a very deep, unfriendly and dirty political pit. A pit they are yet to climb out from, even up to thisday. The attendant very bloody war, seem to have sealed their fate. And the post civil war scorched earth policy towards them, seem to have produced certain kind of leaders with certain fears and apprehension. Sadly, certain forces, factors and developments have unwittingly dug the pit deeper, making it even harder, for Ndigbo to climb out from the hostile pit of political irrelevance. To make the situation worse, many Ndigbo are unaware, and even uninterested to put heads together in search of a way out, and many unwilling to make the necessary inevitable sacrifices. Craving and desire to always place self interest over group interest, seem to have dealt a terrible blow to cohesion, unity of purpose and presence of mind and the attendant sacrifices and commitment needed to chart a way forward for the great Igbo race. Those who should lead, regrettably hate to hear that they aren’t doing well. They want to be flattered and told they are the best and most able leaders in the universe. Perfect beings, saints and angels, beyond and above criticism of any sort. Hence this letter.

Dear Igbo leaders, the litany of mistakes, political and otherwise, that defined our journey as a people, inside Nigeria, ought to get us seriously worried and thinking about our present and future, and the great need to avoid further mistakes. Quite avoidable errors, devastated our land, wiped out our population, gave us bad press, still hinders our ascendance, and retarded our political and economic growth. When will the old woman count the contents of her basket?

After how many falls? I have news for us: The younger generation are coming, and they are angry. They were born mostly outside Igboland. Ajegunle, Jos, London,

Houston, Abuja, Cotonou, Douala, Oshodi, you name it. They are full blooded Igbo, both parents, Igbo, and they are not happy with Nigeria. Not happy with their leaders, not happy with the situation they found themselves. Believe it or not they are coming.

They are not proud of the situation, and they are not smiling. They and their children are forced into exile by the traditional post civil war dichotomy, marginalisation, oppression, sectionalism and nepotism in the land. They want to assert their identity. They want to define and rebuild their land. They and their little children, reside and thrive in Brazil, South Africa, Canada, Ghana, Malaysia, Togo, China, Germany, France, Spain, India, the US, the UK, everywhere. Their little kids speak Mandarin, French, Espanol, Ashanti, German, you name it. They are going to shape the future of this land, build Africa’s greatest economy, redefine the image of the black man and completely transform this land. They are coming and they are unstoppable. Their soul is hungry, and their heart is filled with lofty dreams of technological inventions and advancement. Their minds and spirit are filled with ambitious vision of a new world, devoid of subjugation from any quarter. They are legion. You can take this to the bank.

The millions at home, dwelling in Aba, Onitsha, Nnewi, everywhere, are bitter, but the diaspora population seem angrier.

In their 20s, 30s and 40s, Nwanne these guys don’t want to be compliant all their lives to the whims of some one else. They want to be free, respected and treated right. They don’t want nobody denying them any of their privileges, dues and rights henceforth.

Their generation didn’t lose any war, didn’t suffer the humiliation of Twenty Pounds.

They aren’t ready to lick boots, betray their children or manage to live in order to please any master. Both the very educated amongst them, and the not so educated are well informed, courtesy of the social media age.

And they are in a hurry to regain their lost dignity. And they are very woke. They have no intention whatsoever to see their children inherit same humiliating condition they met.

Most importantly, they aren’t very proud of the steps of the leaders. They have been watching and noting all.

They are aware of past mistakes of Igbo leadership. They know about the NCNC election boycott of December 1964. They aren’t sure the pre war alliance with the North, was the best option available at the time. They know about the first and second coup. They aren’t so sure 30th May 1967, was the best date to pull out, given the quantum of resources available and the level of preparation. They aren’t sure the hardline position at two of the peace and reconciliation meetings, held in the heat of the war, were the best and wisest options available. They shudder at the number that perished in the battlefield and the frightening number who fell from malnutrition and Kwashiokor. They know of the post civil war behaviour and disposition of Igbo leaders, through the military era, till date. They know they are forced to migrate out of the zone and they also know why. No jobs, no seaport, no infrastructure, and no dignity. They reject that life.

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

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021 • T H I S D AY

INTERVIEW

Owonikoko: #EndSARS Panel Breached Oath of Confidentiality and Duty In this interview with ARISE News Channel, Counsel to the Lagos State Government on the #EndSARS panel, Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko, SAN, airs his views on the report leaked on Monday.

He insists that the outcome of the report will still need to be subjected to judicial review, otherwise, its recommendations are not binding on anybody. Emmanuel Addeh brings the excerpts: So, let us just start off with your general overview of the report that has been made public on the Lekki Tollgate Massacre as the panel calls it.

Let me paraphrase my response with a caution. I was a retained private solicitor to represent the interest of Lagos state government on the panel along with my other colleagues, another SAN, Enitan Olukayode and our colleagues.

I have avoided having to make comments about proceedings before the panel or their reports up until now, because I know that by law, the panel set up was a judicial panel of inquiry and its decisions, recommendations, resolutions are not meant for public consumption in the first instance.

What they do is to submit a report to the government, which may be a unanimous one or a divided opinion if the panel members were unable to agree on certain things under their terms of reference. It is government’s own review of that report and its final decision on it that ought to be available for public consumption.

Why is that so? Even the government’s decision on it which comes by way of White Paper is not binding on anybody that is aggrieved and you are entitled to subject it to judicial review in a court of law. An instance that you may readily recall was the Oputa Panel.

One of the reasons a number of some of the recommendations did not see the light of day, was that it was challenged in court and the Supreme Court held that some of the matters that the panel looked into, much as the public was interested in knowing the truth about them, were beyond the remit of the federal government to constitute a panel to look into.

Speaking today, I am not speaking for Lagos State Government, I am not speaking on a report that is validly published and which can be authenticated as the outcome of that judicial inquiry. Nevertheless, I can’t pretend not to be aware that certain documents have been circulating in the social media and have been subject of comments and responses.

I have myself seen one of such reports, it is unsigned, but it contains the names of all members and I did not, on going through it, see any indication that it was not a unanimous position. It may well be however, that it is a draft of a minority opinion, because given what I know, having spent one whole year from the beginning of the sitting of the panel till the end, except for occasions where one or two of my colleagues had to stand in for me and we have record of proceedings, there was nothing that transpired before the panel that escaped my knowledge.

That being the case, I must say that I am totally shocked about what I read to be the report, particularly the finding with regards to 40 something victims, some of whom were described as deceased, some of them described as missing but all attributed by the panel to what is called the Lekki incident.

That there is the undisputed, uncontroverted fact that the military personnel got to the Lekki Tollgate around past 06:00PM in the evening as part of mobilisation towards enforcing the curfew imposed by Lagos state government following the assessment that security situation in the state was at a stage where special attention had to be given security provided to impose a curfew and restore law and order.

As at that morning, Mr. Governor had addressed the state and issued a proclamation for a curfew to commence at 04:00PM. That was presented from what we now knew at the panel by a security council meeting held by the State Government Security Council a day before, involving the Police, the Army, the Navy, the SSS, the Attorney-General, the Governor and a few other government functionaries where they assessed the entire

situation and came to the conclusion then that things were going out of hand. As at that time, policemen were being killed, a female orderly to a First Lady was stripped naked and assaulted at Ikorodu.

On the very night that this happened, a first-class traditional ruler was lodged at Oriental Hotel and information got to the hoodlums and they were going to make an attempt on his life. It was his own governor who called the Lagos State Governor that my first-class traditional ruler is under threat at Lekki, Oriental Hotel.

I am sure you remember that there was an attempt to burn down Oriental Hotel.

If that had been allowed to happen, I am sure we would not be talking about Lekki Tollgate, we would be talking about what led to a first-class traditional ruler visiting Lagos being killed in a hotel. I don’t want to go into other things. My opinion here is based on my first-hand information and involvement in the proceedings and the record that we have.

We had a member of that panel come up here yesterday to confirm that the only difference between the report circulating online and what they submitted was some typographical corrections. So, he confirmed that the report is authentic. Are

"I have with me now, I have read the report, since you now confirm that it is supposed to be authentic, I have identified almost 40 discrepancies, very material discrepancies in that report. These include awarding damages to people who are claimed to have died, who never died, who have even came out to say they did not die, including awarding damages to somebody they claim died but who actually was a witness to testify as to his brother’s death not even at Lekki toll gate"

you saying that people were not killed at the Lekki Tollgate?

Let me first of all say, I wouldn’t know who the panel member that appeared on your channel was.

The youth rep of the panel I can forgive the youth rep because I will read to you now what Section 8 of the law that set up the panel says about their report.

The Tribunals of Inquiry Law of Lagos State, Section 15.1, Report and Order in Relation to any Property or Matter dealt with in the report. “A tribunal will make and furnish to the governor a full report in writing of its proceedings, findings and recommendations and record an opinion and reasons leading to its conclusion. Any member of the tribunal dissenting from the conclusions or any part will note his reason for such dissent.”

This provision has been interpreted as imposing a duty of confidentiality on the panel that conducts an inquiry of this nature, not to disclose the content or discuss its proceedings anywhere except to await the finding of the government on that report.

I am shocked to hear that a member had already come here to start talking about the content. You would then have to go to the oath of office they swore when they started their operation. The oath has to do with fidelity, Continued on page 19

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021 • T H I S D AY

INTERVIEW

I must say that I am totally shocked about what I read to be the report, particularly the finding with regards to 40 something victims impartiality, and confidentiality.

If anybody who was a panel member had gone out as at today while the White Paper is being awaited, to speak to what has happened, that person has breached not only the oath that he took to be a member, he has also breached the duty imposed on them not to discuss or divulge the content to anybody.

What we should be discussing, and is very important will be the government‘s outcome.

That outcome can be criticised, challenged on the back of the original report, but it is what is actionable, justiciable, not whatever is contained in the report.

Let me be clear, I am not in any way trying to shut anybody out, I am just trying to let you know what the law says. And that was why for almost two months now, since the panel closed, I had been invited several times to speak as a protagonist or participant at the panel and I have declined to do so because I know that professionally and legally it was wrong for me to express opinion or do anything that will appear to prejudice the report.

So, let’s not waste too much time. I have just explained to you why that would be wrong.

A number of them were not lawyers and that to me is actually the crux of the problem we have with this report. And I will tell you the first thing before I come to the other questions.

The questions you have posed about whether it is right to kill, definitely, you know that I can not be part of those who would justify extra-judicial killings or abuse of state power.

So, the answer to that is that none of them is acceptable and from the evidence that we were able to gather at the hearing, there was not a single thing that was established, and I would come to that later.

But let me first say this, the panel that was constituted that submitted this report, had two reports. The mistake I observed that the government made was that there should have been a different panel entirely to look into the Lekki incident.

The panel that was constituted originally was meant to address victims of abuse of police brutality and SARS, there was no single member of the panel who had a personal case that he wanted to establish, there was no reason why we should be afraid that anybody there would have a pre-conceived notion or a settled position that they were going to be opened to been persuaded by evidence-led.

Now, in the course of that panel’s work this incident happened, but this incident had protagonists and antagonists. Unfortunately, at least, three members of the panel were picked from those who were protagonists of the case against the police that people like us also represent.

I was fully in support of what was going on up until 20th of October, even up until the night, until I became wiser the next morning when I did my enquiry. Those members are ordinarily not entitled to sit on this panel but they are members of this panel where we were trying to establish who were killed, at Lekki Tollgate, whether Lekki Tollgate Concession Company withdrew camera to suppress information.

This is the case they have been making on their own even before the panel sat, so from the very beginning, that panel lacked the judicial competence to determine this issue.

At the point where the panel after about four attempts to have the Lekki Tollgate re-opened, they decided to re-open the tollgate.

I am sure you will recall that some members of the panel who were insisting that the Lekki Tollgate must be shutdown because they don’t want that place to be re-opened, they came out on their own and delivered a dissenting opinion asking that Lekki Tollgate should be re-sealed after almost four months.

The Lekki Concession Company had to submit a claim to its insurers for a loss in tune of N10 billion and they couldn’t do that as it had to be done faithfully without going to the site to identify what they have lost and making an inventory, these members of the panel said they must not open that place.

This shows you something, that some members had a position, and they were not in a position to express dispassionate, objective view on the matter that had to do with Lekki.

That is the fundamental problem we had.

After that incident, the gentleman, a very respected member for almost the entire duration of the hearing of the Lekki incident stopped coming to the tribunal, the one that issued that statement and was in the public domain. I will expect that if the report was coming from this panel, having practically recused himself for

"Somebody I respect so much and I love his passion for the rule of law, but I think a lot has happened in recent times when people needed to violate their own position and then truth has to be sacrificed by almost everybody that has an interest in that matter" almost five months, Lekki incident normally holds on Saturdays, other matters are held during the days of the week, this gentleman is always there, but when he comes to Lekki incident he never showed up.

Now you are telling me that that gentleman is entitled to give a report that would be considered objective on Lekki incident? Even before the Lekki incident he was in court challenging the legality of imposing Tollgate.

Any court confronted with having to review this report is very unlikely to approve it.

Which gentleman are you talking about?

I think he is in the public domain. But the only senior advocate of the panel, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa is the gentleman. I am talking about. Somebody I respect so much and I love his passion for the rule of law, but I think a lot has happened in recent times when people needed to violate their own position and then truth has to be sacrificed by almost everybody that has an interest in that matter.

So ordinarily, I was expecting if anything at all that Mr Adegboruwa is going to come up with a dissenting opinion or indicating that for this particular report, he is abstaining from signing on it but to know now that the report was signed by all is a worrisome perspective and I will tell you why that is so clearly wrong.

I was in involved in the case of Isiaka Adeleke against the present governor of Osun State, the success of overturning the tribunal judgment in the matter at the supreme court after the election was overturned by the tribunal was because one of the members of the panel that led the matter on a crucial day when a critical evidence was being tendered was not in court.

He did not sit in the panel when the time came for the judgment to be written, he wrote the judgment and the judgment anchored on the findings of evidence led on that particular day for that reason alone and no more, the court of appeal had to go ahead with the judgment.

That’s why Governor Oyetola is sitting on that sit today as a governor, how much more an impassioned panel that is going to look

into matter that is of international importance and controversy, then you have members who recuse themselves from doing trial, who never participated in most of the things.

Whether it is reliable or not, it is already tainted and I wouldn’t expect that the government will not to be cautious in implementing that kind of report, especially with what we are now seeing that is coming out. So, I have made my point on that.

So, if you have a panel of nine, one of them honourably withdrew at that time, a young lady from LASU, another person who took a stand writing dissentient opinion, continue to hear and persuaded in giving the final report on the matter on which he has personal interest.

His personal interest does not mean the material, even if it is a philosophical or moral interest is enough to disqualify anybody from participating. I would want to know how that gentleman was able to sign off on this report as an objective and neutral report of fact that they were trying to find.

Well, he actually also said that he’s going to wait and see the outcome of events and he might publish the report if there’s any attempt to stay it. That’s the gentleman as you were calling him.

I’m happy to hear that. I know him, that’s the kind of thing he will do but what I explained to you is not about anything personal to him, but I’m just saying that technically and in terms of what is rule of law and fair hearing, he ought not to participate in this report that has to do with the Lekki incident.

The other ones, he was fully involved and I have nothing against him for that but for this report, where for almost 15 sittings he did not come, in fact, the most important evidence of this issue was the one by Sentinel Forensics expert, that expert consultant was engaged by the panel itself.

On the day the expert was to testify, the reason they did not go on was that they wanted all the members to be present and two people were absent, Mr Ebun Adegboruwa (SAN) and DIG Lakanu who was the representative of the police, a former DIG, was also absent. They

said they will need their input to understand the presentation, it was adjourned three times until, at least I can recall, Mr Lakanu was able to appear.

I also recall, that for the long part of the expert testimony, Mr Ebunoluwa was not sitting at the panel, and that is the evidence that was objective and independent.

But Mr Owonikoko, why are you raising the objection now after the fact? Why not during the duration of the panel sitting and in fact right from the decision by the Lagos state government, whom you represent, to have the justice Okuwobi-led panel to investigate. Why did you wait until after the report had been made public and it’s unfavourable to now make this objections?

The report was not unfavourable to Lagos state government. The duty of Lagos state, the burden on them was to establish whether they were the one that deployed Army to the scene.

The evidence before the panel and their finding did not support such a suggestion, that was the only thing Lagos state had to explain, so there’s nothing against Lagos state.

But as a citizen now, not as a lawyer to Lagos state, I’m interested in trying to clarify matters because you have invited me and I’m telling you that if you have to subject this report to judicial screening which is subject to judicial review, these are the things that will come up and people must not be in a haste to begin to hail a report that as at now is mute until we know the final outcome.

Now you are aware, I have with me now, I have read the report, since you now confirm that it is supposed to be authentic, I have identified almost 40 discrepancies, very material discrepancies in that report.

These include awarding damages to people who are claimed to have died, who never died, who have even came out to say they did not die, including awarding damages to somebody they claim died but who actually was a witness to testify as to his brother’s death not even at Lekki toll gate.

Does that not show you that there was a thorough job done? How do you make that kind of serious mistake, to award millions and millions to somebody claiming that he died when actually he was even a witness before you?

In the report itself , you will find where the witness was there and they recorded his evidence, and the list they posted they said he died and awarded him N15 million. What kind of report is that? That alone, any report that has that fundamental error, will be crushed.

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FRIDAY NOVEMBER 19, 2021 •T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021

21

BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET

A S

A T

REPO

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

08056356325

N O V E M B E R

S & P INDEX

1 8 , 2 0 2 1

S & P INDEX

EXCHANGE RATE

OBB

9.00%

CALL

4%

INDEX LEVEL

564.02%

1/4 TO DATE

5.82%

N413.03/ 1 US DOLLAR*

OVERNIGHT

10.75%

1-MONTH

6%

1-DAY

–0.17%

YEAR TO DATE

– 15.85%

*AS AT LAST FRIDAY

3-MONTH

10%

MONTH-TO-DATE

0.19%

Airlines Moves to Cut Costs of Operations, to Acquire New Fleet

Chinedu Eze The trend is beginning to change for Nigerian airlines as they begin to acquire brand new fleet, which saves fuel, has less maintenance cost and improves safety with hi-tech advancement.

At the on-going Dubai Air Show, two Nigerian carriers, Ibom Air and Overland Airways have ordered for brand new aircraft from Airbus and Embraer respectively, thus joining Air Peace, which has already started receiving its 13 brand new Embraer

E195-E2.

On Monday Embraer announced a firm order from Overland Airways for three Embraer E175 regional jets.

Speaking at the Dubai Airshow, President and CEO of Overland Airways, Capt. Edward Boyo, said, “We are confident that this is the right moment to invest, as regional aviation is on an optimistic post-pandemic recovery. Our customers will really enjoy all comfort in the E175, and we appreciate our partnership with Embraer.”

Also on Tuesday, Ibom Air

announced an order of 10 Airbus A220, which delivery would start from the first quarter of 2003.

The new aircraft, A220 burns 20 per cent lower fuel per seat compared to previous generation aircraft and flies to a range of up to 3,400 nm (6,297 km), offering performance similar to larger, single-aisle aircraft.

Ibom Air noted that the A220s have combination of a superior cabin product and low operating costs, which are a perfect fit for the airline’s network growth strategy and would help the airline offer

its customers an unrivaled value proposition.

Industry observers said this is a significant break from the past when domestic airlines do with already existing fleet and with the new trend, entrants into the sector would take a cue from the operators.

Over a decade after the defunct Nigeria Airways Limited acquired new aircraft, Arik Air broke the jinx and acquired brand new aircraft for its fleet and after many years, Air Peace which joined the market in 2014 began to acquire brand new

fleet, which its delivery started early this year.

The airline had earlier made firm order for Boeing 737 MAX, which order still subsists and the delivery of the aircraft, which had met all standard of safety certification, may begin in 2023.

The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Musa Nuhu, during the delivery of Air Peace brand new aircraft recently identified the benefits of new aircraft and expressed the wish that other

airlines in Nigeria began to order new aircraft, which they have started doing.

Nuhu observed that it was not only ordering a brand new aircraft but the right size aircraft for the Nigerian market.

“That right size is as critical as being brand new because it further enhances the airline economics, you break even with much lower passengers, the operating cost are lower, your maintenance cost are Continued on page 22

FCCPC: Purchasing Transformers, Poles, Others not Responsibility of Electricity Consumers Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), has declared that it is not the responsibility of electricity consumers/customers or communities to buy, replace or repair transformers, poles, cables and related items used in power supply.

Executive Commissioner, Operations, Dr. Adamu Abdullahi, made the disclosure on in Benin City, capital of Edo State at the opening of

the commission’s four-day electricity consumers’ complaints’ resolution platform, which was sponsored by MacArthur Foundation and attended by many consumers.

Though Abdullahi said, there were many issues in electricity consumption in Nigeria, he frowned at disconnection of consumers’ lines without notice, outrageous/crazy bills, non-supply of pre-paid meters already paid for, and disregard for regulations, among other complaints by electricity consumers in the

country.

He explained while the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), an independent regulatory body, has the authority to regulate electric power industry in the country, FCCPC is to protect consumers throughout Nigeria.

“Electricity consumers in Nigeria have right to be properly-installed with functional meters. Payment for meters shall not be made, if meters are not available. The Meter Asset Provider (MAP) shall install

the meters at the premises of the customers within ten working days of payment.

“Unmetered customers shall not experience any cost increase, beyond what is chargeable to metered customers in the same area. Customers have the right to contest bills and withhold payment of disputed bills, “Abdullahi declared.

But in her goodwill message, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Benin Electricity Distribution

Company (BEDC), Mrs. Funke Osibodu, insisted that officials of the company were trying their best to make their customers in the franchise states of Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti happy by quickly resolving issues.

Osibodu, who was represented by company’s Chief State Head for Edo, Mr. Abel Enechaziam, stated that she was aware of limited power supply and inadequate metering, according to her, should not be blamed on the electricity Distribution

Companies (DisCos), stressing that BEDC was always ready to listen to the consumers’ complaints, with quick actions being taken.

Osibodu, also stressed that there was inadequate supply of meters

by NERC, while pointing out that DisCos across Nigeria were facing challenges from the generation and transmission of power, but expressed optimism that NERC would soon be able to resolve those hiccups.

Continued on page 22

M A R K E T D ATA A S AT T H U R S D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 8 , 2 0 2 1 FGN BONDS DESCRIPTION 12.175 FGNSB 10-OCT-2021 11.244 FGNSB 16-OCT-2021 10.296 FGNSB 13-NOV-2021 13.390 FGNSB 14-NOV-2021 9.091 FGNSB 11-DEC-2021

Price

Yield

BILLS Change (%)

MATURITY

OTC FX F U T U R E S

Discount Yield

Change (%)

100.08

2.85

0.00

NTB 14-Oct-21

2.88

2.88

0.00

100.20

2.92

0.00

NTB 28-Oct-21

3.04

3.04

0.00

100.70

3.25

0.00

NTB 11-Nov-21

3.20

3.21

0.00

101.04

3.26

0.00

NTB 25-Nov-21

3.36

3.37

0.00

NTB 13-Jan-22

3.92

3.96

100.97

3.59

CONTRACT TENOR (MONTH) 1

Contract

Current Rate ($/₦)

NGUS OCT 27 2021 420.93

2

NGUS NOV 24 2021 422.38

3

NGUS DEC 29 2021 423.83

0.00

4

NGUS JAN 26 2022 425.28

0.00

5

NGUS FEB 23 2022 426.73

C Ps MATURITY

Discount Yield

Change (%)

CMBL CP XV 11-OCT-21 UBNP CP VIII 18-OCT-21 CMBL CP XII 31-OCT-21 CMBL CP XVII 15-NOV-21 FSDH CP III 16NOV-21

6.27

6.27

0.00

7.91

7.93

0.00

4.14

4.16

0.00

5.15

5.18

0.00

6.52

6.57

0.00

22

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

REWARD FOR SHAREHOLDERS…

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Vetiva Capital Management Limited, Chuka Eseka; Chief Executive Officer, Ardova Plc, Mr. Olumide Adeosun; Chief Financial Officer, Ardova Plc, Mr. Moshood Olajide and ED, Corporate And Transactional Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr. Eric Fajemisin during the signing ceremony for the Ardova Plc N25.3bn series 1 Bond issuance held in Lagos… recently

ATU Boss: Lack of ICT Skills Affected Africa’s Response to Covid-19 Gilbert Ekugbe Africa’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic was greatly hampered by the shortage of digital skills across its countries, Secretary-General of the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), Mr. John Omo has said.

Omo who stated this while speaking at the Digital Africa Summit hosted by Huawei Technologies, which took place during AfricaCom 2021, pointed out that COVID-19 illustrated how wide the skills gap is in Africa.

According to him, “It was not just the lack of access to technology, which led to African economies falling behind during the pandemic, but also the lack of skills,” he said. “This situation provoked the realisation that as much as we must increase coverage, we must address the skills among youth.”

Africacom has for over 24 years being the largest connecting point for business leaders, tech experts, policymakers, and investors at the forefront of Africa’s digital transformation.

Speakers at the event engaged on Africa’s digital transformation, the strides made during the Covid 19 pandemic and the path still ahead, agreeing broadly that while Africa has come far in the past 18 months in its digital transformation, there is still much potential to fully embrace digital transformation and equip the continent’s youth with the skills they need to thrive in a digital economy.

According to VP, Huawei Southern Africa, Yang Chen, the digital economy already accounts

for more than five percent of GDP in some African countries and that number could be more than doubled in countries that take a committed approach to digital transformation.

Nigeria is one of the countries with the highest ICT contribution to the GDP on the continent. Recently, the minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami disclosed that the ICT sector contributed 17.9% to the Nigerian economy in second quarter of 2021.

On his part, Deputy Director of Industry and Planning Research Institute CAICT, Chen Hui said the overall digital economy accounts for 38.6% of China’s GDP and employs more than 200-million people.

“Digitalisation spurs the development of new industries such as ecommerce and e-Government. It also disrupts existing industries to ensure lower costs and higher productivity and can empower emerging technologies like renewable energy.

Digital technologies also increase

economic resilience against shocks like COVID-19.

“Achieving this transformation, however, means going beyond simply adapting and evolving new technologies to old ways of doing things. It requires a full commitment to a ground-up transformation without delay. When it comes to seeing the benefits of taking this fully committed approach to digital transformation, African leaders can look to examples from their own continent as well as further abroad, ”he said.

Agricorp Invests N4bn to Close Nigeria’s Poultry Production Deficit Oluchi Chibuzor Agricorp International, one of Nigeria’s fast growing agriculture producing, processing and export companies has said it invested N4 billion into acquiring poultry production facilities across three states in the country.

The move, according to the firm, would see the company deepen its portfolio in the value chain to include livestock production, processing and eventual export while providing employment and contributing to reducing the poultry meat deficit in Nigeria.

According to Agricorp’s CoFounder and CEO, Kenneth Obiajulu, “The rising inflation rate in food and agricultural produce poses a challenge that stares us in the face.

Our dependence on imported food items also contributes to the pressure on foreign exchange.

“Investing N4 billion in 142 poultry pens across Kwara, Kogi and Nasarawa states will boost local poultry production by at least

3 million poultry birds per annum.

At kickoff, the project will create a minimum of 1,500 jobs and contribute slightly to easing the pressure on foreign exchange caused by the importation of poultry into the country,” he said.

Meanwhile, the firm noted that since its launch in 2018, Agricorp has specialised in the production and

processing of spices through which it has empowered over 5000 smallholder farmers and helped increase their income by about 20 percent while providing them with better market access to sell their farm produce.

On his part, Agricorp’s Co-Founder, Wale Omotimirin, said, “This is a massive project for the business. We have an ambitious goal to produce 40

million poultry birds by 2025, which will represent approximately 4% of the projected annual demand.

“We have demonstrated good faith by making our first commitment and investment. By Q2 2022, we will commence the second phase of deploying additional resources to hit two times our current capacity. We are taking on the mandate to help

improve the economy the best way we know how to - through agriculture.

“It is now ready to open an opportunity for more Nigerian youths to join the agricultural value chain by providing them with the requisite skills and capacity needed through ‘Project Eclipse 2025’, its poultry development program.”

“Over the next four years,

Agricorp will be building over 1,000 poultry pens with a projected capacity of 10,000 birds each. This will strengthen Agricorp’s ability to produce its targeted 40 million poultry birds by 2025 and build the local capacity of Nigerians by creating entrepreneurial opportunities which is critical to achieving these goals,” Omotimirin said.

