WEDNESDAY 16TH DECEMBER 2020

W’Bank Approves $1.5bn Loan for States’ COVID-19 Response To support FG’s goal of lifting 100 million out of poverty Obinna Chima The World Bank Group has approved a $1.5 billion package to help build a resilient recovery post-COVID-19 for state-level intervention

in Nigeria.

In addition, the multilateral institution discussed a new five-year Country Partnership Framework (CPF) from 2021 to 2024 for Nigeria.

The $1.5 billion was part

of a $3 billion loan request the federal government had been pushing for.

A statement from the bank yesterday reiterated that Nigeria was at a critical juncture, adding that with

the sharp fall in oil prices as a result of COVID-19, the economy was projected to contract by over four per cent in 2020.

This, it anticipated, would plunge the country into its

deepest recession since the 1980s.

It projected that government revenues could fall by more than $15 billion this year, and the crisis could push an additional five million

Nigerians into poverty in 2020.

It explained that the $1.5 billion was for two projects, which included Nigeria’s COVID-19 Action Recovery Continued on page 8

Tackle Insecurity, Reopen Borders to Tame Inflation, OPS Urges FG... Page 6 Wednesday 16 December, 2020 Vol 25. No 9382. Price: N250

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CJN Tests Positive for COVID-19 Alex Enumah in Abuja

SWEET REUNION...

L–R: Former presidential aide, Dr. Reuben Abati; the author Mr. Bonaventure Phillips; Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Emmanuel Udom; former President Goodluck Jonathan; Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje; former Minister of Special Duties, Mr. Taminu Turaki (SAN); and former Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku. Back row (L–R): Prince Ajah Nwabueze; Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN); Senator Dino Melaye; former Minister of Culture, Chief Edem Duke; former Minister of State, FCT, Mrs. Akinjide Jumoke; and former minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Mr. Hirse Bagudu, at the launch of a book, Dear President Goodluck Jonathan: An Open Letter, in Abuja… yesterday ayo ajayi

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, has tested positive for COVID-19.

His colleague at the Supreme Court, Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, said yesterday in Abuja at the unveiling of the national headquarters of the Muslim Lawyers’ Association that the CJN is receiving treatment in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

But the Director of Information, Supreme Court of Nigeria, Dr. Festus Akande, disputed Justice Saulawa's claim, saying there is no medical report to show that the CJN is positive for COVID-19.

Continued on page 8

Military Mulls Seeking Help from US AFRICOM to Rescue Abducted Pupils Dismisses Boko Haram's claim as propaganda 17 schoolboys escaped, says Masari Jigawa, Zamfara close schools Senate summons defence minister, service chiefs, others Kingsley Nwezeh, Chuks Okocha, Adedayo Akinwale, in Abuja, John Shiklam in Kaduna and Francis Sardauna in Katsina The military is considering many options, including

seeking external help, to rescue over 300 schoolboys of Government Science Secondary School (GSSS) Kankara, Katsina State.

A top military officer confided in THISDAY yesterday that one of the

options being considered is for the federal government to seek assistance from the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) to launch a rescue bid leveraging on its sophisticated technology for such operation.

Besides, the military also dismissed claims by Boko Haram that it masterminded the abduction of the pupils last Friday.

It described the claim of the terror organisation, made yesterday by its acclaimed

leader, Mr. Abubakar Shekau, as mere propaganda.

Amidst efforts to rescue the pupils, Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, said 17 pupils, out of the 333 schoolboys he had earlier said could not be accounted for had

escaped from their captors.

Another report, however, claimed that two of the abductees might have been killed.

The Senate has, however, Continued on page 8

FG Directs SIM Card be Linked to National Identity Number ...Page 5

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NEWS

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

FG Directs SIM Card be Linked to National Identity Number Minister gives two-week deadline for compliance Subscribers protest suspension of new registration

Emma Okonji Following the earlier directive issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on the suspension of new SIM card registration by network operators, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, on Monday, issued a fresh directive that makes it compulsory for all SIM cards to be linked to National Identity Number (NIN).

The minister, who gave the fresh directive on Monday in Abuja when he convened an urgent meeting of key stakeholders in the communications industry, gave telecoms operators two

weeks to link subscribers’ registered SIM cards on their networks to their NIN, which is currently being issued by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

The new directive further stated that the submission of NIN by subscribers must take place within two weeks from today December 16, 2020, and end by December 30, 2020.

It also stated that after the deadline, all SIMs without NINs are to be blocked from the networks.

A ministerial taskforce comprising the Minister and all telecoms CEOs among others was constituted as members who will monitor compliance by all networks.

Meanwhile, telecoms subscribers under the aegis of the National Telecoms Subscribers Association of Nigeria (NATCOMS) have called on the federal government to re-direct the NCC to quickly lift the suspension order on the sale and activation of new SIM cards across networks.

According to them, the suspension order has made many Nigerians incommunicado after losing their SIM cards to hoodlums and robbery attacks and could not do a ‘welcome

back pack’ to retrieve their mobile lines.

National Chairman of NATCOMS, Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, who narrated the ordeals of his members in the past few days in Lagos, said most of his members were victims of the Agege mayhem in Lagos at the weekend, where their mobile phones were forcefully taken away from them by hoodlums who unleashed mayhem on the area.

Pantami, during the stakeholders’ meeting on

Monday, warned that violations of the new directive would be met by stiff sanctions, including the possibility of withdrawal of operating licence.

At the meeting, the need to consolidate the achievements of last year’s SIM registration audit and improve the performance and sanity of the sector was exhaustively discussed and all stakeholders agreed that urgent drastic measures have now become inevitable to improve the integrity and transparency of the SIM registration process.

At the meeting, Pantami affirmed the earlier directive to totally suspend the registration of new SIMs by all operators, and operators were asked to ensure that all their subscribers provide valid NIN to update SIM registration records.

NCC, therefore, urged the general public to ensure that their NINs are captured in their SIM registration data and pleaded with subscribers for all the inconveniences, which they might experience as a result of the new directive.

Ganduje: Why I Dethroned Sanusi as Emir of Kano

Says ex-CBN boss was appointed to spite Jonathan Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, yesterday gave reasons why he dethroned Alhaji Lamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano.

The governor said he took the decision to save the system and the traditional institution from abuse.

Ganduje spoke at the presentation of a book on former President Goodluck Jonathan, authored by a journalist, Mr. Bonaventure Melah.

According to him, Sanusi was not the best man for the throne at the time he was appointed in June 2014, saying that the deposed emir was appointed to spite former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Jonathan had in April 2014 removed Sanusi as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over claims by the ex-CBN governor that $49 billion was stolen by some persons under the Jonathan administration.

Faulting Sanusi’s public outburst over the alleged fraud, Ganduje said the exCBN governor ought to have discussed the matter privately with the former president who in turn could have directed an investigation into the allegation.

Ganduje said Jonathan took a bold step by removing Sanusi as CBN governor even though the action created bad blood in certain circles.

The Kano governor said: “Jonathan took a bold step in [removing] Sanusi as CBN governor, which created bad blood in certain circles.

“When Sanusi said $49 billion was lost in Jonathan’s government, I said in my mind that no, you could have discussed with him (Jonathan) privately.

“You could have given him this clue and then he would know how to investigate even

before those who had stolen the money would find a way of hiding the money.

“That statement, I said in my mind was not honourable. That statement created bad blood.”

In June 2014, barely two months after he was removed as CBN governor, Sanusi got appointed as the Emir of Kano, a position that Ganduje said he did not deserve in the first place.

Ganduje, however, removed Sanusi as Emir of Kano on March 9, 2020, a decision the governor said he took to “save the system and to save the institution.”

Sanusi was appointed during the administration of Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, in which Ganduje was deputy governor.

He succeeded Kwankwaso in 2015.

Sounding derisively jocular, Ganduje said: “Sanusi was appointed Emir of Kano not because he was the best man for the throne but to retaliate what Jonathan did to him.

“That was in order to prove that what Jonathan did to him was wrong and that the people of Kano wanted their son as emir and, therefore, they decided to appoint him as emir.

“But when he was appointed, there were a lot of demonstrations with people burning tyres here and there. But because of government backing, he was sustained on the stool.

“When I became governor, (that’s why you will laugh), I said yes, Jonathan medicine is an important medicine.

“That medicine, even though I am not a medical doctor, but that medicine would serve the same purpose, for the same disease and for the same patient.

“So I took my Jonathan medicine and decided to save the system, to save the institution and I applied it effectively. So Jonathan and I are on the same page. Actually, I have no regrets.”

THANKS FOR COMING...

Enugu State Governor, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (left), and Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, after the opening ceremony of the four-day Police Public Relations Officers' Conference in Enugu...yesterday

China Exim Bank Set to Release Funds for $2.5bn AKK Pipelines Project Contractor targets 2023 completion date, deploys hi-tech machines Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The federal government said yesterday that China Exim Bank, which is financing 85 per cent of the $2.5 Ajaokuta, Kaduna, Kano (AKK) gas pipelines project has concluded arrangements to begin disbursement of the funds.

While the government gave a sovereign guarantee during the loan negotiation, part of which is being executed by a leading indigenous Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) Company, Oilserv Limited, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has a 15 per cent equity investment in the project.

The 614 km x 40-inch gas pipeline, which spans Ajaokuta in Kogi State to Kano through the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has witnessed considerable progress since its inauguration

by President Muhammadu Buhari in July, with Oilserve's deployment of hi-tech automatic welding equipment.

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, told journalists during a tour of the project that all the processes for the deployment of the funds has been completed.

While lauding the contractor

for doing what she described as “high-quality job,” Ahmed noted that the decision of the federal government to act as a sovereign guarantor was not misplaced.

She said: “This is a very important national project and we have seen it is being delivered on schedule despite the slowdown in economic activities. This programme has not slowed down a bit. Work has not stopped for one day.

“I am glad that gas will be piped through this line from Ajaokuta to Kaduna to Kano. This will help to revive industries in those parts of the country, create jobs and even as the construction is going on, a lot of other activities are also going on.”

She said the locals are being employed and the contractors on site are working on a day to day basis, adding that the contractors are doing a very high-quality job and commended NNPC for its foresight in pushing for the project.

“I am happy that the guarantee we gave for this project is justified. We had to give a sovereign guarantee to the lender so that the loan is concluded. I am glad to say that the process has been concluded and very

soon, the disbursement will start to the contractors. For now, the cost is $2.5 billion,” she said.

NNPC Group Managing Director, Malam Mele Kyari, stated that apart from cutting massive emission into the environment, the project will aid the creation of wealth as well as help in revamping moribund industries along the AKK axis.

“It will cut down gas emission into the environment, create massive wealth along the line because gas will be available to industries and for power and ultimately, you will see the revamping of moribund industries and also create new business opportunities,” he stated.

On the security of the project, he said: “Typically, gas pipelines are never subject of vandals' attacks, although it happens, it’s very rare. Aside from that, we are doing some security along these lines which is to have optic fibre that will run parallel with the pipelines so that if there’s any infractions, we will know about it and take action.

“But more importantly, we are using the best of technology so that where they are vulnerable, we bury them deeper than normal places, so we don’t think there’s any high-level

risk to these pipelines.”

He added that there’s a moratorium on the loan and as soon as gas starts flowing through the lines, the revenue from there and existing revenue streams will be used to pay off the loan.

He said: “We borrowed 85 per cent of the total project scope as loan and we provided 15 per cent as NNPC equity from its own resources and that means that the 85 per cent that will come from our Chinese partners will be available for drawdown.”

Chairman of Oilserve, Mr Emeka Okwuosu, in his comments, stated that the company deployed high-level equipment, the first in the industry, to fast-track the work, noting that the project will be finished on schedule.

“Apart from things like the line pipes, because the loan was obtained from China, the line pipes have to be obtained from there, but aside that, every other thing comes from Nigeria,” he explained.

According to him, because the project is denominated in dollars, there is no foreign exchange issues or any need for contract re-evaluation, even after the fall in the value of the local currency.

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Tackle Insecurity, Reopen Borders to Tame Inflation, OPS Urges FG CPI hits 14.89% in November

James Emejo in Abuja and Dike Onwuamaeze in Lagos

Analysts and members of the organised private sector yesterday urged the federal government to step up efforts in tackling insecurity and ramping up measures to ensure food security amidst mounting inflationary pressures.

They also advised the federal government to reopen the country's land borders, even as they stressed the need to apply strict control on its neighbours to respect the ECOWAS protocol of rule of origin.

The analysts, in separate interviews with THISDAY following the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that put inflation at 14.89 per cent, called for government's continued support for local agricultural production and improving the security of farmers against insurgency, banditry and kidnappings.

They believed the measures could help address the upward trajectory in inflation rate, which increased to 14.89 per cent in November, from 14.23 per cent in the preceding month.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation, increased by 14.89 per cent (year-on-year) in November compared to 14.23 per cent in the preceding month, according to the NBS. The NBS attributed the 0.66 percentage increase in the headline index to increases in all the parameters that determine inflation, including food and non-food commodities.

According to the CPI figures for November, which was released by the statistical agency yesterday, the composite food index rose sharply by 18.30 per cent in the review period compared to 17.38 per cent in October.

The NBS said the rise in the food index was caused by increases in prices of bread and cereals, potatoes, yam and other tubers, meat, fish, fruits,

vegetables and oils and fats.

Core inflation, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce, stood at 11.05 per cent in November, down by 0.09 per cent when compared with 11.14 per cent recorded in the preceding month.

The highest increases in the core index were recorded in prices of passenger transport by air, medical services, hospital services, repair of furniture, passenger transport by road, maintenance and repair of personal transport equipment, vehicle spare parts, hairdressing salons and personal grooming establishments, pharmaceutical products, paramedical services and motor cars.

However, the urban inflation rate increased by 15.47 per cent (year-on-year) in November from 14.81 per cent in October while the rural inflation rate increased by 14.33 per cent in the review period from 13.68 percent in October.

On a month-on-month basis, the headline index increased by 1.60 per cent in November from 1.54 per cent.

Commenting on the development, an economist, Dr. Muhammad Rislanudeen, called for more support for SMEs to ramp up local industries, reduce unemployment and support V-shaped recovery and post-COVID-19 growth.

He said: "With border closure, rising insecurity in the farms, adoption of cost-reflective tariff for electricity, multiple taxation at both federal and sub-national levels and high exchange rate, we will continue to find difficulty in subduing inflation as it persistently heads northwards as a direct impact of cost-push inflation.

"Government’s decision to consider reopening our borders is apt but we need to put strict control on our neighbours to respect the ECOWAS protocol of rule of origin.”

Former Director-General, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Dr. Chijioke

Ekechukwu, blamed the rising inflation on insecurity, forex and the impact of the pandemic.

He said: "It is not likely that the inflation rate will drop in the short run. This is so because the issues that led to the increase of the rate have not been addressed nor resolved."

On his part, President, Capital Market Academics of Nigeria, Prof. Uche Uwaleke, said the fiscal authorities have greater roles to play in curtailing inflation as the pressures are caused primarily by nonmonetary factors.

He explained that efforts should be directed towards tackling insecurity and boosting food production as a way out of the rising prices of commodities.

According to the former Imo State commissioner for finance, investing in the agriculture value chain will boost real GDP growth given the sector's 30 per cent contribution at the moment.

The Director-General of the

Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Dr. Muda Yusuf, told THISDAY that the mounting inflationary pressure was expected given the prevailing economic conditions and the escalating cost environment.

Yusuf said the trend was an indication that key drivers of inflation have not abated, some of which he listed to include the sharp exchange rate depreciation, high transportation cost, the perennial bottlenecks at the Lagos ports, security challenges impeding agricultural output and demand pressures resulting from the festive season.

He said: “High inflation typically weakens purchasing power and aggravates the poverty incidence in the country.

Mounting inflationary pressures also impacts on production and operating costs across sectors.

It also erodes the profit margins of businesses.”

He added that there is

no quick fix to the inflation challenge and recommended that “we need to address structural constraints to output and productivity, fix the problem of logistics in all its dimensions, tackle the worsening security situation and reform the foreign exchange market to reduce volatility and uncertainty. These are the key solution options to deal with the menacing problem of inflation.”

Also, the Director-General of the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Ambassador Ayo Olukanni, said various figures released by the NBS that showed the trend in inflation in various headings were expected and called on the federal government to reopen the borders to increase food supply and reduce food price inflation.

Olukanni said: “We are not surprised by the inflationary trend in the economy. However,

we request that the federal government should tackle it by implementing the various stimulus packages it announced to strengthen the economy, especially the Economic Stability Programme (ESP). These funds should be released to address the challenges it is meant for.

“We were delighted when we got the hint from the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning that the borders would be reopened soon following the recommendations that were made to the federal government.

Now, this inflationary trend is an indication that the government should quickly tackle the whole issue of reopening the border without any further delay.”

The Acting Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr. Ambrose Oruche, had earlier said the reopening of the borders would help in reducing the rising inflation, especially food price inflation.

HIS CONDOLENCES...

L-R: Former Borno State Governor, Senator Kashim Shettima; National Leader, All Progressives Congress, Senator Bola Tinubu; and Governor Babagana Zulum during Tinubu’s sympathy and solidarity visit to Zulum in Maiduguri…recently

To Ease Apapa Gridlock, NPA Set to Deploy Electronic Call-up Moves to save Nigeria $10bn annual loss of agro products Eromosele Abiodun After months of planning, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) will next month deploy electronic call-up system aimed at ending the protracted Apapa gridlock.

The initiative, which will be financed by a private company, Trucks Transit Parks Limited, under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement with the NPA, will cost N7 billion.

Sources told THISDAY that when fully operational, the electronic call-up system will save Nigeria N140 billion weekly economic loss and another $10 billion annual loss of agro products.

According to the source who did not want his name in print, “The company presented a business case for regulated truck traffic regime, which shows that the system will save the country N140 billion weekly economic loss, 40 per cent of businesses that have left Apapa,

will return, there will be an end to seven-14 days cargo reception delay; consequent damage to perishable export products and reverse the $10 billion annual loss of agro products.

“That is not all, this effort will also save our bridges around Lagos mainland, which are old and fragile and can no longer support abuse by trucks. This will also put an end to unavailability of public funding for shared common infrastructure.”

The Managing Director of Trucks Transit Parks Limited, Mr. Jama Onwubuariri, who confirmed the development, told THISDAY that the effort will transform Apapa and make the port city thriving again.

He said: “Our company, Trucks Transit Parks Limited (TTP), has partnered with NPA to provide solutions to the truck traffic challenges in Nigeria. TTP aims to decongest Apapa, improve traffic flow and ultimately facilitate the efficiency

and productivity of the ports.

TTP will do this through the use of technology.

“Our operation is based on an electronic call-up system called Ètò, through which trucks' movements will be scheduled from the originating points of the trucks to a park, then to a holding bay/pre-gate and then programmed in batches (on a first-come-first-served basis) to access the ports. Thus, all trucks are expected to remain within approved parks until they are scheduled to access the ports or are moving from one park to another. The idea is to prohibit illegal or indiscriminate parking of trucks along the roads.

“Therefore, law enforcement agents have been set up to enforce compliance and tow or fine offending trucks/ truckers. Hence, an electronic call-up system that will drive the check-in and check-out of trucks from each location has been put in place to achieve this. In addition to batching and

scheduling of trucks movement, TTP would also offer add-on or ancillary services such as truck wash, tyre change, truck service, accommodation etc at designated parks.”

He added that the main objectives of the company’s operations were to improve efficiency at the port, decongest gridlock, improving traffic flow within Apapa logistics ring, improve accountability and eliminate extortion and improve ease of doing business.

On how it intends to achieve it, he said: “We will deploy electronic truck scheduling, park, truck and traffic management platform called Ètò, provide modern truck parks and holding bay facilities with hub amenities, use of ICT hardware such as access control, law enforcement/traffic agents to enforce compliance and registration of all ports bound trucks and drivers on Ètò.”

The affected stakeholders, he added, are truck drivers, truck

owners, truck drivers unions, truck owners unions, truck park operators, terminal operators, shipping companies, clearing agents.

Others, according to him are Apapa residents, workers and companies, government agencies –police, Customs, LASTMA, Road Safety, Nigerian Shippers Council, Lagos State Government (Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Environment) and Apapa Local Government.

NPA’s General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communication, Mr. Adams Jatto, had recently confirmed the plan when he told journalists in Lagos that the system would help to address the traffic gridlock in Apapa.

“We have concluded the procurement process to be able to engage our investors to manage the truck park. So with this, I believe we should be able to have something on the ground for people to be

proud of. Call-up system is not just the areas we are looking at for us to ease the congestion along ports access roads.

“It is a kind of temporary measure for us to ensure that we have a free flow on the axis that leads to the ports. The call-up system is for us to be able to have truck parks along ports area and some of the truck owners have assured us that they have truck parks, where they can park their trucks.

“A call-up system is to ensure that in each of the areas where there are truck parks, the trucks are there and when it is time for them to come to the ports, we have to adopt the call-up system to call them. On the basis of this, we will be able to streamline the trucks coming into the ports, to ease congestion,” he had said.

Jatto had explained that the management of NPA was desirous of addressing issues of the port access roads in Apapa, through sustainable road construction.

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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PAGE EIGHT MILITARY MULLS SEEKING HELP FROM US AFRICOM TO RESCUE ABDUCTED PUPILS summoned the defence minister and security chiefs over the abduction of the Katsina pupils.

THISDAY gathered that in addition to the ongoing joint operation launched by the military and other security agencies, rescuing the pupils would be faster with help from AFRICOM. AFRICOM had recently alerted Nigeria and other West African nations that ISIS, al-Qaeda and other terror groups were making inroads into the West African sub-region, exploiting local differences and collaborating with affiliates.

The United States Special Forces recently rescued an American kidnapped from a farm in Niger Republic in Sokoto State.

During the operations, the Special Forces killed six of the kidnappers, four from Niger and two from Nigeria.

THISDAY gathered that the federal government may be reaching out to the US government (AFRICOM) in view of its recent intelligence alert on the movement of terror groups to the subregion.

"At many levels, strategic levels there is a flurry of activities to rescue the children safely and keep the peace of the nation," the source added.

The source said the military was looking at many options irrespective of ongoing negotiations with the kidnappers.

The source also dismissed claims by Boko Haram that it staged the kidnap

of the Katsina students as propaganda.

He said: "We have our constitutional mandate, which we are pursuing. We are not discouraging other options, be it negotiations or any other thing.

"We are focused on the rescue of the children, having established location. The issue of collateral damage is also being looked at.

The safety of the children is paramount."

On the claim by Boko Haram that it kidnapped the pupils, the source, who asked not to be named, said: "It is in their character to make such bogus claims in situations like this. It is part of their propaganda.

Anything that happens in Nigeria is linked to Boko Haram.

"The fact that they have collaborators is not in doubt but this is propaganda."

Boko Haram Claims Responsibility for Abduction Earlier, the terror group, in an audio message released yesterday, had said it was behind last week's kidnapping of hundreds of schoolboys in Katsina State.

So far, more than 300 pupils are unaccounted for, but others managed to escape.

The government had previously blamed "bandits" for the attack.

In a four-minute audio message trending on social media, the leader of the

deadly Islamic sect, Mr. Abubakar Shekau, claimed his members kidnapped the schoolboys because Western education is against the tenets of Islam.

In the Arabic audio message he translated in Hausa, Shekau said: "What happened in Katsina was done to promote Islam and discourage un-Islamic practices as Western education is not the type of education permitted by Allah and his Holy Prophet.

“They are also not teaching what Allah and his Holy Prophet commanded. They are rather destructing Islam.

It may be subtly, but Allah the Lord of the Skies and Earths knows whatever is hidden.

"In a nutshell, we are behind what happened in Katsina. The speaker is Abubakar Shekau, leader of Jama’atu Ahlussunna Lid-Da’awati wal Jihad."

But Shekau did not give details of the attack, the number of the abducted schoolboys or mentioned entering into negotiation with the Katsina State Government

17 Students Escaped from Captivity, Says Masari Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, in an interview with journalists late on Monday after he briefed President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura on efforts made to rescue the students, said 17 out of the 333 abducted schoolchildren

had returned home.

Masari had earlier told the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Salihi Magashi (rtd), who on Sunday led security chiefs on a sympathy visit to the people of the state that 333 pupils were missing after the invasion of the school.

The governor, who said frantic efforts were ongoing to rescue the remaining captives, added that the 17 freed students were released "unconditionally" and had since been reunited with their family members.

He said: “As at today (Monday), information available to me shows that 17 of the missing children have been found. Fifteen of them were found around Dinya in Danmusa. I was informed by the DPO. One other was found through them and the last, the father called that his son has returned home.

“All these missing children who have been found have been reunited with their families since we have shut down the schools. Majority of the missing children are in the forest in Zamfara. But God willing, the children will be returned safely.

“I was told that they spoke with a teacher whose son was also kidnapped that the bandits said the helicopter should stop roving and that they will collect ransom but they didn’t specify. And so they ended the call."

Masari explained that one of the abducted children’s fathers, who is also a teacher at the school, was contacted by the bandits who warned

that security forces should stop aerial patrol of their hideouts.

He added that the bandits demanded that adequate money should be set aside pending the completion of the ongoing rescue mission.

However, two of the abducted students have been reportedly killed by their abductors.

A parent, whose son is among those kidnapped by the bandits, told THISDAY yesterday on condition of anonymity that one of the students who escaped from the kidnappers' den said the hoodlums killed two of the schoolboys in his presence.

He said the student told them that while in captivity, they were made to go through inhumane experiences, including being flogged like animals and fed with wild flora.

Senate Invites Defence Minister, Service Chiefs, Others The Senate yesterday invited the Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Salihi Magashi (rtd), the service chiefs and heads of the Nigerian Police Force and the Department of State Service (DSS) over the unending insecurity situation in the country.

The Senate took the decision after debating a motion on the abduction of the schoolboys.

The motion, sponsored

by Senator Mandiya Bello (Katsina South), also urged

the president to implement the report of the Senate Committee on Security Challenges without further delay.

It resolved to invite the chiefs to brief the Senate on measures being taken to rescue the pupils.

The Senate urged the president to implement the recommendations of the Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Nigeria’s Security Challenges dated March 17, 2020, and Senate resolutions there from, as a holistic response to the mounting security challenges across the country.

Arguing the motion, Bello said: "Aware that the recent attack and abduction of schoolchildren at Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State, is coming on the heels of yetto-be resolved abduction of 270 girls, which took place at Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State in 2014, and abduction of about 100 schoolgirls at Government Girls Science and Technical School, Dapchi, Yobe State in 2018; and "Concerned that like the other incidents of schoolchildren abduction that took place in Chibok and Dapchi, several years back, if no immediate action is taken to rescue the Kankara schoolboys, their fate may be sealed in the hands of terrorists."

Other senators, in their various contributions reiterated the calls for the sacking of the service chiefs Continued on page 10

W’BANK APPROVES $1.5BN LOAN FOR STATES’ COVID-19 RESPONSE and Economic Stimulus - Programme for Results (Nigeria CARES).

“This programme will help increase access to social transfers and basic services, as well as provide grants to poor and vulnerable households. It will also strengthen food supply chains for poor households while facilitating recovery and enhancing capabilities of MSMEs. This is financed through an International Development Association (IDA) credit of $750 million,” it explained.

The other project was for the State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability Program for Results (SFTAS) Additional Financing.

“Building on the progress made across 36 states, the original SFTAS programme will be expanded and scaled up in response to COVID-19.

The additional financing will help meet the financing gap in the Programme Expenditure Framework, due to the sharp reduction in government revenues associated with the crisis.

“It will help increase

the efficiency in spending, strengthen revenue mobilisation, and enhance accountability and transparency in public resource management to further strengthen statelevel COVID-19 response.

The project is financed through an International Development Association (IDA) credit of $750 million,” it added.

The World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Shubham Chaudhuri, explained that the CPF would guide the bank’s engagement with Nigeria for the next five years in supporting the government’s strategic priorities by taking a phased and adaptive approach.

“To realise its long-term potential, the country has to make tangible progress on key challenges and pursue some bold reforms. Our engagement will focus on supporting Nigeria’s efforts to reduce poverty and promote sustained private sector-led growth,” he added.

Prepared jointly with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the

Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), the CPF proposes a collaborative approach of how resources across the entire Bank Group can best support the government’s effort to achieve its goal to lift 100 million citizens out of poverty.

Shedding more light on the CPF, the Washingtonbased institution explained that it would focus on four areas. These are investing in human capital by increasing access to basic education, quality water and sanitation services; improving primary healthcare, and increasing the coverage and effectiveness of social assistance programmes.

“Additional investments in promoting women’s empowerment and youth employment and skills, especially for young women, will also, help reduce maternal and child mortality. Promoting jobs and economic transformation and diversification by supporting measures to unlock private investment and job creation and increasing access to reliable and sustainable power for households and

firms.

“The CPF will also focus on boosting digital infrastructure and developing economic corridors and smart cities, to provide Nigerians with improved livelihoods.

Enhancing resilience by strengthening service delivery and livelihood opportunities in the Northeast and other regions grappling with insecurity, as well as modernising agriculture and building climate resilience,” it stated.

The CPF will focus on strengthening the foundations of the public sector by improving public financial management and strengthening the social contract between citizens and government through improved fiscal and debt management.

“A strong private sector is critical to support Nigeria’s economic growth and development. The Country Partnership Framework leverages the World Bank Group to enable business growth that is inclusive and sustainable,” IFC’s Director for Southern Africa and Nigeria, Kevin Njiraini said.

He added: “IFC will continue to support a broader private sector-led growth strategy to help Nigeria realise its immense potential by attracting more investment and creating millions of quality jobs for its growing population.”

Also, Director at MIGA for Economics and Sustainability, Merli Baroudi, said: “To achieve sustainable post-COVID-19 economic recovery, the country needs to strengthen reforms that support private sector solutions and crowd in private sector finance.

“In close coordination with the World Bank and IFC, MIGA will continue to expand its support for crossborder private investment into Nigeria.

“The World Bank Group, one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries, is taking broad, fast action to help developing countries strengthen their pandemic response.

“It is supporting public health interventions, working to ensure the flow of critical supplies and equipment, and

THISDAY on anxiety over the CJN’s health, denied that he was sick.

He explained that the CJN's absence at Monday's swearingin of the SANs should not be interpreted to mean he is sick.

"Our attention has been drawn to the story currently in circulation with the above caption, which was published on page 38 of THISDAY Newspaper on Tuesday, December 15, 2020.

"It's necessary to state that there's no iota of truth in the

claim being peddled by the publication, as there hasn't been any indication made public or otherwise that has shown any anxiety over the CJN's health," Akande said.

While reacting to the COVID-19 issue, Akande said there was no medical report to prove the CJN's medical condition.

"In furtherance to the press statement earlier issued, I wish to state categorically clear that there is no medical report so far made available by anybody

indicating that the CJN has tested positive for coronavirus.

"Those peddling the rumour should go a step further to confirm from their sources and equally obtain the copy of whatever laboratory test result they are relying on,” he stated.

He explained that as at the time of issuing the statement, "no one has so far shown me or any other person in Supreme Court a copy of the test result they are referring to in the report."

CJN TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 Justice Muhammad was absent from Monday’s new legal year ceremony of the Supreme Court where he was scheduled to preside over the inauguration of 72 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs).

His absence was noticed at about 10.02 am when the other 19 justices filed into the courtroom, marking the commencement of the programme.

The reason for Justice Muhammad’s absence was

not disclosed as the event began immediately with the administering of oaths to the new SANs. However, the event was presided over by the next most senior justice, Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour.

Justice Rhodes-Vivour serves as the Deputy Chairman of the National Judicial Council, ranking next to the CJN as the chairman.

But Akande, who had earlier yesterday reacted to yesterday's report by

helping the private sector to continue to operate and sustain jobs.

“The World Bank Group is making available up to $160 billion over a 15-month period ending June 2021 to help more than 100 countries protect the poor and vulnerable, support businesses, and bolster economic recovery. This includes $50 billion of new IDA resources through grants and highly concessional loans and $12 billion for developing countries to finance the purchase and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.”

