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CBN Releases Banks’ Excess CRR to Spur Economic Recovery Introduces 90-day special bills Dealers, analysts welcome new policy on Diaspora remittances Obinna Chima As part of efforts to support economic recovery and propel the quest to return to the growth path, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has approved

the release of banks’ excess cash reserve requirement (CRR), which is above the regulatory minimum.

However, this, it stated, would be done through its issuance of 90-day CBN

Special Bills.

The CBN stated this in a letter addressed to all banks, dated December 1, 2020, signed by its Director, Banking Supervision, Mr. Bello Hassan, a copy of which was obtained

by THISDAY yesterday.

The CRR is the minimum amount banks are expected to retain with the CBN from their customer deposits.

At last month’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting,

the CRR was retained at 27.5 per cent.

The central bank had been sanctioning banks that failed to comply with its minimum loan-to-deposit ratio (LDR) policy, among others, by

imposing higher CRR on them.

This, analysts had said, was constraining banks’ ability to effectively perform their financial intermediation role.

Continued on page 9

Equities Gain N2.3tn to Rally at N18.3tn in November... Page 8 Wednesday 2 December, 2020 Vol 25. No 9368. Price: N250

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Northern Elders, Afenifere Back House’s Summon of Buhari over Insecurity Senate demands sacking of service chiefs NEF tells president to resign North-east govs support use of mercenaries against Boko Haram We will review ways of dealing with security challenges, says Osinbajo Deji Elumoye, Omololu Ogunmade, Adedayo Akinwale, Udora Orizu in Abuja, Segun James in Lagos, Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri and Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and the Civil Society Legislative

Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), have backed the moves by the two chambers of the National Assembly to ensure that the executive take immediate step to address the rising wave of insecurity in the country.

They supported the House of Representatives' motion inviting President Continued on page 9

Buhari Launches Autogas Initiative to Alleviate Pains of Deregulation Directs Sylva to hand over buses to NLC Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday launched the National Autogas Rollout Initiative targeted at cushioning the harsh economic effects of the deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry.

The initiative, tagged

‘National Gas Expansion Programme and National Autogas Rollout Initiative,’ and launched virtually, was conceived to convert vehicles from running on petrol to running on gas.

At the launch in the State House, Abuja, Buhari Continued on page 9

ROYAL VISIT TO AKE...

Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado-Bayero (left), and Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, during the monarch’s visit to the governor in Abeokuta…yesterday

Yakubu Gets Second Term as Senate Confirms Nomination...Page 5

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

Yakubu Gets Second Term as Senate Confirms Nomination Our electoral processes far from perfect, says APC

Deji Elumoye and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Senate yesterday confirmed the reappointment of Prof.

Mahmood Yakubu by President Muhammadu Buhari, as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for a second term of five years.

The president has also sought the approval of the Senate to appoint two commissioners for the commission.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) welcomed Yakubu's confirmation, saying that although the country's electoral processes are not perfect, marked improvements have been recorded in a series of recent elections conducted by INEC. Yakubu, who was confirmed after the consideration of a report by the Senate Committee on INEC during plenary, received the support of all senators, including those of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Chairman of the INEC Committee, Senator Kabiru Gaya, while presenting the report, said the committee did not receive any petition or incriminating reports against the nominee.

According to him, the nominee possessed the requisite educational qualification for the position of chairman; and is a person of integrity who is not affiliated to any political party.

Speaking on the character of the nominee, Senator Sandy Onor (PDP – Cross River North) said: “Today, as a Senate, we are recognising the fact that there is a square peg in a square hole. “This professor sitting in INEC has demonstrated competence and has shown indeed that he is an unbiased umpire. Today, politicians don’t go into elections scared of whether they’ll be oppressed or not. That is the reality. “If you are with your people and doing the needful, you can trust that you will go to the field and win your elections. That is the kind of situation we have always asked for. I do believe that going by his performance in the first term, that he would do even better in his second term.�

Also, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP – Delta North), said: “Mr. President, two days ago, I read in the papers that PDP senators were opposed to the nomination of the nominee, and that today was going to be hot.

“But I’m very happy that the majority of the people who have spoken on the floor today are PDP senators supporting this nomination. That is to show that the belief or what people thought was going to happen, did not happen. We have disappointed those who thought we are going to oppose this nomination. “Many of us have tried to see if we can link him to any political party, or any political association, and we have not found anything to the contrary. That shows that he is an unbiased umpire that is good and qualified.�

Senator Gabriel Suswam described Yakubu as a person of sound character and integrity. “As other colleagues have

said, the nominee has shown competence; he has shown integrity and an unbiased nature because in the past, most INEC chairmen have had to go through criticisms, especially from opposing parties. “There is no person in the opposing party (PDP) who will oppose the nomination and confirmation of this man today because he has shown credibility in the process," he stated.

The Senate also yesterday received a request from Buhari for the confirmation of two commissioners for the INEC. The request was contained in a letter dated 27th November 2020, and read at plenary by

the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan.

The nominees are Professor Sani Muhammad Adam, Commissioner (North-central); and Dr. Baba Bila, Commissioner (North-east).

According to the president, the request was made pursuant to Paragraph 14 of Part I (F) of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

However, reacting to Yakubu's confirmation, the APC, in a statement by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Yekini Nabena, said the country's electoral processes are not perfect.

It, however, added that marked improvements have been recorded in elections conducted in recent times.

The party congratulated Yakubu on his reappointment.

It stated: "The task before Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and the election management body he leads is to strive further in being unbiased and apolitical."

The APC added that technological innovations recently introduced and deployed by INEC have improved the credibility and efficiency of the country's electoral processes.

It stressed the need to continue to support and invest in these innovations and for INEC to remain apolitical.

PSC Clears 10,000 Constables after Fresh Screening Says 925 did not apply for recruitment Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The Police Service Commission (PSC) yesterday said it had cleared the 10,000 constables controversially recruited by the Nigerian Police Force for payment of salaries and allowances.

The commission, however, said 925 successful candidates never applied for recruitment and did not go through the stages and processes of recruitment.

It said in a statement that it released appointment letters to the candidates and approved their capturing into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, (IPPIS) for the payment of their salaries and allowances.

The commission added that it bent backwards to accommodate the list of the candidates even after the Court of Appeal gave judgment in favour of the commission nullifying the hijack of the recruitment exercise by the Nigeria Police Force.

The statement, signed by the spokesman of the commission, Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, stated that during the screening of the 10,000 successful candidates, it discovered that 925 of them neither applied for recruitment nor go through the processes of recruitment.

It said: "The Police Service Commission is not withholding the payment of any police constable properly recruited in 2019. The commission has since screened the list of the supposedly successful candidates sent to it by the Office of the Inspector-General of Police.

"The commission wishes

to clarify that it had to bend backwards to accommodate the list of these candidates even after the Court of Appeal gave judgment in favour of the commission nullifying the hijack of the recruitment exercise by the Nigeria Police Force.

"The Appeal Court judgment, which is still subsisting, had declared the exercise null and void and returned the constitutional powers of the commission to recruit all persons into the Nigeria Police Force."

The commission added that the clarification became necessary because "in the cause of screening of the list of the 10,000 successful candidates, the commission discovered that 925 persons never applied for recruitment and did not go through the stages and processes of recruitment."

"These included screening, aptitude test and medical examinations. The commission, however, in the overall interest of the nation and considering that resources had been expended in the training of these candidates and that these candidates had been exposed to weapon and weaponry, decided to rescreen them.

"These candidates already rescreened, except those found to be criminally minded (with mutilated certificates) are expected to be absorbed into the force," it added.

According to the PSC, it will approve their recruitment at its next plenary meeting holding next week after which they will receive letters of appointment and subsequently captured by IPPIS.

DISCUSSING FCT...

L-R: Member, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory, Senator Hassan Muhammed; Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Phillip Aduda; and FCT Minister, Malam Mohammad Bello, at a meeting between the Senate committee and the minister in Abuja‌yesterday julius atoi

FG Okays N1.8bn Loan Applications for Artisanal Miners Kasim Sumaina in Abuja The federal government has said it received 138 loan applications, totalling N14.59 billion, and has approved 13, covering N1.08 billion, under the Artisanal and Small-scale Miners (ASM) Financing Support Fund.

Out of the 13 approved loan applications, a total of N311 million had been disbursed as of September 30.

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Olamilekan Adegbite, said at an Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) workshop programme yesterday in Abuja, that the fund was established in 2017 by the ministry in collaboration with the Bank of Industry (BoI). The ministry provided N2.5 billion while the bank matched it with another N2.5 billion counterpart funding, bringing the total to N5 billion.

He explained that the disbursement was low when compared with the total applications largely because applicants failed to meet the stringent requirements stipulated by the bank.

The minister stated that the federal government would

ensure that the difficulties inherent in accessing the funds are removed.

"In this regard, we are developing a unique and favourable template for the disbursement of the fund. This includes equipment- leasing and hire-purchase loan facility. We are of the belief that the new template, when fully operational, would spur enormous growth in the sector," he added.

While highlighting some of the reform achievements under the ASM department, the minister said the ministry had registered about 1,495 mining cooperatives with each having over 10 members.

Out of the 1,495 registered mining cooperatives, 140 are gold mining.

He noted that mining in Nigeria is still largely artisanalbased, which is why the ministry created a department called Artisanal and Small-scale Mining to provide institutional support for artisanal miners who form the bulk of the operators and manpower in the sector.

According to him, the workshop has brought together industry operators from across the country to deliberate and

meet minds on how best to access the support fund for artisanal and small-scale miners.

The minister identified one of the core pillars of President Muhammadu Buhari’s economic policy as the repositioning of the mining sector as a way of diversifying the economy to create wealth and jobs, to increase its contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and expand the range of economic opportunities available to Nigerians.

Ms. Olayinka Mubarak who represented the Bank of Industry (BoI) at the event, charged the miners to meet the requirements, as according to her, “the first few encounters we had were not pleasant.�

She said that many of the initial loan applicants did not meet the requirements to access the loan.

She added: “The money is a loan, not a grant. If the miners don’t repay the loan, the BoI will have to deep hands into its own account and pay it back to the federal government.

Where will you see money at five per cent? “By the time you take the loans and you pay back, we

will be able to give you more and give loans to more people.

Even the commercial banks will give money to miners when they see that the loans given by the BoI have been repaid. “It is our job to support you but the financial industry will not support you if you are not sincere. If we give you a loan and after some time they call you and the phone will be switched off and they go to your site and you are no more there, how can the financial sector support you?�

Ms. Mubarak said the BoI, in collaboration with the federal government, was ready to have a meeting point with the miners in its determination to re-activate the sector, in the diversification efforts of the present administration.

She explained that while some miners are complaining about the loan application requirements, serious mindedminers are already accessing the funds.

She said a particular miner had not only obtained the loan but had also repaid in full by September and has been encouraged to apply for another loan.

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Equities Gain N2.3tn to Rally at N18.3tn in November All-Share Index records year-to-date return of 30.5%

Goddy Egene The Nigerian equities market maintained its positive momentum in November, recording higher growth as funds continued to pour into the market to earn higher returns given lower yields in other investment windows.

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) market capitalisation, which measures the total value of listed equities, grew

by N2.351 trillion to close at N18.309 trillion.

This translates into a jump of 14.7 per cent and it is higher than the N1.934 trillion or 13.7 per cent growth recorded in October. Similarly, the NSE All-Share Index jumped by 14.7 per cent to close November at 35,042.14, up from 30,530.69 in October.

The market had last month posted its best monthly gain since 2018 and closing as the second-best performing among the 93 major global markets tracked by Bloomberg.

While it was expected that the growth momentum would slow down in November due to profit-taking, the market surged further, recording higher gain and pushing the year-to-date growth to 30.5 per cent.

Although there were pockets of profit-taking during the month, the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) at its 27th meeting to hold the monetary policy variables, further pushed portfolio rebalancing activities towards equities as yield-seeking investors re-priced fundamentally justified stocks with attractive dividend yields. “With the recent decision of the MPC to hold monetary policy parameters constant in furtherance of their growth objective, we expect alphaseeking investors to continue rotating their portfolio towards equities amid attractive dividend yields on bellwether stocks. We expect market performance to be dominated by the bulls, as positioning by early birds in dividend-paying stocks ahead of full-year (FY) 2020 dividend declarations should outweigh profit-taking activities. We reiterate the need for positioning in only fundamentally sound stocks as the weak macro environment remains a significant headwind for corporate earnings,� analysts at Cordros Research had said.

Immediately after the MPC meeting last week, the equities market witnessed more inflow of liquidity leading to renewed demand.

According to Invesdata Consulting Research, the bulls resurfaced on Nigeria’s equity market after the profit-taking as the MPC left all instruments unchanged in the midst with oil price crossing $48 per barrel, even as money market rates crashed further in the face of real negative returns given the hyperinflation now threatening the economy and investment. “It is true that the recovery moves on the NSE are still intact with the ongoing bargain

hunting for growth stocks and blue-chip companies that have kept the market in an uptrend. This is especially as more money market funds mature and would likely flow into the equity market, due to the continued low yields in the fixed income market.

After the just concluded Q3 earnings season, companies with December year-end, should naturally be the major investment attractions at the moment, depending on the sector, company performances and prospects. We also believed that the earnings capacity of these companies and dividend history, in addition to movements in economic indicators and policies, will sharply dictate the market direction, going forward,�

Investdata Consulting said.

According to the firm, the next major earnings season is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2021 with the early filers as funds search for better returns and yields, considering the prevailing inflationary environment. “So, it is advisable that target yields that are above 7.5 per cent, being that the market’s average dividend yields at five per cent, is above returns from all other investment windows, considering the shortest time period,� it said.

InvestData Consulting added that the renewed buying interest and high volatility reflect the inflow of funds into the equity space, considering the relatively high yields as seen through the Q3 corporate earnings positions, as well as the high possibility of dividend payment at the end of the current financial year. “This is despite the likelihood of dividend cut in some sectors and companies, especially as rates and yields in treasury bills auction crashed to 0.15 per cent for the 364-day instruments, which was none-the-less oversubscribed,� the firm said.

The Chief Research Officer, Investdata Consulting Limited, Mr. Ambrose Omordion, had said the low yield environment and other factors had triggered buying interest in the equity space despite the seeming disconnection with economic realities to sustained the four consecutive months of bullish run.

Omordion explained that stock markets, as leading indicators of economic activities, are forward-looking, such that current share prices reflect future earnings potential or profitability of quoted companies. “Since stock prices reflect expectations about profitability and profitability is directly linked to economic activity, fluctuations in stock prices are thought to show the direction of any economy. But our market since April has rallied on liquidity and sentiments, ignoring economic fundamental and at the same time pointing to economic recovery as quoted companies’ numbers remain resilient in the midst of negative macroeconomic indicators,� he

stated.

The analysts said the positive investor responses to the mixed numbers, which have pushed many equities on the exchange to new 52- week high, revealed high liquidity and confidence. “The possibility of prices rallying further from here is high, amidst portfolio reshuffling on the strength of the Q3 numbers, just as investors would be assured of reward in the form of dividends when the full-year score-cards begin to flow into the market in the early days of 2021 despite the possibility of dividend cut. It is expected

that discerning investors and traders would take advantage of the prevailing relative low stock prices, year-end season and cycle to grow their income, ahead of major earnings season in the first quarter of 2021,� he said.

It is expected that the equities market would remain bullish going forward since the CBN has not made any changes to its policies that influenced the rally witnessed in the market since April 2020.

The Chief Executive Officer of the NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, had linked the stock market rally to CBN’s restriction of domestic investors from

participating in its open market operations (OMO) as well as the interest rate cut.

He said investors are always in search of higher returns on investments, adding that CBN’s policies have made the stock market attractive to investors.

He said: “I must say that some of the policy changes include the CBN policy that domestic institutional investors should stop participating in the OMO market. That has driven significant funds into the Nigerian Treasury Bills (NTB) market and some of those funds have found their way into the equities market. We have also seen a cut in interest rate.

That was a significant move in support of equities as an asset class. What investors tend to do is to look for yield.�

According to Onyema, since the Nigerian economy has shifted into a negative real interest rate environment, investors are now in search of investments that would give them higher yields and returns.

He said: “Given the record dividend yield available in the Nigerian market and given the strong fundamentals of a number of companies that are listed on the exchange, it makes sense that as investors try to rebalance their portfolio, they would look at equities.�

CONDOLENCES TO THE MONARCH...

L-R: Adamawa State Governor, Mr. Ahmadu Fintiri; Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin Elkanemi; and Taraba State Governor, Chief Darius Ishaku, during their condolence visit to the monarch in Maiduguri‌yesterday

NCAA Warns Pilots, Others over Adverse Weather IATA: Nigeria owes foreign airlines $53m from ticket sales Chinedu Eze The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued an advisory circular to caution pilots, airline operators and others against severe harmattan haze/fog phenomenon prevalent in Nigerian airports.

This is coming as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said that $53 million proceeds from sales of foreign airlines’ tickets are still trapped in Nigeria, just as African countries owed the foreign carriers a total of $516 million.

NCAA explained that the adverse weather condition will subsist from October in the far North, November in the North-central and December in the southern part of the country.

In addition, early morning fog may be experienced in the months ahead, especially along the coastal areas in the south.

The Director-General, NCAA, Captain, Musa Nuhu, who signed the circular, said the advisory was necessary to bring forth the evolving weather information to the attention of all stakeholders who need to perform their roles.

To ensure safe and efficient flight operations during the

period, pilots, operators and Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) are directed to observe a series of responsibilities, which include that crew/operators and ATC shall be conversant with each aerodrome weather minima and ensure strict adherence to the requirements.

This means that each airport has its own weather minima different from others and air traffic controllers must have knowledge of this. “Air traffic controllers might temporarily close airspace when hazardous weather conditions such as heavy fog or severe dust haze reducing the visibility to below airport operating minimal are observed or forecasted by Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET). “Pilots/flight crewmembers shall obtain adequate departure, en-route and destination weather information and briefing from NIMET aerodrome offices prior to flight operations,� the circular said.

NCAA also directed the pilots to exercise maximum restraint whenever adverse weather is observed or forecast by NIMET and brief passengers accordingly. “The travelling public is, however, urged to exercise restraint and show

understanding in this Yuletide month as flights may be delayed or cancelled on an account of weather situations. “From the foregoing, the regulatory authority will expect strict compliance with this advisory circular as violation would be viewed seriously,� the agency said.

IATA: Nigeria Owes Foreign Airlines $53m from Ticket Sales IATA has said that $53 million proceeds from sales of foreign airlines’ tickets are still trapped in Nigeria, just as African countries owed the foreign carriers a total of $516 million.

IATA, at its just-concluded 76th Annual General Meeting, added that international airlines are owed $824 million globally.

IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East (AME), Mr. Muhammed Albakri, said foreign airlines operating into Nigeria are having difficulties repatriating the total sum of $53 million, which is the proceeds from ticket sales of their operations, back to their operational base.

He stated that Nigeria and

other African countries have blocked funds that amounted to $516 million. “$516 million out of $824 million in blocked funds is in Africa. With the IATA revelation, it means the rest of the world has $308 million of the blocked funds,� Albakri said.

According to him, Nigeria with $53 million trapped fund is the fourth among the 12 countries with a similar issue.

Others are Zimbabwe $160 million; Eritrea $79 million; Algeria $54 million; Ethiopia $52 million; Sudan $45 million; Libya $27 million; XAF Zone $27 million; Angola $9 million; Mozambique $6 million; Burundi $3 million and Zambia $1 million.

IATA explained that the main cause of the blocked fund is the inaccessibility to foreign exchange (forex) by operators as the countries’ economies are suffering due to COVID-19 pandemic, adding that most countries are struggling economically with its attendant effect on global airline industry.

IATA has been at the forefront of the campaign, soliciting governments’ support for the aviation industry in order to salvage the situation.

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PAGE NINE NORTHERN ELDERS, AFENIFERE BACK HOUSE’S SUMMON OF BUHARI OVER INSECURITY Muhammadu Buhari to explain what his administration is doing to combat the worsening insecurity in the country.

They also endorsed the call by the Senate for the removal of the service chiefs.

In addition, the NEF demanded the resignation of Buhari following what it described as the mounting security challenges in the country.

While the House, after an hour of heated deliberations yesterday, resolved to invite Buhari to appear before it over the security situation in the country, the Senate asked the president to relieve all the service chiefs of their appointments over the rising wave of insecurity.

Also yesterday, the governors of North-eastern states threw their weight behind the call by their Borno State colleague, Prof. Babagana Zulum, on the federal government, to hire mercenaries to fight Boko Haram in the region.

But Vice President Yemi Osinbajo expressed the federal government's commitment to finding a new approach to combating insecurity, saying it will review conventional ways of handling security challenges in the country.

Reacting to the positions of the National Assembly, Afenifere’s spokesman, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, told THISDAY that the latest step by the federal legislature to combat insecurity is heart-warming.

"It is heartwarming to see both chambers rising up for the country in the midst of the total collapse of security with lamentations being the only thing we hear from the presidency. The country needs a Commander-in-Chief desperately as there is lack of a functional one at the moment," he said.

The Executive Director of CISLAC, Mr. Auwal Rafsanjani, supported the move by the lawmakers to invite Buhari, saying that the president must rise up to take over the communication with Nigerians.

Rafsanjani said if the executive had taken action on the various resolutions by the National Assembly, especially demanding the change of the service chiefs, the lawmakers would not have had any reason to summon the president.

He said: ''In other countries where democracy works, the president regularly communicates with the citizens but in our own case, some people are making it impossible

for the president to be visible and communicate with the citizens. “So, I am not surprised that the National Assembly wants to invite the president to explain what’s going on within the security challenges that we are facing. “The North-east and Northwest have become a no-go area in terms of insecurity. All that the aides to the president will come and do is to attack the citizens that are victims of insecurity. ''That’s why the president must rise up to take over the communication with Nigerians. His aides are not communicating very well with citizens rather they are causing more harm. The president should be communicating with Nigerians, not through his aides.�

Northern Elders Ask Buhari to Resign NEF demanded the resignation of the president over his inability to tackle the mounting security challenges.

It also expressed outrage over the massacre of Borno rice farmers, saying life has no value under the Buhari administration.

The Director of Publicity and Advocacy of the forum, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, in a statement yesterday, also described the response by a presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, that the slain farmers did not get security clearance from the military before going to the farm as 'most insensitive.'

NEF accused Buhari of ignoring its advice and concerns raised by many other Nigerians.

It said: "These particular killings have been greeted by the most insensitive response by spokespersons of the president. The lame excuse that farmers had not sought permission from the military to harvest produce merely exposes the misleading claims that our military had secured vast territories from the insurgency.

"Under this administration, life has lost its value and more and more citizens are coming under the influence of criminals. We do not see any evidence of a willingness on the part of President Buhari to honour his oath to provide security over Nigerians.

"In civilised nations, leaders who fail so spectacularly to provide security will do the

honourable thing and resign."

Moving a motion, on behalf of other 10 Borno State lawmakers, to summon Buhari, at the plenary, Hon. Satomi Ahmed prayed that the president, to amongst other things, declare a state of emergency on security matters.

Ahmed lamented that the attackers tied up agricultural labourers working in the rice field and slit their throats.

He said the exact number of people killed in the incident is not yet known as over 44 bodies were recovered and buried with six others with serious injuries and many more residents are reported missing.

But Hon. Ahmadu Jaha, one of the co-sponsors of the motion, raised a point of order that a prayer was omitted.

Jaha said in the original motion, all the sponsors agreed that Buhari should be invited to brief the House on the state of security in the country.

He stated that this prayer was removed, adding that he was shocked by the removal.

While his observation got overwhelming support from other lawmakers, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, and the

Majority Leader, Hon. Ado Doguwa, said it was not necessary as security issues can't be discussed openly.

They pleaded for the understanding of their colleagues and urged them not to summon the president.

Gbajabiamila said inviting the president to the floor may not be the best way to go as there are other ways to engage Buhari.

Doguwa said every member of the House was in support of the motion, but that security issues should not be discussed in the open.

With their submissions, the House became very rowdy as the majority of the lawmakers insisted that the president must come to address them on the security situation in the country.

Gbajabiamila, in an attempt to calm the rowdy session, ruled that plenary be suspended for members to go into an executive session to resolve the matter.

Reconvening after an hour from the closed-door meeting, Jaha, who had earlier insisted on the invitation as the key prayer of the motion, was asked to formally move the motion for the president's appearance.

enrichment of the trajectory of national economic growth and development.

He added: “I therefore encourage everyone to embrace gas in form of LPG, CNG and LNG as an alternative fuel for autos and other prime-movers. “The Minister of State Petroleum Resources is hereby directed to commence the process of hand over of mass transit buses to organised labour as part of our government's pledge to continue providing the support that will ease the transportation challenges Nigerians are facing at this time.’’ The statement also quoted Sylva as saying that the petroleum ministry is focusing on skill development, technology and manpower as well as growth in the utilisation

of LPG, CNG and LNG. He said the national gas expansion programme, initiated this year to boost the utilisation of gas in the short and mediumterm, “is expected to create two million jobs per annum, promote skills acquisition and enhance technology transfer in addition to growing the nation's gross domestic product (GDP).�

Kyari told the meeting that between 2016 and 2019, the federal government spent over N3 trillion to subsidise the pump price of petroleum products, particularly petrol.

He added that the subsidy regime was not beneficial to the masses, who he said the president is passionate about.

He said the economic effects of COVID-19 had made the sustenance of subsidy regime impossible.

access their dollars through the right channels. We are going to see a possible increase in supply in the parallel market, which would ultimately moderate forex rates, especially as we go into the yuletide season when we are going to have many Nigerians in the Diaspora coming back home,� Ogbobine explained.

Also, Head of Research at United Capital, Mr. Wale Olusi, said the policy is “going to ease the pressure in the parallel market. “This is a short-term policy that if sustained will be beneficial to the market in the long run. Remittances in Nigeria yearly are over $20 billion. Remittances can roughly take about 40 per cent of the demand for import. “Those can actually, to a large extent, save the central bank a lot of headaches if we are able to cement the structure around remittances. So, I think it is a brilliant move,� he said.

The new CBN policy allows beneficiaries of Diaspora remittances through IMTOs to henceforth receive such inflows in the original foreign currency through the designated bank of their choice.

The CBN explained that the new regulations were part of efforts to liberalise, simplify

and improve the receipt and administration of Diaspora remittances into Nigeria.

The central bank announced the new policy in a circular titled: “Amendment to Procedures for Receipt of Diaspora Remittances,� dated November 30, 2020, that was signed by its Director, Trade and Exchange Department, Dr. Ozoemena Nnaji.

Continued on page 40

BUHARI LAUNCHES AUTOGAS INITIATIVE TO ALLEVIATE PAINS OF DEREGULATION appreciated Nigerians and the organised labour for showing restraint, understanding and patience so far in the face of myriad economic challenges.

The president also instructed the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Timipre Sylva, to hand over mass transit buses to the organised labour in fulfilment of federal government's pledge for continuous support towards efforts aimed at easing transportation challenges currently confronting Nigerians.

This came as the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Malam Mele Kyari, told the meeting that the federal government spent over N3 trillion to subsidise petrol between 2016 and 2019.

A statement by the president's media adviser, Mr. Femi Adesina, said the president assured the country of the federal government's commitment to addressing the situation.

The president urged Nigerians to embrace the use of gas as an alternative to petrol, adding that despite Nigeria's endowment with natural gas resources, the product has not been used optimally.

He said: “It is no longer news that the vast natural gas resources, which Nigeria is endowed with, have hitherto been used sub-optimally as a result of a dearth of gas processing facilities and infrastructural connectivity for effective and optimal domestic utilisation."

According to him, the

expansion of Nigeria's level of domestic natural gas has become imperative in view of the country's proven reserve of about 203 trillion cubic feet (TCF) and an additional 600 TCF, which earned the country the ninth place in the world ranking.

Buhari stated that the deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector had exposed many to price volatilities in the global market.

He canvassed a shift to a more affordable alternative to energy, especially with Nigeria's heavy reserve, saying the current economic crisis makes reverting to gas utilisation timely. “Therefore, the rollout of the National Gas Expansion Programme, Autogas Initiative, is coming at the right time,

especially in light of global crude oil market fluctuations coupled with the full deregulation of the local PMS market. “These developments have made it imperative to focus on gas as an alternative fuel to move Nigeria from the conventional dependence on white products for autos and prime-movers of industrial applications, to cleaner, more available, accessible and affordable energy source. “The outcome will not only cushion the effect of the downstream deregulation that this government has to painfully implement, but also create new markets and enormous job opportunities for our people," he said.

Buhari also said the initiative would result in increased domestic gas utilisation and

CBN RELEASES BANKS’ EXCESS CRR TO SPUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY But in the latest letter titled: “Release of Cash Reserve Requirement through the Issuance of CBN Special Bills,� the banking sector regulator stated: “The CBN on November 30, 2020, approved the release of the excess above regulatory minimum CRR of banks. This is part of measures to improve liquidity and support economic recovery through the increased extension of credit facilities to the real sector. This will be accomplished through the issuance of CBN Special Bills.�

It explained that the features of the special bills include tenor of 90 days, subject to rollover at the instance of the CBN, as well as zero-coupon, with an implied yield to be worked out by the CBN. In addition, the instrument will be tradable and discountable at CBN window and will qualify as liquid assets. “The CBN will continue to monitor banks’ utilisation of the liquidity injection from the CRR release to ensure optimal use for transactions that support economic recovery and growth,� it added.

Also in a circular dated December 1, 2020 entitled: Introduction of Central Bank of Nigeria Special Bills, signed

by Hassan, the bank reiterated the features of the special bills,

saying it “will continue to ensure optimal regulation of systemic liquidity and promote efficient financial markets in support of economic recovery and sustained growth.�

CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, had recently predicted a two per cent growth in the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for 2021.

Nigeria’s real GDP contracted for the second consecutive quarter by 3.62 per cent in the third quarter of the year, compared to a growth of -6.10 per cent, which showed that the country has entered its second economic recession in five years.

Dealers, Analysts Welcome New Policy on Diaspora Remittances Meanwhile, the Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) and some financial market analysts have expressed support for the new Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy that grants unfettered access to forex from Diaspora and other money transfer remittances like Western Union and MoneyGram.

Speaking in separate interviews with THISDAY,

they stated that the new policy would enhance liquidity in the forex market.

ABCON President, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, advised forex speculators hoarding dollars to sell now, saying, “Otherwise they will lick their wounds.�

According to him, with the new policy, the monopoly in the remittance market has been broken.

Gwadabe said: “If you were receiving dollars from the bank at about N390 to a dollar and now you are free to receive your dollar as it was sent, you are free to walk into any BDC operator and get it at the prevailing market rate. “So, there will be liquidity and also the monopoly has been broken because before recipients of such funds didn’t have an option because they are forced to collect naira from the banks. This is a welcome development and we commend the CBN." Also, the Senior Economist/ Head of Research and Strategy, Greenwich Merchant Bank Limited, Mr. Ayodeji Ebo, described the new policy as a positive move, saying it will help divert remittances back to the official channels.

According to him, the difference in forex rates has

always been a disincentive. “I think it will also increase dollar liquidity in the banks as people would now be more comfortable to channel these funds through the banks. So, it is a step in the positive direction,� he stated.

Head of Research at Agusto & Co, Mr. Jimi Ogbobine, explained that the policy would help boost dollar liquidity in the economy and ease forex pressure in the parallel market. “So, before now if you receive your money from an international money transfer operator, they would give you naira pegged at around N390 to a dollar. If you walk out of that bank where you had collected that money, if it was dollar you received, you would have changed that money at a prevailing parallel market rate. “So, because of the difference, you would find a way to cut off the official channel and start receiving the money through informal channels, instead of through the banks. And when you receive the money, you go to the parallel market to get the maximum rate. “What the central bank would achieve with this policy is to reduce the pressure and cut off the arbitrage with more retail investors being able to

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COMMENT

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

FLYING IN TEARS

Some airlines should be sanctioned for operational laxity, writes Sonnie Ekwowusi

L

ast week I flew Arik in tears. What a harrowing experience! Not the first time flying Arik. A few years ago, I flew Benin-Lagos on Arik. It was a horrible flight. Why? As the plane was about to take off, a middle-aged lady passenger on board burst out in sobering prayer. “In Jesus name, we pray! In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray! “Amen!â€?, all the passengers yelled in unison to my utter consternation. â€œâ€ŚFather, even as we embark on this journey to Lagos grant us thou journey mercies‌.â€?

I was perplexed. I turned and looked at the passenger sitting by my righthand side. Our eyes met. He too was surprised by what was happening. “So, they are now allowing them to preach on board?�, I asked him. He nodded regretfully. “I thought preaching was only allowed in those luxurious buses plying the South-East routes�. No sooner had the aircraft gained altitude than it started jerking. Passengers on board started screaming, beseeching God for help. Perhaps that was why the middle-aged lady led us in prayer shortly before departure. But a consoling voice soon came. It was the voice of the pilot requesting all passengers on board to quickly put on their seat belts because we were experiencing a severe turbulence. That turbulence lasted until the plane landed at the Lagos domestic Airport.