Microsoft Empowers Nigeria’s Financial Services Providers for Digital Transformation Emma Okonji Microsoft, on Wednesday, hosted a virtual digital transformation roundtable for financial services industry (FSI), where it unpacked its digital transformation initiative to accelerate meaningful transformation for Nigeria’s financial services providers (FSPs).

Marketing and Operations Director for Microsoft Middle East and Africa, Hoda Younan, who

disclosed the initiative during the virtual roundtable, said Microsoft would empower Africa’s FSPs by bringing together existing and new industry capabilities to deliver a more seamless, customised cloudbased experience.

According to Younan, “With deep security and compliance built in to meet the needs of the FSI, the proposed digital transformation roadmap futureproofs FSPs as they continue to

manage unprecedented risks and grow rapidly with innovative business models.”

With the targeted solution, Microsoft has already helped many FSPs successfully embrace change and unlock new value creation on their digital transformation journey.

Recently, the African Financial Industry Barometer (AFIB) revealed that nearly 72 per cent of banks have already launched digitalisation

programmes as a priority for the year ahead. However, most of those surveyed feel that their digital maturity is still at the emerging stage, and these FSPs need to accelerate transformation as a business priority.

Younan, however, further said: “These organisations view transformation as a journey that supports their staff to create the value the organisation seeks. These businesses access this value by

defining a clear vision and strategy, creating a collaborative company culture, and understanding their unique potential and capabilities, before turning to technology to transform the way the work. Put simply, technology is the tool.

People are the focus. And more value is the outcome.”

Country Manager for Microsoft Nigeria, Ola Williams, notes that there are several factors driving this urgency to digitise.

FCCPC: PURCHASING TRANSFORMERS, POLES, OTHERS NOT RESPONSIBILITY OF ELECTRICITY CONSUMERS

Group Business Editor Eromosele Abiodun Comms/e-Business Editor Emma Okonji Aviation Editor Chinedu Eze Asst. Editor, Money Market Nume Ekeghe Senior Correspondent Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents James Emejo (Finance) Ebere Nwoji (Insurance) Chineme Okafo (Energy) Emmanuel Addeh (Energy) Reporters Nosa Alekhuogie (ICT) Peter Uzoho (Energy) Ugo Aliogo (Development)

Also, a top official of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), Mr. Akinbadejo Akinleye, while speaking, noted that the agency’s officers were always striving to ensure the maintenance of quality in electricity management in the country.

One of the displeased consumers of BEDC, Daniel Ikhanaede, lamented having about four days of electricity supply in a month, in a small residential apartment in Benin, only to receive outrageous bill of over N200,000, while describing as ridiculous, not being

supplied with pre-paid meters.

Another customer, Peter Asekhaino, a lawyer, who is the Legal Adviser to Hotel Proprietors Association of Nigeria, Edo state chapter, disclosed that he earlier wrote over forty complaint letters, on behalf of his clients, to BEDC’s

head office in Benin, without response.

Asekhaino who tendered photocopies of letters not replied, particularly on overbilling and high tariffs, wondered why a hotel’s monthly bill would suddenly jump from N900,000 to over N6 million.

Speaking in the same vein, an aggrieved elderly customer, Pa Vincent Igbinosu, lamented the irregular supply of electricity to his house in the Edo state capital, while monthly, receiving crazy bills, which he said should be looked into.

also save the airline money in addition to the fact that in the first five years, the manufacturers may be providing the spares for the new equipment.

Commending the patronage of Overland Airways, Embraer Commercial Aviation Vice-president for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Cesar Pereira noted: “We are proud of this partnership with Overland and to support their regional expansion. We are seeing growing long-term demand for right sized aircraft to deliver profitable domestic

connections in Nigeria.”

On his part, the Chief Commercial Officer of Airbus, Mr Christian Scherer said, “We are thrilled to add Ibom Air as a new Airbus customer. The A220 is ideally suited to Nigeria’s aviation needs, providing operational flexibility, growing the business, and responding to demand for increased passenger services.

Through this investment, Ibom Air is underscoring its ambition for regional and in due course, international connectivity, efficiency and versatility.”

AIRLINES MOVES TO CUT COSTS OF OPERATIONS, TO ACQUIRE NEW FLEET lower, it is much easier. You can fly routes that and still come out even when you don’t have too many passengers. In addition to that, another factor we don’t realise, this new aircraft are environment friendly, less noise, less pollution,” he said.

Air Peace, Overland and Ibom Air acquired regional jets for the short and medium haul, which fit for domestic and regional markets like the West Coast.

While the airlines have to be commended for acquiring brand

new aircraft, it has to be noted that old aircraft that are airworthy deliver as efficiently as brand new fleet.

This was noted by industry stakeholder and the Chairman of West Link Airlines, Captain Ibrahim Mshelia who argued that in technical terms brand new aircraft is as good as old ones.

“A brand new aircraft is same as an older aircraft in technical terms.

An airworthy 30-year-old aircraft is same as an airworthy one-day aircraft in terms of the safety we require. Age is about the comfort

features for passenger and crew and update that are mandatory are also done at the right times to remain airworthy. Many if not most people are afraid of flying here, anyway.

They are so frightened the moment they enter the cabin to the point some can’t even find an obvious overhead hatch rack door handle,” he said.

But brand new aircraft does not only make economic sense because it is more fuel efficient, but there would be no heavy maintenance for a number of years, which would

T H I S D AY ˾ FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021

23

BUSINESSWORLD

AIR WATCH

Enugu Airport Prepares for Passenger, Cargo Surge at Yuletide Chinedu Eze The Akanu Ibiam International Airport is one of the airports that would receive increased passenger and cargo movement this Yuletide season, as air travellers from different parts of the country and overseas travel to the countryside for the holiday.

According to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), at the end of every year, airports in South East and South South parts of the country record over 40 per cent increase in passenger traffic.

During this period, airlines increase their frequencies to the airports located in Benin, Calabar, Asaba, Enugu, Owerri, Port Harcourt, Uyo and Warri and there is also hike in airfares, as there is increase in ticket demand.

THISDAY spoke to the Enugu

Airport Manager, Mrs. Cecilia Ogwuama, who said that the management of FAAN at the airport has put things in place to host more passengers in December.

She said the airlines that operate to the airport have already increased their flights for the Yuletide season and during that period aircraft would have high load factor so the airport management has put things in place to prepare for the upsurge.

Ogwuama also told THISDAY that she had held meeting with security agencies that work at the airport on how to protect the passengers during the period.

“In getting prepared to welcome more passengers during the Christmas season we have procured more seats for travellers, improved the public address system and we have also provided two boarding

areas,” she said.

The Airport Manager also disclosed that Ethiopian Airlines, which conducts the only international flights to the airport, has indicated that it would increase its frequency to daily flights in order to meet the demand of travellers from all over the world that head to Nigeria and Enugu during the period.

“So we have looked at the schedule and how to manage our existing space.

Ethiopian Airlines has told us that towards the end of November its flight would come with full passenger and cargo load. We are prepared to welcome them,” she added.

THISDAY learnt that the international terminal being built at the airport has reached 65 per cent completion and may become ready for operation in 2022.

Reps Mulls Single Security Administration for Airports

South African Gastronomy Delights at NANTA Eminent Awards South African gastronomy took center stage at the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) Eminent Awards ceremony, which took place at the International Convention Centre, Abuja.

At the award ceremony during which SA Tourism Nigeria won Best Intra - Africa Tourism Agency, guests were treated to South African gastronomic delights of fine cuisines and choice wines.

“The guests were feted with tasty Bobotie, a traditional meatloaf and one of the most delicious recipes out of the Cape, a fantastic mix of flavors, fruity and spiced minced meat dish covered with creamy egg custard and Melktert, which is a milk tart washed down with exotic South African wines,” the agency said in a statement.

The event was attended by key stakeholders of the travel industry and eminent personalities including the Governor of Kano, AbdullahiUmar Ganduje, Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, among other prominent guests who had the opportunity of experience the delicious and aromatic South African tasty dishes and wines.

South Africa Tourism won Best Intra-Africa Tourism Agency, for its contributions towards encouraging, supporting, and improving travel relationship between Nigeria and South Africa.

The award was received by Trade Relations Manager, Mohammed Tankoand Marketing and Communications Manager, Atinuke Jose of South African Tourism.

Presenting the award,

NANTA President, Susan Akporiaye, in her speech, commended South Africa Tourism West Africa for its partnership and support in promoting mutual relationships between Nigeria and South Africa.

She remarked that because of this relationship a lot of South Africans have visited Nigeria and Nigerians now see South Africa as a second home”.

In a recorded video message

by South Africa Tourism West Africa, Regional Hub Head, Thekiso Rakolojane, stated that South Africa is ready to receive travelers from Nigeria, adding that Team South Africa is committed to opening up conversation around various travels to South Africa in partnership with the travel trade to ensure transparency and better service delivery.

Kangiwa to Speak at 17th Akwaaba Travel Market Director General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Turaki Nura Kangiwa, would be the Guest Speaker at this year’s Hospitality Day on the 30th of November of the Akwaaba Africa Travel Market.

Kangiwa would be supported by the Special Guest, the Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe.

Statement from the orgerniser of Akwaaba stated that NIHOTOUR was a pioneer exhibitor at Akwaaba African Travel Market in 2004 and the past Director Generak, Alhaji Munzali Dantata was a guest at Akwaaba.

Recently Akwaaba went into a partnership with NIHOTOUR for the training of tourism professionals in

Nigeria (NTSC).

“The two-day travel market would have exhibitors from Dubai, Ghana, Gambia, Nigeria and East Africa. It will be smaller in size than the 2019 edition as organisers seek to impose Covid19 Protocols on the event. The Hospitality day is making a comeback to Akwaaba as it was last held in 2016. At this Year’s Hospitality Day various issues will be treated by experts.”

“Turaki Nura Kangiwa will speak on “How to Scale Hospitality Training to Meet International Standards”. A Panel that will include Tana Forsueloof Wavecrest, Victor Kayode of NHCI and Justina Ovat – President Women in Hospitality Nigeria will treat the Topic appropriately,” the statement said.

Professor Wasiu Babalola, Senior Vice President for

Africa, Continent Worldwide Hotels, Eric Anderson the Commissioner of Tourism Cross River State Mr. Ini Akpabio Chairman Akwa Ibom Hotel and Tourism Board and Princess Adenike Adedoyin the Permanent Secretary Lagos State Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture would participate at the event.

The African Travel Market will begin on November 29 with the Youth Tourism Panel. The panel consists of the champions and pioneers of domestic tourism in Nigeria. They are expected to share their experiences on how they started and how they survived the challenges and the future plans.

The panel will have the Pioneer of Instagram Tourism Promotions in Nigeria, Chiamaka Obuekwe, CEO of Social Prefect Tours.

Chinedu Eze The House of Representatives is spearheading a major reform of the nation’s international airports in support of the federal government’s Ease of Doing Business, (EODB) initiative that would usher in a single security screening point for arriving and departing passengers.

Currently there are many security operatives including the Nigerian Customs Services, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Nigerian Quarantine Service, the Nigerian Immigration Service, Department of State Security (DSS), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Aviation Security (AVSEC), Nigeria Air Force and the Nigeria Police.

House of Representatives said the campaign for one security apparatus followed the outcome of the meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, House Committee on Aviation, Committee Chairman on Health that of Agriculture Services and other relevant Committees’ Chairmen on which also included the leaderships of all the agencies operating at the airports and the Special Adviser to the President on the Ease of Doing Business, Dr Jumoke Oduwole.

THISDAY gathered that the end of the crucial interaction which lasted for hours, Gbajabiamila, based on the contributions from the stakeholders on how to achieve international best practices, urged the Chairman of the Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji and other relevant Committees’ Chairmen to work with the heads of the aviation agencies to come up within two weeks a Bill that would ensure a single security outfit similar to Transport Security Administration, (TSA) in United d States of America that would take charge of security at the airports.

He also said that the menace of touting and extortion at the airports must be tackled squarely with more stringent measures, adding that the problems remained unabated because there were no severe consequences.

The Speaker stressed that traveling through the airports must be made as seamless as possible noting that the level of stress and discomfort travelers go through at the nation’s prime gateways must be eliminated.

“Our airports must give travelers the comfort they deserve, the facilities must work”, he added noting that situation must change forthwith.

The Chairman of the Committee on Aviation Hon. Nnaji had also noted that federal government’s intervention was needed urgently to help FAAN fix the aging infrastructure at the various airports especially Lagos and Abuja, which are the major gateways.

Nnaji’s appeal was sequel to an earlier explanation by the FAAN Managing Director, Captain Rabiu Yadudu that the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, which is over 43 years old required total overhaul because all the facilities had been overstretched beyond their life span.

He also disclosed that the airport generates 70 percent of the authority’s total annual revenue.

Also in her comments, the Special Adviser to the President on the Ease of Doing Business, Dr Oduwole expressed appreciation to the leadership of the House of Representatives and the Aviation Committee Chairman Nnolim Nnaji for the initiative,

adding that the situations at the nation’s prime gateways remained a huge embarrassment to the country.

The Speaker had directed the Chairman, Housing of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nnaji to invite the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN) Captain RabiuYadudu, the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA), Captain Musa Nuhu and the leaderships of all the agencies involved in facilitation of passengers and goods at the airports, including the Special Assistant to the President on Ease of Doing Business, DrOduwole to discuss the issues of touting and extortions at the airports.

The agencies invited for the meeting were the Nigeria Police, the Nigerian Immigration Services, the Nigeria Customs, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control, (NCDC), the Port Health, the Plant Quarantine Services among others.

Reacting to this move, aviation security expert and the CEO of Centurion Securities, Group Captain John Ojikutu called for the establishment of national aviation security agency to control government security agencies operating at the airport within civil aviation defence layers.

“Nigeria can follow the examples of nations that have created autonomous aviation security agency at their airports by establishing agency similar to the USA Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to be known as National Air Transport Security Agency (NATSA).

The agency if established, should have control and authority over the operations and administration of government border security agencies like the Customs, Immigrations, NDLEA in addition to supervisory authority over the Police, Airport security, SSS, etc. The agency must also have mandate to approve airport plans and any building construction and reconstructions, coordinate criminal checks and fingerprints of all airport employees, fund the provision of basic and advanced security equipment for all airport and train staff to screen passengers and their luggage, while it would be the responsibility of the individual airport management to fund all other improvement not related to airport security,” he said.

Also the aviation think-tank group, Aviation Round Table (ART), has backed the move of the National Assembly and stressed that what currently obtains is a disgrace to the nation and one reason for the numerous embarrassment, especially on social media.

The body said that the centralisation of security screening checkpoints at the nation’s airports would trump the current multiple checks by various security agencies.

President of ART, Dr. Gabriel Olowo lamented that despite the Ease-of-Doing-Business initiative of the federal government, myriads of security points at the airports have made nonsense of the policy, stating that this has frustrated the implementation of the law.

“The Gbajabiamila House of Representatives is thinking of giving Nigeria something close to TSA. That is sharing security information and just having one security checkpoint at the airports. That is cheery news for me and the entire body of ART is throwing its weight totally behind this.

24

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021 ˾ T H I S D AY

BUSINESSWORLD

AVIATION

Domestic Carriers: Breaking the Jinx of Short-term Existence The major challenge domestic carriers face is their short life span, which is a major factor attributed to poor air transport system in Nigeria. Chinedu Eze writes that without long life span, the country’s airlines cannot grow, create good jobs, achieve high maintenance status and contribute significantly to nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

M

any industry stakeholders, including operators and analysts, have at different fora, brainstormed on how Nigerian airlines can grow, what is inhibiting their growth and factors responsible for their short life span. Many attributed some of the factors to airlines, while others attributed it to policy summersault among other factors.

But many industry observers agree that the Nigerian environment is too harsh for successful airline operation and that explains why Nigerian carriers experience short life span. Ironically, foreign airlines see Nigerian destination as the most lucrative and most competed for in the African continent. So why is it that Nigerian airlines do not operate successfully and rarely have successful international operation?

Industry analysts have pointed out key factors that contribute to poor performance of Nigerian airlines, which include the fact that major maintenance checks are done overseas, aviation fuel prices price fluctuates without warning and there could be periods of scarcity. Moving the product to the airport is fraught with difficulties and delays because even the busiest Nigerian airport, the Lagos airport has no fuel hydrants at the airside.

They also noted that lack of synergy between aviation agencies and airlines has its own contribution, remarking that aviation agency like the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), which is a service provider and host to the airlines does not offer incentives to airlines like insurance cover for bird strike, damage to the aircraft by airside operators like drivers and others. The airlines bear the brunt of such excesses and deficiencies.

COST OF MAINTENANCE

Former Managing Director of Ethiopian Airlines International Operations and currently Vice President, Ethiopian Cargo, Esayas WoldeMariamHailu once noted that it would be extremely difficult for an airline that maintains its aircraft overseas to operate profitably.

Ferrying aircraft overseas is very costly because in addition to the actual maintenance cost, the airline would have to pay for the ferrying of the aircraft, cost of pilots allowances, accommodation, parking charges and in the case of Nigeria, it is done at a huge exchange rate, considering the disparity in the value of the naira and other major currencies of the world.

Hailu said, “MRO is very important because aviation without MRO is incomplete. This is because the aircraft needs to be maintained, it has Achecks between every circle and then B and C checks are there. If we depend for our aircraft checks with other aircraft maintenance facilities and other things, they will be charging us hands and legs and it is not going to be sustainable. So we need to be very careful about being self-sustaining when it comes to maintenance. And as we earlier said safety is paramount so the maintenance needs to be regarded very importantly,” he said.

Industry observers agree that this is one major reason why Nigerian airlines find it difficult to make profit in their operation and while they do not exist for a long time. There are other factors, which include operating

old equipment, which demands more money for maintenance, difficulty in the acquisition of spares, relatively low airfares due to the poor purchasing power of Nigerian travellers and government policies that are inimical to profitable flight operations like multi-designation of international airlines.

BREAKING THE JINX

While many airlines have operated and gone under within average age of 10 years, Aero Contractors has remained the oldest with about 61 years of existence and 21 years as scheduled operator. This is followed by Overland Airways, which started in 2002, but many others that came after these airlines have gone under that today we have Dana Air, Arik Air, which are over 10 years old and Air Peace, which just clocked seven years. Industry observers are of the view that Air Peace holds the hope to be long-term major carrier in Nigeria.

When Air Peace started operation in 2014 with seven aircraft, not a few were sceptical about the future of the airline, looking with hindsight what happened to others before it and after. But at that time, it was the first airline in a long time that started with up to seven aircraft. That was surprising. It did not take time before the airline began to add more aircraft in its fleet. The airline has now become a beckon of hope to Nigerian travellers with its increase in aircraft capacity and the acquisition of brand new fleet.

ROUTE DEVELOPMENT

From all indications, it was obvious that from before Air Peace started flight operations, the management had in mind to connect every part of the country. That explained why the airline zeroed in to acquire more aircraft and from Boeing B737 to small-body aircraft, Embraer ERJ 145, a 50-seater aircraft for the short-haul and now the brand new Embraer E195-E2.

Recently Air Peace extended its wings to three new destinations- Ibadan in South West Nigeria, Gombe in North East Nigeria and Douala in Francophone West Africa.

Spokesman of the airline, Stanley Olisa said Air Peace was on a determined mission to ease the burden of air travel in Africa, with its exemplary no-city-left-behind initiative, which has seen it open more routes than any other indigenous airline.

“Considering the Leviathan milestones that the airline has made, it is incredible to many that Air Peace has been around for just about seven years.

With these newly launched routes, Air Peace now boasts of 19 domestic routes, six regional routes and two international destinations, with numerous strategic connections locally, in response to the needs of the Nigerian flying public. It is evident that the airline is providing a huge succour to Nigerian air travellers by plugging the lacunas in the nation’s air transportation,” he said.

The airline currently employs about 4, 000 personnel and has embarked on many corporate social activities to support Nigeria and Nigerians.

But the creation of jobs is very critical that industry stakeholders said the airline, like other domestic carriers, deserve incentive from government to continue to sustain its operations to retain and even increase its workforce, as the highest employer among the airlines.

BUILDING STRONG CARRIER

Commenting on the future of the airline, the CEO of Mainstream Cargo Limited, Seyi Adewale, said Air Peace Limited has done very well and has proven the followings in the first instance: that it is possible for a wholly owned Nigerian airline to operate successfully despite the difficult aviation terrain; that through the vision, passion, commitment, professionalism and national pride of one man (in this case Barr. Allen Onyema) an airline can prosper and be dogged to succeed and that it is possible to connect all the dots (states and region) through a well thought out partnerships and deliberate strategy.

Adewale also stated that the airline has also proven that a Nigerian airliner could be disciplined in its aircraft maintenance culture; that it is possible to be faithful to its financial partners, investors and most especially bankers in meeting financial obligations as at when due. He said it maintains leadership in the aviation space whereby many entrepreneurs (investors) are inspired to toe the line, model and success of Air Peace and that there are opportunities for Nigerian airliners to venture into the very difficult terrain of long haul flights.

He also observed that the airline has been able to retain many of the workers that started off with it at the onset, attracted and retained high flyers and built and trained a competent workforce.

“Lastly, that Nigerian passengers deserve the very best so Air Peace procured 13 brand new Embraer E195-E2 aircraft into its fleet and four of that have already been delivered. My candid suggestion to Air Peace management is to know that there are different business horizons and that each horizon needs new thinking and corporate strategy. Air Peace is in a new horizon and needs to reappraise itself, renew its vision and business model in order to meet today’s needs and challenges.

“In addition, Air Peace should work on building/ developing loyalty to its brand from staff and business partners. With this, the airline will build a legacy. The next hurdle / milestone for Air Peace is to cross the mean longevity of airlines in Nigeria which is in about 3-4 years time in flying colors,” Adewale said.

PROGRESS AIRLINES

FOR

DOMESTIC

The Managing Director of Flight Logistics Solutions, Amos Akpan told THISDAY that for

domestic airlines to succeed there should be marked progress in their operation.

“Progress for domestic airline means increased patronage which also means increased flight frequency and provision of more capacity. There are routes to establish, more aircraft to deploy, more training of personnel, improved quality of service.

“Air Peace filled the vacuum left by Arik Air in terms of domestic air links. Air Peace has increased the number of airports actively receiving flights in Nigeria.

Air Peace has to continue to liaise with NCAA (the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority) to remain compliant with regulations. In addition, Air Peace has to do more of finding out what the traveling public wants from them and find ways to satisfy them. On-time departures and arrivals are very important to the Nigerian traveller.

Ease of flight reservation and check-in for flight is important. Management of passenger emotions is very important because the environment is very unfriendly to the passenger and the airline,” he said.

WHY NIGERIAN AIRLINES FAIL

The Chief Operating Officer of TAL Helicopters, Femi Adeniji, pointed out key factors that make Nigerian airlines fail. He said that government sees airlines as big boys business, not an economy development business for the country, noting that there are no support from the government in benefits such as tax credits, tax exemption for new business like five years tax free in USA, Customs waivers on import of aircraft for commercial aircraft, parts to support the operation, fuel tax exempt on commercial aircraft and others.

“On the airliners, the agencies such as NCAA seeing the airliners as cash cows, tries to make things difficult for you instead of supporting the existence of the airlines. There is also the issue of unstable Naira against dollars and high bank interest rate (double digit). Your business plan is based on certain exchange rate but unfortunately it ends up higher. Example, TAL started with the bank facility at $1.00/160.00, now the rate is $1.00/560.00 and the charges to the customers have not changed. This is where the government is expected to come in with a support supplements. The United States of America just supported the airlines with $8 billion. In Nigeria, it is nothing,” he said.

According to Adeniji, the solution to this is a complete overhaul of the NCAA with people who will understand airline business, a board that could take control of the work ethics of the agencies.

“The banks unwillingness to take risk due to their not understanding aviation industry, rendering 6-18 months moratorium as against 24- 30 months as being practiced by foreign counterpart. Airports are not operating 24/7; 0600 - 2000 hour if lucky; this is due to security concerns and inoperative of some airports equipment and lack of essential personnel,” he added.

Above all, industry experts have posited that whether an airline would succeed or fail is dependent on government. In other words, government holds the key to the survival of Air Peace and other domestic carriers.

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Nigeria’s Commitment Towards GHG Emission Reduction The task to reduce Green House Gas Emission is a global effort by member countries under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, but there are lots of questions about Nigeria’s preparedness towards the task, writes Ugo Aliogo from Glasgow, Scotland

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hen the Paris Agreement was adopted after the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2015, the 191 signatory countries to this historic agreement committed to taking action to limit the global average temperature rise due to climate change to well below 2 °C, and preferably below 1.5 °C. However, in the build-up to COP21, more than 160 countries submitted Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), setting out each country’s approach to reducing emissions and adapting to a changing climate. Since COP 21, countries have been invited to confirm these intentions by ratifying the Paris Agreement and submitting Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the UNFCCC. Nigeria’s INDC falls under the remit of the Nigeria Climate Change Policy and Response Strategy (NCCPRS) and focuses on the delivery of direct development benefits and sustainable economic growth whilst reducing GHG emissions and building resilience to climate change.

In 2021 at the COP26, Glasgow, Scotland, the conversation on reducing Green House Gas Emission (GHG) a took new perspective with world leaders, environmental activists, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to accelerate action in line with the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Among the derivatives of COP26 are four major takeways which included, ‘Securing Global Net Zero

by Mid-century and Keeping 1.5 Degrees Within Reach.’ Under the target, countries are urged to present ambitious 2030 emissions reductions targets (NDCs) that align with reaching net zero by the middle of the century.

To deliver on these stretching targets, countries will need to accelerate the phase-out of coal, encourage investment in renewables, curtail deforestation and speed up the switch to electric vehicles.

Secondly, the target is to ‘Adapt to protect communities and natural habitats.’ According to the organisers, the climate is already changing and it will continue to change even as we reduce emissions, with devastating effects. At COP26 there isa need to work together to encourage countries affected by climate change to protect and restore ecosystems, build defences, put warning systems in place and make infrastructure and agriculture more resilient to avoid loss of homes, livelihoods and lives.

Thirdly, the goal is to ‘Mobilise Finance’. This is important because to realise the first two goals, which calls on developing countries to deliver on their promise to raise at least $100 billion in climate finance per year. International financial institutions must play their part and we need to work towards unleashing the trillions in private and public sector finance required to secure global net zero.

There is also a commitment to ‘Deliver Together’.

The expectation is that countries can only rise to the challenges of climate change by working together. At COP26, member countries were urged to finalise the Paris Rulebook (the rules needed to implement the Paris Agreement), and turn their ambitions into action by accelerating collaborations between governments, Cooperate organizations and civil society organisations to deliver on climate change goals faster.

NIGERIA’S 2060 PROJECTION

NET-ZERO

For Nigeria, it was revealed that the nation plans to zero out carbon emissions by 2060 through its Energy Transition Plan for achieving net-zero emissions.

President Muhammadu Buhari made this pledge at the High-Level segment for Heads of State and Government.

In his speech, Buhari, whose address was expected to highlight Nigeria’s key priorities and action to tackle climate change as well as progress on the country’s transition to low carbon economy, consistent with achieving the Paris Climate Agreement, said: “Nigeria is committed to net zero by 2060”.

He further said: “For Nigeria, climate change is not about the perils of tomorrow but about what is happening today. In our lifetime, nature has gone from a vast expanse of biodiversity to a shadow of itself.

“We are investing in renewables, hydro-dams and solar projects. Nigeria is not looking to make the same mistakes that are being repeated for decades by others. We are looking for partners in innovation, technology and finance to make cleaner and more efficient use of all available resources to help make for a more stable transition in energy markets.

“The revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) has additional priority sectors. Water and waste, nature-based solutions, adaptions and resilience, vulnerability assessment and a clean cooking gender and green jobs assessment.”

“Nigeria has developed a detailed energy transition

plan and roadmap based on data and evidence.

This plan has highlighted some key facts that face the difficult conversations. Our transition plan also highlights the key role that gas must play in transitioning our economy across sectors.

“The data and evidence show that Nigeria can continue to use gas until 2040 without distracting from the goals of the Paris Agreement.

“Nigeria has an approved national action plan on gender and climate change. This document incorporates priority areas of our economic recovery and growth plan and nationally determined contributions.

“The implementation strategy for this national action plan has been developed. In a bid to commit to transitional change through climate policy, the revised national policy on climate change was approved in June 2021. This will enable us to implement mitigation measures and also strengthen adaption towards a sustainable climate resilient development pathway in Nigeria.”