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NGN NGN 0.03 0.33 0.06 0.70 0.04 0.52 0.02 0.27 1.50 22.50 NGN 0.90 8.20 0.33 3.05 0.06 0.62 OMATEK 0.02 0.22 JAIZBANK 0.05 0.57 HPE Nestle Nig Plc ₦1,400.00 Volume: 264.242 million shares Value: N2.947 billion Deals: 4,354 As at yesterday 15/12/2020 See details on Page 41

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House Seeks Halt of 774,000 Jobs Asks finance minister to withhold funds Udora Orizu in Abuja The House of Representatives yesterday asked the federal government to halt the take-off of the 774,000 special works programme scheduled to commence January 5 2021.

The House also asked the Ministry of Finance not to release the funds meant for the programme until some issues that affect the integrity of the programme are sorted out.

It further condemned the

removal of the DirectorGeneral of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Mr. Mohammed Argungu, directing that he should be reinstated immediately.

The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance, titled, 'Urgent need to stop the circumvention of due process by the federal/ ministry of labour and productivity in allocating the 774,000 in the special public works programme,' sponsored by Hon. Olajide

Olatunbosun.

Moving the motion, Olatunbosun recalled that in October 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari, approved a Pilot Special Public Works Programme for the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to implement in eight states of the federation.

He noted that the Special Public Works in the Rural Areas is an employment intensive technique acquired and adapted by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE)

from one of the capacitybuilding collaborations with the International Labour Organisation (lLO) in the middle of the 1990s.

He also said the National Assembly appropriated a sum of N52bn in the 2020 fiscal year for the Special Public Works Programme out of which each beneficiary will be paid N20,000 per month over a period of three months.

He expressed concerns that if this programme is allowed to go ahead without following due

process, a bad precedent would have been set for implementing programmes of this nature in the future as our institutions are gradually undermined.

In his contribution, Hon. Onofiok Luke said the decision of the government to sack the director-general of the NDE was ill-advised, adding that he stood for the right thing to be done and ensure that the programme succeeds.

He said there was the need to suspend the programme because there

are silent issues which bother on the integrity of the legislature and the need to build institutions.

Luke asserted that the DG stood for what is right and the decision to remove him was ill-advised, adding that since the programme was initially supposed to take place in 2020, the money meant for it was provided for in the 2020 budget, and since it has been shifted to 2021, there was the need to suspend its implementation until there is provision made for it in the 2021 budget.

Insecurity: Education Under Attack in Northern Nigeria, Says Amnesty International Davidson Iriekpen Global rights organisation, Amnesty International, yesterday said education in northern Nigeria is under threat in the wake of rising insecurity in the region.

It attributed the recent abduction of hundreds of boys in Government Science Secondary School in the town of Kankara, Katsina State, to “an attack on education in the northern parts of the country.”

About 333 students were abducted by gunmen on motorbikes on December 11.

Boko Haram, a terrorist organisation and Nigeria’s major security threat that has claimed responsibility for the raid, said it took over 500 students.

Responding to Boko Haram’s claim of responsibility for the abduction of the students, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Osai

Ojigho, condemned the attack.

Ojigho said education is under attack in northern Nigeria, adding that “schools should be places of safety and no child should have to choose between their education and their life”.

“We condemn this appalling attack, which is the latest in a string of grave human rights abuses by Boko Haram.

Since 2012 hundreds of teachers, schoolchildren and students have been killed or wounded by Boko Haram, and thousands of children have been abducted. Attacks on schools and abductions of children are war crimes.

Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for several attacks on schools in the past and must be brought to justice for these and other human rights abuses.

“These children are abducted in serious risk of being harmed and being

forced to become child soldiers. Nigerian authorities must take all measures to return them to safety, along with all children currently under the custody of Boko Haram.”

She added: “Education is under attack in northern Nigeria. Schools should be places of safety, and no child should have to choose between their education and their life. Other children have had to abandon their education after being displaced by frequent violent attacks on their communities, and many teachers have been forced to flee to other states.

The Nigerian authorities must act immediately to prevent attacks on schools, to protect children’s lives and their right to education.

“The protection of children’s lives is paramount, and the Nigerian government has a duty to ensure that the country’s educational sector is not further threatened

by Boko Haram and other armed groups.

“The attack on Government Science Secondary School Kankara is a serious violation of international humanitarian law, and it undermines the right to education for thousands of children in northern Nigeria. The abduction of students and the destruction of school property by Boko Haram can severely reduce the availability of and access to education for many children in northern Nigeria where violent attacks are escalating,” her statement read.

Meanwhile, the Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, has ordered the closure of boarding schools around the state’s borders with Katsina and Sokoto states.

At a press conference yesterday, the Commissioner of Education, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the governor

had ordered that the schools should remain closed until the security improves.

The affected schools are Government Secondary Schools in Zurmi, GSS Birnin Magaji, (boarding), and G.A.S.S Zurmi (boarding), G.G.S.S Moriki (boarding).

Science Secondary School Shinkafi (boarding), Science Secondary School, Dansadau (boarding) and Science Secondary School, Bukkuyum (boarding).

Others are G.D. S. S Nassarawa Mailayi (day), G.D.S.S Gusami (day), and G.D.S.S Gurbin Bore, (day).

“We will not want what happened in Katsina to happen in Zamfara State. All the Principals of the affected schools have been directed to ensure immediate closure of the affected schools,” he said.

Gunmen had invaded Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina on Friday, abducting

over 300 students.

On Monday, Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, said the kidnappers had made contacts with his government.

Hours later, Abubakar Shekau, Boko Haram leader, said the sect is responsible for the kidnap.

Shekau said the school was teaching its students things that could “destroy Islam”.

“What happened in Katsina was done to promote Islam and discourage unIslamic practices as Western education is not the type of education permitted by Allah and his Holy Prophet,” he had said in the four-minute long video.

“They are also not teaching what Allah and his Holy Prophet commanded. They are rather destroying Islam. It may be subtle, but Allah the Lord of the skies and earths knows whatever is hidden.

May Allah promote Islam.

May we die as Muslims.”

in their abductors’ den, foregrounds APC’s disdain for Nigerians, for which it should never be entrusted with governance at any level in future.

"Our party and, indeed, discerning Nigerians are not surprised that the APC, as a party, has not forcefully condemned the kidnapping of the students even as it has not raised any strong voice against the recent gruesome killing of 43 farmers in Borno State by terrorists.

"Rather, the APC has tacitly supported the insensitive comment by the Buhari presidency, which blamed the slain farmers instead of taking steps to apprehend the assailants."

government has failed to take advice from ACF and other Nigerians on how to tackle insecurity, particularly in the North.

He said: “The ACF complained about this insecurity in its October meeting, nothing was done.

We are in December with the same complaint, nothing is being done.

“We are even tired of complaining because the government does not appear to be serious about taking proactive measures to end the ugly situation.

“It is even ridiculing the country in the eyes of the international community as both the police and the army seem to have been overwhelmed by the security challenges. It is really a distressful situation.”

He called on the government to find ways of protecting lives and property, saying that it is the constitutional responsibility of the government to protect the lives and property of its citizens.

Yawe said the ACF would be reorganised to tackle youth restiveness from the local government level.

According to him, massive youth employment by the government at all levels will reduce the crime rate and checkmate rising insecurity nationwide.

MILITARY MULLS SEEKING HELP FROM US AFRICOM TO RESCUE ABDUCTED PUPILS and passed a vote of no confidence in the various heads of security agencies in the country over their inability to prevent the abduction of schoolchildren.

The senators also expressed concerns about Buhari’s persistent disregard for all resolutions passed by the Senate on insecurity.

Ensure Safe Return of Abducted School Girls, House Tells FG The House of Representatives yesterday called on the federal government to expedite action on the safe return of all abducted schoolchildren, from Chibok to the most recent one at Kankara.

The House also called on the federal government to urgently implement the Safe Schools Declaration to protect children and teachers from attacks in schools and ensure that their education continues without hindrances.

It urged the federal government to forward the Safe Schools Declaration to the National Assembly for ratification and domestication.

It further called on the federal government to review the security architecture of the country because it is no longer effective.

These resolutions were

a sequel to the unanimous adoption of a motion on urgent public importance, titled, "Call on the Federal Government To Urgently Bring Total Control, The Attacks On Educational Institutions, Insurgency, Banditry And Kidnappings Across the Country,' sponsored by Hon. Musa Sarkin Adar and 75 other lawmakers.

Moving the motion, Adar said that the security challenges in the country, particularly in the North, are backsliding into the former state of affairs before the coming of the Buhari administration in 2015.

He expressed concerns that the attacks and kidnappings have taken such a dangerous dimension that the security agencies seem to be overwhelmed.

He lamented that to date, about 112 Chibok schoolgirls are still missing; and that two years after, one of the Dapchi girls, Leah Sharibu, is still in captivity.

APC Charges Security Agencies to Apprehend Criminals Following the abduction of the Katsina pupils, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the nation’s security agencies

to demonstrate their commitment by going after criminals and denying them the space to operate.

The Chairman, APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said the abduction brought back memories of similar incidents in Chibok and Dapchi.

Buni said the APC believed that the security agencies have the will, commitment and training to restore public confidence in their ability to secure the lives and property of Nigerians.

According to him, they should demonstrate this commitment more by going after criminals and denying them space to perpetrate crime "Buhari administration works harder to improve the security situation in the country, the APC calls on the nation’s security agencies to dig deeper and do better by ensuring that our students can go to school safely and learn all across the country.

There is no greater harm that insecurity can do to a nation than to destroy its education and the future of its youths," he said.

PDP Blames APC for Buhari’s

Perceived Lethargy over Insecurity However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of complicity in the president's seeming lukewarm attitude towards combating insecurity in the country.

It urged the ruling party to speak out on the several cases of killings and kidnappings in the country, stating that the silence of the ruling party amounts to conspiracy.

The PDP said the APC had displayed its insensitivity and anti-people stance by encouraging the president to visit his cattle ranch instead of Kankara in his home Katsina State.

The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said by not impressing it on Buhari to cut short his private visit to Daura and make efforts to rescue the pupils, the APC has again shown that it is a party of ‘political bandits,’ which has no iota of concern for the wellbeing of Nigerians.

It said: "Indeed, the preference for the welfare of Mr. President’s cattle over the safety of our young students, who are now languishing

ACF: We’re Tired of Complaining about Insecurity The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) yesterday said it was tired of complaining about worsening insecurity in the country because the government appears not serious about taking proactive measures to remedy the situation.

Speaking with journalists shortly after a meeting of the ACF Board of Trustees (BOT) in Kaduna, spokesman of the forum, Mr. Emmanuel Yawe, lamented that for the umpteenth time, the federal

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House Summons Finance Minister, AGF over $36.1m World Bank Loan Probes N7bn paid to inspection company Udora Orizu in Abuja The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has summoned the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed and the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, to appear before it to explain the terms of agreement regarding the multilateral loan of $36.1 million and grant of $1.5 million from world bank and other development partners.

Recall that, on November 19, the Hon. Wole Oke-led panel asked the Director General of the Budget Office, Ben Akabueze, to explain why the office of the OAUGF was grossly underfunded.

Akabueze had in his response,

faulted the notion that the OAuGF was grossly underfunded, saying that the office of the AuditorGeneral receives substantial resources from development partners, which includes $36.1 million multilateral loan and grant of $1.5 million from the world bank.

Addressing the Committee, at the resumed investigative hearing, the Acting Auditor-General of the Federation, Mr. Aghughu Adolphus told the committee that he was not privy to the collection of the loan or aware of the conditions attached to it.

Regarding the $1.5 million grant, he said $200,000 has been sitting in the account of his establishment untouched, but there was no funds

to fulfill the condition of accessing the loan or the grant.

The committee expressed shock by the terms of agreement of the World Bank loan, wondering how the condition for the loan would include the auditing of all MDAs, when the reason for the loan in the first place is to allow the Auditor Generals office to audit the MDAs. The Chairman, Oke frowned at the fact that the office of the Auditor-General could neither

access the $36.1 million loan nor the $1.5 million grant for three years.

He said that the condition of the loans and grants could lead to the breaking if the procurement laws as the Auditor Generals office has no proper agreement, no procurement plans, or budgetary provisions.

Meanwhile, the Committee while investigating payments made to Pre-shipment inspection Agents (PIAs) and Crude

Ool/Non-Oil Monitoring and Evaluation Agents (MEAs) especially one by the name Colbalt International Services Limited, resolved to probe where over N7 billion disappeared to from the treasury account of the federal government.

The Chief Operating Officer of the company, Adegboyega Ogboye said only N4.2 billion has been paid to the company.

But the Committee presented

documents from the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the Federal Ministry of Finance showing that a total of N11.3 billion has been paid to the company, leaving a variation of N7.1 billion unaccounted for.

The lawmakers insisted on the need to discover who the N7.1 billion was paid to and resolved to summon the Bank of Cobalt International Services Limited (Zenith Bank).

There’s Nothing Better Than Securing Lives, Lawan Tells FG Chuks Okocha in Abuja President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has urged the federal government to prioritise the safety of Nigerians.

He said the National Assembly would continue to engage the Executive arm of government until appropriate action is taken to address the growing insecurity in parts of the country.

Lawan stated this in his concluding remark on a motion considered during plenary yesterday into the recent kidnapping of students at the Government Science School, Kankara, Katsina State.

This was contained in a press statement by Special Assistant (Press) to President of the Senate, Ezrel Tabiowo, titled ‘Insecurity: N’Assembly will continue to engage Executive until… – Senate President ‘ on Tuesday.

The statement quoted the Senate President as saying, “There’s nothing more important for the government to do than securing the lives of citizens of

this country and at all times.

“As a parliament, we should never get tired of talking about issues that affect our people. We have our own limitations because of the structure of how governance must be carried out, but we must never get tired of reporting what is happening to our people.

“I believe that we should think outside the box. What are those new things that we need to say to bring everybody to the table for the kind of action we believe in the Senate and, indeed the National Assembly, that should be taken.

“We are part of government, but we have a specialized function, and all these things that we appear to be worried about that nothing has been done is because of the function that we have been appropriated to by the Constitution. But it doesn’t mean we are wasting our time.

“We should continue to engage with the Executive arm of government until the appropriate actions are taken, because that is what we are expected to do as a parliament.”

Two House Members Dump PDP, APGA for APC Udora Orizu in Abuja Two members of the House of Representatives, Hon. Datti Yako from Kano State and Danjuma Shittu from Taraba State, yesterday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

While Yako left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Shittu left the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).

In their defection letters, which was read by the Speaker of the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, the lawmakers cited leadership crises and factionalisation in their respective states as reasons for leaving the parties upon which they were elected.

Reacting, the Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu urged the Gbajabiamila to declare their

seats vacant, citing relevant sections of the constitution and also the fact that he’s not aware of any crisis in the party.

Corroborating Elumelu’s opinion, the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, insisted that there’s no crisis in the party, urging the Speaker to put a stop to illegal defections.

According to Okechukwu, ‘there is a subsisting Supreme Court judgment which states that it was only a crisis at the national level of parties that could prompt a defection of any lawmaker.’’

Responding, Gbajabiamila dismissed the protests by the opposition leaders and ruled in favour of his defecting colleagues.

He added that Yako’s defection made all the 24 members from Kano to be in APC.

PROJECT INSPECTION...

L-R: Chairman\Chief Executive Officer, Oilserv Limited., Mr. Emeka Okwuosu; Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mallam Mele Kyari; Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed; and Director-General, Debt Management Office, Ms. Patience Oniha, during an inspection of the AKK project at Ajaokuta, Kogi State.... yesterday.

Post Brexit Relations: Johnson Dispatches Trade Envoy to Nigeria Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja Concerned about post Brexit economic prospect, United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, yesterday sent a trade envoy to Nigeria to discuss trade relations with the country in the post Brexit era.

Receiving a delegation led by the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria, Ms Helen Grant, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo said he was excited to discuss economic prospects between the two countries.

“I am really excited about the

prospect of what the next few months and years hold for our two countries. I also share your optimism that this is probably the best opportunity for us to do a lot. And to do so in a manner that will make a great difference for our two countries,” he said.

A statement by the vicepresident’s spokesman, Mr. Laolu Akande, said the vice-president noted that the COVID-19 pandemic era provides both countries with the opportunity to adopt innovative ways of addressing challenges confronting them.

Osinbajo listed areas of interest to Nigeria to include: education, capacity building in the judiciary sector, among others.

Akande said Grant described her visit to Nigeria as a deliberate move by the UK government ahead of Brexit to deepen conversations with friendly countries in different sectors.

She said aside trade, both countries could work harder to also strengthen ties in agriculture, health, technology, judiciary and other sectors, saying Britain’s desire is that Nigeria records improvements in the

aforementioned areas.

The statement added that Grant said she was excited by her appointment as trade envoy to Nigeria because she was born to a Nigerian father, describing her new assignment as a dream job.

She promised to promote deep trade relations between both countries by connecting more British investors to do business in Nigeria.

The statement added that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, and officials from the UK High Commission were present at the meeting.

FG Writes House, Seeks Timeline Extension for Implementation of Capital Projects Udora Orizu in Abuja The federal government yesterday requested the House of Representatives to extend the timeline for the implementation of capital projects in the 2020 budget.

The request was contained in a letter by the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, addressed to the House, and was read at the plenary by Majority leader, Hon. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa.

Doguwa said the minister was specifically requesting for the amendment of the expiration clause of the 2020 appropriation repeal and reenactment Act. According to him, ‘’The minister

said there was huge pressure for agencies of government to meet their responsibilities.

She’s calling on the National Assembly to extend the timeline of implementation for capital projects only through the use of legislative tools to do what is right so that Nigerians can benefit from funds available after the expiration of the timeline of the budget.”

Doguwa pleaded with members to approve the plea, assuring it was not going to affect the resolve of the House to maintain the January to December budget cycle.

Responding, Speaker of the House, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, reasoned that the Covid-19 was

not envisaged and as such, it was necessary to consider and approve the request for the benefits of Nigerians.

He, however, pointed out that the proposed amendment of the 2020 appropriation Act cannot be done by way of a motion but through an amendment Bill.

He directed that the request be scheduled for the next legislative sitting, (Wednesday), adding that it would be given expeditious passage.

Meanwhile, the House at plenary also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to as a matter of urgency conduct election in the

House of Assembly for Aniocha South 1 of Delta state.

The motion for the election was moved by the minority leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu.

Moving the motion, Elumelu called on INEC to as a matter of urgency see to the conduct of the needed election for the residents of Aniocha 1 to enjoy due representation in the state House of Assembly level.

He said the lingering issue is a gross infringement on the rights of citizens of the region.

The motion earlier seconded by his deputy, Hon. Toby Okechukwu was voted on and adopted by the House.

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

BOKO HARAM AND BANDITRY

The brutal insurgents are raising funds for their operations through banditry, writes Inwalomhe Donald

B

andits are members of Boko Haram. The only avenue left for Boko Haram to raise funds now is banditry. Bandits are occupying Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger and Kaduna States to raise funds for Boko Haram. Boko Haram is using banditry to infiltrate all parts of Nigeria.

Banditry represents the financial wing of Boko Haram to raise funds to finance terror activities. Bandits are terrorists who can raise funds for Boko Haram across Nigeria.

Bandits have negotiated with many state governors in the north-west of Nigeria. President Buhari should treat bandits as terrorists. Bandits have participated in kidnappings where ransoms were collected to finance terrorism across Nigeria.

Boko Haram has also been known to raise funds through mass kidnapping of foreigners and civilians for ransom. It has a specialized kidnapping task force led by bandits that set out to abduct school children, politicians, business people, foreigners, rulers and civil servants with the intention of later trading them back for large sums of money or for the return of other Boko Haram militants.

Nigeria’s North West is suffering deadly conflict involving many armed organisations which Boko Haram has used to infiltrate the region, including herder-allied groups, vigilantes, criminal gangs and jihadists. The violence has killed many people since 2011, and displaced some people, some into neighbouring Niger Republic. Despite several security operations and efforts through dialogue, durable peace remains elusive.

Frequent acts of violent crime have grown to form a major threat to Nigeria’s national security. These include instances of militancy, insurgency and banditry. Banditry includes cattle rustling, armed robbery and kidnapping for ransom. Kidnapping for ransom has remained the most virulent form of banditry in Nigeria. It has become the most pervasive and intractable violent crime in the country.

Kidnapping can be targeted at individuals or at groups.

School children have been kidnapped in groups in various

BOKO HARAM INSURGENTS HAVE USED THE PROCEEDS OF KIDNAPPING TO KEEP THEIR INSURGENCY AFLOAT. THE INSURGENTS ENGAGE IN SINGLE OR GROUP KIDNAPPING AS A MEANS OF GENERATING MONEY TO FUND THEIR ACTIVITIES

parts of Nigeria. Usually, the prime targets of kidnapping for ransom are those considered to be wealthy enough to pay a fee in exchange for being freed.

Kidnapping is the unlawful detention of a person through the use of force, threats, fraud or enticement.

The purpose is for illicit gain in economic or material, in exchange for liberation. It may also be used to pressure someone into doing something—or not doing something.

Nigeria has one of the world’s highest rates of kidnapfor-ransom cases. Other countries high up on the list include Venezuela, Mexico, Yemen, Syria, the Philippines, Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia. Thousands of Nigerians have been kidnapped for ransom and other purposes over the years. Kidnapping has prevailed in spite of measures put in place by the government. The Nigerian police’s antikidnapping squad, introduced in the 2000s, has endeavored to stem the menace. But this has been to no avail, mainly due to a lack of manpower and poor logistics.

These efforts have also failed because of weak sanctioning and deterrence mechanisms. Kidnapping thrives in an environment that condones crime; where criminal opportunism and impunity prevail over and above deterrence.

This obviously calls for an urgent review of Nigeria’s current anti-kidnapping approach to make it more effective.

Similarly, Boko Haram insurgents have used the proceeds of kidnapping to keep their insurgency afloat.

The insurgents engage in single or group kidnapping as a means of generating money to fund their activities. Huge sums are often paid as ransom by the victims’ families and associates to secure their release.

In addition to militants and insurgents, organized local and transnational criminal syndicates have been involved.

This is happening in apocalyptic proportions in North West Nigeria where rural bandits engage regularly in kidnapping in the states of Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Katsina and Sokoto.

Donald wrote from Sokoto State

LAMIDI OLAYIWOLA ADEYEMI: 50 YEARS ON digs into history as the Alaafin of Oyo celebrates the golden anniversary of his coronation

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he drums will roll out on Thursday, January 14 on the golden anniversary of the coronation of the Alaafin of Oyo, Iku Baba Yeye, Igba Keji Orisa, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III. I am sure the Iya Ilu- the traditional drum and the Shekere will be sounded on that day. If his empire has not disintegrated, there will be celebrations on that day in Awe, Moniya, Igboho, Iponri, Fiditi, Ayete, Ado Awoye, Jabele, Shaki, Shapetin, Ikoyi, Ede, Ejigbo, Abugaga, Ipapo. Ajuwa, Igbeti, Igbo Ora, Ajegunle, Lanlate, Offa Meta, Kosobo, Ogbomoso, Iwo and other surrounding towns in Oyo. Expected at the event is the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who will represent president Muhammadu Buhari .

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed will be there too.

Also expected is the man who made the coronation possible 50 years ago, Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo, who was the Commissioner for Chieftaincy and local government affairs in the old western state.

Chief Lekan Alabi ,who was 70 recently , told me on phone, that the Alaafin is planning big for the golden anniversary.

Till the 70’s the Alaaafin had a palace at Oke Aremo in Ibadan.

The Oyo Empire grew to become the largest Yoruba state. It rose through the outstanding organizational and administrative skills of the Yoruba people, wealth gained from trade and its powerful cavalry.

The Oyo Empire was one of the most politically important states in the entirety of Western Africa from the mid-7th to the late 18th century, holding sway not only over most of the other kingdoms in Yorubaland. The collapse of the empire is still the worst tragedy that has befallen the Yoruba people till today. If the empire has not disintegrated, there would have been no need for the amalgamation of 1914.

The British would have met an empire and negotiated with the people of that empire of same national identity, same national consciousness, same culture and same lifestyle. There would not have been clamour for restructuring. It is argued today that the amalgamation is like a curse now. A union that has become damnable.

A nuptial facing possible divorce.

No Alaafin in modern times has celebrated 50 years on the throne. The

nearest was Alaafin Siyanbola Onikepe Oladigbolu who reigned from 1911 to 1944 while Alaafin Adeniran Adeyemi II only ruled from 1945-1955. Alaafin Atobatele Atugba ruled from 1837-1859. Alaafin Aloworodu Adeyemi ruled from 1876 to 1905. In modern times, the shortest reign was Alaafin Amodo who reigned from 1833 -1835. Alaafin Adeyemi III has been very fortunate. Oyo has witnessed a lot of growth during his reign. The Alaafin was given his staff of office on that sunny Thursday January 14, 1971 in Oyo by the Military Governor of Western state, Brigadier Robert Adeyinka Adebayo.

He has seen the entrances and exits of 21 governors namely, Major General Adeyinka Adebayo (August 1966- April 1971), Brigadier General Christopher Oluwole Rotimi (April 1 -1971 –July 975), Admiral Akintunde Akinyoye Aduwo (July 1975-August 1975), Col. David Medayese Jemibewon (March 1976-July 1978), Col. Paul Tarfa (July 1978-October 1979), Chief Bola Ige (1 October 1979-1 October 1983), Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo(1 October 1983-31 December 1983), Lt. Col. Oladayo Popoola (4 January 1984-September 1985),Col. Adetunji Idowu Olurin (September 1985-July 1988), Col. Sasaenia Oresanya (27 July 1988-August 1990), Col. Abdulkareem Adisa (September 1990-January 1992), Chief Kolapo Olawuyi Ishola (2 January 1992-17 November 1993, Navy Capt. Adetoye Oyetola Sode (9 December 1993 -14 September 1994), Col. Chinyere Ike Nwosu (14 Sep 1994-22 Aug 1996), Col. Ahmed Usman (22 August 1996-August 1998), Comm. Pol. Amen Edore Oyakhire (16 August 1998-28 May 1999), Dr. Lam Adesina (29 May 1999-28 May 2003, Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja (29 May 2003-28 May 2007), impeached in January 2006, reinstated in December 2006; Chief Christopher Alao-Akala(12 January 2006 -(29 May 2007-29 May 2011), Chief Abiola Ajimobi (29 May 2011-29 May 2019), and the incumbent Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde (29 May 2019. In fact the present governor of Oyo State, Oluseyi Makinde was four years old when Oba Lamidi Adeyemi ascended the throne on January 14, 1971.

There are other Yoruba Obas who are warming up to celebrate their golden anniversary on the throne too. The Elejigbo of Ejigbo, Oba Omowonuola Oyeyode Oyesosin (84) will celebrate his golden year

on January 19, 2024. The Elejigbo reminds me of some of his friends who were members of the installation committee when he ascended the throne on January 25, 1974. I am thinking of Lateef Abbas, Chief Akanni Aluko, Alhaji Arisekola Alao, Mr Tayo Kehinde, Olu Makinde , Biodun Famojuro, Egbon Tunde Akingbade, Chief Adeseun Ogundoyin . It was a colourful day in Ejigbo that day. King Sunny Ade entertained the guests. He later recorded an album in his honour. The paramount ruler of Idanre, Oba Federick Adegunle Aroloye Arubuefin IV, will celebrate his 45th year on the throne on September 8, 2021. On September 8, 2026, he will celebrate 50 years on the throne. Idanre has more than 150 villages. The paramount ruler of Ijesha land, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II, Owa Obokun Adimula, was crowned on February 20, 1980. He celebrated his 40th years on the throne last February. The Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Oladunni Oyewunmi Ajadungbade III, born on May 27, 1926 will celebrate his 50th years on the throne on December 14, 2023. His best friend was Justice Samuel Obakayode Eso from Ilesha, who was a justice of the Supreme Court.

My friend, Dotun Oyelade has written so much about Oba Oyewunmi. Ogbomoso is the second biggest town in Oyo State.

The paramount ruler of Badagry, Oba Babatunde Akran, the Whenu Aholu Menu Toyi has just celebrated his 42nd years on the throne. By 2027, he will celebrate his golden anniversary.

The Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe Aladesanmi III recently celebrated his 30 years anniversary on the throne. How time flies. I signed the press release which conveyed the approval of governor of Ondo State then, Sunday Abiodun Olukoya which made him the Ewi of Ado Ekiti. I also signed the press releases which also conveyed the approval of the governor of Ondo State Rear Admiral Sunday Abiodun Olukoya for the appointments of the following as Obas.

The Ajero of Ijero Oba Adebayo Joseph Adewole Arojojojoye who was crowned on December 16 1991. The Deji of Akure, Oba Atayese Adebobajo Adesida, who reigned in Akure between 1999 - 2005. Oba Festus Ibidapo Adesanoye who reigned in Ondo Kingdom as Osemawe between 1991 till he died in 2006. It was about the same time that Governor Bode George of Ondo State

approved the nomination of Oba Yesufu Adebori Adeleye as the Olubaka of Oka who ascended the throne on April 16, 1988.

The nominations of the traditional rulers were presented to the Ondo State Executive Council by the then Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Professor Gabriel Isola Olomola from Ado Ekiti.

Mention must be made of Oba Adedokun Omoniyi Abolarin, Orangun of Oke Ila, who personally built a college for his community in Oke Ila, Ifedayo Local Government Area of Osun State. He was born on September 4, 1958 and was crowned in October 2006. I cannot forget Oba Femi Ogunleye, the Towulade of Akinale near Abeokuta, a Journalist/legal practitioner, who personally built a school in his community too.

The Alaafin has now joined the league of traditional rulers who have reigned more than 50 years or near 50 years. Notable among them is Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebuland, who was born on May 10, 1934. He was crowned on Saturday, April 2, 1960. He became a member of the western region house of chiefs on April 5, 1960. A friend of mine, Dr Fasi Yusuf has written so much about the Awujale. He is a living legend. I saw his son, Prince Adedire at Festac in Lagos recently when my friend Otunba Gbenga Tiamiyu from Iperu turned 70. Oba Rufus Adekolurejo Aderele was the Osemawe of Ondo from 1942 to 1974. He was Osemawe for 32 years.

The Oyo Empire is still very important to the Yorubas till today. The empire reminds the Yorubas of when they were masters of their destiny under one rulership. The empire stretched from the present Kwara State to Western Nigeria up to Dahomey, which we now refer to as the Republic of Benin. By the middle of the 19th century, that empire had disintegrated with successor states of Ibadan, Abeokuta, Ijaye, Ogbomoso, Egba, Ijebu, Egbado, Ekiti, and New Oyo. Ilorin, though made up of Yoruba people, was now a Fulani kingdom or emirate. The first three--Ibadan, Abeokuta and Ijaye were the leading Yoruba states and their rivalry for supremacy formed one of the main topics of Yoruba history in the 19th century according to K.B.C Onwubiko.

Wishing the Alaafin happy celebrations.

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T H I S D AY ˾ ˜ ͯʹ˜ 2020

EDITORIAL

THE SECOND WAVE OF COVID-19

Nigerians should adhere strictly to the safety protocols to defeat the scourge

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ast Friday, Nigeria recorded 796 new cases of COVID-19, representing the highest daily burden of the disease since the first index case of the pandemic was confirmed on 27th February this year.

But it came as no surprise. Since early December, there has been a steady surge of the virus after initially appearing to have slowed down, a situation that suggests the country has now commenced a second wave of the pandemic. Although expected, after it appeared Nigerians were beginning to have health protocol fatigue, the second WE APPEAL TO OUR CLERICS TO CONSIDER THE wave has proven to be of a more INTEREST AND SAFETY OF virulent mutation THEIR ADHERENTS AT THIS of the virus with a sudden increase MOST DIFFICULT PERIOD in recorded deaths and cases of infection across the country, especially in Lagos and Abuja. Some prominent people have died of complications arising from Covid-19 within hours of being seen in public without any evidence of the illness.

To be fair, the sudden increase in COVID-19 cases is not exclusive to Nigeria. Last Friday, the United States broke its own record for the most deaths from COVID-19 in one week. South Africa also has seen a sharp spike in infections since the start of December with reported cases hovering around 8,000 per day in last few days.

In France, the former highest daily new case number was 7,500 on March 31. Its new peak was recorded last Sunday with 26,675 new cases in 24 hours. Spain also recorded over 30,000 cases last week. In the first wave of the pandemic, the United Kingdom had a peak number of 6,860 daily on April 10. It recorded 17,540 cases lately in a single day.