This time around, I was heading for Abuja. I got to the airport in good time only to discover to my chagrin that all morning and afternoon flights to Abuja had been cancelled for that day, of course, without prior notices to customers. We were all left stranded at the airport lobby and waiting room. After two hours of roaming around, a staff appeared from nowhere and requested all intending passengers to Abuja to write their names on detached pieces of paper. We all complied. Then after about an hour, an official announcement came to the effect that all Arik flights had been cancelled and rescheduled for 6.10 pm and 7.30 pm respectively for that day, and, furthermore, that all of us should converge at a certain counter to ascertain whether or not we were “qualified� to be issued with boarding passes.

Suddenly there was a stampede. All passengers started running towards the said counter with their luggage. No COVID-19 protocols observed. No social distancing. No face masks worn.

On getting to the counter, the young lady and two young men on duty started calling our names, one after the other, as if Arik was doing us a favour and giving us boarding passes to heaven. When a passenger’s name was called, he or she was required to answer loud and clear, “present� as if he or she was before a teacher in a classroom. Mind you, all this while Arik did not deem it fit to apologise to us for the great damage it had inflicted us let alone offer us breakfast or lunch. We were

WE NEED INCORRUPTIBLE FAAN AND NCAA WHICH WILL ENSURE THAT AIRLINES COMPLY WITH INTERNATIONAL AVIATION STANDARDS

all hungry and frustrated. I was hungry and tired. And a plate of rice and drinkable water at the airport cost about N4, 000.

The saddest aspect was that on my return trip from Abuja, Arik again cancelled all flights without prior notices to passengers and without tendering any apology. Again I spent the whole day at the airport. Thank God I had my laptop with me. I worked and worked. And when tiredness crept in I stood up and strolled around the open space to stretch my tired legs and ease off my painful waist. Boarding eventually commenced at 7.30 p.m. Boarding over, we discovered that the plane airconditioners were not cooling. We were sweating profusely. In order to get some air to stay alive we began fanning ourselves with anything we could lay hands on. On noticing our distressed condition, one of the air hostesses announced that the air-conditioners would start cooling in 20 minutes after the plane had taken off. I managed to control my temper. Anyway, the plane finally arrived in Lagos at 9. 45 p.m.

The truth of the matter is that our aviation industry is overdue for a major overhaul. The federal government should not wait for another plane to crash before carrying out this urgent assignment. It is obvious that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) are inefficient. You see, aircraft used for domestic flights in Nigeria operate like Lagos “molue� buses.

No sooner had a plane taxied to a stop at the runway than it was immediately “loaded� with new passengers and directed to fly immediately without checks on the plane as required by international aviation servicing and checking standards.

Passengers are frequently switched from one plane to the other.

Flights are randomly delayed or cancelled with impunity.

The impression I get is that FAAN and NCAA are inefficient otherwise how can you explain that over the years domestic flights in Nigeria have been randomly delayed or cancelled without sanctions from the regulators?

Investigations reveal that the ADC plane crash of 7th November 1996 was caused by conflicting signals from the air traffic control. Therefore effective communication between the air traffic controllers and the pilot and crew must be guaranteed. Also investigations reveal that the Dana plane crash of 2012 was caused by engine failure. Let there be functional radars at our airports. Aircraft should be subjected to comprehensive routine checks (using the standard check lists) before take-off. No animals on the runways. No pot holes on the runways. Routine aviation training should be organised for pilots, crew and aviation and aircraft maintenance staff. We need incorruptible FAAN and NCAA which will ensure that airlines operating in Nigeria comply with international aviation standards.

FIDEL CASTRO AT TIMES LIKE THIS pays tribute to the Cuban revolutionary leader, Fidel Castro

O

n Wednesday, November 25th, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) marked the 4th anniversary of the death of the death of comrade Fidel Castro Ruz, the iconic Cuban Revolutionary leader. The anniversary manifestation, attended by score of ambassadors, progressive activists and friends of Cuba also turned out a warm historic reception for the new Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria, Clara M. PulidoEscandell. Thanks to Comrade Tar Ukoh, Director – General, National Troupe of Nigeria and head of the globally acknowledged cultural group Mambisa who provided danceable revolutionary songs laced with Sahel two-stringed fiddles, goje (the Hausa name for the instrument!), and legendary talking drums!

Some comrades, diplomats and revolutionaries danced to them all, including yours comradely (in memory of a “beautiful� icon Fidel)!

At 90, Fidel Castro Ruz lived the fullest of time like his life-long comrade, Nelson Mandela, the first democratically elected South African President. He died some three months, after his 90th birthday in 2016. What has longevity then got to do with revolutionaries who endured challenges including, fatigue of struggles and numerous assassination attempts? Wikipedia reported several moves to kill Fidel while alive as a serving President by you-guess- who- from which country. The Cuban Intelligence agency says Fidel was a legendary survivor of not less than “600 assassination plotsâ€? in half a century! The late Cuban revolutionary leader was born on the 13th of August 1926 near BirĂĄn. He eventually emerged as the revolutionary leader of Cuba, following the historic Cuban revolution he led in 1959, at the prime age of 33. Not too young to make a radical transformation in Cuba! In July 2006, President Fidel Castro had gastric surgery and temporarily handed over control of the government to the former Defence Minister, Raul Catsro. He stepped down from power in 2008, 50 years after. With his compatriots in the Cuban Communist party, they transformed an island of 11 million people, (size of Lagos!) into the first socialist independent/welfare state in the Western Hemisphere.

Cuba just recently upscaled from 73rd to 72nd position, among 189 countries listed in Human Development Index, categorization issued by

the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The criteria include long and healthy life, ( life expectancy at birth), education index: Mean years of schooling and expected years of schooling and a decent standard of living!

Nigeria ranks 158 out of 189! Literacy rates in countries like Cuba, Poland, and Estonia are as high as 99.8 per cent compared to Nigeria’s 60 percent. Indeed in Nigeria there is a new emerging illiteracy with ( take a breath!) some 14 million children (more than population of Cuba) out of schools! So much for size and development! And so much for leadership, ala Fidel’s Cuba!

Four years after Fidel passed on, the world had witnessed a lot of quantitative, not so qualitative changes, with respect to global justice, equality, peace, removal of 60-years economic blockade against Cuba, by United States of America.

For one, what would have been Fidel Castro’s reactions to the Presidency of the of Donald Trump inaugurated on January 20, 2017, few months after his death? As far back as 2008, Fidel Castro damned endemic racism in God’s own country, USA. He observed (rightly too) well before life was snuffed out of George Perry Floyd Jr., and president-elect Joe Biden commendably acknowledged the fact that “Racism is deeply-rooted in the United States where the mind of millions of people can hardly reconcile with the notion that a black man, with his wife and children (read: the Obamas) could live in the White House, which is precisely called White.� Fidel said “It’s a miracle that the Democratic candidate (Barack Obama) has not met the same destiny as Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and others who only a few decades ago dreamed of justice and equality.�

What would have then been Fidel’s reactions to Black Lives Matter (BLM) in USA? Of course, Donald Trump who derided the war credentials of the late Republican Senator John McCain posthumously against all ethics did not spare his ideological enemy.

He predictably labeled, Fidel Castro a “brutal dictator�. What would be Fidel’s in his great literary reflections on the current Donald Trump’s obscene dictatorship of results in an election he miserably lost in a “democratic�

America? Covid- 19 had claimed as many as 1.4 million deaths with almost 60 million

infection rates. United States alone records almost a quarter of global COVID fatalities (some 260,000 deaths!), compared to Cuba’s 133 deaths, 8, 000 cases and 7428 recoveries.

What would be Fidel’s reactions to the disastrous numbers from the “Empire up northâ€?? Fidel presided over the world’s acknowledged medical capital which Cuba is, what would be his reactions to Donald Trump’s scandalous withdrawal from a World Health Organisation (WHO) in the midst of a global pandemic? AntĂłnio Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, ably delivered this year’s (2020) Nelson Mandela ( NMD) Annual Lecture speech entitled “TACKLING THE INEQUALITY PANDEMIC: A NEW SOCIAL CONTRACT FOR A NEW ERA, “ in New York on the 18th of July. It was truly revolutionary (Mandela/ Fidel Castro-like!).

He reminds the world about the “inequality (social) pandemic� against the background of the current health pandemic caused by “a microscopic Covid virus�. What would be Fidel’s reactions to the damning statistics that between “1980 and 2016, the world’s richest one percent captured 27 percent of the total cumulative growth in income�, as disclosed Guterres, confirming the 2020 data released

by Oxfam ahead of Davis World Economic Forum (WEF), according to which “world’s 2,153 billionaires have more wealth than the 4.6billion people who make up 60 per cent of the planet’s population�?

Remarkably we don’t need to agonize about what the leadership of Fidel Castro would be like at times like this. He was motivated and led by timeless ideas of justice and equity for all, and acted so. As far back as 2000, Fidel has warned against neo- liberal globalization with his attendant poverty for the bottom billions.

That was well before Paul Collier, the British Development Economist at Oxford University did his seminal work : “The Bottom Billion�: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done About (2007), Fidel warned. Witness him: “Globalization is an objective reality underlining the fact that we are all passengers on the same vessel... But passengers on this vessel are travelling in very different conditions. Trifling minorities are travelling in luxurious cabins furnished with the Internet, cell phones and access to global communication networks. They enjoy

a nutritional, abundant and balanced diet as well as clean water supplies. They have access to sophisticated medical care and to culture.

Overwhelming and hurting majorities ... that is, 85% of the passengers on this ship are crowded together in its dirty hold suffering hunger, diseases and helplessness. Obviously, this vessel is carrying too much injustice to remain afloat and it pursues such an irrational and senseless route that it cannot call on a safe port. This vessel seems destined to clash with an iceberg. If that happened, we would all sink with it.�

True to Fidel’s predictions and analysis, the neo- neoliberal globalization “ship� actually sank in 2008, with all the casualties of mass job losses, deaths, suicides and feverish return to discredited states for bail outs. What would be Fidel’s to the current socialization of the economic impacts of Covid: 19? Contrary to capitalist received wisdom, Central banks, not private sector are printing monies to bail out corporations, with attendant unfair privatization of the benefits and the provoked pandemic riots (read:#EndSars protests).

Castro once said of Cubans: “We are a LatinAfrican nation‌African blood flows through our veinsâ€?. Yours comradely was among the Nigerian delegates to the historic 5th Solidarity Confab in Windhoek, Namibia between 5th and 7th of June 2017. Many takeaways from Windhoek! The most memorable for me was when Namibian third President, Hage Gottfried Geingob betrayed Presidential emotions, broke down in tears while paying homage to Fidel and Cubans. He asked rhetorically: “If someone buys you a car, a cloth what do you say to him? And what do you say to someone who sacrificed his life as Cubans did to get you freedom and a homeland?â€? The solidarity song that rocked the conference hall gave appropriate answer. Fidel and Cubans stand for humanity, stand for principles as contained in UN. It would be recalled that 1990 March, Namibia got liberated after centuries of resistance. At the centre of it all was Cuba. At the battle of Cuito Cuanavale the combined forces of Angola, Cuba and SWAPO repulsed the South African apartheid forces with South African heavy losses. The new Cuba’s Ambassador Clara sums it up.

Aremu mni is a trade union activist and labour leader

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EDITORIAL

CONTAINING VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN The authorities could do more to protect the Nigerian child

F

ollowing more than a decade of insurgency and violence in the Northeast, Nigeria continues to feature prominently on the list of countries where thousands of children have been wasted in conflicts.

In the latest report, fittingly titled, ‘Killed and Maimed: A Generation of Violations Against Children in Conflict,’ Syria, Somalia, Afghanistan, Yemen, DRC, Mali, CAR, Iraq and Nigeria are named as some of the most dangerous countries for children. In the report, some 93,236 children were reportedly killed or injured, with an average of 25 EVERY NIGERIAN CHILD children per day, DESERVES, AT THE VERY in the last 10 years.

MINIMUM, A RIGHT TO LIFE The report further notes that the actual number of victims is likely to be higher as some violations, notably sexual abuse, were grossly underreported. From the Northeast which has been home to a protracted insurgency since 2009, to the Northwest which is becoming increasingly laid waste by banditry, to the North central weighed down by farmer-herder crisis, children have lost their innocence as many are victims of aggression.

Many of them are victims of airstrikes, shelling, landmines and other explosive weapons.

Families are ripped apart and tens of thousands of children left for dead or scarred for life.

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), about 432 children were maimed and killed in the Northeast region through the activities of Boko Haram insurgents in 2018. Meanwhile, no fewer than 135 children were forced to carry out suicide bombings in northern Nigeria and Cameroon in 2017. There is every likelihood that the figures are much higher now. And indeed, for Boko Haram, sexual violence is openly used as a weapon of war.

The 2014 kidnap of the Chibok schoolgirls and many others are poignant examples. Besides the mental and physical torture, exposing children to armed conflict increases their risk of morbidity and mortality. “In conflicts around the world,

Letters to the Editor

S

ir Adam Smith, in his famous book, “An Inquiry into the nature and causes of wealth of a Nation� discussed a topic that dragged the attention of some prominent scholars. The topic is titled, “WaterDiamond-Paradox�.

As we all know, without water one cannot live, even if there is diamond; but today, diamond is more valuable than water, despite that it is unessential in human life. With that, Smith concluded that “Value in Use� and “Value in Exchange� were irrationally separated.

Adam Smith is a proponent of labour theory of value, a theory which states that, “the price of a good reflected the amount of labor and resources required to bring it to market.� Therefore, diamond requires huge resource before bringing it to market, unlike water that requires less resource before reaching the society.

Even though, humans can live with or without diamond, but they can’t live without water.

Before the invention of paper

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children have become front line targets, used as human shields, killed, maimed and recruited to fight. Rape, forced marriage, abduction and enslavement have become standard tactics in conflicts from Iraq, Syria and Yemen, to Nigeria, South Sudan and Myanmar,� said the UN agency.

A recent report by Amnesty International acknowledged widespread and unlawful detention and torture by Nigerian security forces of a generation of children and tens of thousands of people in north-east Nigeria. Joanne Mariner, acting director of crisis response at Amnesty International, called on the authorities to investigate the ‘appalling’ treatment of victims. “From mass, unlawful detention in inhumane conditions, to meting out beatings and torture and allowing sexual abuse by adult inmates – it defies belief that children anywhere would be so grievously harmed by the very authorities charged with their protection,� she said. The insurgents often flagrantly disregard international laws on children and women while the government is often incapacitated to stop the violence.

The Minister of Women’s Affairs Pauline Tallen said sometime ago that the federal government has put in place strategies, including advocacy campaigns, to mitigate the hardship faced by children who are victims of aggression, especially in conflict zones. In addition, she said the Child Rights Act, yet to be domesticated in some states, would be enforced in order to protect the Nigerian child. We are yet to feel the impact of these pronouncements. However, the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in its blueprint intended to be achieved in 2030, provides a universal plan to secure a better future for children. The 16th goal is dedicated to peace, justice and strong institutions. Target two pledges to “end abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children.�

While questions remain as to whether this is achievable in the nearest future, every Nigerian child deserves, at the very minimum, a right to life.

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

THE NORTH IS BLEEDING money, diamond was the means of transaction in the olden days, because of it is scarcity and value.

Security is defined as the state of being free from danger. This means that, there’s security when one has no iota of fear of losing his life, right and property in the society he lives.

Security provides peace of mind, job opportunities and encourage investors; therefore, every society that lost security has lost those three things mentioned.

Achieving food security is one of the main objectives of the present administration of President Buhari and Northern Nigeria’s main pride is farming. But today, many farmers in some vast sections of the north are afraid of visiting their farm lands, for the fear of losing their lives. How then can food security be achieved?

Before the 2015 general elections, North Eastern part of Nigeria wishes nothing less than peace; that was what gave northerners the guts to come out to vote out the then administration of President Jonathan, with an almost certainty of hope

that their security problems could be solved, and glory be to God, it was reduced to minimal level for some period of time. But as time went on, the security situation deteriorated to the extent that militants are openly giving the inhabitants of some villages the option of paying taxes if they truly want to engage their farmlands in their own “Villages�! How can food security be achieved in such a situation?

Recently, in Zabarmari village in Borno State over 60 people were slaughtered like animals, for no other reasons but for not paying BH levies and living under the Nigerian government. Yet, the Commander -in-Chief only expressed “grief� over the unfortunate incidence. But during the largely Southern Nigeria’s led #ENDSARS violent protests, he was quick to address the nation and expressed his sadness over a viral “audio massacre�. Does this mean that northern lives are not too important to him?

Throughout his campaigns from 2003-2015, security, corruption and agriculture were his major theme.

But agriculture is now decaying, by implication, due to lack of security that is majorly caused by the corruption he promised to fight! The north has all the security personnel - the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air staff, IGP, Minister of Defense, DG, DSS and NIA, and above all, the President!

A region with combination of such top security captains couldn’t stop the blood shedding in their region; how do we expect them to protect the whole country from external attack?

How do we expect the north to develop economically in the current deteriorating security situation? I wish Sir Adam Smith is alive today, I would’ve told him that in his discussion of water-diamond- paradox in a peaceful society, diamond is more valuable than water. But to the likes of Zamfara, Birnin Gwari, Villages of Borno and other places ravaged by persistent insecurity in Northern Nigeria; water is more valuable than diamond.

Muhammad Sagir Bauchi, ibrahimsagir1227@gmail

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MIDWEEKPOLITICS

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

In Pursuit of Electoral Reforms that Serve the Common Good Chuks Okocha examines the treatise on electoral reforms presented by Mr. Samson Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa and the Convener of the Not-Too-Young-To-Run movement

Lawan

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ountdown to the proposed public hearing of the Electoral Act reforms has begun with, the convener of the Not-Too-YoungRun and Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo urging the National Assembly to make history by ensuring that a new Electoral Act is passed before the 2023 general election.

He also urged the National Assembly to ensure the reduction in the cost of election management by reducing manifest cost observed in previous elections.

In a discussion with Itodo, he said that “Nigeria spent N139 Billion (N1,893 or $9 per voter) for the 2011 elections; N116.3 Billion (N1,691 or $8.5 per voter) for the 2015 elections; and N189.2 Billion (N2,249 $6.24 per voter) for the 2019 elections. All three elections recorded a poor turnout of voters.”

According to the convener of the Not Too Young to Run, “A cost-benefit analysis of public expenditure on elections is an essential component of the electoral reform agenda. This analysis is highly recommended given the country’s economic recession due to bad economic choices, disruptions in public finance, and negative externalities.”

Itodo explained that political scientists will argue that the high costs of elections are an investment in democracy; therefore, countries should earmark adequate resources for election conduct, explained that this seems like a plausible argument, especially for nations still evolving with a democratic culture.

However, he asked “But what happens to equity and efficiency? What is the benefit of expending scarce resources on elections that fail to maximize utility or promote happiness for the greatest number in society, or elections that yield just outcomes? “ He proposed that other proposals should include new timelines for campaigns and candidate nomination, review of election results declared under duress, diaspora voting, and improved oversight on political parties, amongst others, explaining that Civil society groups have also proposed amendments to the electoral legal framework.

In Nigeria, he said that the law compels the electoral commission to use the voter register as a basis for election planning as against the figures for collected Permanent Voters Card (PVC).

Analysising the 2019 elections, he explained that INEC printed over 427.5 million ballot papers (of currency quality) for 80 million registered voters in the six scheduled elections, but added that “Less than 30 million ballots were used in the elections because only 35 percent of registered voters showed up to vote.

Billions of Naira went to waste due to a large number of unused ballots papers.

“These scarce resources plowed to produce the unused ballot papers would have been allocated to health, education, or jobs given Nigeria’s place as the world’s

Gbajabiamila poverty capital.

“Efficient allocation of scarce resources should be a priority agenda for reformers of our electoral process. This should encompass a clear strategy for reversing the deeply entrenched culture of waste in public finance management.

“No doubt, the current proposed amendments can foster popular sovereignty. Still, it is uncertain whether the ruling political class will pass these laws, given the potential of reforms to limit future chances of electoral victory.

“The apparent assumption is that most politicians will be reluctant to legislate themselves out of office. Therefore, they employ diverse tactics to dictate the pace and influence the outcome of reform efforts, leaving society to manage the tensions between individual and collective interests,” he stated.

Itodo explained that a just society is one that places the maximization of happiness as a key basis for decision-making as moral decision making should be premised on maximizing the total happiness of members of society and advancing the common good, not just the interests of a few.

Accordingly, he said, “As legislators consider decisions on electoral reforms within the ramifications of options available to them, they should be guided to choose options that serve the common good. In other words, in the spirit of democracy, they should pass electoral amendments that promote the common good of the Nigerian majority, in essence, the people and not the political class.

“After all, political authority is expected to serve the interests of the people, not individual interests. As Xunsi puts it, ‘Heaven did not create the people for the sake of the Lord, heaven established the

Itodo Lord for the sake of the people.’

“If an electoral amendment reflects the aggregate of the greater good, it indicates its responsiveness to the will and aspirations of the people. Suffices to say, the greater the number of citizens who participate in designing a new electoral legal framework, the greater our chances of producing just outcomes and advancing the common good.”

The Yiaga Africa Executive Director stressed that citizens bear the burden to hold the ruling political elite to higher standards adding further “Electoral policies should place a premium on moral principles, ethics, and maximization of happiness.

“The 9th National Assembly will be judged by the extent to which the proposed electoral amendments promote happiness for the greater number and not just the political elites.

“Any piece of electoral legislation that will not guarantee the people’s participation, protect the sanctity of the vote or advance electoral justice may not serve the common good. Suffice to say that there’s nothing special about the ongoing electoral reform process if it does not yield the greater good for the greater number, instead of yielding the greater good for the one percent who control political power, “ Itodo stated .

According to him, Nigeria’s 21 years of democracy was tested with the conduct of last year ’s 2019 general elections. The elections presented an opportunity for Nigeria to consolidate on the gains of the 2015 elections and deepen her democratic transition, but the polls substantially failed to do so.

He said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) introduced reforms to deepen electoral integrity and citizen participation before the elections,

Nigeria’s 21 years of democracy was tested with the conduct of last year’s 2019 general elections.

The elections presented an opportunity for Nigeria to consolidate on the gains of the 2015 elections and deepen her democratic transition, but the polls substantially failed to do so. He said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) introduced reforms to deepen electoral integrity and citizen participation before the elections, yet the elections were fraught with the same shortcomings that marred previous national elections in Nigeria. According to him, as in past elections, INEC’s logistical challenges coupled with misconduct on the part of political parties and candidates undermined the elections’ integrity

yet the elections were fraught with the same shortcomings that marred previous national elections in Nigeria.

According to him, as in past elections, INEC’s logistical challenges coupled with misconduct on the part of political parties and candidates undermined the elections’ integrity.

This, he said, “Not to mention the assault on voting rights by desperate politicians who recruited thugs and security agencies for voter suppression. The judiciary was no bystander. In most cases, it determined the final vote by substituting justice for legal technicalities with its logic of constitutional finality. The Supreme Court suffered a reputational setback when it declared a candidate who came fourth in an election the winner, despite computational inaccuracies and disputed results from polling units where elections did not hold.

Yiaga Executive Director said that the landscape for electoral reform looks promising as over ten proposed electoral amendment bills are under consideration at the National Assembly.

Although he added that these bills are at different stages of the legislative process, they contain proposals that can potentially fix Nigeria’s pressing electoral challenges, especially the predatory behavior of the political class.

The bills include proposed amendments that promote the independence and impartiality of INEC by strengthening the legality of INEC regulations, guidelines, and manuals and prohibiting the employment or appointment of members of political parties into INEC. Also contained in the bills are proposals for electronic voting and transmission of election results.

He stressed that comprehensive amendments were proposed to Section 87 of the Electoral Act on the nomination of candidates. They introduce new procedures for direct and indirect primaries and provide thresholds for party nomination fees. It restricts parties to the qualification criteria fixed by the 1999 Constitution as amended for elective offices, thereby stripping parties of the power to introduce additional measures often used to disqualify unfavoured candidates.

Recently, INEC released its agenda on electoral reform. The commission is proposing amendments to strengthen the electoral commission’s financial autonomy, confer power on INEC to suspend elections under certain circumstances, and the power to disqualify candidates.

Other proposals include new timelines for campaigns and candidate nomination, review of election results declared under duress, diaspora voting, and improved oversight on political parties, amongst others. Civil society groups have also proposed amendments to the electoral legal framework. Signals from the National Assembly thus far shows that the electoral amendment process may be concluded by 2021.

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T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 2, 2020

POLITICS

Is Olajide Adediran the David of Lagos State?

Vanessa Obioha appraises the chances of Mr. Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran, a privileged member of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State who has set for himself the daunting task of whittling down the influence of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the state

Adediran

A

bdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran is tired and angry. You can tell from the tone of his voice and the forcefulness of his words. But that tiredness and anger are not stirring from a place of bitterness or weakness, rather they come from a place of determination and resilience. He is exasperated by the state of political affairs in Lagos state and the perceived autonomous control of the executive seat since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999. Without mincing words, he declared his intention to obliterate the erected walls of one man politics in Lagos state which in his assertion is the handwork of the National Leader of the ruling party All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator Bola Tinubu.

The Chairman of Core Media Group demands a Lagos for all. A Lagos that works for everyone and not for a selected few. He argued that most people residing in Lagos feel disenfranchised because of the seeming monopoly of politics.

“If you look at the election result from 1999, the voting number has continued to dwindle. You see that people are dropping off. People are no longer interested in voting. The registered number of voters has continued to shrink,” he said, citing the last governorship in Lagos state.

“There are over two million registered APC members, over six million registered voters, but Babajide SanwoOlu won with only 739, 000 votes.”

The waning interest in the election is a good pointer to Adediran’s belief that the state is due for a change.

To change this mindset, Adediran who hails from Aworiland, Ojo local government area of the state, to be specific is poised to contest in the 2023 elections and rewrite the history of Lagos. In other words, he is throwing everything in the ring to wrestle power from Tinubu.

His brazenness is mocked and lauded. To those who are familiar with the intricacies of power play in Lagos state politics, Adediran’s effrontery is mere barks. The odds are highly stacked against him despite

Tinubu

his stance in emerging the next governor of Lagos state. Though a liberal Muslim, he conjures the image of the Biblical David who confronted the Philistine giant, Goliath. His critics doubt if he has enough stones and his sling long enough to bring down the Goliath in Lagos state.

If Adediran is deterred by the scathing comments, he does a good job of ignoring them. He believes he holds the four aces.

He started the groundwork for his emergence almost a decade ago.

Through his Jandor Foundation, Adediran carries out grassroots engagement as a way of reviving interest in electoral voting as well as alleviating poverty in poor communities. He also kicked off the Lagos4Lagos initiative which seeks to unite everyone in Lagos and make it livable for anyone who shares in the Lagos dream.

He’s been able to achieve this by

setting up structures that address each target group. There is the Ibile-Eko group which addresses the needs of the core indigenes of Lagos state.

Team Jandor is the central group that draws everyone who shares in the Lagos dream irrespective of their tribe or religion. Therefore, he has on his team representatives of the Hausa and Igbo ethnic groups as well as minority ethnic groups.

Having observed the elites’ nonchalance in electoral affairs, Adediran created the Eko United platform to woo them to cast votes in elections.

“We want to sensitise them to take their future in their own hands by deciding who governs them. They should not allow thugs, area boys or the downtrodden who collect sugar, a few cups of rice and other handouts to mortgage their future.”

He also disclosed that he has registered presence in every ward in the state, a strategy he said will work

He started the groundwork for his emergence almost a decade ago. Through his Jandor Foundation, Adediran carries out grassroots engagement as a way of reviving interest in electoral voting as well as alleviating poverty in poor communities. He also kicked off the Lagos4Lagos initiative which seeks to unite everyone in Lagos and make it livable for anyone who shares in the Lagos dream. He’s been able to achieve this by setting up structures that address each target group. There is the Ibile-Eko group which addresses the needs of the core indigenes of Lagos state. Team Jandor is the central group that draws everyone who shares in the Lagos dream irrespective of their tribe or religion. Therefore, he has on his team representatives of the Hausa and Igbo ethnic groups as well as minority ethnic groups

in his favour.

“We have seen for ourselves the challenges of the people; how they live, what they want,” he said.

Despite the grassroots engagement, Adediran will still need financial backing to achieve his ambition. At the moment, he is not losing sleep over it. It is a bridge that will be crossed as the need arises. Right now, he emphasized, he is focused on sensitising people for 2023.

“We have been doing our campaign for a long while. Some thought that we were preparing for 2019 elections when they heard about us. That’s to show you how serious we are about this. It’s a game for us to win. If we decide to throw it away, it’s our choice. If it’s not ordained, it can’t happen.”

To be sure, Adediran clarified that his mission is not just to occupy the office of the First Citizen in the state, but to use it effectively to better the lives of Lagosians. He believes that it is only the executive power that can make this possible.

He still maintained that he is not interested in engaging in the nepotism game of godfatherism, even if quite a few see him as a puppet for rivals of Tinubu. He didn’t deny the affiliations but emphasized that none is engaged in his project and he has no intention to seek the blessings — either spiritual or financial — of anyone to achieve his ambition.

A card-carrying member of APC, Adediran predicts a realignment of political parties in Nigeria due to the current tension in the political space.

Again, he is unfazed. He knows he is unlikely to pick up the governorship ticket in his party “but I know that many things will still happen before the election. So, it is naive for me to be frightened and stop my idea.”

Notwithstanding, Adediran revealed that his tenacity is already unravelling some politicians who feel threatened by his audacious moves.

Whether they will join his campaign or not, he is yet to ascertain. But one thing he is optimistic about is that he’s been able to get the grassroots to buy into his Lagos4Lagos initiative.

T H I S D AY ˞ Ͱ˜ Ͱ͎Ͱ͎

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FEATURES

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, 08038901925

Addressing Emerging Security Threats of Cyberattacks Undeniably, cyber threats such as cyber terrorism, espionage, theft and Distributed Denial of Service against persons, businesses or critical national infrastructure is detrimental to the internal security of a nation. To address these threats and its attendant consequences, the Nigerian Army recently held an inter-agency workshop on how to mitigate these vulnerabilities through cyber operations known as cyber warfare, writes Chiemelie Ezeobi

U

ndoubtedly, every society is increasingly relying on the internet and other information technology tools to engage in personal communication and conduct business activities. This is not just limited to Nigeria.

Over the years, this global development has brought about enormous gain in productivity, efficiency and communication.

However, despite the gains gotten from technology and internet, the dark side exposes users to the risk of cyber-attack, which has become a security concern and for security operatives, they create problems which are detrimental to the security of a nation.

Cyber threats such as cyber terrorism, cyber espionage, cyber theft, Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) against persons, businesses or critical national infrastructure is detrimental to the internal security of a nation. As such, nations round the world are increasingly developing capabilities to mitigate these vulnerabilities through cyber operations known as cyber warfare.

Exercise Crocodile Smile It was in the interest of such that the Nigerian Army recently held a workshop at the Army Officers Mess, Outer Marina, Lagos. The workshop brought together field commanders of the army, Nigerian Navy (NN), Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Nigeria Police, Department of State Services, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to brainstorm on how to address cyber attacks that threaten peace and security.

Tagged Exercise Crocodile Smile VI, the army headquarters had disclosed that the exercise which would run from October 20 to December 31, would carry out cyber warfare operations to counter negative propaganda by criminal gangs and groups in social media and across the cyberspace.

Contrary to popular belief, the army opined that the exercise is deliberately intended to be all-encompassing to include cyber warfare exercises designed to identify, track and counter negative propaganda in the social media and across cyberspace.

The army noted that this is the first-ever cyber warfare exercise to be conducted in the history of the African armed forces as the exercise will also include positive identification component aimed at identifying Boko Haram terrorists fleeing from the North-East and other parts of the country as a result of the ongoing operations in the various theaters of operations, especially in the North-east, North central and North-western parts of Nigeria.

In his opening remark, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division, Major General Godwin Umelo, said the workshop themed "Cyberattack as an emerging security threat in Nigeria" would enable security forces review events of the last few weeks in order to prevent future occurrence.

While noting that the exercise Crocodile Smile VI would check armed robbery and other heinous crimes, especially as the yuletide season draws near, Umelo emphasised that this year's theme has cybersecurity as a major issue.

Assuring law abiding residents of Lagos and Ogun of their safety and security, adding that they should not fear anything, he said the violent manifestation of the #EndSARS protest and the political use of the cyberspace has made the security atmosphere complicated and unpredictable. He added that the platform was an avenue for brainstorming on the likely eventualities that may constrain security stakeholders in coming months.

He said: “In line with Nigerian Army constitutional mandate to provide aid to civil authority, the conduct of interactive workshop of this sort is necessary to provide the platform for the exchange of opinions and ideas and improve overall synergy during joint operations."

Nigerian Army and Cyber Warfare The Nigerian Army (NA) has said its cyber warfare capability prevented over 400 intruders from disrupting the service's portals between 2018 and last month. It said the foiled attempts followed the establishment of the NA Cyber Warfare Command (NACWC) in 2018 in response and preparation against

General OďŹƒcer Commanding, 81 Division, Major General Godwin Umelo (second left); Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge-of Operations of the Lagos State Police Command, DCP Ali Muhammed; DC Operations, Lagos State Police Command, DCP Ali Muhammed (third left); Commanding OďŹƒcer, NNS ARADU, Commodore Olusanya Bankole (third right); 9 Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Musa EtsuNdagi and others cyberattacks especially cyber terrorism by the elements of Boko Haram terrorists.