NIGERIA GHG EMISSION

Nigeria’s latest GHG emissions estimates indicate around 2 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e) per capita, per year and the INDC projects that by 2030, under a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario, total emissions will grow by 114% to 900 million tCO2e (approximately 3.4 tCO2e per capita). The high-growth scenario projects 2030 emissions of over 1 billion tCO2e/year.

The conditional INDC target for 2030 aims to stabilise emissions at around 2 tCO2e per capita.

The INDC sets out a series of mitigation goals to be achieved by 2030, including, ending gas flaring by 2030; Deploying 13 GW of off-grid solar PV generation capacity; Installing efficient gas generators; Improving energy efficiency by 2% per year (30% by 2030); Achieving a shift in

transport use from private cars to buses; Improving the electricity grid; promoting climate-smart agriculture and reforestation.

ADAPTATION COMPONENT

Nigeria is highly vulnerable to climate change.

The 2014 World Climate Change Vulnerability Index classifies Nigeria as one of the 10 most vulnerable countries in the world. The NDC highlighted the following sectors that are projected to be affected by climate change: Economy: If no adaptation action is taken, 2-11% of Nigeria’s GDP could be lost by 2020. Food security: Agricultural productivity could decline 10-25% per cent by 2080. Water stress: A considerable share of the population is at risk; less than 40 per cent of the population has direct access to potable water. Flood risk: The 2012 floods were estimated to have caused N1.48 trillion (US$9.5 billion) in damages, about 2 per cent of the rebased GDP. Soil erosion: Recent increases in the incidence of landslides are likely to be exacerbated. Sea-level rise: An increase of 0.5-1 m by 2100 would result in the loss of 35-75 per cent of the Niger Delta.

The INDC refers to the National Adaptation Strategy and Plan of Action for Climate Change Nigeria (NASPACNN) as the key document on adaptation. The plan includes 13 sector-specific strategies, policies, programmes and measures.

Its stated objective is to reduce the impacts of climate change through adaptation measures to be undertaken by the federal, state, and local Government.

It is increasingly recognised that climate action by sub-national and non-state actors, including regional and local governments and businesses, is key to enhancing ambitions. There is significant potential for these actors to address climate

change and a variety of practical and cost-effective options for action exist.

LAGOS STATE COMMITMENT TO GHG

Strategies to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, as is required to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement, must be built on reliable climate evidence. Lagos has developed an emissions inventory to allow it to identify the areas and sectors with the highest potential for GHG emissions reduction, select transformative climate actions and accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon economy. Lagos State’s GHG emissions account for a large share of national emissions. Lagos’s large and growing population, rapid urbanisation and industrialisation result in high GHG emissions primarily from energy consumption, transport and waste. According to the 2015 GHG inventory, Lagos generated GHG emissions of 26,443,656 tCO2e in that year. The majority of emissions (55%) were generated by the stationary energy sector, followed by the waste (25%) and transport (20%) sectors. However, these results contain some uncertainty as data was not available for all relevant activities.

In his presentation at COP26, The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said the state government has begun the building of low carbon healthcare infrastructure facilities in the state.

He stated that the administration would build healthcare infrastructure that are 50 percent less carbon and 50 percent less energy dependent, adding that they are investing in renewable energy, “we are cooling down the buildings and we have special designers building our primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities.”

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

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THIS WEEKEND WEEKLY MAGAZINE

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

Hon. Stella Okotete’s Cosmopolitan Approach to Women Empowerment

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COVER

Hon. Stella Okotete’s Cosmopolitan Approach to Women Empowerment Stella Okotete is the Co-founder E ’Girls Right Foundation, Executive Director, Business Development of the Nigerian Export Import Bank and National Women Representatives of the All Progressives Congress.

Chiemelie Ezeobi writes on her zest in touching lives, empowering women in politics and business

T

he first thing that catches your fancy and attention when you meet her is her simplicity; evident from first, her decent and signature style of dressing with all parts of her body covered from head to toe. But you would behold her innocent face usually brightened with a smile.

Next would be her voice sounding like that of a baby or a teenager and you may have to strain your ears before you can hear her clearly, but beneath her softness and her mellifluous voice is a woman that is blessed with wisdom, brilliance and an unquantifiable milk of human kindness.

Stella Okotete, often referred to as the tigress of the Niger Delta is unassuming yet very courageous and can square up with anyone as long as she is convinced of the course even though her battles are usually on behalf of others.

Stella would not stand or watch you take what belongs to others. She cares for the lowly ones and sometimes during her engagement in businesses as the Executive Director, Business Development of Nigerian Export Import Bank (NEXIM) or as National Women Representative of the All Progressives Congress (APC), one would imagine how such a sophisticated lady would kiss, hug women that are unkempt and scruffy but she does so with joy.

To her, public service is not a title of affluence, but a call to serve and so she prefers to be called a servant, which reminds her daily of the need to proffer solutions, demonstrate leadership and not rob or oppress those she has been called to serve.

She once said: “For some it’s a career, an opportunity to make wealth and a platform for relevance but for me, it is completely different, it’s a calling and a divine assignment.”

Hon. Stella is the Co-Founder E ’Girls Right Foundation and an alumnus of Harvard Kennedy School Certificate program for Emerging Leaders, and the Lagos Business School (Pan-Atlantic University) Enterprise Development Centre program in Entrepreneurial Management.

She is an Honorary Senior Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, and also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Economists of Nigeria, the Institute of Management Consultants and the Institute of Corporate Administration a recipient of the Africa Humanitarian Initiative Awards. She possesses a Certificate in New Models of Business in Society from the University of Virginia, U.S.A and a Certificate of Risk Management in Banking Programme from INSEAD, Fontainebleau France.

Launch Of Progressive Women Academy “Girls are leaders. Girls are change-makers. Girls are driving good and growth around the world.

They are a fundamental source of transformational change for gender equality, and technology is a crucial tool to support their work, activism and leadership.”

Those were her words in October 2021 when the world celebrated the International Day of the Girl-child.

With the PWA, Okotete initiated a digital platform where lessons on leadership, business, and self- development can be taken. The beauty is that you learn at your own pace, from any location. The skills and knowledge will improve your business and career and personal / family life.

At the launch, representatives from all states of the federation were hosted for days where they interacted with each other and resource persons like the Minister of state for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor; Minister of state for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba; and Deputy Chief Whip of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Nkiruka Onyejeocha; were on ground to inspire the young ladies.

Interactions With Market Women Hardly is there any market in Abuja, Lagos or Delta that she has not visited. Infact, her allies are market leaders. Recently, she interacted with market women from the six geo-political zones and assured them of plan to further include them in the stream of things aimed at improving their wellbeing.

The traders, who numbered over 300, were quoted in a statement to be elated at the opportunity given to them by the women leader as they took turns to express their challenges and the way forward for them and their businesses.

Okotete reminded them that the meeting was an expression of love for Nigeria’s unity, expression

Okotete of love for their fellow women and for themselves and especially for those who were not physically present.

While reminding them that women are most affected by insecurity and insurgency in the land she urged them to pray for a united Nigeria for the sake of their children and the unborn ones.

“Our gathering here today is because of all of you and those market women who are not here today. I am here to listen to you and whatever you tell me here will form part of APC manifestoes in 2023. Let no one deceive you. APC is here to stay.

Now is the time to plant so that in 2023, we will harvest. “ I will ensure that your needs are captured. APC Government ensured feeding program for our children, Tradermoni for market women, social works and other skill acquisition programmes. We will continue to lobby and negotiate for more seats and empowerment for all of you so you can have a secured future,” she said.

Fusion of Philanthropy and Professionalism As the Executive Director of NEXIM Bank, Okotete and her team led by the Managing Director, Mr Abubakar A Bello, initiated products such as the ‘Women and Youth Export Facility’ as well as the ‘Small and Medium Export Enterprise Facility’, referenced to the Export Development Fund.

These products were developed out of her passion for job creation, industrialisation, and foreign exchange generation in line with the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) of President Muhammadu Buhari and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda, specifically poverty eradication, economic stability and gender equality.

She is currently developing export diversification initiatives to help upscale the nation’s non-oil export sector and increase foreign exchange earnings in line with the federal government’s diversification policy and programs.

Okotete continues to develop sustainable growth initiatives for the nation’s non-oil export

For some it’s a career, an opportunity to make wealth and a platform for relevance but for me, it is completely different, it’s a calling and a divine assignment

sector and remains steadfast in championing and advocating for the rights of the girl-child.

Mentorship Hon Okotete uses every avenue to lecture and mentor younger women. According to her, being sexy is possessing the full package: the brains, the drive, inner confidence, spiritual foundation, a positive attitude, proceeding through obstacles, making a positive contribution to the world, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

She preaches that women should always be a first-rate version of themselves, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else. Because the strongest force in the universe is a human being living consistently with his / her identity.

Okotete’s love and patriotism earned her the name, Buhari’s Daughter. The act of patriotism and feeling patriotic are things which will make for a stronger nation. Her words: “Not only will you be able to relate well to others in your shared love for this country but the more individuals who express their patriotic feelings, the stronger our country will be as a whole.

“Those who are patriotic will do what is right for our nation in the way of supporting efforts to make the country stronger and come together as a combined group with a common goal.

“That goal is to do what we can to keep the nation united and show solidarity for the good of our country Nigeria. When you are patriotic, you are dedicated and strong. You exude a special fortitude in showing your dedication to achieve goals in the best interest of the country.”

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ORÍKÌ Group Launches Premier Training Institute, Franchising Opportunity Stories by Mary Nnah Leading wellness and spa company, ORÍKÌ Group, has officially opened its world-class academy, the ORÍKÌ Training Institute (OTI), and unveiled franchising opportunities to support existing and intending industry practitioners across Africa.

The launch, which commemorates the sixth anniversary of the ORÍKÌ Group, held physically in Lagos recently was also hosted virtually with attendees from across the world.

Gracing the event were distinguished guests and speakers, including the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Mrs. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo; and SSA to President Muhammadu Buhari on Sustainable Development Goals, Mrs. Adejoke OrelopeAdefulire.

Among the private sector experts and industry leaders present were Chiagozie Nwizu, Executive Director, Africa Fran-

chise Institute (AFI); Dr. Dere Awosika, Chairman, Access Bank; Elaine Okeke Martin, President Spa and Wellness Association Africa; and Teju Abisoye, Executive Secretary, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund. All COVID-19 protocols were fully adhered to at the event.

According to the pace-setting spa and wellness group, franchisees will leverage ORÍKÌ’s solid business model, established brand appeal, expansive distribution network, broad product line, and innovative technological solutions to strategically position themselves in the spa and wellness industry whether as newcomers or existing players.

Furthermore, the OTI which is the first-of-its-kind indigenous training institute will offer comprehensive training and upskilling programs that will equip participants with the right knowledge to be their own boss.

“OTI will train thousands of individuals who want to start careers in the spa and wellness industry, thousands of mobile

ORÍKÌ Launch... First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, 2nd left, cutting the ribbon to mark the grand opening of the ORÍKÌ Training Institute franchisees who will join the home service team and pamper individuals in their homes and offices, and management teams of ORÍKÌ spa Franchisees,” said Joycee Awosika, Founder, and CEO of ORÍKÌ Group, adding that “we are contributing to

Women in Tech Explores Opportunities for Genderbalanced Tech Industry With a vision to contribute to empowering 5 million women in the technology space by 2030, Women in Tech (WIT), a global advocacy group that seeks to equip women with exceptional, global-standard technological skills, is gathering leading stakeholders in the international and Nigerian technology space to explore the opportunities to actualise increased women participation in the sector.

The Nigerian arm of WIT, a not-forprofit, global advocacy group for a gender-balanced tech ecosystem will hold its digital conference with the theme ‘Digitalising Gender Equality for Brighter Economies’ on Wednesday, November 24, 2021.

The event will also mark the official launch of the Nigerian chapter of the leading global technology advocacy group for gender rights.

The event will feature conversations from experts and key stakeholders from the technology industry where they will broadly discuss pertinent issues surrounding the actualisation of a gender-balanced tech ecosystem, up skilling women who are players in the tech space, attaining optimal participation of women in the industry, and tactfully proffer actionable solutions towards achieving a brighter economy.

Led by the Country Manager, Solape Akinpelu and Co-founder, HerVest, a women-focused and inclusive fintech platform, the digital conference will also kick-off the WIT Nigeria Makeathon, the inaugural advancement program of the firm which aims to empower 1,000 girls and women spread across rural and urban settlements in Nigeria over a period of four months by upskilling them with varying degrees of digi-

Women in Tech... Solape-Akinpelu tal, deep tech, and soft skills such as Product Design, Product Management, Software development, Data Science and Digital Marketing required within the technology ecosystem.

Commenting on the development, Solape Akinpelu said; “For the past four decades, the gender gap in tech has widened with only one woman in five people working in the industry today. With Women in Tech, we are helping to change this narrative as we continue to create newer ways to allow more women to embrace technology and take rewarding careers in the industry.

She added that the event would be an avenue to bring to the limelight, the essentiality of WIT in the life of Nigerian women.

The launch of Women in Tech in Nigeria would be the fourth chapter for the global initiative in Africa having launched across African nations such as Angola, Zambia and South Africa in recent times. This is asides the presence the initiative has in over 100 countries globally.

the Sustainable Development Goals 4, 5, and 8”.

ORÍKÌ is also on a mission to make entrepreneurs money through the franchise. The wellness industry is a lucrative one.

The World Economic Forum has estimated that 40 per cent

of the jobs created post-COVID will be in care.

In the next five years, the hope is for 1000 ORÍKÌ franchisees between physical locations and mobile franchisees Oriki is set to empower people and make money in this $128 Billion

industry.

In his keynote address, the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi emphasised the ministry’s commitment to supporting MSMEs in the country and future franchises.

Polo Avenue Collaborates Banke Kuku on Debut Runway Collection Africa’s leading destination for luxury fashion, PoloAvenue, has collaborated with Banke Kuku, elevated loungewear designer, to launch its SS22 collection at the Lagos Fashion and Design Week, 2021.

The “1970s” themed collection presents Banke Kuku’s debut runway showcase, and is inspired by the exceptional music, art, and culture of Nigeria in that decade.

This collaboration by Polo Avenue is in line with the brand’s commitment towards fostering growth and dynamism in the Nigerian andAfrican fashion industry by supporting and collaborating with exceptional budding fashion brands and talents.

Polo Avenue has a vision to deepen global appeal and demand for Nigeria’s outstanding fashion designers and their pieces, which is paramount to ensuring that Nigeria remains at the forefront of creativity, style, and

innovation.

According to Banke Kuku, the 1970s collection is inspired by the peaked levels of rich, artistic creativity of that decade in Nigeria.

Featuring a sophisticated fusion of silk and prints in pajamas sets, dresses, co-ords and separates, in this collection, the brand gives its Signature Monogram print a 70s makeover to symbolise the fashion elements of that era.

She adds a Flame print which is inspired by the traditional 70s motif; and the Queen print, which reveals the oil-impacted economic boom of that decade.

Speaking about the launch, Banke Kuku further stressed that, “In creating this collection, we worked very hard to push our boundaries while maintaining our brand’s purpose which is to create luxury loungewear that transitions to occasional wear.

“We wanted our Kuku Tribe to enjoy refined elegance through these pieces as we gradually ease out of the COVID-19 induced lockdowns and come into the festive season.

The launch of this collection is an exciting feat for us and is grateful to Polo Avenue for its support towards making this a success.”

Also commenting about the collaboration, Executive Director, Polo Avenue, Jennifer Obayuwana, said her company was proud to collaborate with Banke Kuku on her debut runway collection at the Lagos Fashion and Design Week, 2021, where she showcases opulent, multidimensional loungewear pieces that are referenced from the rich Nigerian heritage.

“At Polo Avenue, our passion remains to develop and promote African fashion and talent, who show excellence and top quality in their work.

Daughters of Destiny Marks 20th Anniversary with Divine Acceleration Twenty years ago, the wife of General Overseer of LoveBase Assembly, Festac Town, Lagos, Rev. (Mrs.) Ruth Iwunze, was divinely instructed to raise women that will do exploits in the Kingdom work.

This led her to establishing Daughters of Destiny, a group made up of Christian women who impact on one another physically, spiritually, morally and financially.

Given how tough it was when it started, as group marks 20 years with a colourful celebration to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the annual women convention, the founder, Rev Ruth expressed profound gratitude to God for His faithfulness and for sustaining the group all along.

Rev. Ruth Iwunze Billed to start from Thursday, November 25 to Sunday 28, at the main auditorium of the church, highlights of the event include a road walk followed by a cervical screening, distribution

of food items to the needy and so on.

During a briefing to intimate journalists on the forthcoming event, the lady cleric said: “When we started it was a humble beginning, we started from just six women but God kept increasing us every day.

“Looking back at everything, we have cause to appreciate God. 20 years is not easy at all,” she recalled.

She recalled further that Daughters of Destiny started a year after the church (LoveBase Assembly) started, adding, “God has been faithful. My marriage is stable and I’m enjoying a beautiful home, I have peace in my home, I have two lovely children that give me joy. It is God all the way”.

Prince Joel & Associates Unveils Owerri Office It was a gathering of legal practitioners, real estate practitioners, government officials, and business moguls as Dr. Prince Onwenieke WilliamsJoel and his legal team opened a new branch office Prince Joel & Associates (Onwenieke Chambers) in Owerri, Imo State recently.

The Senior Partner of the

firm, Dr. Prince O. WilliamsJoel narrated how they started private law practice in Lagos and the vision to expand across Nigeria which prompted the firm’s decision to open an Owerri branch, adding that the need to open a branch in Owerri was as a result of the integration of the commercial law practice in the eastern part

of the country.

“Our practice is well known in the real estate industry. We are offering legal support and retainer to a host of real estate companies in Lagos and we have done that over the years.

“Our clients can attest to our competency and curriculum over the years. We are happy and doing well in Lagos.

“ However, in recent times, most of our clients are moving to the eastern part of the country because the commercial law practice is fast growing. “ So, we took the initiative of institutionalising here to ensure proximity and our availability to attend to all their legal needs”, Williams-Joel said.

Acting head of chambers,

Mr Austin Nwankwo, in his welcome speech said the law firm is opened for business immediately and the focus will be on commercial law practice, real estate and infrastructure, corporate immigration services, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), civil and criminal litigations among other legal services.

The chairman of the occasion, His Royal Highness Ray Fintan, a traditional Prime Minister and Senator of Junior Chambers International, congratulated Williams-Joel while encouraging him along with his team to continue the good works and ensure compliance with professional regulations for lawyers in Nigeria.

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38

E-TRENDS

MUSIC SHOWBIZ

…Your weekly entertainment delight

NOLLYWOOD

Fashion Art Fusion Returns with a Photo Exhibition Stories by Vanessa Obioha The indigenous fashion show that marries fashion and other forms of art on the runway is returning this year with a photo exhibition that captures the beauty of Lagos. The exhibition titled ‘Lagos Shoreline’ will feature iconic photos of Dutch photographer Willem Vermeer.

“Vermeer has lived almost 20 years in Lagos and has been able to capture fantastic pictures of Lagos shoreline,” said the founder and creative director of Luzol, Austin Aimankhu.

For Luzol, the creative fashion brand behind the show, the exhibition is a way of promoting tourism in the state as the industry recovers from the battering of the coronavirus

pandemic. Reputed for its promotion of Nigerian fabrics, this year’s hybrid event which is in partnership with the Lagos State Government is tagged ‘Lagos Wear Nigeria’.

“We are trying to domesticate the Wear Nigeria campaign which is national. So this year, we are bringing it to Lagos to promote Nigerian art, fashion, style and textiles,” explained Aimankhu.

The runway will also feature poetry and dance.

Unlike in the past where tickets are sold for the runway event, Aimankhu revealed that the show is strictly by invitation and with strict compliance to Covid-19 protocols.

About 120 dignitaries are expected to grace the red carpet of the show at Oriental Hotel on Sunday, November 28, 2021.

Aimankhu on the runway of Fashion Arts Fusion

MultiChoice Reveals Festive Content Lineup, Unveils White Money as GOtv Ambassador The festive period will be an unforgettable holiday treat for DStv and GOtv subscribers as MultiChoice Nigeria announced a special festive lineup.

The wide range of added entertainment includes a dedicated holiday channel which will show, among others, live broadcasts of The AFRIMA Awards, which celebrates the rich musical heritage of the African continent on Sunday, November 21; The Experience, which is an annual gospel music concert on Friday, December 3; a night of powerful music with Unusual Praise on December 10; Akwa Ibom Christmas Carol on December 17; and The Lituation concert experience on Boxing Day. “As part of our commitment to ensure that our valued customers have an enriching entertainment experience, and as Africa’s most loved storyteller, we take the Festive season seriously and have a special line-up in store for everyone,” said Chief Executive Officer, MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe.

MultiChoice unveils WhiteMoney as GOtv Ambassador

In addition, viewers on DStv and GOtv will continue to be given un-

rivalled access to the most thrilling variety of sporting action anywhere

in the world such as the NFL and NBA on ESPN and ESPN 2. They will also enjoy SuperSport’s world-class coverage of the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, and UEFA Champions League, Europa League.

DStv customers will access the 2021 Formula 1 season finale with races in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi through November and December.

The Golf’s PGA Tour will see action from the RSM Classic, while tennis fans can enjoy the WTA Finals and ATP World Tour Finals. DStv customers will also get to watch the best fighting action with the UFC. GOtv customers are not left out, they get access to thrilling WWE action, which will feature pay-per-view events Survivor Series and TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs before the year is out – also available on DStv. Also during the week, the company unveiled WhiteMoney, winner of the BBNaija ‘Shine Ya Eye’ season

as GOtv ambassador. He is the second winner of the reality show to grab the deal that will see him serve for an undisclosed amount of time. His signing coincides with the brand’s 10th anniversary.

The leading entertainment company disclosed that a reality television show about WhiteMoney is in the works and will air across DStv and GOtv in 2022.

“This is a big deal coming from nothing,” Whitemoney revealed. “I went from a position where I was written off and only recognised for my looks to being a brand ambassador.”

The announcement follows the launch of the GOtv new package, GOtv Supa which focuses on an extensive catalogue of general entertainment channels available on DStv such as Honey, Africa Magic Urban, WWE, TLNovelas, Novela Magic, ROK, KIX, Nick Jr and NickToons worth N5,500.

RushingTap Studios to Improve ‘Movement-Japa’ Ep.3:Tough Local Content Production with Decisions Bad luck continues to trail the Innovative Solutions trio of Shina, Mimi and Osas

Interior of newly launched Rushing Tap Studios

Iyke Bede Rushing Tap Studios, a brainchild of co-founders Ayo Soyombo and Soji Ogunnaike, is keen on bolstering content production locally. At a recent launch, the dynamic disclosed that they are keen on creating the best production company to originate from Nigerian soils. The studio is set up to address major production hiccups by making available most resources within what they termed a production hub.

Fitted with three sound stages (10,000, 2,000, and 1,200 square ft. respectively), recording studios, conference rooms, green rooms, production rooms, and state of the art equipment that includes ARRI Alexa Mini, RED Gemini camera, etc., indeed, the studio located along KM 22, Lekki-Epe Expressway, is a one-stopshop for creatives.

According to Soyombo, What the studio offers is “allencompassing,” allowing

creatives to start and finish their production on one site.

“We have also taken into consideration the high inflation rates, and to that effect, created flexible packages for young creatives to maximise their potential using our various studio facilities,” he said.

Ogunnaike who has over 15 years of experience as a television and film director, reiterated that empowering creatives with much-needed facilities was a top priority, as well as positioning the venture to become a reference point for future creatives.

The well-attended launch was graced with the presence of important dignitaries like President of the Lagos Polo Club, Mr Ayoola Olashoju, and the Head of Service, Lagos State, Mr Hakeem Olayinka who stated that the core values of the studio mirror the essence of T.H.E.M.E.S. agenda adopted by the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to transform Lagos into a world-class economy.

in the third episode of the ‘Movement-Japa’ on Africa Magic Showcase. Having gotten Angela to buy into their kidnap plan when the former learnt about her stepmother’s plan to murder her, everything seems to work in their favour.

However, they are individually confronted with a dilemma. Mimi is forced to choose between her career and the kidnap when she receives a spam text about an audition. Trusting Angela, she leaves her to go to the venue of the audition only to realise the address is residential.

Osas and Shina on the other hand have to deal with fear. Afraid that Angela’s stepmother may disappoint them, the duo desperately tries to reach her. After several attempts, Osas decides to reach Mimi when he gets the news that she left Angela alone in the house. Panic sets in as he realises that their plan to leave the country may be in jeopardy. He forcefully drags Shina out of the bus to keep watch in the bush while he rushes home.

A fearful Shina is happy when he sees their victim’s mother dropping the money at the waste disposal truck

GUS contestants carry out a task

GUS12:IndividualTasksBegin ThisWeekend Gideon Okeke in ‘MovementJapa’

as agreed but the joy quickly dissipates when he sights a police officer and gets bathed in faeces.

The episode touches on how hope and fear drive our ambitions. Mimi is hopeful that she will land a big job and may not need to travel out to pursue her dreams, a fact Angela shares with her. Osas, although confident, is walking the tightrope of fear and hope as he pursues his ‘japa’ plans earnestly. Trusting blindly and the consequences serves as a subtext in the episode.

Was Mimi wrong in trusting Angela not to escape? And how will Osas handle her carelessness?

‘Movement-Japa’ is also available on Showmax.

After weeks of dueling as clans, the contestants of the ongoing Gulder Ultimate Search will begin to compete as individuals this weekend.

The anchor Toke Makinwa informed them in the 10th episode. However, there is a twist.

According to her, a new element, boomerang, is introduced. The council of elders have hidden boomerangs all around the jungle. These boomerangs signify a second chance for the contestants, and anyone who finds them must report it at the place of the talking drum. It also allows them to be voted back into the show if they are evicted. Osasere Agbonle of the Amo Clan is the first to find the boomerang.

While Oreva was evicted after Irin lost the Break the Tiles task,Amo Clan was saved from eviction as the Money in the Bank task wasn’t an eviction game.

The latter task required the clans to find two bags of piggy banks from the surrounding shrubbery. They were to build a barricade for their opponents in a way that makes it difficult for the opponents to pass the piggy bank to their members in the third stage of the game.

Having discovered their banks, the clans set to work.

The Irin clan built Iroko’s barricade while Iroko did Amo’s and the latter, Irin’s.

The catch of the game was for the clan to have the most piggy banks with money as not all the banks had money in them.

Amo was the first to exhaust their bags of piggy banks with nothing in the bank when it was broken. Irin was able to get only one piggy bank which contained a N500 note.

Iroko emerged as the winner as they had more money in their banks and took all the rewards for the night.

This year ’s nomination is a tight race for both famed and up-and-coming artists.

Most music buffs will keep their eyes peeled on the Artist of the Year which is one of the top honours of the continental award. The category boasts 11 talents out of which Nigeria occupied four slots: Omah Lay, Wizkid, Burna Boy

and Davido. It will be interesting to find out which of these artists take home the award on Sunday night which will also be televised.

During the week, AFRIMA announced that the automobile brand GAC Motor is the official transport partner while GREE Air Conditioner is the official cooling partner.

AFRIMA Weekend Begins Music lovers and stakeholders will be convening at Eko Hotels and Suites for the 2021 All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) this weekend. The three-day event officially kicks off today, November 19 with the African Music Business Summit (AMBS) at Eko Convention Centre.

AMBS is a platform for business networking and

interaction for artists, music professionals, executives, government officials and other stakeholders in the music, media and financial sectors within Africa.

The award ceremony will be held on Sunday, November 21 and will feature performances from African leading musicians.

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ART WEEKEND

…For pure art enthusiasts

At Ake Arts and Books Festival, Sterling Bank Backs Interdisciplinary Feast Despite its virtual nature, the 2021 edition of Ake Arts and Books Festival had a spectacular outing. With support from Sterling Bank, it features‘The Life and Times Series’event with Booker-Prize shortlist author, Maaza Mengiste, in a conversation with the festival headliner, Professor Abdulrazak Gurnah, the winner of the 2021 Nobel Prize for Literature. Yinka Olatunbosun writes

N

o fewer than 30 events made the 2021 edition of Ake Arts and Books Festival (AABF) a done deal.

Supported by Sterling Bank, its varied session included book chats, panel discussions, documentary and film screenings, a poetry video album, an art show-case and a music concert.

The festival saw five curated intergenerational conversations that reflected the 2021 festival theme ‘Generational Discordance.’