But while some of the countries affected by the new surge in COVID-19 cases have commenced vaccination this week, Nigeria is unfortunately still several months away from partnering, purchasing and taking delivery of the vaccines.

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THE APO-KARSHI ROAD PROJECT IN FCT

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write to remind the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Muhammad Musa Bello, on the above subject matter. He should please come to our rescue. The gridlock on Abuja-Keffi road is no longer news; commuters spend hours to get to their offices. This is a journey that ordinarily will not last up to 10 minutes from Nyanya to AYA, but because of the number of cars, people pass through hell to access Abuja. It is even worse on Monday(s). The minister should use his good offices to address this menace.

Driving from Karshi to AYA has become a nightmare when there is a by-pass that would have been a smooth ride if completed. What has been the condition of Apo -Karshi road? I remember when the minister came on board, he assured the residents that the project was 50% completed. What would have caused this tormenting delay now? He also reiterated his total commitment towards the completion of the Apo -Karshi road as well as other projects within the satellite towns with the aim of alleviating the sufferings of the masses in the areas. Please permit me to use this medium to inform him of the trauma the masses in that axis are going through. The secretary, satellite towns

This therefore makes it extremely important to ensure preventive measures are put in place to reduce the spread of the virus, pending when the country is able to commence administration of the vaccines to the citizens.

The federal government must do all within its power to ensure the pandemic does not snowball, especially now that the strain of the second wave appears to be more deadly than the earlier one, and in the face of a poor healthcare system. Government at all levels should, as part of precaution, reopen already closed isolation centres, make emergency units and ventilators available, intensify campaigns on the importance of observing health protocols, reinforce, equip and motivate frontline workers, as well as put measures on ground that would ensure the implementation of rules against large gatherings and other COVID-19 enabler.

Citizens on the other hand must do their bit to help curb the pandemic. Last week, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 raised the alarm that some Nigerians were acting as though the pandemic was over, adding that such action was capable of escalating the cases. It also mentioned that some religious leaders were making the fight against the pandemic difficult as they no longer follow laid down rules on large gatherings and social distancing. We appeal to our clerics to consider the interest and safety of their adherents at this most difficult period.

We do not subscribe to the idea of a second lockdown because of its implications for the economy that is already in recession. While there are few worse things than for a country to keep its youthful population idle, the Covid-19 pandemic has simply aggravated the crisis, reportedly raising the number of the unemployed to more than 40 per cent. So, in our present circumstance, dealing with COVID-19 requires preventive measures.

If Nigerians adhere to wearing face masks, use alcohol-based hand sanitisers, observe social distancing, avoid large gatherings, and travel less, there is a high possibility the country’s second wave of the virus will be short-lived.

development (STDD), Tanko Yamawo even assured newsmen that the administration absolutely has the interest of the masses at heart and has not in any way neglected the road. Where is the interest NOW? He said then: “We are all humans and we will be very happy to complete the project,” disclosing that the Apo-Karshi project is still on-going. He added that the Karshi -Apo project is 13.125km long while the asphaltic surface is 7.95km, and formation level competed was at 10.825km. What a promise!

Maintaining that the FCT Minister, Mallam Mohammed Musa Bello is very much aware of the importance of the road, the secretary said: “The project may have taken a little bit longer not because of neglect but due to some technical issues that came up some time ago but has been resolved long before now.” Please Sir, use your good offices to find out from them why the problem persists and had been resolved. Why this prolonged neglect when they even assured the masses that the contractors are back to work? The minister should please try as much as possible to fulfil his promise because time is running out.

Rita Okwuchi Wilcox, ritauwaks@gmail.com

THE WORLD DIDN’T END ouTube failing is the

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modern equivalent of a power failure and thus no TV. What do we do?

We might have to speak to our family. We might find out that Monopoly comes in a physical version. More importantly we won’t be able to upload our latest, greatest video clip. It’s time to send in a strongly worded protest email, what? Gmail is also down?

Another advantage of living in Australia, apart from almost being free from COVID, is that this happened during our night, except perhaps for those addicted to YouTube who might finally go to bed before the sun rises.

With the weird, and scary, 2020 it might be best to revaluate what is actually important, our families, our friends and our health, not our screens. Turn off the screens voluntarily and go out to see how you can volunteer to make the world better.

Go on, lots of other people are already out there.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia

A SECOND LOCK DOWN IN KADUNA? here is an indication that Kaduna

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State will witness another lockdown unless the rising cases of Covid-19 are reduced drastically. The state governor, Nasiru el- Rufai, who is in self-isolation is mulling the idea of imposing additional lockdown due to the spike in the disease. In a circular released from the state ministry of education, all public and private schools are directed to close down on Wednesday 16th, December. From the medical point of view, Covid-19 is real and government should do whatever it takes to keep the deadly disease at bay. While it is a cheering news that the Coronavirus vaccine has been discovered and being put to use in U.S and UK, it is not yet Uhuru for African countries including Nigeria which are yet to get the vaccine. This means government should enforce necessary measures to ensure lives are saved before we received our own vaccine.

However, considering that Kaduna State and its people are yet to fully recover from the economic and social devastation they suffered as a result of seven months lockdown, imposing another lockdown is tantamount to increasing hardship in the state. The people of Kaduna State have incurred economic losses.

Lawal Adamu Usman, Kaduna

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WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Melaye Tenders Public Apology to Jonathan Ibrahim Shuiabu in Kano A former Kogi West senator, Dino Melaye, yesterday publicly apologised to former President Goodluck Jonathan over the role he and others played in the 2015 general election.

Melaye tendered the apology at the launch of a book entitled, “Dear President Goodluck Jonathan (An Open Letter),” written by a Nigerian journalist, Bonaventure Phillips Melah.

Melaye was among many Nigerians who put up fierce campaigns to ensure Jonathan, then incumbent president, lost the 2015 presidential election to President Muhammadu Buhari.

But in his goodwill message at the book launch, Melaye said he was once blind but can now see based on the recent unfolding of events.

He recounted how tumultuous his life has been over the last five

years to the extent he almost took his own life.

He also praised the former president for making that final call to step down for the incoming president at the time, Buhari, and prayed to receive Jonathan’s type anointing.

He said: “I Senator Dino Melaye, I want to say openly here that after many things that have happened and events that have unfolded in recent times, I want to say openly here that once I was blind, now I can see.

“In 2017, I was arrested 18 times, there were more times in 2018 and between then and now, I have been taken to court for twelve different cases and out of those cases, we have won eleven of them. “And that only one that borders on attempted suicide.

“I wonder how someone like me who likes cars and love life so well would want to kill himself.

“President Goodluck Jonathan,

I want to say that on behalf of all of us who shot blindly, we are sorry.

“The one that I later wondered

why you did was that phone call. ”I sometimes wondered that if you had not made that call, we would not be where we are today.

“But after I saw what is happening in America, where President Trump is saying I no go gree, I can now see the reason

for that call.

“There are very few people like you. I pray for that anointing.”

COVID- 19: Kaduna, Jigawa Shut Schools over Spike in Infections Ibrahim Shuiabu in Kano The Kaduna and Jigawa State governments have shut down all schools across the states due to the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.

While the Kaduna State government only said all public schools across the state, the Jigawa State government announced both public and private schools.

The Kaduna Commissioner of Education, Shehu Makarfi, who disclosed in a statement, said the directive takes effect from today, December 16, 2020.

He said the ministry decided to shut down the schools due to the rising cases of COVID-19 infections in the state which show a replicate of figures recorded in the first wave of the pandemic in April, May and June 2020.

Makarfi explained that a new wave of the infection is rapidly spreading across the state, and cut across age groups of between 10 and 35 years.

The commissioner, who noted that the figure forms a majority of the populace in the education sector, stressed that physical classes in the universities and other

institutions of higher learning in the state will not be held during the period of closure.

While directing that all examinations must be concluded on or before December 15 in all institutions of learning across the state, he asked higher Institutions to make other arrangements for teaching and learning activities in line with their continuity and contingency plans.

In Jigawa, the government directed that the schools should be closed effective yesterday following the increasing cases of COVID-19 in the country.

The acting Permanent Secretary at the state Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Rabiu Adamu, who made the announcement in a statement in Dutse, the state capital, advised parents and guardians to prepare for the evacuation of their children and wards back home from today, especially those in boarding schools.

The Jigawa State Task Force on COVID-19 also said 14 new infections were reported from various parts of the state.

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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18

T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2020

MIDWEEKPOLITICS

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

#FixPolitics’ Executive Director, Organises Hackathon Nseobong Okon-Ekong writes that the new political platform by Presidential Candidate in the 2019 national elections, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili has consolidated its presence on the polity with appointment of an Executive Director and development of a forum that delivers voters’ information hub, community sensitisation and political accountability

#

FixPolitics, a citizens’ movement recently launched to fix politics in Nigeria and ultimately Africa, has appointed Anthony Ubani as its Executive Director.

Ubani will lead the implementation of the Triangular Pillars of Democracy, which uniquely identify the tripod focus of the #FixPolitics initiative on emerging an empowered and engaged electorate, building a new value-based political class and demanding constitutional, political and electoral change.

As a Richard von Weizacker Fellow at the Robert Bosch Academy in Berlin Germany, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili focused her research on #FixPolitics to develop a deeper understanding of the nexus between the quality of politics and the economic progress or decline of countries in Africa, with a particular focus on Nigeria.

The findings of the research subsequently informed the composition of a 125-member Work Study Group - of Nigerians from diverse endeavours and regions. The WSG, chaired by Ezekwesili, work collaboratively to design and implement a systemic structural change agenda for the politics of Nigeria with the aim of raising the quality of our democracy and governance and improve the wellbeing of citizens.

In a statement on Tuesday, the group’s Spokesperson, Mr. Ozioma Ubabukoh, stated that Ubani would resume duties in January 2021.

Ubabukoh explained that the “incoming executive director is expected to bring his practical political experience to bear in the realisation of the objectives of #FixPolitics.”

Part of the statement read, “Ubani’s mandate is to ensure the emergence of an empowered and engaged electorate; a new values-based political class; and a reformed constitutional, political and electoral environment as the three cardinal pillars of #FixPolitics.”

Before his appointment, Ubani was the President/Chief Executive Officer of Women Leadership Institute. He has held various executive positions, including Acting Country Director, Mississippi Consortium for International Development; and Director General, Peoples Democratic Institute.

Some of his recent researches include ‘Leadership Recession in Nigeria and the Perennial Predicament of Deferred Development’; ‘Deconstructing Professionalism in the Context of Economic Recession in Nigeria: A Fresh Perspective’ and ‘Partisan Politics, Civil Societies and the Consolidation of Institutions in Africa.

Meanwhile, #FixPolitics recently hosted a hackathon event to bring together a network of data enthusiasts, developers and product designers who would be dedicated to the development of a platform that delivers voters’ information hub, community sensitisation and political accountability.

According to the group, the event, ‘#FixPolitics Hackathon’, was held at the Co-creation Hub/Virtual Connection. Participants registered via the link: bit.ly/fixpoliticshack.

“The event was aimed at revolutionising the interest of Nigerians towards participating in the country’s

Ezekwesili

electoral process,” a statement issued by its Ubabukoh, read.

The statement pointed out that the hackathon was informed by the need to expand voters’ participation in the electoral process and leverage technology to sustain momentum for community engagement.

“Apathy has become a potent weapon to ‘foist’ unpopular candidates on Nigerians and citizens who do not have the requisite information to organise for different outcomes.

“We want to use this hackathon

to find meaning to three things voting process, office of the citizen awareness and candidate selection, which remain key to strengthening the country’s politics,” the statement read. #FixPolitics explained it had observed with interest that the voting process had been “bastardised” to the extent that the complexity of voter registration and other challenges had made it difficult for voters to easily possess voter ’s cards, find polling units and vote during elections

According to the group, the event, ‘#FixPolitics Hackathon’, was held at the Co-creation Hub/ Virtual Connection. Participants registered via the link: bit.ly/fixpoliticshack. The event was aimed at revolutionising the interest of Nigerians towards participating in the country’s electoral process,” a statement issued by its Ubabukoh, read. The statement pointed out that the hackathon was informed by the need to expand voters’ participation in the electoral process and leverage technology to sustain momentum for community engagement.

Apathy has become a potent weapon to ‘foist’ unpopular candidates on Nigerians and citizens who do not have the requisite information to organise for different outcomes

It said, at the #FixPolitics Hackathon, issues on developing a resource hub (including leveraging existing platforms) for voters, which provides candidate information; past performance of incumbents; polling stations; allocations to their communities; and other data required to make informed electoral decision will be addressed.

The Co-founder of Future Africa, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, said the hackathon would also be used to address issues surrounding the office of the citizen, which also has not progressed politically, as voters do not understand the power they have as citizens to effect meaningful change.

According to him, #FixPolitics has identified that four stakeholders who can provide information to candidates on the ‘Office of The Citizen’.

“These include: Advocates (general populace who would like to be involved and encourage people to vote within their sphere of influence); Community Organisers (#FP volunteers/recruits who can help inform people); Community Leaders (existing leaders in communities); and Partners (existing organised groups/organisations in a society which cut across socio-economic classes, e.g. NBA, NSE, WIMBIZ, NURTW, Students Unions etc.),” Aboyeji added.

The Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of budgIT, Mr. Seun Onigbinde, shared Aboyeji’s views and stated, “This is an opportunity for young Nigerians to pitch their skills for civic purpose. We want to build on the recent momentum for accountable governance and active citizenry.”

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T H I S D AY ˾ WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2020

POLITICS

Trump’s Violation of American History

GOVERNANCE IN PHOTOS

Moses Jolayemi writes that the refusal of President Donald Trump of America to concede defeat to President-elect Joe Biden may influence Nigerian politicians to act in the same manner in the future

Biden

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s 538 electors meet at various times in their respective state capitols to choose the next president of the United States, out of which 306 electors will give the Presidentelect, Joe Biden and Vice-President elect, Kamala Harris a resounding victory, it is clear, from all available evidence that Donald J. Trump may go down as the worst episode in contemporary American political history.

That name may also help the compilers of the dictionary add a new synonym to the word irresponsibility and executive rascality.

I wouldn’t have bothered my head so much about the unusual folly currently being displayed by Trump but for the simple reason that the new madness has a way of permeating and strengthening the bones of our own leaders, most of who have left no one in doubt that they have long signed a pact with the devil. I will look away as much as I can from dwelling on our own leaders in order to stay focused on the subject. Reason is that the case of Nigerian leaders is almost beyond repair.

Trump has defied all known logic and reason.

He stands today for everything un-American and has practically rewritten that country’s history in such a very bad way that it has the capacity to affect how our made-in-hell politicians will go henceforth since America, over the years has been the mirror from which democracies in other parts of the world are viewed.

This is the first American President that will tarnish the country’s democratic process by refusing to concede defeat even when his opponent scored the highest popular vote in the history of that country.

As I write, Biden has a comfortable win of 81,272,003 over Trump’s 74,209,273; a difference of over seven million votes with a yawning lead of 306 to 232 in the Electoral College vote.

More votes were cast in this year’s presidential election than in any other American election in history and the turnout was the highest in over 100 years with the president-elect, Biden, earning over 80million votes and more than seven million votes over Trump- again the highest ever in history.

But in a shameful attempt to stall the democratic process and the democracy which America has guarded so jealously for over 200 years, Trump and his band of blustering co-travellers of reprehensible record have instituted not less than 46 cases, alleging widespread fraud. So far, none is known to have been upheld, as he has failed to substantiate any of his wild allegations. Most of the cases have been denied, dismissed or withdrawn. One of the judges ruled saying “calling an election unfair does not make it so” and no court has found even one single instance of fraud.

Several states have gone ahead to certify their election results, meanwhile, including Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, Michigan and Nevada, frustrating Trump’s baleful attempt to overturn the results by mounting legal challenges which have failed to show

any traction.

Even when nothing points in positive direction for Mr. Trump, he has continued to press on. The bulk of Republican leaders, including former two-term Republican President, George W. Bush have recognised and congratulated Biden as President-elect and Senator Kamala Harris as Vice-President elect and called on Trump to concede.

A group of leading Republican national security experts — including former homeland security secretary, Tom Ridge, have asked congressional Republicans to demand President Trump concede the election and immediately begin the transition to the incoming Biden administration, according to a report by Washington Post.

“President Trump’s refusal to permit the presidential transition poses significant risk to our national security, at a time when the U.S. confronts a global pandemic and faces serious threats from global adversaries, terrorist groups, and other forces,” according to a statement signed by over 100 Republican leaders.

The signatories included Ridge, the former Pennsylvania governor who served as homeland security secretary under President George W. Bush, former CIA director, Michael Hayden and John D. Negroponte, who served as director of national intelligence, the report further said.

The message called on “Republican leaders — especially those in Congress — to publicly demand that President Trump cease his anti-democratic assault on the integrity of the presidential election.”

A number of perceptive Republican Senators, governors, house of Reps members have also called on Trump to accept defeat and allow the will of Americans, as expressed on November 3 to prevail.

Senator Mitt Romney, a former 2012 presidential candidate from Utah who has served since January 2019 and previously served as the Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 wrote on behalf of himself his wife, Ann. “We know both of them as people of good will and admirable character,” Romney wrote.

“We pray that God may bless them in the days and years ahead.”

Romney also told NBC News reporters as far back as November 10 that Biden should be given the tools to begin a transition.

“It’s very much in our national interest, in our foreign policy interest, national security interest, to make sure that if there’s a new team that may become the leadership team, that they be given all access as quickly as possible.”

Susan Margaret Collins, serving senior Senator for Maine since 1997, released a statement congratulating Biden and Harris on their “apparent victory,” but also acknowledging Trump’s efforts to question the election results.

While urging patience during the vote count, Collins, unlike Trump, reaffirmed confidence in the system saying “The process has not failed our country in more than 200 years, and it is not going to fail our country this year.”

John Cornyn of Texas, when asked if Biden would be the next president, replied “I haven’t seen anything that would change the outcome.”

Lisa Murkowski of Alaska in her congratulatory statement has even pledged to work with the Biden administration. “While we may not always agree, I will work with them to do what is right for Alaska — just as I will continue to emphasize collaboration and bipartisanship with my colleagues in a narrowly divided Senate,” she wrote.

Jim Risch of Idaho also acknowledged Biden as president-elect, in an interview, saying “This is my second transition where we move from one political party to another in the White House,” adding that the transition “is a change in the music playing in the background.”

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

From left, Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Timothy Owoeye; Chief Judge, Justice. Adepele Ojo; Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Olufemi Akande Governor Adegboyega Oyetola; his wife, Kafayat, during the commissioning of the newly constructed of Court rooms, at the Hight Court premises Okefia Osogbo

L-R: Son of late Inspector Samsom Ehibor, his wife, Executive Secretary/CEO, Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Dr. Abdurrazaq Balogun; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu; during a presentation to the families of police officers who lost their lives during the unrest that followed the EndSARS Protest at the 14th Annual Town Hall Meeting on Security with the Governor at Civic Centre, Victoria Island

From Left: Ekiti State First Lady, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; chatting with Mr and Mrs Tony Mmonyi, one of the beneficiaries of the Multiple Birth Trust Fund, during the disbursement of fund to families with multiple births in Ado-Ekiti

L-R: Speaker, House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, Deputy House Leader, Peter Akpatason & Chairman, House Committee on Finance, Rep. James Faleke discussing during the one-day public hearing on 2020 Finance Bill at the National Assembly

T H I S D AY ˾ ͷ, 2020

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FEATURES

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

Proffering Solution to COVID-19 Induced Security Challenges The Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria recently held the 29th edition of their annual lecture/award ceremony and it was targeted at proffering solutions to COVID-19 induced security challenges, Chiemelie Ezeobi reports

Launch of Private Eye Magazine, a brainchild of CRAN by HRH Dr Vincent Iwobi, Eze Igbo of Shasha Kingdom and Obi Anioma of Lagos (far right); AIG Ahmed Iliyasu (second left); former DSS Assistant Director, Dennis Amachree (third right); retired CP Frank Odita (second right)

CRAN President flanked by personnel of the Nigerian Customs Service

Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Bone Efoziem, MD of Strict Guards and AIG Zone 2, Ahmed Iliyasu

AIG Iliyasu and Group Head, Media and External Relations, UBA, Mr. Ramon Nasir

R

ecently at Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja, Lagos, top security practitioners, politicians, business executives, traditional rulers and many others from different walks of life graced the 29th edition of the annual lecture/award ceremony of the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN), which held on Thursday, December 10, 2020.

Prior to the event, the Chairman, CRAN Lecture/Award Organising Committee, Mr. Emmanuel Edom, while stating that the theme "MANAGING COVID-19 INDUCED SECURITY CHALLENGES” was germane, added that over the years, CRAN through its annual lecture has provided the platform for issues of national importance to be discussed and solutions proffered, which has invariably assisted the authorities in taking some policy decisions. This year, he opined the objectives would not be different and it certainly wasn’t.

The lecture was delivered by Mr. Dennis Amachree, a former chieftain of the Department of State Service (DSS) and currently a private security consultant, while the Chairman of the Day was Mr.

Bone Chinye Efoziem, the MD of Strict Guards Security.

Like in previous events, this year's event also featured the recognition and honouring of personalities who distinguished themselves in various sectors of the economy.

Among them were personnel of the nation's security agencies, private security companies, banks, agencies and business organisations.

The Special Guests of Honour were the Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Dankyadi; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; and Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, while the Guests of Honour included Chairman NDLEA, Colonel Mohammed Abdallahi (Rtd); and AIG Zone 2 Command, AIG Ahmed Iliyasu.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu was the host while the Royal Father of the Day was Oluwo of Iwo Land, Osun State, HRM Oba Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi, Telu 1.

Presidential Address In his speech, the National President, Mr. Odita Sunday-Udemaguna said “the association as you may know, has existed for about three decades now and it is expected to

outlast its founders. May I now recognise an exceptional retired officer, CP Frank Odita, who urged journalists on crime beat to come together and form the body called CRAN today.

“CRAN is a group of journalists from various print, electronic and online media mandated by their organisation to cover crime, security, safety and allied events within the public and private security space.

The crime beat which covers activities in the Police, Immigration Service, Customs, Civil Defence Corp, NDLEA, NAPTIP, Correctional Services, EFCC, DSS and other related agencies of government and the private security sector is a branch of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).

“CRAN annual lecture/award is the only private sector initiated event where top security chiefs in all the law enforcement agencies are brought under one roof to share ideas. Over the years, our lectures have focused on relevant issues that called for expert discussion and recommendations arising from such, have gone a long way in helping security community in finding solutions to the perceived challenges.

“Besides the annual lecture, the event also is set aside by CRAN to honour dozens of Nigerians' who have contributed in their modest ways to keep our lives and property safe and secure. Some of them in spite of their selfless commitment to a crime free society may never have had the opportunity of being celebrated by any group if not for the diligent effort of CRAN. Among those we are to honour today are gallant policemen and women who have distinguished themselves in character and service.”

Lecture In each series of the award, the lecture series have always stood out and this year was not different. In his lecture, former Assistant Director, Department of State Services (DSS) Mr Dennis Amachree said food scarcity looms if the continuous attacks by Boko Haram members are left unchecked.

Noting that the advent of COVID-19 had heightened insecurity across the land with an escalation in kidnapping, terrorism, highway robbery, banditry, militancy and piracy which had become common place in the country, he said; “The Zabamari massacre in Borno State

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FEATURES

Some male members of CRAN

underlines the state of insecurity in the country which has further disillusioned the citizenry about the safety of their lives and property. This particular massacre has the implications of an impending scarcity of food in the country. This is the plot of the terrorists and it is coming into fruition”.

Amachree further stated that Boko Haram sent out a propaganda, informing villagers that the lockdown was a ploy by government to stop them from following their faith, adding that “this narrative gave Boko Haram leverage to recruit more adherents from the poor and unemployed lot, that are readily available.

"Nigeria has been classified as the third most terrorised country in the world, according to the World Terrorism Index, which is not good as the most populous black nation in the world. This shows that our security and law enforcement agencies are overstretched in their bid to provide security to the citizenry”.

Amachree said the protracted conflict in the North-eastern part of the country continues to devastate the lives of civilians, resulting in a humanitarian crises affecting 7.7 million women, men and children.

He also noted that the separatist movement agitation against the Cameroonian government had also driven more than 300,000 refugees into Nigeria.

"The pandemic has exposed a range of new security challenges in the country. The notable aspect is the level of preparedness that government has made to square off the pandemic. The individual and family unit has been worst hit in trying to understand what COVID-19 is and how to handle it," he added.

He further stated that the resultant effect of the lockdown caused by the pandemic traumatised citizens which made it easy for them to come to a break point.

"Especially when the Special AntiRobbery Squad (SARS) unleashed mayhem on the youth population in the country which led to the EndSars movement.

"Bottled up anger and frustrations generated from the lockdown started the spontaneous protest across parts of the country. The government also quickly reacted by acceding to the foremost demands by scrapping the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS)," he said.

The director, however said that the lessons to note by the government was the need to change the parameters of profiling for criminals and the need for a people oriented policing.

"The need for a better trained anti-terrorist police unit like the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams can not be overemphasised," he said.

Some female members of CRAN

CSP Chike Oti and well wishers with CRAN members

Also, AIG Ahmed Iliyasu, Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, commended CRAN for hosting such an event that brought together security agencies across cadre to brainstorm to solving security issues posed by the pandemic.

He said: “This is a very serious and challenging issue because it is not only affecting Nigeria but it is affecting the whole world. This is the first type of gathering and it is unprecedented bringing together various security agencies to proceed solutions to tackling insecurity resulting from the pandemic. It has caused a lot of global economic problem with resulting negative fallouts across the globe such as recession, poverty among others.”

Iliyasu, however assured citizens of the country that the police is well committed to ensure protection of lives and properties during the Yuletide in spite of the challenges bedeviling the country, just as he urged everyone to play their role as a component of the security architecture of the country in ensuring that the security of lives and property is brought to the closest person in the community.

Meanwhile, Mr Sunday Odita, President, CRAN said who described Amachree as an icon in the security corridor whose pedigree as a former top brass in the nation's secret service is second to none, he noted that “there is no doubt he has done justice to the topic.

We hope the communique released at the end of our deliberation will certainly assist securities agencies in their roles as we continue to expect an end to the COVID-19 pandemic”.

Awardees Some of the awardees include SP Julian Wealth Igbudu who won the Police Award for Gallantry; SP Bala Elkana, former Lagos

State Police Command Public Relations Officer, who won Police Image Maker of the Year 2020; Onadeko Taiwo Olanrewaju of LASTMA who won Dedication to Service Award; Inspector Ibrahim Bawa, Ojo Police Division, who won Police Award For Gallantry and Mrs Funke Adesoji, CEO, REMAX REALTORS, who won Best Realtor in Police Housing.

Others include SP Abdulfatai AbolarinAdigun who won Police Excellence Award in Crime Fighting; Mr. Festus Amuji Okechukwu who won Award for Philanthropic& Security Conscious Industry; SP Joel Ugowe Igbinazaka for Police Award for Gallantry; Banks like Zenith Bank won the Most Anti-Fraud Compliant Bank of The Year; Access Bank as Customer Friendly Bank of the Year, which was received by Head, Media Relations, Mr. Abdul Imoyo and UBA as Most Security Conscious Bank of the Year which was picked up by the Group Head, Media and External Relations, Mr. Ramon Nasir.

CP Hakeem Odumosu, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command won the Most Committed Crime Fighter 2020; DCP Frank Mba, for Lifetime Achievement Award in Police Public Relations; Alhaji Hamisu Lawan, Commander, NDLEA FCT Abuja for Most Vibrant AntiDrug Law Enforcement Commander; Comptroller Olugboyega Peters for Outstanding performance in Antismuggling Operations; Baba Taiye Hassan, a Chief Supt. Of Customs (CSC), who won Excellence Award in Public Service.

Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, DG LASEPA won an Excellence Award in Revitalising LASEPA; Bola Ajao of LASEPA as Proactive Public Affairs Officer of the Year; Tangwa Emmanuel, Deputy Superintendent of Customs (DSC), who won the Excellence Award in Customs Public

Relations; ASC11 Okauru Maris Eneyeme who won the Excellence Award in Gallantry and Antismuggling; ASC1, Isah Sulaiman who won Excellence Award in Gallantry and Anti-smuggling; and DSC Tolulope Desmond Ogundipe who won Excellence Award in Gallantry and Anti-smuggling.

Other awardees were Mr. Ernest Tomori Akinpelu, who won Excellence Award in Promoting Electronic Security in Nigeria; E And C Logistics who won Most Security Conscious Company of the Year; Mr. Eugene Agha who won Crime Reporter of the Year; CSP Chike Oti, DPO Satellite who won DPO of the Year; Chief Shamsondeen OlowuBello, Baale Idirogbo, Ibeju-Lekki 1 who won Excellence Award in Humanity/ Community Development; Mr. Achike Bosah who won Award for Loyalty and Service to CRAN; and AIG Ahmed Iliyasu who won Lifetime Award For Excellent Police Service.

DCP Tunji Disu won Best Metropolitan Cop in Nigeria 2020; SP Sunday Ikhayere, won a Merit Award in Effective Policing; Olabinjo Olanrewaju Jamiu won Gallantry Award; ACP Bode Ojajuni won Most Outstanding Area Commander in Nigeria; Chief Patrick Ilo, CEO PETROCAM, Lifetime Achievement Award in Business and Philanthropy; ACP Akinbayo Olasoji, who won Crime Fighter of the Year; Mrs. Adeseye Margaret Abimbola, Head Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service who won Excellence Award in Public Service; Mr. Ogabi Olajide, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service who won Dedication to Rescue Operations; and Princess Aderonke Ogabi, Neighbourhood Corps, Badagry, who won Dedication to Rescue Operations.

Others are Dr. Jimoh Abiola of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, who won Excellence Award in Public Service; Barr. Awodun Adedayo esq of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps who won Excellence Award in Public Service; High Chief Solomon Ogbonna Augene, President Ohaneze Ndigbo, Lagos State branch who won Security Consciousness and Philanthropy; CSP Oyinpreyebofa Francess who won Merit Award on Humanitarian and Community Service; Superintendent Route Commander, Mr Michael Jideofor Osuagwu of FRSC who won Outstanding Performance in Traffic and Road Safety; Route Commander Olabisi Sonusi, Sector public Education Officer of FRSC, who won Merit Award In Road Safety Public Relations; Mr. Ben Okezie, who won Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism; CP Frank Odita (Retired), who won Lifetime Achievement For Service to Country and CSP Oluwaseyi Olabisi Okuwobi.

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

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Quick Takes Adesina, Three Others Win Awards

PROMOTING TRADE

L-R: Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperative, Lagos State, Mrs. Lola Akande; Secretary to Lagos State Government, Mrs. Folashade Jaji; DeputyGovernorofLagosState,Mr.ObafemiHamzat;President,LagosChamberofCommerceandIndustry(LCCI),Mrs. TokiMabogunjeandtheChairman, TradePromotionBoard,Mr.GabrielIdahosa,atthe closingceremonyofthe2020LagosInternationalTradeFair...recently

Report: Another Round of Banking Sector Consolidation Inevitable Dike Onwuamaeze A report by McKinsey and Company has stated that digitalisation will enable Nigerian banks to achieve between 25 and 40 per cent cost-reduction.

The report also urged banks to plan for another round of consolidation in order to thrive beyond the crisis by growing their capital base faster than the rates of inflation and devaluation of the naira.

It emphasised that another round of consolidation was inevitable given the need to meet Basel III requirements, manage the possible deterioration of asset quality and some foreign exchange-based commitments to service.

It also called for portfolio restructuring, warning that the Nigerian economy could not afford another portfolio crisis, which is likely to occur.

The report obtained yesterday and titled, “Nigeria’s banking sector: Thriving in the Face of Crisis and Bold Ideas to Help the Industry Build Resilience and Drive Long-term Sustainability,” also urged the Nigerian banking industry to boldly utilise the les-

BANKING sons it learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic disease interruption to drive sustainability in the industry.

It argued that bold thought and actions were required beyond the crisis, even as it enjoined banks to continue with their adjustment to a remote operating model, revisiting portfolio priorities and some valuable lessons in order to adapt to the “next normal.”