This was disclosed by the Commander, 55 Signal Brigade, Brigadier General Henry Yanet at the two-day workshop on cyber warfare ahead of the flag-off of Exercise Crocodile Smile VI in Lagos and Ogun in his paper titled ‘ Cyber Warfare and Internal Security in Nigeria: An Assessment’.

According to General Yanet, the rise in the country's rate of internet users from about 200,000 in 2000 to 122 million in 2019 also witnessed spike in cyber threats. Making a case for monitoring the cyberspace as both offensive and defensive measures, he said cyberattacks undermined internal and national security, adding that countries like China, Iran and Algeria were among several others in the world with deliberate cybersecurity policies.

Recalling the hacking and defacing of the Defence Headquarters' (DHQ) and Nigerian Navy's (NN) websites in 2012 by Boko Haram agents, he said the attacks and others led the Federal Government Cybercrime Prohibition and Prevention Act (CPPA) in 2015.

"The enactment of the CPPA was followed by the establishment of Computer Emergency Response Team (ng CERT) at the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA). The CPPA mandated organisations including the Nigerian Army (NA) to set up sectoral CERTs and always report cyberattacks to ng CERT. "The NA in 2018 established the NA Cyber Warfare Command (NACWC) in response and preparation against cyberattacks especially cyber terrorism by the elements of Boko Haram terrorists. This was followed by the training of NA personnel in the US, Russia and China on ethical hacking and other cyber warfare courses. Between 2018 and October 2020, the NA cyber warfare capability was able to prevent over 400 intruders from disrupting NA portals. The cyber warfare improved NA operational activities for enhanced internal security in Nigeria.�

Vulnerability to Cyber Attacks In spite of the foiled cyber attacks, Yanet said the army and other government establishments remain vulnerable to cyberattacks from non-state actors such as the Boko Haram, ‘Anonymous’ and other hacktivists groups who exploit the dark web as was seen during the #ENDSARS protests across the country.

He said: "The #EndSARS protests against police brutality in Nigeria saw the rise in unrestricted use of crypto-currency and bitcoin in the dark web by the organisers of the protests to mobilise fund for campaigns across the country.

"The protests led to human, economic and property loss thereby undermining internal security in Nigeria. It is therefore imperative for the NA to develop cyberwarfare capability to meet up with the ever dynamic cyberspace environment to improve its operations for enhanced internal security in Nigeria.

"The recent hacking of the FGN and some ministries departments and agencies websites by the hacker “Anonymous� during the recent “ENDSARS� nationwide protest shows the flaws in our cybersecurity infrastructure, which has to be addressed for enhanced internal security in Nigeria.

To tackle all these, he advocated effective exploitation of cyberspace through the use of ICT infrastructure and cyber weapons for offensive and defensive cyber actions by state actors in order to protect critical national infrastructures and deter any threat that could lead to danger or fear to lives and property.

Yanet also said there was need for Nigeria to improve its cybersecurity infrastructure to be able to filter fake news as well as have more cybersecurity experts, noting that the country currently has 1,700 registered and certified, a far-cry from the at least, 200,000 it is supposed to have in an ideal situation.

Cyber Warfare and Internal Security Stressing that cyber threats such as cyber terrorism, cyber espionage, cyber theft, Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) against persons, businesses or critical national infrastructure is detrimental to the internal security of a nation, he said cyber warfare refers to activities of state and non-state actors in cyberspace involving the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) equipment for offensive and defensive operations against other nation or non-state actors while Internal security on the other hand refers to the preservation of the state against all forms of crimes and ensuring relative state of peace and stability in the society.

Giving further breakdown, he said weapons used in cyber warfare include malicious software that have the potential to exploit vulnerabilities in military systems or critical national infrastructure such as communications, power, commerce, transport or financial sectors to disrupt or incapacitate their optimal operations. “Most countries have recognised the risks in cyberspace and it has been designated as the new domain of warfare joining the traditional domains of land, sea, air and outer space. Currently, manipulation of democratic process and election results has cyberspace dimensions. “Cyber warfare can be used to destabilise the national economy of a nation through remote shut down of the country’s Critical National Infrastructure or can serve as a force multiplier through the spread of fake news aimed at destabilising the nation’s internal security.

Asides instances of cyber warfare in other nations, he said in Nigeria, the rate of internet users increased from about 200,000 in 2000 to 122,000,000 users in 2019 (NCC, 2019), signifying high penetration of cyberspace in Nigeria.

However, he said rise in the cyber activities however brought about a corresponding

increase in cyber threats from 460 cases in 2002 to 2,405 in 2014, adding that cyber terrorism especially from the Boko Haram terrorists has been targeting military establishments.

For instance, in 2012, he said the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) and Nigerian Navy (NN) websites were hacked and defaced by Boko Haram agents, noting that these cyber-attacks undermined internal and national security in Nigeria.

Conversely, he said when a nation fails to exploit cyberspace using ICT and cyber weapons for both offensive and defensive cyber actions, its ability to protect its critical national infrastructures and assets, as well as the lives and property of its people will diminish.

Structure and Response in Nigeria Giving an overview of internal security and cyber warfare, he said before the 1990s, the ICT infrastructure in Nigeria comprised largely of stand-alone computer systems. As a result, data was not shared between the various stand-alone systems, meaning that ICT systems faced minimal cyber risks.

But between the mid-1990 and 2000, advancements in ICT and increased connectivity of computers and other devices to the Internet led to an upsurge in the number of computer users in Nigeria.

Noting that financial institutions were the first to embrace this technology by offering inter-bank online transactions and the installation of about 2,500 Automated Teller Machines across the country between 1992 and 2000, he said the rush into online banking without requisite security infrastructure in place saw a rise in cyberattacks and economic threats, which exposed the financial sector’s lack of capacity to overcome cyber threats, adding that the threats caused over $456 million in losses between 1996 and 1999 to the financial sector in Nigeria. “Between 2001 and 2010, there was proliferation of computer networks and technologies in Nigeria due to the reduction in the prices of these items in the global market. As a result of this diffusion, ICT systems became more vulnerable, requiring more specialised technical capacity to protect them. The government and private organisations, initiated measures to develop the ICT capacity of their personnel. “For instance, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other financial institutions entrenched basic computer operation and knowledge of ICT as prerequisites for employment in their respective organisations.

Similarly, the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) began a massive drive to ensure personnel were computer literate. The services acquired computers to assist in automation of logistics and personnel management. “These efforts translated to increased use of ICT across Nigeria which increases the exposure of the country’s information systems to cyberattacks but the technical capacity to confront these cyber vulnerabilities was

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T H I S D AY ˞ Ͱ˜ Ͱ͎Ͱ͎

FEATURES not adequate. “By 2011, cyber warfare had become a concern to governments around the world, particularly following the cyberattacks against Iran and other countries in the preceding years.

In Nigeria, the focus on cybersecurity was due to the increasing reliance on computer systems for commerce, financial transaction and communications. These had far reaching influence on the nation’s economy and perception internationally. “By 2013, malware, phishing, man-in-themiddle, distributed denial of service, and zero-day attacks were popular cyber-attacks in Nigeria, which accounted for over $834 million in losses to the government, financial institutions and individuals across Nigeria.

Within this period, Nigeria became blacklisted as one of the countries with a high number of cyber frauds. “As such, several online merchants blocked international transactions emanating from Nigeria, while major retail stores in Europe and the USA declined to honour credit or debit cards from Nigerians. To address the cyber threats in the country, the FGN enacted the National Cyber Security Policy and Strategy in 2014. “This policy document outlined Nigeria’s cyber security framework. Critics have observed failures in the policy, in that it did not provide for an aggregate offensive and defensive cyber operations posture for all ministries departments and agencies to follow in projecting Nigeria’s presence in cyber space.“ Highlighting the response by the government, he said: “In 2015, the FGN enacted the CPPA. Section 41 of the Act authorised the ONSA to oversee cyber security efforts of the country. As one of its mandates, the ONSA established the ng CERT in May 2015.

The plan was for all sectors, including the AFN, to set up Sectoral CERTs (S-CERTs) to collaborate with the ng CERT in tackling cyber threats, thereby forming a robust system for enhanced cyber security in Nigeria. “This was expected to be coordinated at the National Cyber Security Coordination Centre which would serve as the nation’s coordination centre for cyber warfare. The inability of the ONSA to set up the National Cyber Security Coordination Centre has deprived all sectors, including the AFN a common platform to collaborate and combat cyberattacks against the country. “This has made multi-stakeholder collaboration in cyber warfare impossible. In response to observations by stakeholders, the Office of the National Security Adviser in July 2019, constituted a multi - stakeholders committee to review the National Cyber Security Policy and Strategy 2014 with a view to improve on the cyber warfare posture of the FGN. The overview has brought about the need to discuss military involvement in national cyber security and defence.�

Military Involvement in Cyber Security, Defence Stating that cyber attacks could be injurious to any country that is highly dependent on information systems but lack the wherewithal to defend itself against clever and persistent attacks, he said military experts have asserted that Revolutions in Military Affairs through advances in technology have fundamentally changed our world and how warfare is conducted.

He said this prompted other countries to develop cyber warfare capabilities through their militaries to protect their critical national infrastructures. In line with the National Cyber Security Policy and Strategy 2014, the DHQ established a directorate of cybersecurity atthe Defence Space Administration (DSA), while the NA established the Nigerian Army Cyber Warfare Command (NACWC) in 2018 to protect the NA’s cyber space and critical national infrastructures from cyberattacks. These establishments are discussed subsequently.

For the army, it was the realisation of the need for Nigeria to establish and maintain a secured presence in outer space, that the Nigerian Space Policy was approved in 2001. This policy specified the importance of Defence Space Command which would facilitate and implement the Defence and security aspects of the Nigerian Space Policy.

Yanet disclosed that the DSA is organised into nine directorates among which is the Directorate of Cyber Security, which is responsible for contending with the increasing cyber threats and the provision of cyber security services to the AFN in particular and other agencies in general. It mandate includes the identification, monitoring, detection, response, and prevention of cyberattacks.

Also in place is the NA CyberWarfare Command (NACWC), which was created to combat rising cyber insecurity from terrorists, criminal organisations, and other threats. The NACWC is charged with the responsibility to monitor, defend, and attack subversive elements in cyberspace. “Consequently, the command was charged to embark on NA data protection and protection of its networks as well as the information warfare to curb online radicalisation and other terrorist activities being perpetrated in the Internet.

Commander, 55 Signal Brigade, Brigadier General Henry Yanet presenting his paper on cyber warfare The NACWC has been responsible for the defense of NA networks, and the support of NA field commanders in cyber and internal security operations. “With the establishment of the command the fight against terror, insurgency, armed banditry, pipeline vandalism, herdsmen, and militia killings are continually being checkmated through real-time information provided to the fighting forces and commanders in the field from the highly sophisticated equipment.

The huge responsibility of defending and sustaining an aggressive posture in cyberspace requires technical expertise and experience.

The NACWC would need to build its capacity over time to be able to meet its obligations.�

Challenges On some of the challenges of cyber warfare and internal security in Nigeria, he said they include technical capacity in cyber warfare, cyber security infrastructure and national database.

On technical capacity, he said it comprises resources like knowledge, talents, skills, and abilities essential to drive an organisation in achieving its desired goals and objectives. “This is achieved through constant training and experience especially when a function is performed repeatedly over time. Technical capacity for cyber warfare entails having personnel with the requisite training and experience in cyber warfare related activities. “In addition to undergraduate or graduate training, some certifications applicable to cyber warfare include Certified Ethical Hacker and Certified Penetration Tester. As at 2019, out of the 7,294 cyber security professionals in Africa, Nigeria had 1,675, representing 22.9 per cent of Africa’s cyber security professionals.

The NCC reports that there were about 122 million Internet users in Nigeria as at May 2019. This shows about one cyber security professional for every 83,582 Internet users in Nigeria. The success of Nigeria’s cyber security dominance depends on the availability of manpower with the requisite expertise in cyber warfare to enhance internal security in the country. “The ideal requirement based on industry standard is one cyber security expert to 1,000 people in an organisation. Nigeria with an estimated population of over 200 million requires about 200,000 cyber security experts for a comprehensive cyber warfare posture for the country. Presently, the NCC reports that there are about 1,700 registered and certified cyber security experts across all sectors in Nigeria representing only 0.85 per cent of the cybersecurity experts required. “Thus, Nigeria’s technical capacity is low for the provision of adequate cyber warfare support to enhance internal security. The low technical capacity can be attributed to lack of cyber security programmes in the school curriculum which are essential for any country or organisation to conduct offensive and defensive cyber operations in order to achieve cyber dominance in Nigeria. Adequate training in cyber security related courses would promote technical competence and build capacity in cyber warfare to seamlessly support Nigeria’ cyber warfare efforts.�

On cyber security infrastructure, Yanet said it was essential for effective conduct of secured cyber operations across all sectors in Nigeria for enhanced internal security. “Cybersecurity infrastructure includes the hardware, software and network devices with the capability of defence against cyber-attacks while also conducting offensive cyber operations against known as well as suspected adversaries simultaneously. “Ideally, a robust ICT infrastructure is expected to provide better services, boost agility, increase productivity and strengthen networks within a country. The dearth of cyber security infrastructure is largely due to inadequate investment in cyber infrastructure. “ Finally, the existence of a reliable and harmonised national database is crucial to the application of cyber warfare for enhanced internal security. “In Nigeria, the security agencies rely on discrete databases to gather biometric data for the identification of suspect

that pose threat to internal security. “In 2019, the security agencies use the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) database to track and arrest over 120 bandits across the country. Nigeria does not have a reliable national database of its citizens towards identifying possible threats against internal security. The non-availability of national database has made it difficult for the security agencies to utilise cyber warfare facilities to profile suspected criminals. “The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), an agency established to harmonise national database has often complained of paucity of fund as its inability to perform its tasks. The lack of central database has also made it difficult to identify foreigners that enter the country to commit crimes such as cattle rusting, banditry and other criminalities that endanger internal security. “Hence, Nigeria requires a centralised database for enhanced cyber warfare and internal security in Nigeria. The issues and challenges discussed, brings to fore, the need to discuss prospects of cyber warfare for internal security in Nigeria�, he opined.

Prospects of Cyber Warfare in Enhancing Internal Security Speaking on prospects of cyber warfare for enhancing internal security in Nigeria, Yanet said it includes the National Cyber Security Fund (NCSF) and Executive Order 5 (EO-5).

Under the NCSF, he said the CPPA 2015 was established to present a framework for regulating Nigeria’s cyberspace. “The Act focused on the prohibition, prevention, detection, response, investigation, and prosecution of cybercrimes in Nigeria. Section 44 of the Act established the National Cyber Security Fund. “In accordance with the Act, in June 2018, the CBN issued a directive for deposit money banks, financial houses and payment service providers to begin remittance of 0.005 per cent levy on online transactions for the National Cyber Security Fund as stipulated in the CPPA 2015. “ The Fund, which is domiciled at the CBN, is aimed at providing required funding for cyber security related activities in Nigeria, since statutory budgetary allocations are usually insufficient. The levy is from online transactions by businesses mentioned in the Second Schedule of the Act, some of which include Global System for Mobile (GSM) communications providers, Internet Service Providers, and banks, among others. “The National Cyber Security Fund was designed to facilitate provision of critical cyber security infrastructure in Nigeria and fund human capacity development in ministries departments and agencies like the ng CERT. As of December 2019, the fund had accumulated over N11.5 billion and is projected to reach N50 billion by 2021. “The National Cyber Security Fund will provide the necessary support for the realisation of a balanced cyber security posture in Nigeria, which would boost cyber warfare for enhanced internal security. Therefore, the National Cyber Security Fund, if well implemented, could be a good prospect for generating required funds that could improve the cyber warfare capability in the country, thereby enhancing internal security in Nigeria.�

On the second prospect which is the Executive Order, he said it was signed into law on February 5, 2018 by President Muhammadu Buhari and the thrust of the EO-5 is the recognition of the vital role of science, technology and innovation in national economic development, particularly in the area of promoting made in Nigeria goods and services. “Strategically, the main objectives of the EO5 are the harnessing of domestic talents and the development of indigenous capacity through R&D in ICT, science and engineering for the promotion of technological innovation needed to drive internal security. These are expected to enhance the achievement of the nation’s development goals across all sectors of the economy. “Article 1(6) of the EO-5, which covers local

content, stipulates that ministries departments and agencies shall adopt local technology to replace foreign ones, where they meet set standards. The Nigerian Society of Engineers also observes that the EO-5 would facilitate the engagement of indigenous professionals in the planning, design, and execution of national security projects, including those in the ICT and cyber security sectors. “The EO-5 is a step towards a sustainable path and to a future in which local production of software and hardware for ICT and cyber security requirements for critical national infrastructure purposes will mitigate dependence on foreign products.

Article 5(2b) tasked the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology to collaborate with relevant ministries departments and agencies to promote R&D in all sectors of the economy towards the achievement of internal security goals. “ With the EO-5 in place, many indigenous software and hardware developers will be encouraged to provide digital solutions for the ONSA, AFN as well as other ministries departments and agencies and private organisations. This would generate employment for the talented youths, while enhancing internal security in Nigeria. Thus, if sustained, the EO-5 holds good prospects for cyber warfare at enhancing internal security in Nigeria.�

Strategies According to Yanet, strategies must be put in place if such cyber threats must be tackled.

These strategies, he said must include review of school curriculum to include advanced cyber warfare courses, development of framework for management of national cybersecurity fund and special intervention fund for NIMC. In reviewing of school training curriculum to include advanced cyber warfare courses, he said the objective of this strategy is to include advance courses in Nigeria training curriculum with a view to improving expertise in cyber warfare towards enhanced internal security in Nigeria. “The review would cover the contemporary trends in ethical hacking and cybersecurity among others. It will also entail equipping the relevant universities and research institutions with standard cybersecurity laboratories as well as qualified lecturers and laboratorytechnicians. “The courses to be included are certified information systems security professional, certified information security manager and ethical hacking certifications, among others required for cyberwarfare towards enhanced internal security in Nigeria. “The Federal and States Ministries of Education, Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) and National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) could work together and review the training curriculum on cyber related courses in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The fund for the review of the training curriculum could be provided by the Federal Ministry of Education,� he added.

Also, addressing the strategy of the development of framework for management the NCSF, he said it would help galvanise support and cooperation of stakeholders towards payment of the imposed 0.005 levy as this would ultimately pave the path for the creation of a robust financial base to drive procurement of cyber warfare infrastructure inNigeria.

In the regards, he said the strategy needs to specify in detail how the NCSF will be utilised while the major custodians of the NCSF namely ONSA and CBN also need to make requisite effort to ensure the strategy engenders transparency, avoids duplication of efforts and aligns with international base practices. “Also, there is need to ensure that the strategy addresses incentives for the private sector in the form of venture capital for cybersecurity technology as well as human capacity development. Furthermore, ONSA and CBN should work in consonance with stakeholders and organise forums to discuss the necessity to bolster cooperation for the NCSF in furtherance of procurement of cyberwarfare infrastructure,� he posited.

Another key strategy is the special intervention fund to the NIMC, which he said would address the challenge of low budgetary allocation to the commission for the harmonisation and creation of a central database in Nigeria. “The objective of this strategy is to ensure that enough funds are made available for the speedy establishment of a central database for identification of Nigerians. Assistance could also be solicited from the private sector and wealthy Nigerians to support the creation of the database. “In this regard, the NIMC need to table the requirements for special intervention fund for the harmonisation and creation of a central database in Nigeria through the Presidency to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval. This could be achieved through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) special intervention fund window. The NIMC could also approach wealthy Nigerians, corporate bodies and businesses that are willing to contribute funds for completion of harmonisation and creation of a central database in Nigeria.�

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WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 2, 2020 •T H I S D AY

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BUSINESSWORLD R A T E S MONEY MARKET OVERNIGHT OBB

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

N O V E M B E R

S & P INDEX INDEX LEVEL 1-DAY MONTH-TO-DATE

753.55% 0.18% 0.60%

S & P INDEX 1/4 TO DATE YEAR TO DATE

2 7 , 20.24% 56.61%

2 0 2 0 EXCHANGE RATE N379/1US DOLLAR* ĚŠ

Quick Takes AfDB Supports Clean Cooking Initiative

AWARD WELL DESERVED

L-R: Regional Bank Head, Ikeja, Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr. Ken Opara; Executive Director/Chief Risk Officer, Kevin Ugwuoke; Executive Director, Operations and Technology, Gbolahan Joshua; Executive Director, Corporate Banking, Obaro Odeghe; Chairman, Reward Investment and Services, Henry Olayemi; and Publisher/CEO,BusinessDayMedia,FrankAigbogunattheBusinessDayBanksandOtherFinancialInstitutions(BAFI)Awards2020whereFidelityBank wasadjudgedthecommercialBankoftheyear2020,ataceremonyheldinLagos‌recently

Expert Advises FG to Cede 50% of Oil Royalties to Host Communities Peter Uzoho An Emeritus Professor of Petroleum Economist and Policy Research, Prof. Wumi Iledare, has advised the federal government to surrender 50 per cent of the oil royalties to the host communities.

Iledare said this would help accelerate development in the oil producing communities that are currently suffering development challenges despite some special funds that were created and being released for the development of the communities.

Iledare made the suggestion in a paper entitled: “The New PIB: Addressing the Host Communities Question,� which he presented at a recent policy dialogue on reporting the Nigeria oil and gas sector, in Lagos.

The programme was organised

ENERGY by the Facility for Oil Sector Transparency and Reform in Nigeria (FOSTER), an advocacy group pushing for reforms and judicious utilisation of Nigeria’s hydrocarbon resources.

The professor said the money should be domiciled in the Host Community Trust Fund which is being proposed in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) for the genuine development of the communities for the sake of posterity.

He argued that none of the 13 per cent derivation fund being allocated to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the monthly allocations to oil producing states and the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects carried out by oil companies had been able to

stop the agitations by the host communities.

He attributed the situation to both the insufficiency of the funds and the hijacking of the funds and projects by the elites in the affected states and communities. “The federal government should surrender 50 per cent of the royalty money to this host community fund for posterity sake. It must be used to develop the education sector and facilities that will lead to job creation in those states and communities,�

Iledare said.

He also said that the N10 billion fund proposed in the PIB for the host communities annually was grossly inadequate hence his suggestion for the 50 per cent royalty to be dedicated to the host communities.

The petroleum economist

equally urged the federal government and the host communities to guard against the potential capture of the fund by the elites, warning also that oil companies should be made to avoid duplicating such host community trust fund by setting up theirs.

On the issue of deregulation of petrol pricing, Iledare said there was no deregulation yet because the Petroleum Act had not been repealed or amended to support deregulation.

He said: “Deregulation has two components to it: liberalisation and restructuring. You cannot be claiming you have deregulated if Petroleum Act is still in existence. Because the Petroleum Act gives the power to the Minister to determine or Continued on page 24

Export: FG Highlight Action Plans Ahead January 2021 AfCFTA Commencement Eromosele Abiodun The digitalisation of Nigerian ports, deployment of e-Customs, investment of over $300 million in inland dry ports and the overhaul of transportation logistics will position Nigeria to take maximum advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which will be operational January 1, 2021, the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers council (NSC), Mr Hassan Bello has said.

Bello stated this when the head of the transport section of the Presidential Action Committee on AfCFTA, Ms. Funmi Folorunso paid him a working visit in Lagos.

MARITIME Trading under the AfCFTA Agreement was due to commence on 1 July 2020, but as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the date was been postponed. It has been indicated that the new date for operationalisation is January 1, 2021.

According to him, “I am not a despondent person I am very optimistic person that is why I want to believe that by early next year, the gridlock in Apapa will disappear. This is because we are having to approach it from the scientific angle. First, we have to make our port digital and contactless, no need for anybody to go to the port to

look for arrival time of vessels or to make payments. “All these can be done online.

I always give example of the banking halls years back where we used to have long queues to transact business. But all that is gone now, you make your transactions through the telephone. “That is what we want our ports to be like, it must be contactless and transactions must be online. Another problem we have is that we rely on the roads for the delivery and evacuation of cargo, which is totally wrong.

To deliver and evacuate 75 per cent of our cargo through the roads is totally unacceptable.

Now the federal government is introducing the rail, which will be cheaper and will give

the truckers a run for their money.�

Nigeria, he stated, has started using barges through the inland water ways to take cargo in out of the ports. “So we will not depend on the roads again. I think

by November this year the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) will deploy electronic call up system. That again is traffic management and that will make our ports more competitive. The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is deploying E-Customs in accordance with World Customs Organisation (WCO) rules, so scanners will be there and 10 per cent physical examination will be a thing of the past.

Continued on page 24

The African Development Bank’s Board of Directors has approved a $5 million investment in the SPARK+ Africa Fund to deliver clean cooking solutions to over two million households across Africa.

TheEuropeanCommissionwouldcontributeanadditionalâ‚Ź10million.

AstatementexplainedthattheBank’sinvestment,whichwouldcome from its Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA), was expected to enable the participation of other interested investors. As an anchor investor, the Bank would channel ďŹ rst-loss equity from SEFA and the European Commission thematic blending facility, it added.

In addition to delivering clean cooking technologies, the investment isexpectedtoreducecarbonemissionsby15.9MtofCO2equivalent, by cutting emissions from the use of ineďŹƒcient stoves and open ďŹ res and forest degradation for wood fuel.

Switching to cleaner cookstoves reduces exposure to harmful cooking smoke and the time spent collecting ďŹ rewood, a burden that falls disproportionately on women. “By investing in the rollout of clean cooking solutions to millions of households, the Bank is also contributing to women’s empowerment, employment creation and reduced deforestation associated with charcoal production,â€? African Development Bank’s Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth, Dr. Kevin Kariuki said.

He pointed out that the investment complements the Bank’s wider eortstoaddresstheimpactsoftheCOVID-19pandemic,addingthat, “positive health impacts from the reduction of household in-door air pollution also contributes to resilience toward diseases attacking respiratory systems such as COVID-19.â€?

CIN to Hold Virtual Induction Dec. 5th

The Compliance Institute, Nigeria (CIN), a non-proďŹ t organisation is set to hold its fourth annual and ďŹ rst-ever virtual induction ceremony and Annual General meeting this Friday.

TheeventwhichwouldholdonlineviazoomwillplayhosttotheDirector General, Corporate Aairs Commission, Alhaji Garba Abubakar as keynote Speaker with theme, ‘‘Overview of the Companies and Allied Matters act 2020’’.

Studentmemberswhohavesuccessfullycompletedtheprofessional certiďŹ cationexaminationsoftheinstitutein2020,wouldbeinducted, whilstdeservingtopperformersintheexaminationswouldbeawarded prizes. Also expected at the ceremony are corporate titans from dierent sectors.

A total of 242 members who have successfully qualiďŹ ed for the award of the Institute’s compliance professional qualiďŹ cations in examinations conducted in 2020 would be inducted In 2020, 242 members took and passed the Designate, Compliance Professional (DCP) examinations.The Institute is also inducting one Associate, Compliance Institute, Nigeria (ACIN) who applied and got exemptions as a compliance practitioner with the requisite qualiďŹ cations and experience) and three Honorary Fellowships of Fellow, Compliance Institute, Nigeria (FCIN) CertiďŹ cations. All the certiďŹ cates will be oďŹƒcially awarded.

Stakeholders Harp on Human Capital Investments

Stakeholders in the human resource management sector have called for increased investment in human capital in order to drive organisational growth in public and private sectors respectively.

The advice was given at the 52nd Annual National Conference with the theme: ‘Leading Digital Culture and New Ways of Working,’ held virtually. Speaking at the event, the Lead Speaker, and Senior Manager, PricewaterhouseCoopers, (PwC), Caroline Smith, said there was an urgent need to prepare people for new ways of working, stating that culture remains as critical as strategy and organisation. Therefore, she stressed the need for everybody to align to upscale in the digital world.

She also stated that there are a lot of untapped energy in organisational culture that everyone uses as a boost to help in digital upscaling eort.

On his part, DigitalWorkforceTrainer, Olushola Adewale, highlighted four steps to build digital organisations to include access to organisation and digital benchmarks, advancing of existing talents and injecting new talents, and accelerating everyone.

“The long-term sustainability of this project will definitely require some measure of support from government. I can say confidently that we have gotten to where we are today with the support we received from government in the beginning�

Chairman,Waltersmith Group,

Mr. Abdulrazaq Isa

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BUSINESSWORLD EXPERT ADVISES FG TO CEDE 50% OF OIL ROYALTIES TO HOST COMMUNITIES set the price. “So it is illegal for NNPC to set petrol prices because NNPC is not minister, and indirectly NNPC is the one setting the price now when they tell what the depot price is and marketers will add their own. “That’s an indirect way of setting the price and it is illegal, the monopoly is supposed to be removed.

He further said: “there must be a law, a regulation backing it up, that anybody who then sets the price must be punished. “Unfortunately, let me commend NNPC as a monopoly importer charging what I call socially-optimum price of petrol.

I can guarantee you that beyond the socially-optimum price, they are not getting any return on that price because it’s about replacement. “Knowing what the exchange rate is today -almost N500 to a dollar. A lot of foreign exchange reserve is to guarantee the import of petroleum products.�

EXPORT: FG HIGHLIGHT ACTION PLANS AHEAD JANUARY 2021 AFCFTA COMMENCEMENT

“We will also soon have the Lekki Deep sea port, which will have a draft of 18 metres and will have 250, 000 direct employment. It is situated at the Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ) and will attract large vessels. The economy of scale will suggest that Nigeria will no longer be a transshipment destination.

Nigeria is conscious of our natural position as a country in the centre of the world, “he said.

He added, “The national fleet that will soon come on board is very important for Nigeria to have ownership of the means of transportation, especially, we have to operate and run the ships and to carry our crude oil. We have to look at our trade terms; there are laws that we have to harvest.

The NSC is already running with the carriage of goods by rail and roads, to guide transactions in Africa.�

NEWS

FG Assures Investors of Access to Forex for Machinery Importation James Emejo in Abuja The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Niyi Adebayo has assured investors using local raw materials that the federal government will accord them priority in the allocation of foreign exchange for the procurement of machines and other equipment which are not readily available in the country.

Speaking while receiving the Greece Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Ioannis Plotas in his office recently, the minister he said the country was well endowed, adding any willing investors would be assisted in every way to ensure the success of their investment.

The Greek envoy had told the minister that he was in his office following requests

by Greek businessmen who were interested in investing in the country for necessary information and guidance on investment opportunities in the country.

Adebayo, however, said told the federal government would assist foreign investors by creating a conducive environment for them to conduct their businesses.

While expressing the federal government’s willingness to have the foreign investors set up in the country, Adebayo, further encourage them to consider setting up agro-allied companies using the abundant agricultural

products in the country.

He further assured that willing investors would not have issue with getting foreign exchange to import machines and other equipment needed for their businesses as long as they made use of local materials.

Meanwhile, the minister at a meeting with the power sector leaders on the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCTA) has listed conditions precedent for the successful realisation of the country’s objectives in ratifying the agreement.

These according to him included, building the capacity to produce goods and services to sufficiently high levels to unleash the benefit of the economics of scale; improving price competitiveness of Nigerian products through improvements in production, trade logistics, and quality infrastructure and mitigating the threats of predatory trade practices including smuggling, dumping, abuses of rules of origin among others.

In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Ifedayo Sayo,

Adebayo noted that AfCFTA complements Nigeria’s export diversification aspiration as it provides preferential market access for Nigerian products and services in the vast African market.

He said the AfCFTA also provided a platform for African manufacturers of goods and service providers to construct regional value chains of made in Africa goods and services.

The minister said: “AfCFTA besides export diversification and economic growth success in

AfCFTA will also be measured in terms of our ability to create jobs for our teeming youth population, grow our local content, and develop forward and backward linkages in priority products and services. “I must mention that electricity is a top 20 traded services in Africa and the sector will remain a high growth area for a while to come. So not only is there the opportunity to grow the domestic market, we must also evaluate and take advantage of the market in Africa.

STOCK-TAKING

L-R: Director, Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc, Bimbo Oguntunde; Chairman, Oluseun Ajayi; Director, Emi Faloughi; Managing Director Olaotan Soyinka, and ShedrachOdohatthe25thAnnualGeneralMeetingofthecompanyheldinLagos...recently

FG Harps on Merit, Performance-based System in Public Service James Emejo in Abuja The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi- Esan has said the federal government is currently putting in place mechanisms to institutionalise a merit and performance based system in the public service.

She also said a review of the Public Service Rules (PSR) had been carried out adding that current strategies including the Performance Management System (PMS), virtual meetings, as well as talent sourcing had been included in the draft rule which is billed for presentation at the 2020 National Council on

Establishment (NCE) meeting holding in Lagos this week.

Speaking at the opening of a 3-day retreat for permanent secretaries in the federal public service, organised in collaboration with the Konrad- Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) in Abuja recently, the HoS also said a mechanism for identifying and grooming new leaders who can replace old oneswhen they leave office was also being worked out.

She said the government will endeavour to work on the PSR report for timely implementation of the recommendations.

Furthermore, Yemi- Esan also said government’s plan to

reinforce the Planning Officers’ Cadre in the service would soon be completed stating that work has commenced on the development of a concept note which includes the schedule, training needs and mode of entry into the cadre as well as procedures for conversion which will involve a Computer Based Test (CBT).