The latest Nobel Laureate and Tanzanian author, Abdulrazak Gurnah was the headliner for the Ake festival for obvious reasons.

Curiosity had sparked since he got the most prestigious literary prize and his contributions had also been at the centre of discourse among the literati.

Gurnah spoke about the invasion of East Africa noting that until recently, most conversations about colonial presence in Africa had always excluded Germany. The Nobel Laureate, however, used his prose as a medium to narrate how Germany established colonies in present-day Namibia, Cameroon, Togo, parts of Tanzania and Kenya as well as Rwanda and Burundi.

According to him, German colonial rule was as brutal as colonial enterprises were in an era known for its oppression and violence. The author in ‘Afterlives’ noted that it was Germany that perpetrated the first genocide of the 20th Century in 1904 and 1908 respectively. The genocide was part of a campaign of ethnic extermination and collective punishment waged by

Convener, Ake Book and Arts Festival, Lola Shoneyin

the German Empire against the Herero, the Name and the San in German South West Africa (now Namibia).

The convener, AABF, Lola Shoneyin acknowledged the support of Sterling Bank during her closing remarks. For her, Ake Festival is the envy of cultural entrepreneurs and organisations across the African continent. While reflecting on this year’s theme ‘Generational Discordance,’ Shoneyin observed that the internet has amplified generational differences in almost every area of African life. “From

relationships, love and marriage; spirituality and religion; gender and feminism to politics and activism, the differences in perspective are glaring. Where earlier generations of Africans are anchored on their cultural identities, our younger compatriots see themselves as a part of a globalised world. It is easy to assume that our aspirations are poles apart but they are not.

Africa cannot afford the luxury of endless culture wars,” she said.

Shoneyin called for engagement and communication asking stakeholders to eschew the

sensationalism and divisive influence of digital algorithms.

Abubakar Suleiman, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Sterling Bank Plc, said the bank’s continued support for Africa’s biggest literary festival hinges on the fact that education is one of the five sectors that the bank is currently investing in alongside other sectors such as health, agriculture, renewable energy and transportation.

Some of the books at the discourse session include ‘Bring Back Our Girls’

by Drew Hinshaw and Joe Parkinson; ‘Lionheart Girl’ by Yaba Badoe; ‘His Only Wife’ by Peace Medie; ‘Formation: The Making of Nigeria from Jihad to Amalgamation’ by Fola Fagbule and Feyi Fawehinmi; ‘Prince of Monkeys’ by Nnamdi Ehirim; ‘An Ordinary Wonder’ by Buki Papillon; ‘Butter Honey Pig Bread’ by Francesca Ekwuyasi; ‘Born in Blackness’

by NYT columnist Howard French; ‘When the Sky is Ready The Stars Will Appear’ by EC Osondu; ‘The Sex Lives of African Women’ by Nana Dorkoa Sekyiamah and ‘The Teller of Secrets’

by Bisi Adjapon.

Alongside the intergenerational conversations, panel discussions also focused on African crime-writing, conspiracy theories and healthcare; disability rights and repatriating Africa’s stolen treasures, with discussions moderated by Harper Collins’ (UK) Nancy Adimora, which explored ‘Of This Our Country,’ a new collection of essays and reflections by 24 Nigerian writers.

Virtual visitors enjoyed interviews with Denrele Sonariwo, the CEO, Rele Gallery and Ade Bantu, musician and Founder of Afropolitan Vibes.

Digging into Nigeria’s Maritime Potentials Yinka Olatunbosun Nigeria’s maritime goldmine-if properly harnessed- has enormous potentials. The very nature of the Nigerian economy, which is importdependent, as well as oil economy, boosts her export cargo. Even to bystanders in Nigeria’s state of affairs, this is an indication that the maritime industry will remain critical to the growth of the nation’s economy. The industry provides the government with the right platform to diversify the economy furnished with the capable of overtaking oil and gas’ contribution to the GDP of the country. To achieve that, a practical and holistic plan is required to address the issues challenging the industry...’’

That is how Greg Ogbeifun concludes the third chapter of his seminal book on Nigeria’s maritime life, ‘Potentials of Nigeria’s Maritime Economy’. Ogbeifun is a trained and seasoned practising maritime operator armed with the weight of knowledge and experience. Ogbeifun’s book strikes a familiar chord to many Nigerians. The maritime sector, like other sectors of Nigeria’s economic life, suffer similar if not worst neglect, poor regulatory and supportmandaterequiredtodrivethem to success for the country’s economic

Book cover

wellbeing.

The upside of diversifying the economy that a properly managed maritime life could achieve both for government and the citizenry is job creation and robust GDP that the government also lament about. But with the abysmal neglect of that sector, both its potential to create jobs and contribute to the country’s GDP are lost, just as foreign operators smile home with billions of dollars yearly

that could have accrued to local operators and government’s coffers.

Being a capital intensive business coupled with the difficulty of securing funding in Nigeria’s double digit lending rates, Ogbeifun argues that government has a large role to play to assist local investors in the maritime business, so they can compete with foreign operators. And he canvasses increased stakeholder

engagement during government’s policy formulation, so government is properly advised what path to follow, backed up with appropriate legal framework that drives the business, developing the nation’s steel industry as key to shipbuilding and repairs and provide electric power as well as guarantee fiscal incentives like tax holidays, avoid multiple taxation and extortionist policies.

Ogbeifun, who has successfully operated Starz Shipyard argues that there’s a dearth of skilled manpower in the maritime sector, because the training institutions in the country are poorly equipped.

Ogbeifun also states that while there are some shipyards or dockyards in the country operating, they are limited in scope and so ships go to neighbouring West African countries or Europe or Asia for repairs and shipbuilding. He estimates losses to Nigeria at US$500 million annually and laments that this is also another huge economy opportunity being lost to foreigners, because of the inability of Nigeria’s to tap into ship repairs alone. He blames some of these inadequacies on the lack of funding that operators in the sector face, urging the government to make the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund as established by the Cabotage Act of 2003 operational for local shipowners.

Autistic Artist, Kanye Dazzles at the New York Art Exhibition Yinka Olatunbosun Kanyechukwu Okeke fondly called Kanye, was amongst the list of prestigious artists from around the world exhibiting their works at the prestigious New York Art Exhibition. The show which took place at the popular Pier 36 Van Gogh auditorium in New York ran for four days last week. Artists from all over the world with majority based in North and Southern America states, showcased their works for art lovers to view and collect.

Kanyechukwu’s presence and participation caused such a huge buzz at the event because not only was he the youngest artiste to ever showcase works here, he is also one who is struggling with autism.

Through his abstract paintings, Kanye has over the years demonstrated that children living with autism can make a difference in the world when given adequate support.

Through the support Kanyechukwu has received from friends, family and institutions etc. His works have graced various galleries from Africa to Europe and now North America, thus drawing widespread commendation from his admirers.

The organizers of the event, the Redwood Media Group, US, showered praise upon praise on Kanyechukwu as they remarked that “this is one of the most creative children that they have ever seen, especially from Africa. His works are world-class and his strokes are well mastered. He will go a long way in the art world.”

Not done yet, Kanyechukwu in company of his parents and family, were accorded a welcome reception by the President of the UNICEF who on behalf of the organization received one of the artists paintings, a donation titled “Basket of Unity” to help spread awareness about the scourge of autism and the “no child left behind” campaign of the artists K.A.S foundation.

Perhaps, the highpoint of that reception was when Kanyeyachukwu upon requesting for painting materials, began and produced a painting right there in the conference room and presented it to the President of the UNICEF as a personal gift to the utter astonishment of all present.

The Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), Prof Muhammed Tijani -Bande who joined the President of UNICEF to receive the artist and his entourage said: “This is a young man who has produced wonderful works, notwithstanding what seems like a disability, and he has shown that with good nurturing and support, any child can make it.”

Tore Hattrem, the president of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in his remarks, declared that Kanyechukwu’s artworks are “outstanding” and that they send a clear message of hope that no child should or will be left behind. The reception and presentation rounded up with the presentation of the “no child left behind” official campaign Tshirt adorned with art works of the artist, to the UNICEF President and his team.

It was a showering of encomiums and praise, starting with the Consul General Amb Benayagha Bernard Mese Okoyen.

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Law Firm Partners NBA to Feed Inmates

By Vanessa Obioha An innovative and intermediary commercial law firm Lehi Attorneys based in Abuja recently brought smiles to the inmates at the Suleja Custodial Centre. As part of its social corporate responsibility, the firm partnered with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on the maiden edition of its Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) visit tagged ‘Food Drive’ Principal Partner of the law firm, Babayemi Olaniyan led the delegation comprising lawyers, partners and volunteers who were received

by ACC Ali Dayyabu Ali, the representative of the head of the custodial centre, CSP Abdulraman Musa. The inmates, totalling over 635 were given food items and toiletries.

Apart from the food sup-

plies, Lehi Attorneys paid the fines of eight inmates. Olaniyan appreciated the officer in charge of the prison for the job well done and urged him to do more as the inmates are also citizens. He further assured of the firm’s desire to increase the frequency of the visit.

Also, in collaboration with the pro bono lawyers of the NBA Abuja Branch, the firm disclosed that it will be taking up the defence of a number of indigent inmates from the custodial centre as well as teaming up with other lawyers to avail free legal services to awaiting trial inmates who have no legal representation or who cannot afford the services of a lawyer.

Food packs were subsequently distributed to the residents of the Suleja community by the members of the delegation, a

Members of the delegation at the food drive

gesture that was well appreciated by the recipients.

Lehi Attorneys is reputed as the law firm which in 2020

deployed its information and communication technology resources in re-organising Corporate Affairs Commission

(CAC) manifests and making them easily accessible to lawyers and the general public wherein over 12 thousand

lawyers plugged into the firm’s website to get information on their jobs which was pending in the commission.

Meet AFRIMA’s Youngest Ever Nominee, 13-year-Old Shanah Manjeru Shanah Manjeru, an artiste from Nairobi, Kenya is the youngest ever nominee of All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA). The 13-year-old singer was nominated for her song, ‘God Will Make a Way’. She takes over the spot previously held by another Kenyan singer, Nikita Kering at 17 in 2019.

She is contesting in the ‘Best Female Artiste in African Inspirational Music’ category with Ada Ehi Ft Buchi (Nigeria), Afrie (Uganda), Eden (Cote d’Ivoire), Kamo Mphela (South Africa), Montess (Cameroon), Nata (Sierra Leone), Ruth Asong (Cameroon), Diana Hamilton (Ghana) and Kelly Khumalo (South Africa).

Shanah’s singing talent became evident at the age of three. At age seven, she began to sing officially when her parents put up her first music concert in Ethiopia.

In October 2017, at nine

AFRIMA Trophy

years old, Shanah went into professional singing with the release of her debut song, ‘Destiny’. In February 2018, she released her second song, ‘We Are One’ followed

Shanah-Pics for AFRIMA

closely in April 2018 with ‘Winner’ and ‘God Will Listen’ in December 2018.

In April 2019, Shanah released ‘Worship’ and ‘Worship Symphony’. Her latest

songs are the nominated ‘God Will Make a Way’ and ‘Jesus Loves You’ released in August and November 2020 respectively. The singer won the ‘Arts and Culture

Award’ category in the Annual African Children of The Year Awards 2019, held in South Africa and was subsequently nominated as an Ambassador of the Stacey Fru Foundation, South Africa. Shanah’s ‘Winner’ won the ‘Song of the Year Award’ during Kenya Gospel Music Award 2018.

She has performed at several events, including school events, churches, concerts, children’s festivals, birthday parties, at weddings and funerals, on TV gospel shows, and during numerous TV and radio interviews. Shanah, who is the last child of her parents plans to become either a doctor, a singer, a dancer, a gymnast, or a teacher.

AFRIMA 2021 holds at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, Nigeria from Friday, November 19 - Sunday, November 21, 2021. Preceding the award ceremony is the African

Music Business Summit (AMBS), a platform for business networking and interaction among music professionals which will take place on Friday, November 19, 2021at 8.30am.

AFRIMA Music Fest, an evening of non-stop music concerts with live performances from African music superstars will take place on the same day of November 19 from 6.00pm.

Sunday, November 21, 2021 comes with glitz from Africa’s music superstars, celebrities, and international personalities at AFRIMA Awards ceremony with Red Carpet at 4.30pm and main awards at 7.30pm. Voting and ticket sales are ongoing on AFRIMA website www. afrima.org.

AFRIMA has been regarded as the ultimate celebration and recognition of African talents and creatives globally since 2014.

Dubaiafrika Tourism Boss, Adesanmi Campus Trends Magazine Births Trendy Radio Show across 25 Campuses Becomes ECOWAS Youth Ambassador The pioneer multi-campus career trends in entrepreneu religion and partisan politics which has been in circulation The Office of the President, West Africa Youth Council has appointed the Chief Executive Officer of DubaiAfrika, Dr. Tolu Adesanmi, as the West Africa (ECOWAS)YouthAmbassador, as confirmed by the board of the West African (ECOWAS) Youth Council (WAYC).

The appointment, according to a statement by the group, was connected with the identified laudable antecedents of dedication, hard work, and diligence that Adesanmi has proven in service to humanity and the commendable works as an advocate and relentless crusader of promoting entrepreneurship for African youths.

The appointment letter was presented to him on October 18, 2021, accompanied with all the necessary documents attached to the diplomatic mission, including a diplomatic ECOWAS identity card, ECOWAS certificate, and a specialised automobile plate number to foster ease of the ambassador’s movements across the ECOWAS region.

According to the statement, “Adesanmi is a Luxury Tourism and Lifestyle Entrepreneur with over 15 years of

combined experience in the Gulf and African tourism and entertainment industry. He brings creative approach to ensure the viability of the multi-billion-naira industry.

He’s so industrious at his job that he’s considered the ‘King of Luxury Tourism’ in Nigeria. He has the expertise to creatively craft systems and build any tourism niche from the ground up, and turn a failing one into a flourishing and healthy business.

“As the MD/Founder of DubaiAfrika Luxury Tourism, he’s successfully nourishing his insatiable passion by revolutionising the Nigerian tourism space. He has implemented various thought-leader researches that have driven investments in emerging markets and international tourism.

He’s worked with notable celebrities in the sport and entertainment industry.

“DubaiAfrika.com is Nigeria‘s first Luxury Tourism company providing premium presidential packages to various exotic destinations around the world. Their client base includes high net worth individuals from all walks of life.”

magazine in Nigeria, Campus Trends weekly, has kicked off its radio programme called ‘Youth Trends’.

This radio programme, which is across 25 campuses, is focused on getting the youth to reset their moral values as well as improve their academic rating whilst being entertained and informed on the latest

rship,fashion,sports,technolo gy, music and life style.

In a statement by the personal assistant to the publisher, Ms. Desree Dudo, the magazine stated that the time belt for each school has been chosen to maximise audience reach as well as offer advertisers value for money.

“The programme will avoid

but mirror campus and youth challenges adequately.

“Some radio stations outside the campuses in big cities like Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Owerri, Enugu and Jos are also involved in the innovative project which is expected to be patronised by leading corporates in keeping with the tradition of the magazine

for many years.

“The radio programme called ‘Youth Trends ‘ runs weekly on different days of the week and will compliment the magazine for the convenience of the youths and discerning advertiser keen on aligning with the youth culture to grow profit,” the statement disclosed.

Lawmaker Ignites Interests of Aba Residents in Farming Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia For a commercial city where almost everything revolves around commercial activities and manufacturing, not a few residents of Aba still regard farming as a non viable means of making a comfortable livelihood.

But the lawmaker representing Aba North/Aba South Federal Constituency, Hon Chimaobi Ebisike thinks otherwise.

He wants his constituents to develop more interest in farming as vast potentials abound in different farming activities for sustainable economic empowerment.

“This is the right time to go back to agriculture based economy,” he said.

To make good what he preaches, Chief Ebisike, who happens to be the newest member of the House of Representatives, organised a week-long skill acquisition and entrepreneurship programme for his constituents.

Participants were drawn across party lines and without indigene and non indigene dichotomy.

The beneficiaries were trained in Poultry,Aquaculture, Horticulture, Snailry, Apiculture (Bee keeping), Piggery and Mushroom farming.

According to the federal lawmaker, the beneficiaries of the training programme

stood a big chance of becoming successful entrepreneurs in one or more of the different farming activities if the interest is there.

On his part, he assured that he would empower the successful participants with the needed resources and tools to put their farming skills to good use.

“I believe that this training is coming at a very appropriate time, having just witnessed various waves of the global (COVID-19) pandemic with its attendant loss of jobs and the close down of many small, medium scale businesses,” he said.

Ebisike noted that the present economic crunch has resulted to drop in capital income of

Nigerians, hence the need to diversify to farming.

He recalled that it was through farm produce that the defunct Eastern Region under the premiership of Michael Okpara emerged as the fastest growing economy in the early 60s before the First Republic was interrupted by the military.

A former Executive Chairman or Aba South Local Government, Chief Okezie Erondu lauded the Aba federal lawmaker for the initiative of giving his constituents the skill to enable them go back to the farms and make decent living.

He said he was overwhelmed by the large turn out of participants for the training programme.

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POLSCOPE

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

Who or What Will Fix the Electricity Challenge in Nigeria?

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igerians have probably got too used to the oddity of unstable electricity supply in a way that everything said about it now appears like a tired platitude. It is most disappointing that year in, year out, one government after the other, the bitter and unpleasant experience of Nigerians with darkness either remains the same or even gets worse.

It has become like an inconquerable enigma which we must all find a way to live with all our lives.

If there is any one issue that typifies succinctly what we describe as the ‘Nigerian factor’, it is the electricity issue. We do not all have to be engineers to understand what is going on. All kinds of theories have been pushed on why we continue to suffer epileptic power supply. Some say it is the conspiracy of association of Generator sellers.

That they ensure they thwart all government’s efforts to fix the problem so they will remain in business. Other theories say, it is the NEPA “big men” who own the generator companies and so they ensure that NEPA remains problematic so their companies can flourish. Yet, other theories say Petroleum marketers, especially those who deal on diesel work hand-in-gloves with ‘NEPA’ officials to ensure that stable electricity is frustrated so that the sale of diesel will continue to grow….

Just all kinds of warped and weird theories. You can believe or dismiss them at your own risk.

Nigeria just returned from Durban, South Africa where it went for trade exhibition with the intent of increasing the volume of trade from Nigeria to other African countries. Nigeria lamented that South Africa is the leading industrialised economy in Africa and still managed to showcase the latent and untapped trade potential of Nigeria--- things like Nollywood films, Nigerian music, fashion etc.

It failed to say or declare that its poor outing in technological prowess or potential is essentially because of poor electricity supply in the country.

It is amazing that no Nigerian government has devotedly focused on how to solve the pain caused by unstable electricity supply. Every government comes around, speaks plenty of grammar, nibbles around the issue and gets out, leaving us more forlorn, more distressed than before that government came on board. Every effort seems dogged by the so-called Nigerian factor in such a way that every conceived solution is dead on arrival. Why is it such an enigma? How have other countries solved their energy crisis? Why is the Nigerian case defying all solutions? Even more populous countries like China or India let alone America, do not suffer this endless plague of darkness.

Two years ago, I had gone to Banjul, Gambia, a small West African country to rest. For the two or so weeks I stayed, I experienced power cut just once and it was for an hour. It is the same experience in many less-endowed African countries. But Nigeria, regaled as the giant of Africa, still suffers from the noisome pestilence of generators of different temper and tone, in every neighbourhood. And we seem to have accepted it as our fate. No, it is not!

The experiences have been chequered.

I recall that the Obasanjo administration, in an attempt to deal with the problem began the building of independent power stations across the country. Huge money was expended on this. They ind[pendent power plants were not completed at the end of his administration. There were allegations of corruption. When the Yar’Adua government came on board, it decided to halt the work at the power stations so it can do an audit of it and assess what was left undone. I remember the House of Reps panel, led by Hon Ndudi Elumelu, which actually raised the alarm about

of punishing him than to crudely disconnect all the houses linked to that same feeder pillar. It was such a warped and vexatious argument, and a pointer to the tyranny of a monopoly Yet again, just two weeks ago, I had another sordid experience. My house in Journalists’ Estate, Arepo, in the outskirts of Lagos, which had been graciously given a pre-paid meter, after much “settlement” kept receiving estimated Bill more than eight months after the pre-paid meter had been installed. All efforts to get the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKDC), the same company which installed the pre-paid meter; to stop sending the prepaid Bill made no impact. Worse still, the house had been vacant about three months ago and yet, the Bill has continued to faithfully come, in all its arbitrariness.

Two years ago, one of the occupants had written to IKDC office informing them of the plan to travel, shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic.

He had pulled out the cut-out from the meter to disconnect the power source, yet, the Bills kept coming even when the house had been technically disconnected. The occupant returned from the trip about five months ago to meet a huge piled up alleged unpaid Bill.

Abubakar Aliyu, Minister of Power the deals that went on in the building of the stations, began to start to assess the various stations. The panel hadn’t gone round the facilities before it got enmeshed in scandal and allegations of compromise and that was it: the process was frustrated and ever since then, the problem has been simply regenerative.

The name changed from National Electricity Power Authority (NEPA) to Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), the problem remained the same.

The Jonathan administration came up with the idea of unbundling the entity and we came to have Generation Companies, Distribution Companies, and Transmission Companies, creating National Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC) along with it.

When all that did not seem to work or solve the problem, they came again with the idea of privatising the whole electricity business. So, we have eleven Distribution Companies (DISCOs), and since then we have been dancing Reggae in darkness. So, we have sub entities like Eko Distribution Company, Ikeja Distribution Company, Port Harcourt Distribution Company, Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, Benin Electricity Distribution Company, Jos Electricity Distribution Company, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company etc. etc.

But in all, where has that taken us? We

have succeeded in increasing the megawatts of darkness beamed to Nigerians.

It is one problem after the other.

Even on the rather simple issue of providing prepaid meters in the homes and offices of consumers remains a big issue. More than eight years after the pre-paid meter issue came up, more than 70 per cent of electricity consumers are yet to get it, even when many have paid for it. It got so bad that consumers have to bribe “NEPA officials” to get a unit from the few they are rationing. In everything, it is either you bribe to get what is due you or you have to know somebody who knows the Big man who can enable you get what is due you.

In my house in Ughelli, Delta State, more than ten years after we have paid for even the old meter, we are yet to receive the device.

Without doubt, the “NEPA officials” prefer to resort to estimated billing wherein they send what they themselves describe as “crazy bills” in a manner that gives room for you to negotiate with the agents who come to disconnect power.

That way, the NEPA agents are “settled” and they spare you, for a season, like Satan.

Not too long ago, I had even a messier experience wherein my house, in FESTAC Town, Lagos, was disconnected by officials of the Eko Distribution Company (EKDC) even when I am on a pre-paid meter. Their silly argument was that one of my neighbours with whom I share a feeder pillar is owing electricity Bill and there was no other way

How long shall we suffer in the hands of these companies?

I was one of them who was excited at the dawn of the privatisation exercise of PHCN. The unbundling even made me happier. My expectation was that coming under the status of a private company, will not only guaranty increased and better efficiency in service delivery, but also mark the dawn of a healthy competition between and among the DISCOs and the GENCOs. But years after, we have seen the unabashed sameness between the government-owned PHCN and the privately-owned DISCOs and GENCOs. You can hardly tell the difference. Both entities still operate largely with the same operational template.

Darkness and not light is still being distributed zealously. If you don’t have light and you don’t have a generator, chances are that you will sleep in darkness and heat. There is hardly any homestead without at least two generators. Little wonder, NNPC releases outlandish figures of fuel consumption.

Nothing has changed, only the shell of the nomenclatures.

If wind blows and an electric pole falls, or the transformer explodes, or the cable or wire gets cut, it is the neighbourhood people that will have to contribute money to carry out the repairs or buy new equipment. Event he engineers of the DISCOs sometimes charge the communities for the repairs even after paying for the damaged equipment. That cost does not affect their next Bill. People are contributing their hard-earned resources to assisting a private company to do their business. And there appears to be nothing the NERC can do, even when the Act setting it up does not allow that customers will be the ones fixing the equipment of the DISCOs and GENCOs. The hope raised when Babatunde Fashola, SAN, became the Energy minister has long been dashed as all the grammar and seriousness he showed in tackling the problem ended up giving him hasty grey hair and leaving us in even darker alleys. Now there is a sitting minister, Mr Abubakar Aliyu, who does not even seem to understand what the issues are. He sits like an orthodox establishmentarian, saying nothing and doing nothing. Or so it seems.

If fire could consume the tortoise with the iron coat, how much more the hen with its feathery gown?

Indeed, who or what will be the solution to the burden of darkness we bear in Nigeria? Just who will break the jinx?

The #EndSARS Report: Where is Lai Mohammed and Co?

L

ast Monday, the Panel of Inquiry set up to investigate the EndSARS protest of October 10, 2020, submitted its report. The 309-page report had been long in coming. It finally came, few weeks after the first anniversary of the nation-wide protests.

Last year, there was a prolonged brick bath between State actors, led by the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and the Nigerian and the international media.

Mohammed had insisted at the time that the report by CNN claiming there was massacre of protesters was wrong and misleading. The CNN insisted on standing by its report.

At the said first anniversary, Mohammed, again, mocked the CNN and Amnesty International for having not proven that there was indeed, any form of massacre at the Lekki tollgate, the scene of the protests in Lagos.

Mohammed was so vexed that if it was within his power to ban CNN, he would have

done so pronto.

Few weeks after that mockery, the panel set up to look into the crisis, and headed by retired Justice Doris Okuwobi, submitted its report to Gov Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State.

The report affirmed that there were killings of scores of protesters and injuring many others at the scene of the protest.

The report also indicted the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police for carrying out the said shooting at innocent, unarmed Nigerian youths who were waving the Nigerian flag while singing the National Anthem. That was treachery!

What is worse, the panel noted that there were attempts by the federal government, the soldiers and the police to cover up the killings. It also indicted the management of the LCCI for tampering with the evidence at the said tollgate as it was said to have called in cleaners

at night to wash off the blood stains on the ground.

No doubt, the panel has shown its independence and has gained the confidence of the critical public.

So, the question is what is Lai Mohammed’s response to these revelations? More than three days after the report was released, he is yet mute. Is he bemused? Has it dawned on him that he was truly lying to Nigerians and unduly harassing the international media? Or would Lai Mohammed fault the report or probably seek a court order (with the help of Abubakar Malami, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation) stopping the belief on the panel’s report? Between Lai Mohammed, his ilk and the international media, who, now is having the last laugh?

As The Guardian motto says, Conscience is an open wound, only truth can heal it.

Nigeria needs truth to heal. We are bleeding.

Lai Mohammed

42

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ NOVEMBER 19, 2021

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Stakeholders: Poor Research Funding Could Hamper Food Security Targets James Emejo ÓØ ÌßÔË

Stakeholders in the agricultural sector have expressed concern over the sheer neglect of agricultural research and development in the country.

They argued that if the country must realise its targets on self-sufficiency in food production as well as food security, there must be a commitment to boost funding for research and development (R&D).

The stakeholders, at a meeting on reorienting future public agriculture and food research and development in Nigeria for achieving sustainable, nutritious and climate-resilient food systems, pointed out that demand-driven agricultural research was crucial for achieving results.

The event was organised by Sahel Consulting Agriculture

and Nutrition Limited in partnership with the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA).

Head of Agricultural Policy at Syngenta Foundation, Yuan Zhou, harped on the crucial role of demand-driven agricultural research in supporting the innovation process to transform food systems to address climate change, nutrition, and sustainability-related issues for the country’s growing population.

The gathering also validated the country-level policy study on public agriculture research and development in Nigeria, which was commissioned by the Switzerland-based Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture and led by Sahel Consulting.

The Executive Secretary, Agricultural Research Coun-

cil of Nigeria (ARCN), Prof.

Garba Sharubutu, lauded the timely release of the study as it coincided with the assent of the ARCN Amendment Bill

by President Muhammadu Buhari in October.

Represented by his Technical Adviser, Dr. Umar Umar, Sharubutu said the council would review the recommendations of the study, to identify areas of implementation to ensure stronger coordination of agricultural research efforts in the country to achieve food and nutrition security.

However, the amended ARCN Act is expected to facilitate creation of a fund for agriculture, in view of the delayed release of funds to embark on critical projects that will boost food production and enhance economic growth.