It also recommended four bold initiatives that would enable the lessons of the past few months to drive sustainability in the banking industry beyond the COVID-19 crisis.

The four dimensions, according to the report, are scale, efficiency and productivity, data and analytics as well as talent hunt.

It stated that scale could be achieved either by targeting specific market segment or geography to bring down marginal costs.

“In Nigeria, significant opportunities remain for banks to develop scale across segments—for example by targeting small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs), which have significant unmet needs in the

banking sector—or by targeting geographies such as the north of the country, which has been historically underserved,” the report said.

The report also said that efficiency and productivity could be attained by transforming operating models to serve customers as they would want to be served.

“The McKinsey Financial Insight Pulse survey conducted in October 2020 found that most consumers expect to increase their use of digital and mobile banking services even after the crisis, with 53 percent of consumers wanting their banks to make it easy to get a line of credit and 36 percent desiring improved bank websites to facilitate online transactions.

“In Nigeria, we’ve also seen a surge in agent-banking transactions during the crisis, opening up new possibilities for delivering services to more people at lower costs. However, these shifts may reverse unless steps are taken to hardwire new behaviors and attitudes. Now is an opportune moment for banks to revisit and interrogate matters of efficiency and productivity in a disciplined manner.

“Actions taken out of necessity during the lockdown such as

online training, virtual performance management sessions, remote working for certain jobs, and adjusted operating hours for branches could be refined for implementation on a permanent basis,” the report said.

The McKinsey stated that rethinking end-to-end digital options for card subscription and renewal, PIN reset, and electronic channel issue resolution, to name a few, could unlock new growth, adding that sales and lending processes, which have been heavily reliant on physical interaction, could be reviewed to identify automation potential, especially for SMEs. “Ultimately, reimagining these processes in line with consumer requirements will lead to a redefinition of the role (and size) of the branch network and required coverage model,” it said.

The report also advocated for improved data and analytics by leveraging technology for commercial risk and operational effectiveness because rapid shifts in consumer behavior that is driven primarily by physical distancing have led consumers to embrace digital options at a Continued on page 24

NCDMB, PETAN Sign $30m Agreement to Ameliorate Contract Losses Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) have signed an agreement on $30 million working capital scheme that will support the operations of oil companies against the adverse effects of Covid-19 pandemic and loss of contracts due to low oil prices.

ECONOMY Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr. Simbi Wabote and the Chairman of PETAN, Mr. Nicolas Odinuwe signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the credit scheme in Abuja.

A statement from the executive secretary’s office, stated that the working capital scheme was one of the newly introduced

products in the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund (NCI Fund) approved by the NCDMB’s governing council under the leadership of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva.

“Key features of the credit scheme are single obligor limit of $1,000,000, tenor of 365 days after 90 days moratorium and eight percent interest per annum for naira and five percent for

United States dollars,” the organisation said.

In his remarks at the event, Wabote explained that the fund which is currently domiciled with the Bank of Industry will bridge the oil companies’ cash flow gaps, support operations and prevent staff layoffs in the industry.

He said the scheme would be triggered whenever the oil Continued on page 24

The Academy of Public Health, the flagship body of the West African Institute of Public Health, has named the President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and three other eminent persons as winners of its 2020 Distinguished Fellowship Award.

According to a statement, Adesina; World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Tedros Ghebreyesus; Leith Greenslade of JustActions and Winnie Byanyima of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/ AIDS,wereallnominatedbyyoungpublichealthprofessionalsacross Africa for their demonstrated leadership in working to ensure equity, better health and wellbeing for all.

The four were recognised for their style of transformative leadership which inspired emerging young leaders in public health to strive to make a difference in their work, the Academy stated.

“Dr. Akinwumi Adesina of the African Development Bank was particularly recognised for his action leadership in quickly moving the AfDB to provide the financial bulwark to the African Union as well as some of its member states to help curb Africa’s COVID-19 pandemic. “He was also noted for engendering thought leadership through the AfDB to shape actions in the COVID and post COVID era for Africa’s economies and health systems,” it added.

The Distinguished Fellowship Award is the highest fellowship rank in the “Roll of Fellows “of the Academy, leading the Roll of Fellows for their exceptional leadership and service to humanity in making a difference in the lives of people and inspiring young leaders to also excel in their public health work.”

Ghebreyesus won for leading theWHO to provide an equity-focused COVID-19responsethatleavesnoonebehind,includinghisapproaches towardseliminating“vaccinenationalism”inthewakeofthepandemic, while Greenslade was recognised for leading a global awareness on childhood pneumonia, leveraging on public-private and philanthropic partnerships.

MUFG, Afreximbank Seal $520m Deal

MUFG and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) have closed a ground-breaking $520 million facility, the first to be covered

by Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI).

NEXI’s proactive support for this facility was agreed on the basis of Afreximbank being a strategic partner, participation from Japaneseinvestors,andthedealcontributingtotheUN’sSustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

According to a statement, MUFG was the sole Mandated Lead Arranger,Bookrunner,AgentandNEXICoordinatoronthetransaction, with the documentation that closed on December 3, 2020. It stated that the facility fully aligns with Afreximbank’s strategic priorities in the area of intra and extra African trade and investment, export manufacturing, as well as industrialisation. These objectives find common ground with NEXI’s objectives of supporting sustainable African growth and development in line with TICAD objectives.

AfreximbankwillusetheproceedstowardsitsPandemicTradeImpact Mitigation Facility (PATIMFA) which was launched in March, 2020, to help African sovereigns, commercial banks and corporates to weather the impact of the crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The facility will support the Bank’s interventions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and will be used to finance trade and trade relatedinvestmentswhichcontributetothesustainabledevelopment of the socioeconomic, health, manufacturing, environmental, agri and agri-related sectors across the 51 African Member States of Afreximbank.

Facebook, Twitter Face British Fines

Facebook, Twitter and TikTok face fines of up to 10 per cent of their turnover if they fail to remove and limit the spread of illegal content under laws proposed by Britain.

Techplatformswillalsoneedtodomoretoprotectchildrenfrombeing exposedtogrooming,bullyingandpornography,thegovernmentsaid, to ensure the safety of children online. “We are entering a new age of accountability for tech to protect children and vulnerable users, to restore trust in this industry, and to enshrine in law safeguards for free speech,” Britain’s Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said.

“What the government has done is to take the back seat and allow market forces determine the cost of PMS. However, government will continue to play its traditional role of protecting the consumer against profiteers” Minister of State for Petroleum Resources

Mr. Timipre Sylva

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BUSINESSWORLD REPORT: ANOTHER ROUND OF BANKING SECTOR CONSOLIDATION INEVITABLE scale and pace not seen before in the country.

“This, in turn, is clearing the way for banks to ramp up their use of data and analytics to enhance services and reduce costs. Previous McKinsey research has demonstrated that data and analytics can potentially increase a bank’s cost advantage by 10 percent and improve costto-income ratios by up to 15 percent, even in a recession,” the report said.

It suggested risk and sales as two immediate areas that could be explored and realised through digital marketing by developing new risk models that are powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning that improve accuracy and efficiency and leverage real-time transaction data to understand market and customer dynamics.

It, however, advised banks to find the best talents that could support their shift to digital operations as “the crisis has prompted dramatic shifts in working behavior—notably working from home models— that are opening up new avenues for banks to attract and retain the skills they need to support their shift to digital.”

NCDMB, PETAN SIGN $30M AGREEMENT TO AMELIORATE CONTRACT LOSSES

price of $40/barrel benchmark is reached and whenever there are such negative impact on the industry, adding that the $40/ barrel trigger point strategy is important considering the rapidly changing nature of the oil and gas industry. Providing details on the eligibility of beneficiaries, Wabote stated that loans granted under the scheme will enable the beneficiaries to manage operating expenses related portfolio of oil and gas operations, bridge payment delays and restock inventory.

“The funds will also be applied in acquiring and maintaining assets, expansion or renovation related to ongoing projects for which working capital is being sought and refinancing of loans.

NEWS

‘Govts Need Real Estate Developers to Provide Affordable Homes’ Kayode Fasua in Abeokuta Affordable houses for Nigeria’s large population of low-income earners is not a promise that government alone can fulfill, without the involvement of credible real estate developers, an expert has counselled.

The Chief Executive Officer of Aerofield Homes Limited, Mr. Armstrong Temitope Akintunde, gave the advice in Abeokuta, Ogun State, recently, while briefing newsmen on his outfit’s Christmas Promo, to offer affordable houses to low-income earners.

He said Nigeria’s population explosion in the face of housing deficits could not be managed by the government alone.

“There is no doubt that housing deficit in the country is increasing on daily basis as the human population also increases, as the entire population of Nigeria is now crossing the 200 million mark.

“Apparently, the people’s quest for home ownership may not be easily realiseable,” he observed.

He said government under a Public/Private Partnership (PPP) policy, should involve tested real estate developing outfits to help provide affordable houses for the people.

He said the developers were enriched by the experience in housing delivery to the average Nigerians, who pay instalmentally.

“Aerofield Homes Limited,

for instance, is a dependable housing establishment for the masses, and was created with a mission of affordable housing for all.

“We have studied and understood the acute problem of bare shelter that faces many Nigerians as millions don’t have access to befitting homes.

“This prompted us, one of the big players in this critical sector of the Nigerian economy, to be

providing shelter for thousands of Nigerians.

“Aerofield homes has been involved in the construction of several multi-million naira housing projects and it has become a brand that can be called ‘thriving and prosperous housing investment’,” he stressed.

Akintunde added that the expansion plan of Aerofield Homes was to ensure that Nigerians benefit maximally

from its unique housing projects, particularly as bonus in this Yuletide period.

“It’s obvious that many Nigerians have suffered the paradox of economic growth without development for many years, for which many economists and real estate analysts often lament and describe as lopsided growth and development.

“This and other reasons,

prompted us young real estate developers to join the Nigerian project by offering helping hands to the Government in their quest to bridge housing deficits and ensure that more Nigerians are housed and given comfortable homes.

“This is even made more poignant in the face of the economic recession ocassioned by the negative effects of COVID-19, among others”.

CIBN DINNER

L-R: General Manager/Group Head Business Development, BUA Group, Tajudeen Ahmed; President/Chairman of Council, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Bayo Williams Olugbemi, and MD/CEO, Utica Capital Ltd, Ola Belgore, at the 55th Annual Bankers’ Dinner, organised by CIBN in Lagos…recently

NECACalls for Adherence to Pension Reforms Act Chris Uba The Nigeria Employer’s Consultative Association (NECA) has stated its position regarding the controversy surrounding the move by state governments to borrow from the Pension Fund Assets (PFAs) for infrastructure development, calling for adherence to the provisions of the Pension Reforms Act. The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) was reportedly planning to borrow the sum of N17 trillion from the pension fund for

infrastructural development.

Reacting to the controversies trailing the plan, the Director General of NECA, Timothy Olawale, who spoke in Lagos, said, “the issue of investment and borrowing from the Pension Fund Asset has remained contentious and vexatious to many stakeholders.”

Olawale, said while it is obvious that the nation needs huge investment to address current infrastructure deficit, the contention remains how to fund the deficit.

According to him, “while sections 85-91 of the Pension Reform Act 2014 stipulated the classes of assets that pension funds should be invested in, with over-ridding provisions for the funds’ safety, past and present alleged misapplication of loans by government has created deep mistrust in the minds of citizens and eroded the confidence in government.”

While shedding more light on the provisions of the Pension Reform Act, 2014, the NECA Director General noted

that, “we are not unaware that part of the water tight investment regulations issued

by PenCom to Pension Fund Administrators stipulated that investment of pension assets for infrastructure development must among others be through infrastructure bonds and up to a maximum of 15 per cent and 5 per cent of assets under management respectively, have risk management and investment committees of the board to instill high level of governance and ensure

that all investments are as stipulated in the Pension Reform Act and meet the quality requirements enshrined in the regulations.”

Olawale further noted that, “from the foregoing, it is clear that given the valuation of the pension assets as at October 2020 (which is N12.05 trillion), up to the sum of N2.4 trillion is the maximum that could be invested by the PFAs in infrastructure funds and bonds and not N17trillion as being speculated.”

‘Forex Scarcity Still Hampers Petrol Importation by Marketers’ Peter Uzoho

Group Business Editor

ÌÓØØË ÒÓ×Ë Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Comms/e-Business Editor

××Ë ÕÙØÔÓ Senior Correspondent

ËÒÏÏ× ÕÓØÑÌÙÖß (Advertising) Correspondents

ÒÓØÏÎß äÏ (Aviation) ÜÙ×ÙÝÏÖÏ ÌÓÙÎßØ (Maritime) Ë×ÏÝ ×ÏÔÙ (Finance) ÌÏÜÏ áÙÔÓ (Insurance) ÒÓØÏ×Ï ÕËÐÙÜ (Energy) Emmanuel Addeh (Energy) Reporters

ß×Ï ÕÏÑÒÏ (Money Market) ÙÝË ÖÏÕÒßÙÑÓÏ (ICT) Peter Uzoho (Energy)

Marketers of petroleum products have said they are yet to go back to the importation business due to their inability to access foreign exchange.

According to them, sourcing dollars at the official market rate remains a challenge to them due to its scarcity, adding that they could not go to the black market in search of forex because of the cost implication.

This is happening months after

the federal government said it had removed petrol subsidy, deregulated the downstream petroleum industry and had given private marketers permission to resume importation of petroleum products The petroleum marketers including the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria

(DAPPMAN) have continued to depend on the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), the petrol importing arm of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for the supply of products.

The Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, had sometime in September, assured the marketers that concrete steps had been taken to address their main concerns, especially the issue of availability of forex,

stressing that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had already taken the first step of merging all forex windows to have a unified exchange rate.

However, three months since the assurance was made, marketers said nothing has changed and that they are still encountering the same challenge posed by difficulty in accessing Forex.

The situation has left the NNPC to continue playing as the sole importer of petrol

as only it can access forex at the current official rate of about N380 or there about, to a dollar.

“Nothing has changed. The forex issue is still like that. And as you can see, the government has also extended that DSDP (the exchange of crude for refined petroleum products) arrangement.

“That’s a signal to you that foreign exchange may not be there for us to access,” The Chairman of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Mr. Adetunji Oyebanji, told THISDAY.

Nigeria Needs More Women in Governance, Says Lawan Kuni Tyessi in Abuja The Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan has declared that for appreciable development to take place in the country, more women must be regarded and enlisted to take up spaces in governance.

He said the 51 per cent ratio

of women to men cannot be underestimated, stating that the country should learn from the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) and give more women positions of authority.

Lawan, who spoke on Monday at the investiture of Mrs. Clara Nnachi as the 6th Chairman of the Abuja District Society

of the CITN, observed that the National President of CITN, Gladys Olajumoke Simplice, is a woman while Clara, wife of Senator Michael Nnachi, representing Ebonyi South is also a woman.

To him, there must be something unique about women that the CITN has seen and which

Nigeria should learn from.

Lawan said: “I think Nigeria needs more women in government. We can’t neglect that sizable portion of our population. About 51 per cent of Nigerians are women. We have to ensure that opportunities are there for our women to participate not only in governance or politics because

that is elite, but in other spheres, including business, market, and farm. I think Nigeria has a lot to learn from CITN.” On the importance attached to taxation, the Senate president said crude oil had been the mainstay of the nation’s economy but lamented that the country didn’t take full advantage of it.

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Okejimi: Why Budding Entrepreneurs Must Be Encouraged Gbenga Okejimi, Country Manager, Nigeria and Ghana, WorldRemit, one of the global digital payment companies, spoke to Goddy Egene about the company’s operations with emphasis on its entrepreneurship programme across Africa’s markets: Excerpts: artiste with pan-African influence. We are encouraged by his “grass to grace” story, his strong will to excel in music, and his passion to drive education and entrepreneurship. He will promote the partnership and encourage people to enter our Entrepreneurship program, highlighting WorldRemit’s role to empower African entrepreneurs.

How long has WorldRemit been operating in Africa and how would you rate the general impact of your operations on the continent?

WorldRemit was founded in 2010 by Ismail Ahmed with the help of co-founders the late Catherine Wines and Richard Igoe. Inspired by his own personal experience, Ismail made the decision to develop an innovative money transfer to provide a solution for those who send money to friends and families back home.

For over a decade, WorldRemit has continued to expand across Africa and currently supports fund transfers from over 50 countries to 150 destinations dealing in over 90+ currencies across 6,500 money transfer corridors. We like to think of our impact in terms of the socioeconomic contributions and corresponding economic growth we have stimulated through the role we play in improving remittances and contributing to financial inclusion. Also, through our platform, we have been able to aid the general living outcomes of many Africans. Research has shown that monies received from the Diaspora community are spent on education, health, household servicing and business expansion, giving recipients the opportunities to live more successful lives.

When the pandemic broke and countries were on lockdown, how did WorldRemit react during that period knowing that Africa is one of your major areas of operations?

As the virus began to spread across the continent and African governments began to make the hard but necessary decisions to shut down their economies and impose lockdown restrictions, we knew we had to quickly make plans to support our customers.

The pandemic imposed a pause on many means of livelihood and as a leading fintech player aiding cross border transactions, our services meant Africans with families in the Diaspora could still receive support from their families and friends. We made arrangements for our staff to be able to provide a 24/7 global money transfer service for our customers. We also engaged with all of our bank partners across Africa to ensure that all methods (cash pick-up, airtime top-up, mobile wallet and directly to bank accounts) of money collection continued to work and customers could quickly access their funds.

The outbreak of the pandemic affected global economies and health systems leading to loss of lives and investments. As we look back at the events of the past months since the virus was first recorded in Africa, we are proud of all the efforts and progress that has been made by health practitioners and governments across the world. We remain committed to providing safe and fast cross border financial services to help the Diaspora community stay connected to their family and friends at home.

WorldRemit has launched its Entrepreneurship Programme across Africa’s markets, why is African entrepreneurship important to WorldRemit?

At WorldRemit, we understand how vibrant entrepreneurship is in Africa. With uncertainties facing the global economy because of the debilitating effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, there is no better time than now to empower and encourage aspiring and budding entrepreneurs to build or grow their businesses across Africa. As we enter a second wave of the pandemic, some governments have imposed lockdowns.

For the second time there will be a negative impact on commercial activities which will leave people struggling to earn a living. As a global organisation, we are joining government efforts to provide our customers with the opportunities to make the dreams of their loved ones in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Zimbabwe come true by equipping them with the right tools to start an idea or grow

African entrepreneurs face some of the world’s toughest business conditions, lack of electricity, political instability and lack of access to finance. Will the WorldRemit programme help entrepreneurs navigate these hurdles?

The business conditions in Africa are challenged with poor infrastructure. The WorldRemit Entrepreneurs Programme is not only providing tools to build or grow businesses, we have also partnered with an incubation hub, The Nest, that will provide digital training programmes that will assist to navigate some of these issues. They will also provide mentoring for the entrepreneurs to enable them to get the best out of the programme. Our booster pack contains a tablet, external hard drive, power bank, T-shirt, notebook, pen, and stickers. It is our expectation that the entrepreneurs will become big enterprises in a few years as they continue to positively impact society.

Okejimi their businesses.

Please tell us about the programme and how African entrepreneurs can be a part of it?

The WorldRemit Entrepreneurs Programme is a three-month programme, which started in November 2020 and is ending in January 2021.

It encourages customers in the Diaspora to send money (a minimum of Great Britain Pounds (GBP) 50 or its equivalent in another currency) to their loved ones between November 2 and December 31, 2020. Senders need to opt into the competition and one transaction equals one entry. We will draw 100 lucky winners each in November and December. Winners will have the opportunity to nominate an entrepreneur in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya or Zimbabwe. The nominated entrepreneurs will receive a business booster pack with items to assist with the launch or growth

As the virus began to spread across the continent and African governments began to make the hard but necessary decisions to shut down their economies and impose lockdown restrictions, we knew we had to quickly make plans to support our customers

of their business: a tablet, external hard drive, power bank, T-shirt, notebook, pen, and stickers. They will also have access to a digital training course that will be loaded onto an external hard drive, to strengthen their entrepreneurial skills, in partnership with the Nest. To make sure we support entrepreneurs in the best possible way, we have partnered with The Nest, an incubation hub open to all entrepreneurs across sectors, domains and industries, with a pan-African reach.

Post the January 2021 expiration of the programme, is WorldRemit looking at making this programme an annual one?

WorldRemit will continue to empower our customers in various ways by creating opportunities for them and their families through different platforms. We will keep you posted with our future plans.

Is this programme done in partnership with African governments and if not, why not?

The programme is an initiative of WorldRemit. As a leading global digital payments company, we understand that governments have put in place several initiatives to address the economic challenges arising from the Coronavirus pandemic. This program is therefore meant to further boost government efforts and offer support in our own little way.

What was the underlying motivation for decision to endorse Patoranking, a musician, as an ambassador and what does his role entail?

WorldRemit is an organisation that thrives on creating opportunities for our customers.

As a digitally driven business, we disrupted a market that was opaque with less convenience and flexibility, thereby providing more opportunities for our customers to send money at a faster, cheaper and simpler way.

We understand the entrepreneurial journey of Patoranking who of course is a successful

Before this programme, which other programmes have you embarked on to boost entrepreneurship or other business development on the continent and Nigeria in particular?

We remain committed to creating opportunities and facilitating development across Africa and we do this by supporting business growth and youth development. In 2019, we launched WorldRemit for Business, a service that enabled small and medium-sized business owners to instantly pay employees and contractors in 140 countries worldwide, including fast-growing markets such as Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. On the youth development side we have successfully run our Future Stars coaching programme, for two consecutive years, in partnership with Arsenal Football Club. The programme has served as a platform to celebrate the positive impacts that grassroot youth football coaches have on children in their communities, especially in helping them to develop life skills on and off the pitch. In the second year, we had the first female winner from Nigeria in the 2019 edition, Chinasa Mandy Ukanda. She received an all-expense paid trip to London to take part in personalised training sessions delivered by Arsenal Football Development coaches. The training was aimed at equipping her, and the male winner of the competition, with additional skills to improve the development of the teams they coach. The future stars programme is on hold now due to the spread of COVID-19. We hope to revisit it in the near future.

What are the other WorldRemit future plans for Nigeria considering its huge market?

There are approximately 15 million Nigerians living abroad which presents significant growth opportunities that must be leveraged for us as a business and for the development of our communities. We have disrupted the market through our digital-led platform and will continue to do so by providing innovative solutions to keep our customers connected to loved ones and associates. Over the years, we have launched several partnerships with many banks and fintech players including GTBank Plc, First Bank, Access Bank, Pagatech, Opay and rolled out new services including cash pick-up. With the re-introduction of US dollar payout in Nigeria, we became the first IMTO to payout in dollar in Nigeria in line with the CBN directive.

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Adebimpe: Endless Opportunities Exist in Nigeria Despite Challenges Newly elected President of the Association of Asset Custodians of Nigeria, Mr. Biodun Adebimpe in this interview provides insight into his plans for the association, the investment landscape in Nigeria and the role asset custodians are playing in driving the growth and development of the financial market in Nigeria. Nume Ekeghe presents excerpts: plunged into a recession, the second time in five years. How have these developments affected the banking sector; also, paint a picture for us on the impact of these developments on the inflow or outflow of FDIs in general?

Like I said before, no sector of our economy is totally immune to macroeconomic shocks such as the Covid-19 pandemic. The banking sector has seen significant reduction in investment flows whether FDIs or FPIs and this isn’t peculiar to Nigeria. It is what it is. We do hope that with all hands-on deck, we can turn the corner as quickly as possible.

Can you share with us some of the goals you have set for yourself during your tenure?

First of all, I must commend my predecessor and her team for the successes recorded during their tenor of office. They have laid a good foundation for us to build on. When you said that I should share some of the goals I have set for myself during my tenure, I’ll like to quickly correct that notion. A tree doesn’t make a forest.

Whatever goals we’re going to set will be a collective responsibility for the team; I mean the new Executive Committee of course, we do have some very clear advocacy issues current and new ones, to pursue as quickly as possible in line with AACN’s broad objectives as stated in our constitution. We intend to convene a strategy session of the association where we’ll agree on critical goals to set for ourselves and how to achieve them. At the core of everything we’ll be doing is teamwork.

Although there are more than 20 deposit money banks in the country, some of which offer custody services, your association has just eight member-banks. What steps will you be taking to attract more membership?

The Association of Asset Custodians of Nigeria (AACN) is a trade group and not the normal association of individuals or a social group. Our objective is not about growing our membership base like you would expect a regular association to do. Instead, we’re a group of specialised professionals within the capital market, representing our various institutions. According to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s regulations, every capital market operator must, be a member of their trade group. Yes, there are over 20 banks in Nigeria, but only 8 of them currently offer custody services and all the eight are members of the AACN in line with SEC’s regulations.

And of course, the more the merrier. We will be very glad to welcome other banks that may decide to set up custody business into the fold.

This will be subject to their internal decisions and regulatory approvals which AACN cannot influence in anyway.

Your flagship event, the AACN Annual Nigerian Investors Day, did not hold this year understandably due to the Covid-19 crisis. What is the outlook for 2021?

I sincerely wish I had a crystal ball and could predict what would happen in the next few weeks or months. We live in a VUCA environment that is volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. We were fully prepared to host this year’s event in May. I recall we had picked a date, invited speakers, sent out save-the-date and other preparatory activities to ensure a smooth outing. Then, came the pandemic and we couldn’t host the event in London like we had done in the last eight years. Remember that our audience at the event comes from several countries of the world. Having said that, we’ll watch how things progress around the world, especially as the pandemic subsides given hopes of the availability of vaccines soon. If we’re unable to host a physical event, we’ll surely explore hosting the event virtually. Several events like ours are now held virtually and they turned out to be great successes with almost all the benefits of attending them physically. My colleagues and I will look into this possibility along with our critical stakeholders. Whatever we decide we’ll be related to our media partners.

Not everyone in Nigeria understands what investor and custody services entail. Can you please provide an insight, especially on how individuals and the various market segments can tap into the benefits derivable from the sector?

The concept of custody of securities or what some other institutions refer to as securities/ investor services has to do with the gamut of activities that take place after a financial security transaction has been concluded, i.e. post-trading activities. In securities market parlance, a custodian is a person or entity selected to hold and protect another person’s or entity’s funds or investments through either direct or indirect means. A custodian is a financial institution that holds customers’

Amid the pandemic, what positives does Nigeria still offer in terms of economic opportunities?

With our very young demography, pandemic or no pandemic, Nigeria remains the toast of discerning investors. Imagine what has been happening in the contributory pension space with pension assets growing to over N11.5 trillion despite the pandemic and the attendant recession.

We have our issues, yes, and I strongly believe that our wide infrastructural gaps across various sectors all present opportunities. Healthcare, entertainment media and technology, agriculture are actually some of the gainers. Endless economic opportunities exist in Nigeria, especially those sectors that service the youth directly. They are too numerous to list. We just need to fix some of our issues, which are well known to unlock these opportunities.

Adebimpe securities either in electronic or physical form for safekeeping in order to minimize the risk of their theft or loss. Since we are responsible for the safety of assets and securities that may be worth hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars, custodians generally tend to be large and reputable firms. A custodian is sometimes referred to as a custodian bank. In addition to holding securities for safekeeping, most custodians also offer other services, such as account administration, transaction settlements, collection of dividends, interest payments and maturity proceeds, proxy voting services, tax support, and foreign exchange. The fees charged by custodians vary, depending on the services that the client desires. Most custodians in Nigeria charge monthly custody fees that are based on the aggregate value of a client’s portfolio investments in their custody generally referred to as Assets Under Custody (AUC).

Would you say that asset custodianship has evolved with technological advancement and how has the sector harnessed the power of technology for better service delivery?

Absolutely, yes. Like I mentioned earlier, the ways and manners in which securities are traded, settled and safe-kept have evolved with time. Most securities transactions are now done electronically. Therefore, custodians leverage off best-in-class technological platforms to provide efficient services to our clients. Long gone are the days when things were run off spreadsheets.

We’re custodians of investment securities and to the extent that tougher economic environments make it difficult for people to save and invest, the custody industry will be affected

We use core platforms which can be integrated with other market and client platforms. Aside SWIFT, which is a member-owned cooperative that provides safe and secure financial transactions for its members, custodians now integrate with key market infrastructures like the Central Securities Depositories (CSDs) through application programming interface (APIs). Just to mention a few.

To what extent would you say that the pandemic affected the custody sub-sector in Nigeria?

The custody industry is clearly not an island and cannot be totally ring-fenced from whatever shocks that hit the macroeconomic environments both locally and globally. We’re custodians of investment securities and to the extent that tougher economic environments make it difficult for people to save and invest, the custody industry will be affected. On the foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) side as well, the story has been the same, if not worse. With Nigeria’s FX earnings significantly impacted by the pandemic and low-yield environment, we have seen a record decline in our assets under custody.

Over the past decade, we have hardly seen either the entry or exit from the banking sector in Nigeria. What does that suggest to you?

I’m not sure I fully understand your question.

If you mean entry or exit of players such as new or existing banks, then that may not be totally correct. The Central Bank of Nigeria has been issuing different types of banking licenses over the past years: merchant banks, payment service banks (PSBs) etc. I agree that Nigeria may not have recorded much progress in terms of foreign direct investments (FDIs) even as recent reports of the National Bureau of Statistics suggests, due to obvious challenges, but we keep seeing new players within the banking sector in different forms and shapes.

Nigeria is faced with challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and has now

As members of ACCN, you collectively share common goals and ideals, but once you return to your various organizations, you become competitors. How do you strike a balance?

We wear different caps at different times and as astute professionals, we strike the balance so well. Fortunately, we all work in organisations which comply with global standard rules of engagement and the AACN has a code of conduct. We collaborate to develop our market knowing that a share of a bigger pie could be better than you having the entire small pie. Hope you understand what I mean? We draw the line so well, collaborate and compete healthily.

Also, the fact that we serve a very financially savvy segment of the market make balancing the act easy for us. Our clients are typically well-informed investors.

Will AACN be considering an enlightenment campaign in 2021 to create more awareness about custody services in the country?

Absolutely! This is a course we’re sold to as a key pillar of our objectives as a capital market trade group. We’ve engaged in different enlightenment campaigns in the past, both locally and internationally and we will do more within the reality of the new normal we find ourselves. We also collaborate with other key market infrastructure and regulators to do this.

What do you think the banking industry in Nigeria would look like in ten years from now?

Ten years is a very long time. In less than ten years from now, with blockchain, DLs, AIs, virtual currencies, fintechs and so on, I see an industry that will be completely different from what we have now. Its mind blowing. I personally think that what has happened to the media space, may happen to the banking industry as well. I see a democratised industry where banking services will be offered by non-traditional banking entities as it’s already happening in other parts of the world.

There’s no way Nigeria won’t play catch up.

Was banking your preferred career choice from the onset?

Oh yes! As a child, I was inspired by a friend of my dad who was a senior staff of one of the leading commercial banks in Nigeria during their time. I was in Commercial class in secondary school and went on to study Accounting at the university. So, yes. I’ve always had interest in financial services.

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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NLNG: Nigeria Must Target Train 15 to Remain Competitive in Gas Market The Managing Director, Nigeria LNG, Mr. Tony Attah, has argued that the Train 7 which the government expects to add about eight million tonnes of liquefied natural gas to the current 22 million tonnes, is no longer an ambitious target if the country has to remain globally competitive.

Attah, who spoke during a web conference on the Nigeria oil and gas industry, maintained that for the country to remain relevant, it must move from the current train 7 to train 15, so as to match countries like Qatar and Australia that have made far better use of gas.

He noted that Nigeria’s target of achieving 30 million tonnes with the ongoing train 7 project is what a country like Qatar is about adding to its existing production, stressing that the right programmes and policies should be pursued by government to grow the gas market.

“Nigeria has over 200tcf of proven gas reserves which puts us today at number 9 in the global scheme of things. If we prove the additional scope of recovery of 600tcf, that moves us ahead to becoming number 4.

“It’s about time Nigeria took advantage of this resource because as we can tell in the energy transition, oil will be downplayed because the world wants cleaner energy and wants to protect the planet. Nigeria should take a bold

step forward as a gas nation.