She said: “I am truly convinced that when the reinforced planning officers’ cadre comes on stream, it will restore professionalism to the almost extinct cadre. “This is by injecting skilled and knowledgeable technocrats with appropriate motivation to assist in reliable data collection

and analysis so as to improve operations of government; waste reduction and efficiency for excellent service delivery.�

She further urged the administrators and accounting officers to seek to maintain considerable level of stability, peace and order in their offices and among stakeholders.

Specifically, she said permanent secretaries should be open in the administration of their offices, “in view of the fact that we live in an information/ICT age�.

The HoS added that the retreat had been put together to discuss matters that pertain to developmental planning, reform

management, good governance, accountability and transparency among others.

However, Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, who harped on mindset change in the service, said the retreat could not have come at a more auspicious time than when the federal government is currently in the process of developing Medium Term National Development plan (2021 – 2025 & 2026 - 2030) and long-term Perspective Plan, Nigeria Agenda 2050.

He said these plans will ensure economic stability, national development and good governance.

Nanono Orders Increased Production of Rice, Maize to Boost Food Security James Emejo and Folalumi Alaran in Abuja Group Business Editor

ĂŒĂ“Ă˜Ă˜Ă‹ Ă’Ă“Ă—Ă‹ Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Comms/e-Business Editor

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

Ă‹Ă’Ă?Ă?Ă— Ă•Ă“Ă˜Ă‘ĂŒĂ™Ă–Ă&#x; (Advertising) Correspondents

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

Ă&#x;Ă—Ă? Ă•Ă?Ă‘Ă’Ă? (Money Market) Ă™Ă?Ă‹ Ă–Ă?Ă•Ă’Ă&#x;ÙÑÓĂ? (ICT) Peter Uzoho (Energy)

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sano Nanono, has directed agricultural agencies to focus more on the production of rice and maize which he classified as political commodities.

Speaking at the opening of a meeting with chief executives of parastatals and top management of the ministry in food security, recently, he called for deliberate efforts to promote and ensure that food security and safety net were built around both commodities.

He said: “I want you to know that we have an enormous task of that of mandate for rice and mandate for maize. “Why I emphasise this is because these have become political commodities, all eyes

are on these.

When the price of rice goes up, you’ll hear a lot of noise and if the price of maize goes up, a lot of noise. But if it is millet or sorghum a little noise or no noise.

So these two commodities will have to be up-doing.�

The minister also said going forward, project implementation in the ministry and agency must go beyong simply awarding of contracts to ensuring that there is value for money spent.

He said implementation must be followed to ensure that such projects benefitted Nigerians.

He said: “That is why in this year’s budget I insisted that we help to base our budget in projects why because projects will have definition, will have location, will have origin and will have management.�

He said agencies of govern-

ment must be up to their responsibilities and assure that whatever is acquired through contract awards is monitored for social impact going forward.

However, he said the interactive meeting with the chairmen of boards and parastatals under the ministry was aimed at revisiting existing synergy and strengthening collaboration on developing the agriculture sector of the economy.

He said the current administration regards agriculture as a medium for strengthening strategic partnership and sectoral linkages for import-substitution, enterprise development, valueadded processing and economic diversification.

He said in line with the ministry’s signed deliverables with the presidency, the priority area for food security entails

engagement with state and non-state actors to facilitate programmes to farmers on mechanisation, extension delivery, commodity production, storage facilities, agro-processing, grazing reserves, livestock transformation and fisheries.

Nanono added that the government is determined to fill the gap and consolidate on the achievements recorded under the Agricultural Promotion Policy which focused on productivity enhancement, institutional realignment and private sector investment.

He said at the moment, the ministry took pragmatic approach of repositioning the agricultural research system, securing 20,000 to 100,000 hectares of land per State for agricultural use, and promoting agro and agro-allied cluster activities nationwide

adding that expectations are to deploy improved varieties, expand cultivable land area and support agribusiness undertakings in the country.

The minister stressed that the provisions of administrative guidelines and procedures on relationship between ministries and parastatals, are to “enable us ensure orderliness, responsibility, transparency and consensus in the conceptualization and implementation of policies, programmes and projects. These must be adhered to, henceforth.�

He said: “We all need to recommit ourselves to the development of the sector by aligning progress, fine-tuning strategies, de-risking options, streamlining interventions, pooling resources and implementing projects.

Failure, ladies and gentlemen, is not an option.

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UBA: Becoming Depositors’ Favourite Goddy Egene writes that United Bank for Africa Plc grew its deposits to N5.2 trillion for the nine months ended September, indicating strong customers’ patronage following the bank’s technologyled initiatives targeted at improving customer experience over the past few years

T

here is competition in every sector of the economy given the challenging environment. Competition in the banking sector is very fierce as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) tightens its regulation in a bid to manage the economy amidst another recession. In the difficult economic situation and increasing inflation, consumers’ purchasing power continued to weaken. Hence, the major concern of most people is to have enough money to take care of basic needs and survive. Those who manage to save part of their meager income want to ensure that the savings are well secured in a bank.

They must have high level of confidence in such a bank and United Bank of Africa Plc has become one of the preferred institutions by depositors.

Hence, the pan-African bank grew its deposits by 35 per cent to N5.2 trillion for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, from N3.8 trillion December 2019.

UBA has been able to attract high patronage by customers using its technology-led initiatives targeted at improving customer experience over the past few years.

In highly challenging environment affected

by COVID-19, UBA was able to record a very impressive nine months results, which stakeholders are very confident would be improved upon at the end of 2020.

The pan-African financial institution reported a growth of 5.9 per cent in gross earnings for the nine months ended September 30, 2020, despite the difficult operating environment.

UBA grew its gross earnings by 5.9 per cent from N428.7 billion in the nine months of 2019 to N454.4 billion in 2020.

Net interest income rose by 17 per cent to N186 billion compared with N158.9 billion.

Impairment charges printed at N11.476 billion, up from N6.663 billion in 2019.

The pan-African financial institution reported a Profit Before Tax (PBT) of N90.4 billion compared to N98.2 billion recorded in 2019.

Similarly, it recorded an after-tax net profit of N77.1 billion, thus putting its annualised return on average equity at 16.4 per cent. Operating income also improved by 10.4 per cent yearon-year to close at N293.7 billion, up from N265.9 billion achieved in the corresponding period of 2019.

The bank continues to maintain a very strong balance sheet with total assets improving by 26 per cent to N7.1 trillion, compared to the N5.6 trillion recorded at the end of December 2019. The shareholders’ funds remained very strong at N655.3 billion rising by 9.6 per cent from N598.0 billion recorded in December 2019, thus reflecting a strong capacity for internal capital generation and growth.

Commenting on the results, the Group Managing Director/CEO, UBA Plc, Kennedy Uzoka, said: “In spite of the current turbulence in the operating environment, occasioned by the global pandemic, we have continued to record significant progress in our business segments. Notably, our innovative financial inclusion propositions have helped us moderate cost-of-funds to 3.2 per cent (4.0 per cent in FY 2019), as low-cost deposits (which accounts for 76.2 per cent of our customer deposits) grew 40.8 per cent by the end of the third quarter. “Our direct sales agents, agency banking network, and digital banking propositions have positioned us at the forefront of financial inclusion across geographies where we operate.�

According to him, the bank was able to provide support to customers across its footprint, assisting them to navigate the negative impact that Covid-19 pandemic has had on livelihoods, businesses and social life. “Since March 2020, we have provided transaction fee waivers to customers, rescheduled loans where business cashflows have been impacted, and donated generously to governments and communities to help catalyse a comprehensive pan-African response to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,� he added.

Speaking on the expectations for the rest of the year, Uzoka said: “Whilst the outlook for the rest of 2020 is expected to remain challenging, our diversified model provides

Uzoka sufficient resilience, enabling us to continue to delight our customers with innovative banking products within our robust risk management framework.�

Speaking in same vein the Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Ugo Nwaghodoh said: “We achieved substantial growth in the underlying business, having grown loans by 15.6 per cent (to N2.4 trillion) and deposits by 35.7 per cent (to N5.2trillion) within the period as interest and fee income from loans settled at N172.9 billion and N8.9billion respectively. “Credit impairment charges increased by N4.8billion (to N11.5 billion), providing adequate reserve for impaired loans, which should help moderate the need for further reserves later in the year. Non-performing loan (NPL) ratio and cost-of-risk settled at 5.2 per cent (5.3 per cent in FY 2019) and 0.64 per cent (0.9 per cent in FY 2019) respectively.�

According to him, as they deploy rigorous balance sheet management strategies to protect their margins, they will sustain cost discipline to push cost-to-income ratio to their desired sub-60 per cent target in the short-term. “The group continues to target 15 per cent loan growth, a NIM of >6.0 per cent and ROE of >16 per cent for the 2020 financial year, but targets remain subject to the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications on the operating environment,� the GCFO said.

Assessing the UBA’s Q3 2020 results, analysts at FBNQuest Research said, the performance beat forecasts across most key headline items. “Relative to our forecasts, PBT and PAT beat by 27 per cent and 18 per cent respectively due to positive surprises in funding income, impairment for credit losses and income tax.

In marked departure from the double-totriple-digit y/y impairment growth reported by other banks that have published their results, UBA’s impairment for credit losses was up by mere single digits (+4 per cent). On an annualised basis, UBA’s 9M PAT implies an ROAE Of 18.4 per cent. Although management has not provided an ROAE guidance for 2020, the annualised ROAE implied from its results falls with the 18-20 per cent range that management had typically guided to in prior years,� they said.

According to the analysts, pre-provision profits expanded by 17 per cent on the back

of funding income growth of 37 per cent. “Similar to other banks, UBA’s funding income growth benefitted from a moderation in interest expense, largely because of the low yield environment, and the regulatory induced reduction on interest expense on customer deposits. The y/y expansion in pre-provision profits overshadowed a 16 per cent y/y rise in opex and was the major driver behind PBT growth of 19 per cent y/y. UBA’s cost of risk declined by 30bps q/q to 0.6 per cent, thanks to a 29 per cent q/q reduction in impairments for credit losses. Further down the P&L, PAT growth accelerated by 42 per cent y/y, driven by a lower effective tax rate of 1.6 per cent vs. 11.0 per cent in Q3 ’19,� they said.

Going forward, UBA is expected to witness improved performance as it deepened its retail products and services with an aim to delivering services aimed at meeting the needs of its customers across Africa.

These services and product offerings, targeting at all classes of customers have been specifically tailored to meet the unique needs of individual customers of the bank, in line with the Customer First policy of the bank.

Head of Retail Liabilities, UBA Plc, Ogechi Altraide, explained that the bank was well prepared ahead of the Covid-19 pandemic and had rolled-out a number of products that enabled customers to carry out their daily transactions with ease from the comfort of their homes.

She said: “At UBA, we have developed very deep and customer-centric solutions that have given us number one ranking over time. Our retail footprint cuts across 20 African countries, where we serve over 20 million customers through well researched platforms including over 20,000 POS as well as 3,000 ATMs deployed across the continent.

We have well over 10 million active cards, while our very active and highly applauded Mobile App and USSD platforms serve several millions of subscribers every second.�

According to her, the bank’s retail banking platforms cater to all ages and classes with the Kiddies and Teens Account - where parents can earn rewards and bonuses for saving for their kids, while also enjoying support in terms of scholarships and health

insurance. “There is Next Gen Account, which caters for young adults; Mass Marketing segment - made up of low to mid income earners; Affluent Banking for the premium banking experience as well as SME banking, which caters to meeting the needs of a niche industry essential for the growth of any economy,� she added.

Highlighting the bank’s increasing support for the MSMEs, she explained that the bank offers both financial and non-financial services to this all-important sector as well as access to loans. “At UBA, we recognise that SMEs are important to economic growth, therefore our various offerings for MSMEs is positioned to support them in this regard,� she said.

Altraide noted that other retail propositions the bank has developed to promote financial inclusion are Diaspora Banking where customers can enjoy the same quality of services in all locations around the world through UBA Connect and Africash; and Agency Banking, which makes use of digital channels that allow customers to access UBA banking services right in their neighborhoods from our dedicated agents. “Apart from UBA mobile banking, USSD, internet banking and LEO - UBA’s virtual assistant other innovative platforms that drive the bank’s retail business include UBA’s Click Credit - a much loved and accepted facility that makes instant cash available to customers with salary accounts within minutes,� she said.

The impressive performance of UBA made it to win two highly coveted laurels at the BusinessDay’s Bank and other Financial Institutions Awards (BAFI). UBA won the ‘Bank of the Year’ in recognition of its consistent effort in outperforming its peers using a composite of financial metrics, strategic foresight, execution discipline, world-class governance and global vision.

UBA also won the award for ‘International Bank of the Year’, a keenly contested category, that pitches Nigerian financial institutions that have expanded on the continent against their international peers operating across Africa.

Commenting on the awards, the Deputy Managing Director, UBA, Ayo Liadi, said: “These awards mark another milestone for UBA Group and is a testament of the diligent execution of the bank’s strategic initiatives on customer service. Being recognised as Nigeria’s best bank complements positive feedback from customers and is a recognition of our improving efficiencies, service quality and innovation.

I therefore dedicate it to our growing loyal corporate and retail customers, who are our essence. Given our heritage commitment to Africa’s development, we continue to impact lives through our service as well as funding to individuals, businesses and government.�

He pointed out that the bank remains focused on its goal of democratizing banking in Africa, leveraging on new technologies and emphasised its determination to change the narrative of financial services in Africa.

Publisher of BusinessDay Newspapers, organisers of the event, Frank Aigbogun, said that UBA had excelled in the key areas of prioritising customers, which according earned the bank the double honours.

While explaining the rationale behind UBA winning the two prestigious categories in its December issue, Aigbogun noted that the bank stood out in prioritising customers as has been evident in the significant rise in customer deposits.

He noted that even though Africa’s economic landscape has been unpredictable in recent times which resulted in recession in Nigeria and some of Africa’s best performing economies, the bank still found its rhythm and excelled.

He said: “In these conditions only the most diversified and innovative of regional banks can prosper. And this is precisely why UBA has scooped the BAFI 2020, Best Bank of the year and International Bank of the year, a testament to hard work, resilience. For one, the lender registered impressive top- and bottom-line growth over the review period.�

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Stanbic IBTC Supports Africa-China Trade Relations Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc has reiterated its commitment to the nation’s economic development by fostering international trade.

This was disclosed at a recent Africa China Agent Proposition (ACAP) webinar, with the theme: “Advancing AfricaChina Trade Opportunities.�

During the session, panelists discussed the challenges which confronted Nigeria-China trade relations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the impact of recent regulatory pronouncements on trade between both countries.

In his welcome address, the Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Dr. Demola Sogunle, said the organisation remained committed to facilitating trade activities for clients, even in the face of prevailing challenges.

Speaking on the launch of ACAP, Sogunle said: “Stanbic IBTC launched ACAP in May 2019 to boost trade transactions between Africa and Asia, especially China, and helped customers consummate the best business deals without having to travel to China. These were made possible through our parent company, Standard Bank Group, in collaboration with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC).�

Asides growing the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a statement quoted Sogunle to have stressed that the AfricaChina trade has potential to create more jobs and reduce poverty.

He urged participants to take advantage of ACAP, which will give them the exclusive access to an array of exporters in China through an accredited agent, Zhejiang International Trading Supply Chain Co Ltd, also known as Guamao.

Guamao is a China-based agent appointed by ICBC

and Standard Bank to assist African importers execute trade seamlessly with China.

Presently, Guamao has about 35,000 linked suppliers.

General Manager, Guamao, Ralph Deng, described the firm as an expert in procuring all kinds of products, raw materials and goods, with no restrictions in terms of size or volume of imports.

To free up cash-flows and help customers get more products with a reduced down payment to suppliers, Deng noted that a structured payment could be agreed on before an initial upfront payment is made.

He said that full responsibility will be taken to rectify any default on behalf of the client, and that assistance can be given in providing a Chinese government invitation letter and help with logistics arrangements if the customer intends to travel to China to see suppliers.

Head, Africa-China Trade, Standard Bank Group, Luthando Vuba, highlighted the benefits of ACAP as easy sourcing of suppliers and goods, seamless negotiations, guaranteed quality and logistics convenience, amongst others.

Speaking on the ease of making payments, Head, Strategic Corporation China, Standard Bank Group, Sunny Gao, expressed availability of Letter of Credit (LCs), Bills or Telegraphic transfers, depending on the importer’s preference.

He said: “We issue Renminbi Letter of Credit (RMB LCs) to make payments for goods procured under ACAP which eradicates the need to source foreign currency, thereby resulting in faster transactional turnaround time.�

FG Inaugurates Jigawa Power Substation, Warns Vandals Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The federal government has formally inaugurated the 2X60MVA, 132/33KV Gagarawa substation in Jigawa, with a warning to Nigerians to halt the vandalism of public power equipment throughout the country.

Minister of Power, Mr Sale Mamman, who spoke during the event, explained that the project was designed to upgrade power supply to the industrial hub of the state and its environs to promote economic activities and increase revenue generation.

In addition, Mamman noted that it was expected to boost supply of electricity to several local government areas of Jigawa state. He said as part of government’s efforts to address challenges of power infrastructure in the country, it recently commissioned the 150MVA 330/132KV Kumbotso transmission substation in Kano. The minister explained that the construction of a 132/33KV transmission substation in Kabba, Kogi State and the commissioning of

the132KV Katampe-national stadium transmission line project as well as the new 330/132/33KV substation, New Apo, Abuja were also geared towards upgrading the country’s power infrastructure. “It is necessary at this point to share the fact that the ministry of power has launched its Central Data Management System (CDMS), which is a digital platform for electrification, planning and monitoring under the umbrella of the Nigeria Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative. “The system has led the foundation for the digital transformation of power networks across the country. This initiative is part of our efforts to digitalise the Nigerian power sector using innovative digital technologies and processes that will help address many of the key challenges that our power sector is facing today, such as Internet of Things (IoT). “We recently launched the national mass metering programme supported by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to urgently and immediately address the metering gap and

eradicate estimated billing in the sector. “Under the initial phase of the Presidential Mass Metering Initiative (PMMI), of supporting the Discos with the muchneeded financing for the bulk acquisition of 1,000,000 Meters, the installation of which is at no cost to the consumers, we have already started deployment in parts of Kano, Kaduna, Lagos and Abuja,� Mamman stated.

While calling on Nigerians to protect public assets, the minister argued that doing so was also in the interest of customers, some of whom had lost their lives in the process of by-passing electricity meters. “On the part of the consumers, I wish to call on the valued customers of all Discos to desist from tampering with electricity meters and other electricity equipment. “This is not only on account of protecting the revenues of Discos but also related to the safety of customers as there have been reports of consumers losing lives in the course of by-passing meters,�Mamman said.

In his comments, Acting

Managing Director, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr Sule Abdulaziz, stated that the company was working towards further expanding the capacity of the nation’s transmission grid. “This is a very good opportunity for me to introduce our new roadmap in TCN, the Nigeria Electricity Grid Maintenance, Expansion and Rehabilitation Program (NEGMERP). “This is a well a thought-out programme with the objective of delivering quality bulk electricity supply to Nigerians while giving equal attention and priority to all transmission lines and substation projects across the length and breadth of the Nigeria. “This programme which is anchored on the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) has the following major components: all federal government funded projects, all international donor funded projects, all Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) projects, the Siemens intervention projects and all in-house projects and Service Level Improvement projects.

Recession: NACCIMA Calls for OPS Involvement in Policy Formulation Dike Onwuamaeze The National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mine and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has called on governments at all levels to engage the Organised Private Sector of Nigeria (OPSN) in the articulation and implementation of policies that would rescue the country’s economy from recession.

The NACCIMA said the OPS participation would enable the government to realise its commitment to ensure economic recovery from recession in the first quarter of 2021 as predicted by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele.

The call was contained in the communique issued by the NACCIMA after its 2020 Fourth Quarter Council Meeting, which was held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, recently.

The council meeting was

attended by members of chambers of commerce from across the country and was presided over by the National President of NACCIMA, Mrs. Saratu Iya Aliyu.

The council noted that the third quarter contraction of the economy was foretold in view of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic disease on the crude oil prices. It also called for stronger synergy between monetary and fiscal policies that would engender inclusive growth and development in some strategic sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and mining.

The council also emphasised the need to pay serious attention to the diversification of the economy and the faithful implementation of the Economic Sustainability Plan in a way that would tackle unemployment and infrastructural development.

Aliyu commended the River State Government for its massive infrastructure development, which is having significant impact on commerce and economic activities in the state.

PROMOTING INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS

L-R: Customer Experience and advocacy, IpNX, Christiana Okenla; Head, Head Engineering, Chris Oputteh; Divisional CEO, Kene Eneh; Convener, NigeriaTechnology awards, Felix Nnuji; and Head, Product Management and Retail Division, Najite Ikutegbe, at the NiTA presentation of Internet

Lack of Business Devt Services Bane of MSMEs, Says Katagum James Emejo and Folalumi Alaran in Abuja The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Mariam Katagum, has said lack of access to affordable and credible business development services remains one of the major challenges militating against the growth and development of MSMEs in the country.

Speaking at the official inauguration of the National Steering Committee (NSC) of the National National Business Development Services Providers (BDSPs) Certification and Accreditation Framework in Abuja, she however, described the regulation as a step in the right direction, towards building a critical mass of BDSPs, which can now attend to millions of MSMEs to achieve government’s vision for the MSMEs sub-sector.

The minister pointed out that the ministry is currently saddled with the responsibility of overseeing the development of the MSMEs sub-sector in the country, Citing the national survey on MSMEs, which was conducted by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in 2010 and subsequently in 2013, in partnership with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Katagum said there were 17.3 million MSMEs employing about 32.4 million persons and contributing 46.54 per cent to nominal GDP. The report further revealed that there were 37 million MSMEs, employing 59.7 million persons (representing 84.2 per cent of the labour force and contributing 48.47 per cent to nominal GDP and 7.27 per cent to exports.

According to her, the most

recent survey in 2017 further demonstrated that there were 41.5 million MSMEs, employing 59.6 persons (representing 76.5 per cent of the labour force and contributing 49.78 per cent to GDP and 7.64 per cent to exports.

She said: “These staggering statistics cannot be ignored in any serious economy. If properly harnessed, MSMEs can trigger an entrepreneurial revolution in industrialisation, agriculture and commerce in Nigeria. “In recent times, the start-up ecosystem has received a lot of attention globally for its role as economic catalysts.

A lot of emphasis has been put on the MSMEs segment, leading to the creation of departments which have now become part of the strategic focus of financial institutions, multilateral agencies and economic planners.�

The minister said SMEDAN had in the past three years, worked assiduously with its development partner, MAFITA, a UKaid funded intervention in Nigeria, to develop the BDSPs, that will provide professional support to MSMEs in the country.

According to her, the accreditation will help set, structure and systemise standardised curriculum for the deployment of relevant business development services for all functional areas of any small business. “This suite of services is the panacea for the myriad of challenges most small businesses face in the country, she added.

She said the framework will also “help in the formation of a new generation of professionals that would want to make a career out of strengthening the ecosystem.�

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FG Urged to Develop Robust Retirement Plan Stories by Ebere Nwoji The federal government has been advised to develop a robust retirement plan that will cater for the welfare of hardworking Nigerians who spent their youthful years contributing to the development of the society.

Government was also advised to consider the institutionalisation of retirement planning and management either as an independent academic discipline or component of graduate programs in Nigerian universities, in order to make retirement interesting for Nigerian workers and retirees.

The advice was given by both religious leader, insurance and academia experts at a recent public presentation of a book titled: “Retirement in Nigeria a Management Approach.�

Speaking at the occasion, the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Alfred Adewale Martins, said the word retirement in Nigeria today is viewed ironically by workers because rather than workers seeing retirement as a thing of joy, the word strikes a note of terror and desperation because the system does not have much to offer them in retirement. “For most workers, retirement is not something to look forward to because the sad reality is that

our society has not developed a robust enough plan to cater for the welfare of hardworking Nigerians who have spent their energy, youth and sometimes their life blood working to contribute to the development of society�

Adewale Martins said.

He, however, advised Nigerian workers to cease from viewing retirement from negative perspective, adding that it is a thing of joy to see oneself be alive to work until his retirement. Also insurance expert and Managing Director, Crown Insurance Brokers, Mr. Felix Amadi, said this has become necessary since retirement is one thing that affects everyone.

Amadi, who is the Author of the book, noted that once the motion is initiated and sustained, retirement would come to most Nigerians as reward for years of honest Labour.

He said good policies of government have historically suffered, noting that even with the best of policies and implementation by government, individuals and employers have to make policies and implement them for retirement management to work.

According to him, “retirement management translates to whole life planning and management that is rewarded with personal fulfillment without unnecessary

burdens left for society before and at man’s transition to eternal life. “It is necessary to re-emphasise that retirement management success requires concerted efforts at the levels of the individual, employer and government, all of which are stakeholders�.

Amadi, who noted that the publication of the book, “Retirement in Nigeria (A Management Approach),� is the first step in the fulfillment of the set objectives, added that the book emphasises the essentiality of retirement planning and the necessity of following the preplan when in retirement. “The book is therefore a vital tool for every individual, every employer of labour and for all alms of government and their agencies�, Amadi said.

The author further called for a retirement training to be promoted by both governments and other private organisations far beyond its present afterthought status.

Also speaking, chairman of the occasion and Group Managing Director, NEM Insurance Plc, Tope Smart, said the author through the book has tried to draw attention of the general public to the issue of retirement in Nigeria, adding that retirement in Nigeria was different from what obtains in other climes.

Stanbic IBTC Pension Welcomes Transfer Window Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers said it is well prepared to accommodate new contributors that want to migrate to the company on account of the newly introduced pension transfer window.

The Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) said prior to the take-off of the transfer window, recently launched by the National Pension Commission (PenCom) which has left contributors into the Contributory Pension Scheme with the choice of once in a year changing their fund managers, it has embarked on capacity enhancement process that will enable it welcome new contributors. The Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers, Eric Fajemisi, who stated this during a webinar held by the company recently said, “As a

leader in the pensions industry, we have long awaited the transfer window because we understand its importance in driving choice and ensuring that customers can demand optimal service delivery and long-term, efficient management of their pension contributions. “We have, therefore, been cautious that as we continue to delight our existing customers with optimal service delivery, we must further enhance our capacity to welcome additions to our family who will come over now that the transfer window is open. You can say that this capacity enhancement process sums up our key activities in the last few years�, he said.

Fajemisi said Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers has a strong track record of professional

service delivery and takes very serious responsibility to ensure transparency in all its operations, offers easy, efficient and convenient solutions to its over 1.8 million customers and ensures the safety and long-term value of contributors’ funds.

He noted that the year 2020, has brought with it many surprises and developments, one of which is the proliferation of digital channels and the need for customers to access financial solutions easily and conveniently.

He said his company is ready having re-launched its mobile app and revamped its website to make it easier for clients to access information conveniently from whatever location they find themselves. Fajemisi, noted that this self-service solutions are critical today.

IICC Seeks Media Support to Deepen Insurance Penetration The Chairman of the Governing Council, Insurance Industry Consultative Council (IICC), Mr. Muftau Ojegunle, has identified journalists as critical stakeholders in insurance industry even as he called for more support from the media to increase the industry’s penetration.

Muftau, who is the President/ Chairman, Governing Council, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), and Chairman Insurance Industry Consultative Council (IICC) made the disclosure at the 2020 Media Retreat organised by the IICC in Ogun State.

This year’s retreat had the theme: “Changing the Face of the Media, the New Expectations.�

According to him, “We want

to work together to move the industry forward. If we are able to increase penetration rate, it’s for our mutual interest. If the industry grows, of course, we shall benefit from it, so l want to say that don’t just see yourself as onlookers, see yourself as a critical stakeholder in the industry.

When we come around here let’s tell ourselves the truth, always do the needful in order to move the industry forward.�

He commended the collaborative relationship existing between the insurance journalists and the insurance industry, and promised to do everything to improve on it.

Also speaking, the President, Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers, (NCRIB), Mrs. Bola Onigbogi, who was repre-

sented at the occasion by the Vice President, Mr. Tunde Oguntade, informed the journalists of the expectations of the industry.

While calling on journalists to see themselves as critical stakeholders of the industry, he also urged them to be objective in their reportage, noting that accurate and critical analyses of industry’s activities would help the industry to grow.

Oguntade, who described NAIPCO members as “eyes of the industry� solicited the continued cooperation and supports of the journalists association in ensuring that the industry is positively projected and reported as their contribution to deepen insurance penetration in Nigeria.

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WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 2, 2020 •T H I S D AY

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IMAGES

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L-R: Head, Debt Solutions, FBNQuest, Tonna Ejifor; Marketing/Corporate Communications, FBNQuest Olayemi Olusoga and CEO, TVC News, Andrew Hanlon; during the ‘presentation of Best Workplaces 2019/2020 (smallsize corporate organisation)’ award to FBNQuest at the 2020 Great Place To Work Award ceremony in Lagos.. recently

L-R: Head, Regional Enterprise Sales, 9mobile; Nneka Owolabi; Chief Commercial OďŹƒcer, 9mobile, Stjepan Udovicic; 9mobile Enterprise customer, Adelowo Ibukun and Chief Financial OďŹƒcer, 9mobile, Phillips Oki at the 2020 9mobile Enterprise Customer Forum in Lagos...recently PHOTO: SUNDAY ADIGUN

L-R: Senior Manager, Nigeria & Africa Expansion Markets, Global Government Relations and Public Policy, Procter & Gamble, Mr. Ridwan M. Sorunke; Senior Director for Africa, Global Government Relations and Public Policy, Procter & Gamble; Mrs. Temitope Iluyemi; the Honorable Minister of Water Resources, Engineer Suleiman Hussein Adamu; and the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack; at the oďŹƒcial handover of SafeguardÂŽ contactless handwashing stations to the ministry in Abuja...recently

Osun State Governor, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola; anked by newly inaugurated Assistant Commandant General, NSCDC’s Zone J Command, which comprises Osun,Ondo and Ekiti State, ACG Adeyinka Fasiu Ayinla (left) and Osun State Commandant, Abdulkadir Alao Sulu, during a familiarization visit by the pioneer Zonal Commander, Zone J of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps to the Governor, at the Government House, Osogbo...recently

L-R: Special Assistant to the President on Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Mr Tola Johnson; Director, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Adewole Bakare and Manager ITF Corporate OďŹƒce, Mr Aminu Mohammed during the launch of MSME Survival Fund Transport Track Activation in Abuja... recently

Senator representing Plateau North, Senator Istifanus Gyang (middle), and other oďŹƒcials during the Senators inspection of Constituency Road projects in Gyel Jos South ...recently

L-R: Past District Governor, Rotary District 9110, Nigeria, Kehinde George- Taylor; Wife of the new District Governor, Mrs. Linda Oyebade; District Governor, Bola Oyebade;Past District Governor,Chief Micheal OlawaleCole; Immediate Past Governor, Dr. Jide Akeredolu; and little Olaoluwa Oyebade, at the installation ceremony of Oyebade as the 40th District Governor of Rotary 9110, Nigeria in Lagos..recently PHOTO: ETOP UKUTT

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Abduikadir Mu’azu; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Budget, and National Planning, Mrs Olusola Idowu and Head of the Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, during the retreat for Permanent Secretaries of the Federation in Abuja...recently

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EDUCATION How Pressures from COVID-19 Pushed Girls Out of School in Search of Survival In this special report, Omolabake Fasogbon writes about how the COVID-19 era has forced more girls out of school in Lagos and Ogun States, despite the already alarming figure of out-of-school girls in Nigeria

Girls forced to drop out of school by COVID-19

W

ith girls accounting for 60 per cent of the 13.2 million outof-school children in Nigeria, Nigeria is notorious for being among countries with the highest number out-of-school girls in the world.

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), one in every five of the world’s out-of-school children is in Nigeria.

Worried by this development, the federal government created initiatives to reverse the trend, one of which is the National Strategy to End Child Marriage (2016-2021), which aimed to enhance the retention of the girl-child in schools.

On the global scene, the United Nations is also supporting the federal government to realise Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4 and 5, targeting gender equality, as well as inclusive and equitable quality education.

Unfortunately, the unexpected outbreak of COVID-19, which resulted in the closure of schools for almost six months, not only seems to have jeopardised the gains of these efforts, but has also amplified the existing situation.

Research by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) shows that 89 per cent or about 1.54 billion children and youths in primary, secondary and university, were out of school during COVID-19. This figure included over 740 million girls and already, the United Nations has warned that 11 million girls across the globe may never return to school after the pandemic. This bleak scenario will no doubt expose them to the risk of early pregnancy, early marriage and abuse.

THISDAY’s investigation revealed that Nigeria is no exception. While some girls have not returned to school, other half-hearted returnees have become indifferent to education, as a result of other conflicting engagements. Sadly, most of the girls this reporter spoke with seemed to have lost hope in the current derivable benefits of education.

Opeyemi, 18, was a primary six pupil of Anglican Primary School, Iworo Ajido, Badagry, Lagos.

Opeyemi’s educational journey had already suffered some hitches, which explained why she was still in primary six at 18. This reporter sighted Opeyemi around 9:00 am. She had a bowl of pepper that she was meant to blend on a local stone at a neighbour’s house. Out of curiosity, this reporter asked Opeyemi why she was not in school, despite the Lagos State government’s instructions that all schools and classes should resume.