L-R: Founder, MSME AFRICA, Seye Olurotimi; Director, Public Affairs, Communications & Sustainability, Coca-Cola Nigeria, Amaka Onyemelukwe; Chief Executive Officer, Whitefield Foundation, Funmi Johnson; Chief Executive Officer, Sterling One Foundation, Olapeju Ibekwe and Group Head, Agric Finance and Solid Minerals, Sterling Bank, Obikanye Olushola during a press conference on ‘Equip 60,000 youths and women’n Lagos recently.

iProduce Africa to Strengthen SMEs’ Export Potentials James Emejo ÓØ ÌßÔË An agribusiness hub, iProduce Africa, said it is committed to boosting the operations and export capabilities of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and agri-entrepreneurs in the country.

The facility is sponsored by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).

Chief Executive, iProduce Africa, Aisha Waziri-Umar, said the intervention became particularly necessary as the entrepreneurs seek to take advantage of the government’s zero-oil plan.

Nigeria’s zero-oil plan is a blueprint for a strategic non-oil export-led economic diversification agenda.

Under the scheme, iProduce Africa, backed by the IsDB, will

train Nigerian owned agribusinesses and SMEs, especially young agri-entrepreneurs on the requisite technical skills to equip them on how to export their produce thereby integrating them into global food value chains. iProduce will also enhance the capacity of SMEs and agrientrepreneurs on how to access finance, including non-interest funding for their export activities.

Umar said, “We are forming partnerships with the relevant government ministries and agencies and I’m confident that iProduce will play a vital role in the diversification of the Nigerian economy.”

According to her, agribusiness exports present significant opportunity for job creation to absorb

the youth bulge and improve the livelihoods of young people who make up the majority of the population.

Specifically, she pointed out that as part of ongoing effort to make agribusiness export simpler and boost awareness on available opportunities in the various global food value chains, the hub would on November 20, 2021 hold a training workshop for SMEs on the theme: “Accessing Non-Interest Finance For Agribusiness Exports”.

Experts will be engaged by iProduce to train and advise the entrepreneurs on how to take advantage of the country’s non-interest banking windows to secure financing for the export of high quality agricultural commodities.

Access Bank Boosts Youth Entrepreneurship, to Unveil More AccessX Centers James Emejo ËØd Nume Ekeghe Access Bank Plc has reiterated its commitment to mentoring and enhancing the entrepreneurial skills of youths to make them self-reliant and job creators.

The bank’s Regional Sales Director, North Central, Mr. Adebanji Jimoh, said the bank remained resolute in supporting the economy in the area of entrepreneurial skills development and promotion.

Speaking during the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)/ Access Bank Accesspreneur competition in Abuja, he said the bank strongly believed in

giving back to the society.

The event witnessed the presentation of a total sum of N2.5 million to successful corps members to pursue their entrepreneurial aspirations.

Jimoh said through the accesspreneur competition, the bank seeks to identify young Nigerian corps members who have that potential to do business or become an entrepreneur.

He said,”Don’t forget that Dangote started like this and so it is our view to produce as many Dangotes in the future as we can.

Also, the bank has announced plans to expand on

its AccessX Experience Centers in the next few years in a bid to enhance customer’s experience especially for digital complaints and resolution. The AccessX experience centered esthetics offer customers a full-on digital experience with an array of smartphones for customers to conduct banking services and technology savvy personnel to attend to customers’ needs in prompt time.

The Group Head, Retail operations at the bank, Mr. Abraham Aziegbe, disclosed this recently at the unveiling of the AccessX Experience Centre at Maryland, Lagos.

QuickBus Tackles Inter-city Transportation Problems with Launch in Nigeria Vanessa Obioha Three years after Humphrey Wrey introduced QuickBus, an online marketplace ticketing system to the continent, the entrepreneur is set to launch the platform in Nigeria. The startup has a presence in Kenya, Angola, South Africa, and Uganda, and is now the most popular site for booking buses in Africa.

“Nigeria is a critical location, especially for this kind of business.

The bulk of the intra-city road transportation in Africa happens in Nigeria, and that’s because Nigeria is the most populous African nation in the world, the potential for business is huge, and there’s no solution to any problem facing Africa that doesn’t involve Nigeria,” said Wrey on his decision to launch in Nigeria.

QuickBus, he added, offers various solutions, which are vital on a continent where most of the population travel by road.

Commenting, the company’s Group VP of Growth and Marketing, Olumide Akinsola said, “Our goal is to get Africans moving from city to city by road in a way that’s stress-free, efficient and enjoyable. This can’t happen without transport operators moving from their current informal setup to a point where they scale with intelligent business solutions.

It’s not just a promise; it’s the new reality for our customers in Kenya, Angola, Uganda, Zambia, and our other locations.”

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JANUARY 2021 Money Supply (M3)

38,779,455.43

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

1,039,129.55

Money Supply (M2)

37,740,325.88

-- Quasi Money

21,779,302.69

-- Narrow Money (M1)

15,961,023.19

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,364,871.13

---- Demand Deposits

13,596,152.06

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,414,275.50

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

31,365,179.93

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

42,916,586.63

---- Credit to Government (Net)

12,304,773.44

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

0.00

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

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

30,611,813.19

--Other Assets Net

3,892,112.74

Reserve Money (Base Money

13,264,585.14

--Currency in Circulation

2,831,167.19

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

10,433,417.96 317,234.17

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

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

˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ ͯͱϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7

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

43

T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͯͷ˜ ͰͮͰͯ

Profit-taking Persist as Market Cap Decline by N34bn Kayode Tokede Investors’ profit-taking activities continued yesterday on the Nigerian Exchange Limited stock market as market capitalisation declined by N34 billion on sell-offs in 23 stocks.

Specifically, the overall market capitalisation value declined by N34 billion to close at N22.589 trillion yesterday from N22.623 trillion it opened for trading.

Consequently, the NGX All-

Share Index (ASI) dipped by 63.93 basis points, representing a decline of 0.15 per cent, to close at 43,285.97 points from 43,349.90 basis points it opened for trading yesterday.

The decline lowered the stock market Month-to-Date and Yearto-Date gains at +3.0per cent and +7.5per cent respectively.

On sectors, the Insurance (+0.6per cent) and Consumer Goods (+0.1per cent) indices gained, while the Oil & Gas

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R

DEALS

(-0.2per cent), Banking (-0.2 per cent) and Industrial Goods (-0.1per cent) indices declined.

The market negative performance was driven by price depreciation in large and medium capitalised stocks which are; FBN Holdings (FBNH), Lafarge Africa, UAC of Nigeria (UACN), Nigerian Exchange Group (NGXGroup) and Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO).

As measured by market breadth, market sentiment was

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

negative, as 23 stocks declined relative to 12 gainers. eTranzact International and Vitafoam Nigeria recorded the highest price gain of 10 per cent each to close at N2.09 and N20.90 respectively, while Academy Press followed with a gain of 9.09 per cent to close at 36 kobo, per share.

Jaiz Bank up by 6.45 per cent to close at 66 kobo, while AXA Mansard Insurance appreciated by 6.33 per cent to close at N2.35, per share. On the other hand,

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

Chams Plc led the losers’ chart by 8.70 per cent to close at 21 kobo, per share. Regency Alliance Insurance followed with a decline of 7.50 per cent to close at 37 kobo, while Unity Bank declined by 7.41 per cent to close at 50 kobo, per share.

FBNH shed 6.50 per cent to close at N11.50, while Associated Bus Company shed 6.06 per cent to close at 31 kobo, per share.

The total volume of trades declined by 20.5 per cent to

O F

210.545 million units, valued at N2.606 billion, and exchanged in 3,423 deals.

Transactions in the shares of Sterling Bank topped the activity chart with 60.191 million shares valued at N90.310 million. eTranzact International followed with 14.084 million shares worth N29.436 million, while Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) traded 13.136 million shares valued at N12.703 million.

1 8 / 1 1 / 2 0 2 1 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

44

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021 • T H I S D AY

Friday, November 19, 2021 Thisday Afrinvest 40 Index fell 0.3% by 14bps The dŚŝƐĚĂLJ ĨƌŝŶǀĞƐƚ ϰϬ /ŶĚĞdž ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ďLJ ϭϰďƉƐ ƚŽ ƐĞƩůĞ Thisday Afrinvest 40 Index fell 31bps to close at

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 INDEX

at 1,674.89 1,854.13 points pointsdue dueto to sell-pressure on on ZENITH FBNH (-0.6%), (-6.5%), WAPCO (-Ϯ͘ϬйͿ͕ (-1.3%), ĂŶĚ and GTCO UBA (-0.7%).

(-0.8%). These These stocks cumula-

Fundamental Performance Metrics for THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 Index

ƟǀĞůLJ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ ĨŽƌ ϭϰ͘ϴй ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŝŶĚĞdž͘ ƟǀĞůLJ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ ĨŽƌ ϭϯ͘Ϯй͘

Local Sustains Bearish ASI down ASI upBourse 11bps as DANGCEM GainsPerformance...

3.3% 0.1% zĞƐƚĞƌĚĂLJ͕ ƉƌŝĐĞ ƵƉƟĐŬ ŝŶ ,KEz&>KhZ Yesterday, the local bourse extended its previous trading (+9.8%), E' D ;нϯ͘ϯйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ & E, (+0.7%) bolsession losses due to sell-ŽīƐ ŝŶ FBNH (-6.5%), WAPCO (stered ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ŽŶ the local bourse as the AllϮ͘ϬйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ GTCO (-0.8%). Accordingly, the benchmark InShare index rose by ĚĞdž ĨĞůů Ϭ͘ϭй ƚŽ ϰϯ͕Ϯϴϱ͘ϵϳ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ ǁŚŝůĞ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝƐĂͲ 11bps to 39,550.36 points. ŽŶƐĞƋƵĞŶƚůLJ͕ zd ůŽƐƐ ŝŵͲ ƟŽŶ ƐŚĞĚ ʬ33.4bn to ʬϮϮ͘ϲƚŶ͘ ŽŶƐĞƋƵĞŶƚůLJ͕ zd ƌĞƚƵƌŶ proved to -1.8% while ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝƐĂƟŽŶ ƌŽƐĞ ďLJ ǁĞĂŬĞŶĞĚ ƚŽ ϳ͘ϱй͘ DĂƌŬĞƚ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ĚǁŝŶĚůĞĚ ĂƐ volume േϮϯ͘ϰďŶ ƚŽ േϮϬ͘ϲƚŶ͘ dƌĂĚŝŶŐ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ǁĂƐ ŵŝdžĞĚ ĂƐ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ĂŶĚ ǀĂůƵĞ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ĨĞůů ϮϬ͘ϴй ĂŶĚ ϱϳ͘Ϯй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ to ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ďLJ Ϯϭ͘ϲй ƚŽ ϭϭϬ͘ϴŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ǁŚŝůĞ value ϮϬϵ͘ϲŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ĂŶĚ ʬϮ͘ϲďŶ͘ STERLNBANK ;ϲϬ͘Ϯŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƌŽƐĞ ďLJ ϴϴ͘ϱй ƚŽ േϯ͘ϭďŶ͘ The most traded stocks ETRANZACT (14.1m units), and TRANSCORP (13.1m units) by volume were dZ E^ KZW ;ϭϭ͘ϵŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ & E, (11.1m topped the volume chart while AIRTELAF (ʬ669.9m), NESƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕ ĂŶĚ K E K ;ϳ͘ϯŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ǁŚŝůĞ E ^d> ;േϮ͘ϮďŶͿ͕ TLE (ʬ465.3m), and GTCO (ʬϮϴϴ͘ϱŵͿ ůĞĚ ďLJ ǀĂůƵĞ͘ E' D ;േϭϰϱ͘ϬŵͿ͕ ĂŶĚ 'd K ;േϭϯϰ͘ϴŵͿ ůĞĚ ďLJ ǀĂůƵĞ͘

Price Previous Current Change Price YTD Weighting Change

Ticker

Current Price

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40

1,854.13

-0.31%

913.00

0.3%

32.2%

74.50

0.0%

10.4%

-3.7%

26.10

-0.8%

7.2%

-19.3%

1 Airtel Africa PLC 2 BUA Cement Plc 3 Guaranty Trust Holding Co PLC 4 Zenith Bank PLC 5 Dangote Cement PLC 6 MTN Nigeria Communications PLC 7 Nestle Nigeria PLC 8 Lafarge Africa PLC 9 Access Bank PLC 10 United Bank for Africa PLC 11 FBN Holdings Plc 12 Nigerian Brew eries PLC 13 Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC 14 International Brew eries PLC 15 Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC

Price Change Index to Date

ROA

P/E

P/BV

5.4x

Divindend Earnings Yield Yield

26.3%

85.4%

15.0%

3.5%

7.2%

7.2%

14.7%

5.2%

-3.7%

19.1%

11.2%

35.8x

6.7x

-19.3%

24.8%

3.9%

3.9x

1.0x

11.4%

25.3%

0.8x

5.2%

ot Applicable

2.0%

15.2%

30.6%

2.8%

24.10

0.0%

6.3%

-2.8%

-2.8%

20.9%

2.8%

3.3x

0.6x

12.4%

280.00

0.0%

6.6%

14.3%

14.3%

40.4%

16.7%

13.9x

5.4x

5.9%

7.2%

190.00

0.0%

5.2%

11.8%

11.8%

179.2%

14.1%

13.7x

20.8x

5.5%

7.3%

1,390.00

0.0%

3.5%

-7.6%

-7.6%

106.8%

15.6%

27.0x

31.7x

4.4%

3.7%

25.00

-2.0%

3.8%

18.8%

18.8%

11.6%

8.4%

9.3x

1.0x

4.0%

10.7%

9.10

0.0%

2.9%

7.7%

7.7%

17.0%

1.4%

2.6x

0.4x

9.2%

39.2%

8.30

-1.2%

2.5%

-4.0%

-4.0%

2.1x

0.4x

6.6%

47.9%

11.50

-6.5%

3.8%

60.8%

60.8%

0.5x

3.9%

18.6%

52.50

0.0%

1.8%

-6.3%

39.00

0.0%

2.0%

3.3%

10.6%

1.0%

5.4x

-6.3%

5.3%

1.9%

48.4x

2.5x

2.1%

2.1%

3.3%

15.4%

2.0%

9.0x

1.4x

10.5%

11.2%

-10.3%

-3.9%

5.50

0.0%

1.4%

-7.6%

-7.6%

29.80

0.0%

1.1%

14.6%

14.6%

16 SEPLAT Energy PLC 17 11 PLC

721.20

0.0%

1.8%

79.3%

79.3%

18 Okomu Oil Palm PLC 19 Fidelity Bank PLC

142.00

0.0%

1.2%

56.0%

2.55

-1.9%

0.7%

1.2%

8.60

1.8%

0.9%

16.80

0.0%

0.5%

1.0x

-10.4%

4.6x

0.7x

5.5%

21.8%

3.4%

1.9%

16.7x

0.6x

6.3%

6.0%

56.0%

38.8%

25.2%

9.7x

3.4x

5.2%

10.3%

1.2%

12.0%

1.1%

2.3x

0.3x

8.6%

44.4%

43.3%

43.3%

1.5%

0.1%

28.5x

0.4x

-4.5%

-4.5%

25.6%

12.1%

6.5x

1.5x

9.0%

15.4%

0.0%

20 Ecobank Transnational Inc 21 Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC

ROE

-100.0%

3.5%

3.03

0.0%

0.5%

-9.0%

-9.0%

1.51

0.0%

0.3%

-26.0%

-26.0%

10.1%

0.9%

3.3x

0.3x

3.3%

Bearish Sector Performance

24 NASCON Allied Industries PLC 25 Transnational Corp of Nigeria

14.15

0.0%

0.4%

-2.4%

-2.4%

20.7%

5.9%

13.3x

2.9x

2.8%

7.5%

0.98

-1.0%

0.4%

8.9%

8.9%

-1.3%

-0.3%

0.6x

1.0%

-2.2%

Mixed Sector Performance Across sectors under our coverage, performance was

26 Presco PLC 27 Unilever Nigeria PLC

88.90

0.0%

0.3%

25.3%

25.3%

2.1x

1.2%

13.50

0.0%

0.2%

-2.9%

-2.9%

-1.3%

-0.8%

1.2x

WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ǁŝƚŚŝŶ ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ &Z-/ d ŽƵƌ ĐŽǀĞƌĂŐĞ bearish as 4 indices lost,ƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ 1 index gained

28 PZ Cussons Nigeria PLC 29 United Capital PLC

6.05

4.3%

0.2%

14.2%

14.2%

22 FCMB Group Plc 23 Sterling Bank PLC

was mixed as 3 indices gained while 3 lost. The Insurance ŝŶĚĞdž ƌĞŵĂŝŶĞĚ ŇĂƚ͘ dŽƉƉŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ůĂŐŐĂƌĚƐ ĂƌĞ ƚŚĞ ŽŶƐƵŵͲ index led gainers, Ϭ͘ϲй ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ŝŶ D EͲ er 'ŽŽĚƐ ĂŶĚ up Insurance indices, down 4.6% and ^ Z ;нϲ͘ϯйͿ͕ D E &/d ;нϰ͘ϬйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ h^dK / E ϭ͘Ϯй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ƉƌŽĮƚ-ƚĂŬŝŶŐ ŝŶ E ^d> ((+1.3%).

Trailing, 9.1%), hE/> s Z

the AFR-ICT and Consumer (-3.5%), >/E< ^^hZ (-6.4%),

Goods indices (-Ϯ͘ϮйͿ͘ ^ŝŵŝůĂƌůLJ͕ ƌŽƐĞ Ϭ͘Ϯй ĂŶĚ Ϭ͘ϭй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ and D E^ Z ƚŚĞ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ ĂŶĚ ĂŶŬͲ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ďĂƌŐĂŝŶ ŚƵŶƟŶŐ ŝŶ /Zd > & ;нϬ͘ϯйͿ ĂŶĚ ing indices fell by Ϭ͘Ϯй ĂŶĚ ϮďƉƐ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƐĞůůs/d &K D ;нϭϬ͘ϬйͿ͘ KŶ ƚŚĞ ŇŝƉ ƐŝĚĞ͕ ƚŚĞ ĂŶŬŝŶŐ and Oil ŽīƐ ŝŶ K E K (-0.8%), E/d, (-Ϭ͘ϮйͿ͕ ĂŶĚ 'd K ;-Ϭ͘ϮйͿ͘

30 Guinness Nigeria PLC 31 Custodian and Allied Insurance 32 AIICO Insurance PLC 33 TotalEnergies Marketing Nigeri 34 Julius Berger Nigeria PLC

DĞĂŶǁŚŝůĞ͕ ůŽƐƐ ŝŶ t W K ;-Ϯ͘ϬйͿ ĚƌĂŐŐĞĚ ƚŚĞ Industrial ƟŽŶ in E' D (+3.3%).

Goods index lower by 0.1%. /ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ^ƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶƐ Investor ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ tĂŶĞƐ /ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ͕ ĂƐ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ Investor ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ͕ ĂƐ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ͕ ƐƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶĞĚ͕ ƐĞƩůŝŶŐ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ Ăƚ 1.6x ;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ͕ ǁĞĂŬĞŶĞĚ ƚŽ Ϭ͘ϱdž ĨƌŽŵ Ϭ͘ϲdž as ĨƌŽŵ ϭ͘ϯdž ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ůĂƐƚ ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ĂƐ Ϯϰ stocks ϭϮ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ǁŚŝůĞ MRS Ϯϯ (+9.9%), stocks MAYdeadvanced while ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ 15 stocks declined.

GALINS (-7.5%),ledand UNITYBANK (-7.4%) led decliners.

In STOCK (-4.8%) losers.

Yesterday, we expect the market today͛s trading session, we expect an extension yesterƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ƚŽ ƌĞŵĂŝŶ ŵŝdžĞĚ͕ ĂƐ earnings season of gradually day's performance in the absence ŽĨ Ă ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ winds bearish up. driver.

Afrinvest West Africa Limitted

-1.1% 4.1%

9.65

-1.5%

0.4%

104.9%

104.9%

2.2x

7.3%

36.50

0.0%

0.4%

92.1%

92.1%

8.1%

3.8%

13.0x

1.0x

1.3%

7.7%

7.75

1.3%

0.2%

32.5%

32.5%

24.7%

7.5%

3.8x

0.9x

7.1%

26.2%

7.2%

1.1%

309.5x

0.6x 2.0%

20.3%

1.30

0.0%

0.2%

15.0%

15.0%

216.80

0.0%

0.3%

66.8%

66.8%

0.3%

4.9x

24.80

0.0%

0.2%

40.7%

40.7%

18.3%

2.4%

4.3x

0.8x

1.6%

23.1%

0.85

-2.3%

0.2%

23.2%

23.2%

13.7%

0.8%

4.0x

0.5x

4.7%

24.9%

-1.0%

0.0%

-100.0%

7.1%

0.8%

5.6x

0.6x

5.1%

17.9%

37 Oando PLC 38 Notore Chemical Industries Ltd 39 Beta Glass PLC

4.85

-1.0%

0.2%

31.1%

31.1%

14.5%

2.6%

2.1x

0.3x

47.9%

62.50

0.0%

0.1%

0.0%

0.0%

-38.7%

-9.5%

2.1x

-20.1%

52.95

0.0%

0.1%

-4.4%

-4.4%

14.8%

10.1%

5.38

0.0%

0.0%

49.4%

49.4%

40 Transcorp Hotels Plc

T ic k er

4.7x

0.6x

2.0%

T ic k er

Vo lum e

P ric e C hg %

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

2.09

10.0%

ST ER LN B A N K

VIT A F OA M

20.90

10.0%

ET R A N Z A C T

A C A D EM Y

0.36

9.1%

T R A N SC OR P

13.1

-1.0%

J A IZ B A N K

0.66

6.5%

GT C O

10.9

-0.8%

M A N SA R D

2.35

6.3%

J A IZ B A N K

10.4

6.5%

F T N C OC OA

0.42

5.0%

A C C ESS

10.0

0.0%

PZ

6.05

4.3%

A IIC O

8.8

0.0%

M B EN EF IT

0.26

4.0%

FCM B

7.7

0.0%

ET I

8.60

1.8%

UN IT YB N K

6.2

-7.4%

UP D C

1.50

1.4%

FB NH

5.4

-6.5%

ET R A N Z A C T

21.4%

0.9x T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V o l u m e

T o p 10 G a i n e r s

60.2

0.0%

14.1

10.0%

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V a l u e

T o p 10 L o s e r s

clined. ETRANZACT VITAFOAM and BAKER (+9.8%), and(+10.0%), HONYFLOUR (+9.8%)(+10.0%), led gainers ACADEMY (+9.1%) (-8.3%), led gainers while CHAMS REwhile ABCTRANS LASACO (-6.7%), (-8.7%), and LIVE-

30.5%

35 Wema Bank PLC 36 Union Bank of Nigeria PLC

& Gas ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ƐŚĞĚ Ϭ͘Ϯй ĂƉŝĞĐĞ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĚĞƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ ŽŶǀĞƌƐĞůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ǁĂƐ ƚŚĞ ůŽŶĞ ŐĂŝŶͲ ŝŶ ;-Ϭ͘ϴйͿ͕ K E K apprecia;-1.0%). er, & E, up ;-ϲ͘ϱйͿ͕ 1.8% 'd K driven by ĂŶĚ price

5.0%

T ic k er

Value

P ric e C hg %

CHA M S

0.21

-8.7%

A IR T ELA F R I

669.9

0.3%

R EGA LIN S

0.37

-7.5%

N EST LE

465.3

0.0%

288.5

-0.8%

T ic k er

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

UN IT YB N K

0.50

-7.4%

GT C O

FB NH

11.50

-6.5%

D A N GC EM

146.5

0.0%

A B CTRA NS

0.31

-6.1%

NB

126.4

0.0%

UA C N

10.50

-4.5%

Z EN IT H B A N K

112.1

0.0%

P R EST IGE

0.45

-4.3%

A C C ESS

91.4

0.0%

C H IP LC

0.55

-3.5%

ST ER LN B A N K

90.3

0.0%

A F R IP R UD

6.30

-3.1%

FB NH

63.5

-6.5%

C OUR T VILLE

0.40

-2.4%

N GXGR OUP

60.6

-2.2%

Brokerage

Asset Management

Investment Research

Adedoyin Allen | aallen@afrinvest.com

Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com

Abiodun Keripe | AKeripe@afrinvest.com

Taiwo Ogundipe | togundipe@afrinvest.com

Christopher Omoh | comoh@afrinvest.com

Damilare Asimiyu| dasimiyu@afrinvest.com

45

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 19, 2021• T H I S DAY

MARKET NEWS A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

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

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust): is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 17Nov-2021, unless otherwise stated.

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

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

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

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS

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 167.90 169.37 3.72% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 9.03% Nigeria International Debt Fund 321.13 321.13 -20.40% Afrinvest Dollar Fund 105.00 106.05 -5.11% 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 10.68% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.33 3.39 -3.62% 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 8.68% Anchoria Equity Fund 140.35 142.12 5.52% info@anchoriaam.com Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.15 1.15 -13.78% 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 20.67 21.29 13.97% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 456.34 470.10 13.98% ARM Ethical Fund 39.81 41.01 18.09% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.08 1.09 -1.14% ARM Fixed Income Fund 0.99 0.99 -5.78% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.49% AVA GLOBAL ASSET MANAGERS LIMITED info@avacapitalgroup.com Web: www.avacapitalgroup.com Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AVA GAM Fixed Income Dollar Fund 107.35 107.35 5.55% AVA GAM Fixed Income Naira Fund 1,053.79 1,053.79 5.38% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) N/A N/A N/A mutualfunds@cardinalstone.com CARDINALSTONE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.cardinalstoneassetmanagement.com ; Tel: +234 (1) 710 0433 4 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CardinalStone Fixed Income Alpha Fund 1.03 1.03 4.78% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 9.07% Paramount Equity Fund 17.49 17.81 9.36% Women's Investment Fund 141.94 143.57 6.65% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 8.75% Cordros Milestone Fund 133.21 134.06 13.48% Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 109.86 109.86 5.37% 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 7.99% Coronation Balanced Fund 1.26 1.28 5.08% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.42 1.42 -10.60% 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 100.00 100.00 7.60% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 8.32% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,169.09 1,192.18 1.72% assetmanagement@emergingafricafroup.com EMERGING AFRICA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web:www.emergingafricagroup.com/emerging-africa-assetmanagement-limited/, Tel: 08039492594 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Emerging Africa Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.71% Emerging Africa Bond Fund 1.03 1.03 3.08% Emerging Africa Balanced Diversity Fund 1.12 Emerging Africa Eurobond Fund 104.10 FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price FBN Bond Fund 1,373.36 FBN Balanced Fund 174.45 FBN Halal Fund N/A FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 FBN Dollar Fund (Retail) FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Legacy Money Market Fund Legacy Debt Fund Legacy Equity Fund Legacy USD Bond Fund

121.82 150.28 Bid Price 1.00 3.99 1.74 1.20

1.12 11.10% 104.10 4.06% invest@fbnquest.com Offer Price 1,373.36 175.74 N/A 100.00

Yield / T-Rtn 11.47% 4.84% N/A 8.87%

121.82 4.08% 152.31 13.59% fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Offer Price 1.00 3.99 1.78 1.20

Yield / T-Rtn 6.98% 3.08% 14.56% 5.36%

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 Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A Coral Income Fund N/A N/A N/A Coral 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 7.73% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.90 2.96 1.54% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 4.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 155.03 155.31 -0.30% Vantage Equity Income Fund (VEIF) - June Year End 1.28 1.32 1.40% Vantage Dollar Fund (VDF) - June Year End 1.06 1.06 3.76% 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 1.49 1.51 9.03% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,148.91 1,148.91 7.70% 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 11.87 11.94 13.42% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 9.98% NORRENBERGER INVESTMENT AND CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LIMITED enquiries@norrenberger.com Web: www.norrenberger.com, Tel: +234 (0) 908 781 2026 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Norrenberger Islamic Fund (NIF) 100.96 100.97 7.51% Norrenberger Money Market Fund (NMMF) 100.00 100.00 8.61% 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 N/A N/A N/A PACAM Fixed Income Fund N/A N/A N/A PACAM Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A PACAM Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A PACAM EuroBond Fund N/A N/A N/A 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 135.52 137.88 11.73% 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 1.07 1.07 10.01% 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 3,394.27 3,422.50 5.56% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 234.64 234.64 4.35% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.27 1.29 8.47% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 310.71 310.71 5.45% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 239.93 243.55 9.95% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 7.50% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 11,123.68 11,284.89 6.01% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.28 1.28 4.75% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 116.40 116.40 4.79% Stanbic IBTC Enhanced Short-Term Fixed Income Fund 105.34 105.34 UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 01-6317876 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.35 1.37 5.23% United Capital Bond Fund 1.94 1.94 5.97% United Capital Equity Fund 0.93 0.95 16.39% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 8.96% United Capital Eurobond Fund 121.56 121.56 6.18% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.09 1.10 6.49% United capital Sukuk Fund 1.07 1.07 6.88% 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 Balanced Strategy Fund 13.11 13.23 10.50% Zenith ESG Impact Fund 14.57 14.72 19.36% Zenith Income Fund 24.63 24.63 2.65% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 6.49%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

124.98 54.20

10.62% 7.24%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

15.42 131.70 105.28 17.79 21.95

15.52 134.98 107.59 17.89 22.05

16.59% 9.53% 6.12% -0.28% 18.56%

Fund Name SFS REIT Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund MERGROWTH ETF MERVALUE ETF

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

3.90 5.58 18.12 1.00 21.87 157.66

4.00 5.68 18.32 1.00 22.07 159.66

4.18% -1.70% 11.81% 6.61% 6.55% -15.07%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.28

13.11%

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.