“Today, we are number 5 in terms of LNG export in the world, we keep dropping, but on the back of train 7, we hope to gain ground again because we realise that yes , train 7 will add 35 per cent capacity to NLNG from 22 million tonnes to 30 million tonnes , but then Qatar is adding 30 million tonnes at once,” he explained.

According to Attah, the country must set its eyes on a higher target to remain competitive while the domestic LNG market should be revamped as other sources of energy continue to harm Nigerians and the environment.

He added: “We are aspiring to add eight million tonnes ,whereas another country is adding 30 million tonnes. Essentially, our whole existence is someone else’s incremental. That tells me that train 7 is no longer ambitious enough for Nigeria.

“We have to set our eyes on the bigger gain of train 8,9,10 to at least train 15 to be able to stay in reckoning and continue to deliver like we have seen in the case of Qatar which is growing its economy on the back of gas.”

However, he stated that so far, government has made positive moves to redirect the gas sector, insisting however, that if Nigeria wants to stay in reckoning in the commity of gas nations, it must look beyond train 7.

Fashola: Contractors Working in 92 Locations , 26 States Across Nigeria

Stories by Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has said despite the far-reaching negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, 11 major contractors were deployed in 26 States since May. The minister who said that his ministry had contributed to the efforts of the federal government to overcome the economic downturn occasioned by the pandemic, explained that the deployment was in addition to the work being carried out by

the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

A statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the ministry, Boade Akinola, stated that Fashola spoke at the 26th National Council on Works in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.

The former Lagos Governor said the impact of the disease on livelihood and the global economy led countries across the globe to design and implement measures and policies to keep their economies going and reflate them, saying that Nigeria also played its own part.

The minister said the federal government under the President

Muhammadu Buhari developed the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) in order to provide employment, increase opportunities and sustain productivity with the ministry of works and housing as one of the focal MDAS for the implementation of the policy.

“By May, 2020, 11 of the biggest contractors of government returned to work in 26 states in addition to maintenance work by the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) in 92 locations across 24 states of the federation.

“All these contributed greatly to economic recovery with an increase of 41.81 per cent in quarrying and

other mineral deposits, 11.96 per cent in cement manufacturing and 2.64 per cent in construction,” the minister said.

He argued that there has been an increase in wealth distribution as a result of increased economic activities and job creation in communities where construction works were going on.

In his speech, the Rivers State Governor, Mr Nyesom Wike, noted that countries that have made progress in infrastructural development understand the link between building them and achieving progressive and sustainable development.

NEITI: Nigeria Will Make Progress When Organisations Become Accountable The Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI), has vowed to continue its support for the war against sleaze in the extractive sector, insisting that only when organisations are transparent and accountable will sustainable development be achieved.

Speaking during an event to mark the International Anti-corruption Day, organised by the Technical Unit on Governance & Anti-Corruption Reforms (TUGAR), working on research methods for monitoring anti-corruption and governance initiatives across the country, the body noted it had continued to strengthen its engagement with

other agencies of government to reduce incidences of circumvention of due process.

NEITI stated that it remains committed to the goals of the interagency task team as a key member in the fight against corruption generally, saying that basic infrastructure like roads, water and good hospitals will be made available to the country when agencies of government act within the law. The Executive Secretary of NEITI, Mr Waziri Adio, whose speech was read by the Director, Communications and Advocacy, Dr Ogbonnaya Orji, noted that, for instance, the initiative has taken measures to engage directly with

the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on key remedial issues that that have been disclosed by NEITI over the years. “We are ever resolute in the fight against corruption and enthroning transparency and accountability in the oil, gas and mining sectors which is our thematic area.

“We have been working with companies, civil societies and government agencies that either warehouse , take custody of or manage extractive revenue funds.

“We have ensured that our reports which feed into the larger reforms in the sector are timely

and of high quality in terms of content. The timeliness of our report is key to ensure that the data we provide to help achieve reforms in the sector are current and reliable. “NEITI has taken fundamental steps to automate our processes by establishing an audit management system.

We have introduced policy instruments that allow us not just to make use of contents of reports to ensure we interface with policy makers, we have published policy papers, occasional papers and done a lot of analysis, quarterly reviews of faac disbursements to government at all levels,” it said.

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Heritage Bank’s Planned N5bn Intervention to Boost Creative Industry The entertainment and creative sector is about to receive a huge boost, as Heritage Bank Plc has disclosed plan to set aside N5 billion as a support funds to drive the industry and stimulate sustainable growth to the nation’s economy.

Also, the bank has doled out the sum of N1 million to Damilola Adeyemi, a winner of an online giveaway competition to celebrate the bank’s product, Ynspyre. MD/ CEO of the bank, Ifie Sekibo who affirmed Heritage Bank’s com-

mitment to the development and growth of the nation’s creative sector, described the sector as one of the leeway to solving the unemployment occasioned by the prevailing adverse macroeconomic environment.

Sekibo, during the presentation of the N1million cheque, said the development and growth of the entertainment industry would get as many people as possible involved as manufacturing, banking and other sectors cannot do it alone.

The bank, in statement signed by the Divisional Head, Corporate Communications of the bank, Fela Ibidapo, assured that, “the entertainment is going to take a new leaf of life, with the Ynspyre platform; we are hoping to start with this and obviously it will grow to another level. You will see greater things in couple of months.”

Sekibo said the music industry has done so much for Nigeria in terms of employment and foreign exchange earnings, saying if more

resources could be put into it, the country would be better for it.

Besides supporting individual artistes in the industry, the bank has also partnered with some organisers to perform and produce some entertainment shows. In similar manner, whilst confirming the N5 billion set aside for the creative sector and commending Heritage Bank for its numerous bold steps in supporting the industry, the statement quoted the product ambassador and musician, D’banj, to have said:

“The reason for setting up this fund is for creative people like me, you (Adeyemi) and the other upcoming artists to have access to it.

“I want to commend Heritage Bank for believing not just in me but the creative industry.

Over the years, Heritage Bank has worked behind the scene to sponsor and invest in lots of creativity projects.”

Speaking on the modalities of the product, he disclosed that the Ynspyre Account is the perfect

account, specifically created to accommodate and support creative ideas in the industry, which do not need collateral.

“Just open your Ynspyre account, get your proposal ready on what you intend doing in the creative industry; be it music, fashion, lifestyle, IT and others because they have created categories for each and every one of us to enable us assess funds, supports, loans and grants at single digit interest rates,” he explained.

Leadway Assurance Wins Award Ebere Nworji Leadway Assurance’s was recently decorated with the 2020 edition of the Best Workplaces Award Ceremony organised by the Great Place to Work Institute (GPTW) .

Leadway was crowned with the overall winner in the Silver Category.

The company, at the event, was positioned as one of Nigeria’s most valuable and employeesensitive organisations The Great Place to Work awards ceremony was instituted in Nigeria in 2012 by the Great Place to Work Institute, a global research and consulting firm best known for producing the Fortune 100 Best Companies list in the United States and similar lists in 45 other countries. The institute defines great workplaces as companies where employees trust the people they work with, take pride in their work and enjoy a good relationship with their colleagues.

According to the Great Place to Work Institute, “the Great Place to Work awards ceremony aims at celebrating outstanding performance in the Trust Index and Culture Audit Survey, in addition to showcasing best global practices in employee policies and programmes which exemplify the five dimensions of the Great Place to Work Model, namely credibility, respect, fairness, pride

and camaraderie’’.

Reacting to Leadway Assurance feat at this year’s event, Human Resources Director, Leadway Assurance, Kunbi Adeoti, said the award was a, “testament to the company’s dedicated pursuit of excellence in the management of its greatest asset, which is its people.”

He said the acknowledgement given by the award as well as the reputation enjoyed by Leadway came through the consistent devotion of employees to operational improvements to promote and maintain competitive advantage.

He promised that the company’s workforce will continue to work hard towards maintaining the business approach.

Also speaking, the Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer, Leadway Assurance, Mr. Tunde Hassan-Odukale, expressed appreciation to the staff of the organisation, saying, “I would like to thank staff at Leadway for their contributions to making Leadway a Great Place to Work. As we celebrate this unique award, it is my hope and prayer that we will all double our resolve and commitment to making our organisation not just the best place to work, but the pride of the Nigerian employment market and a respected entity globally acknowledged for delivering high performance and creating value for our clients”

PZ Unveils ‘Baby Moments’ Competition Raheem Akingbolu PZ Cussons, organisers of the Cussons Baby Moments have increased the cash prizes for the annual competition by over 100 per cent, the management has announced.

Speaking at a media briefing held in Lagos, to announce the commencement of the seventh edition of the competition, the Brand Development and Activation Manager, Cussons Baby, Yosola Nwachukwu, said the winner of this season competition would walk away with 2 million naira.

She also pointed out that the organisers have increased the number of shortlisted entries from 2,000 to 4,000, while extending the entry period from six to eight weeks to give

as many interested participants the opportunity to get shortlisted.

According to her, this year’s edition also comes with a few changes that will ensure an even smoother experience, whilst also increasing the opportunities for participants.

While expressing her excitement at the prospects of the seventh edition, she stated that: “Taking into great consideration the peculiarity of the times, the theme for this season is ‘Reasons for Joy’, which seeks to inspire hope, whilst allowing parents showcase the joy of parenthood.

Despite all that has happened this year, we expect an even bigger participation, considering the fact that the competition is driven mainly via digital.

Requirements for entry and participation can be done quite seamlessly online.

UNVEILING BRAND AMBASSADOR

L-R: Head, Corporate Marketing Division, LG Electronics West Africa Operations, Mr. Hari Ellulu; LG OLED Brand Ambassador and Veteran Nollywood Actor, Mr. Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD) and General Manager, Home Entertainment TV Division, LG Electronics West Africa Operations, Mr. Mike Ahn, at the unveiling of RMD as LG OLED Brand Ambassador at a ceremony held in Lagos... recently

AIICO Insurance to Raise Share Capital to N20bn Ebere Nworji AIICO Insurance Plc said it has received its shareholders’ approval to increase its authorised share capital from N18 billion to N20 billion by the creation of additional four billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each.

The company, also said it has secured its shareholders’ nod for the declaration of one bonus share for every eight ordinary shares held by existing shareholders

of the company, effective from December 28, 2020.

This is payable from retained earnings and one bonus share for every five ordinary shares held by existing shareholders as at December 28, 2020 payable from share premium.

The Chairman, Mr. Kundan Sainani, who disclosed this at the recent virtual Annual General Meeting of the company expressed gratitude for the immense support the company has received from

its shareholders.

He assured them of the board’s commitment to continue to steer the affairs of the company on the path of continuous and sustainable progress, irrespective of daunting macro-economic challenges.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Babatunde Fajemirokun, at the meeting also shed some light on the satisfactory progress the company has made in its recapitalisation journey, having

surpassed the December 2020 expectations of the regulator.

“There are no doubts that we have made some giant strides along this path. Beyond just meeting the requirements, we have seen the potentials and value this exercise brings and have positioned ourselves to take full advantage for value creation, both in the short and long term.

AIICO will emerge stronger and with greater capacity to underwrite more risks”, he said.

NB Inaugurates N5bn New Automated Facility in Ogun Chris Uba The Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc has inaugurated a multi-billion naira ultra-modern automated Polyethylene Terephthalate PET) line at Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.

The facility was built to further deepen availability of the brewer’s non-alcoholic product portfolio.

The facility which is located along the outskirt of the city was a fresh investment amounting to N5 billion and will several direct and indirect jobs for indigenes of the state.

The new ultra-modern automated PET line has the capacity to produce 24, 000 bottles of drink per hour.

The line was designed with the latest technology that is fully automated to meet world class safety and quality requirements Chairman of NB Plc, Chief Kola Jamadu, who was a former minister of Industry and Commerce said

during his opening remarks at the occasion that the fresh investment was a demonstration of the thrust which the company reposed on the Nigerian economy.

Jamodu said, “we are making another investment with the commissioning of a multi-billion naira PET line which will be utilised to further deepen availability of our non-alcohol product portfolio.

“The Ijebu Ode Brewery joined the Nigerian Breweries family in 2014 after the company’s with Consolidated Breweries. Since then, we have invested significantly to upgrade the facilities at this brewery to the world class standard befitting a brewery in the Heineken group.”

He said apart from the fresh investment in Ijebu Ode brewery, NB has invested over N1.6 billion in various community projects and social investments in the areas of education, health, access to portable water, environment, and

youth and women empowerment.

The NB chairman said the company was committed to continuing to play, “our role in supporting the government as a responsible corporate citizen.

“We have been listed as one of the highest tax-paying companies in Nigeria and highest in the manufacturing industry, with tax and duty payments of approximately N326 billion over the last five years,” adding that, “in Ogun State we have paid over N1 billion in combined taxes of PAYE , leaves and other duties.”

The Managing Director/ Chief Executive of the company, Jokprdi Borrut Bel, who also spoke at the occasion said, “we will continue to invest heavily in Nigeria,” adding that the current N5 billion showed the confidence the NB plc has in the country even at this time of Covid-19 pandemic when investors are skeptical of new investments.

He said the facility was to increase the capacity for nonalcoholic drinks brands bottled by the company, adding that there are 11 Nigerian technical operators that have speedily trained to maintain and manage the new line.

Commissioning the new facility, the state Governor, Dapo Abiodun, said the launch of the facility was the outcome of various efforts by the state government to make the state a fertile for investments.

Abiodun said the state was awash with investment opportunities, saying his administration would to do more to encourage investors to come to the state.

Earlier, the Minister of Industry , Trade and Investment, Mr. Niyi Adebayo, thanked the NB Plc for its continued investment in the country and providing world class facility in manufacturing .

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T H I S D AY ˾ ͯʹ˜ 2020

BUSINESSWORLD

Experts List Benefits of e-Cigarettes Health experts have highlighted the benefits of reducing tobacco smoking with the use of e-cigarettes.

Speaking at a virtual e-Cigarette Summit 2020, Alan R Boobis of the Imperial College London, said the liquid in e-cigarettes, propylene glycol and/or vegetable glycerine(glycerol) was relatively non-toxic at the levels present when inhaled over the short to medium term.

He advocated the consumption of electronic cigarettes which was considered safer than the conventional cigarettes.

This, he said, applies to both absolute and relative risk, in users and in bystanders.

He said there is uncertainty about the effects of long-term, repeated exposure in users, nothing that nicotine has a range of pharmacological effects, including addiction.

He explained that the effects of nicotine are what can persuade a cigarette smoker to switch, hence relative risk in users switching from conventional cigarettes cf absolute risk in naïve users and bystanders will have different implications for direct impact on human health.

Speaking on the effect of flavourings in e-cigarettes he said many of the most widely used flavourings used in e-cigarettes are also used in food and some in conventional cigarettes.

He said, “Once in the body, the effects will be the same, concentration for concentration, as when ingested orally.

The exception, according to him, would be any local

effects in the lung.”

The effects of chemicals in e-cigarettes, according to Boobis, will depend not only on their toxicity but also on the amount present.

For instance, he said, the evidence suggests that the risk posed by e-cigarettes to users is substantially less than that posed by conventional cigarettes, adding that currently, it is difficult to quantify precisely by how much less the risk is.

He added, “Any risk reduction will vary with the effect of concern.

The most toxic chemicals found with conventional cigarettes are either not present, or are present at much lower levels in e-cigarettes “ Speaking on the topic “Setting the agenda for tobacco harm reduction”, Dr Ray Niaura, said the use of e-cigarettes and alternative nicotine products causes naïve users, especially the youth, to smoke cigarettes.

He also stated that the use of e-cigarettes and all alternative nicotine products could cause smokers to fail.

He explained that ecological trends in e-cigarette use and smoking prevalence in youth across time have failed to provide confirmatory support that e-cigarette use causes smoking initiation, and, if anything, are more consistent with the notion that e-cigarette use is associated with reduced smoking.

However, he said that ecological studies of trends going back a decade found that the rate of reduction of smoking in US youth has remained consistent and has not accelerated in recent years when ecigarettes have become popular.

Budweiser to Reward Consumers in Promo Ayodeji Ake To celebrate the recently kicked-off football season, Budweiser, the American style premium lager has launched a campaign tagged: ‘Budweiser Smooth Kick-off Promo’.

The promo invites consumers to send the code under the crown cork to 20050 or enter it into Budweiser online platform to stand a chance to win great prizes when they buy a 600 ml bottle of Budweiser.

According to a statement, the Marketing Manager, Budweiser, Jumoke Okikiolu said: “We are known as the King of the Beers, and we are set to prove it once again with the Budweiser Smooth Kick-off Promo which will see three lucky consumers win the grand prize of a brand-new Mercedes Benz A200 each and 24 consumers will win the newly launched, ultra-sophisticated PlayStation five Console while other lucky winners would get a Budweiser Football Jersey each signed by Lionel Messi.”

The Marketing Director,

International Breweries Plc, Tolulope Adedeji, said Budweiser was keen to elevate football viewing experience for consumers.

“We know that our consumers choose Budweiser when they socialise with friends during these football games and we want to reward them in a way that has never been done before, fit for Kings.

“Our sponsorship of premium football leagues, the English Premier League and the Spanish La Liga, as well as the FIFA World Cup, have further endeared us to the hearts of our teeming consumers whose weekends are never complete without a combination of their premium football and their premium beer. We want our consumers to end what has been a challenging year on a high note,” Adedeji said.

The Budweiser Smooth Kick-off Promo will run for eight weeks between November 2020, and January 2021, and is only open to individuals who are 18 years and over.

NEWS

Telecommunication, Major Driver of Economic Growth, Says Danbatta Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano The Executive Vice Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta has said the telecommunication industry has become an enabler of economic growth which touches all other sectors of the economy for improved operational efficiency.

He stated this during the 41th Kano international trade Fair

organised by the Kano Chamber of Commerce, Industry, mines and agriculture (KACCIMA) held at the trade in Kano over the weekend.

Danbatta, who was represented by the Director public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, maintained that the participation of NCC in the fair would provide an avenue to interact with telecom consumers, listen to their concerns on telecommunication service delivery

in order to gain insight on how to improve the services of service providers in the country.

He explained that the NCC had developed modern techniques of tackling the challenges of cybercrime, e-fraud and other related crimes targeted at moving the Nation forward.

Danbatta added that NCC had facilitated the building and equipping of emergency communications centers in all

the 36 states of the federation and the federal capital territory Abuja.

Also, the president of KACICMA, Alhaji Dalhatu Usman said NCC plays a vital role in the aspect of promoting business in the country.

He commended the efforts of NCC for collaborating with the chamber and supporting the actuality of the fourteenth Kano international trade Fair.

BUSINESS REBRANDING

L-R: Company Secretary, Mainstreet Capital, Mr. Benard Taiwo; Non-Executive Director, Mr. Zargana Mamman Bukar; Managing Director, Mr. Ebi Enaholo; Chairman, Mr. Abiodun Akinjaiyeju; Non-Executive Director, Mr. Kolade Olawuni and Deputy Managing Director Mr. Muyiwa Ariyo, at the launch of the firm’s new brand and identify in Lagos... recently

Female Entrepreneurs to Benefit from Directory of Business Support Organisations A significant barrier for women entrepreneurs in Nigeria who find it difficult to access business support services, establish contacts, and obtain information has been lowered with the launch of a directory of business support organizations (BSOs).

The online BSO Directory for women-owned businesses in Nigeria was launched by the International Trade Centre (ITC) as part of its SheTrades Commonwealth project, which is funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO).

“Today we are focusing on partnership for better integration of women into the economic fabric of Nigeria through connecting

them to global trade,” Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Executive Director/CEO Olusegun Awolowo said.

“Women are the backbone of practically all economies, especially the informal economy.

Therefore we must join other countries by working together to boldly make women business enterprises a significant contributor to the country’s economy and revenue,” he added.

The BSO Directory, produced

by NEPC in partnership with ITC, presents a profile of existing BSOs for women in export subsectors in Nigeria.

“It also provides a plethora of opportunities for women-owned businesses to contact BSOs and

use their services in non-oil export transactions,” Deputy Director of Export Development and Incentives Esther Ikporah said.

“The launch of this directory is an important step towards bridging the gap between BSOs and women-owned businesses.

The NEPC encourages businesses to tap into opportunities brought by the directory,” she said.

Also, NEPC Director of Policy and Strategy Ifeyinwa Evelyn Obidike said: “In tandem with mandate of NEPC and in demonstration of the council’s commitment to women’s empowerment and inclusiveness in non-oil exports, the directory

is a significant milestone and a paradigm shift towards bridging the information, experience and exposure gaps inhibiting women-owned businesses in their internationalisation efforts.

“The NEPC is optimistic that the BSO Directory will fulfil its core purpose of linking Nigerian women-owned businesses to the BSOs.” In addition to being a onestop catalogue to access key profiles and relevant BSO contact information, the BSO Directory provides information on capacity building, business generation, funding, and advisory opportunities available to women-owned businesses in Nigeria.

Abia Grants Permission to Private Investor to Build Sea Port at Ukwa East Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia The Abia State government has welcomed a private sector initiative to build a seaport at Obeaku community in Ukwa East local government, which is just 23 nautical miles to the Atlantic Ocean.

The Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Planning, Alhaji Suleiman Ukandu, said the state governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu was desirous of ensuring the completion of the port project within his tenure.

The sea port is sited on 2,000 hectares of land is expected to

link Abia and indeed the entire South-east zone to international trade and commerce with the Azumini Blue River serving as link channel.

Presently there is no sea port in the entire South-east zone and the nearby ones in Onne(Rivers State) and Calabar(Cross River State) have remained moribund due to official policy of concentrating imports activities in Lagos ports.

Ukandu told stakeholders from the host community during his tour of the site that the investor was determined to deliver the project in record time, adding that government required the

full cooperation of the donor community to make it possible.

After inspecting the project site, the commissioner urged the investor to demonstrate their preparedness to execute the project by immediately commencing the dredging of Azumini Blue River, which is 23 nautical miles to the Atlantic Ocean.

The Blue River, which is a tourist attraction of it’s own, is expected to link the port to the Atlantic Ocean after dredging to accommodate ocean going vessels.

The traditional ruler of Obeaku community, Eze Ikeagwuchi Ekeke, said his people were

ready to ensure the realisation of the seaport project, which has suffered delay over the years.

He said it was in the best interest of the host community to give maximum cooperation to both the state government and the investor to ensure the completion of the project within the stipulated period.

But the royal father reminded the investor on the need to follow due process and treat the people with fairness in the execution of the project, assuring that if required the host community would provide additional land for the project.

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2020 • T H I S D AY

ADVERTORIAL

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IMAGES

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯʹ, 2020

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Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mustapha Baba-Shehuri (left) assisted by the Director Finance and Accounts in the ministry, Mrs Karima Babangida, to decorate the Minister’s Aide-de-Camp (ADC), Saminu Gusau, with his new rank of Inspector of Police in Abuja...recently

L-R: Vice president, Chartered Institute of Administration, Festus Oshoba; Aare Ona Kakanfo, Iba Gani Adams receiving certificate of Fellow from the President/Chairman of Council, Samson Olopade at the induction of new members/AGM in Lagos...recently

L-R: Regional Director Academics Rhoda Odigboh; Regional Director Policy and Partnerships Dr. Kunbi Wuraola; Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; and Director Policy and Partnerships Ayodeji Okewumi; during a courtesy visit by Bridge International Academy to Government House, Ilorin...recently

L-R: Convener, Brandcom Awards/Publisher Brand Communicator, Joshua Ajayi; Group Marketing Director, Jotna Nigeria Limited, Emmanuel Agu; Divisional Sales Head, The La Casera Company, Debashis Bhowmick; Group Portfolio Marketing Manager, Jotna Nigeria Limited, Onyekachim Okoli and CEO, DKK Nigeria, Temitope Jemerigbe receiving THE LA CASERA HERO/TINAF Award for CSR Campaign of the Year at the just concluded Brandcom Awards in Lagos...recently

L-R: Board Chairman, Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), Dr Ade Alakija; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals, Mr Lekan Fatodu; Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi; Chairman, Conference 57 in Lagos, Mrs Omolola Essien; and General Manager, LASHMA, Dr Emmanuella Zamba, during the Y2020 Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) Day Celebration organised by LASHMA, at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja...recently

L-R: Minister of State for health, Adeleke Mamora; Honorable Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire and Initiator, Eradication of malaria in Africa, Prince Ned Nwoko; during a partnership discussion on how to eradicate malaria in Africa, in Abuja...recently PHOTO: KINGSLEY ADEBOYE

L-R: Assistant Brand Manager, Mamador, Fatimat Lawal; Reality TV Star, Erica Nlewedim; and Mamador Brand Ambassador, Ifeyinwa Mogekwu at the Mamador Special Cooking Masterclass held in Lagos...recently

L-R: MTN Y’ello Star host, Tobi Bakre; MTN Y’ello Star judge, Malik Yusef; Senior Manager, Sponsorship & Promotions, MTN Nigeria, Osaze Ebueku; Winner MTN Y’ello Star Season 1, Okeowo Oladotun (DOTTI); MTN Y’ello Star judge BankyW and CEO Stephen Budd Management UK, Stephen Budd at the MTN Y’ello Star finale in Lagos...recently

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T H I S D AY ˾ ͯʹ, 2020

EDUCATION Preventing Teenage Pregnancy through Relief for Girl-child Funmi Ogundare writes on the need for collaboration to reduce the incidence of teenage pregnancy through appropriate sex education in schools, having family sizes one can care for, proper prosecution of child molesters, improving access to contraceptives, not stigmatising and discriminating against the pregnant girls, as well as ensuring a favourable economic policy that will favour them in the long run

M

iss Blessing Samuel, 18 was a student of Ojoku High School, Tolu, Ajegunle. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she started dating a fellow student in the same school who was a year her senior.

Consequently during the closure of schools by the Lagos State government, they decided to take their relationship to the next level by having sex. The boy who was at that time planning to sit for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), was also an apprentice mechanic. From the little money he collects from his boss for feeding, he saves up to pay for cheap hotel accommodation for himself and Blessing to meet in Ajegunle to have sex. This they were doing until she became pregnant.

By the time she informed her lover that she had taken in, he denied it and subsequently traveled out of town.

Sad about the development, Blessing who is the second of a family of five, with a widowed mother to cater for her needs and those of her siblings, decided to meet the parents of the boy to break the good news.

Unfortunately, they told her that he had travelled out of town and that they were not informed about the pregnancy. They said she has to come back and see them when the boy returns from his trip.

When this reporter met her on the issue, Blessing told THISDAY that, “initially, I didn’t know I was pregnant because I have a big tummy, and I was still menstruating. It was when I was almost four months gone that I found out. I told my boyfriend about it, but he rejected the pregnancy, travelled out of town and never told me when he would be back.”

Asked about her plans when she puts to bed, Blessing who is already eight months gone in her pregnancy said: “I am no longer interested in going to school, I want to learn a skill in tailoring.”

Miss Aminat Thomas, 15, was a student of Sinclair High School, Ajeromi Ifelodun. She was in SS one as a science student, but never paid much attention to her academics. Her teachers even made efforts to persuade her to be serious with her studies, but their efforts were futile, so Aminat was forced to drop out of school to learn a skill as an apprentice in a hair dressing salon.

It was while learning the skill that she met a man who told her he was interested in being her lover. Not long after, they started having sex and she became pregnant.

One month after, she discovered that she had missed her period and decided to inform her mother, Mrs. Thomas about it. Unfortunately, she would not hear any of it, but instead threw her daugther out of the house to meet the man who impregnated her. Aminat, who is now six months pregnant, told this reporter that she has been forced to live with her “in-laws” as their responsibility and that taking care of herself and buying the necessary baby materials in preparation for child birth is a challenge.

Blessing and Aminat are not alone in this predicament, as so many teenage girls have fallen pregnant during this COVID-19 period due to assault, lack of parental care, lack of self control and lack of sex education, low level of contraceptive use, poverty, among others.

Investigations by THISDAY revealed that girls from poor communities have a high likehood of getting pregnant and because they are not enlightened, they are forced to drop out of school, are unlikely to be well cared for, leading to problems like systemic infections and anaemia in pregnancy.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), every year, an estimated 21 million girls aged 15 to 19 years in developing regions become pregnant and approximately 12 million of them give birth. At least 777,000 births occur to adolescent girls younger than 15 years in developing countries, while 10 million unintended pregnancies occur each year among adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 years in the developing world.

Pregnant teenage girls during a counseling session Most of the pregnancies according to the WHO are unplanned for and/or unwanted and the girls are immature both physically and psychologically. Teenage pregnancy affects the academic performance of adolescents as it could lead to lack of involvement at school and drop out of school, and the children of teenage mothers are likely to be at greater risk of low intellectual mothers and academic achievements.

It also hampers the further education of female adolescents, threatens their career, future economic prospects and consequently earning capacity and overall wellbeing.

According to a Demographic and Health Survey 2013 report in Nigeria, an estimated 23 per cent of women aged 15 to 19 years have begun child bearing, of which 17 per cent have had their first child and five per cent are pregnant with their first child. Also, 32 per cent of teenagers in rural areas have begun child bearing as opposed to 10 per cent in the urban areas of Nigeria.

The report shows the disparities within the geopolitical zones as follows: north-west (36 per cent), north-east (32 per cent), north-central (19 per cent), south-central (12 per cent), south-east (8 per cent) and south-west (8 per cent).

This statistics reveal a direct relationship between level of education and rate of early pregnancy.

Dr. Alexandra Adeyemi is a physician working with young people in a school health setting.

She told THISDAY the social and economic consequences of teenage pregnancy, saying that girls who get pregnant in most cases have either dropped out of school or delayed their education.

“Even when they return, they are often a subject of ridicule among their peers and family members. Pregnant adolescents also suffer rejection or violence by family members. These may lead them to suffer mental health illness like depression, anxiety and poor self-esteem in some instances, these mothers may have to either fend for themselves and their babies or get some means of contributing to the family income. This will further predispose them to more problems like exposure to sexual predators or having exchange sexual favours for their needs,” she said.

She emphasised the importance of sex appropriate education in schools, having family sizes one can care for and proper prosecution of child molesters, improving access to contraceptives and removing stigma and discrimination in providing family planning services to teenagers, noting that these will help in reducing the incidence of teenage pregnancies.

“Improved and favourable economic policies will also help in cases where parents are forced to give out their daughters in exchange for money or other benefits,” she added.

Mrs. Anuoluwapo Omotayo is the Head, Counselling Unit, Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Governent Education Authority (LGEA), Awodi-Ora. She

expressed concern that many girls got pregnant during this COVID-19 period, saying that rather than persecute such girls or shut them down, their parents or guardians need to bring them close and counsel them.

She regretted that many counsellors have failed in this aspect when they see teenage pregnant girls by asking them irrelevant questions that may scare them away into either committing suicide or aborting the pregnancy.

“They ask them questions like: how did you get yourself into this? What type of clothes were you wearing? Did you ask for permission before you left the house? Among other questions that may make them to commit suicide or go for abortion.”

She said her office has been sensitising the girl-child about the need to comport themselves properly anywhere they find themselves, dressing properly and not to trust anybody no matter the closeness.

“During COVID-19, most families were fully at home so people got to know each other. Unfortunately, you see girls putting on bumshort at home and walking half naked in a compound where a large number of people live.

This is quite unfortunate,” Omotayo stressed.

In order to influence positive change among pregnant teenage girls, some non-governmental organisations have signed a partnership deal to help, empower and mentor these girls in the area of education and reproductive health.

Miss Ganiat Giwa is the founder of the Ruby Health Foundation, founded this year with the aim of creating awareness about maternal mortality and sensitising the Nigerian community about health issues.

She told THISDAY that the foundation launched the Protect Our Girls (POP) initiative to combat maternal mortality and teenage pregnancy in the country, adding that it is currently working with under 20-year-old girls by giving them financial, emotional and basic assistance throughout their pregnancy.

“The idea is that once you remove the financial barrier confronting these girls, they would have a better chance of survival. A lot of girls are giving birth at home, but we can register them in a hospital and guide them through the process.

With this, there is a higher chance of survival for them and the babies.”

She expressed concern about the high rate of teenage pregnancies, espcially this COVID-19 period, saying that rather than get stuck in their track and beg for means of survival, the foundation decided to patner a non-governmental organisation, Dream from the Slum to rekindle hope in the girls.

