Friday, July 3, 2020 Edition

Friday, July 3, 2020/ Shawwal 41, 1441 AH

2254 Days after

Anambra South: FG arraigns Obinna Uzor over forgery of court judgment pAGE 5

Vol. 34 No. 041 N150

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The nation awaits rescue of the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls

Troops bust illegal refining sites, rustled cattle, weapons in Delta,Plateau, Benue page 5

Wadume: Indicted soldiers to be court martialled - FG

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Nigerian Air Force’s medical personnel takes medical vitals of the District Head of Sabon Birni, Alhaji Isa Muhammad, during a the free medical outreach and presentation of food items as support to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) affected by banditry activities and other residents, in Sokoto state on Thursday (2/7/20).

Cross River insists on zero COVID-19 infection pAGE 3

NGO translates Benue anti open grazing law into Hausa Language pAGE 18

We’ll protect poor, vulnerable Nigerians -Buhari pAGE 8

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

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News CONTENTS

Honourable Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Senator Basheer Garba Mohammed (left), with The Senate President, Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan (middle), Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (right) and the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Kalu, (2nd left), when the Commissioner visited the Senate, at the National Assembly yesterday in Abuja.

News 2-10,14 Editorial 11 Op.Ed 12-13 Politics 15-17 Business 19-20 Metro

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World News

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Africa News

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World News

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Wadume: Indicted soldiers to be court martialled– FG

By Egena Sunday Ode

T Tambuwal subsidises price of fertilizer to farmers Page 6 Feature 25 Sports 29-31 Back Page

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he federal government has said it is not shielding soldiers fingered by alleged Taraba kidnap kingpin, Bala Hamisu, popularly known as Wadume from prosecution, but only giving time to allow the established processes to be observed.

Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, who made the assertion also stated that before the military can release their personnel for prosecution, they must also go through their in-house processes.

Briefing State House correspondents after his presentation to the virtual meeting of Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Wednesday, Malami also said that the soldiers can now be charged before a court martial.

According to Malami, the charge in Wadume’s trial was severed to enable suspects that are available to be prosecuted as they cannot be held indefinitely in custody.

On the insinuation that

government was shielding the soldiers, Malami said: “Now, coming to the issue of the soldiers, it is important for you to note that within the context of the Nigerian law, there are certain provisions that are exclusive to the military within the context of law on court martial and then, the internal discipline associated with the military.

“The soldiers can now be charged before court martial, and then for the military to release their personnel for prosecution, ordinarily, there are in-house processes and procedures that are to be consummated. So those that are handy for the purpose of prosecution cannot be held in custody for unduly longer period of time on the account of the absence of the military.

“So that is how the idea of severing the charge to allow those that are handy to stand their trail arose.

“That does not mean that by any means that the military are shielded and cannot be prosecuted. But if they have to be prosecuted, they have to be prosecuted within the context of the law. What is the law here? They are military personnel, first they are to go through the in-house processes.

“There are two options, either to charge them before the court martial which is a special court established by law for the trial of soldiers or in the alternative for the military after consummation of the in-house processes should consider handing them over for trail.”

The AGF further explained that his office has the right to consider and interest of justice a public interest while ensuring the absence of abuse of process.

He added: “On Wadume’s case, I will like you to note for the record that it’s the office of the attorney general of the federation that is constitutionally established to consider an interest of justice public interest and ensure the absence of abuse in the judicial process.

“Within the context of public interest and the interest of justice, what we consider by way of fair hearing is that people that are charged to court are entitled to fair hearing, judicially determined within a reasonable time.

“Then, where people are charged multiple times on account of one reason or the other, they cannot

collectively be brought before the court for arraignment on account that others are at large. Those that are available are entitled to have their case determined within a reasonable time.

“So, what has happened is perhaps a delay for a limited time to allow the processes recognized and realized by law to be consummated as it relates to the prosecution by the military as recognized by law and not in any way to intended to accord them protection in order to prevent them from being presented before the court. I hope that is clear.”

Wadume is facing a 16-count charge bordering on terrorism, murder, kidnapping and gun-running along with Captain Tijjani Balarabe and 18 others.