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FOREIGN DESK

COMPILED BY BAYO AKINLOYE

UNCHR Denounces Deaths of Sudan Coup Protesters The UN Commissioner for Human Rights has condemned the military crackdown on Sudanese protesters, a day after security forces killed 15 people in demonstrations against the country’s October 25 military coup.

Wednesday was the deadliest day of violence since the takeover and increased the death toll during the recent prodemocracy protests to 39.

Witnesses said the security forces dispersed protests in Khartoum and other cities using live ammunition and tear gas.

The UN’s Michelle Bachelet said in a statement Thursday that her office has repeatedly asked the country’s security forces and military “refrain from the use of unnecessary and disproportionate against demonstrators.”

“Shooting into large crowds of unarmed demonstrators, leaving dozens dead and may more injured, is deplorable, clearly aimed at stifling the expression of public dissent, and amounts to gross violations of international human rights law,” Bachelet said.

G-7 Urges Belarus to End Migrant Crisis

The G-7 group of nations condemned what it called the Belarus government’s “orchestration of irregular migration across its borders” Thursday, as neighbouring Poland reported new attempts to cross its border.

“We call on the regime to cease immediately its aggressive and exploitative campaign in order to prevent further deaths and suffering,” the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the United States said in a joint statement. “International organizations need to be provided with immediate and unhindered access to deliver humanitarian assistance.”

European countries accuse Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko of pushing thousands of migrants, mostly from the Middle East, to cross the border illegally in retaliation for European Union sanctions punishing Belarus for cracking down on pro-democracy protesters.

Belarus has denied orchestrating the gathering of migrants at the border.

Trilateral Summit: Biden Meets Canadian, Mexican Leaders

The leaders of the United States, Canada and Mexico are meeting Thursday for their first trilateral summit in five years, to discuss longstanding issues such as climate change, migration, economic competitiveness, as well as newer challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador will meet with US President Joe Biden at the White House Thursday. The leaders will first have bilateral meetings with Biden before converging for the first North American Leaders’ Summit since 2016.

“It’s the culmination of 10 months of work to revitalize North America’s platform that is both critical to our domestic economic success, as well as a partnership that can play a critical role in resolving regional and global challenges,” White House deputy press secretary Chris Meagher said Wednesday.

and cast doubt on Western coronavirus vaccines. But the year-long offensive appears to have backfired.

Russian officials now worry that the anti-vaccine scepticism encouraged by the troll factories has spilt over and is partly responsible for the high level of vaccine hesitancy among Russians.

Only 35% of the country’s population is fully vaccinated, despite the wide availability of the country’s home-grown Sputnik vaccine. Despite surging cases, the uptake remains sluggish.

German Parliament Passes COVID-19 Measures after Dire Warnings

China Silent on Missing Tennis Star, Despite Global Pressure

was not represented.

An email purportedly from a Chinese professional tennis player that a Chinese state media outlet posted on Twitter has increased concerns about her safety as the sport’s biggest stars and others abroad call for information about her well-being and whereabouts.

So far, those calls have been met by silence. Chinese officials have said nothing publicly since the accusation about two weeks ago by Grand Slam doubles champion Peng Shuai that a former top government official sexually assaulted her. The first #MeToo case to reach the political realm in China has not been reported by the domestic media, and online discussion of it has been highly censored.

Steve Simon, the chairman and CEO of the Women’s Tennis Association, questioned the authenticity of the email intended for him, in which Peng says she is safe and that the assault allegation is untrue. It was posted Thursday by CGTN, the international arm of Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

Experts Urge Australia Supermarket Cigarette Sale Ban

ASEAN Nations Kick as China Lobbies for Myanmar

A Chinese envoy has lobbied Southeast Asian nations to let Myanmar’s military ruler attend a regional summit being hosted by China’s president next week but has met stiff opposition, diplomatic sources said Thursday.

Myanmar’s standing as a member of the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has been thrown into the spotlight by a February 1 coup, when its military ousted the elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, sparking bloody turmoil.

Several ASEAN members, dismayed by the return of crisis and the suppression of democracy in Myanmar, have sought to press its generals by excluding them from ASEAN meetings.

In an unprecedented decision last month, ASEAN leaders blocked Myanmar’s military chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, from an ASEAN summit after he failed to honour pledges to allow an ASEAN envoy to meet lawmakers overthrown in the coup.

Instead, ASEAN leaders said a nonpolitical figure from Myanmar should be asked to attend. In the end, Myanmar

Australian public health experts are making new efforts to curb the use of tobacco products, comparing its adverse effects on health to that of asbestos and lead paint.

Australia has led the world on tobacco control, with plain packaging laws introduced in 2012, higher taxes and graphic public health warnings.

But campaigners say those steps are not enough to stop people from smoking. Public health experts want to remove cigarettes from supermarket and convenience store shelves.

Fourteen per cent of Australians smoke, according to the government’s latest figures. In 1977, 37% of Australians smoked. Researchers said tobacco use was declining too slowly in an article published Monday in The Medical Journal of Australia.

Terrorists Who Escaped Kenya Maximum Prison Nabbed

Kenyan authorities say they have captured three convicted terrorists who escaped Monday from a maximumsecurity prison in Nairobi.

The three convicts were arrested in Kitui County, central Kenya after residents reported suspicious-looking people to the local authorities.

The three convicts include Musharaf Abdalla, who was convicted of attempting to attack the parliament in 2012; Joseph Juma Odhiambo, who was arrested in 2019 at the border between Kenya and Somalia for planning to join the Somali terror group al-Shabab; and Mohamed Ali Abikar, who was convicted for his role in al-Shabab’s attack on Garissa University in April 2015. That attack killed at least 148 people, most of them students.

Kenyan media reports the three men were trying to reach Somalia and had asked people for directions to Garissa.

Russian Anti-Vaccine Disinformation Campaign Backfires

For more than a year, Russian-aligned troll factories overseeing thousands of social media accounts have been accused by Western countries and disinformation experts of spreading anti-vaccine messages in an aggressive campaign to spread conspiracy theories

Germany’s Bundestag — the lower house of parliament — Thursday approved new COVID-19 countermeasures the day after Germany’s Robert Koch Institute for Disease Control and Prevention (RKI) warned of a “terrible Christmas” if new countermeasures are not put in place.

The Bundestag, led by votes from what is likely Germany’s new ruling coalition, the Social Democrats, the Green Party, and the Free Democratic Party, approved new rules include requiring people to show proof of full vaccination or recovery or a valid negative COVID-19 test for workplaces and on public transport.

The new parliament did not extend the existing rules under the “epidemic situation of national concern” introduced in March 2020, which allowed Germany’s federal government to take nationwide action, such as imposing travel restrictions. The rules expire on November 25. German Chancellor Angela Merkel had urged for them to be extended.

Merkel is serving as chancellor in a caretaker capacity until the new ruling coalition is officially formed.

The new rules must still be approved by the Bundesrat, the upper house of parliament.

Tennis Association Concerned About Safety of Chinese Star

The head of the Women’s Tennis Association has voiced concern over an email it received in which Chinese professional tennis player Peng Shuai was said to deny her previous allegations of sexual assault.

Peng, one of China’s biggest sport stars, said on social media earlier this month that former Chinese vice premier Zhang Gaoli coerced her into sex and that they later had an on-off consensual relationship.

Her post was quickly deleted, and she had not been seen publicly or made a statement since then, alarming the global tennis community.

On Twitter, Chinese state-affiliated media outlet CGTN released what it said was an email Peng had sent to WTA Chairman and CEO Steve Simon in which she denied the allegations and that she was not missing or unsafe, but just “resting at home.”

But in his own written statement, Simon said the email only raised his concerns as to Peng’s “safety and whereabouts,” and that he had a hard time believing she actually wrote the email.

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UNVEILING THE LAGOS DEAL BOOK...

L-R: Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; his Special Adviser on SDGs & Investment, Mrs. Solape Hammond and Acting Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigeria Investment Promotion Council, Mr. Emeka Offor during the third Lagos SDGs Investors Roundtable and unveiling of the Lagos Deal Book, at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos ... yesterday

Buhari Backs Direct Party Primaries, Says Gbajabiamila Declares indirect primaries have not helped the growth of democracy in the country Deji Elumoye in Abuja Governors lobbying President Muhammadu Buhari not to assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill may have lost out in the equation going by the disclosure from the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, yesterday, that the president was in support of direct primaries for political parties to produce candidates for elections.

The Speaker, who spoke with journalists after meeting with the president at the State House, Abuja, said Buhari was a product of direct primaries, because of his popularity, adding that direct primaries open up the political space for the youths to participate.

He noted that the indirect primaries, which have been the practice in the selection of candidates for political parties for elections have not helped the growth of democracy in the country.

Gbajabiamila, therefore, assured the people that the president would soon sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law since he was back from official engagements.

“The President is happy. He will look at all the issues we have brought to his attention.

We talked about the Electoral Act amendment. We talked about agricultural development and other issues. All of the issues, the President will look at them,” the Speaker said.

Asked to dwell on his discussion with the president, the Speaker retorted: "Several issues, which one are you interested in?

I will tell you whether it was part of it or not. Yes, the issue of national development and the synergy with the National Assembly.

“This tripartite committee, if I tell you we didn't discuss the Electoral Act amendment, which is what I am sure you are asking about, I will be lying to you. We had a very robust discussion and our position is known to the president,” he said.

When further asked to state the official position of the National Assembly, Gbajabiamila said, "Are you not aware that the National Assembly has passed the issue of direct primaries and electronic transmission of election results?

That is the position of National Assembly. It has passed through both houses. We have passed the law. The official position of House of Representatives and the Senate,

we are for direct primaries.

“We are for empowering the people at the grassroots level.

Let everybody participate in governance. Democracy is defined as government of the people, for the people and by the people.

People is used three times in that definition. And it doesn't start from general election. It starts from primaries. So, we have made it very clear, abundantly."

Defending direct primaries, said, "It has been like that for a long time and it's not helping our democracy. It is not growing and deepening our democracy.

We have passed ‘Not Too Young to Run Bill,’ which the President was very happy to be a part of, because he wants to encourage

young people. But it's just a bill on paper.

"You pass Not Too Young to Run Bill, but at the same time you close the space for the young ones for whom you have passed Not Too Young to Run Bill.

"You have continued with your indirect primaries, how will the young people get involved? Now, they have a chance with the direct primaries. You have opened up the space and they can get in and mobilise themselves and if they are popular enough, they win the election. They are not dependent on any godfather," he said.

While reacting to the view expressed by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State that it

would be too expensive for political parties and INEC to handle direct primaries, he said,"Here is what I have to say. I have heard that argument about cost. And this is what I have to say.

“Do you put a price tag to democracy? I don't think you should. What is too much and what is too little to buy freedom and democracy? I don't think you should put a price tag to it. So, how much will be okay for him? He should tell us how much will be okay for him."

On the concern that the National Assembly was fighting, because they had been edged out, he said: "Let me tell you something very clearly, and I have

said it over and over again, the indirect primary is easier for me, at least, as far as my constituency is concerned.

"The indirect primary is easier for me. But because I don't want to be selfish, because I want to look at the bigger picture, I will rather go with direct primaries.

Let everybody go and vote. If they vote me out, they vote me out. It is as simple as that."

On whether the Electoral Act Amendment Bill had been transmitted to the President and when it would be assented to, the speaker said, "It's on the way. You can be sure of that."

Speaking on the takeaways from his discussions with the president, Gbajabiamila said:

"Very good, hopefully, we get the bill transmitted now that he is back very soon. We are hopeful it will become law and Nigerians will be better for it."

Also speaking on the reason for the visit to the State House, he said: "I haven't seen the president in a while. The president has been out of the country doing Nigeria's business.

“He attended Climate Conference and he was in South Africa for the Trade Conference. He was also in Paris. I just came to brief the President as to the goings on in the country as it affects the National Assembly. So, we had fruitful discussions.

BUHARI: WE WON’T PREEMPT STATES OVER DECISIONS ON #ENDSARS of doses by the end of the year.

“Donated with no strings attached. And we're providing significant aid to save lives right now. From the more than 150 testing labs that we have to set up nationwide to helping tackle food security crisis that was worsened by the pandemic.

We have teamed up for a long time to confront epidemics and to improve public health. In that sense, this is not new.

“The United States and others work with Nigeria toward eliminating a wild polio virus, supporting vaccination campaigns, aiding surveillance to detect and isolate cases. That collaboration was key to the country being certified free of the virus in August of 2020. That's a huge achievement.

Reckon assistance is helping to bring treatment to more than one and a half million people in Nigeria living with HIV AIDS, and we're on track for epidemic control by 2023.

“Our support for primary health care helps provide vital services to more than 60 million Nigerians.

These other and efforts have helped create a robust infrastructure for Nigeria's COVID-19 response and broader efforts to strengthen public health security, which are essential to detect and prevent the next pandemic.

“Second, we're working with Nigeria to build back better from the pandemic by fostering inclusive sustainable economic growth. That's the goal of the 2 billion development agreement that Jeffrey and I just signed, and which will make I think, significant investments in improving access to quality

education, public health and other services and tools that Nigeria's rising generations are looking for, and need to thrive here at home and in the global economy. And we're committed to working with the government as it pursues economic reforms, for example, to create a more stable regulatory environment to attract more foreign investment.

“Third, working together to address the global climate crisis.

Foreign Minister and I were both just at COP 26, where President Buhari made significant new commitments to join the global methane pledge and build on the progress that Nigeria has made in solar power.

“This is crucial as more and more Germans feel the impact of the crisis, something the President, I must say, talked about very eloquently, when we were together a short while ago, and displaced people, who have lost connections with their livelihoods as a result of climate change among other disruptions.

“Our work together also demonstrates how tackling this crisis represents an opportunity, our once in a generation opportunity to create good paying jobs and expand renewable energy access.

“The USAID has a five-year $110 million project, the Nigeria power sector programme, and that's supporting key initiatives like the solar power major, which will bring solar energy to 25 million Nigerians, who are off the electric grid and lack access to power.

“That, in turn, is expected to create as many as 250,000 new jobs in the energy sector, spur

local industry, generate 18 and a half million dollars in annual tax revenues. So, it will have practical, meaningful effects,” he explained.

He also expressed the United States’ displeasure at the turn of events in Sudan, saying, “Let me just say one brief word about yesterday's events in Sudan. The United States is deeply concerned by the violence used by the Sudanese military against people engaged in peaceful protest, which reportedly killed more than a dozen civilians and wounded scores more.

“The military must respect the rights of civilians to assemble peacefully and express their views.

And we continue to support the demand of the Sudanese people for the restoration of the civilianled transition, and including the return of Prime Minister, Abdala Hamdok, back to office and the immediate release of all those detained since October 25,” he said.

However, Owonikoko, who spoke on the ARISE News Morning Show, a breakfast programme yesterday, stated that from the evidence gathered, there was no record of a single death.

“I am totally shocked about what I read to be in the report, particularly, the findings with regard to 48 victims some of whom are described as deceased and missing,” he maintained.

He explained that it was unacceptable for a member of the panel to publicly disclose the contents of the panel’s report, insisting that the panellists took an oath of fidelity with respect to impartiality and confidentiality.

According to Owonikoko, "If anybody, who was a panel member has gone out as of today to speak to what has happened, that person has breached not only the oath he took to be a member, he has also breached the duty imposed on him not to discuss or divulge the contents to anybody.

What we should be discussing, and this is very important, will be the government's own outcome.

That outcome can be criticised.”

He added that the panel comprised mostly people with no legal background, and this accounted for most of the alleged breaches of the law by members.

Owonikoko alleged that there were at least 40 discrepancies in the report released by the panel, concluding that the members did not do a thorough job.

He stated, “A number of them were not lawyers. And that, to me, actually, is the crux of the problem we have with this report.

From the evidence that we were able to gather at the hearing, there was not a single death that was established.

"The mistake I have observed is that the government made it in such a way that it should have been a different panel entirely to look into the Lekki incidents.

The panel that was considered originally was meant to address victims of abuse of police brutality and SARS. So, from the very beginning, that panel lacked the judicial competency to determine these issues.”

Owonikoko stated that Adegboruwa, who was the representative of the civil society on the panel, had recused himself long before the report came out

and had not been in most of the panel meetings. He urged that the report should not be considered valid.

Owonikoko stated, "That report is already tainted and I would not expect the government not to be cautious in implementing that kind of report. I want to know how that gentleman (Adegboruwa) was able to sign off on this report as an objective and neutral report of facts that you are trying to find. He ought not to participate, because in this report, for almost 15 sittings, he did not come."

Insisting that the report was not against the Lagos State government as such, Owonikoko stated that the only part that concerned the government was whether it ordered the deployment of soldiers. He also pointed out that during the entire proceedings of the panel, there was no evidence that the army was deployed by the governor, noting that ordinarily, the report would be subjected to a judicial review.

The lawyer explained that part of the discrepancies in the report was that even someone, who allegedly testified before the panel, was declared dead in the report. He said the discrepancies did not project the panel as having done a thorough job, expressing shock that such report should be released in the public space.

Owonikoko explained, “I have read the report. Since you now confirm that it is supposed to be authentic, I have identified almost 40 discrepancies, very material Continued on page 57

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BUILDING TRUST… L-R: The US Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador, Mary Beth Leonard visiting, US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, during Blinken’s visit to the State House, Abuja… yesterday

Bandits Kill 213, Kidnap 676 Persons in Four Months in Katsina Ortom mourns 43 people killed in Sokoto

Francis Sardauna in Katsina, George Okoh in Makurdi and Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

The Katsina State government, yesterday, said bandits had killed no fewer than 213 persons and kidnapped 676 others across local government areas of the state between July and October 2021.

The government, however, added that some 724 suspected bandits and other criminals terrorising communities in the state were arrested by security agencies within the period.

In a related development, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has commiserated with hisSokoto State counterpart, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, over the massacre of 43 people in Goronyo and Illela Local Government Areas of Sokoto State on Sunday and Monday by bandits.

Consequently, the Sokoto Police Command has confirmed the attack on three villages in

Sabon Birni local government area by suspected bandits.

However, Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Mustapha Inuwa, spoke about the situation in Katsina while briefing journalists on the progress report of the security challenges containment orders recently signed by Governor Aminu Bello Masari to tackle banditry in the state.

He explained that 296 suspects were under prosecution and 75 others were under investigation by different security agencies in the state.

Inuwa said: “On the whole, the statistics with regards to banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling from the commencement of the containment order to date has revealed a drastic reduction in the number of reported cases.

“For instance, for the period of July/August 2021, there were a total of 173 reported kidnap incidents affecting 475 persons; whereas for

Police confirm another attack in Sabon Birni, say nine killed

September/October 2021, 61 kidnap incidents occurred with 201 victims.

“Banditry cases for the same corresponding periods were 97 incidents for July/August, 2021 with 130 deaths and 57 injured and 56 incidents for September/October 2021 with 83 deaths and 58 injured.”

According to him, “480 suspects were arrested between March to September 2021; 42 under investigation and 216 under prosecution.

From September to date, on the other hand, 244 suspects were arrested; 33 under investigation and 80 were under prosecution.”

While describing the security containment order as a child of necessity, Inuwa said government’s effort towards curtailing security challenges in the state was not aimed at bringing hardship to the citizenry but to curb the menace.

Meanwhile, from Benue State, a press statement by

Ortom’s Press Secretary, Mr Nath Ikyur, Thursday, quoted the governor of recalling with pains, how just in October this year, more than 40 people were gruesomely massacred at another market in Goronyo Local Government Area by the same bandits.

He says the boldness being exhibited by the terrorists from state to state across the country was a clear indication that the nation was in grave danger and stood the risk of losing out its territorial integrity to terrorists, whose sole agenda was to conquer Nigeria.

The governor lamented the atrocities of the terrorists, who were invading communities unhindered with unprovoked attacks and said the development was threatening the unity of Nigeria and weakening the faith of the citizens in government.

He called on all patriotic Nigerians to join hands with the government to condemn the mindless acts against

Oil Prices Slide as US, China Mull Release of Emergency Reserves Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja Oil prices slide to six-week lows yesterday as China said it was moving to tap its reserves and the United States signalled that it may open up its special emergency storage, asking large consuming nations to consider a stockpile release to lower rising prices.

The proposed action comes on the back of inflationary pressures fuelled by surging energy prices, especially the skyrocketing gas prices. The US reserves contains more than 600 million barrels of oil.

Yesterday, Brent crude dropped to $79.28 while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude also dropped to $77.08.

Oil prices had hit seven-year high in October as the market focused on the swift rebound in demand that had come with the lifting of lockdowns to halt the spread of the coronavirus.

However, the rally then was fuelled in part by the

strategy of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, called OPEC+, to raise output only slowly.

China’s state reserve bureau said it was working on a release of crude oil reserves although it declined to comment on the US request, while a Reuters report quoted an unnamed Japanese industry ministry official as saying that the United States had requested Tokyo’s cooperation in dealing with higher oil prices.

The US has its own Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), which can be tapped to push down prices or increase supplies as needed, but is also pushing for a wider coordinated response.

Nigeria with a far lower budget oil benchmark, has said that it was comfortable with a $50 to $60 oil price so as not to push its customers into looking for alternatives.

But the US' unusual move follows a jump in gasoline prices, and the wider surge in inflation to a 30-year high.

Having failed to persuade OPEC+ to speed up its production, the US is now looking to pile pressure on the group. In 2011, during a war in OPEC member Libya, the US deployed the same strategy.

In reaction, the prospect of more oil hitting the market has pushed Brent crude down below $80 per barrel to as low as $79.28, the lowest since early October, after falling sharply yesterday too.

In a similar vein, the Energy Information Administration (EIA), a US body which analyses industry data, Thursday predicted that oil prices will begin to decline this quarter and culminate in $66 per barrel by the last quarter of 2022.

“However, we forecast that global oil inventories

will begin building in 2022, driven by rising production from OPEC+ countries and the United States and slowing growth in global oil demand.

We expect this shift will put downward pressure on the Brent price, which will average $72/b during 2022.

“Spot prices of Brent, an international crude oil benchmark, and West Texas Intermediate (WTI), a U.S. crude oil benchmark, have risen since their April 2020 lows and are now above pre-pandemic levels.

“In October, the price of Brent crude oil averaged $84/b, and the price of WTI averaged $81/b, the highest nominal prices since October 2014. We expect that the price of Brent will fall from an average of $84/b in October 2021 to $66/b in December 2022 and the price of WTI will fall from an average of $81/b in October 2021 to $62/b in December 2022,” it noted.

innocent Nigerians, who were already weighed down by the harsh economic policies of the APC-led federal government.

"Security agencies should not to be deterred by the challenges they face in fighting to protect the sovereignty of the nation but to go all out to uproot the terrorists from the shores of Nigeria," Ortom said.

However, Sokoto’s Police Command Public Relations Officer, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Abubakar Sanusi, said nine persons were killed in the separate attacks that took place between 15th, 16th, and 17th of November 2021.

He said the first attack, which took place at Garin Zago in Sabon Birni local government, resulted in the death of three persons, while three others were kidnapped.

Sanusi said another which happened on November 16, a vehicle was attacked in Gaji village but no casualty was

recorded.

The police spokesman further disclosed that another attack took place on November 17, 2021, at Sangirawa village, where six persons were killed by the assailants and several others injured.

He said, based on the findings of the police personnel on ground in the local government, the three attacks resulted in the death of nine persons, contrary to the figures being circulated by different sources.

A month ago, bandits attacked a military base at Bukursuma in Sabon Birni, killing 15 soldiers , three police men, and two civil defence officers.

This recent attack, however, came few days after bandits attacked Illela and Goronyo communities, leaving 43 people dead.

Sabon Birni is located at Eastern Senatorial district of Sokoto and has been an epicenter of banditry.

Buhari Signs AMCON (Amendment), Climate Change Bills Into Law Deji Elumoye in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday signed into law the AMCON (Amendment) and Climate Change bills passed by the National Assembly thereby making them to become part of the Laws of the Federation.

The Climate Change Act owes its origin to a bill sponsored by a member of the House of Representatives, Hon Sam Onuigbo and provides for, among other things, the mainstreaming of climate change actions and the establishment of a National Council on Climate Change.

It also paves way for environmental and economic accounting and a push for a net

zero emission deadline plan in the country.

The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (Amendment) Act amends the AMCON Act No.4, 2010.

It provides for the extension of the tenor of the Resolution Cost Fund and grants access to the Special Tribunal established by the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act 2020, which confers on the corporation the power “to take possession, manage, foreclose or sell, transfer, assign or otherwise deal with the asset or property used as security for eligible bank assets and related matters.’’

This, in effect, will help AMCON make recoveries and for debtors to fulfil their commitments to banks

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NEWSXTRA

THANK-YOU VISIT TO UGWUANYI… L-R: Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; National President of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Ambali Olatunji and NULGE's National Vice President, South East, Comrade Patrick Igwe, when the leadership and members of NULGE paid a thank-you visit to Gov. Ugwuanyi, at the Government House, Enugu, for restoring their land purportedly revoked without the governor's approval...yesterday

2023: Peterside, Sanusi, Kukah, Others Partner to Mobilise Youths to Register, Vote Dike Onwuamaeze The President and Founder of Anap Foundation, Mr. Atedo

Peterside has announced that the foundation has teamed up with select social influencers across the country to appeal to Nigerian

youths to register en-masse and collect their voters’ card so as to enable them to vote during the 2023 general elections.

Quoting from Socrates immortal statements, Peterside said in the video that announced the move to mobilise Nigerian

youths to reclaim the country through the power of the ballot paper that “one of the penalties of refusing to participate in politics is

With ‘Whole-of-Government’, ‘Whole-of-Society’ Approach, FG Confident of Subduing Violent Extremism Michael Olugbode in Abuja The National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (Rtd), yesterday, said the federal government had adopted a soft approach to tackle and subdue the security challenges in the country by developing a Policy Framework and National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) tagged: ‘Whole-of-Government’ and ‘Whole-of-Society’ approach.

Monguno, however, hinted at this approach in Abuja, at the National Conference on

Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) in Nigeria organised by ActionAidNigeria and funded by the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF).

The NSA, who was represented by the Coordinator of the Counter Terrorism Center, Rear Admiral Yaminu Musa, said a document tagged “Partnering for Safer and Resilient Communities”, provides the framework for programming and engagements on PCVE in Nigeria and recognises the integrated roles of government

agencies with the larger society as critical by adopting a ‘Wholeof-Government’ and a ‘Wholeof-Society approach’.

He added that the policy framework encouraged the active participation of ministries, departments and agencies of government, as well as critical stakeholders from different sectors of the civil society such as religious actors, youth, teachers, women, law enforcement agencies, the media and community-based organisations.

“This is essential in order to build networks of peace

that create safe and resilient communities across Nigeria, in which human rights and the rule of law guide the approach to combating violent extremism.

“We have improved the execution of our National Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which is an important framework for coordinating Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts and mainstreaming the rule of law while bringing terrorists to justice,” he said.

The Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi, said what has been a worrying

trend in recent years was the threat of radicalism and violent extremism.

She lamented that Nigeria still ranked 3rd in the category of most terrorised countries in the world just after Afghanistan and Iraq, following statistics drawn from the 2020 Global Terrorism Index.

Obi said the gap between the least and most peaceful countries in the world has continued to grow as Nigeria ranked 136th in the recently released Global Peace Index (GPI) report (2021) by the Institute of Economics and Peace (IEP).

that you end up being governed by your inferiors.”