“One of the things we set out to do is that we ask the girls that ‘now that you are pregnant, what’s your plan? We give them options to choose from either to go back to school or learn a trade. You are not going to spend the rest of your life begging for your child to feed as

that is not sustainable. You need to get back on track with your life. If you want to go back to school, we figure it out and if you want to go for skills training, we will help you get through that as well. But the idea ultimately, is to become self-sustaining.”

To parents who kick out their children as a result of unwanted pregnancy, she said, “they never kick out the boys. It’s double standard.

We hold our women in high esteem in Nigeria, but once she makes a mistake, she is doomed.

We see women bearing the joint consequences of actions all the time. These are girls, as a parent, you must take care of your child. For many of these girls, the psychological trauma, for being kicked out by everybody, is there.

“Rather than kicking out the girls, you should seek help. I don’t accept kicking out a child.

Why would you kick out the girl to go and stay with the man who does not have a legal right over her?”

Giwa said as an organisation, the foundation can’t do it all, but plays its own little part to make a difference. “Our own is for the girls to have a healthy baby and get back on track with their lives.”

For those who have put to bed during this period and do not have anywhere to go to, she said her foundation has helped three of them by first evaluating their circumstance, making the best decision for their age and the baby using resources they have, adding that at the end of the day, they were able to reunite them with their parents.

Mr. Issac Omoyele is the founder of Dreams from the Slum. He told THISDAY that the organisation runs the Young Mothers Academy for teenage pregnant girls, adding that it has been empowering them through education and mentorship.

“We believe that everyone deserves a second chance to rewrite the outcomes of their lives.

Through the academy, we have been able to rekindle hope in teenage mothers because we understand that most of them were taken advantage of, or rejected by the person who impregnated them and some were even raped.

Most of them had made various mistakes and gotten pregnant.

“We believe they have a second chance and they can still become successful in any field they choose. We understand that we cannot do it alone and this is why we are very keen on partnering with other bodies that have a similar vision with this project. That was why we signed a partnership deal with Ruby Health Foundation. Through them, we were able to achieve our aim of giving the young mothers an opportunity to dream again and lead a purpose-driven life.”

For most of the girls who seem not to have any dream, Omoyele said, “it is a gradual process.

What most of them desire now is acceptance and support and that is what we are doing. We are going to mentor them. We will be meeting with them every month and after they have given birth, we will bring them in to our young mothers academy.”

A parent, Mr. Olalekan Ilesanmi stressed the need for other parents to make it their duty to talk to their children (boys and girls) and guide them against having casual sex without protection, adding that the emphasis should also be made on the attendant implication of that.

“It is the responsibility of parents to talk to their boys and even the vulnerable girls, they shouldn’t wait until they get married, they should start guiding them against unprotected sex.

He said once they discover that their teenage daughter is pregnant, there is need for parents to take the babies from them and allow them to go back to school for better windows of opportunity.

“The girls have made a mistake, they alone should not be blamed, but the active boys. The boys may even deny the girls. It’s a misdemeanor.

Parents should talk to their children about this issue and once wounds get healed, they will accept responsibility for the child.”

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T H I S D AY ˾ EMBER 16, 2020

EDUCATION

Don Tasks Youths TETFund Calls for Sustainable Education Tax on Nation Building, Collection to Boost Tertiary Education as Augustine Varsity Graduates 38 Funmi Ogundare

Uchechukwu Nnaike A Professor of History at the University of Ibadan, Christopher Ogbogbo, has urged Nigerian youths to devise strategies for turning the country’s diversities into sources of strength in their quest for nation building.

He said this in the lecture titled ‘Nigerian Youth and Nation Building in the Twenty-first Century’, which he delivered during the second convocation ceremony of Augustine University, Ilara-Epe, Lagos.

The university graduated 38 students: five in first class; 20 in the second upper class; 11 in the second lower class; and two with third class.

Ogbogbo, who is currently the Director of Research at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC), Abuja, also advised the youths to refuse to be shackled by ethnic and religious cleavages, and to enthrone merit in their undertakings. “More importantly, they have to be advocates of justice and be seen to practice it. Any nation that thrives in injustice is bound to collapse. This is the lesson of history.”

He stated that there were many nations in the Nigerian geographical area before the 1914 amalgamation and youths played prominent roles in the building and sustenance of these states.

“They were organised into age-grades and dominated the warrior class that defended their communities from external aggression. The maintenance of infrastructure and public facilities was carried out by youth groups.

“With the advent of colonialism, youths were part of the main fulcrum that began the agitation for independence.

One of the prominent youth groups was the West African Students Union (WASU) whose raison d’etre was to fight for the independence of their people.”

Ogbogbo added that since Nigeria’s political independence, Nigerian youths have played even more visible roles in the task of nation building. “In a fit of courage laced with nationalism, the 1962 protests of Nigerian students under the auspices of National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS) led to the abrogation of the Anglo-Nigeria Defence pact of 1960 which was perceived as detrimental to Nigeria’s sovereignty.”

The don observed that the nation building challenges that confront the Nigerian youths in the twenty-first century are not remarkably different from those that their forebears had to confront. “The difference is that they have become hydra headed.

The efficient management of Nigeria’s diversity is at the core of the country’s challenges.”

According to him, other avenues through which Nigerian youths displayed nation building tendencies include the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC), sports, the film industry and the creation of the Nollywood brand, the entertainment

industry, among others.

He regretted that “never in Nigeria’s history have the youths and the general Nigerian populace been confronted with the present state of youth hopelessness as we are witnessing.

The educational institutions for which the youths are the major beneficiaries have virtually collapsed. Moral values have gone tatters while unemployment of the youths seem to be growing at a geometrical proportion.

“Today, the average Nigerian youth is ill-educated, parading certificates that certify nothing and unemployed /unemployable. The youths are tacitly excluded from governance, and the formal space for their engagement continues to shrink.

There is massive marginalisation of the youth. It is against this harsh background that we still expect them to rise to the task of nation building.”

While congratulating the graduands for successfully graduating with honours, he charged them to remain the top-fliers that they are in their subsequent endeavours.

In his remarks, the ViceChancellor, Professor Christopher Odetunde said 2020 has been a trying year for everyone all over the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has seen many countries go on total lock-down to reduce the spread of the virus.

As a result of the pandemic, he said the university, which prides itself on being a 21st century-compliant university moved its classes online and began and successfully concluded the second semester of the 2019/2020 academic session.

“During this period, we are also proud to say that we were able to pay all our staff despite the hardships, as both academic and non-academic continued to work to ensure the smooth running of the university, up until the lockdown on universities was lifted.”

While thanking the proprietor, chairman board of trustees and chairman of council for their supportive roles, he said, “we are glad to have the students back on campus and finally, parents can be relieved of requests for airtime funds for data purchase.”

He announced that the National Universities Commission (NUC) will soon conduct a verification exercise visit to the university to ascertain its readiness to commence programmes like: Biotechnology, Cybersecurity, Fishery, Information Technology, Mass Communication, Political Science, and Software Engineering.

“We hope that with the advent of these courses, Augustine University will observe a boost in student patronage,” he said.

The Professor of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering stated that the university recently received an additional endowment fund from the Estate of the late Mrs. Abimbola Omololu-Mulele, which increased the endowment to N60 million from the initial N40 million given by the Estate in 2019.

The Chairman, Board of Trustees, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Kashim Ibrahim Imam has stressed the need to sustain education tax collection for the fund’s continuous intervention in the country’s tertiary institutions.

Imam, who said this at the 2020 joint TETFund/Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) interactive forum, in Lagos, expressed concern that the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the world economy, including Nigeria, saying that decisive and stronger measures need to be taken to ameliorate the effects of the present day reality.

Imam, who spoke on the theme, ‘New Thrust in Sustaining the EDT collection during COVID-19 Pandemic for Effective Service Delivery of the Mandate of the Fund’, said the fund has been bedeviled with the challenge of meeting the target of Education Tax (EDT) collection over the years.

He added that with the current state of the economy and the realities of the time, it will likely face the same challenge except with deliberate and

concerted efforts.

“Given the realities of our time, there is need for improved effort to cushion the effects of the likely downturn of EDT collections.”

He stated that the synergy between the fund and FIRS atis vital to the transformation evident in public tertiary institutions across Nigeria.

“This was achieved as a result of joint delivery of complementary services by providing amiable and lasting solutions to our beneficiaries.”

“In addition, the successful strategic partnerships over the years can be attributed toqthe strong, relentless commitment and cooperation by the leadership of both organisations and zeal to improve education in the country.”

The chairman, who disclosed that the fund has just ended its nationwide tour of institutions to access projects built from its funding, said there are over 10,000 projects across institutions in Nigeria with a budget of N250 billion.

“We are out to prove that public institutions give good account of themselves.”

Asked about the call for the funding of private universities in the country, Imam said, “Private institutions are for

profit making. If we start giving them funds, it means we would start excluding the children of the less privileged from accessing quality education.”

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the fund, Professor Suleiman Bogoro, who corroborated Imam on funding of private institutions, said the idea is non-negotiable.

He noted that in terms of population, the ratio of students in public institutions compared to private is 94 per cent to six per cent.

He said in spite of the increasing number of beneficiary institutions and limited funds available for interventions, TETFund has performed credibly well over the years in transforming tertiary education in Nigeria.

He said though there was a steady rise in education tax from 1999 to 2009, which he put at N5 billion to N139 billion and a decline in 2010 (N89 billion) and a big rise again in 2011 (N128 billion), 2012 (N188 billion) and 2013 (N279 billion), the tax collected subsequently to date has been fluctuating.

He however said TETFund would ensure to deepen its collaboration with FIRS to

enhance revenue collection drive for the fund so as to surpass target budget to be able to do more schools.

He said there is additional mandate now which is research and innovation for which President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the upward review of the National Research Fund from N5 billion in 2019 to N7.5 billion this year and also the establishment and funding of 12 centres of excellence, six medical research centres and six colleges of medicine across regions of the country.

The Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mr. Muhammad Nami said though it is becoming more challenging to collect taxes as many individuals and companies ordinarily don’t like to pay tax, the agency would employ all necessary machinery, especially technology to ensure it improves on its mandates.

Represented by the Director of Medium Tax Department, FIRS, Mr. Kabir Abba, FIRS boss assured TETFund of surpassing its target, saying it is always willing to collect the education tax because of the obvious significant impacts of the money on the beneficiary schools and the economy.

L-R: The Vice-Chancellor, Augustine University, Ilara-Epe, Prof. Christopher Odetunde; the Chancellor, Msgr J.K Aniagwu; overall best graduating student, Miss Odunwa Mercedes; and the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Sir Steve Omojafor, at the second graduation ceremony of the institution... recently

GBV: FG Moves to Formulate Policy on Safety, Security in Schools Kuni Tyessi in Abuja As a result of the increase in gender based violence, which in turn affects school enrolment and attendance among others, the federal government has concluded plans for a policy formulation on safely and security in the country’s basic education system.

This will be in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), European Union and other relevant stakeholders.

This was revealed by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu during a one-day strategic meeting, organised by Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre

(WARDC) with the theme ‘Partnership on Strengthening Policies and Systems in Higher Institutions on Zero Tolerance on Sexual and Gender-based Violence.’

The minister, who was represented by the Director, Policy, Research and Statistics, Mrs. Fokake Olatunji David, said issue of gender is not only girl-child related, as it also affects the boys, thereby increasing the numerical status of out- of-school children who are molested not just in their way to and from school, but also within the school premises.

According to the minister, “The federal government has concluded plans to put in place a policy on safety and security in our schools,

especially at the basic level.

This will be in collaboration with UNICEF, EU and other partners. This policy still in the pipeline is expected to have stakeholders key into it towards ensuring that our schools are safe.

“Frameworks are also welcomed to implement the policy. The Federal Ministry of Education will look at best practices around the world that can be leveraged upon.

Issues on gender violence are multi faceted and must be dealt with in stages and different categories. It has no gender even though women are more prone, no age, limits, status, class or even barrier.

“There is low participation of girls in school and not just at the basic level.

Ratio of girls to boys is not encouraging. When talking about gender based violence, it must be noted that it is not referring to just girls, as boys are also affected.

“The issue of out of school children has been worrisome and we are struggling to see that they return to school.

One reason why they are not in school is as a result of insecurity. Parents will prefare to keep the girls at home, rather than send them to where they can’t guarantee their safety.

“They are molested on roads and even in school. To have an educated society, we need to educate our women.

There is need for us to make our schools safe enough,” the minister said.

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T H I S D AY ˾ EMBER 16, 2020

EDUCATION

Invest Massively in Technology to Boost Education, Govts Told Uchechukwu Nnaike The Chief Executive Officer of an insurance company, AXA Mansard Health, Mr. Tope Adeniyi, has advised governments at all levels to improve the standard of teaching and learning in the country by investing massively in technology, if the country intends to be globally competitive.

Adeniyi gave the advise at the valedictory service and graduation ceremony for the class of 2020, Queen’s College, Lagos, with the theme ‘Achieving Greatness against all Odds’.

Adeniyi, who was the guest speaker, said the world is moving at a fast rate with technology and Nigeria cannot afford to lag behind, especially in the area of accelerated development. ‘’We are raising 21st century children and there is need for them all to be empowered with technology-driven platforms that will enable them to learn effectively. ‘’Look at what happened during the peak of the pandemic in the country. We were practically almost being overwhelmed applying technology to carry on with life generally because most of life’s endeavours was carried out through technology. ‘’So governments need to step up in making our education system, particularly in all our federal schools to be technology driven.

‘’These children are going to be facing global challenges where their counterparts the world over are all technologically savvy, as they keep learning through such platforms,’’ he said.

He noted that given the right orientation on technology, secondary school students should be writing programmes, if equipped with laptops and other internet devices.

Adeniyi added that students should be able to bring to bear their innovative instinct while still in secondary school, so that by the time they proceed to the university, they would be already creating solutions to life’s challenges. ‘’This will help us to accelerate in our quest for national development, research and findings, and it will also help us to compete globally,’’ he said.

Admonishing the graduands, he urged them to imbibe only principles that would enhance their success. ‘’As you graduate today, you all must have it at the back of your minds that whatever you have learnt must be useful to meet the needs of tomorrow. So, it is not just about learning to pass examinations, but to apply it to serve mankind. ‘’You must also be able to dispose yourselves to critical thinking. You must constantly be thinking challenges of the existing system and strive to

come up with lasting solutions to add value to the lives of the citizens. ‘’You must also strive to develop mental toughness wherever you find yourselves, show respect to others and above all strive to stay righteous, as it is profitable,’’ he charged the girls.

In her remarks, the Principal of the college, Dr. Tokunbo Yakubu-Oyinloye said the school has been sustaining excellence in girl-child education since its establishment in 1927, and has laid a foundation of hard work and excellence in character and academics for its students, which have been displayed in the several success stories recorded over the years. ‘’I feel extremely delighted that God has made it possible for us all to witness this day, despite the challenges that happened in the course of the year, the pandemic, the protest and a host of others. ‘’Today, we are graduating a total of 663 girls and it is a thing of joy to witness the occasion, despite all the odds. ‘’These girls have what it takes to surmount all odds and I want them to remain focused and determined wherever they may find themselves.”

Yakubu-Oyinloye she thanked the federal government for providing the platforms the school operated upon, adding, “the recent approval of a new

welfare package for teachers and the extension of service years is very commendable. ‘’We are indeed very grateful for the gesture and hope for more of these.’’

The principal also appealed to the federal government to prevail in the National Examinations Council (NECO), to expedite action in conducting its examination on some of the subjects that could not be taken due to the recent nationwide #EndSARS protest that was hijacked by hoodlooms. ‘’Our students still have a couple of outstanding papers left and we want to plead with NECO to urgently do something about it so as to facilitate the students’ placements into tertiary institutions of their choice.’’

She advised the graduating students to always remember that they can be anything they want to be. ‘’Aim to be the best at your chosen profession or career, develop your talents, skills, and potential to the fullest, for you have what it takes.”

In his goodwill message, the Principal, King’s College, Lagos, Mr. Andrew Agada, urged the girls to be good ambassadors of their alma mater and always strive to be role models to other girls.

He congratulated them for pushing through the boundaries, irrespective of all the obstacles in the course of the year.

KEHINDE OMORU www.kayomoru.com

DISTINCTION BETWEEN CORPORAL PUNISHMENT AND CHILD DISCIPLINE A quick recap is needed for my thrust this week. As you could recall, in January 2015, a United Nations spokesman expressed concerns that children in the north-eastern parts of Nigeria are in dire need for protection from continuing, relentless violence.

On the 10th of January, a 10-year-old girl in Borno State, in the care of Boko Haram, detonated a bomb which killed at least 20 people. Sexual violenceagainstgirls,forcedmarriagesandrapes,growingrecruitment of children, countless abductions and attacks on schools have been identified in the area, by Leila Zerrugal of the UN, who visited Nigeria to assess the conflict’s impact on children.

Somuchfortheterroristattacksupnorth.Howaboutdownsouth?How much protection does the ‘common’ Nigerian child have from various forms of subtle violations? Children hawk and work as house-helps to bring money into the family, children are used as carers for ageing relatives and their younger siblings, children are sent alone on errands sometimes to faraway places where they have to walk for miles. On the way, girls in particular suffer sexual harassments in the form of poking and verbal sexual assaults by pedophiliac ‘lay-about’ on the streets.

Sometimes from their own family members and even parents! It is that demonic and sad.

Child labour is common place and seemingly acceptable. Child abuse is heavily among us. Preventing all forms of it is still not considered a high priority. Child abuse falls into four categories namely: neglect, physical abuse, psychological or emotion abuse and sexual abuse.

Physical abuse of children is all around you. Many parents and teachers persist in deliberately inflicting serious physical injuries on children.

It’s easy to find children with bruises, scratches, burns, lacerations, brokenbonesandrepeatedunexplainedmishaps.Asaresult,inJanuary 2015, corporal punishment of children by parents (or other adults) was banned in 44 countries. Unfortunately Nigeria was not listed among these countries. Corporal punishment is “the deliberate infliction of painasretributionforanoffenceortodisciplineorreformawrongdoer, or to deter attitudes or behaviour deemed unacceptable.” The term connotes striking, spanking or slapping the wrongdoer with the hand, or using an implement such as a belt, a slipper, cane or stick.

Nigeria has not prohibited the use of corporal punishment in the home, day care, alternative care settings, schools, penal institutions and as a sentenceforcrime.Pleaserefertoanonlinearticletitled:‘Nigeria-Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment for Children’. It is known that methodsofchilddisciplinevarywidely.Wealsoknowthatalthoughvalues, beliefs, customs and cultural methods of child discipline vary widely, parents and teachers genuinely want to raise children who internalise their guidance so that they’d become self-disciplined. Most parents and teachers want to pass on principles, guidelines and expectations.

You honestly pine for your children to distinguish between right and wrong. You want to teach them self-control, increase their desirable behaviour while decreasing undesirable behaviour.

All your disciplining strategies are aimed at imparting a particular code of conduct. You want to develop and entrench desirable social habits to foster in them, sound judgements and morals. Essentially, all you want is for your child to develop and maintain self-discipline to use for the rest of their lives. You however cannot continue to impart knowledgeandskillwiththecane!Doyourealisethattheworddiscipline means to teach, to impart knowledge and skill? Should these virtues be imparted forcefully?

Without mincing word, I crave the absolution of lawyers in the country, including the senior advocates that took their oath just this week and theninthassemblytourgentlyworkonthisproject.Indeed,aclarioncall!

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

A cross-section of graduating students of Queen’s College, Lagos, during their valedictory service and graduation ceremony... recently

Greensprings’ Teacher to Become Cambridge Teacher Trainer for Sub-Saharan Africa For his outstanding academic qualifications and positive impacts on his students, an English Language teacher at Greensprings School, Lagos, Femi Oyinloye, has been invited to the highly coveted Cambridge Teacher Trainer (CTT) certification training.

He will join three other Nigerians who will be certified to become lead trainers for teacher training workshops across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Reacting to the feat, Oyinloye stated that he is honoured to have been invited, saying that it is a recognition of the strides in his career. He also thanked the

management of Greensprings School for allowing him to lead the English Department, which has produced students who won IGCSE’s Top in Country in English and Literature-inEnglish. According to him, leading the department has prepared him for the tasks ahead as he joins the Cambridge Teacher Trainer for Sub-Saharan Africa.

On how he got the invitation, he said: “I was nominated for the CTT certification training because I am a Cambridge First Language English examiner. In addition to that, I have attended training on Professional De-

velopment Qualifications with Cambridge in First Language English and Literature-inEnglish. I have also completed the CIE Teaching and Learning Certificate course, and aside from my credentials, I had to submit a mock training video on differentiated learning in order to be eligible.”

The Deputy Director of Education at the school, Dr. Barney Wilson expressed delight, saying, “we are super proud of Mr. Femi Oyinloye.

Great learning institutions have teachers and staff who are known locally, regionally, nationally and globally. When our

teachers shine, Greensprings School shines. We believe that Oyinloye’s scholarly work after the certification will be a blessing to lots of teachers in Sub-Saharan Africa.”

The Cambridge Teacher Trainer certification training started in November. After completing the training in 2021, invited attendees will become Cambridge-certified freelancers who will lead workshops on teacher-identified topics, including formative assessment, differentiated instruction, digital technologies, learner-centred approach, and inclusive education.

Federal Poly, Bauchi Matriculates 6,559 Students Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi The Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi has matriculated a total of 6,559 students for the 2019/2020 academic session.

Giving a breakdown at the matriculation ceremony recently, the Rector, Sanusi Gumau said a total of 9,910 applications were received by the polytechnic, 9,654 students were admitted, while 6,559 were registered having met the requirements.

Providing a further breakdown of the classes of the matriculated students, the rector said 950 were for diploma, 3,125 for National Diploma, 2421 for Higher National Diploma and 93 for IJMB. He said the ceremony was scheduled by the Academic Board of the polytechnic to hold in April, 2020, but could not

hold due to the Corona virus pandemic that forced schools to close all academic exercises.

“The management in collaboration with the Academic Board reopened the institution after meeting up with the COVID-19 protocols set by the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Board for Technical Education,” he said.

While advising the new students to work hard to make their parents and guidance who spent their money on them proud of them at graduation, he assured them of adequate facilities for a conducive learning environment.

“During the COVID-19 outbreak, we remodelled the Polycon Block D building, former ICT MIS Block, block of female hostel, Ge Oknerator House and Block AB building,” he said.

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2020 • T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ ͯʹ, 2020

CITYSTRINGS

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Galvanising Security Governance in Africa Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that the recently held Inter-regional Parliamentary Engagement on Defence and Security by Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre was targeted at galvanising security governance within the region in a bid to find coordinated approaches in terms of response, both in policy and practice

One of the groups deliberating on security governance

CISLAC Conflict Advisor, Salaudeen Hashim

T

o galvanise security governance in Nigeria and Africa as a whole, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) recently held an Inter-regional Parliamentary Engagement on Defence and Security where an Inter-parliamentary working group was inaugurated to discuss mutual security concerns and find a more coordinated approach in terms of response, both in policy and practice.

Held in Lagos, the high-level parliamentary meeting, according to earlier information provided by CISLAC Program Officer (Defence and Security) Bertha Eloho Ogbimi was part of their effort to galvanise security governance within the region.

According to CISLAC Executive Director, Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), “contrary to the conventional wisdom that executive branch authorities bear sole responsibility for all potential sources of conflict, we have noted that parliaments have an essential role to play by virtue of their place within the structure, functioning and activities of the state within the region.

“As representatives of the people, parliaments also enjoy legal, political and social legitimacy.

We have therefore reached a conclusion that parliaments need to be more engaging in this legitimacy in determining the scope of their activity. In terms of how they can contribute to conflict prevention and management, we have stressed that parliaments need to develop a vision, formulate strategies, devise structures and marshal resources for the primary objective of consolidating peace – peace being not one goal among others but the goal!

“As a matter of good governance, in their efforts to prevent conflicts and other crises, depending on the causes alluded to above, we believe that parliaments should exercise heightened vigilance as to the rule of law, as part of their government oversight mission; ensure that human rights legislation is in place, up-to-date with prevailing international norms, effectively enforced and disseminated to constituents; ensure that their own governance provides a model that adheres to democratic principles, respects the rights of minorities and the underprivileged and reflects a pluralistic, inclusive society; and ensure accountability and transparency in defence and security policies and decisions to reduce the risk of corruption.

“They are also to ensure that institutions are strengthened so as to regenerate public confidence (we consider it indispensable to provide leadership that can rally the public behind efforts to build a democratic society); and ensure democratic alternation by establishing a transparent electoral system

and reordering political party culture to accommodate increased participation by women, youth and minorities, with mechanisms to facilitate regular elections.”

To make the system more operational, he added, “ we have recommended that political parties attempt to instill amongst their members a spirit of tolerance, discipline, and respect for electoral verdicts, and to keep them well informed on issues of national interest and potential causes of conflict.”

In his session on the issue of “Evolving defence and security concepts and actors: a challenge faced by parliaments” CISLAC Conflict Advisor, Salaudeen Hashim, addressed the age-long challenge of secrecy versus accountability.

According to him, in secrecy versus accountability, the popular reasoning is that “all matters relating to National Security are secret and cannot be disclosed (Freedom of Information Act 2011: seeks to protect the disclosure of information relating to defence)” but the truth remains that “ Improving governance of the defence and security sector in West Africa face a number of formidable challenges, many of which require a regional focus given the cross border nature of security threats faced by West African countries.

“In these attempts, there is increasing recognition at regional and national levels that parliamentary involvement will promote democratic security sector governance.Political and parliamentary reform precedes defence security sector reform. Otherwise reforming the security sector becomes similar to driving a car without a steering wheel;

“In many instances, however, parliamentarians are willing but not entirely able to overview the government and its agencies, due to lack of human and budgetary resources.

Those resources, such as a parliamentary staff, provide parliaments essential capability to perform oversight.”

He posited that while secrecy protects sensitive information, accountability on the other hand enhances national security, especially in conflict; increases operational effectiveness and prevents harm to individuals, transparency on the other hand limits space for hiding wrong-doing; enables prevention and quicker detection of problems and anomalies, including corruption; builds trust among adversaries; enables accountability and civic engagement and protects individuals from arbitrary decisions.

Still on the conundrum facing secrecy and transparency he said while the latter restores national pride and trust in the armed forces, the former presents an opportunity for graft and corruption: large budgets + discretionary authority + secrecy. He further posited that secrecy hides all manner of mistakes, inefficiencies and crimes.

On finding the necessary balance, he called for classification of material only for legitimate and legally defined reasons in line with international standards: the ‘harm test’ and the ‘public interest test’; Presumption of transparency and access to information; Withholding of information has to come from a legitimate source of power and be performed in line with legal procedures; Possibility of independent review of classified information: usually a judicial procedure; No information

can be withheld indefinitely: time limits for classification and definition of declassification procedures; and Classification decisions have to be justified in writing and the justification preserved.

Harping on the changing nature of insecurity, he posited that its negative impact affects strengthening parliaments as institutional actors of security sector governance; recognising that security can only be ensured through democratic control of the security sector; public trust in the armed forces; adding that a system of civilian oversight is needed to ensure transparency and accountability of the armed forces and security services.

Quoting Nigeria GI MAIN findings, he said bemoaned lack of transparency and accountability around defence policy, budget and procurement, adding that the National Defence Policy is outdated, reviewed version not implemented and monitored regularly and not submitted to Parliament for approval; significant irregularities with regard to the defence budget; and the defence procurement process is opportunistic and lacks proper planning.

On the issue of weak institutional oversight over the defence and security policies and budgets, the findings posited that while parliamentary oversight is weak, there is no adequate scrutiny of the defence budget or defence policy with lack of expertise and high turnover in committee’s membership; very few public hearings of defence officials; army committee proceedings are restricted on the ground of national security and the Office of the Auditor General lacks resources, independence and expertise to carry out its mandate.

Also addressing weak military personnel systems that encourage predatory behaviour, they posited that there is still a high risk of ghost soldiers, despite IPPIS; the recruitment process of military personnel at all levels is defective, based on ethnic and religious considerations; allegations that Nigerian troops deployed in the North East to fight Boko Haram are involved in illegal activities (extorting money from the population, demanding bribes, involved in smuggling activities).

Harping on the role the legislative arm of government plays, he said they are the principal law-making institution in democratic states and they play the central role in the field of defence to protect against corruption and enable proper scrutiny of the legislative.

He further added that they play the oversight function of checking the excesses of executive power; ensure that the government operates lawfully and hold the defence (secretive sector) to account.

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T H I S D AY ˾ ͯʹ˜ 2020

CRIME&SECURITY

FCT and Rising Security Challenges With the recent influx of kidnappers, robbers and hoodlums, who have terrorising the residents of the Federal Capital Territory, Olawale Ajimotokan and Kingsley Nwezeh report that insecurity in the territory has reached its peak

FCT Development and Control demolished slums serving as hideout for criminals

R

esidents of the FCT have been agonising over the reign of terror by armed robbers and kidnappers, which has raised the security concern in the nation’s capital to the highest

level.

In recent times, criminal elements have been having free rein in some parts of the FCT, robbing residents of their money and valuable items. Some of the worst-hit communities are Kurudu and Kpegyi, a situation that has prompted some of the residents to alarm the police to come to their aid and sanitise the communities in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) from the grip of hoodlums.

Houses and businesses on streets around the Block Industry, Christ the King Catholic Church (CKC) in Kurudu are at the mercy of the armed groups, who come in large number during each operation.

Ndubuisi Okebugwu, a journalist who lives in the affected areas in Kurudu, said the formation of vigilante groups by residents of various streets is yet to deter the daily attacks by the robbers, who sometimes start their operations as early as 8 p.m. when residents are still savouring their dinner, moving from one business premises to the other, armed with dangerous weapons, like knives, machetes and guns, which they use to rob people without being molested.

"Life has become unbearable for people around the block industry and the surrounding neighbourhood. On daily basis in the last few months, residents keep vigil around their homes to ward off the armed robbers who come in their tens.

"For two nights consecutively- last Thursday and Friday, they came in their numbers (over 50) around the block industry and CKC. Men living in some of the streets quickly mobilised and joined the security men to confront them. In the process, the robbers attacked and wounded some residents, and succeeded in robbing some houses," the journalist said.

Beside the two above mentioned communities, there has also been increasing robbery operations in the outskirts of Kubwa, Dutse Alhaji, Karmo, and the area councils.

The untoward activities of the criminals have also drawn the FCT Police Command into confronting some of the robbers, who rob at gunpoint in different parts of the territory. Some of these criminals specialise in “one chance", who disguise as genuine passengers aboard a commercial vehicle, but end up robbing other unwary passengers.

Detectives from the Gwagwa Division of the police command, had, during a recent, routine patrol arrested one Chima Ezenwa, 23; Micheal Obi-Ude, 27; and Daniel Godwin, 28, all male at Gwagwa, while attempting to rob their unsuspecting victim at gunpoint.

The suspects stated that they had monitored their victim closely overtime before attempting to dispossess him of his valuables. Exhibits recovered from them include one locally-made revolver and one round of live ammunition.

The command, acting on intelligence,

Ciroma dispatched police operatives from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, who arrested one Augustine Wodi, 26; Emmanuel Baba, 22; and Samson Bamiyi, 20, all-male and members of a five-man gang along Gada Biu-Kwali axis during a robbery operation.

The suspects stated that they conspired with the driver of their victim to perpetrate the heinous act before they were apprehended.

It said efforts were in place to arrest other members of the gang at large.

Exhibits recovered include two locally made pistols, one short gun, 20 rounds of live 9mm ammunition, three face masks, two mobile phones, and the sum of N40,000 cash.

The command said the suspects would be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of the investigation.

Also during a recent stop and search operation, police detectives from Gwagwa Division arrested one Orinya James, 28, a member of a two-man one chance robbery gang at Ushafa-Gwagwa after robbing their unsuspecting victims of their valuables.

The suspect, who poses as a cab operator to carry out his nefarious act, tried to abandon his operational vehicle and its content before he was accosted by the eagled-eye operatives on duty. The command said it had intensified efforts to arrest the other suspect at large.

Exhibits recovered were one painted TaxiMazda 232 registration number XL271DKA, two handbags, two mobile phones, one dagger, and a rope.

During a routine patrol, police detectives from Dutse-Alhaji Division arrested one Chinoso Godwin, 26, at Dutse-Alhaji while attempting to dispossess his victims and passengers of

their possession in his operational vehicle.