Sounding rather shy, she responded, “I don’t want to go to school again, I want to learn tailoring.� After further discussion, this reporter pleaded for her mother’s phone number which enabled

THISDAY to arrange a meeting. Mrs. Akintoyewa who is a petty trader, gave her own side of the story: “I didn’t plan that she was going to stop her education at primary six despite the fact that she is over aged. The plan was that she would at least complete her secondary education, but when COVID-19 came and her school remained on lockdown for like half a year, I felt there was no need for her to return to school as the pandemic had wasted six months of her life.�

She added: “Besides, I can’t afford to train her in secondary school. COVID-19 has really dealt with me financially, I felt there was no need spending further on her since she has already clocked 18, moreover, being a girl, I feel learning a skill will be better, since getting education in this country doesn’t even guarantee a job.�

Opeyemi is one of the 11 million girls which the United Nations has predicted may not return to school due to COVID-19.

In the case of Esther, who lives with her grandmother in Abuleegba, Lagos, COVID-19 has been a blessing but it still rubs off negatively on her education. Esther, a JS 2 student of Exclusive Mustard College, Agbelekale, Abuleegba, Lagos, spent the COVID-19 break learning vocational skills and has since returned to school after the break. Although school is fully on course and students are under extra pressure because of the long break, Esther still resumes at the vocational centre whenever she returns from school. “I had always wanted to learn make-up and hair styling, but I could not before now. This is because I didn’t have the time when I return from school. Once I’m back from school, I always help my grandmother to make pap which we usually distribute to bean cake retailers on a daily basis. By the time I’m done doing that, there is usually no time left to do any other thing other than my home-work. But I took advantage of the lockdown period to engage myself in learning the skills as advised by my mother. Once I return, I help grandma with her pap.�

Asked why she didn’t connect with Lagos State learning platform on radio or learning arrangements by her school, she said, “I didn’t have a phone to connect to the WhatsApp lecture arranged by my school and grandma does not have a smart phone.� She said in any case, the period when Lagos teaching was ongoing on the radio platform, was a busy period for her.

For Esther however, when government cleared the coast for school resumption, she returned to school but still continued learning the skills.

She is expected to stop at the expiration of the one-year agreement she signed with her trainer.

Although, Esther can now tie headgear, style hair and apply makeup for customers, she no longer has the time for after school prep that

could have enhanced her academic performance.

For educationist, Prof. Helen Bodunde, Esther now wears two caps as a student and apprentice, which may have an ugly effect on her education.

While Bodunde is not completely against the idea, she recommended that Esther and other girls in similar shoes need proper guidance.

She said, “This may be a good step towards building their entrepreneurial skills. It will also help to build their multitasking skills. However, this is where the role of counsellors is very important.

The girls need to have a superior that they can open up to. Such a person should be in a better position to guide them appropriately to strike a balance between the two. For instance, they may be advised to go to the vocation learning centres after school on Fridays and the whole of Saturday, so that they can concentrate on school activities during the week.

A visit to some public secondary schools in Lagos revealed that there are many more girls like Opeyemi, who have not and may never return to school for different reasons. Some of the schools visited by this reporter in Lagos state were able to prove this with data and some by observation.

In Ifesowapo Senior High School, Aboru, Iyanaipaja, it was gathered that not all students, especially the girls, have returned to school, six weeks of resumption. The counsellor of the school backed this up with data gathered from the school register and student’s attendance.

He said, “After the school resumed, we carried out a resumption test to know the students who reported and those who did not. In SS2 for instance, we expected 432 to report for the test and only 356, mostly boys, turned up. The same thing was with the SS1 students, while we expected over 700 to resume, we only registered 550 of them.�

When this reporter approached the counsellor of Oke-odo Junior High School in Ile-Epo, Lagos to enquire if all the girls have returned to school and if there were any attempt to reach those absent, he replied in the affirmative, saying, “Yes! We don’t expect all of them to return but some may return may be next year. When asked if there are known cases, “How do you expect me to know? This reporter politely asked whether they have not been signing the student’s register, since schools were called back. In response, he asked the reporter to visit the Vice-Principal Administration, who in turn asked the reporter to get a letter from the district before the school could provide data of returning students.

A lot of combining factors have been established for girl’s disinterest in education after the COVID-19 break, including the death of parents from COVID-19.

Bodunde weighed some of these factors, saying,

“First, many of them were too free and not looked after and got involved in relationships that made them sexually free, which sometimes resulted in pregnancy. Furthermore, some were harassed sexually and abused as a result of insecurity which also led to pregnancy. Thirdly, many of them engaged in various business activities that fetched them money to spend on themselves and augment their families’ needs. Consequently, they could not leave the business engagements for school and then there are those whose parents could not afford to provide their school needs because of the economic effects of lockdown�.

In Ogun, education plays second fiddle to vocational skills, petty business The Chief Executive Officer of the Global Partnership for Education, Alice Albright and Girls Not Brides, Dr. Faith Mwangi-Powell believes that being out-of-school this period will heighten girls’ vulnerability to child marriage, adolescent pregnancy and gender-based violence; all of which decrease their likelihood of continuing their education.

Evidence obtained by this reporter from some communities in Ogun State, indicates that Albright and Mwangi-Powell are not far from being right.

The situation in Itori and Ifo area of the state was such that emergency intervention may be required. Due to COVID-19, learning hours has been reduced to four hours in Ogun for both junior and senior secondary school in order to enable enough space for physical. It was just two minutes past 11am, when THISDAY visited Ifo High School, only to find that the junior school was already closing, while the senior school students were resuming for lectures.

All efforts to patronize the teachers to get them to talk was abortive. They politely asked this reporter who presented self as an NGO worker, to meet with the school authority for any information.

On approaching one Aisha, a JS 3 student who was on her way out of the school premises after the day’s classes, she confirmed that after almost five weeks of resumption, not all her friends have returned to school. “Like three of my classmates and friends have not resumed and any time I go to their house to look for them, I am always told they have gone to learn a skill.�

She added that the parents of her friends have denied her access to them and won’t really tell of their whereabouts. This reporter asked Aisha to take her to one of her friend’s homes and although she initially refused, she eventually dropped an address of another friend of hers from another school, whom she said has been hawking for her mother since schools resumed after the COVID-19 break.

Continued on page 32

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T H I S D AY Ëž EMBER 2, 2020

EDUCATION

Experts Make Case for Peace Education, Community Policing to Tackle Youth Restiveness, Others Funmi Ogundare Experts at the recently concluded 2020 Security Conference of the Institute of Security, Nigeria, have called for the integration of peace and security education in schools’ curriculum, to be taught at all levels.

This was part of the recommendation made at the conference with the theme ‘Community Policing and Neighbourhood Protection: Balancing Social Security and Peace Education for Sustainable Development’, held at the University of Lagos.

Participants at the conference included academics, law enforcement agencies, youths, community members, among others.

In his welcome address, the Director General of the Institute, Adebayo Akinade said given the current spate of insecurity in the country, the institute wants to concentrate on community policing, neighbourhood protection, looking at social security and peace education; “whether we can use the strategy of peace education and social security

to solve urban violence which is very rampant in the country today. “There is need to search for the remote and immediate causes of violence, crimes and other breakdown in the social fabrics of society. There is the need to reflect on the policies which can be put into place to correct these anomalies and restore the lost order in our communities and societies.

It is only when this order is restored that progress can be made to improve the decayed social standard,� Akinade said.

He regretted that youth restiveness, gangsterism and cultism are the major challenges in the society, and called for the rehabilitation and empowerment of the youths so that they can create peace in the society.

The Chairman of the occasion and a former Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Prof. Oye IbidapoObe, who also decried the level of Insecurity in the country, said there can’t be national development without peace.

He stressed the need to get stakeholders more involved and get trusted people to police the community.

In his remarks, the ViceChancellor, UNILAG, Prof.

Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, who doubles as the President of the institute, said the issue of insecurity is a global problem and everyone should work together to find solution to the problem.

On the issue of cultism in the community, he said the government needs to collaborate and work with the academia to solve the social problem, which he said was caused by poverty and other factors.

In her keynote address titled ‘Threats of Folk-devils, Gangsterism and Urban Violence in Communities: Need for Peace Education and Social Protection’, Prof. Oluwayemisi Obashoro-John, stressed that the implementation of policies on peace education social protection and community security can curb anti-social activities of folk-devils and cult gangsterism through the instrumentality of the state.

She said the activities of folkdevils and gangsters indicate the manifestation of physical and verbal aggression against the general public.

To improve the conditions of urban residents and discourage folk-develing and gangsterism, Obashoro-John stressed the need to identify vulnerable groups and design community-based social safety nets; strengthen social prevention initiatives by local government authorities, non-governmental agencies, religious institutions and others to address underlying causes of crime such as unemployment, lack of income generation opportunities or skills, among others.

She also called for the design and encouragement of youth development programmes such as drug rehabilitation programmes, sports or community service activities that meaningfully engage youths and create the environment for them to become active citizens that can effect positive change. “Targeted intervention programmes on family, youths, good neighborliness, safe school and safe neighbourhoods with diversified programmes tailored to suit local conditions are necessary to achieve the strategic objectives of crime and violence prevention.�

A cross-section of participants at the 2020 security conference of the Institute of Security, Nigeria, held at the University of Lagos... recently

KEHINDE OMORU www.kayomoru.com

The importance of Diary to Inheritance In furtherance to my earlier work on legacy, it is important once again to reiterate the very important subject. A gift by will, especially of personal property, often times is a valuable received from a predecessor and/or previous owner. A property left to you, a business you have begun to run at the demise of your loved one, cash you could turn over in its multiples or whathaveyou,helpsyoutograppleheadonwiththeessentialneedsoflife.

If he is given the grace to, “a good man (or woman) leaves an inheritance to his children.� Juxtaposition Of a higher cadre than an inheritance is a legacy. Now well into the second half of my forties, I took a stock of what I was given and what I hope to give recently.IformerlyrealisedthatIwasgivenbymydeceasedparents,anumber ofastoundinglegacies.Noneofthemismaterial,butallofthemhavebeenmy bedrock,references,tools,strategies,blueprintsandmy“modusoperandi� for living. Each of my legacies is simple really. The beauty of each is that it has been applicable to the different concerns and issues of my life, as well as to the different quiet and serene times of my life.They are applicable to my dreams and hope and ultimately, will define where I spend my eternity.

Mylegaciessurmountanyinheritance.Oftentimes,whenIamboldenoughto displaythem,theyhavecausedmepain,muchtrouble,beingmisunderstood, but they have never been openly judged as unjustifiable. In this, I speak my stance, my view points, my ‘non-verbal’, my ‘verbal’ my rationale and my actions. Do pardon my coinages, dear readers, I can’t presently find in my repertoire substitute English words. In the 12-and-a-half years only that I knew my mother before she passed away, she drilled so much strategies into me that to this day, I still wonder how on earth I could have internalized so much in so short a time with anybody. She a teacher, who had studied education in the UK and at the University of Lagos and had taught both in EnglandandinNigeria,leftmealegacy,theartofdocumentation-keeping a diary. Sound documentation and record-keeping would stand you out in teachinganyday.Mymother,Mrs.AdeyinkaLatunde-Dada,pennedandhad mepenontotheverymanycalendarsonthewallsofourhomeandintoboth our diaries, things we were going to do (thus capturing time futuristically); thingsthatwerebeingdone(thusmanagingthetimethatispresentlyatour disposal); things we had done or tasks complete (thus taking stock of the things we had used retrospectively/historically); things we may be doing inthemonthsleftofthatyear(thusmasteringtimeproactively);andthings wepossiblycouldnotenvisionthatyear,butwouldtacklethefollowingyear (thus ennobling the coming year).

Yes! My mother made me keep my own diary. It was one of the standard practicesathome.Irememberoneortwoofthemasquaintlittlegirliebooks she’dboughtfromLeventiesStoresatthetopofourJamesRobertsonRoad, Surulere home then in the 70s’. My ones must note my chores after school andattheweekendasstandardentriesandincorrectspellingstoo!Check thattheyweredoneandtickasdoneshewould!Shemarkedmycompleted dutieswithticksasyouwouldarightsum!Ihadrewardsattimesforchoreswell done.Shewasateacherwithaneyefordetailsandtheevidenceofpedagogy.

Her diaries housed her own evidence.

Dearestcolleagueofournobleprofession-teaching,doyouhaveevidence?

Are your record keeping skills up to date and in the standard form of your languageofteaching?Areyourlessonnotes/plansconcise?Canyouexplain yourstewardshipinthepast,atpresentandwhatitwouldbeinthefuture?

Are you on top of time or does time rule you?

Omoru is a freelance writer, education, health and social care advocate

FCTA Vows to Dismiss Carleton’s Sprott School of Business Launches Teachers Sexually Assaulting Educational Partnership with Atlantic Hall School Female Students Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business and Atlantic Hall School, Epe, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance entrepreneurship and experiential learning opportunities for secondary school students in Nigeria.

Commenting on the partnership, the Dean of Sprott School of Business, Dana Brown said: “We are delighted to enter this educational partnership with Atlantic Hall School. We look forward to collaborating on teaching and learning initiatives that foster entrepreneurship and the next generation of change makers.�

Through the partnership, Sprott School of Business faculty in the Technology Innovation Management programme will provide training to teachers from Atlantic Hall School to enhance

the delivery of entrepreneurship education using experiential learning techniques that emphasise innovation management and new venture development.

According to the Principal and CEO of Atlantic Hall School, Andrew Jedras, “this highly creative initiative paves the way for a new relevant approach that will influence the way future curricular design interfaced with technology may offer real life cross-institutional learning opportunities to students both in Nigeria and Canada. “Utilising an innovative project-centered and active experiential delivery mode, students are fully and purposefully engaged in entrepreneurial programmes.�

In addition, select students from Atlantic Hall will participate in project-based learning

at the Sprott School of Business as interns and will be mentored within the Sprott Student Consulting Group. The student consultants work in teams with real clients from business and community organisations to address a variety of business challenges and needs. “The synergy and commitment of two world class institutions, bringing school and university students, teachers and professors working in close collaboration on actual community based entrepreneurial projects can only serve to further enrich and enhance the wider learning experiences of all,� Jedras added.

The Chairman, Board of Trustees of Atlantic Hall, Chief Mrs. Taiwo Taiwo said: “I speak on behalf of the trustees of Atlantic Hall to express our profound excitement that this

unique partnership, which portends limitless opportunities for both our institutions and in a year in which we celebrated our 30th anniversary, has come into being.�

Also, the Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada, Adeyinka Asekun said: “This is such heartwarming news and clearly a milestone during our time in Canada to date. I would like to acknowledge and appreciate all the hard work and tenacity on the part of various individuals that have made this possible. To Dean Dana Brown and her team at Carleton and Chief Taiwo Taiwo and her team at Atlantic Hall, I say kudos and congratulations!

I believe the success of this well thought out collaboration will inspire and encourage many more such initiatives.�

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has warned randy male teachers that it has zero-tolerance for sexual molestation and would dismiss any teacher caught molesting female students.

The Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr. Olusade Adesola reiterated the commitment recently during a session with students of Junior Secondary School Jiwa, FCT. He issued the admonition in response to the question on the efforts by the administration to stem the rising cases of sexual molestation of female students by male teachers and plans to ensure the safety of all schools in the territory.

Adesola vowed that any teacher caught committing such

nefarious act will be dismissed forthwith.

He further explained that in order to achieve the administration’s commitment towards ensuring the security of all schools in the FCT, different strategic plans have been put in place, ranging from fencing schools’ perimeter, provision and working in close synergy with security agencies.

Fielding question on measures taken to address the dearth of instructional materials in some schools in the territory, the permanent secretary disclosed that some of the steps taken included delivery of various instructional materials to some schools in the territory, increasing budgetary provision for schools, partnership with Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB), among others.

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T H I S D AY ˞ Ͱ˜ Ͱ͎Ͱ͎

How Pressures from COVID-19 Pushed Girls Out of School in Search of Survival Getting to Ifelodun community in Ifo, Esther, the girl in question, was not at home. Neighbours confirmed that she has followed her mother to the market to sell wares. After four visits to the community, Esther was still not available. It was said that she always followed her mother to a distant market and they could not give a specific address. One of the neighbours said it would be hard to see her during this period because of December sales. “She is the only one assisting her mother in the market.�

In Ifo, this reporter got a tip-off of some girls in Itori in need of urgent intervention. This reporter thus headed for Itori in Ewekoro Local Government Area, which is about 30 minutes drive from Ifo. At Itori, THISDAY met 18-year-old Awawu, who before COVID-19 break was in JS 3. She was already carrying a four-month-old unwanted pregnancy and consequently could not join her colleagues to write her Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). Her pregnancy is now five months old and unfortunately, Awawu lost the father of her unborn child in a recent auto crash.

However, she vowed not to go back to school even if she gets help, muttering: “Who school help?� According to Awawu, she has no regrets.

She hopes to eke out a living and take care of her unborn baby from the hair dressing skill that she is presently learning.

On her part, 19-year-old Bukky, who is also carrying a seven-month-old pregnancy, had a poor upbringing which had already dampened any educational zeal she might have had. Listening to her, one could but tell that she had written off the option of education, which the COVID-19 break had only further reinforced.

Relaying her story, she said, “I didn’t have the privilege of living with my parents as a child, my father’s elder sister whom I lived with, deceived me for years that she would put me in school only to use me to hawk fish for years. By the time she put me in school, it was already late and as the eldest in my class, I was always too shy but I vowed to get education. I later on return to my parents, hoping to continue with my education, although it was struggle for me to learn. I was already in JS 3 before COVID-19 outbreak. I started selling fish during the break and I got pregnant in April. I was unable to write my JS 3 examination in October because of the pregnancy and because I didn’t prepare for the exam.� Bukky is now married and trades in fresh fish at Itori market. She said since she is married, she has lost interest in education and is not ready to go back to school. “Even if I get any educational support, I will divert it to something else, but definitely not to return to school�, she confessed.

In the case of five-year-old Senah, her farmer parents could not even afford to put her in a public school. When sighted in front of a mud constructed house seated alone, neighbours told THISDAY that Senah’s parents had suspended her education till further notice, because they didn’t have enough money. Her parent’s usually go to farm in the morning and return at night, leaving Senah at the mercy of neighbours who look after her before her parents return each night.

Gender Disparity, Inappropriate COVID-19 education response, poor governance, selective palliative distribution, blamed for girls’ plight Girls’ apathy to education would not have been this bad, if the government had got its education emergency intervention right, during COVID-19 break. This was the take of some experts who feel that the situation can still be remedied.

Shortly after schools were shut down in March, 2020 as a result of COVID-19 spread, both federal and state governments came up with emergency education interventions to engage students during the break.

The Federal Ministry of Education and the Universal Basic Education Commission, (UBEC) came up with the Nigeria Education Sector COVID-19 Response Strategy. This included plans for the Learn at Home Programme (LHP), that aimed at minimising learning disruption during the pandemic.

According to the ministry, it also partnered with technology companies to launch virtual learning platforms and provided links to e-learning resources. Lagos State on its part came up with the “Work-From-Home, Remote Teaching and Learning Initiative�, meant to train and equip teachers with remote teaching skills, using mobile devices and computers.

The state also distributed radio devices to students across the state for them to be able to access radio learning.

Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Folasade Adefisayo, said up to 10,000 radio

Girl forced to drop out of school by COVID-19 sets were distributed to pupils in underserved communities to enable them to continue with their schooling. The radio devices were distributed in June, about three months after schools were shut down.

Ogun State on the other hand intervened with the launch of “Ogundigiclasses� where it broadcast education programmes on state-owned television, OGTV, scheduled in the morning (9am-11am) and afternoon (1pm-2pm). Ogun, like Lagos also enjoyed the support of private organisations and NGOs to roll out other initiatives.

Experts however faulted the implementation and planning of the process which, according to them, rendered the interventions ineffective. Prof. Bodunde submitted thus, “the government at the national and state levels attempted to engage students during the lockdown. I used the word attempted because it was an ill planned programme, without thinking of the economic and social background of the students in terms of the tools for virtual learning. It included electricity, internet, phones and television. Not all the children in the cities have access to electricity and internet. So, many of them did not benefit from the programme.

In fact, the situation is worse in the rural areas where many homes have no electricity, not to talk of television and internet. Many parents could not generate electricity through generating sets because of their financial incapability and the cost of fuel. “Worse still, the programme was not level specific, hence it to address the needs of the students according to their levels. In some cases, only general subjects (English, Mathematics, Science and Social Sciences) were taught, at the expense of the other subjects�.

Corroborating Bodunde’s submission, a primary school counsellor in Badagry who preferred anonymity, confessed that the state intervention was just a waste of efforts for most students in Badagry. According to her, most parents utilized their children during this period to boost their fish business, which is a major source of livelihood in the Badagry community. She said: “In one of my visits to a parent to check on one of my students to see how she is coping with the radio learning, her mother said she has gone to hawk fish. This was at the same time when she should have been tuned into the radio class. I asked her why she did not allow her to listen to the teaching on radio, since it had been provided for that purpose but the mother retorted, saying that she wouldn’t mind returning the radio to government, since the radio will not bring food to her table�

On his part, an education consultant and child rights advocate, Akin Benjamin feels that poverty and selective distribution of palliatives may have contributed to the status of girls’ education in Nigeria, after the COVID-19 break.

Benjamin said: “The fact that real palliatives did not reach the grassroots as it was intended made the girl child most vulnerable to dropping out of school. If the economic stability of homes was assured, most girls would have had no need to either drop out of school, get pregnant or get distracted away from schooling.�

Again, Benjamin posited that gender stereotypes has a hand in the challenge. He said: “In a country with the highest population of out of school children in the world, and a preference for educating the male child, coupled with harsh

personal and family economy post COVID-19, the boy child stands more chance of returning to school. Many of the girls who were in school pre COVID-19 would have been encouraged to take up informal apprenticeship and a large percentage would either get pregnant or be married off, depending on which part of Nigeria they live.�

Lagos, Ogun mute as FG says COVID-19 awaits World Bank intervention to support girls’ education Meanwhile, both the Ogun and Lagos State governments have refused to respond to questions on what plans are being put in place to support and return out-of-school girls to school. When contacted directly, the Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu tried to excuse himself on the ground that he had only spent few weeks in office and may not be able to answer all questions directed to him.

Although this reporter had earlier sent questions to him via WhatsApp, which he ignored, the message was backed up with several calls which he ignored. When he finally answered, he agreed to look at the questions and promised to respond to those that he could cope with, since he is new in the office. He asked the reporter to send the questions again. Although they were forwarded, he neither responded to the questions nor did he receive any calls, thereafter.

On her part, Adefisayo said she doesn’t like to answer the kind of enquiries presented to her.

Adefisayo, who spoke through her PRO, Mr. Kayode Abayomi, said: “I don’t like this kind of interview. Where did she get the data?� The reporter forwarded the source of her data on the projected number of girls that will not return to school as a result of COVID-19, but that still did not get the commissioner to react.

The World Bank in July announced the approval of a sum of $500 million loan to help end female education inequality in Nigeria with the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE). The scheme was meant to be implemented in seven states in Nigeria, including Kano, Kebbi, Kaduna, Katsina, Borno, Plateau and Ekiti. Four months after the approval of the fund, the ministry of education said that it has not been able to access the fund.

The Director, (Press and Public Relations) in the ministry, Mr Ben Goong, said, “If you are talking about the Adolescent Girl Child education program (AGILE), I can confirm to you that COVID-19 has slowed down that project and the money is yet to reach us. Efforts are still on to reactivate the program�

Implications for Girls, Society UNICEF reports that 132 million girls across the globe are out of school, including 34.3 million of primary school age, 30 million of lower-secondary school age, and 67.4 million of upper-secondary school age.

The body equally expressed worries on the multiple challenges that girls in Nigeria face in completing secondary school education.

Alarmed at the situation, The World Bank recently issued a statement declaring that if nothing is done to address these challenges in Nigeria, about 1.3 million girls out of the 1.85 million who began primary school in 2017/2018 in the northern states, will drop out before reaching the last year of junior secondary school.

Should this happen, Bodunde feared that the wheel of girl-child emancipation for sustainable

development will be further dragged down in Nigeria.

She said: “Girls who don’t have education will be left behind as far as the sustainable development of the society is concerned. When girls are not educated, their responsibilities as mothers will be affected. The personal development of a woman prepares her for her present and future roles as well as the socio, political and economic development of her family, community and the nation. If the opportunity to be educated is missed, then it will be difficult for her to fulfil her roles.�

Although, the choice of vocational skills have not been totally condemned, experts advise that if such must be considered, a girl must have at least completed her basic nine school certificate in JS 3.

As has been established in the United Kingdom, Benjamin wants government to formalise basic nine school certificate, such that it can be used to admit girls who choose to attend a vocational and apprenticeship program. “This should be recognised officially and certificates issued in order to make them employable if they don’t want to be self-employed.�

He maintained that no matter what, the education of girls is non- negotiable. “When you educate a man you educate an individual, when you educate a woman, you educate a family and a nation.�

Experts have also linked the realisation of the SDGs to the education of girl children, failure of which they said would threaten the actualisation of SDG mission.

Albright and Mwangi-Powell expressed that the interruption in girls learning in COVID-19 era would exacerbate inequalities and poverty as well as threaten the futures of the most vulnerable children.

Giving it a psychological perspective, a clinical psychologist, Bernadette Nyam said that girls who dropped out of school would always have a feeling of being inferior to others. “This in turn could stir up feelings of shame, incompetence, anger and frustration, which could lead to inability to develop their potentials maximally or actualize their dreams and ambitions. This would result in acts of delinquency, teenage pregnancy, crimes, and so on�.

Dropping out of school before JS3, should be criminalised, experts say Given the implications of illiteracy on girls, Bodunde insisted that they must be made to return to school and complete their secondary education even if they plan to pursue other ambitions. She said, ‘‘education is important in their lives, businesses, homes and the society�.

She harped on motivation, indiscriminate acts, incentives, a cosy learning environment and counselling to save the situation. “Pregnant girls should have their babies and be counselled to return to school. Teachers should encourage their female students and education should be made attractive. A situation where many degree holders roam the streets for many unavailable jobs has discouraged many from choosing education.�

She also called for female friendly policies, community dialogue as well as legislation and enforcement against child marriage.

On his part, Benjamin suggested that if girls must leave school at all, they should at least have a JS3 certificate, which they can use to pursue other ambitions. “Every child in Nigeria male or female is expected to complete the first 9 years of basic education. The basic nine school certificate in JS3 should be enough to admit those who choose to attend a vocational and apprenticeship program. “The girls who are willing and capable of proceeding with academics; science, art or commercial subjects, should proceed to the regular SS1-SS3. There should actually be more of vocational technical secondary schools for those who desire to go into vocations and artisanship.

The curriculum should be structured in such a way that empowers girls to have deployable skills even after secondary school.

He advised that: “Government should consider the option of penalizing and criminalizing not putting a child through the first nine years of education, but before government will do that, the first nine years of education must be made free, then compulsory�.

Acording to Benjamin, “as a matter of urgency, there should be investment in radio and television jingles, which should stress the value of girl child education.�

-This report was facilitated by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), under its COVID-19 Reality Check Project

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 2, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˞ Ͱ˜ Ͱ͎Ͱ͎

CITYSTRINGS

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Continuing a Legacy of Nation Building Iyke Bede writes that the MTN Foundation’s Science and Technology Scholarship Scheme and its sister scholarship program, Scholarship Scheme for Blind Students, guided by its rule of meritocracy and legacy, have helped transform the lives of over 3,829 high performing students in public tertiary institutions of learning to the tune of N2.1 billion

MTNF scholars .....

T

hrough scholarship grants, the MTN Foundation has transformed the lives of over 3,829 high performing students in public tertiary education in Nigeria. So far, the foundation has invested over N2.1 billion in delivering quality education to Nigerian youths through scholarships.

This year, a virtual award ceremony was held on Thursday, November 12, 2020, for the newly awarded MTN scholars. During the ceremony, two beneficiaries – Komolafe Peter Irewole and Trust Inonse – were selected based on their stellar performances in school, to speak on the scholarship program that helped actualise their dreams of attaining the very best of education.

The MTN Scholarships, which provide grants and other incentives towards boosting students to achieve academic greatness, has indirectly served as a channel of economic relief to many families who might have otherwise found it difficult to provide quality education for their children amid meeting day-to-day demands.

Awarded the MTN scholarship in 2015, 23-year-old Irewole, who is an undergraduate of Geophysics from the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), remarked how the prize money shaved a huge portion of his parent’s financial burden.

The award money also went as far as facilitating the procurement of school materials needed by his younger brother who sat for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exams that same year. More importantly, the resources enabled him to acquire the essential textbooks and other tangibles he needed to advance his grades. Following this acquisition, he experienced a boost in his grade point average (GPA). His GPA skyrocketed from a second-class upper grade to a first class grade. “Being an MTNF scholar helped me well beyond my finances; it significantly improved my academics and impacted my mind-set positively.� An elated Irewole explained the breakthrough in his grades after securing the prize money.

He continued: “Before the scholarship award, my cumulative grade point average (CGPA) was below the first class mark, the requirements of maintaining the annual scholarship award, and the fact that I had access to more personal

Virtual meeting organised by MTNF

study materials made me cross over to first class. I eventually graduated as the best student in my class (MST ‘18).�

This improved academic performance exhibited by Irewole is not an isolated case; it was not peculiar to him. Replicating the same pattern, another MTN scholar in Irewole’s class also graduated with a first-class grade. As though a ripple effect, an impressive amount of best graduating students, with all achieving first class grades in his faculty, had also benefited from the scholarship. “Also worthy of note is that the two first 1st class graduates of my class (MST '18) are MTNF scholars. Also, three out of the six first class graduates in my faculty (SEMS, FUTA ’18) are MTNF scholars,� Irewole concluded.

Prior to receiving the scholarship, their collective stories of how they struggled to improve their grades, clearly expose the challenges faced by millions of Nigerian undergraduates seeking knowledge in often poorly funded institutions that lacked basic infrastructure.

In a series of unfortunate events, Inonse lost his eyesight following a surgery he underwent at the age of four. Try as the family may to restore it,

all efforts turned futile. Innonse would go on to attend primary school at the Pacelli School for the Blind, where he performed commendably.

He then proceeded to Model College, Agbowa, Ikosi. However, the tides turned turbulent, leading to gradual decline in academic performance. On his arrival at Federal Government College, Ijaniki, he faced competition in an environment filled with able-bodied students. “For three years, my education deteriorated from 2nd position to 5th to 10th, 20th etc., I couldn't cope in that environment and there was an element of that fear when I moved to Federal Government College, Ijaniki. I can remember that I met a student then that told me that he had 4 A's and was still told to repeat the class and all of that contributed to the plethora of fear I had in me. However, I told myself I have to buckle up and give my very best. The result of that determination resulted in finding a place among the top 10 students in the class.� Through resilience, he advanced to the University of Lagos to study Mass Communication.

Both Irewole and Innose have moved on to accomplishing greater feats even after school. Currently, Irewole has been retained in his position as a marine

geophysicist at Pisces offshore limited while Innose has been employed at Lagos Talks 93.1FM as a writer and reporter. These two examples symbolise the essence of the MTN Scholarships.

The MTN scholarships is an unusual programme aimed at empowering Nigerian students. In addition to providing the scholars with academic and financial resources, the MTN Foundation also believes in providing them with skills necessary to thrive in their separate endeavours.

To that effect, a fireside chat session was conducted highlighting vital issues such as the role of mentorship; insights to building successful careers; the role of artificial intelligence and information technology in today’s economy; government’s role in positioning Nigerian graduates to compete with their international counterparts and women empowerment.

In attendance were the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, represented by the Technical Assistant, Dr. Olufemi Adeluyi; Honourable Minister of Science & Technology represented by the Acting Director-General of the National Space Research and Development Agency, Dr. Francis Chizea; former Minister of Communication Technology, Dr. Omobola Johnson, Chief Commercial Officer, Mixta Africa, Rolake Akinkugbe-Filani, Olubayo Adekanmbi, and Chief Transformation Officer, MTN Nigeria, amongst other notable dignitaries.

Speaking at the award ceremony and workshop for incoming and outgoing awardees, Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Nonny Ugboma said: “Providing access to quality education is the first step to a world of opportunity for the youth of our nation. We know it does not stop there. We also need to ensure that they are adequately prepared for the workplace. We hope that this fireside chat will inspire the students to reach for greatness and innovation. “Furthermore, it is our belief that the employability workshop held earlier will enrich the career path of the graduating students. The MTNF scholarship is more than just funds; it is a commitment to build the capacity of our youth. We wish all our graduating scholars success as they set out to take on the world and congratulate all awardees as the next set of young nation builders in the making.�

35

T H I S D AY ˞ Ͱ˜ Ͱ͎Ͱ͎

CRIME&SECURITY

Nigerian Navy Capacity Development Efforts for Operational Level Warfare Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that the recent graduation of officers from the Naval War College Nigeria brought to the fore its objective of enhancing capability of naval officers in command and management positions

Group photograph of the CNS, Vice Admiral Ibok- Ete Ibas( 5th): Cross River State Deputy Governor, Professor Ivara Isu(6th); and Chief of Defence Sta, General Abayomi Olonisakin(7th) with graduands of Naval War College Nigeria Course 4 Photos: DINFO HQ

Chief of the Naval Sta Vice Admiral Ibok- Ete Ibas presenting a souvenoir to the Chief of Defence Sta Gen Abayomi Olonisakin during the graduation

The CDS with the Commandant of the College, Rear Admiral Adeseye Ayobanjo

The graduands of Naval War College Nigeria Course 4

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especially the insurgency in the North-east, banditry and rampant kidnapping in the North-west as well as other agitations and violent crimes in all parts of our nation.