Also on the list of defendants are Staff Sgt. David Isaiah; Sgt. Ibrahim Mohammed; Corporal Bartholomew Obanye; Private Mohammed Nura; Lance Corporal Okorozie Gideon; Corporal Markus Michael; L/Corporal Nvenaweimoeimi Akpagra; Staff Sgt. Abdullahi Adamu; Private Ebele Emmanuel; ASP Aondona Io

Dabiri-Erewa pledges to attract Foreign Direct Investment into Nigeria

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

T

he Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa has promised to make good her desire to attract Foreign Direct Investment into the Country by strongly engaging Nigerians in the Diaspora.

Dabiri-Erewa made the promise when she received the Anambra State Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, Culture and Tourism Hon. Christian Madubuko in Abuja.

She maintained that Anambra State is blessed with a lot of tourism potentials that the Diaspora Community can tap into.

The NIDCOM Boss said the Commission has a lot of activities that will be of interest to Anambra State.

For instance the Annual Badagry Festival: Door of Return, which provides a Spiritual, cultural, social, economic and political reconnection process.

She urged the delegation to open up its doors for Diaspora investment into the State.

The Chairman/CEO NIDCOM, commended the State Governor for being the first to appoint a Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs.

She informed the delegation that about 34 States out of 36 and Abuja have appointed Diaspora State Focal Point Officers as

FRONTLINERS as they engage with Nigerians in Diaspora from their respective states.

Responding, the Anambra State Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, Culture and Tourism Dr. Christian Madubuko said the purpose of the visit is to strategize on how they can work together and improve Tourism in Anambra State.

He said Anambra State has a lot of tourist attractions like the unique Waterfall, the Ogbunike Cave and lots more, which are very significant but needs to be developed to International standards.

The Diaspora Affairs Commissioner believes that collaborating with NIDCOM

is a sure way to maximizing investment portfolio for the State and Nigeria. Dr Madubuko also disclosed that through NIDCOM, Anambra state is working with her citizens in the Diaspora to help in mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa and Dr. Christian Madubuko also agreed to work on the issue of data massaging (mapping) for accurate and reliable figures of Nigerians in the Diaspora. The NIDCOM Boss urged the Diaspora Affairs Commissioner to always interface with Nigerians abroad to be good Ambassadors of their Country, Nigeria.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

News

FG charges revenue commission to mobilize funds from non-oil sector

By Egena Sunday Ode

T

he Federal Government on Thursday charged the newly inaugurated chairman and members of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation And Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), to activate the necessary process to mobilize funds from the non-oil sector to make up for oil prices fall.

The charge was handed down in the face of serious shortfall in the nation’s earning occasioned by COVID-19 global pandemic.

Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, gave the charge while speaking on expectations from chairmen and members of Federal Character Commission (FCC) and Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) and the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation And Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), after their inauguration

by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House Abuja.

In May, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, had announced that Nigeria’s oil revenue target fell by N125.52 billion in the first quarter (Q1, 2020) to N940.91 billion.

The World Bank had also in May projected that based on its assessment of Nigeria’s economy, the country would plunge into a recession, the worst in recent times.

Speaking to State House Correspondents at the end of the ceremony, the SGF said President Buhari charged all three commissions to take their constitutional responsibilities seriously so that the administration could deliver on its Next Level agenda to the Nigerian people.

Mustapha said: “Basically, they have some constitutional responsibilities because all these commissions are mentioned in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and so that presupposes that already the constitution has provided for them a mandate. More especially as we are notching towards the end of the President’s tenure.

“We have just spent a year and we have three years to go but there are so many things that we want them to begin to do in terms of reenergizing the system.”

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News Editor, Ese Awhotu

Cross River insists on zero COVID-19 infection

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he Cross River Government has insisted that it has no COVID-19 case, saying that it has nothing to gain by hiding cases of infections in the state.

Gov. Ben Ayade made this disclosure while briefing journalists and members of the state COVID-19 Response Team at the Government House, Calabar on Thursday.

“If you have the virus and pretend not to have it, you will only have mass deaths in your state,” he said.

He lauded the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for insisting that only Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test can confirm a positive case of COVID-19 in spite of pressures from different quarters.

“As a state, we were the first to lockdown our boundaries.

Records have it that Cross River is the only state that invested over 100 vehicles for effective manning of its boundaries and we even went beyond that by producing facemasks, shields and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

“So for some people to doubt the credibility of our COVID-19 free status is to imply that all the efforts of the state were not noticed.