The suspect, who posed as a taxi operator to rob his victims met his waterloo while attempting to escape at a police checkpoint.

Exhibits recovered are one Gulf 3 vehicle with registration number ABC 659 AM. The spokesperson of the command, ASP Mariam Yusuf, said the suspects would be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of the investigation.

The prevailing situation may not be unconnected with the poor economic situation in the country. In the last four years, for instance, the downturn in the economy had led to 20.9 million people losing their jobs according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), especially among the youth.

"The hardship is biting harder as costs of basic commodities including accommodation have skyrocketed. Inflation at over 11per cent has eaten so deeply into the disposable income of the people, leaving them with little or no savings", it said.

Apart from robbery, some Abuja residents have also been having sleepless nights on account of the activities of hoodlums, who specialise in kidnapping their victims for ransom. Scores of people have been abducted by kidnappers in Pegi in Kuje and Tungan Maje by the hoodlums.

Some were also killed during the daring raids.

Pegi has been the epicenter of the criminal raids with kidnappers randomly carrying out raids in the isolated community mainly along the dreaded earthen road known as bush path.

Recently they kidnapped a former Vice- Chairman of Kuje Area Council, Mohammed Baba, and two members of the council’s legislative arm and many support staff of the council, including the Transport Officer, Special As-

sistant, Media, Head of Department (HoD), and Food Services.

Baba and others were commuting on a bus to Kuje after going to congratulate the new Education Secretary of the council, Mr. Yunusa Zakari, when they ran into a trap laid by the gunmen, who abducted all the occupants before vanishing through the bush path.

The kidnap of the council vice-chairman and another incident resulted in one person to be lying in critical condition from gunshot injuries, while two other persons were kidnapped after many hours of shooting by gunmen in the troubled community prompted the Chairman of Pegi Community Development Association (PECDA), Taiwo Aderibigbe, to lead a protest to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to demand improved security in the troubled community.

Also, Sabon-Bwari, a border community in Niger State, which is about five kilometres from the Law School was attacked by kidnappers, who held the community captive for two hours, ransacking houses. After abducting five persons, they made a demand of N50 million as ransom from the families of the victims. Sabon-Bwari is predominantly an agrarian community.

However, in response to the spate of kidnappings and other criminal activities in the territory the Development Control Department of the FCTA has been carrying out the demolition of shanties and illegal settlements that provide cover for criminal elements in the FCT. Demolition exercises have taken place in several parts of the city to uncover the unwholesome activities of the criminal elements and to restore the city masterplan.

There were recent raids on Daki-biyu, a precinct of Jabi district of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Lugbe, Kuruduma II and Kpaduma II communities in Guzape, Idu Karimo, Kukwuaba-Wuye District, Apo Akpmajenya and Kpadna in Utako Community.

The FCTA has attributed the spate of crimes in the nation’s capital to the sprouting of shantytowns and has vowed not to condone them in the territory.

The FCTA, Director of Security Services, Adamu Gwary, while speaking about the demolition at Down Jabi community, noted that those settlements had become a haven for criminals in the FCT. He said that the exercise had to be carried out in the interest of the general public.

“Shantytowns keep springing up in all corners. Henceforth, we shall not condone them in the FCT,” Gwary said.

The Director of FCTA Development Control, Malam Muktar Galadima, noted that the proliferation of commercial activities in the community was attracting men of the underworld and even making the environment dirty,” he said.

He also noted that the exercise at KukwuabaWuye, where 2,400 shanties were removed the in Ruga settlement was to checkmate security challenges posed by the threat of Boko Haram as well as kidnapping, and bring orderliness and sanitation to the capital city.

40

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯʹ˜ 2020

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

Afreximbank Lists Eight Nigerian Banks among Trade Finance Intermediary Initiative Obinna Chima The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has accredited eight Nigerian banks to join its expanded trade finance intermediary initiative.

In all, the bank increased the number of its Trade Finance Intermediaries (TFIs) to more than 65 in 30 African countries.

The Nigerian banks listed were Access, FCMB, Fidelity, First Bank of Nigeria, Sterling, Union Bank, Stanbic IBTC and Zenith.

Some other financial institutions in the continent that made the list included Bank Gaborone, First National Bank of Botswana, Coris Bank International, Ecobank Cameroon, Banco Caboverdiano de Negócios S.A.’S (BCN), BGFI Cote d’Ivoire, Arab International Bank, Commercial International Bank (CIB), National Bank of Egypt, Export Development Bank of Egypt and Vista Bank Gambia, among others.

According to a statement, a key component of the bank’s business model, the TFI initiative enables a smoother delivery of

Afreximbank’s initiatives and credit solutions.

It explained that in line with its charter and mandate, Afreximbank delivers its products and services with and through central banks, commercial banks and other eligible bank and non-bank financial institutions.

“The Trade Finance Intermediaries also act as Local Administrative Agents for Afreximbank’s facilities. The Bank has put in place the TFI initiative to establish lasting relationships with these partner financial institutions.

“New guidelines for appointing TFIs were introduced in 2017. As a result, Afreximbank has strengthened their role in assisting the Bank to reach eligible exporters and importers in Africa and beyond. Accredited according to rigorous criteria, Trade Finance Intermediaries are trained to understand Afreximbank’s mandate, strategy, process, and procedures.

“The further expansion of Afreximbank’s Trade Finance Intermediary initiative enlarges the accredited network

of financial institutions that can work alongside the Bank to facilitate the transformation and development of trade across Africa,” the statement added.

Already this year, Afreximbank had on-boarded more than 35 additional Trade Finance Intermediaries and more were expected to be approved next year.

According to the statement, the local presence and knowledge of Trade Finance Intermediaries ideally positions them to play an important role in delivering Afreximbank’s credit solutions, adding that TFIs are also instrumental in helping to ensure the success of Afreximbank’s initiatives such as the newly launched MANSA repository platform - which provides a centralised pan-African source for Due Diligence and Know-Your Customer data - and the Pan African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), which will enable intra-African trade and commerce payments to be made in African currencies in furtherance of the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

‘Good Business Ideas Will Assist Youths Access Investment Fund’ Ugo Aliogo The Minister for Youths and Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare, has said good business ideas would help youths access the N75 billion Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYF) created by the federal government to support small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs).

He said entrepreneurship has a critical role to play in solving Nigeria’s unemployment problems, adding that the world was looking beyond qualifications to get things done.

Dare disclosed during the Junior Achievement Nigeria, (JAN) National Company of the Year Competition (NCOY) virtual event held recently.

The minister said the programme was enriching and promising for students to achieve their life ambitions and

solve societal problems.

“The technological skills the participants exhibited showed that Nigeria has a future in younger generations,” he added.

At the end of the competition, New Phase, Brookstone Secondary School, River State that produced Eco-friendly Building Block emerged the winner, while Amazing Amazons student from Government Girls Secondary, Abuja emerged first runner up and Jikoru, Alvana Secondary School, Owerri, emerged second runner up.

In her Goodwill message, the Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, First Bank Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Folake Ani-Mumuney, said the 10th anniversary of NCOY was a significant milestone.

She also stated that NCOY brings together outstanding students and business teams across

Nigeria to compete to represent Nigeria at African Company of the year, JA programme, Ani-Mumuney expressed delight over the annual celebration of the event, noting that it has given young people an opportunity, “to demonstrate their business acumen and spirit of entrepreneurship in a competitive environment.”

Continuing Ani-Mumuney, “First Bank Nigeria have been involved with JAN for several years, and it is also one of the many fronts for engagements with the next generation of Nigerians who will create the innovative future that we all aspire for. “Our partnership with JAN in the NCOY has made a decade of impact and illustrations, driven by the very products and services created by young minds to solve real problems facing society.

WTO Negotiating Group Fails to Meet 2020 Deadline on Fisheries Subsidy Dike Onwuamaeze The Chairman of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Negotiating Group on Rules on Fisheries Subsidy, Ambassador Santiago Wills has announced that the group would not meet the 2020 deadline to deliver a policy document due to the constraints posed by the advent of COVID-19 pandemic disease.

Wills disclosed this during a media briefing to share update on fisheries subsidy negotiations of the WTO. Wills said: “I am disappointed that we missed the 2020 deadline.

But, I am not discouraged. To the contrary the momentum is there and we must not waste it.

New policy on fisheries subsidies is a debt we owe to the global community. It is now clear that we cannot make up the time we have lost to COVID-19 and bring the negotiations to a successful outcome this year.

“With the right will and proper

engagements I am convinced we can finish this in the near future.

“We should not underestimate the point of missing the deadline.

We should not be discouraged either. To the contrary, we should be encouraged by the progress made with the momentum that has been built and by the unique and real opportunity that we have to conclude this process into the near future to fulfil the responsibility that has been passed to us.”

He, however, stated that the truth was that a lot of progress has been made this year and the credit should go to all the WTO members for maintaining a high level of commitment and determination.

“We have made progress in some areas of the draft agreement. We understand the highly complex issues that underlie these negotiations. In some areas there are willingness to compromise.

Major differences remained. But in many areas delegations are

not far apart,” he said.

Wills declared the he intended to schedule the first cluster of meetings after the Christmas break in the week of January 18, and assured that based on his consultations, all members are committed to bringing this negation to the finishing line.

“The WTO document on fisheries subsidy will undoubtedly be a further step in securing our oceans and our peoples.

Members in recognising this have been working hard to get it right.

“At this critical juncture we need members to close the gaps and deliver a meaningful agreement soon. It is time for all of us to step up,” he said.

Wills revealed that some of the outstanding issues in the negotiations included subsidy that affects capacity to fishing and fish stocks and those that end up in the wrong hands about those that are engaging in illegal and unprotected fishing.

Executive Director, SystemSpecs Limited, Aderemi Atanda (left) receiving Businessday Nigeria Business Leadership Award 2020 conferred on SystemSpecs from Executive Director, Businessday, Febian Akagha, at the awards presentation ceremony held in Lagos... recently

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

˾ ÙßÜÍÏ ̋

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

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

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

˾ ÙØÏÞËÜã ÙÖÓÍã ËÞÏ ̋ ͯͱϱ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT MONDAY, 14 DECEMBER 2020

The price of OPEC basket of thirteen crudes stood at $49.65 a barrel on Monday, compared with $49.58 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), Zafiro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

41

T H I S D AY ˾ ͯʹ˜ 2020

Investors Gain N199bn as Market Sustains Positive Momentum Goddy Egene The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index (ASI) rose further by 1.10 per cent to close at 34,225.22 as the market sustained its positive momentum yesterday. The market capitalisation gained N199.5 billion to close at N18.4 trillion.

The bulls had returned to the market on Monday with a gain of 1.73 per cent after losing out

the bears the previous week due to profit taking.

However, the gains were sustained yesterday as 28 stocks appreciated compared with 14 stocks that depreciated.

LASACO Assurance Plc led the price gainers with 10 per cent while AXA Mansard Insurance Plc gained 9.3 per cent to occupy the second position. FTN Cocoa Processors Plc and Japaul Gold garnered 8.3 per cent and 8.0 per cent respectively.

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

Lafarge Africa Plc chalked up 7.1 per cent just as Portland Paints and Products Nigeria(PPPN) Plc went up by 6.3 per cent.

The shares of PPPN have maintained a steady growth since October when it was disclosed that the company would merge with Chemical and Allied Products (CAP) Plc. According to companies, the decision to pursue the merger is driven by the strategic

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

objectives of the boards to drive growth and expansion within the Nigerian and African markets.

The Managing Director of PPPN, Bolarin Okunowo, said: “In recent months, the board and management of Portland Paints have evaluated various strategic options with a view to positioning our company to capture emerging growth opportunities. CAP’s business is

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

complementary to ours, and both companies will be better able to serve our respective customers by coming together.

I believe the combination of Portland Paints and CAP will yield significant benefits for all of our stakeholders.”

Market analysts said some investors have been buying into PPPN ahead of the planned merger, believing that it is cheaper to go into the merger through the company.

O F

The merger will involve the transfer of all PPPN’s assets, liabilities and business undertakings including real property and intellectual property rights to CAP. In consideration for the transfer, CAP is offering shareholders of PPPN a choice to receive N2.90 cash every PPPN share held or one new ordinary share of CAP, credited as fully-paid up for every eight PPPN shares held.

1 5 / 1 2 / 2 0 2 0 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

42

˾ WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020

ଂ

ଂ

ଂ

ଂ

ଂ

ଂ

7 R S 7 U D G H V E \ 9 R O X P H

7 R S * D L Q H U V P ric e

P ric e C hg %

Vo lum e

P ric e C hg %

LA SA C O

0.33

10.0%

A C C ESS

36.5

0.6%

M A N SA R D

0.70

9.4%

FB NH

33.8

0.7%

F T N C OC OA

0.52

8.3%

Z EN IT H B A N K

23.4

4.0%

22.50

7.1%

D A N GSUGA R

23.0

0.8%

2.50

6.4%

J A IZ B A N K

22.2

-8.1%

12.5

1.1%

12.3

-0.4%

9.6

10.0%

T ic k er

WA P C O P OR T P A IN T

T ic k er

OA N D O

2.90

5.1%

T R A N SC OR P

CHA M S

0.22

4.8%

F ID ELIT YB K

A F R IP R UD

5.99

4.5%

LA SA C O

A IIC O

1.20

4.3%

A IIC O

9.5

4.3%

ET I

6.20

4.2%

F T N C OC OA

6.2

8.3%

7 R S 7 U D G H V E \ 9 D O X H

7 R S / R V H U V T ic k er

P ric e C hg %

T ic k er

Value

D A N GC EM

545.1

P ric e C hg % 3.7%

VA N LEER

8.20

-9.9%

R ED ST A R EX

3.05

-9.8%

Z EN IT H B A N K

538.6

4.0%

UN IT YB N K

0.62

-8.8%

D A N GSUGA R

407.6

0.8%

OM A T EK

0.22

-8.3%

A C C ESS

295.3

0.6%

J A IZ B A N K

0.57

-8.1%

FB NH

236.6

0.7%

UA C -P R OP

0.79

-7.1%

GUA R A N T Y

187.1

1.7%

FCM B

2.87

-5.0%

N EST LE

94.3

0.0%

M B EN EF IT

0.25

-3.8%

SEP LA T

89.4

0.0%

-3.1%

WA P C O

86.1

7.1%

-3.1%

M TNN

51.9

0.0%

NA HCO IN T B R EW

Afrinvest West Africa Limited

P ric e

Brokerage

2.18 6.27

Asset Management

Investment Research

Adedoyin Allen | aallen@afrinvest.com Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com Abiodun Keripe | AKeripe@afrinvest.com Taiwo Ogundipe | togundi-

Christopher Omoh | comoh@afrinvest.com

Adedayo Bakare | abakare@afrinvest.com

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

43

MARKET NEWS

Lafarge Africa Appoints Darbo as Non-Executive Director Goddy Egene Lafarge Africa Plc has strengthened

its board with the appointment of Mrs. Virginie Darbo as a nonexecutive director effective 11th of

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

December, 2020. In a notification to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), the cement manufacturing firm

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 14Dec-2020, unless otherwise stated.

said Darbo, a French, is currently the Head of Finance, Middle East & Africa at the LafargeHolcim

Group.

She is a high caliber chief financial officer (CFO) with 24

years of international experience, dealing with complex environments in various finance positions.

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 1.05 1.06 16.40% ACAP Income Funds 0.86 0.86 11.44% 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 1.87% AIICO Balanced Fund 3.63 3.76 48.44% 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 0.50% Anchoria Equity Fund 124.85 125.30 18.36% Anchoria Fixed Income Fund 1.40 1.40 18.57% 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 N/A N/A N/A ARM Discovery Balanced Fund 392.57 404.41 13.65% ARM Ethical Fund 33.38 34.38 14.77% ARM Eurobond Fund ($) 1.22 1.22 21.87% ARM Fixed Income Fund 1.11 1.11 11.21% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 1.18% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA Mansard Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A CAPITAL EXPRESS ASSET AND TRUST LIMITED info@capitalexpressassetandtrust.com Web: www.capitalexpressassetandtrust.com ; Tel: +234 803 307 5048 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn CEAT Fixed Income Fund 2.24 2.24 18.31% Capital Express Balanced Fund(Formerly: Union Trustees Mixed Fund) 2.17 2.21 39.88% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 2.72% Paramount Equity Fund 15.01 15.28 19.91% Women's Investment Fund 127.95 129.30 15.98% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 1.38% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 125.45 126.20 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 N/A N/A Cordros Dollar Fund ($) 108.47 108.47 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 0.70% Coronation Balanced Fund 1.16 1.17 25.23% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.69 1.69 26.83% 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 0.88% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 1.26% EDC Nigeria Fixed Income Fund 1,203.65 1,222.11 8.67% 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 N/A N/A N/A FBN Balanced Fund 181.09 182.42 23.34% FBN Halal Fund 110.20 110.22 10.20% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 1.39% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 121.25 121.59 7.39% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 121.43 121.77 7.01% FBN Smart Beta Equity Fund 146.05 148.28 12.23% FCMB ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED fcmbamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcmbassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 1.91% Legacy Debt Fund 3.86 3.86 5.72% Legacy Equity Fund 1.45 1.49 28.67% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.13 1.13 4.81% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 3,689.13 3,727.10 21.01% Coral Income Fund 3,262.56 3,262.56 6.28% FSDH Treasury Bills Fund 100.00 100.00 3.12% 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 1.52% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 126.14 126.67 17.18%

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 2.01% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.84 2.90 29.79% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 7.50% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 155.62 156.53 8.62% 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 1.38 1.40 22.38% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,151.03 1,151.03 10.61% 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 1.58 1.61 28.25% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.12 12.23 7.65% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 1.82% PACAM Equity Fund 1.49 1.50 PACAM EuroBond Fund 108.85 111.22 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 128.90 131.85 13.01% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.02 1.02 8.96% 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 22.55% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 210.33 210.33 6.38% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.88 0.89 22.22% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 273.87 273.95 7.44% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 154.92 156.64 28.49% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 0.32% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,674.15 7,756.30 20.49% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.22 1.22 5.39% Stanbic IBTC Shariah Fixed Income Fund 110.88 110.88 6.40% 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 1.34 1.37 12.61% United Capital Bond Fund 1.88 1.88 8.80% United Capital Equity Fund 0.83 0.85 17.49% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 2.42% United Capital Eurobond Fund 116.77 116.77 6.83% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.06 1.07 0.68% 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 11.91 12.05 15.90% Zenith Ethical Fund 13.27 13.40 14.23% Zenith Income Fund 24.99 24.99 9.99% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 1.86%

REITS NAV Per Share

Fund Name SFS Skye Shelter Fund

Yield / T-Rtn

120.08

6.95%

52.16

0.21%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

11.29 110.60 85.71

11.39 113.00 87.32

34.08% 17.09% 14.11%

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

3.91

3.95

13.91%

Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund

5.48

5.56

-7.19%

Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Money Market Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund

15.46 1.00 15.54

15.56 1.00 15.74

28.62% 2.26% 49.05%

219.65

221.65

17.10%

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.

44

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWSXTRA

Chief Judge Explains Why Court Froze #ENDSARS Promoters’ Bank Accounts Alex Enumah in Abuja The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, yesterday said that contrary to the believe in some quarters that the court intentionally froze the accounts of #EndSARS promoters, it only played its part as an interpreter of the law.

The CJ noted that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had approached the court to ask for an order freezing certain accounts of corporate bodies and names of individuals over suspicion bordering on alleged money laundering.

He, however, stated that the CBN did not attached any names

Farmers Urge Makinde to Sign Anti-open grazing Bill to Address Herdsmen Attacks Some farmers in the Ibarapa area of Oyo State have appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde to sign the Anti-Open Grazing Bill already passed by the House of Assembly into law.

The President, Igangan Agro Park Investment Association, Oluwafemi Abioye, disclosed this in Ibadan.

He said the bill, Oyo State Open Rearing and Grazing Regulation, was passed by the lawmakers in October 2019 and more than a year after its passage, the governor had yet to sign it into law.

Abioye, who retired from the banking sector to go into agriculture said, farmers especially those in the Ibarapa North Local Government Area of the state had suffered huge financial losses as and some of them had been killed by the suspected rampaging herdsmen.

He said the killing of a farmer, Dr Fatai Aborode, was the latest loss of life suffered by the farmers in the area, saying his life had also been threatened by the herdsmen.

He also disagreed with the police that Aborode, who contested the 2015 House of Representatives election on the platform of the Accord Party was killed by armed robbers. He said herdsmen killed the farmer, saying the deceased had had constant friction with the herdsmen for a long time.

He said, “We are appealing to

the governor to ensure that the anti-open grazing bill is signed into law. The law is not discriminatory in any way. It is not against the herdsmen nor farmers. It dictates how each person will carry out their agricultural businesses in the right way “All farmers in the zone have lost almost N400m to destruction.

The loss was valued at N320m in September but now it has increased to around N400m and nobody is compensating us. Will this encourage other investors to come here to invest?

“In the last two months, five persons were attacked and some of the victims almost lost their limbs to these herdsmen attack. We cannot continue this way. These herdsmen will deliberately use underage herders to graze their livestock so that when you accuse them, they would say it was done by children. They also graze at night so that they will be able to perpetrate their atrocities unhindered.

“The owners of the cattle are sitting somewhere in the North laughing to the bank while we are here recording losses. The bill seeks to address this and it also protects the herdsmen also.

“They have been threatening us for over a year that they will invite militia to come and further destroy our farms and kill us. We live in fear each time we go to farm. There is no week without kidnapping in Ibarapa North Local Government.”

NASFAT Condemns Abduction of Katsina Pupils Ugo Aliogo A foremost Islamic organisation in Nigeria, Nasru-Lahi-l-Fatih Society (NASFAT), yesterday deplored the kidnapping of hundreds of pupils of Government Science Secondary School (GSSS), Kankara, Katsina State.

NASFAT, in a statement, described the abduction as against the tenets of Islam.

Quoting from the Koran, NASFAT Chief Missioner, Imam Abdul-Azeez Onike, said: “Islam abhors aggression in whatever form and forbids banishing people from their homes unjustly. Such acts have punishments prescribed for them under Islamic laws.

“Allah Almighty says, ‘After this it is ye, the same people, who slay among yourselves, and banish a party of you from their homes; assist (their enemies) against them, in guilt and rancour.’”

Onike stated that more condemnable is the fact that the abduction was carried out against innocent and defenceless

schoolchildren.

“The gracious God will have mercy on those who are merciful.

Have mercy on those who are on earth, Allah in heavens will have mercy on you.

“He is not of us who does not have mercy on young children and does not recognise honour of the elderly,” he added.

He urged all parents to share the pains of those whose children are now in captivity and to pray for quick return of the abductees.

According to him, whoever knows the kind of attachment between a child and his parent would appreciate what is going through the minds of the affected parents now.

“My appeal to the abductors is to become the one from whom compassion and love flourish and not the one who is enemy and tormentor of mankind,” he said.

Also, NASFAT President, Mr. Olaniyi Yusuf, called on government to accelerate actions to ensure that the Kankara boys are returned safely to their families.

to the applications.

Justice Tsoho spoke at the opening of the 2020/2021 legal year, Abuja yesterday.

He noted that CBN’s request came about three months before the #ENDSARS protest.

The CJ was reacting to the speech by the chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Akpata, represented on the occasion by Yusuf Kadiri.

Akpata had expressed disdain over the role played by court in freezing accounts of #EndSARS promoters.

“I must remind us of the dwindling hopes of the common man in the judiciary. Following the #EndSARS protests, this court was involved in the press, in a rather uncomplimentary manner on account of freezing of bank accounts of individuals and organisations believed to have bankrolled the process,” said Akpata.

However, reacting, Tsoho said: “Three months before the protest, the CBN kept bringing applications almost in their hundreds based on what they call deliberate resolve to

ruin the economy through money laundering.

“So if it was the #Endsars people that were involved in the activities under cover then it is unfortunate for people to begin to call and vilify the court making damaging allegations against the court.

“If steps were not taken, the Nigerian economy would have collapsed, that is to say about three months ago, the dollar would have exchanged far above N500.”

Meanwhile, Justice Tsoho

lamented that COVID-19 pandemic eroded policies of the Federal High Court in the last legal year, 2019/2020.

He said he would focused on enhancing effective administration of justice, welfare of judges and staff and overall management of the court.

He noted that despite the effect of COVID-19 pandemic, the court disposed a total number 8,585 out of the 10,464 cases filed within the last legal year, with 123, 513 cases pending.

HONOURED WELL DESERVED

L-R: Senior Partner, Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie, Mr. Dan Agbor; Chief Celebrant. Mr. Uzoma Azikiwe SAN; Managing Partner, Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie, Mr. Aniekan Ukpanah; and Partner, MMr. ena Ajakpovi, at the celebration on the conferment of Azikiwe with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria , in Abuja...Monday

Katsina Abductions: Nigeria Has No Govt, Says Ezekwesili A former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, said Nigeria has no government at the moment hence the abduction of over 300 boys from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State.

Ezekwesili said this during an interview with BBC yesterday.

The former minister, who is one of the Co-Conveners of the Bring Back Our Girls group which led the demonstrations for the rescue of over 250 schoolgirls

from Chibok in Borno State, said the recent abduction of schoolboys was evidence that Nigeria had incompetent persons at the helm of affairs.

On whether the government was capable of tackling insecurity, she said, “Which government are you talking about? The one that has failed children and people? The one that has been in office while people have been abducted and slaughtered, where even our police and soldiers have been

victims of terrorism?

“The government that has rebranded terrorism as banditry? Which government are you talking about? It is annoying that they consider themselves as a government.

There is no government in my country right now.

This country is not being governed.”

Ezekwesili said it was unfortunate that students were being abducted on a large scale. She recalled

that Leah Sharibu, who was abducted from Dapchi had been in captivity for years.

“It is absolute incompetence and an uncaring indifferent ruling class that does not understand what it means to govern. So, it is a repetitive pattern of bad governance.

“I have come to a point where I am saying to my fellow citizens that if we accept this, it will never stop,” the former minister said.

Sultan Charges Military to Occupy Lake Chad, Sambisa The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar III, has charged the military to step up the game against Boko Haram fighters.

Speaking when he lead a delegation of the National Council of Traditional Rulers to Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno, on Monday, he said everyone is fed up with the shedding of innocent blood across the country.

Abubakar wondered why the military could not occupy the Lake Chad and Sambisa forest – strongholds of the insurgents.

“If we want peace, we have to do away with those terrorists who occupy that place and see nothing good in other people

except those that believe in their own negative ideas,” he said.

“I don’t know why we can’t occupy the whole of Lake Chad and why we can’t occupy the whole of Sambisa forest. If we want peace, we have to dominate these areas.

“I was at Lake Chad in Baga for six months, my battalion in Bama used to rotate with the battalion in Monguno and Maiduguri every six months.

“We occupied the Lake Chad part of Nigeria for six months. I was a Lieutenant, I was the operation officer and I have my maps. In Lake Chad that time, we had 36 islands under Nigeria, we occupied 16 of them, the biggest was

king Nasara, we controlled that part of Nigeria effectively well as a battalion.

“I have known Maiduguri since when I was a small kid, we have grown up here. I served in Bama, I lived in Bama for over two and half years in the barracks. The same barracks I served as Lieutenant was the same barracks vandalized and bombed.”

Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu, Obi of Onitsha; Dandasen Douglas Jaja, Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom; and Adekunle Adebayo, Ore of Otin; were among the monarchs.

The delegation visited Zulum over the killing of 43 farmers in the state about two weeks ago.

“The National Council of Traditional Rulers in Nigeria deems it fit to put a small team to come round to Borno State, Maiduguri, in particular, to make this very strong statement,” the Sultan said.

“It is not just a condolence visit, it is a statement that all of us are fed up with the shedding of innocent blood under whatever guise across this country. So many lives have been lost in the past, we can’t even compute how many lives we have lost.

“It becomes like a daily occurrence, a daily event. A new normal, it becomes a story when in a day, nobody is killed in a particular part of this country.”

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2020 ˾ T H I S D AY

45

24 HOURS...

24 HOURS...

Ndume Tells Amnesty International, ICC to Leave Nigerian Army Alone Chairman Senate Committee on Army, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, yesterday called on the Amnesty International (AI) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to leave the Nigerian military alone over alleged incidents of human rights abuses.

Ndume made this assertion while answering questions from reporters in Abuja on allegations of human rights abuses against the Nigerian Military by AI and the ICC. He urged the Nigerian troops to ignore what he termed as distraction by the two international organizations and concentrate on their task of fighting insurgency in the country.

Ndume said: “On the issue of unnecessary interference by Amnesty International and the International Criminal Court and other self-acclaimed celebrities and social media influencers who claimed to be patriotic Nigerians.

“We that have been living with these problems, and as leaders of the affected communities, know the feelings of our people.

“Right now, what the ICC is

trying to do is destroying things instead of helping matters.

“You cannot cry more than the bereaved and they cannot be the prosecutor without the plaintiff.

How can they prosecute without the plaintiff?

“We have the Nigerian government, the federal parliament and the nation’s judiciary. If there are human rights abuses, it is only when there is a failure on the part of the three arms of government to act swiftly that we can draw the attention of the international community to it.

“Nigerians are more concerned about securing their country. The Nigerian Army and the police are overwhelmed already.

“Honestly, we will stand up against that. We are not encouraging human rights abuses, we can’t say there are no such things but they are definitely, isolated cases especially when the Boko Haram insurgency reached its peak in 2014.

“There was a kind of confusion that led to the isolated cases of human rights abuses by the Nigerian Army and some of

the armed forces.

“However, we stood up against it that time and that led to some soldiers’ court martialed for human rights abuses. Some were even dismissed from the Army.

“For example, for involving in rape cases. It is not that the Nigerian Army is not doing anything about it.

“There is a department known as civil-military relations, created by the Nigerian Army to address such cases and they are doing well.

“The power of investigation

lies with the National Assembly.

Nigerians know where they would report cases of human rights abuses to in case it happens anywhere. @Let the Amnesty International and others leave us alone. These are the same international organisations that refused to give us support needed to fight the insurgency.

“The same international organisations also refused to refer to Boko Haram as a terrorist organization but rather prefer to

refer to the insurgents as non m-state actors.

“I don’t know what they mean by that. As a parliament and as the representatives of our people, we won’t tolerate that.

“Our troops should ignore such things and concentrate on securing our country. If the international agencies want to help us, they should provide sophisticated equipment to address the issue.

“As the Chairman, Senate Committee on Army is thinking of bringing a motion to the floor of

the Senate to address this particular matter and write to the particular organization to leave us alone.

“Or if they want, let them tell us where human rights abuses exist in the country. They should stop distracting and threatening our gallant troops that have sacrificed their lives to defend the country.

“As representatives of the people, the Nigerian parliamentarians are solidly behind our military on this issue.”

House Passes Bill to Allow Traditional Rulers Advise President, Govs on Culture Udora Orizu in Abuja The House of Representatives yesterday passed for second reading a Bill seeking to constitutionalise the role of traditional rulers and establish Traditional Rulers Council both at the federal and state levels to be advising the president and governors respectively on customs and traditions and as well as assist in the maintenance of law and order in their traditional domains.

The Bill, entitled: ‘’A Bill for An Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Cap C23, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to provide for Traditional Rulers Council to advise the President and Governors on culture and tradition and to help in maintaining peace and order in their traditional domain; and for related matters,’’ is sponsored by Hon. Onofiok Luke.

According to the clauses that make up the legislation, Clause 1 generally alters the Constitution while Clauses 2 and 3 alter sections 153(1) and 197(1) of the Constitution and establish the Traditional Rulers Council and State Traditional Council respectively.

Clause 4 contains the composition and functions of the federal and state councils which will include advising the president and governor on customs, traditions, mores, arts, etc., and assist security agencies in maintaining law and order in their traditional domains.

Leading the debate on its general principles, the sponsor, Hon. Luke said the Bill seeks to strengthen traditional rulers role as custodians of customs and traditions, and bring the rulers from different parts of the country under one body for purposes of growing customs and traditions.

According to him, ‘’Dating back

to pre-colonial days, our traditional rulers have been the symbol of our culture and traditions. The colonial leaders recognised their importance and engaged them in governance. They effectively discharged their functions and assisted in maintenance of law and order. ‘’There has been a deterioration of values and attitudes in our social space in recent times. In Africa, as a whole, it is a fact that customs and traditions are major holders and influencers of social values and ethics.