As such, he saluted the efforts of the navy for its significant contributions towards improving national security both in the hinter land and across the nation’s maritime domain, just as he congratulated and commended the graduands for their resilience and hard work to successfully complete the course.

In this regard, he reminded them that the expected training outcome would be seen in their capacity as they imbibe practical and pragmatic approach to overcoming security threats to the corporate existence of the nation.

He opined that upholding the standards set for this level of training would develop the much needed capacity to overcome current and future security challenges of the nation, thus the need to do the nation proud in any capacity they find themselves.

orldwide, war colleges are a place of original research on all questions relating to war and statesmanship connected with war or the prevention of war. Although this statement has been credited to Admiral Stephen B. Luce, it is no less true of what war colleges embodies, even in Nigeria.

For the Naval War College Nigeria (NWCN), which is the highest naval training institution in Nigeria, it was built to boost security in the maritime sector, as well as enhance the capability of naval officers to make sound decisions, both in command and management positions.

In essence, it is saddled with the primary responsibility of meeting the professional manpower needs of the Nigerian Navy (NN). The college, being mindful of its statutory roles, has successfully aligned its professional training to coincide with current NN operational realities/requirements. This means that contemporary operations training with requisite curricula were emplaced.

Undisputedly, the immense contributions of the graduands to the operational successes of the NN are evident in the exploits of the service both home and abroad.

Graduation Recently, the college graduated another set of participants in Calabar, which is the fourth of its kind since the college was established in May 2017.

At the graduation, NWCN Commandant, Rear Admiral Adeseye Ayobanjo, said the college had in the past trained and graduated a total of 47 officers of the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) with Naval Warfare Course 1 having 15 officers, Naval Warfare Course 2 having 14 officers

and Naval Warfare Course 3 having 18 officers.

For the recent graduands, consisting 21 participants- 18 from the NN, two from the Nigerian Army and one from Nigerian Air Force, which made up the fourth course on Naval Warfare, they commenced online on April 24, 2020 due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country and later resumed normal classes.

The graduation ceremony, which witnessed presentation of awards to deserving participants, had dignitaries like the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd) represented by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin; Governor of Cross Rivers State, Professor Ben Ayade represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr Ivara Esu; the Chief of Naval Staff, (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, representatives of other service chiefs and Inspector General of Police, Director Navy, Zonal Coordinator of the Naval Officers Wives Association (Eastern Zone) and other serving and retired senior military and para-military officers.

Commitment In his speech, the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd) reaffirmed the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to continuously support the AFN to develop requisite capacity to tackle the security challenges bedeviling the country.

The minister, who was the special guest of honour at the graduation and was represented by the CDS, noted that the country is currently beset with myriad of threats that has affected the overall security of the nation, adding that these threats have seen the Armed Forces engage in various operations across the country to curtail the myriads of security challenges

Enhanced Security Meanwhile, the Governor of Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade while delivering a goodwill message at the graduation ceremony appreciated the efforts of the AFN in general and the NN in particular towards ensuring collective security in the state.

The governor, who was represented by the Deputy Governor of the State, Dr Ivara Esu commended the invaluable support and contribution of NN at providing security to the state.

According to him, the establishment of the NWCN in Calabar has enhanced security, engendered development and further cemented the long standing cordial relationship between the navy and the state.

Applauding the leadership of the NN for placing importance to training of its personnel, he promised that the state government will continue to support and collaborate with the navy in the discharge of its constitutional role of defending the nation and providing security in the state.

Naval War College of Nigeria The NWCN was instituted with the vision to be a centre of excellence on naval/joint military operations and maritime security studies in the sub-region. Essentially, its mission is to develop senior naval leaders and equivalent from other services as Operational Level Commanders with thorough appreciation of complex national security problems, who are prepared to make sound decisions in the application of maritime force as a policy option.

According to the navy, the need to fill the observed skills, abilities and knowledge gaps within the management cadre to enhance NN capacity to respond to the complex emerging maritime threats, necessitated the establishment of the Naval War College.

Thus, the Nigerian Navy Order 08/17 promulgated the establishment of the college, to develop senior naval leaders and equivalents from other services as operational level commanders with thorough appreciation of national security problems, who are prepared to make sound decisions in the application of maritime force as a policy option.

The NWCN was commissioned on May 31, 2017 and the pioneer course of the college was inaugurated on July 21, 2017.

Since its establishment, it has successfully graduated sets of participants of naval warfare course and also successfully conducted the Command Level Officer’s course for officers of the rank of Lieutenant Commander and Commander.

36

T H I S D AY ˞ Ͱ˜ 2020

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Lagos Targets 90% Budget Performance in 2020 Obinna Chima The Lagos State government has said it is targeting a performance level of about 90 per cent in its 2020 budget.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Samuel Egube, said this during a virtual media roundtable on the state’s 2021 budget that was organised by the Cyno Group consulting recently.

Other participants from the state government included Folashade Adefisayo, Commissioner for Education; Abisola Olusanya, Commissioner for Agriculture; Rabiu Olowo, Commissioner for Finance; Olatunbosun Alake, Special Adviser on Innovation and Technology; Aramide Adeyoye, Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure and Frederic Oladeinde, the Commissioner for Transport.

According to Egube, as of third quarter of 2020, the performance on the capital expenditure side of the 2020 budget was 77 per cent. “It is our expectation that we should be able to drive it to 89 per cent or 90 per cent at the end of the year. So, we are doing well in terms of the performance drive,� he said.

According to him, the drive was for Lagos to be the technology hub of Africa.

Speaking about the THEMES agenda, he said: “We believed that we needed to make Lagos a 21st century mega city and we were going to be focusing on food security, energy and on basically improving the Ease of Doing Business in Lagos. Also, this includes things around security and basically digitalising governance. “But we knew that the entertainment industry has not received significant amount of help. We believe that they have done so much in employment and contribution to our brand, both locally and internationally and we felt that we needed tourism and entertainment to be one of the pillars. We felt if we supported them more significantly, it would be extremely beneficial to us.�

According to Egube, agriculture became a poster child for the administration with the outbreak of the COVID-19. He said the pandemic taught the state that food security should be a very important part of their strategy going forward. “We also felt infrastructure was going to help a lot with investment for the future and in providing the backbone for enterprise, especially supporting SMEs. So, that budget was challenged severely by COVID-19 as

well as during the #ENDSARS in the destruction of some properties. “But we have resolved to move ahead. To do that, we have strengthened the 2021 budget.

For us, the focus would be on employment, youth engagement, a lot of training because we need to get out people job. “So, that budget is a N1.55 trillion budget, skewed heavily in favour of capital expenditure to recurrent expenditure in the ratio of 60 to 40 per cent. “The broad objective of the budget is to ensure that we continue to build an impactful partnership with the federal, state and local governments, we need to attract private investment, and we need to improve civic engagement and participation in governance, leveraging technology. We also need aggressively develop, upgrade and maintain our infrastructure and then improve our capacity to collect revenue. That is because if you fail to collect revenue, your expenditure will likely fall like a pack of card. “We believe we need to invest above all things in human capital development so as to upgrade the capacity of our people in education, health, agriculture and improve the quality of environment in the public sector,� he said.

Ultimus Holdings Restates Commitment to Africa Ultimus Holdings, a Pan-African investment company looking to expand its investment portfolio has restated its commitment to ensuring sustainable development in Africa, by investing heavily in different countries within the continent.

The company has interest in real estate and construction, services, healthcare, consumer and industrial goods, financial services and ICT. This was part of the submission made by the President/CEO of Ultimus Holdings, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii during a media parley held in Lagos, recently.

Odii explained that the company was confident that Africa holds great potential for economic growth and as such would continue to play a leading role in harnessing the opportunities that could make the continent an economic superpower.

“We are quite optimistic about African economies given the abundance of available opportunities. As a business, we would continue to explore different areas in the rapidly evolving growing economies, not only to make a statement as a brand, but to contribute to further expansion. “Moving forward, we would be making massive investments in sub-Saharan Africa that are targeted at addressing the peculiar needs of the African market�, he added.

He further noted that the company was strategically seeking opportunities for new businesses in strategic sectors, which would guarantee huge returns on investment while also acquiring businesses that visibly deliver solid value for its esteemed customers. “Currently, Africa remains a strategic market for our business.

We cannot afford to relax because we are aware of the impact significant investments would have on business growth and socio-economic development in Africa as a whole. We believe investment in critical sectors of the economy would not only create jobs for the youths but also help to improve the economic prosperity of the continent as a whole,� Odii said.

He called on the government in different economies within the continent to continue to support its expansion plan by creating the enabling environment for business to thrive.

Also speaking at the media parley; Vice President, Ultimus Holdings, Mr. David Ewemie equally stated he was confident of the company’s prospects in Africa particularly, based on the legacy of growth and a strong brand built over the years.

Montego Donates Transformer, Scholarship to Delta Community Montego Upstream Services, a natural resources company in Nigeria, has donated a 500KVA electricity distribution transformer to one of its host communities in Delta State.

The oil and gas service providing firm also awarded scholarships to two indigenes of the Igbeku Community in the Sapele area of the state.

According to a statement, the recipients, Miss Joy Idegbe and Mr. Miracle Enughure, were both students in tertiary institutions within the country.

During the recent event to commission the 500KVA transformer at Igbeku Community, Amukpe, in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, an area previously

without electricity supply, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Owuze Nwuche, said the gesture was part of the company’s numerous projects across their operational areas, to improve the standard of living among indigenes of their host communities.

Nwuche asserted that being an indigene of the Niger Delta himself, at Montego Upstream Services it was important to the company to not only carry out its business operations in a socially responsible manner, but it was at the heart of the company to ensure that it positively impacts the communities in which it operates. He assured continued growth in synergy

between the company and its host communities.

Responding to the scholarship award which he had just received, Enughure, a student of the University of Port Harcourt expressed joy, stating that due to financial difficulty it had been stressful for his family to sponsor his higher education, but with the scholarship, it would ease that burden and he couldn’t adequately express his gratitude.

Idegbe, the second scholarship award recipient echoed Enughure’s excitement. She expressed her joy, noting that the scholarship will go a long way in helping her realize her dream of graduating with a degree in Microbiology.

L-R: Mr. Emmanuel Enughure; Okakuro Goddy Okpakor; CEO Montego Upstream Services Limited, Mr. Owuze Nwuche, and Okakuro Morrison Asagba, during the inauguration of the 500KVA transformer donated to Igbeku Community by Montego Upstream Services in Delta State‌recently

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

JULY 2020 Money Supply (M3)

36,822,751.47

-- CBN Bills Held by Money Holding Sectors

3,476,121.25

Money Supply (M2)

33,346,630.22

-- Quasi Money

120,764,479.02

-- Narrow Money (M1)

12,582,151.19

---- Currency Outside Banks

2,002,026.89

---- Demand Deposits

10,580,124.31

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

7,637,137.23

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

29,185,614.24

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

39,711,115.95

---- Credit to Government (Net)

19,521,851.08

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

0.00

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

0.00

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

-130,189,264.87

--Other Assets Net

3,472,017.70

Reserve Money (Base Money

13,421,827.07

--Currency in Circulation

2,395,917.03

--Banks Reserves --Special Intervention Reserves

11,025,910.04 317,234.17

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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

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OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT MONDAY, 30 NOVEMBER 2020

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $46.43 a barrel on Monday, compared with $46.79 the previous Friday, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

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

37

T H I S D AY ˞ Ͱ˜ Ͱ͎Ͱ͎

9M: May & Baker Nigeria Grows Profit by 44% to N1bn Goddy Egene One of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical companies, May & Baker Nigeria Plc, has announced its nine months results for the period ended September 30, 2020, showing impressive growth in profitability as well as balance sheet.

Despite the lockdowns and disruptions caused by COVID-19 pandemic and other macroeconomic headwinds, May & Baker

Nigeria Plc’s sales rose 8.8 per cent to N6.44 billion in 2020, as against N5.92 billion recorded in 2019. While cost of sales dropped marginally from N3.75 billion to N3.74 billion, gross profit rose by 24.7 per cent from N2.16 billion to N2.70 billion.

Its profit before tax jumped by 44 per cent to N1.003 billion in 2020, compared with N696.4 million in 2019. Profit after tax grew by 43.9 per cent from N473.60 million to N681.70

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

million. Underlying profitability ratios showed a general improvement in the profitability of the company and value creation for investors.

Commenting on the results, Managing Director, May & Baker Nigeria Plc, Mr. Nnamdi Okafor, said the performance showed the resilience of the business strategy of the group in spite of the uncertainties and decline occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that continuing

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growth in sales underscored the increasing market shares of many key products and the success of the company’s marketing and distribution strategies.

According to him, the company’s investments in research, operations and production have put it in strong position to maintain leadership in the primary Nigerian market and to consolidate its expansion across neighbouring countries in line with its vision of being the

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dominant pharmaceutical brand in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA). “We are delighted with the performance so far this year, and we are hopeful to sustain this.

Given the general difficulties and uncertainties in the operating environment, our results are encouraging. Our shareholders are seeing the results of our perseverance,� Okafor said.

While calling on the Federal Government to consider the domestic healthcare industry in

O F

its policy formulations, Okafor assured stakeholders that May & Baker Nigeria will leverage its almost eight decades of operations and state-of-the-art facilities to take advantage of the emerging opportunities from the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

Meanwhile, the stock market started the month of December with growth of 0.30 per cent as the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index rose to 35,147.62.

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38

˾ WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2020

Wednesday, December 2, 2020 Thisday Afrinvest 40 Index Rose 0.5% The Thisday Afrinvest 40 Index yesterday advanced 53bps

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 INDEX

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Fundamental Performance Metrics for THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 Index

CESS ;нϭ͘ϮйͿ͘ dŚĞƐĞ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĐƵŵƵůĂƟǀĞůLJ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ ĨŽƌ ϭϵ͘Ϭй ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŝŶĚĞdž͘

Ticker

Current Price

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40

Price Previous Current Change Price Weightin YTD Change g

Price Change Index to Date

ROE

ROA

P/E

P/BV

Divindend Earnings Yield Yield

1,565.09

0.53%

6.6%

56.5%

15.9%

3.3%

5.5x

0.5x

5.2%

12.0%

1 MTN Nigeria Communications PLC

155.00

-0.1%

30.1%

47.6%

42.2%

189.4%

11.9%

16.0x

26.9x

4.5%

6.2%

Local Bourse Sustains Gain... ASI up 0.3%

2 Airtel Africa PLC

588.50

0.0%

21.1%

96.9%

96.9%

7.7%

2.8%

3 Guaranty Trust Bank PLC

35.00

5.4%

9.8%

17.8%

19.9%

27.9%

4.7%

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4 Zenith Bank PLC

24.40

1.7%

6.4%

31.2%

30.5%

est

6 Dangote Cement PLC

5 Nestle Nigeria PLC

in

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;ϰϯ͘ϰŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ͕

FBNH ;ϯϭ͘ϵŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ĂŶĚ MBENEFIT ;Ϯϰ͘ϰŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ǁŚŝůĞ GUARANTY (േϴϱϵ͘ϮDͿ͕ SEPLAT (േϰϯϭ͘ϵŵͿ ĂŶĚ ACCESS (േϯϳϲ͘ϱŵͿ ůĞĚ ďLJ ǀĂůƵĞ͘

Bearish Sector Performance WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ ǁĂƐ ďĞĂƌŝƐŚ as 3 of ƚŚĞ ϲ ŝŶĚŝͲ ces ƵŶĚĞƌ ŽƵƌ ĐŽǀĞƌĂŐĞ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ͘ dŚĞ ĂŶŬŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ͕ ƵƉ Ϯ͘ϯй ĂŶĚ Ϭ͘Ϯй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͕ ĨŽůůŽǁͲ ŝŶŐ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ GUARANTY ;нϱ͘ϰйͿ͕ ZENITH ;нϭ͘ϴйͿ ĂŶĚ SEPLAT ;нϬ͘ϰйͿ͘ ŽŶǀĞƌƐĞůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ /ŶƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ͕ AFR-/ d ĂŶĚ ŽŶƐƵŵĞƌ 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ůŽƐƚ͕ ĚŽǁŶ ϭ͘Ϯй͕ Ϭ͘ϭй ĂŶĚ Ϭ͘ϭй ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƐĞůů-ŽīƐ ŝŶ CORNERSTONE (-ϭϬ͘ϬйͿ͕ MTNN (-Ϭ͘ϭйͿ ĂŶĚ GUINNESS (-Ϯ͘ϵйͿ

;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ ƐƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶĞĚ ƚŽ Ϭ͘ϴdž ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ Ϭ͘ϲdž ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ĂƐ ϭϲ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ŐĂŝŶĞĚ ĂŐĂŝŶƐƚ ƚŚĞ Ϯϭ ƚŚĂƚ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ͘ CAVERTON ;нϵ͘ϵйͿ͕ CUTIX ;нϵ͘ϴйͿ ĂŶĚ AIICO ;нϵ͘ϴйͿ ůĞĚ ƚŚĞ ƚŽƉ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ ǁŚŝůĞ

CORNERSTONE

(-ϭϬ͘ϬйͿ͕

CHIPLC

ŵŝůĚ ŐĂŝŶƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĞƋƵŝƟĞƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ƚŽ ďĞ ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĞĚ ƚŚŝƐ ǁĞĞŬ͘

Afrinvest West Africa Limited

8.0%

19.7%

0.7x

11.6%

28.4%

1,400.00

0.0%

3.6%

-4.8%

-4.8%

83.0%

20.5%

27.2x

26.5x

5.0%

3.7%

205.00

0.0%

4.9%

44.4%

44.4%

30.8%

14.6%

13.7x

4.3x

8.3%

7.3%

8.70

1.2%

2.8%

-13.0%

-13.9%

16.8%

1.5%

2.8x

0.5x

7.5%

35.4%

8.20

-1.2%

2.5%

14.7%

13.9%

13.9%

1.3%

3.5x

0.5x

11.8%

28.7% 28.5%

9 FBN Holdings Plc

7.20

0.0%

2.4%

17.1%

10.8%

13.5%

1.3%

3.5x

0.4x

5.3%

10 Nigerian Brew eries PLC

60.25

0.0%

2.1%

2.1%

2.1%

6.6%

2.5%

44.7x

3.0x

3.1%

2.2%

11 Lafarge Africa PLC

23.00

0.0%

3.2%

50.3%

66.7%

6.5%

4.6%

16.0x

1.0x

4.3%

6.3%

0.3x

9.5%

-3.4%

5.4x

1.3x

5.6%

18.4%

0.7x

5.1%

402.30

0.4%

1.1%

-38.8%

-32.1%

-0.3%

-0.2%

13 Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC

12 SEPLAT Petroleum Development C

42.35

0.0%

1.6%

3.3%

5.9%

25.8%

3.8%

14 Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC

27.60

-0.9%

1.1%

40.1%

40.1%

15 International Brew eries PLC

7.18

0.0%

0.6%

-24.4%

-24.4%

-26.3%

-6.2%

16 Ecobank Transnational Inc

6.30

0.0%

0.7%

-3.1%

-3.8%

11.0%

0.7%

2.4x

0.3x

17 Fidelity Bank PLC

2.60

0.0%

0.7%

26.8%

28.7%

10.7%

1.1%

2.9x

0.3x

18 11 PLC

1.3x

-24.2% 41.0% 7.7%

34.6%

208.80

0.0%

0.7%

41.2%

41.2%

16.4%

7.6%

11.3x

1.7x

4.1%

8.8%

19 Okomu Oil Palm PLC

80.00

0.0%

0.7%

43.9%

43.9%

20.6%

13.4%

11.9x

2.4x

2.3%

8.4%

20 Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC

19.75

0.3%

0.6%

45.2%

41.1%

30.8%

15.6%

7.0x

1.9x

5.6%

14.3%

21 Transnational Corp of Nigeria

0.98

-2.0%

0.4%

-1.0%

-8.4%

-3.5%

-0.8%

0.6x

1.0%

22 Unilever Nigeria PLC

13.00

0.4%

0.2%

-40.9%

-37.2%

-9.8%

-6.5%

1.2x

23 Guinness Nigeria PLC

-5.9% -9.2%

18.35

-2.9%

0.2%

-38.9%

-38.9%

-16.2%

-8.4%

24 FCMB Group Plc

3.21

-3.6%

0.5%

73.5%

76.4%

10.3%

1.2%

3.1x

0.1x

4.4%

32.8%

25 Sterling Bank PLC

1.90

-2.1%

0.3%

-4.5%

0.0%

8.8%

0.8%

5.3x

0.4x

1.6%

18.9%

26 UAC of Nigeria PLC

7.55

0.0%

0.2%

-12.2%

-15.2%

7.8%

3.7%

107.1x

0.4x

1.3%

0.9%

27 Custodian and Allied Insurance

5.85

0.0%

0.2%

-2.5%

-2.5%

13.9%

4.8%

5.5x

0.7x

7.7%

18.3%

71.80

0.0%

0.3%

51.2%

51.2%

18.5%

7.7%

13.7x

2.3x

2.8%

7.3%

5.55

-0.9%

0.1%

-7.5%

-8.3%

8.0%

1.0%

6.5x

0.6x

4.5%

15.4%

130.00

0.0%

0.2%

17.2%

17.2%

10.7%

2.1%

15.7x

1.7x

5.2%

3.00

0.0%

0.1%

-24.8%

-24.8%

14.5%

2.6%

1.3x

0.2x

28 Presco PLC 29 Union Bank of Nigeria PLC 30 Total Nigeria PLC 31 Oando PLC

0.6x

-32.4%

6.4% 77.4%

32 NASCON Allied Industries PLC

16.00

0.0%

0.2%

23.6%

23.6%

18.4%

5.8%

10.4x

3.4x

2.5%

9.6%

33 Julius Berger Nigeria PLC

18.50

0.0%

0.1%

11.6%

11.6%

10.8%

1.2%

20.0x

0.8x

9.0%

5.0%

0.69

0.0%

1.5%

6.8%

0.5%

4.0x

0.5x

5.8%

24.9%

0.0%

0.1% 0.1%

-6.8%

13.60

-24.9%

-24.4%

3.1%

1.1%

33.2x

1.0x

7.8x

34 Wema Bank PLC 35 Ardova PLC 36 Continental Reinsurance PLC

3.0%

-100.0%

37 Beta Glass PLC

55.40

0.0%

0.1%

3.0%

3.0%

10.3%

7.2%

38 Notore Chemical Industries Ltd

62.50

0.0%

0.1%

0.0%

0.0%

-21.3%

-6.4%

39 AXA Mansard Insurance PLC

2.37

-1.3%

0.1%

19.7%

19.7%

21.5%

6.6%

40 Transcorp Hotels Plc

4.00

0.0%

0.0%

-18.4%

-18.4%

-10.4%

-5.0%

0.8x

0.0x

1.8x 4.0x

0.7x

24.9%

0.6x

0.0x

T ic k er

Vo lum e

P ric e C hg %

1.89

9.9%

A C C ESS

43.4

1.2%

C UT IX

1.68

9.8%

FB NH

31.9

0.0% -8.7%

1.01

9.8%

M B EN EF IT

24.4

CHA M S

0.25

8.7%

UB A

24.1

-1.2%

M C N IC H OLS

0.51

8.5%

GUA R A N T Y

24.1

5.4%

35.00

5.4%

F ID ELIT YB K

16.0

0.0%

GUA R A N T Y

1.10

2.8%

R OYA LEX

13.5

-8.3%

UC A P

4.60

2.2%

T R A N SC OR P

12.1

-2.0%

A F R IP R UD

6.03

2.2%

Z EN IT H B A N K

9.4

1.7%

C H A M P ION

0.98

2.1%

FCM B

8.5

-3.6%

H ON YF LOUR

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 T ic k er

P ric e

-18.7%

P ric e C hg %

P ric e

C A VER T ON

A IIC O

12.8% -13.3%

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

(-ϵ͘ϳйͿ

and PRESTIGE (-ϵ͘ϭйͿ ůĞĚ ƚŚĞ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞƌƐ͘ tĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ ƚŚĞ

1.4x

3.5x

8 United Bank for Africa PLC

T ic k er

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ĂƐ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ

5.1x

7 Access Bank PLC

ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ >ĂƐƚůLJ͕ ƚŚĞ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŇĂƚ͘

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ^ƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶƐ

1.9%

P ric e C hg %

T ic k er

Value

P ric e C hg %

GUA R A N T Y

859.2

5.4% 0.4%

C OR N ER ST

0.54

-10.0%

C H IP LC

0.28

-9.7%

SEP LA T

431.9

P R EST IGE

0.50

-9.1%

A C C ESS

376.5

1.2%

LA SA C O

0.31

-8.8%

N EST LE

332.6

0.0% 0.0%

M B EN EF IT

0.21

-8.7%

FB NH

229.8

R OYA LEX

0.22

-8.3%

Z EN IT H B A N K

226.7

1.7%

R EGA LIN S

0.22

-8.3%

UB A

200.2

-1.2%

F T N C OC OA

0.23

-8.0%

D A N GSUGA R

126.4

0.3%

73.9

0.0%

69.2

-0.9%

UN ION D A C

0.25

-7.4%

WA P C O

UN IT YB N K

0.76

-6.2%

F LOUR M ILL

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

Adedayo Bakare | abakare@afrinvest.com

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

39

MARKET NEWS

Agusto & Co. Affirms “A” Rating and Stable outlook for FBNQuest Goddy Egene FBNQuest Merchant Bank, the

investment banking and asset management subsidiary of FBN Holdings Plc, has received an “A”

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

rating from Augusto & Co., which affirms the merchant bank’s stable outlook.

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 30Nov-2020, unless otherwise stated.

The rating was assigned in the recently released rating report by Agusto & Co, a foremost rating

agency in Nigeria. It recognises the bank’s better capitalisation ratios and improved profitability during

the period, supported by acceptable asset quality, investment banking expertise and trading activities”.

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

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

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

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 818 885 6757 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Plutus Fund N/A N/A N/A Nigeria International Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A Afrinvest Dollar Fund N/A N/A N/A ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 1.04 1.06 15.55% ACAP Income Funds 0.86 0.86 11.35% 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 2.18% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.80 3.93 55.43% 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 0.89% Anchoria Equity Fund 130.31 130.77 21.78% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.46 1.46 21.92% 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 18.05 18.59 17.84% ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 399.70 411.75 15.71% ARM Ethical Fund 33.72 34.74 15.95% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.20 1.21 20.26% ARM Fixed Income Fund 1.13 1.13 12.97% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 1.25% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund 122.53 123.39 27.53% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 1.69% CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.30 2.30 21.39% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.27 2.31 51.26% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 2.90% Paramount Equity Fund 15.93 16.34 27.75% Women's Investment Fund 135.56 139.04 23.81% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 1.85% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 126.60 127.38 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 0.00 0.00 Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 108.39 108.39 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 1.35% Coronation Balanced Fund 1.11 1.12 19.46% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.74 1.74 31.12% 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 1.14% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 1.30% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,209.96 1,227.60 9.18% FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,481.23 1,482.97 24.71% FBN Balanced Fund 181.15 182.77 23.38% FBN Halal Fund 111.36 111.40 11.36% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 1.61% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 119.94 120.37 6.29% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 120.13 120.55 5.93% FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund 148.82 151.11 14.36% FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Legacy Debt Fund N/A N/A N/A Legacy Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A Legacy USD Bond Fund N/A N/A N/A FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A Coral Income Fund N/A N/A N/A FSDH Treasury Bills Fund N/A N/A N/A GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 2.07% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 127.47 128.00 18.73%

GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gdl.com.ng Web: www.gdl.com.ng ; Tel: +234 9055691122 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn GDL Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 1.99% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.82 2.88 29.08% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 7.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 155.87 156.79 8.80% 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 1.35 1.45 23.23% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,146.32 1,146.32 10.19% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund N/A N/A N/A Meristem Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.61 1.64 30.10% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.09 12.19 7.34% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 2.37% PACAM Equity Fund 1.54 1.55 PACAM EuroBond Fund 107.34 109.67 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 132.38 135.33 11.65% 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 1.01 1.01 8.66% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 2,521.35 2,532.80 25.54% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 210.33 210.33 6.23% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.88 0.89 25.00% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 273.87 273.95 7.37% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 154.92 156.64 30.79% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 0.61% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,674.15 7,756.30 22.78% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.22 1.22 5.16% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 110.69 110.69 6.22% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.37 1.39 14.50% United Capital Bond Fund 1.88 1.88 8.57% United Capital Equity Fund 0.85 0.88 20.65% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 2.27% United Capital Eurobond Fund 116.48 116.48 6.56% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.07 1.08 1.81% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 12.11 12.26 17.85% Zenith Ethical Fund 13.50 13.65 16.28% Zenith Income Fund 24.86 24.86 9.42% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 2.07%

REITS NAV Per Share

Fund Name SFS Skye Shelter Fund

Yield / T-Rtn

120.00

6.88%

52.10

0.10%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

11.63 117.31 88.62

11.73 117.31 90.28

38.03% 22.86% 17.98%

Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

4.06

4.10

18.19%

Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund

5.76

5.84

-2.55%

Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Money Market Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund

15.97 1.00 16.36

16.07 1.00 16.56

32.65% 2.17% 56.91%

231.92

233.92

23.16%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.71

13.11%

Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund

Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

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.

WEDNESDAY, ÍşËœ ͺ͸ͺ͸ Ëž T H I S D AY

40

NEWS

Ten Communities, University to Benefit from SDGs Water Project in FCT Iyobosa Uwugiaren in Abuja Ten communities in the Federal Capital Territory and the proposed Abuja University of Technology will benefit from the recently completed comprehensive water scheme constructed by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals in Abaji area of the capital city.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, gave this indication during the commissioning of the water project on Tuesday, in Abaji, Abuja.

The project which was delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory and the Abaji Area Council has the capacity to

deliver 5,000 cubic meters of water to over 100, 000 people a day.

The Comprehensive Water Supply Scheme also has parts of its key features, an intake plant, filtering and treatment plant (with aeration tank, clarifier), high-lift pumping and booster station.

According to the Presidential adviser, the laudable project is a product of many years of intense activity, hard work and determination.

The project commenced under the 2009 MDGs intervention, but could not be completed due to the paucity of funds. But the presidential adviser said she took up what then appeared to be an abandoned project when her attention was drawn to it in line with President

Muhammadu Buhari’s ideology of continuity in government. “As part of our commitment to the SDGs, we counterpart funded this Project under 2017 SDGs-CGS to FCT. The Project is aimed at providing portable water in Abaji and nine other neighbouring communities, including Nuku village, Naharati, the proposed Abuja University of Technology, Abaji among others. “Evidently, this noble initiative is directly linked to the achievement of SDG-3 on Quality Health and Well-being for all at all ages and SDG-6 on Clean water and sanitation for all,� Orelope-Adefulire stated.

The Presidential aide further assured of the continuous commitment of

the government to delivering on pro-poor projects and programmes in its bid to improve the living standards of the people.

She added, “As a government, despite the challenges of our time, we will continue to prioritize policies and programmes in support of the achievement of the SDGs in Nigeria. As we commenced the Decade of Action for the SDGs, we must all step up our efforts, so that no Nigerian will be left behind.“ In her remarks, the Minister of State, FCT, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu stated that the project will help address the seemingly intractable problem of water scarcity among the people of Abaji and its environs. “Residents of Abaji

township and its environs can now heave a sigh of relief and satisfaction as they now have access to uninterrupted supply of clean water in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Nigerian Drinking Quality Standard. “I have no doubt that this will help to improve the health and economic condition of the beneficiaries of the project, and take the FCT a small step closer to advancing the cause of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) attainment�, the Minister said.

The Minister added that while government strives to provide the essential infrastructure, as well as maintain the existing ones, it cannot do it all alone in view of the scarce resources at its disposal. She noted that in

order to ensure sustainability and uninterrupted water supply to the communities, the project facilities need to be serviced and maintained regularly.

She added that essential chemicals and reagents for water treatment and purification must also be provided regularly to keep the water plant functioning.

According to her, “These are capital-intensive and considering the economic realities and subsisting competing needs, the FCT Administration shall continue to rely on partnerships such as the one with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President (OSSAP) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that delivered this project, to deepen and extend service delivery.�

Okonjo-Iweala Named Forbes Africa-CNBC African of the Year Obinna Chima Nigeria’s former Finance Minister and leading candidate in the race for the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director General, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been announced as the recipient of the 2020 African of the Year award.

The Forbes Africa-CNBC award is the latest honour clinched by the multi-award winning development economist, one of the African Union (AU) Special Envoys appointed to mobilise international support for Africa's efforts to address the COVID-19 economic fallout, according to a statement

signed by her Media Adviser, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu.

The award came weeks after the Chair of the General Council of the World Trade Organisation, Dr. David Walker and facilitators of the process for the appointment of Director-General formally submitted her name as the WTO DG-designate, being the candidate who had garnered the most support to head the organisation.

Okonjo-Iweala had emerged the overwhelming choice of WTO membercountries following a keenly contested race in which she got the majority support of the 164 member-countries.