He, therefore, urged, “Nigerian youths of 18 years and above to register for and claim their voters’ card well before the 2023 elections. Let us act now to build the Nigeria we desire.”

Those teaming up with Anap Foundation are the 14th Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II; Bishop Matthew Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto; former World Bank Treasurer and Chairperson of Royal African Society, Ms. Arunma Oteh, who was also former director general of Securities and Exchange Commission; a former Minister and Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Dr. Salamatu Hussaini Suleiman; the National Chairman of Youth Party, Mr. Tomiwa Aladekomo; an Author, Ms. Ayisa Osori and former Deputy Managing Director of NLNG and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Ibrahim Dahiru.

BUHARI: WE WON’T PREEMPT STATES OVER DECISIONS ON #ENDSARS discrepancies in that report, including awarding damages to people, who are claimed to have died.

“People, who never died, who have even come out to say they did not die, including awarding damages to somebody they claim died but who actually was a witness to testify as to his brother’s death not even at Lekki toll gate.

“Does that not show you that there was no thorough job done?

How do you make that kind of serious mistake, to award millions and millions to somebody claiming that he died when actually he was even a witness before you?

“In the report itself, you will find where the witness was there and they recorded his evidence, and in the list they posted, they said he died and awarded him N15 million. What kind of report is that? That alone, any report that has that fundamental error will be crushed.”

Drawing a convergence between the Justice Oputa panel and the Okuwobi panel, Owonikoko argued that even if a white paper was released on the matter, it was not binding on anybody.

He stated, “You are entitled to subject it to the judicial review in a court of law. An instance that you may readily recall was the Oputa panel. One of the reasons a number of the recommendations did not see the light of day was that it was challenged in court and the Supreme Court held that some of the matters that the panel looked into, as much as the public was interested in knowing the truth about them, were beyond the remit of the federal government to constitute a panel to look into.

“I am not speaking on a report that is validly published and which can be authenticated as the outcome of that judicial inquiry.

Nevertheless, I can’t pretend not to be aware that certain documents have been circulating in the social media and have been subject of comments and responses.”

He pointed out that the report released to the public was even unsigned, adding that it might well be a minority report.

Emphasising that he had issues with Adegboruwa, whom he said was consistently absent during Saturday sittings on the Lekki incident, Owonikoko noted that the civil society representative lacked

the moral right to have signed the document.

“This same gentleman (OluAdegboruwa) had no legal or moral right to sign the report but he did,” Owonikoko said.

The Lagos State counsel further said there was no place in the report that mention was made of an attempt to attack a traditional ruler and raze down Oriental Hotel at Lekki by hoodlums during the protest.

The leaked report had noted that there was an “atrocious maiming and killing of unarmed, helpless and unresisting #EndSARS protesters, while sitting on the floor, waving the Nigerian flags, and singing the National Anthem, and therefore concluded that it amounted to a ‘massacre’.”

It said the security forces killed some 11 protesters while over 40 were injured, contrary to claims by the army and the Lagos State government that protesters were not killed.

“The soldiers actually shot blank and live bullets directly and pointedly into the midst of the protesters at the Lekki tollgate, with the deliberate intention to assault, maim and kill. The soldiers turned

back ambulances that were invited to render first aid and assistance to the wounded protesters,” the report read.

The leaked report further stated that there were attempts to cover-up the killings, including soldiers picking up bullet shells on the night of October 20, 2020 and policemen following up in the morning of October 21 to pick bullet shells. It added that that LCC officials manipulated the CCTV cameras.

But the army had claimed that soldiers deployed to the Lekki tollgate only shot blank bullets into the air and operated within the rules of engagement. Lagos State Government is yet to officially react to the report, but it said the state governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, invited soldiers to the scene.

Adegboruwa: Lagos Govt Sponsoring Smear Campaign Against Panel Members In the meantime, a member of the #EndSARS panel, Mr. Ebun-Olu

Adegboruwa, SAN, has accused the Lagos State government of sponsoring a smear campaign against members of the panel.

Adegboruwa, in a statement, said since the submission of the #EndSARS panel report to the governor of Lagos State on November 15, members of the panel had become the subject of vicious attacks by those suspected to be agents of the government.

Adegboruwa accused the Lagos State government of unleashing mindless propaganda upon panel members, while at the same time asking for restraint from the general public.

The statement read: "Since the submission of the EndSARS panel report to the governor of Lagos State on November 15, 2021, members of the panel have become subject of vicious attacks by those suspected to be agents of the government.

"All manner of allegations have been heaped upon panel members, some of who have been called unprintable names.

I can confirm that no member of the panel lobbied to be

appointed into the panel.

“As a matter fact, in my own case, His Excellency, the Governor of Lagos State, appealed to me to accept my appointment, which I saw as a call to national service. The primary reason the governor gave to me then was that he wanted men and women of integrity, independent and not subject to manipulation, to be on the Panel.

"Just today, my attention has been drawn to an interview by a Senior Counsel to the Lagos State government, to the effect that panel members collected bribe in the course of the assignment.

It is unfair, ungodly and least expected of the government and its lawyers."

"The Lagos State Government asked for two weeks to enable it release a White Paper on the report submitted to it by the panel. And we have been waiting, but it would seem that the Lagos State Government has now unleashed mindless propaganda upon panel members whilst at the same time asking for restraint from the general public.

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NEWS

Cervical Cancer Kills over 7,000 Nigerian Women, Affects 12,000 Annually, Says Fayemi Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti The wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Bisi Fayemi, has disclosed that cancer remains one the commonest killers of women in Nigeria, saying statistics revealed that over 7,000 female gender were killed in 2020, with more than 12,000 new cases recorded Fayemi spoke in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, during a ‘First Lady Against Cancer(FLAC)’ Town Hall Meeting, targeted to raise awareness on the increasing indices of cervical cancer among women in the state and the nation at large, to mark the 2021 World Cancer Day. The First Lady said cancer was a leading course of deaths worldwide, saying about 70 million death were recorded in 2020 globally due to the preponderance of the lethal scourge.

The First lady said efforts must be accelerated for the elimination of cervical cancer which she said had become

the third common killer of women in the country.

“Cervical Cancer is

preventable with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination. Early detection

saves lives. We commend the renewed commitment of all cervical cancer advocates in

Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Health, international and indigenous partners to deliver

on the stated objectives of this strategy by 2030,” she added.

BIDDING SANI DANGOTE FAREWELL…

L–R: Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Exchange Limited, Mr. Temi Popoola; Group Chairman/President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and Chief Executive Officer, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc, Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri at the funeral of the Vice President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Sani Dangote in Kano…recently

House Passes Bill Seeking Ownership Tussle: Court Bars Ekocorp Board from Meeting to Remove CCT from Executive Control Wale Igbintade

Udora Orizu in Abuja The House of Representatives at the plenary yesterday passed for second reading a bill seeking to alter the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, with a view to removing the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), an adjudicatory body, from the executive arm and placing it under the judiciary as a superior court of record.

The proposed legislation titled, “a Bill for an Act to Amend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Establish the Code of Conduct Tribunal as a Superior Court Created by the Constitution,” was sponsored

by Hon. Solomon Bob (PDP, Rivers).

Leading the debate on its general principles, Bob said the Bill proposes to amend

principally sections 6, 84, 240, 243, 254, 294, 295, 316 of the constitution among others.

According to him, all these sections deal with superior courts of record and it was sought by this amendment to incorporate the Code of Conduct Tribunal among them.

He noted that it was trite that in a presidential democracy such as Nigeria, the three arms of government, the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary are distinct and separate in functions, powers and composition.

This distinct separation of powers, Bob said was intended to secure the independence of each arm and for each to act as a check on the exercise of power by the other, which ultimately enhances the effective discharge of their respective constitutional responsibilities.

COVID-19: FCTA to Vaccinates 1.5m Residents in 50 Days Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has highlighted plan to give over 1.5 million residents in the territory across the six area councils COVID-19 vaccines in next 50 days.

The FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, disclosed the hint yesterday at the flagging off of the mass vaccination campaign against the spread of the pandemic at Abuja.

She said the rapid spread of the virus has reinforced the need for an aggressive response and improved efforts to contain the infection and protect residents of the territory.

She said donated high quality medical equipment worth over $700, 000, would contribute immensely to improving quality of healthcare services in the primary and secondary health facilities with better health outcomes in the territory.

She also added that primary healthcare financing has improved steadily in the Federal Capital Territory Appropriation Act from 2019 to 2021, with over 30 per cent increase on the previous year funding provision.

She commended the continued support of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and other partners for their collective responsibility, while pledging that the FCT Administration would continue to work with partners to improve the reach and sustain COVID-19 vaccination in the FCT. In his remarks, the FCTA Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola, assured that the Administration would continue to enforce the, ‘no mask no entry’ restrictions at public places and regular hand washing campaign or the use of hand sanitisers, with not less than 70 percent alcohol base in all public places, including worship places.

Justice Peter Lifu, of the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday barred two firms, Ekocorp Plc and Goff Ohen Limited from holding any board meeting by either themselves, their agents, or privies pending the hearing and determination of the suit filed by Dr. Sunday Folorunsho Kuku.

Dr. Kuku is the sole surviving founding member and a director

of Ekocorp, which owns the popular Eko Hospital in Ikeja, the Lagos State capital.

Justice Lifu issued the order of restraint sequel to an interlocutory injunction filed and argued by Dr. Kuku’s counsel, Mr. Tobe Nnamani.

The first to eighth defendants in the case are Ekocorp Plc, Goff Ohen Limited, Dr. Goff Ohen, Prof. Joseph Irukwu, SAN, Pastor Olurotimi Nathaniel, Mr. Olusegun Olusanya, Dr.

George Okpagu, and Mrs. Joyce Modilim.

In granting the order, Justice Lifu stated that he was not unmindful of the running of the hospital’s affairs adding that the management is to see to the day-to-day affairs of the hospital during the pendency of the suit.

“I have perused the application for interlocutory injunction filed by the plaintiff in this case and the submissions of counsel to

the applicant.

“In my humble view, the issue here is basically to preserve the res from being dissipated so that the decision, in this case, will meet the purpose. Consequently, this application is hereby granted as prayed against the first and second defendants’’.

“I can observe that only the first and second defendants were duly served. Awctivities of the board are hereby suspended during the pendency of this case.

Insurgency: Lawmakers Want Training Centre Relocated from Kaduna to Maiduguri

Udora Orizu in Abuja

The House of Representatives at the plenary, yesterday urged the Head of Service of the Federation to direct the relocation of the Federal Training Centre (FTC) from Kaduna to Maiduguri.

It also mandated its committees on Public Service Matters and Legislative Compliance to ensure implementation.

The resolution followed the

adoption of a motion sponsored

by Hon. Ahmed Satomi.

Moving the motion, Satomi noted that the FTC was first established in Lagos in 1957 to facilitate a deliberate policy of Nigerianisation of the public service, as well as accelerating the pace of training of clerical and secretarial staff in the public service generally.

He said the House is aware that the FTC Kaduna

was established in 1960 to cater for federal institutions and departments in defunct Northern Nigeria, to motivate and encourage public servants of Northern Nigeria to undergo professional training to fill up several vacancies that became vacant with the gradual withdrawal of expatriate staff in the various levels of the public service.

He recalled that in February

2012 due to the impact of insurgency in the North-east geo-political zone, the Maiduguri Centre was temporarily relocated to Kaduna pending the return of normalcy.

The lawmaker expressed concern that many participants and students drawn from various states of the North-east awere compelled to take the risk of travelling to Kaduna for training at the centre.

House Decries Rising Spate of Suicide Cases Udora Orizu in Abuja The House of Representatives at the plenary, yesterday decried the rising spate of suicide in the country. The lawmakers therefore, urged the Federal Ministry of Health to come up with a national strategy to address mental problems in Nigeria.

It also resolved to review extant mental health laws to provide for proper care of

affected persons in Nigeria and expedite action on measures aimed at protecting the rights of persons with a mental disorder, ensure equal access to treatment and care, discourage stigma and discrimination and set standards for psychiatric practice in Nigeria.

The resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Gaza J. Gbefwi.

Moving the motion, Gbefwi

noted the prevalence of suicide cases in Nigeria, especially among youths between the ages of 15-29 years.

He also noted the statistics showing that one-fifth of suicide cases are of persons aged 13-19 years and over 50 per cent of the crisis calls received through hotlines are from youth aged 13-29 and 27.8 per cent of them are students.

He said the House is aware

that socio-economic factors contribute largely to mental illness such as depression, anxiety disorders etc, which are on the increase and are the leading causes of suicide in Nigeria.

He also said he was disturbed that the only form of legislation on mental health is the Lunacy Ordinance enacted in 1916 that assumed the status of law in 1958.

Court Remands Secondary School Students for Gang Rape Blessing Ibunge in PortHarcoury

A Chief Magistrate Court in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State yesterday remanded two male students of Okporo Secondary School in Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area of the State to Remand Home over alleged gang-rape.

The two students, Chukwudi

Daniel and Confidence Samuel Gbarabe 14 years old each, were arraigned in court on charges bordering on defilement.

The offence was registered in suit number PMC/1732c/202.

The charge reads: “That you Chukwudi Daniel and Confidence Samuel Gbarabe (aka pipeline) on the 27th day of October, 2021 at

Okporo Secondary school in Port Harcourt Magisterial District did conspire amongst yourselves to wit:defilement and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 516A of the criminal code,cap 37 vol,11 laws of Rivers State Nigeria.

“That you Chukwudi Daniel and Confidence

Samuel Gbarabe on the aforementioned date and place in the afore magisterial district did unlawfully and sexually abuse one (name withheld) age 14 years by inserting your penis into her vagina and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 221 of the criminal code cap 37,vol 11, Laws of Rivers State”.

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Pension: PTAD Puts FG’s Defined Benefit Indebtedness at N90bn James Emejo in Abuja The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) yesterday disclosed that total pension liabilities of 265 parastatals under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) stood at over N90 billion.

PTAD Director, Parastatals Pension Department, Alhaji Yusuf Umar, stated this in Abuja at a workshop for the Pension Correspondents Association of Nigeria (PENCAN).

He said pensioners of defunct Nigeria Telecommunications Limited/ MTEL with over 11,000 pensioners had the largest outstanding liability of N73 billion while Delta Steel Company had liability of N7.9 billion.

A further breakdown showed Nicon Insurance had liability of N4.9 billion, Nigeria- Reinsurance had 24 months arrears worth N1.1 billion as well as New Nigeria Newspaper with pension liability of N2. 9 billion among others.

Other parastatals included the Nigeria National Shipping Line (NNSL) with 953 pensioners

owed N1.2 billion, Aluminium Smelter Company Limited ( ALSCON) with 2,000 pensioners had cumulative pension liability of N467 million, Nigeria Aviation Handling

Company (NAHCO) N467 million, defunct Assurance Bank with 935 pensioners is being owed with N570 million while Federal Housing Authority ( FHA) had N389 million liability.

Umar said the N90 billion would cover 92,000 prisoners of federal agencies.

Notwithstanding the huge indebtedness, he said a lot of progress had been recorded in

whittling down the liabilities.

He said the Biometric Verification Number (BVN) had been a game-changer in weeding out ghost pensioners.

He pointed out that the

directorate had removed pensioners operating microfinance banks and requested all pensioners to open account with conventional Deposit Money Banks.

YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME…

L-R: Regional Manager, Sub- Saharan Africa, Leap Africa, Miss. Seun Olagunju; Principal Lead /CEO. Gabriel Okeowo; Executive Director, Femi Taiwo;Programme Officer, Miss. Catherine Busari; and Programme Management Executive , Mrs. Agnes Olusola, at the Leap Africa Youth Leadership Programme 2021 press conference in Lagos… yesterday PHOTO:ETOPUKUTT

56-year-old Pastor Glo Rewards Joy Unlimited Extravaganza Winners Arrested for Raping Pregnant Lady in Ondo

Fidelis David in Akure

Men of the Ondo State Police Command have arrested a 56-year-old man, Festus James, for allegedly raping a 22-year-old lady who is eight months pregnant, under the guise of delivering her from an evil spirit.

Parading the suspect yesterday at the command headquarters Bolaji Salami said: “On the 13th November, 2021, one Festus James ‘m’ from Ibadan in Oyo State went to Agbabu village via Ore, claimed to be a Prophet and that the Holy Spirit directed him to have a 3 days Holy Ghost Revival in a Church in the village.

“The next day, the prophet claimed to have seen a vision concerning a 22years old lady who was eight months pregnant and told her to wait behind after the programme she took the pregnant lady into one of the rooms in the

mission house under the guise of delivering her from an evil spirit and had carnal knowledge of her.

Salami, who spoke through Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Funmilayo Odunlami, also showcase five other suspects arrested by the police for various criminals offences ranging from rape, unlawful possession of military uniform, impersonation, burglary and stealing.

He said the command also arrested a 65-year-old man, Lasisi Isiaka for allegedly being in position of human skull.

“On the 10th of November, 2021, at Yaba Division in Ondo town. we received an anonymous call that two men were seen digging a grave inside Anglican Cathedral Church, Surulere, Oke-Aluko cemetery and were packing objects suspected to be human parts into a bag.

FCCPC: Consumers Decry Outrageous Electricity Billing Adibe Emenyonu in Benincity Power consumers of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) have frowned at what they described as outrageous billing and high tariff subjected to by the company without reasonable power supply.

The consumers, who were present at a four-day programme tagged: ‘Consumer Complaint Resolution Platform’, organised by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and support from MacArthur Foundation in Benin-city, Edo State, lamented that they have

been subjected to paying for what they never consumed as electricity.

Giving his complaints at the event, counsel to Hotel Proprietors of Nigeria, Edo State chapter, Mr. Peter Askhaimo, on behalf of his clients, said he had this year written over 40 letters to the management of BEDC, but no response.

He added that he invited the Nigerian Electricity Management Service Agency (NEMSA) to carry out routine check on facilities in his clients’ premises after which BEDC was directed to supply NEMSA-sealed meters to his clients, lamenting that till now, nothing has been done.

The Adeola Odeku retail outlet of Globacom was enveloped in pomp and celebration as lucky winners in the company’s ongoing Joy Unlimited Extravaganza promo received their prizes yesterday in Lagos.

The prize presentation event was held for a total of 203 lucky subscribers who emerged from the first draw of the promotion held recently.

According to a statement, they included 71 winners of television sets, 71 winners of

generators and 61 winners of refrigerators.

Among prominent personalities who presented the items to the overjoyed winners were Managing Director of THISDAY, Mr. Eniola Bello; a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Desmond Elliot; Executive Chairman of Eti-Osa East Local Council Development Area, Hon. John Campus Ogundare; Lagos Zonal Coordinator of National Lottery Regulatory Authority

(NLRA), Mrs. Priscilla Onuzulu; Retired Captain Tunji Shelle, and several celebrities including King Sunny Ade, Teni Makanaki, Patience Ozokwu (Mama G), Samuel Perry (Broda Shaggi) and Godwin Komone (Gordons).

Globacom’s Regional Manager, Sales, Lagos, Abdulrazaq Ande, said the prize presentation ceremony was in fulfillment of the pledge made when the loyalty reward promo was unveiled three weeks ago to spread joy amongst Nigerians

during the Yuletide season and into the New Year as well as a confirmation of its resolve to constantly add value to the lives of subscribers on its network.

He explained that other winners who would emerge in subsequent draws would receive their prizes at similar events to be held in Enugu on November 25, Ibadan on December 2, Port-Harcourt on December 9, while Abuja and Jos would host the event on December 16.

Abia LG Elections Tribunal Chairman Alleges Threat to Life

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

The Chairman of the Abia State Local Government Election Tribunal, Magistrate Nnaemeka Orji, yesterday abandoned the court and ran away, citing a threat to his life.

The tribunal was billed to deliver its verdict on the election petition filed by Chief Kalu Mba Nwoke, the candidate of the All

Progressives Congress (APC) in the December 2020 Ohafia Local Government Area poll.

Mr. Ukaiwe Okoroafor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was declared the winner of the poll by the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC), but Nwoke felt his “mandate was stolen” and went to the tribunal to reclaim it.

However, as the litigants

and their supporters gathered for the verdict of the tribunal yesterday, the proceedings turned dramatic, and the tribunal chairman, instead of reading the judgment, started reading a threat letter allegedly sent to him by a cult group.

Orji also stated that he was accused of receiving N25 million inducement from the APC, hence, he was no longer continuing with the case, and

announced his withdrawal.

The threat letter, which was neither dated nor signed, contained the symbols of the said cult group, and was addressed to Magistrate Nnaemeka Orji.

He was warned that he risked “the wrath of her Ricasia Majesty” should he deliver à judgment considered as “injustice” by the group that issued the threat.

ICPC Produces Third Nigerian Female Handwriting Expert Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) said yesterday that it graduated four experts in handwriting analysis including a female officer, Kemebradikumo Elizabeth Badejo, who is the third female handwriting expert in the country.

This was revealed by the

Consultant, Handwriting and Signature Analysis, Mr. Ayodele Olufemi, a retired police handwriting expert, at the graduation ceremony of the pioneer trainees of the handwriting analysis which held at the commission’s boardroom.

He noted that the Nigerian Police had produced the first two female experts in June 2021.

The course which started in

August 2019 with nine persons, had five persons dropping out and eventually four graduating including Badejo, Sunday Ibrahim, Omotosho Gbeminiyi Stephen and Nduo Ebenezer.

Presenting the graduands for their awards, the consultant noted that the commission has established a state-of-the-art document forensic laboratory equipped with Foster+freeman Video Spectre Compactor (VSC

80), neuro script movalyser: signature reading system with XP-Pen operating device, and Digital Two-Eye Piece Binocular Document Microscope amongst other equipment.

He commended the capacity building efforts of the commission for organising the training and webinars organised by the International Association of Document Examiners (AIDE).

P3 Inventor Sends SOS to Makinde over Threat to Life

Kemi OlaitaninIbadan

The inventor of the Portrait Pole Post (P3), Mr. Abiodun David Fasogbon, has raised the alarm over violent attacks on his business and threat to eliminate him by those he said were out to suppress the legitimate ‘Outdoor Out of Home (OOH)’ advertising practitioners

in Oyo State.

Fasogbon, the Chief Executive Officer of Fizzie Republic, which owns the right of P3 after registration with the Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC), while speaking with journalists in Ibadan yesterday, said miscreants armed with dangerous weapons are going about the city of Ibadan in the

night, removing his advertisement boards placed on electric poles.

He expressed surprise over such action because his firm is duly registered with the Oyo State Advertising Agency (OYSAA), the body instituted by the government to oversee and regulate the advertising business, and had paid the mandatory annual fees

to OYSAA. According to him, “We paid millions of naira in the last contract, and the new contract just started, and we have also paid N500,000 on November 2. Our contract is renewable, and we have the first right of refusal, but going in the middle of the night to attack billboards is not professional.

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WORLD OF ISLAM

NEWS XTRA

ASUU Calls off Impending Strike after Gbajabiamila’s COP26 and Reclaiming our Intervention Neglected Duty of Stewardship (2)

Edited by: MJO Mustapha Email deji.mustapha@thisdaylive.com

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The intervention of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila over the impending industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) paid off yesterday as the lecturers decided to shelve the planned strike.

ASUU recently threatened to embark on an industrial action, over what it described as the failure of the federal government to implement some part of the agreement entered into by the two parties.

It was based on this that Gbajabiamila called for a meeting between the Ministers of Finance, Budget and National Planning and Education as well as representatives of ASUU. At the meeting held at the National Assembly complex,

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as AYINLA LATIFAT ABOLORE, now wish to be known and addressed as AREGBESOLA LATIFAT ABOLORE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as IMASEUN IMASEUEN IYOBOSA, now wish to be known and addressed as IMASUEN IYOBOSA. All former documents remain valid. The general public and First Bank Nigeria PLC should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ILOENYOSI FAVOUR NKECHI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OKEKE NKECHI GLADYS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as OGUNSUNMBO OLORUNWA OLALEKAN, now wish to be known and addressed as OGUNSUNMBO SEGUN OLORUNWA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I formerly know and addressed as DAVID GBENGA FAVOUR, now wished to be known and addressed as OLOBAYO GBENGA FAVOUR, my DoB was mistakingly written as 1991 instead of 1993. All former documents remain valid the general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as AZEEZ IYANDA QUADRI, now wish to be known and addressed as ABDULAZEEZ IYANDA QUADRI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as OMOJEVWE AVWEROSUO, now wish to be known and addressed as OGBONNE, AVWEROSUO PRECIOUS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as IMOMO STELLA OWEREGBA, now wish to be known and addressed as ABDULMALIK STELLA DAUDA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, OKON SARAH NYONG, my name was wrongly written and spelt as SAMUEL SARAH MKPAN, henceforth my correct name is OKON SARAH NYONG. All former documents rain valid, the general public should please take note.

which was attended by all parties involved, the Speaker was able to broker a truce with the federal government and ASUU. The meeting was able to reach a compromise and agreed on four major contending issues.

The government representatives also agreed to make available within one week, the payment of N30

billion University Revitalisation fund.

Gbajabiamila stated: “It will be irresponsible of us, as leaders, to sit and watch things deteriorate. We have to be mindful of the unintended consequences of this planned strike action that can be far-reaching, knowing how important education is to the children and the future of our country.

Makinde Appoints New Internal Revenue Boss, Special Advisers Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has appointed Mr. Femi Awakan as the Chairman of the state’s Bureau of Internal Revenue.

The governor also appointed the trio of Hon. Adeyinka Kazeem Adeniyi (Bibiire), Mr. Omokunmi Mustapha and Hon. Gbenga Oyekola as Special Advisers on Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Interparty Affairs and Economic Planning respectively.

Also, Makinde appointed Hon. Dimeji Ladapo a new Director-General for the state’s Mineral Development Agency, replacing Mr. Abiodun Oni, who has been appointed as the Commissioner for Environment.

Similarly, Rev. Femi Ibikunle, Mr. Timothy Olufemi Sunday, Hon. Diji Odegoke, Hon. Razak Fadiran were also named special

assistants on Interfaith Affairs; People with Special Needs, Special Assistant on Ido/Ibarapa Federal Constituency, Special Assistant on Trade and Investments respectively.

Former President of the Student Union Government of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Mr. Abiodun Oluwaseun Laurel, was also appointed as the Special Assistant on Project Delivery to the governor.

Governor Makinde charged the new appointees to discharge their duties with diligence and loyalty.

The new BIR chairman, Awakan, a financial management and taxation expert, served as Senior Special Assistant on Taxation to former Governor Abiola Ajimobi between 2011 and 2014.

Kebbi Proposes N189bn Budget for 2022 Ismail Adebayo in Birnin Kebbi The Governor of Kebbi State, Mr. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, has presented the sum of N189,237,459,798,27 to Kebbi State House of Assembly as year 2022 proposed budget of economic consolidation.

In the budget’s proposed revenues included the statutory allocation coming from the federation account are estimated in the sum of N74,977,037,841,34. The internally generated revenues are estimated in the sum of N14,249,106,950,.85.

The recurrent expenditure

accounts for N61,060,451,684.31.

The recurrent expenditure was broken down to personnel costs of N36,193,541,804.31 while overhead costs are N24,866,909,880.00.

The capital expenditures was put at N128,177,008,113.96.

He said the state’s 2022 budget is guided by the strategic objectives of the state development plan 2021- 2025, which aimed to improve governance towards focusing on institutions through accountability, rule of law , transparency and efficiency that delivers quality social service delivery to Kebbi State citizens.

Amaka Ndoma-Egba Gets Memorial Chapel The Catholic Bishop of Ogoja, Rt. Rev. Dr. Donatus Edet Akpan will unveil the Saint Lauretta’s Chapel of Adoration at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Akparabong in Cross State on Friday(tomorrow). The Chapel, which was built by former Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, is in memory of his late wife and founder of Start Rite School, Mrs. Amaka Ndoma-Egba, who passed away a year ago(October 19, 2020).

Other events also lined up for her one year remembrance include a memorial Mass to be celebrated at the Church of The Assumption, Asokoro, Abuja by His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Archbishop

Emeritus of Abuja who will be assisted by the Auxiliary Bishop of Abuja, Rt. Rev. Dr. Anselem Umoren.

Senator Ndoma-Egba said in statement that there will also be the maiden Amaka Ndoma-Egba Memorial Lecture on ‘Leadership, Legacy and Change’at Start-Rite Schools, Abuja to be delivered by the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation , Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. The memorial lecture, according to the statement, will be chaired by Mr. Tony Elumelu, Chairman, Heirs Holdings.