The deterioration of our social values is not unconnected with little emphasis we have placed in building and growing our culture and traditions. ‘’Insecurity is one of the major problems besetting the country.

It will be recalled that in the colonial days, our traditional rulers played a major role in maintaining law and order in their traditional domains by assisting security agencies particularly in information gathering. This Bill, which seeks to elevate the traditional standing of our traditional rulers, will strengthen their role of maintaining law and order in their domains.’’

Also the House passed for second reading, a Bill which seeks to establish a National Agency for Sickle Cell Disease and other Heritable Blood Disorder for the treatment, prevention and control of Sickle Cell Disease.

The legislation titled, ‘’A Bill for an Act to Establish the National Agency for Sickle Cell Disease and other Heritable Blood Disorder (Prevention and Treatment) for the Treatment, Prevention, Control, Management and Research of Sickle Cell Disease and other Heritable Blood disorder in Nigeria; and for Related Matters,’’ is sponsored by Hon. Bamidele Salam.

FOR THE SERVICE OF GOD...

L-R: The Presbyter, Wesley Cathedral, Olowogbowo, Lagos, Very Revd John Olanrewaju Solubi; President of the Choir, Dr. Charles Oladeinde Williams; and the Archbishop of Lagos Methodist Church Nigeria, Most Revd Isaac Ayobami Olawuyi, at the church choir’s 97th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service celebration at the church premises in Lagos…recently

Court Suspends Obaseki’s Alleged Forgery Case Indefinitely Alex Enumah in Abuja A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order suspending proceedings indefinitely in a case of alleged forgery involving the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and one Williams Edobor, a chieftain of the party, had filed a suit against Obaseki, accusing him of forging the first degree certificate which he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enable him contest the election.

At the last adjourned date, Obaseki through Ken Mozia, his counsel, had urged the court to adjourn the matter indefinitely, on the grounds that there is a pending application before the court of appeal.

In the appeal with suit number CA/ABJ/CV/1072/2020, filed before the appeal court in Abuja,

Obaseki challenged the refusal of Ahmed Mohammed, judge of the federal high court, to expunge some paragraphs in APC reply to his affidavit.

The governor had also filed an application before the court appeal to stay proceedings of the trial court But Akin Olujimi, APC counsel, urged the court to dismiss the motion on the grounds that it is a pre-election matter bound by time.

The senior counsel contended that the court has jurisdiction to proceed with the case as it has a life span of 180 days which would terminate on January 9, 2021.

“This court is bound to continue with the hearing since the suit is sui generis (its unique).

Nothing shall be done to clog the smooth wheel of proceedings in a suit of this nature especially in line with fourth Alteration Act,” he said.

Olujimi said the appeal is interlocutory in nature and cannot stop proceedings if the court.

Delivering ruling yesterday, the judge said it would be inappropriate to proceed with the suit considering the application for stay pending at the Court of Appeal.

“What would be the meaning of the trial court’s action? The answer is not far fetched and that is it does not care about whatever decision the appellate court would take in relations to whether it grants stay of further proceedings or not,” the judge held.

“If eventually, the appellate court in its wisdom decides to stay further proceedings in the lower court and by that time, proceedings have been concluded at the lower court, the order of stay made would have been rendered worthless.

“While this uncertainty lasts, it is better and appropriate to tarry

a while to allow the appellate court to carry out its jurisdiction on whether or not it should grant stay of further proceedings “Furthermore, it is the law as established by both the court of appeal and the supreme court that where a lower court is aware of an application for stay of either execution or proceedings, it would be wrong to ignore such application and proceed to hear the suit.

“This court is not prepared to be on collision course with the court of appeal as far as this case or any case for that matter. This court is ready to abide by whatever directive the court of appeal would make or give this court including the order to conclude hearing this matter.

“This suit is hereby adjourned sine die to await the decision of the first defendant’s application for stay of further proceedings.”

Ugandan Court Orders Release of Omah Lay, Tems A Ugandan court has ordered the release of two fast-rising Nigerian singers, Omah Lay and Tems, from detention.

This is coming three days after they were arrested in Uganda for allegedly flouting COVID-19 guidelines.

The duo were arrested after their performances at The Big Brunch, which held at Speke Resort, Wavamunno Rd, Kampala, Uganda.

Court documents confirming their release were shared by

Ugandan celebrities and media organisations on Tuesday.

In the documents obtained by THISDAY Okumu Jude Muwone, the presiding judge who is the Chief Magistrate of Makindye, said charges against the Nigerian singers have been dropped.

The release order for Omah Lay read, “Whereas the accused persons Stanley Omah Didia and Muyiwa Awoniyi were charged with the offence of neglect act likely to spread of infectious disease Section 171 of Penal

Code Act. “The charges against the accused Stanley Omah Didia and Muyiwa Awoniyi has been withdrawn against them by Vide Withdrawal Form Serial No, 4292 dated December 15, 2020.

“This is to direct you to release Muyiwa Awoniyi and Stanley Omah Didia, the said accused persons from your custody forthwith unless held on other charges.”

Earlier, the Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora

Commission, Abike Dabiri, gave a hint that the arrested singers would return to Nigeria soon.

“I received Marshall and Valentine , working with @ Omah_Lay and Tem’s record label. The good news is that they will soon be back,” she tweeted.

“I received Marshall and Valentine , working with @ Omah_Lay and Tem’s record label. The good news is that they will soon be back,” she said.

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WEDNESDAY, ͹;˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸ ˾ T H I S D AY

PERSPECTIVE

Buhari At 78: If Only We Knew This President Femi Adesina Ask for a President beleaguered from all sides, and I’ll show you Muhammadu Buhari, the ramrod straight man from Daura, in Katsina State, who turns 78 today.

In the build up to the 2015 presidential election, we used to say everything had been thrown at him as projectiles, except the kitchen sink. Permit me to update that expression.

Today, everything possible has been thrown at President Buhari, including the kitchen sink. Anything. Everything. Fake news. Hate speech. Lies. False propaganda. Evil thoughts.

Malediction. Odium. Opprobrium. Ogbunigwe.

Ogulutu. Surface to air missiles. All offensive weapons. But the man trudges on. Calmly, sedately, peacefully.

If only more Nigerians knew this President.

If only they knew the essential Buhari, the quintessential patriot and gentleman, they would behave differently, handle him with more care, and show him more kindness. Yes, everyone needs kindness, even Presidents.

Remember that song by Mary Mc Kee and The Genesis?

You’ve got to try a little kindness Yes, show a little kindness Just shine your light for everyone to see And if you try a little kindness Then you’ll overlook the blindness Of narrow-minded people, on narrow-minded streets.

Too many people have chosen to believe the wrong things about President Buhari, and have ossified their minds against the truth. But then, those of us who have had the privilege to work with him, studied and known him at close quarters, have a duty to tell what we have seen. And what better day to do it, than on his birthday.

Oh, he eats from the President. What else would he say than to sing his praises. True?

False. If need be, I will serve this President for free. I consider it a great privilege to serve a man I admire. Even gratis.

Somebody commented that a blitzkrieg has been launched against Buhari and the government he leads, from all quarters. Some elements in the media, human rights groups, so-called activists, NGOs, Boko Haram, ISWAP, all at once. But is Buhari the loser? Not at all.

It’s the country that ultimately loses, just as Eric Donaldson sang in ‘Little Did You Know:’ You think that you are hurting me But little did you know you are only hurting yourself Little did you know you are only hurting yourself.

In about two years and five months, with God being merciful as He always is, President Buhari will land safely, and retire to Daura for a well-deserved retirement at 80. And if those engineering distraction against his government continue, it is the country that would have lost. A great deal.

What are the things some people hurl against the President, which shows that they don’t know him at all?

He’s a religious bigot. Really? I’ve not seen a scintilla of evidence in the past five years.

Every Christmas and Easter holiday, he calls those of us who are Christians, working with him, and asks us to stay off work, and enjoy the season with our families. That’s not the way of bigots, who would never acknowledge any religion, except their own.

As a military commander, history has it that Buhari would always give soldiers working under him time to go for worship on Sunday mornings, just as he did to the Muslims on Fridays. Yet, bigot, bigot, some people continue to shout.

He’s a Fulani, he rears cows, and all Fulani herdsmen are criminals, that’s why he tolerates them. Really? Some people even say all Fulani are herdsmen, whether they see them with cattle or not. Truth is; every ethnic stock has its deviants, its criminal elements. You can’t just demonize all Fulani, simply because you want to excoriate the President. Did he choose to be born Fulani? Did I choose to be born Yoruba, and did the Ishan, Idoma or Ijaw man choose the ethnic stock he wanted to be born into? It’s a biological accident. You have nothing to do with it. A man then doesn’t go repudiating where he comes from, simply because some people have decided to tar his people with the brush of infamy.

He’s nepotistic. A common refrain, but non-scientific. About three years ago, we did a scientific exercise. We chronicled all the appointments made by the President since 2015, and allocated them to states and regions.

Buhari The result showed that the Southwest had the largest share. Followed by Imo and Kano states. Then Edo and Katsina. And on and on.

But the naysayers ignored facts and figures, and stuck to their false narratives. Nepotism.

One day, the President had given me an appointment to announce in the early days of the administration. By then, some people had started talking of northernisation agenda.

So I said, “Mr President, this is the murmur we hear. Why don’t you consider giving this position to another part of the country?”

He looked at me calmly, smiled, and said: “If a search has been conducted for a position, and someone has been thrown up as the best candidate. And I then bypass him because of where he comes from, or because of his religion, haven’t I been unfair to that person?”

Food for thought, indeed.

This is Jubril from Sudan and not Muhammadu Buhari, who had died during the medical vacation in 2017, some people say. You have a clone in Aso Villa, not Buhari.

Idiocy, sadly believed by even some intellectuals.

Let me tell you a story. On the day the President finally returned to the country in August 2017, after months of absence, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Abayomi Olonisakin, was giving out his daughter in marriage.

I had attended the church service, decked unusually in complete Agbada, with cap to match. From the wedding, I went straight to the airport to join the reception party.

We formed a welcome line, as we usually do. And as the President shook each person, he had one wisecrack or the other to say.

When he got to me, he took my hand and said: “Adesina, this is the best I’ve seen you dressed.” We both laughed heartily, and the television cameras captured it. I remember that many people asked me later what had tickled me and the President, that we laughed so uproariously.

Jubril from Sudan? Would he know my name as Adesina? Would he know I rarely wear Agbada? How ridiculous can some people be?

Another story. The journalist Lindsay Barret had been a long time friend of the President.

One day, he sent me to give his greetings. When I did, the President said: “Lindsay Barret. I remember meeting him at the war front in 1968. He was covering the war. There was a day he was almost killed in an ambush, and he then described himself as a ‘devout coward,’ who was lucky to be alive.”

Jubril of Sudan? And he remembers Barret, whom he met at the warfront in 1968? Tell it to the marines.

Ask me for a loyal man, who never forgets a good turn, and I’ll show you Muhammadu Buhari. Among the last class of Ambassadors, he had personally picked Justice George Oguntade, who was sent to United Kingdom, and Justice Sylvester Nsofor, who he deployed to America.

The latter died only last week, aged 85.

How did the two men gain the favour, loyalty and respect of the President? In his many legal battles after disputed election results in 2003, and 2007, they had given dissenting judgments at both the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, nullifying the election results, saying Candidate Buhari had been cheated.

The man never forgot, and sought them out in due time. The same also happened to some of us working with him today.

A kind man. I have lots of stories to tell, but let me restrict myself to a few. In December 2015, I had lost my elder sister, a Professor of Dramatic Arts, in an auto crash. While I was crying like a wailing wailer, who was on the phone, consoling and condoling with me? Muhammadu Buhari.

And before he became President, when my mother passed on in 2013, and we had a commendation service for her in Lagos, who flew in all the way from Kaduna to attend?

Muhammadu Buhari. He sat through the Christian service. Yet, they say he’s a bigot.

I hear. Bigot from Sudan.

And in January 2017, I was to receive the traditional title of Nwanne di Namba of Mmaku Kingdom, in Enugu State. Courtesy demanded I tell the President. This man, who prides himself as ‘very stingy’ gave me a handsome amount of money to ferry my friends and family to the ceremony. How much? I won’t tell you, lest you ask for a belated share.

He’s a Fulani, he rears cows, and all Fulani herdsmen are criminals, that’s why he tolerates them. Really? Some people even say all Fulani are herdsmen, whether they see them with cattle or not. Truth is; every ethnic stock has its deviants, its criminal elements.

You can’t just demonize all Fulani, simply because you want to excoriate the President

And in May 2018, I was billed for China for a 12 days course for senior government officials from Africa. He said when the journey was two days away, I should come to see him.

I did. You know what he said? “Adesina, I know that you don’t have money. But you are too shy to ask.” We both laughed, and he gave me an envelope which contained foreign currency. How much? You think I’ll tell you?

For where?

This President is a patriot. He loves this country dearly. A man of personal discipline.

Single minded about the infrastructural development of the country. And he’s succeeding at it. I have loads of stories to tell to justify each virtue. But time and space won’t permit.

However, let me tell this final one, as told to me by a retired Colonel of the Nigerian Army.

He said he was a Major at the Second Mechanized Division, Ibadan, when the then Major General was posted there in early 1983, as General Officer Commanding.

There was a cocktail reception, billed for 8 pm. Fifteen minutes to the time, the new GOC walked briskly in. Only a sprinkle of officers had arrived. He moved round the venue, surveying the place, and at the dot of 8 pm, with the hall still scanty, he went to the gate, and directed the sergeant-major on duty to lock the inner one firmly, admitting nobody.

Nobody.

Yes sir!

The GOC went back inside, held the cocktail with the few officers available. Event over, he went back to the gate, to see the battery of latecomer officers huddled there. He surveyed them, and then instructed: All of you, see me in the office tomorrow by 8 am.

Yes sir!

The GOC walked briskly away. And you know what? As early as 6 am next day, most of the officers had reported in his office. Once bitten, twice shy.

At 78, the President still scrupulously respects time. Do they make them like this anymore?

Doubtful.

Yet, many people are plotting, and engineering all sorts of artifices, to ensure Buhari does not succeed. Who loses? The country!

There is this classic Yoruba film, Saworoide, which I watched years back. Adebayo Faleti, who wrote and starred in the film, looked at the stratagems and underhand dealings of man. And he sang, rather philosophically: Koi ye won, yio ye won lola.

Translated freely, it means: They don’t understand today. They’ll understand tomorrow.

It’s better for a lot more cynical Nigerians to understand this President today, rather than tomorrow, for the good of the country.

That would be the best birthday gift they can give him. t"EFTJOB JT 4QFDJBM "EWJTFS UP 1SFTJEFOU #VIBSJ PO .FEJB BOE 1VCMJDJUZ

47

˜ ͹;˜ ͺ͸ͺ͸ ˾ T H I S D AY

WEDNESDAYSPORTS 20th National Sports Festival Rescheduled to Begin on Valentines’ Day

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

Duro Ikhazuagbe The much-postponed 20th National Sports Festival has yet again been rescheduled to hold between February 14 and 18 in Benin City, Edo State.

This was the outcome of the Extra Ordinary Council of Sports virtual meeting which

held yesterday.

This new date is the fourth time the Nigerian ‘Olympic’ will be rescheduled after Covid-19 knocked off the initial kick off date of March 23, 2020.

In the highlight of the meeting obtained by THISDAY last night, Sports Minister and Chairman of the Council, Sunday

NFF Board Member, Ibah, Dies from Covid-19 Complications A Member of the Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation and Coordinator for the SouthSouth zone of the body, Mr. Emmanuel Ibah, is dead. He was 61 years of age.

Family sources confirmed to the NFF that Ibah, who was also Chairman of the Akwa Ibom Football Association, gave up the ghost yesterday morning after succumbing to complications from the Covid-19 pandemic.

He was said to have underlying diabetic and hypertensive medical conditions.

Ibah, an energetic figure who showed intense dedication and commitment to the work of the NFF and Nigeria Football in general, was always at the forefront of preparations for matches of the Super Eagles,

The Late Emmanuel Ibah

any time the Eagles were playing in the Akwa Ibom State capital, Uyo. The Godswill Akpabio Stadium, known as Nest of Champions, served as home for the Super Eagles during their successful qualifying campaigns for the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals and the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

Ibah was also Chairman of the NFF Protocols and Ceremonial Committee and Vice Chairman of both the Establishment and Referees Committees.

President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, was crestfallen: “I am just lost for words. I don’t know what to say. This has been a tragic year on so many fronts. Emmanuel Ibah was like a brother. He was my colleague from the South-South on the NFF Executive Committee and a very loyal and supportive person. We have lost another pillar on the Board. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.”

Ibah’s unfortunate demise yesterday morning made him the third Member of the NFF Executive Committee and the fourth key figure in the NFF to pass away this year.

He was predeceased by Member from the South East, Chidi Ofo Okenwa who died on 5th May and Musa Adamu Duhu who passed on 19th September. NFF’s Head of ICT, Tolulope Abe died on 29th August.

Pitch Awards to Hold in Lagos December 22 Managers of the prestigious NigeriaPitch Awards have disclosed that the seventh edition of the awards will be held on Tuesday, December 22 in Lagos.

The country’s longest-running football awards were billed for March, however, the lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic meant the event was postponed indefinitely.

However, a new date for the 2020 awards has now been confirmed.

“It has been our tradition since 2013 to schedule our award ceremonies to coincide with major Super Eagles match engagements,” said Shina Philips, president of the Nigeria Pitch Awards, in an announcement to the press.

Major highlights of the award ceremony will include the announcement of winner of the King of the Pitch Award which will be a keen contest between Super Eagles and Leicester City

F.C Midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi, Manchester United Striker, Odion Ighalo and Super Eagles and Napoli FC sensation, Victor Osimhen.

In the women’s category, the Queen of the Pitch Award will be a straight battle between Onome Ebi, Super Falcons and Henan Huishang FC player, Chiamaka Nnadozie of Rivers Angels and the Super Falcons and Barcelona Women sensation Asisat Oshoala.

Football fans also expect tough contests in the Striker of the Year, Defender of the Year, Midfielder of the Year, Coach of the Year and the Football Friendly Governor of the Year categories.

Other categories to be decided at the Award Ceremony include the Sam Okwaraji Award for commitment to Nigerian Football, State with the Best Grassroots Football Development Programme and the Football Journalist of the Year in the Print, Radio, TV and Online categories.

Dare, Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee and Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu all agreed on the new date instead of the bickering that followed the January3-18, 2021 proposed earlier by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19.

Shaibu was reported to have expressed his displeasure with how the PTF handled the earlier rescheduling of the festival for early January without taking

into consideration that both athletes and officials would have just been returning from the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

In view of the many postponements suffered by the festival and the huge costs the host state has expended in getting her facilities ready for the event, Shaibu pleaded with the sports minister to help make case for financial support for Edo State Government.

The Edo Deputy Governor also pleaded that the relief package be also extended to the states whose athletes have at several times been camped toward their participation at Edo 2020.

The Council of Sports meeting also agreed that proper awareness be put in place for all athletes and officials to be conscious of the prevalent of Covid-19 and observe all necessary protocols to avoid getting infected.

The 20th National Sports Festival has suffered series of postponement with the latest dates also likely to suffer similar fate given the recent spike in Covid-19 cases in the country.

There are even fears of fresh lockdown in some states.

Sources close to the LOC chairman’s office disclosed that the host, Edo State, was looking at the possibility of the festival holding in April next year.

Athletes competing for honours at the last National Sports Festival. The 20th edition has been rescheduled to begin on February 14 next year

African Champion, Aruna Quadri, Lifts Paralympians Ahead Tokyo Olympics Femi Solaja Africa’s number one table tennis player, Aruna Quadri, fulfilled his pledge to always assist the needy as he donated equipment valued $1,400 (about N750,000) to two athletes – Isau Ogunkunle and Faith Obazuaye.

At the presentation held in Lagos yesterday morning, the Rio Olympic Games quarterfinalist gave the support to the two Paralympians in their quest to make Nigeria proud at the Games scheduled to hold next summer in Tokyo.

Aruna who in the past has been donating items to orphanage homes, said the gesture was borne out of his resolve to give

back to the society especially to the Paralympians that have been making the country proud despite their challenges.

In a three-minute video to the event, Aruna said: “On behalf of myself and Aruna Sports Shop, we are always happy to support athletes in Nigeria and this is a way of giving back.

“Having experienced the same kind of support in my first Olympic Games in London 2012. I think it is very important to support the Paralympians as athletes who have been doing the country proud for decades.

“I hope this support will motivate them and help them to do more in Tokyo, Japan,” he concluded.

In his response, the the 2nd Vice President, Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Alderson Bankole, noted that the kind gesture of Aruna should be emulated by other top athletes.

“I am personally impressed with the gesture of Aruna who is fond of thinking about others and I believe other top players should take a cue from this.

“I believe this will go a long way in motivating the athletes to aim high at Tokyo. I commend him and I look forward to good performances from the athletes at the Tokyo Games,” observed Bankole.

They will be making their debut at the Paralympics Games in Tokyo, Japan.

While responding to the gesture, Ogunkunle and Obazuaye lauded Aruna for supporting them while wishing him well in his career.

Aruna Quadri...lifts para-table tennis players

G OT V B OX I N G N I G H T 2 2

WBF Title, Step to Global Stardom, Says ‘Baby Face’ West African Boxing Union (WABU) welterweight champion, Rilwan “Baby Face” Babatunde, has described his forthcoming World Boxing Federation (WBF) International title clash with Ghana’s Emmanuel Quartey as a stepping stone to global stardom.

Baby Face is scheduled to fight Quartey in one of the two WBF title bouts at GOtv Boxing Night 22 holding on New Year’s Day. Speaking in Lagos yesterday,

the yet undefeated WABU champion, said he has always dreamt of being known globally for his boxing prowess and believes that winning the WBF International title is the first step towards the realisation of that dream.

“I’ve been national champion and I’m the reigning WABU champion. I’m proud of those two titles, but the WBF title is on a different level. It is like the gateway to global recognition and I will give my all to win

it. Quartey or is it quarantine will know what will hit him, but he won’t be able to do anything about it. This is not just a fight between us, but also one between Nigeria and Ghana. Nigeria will win. Mark my words,” he said.

GOtv Boxing Night 22, which will stage five other fights, will take place behind closed doors in line with prescribed COVID-19 safety measures.

The event will be broadcast live on GOtv Select 2 (channel

34) and DStv channel 209.

The other WBF International title bout will see Rilwan “Real One” Oladosu, WABU lightweight champion, taking on Mkwalekwa Salehe Omari of Tanzania. Oladosu has called on Nigerians to pray for his success in his bid to win the prestigious title.

The best boxer at the event will go home with a cash prize of N1million attached to the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy for the best boxer.

TR

Wednesday December 16, 2020

UT H

& RE A SO

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Price: N250

MISSILE

Ezekwesili to FG “Which government are you talking about? The one that has failed children and people? It is annoying that they consider themselves as a government. There is no government in my country right now. This country is not being governed” – Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, saying Nigeria has no government at the moment hence the abduction of over 300 boys.

KAYODEKOMOLAFE THE HORIZON

kayode.komolafe@thisdaylive.com

0805 500 1974

From Chibok to Kankara

I

t is 2,429 days today that hundreds of schoolgirls were abducted from a secondary school in Chibok, Borno State. Some of the students have been released. But it is estimated that over a hundred are still being held by the terrorists.

Hence the campaign to “bring back our girls” is still very much alive, although the emotional resonance might appear to have receded. In official statements, hardly are references made to the unfinished security business in Chibok.

It is also 1, 022 days today, in another grim reminder, that a secondary school was attacked at Dapchi in Yobe State and about 112 schoolgirls and a boy were taken away.

Exhausted and extremely traumatised, five of the girls died in the hands of their abductors.

After some “back-channel” contacts made by the Nigerian state, the girls have since regained their freedom except the 17-year old Leah Sharibu who is still in captivity. Despite an international campaign for her release, the freedom of the poor girl is still being denied by her abductors.

Now, in that distressing pattern it is five days that the Government Science Secondary School was invaded in Kankara, Katsina State.

Some of the students have been rescued while over 300 others are still declared missing.

Therefore, it is time the Nigerian state was asked: when exactly is it a national embarrassment? When will the national shame be officially acknowledged that six years after the Chibok tragedy the combined efforts of defence and internal security organisations could not ensure the security of students in Kankara Science Secondary School? Whatever happened to the professional acumen and capacity of the army, police, SSS, civil defence corps and other security outfits supposedly on duty in Katsina State? When indeed is it an emergency?

All efforts should be made to prevent a catastrophe in the extremely delicate situation of Kankara.

In utter anguish, the placard-bearing parents have called on the Commander-inChief, President Muhammadu Buhari, who incidentally is on holiday in Katsina State, to bring back the Kankara Boys. To borrow the famous turn of phrase of Jerry Gana, the distraught parents seem to be saying that Buhari as the commander-in-chief should “chiefly command well.” As an aside, the eloquent Professor Gana was the chairman of the re-orientation agency established in the 1980s by the military regime of President Ibrahim Babangida, the Mass Mobilisation for Self - Reliance, Social Justice and Economic Recovery (MAMSER). Gana used to preach that that every citizen should perform his duty “well,” whether as a driver, teacher or commander-in-chief.

The magnitude of the current embarrassment is such that conflicting official figures are even being bandied about depending on who is making the statement. It is a notorious fact that Nigeria suffers chronically from the malaise of inability to honestly count just anything money, votes, population, projects, facilities, immunisation figures, beneficiaries of government programmes etc. However, it is exceptionally outrageous that the exact number of missing students in an invaded school could not be produced days after the calamity.

The manner of the abduction of the students in Kankara is a clear pointer to the limits of rationalisation of the failures of the nation’s

, Borno state. That was two months after the Buni Yadi disaster. About 103 of the Chibok girls were released while a few others escaped from captivity. It is still estimated that about 112 of Chibok girls are yet to be brought back home six years after. The Chibok abduction has attracted the most international attention of all attacks on schools in northern Nigeria.

Thirdly, four years after Chibok, 112 schoolgirls and a boy were abducted from the Government Girls’ Secondary and Technical College in another town in Yobe State called Dapchi.

On February 19, 2018 the insurgents invaded the town in Tata trucks and Toyota Hilux vans.

Most of the students and their teachers escaped from the situation. The attackers took away 103 of the students. The ages of the students were between 11 and 19. As stated above, the kidnapped girls have been released except the now 17-year old Leah Sharibu.

Back to the Safe Schools Initiative Leah Sharibu... 1,022 days in captivity security system. The attackers reportedly arrived Kankara after 10 p.m. last Saturday on more than 150 motorcycles. Imagine a convoy of 150 motorcycles ridden freely across local government areas. And hundreds of boys taken away on those motorcycles! That ought to be conspicuous enough to attract the attention of security men. While a detachment of the invaders went in to take the boys from the school, another group blocked the road to prevent access to the scene of the crime.

Meanwhile, the attackers were said to have had a gun duel earlier with the police and vigilantes in other parts of the town. Two policemen were reportedly available to resist the attackers at the school gate; one of them got injured. Yet hundreds of the boys were kidnapped. Two days after, it was reported that the kidnappers had made “contacts” with Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari.

It remains unimaginable how attackers riding motorcycles could kidnap hundreds of boys in the night. A new dimension has been added to the sad story with a faction of Boko Haram claiming responsibility for the attack on the school in Kankara.

The attack on Kankara proved that the nation has not learnt sufficient lessons from earlier attacks on schools.

As alluded to in the foregoing, few of the earlier attacks could be cited to illustrate the point about the strategic failure of the Nigerian state in the situation.

First, there was the Buni Yadi massacre of February 25, 2014 in Yobe State. About 59 boys were killed by suspected Boko Haram insurgents at the Federal Government College in a town called Buni Yadi. No fewer than 24 buildings were burnt in the boarding co-educational school during the invasion.

Secondly, about 276 school girls were kidnapped by Boko Haram on April 14, 2014. when a secondary school was invaded in Chibok

All efforts should be made to prevent a catastrophe in the extremely delicate situation of Kankara

Education has been a target of attack by insurgents, bandits and other criminals on the prowl in parts of the country. All the categories of mass-murderers are united in their war against human development and progress. After all, Boko Haram has been translated to mean “western education is forbidden.”

In a sense, the nation and its security system have had the warnings about the possibility of the abduction in Kankara or any other school for almost 11 years.

The attack on education is evident in the northeast, the epicentre of the activities of the insurgents. It has been estimated that over 1,000 students have been abducted from their schools. About 2,300 teachers killed and about 1, 500 schools destroyed.

In the aftermath of Chibok, the Safe Schools Initiative for Nigeria was launched on May 7, 2014 at the World Economic Forum held in Abuja. Behind the programme was a coalition of Nigerian business leaders working with the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education, former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The initiative was to start with a pledge of $10 million to keep about 500 schools safe in the north of Nigeria. The strategy was to build a community of security groups comprising the police, parents, teachers, community and youths.

The funding was hinged on investments from government, business leaders and the Global Business Coalition for Education, A World at School and other corporate bodies.

The federal government (through the omnibus Humanitarian Affairs Ministry) and relevant state and local agencies should synergise on how to execute the programme. It could even be redesigned by experts to make it achieve better results.

The investments in safe schools are obviously for the future of Nigeria. The present is already troubled. So any collaboration to save the future by keeping students secure to learn in their schools should be welcomed.

It would, therefore, be worthwhile to revisit the idea of the Safe Schools Initiative. It is a concept direly waiting for execution.

At least, this is one aspect of the problem that could be publicly discussed in terms of a broad strategy since some reactionary elements in the administration are resistant to alternative ideas as they insist on mystifying security issues.

Chibok, Buni Yadi and other tragic incidents happened before Buhari came to power. Dapchi and other attacks on schools have taken place during the tenure of the President.

Security was inexorably an electoral issue in the 2015 election. In fact, at a point Buhari, the candidate at the time, promised to lead the war against terror from the “front.” His party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) supported the campaign to pressurise the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure the release of the Chibok girls. Six years after Chibok in the northeast, boarding schools have now been closed down in Katsina, the home state of Buhari, and other states in the northwest. Insecurity at all levels is spreading fast in the land.

The matter is made worse by the illogical moves in Abuja to evade accountability on security matters. Avoidance of accountability is being elevated to the level of a state policy with some “legal” justification. No one seems to be accepting moral responsibility anymore.

In another socio-political culture, there would have been voluntary resignations by officials taking responsibility for the undeniable lapses.

Never in Nigeria, however.

The official response is sometimes bereft of emotional intelligence. Why should tragedies be relativised? To save the life of one student abducted from school is enough to be taken as a task by the whole security system. That’s what makes a citizen feel that he belongs to a nation. The number of victims doesn’t have to be in thousands to attract attention. The other day, the United States deployed the power of its security system to liberate one American kidnapped in this sub-region with the acknowledged support of Nigeria. Why couldn’t Nigeria employ a similar collaboration to liberate Leah Sharibu?

When last did any government official speak with the parents of Leah Sharibu to offer them some words of hope? Are there regular meetings with the parents of the over 100 Chibok girls in captivity to comfort them and lift their spirit? In the first place, the Nigerian state failed the poor girls by not preventing their abduction. The Buhari administration should not further dispirit them by abandoning the girls and their parents to their fate. Why can’t the humanitarian dimension of the crisis be approached in a more organic and sensitive manner? The official response should be imbued with empathy.

Just as Jonathan was told to bring back the Chibok girls in 2014, Buhari should also bring back Kankara boys in 2020. It’s a tragic repeat of history that a new hashtag would now surface in the cyberspace on abduction of students.

The outrage already triggered by the Kankara abduction should make the President and his strategists to be suggestible in the circumstance.

The best output of Buhari team is clearly not good enough for the security of Nigeria.

The team should, therefore, be sober and humble enough to admit the monumental failure of their approach.

The Commander-in-Chief should listen to the calls for an urgent rethink of his security agenda so as to keep students safe in school and farmers protected in their farms. Travellers should be secure on the highways.

In sum, the President should perform his constitutional duty by running a government that demonstrably makes the security of the people its purpose.

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