She is also the World

Health Organisation (WHO) Special Envoy for the newly inaugurated Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) accelerator and its offshoot, the COVAX facility, an international collaboration aimed at accelerating the development, production, and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, drugs and tests kits around the world with the specific objective of ensuring timely, affordable and equitable access to poor countries.

Okonjo-Iweala also serves as the Chair of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, a public-private global health partnership that has immunised 760 million

children in developing countries and saved 13 million lives.

Reacting to the news, Okonjo-Iweala, was said to have expressed her delight at the recognition and dedicated the award to Africans facing the health and socio-economic challenges of COVID-19 during a very difficult year. “It is a great honour to serve Africa in different capacities,� the statement quoted her to have said. “I look forward to deploying my energies at the WTO for Africa and the world,� she added.

A WTO General Council meeting has been scheduled

to take place on December 17, but it is not clear whether the meeting can take place if the current restrictions continue.

The WTO had disclosed that during the selection process, majority of its members had indicated, “strong preference for Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as DG.�

The Geneva-based organisation had in a statement quoted Walker to have said: “She (OkonjoIweala) clearly carried the largest support by members in the final round and she clearly enjoyed broad support from members from all levels of development and all geographic regions and

has done so throughout the process.�

The General Council is the WTO’s pre-eminent decisionmaking body, save for the Ministerial Conference, which normally meets every two years.

The General Council chair explained that since the process to replace Roberto AzevĂŞdo as the sixth directorgeneral of the WTO began the ultimate objective of the measured and clearly defined selection process has been to secure a consensus decision by members.

AzevĂŞdo had stepped down as director-general of WTO a year before the expiration of his mandate.

I think we should invite who can solve it for us. “We cannot continuously be mourning; there has to be a time to stop the mourning.

All of us in the North-east Governors' Forum, we are pleading with the federal government to find a solution to the issue of Boko Haram because if we neglect it, it will become worse.�

The governors also urged the federal government to allocate more resources to the North-east to stimulate growth.

"It is embarrassing that in the whole (federal) budget, what is given to the North-east is 0.35 per cent. With all these problems we are having, with the insurgency, all the problems, with the insecurity, from the whole federal budget of Nigeria, only 0.35 per cent only allocated for the northeast.

This is very unfair,� he added.

With Darius were Governors of Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe states, Ahmadu Fintiri; Senator Bala Mohammed; and Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya, respectively.

yesterday promised that the federal government will review conventional ways of handling security challenges in the country.

Osinbajo, who was reacting to last weekend's massacre of farmers in Borno State by Boko Haram, while on a one-day official visit to Nasarawa State, echoed the president who had earlier described the Boko Haram insurgents who killed the farmers as insane.

According to a statement by his media aide, Mr. Laolu Akande, Osinbajo described the episode as tragic.

He said: "It’s important to understand also that we will probably need to keep reviewing the conventional means of dealing with some of these issues - these security challenges, especially the randomness, which is why the president has said that he is taking a serious look at how to deal with the issues, especially the randomness.

"Some insane persons go into a place and shoot people, that is not the sort of thing that you are prepared for conventionally.

"We have to do a lot more local intelligence and some of the community policing efforts we are planning on, so that information is supplied faster, especially at the local level and then a reaction will then be possible.�

NORTHERN ELDERS, AFENIFERE BACK HOUSE’S SUMMON OF BUHARI OVER INSECURITY The House, however, did not specify the day or time of the president's appearance.

Again, Senate Demands Removal of Service Chiefs The Senate, for the second time yesterday, asked Buhari to relieve all the service chiefs of their appointment.

This is just as Lawan described the killing of Borno farmers by Boko Haram insurgents as one death too many.

The Senate, in a second resolution to the president within six months, demanded the sacking of the service chiefs.

It urged Buhari to replace them with new ones with new ideas and solutions.

The resolution was a sequel to the adoption of a motion moved by Senator Kashim Shettima on the recent killing of farmers in Borno State.

The Senate also called on the president to take immediate steps to restructure and remodel the country’s security architecture and provide enough modern weapons and equipment to effectively combat the insurgents.

The Senate urged Buhari to probe allegations of corruption and leakages within the security agencies and to foster

transparency and ensure all resources deployed for security are spent on the needs on the ground.

It asked the federal government to explore multi-lateral partnerships with Nigeria's neighbours to find a lasting solution to the insurgency, and called for the recruitment of 10,000 civilian JTF as well as massive recruitment into the military and the police.

Earlier in his lead debate, Shettima had said the Nigerian Army, in conjunction with other security agencies, had not been able to quell the insurgency affecting the North-east in spite of the slogan by government officials that the insurgents have been technically defeated.

Contributing, Senator Ahmad Kaita, said the leadership of the National Assembly needs to sit with the military and reassess their performance.

He said the statement credited to Shehu that the slain farmers had no clearance to go to the farm was irresponsible at a time many Nigerians were mourning the killings in Borno.

He said killing and kidnapping had continued unabated and that if the government allows the situation to continue, the country should be ready for mourning.

He prayed the National

Assembly not to increase the budget of the military until it justifies the earlier released funds.

Also speaking, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, said his earlier findings in Borno showed that soldiers at war in North-east were sharing ammunition and that some of them were without a helmet and bulletproof.

He said aside from the lack of deployment of modern military equipment, there was no coordination among the security forces.

Ndume said the Senate must take a step forward on its resolutions, asking Lawan to give Buhari a timeline to implement the resolutions.

Lawan, who presided over the session, lamented the recent killings and described it as one death too many Lawan said: "We should not be despaired that nothing has happened to our earlier resolutions.

"It is now important that the executive should implement the latest resolution because they are not frivolous.

"Enough of excuses; those who have nothing to offer in terms of securing the country should be shown the way out.

The security of Nigerians should take the centre stage.

Time has come to find a

solution."

North-east Govs Demand Use of Mercenaries against Boko Haram Also following the worsening insecurity in the North-east, the governors of the region have thrown their weight behind the call by Zulum for the federal government to hire mercenaries to fight Boko Haram.

The governors' call came a day after Zulum, as part of his six-point recommendations on how to end the over a decade-old crisis, suggested that mercenaries should be deployed to fight the insurgents.

Taraba State Governor, Chief Ishaku Darius, who led other governors from the North-east to condole with the governor and people of Borno State on the massacre of rice farmers, said: “Our dear brother, we are here to condole with you over the killing of farmers by Boko Haram insurgents. “We are indeed saddened and traumatised. I will key into your request, which you said that the federal government should invite some mercenaries to come and help us out of this problem because what you can't do, what you can't solve;

We will Review Ways of Dealing with Security Challenges, Says Osinbajo Vice President Yemi Osinbajo

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 2, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

41

NEWS

Gunmen Shoot DPO in Benue, Kidnap Man, Wife in Edo Demand N15m ransom

Adibe Emenyonu in Benincity and George Okoh in Makurdi The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Divisional Police headquarters in Otukpo Local Government Area, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Yahaya Pawa, was shot yesterday by gunmen.

This is coming as a couple at Ewatto in Esan South East LGA of Edo State was reportedly abducted yesterday by gunmen, who are now demanding N15 million ransom for their release.

The incident, according to sources, took place at the early hours of yesterday when the DPO led a team of policemen to arrest suspected criminals at Otukpo-Icho village.

The criminals were alleged to be selling stolen goods suspected to have been looted during the recent fire outbreak in Otukpo main market.

According to a source, who identified himself as Tony, “Some hoodlums seized the opportunity of the fire incident in Otukpo main market recently to loot the shops.

“The lid blew when the suspects were found selling some of the stolen goods such as clothes and cooking utensils in the community.

“The people in the community decided to inform the police, and a team of policemen led by the DPO embarked on a search operation at the early hours of yesterday.

“In the process, some of the suspects shot at the DPO and ran away.

“The DPO is currently said to be receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Otukpo.”

When contacted, the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Catherine Anene, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, confirmed the incident, saying the DPO was in stable condition.

“It is true that the Otukpo Police Station DPO was shot when he led a team of policemen on operation; he was shot in the arm but he is in a stable condition,” Anene said.

Meanwhile, at Ewatto in Esan South East LGA of Edo State, a

couple was reportedly abducted yesterday by gunmen, who have demanded N15 million ransom for their release.

The man, a school teacher, and his wife, a petty trader, identified as Mr. and Mrs. Paul Aluola, were kidnapped by heavily-armed men last Monday afternoon while they were travelling.

The couple, before the kidnap incident, was regular travellers on the road linking Edo and Delta

States through Agbor, Ekpon, Ewohimi and Ewatto.

Source close to the area disclosed that the suspected gunmen had “called the family members for ransom; they are currently demanding the sum of N15 million as ransom before effecting the release of their victims.”

According to the source, who preferred to remain anonymous, “The family members are wondering how a teacher can

raise such amount of money.”

It was learnt that they were travelling on the Ewatto-Ubiaja road, and had approached the bridge at Ellah River when the gunmen, suspected to be herdsmen, opened fire at the vehicle they were traveling on and forced them to stop.

The kidnappers had dragged the victims off the vehicle and took them into the bush.

It was further gathered that the hoodlums abandoned the

vehicle at the scene of crime, as academic activities at Iriwa Primary School reportedly could not hold yesterday due to the ugly incident in the area.

The Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Johnson Babatunde Kokumo, and the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Chidi Nwabuzor, when contacted severally yesterday on the incident, refused to answer their calls.

Maina to Be Extradited after PROMOTING JUSTICE DELIVERY… Arrest in Niger Republic L-R: Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Priscilla Ngozi Emehelu; Governor of Enugu State, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; and President of National Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja The police yesterday said the former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, who was arrested in Niger Republic on Monday, would soon be extradited.

Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba, said they were perfecting extradition processes to enable him face trial in pending criminal proceedings against him.

Mba said Maina, who was declared wanted by a court, was arrested on the night of Monday, November 30, 2020, through the collaborative efforts of the operatives of the Nigeria Police Force,

INTERPOL NCB, Abuja and their Nigerien counterpart.

The police spokesman said Maina is currently in a detention facility in Niger Republic awaiting the completion of the extradition processes.

“The Force assures the citizens that there shall be no hiding place for any suspect, no matter how highly placed,” he said.

“Following the arrest of former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrashid Abdullahi Maina in Niamey, Niger Republic, the NPF is perfecting extradition processes of the fugitive to Nigeria to enable him face trial in pending criminal proceedings against him,” one of the tweets read.

JAMB to Conduct NIS, NSCDC Recruitment Test December 7 The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will on December 7 and 8, 2020, conduct a Computer-Based Aptitude Test for recruitment into the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The exercise will hold across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Ministry of Interior said in a statement issued yesterday that the partnership was to ensure transparency, equity and justice in the process.

In the statement titled, ‘Interior Ministry partners JAMB for transparent recruitment,’ the ministry’s spokesman, Mr. Mohammed Manga, said the

collaboration “which is aimed at providing all eligible and qualified Nigerians who applied for various posts in the services under the ministry’s watch, is to further give our teeming youths equal opportunity to be employed into the services.”

It explained that this was also in line with the present regime’s policy thrust of ensuring transparency in the conduct of government business.

The statement reads partly, “The ministry has also worked out modalities to enable qualified candidates to access the notification for the aptitude tests for CBAT from 6pm on 1st December, 2020 through their e-mail addresses and phone numbers.

Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Justice Benedict Kanyip, when the NICN president visited the governor at the Government House, Enugu… yesterday

We Killed 78 Farmers in Borno, Says Shekau The leader of the Boko Haram terrorist group, Abubakar Shekau, has taken responsibility for the killing of farmers in Borno State.

The farmers were killed after Boko Haram attacked them at Zabarmari community in Jere local government area of the state.

Borno State Governor, Prof.

Babagana Zulum had said 43 residents were killed while they were working on their farmlands.

But in a video released yesterday, Shekau said at least 78 farmers were killed in the tragic incident.

He said his men went after the farmers because they handed

over a member of the sect to the Nigerian army.

Shekau said those giving out intelligence on Boko Haram activities to the military will face the same fate.

The killing has been widely condemned within and outside Nigeria, with the United Nations

describing it as the “most violent attack” affecting civilians in 2020.

Earlier yesterday, the senate had asked President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the “overstayed” service chiefs while the House of Representatives said they would the president over the killing.

FG: Killing of Borno Farmers Not Reflection of Progress Made against Boko Haram The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said the killing of 45 farmers in Borno State does not reflect the progress made against Boko Haram insurgents by the military.

Addressing a press conference in Lagos yesterday Mohammed said the killing is an act of cowardice and savagery “by a group of deranged terrorists”.

The minister said going after “soft targets” is an act of desperation by the insurgents “who have suffered huge setbacks in the hands of the military in

recent times”.

“On the killing of farmers in Borno, I want to say it is an act of cowardice and savagery by a group of deranged terrorists, and it does not reflect the progress being made by the military against Boko Haram,” he said.

“The modus operandi of a losing terror group is to go after soft targets in order to stay relevant. It’s not only Boko Haram that does that. In 2019, Al-Shabab attacked DusitD2 Complex in Nairobi, Kenya, killing more than 20.

“Similarly, the Peshawar school massacre of December 16, 2014 in Pakistan, carried out by six gunmen affiliated with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, left about 150 people dead, most of them students.

“The truth is that Boko Haram is badly degraded and can only carry out cowardly attacks like the one against defenceless farmers over the weekend.”

The minister also denied saying Nigeria is at the mercy of Boko Haram because it has been denied weapons to prosecute the war

against insurgency.

“This is sheer fabrication and an abuse of a platform. While in Makurdi, Benue State, on an official visit, I was asked by journalists to comment on the killing of farmers in Borno State over the weekend,” he said.

“I said terrorism is a global problem that requires the collaborative efforts among nations to combat. I said Nigeria needs the support of global partners, especially in the area of acquisition of effective platforms to deal with the terrorists.

El-Rufai: Why Some People, Groups are Scared of Restructuring Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has said some people are scared that restructuring would affect their political viability.

He said this in a statement issued by his Special Adviser to the Governor (Media and Communication), Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye.

The statement was titled, ‘Restructuring is a national endeavour, let’s realise it together’,

and shared by the governor on his social media handles.

El-Rufai called for a collective national endeavour to secure the necessary constitutional amendments.

He said, “restructuring is a pragmatic imperative for a more efficient governance structure in our country. It will enable a departure from excessive centralisation, rebalance the

federation and locate powers and responsibilities in the tier of government best able to effectively discharge them.

“Pragmatism advises cooperation in attaining this collective endeavour.

However, recent comments from some regional groupings make it difficult to escape the suspicion that certain persons regard the realisation of restructuring as a moment of peril.

“They appear to fear that the possibility of restructuring being actualised may erode their political viability or remove a platform for grandstanding. We assure them that they can always find new causes to pursue, post-restructuring, like working with others to ensure that the newly devolved governance structures work efficiently across the federation to deliver better outcomes for all our people.

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NEWSXTRA

Panic over Disappearance of Five Children from Motherless Babies’ Home Kayode Fasua in Abeokuta Anxiety has gripped the ancient town of Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, following the alleged mysterious disappearance of five children from the Stella Obasanjo Motherless Babies Home in the capital city The children, whose sexes and names could not be obtained at press time, had reportedly disappeared since last Thursday, but the information was kept under wraps in the hope that they could be found, THISDAY investigations revealed.

However, the state government,

while reacting to the incident, said its attention was drawn to “an incident concerning five children that allegedly escaped from the Stella Obasanjo Motherless Children’s Home in Abeokuta.”

The state-owned motherless babies’ home, named after the late wife of former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, is located in Ibara Housing Estate, a fortified enclosure in Abeokuta.

Astatement issued yesterday by the state Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Waheed Odusile, said the state government reported the incident to the police last Friday,

noting that the children “escaped” on Thursday night.

“It is also noteworthy that the children do not have free access to go out of the premises, as there is no such thoroughfare. They are strictly monitored.

“So it was shocking and most surprising that they found their way out of the premises,” he stressed.

Odusile added that the state government had taken steps to

bring the children back into the Home, “as the matter was promptly reported to the police, and all those on duty on the night of the incident were promptly queried.”

Stating further, the commissioner explained that the state government was on top of the situation, as the department in charge of the Home had also reported the matter to the police.

“The government has also sent

signals to all required quarters in order to establish the truth behind the saga,” he said.

Odusile remarked that the administration led by Governor Dapo Abiodun would not in any way condone any injustice, especially when it concerns the welfare of children in Ogun State.

According to him, “We are very much in touch with all the agencies of the government concerned.

“We are conducting our own investigations to establish the facts. We want the public to be rest assured that we shall leave no stone unturned to unravel the truth.

“The authorities concerned were duly notified and the police were informed.

“We did not just report the case to the police; we went a step further to issue queries to everyone on duty that night.”

Gowon: House to Invite British High Commissioner, Demands Apology Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The House of Representatives has resolved to invite the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing over the recent comment made by a British lawmaker against former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd).

The planned invitation is to seek an explanation from the British envoy why no apology has been issued despite calls for same.

On November 23, a member of the British parliament accused Gowon of taking half of the money in the Central Bank of Nigeria with him when he went on exile.

But during plenary yesterday, the House mandated its Committee on Foreign Affairs to interface with the Foreign Affairs Committee of the British parliament over the comments.

According to the House,

the allegation of looting by a member of the British House of Commons against Gowon is capable of causing a crisis in Nigeria and disturbing the peace of the country.

The resolution of the house followed a motion from a lawmaker, Yusuf Gagdi, who is from the same constituency as the former head of state.

Gagdi maintained that no evidence was provided to back the claim.

Following Gagdi’s motion, the House resolved that the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila should write to the Speaker of the UK Parliament to express displeasure over the unfounded allegations.

The letter is also to demand that the Member of Parliament, who made the allegation, should offer a public apology to Gowon, as well as the people and government of Nigeria.

Court Jails Swedish-Nigerian Woman for Child Trafficking Okon Bassey in Uyo A Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, has sentenced a Swedish-Nigerian woman, Ms. Stephany Isaksson, aged 43, to four-year jail term for child trafficking.

The Presiding Judge, Justice Fatun Riman, convicted the woman on a two-count charges for receiving an 18-month-old baby by means of fraud from one Uduak who is at large.

The court noted that the exercise for the purpose of exploitation was contrary to section 13(2) (b) of Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015.

The woman was also convicted for obtaining the baby knowing that it would be subject to exploitation contrary to section 21 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act. The convict, who hails from Mbiayon Uran in Akwa Ibom State, was said to have been arrested by the Swedish Embassy in 2018 when she went to the embassy to obtain the necessary papers for the child.

At the point of transaction, the convict was handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in

Persons (NAPTIP).

Justice Riman, who delivered judgment on the matter with suit number, FHC/UY/108C/2019, said that the convict is sentenced to a term of two years or pay a fine of N250,000 for count one while on count two, she was sentenced to a term of two years or pay a fine of N250,000, noting that the sentences would run concurrently while the fines are accumulative.

Riman also delivered judgment on another suit number FHC/ UY/142/2020 in a matter between Evangelist Enobong Bassey Okon and lniobong Okon and eight others.

The case, which involved the enforcement of fundamental human right, was decided in favour of Bassey Okon who approached the court to enforce an earlier judgment by the Appeal Court.

The respondent, Iniobong Okon and eight others were said to have infringed on the fundamental human rights of the applicant by arresting and accusing him of being a thief.

The court awarded N20 million to the applicant, Evangelist Okon, and N50,000 for the cost of litigation.

COURTESY VISIT…

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Mr. Zikrullah Kunle Hassan (left), and Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during his courtesy visit at Lagos House, Marina…yesterday

C’River By-election: INEC Kicks as Group Alleges Partisanship against Staff Chuks Okocha in Abuja Ahead of the December 5, 2020, Cross River North senatorial byeelection in Cross River State, a civil society group has petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) alleging that some staff members of the commission are partisan in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a swift reaction, INEC, through its National Commissioner

in charge of Voters Education and Publicity, Festus Okoye, said all INEC staff subscribe to oaths of neutrality during all election.

In the petition dated November 28 and received on November 30 in the office of the acting chairman of INEC, the group, Cross River League for Good Governance, alleged that four staff members of INEC have manipulated the ad-hoc list in favour of the PDP. According to the petition made available to journalists in

Abuja, which was signed by the President and Secretary of the group, Gabriel Odu and Effiong Bassey respectively, “We are a non-governmental organisation established to fight corruption, nepotism, injustice and unfairness.

“Sir our men on ground in Cross River State have obtained unassailable evidence against the following INEC staff member in the state: Jacob Akpong (HOD Legal), Samuel Odoh (Legal Department), Ukwani Uffia

(Operation Department), and Moses Irem (HOD training Unit).

“Our investigations and the CCTV cameras in Pearl Suite, Transcorp Hilton and Pyramid Hotel showed that these staff drove to Pearl Suite hotel in Calabar and held a meeting with the officers of the state government on November 24 and 25, 2020, at night, and it was agreed that 80 percent of the ad hoc staff to be shortlisted should be from the PDP sympathisers.

ECOWAS Commission Calls for Prosecution of Killers of Rice Farmers Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has called for the prosecution of the killers of rice farmers in Borno State.

A statement issued by the ECOWAS Commission last Monday also called for regional, continental and international solidarity to fight against terrorism.

According to the statement, “The ECOWAS Commission has learnt with deep sadness the terrorist attacks in North-eastern Nigeria on November 28, 2020, in the village of Kwashabe and other rural communities in the Jere Local Government Area near Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

“During the terrorist attacks, more than 100 civilians were ruthlessly killed and many

others are believed to have been kidnapped.

“ECOWAS is hurt by these senseless killings, and the ECOWAS Commission condemns vigorously this terrorist attack. ECOWAS Commission, therefore, calls for the perpetrators of this heinous crime to be brought to justice.”

The statement added that:

“The ECOWAS Commission restates its appeals for regional, continental and international solidarity with the ECOWAS member states at the forefront of the fight against terrorism and also with the ECOWAS Commission in the implementation of the ‘20202024 Priority Action Plan on the Eradication of Terrorism in ECOWAS’.”

Abiodun to Submit 2021 Spending Estimates to Lawmakers Today Kayode Fasua in Abeokuta The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, will today present the state 2021 budget to the state House of Assembly.

The Appropriation Bill tagged: ‘Budget of Recovery and Sustainability’, will highlight the key sectors and budgetary allocations for rapid development of the state.

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Kunle Somorin, in a statement, said the presentation

would afford the governor the opportunity to highlight some major achievements of his government so far, and how it intended to chart a new course for the state in the coming year.

According to him, “Already, the government has made infrastructure, security, healthcare, education and the economy, especially youth development and agriculture, its major pillars, and scored high in taming COVID-19 in 2020.”

He quoted the governor as

saying that his administration would remain committed to encouraging inclusiveness in the development of the state.

“To this end, we shall not waiver in allowing participation of the private sector in our development agenda.

“Everybody is a stakeholderprivate individuals as well as corporate bodies and religious organisations, and they will determine the direction of the infrastructural and economic growth of the state collectively.

“We wish to assure all public-spirited persons, politicians and business organisations that are interested in supporting us to do so.

“They should channel their goodwill to appropriate government agencies for proper coordination in order to ensure rapid and even development of all parts of the state, both in terms of physical and human development.

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UNICEF: 150,000 Children in Nigeria Infected with HIV FG has spent $6.2bn on treatment, says NACA SGF promises free treatment for 50,000 victims

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja and Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has revealed that 22,000 children between the ages of 0 and 14 in Nigeria have been newly infected with HIV, bringing the total number of children in this age group living with HIV to 150,000.

The National Action Against AIDS (NACA) has also said a total of $6.2billion was spent to identify and treat 70 per cent of the estimated 1,080,000 Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV) in the country.

This is coming as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, stated that President Muhammadu Buhari has demonstrated his commitment to

actualising the target of eradicating HIV by approving the funding of additional 50,000 persons on treatment annually.

Similarly, UNICEF also disclosed that in Nigeria, about 22,000 new infections occurred in children between the ages of 0-14 in 2019, bringing the total number of children living with HIV in the age group to 150,000.

These revelations, which were contained in a UNICEF report released yesterday and made available to journaists in Bauchi by the Communication Officer, of UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Mr. Samuel Kaalu, further revealed that almost 15 per cent of global AIDS-related deaths in children and adolescents globally occur in Nigeria.

“Approximately, every minute and 40 seconds, a child or young

Murder of Borno Farmers: Ezekwesili Seeks Disclosure of Buhari’s Medical Report Chuks Okocha in Abuja A former Minister of Education, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, has called for full disclosure on the state of mental and physical health of President Muhammadu Buhari, following the killing of about 67 farmers/fishermen on November 28 at Zabarmari community in Borno State and the failure of his administration to provide credible response to the spate of massacres in the country.

Ezekwesili said the frequency with which Nigerians are being killed without any form of prevention by the security establishment that the President supervises as Commander-inChief, nor any prosecution and judicial consequences against perpetrators of heinous murders, raised questions on whether he is still able to discharge the powers and duties of his office.

She said that Buhari’s failure to decisively tackle the persistemt killings of Nigerians had further emboldened pre-judicial and terrorist activities within the Nigerian territory.

Ezekwesili, who was a former World Bank Vice President, in a statement issued yesterday by her Publicist and Spokesperson, Mr. Ozioma Ubabukoh, said that citizens should collectively demand for a credible independent medical panel to investigate and disclose the state of the President’s physical and mental health to Nigerians in order to determine his fitness to continue in office.

She said: “I think that at this stage and depth of fragility of the Nigeria state, privacy has to yield ground to our right-to-know as citizens, the state of health of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“The state of affairs in the country is dangerous enough for citizens while the President appears incapable of providing effective leadership necessary to secure and stabilise the country and protect lives.

“We really must assess the physical or mental capability of the President to carry on the duties of his office.”

House to Probe Alleged Fraud in IPPIS Udora Orizu in Abuja The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, yesterday set up an enquiry into allegations that the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, (IPPIS,) was riddled with fraud and irregularities, which had led to the none payment of salaries and allowances of Federal Civil Servants.

The committee initiated the inquest in the course of engaging tertiary institutions and other agencies on their financial audit reports for 2018-2019.

The committee was alarmed that leakages and sharp practices were observed in the course of their earlier engagement, with other agencies, particularly, the J.S. Tarkar University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State.

The Rector of the school, told the committee, that pending salaries for the years under review, were due to anomalies

in the IPPIS, a salary payment system introduced by the President Muhammadu Buhari government in 2017.

He said the backlog of salaries is from people, who were not captured by IPPIS. In his response, the Chairman, Hon. Wole Oke said, ‘’That’s why we must look into IPPIS. We were told here, that the salaries of personnel of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi (Benue State), went into accounts of staff of Jigawa State. IPPIS must be investigated, to detect some of the irregularities observed in the system. We have observed some serious irregularities in the system’’.

The committee, then resolved to write the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmad and the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris to explain alleged sleaze, in the federal staff payment system.

person under the age of 20 was newly infected with HIV last year, bringing the total number of children living with HIV globally to 2.8 million,” UNICEF said in the report.

The global organisation’s report warned that children are being left behind in the fight against HIV, even as it also warned of

COVID-19 disruptions to HIV service delivery in one third of high burden countries “Prevention efforts and treatment for children remain some of the lowest among key affected populations. In 2019, a little more than half of children worldwide had access to lifesaving treatment, significantly

lagging behind coverage for both mothers (85 per cent) and all adults living with HIV (62 per cent). Nearly 110,000 children died of AIDS that year. In Nigeria, 13,000 children aged 0-14 years died of AIDS-related cases in 2019.

“Despite some progress in the decades-long fight against

HIV and AIDS, deep regional disparities still persist among all populations, especially for children. Pediatric coverage of antiretroviral treatment is highest in the Middle East and North Africa at 81 per cent, and lowest in West and Central Africa (32 per cent). In Nigeria, it is 36 per cent.

DEMOCRACY DIIVIDENDS…

L-R: Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Timothy Owoeye; state Governor, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola; and his deputy, Mr. Benedict Alabi, at the inauguration of the reconstruction of 20km Ejigbo-Ara-Oje-Ede (Ara Junction), at Osogbo Garage, Ejigbo..yesterday.

Buhari Transmits Finance Bill 2020 to House Udora Orizu in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has presented the Finance Bill 2020 to the House of Representatives for consideration and passage into law.

The transmission was contained in a letter to the House, which was read at the plenary yesterday by the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

The Bill, amongst other things, seeks to adopt appropriate counter-cyclical fiscal policies to respond to the economic and

revenue challenges precipitated by the decline in international oil prices, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Nigerian economy.

The letter dated, November 25, 2020 and titled, transmission of the Finance Bill 2020 to the national assembly for consideration and passage into law in support of the 2021 budget, read; ‘’Pursuant to Sections 58 and 59 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). I formally request that

the Finance Bill, be considered by the House of Representatives, for passage into law. ‘’The Finance Bill, 2020 seeks to support the implementation of the 2021 budget by proposing key reforms to specific taxation, customs, excise, fiscal and other laws. Specifically, this Bill’s provisions adopt appropriate counter-cyclical fiscal policies to respond to the economic and revenue challenges precipitated by the decline in international oil prices, as well as the impact

of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Nigerian economy; reform extant Fiscal Policies to prioritise job creation, economic growth socio-economic development, domestic revenue mobilisation, as well as to foster closer coordination with Monetary and Trade Policies. Provide fiscal relief for taxpayers by reducing the applicable minimum tax rate for two consecutive years of assessment, as well as reforming the commencement and cessation rules for small businesses.

Onu: Nigeria to Launch another Satellite Soon Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu has revealed that the federal government is planning to launch another satellite into space to stop television stations from paying

huge amounts of money to foreign satellite firms for live coverage of events.

He made the disclosure yesterday in Abuja when the Nigerian Guild of Actors (NGA) led by its President, Mr. Emeka Rollas paid him a courtesy call in his office.

Responding to the request of the NGA, Onu said that the government was aware of the contributions of Nollywood to the nation’s economy, adding that the government was planning to launch another satellite into space that will provide satellite services to Nigerian television stations who

pay huge amounts of money to foreign satellite companies for live events.

He said: “We are about putting another satellite space to avoid losing more revenue to foreign satellite firms who provide satellite services to our television stations,” adding that Nollywood is a brand”.

FG Targets N7bn Revenue, $10m from Solar Power Rollout Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The federal government yesterday officially launched the five million solar power connections scheme nationwide, assuring that it will benefit 25 million Nigerians and catalyse economic activities for benefitting communities.

The government expressed the hope that if well implemented, the scheme will generate N7 billion in taxes and $10 billion in

import substitution every year.

It noted that the programme will not only support the economic recovery efforts in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, but will also increase local content in the off-grid solar value chain and facilitate the growth of the local manufacturing and assembly industry.

A statement issued to journalists during the event by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), the implementing

agency, quoted the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, as saying that the solar mini-grid programme will incentivise the creation of 250,000 new jobs in the energy sector.

“This programme is expected to generate an additional N7 billion increase in tax revenues per annum and $10 million in annual import substitution.

“The solar connection scheme is a federal government initiative with the objective to expand

energy access to 25 million individuals (five million new connections) through the provision of Solar Home Systems (SHS) or connection to a mini grid,” he said.

In addition, Osinbajo noted that the solar connection intervention facility from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), will complement the federal government’s efforts to provide affordable electricity to unserved rural communities.

Ogun SUBEB Tasks Contractors on Primary School Projects Kayode Fasua in Abeokuta The Chairman of the Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Femi Majekodunmi, has announced that contractors handling infrastructural projects in the state’s public primary schools have been mobilised and are expected to produce result.

Majekodunmi gave the hint

yesterday in a statement made available to THISDAY, which announced the commencement of an on-the-spot assessment of all primary school project sites across the state.

He said he would embark on the tour “for on-the spot assessment of works being carried out by the contractors, with a view to justifying the huge

financial investment in primary education in the state...in line with the educational agenda of the present administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun.”

The SUBEB boss noted that all the contractors had been mobilised, as the state government was prompt in the payment of its counterpart funds to respective donor agencies.

According to him, works on buildings awarded by SUBEB are currently at different stages of completion in all the affected primary schools.

“New classroom blocks are being constructed while there are cases of renovation and rehabilitation across the schools in the three senatorial districts of the state,” he stressed.

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#EndSARS: Edo Panel Orders Arrest of Retired CSP over Killing of Student Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The Edo State Judicial Panel of Enquiry for Victims of SARS and other Related Abuses has ordered the arrest of a retired Chief Superintendent of Police, Ms. Carol Afegbai, for failing to appear before it to explain her alleged complicity in the murder of a 500-level student of University of Benin, Mr. Ibrahim Momodu, in 2015.

At its resumed sitting yesterday, a member of the panel, Mr. A. B. Thomas, said that Afegbai who was the former Divisional Police Officer of Ogida Police Station when Momodu was killed has no right not to have appeared before

the panel to explain her role in the killing if she has nothing to hide from the public.

Thomas argued that if the court had not tried her then when the case was first instituted, it was because she was not included in the suit but added that as it is now; she is a party to the case.

He said: “We call for her arrest and that she should be brought to this court here. If she was not arrested in the High Court and the Court of Appeal, it is because she was not a party. It was the state versus the man who pulled the trigger but before us here, she is a member to the party and if we just go ahead to conclude (otherwise) my Lord, it will seem

she is above the law.

“Therefore, we summon the Commissioner of Police to produce Mrs. Carol Afegbai before this panel.”