“At this point, the state has been handed over to the Federal Government; all our boundaries are now opened, following the lifting of the ban on inter-state movement by the federal government.

“Residents of the state must know that we no longer have

control over our boundaries, we have surrendered to the supremacy of the federal government and opened our boundaries,” Ayade said.

He added:”Cross River that is COVID-19 free will now have an avalanche of cases, I see it coming, therefore, with this message, it means our response team would be back on the road because as long as our boundaries are opened, our eyes will be open.

“So, as a resident of the state, if you think by easing lockdown, you are now safer, no, now you are more in danger, this is the time for you to commence a personal lockdown.”

Ayade, however, thanked the Federal Ministry of Health and NCDC for being a great example,

playing a professional and technical role and given a world class response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

Dr Betta Edu, Chairman of the state COVID-19 Response Team, thanked all the government appointees who came all out and helped in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

Edu also commended officials of the state Garment factory who were exceptional in the production of facemasks, shields and Personal Protective Equipments (PPE).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor also gave a cash donation of N30 million to the state COVID-19 Response Team in appreciation of its efforts in the fight against the virus in the state. (NAN)

The Theatre Commander, “Operation Lafiya Dole”, Maj.-Gen. Farouk Yahaya (2nd, R); the Acting GOC, 7 Division, Brig.-Gen. Abdul Ibrahim (L) and other officers, inaugurating the newly completed “Delta Force” office complex, as part of activities to mark this year’s Nigeria Army Day celebration, in Maiduguri on Thursday (2/7/20).

How we forced Ortom to halt Ukpute, Bonta killings -Media group

By Egena Sunday Ode

B

ut for the alarm raised by media practitioners of Igede extraction, the communal war between Ukpute and Bonta in Oju and Konshisha Local Government Areas, respectively, would have continued unabated.

This was the assertion of a pressure group under the aegis of Association of Igede Media Professionals (AIMPs).

The media practitioners said their press statement of Tuesday, June 30 which went viral was what forced Governor Samuel

Ortom to hurriedly convene a peace meeting the next day where a truce was reached by the warring communities.

In the Tuesday statement, the group alleged that the governor and the security agencies in the state had failed to make concerted effort to quell the communal clash that had been raging for days.

“Prior to our intervention, the attitude of the Benue state government and security agencies in the state to the conflict which had claimed scores of lives and property was lukewarm, if not outrightly indifferent,” the

association said in a statement signed by its President, Egena Sunday Ode, and released on Thursday.

Recall that the Benue State Police Command had denied any knowledge of the communal clash last week, more than three days into the senseless attacks with glaring attendant deaths and wanton destruction of property.

Spokesperson of the Command, Catherine Anene, had told a Makurdi-based correspondent of a national daily last week that the clash was a mere threat which, according to

her, the police had settled.

“There was no crisis, no fight, there was only a threat but the police came to dialogue with them, so no one died because there was no fight,” she was quoted by the correspondent to have said.

The media group, however, insisted that without it’s intervention, the authorities in Makurdi would have continued to pretend that all was well while more lives and property would have been destroyed.

AIMPs said though their noble and good-spirited intervention had been misconstrued in

Banditry/Covid-19: Masari flags off special prayer session From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

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overnor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina state has flagged off special prayers for divine intervention to overcome twin problems of banditry and Covid-19 in the state and the country at large.

Masari was addressing ulamas currently reciting the Holy Qur’an as a step towards making Allah (SWA) to accept prayers for peace to prevail in the land.

The Governor who commended the ulamas for the intiative to seek for divine intervention to end both insecurity challenges and the current pandemic ravaging

the world.

He expressed the hope that the citizenry would embark on prayers too for peace to reign supreme in the land.

In a remarks, the chief Imam of the mosque, Alhaji Samu Bakori said the prayers were organized for divine intervention to overcome the problems

bedeviling the state and the country at large.

He reminded the prayer session that prayers of the oppressed does not go unnoticed by the creator.

Special prayers were offered by Ustaz Bishir Maikano and Sheikh Naziru during the occasion.