“This will be followed by the unveiling of the Victor and Amaka Ndoma-Egba Foundation. The evening will also feature readings by Dike Chukwumerije,” he said.

By: : Habib Siddiqui/IslamiCity (continued from last week) The industrialized nations must act fast. About half of the world’s fossil fuel assets will be worthless by 2036 under a net zero transition, according to research.

Countries that are slow to decarbonize will suffer but early movers will profit; the study finds that renewables and freed-up investment will more than make up for the losses to the global economy.

The most vulnerable assets are those in remote regions or technically challenging environments. Most exposed are Canadian tar sands, US shale and the Russian Arctic followed by deep offshore wells in Brazil and elsewhere. North Sea oil is also relatively expensive to extract and likely to be hit when demand falls.

To prevent chaos, experts suggest that oil exporters should diversify their economies as quickly as possible before change is forced on them when importers switch to renewables. Even more important, according to Jean-Francois Mercure of the University of Exeter, UK, who is the lead author of the research, was closer engagement between the two sides so the overall economic benefits of transition could be shared. “This needs to be a story of international cooperation and not leaving people behind.”

More than 40 nations at COP26 have pledged to end the burning of coal, though campaigners said the timescales for the phase out were too long and some of the world’s biggest coal-dependent economies were missing from the deal, including Australia, China, India and the US. A group of 20 nations also pledged to stop all funding of fossil fuel projects abroad and divert about $8bn of spending to green energy instead from next year.

However, China and Japan, two big funders of fossil fuel development around the world, shunned the initiative.

Five governments have pledged urgent action and investment to protect nature and shift to more sustainable ways of farming.

Twenty-six nations set out new commitments to change their agricultural policies to become more sustainable and less polluting, and to invest in the science needed for sustainable agriculture and for protecting food supplies against climate change, laid out in two ‘Action Agendas’.

Ninety-five high profile companies made a commitment to being ‘Nature Positive’, agreeing to work towards halting and reversing the decline of nature by 2030.

These are surely positive developments. But are these enough to save our planet when her future hangs in the balance now?

The responsibility to save our planet lies squarely with all of us and must be a shared one equitably. It would require serious introspection and change of attitude and behavior. There has to be the untainted realization that what happens to places like the Maldives, Bangladesh, Haiti do matter to those living near and far.

Thus, any narrow-minded approach to either looking into or solving the climate problem would be suicidal, let alone being stupid or short-sighted.

The scientific and engineering communities working in the academic and corporate world are not sitting idle to tackle the plethora of challenges of a potential carbon-neutral world. In what follows, I shall share a couple of examples only, the first from my own alma mater, and the second from my own company where I am employed (however, my views are solely mine and don’t reflect in any way those of my company).

An important question for petroleum reservoir engineers has been: as we move away from fossil fuels, what happens to dry or idle gas and oil wells? Professor Iraj Ershaghi at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, Los Angeles, and his team have investigated and developed an alternative that could turn idle, hazardous oil and gas wells into something valuable, e.g., conduits that can carry excess solar and wind-generated power into underground storage energy, which could prevent future rolling blackouts in California and enhance nation’s energy security.

Such innovative ideas, however, will not see light without massive research and development funding.

Governments must surely take a lead in such funding.

The rich billionaires must do their parts, too, to facilitate, promote and sponsor innovation.

The big corporations that have been responsible for the good, bad and ugly side of the carbon emission problem are seemingly serious about reducing it drastically.

BASF, the largest chemical company, in particular, has set ambitious goals on its journey to climate neutrality and wants to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Based on the most recent progress in developing lowemission and CO2-free technologies, the company is also significantly raising its medium-term 2030 target for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions: BASF now wants to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions worldwide by 25 percent compared with 2018 – and to achieve this despite targeted growth. Excluding the effects of the planned growth, this means cutting CO2 emissions in half in the current business by the end of this decade. Overall, BASF plans to invest up to € (euro) 1 billion by 2025 to reach its new climate

target and a further €2 billion to €3 billion by 2030.

Ethylene, propylene and butadiene are building blocks for numerous value chains and are essential for chemical production. Together with SABIC and Linde, BASF is working on the realization of a pilot furnace for the world’s first electrically heated steam cracker. Compared to conventional crackers, this would enable nearly CO2-free production of basic chemicals.

Hydrogen is another important feedstock for many chemical production processes. To achieve CO2-free production of hydrogen, BASF is pursuing two processes in parallel: the commercially available water electrolysis and methane pyrolysis, for which BASF has developed a new process technology. Another important lever to increase energy efficiency is the use of electrical heat pumps to produce CO2-free steam from waste heat. BASF’s goal is to work with Siemens Energy to gradually ramp up this technology to industrial scale and use it for waste heat recovery at entire sites.

At the Antwerp site, BASF is planning to invest in one of the largest carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects under the North Sea. Together with partners in the Antwerp@C consortium, this creates the opportunity to avoid more than 1 million metric tons of CO2 emissions per year from the production of basic chemicals.

BASF has also an operational excellence program to reduce waste at the source, which has made its processes run more efficiently. The company is convinced of the long-term strategic necessity as well as technical feasibility. Since it is very capital-intensive to replace existing highly efficient production processes with new carbon-neutral plants, BASF is trying to secure funding from European and national programs such as IPCEI (Important Projects of Common European Interest).

“We are convinced that ultimately all players involved will work together to make this once-in-a-century transformation economically successful. This also includes consumers accepting higher prices for CO2-free products throughout the value chain to offset higher operating costs and additional investments. To achieve this, we need new cooperation between industry and policymakers that leads to positive, outcome-oriented regulations and preserves our international competitiveness,” said Martin Brudermüller, the CEO of BASF. As I have hinted earlier, moving forward to a carbon-neutral climate, drastic changes in mindset and behavior have to be made at both individual and collective levels. On an individual level, the journey must start at home requiring conservations, painful adaptations and making difficult sacrifices to reduce anything that is superfluous and wasteful. This is especially true for those growing up or living in the more prosperous industrial nations. Here are some ways that we can start making a difference: reuse plastic or water bottle/plate/cup, walk or bike whenever possible rather than driving, turn off light or unplug devices when not in use, keep car tires properly inflated, set thermostat at 25 degree C during summer and 20 degree C during winter, and share rides, stop being a happy consumer by buying necessary items only in limited quantities, and popularize the mantra of reuse/reduce/recycle.

The wealthy nations, as the ‘early climate warmers/ sinners’, must be willing to make the lives of ‘others’, the less prosperous people, better by sharing the burden of their transition to a carbon-neutral world via all means possible. Without such a collaboration, financial and technological, the dream for a better world will only remain a distant dream and nothing else!

In the Qur’an, humans have been endowed with vicegerency on earth. Sadly, over the centuries we became too materialistic, too greedy and unabashed exploiters. As the gap between our rich and the poor people widened, we became wasteful and arrogant.

We forgot our task of stewardship. We must recoup and act like guardians who truly care not only about our own kind, but about everything – from the air that we breathe into the water that we drink to the rocks to the plants to the birds and the bees and the cattle to all the living species, including the endangered ones.

As noted by many Muslim scholars, our earth will regain its natural state (fitrah) and find a balance (mizan) if humans rethink and reprogram their lifestyles and mindsets as stated in the Qur’an: “Fasad (disorder, mischief and corruption) has appeared in both land and sea Because of what people’s own hands have brought So that they may taste something of what they have done So that hopefully they will turn back.” [Qur’an 30:41] Islamic worldview calls to make a transition to a sustainable society and economy by adopting responsible development and respecting sustainability principles. This change requires a shift in norms and practices. “Religion can become a powerful part of the solution if humans embody a holistic spiritual view towards mankind, earth and cosmos,” says Professor Odeh Al-Jayyousi, a member of the UN Global Scientific Advisory Panel, for UN Environment’s Global Environment Outlook 6 (GEO6).

May Allah guide us all to perform our neglected duty of stewardship.

Concluded.

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FRIDAYSPORTS NFF Debunks Gernot Rohr's Sack Report Femi Solaja Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), yesterday debunked the reports that Super Eagles Manager Gernot Rohr would be sacked saying there is no truth in the report.

The name of the Franco-German coach has played widely in both local and international media yesterday, with most platforms stating authoritatively that the 68-year old has been given the boot by the federation.

However, President of the NFF, Mr. Amaju Pinnick, said that no such decision has been taken.

"The board of the NFF is studying the report of the Technical Committee, which it submitted after the match against Cape Verde in Lagos on Tuesday. There are a number of possibilities but we have not taken a decision to sack Gernot Rohr. I want to assure that whatever decision is eventually taken will be one that will please the generality of Nigerians.

"Mr Rohr has a contract with the NFF and there is a procedure for disengagement. If we get to that bridge, both parties will look at the contract and see what has to be done both ways. The Super Eagles’ squad is a national asset

and we are just fortunate to be in that space to make decisions. Any decision we take must be what will be acceptable to Nigerians from far and near,” Amaju stated.

Rohr, a former Germany international defender, has led the Super Eagles in 54 international matches over the course of five years and three months, winning 28 of those matches.

However, the performance of the national team since the third placed finish at the last AFCON 2019 in Egypt has dwindled with most pundits casting doubt on the ability of the coach to take the national team to the agreed bench-mark at the next African Cup of Nations in January next year and the coming World Cup qualifying play-off next year March.

However, THISDAY checks on the contract agreement with the coach revealed that Glasshouse cannot afford to sack the Franco/German tactician because he has not defaulted on his contract which stated that he must take the nation to the AFCON final and qualify the country to the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar.

NFF would be forced to pay a hefty severance sum should it decide to go by the popular opinion to sack him now.

Chelsea Goalkeeper Slams Media Outlets over Use of His Image in Mendy’s Report Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy has criticised media outlets for mistakenly using his image in stories about Manchester City's Benjamin Mendy.

City and France full-back Benjamin Mendy has been charged with six counts of rape and one of sexual assault, and remains in custody.

Photos of Edouard Mendy and his cousin, Real Madrid's Ferland Mendy, have been used to illustrate articles.

Edouard Mendy said their use was "highly symbolic".

"Sad to see that in 2021, in France as well as in England, for some, black people have neither names nor distinct faces," the Senegal international wrote on Instagram.

"These 'mistakes' of

photos appear anecdotal, but actually they are quite the opposite, they are highly symbolic.

"It's not that complicated to differentiate two faces, especially when the football jersey is of valuable help!"

In August, Mendy was charged with four counts of rape and one of sexual assault.

Those charges related to alleged attacks on three women over the age of 16 at his home between October 2020 and August 2021.

On Wednesday, the 27-year-old appeared in court to face two further charges of rape, related to alleged attacks in Macclesfield in July and August.

He was suspended by City after being charged by police, pending an investigation.

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Aribo, Balogun Get Former Barca Star, Bronckhorst as Manager Super Eagles duo of Joe Aribo and Leon will play under a new manager when club football returns this weekend following the two weeks international break Rangers have announced the appointment of former Barcelona and Arsenal star Giovanni Van Bronckhorst as the club’s new head coach following the departure of former coach Steven

Gerrard.

Van Bronckhorst replaces Gerrard, who left the club last week to take up the vacancy role at Aston Villa. Rangers confirmed the appointment of the former Barcelona star on their website, with his first game in charge set to be the Gers League Cup semi final clash against Hibernian on Sunday.

Aribo and Balogun will be

eager to make a good first impression under their new boss, The former Dutch international is back in a familiar environment as he played for Rangers during his playing career. Van Bronckhorst won two league titles with the Gers and made 118 appearances for the club, scoring two goals.

He also played for Arsenal, winning the Premier League

and Barcelona, where he won the Champions League in 2006.

The former Feyenoord manager's main objective will be to ensure Rangers retain the Scottish Premiership title they won last year.

Rangers currently lead the table with 30 points from 13 games, four points ahead of Celtic, who have also played the same number of games.

Gerrard Dismisses Link to Future Liverpool after Villa's Move Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has dismissed indications that he accepted Aston Villa's job as a step towards taking the helms at Anfield.

Gerrard was hired as Villa boss last week after agreeing to leave Scottish champions Rangers.

The Liverpool legend has never hidden his ambition to manage the club he captained to Champions League glory in 2005 and FA Cup success a year later.

But Gerrard is adamant his move to Villa Park after three and a half years in Glasgow was not motivated by taking another step closer to his Liverpool dream.

"It's very unfair to describe this as a stepping stone, you will never hear me say that," Gerrard told reporters at his first Villa press conference yesterday.

"I'm all-in and I will give this job all it needs to be successful.

"The opportunity to be back in the Premier League and the opportunity to be back close to my family are the two reasons

this was right for me.

"I am 100 percent committed and so are my staff. There is nothing wrong with having dreams and aspirations."

While Gerrard was keen to distance himself from Anfield for now, he remains in contact with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp after working with the Reds' youth teams before taking his first managerial job at Rangers.

"Liverpool have a world-class coach in Jurgen Klopp. If he was to sign a lifetime deal right now I would be very happy for

Gerrad

him and them," Gerrard said.

"I've been in touch with Jurgen since day one. We live in the same area and I bump into him when he's walking his dogs.

"He sent me a message saying he was looking forward to a big hug on the side on December 11 and it's something for me to look forward to as well."

Former England midfielder Gerrard has established his managerial credentials by leading Rangers out of the doldrums to their first Scottish crown in 10 years -- in the process stopping

arch rivals' Celtic in their bid to win 10 successive titles.

That unbeaten league campaign with the Glasgow club, as well as their relative success in European competitions under Gerrard, suggests he is capable of revitalising Villa.

The 41-year-old has replaced Dean Smith at Villa Park after five successive defeats triggered his predecessor's sacking.

Villa are just two points above the relegation zone and Gerrard knows he needs to spark an immediate upturn in results.

"Long term, the club would like to be back on a European level, I don't think now is the right time to put any date on that," he said.

"For me more importantly, it is about focusing on the short-term, which is Brighton at the weekend. We need to start winning football matches again."

He has already made his mark at the training ground by banning tomato ketchup.

"It was banned before I had seen it!" Gerrard said.

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SPORTS

Legendary Defender, Bergomi, Hails Osimhen Ahead of Inter, Napoli Clash Legendary Italy and Inter Milan defender Giuseppe Bergomi has praised Victor Osimhen ahead of the standout Serie A fixture this weekend between the Nerazzurri and Napoli at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

The Nigeria international will be desperate to add to his goal tally having fired blanks in his last three matches in the division before the last international break of the season.

Bergomi highlighted the threat of Osimhen to Inter Milan's hopes of securing a win against Napoli and singled out the Nigerian as the striker who has impressed him the most in the current campaign.

The 1982 World Cup winner reckons that Osimhen has the same influence as Romelu Lukaku had at Inter Milan before his switch to Chelsea.

Asked if it would have been hard for him to mark Osimhen, Bergomi told Il Mattino via Stylo24 : "Mine was another football, but Osimhen gave me a good impression, he has speed and physical strength.

"I have to admit that he is the striker who has impressed me the most in this championship. " Osimhen resumed training at Napoli on yesterday after starring for the Super Eagles in World Cup qualifying matches against Liberia and Cape Verde.

Osimhen

Barca Slam £84m Release Clause on 38-year-old Alves Barcelona have slapped an £84million (€100m) release clause on Dani Alves, according to Catalan radio RAC1, despite the fact their new signing will be 39 by the end of this season and has only signed a deal until the summer.

The bizarre detail revealed on the night of his presentation only adds to the sense of the surreal surrounding his second coming at the club, 13 years after he was originally brought in as Pep Guardiola's first signing.

RAC1 say the contract signed

by Alves does not include the offer of a second year and he cannot play his first game until January, but anyone wanting to buy him would need to pay £84m.

He is reportedly on the lowest

possible LaLiga salary of around £250,000 a year, with the club having to wait until the transfer window opens to register him in Spain's top flight.

Alves has been brought in by club president Joan Laporta, and with the final green light from new first team coach Xavi, primarily to raise team morale at the Nou Camp.

But former Spain and Valencia goalkeeper Santi Canizares cautioned: 'The best way Alves can help the team is to be fit. He has to first and foremost lead by example.

Because you be tired on the pitch and then directing things in the dressing room.'

Alves said on Wednesday that he had come to fight for a first-team place, insisting: 'I may have less hair now but I

have the same desire as always.'

He will have been five months out of action when he returns but he played every minute in the Olympics and helped Brazil win gold last summer.

His former coach from his first club in Europe, Sevilla, Joaquin Caparros backed Alves to succeed.

'He will help the young players but he will take the more experienced ones along with him as well,' he said.

'He has a very special DNA and he is going to surprise people when he plays on a Wednesday and on a Sunday and then on a Wednesday again.

'He has come to be a success so that he can play in the World Cup in Qatar.'

ZENITH / DELTA HEADMASTERS' CUP:

Valley Stream British School Emerges Champions Valley Stream British School Sapele on Thursday emerged Champions of the 2021 edition of the Delta Headmasters' Cup football competition sponsored by Zenith Bank.

In a highly contested game played at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba on Thursday, Valley Stream defeated Ogbe Primary School, Effurun 2-1.

The official kickoff of the final game was taken by Delta State Governor His Excellency Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.

The winners of the competition smiled home with N1m cash prize and a brand new Toyota 18-seater bus while 2nd place went away with N750,000.00 and 3rd position five hundred

thousand naira N500.000.

The fourth place team was also compensated with N300.000. Destiny Primary School Ughelli was third while Royal Foundation School was fourth.

In his address the Zonal Head of Zenith Bank Asaba Mr. Lucky Ighade, commended all the participants for their display of good football artistry, adding that Zenith Bank would continue to partner with Delta State government in programmes like this, ensuring that raw talents are discovered and harnessed into proper usage.

"As a responsible corporate citizen, giving back to the communities where we carry out business is an integral

part of our overall strategy.

Our aim is to give back in a structured and sustainable manner that which ensure the greatest possible impact on our beneficiaries."

"I'm highly elated with the success of this competition. I thank the State Governor for this opportunity, as partners in progress, we will continue to play our role ensuring that the communities where we operate benefit from us. So I congratulate the Valley Stream British School for winning this prestigious trophy."

In the third place match, Destiny Group of Schools Ughelli defeated Royal Foundation School Ogwa Shi Uku, on penalties after the game ended 1-1.

Djokovic

Friday November 19, 2021

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MISSILE Middle Belt Group to Malami

“Buhari leaving the AGF to continue in office will destroy his legacies. Buhari should shop for a more reliable, competent, man or woman of high integrity to appoint as new Attorney-General of the Federation. There is no smoke without fire. AGF Malami has been accused of many wrong doings. Controversies and allegations against him are too weighty to be ignored” – President of Middle Belt United Assembly, Moses Aji, calling for the sack of Malami

MAGNUSONYIBE GUEST COLUMNIST

Soludo, Ludo Game, and Anambra Politics

T

he notion of politics as a game is as old as politics itself. As most of us already know, politics originated in ancient Greece with the philosopher Plato who wrote about the nature of justice, what constitutes good government and what is best for humanity.

Subsequently, another philosopher earned the title: father of politics when he elaborated on politics through his writings focused on citizenship and forms of government as well as constitutionalism etc.

Somehow, the game of politics can be likened to Ludo which is a strategy board game for two to four players, aimed at one person defeating opponents by racing their token from start to finish after rolling the dice with a view to earning higher numbers in the bid to advance his/her token over and above other players in the game.

Like politics, Ludo is a game of tactics, strategies , probabilities and counting. And like Ludo, politics is played by deploying all the aforementioned tools for winning in contests so that ultimately the fellow who scores the highest number at the polls, would finish ahead of competitors and thus win the contest.

Charles Chukwuma Soludo (an ex university don and central bank governor) entered Anambra state governorship race in 2021 with as many as 17 other contenders.

He was particularly pitched against three other very formidable competitors-Andy Uba , (political denizen) Valentine Ozigbo,(high corporate world high flyer) and Ifeanyi Uba (business tycoon)with himself as the fourth in what looked like a game of Ludo as earlier described.

And after a hard fought battle of tactical maneuvers, strategic deployment of resources to garner votes for himself and counting the votes on election day, Soludo prevailed.

But the egghead and public policy wonk, had previously failed in the game of politics in Anambra state .

It would be recalled that in 2009, after exiting the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN where he had served as governor, (2004-2009) Soludo got into the mucky waters of politics by joining then ruling party at the federal government level, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Thereafter, he vied for the governorship of Anambra state in 2009 on the platform of PDP, and failed to win against Peter Obi, then incumbent governor and the flag bearer of APGA .

Learning very quickly to dexterously play politics which is clearly like the game of Ludo, Soludo figured out that he was in the wrong party if his mission to govern Anambra state was to be accomplished. He then tactically switched platforms to APGA, the party where the political hearts and souls of Anambra people apparently reside.

The bond between APGA and Anambrarians, is in part, inspired by the spirit of the founder of the party , late Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, who is one of the greatest leaders from the east of the Niger , and perhaps the most charismatic personality of his time from lgbo land.

Given that Peter Obi who had served as a two term governor of Anambra state on the platform of APGA, failed twice to determine who became the governor of the state when he switched to the PDP and fielded or backed candidates of his new party twice against his successor and former mentee , Willie Obiano flying the flag of APGA (pronounced, APUGA by Anambrarians) with Oseloka Obazee, defeated by Obiano in 2017 and Valentine Ozigbo again losing in 2021 to Soludo who is another APGA candidate , by now it might have dawned on most people that it is the platform of the party, in this case APGA , that Anambra people vote for , not necessarily,

Soludo the individuals.

That is mostly likely the underpinning reason for , Soludo, as an astute strategist, to review (with the aim of cracking the code) his first failed attempt at becoming the new occupant of governor’s mansion in the state capital , Awka, and got defeated by Peter Obi, also known as okute- rock in lgbo dialect.

Having figured out that the point at which he fell short is that he engaged in the contest on the platform of PDP which is the second best party to the people of Anambra , Soludo quickly and tactically pivoted his political career into APGA by identifying with the party that is presumably Anambra’s preferred platform and evidently the numero uno for producing the state’s governors in nearly two decades.

Although he failed to win in APGA’s primary election the first time he made an attempt at clinching the ticket in 2013, he persevered until he finally succeeded in being APGA’s flag bearer in the 2021 gubernatorial contest.

And as the saying goes: the rest is now history as Soludo is currently the governor-elect of Anambra state and has duly received the certificate of return from INEC. In an opinion piece titled: Anambra Elections: “When Losing Means Winning For APC” which l wrote and published widely in both traditional and new media platforms immediately after the 2017 gubernatorial elections that was won by Willie Obiano of APGA with Tony Nwoye of APC in the second position , ahead of PDP’s Oseloka Obazee, l highlighted the fact that electing APC candidate as Anambra state governor was an equivalent of the biblical metaphor of passing the camel’s head through the eye of the needle.

Since that theorem was propounded in 2017, the outcome of the 2021 election currently under scrutiny clearly indicates that nothing has changed significantly in Anambra politics.

Certainly, it took the man, Soludo a lot of gumption and chutzpah to doggedly pursue his dream of leading Anambra state in spite of the odds stacked against him that included escaping death by hair’s breath which was an attempt by his political rivals to cow, intimidate and possibly scare him out of participating in the electioneering process. Apart from the naked act of intimidation against Soludo by merchants of death, the schism within APGA, allegedly fueled by the numerous conflicts between the outgoing governor, Obiano and some foundation leaders of

the party owing to some perceived irreconcilable differences bothering on his overbearing nature ,was also a significant factor that militated against the emergence of Soludo as governor .

But the scare mongering conveyed via the shooting to death of three policemen attached to him during a town hall meeting was in futility as he had passed through such treacherous paths in the past, and came out triumphant, when he served as CBN governor and ruffled feathers by consolidating the number of banks whose number was over 100, post consolidation, into less than 25, after the exercise.

As it may be recalled: “Soludo, Banking ls No Ludo,” is the comical title of a caustic opinion piece published in the mass media, denouncing Soludo’s sweeping reforms following the radical changes that he has made in the financial services sector targeted at consolidating the number of banks in Nigeria.

The highly abrasive essay aimed at generating public opprobrium towards Soludo as CBN governor was influenced by aggrieved stake holders in the banking sector who were being compelled to merge or give up their banking licenses when the minimum share capital of banks was jacked up from N2b to N100b in compliance with Soludo’s new policy as head of the apex bank , CBN. After defying and weathering the initial resistance by bankers and bank owners reflected by the uproar in the public arena , what seemed like an impossibility turned out to be the best thing that happened to Nigeria’s banking sector .

That is evidenced by the fact that banking is currently one of Nigeria’s greatest exports to Africa and indeed the world; spreading from west, central and east Africa, to Southern African region all the way to UAE, China , and even Europe as well as the USA. This is in addition to the fact that the better capitalized banks which have become the norm rather than the exception in Nigeria’s financial services landscape, have become an effective antidote to the scourge of distress in the banking sector that was a sort of albatross on Nigerians who had huge sums of their hard earned funds trapped in failed banks.

What the bold initiative of Soludo in the banking sector and the salutary outcome of his revolutionary policy signpost, is that he is a visionary, goal getter and high achiever.

And that is why there is ample confidence amongst majority of Nigerians that the ex CBN governor is most likely to repeat the feat that he achieved as ‘governor of money’, when he assumes duty as the governor of the good people of Anambra state from March next year.

Such optimism being expressed by a broad spectrum of Nigerians is not misplaced because , the state is now like a new canvass for Soludo , (in a literary sense) to deploy his uncommon gift of socioeconomic , human and material resource management as well as leadership wizardry that he dexterously applied in the banking sector, by painting his own equivalent of Mona Lisa , in Anambra state , (development wise) as the legendary artist , Leonardo Da Vinci did, when he created the iconic Mona Lisa work of art.

As March , 2022 beckons for Soludo to take over the mantle of leadership in Anambra state, it would not be surprising if another screaming headline in the media such as : “Soludo Governance Is No Ludo”, surfaces in parody , as he embarks on the new journey in political leadership of a state.

But hopefully, as he did when he was the helmsman at the CBN by being a positive game changer, perhaps before his first term in office as Anambra state governor runs out , Soludo whose penchant for making high impact changes

in any endeavor that he engages in , may trigger a positive paradigm shift in governance at the state level in Nigeria.

So fingers are crossed.

If Soludo meets the high expectations that he has set in his numerous speeches and action, may be more Soludos would sprout across the country to fill the national political space as more professionals with proven track records of success in their chosen careers would become motivated to join the political fray.

Amongst the multiple positive developments in the political process in Nigeria’s democracy in the past 21 years that may be pulling more professionals into party politics, is the incremental improvements in the electioneering process leveraging technology.

It is indeed heartwarming that application of technology in service delivery that has proven to be an efficacious tool against fraud in all its ramifications is slowly but surely being adopted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Initiatives such as the introduction of Permanent Voters Card, PVC , Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS and the new electoral amendment bill 2021 passed by the National Assembly , NASS authorizing electronic transmission of election results, (awaiting presidential assent) are some of the harbingers of higher integrity in the electoral process that may lure into party politics, more professionals who would have loved to serve, but lack the skills to handle the rough and tumble endemic in the political environment in Nigeria .

Two more clogs that need to be removed for further improvements in our political office election process are: (1)votes buying which is increasing rather than abating nationwide, (but which was admirably shunned by Anambra women as evidenced by a video that was trending in the social media ) (2) the vice grip of the judiciary on the electioneering process as the onus of electing public office holders has inadvertently been shifting from the masses to the judges and their cohorts that keep rendering judgements which are at variance with the will of the electorate .

As our country continues to strive to deepen the democratic process with the introduction of the much sought internal democracy within the political parties , hopefully the process of selecting candidates transparently, would be less rancorous and acrimonious as winners and losers in both primary and main elections would be easily and transparently determined.

If the current positive evolution of politics in Nigeria persists and gathers momentum, the dirty aspects of the game of politics such as under the table deals packaged during nocturnal meetings to upturn popular decisions would ultimately be consigned to history.

And the welcome development of people of high integrity and accomplished professionals throwing their hats into the ring is already manifesting from Akwa lbom, to Edo, Anambra and even Nasarawa states, where non-professional politicians have supplanted professional politicians. Those who recently got catapulted from the private sector into the role of governor without first of all serving in active capacity in public office are: Willie Obiano, Godwin Obaseki, Abdulahi Sule and now Chukwuma Soludo amongst others who are currently in the saddle as governors of their respective states .

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