In her ruling, the Chairman of the Panel, Justice Ada Ehigiamusoe (rtd), ordered the immediate arrest of Carol Afegbai.

Ehigiamusoe said: “Earlier,

the panel had summoned the respondent to appear before this panel in today’s proceedings and it is on record that she has failed to do so.

“It is the view therefore of this panel that the respondent having failed to appear before it, a warrant of arrest should be issued against her to appear before the panel.

UN Security Council Condemns Massacre of Farmers by Boko Haram WE SHARE YOUR PAINS… Ejiofor Alike The United Nations Security Council yesterday condemned “in the strongest terms” the terrorist killing of 43 farmers in Borno State on Saturday.

The council expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government of Nigeria.

“The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security,” a statement issued yesterday by the UN said.

The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these

reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice and urged all States to act in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions.

The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.

They reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

The Milkmaid Emerges Nigeria’s Official Submission for 2021 Oscars Vanessa Obioha The Nigerian Official Selection Committee has announced “The Milkmaid,” a film by Desmond Ovbiagele as the official submission for the 93rd Academy Awards in the International Feature Film (IFF) category of the Oscars.

The committee said it received several entries out of which six films – “Sanitation Day,” “Voiceless,” “Oloture,” “Ibi” (The Birth), “The Milkmaid” and “Eyimofe” – passed the first vetting exercise.

However, “The Milkmaid”, gathered overwhelming majority votes at the last round of screening.

“The Milkmaid”, written and directed by Ovbiagele, is a Hausa language-based thriller on insurgency, especially as it affects women and children in Sub-Saharan Africa. Inspired by the image on Nigeria’s 10 Naira note, the film tells the story of a Fulani milkmaid who confronts extremists in a rural African community, in a quest to locate her missing sister, and how efforts to recapture her disrupted past prove complicated.

The film is Ovbiagele’s sophomore, having written, produced and directed the award-winning “Render to Caesar” in 2014.

“The Milkmaid” was selected by the 12-man NOSC, headed by filmmaker and education administrator, Chineze AnyaeneAbonyi, having followed the prescribed procedures by the Academy, subject to further determination by the IFF Executive Committee. Seven out of nine voting-NOSC members chose “The Milkmaid”. The remaining three members were considered ineligible due to their affiliation with some of the films in competition, in line with the Academy’s rules.

“The Academy’s approved parameters had to be diligently followed to select the country’s entry without prejudice. And I must say that the Nigerian film industry is awakened to the internationally acceptable requirements for film production, though there would always be room for improvement in order to increase our competitive outlook every year,” said Anyaene-Abonyi.

Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade (left), and former Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN), during a visit by the governor to commiserate with him over the death of his wife, Amaka, in Calabar…yesterday BASSEY INYANG

PDP Withdraws from Kano LG Elections IbrahimShuaibuinKano The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has stated that it will not participate in the January 16, 2021, local government elections in Kano State.

The state caretaker Chairman of the party, Alhaji Danladi Umar Kagara, told journalists in Kano yesterday that their party would not participate in an election that has been allegedly predetermined by the state Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje-led All Progressives Congress (APC)

administration.

According to the PDP chairman, “The state government has set aside the sum of N2.3 billion for an election that already has a predetermined outcome.”

Kagara stated that PDP is withdrawing from the election for lack of confidence and trust in the electoral process under Ganduje.

The party declared that the January local government election would be reminiscent of the 2019 election where Ganduje allegedly

manipulated the election processes and influenced court verdicts to return to power.

He said: “Our party (PDP) is reminiscent of the conduct of Ganduje-led administration during the 2019 general election, and has carefully studied the process and come to the conclusion that the APC-led government has grossly undermined the independence of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), and therefore, it lacks the moral

impetus to superintend any election in the state.

“The PDP and indeed the people of the state cannot forget how Ganduje and the APC, in connivance with electoral officials, used hoodlums and political thugs as well as security agents to intimidate voters and disenfranchise the populace during the 2019 general election that fraudulently brought the Ganduje administration into office by also manipulating the judiciary.

Kogi Gov Proposes N130bn Budget for 2021 FiscalYear Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has presented the sum of N130, 546,068,026 Appropriation Bill for 2021 fiscal year to the state House Assembly for consideration and subsequent approval.

While presenting the bill to the House of Assembly yesterday, Bello stated that the balanced budget is titled:

‘Budget of Accelerated Recovery 2021’.

He explained that the total outlay of N130,564,068,026 is divided into recurrent revenue of 82,464,412,854 representing 63.17 per cent, and capital receipts of N48,081,655,172 representing 36.83 per cent.

The governor who highlighted further that the expenditure of the draft budget has an outlay of N130,

546,068,026 also divided into recurrent expenditure of 74,047,160,582 representing 56.72 percent and capital receipts expenditure of 56,498,907,544 representing 43.28 percent.

The governor noted that the total budget package for 2021 is N130, 546,068,026 as against N122, 970, 958, 009 for the 2020 amended budget, stressing that this represents an increase of

N7, 575,1 10,017 .

Bello said the presentation is part of ongoing efforts by his administration to improve the quality and timeliness of the budget processing, stating that the administration has worked hard to ensure early submission of 2021-2023 medium term expenditure frameworks and fiscal strategy paper as well as the 2021 Appropriation Bill.

Gowon Advocates PPP to Address Nigeria’s Transportation Challenges Eromosele Abiodun Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), has advocated a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement between the government and the private sector to bridge the Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit and transform in the country’s transport sector.

He stated this while speaking

at the ongoing second National Transport Summit organised by the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIoTA), tagged: ‘Building Sustainable Transport Infrastructure in Nigeria: Opportunities, Innovation and Technology’.

Gowon, who is the chairman of the summit, said development of the Nigeria’s transport

infrastructure shouldn’t be left in the hands of the private or public sector alone.

The former head of state said critical stakeholders in the transport sector, policy makers and technical experts must think deeply on how to evolve and create innovative strategies to advance the transport system in the country.

According to him, “Your

Excellences, ladies and gentlemen, the task of advancing the transport system cannot be left to the government alone. It requires partnership between the public sector, the private sector, civil society and the public. Public participation, confidence and support are paramount in this campaign of building a virile transport system in our country.

Pension: Enugu Govt Begins Verification Exercise The Enugu State Government has announced the commencement of the second phase of ‘AM LIVE’ verification exercise for all state pensioners whose pension accounts are domiciled in the Office of the Accountant-General of the state.

In a statement issued yesterday by the State Head of Service, Mr. Ken Chukwuegbo, the verification

exercise will commence in their respective banks on Monday, January 4, 2021 and end on Thursday, March 4, 2021.

Chukwuegbo stated that “each pensioner is advised to physically present his pension’s verification number to his bank for verification through the BVN platform” adding that “thereafter, his bank will

forward the print-out containing his BVN/Bio-data to the Office of the Head of Service for further action”.

The Head of Service disclosed that “pensioners living outside Enugu State and in the Diaspora are to be verified in their paying banks, and thereafter, forward the signed and stamped document by their banks to the Office of the Head of

Service of Enugu State.”

He advised all state pensioners to walk into their banks and revalidate their status through a simple process of thumbprinting, adding that “further payment of pension to the state pensioners will depend on early conclusion of the verification exercise”.

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 2, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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WEDNESDAYSPORTS D’Tigers’ American Coach, Brown, Rates African Basketball High

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Duro Ikhazuagbe D’Tigers’ Head Coach, Mike Brown, has revealed that African countries have the capacities to compete with the rest of the world in basketball if only their federations will put necessary right things in place.

The American-born coach who led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the 2007 NBA finals and was named Coach of the Year in 2009 for Cavaliers’ team-record and league-best 66 wins, experienced his first-ever coaching assignment in Africa last week in Kigali, Rwanda with Nigeria.

After leading Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball to a 100 per cent outing to lead Group D in the 2021 AfroBasket Championships qualifier, Brown

saw first hand, the quality of the game in Africa as exhibited by all the teams that featured in the first round of the qualification series.

Speaking with NBBF Media yesterday, Coach Brown said, “The game of basketball in Africa is unique from the standpoint that every team you look at possesses the athleticism necessary for the game. “Physically, they are there and we have a lot of physically gifted players. When you put all together and try to bring out maximum potential from each of these African teams, it is something that everybody is striving for,� stressed Brown who is also an associate Head Coach of the Golden State Warriors in the NBA. With many teams struggling

to break into the Top 30 in the global ranking except for Nigeria currently at 23rd and first in Africa, Brown said once many national federations invest in quality coaches and put the right structures in place, they will definitely improve drastically to become a global force. “Now, we just have to get a little bit organized, get more

coaching, a little more structure and we can compete with the best around the world. Once that is done, I think basketball in Africa is going to improve tremendously�.

Brown who in 2011 succeeded Phil Jackson as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers however insisted that the results in the qualifiers in Rwanda did not

reflect the opposition his D’Tigers faced.

Nigeria will hope to maintain her unbeaten run on the continent when the qualifiers resume early next year.

Teams have commenced preparations for the third window of the qualifiers scheduled for between February 19 and 21, 2021 as announced

by FIBA on Monday.

Nigeria’s D’Tigers missed their NBA and EuroLeague players but still recorded a 100% record in Group D with wins over South Sudan, Rwanda and Mali.

They were led by ‘Captain Fantastic’ Ike Diogu as he weighed in with an average of 16 points per game.

...Basketball to Experience Revolution in Nigeria Soon, Says Sports Minister The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, has described the recent impressive performance of D’Tigers as an indication that there would soon be a revolution in Nigerian basketball development.

Dare made this assertion when NBBF President, Musa Kida paid him a courtesy visit on Tuesday after returning from the just concluded AfroBasket Championship qualifiers in Kigali, Rwanda.

According to the Minister, “my position is consistent that beyond football, Nigeria has talents and competences in several other sports and our ascendancy in baskeball is no longer stoppable. “That ascendancy has been proven. We are Africa Champions in both male and female categories; We are headed to the Olympics; It has never happened before and that shows that beyond football, basketball has come to stay. “We are Africa Champions

and we are a dominant force in the world . We are happy that our team is in the hands of good administrators and managers.

Beyond the good talents that we have put together, we also need capable hands to manage them. “These are the people that have set their eyes on a greater glory on the podium performance and am sure many other Nigerians will join the basketball revolution.

At least under my watch, we hope to have a basketball revolution that transcends the national team. “We hope to have effective grassroots penetration of basketball youngsters to start a project that would have a basketball court in at least one senatorial district of the country. This is a commitment that is been shared by the NBBF and the Federal Ministry of Sports,� concludes the minister.

Kida said Nigeria’s ascendancy was made possible by good planning, commitment of the players and engagement of one of the best coaches in the American NBA, Mike Brown.

Sanusi Charges F’ Eagles to Be Focused at WAFU U20 Tournament The General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dr Mohammed Sanusi paid a visit to the camp of the U20 national boys team, Flying Eagles who are on the final leg of preparations for the WAFU B U20 Tournament.

Dr Sanusi, who was in Benin Republic where he was match commissioner for a CAF Confederations Cup match in Cotonou as well as put finishing touches to the Flying Eagles’ accommodation and welfare issues for the WAFU B Tournament, charged the players to do Nigeria proud.

Citing experiences playing in African tournaments, the General Secretary told the players they have to be physically and mentally ready for the challenge ahead. “I must, first of all, congratulate you for being selected among all the players that came to try out for selection to represent Nigerian in the WAFU competition,� he said. “You must use this a

springboard to show your coaches and Nigerians that it was not a mistake that you were picked to represent the country. I must warn you it will not be easy. You have to try your best to be mentally and physically ready for the matches because it will not be easy. You have to listen to your coaches and obey their instructions and most importantly, you must be disciplined at all times. You are not just representing yourselves and your families, but Nigerians who will look up to you to do the nation proud,� Dr Sanusi added.

The General Secretary also assured the players and officials that the Federation is totally behind them and will not relent in the area of their welfare. He stated that he was able to appraise the stadium where the games will take place and has also made sure all the necessary arrangements for the comfortable stay of the team in Benin Republic was sorted before he left.

D’Tigers Head Coach, Mike Brown marshaling game-plans to Nigeria’s senior men’s team at the AfroBasket Championship qualiďŹ ers in Kigali, Rwanda...last weekend

Odusanya Sets New Record as Adeyinka Reclaims Asoju Oba Cup Femi Solaja Bose Odusanya set a new tournament record at the 52nd Asoju Oba Molade Okoya-Thomas Table Tennis Cup yesterday after she claimed her sixth women’s singles title of the oldest sporting event in Nigeria.

From 2015, Odusanya had been unbeaten in the final and again this year she claimed her title after beating Kehinde Oyeniyi 4-0 (11-1, 11-6, 11-4, 13-11) to emerge as champion at the two-day tournament held at the Molade Okoya-Thomas

Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.

She is the first player in the history of the tournament to claim the title consecutively six times in a row.

With the exit of men’s singles defending champion, David Fayele, in the quarter final, a former champion, Ahmed Adeyinka reclaimed the title again.

Fayele who had boasted of his intention to hold on to the title, was shocked in the quarterfinal by Augustine Emmanuel who put an end to the dream of the soldier/ player with 4-2 (5-11, 11-8, 11-9, 7-11, 12-10, 11-8) result.

Despite working his way to the last stage, Emmanuel was no match to Adeyinka in the men’s singles final as he was overwhelmed by the experienced opponent.

From the start of the tie, it was as if Emmanuel was going to humble another former champion but from the way and manner Adeyinka approached the match, it was clear that he had learnt from the downfall of Fayele in the quarterfinal.

In less than 30minutes, Adeyinka had defeated Emmanuel 4-0 (11-4, 11-5, 11-6, 11-5) to wipe off the

tears of losing in the final last year.

48 men and 25 women competed in the tournament which has continued to churn out stars for Lagos and Nigeria.

For the Director General, Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Gafar Bolowotan, the staging of the tournament this Covid-19 ravaged year by late Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas family was a confirmation of their commi t m e n t t o grassroots development of the game and to keep the legacy of their father alive.

Nigerian Referees Ready for New Football Season, Says Azeez The President of the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA), Otunba Tade Azeez, has assured the football family that referees in the country, especially those of the Premier League cadre, are in good shape to officiate matches in the new season.

Otunba Tade who made this known during the opening session of the Pre-Season Fitness Test and Seminar for the 2020/2021 session, stressed that necessary steps have been taken to put the whistle men and women in proper shape for the new season.

According to him, irrespective of the challenges in the system posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and ENDSARS protest, the referees are turbo-charged to deliver.

While urging his members to maintain the good record and always be worthy ambassadors at both home and abroad while on duty, the NRA president revealed that good standard and optimum performance remain the watchword of the association.

Tade added that NRA was working in partnership with

the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for the purpose of taking Nigerian football to the ultimate height.

He however warned that there won’t be any room to tolerate referees who do not want to cue into the expected best practices.

Chairman of the NFF Referees Committee and Member of the NFF Executive Committee, Alhaji Inuwa Rabiu (Alhan ) admonished the referees to officiate in accordance to the laws of the game.

Alhan assured the referees of NFF’s support at all times.

He said that the Federation was not unmindful of the challenges in the refereeing system, stating that their welfare and well-being remain paramount.

The programme which commenced on Wednesday will see the Referees from the six Zones of the country take part in Medical and Physical Fitness Tests before going in for class work where technical instructors will take them on the Laws of the Game.

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WEDNESDAYSPORTS CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Man Utd to Unleash Cavani Against Old Club PSG Manchester United Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hinted yesterday that Edinson Cavani is ready to face his former club Paris St Germain in the UEFA Champions League at Old Trafford today despite the furore over his social media post.

Cavani is the subject of an FA

TODAY Krasnodar v Rennes Sevilla v Chelsea Dortmund v Lazio Club Brugge v Zenit Ferencvaros v Barca Juventus v Dynamo Kyiv *Basaksehir v Leipzig Man Utd v PSG (All matches 9pm except *at 6:55pm) RESULTS Lokomotiv 1-3 Salzburg Atletico 1-1 B’Munich Shakhtar 2 - 0 R’Madrid Mo’gladbach 2-3 Inter FC Porto 0-0 Man City Marseille 2- 1 Olympiacos Atalanta 1- 1 Midtjylland Liverpool 1 - 0 Ajax

investigation into an Instagram comment he made in response to a message of congratulations he received for his two-goal match-winning performance in Sunday’s 3-2 Premier League victory at Southampton.

The Uruguayan said he was thanking a friend for the comment when he wrote in Spanish “Gracias negrito�. He later deleted the comment and apologised. United said there was “no malicious intent� behind the post.

After his outstanding display at Southampton, Cavani is likely to lead the line for United against the French champions for whom he scored 200 goals to become their all-time top scorer before leaving in June. “He is ready to play and of course it’s special for him to play against PSG, his old club where he is the top scorer, so that will affect him mentally,� Solskjaer told reporters on Tuesday. “But from knowing him, that will give him energy. He is so professional. And he will work on his mindset today to

Sevilla’s Lopetegui Not Resting Any Player in Clash with Chelsea Sevilla Coach Julen Lopetegui does not plan to rest any players for tonight’s Champions League game at home to Chelsea even though his side have already qualified for the knockout stages and face Real Madrid next weekend.

Both sides are locked on 10 points and are into the next round although the winner of Wednesday’s match at the Sanchez Pizjuan will clinch top spot in Group E and be seeded for the last-16 draw.

The coach said he still hoped to be able to count upon forwards Luuk de Jong and Lucas Ocampos, who missed training on Tuesday, while he will be without first-choice goalkeeper Bono and forward Carlos Fernandez due to testing positive for Covid-19, plus injured midfielders Marcos Acuna and Suso.

After facing Chelsea, Sevilla host LaLiga champions Madrid on Saturday. “A couple of our players have not been able to train (De Jong

and Ocampos) and I hope we can get them back and not lose anyone else,� Lopetegui told a news conference on Tuesday. “The match is a very exciting challenge, against a team that is designed to win the Champions League. They have the best attack in England (along with Liverpool) and we are very excited about playing for the prize of top spot.�

Having made a rough start to the domestic season, Lopetegui’s side are on a run of five consecutive wins in all competitions.

Chelsea are unbeaten since September and were on a run of six straight victories until Sunday’s goalless draw at home to Premier League leaders Tottenham Hotspur. “We are in good form despite the players we are missing but I expect a very complex game against a side with a lot of individual and collective talent and we’ll have to double our work and efforts if we want to win,� he added.

Berisha Double Rekindles Hopes of Salzburg in Last 16 A first-half brace by Mergim Berisha helped earn Salzburg a 3-1 win at Lokomotiv Moscow in the Champions League on Tuesday as the Austrian champions kept their hopes of a last-16 spot alive.

Salzburg were rewarded for their early domination in the 28th minute when Enock Mwepu’s deflected shot fell kindly to Berisha, who converted from close range, minutes after he had a goal ruled out for offside.

Jesse March’s side doubled their lead 13 minutes later when Sekou Koita capitalised on a poor clearance from Slobodan Rajkovic and played in Berisha, who rifled a low shot past Lokomotiv keeper Guilherme for his fourth goal in five Champions League games this season.

Lokomotiv were handed

a lifeline in the 79th minute when Ze Luis was fouled by Andre Ramalho in the penalty area, with Anton Miranchuk converting the resulting spotkick to halve the deficit.

Yet substitute Karim Adeyemi restored Salzburg’s two-goal lead two minutes later, profiting from another defensive error and firing into the bottom corner.

The result lifts Salzburg to third place on four points, one point and place behind Atletico Madrid, who face holders Bayern Munich later on Tuesday.

Salzburg host Atletico in their final group game next week and can qualify for the knockout stages with a win provided Diego Simeone’s side do not beat Bayern.

get ready for the game,� he said.

As to whether Cavani would be impacted by the fall-out from his social media post, Solskjaer said: “He has learned a lesson.

It might affect him, but he will have to put that to one side when the game is on. The best players can put those things

aside.�

Solskjaer said he was sure the incident was the result of a misunderstanding. “He’s been asked by the FA to explain and we will support him. It’s one of those unfortunate situations where he’s just come into the country and in Uruguay

it’s been used in a different way,� he said.

The Norwegian backed former United defender Gary Neville’s suggestion that players coming to England from abroad should be given education on issues around “diversity and inclusion�. “We support him, but we

also support the FA. We want to be in the fight against discrimination. I saw Gary (Neville) said something that maybe all the players coming in from other countries should be educated and I’m sure Edinson has learned the hard way,� he added.

Manchester United’s Manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (right), to start Edinson Cavani against PSG tonight

Real Madrid’s Progress in Doubt after Defeat at Shakhtar Real Madrid’s hopes of reaching the Champions League last 16 for a 24th consecutive season hang in the balance after Zinedine Zidane’s side were beaten again 3-1 by Shakhtar Donetsk.

The 13-time European champions are third in Group B with one game to play.

Dentinho and Manor Solomon struck in the second half for Shakhtar, who won the reverse fixture 3-2 in Madrid.

Borussia Monchengladbach can still qualify as group winners with victory over

winless Inter Milan late last night.

Zidane’s side have struggled for consistency this season and suffered a shock 2-1 defeat by Alaves in La Liga on Saturday, extending their winless domestic run to three matches.

The Spanish champions, currently fourth in La Liga, were without injured pair Eden Hazard and captain Sergio Ramos but welcomed back talisman Karim Benzema for their return to the stadium where they were last crowned

European champions in 2018.

Real started well as Marco Asensio hit the post after five minutes and Benzema drew goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin into action.

Trubin then tipped over from Asensio’s powerful shot before half-time and again denied Benzema, before substitute Dentinho pounced on Raphael Varane’s error to score with the hosts’ second shot on target after 57 minutes.

Rather than retreat, Shakhtar pushed for a second and got

their reward eight minutes from time when Solomon fired into the bottom corner.

Shakhtar had not scored in three group games since beating Real in October and conceded a total of 10 goals in heavy back-to-back defeats by leaders Borussia Monchengladbach.

But the Ukrainian side, with their superior headto-head record, now have the upper hand on Real going into next week’s final round of fixtures.

Coved-19 Knocks off Aston Villa, Newcastle Friday Clash Newcastle United’s game at Premier League rivals Aston Villa on Friday has been postponed following a “significant increase� in Covid-19 cases at the Magpies’ training ground.

Several Newcastle players and staff members are self-isolating at home after returning positive test results.

The club’s training ground at Darsley Park was closed on Monday and Tuesday.

Newcastle lodged a request with the Premier League to postpone the fixture at Villa Park, which was approved.

Aston Villa said they “fully support� the Premier League’s decision to postpone the match. “Everybody at Aston Villa wishes a speedy recovery to all those affected by the virus,� added the club.

A new date and time for the game will be confirmed in the future.

This is the first Premier League fixture this season to be postponed because of Covid cases.

Newcastle manager Steve Bruce said on Friday - when

his team won 2-0 at Crystal Palace - that three players and one member of staff had tested positive.

On Monday, the training ground was shut on the advice of Public Health England North East (PHE) and remained closed for the second successive day on Tuesday.

The Premier League said it agreed that Newcastle were

unable to train and “safely prepare� for the match at Villa Park on Friday as a result.

After an “extensive consultation� with both clubs, PHE and Premier League advisors, the league said the decision was made to call off the match with “the health of players and staff the priority�.

Further tests will be given to the players and training

ground staff this week.

Newcastle, PHE and the Premier League will then hold another meeting to assess the results and decide on the next course of action.

Bruce’s side are next scheduled to play on Saturday, 12 December with a home match against West Bromwich Albion, before a trip to Leeds United four days later.

Aston Villa and Newcastle last met in the League in June with the game ending one-all

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Wednesday December 2, 2020

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MISSILE

Ezekwesili to Buhari “I think that at this stage and depth of fragility of the Nigeria state, privacy has to yield ground to our right-to-know as citizens, the state of health of President Muhammadu Buhari. We really must assess the physical or mental capability of the President to carry on the duties of his office” – Former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili demanding a full disclosure of President Buhari’s state of mental and physical health.

KAYODEKOMOLAFE THE HORIZON

kayode.komolafe@thisdaylive.com

0805 500 1974

The Zabarmari Massacre

T

he response to the last weekend bestial killing of dozens of rice farmers in Zabarmari should go beyond lamentation and making the usual calls on the President to wake up to his duty as the Commander-in-Chief.

The government and the people alike should never mistake the clear message embodied in what happened in Jere Local Government Area of Borno state.

This chilling chapter in the tragic story of bloodletting which began in Borno state 11 years ago should compel a serious rethink of the government’s anti-terrorist campaign within the broad context of the strategy for national security.

It is time to think scientifically at policy level about how to end the Boko Harm terrorism and other drivers of insecurity in the land.

The job is not that of only the soldiers on the frontline.

Expectably, there have been expressions of outrage by President Muhammadu Buhari himself, the National Assembly, important interest groups and the public at large. Other countries and international organisations have expressed concern about the degeneration of the Nigerian situation.

The House of Representatives has audaciously resolved to invite the President to explain what is happening to security in the land. The Senate is content with repeating its earlier calls for the sacking of the non-performing service chiefs.

The lawmakers are calling for fresh ideas in the prosecution of the war against terrorism among other security steps taken by the government.

The counter-argument has been that it is the prerogative of the President as the Commanderin-Chief to determine the tenure of his service chiefs. In any case, Buhari has routinely ignored the calls for rejigging the security architecture of Nigeria. Instead, the President has given the service chiefs several “marching orders” to secure the northeast where Boko Haram activities are prevalent. Mind-boggling stories such as the Zabarmari one would suggest that these consecutive orders might have been obeyed only breach. The orders are often followed by other conflicting official stories on the performance of the military. One version is that the government is supporting the military with the “needful“ to do the job. Another story is that “foreign powers” are denying Nigeria the access to the arms purchase needed to fight the insurgents.

Unfortunately, the reality of the Nigerian political situation is that there is no institution or a countervailing force to issue the commanderin-chief a “marching order” to perform his own constitutional duty of security. To expect anything to the otherwise is to be oblivious of the balance of forces withing the Nigerian state at the moment. Some security experts have suggested among other things the need for “accountability” on the part of those in charge of solving the security problem. For instance, the army commander in charge of Zabarmari area of the troubled Borno state ought to be made accountable for the killings that took place in his area of command. The same experts also say changing the chief of army staff might not necessarily be the solution. Yet, the leadership position of the chief of army staff goes with enormous responsibility. It has been rightly pointed out that in other climes, a general in command of an army that has recorded the magnitude of losses of military personnel and civilian casualties witnessed in the northeast in the last five years would on his own quit even when the commander-in-chief is reluctant to act appropriately. However, the

Buhari basic principle cannot be disputed. The chief of army staff should be made accountable while the commander-in-chief, who determines the tenure of service chiefs, should be told that he too has the ultimate responsibility in this grave matter.

The President and his powerful advisers should, therefore, be persuaded to have a sober and proper view of the danger this worsening insecurity is posing to the socio- economic and political health of the nation.

Apart from the constitutional provision that security is a “primary purpose of government,” Buhari sought the people’s mandate in 2015 and 2019 on the platform of security as one of his three cardinal programmes (the other two being the economy and anti-corruption campaign).

During the 2015 campaigns especially, a strong point in favour of Buhari’s eligibility for the job of the president was that he would be a suitable commander-in-chief given his illustrious military career.

So, the public should not be tired of reminding Buhari of his promise. Security is a central issue of governance in Nigeria today. The people should not slip into cynicism about it. It is a matter of life and death. As the Yoruba would say: “ti ina ko ba tan lori, eje ki tan lekan” (as long as a man has lice-infested hairs on his head, his fingernails would remain blood-stained).

For clarity, official efforts at recasting the strategy for contending with the security challenges should be duly acknowledged.

For instance, in the 2019 review of National Security Strategy (NSS) a vital link was drawn between physical security and social security. This organic link stated in the important document is, incidentally, at the heart of the suggestions coming from the NASS and the general public in the last few days.

Notably, in a forum convened on the 2019 document, the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President, Major-General Babagana Monguno (rtd.), reportedly said inter alia: “ Besides focussing on the effectiveness of security providers, it (the document) incorporates several key issues as a way of ensuring their relevance,

Given honesty of purpose, at the policy level, it is possible to end the Boko Haram terrorism and other security problems

public legitimacy, ownership and sustainability, as well as facilitates their implementation, while improving the efficiency of how security is provided.

“In this regard, the new notion of national security under President Muhammadu Buhari administration places emphasis on the people and not the state and it is aimed at enhancing the social well -being of the citizens.

“To this end, it is imperative to continuously assess the current and future threats in the environment and develop appropriate resilience and capacity to mitigate the challenges.”

A year after that statement was made, not a few observers of the Nigerian situation would wonder if this nation has any security strategy at all. The security outlook has become grimmer, what with the burgeoning activities of terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers and other criminals.

A few days ago, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’adu Abubakar, expressed the seeming helplessness of the people who are supposed to be the focus of the security strategy.

Certainly, the highly revered Sultan is not wont to make glib statements on serious national issues. According to him, the media has not fully reflected the atrocities of bandits in the northwest: bandits armed with guns move from house to house to harass and extort money and food from hapless people. Armed bandits go to markets to make transactions. They sack villages unchallenged. They kill farmers on their farms like what happened in Zabarmari in the northeast. In recent times, a number of farmers have been killed by bandits in Katsina State, the home state of the President. Some local government areas in the state are reportedly more of ungoverned spaces than secure parts of the polity. Similar heart-rending stories are told about Zamfara, Kebbi, Kaduna and other states in the zone.

The sad stories of farmers being levied by bandits as a condition to return to their farms are told by Nigerians as if these are normal things. Nigerians seem to be losing their sense of outrage at horrific news. Major highways and inter-state roads all over the country have become extremely unsafe due to the activities of kidnappers and armed robbers. Even policemen have been reportedly kidnapped by the criminals. The impunity is such that payment of ransom is freely advertised. In a number of incidents, policemen and soldiers have been killed like the people they are supposed to protect. Any honest survey of the security situation will show that no part of Nigeria is really safe. While farmers are killed by bandits in the villagers, city dwellers are kidnapped for ransom by criminals. You can only talk of the relative enormity of the problem as you move from one state to the other.

For understandable reasons, military and security chiefs dislike liberal reportage of the type of mass murder than happened in Zabarmari.

According to them, such attention given to the crimes in the news may unwittingly amount to lionising the criminals. The reality, however, is that terrorists carry out the sort of Zabarmari massacre to send a message to the people in the tradition of what anarchists call “propaganda by deed.” It is for the purpose of shock and awe.

In the process, the terrorists attract attention.

As one theorist puts it, one act in the typology of the Zabarmari massacre could “in a few days , make more propaganda than thousands of pamphlets.” In the digital age, you could talk of propaganda in a few seconds!

The rethink of the anti-terror strategy being suggested here should, therefore, focus on the

subjective as much as the physical aspects of the campaign. In the apt words of one expert: “War is physical, terrorism is mental.”

After 11 years of “degrading” Boko Haram and “killing” its leader several times, the moral component of the anti- terror strategy should now be reshaped.

By the way, it should be noted that the attempt to infuse some moral content into the efforts in the northeast appears to be wrong-footed in many respects. The so-called deradicalisation project has not produced any remarkable good fruit. The process needs better expert handling and should be thorough-going because of the sensitivity of it. It is a delicate thing. But the present politics of it is being badly played.

Not a few victims of the Boko Haram terror languishing in the camps of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) would find it revolting that after a shoddy process of “deradicalisation,” some mass murderers are being proposed for enlistment into the Nigerian army and other security agencies.

The matter is made worse by the rhetoric of pessimism in the land. In an attempt to rationalise the glaring incompetence and gross irresponsibility in the prosecution of the anti-terror war, some military officers and administration officials as well as their retinue of experts often give the impression that terrorism can never be defeated.

They tell you it has become a normal part of the global socio-political existence. However, this is historically not true. Terrorism can be defeated.

In contradistinction to this morbid manifesto of the invincibility of terrorism, a study by America Rand Corporation actually demonstrates the possibility of ending terrorism. In a global map of events covering the period of 1968 to 2006, the think tank shows that while 43% of terrorist groups ended using the instrumentality of politics 40% ended by policing. In the same map, it is indicated significantly that 10% ended by virtue of victory of the terrorists while only 7% ended by the employment of military force.

The relevant points here to the Nigerian situation is that the subjective aspects of the efforts should be taken more seriously by the political leadership. And, perhaps, more significantly, the centrality of proper policing should be acknowledged as a matter of policy. This brings to the fore the old questions of the roles and capacity of the police and other agencies responsible for internal security. Securing the borders against arms flow and the movement of terrorists and bandits are matters for the customs, immigration, intelligence agencies, civil defence corps and vigilante groups.

So the activities of the professional soldiers should be synchronised with the roles of the non- military actors. The gallantry of the civilian elements embedded in the military joint task forces operating in the northeast is a proof of the validity of this proposition.

On the more urgent military question of truly degrading Boko Haram, at least there should be a better synergy of purpose at the military hierarchy since the President is adamant on keeping his favourite service chiefs. The often reported dysfunctionality at the military and security hierarchy is patently destructive to any strategy that Buhari may fashion to tackle the worsening problem of insecurity.

All told, in the grim situation of national security it may be not be misplaced to have an optimistic view of things hinged on a critical review of strategy by the policymakers and their experts.

Given honesty of purpose, at the policy level, it is possible to end the Boko Haram terrorism and other security problems.

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