Governor Aminu Bello

Masari was accompanied to Bani commassie Jumma’at mosque by the state Deputy Governor Quantity Surveyor Mannir Yakubu and the chief of staff Alhaji Muntari Lawal.

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PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

News

Malabu oil deal: EFCC arraigns 6 company, one other

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

T

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday, arraigned Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, six other firms before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

They were charged with money laundering in a 48-count charge over their alleged fraudulent dealings in relation to the controversial oil block, OPL 245.

The EFCC claimed about $1bn and N673m are involved in the alleged money laundering offences.

Other defendants in the case are: Aliyu Abubakar, kA-Group Construction Company Limited, Rocky Top Resources Limited, Mega Tech Engineering Limited, Novel Properties and Development Company Limited, and Carlin International Nigeria Limited.

The defendants pleaded not guilty when an official of the court read the charges to them.

Following the not guilty plea, the prosecutor, Bala Sanga said he was not averse to the court granting bail to Abubakar.

Abubakar’s lawyer, Akin Olujinmi (SAN), commended Sanga for showing understanding and urged the court to adopt the conditions adopted associated with an earlier bail granted his client in this case.

Abubakar is being tried before the court in a separate charge involving him and a former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Adoke (SAN).

Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned till September 7 for trial.

The EFCC, in a count in the charge, claimed that Malabu Oil, and two of its directors (said to be on the run – Seidougha Munamuna and a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dauzia Etete, who is widely known as Dan Etete) – “directly or indirectly converted” the sum of $401,540,000 paid from the Federal Government of Nigeria Escrow Account with JP Morgan Chase Bank in London into Malabu Oil’s account with a bank in the country.

It claimed that they converted the money “knowing that the funds formed part of an unlawful activity, that is, “negotiation and signing of oil block 245 Resolution Agreement with Shell Nigeria Ultra Deep Limited, Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited whereby taxes due to the Federal Government was waived”.

The prosecution alleged that the same set of persons took control of the said sum of $401,540,000 in violation of section 9(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, an act punishable under section 15(3) of the same law.

It claimed that in September 2011, Abubakar and Rocky Top Resources Limited took control of the of $336,456,906.78 which was said to be part of proceeds of unlawful activity in the Malabu Oil deal.

Also, the anti graft agency alleged that in August 2011, Abubakar and Imperial Union Limited also took control of the sum of $34,540,00 received from Malabu Oil and Gas. The fund was also said to be part of the proceeds unlawful activity in the OPL 245 deal.

Abubakar, whose name appeared in 43 counts, was alleged to have neglected to report in writing to the EFCC certain single-fund transactions involving the bank accounts of his separate companies between 2011 and 2014.

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Troops dismantle illegal refining sites in Delta ...Recover 505 rustled cattle in Plateau, arms, ammunitions in Benue ...Distribute palliatives to communities

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

T

he Nigerian Military said its Navy Ship Delta, from 18 June, to 2nd July 2020, dismantled several illegal refining sites in Delta.

Speaking yesterday at the Defence headquarters, Abuja, while giving update on the military operations in the country, Major General John Enenche, Coordinator, Defence Media Operations Defence Headquarters, said “the sites were observed to have been reactivated with 6 ovens, 5 surface metal storage tanks and 5 dug out pits laden with about 57,000 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined AGO and 649. 1 barrels of suspected stolen crude oil.

“These sites are located around Otumara Community in Warri South West, Burutu and Bomadi

LGAs of Delta State. Troops also arrested 2 suspects. The suspects have been handed over to the Nigeria Police for further investigation and prosecution.

Similarly, he said subsidiary Operation Calm Waters and Operation Swift Response (OSR) seized 135 bags of 50 kg foreign parboiled rice and arrested boats involved in smuggling activities amongst others.

“These operations were conducted based on credible intelligence with the combined teams of OSR and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) strike force.

“These successes recorded have drastically reduced the smuggling of contrabands into the country especially from the South-South axis.”

He added that troops of Operation Safe Haven recovered

a total of 505 rustled cattle in Plateau State between 24 and 29 June 2020.

Enenche said “troops of Operation Whirl Stroke recovered 4 AK 47 rifles, one AK 47 magazine, 150 rounds of 7.62 special ammunition, 55 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, 4 locally made rifles, and 5 locally made pistols, amongst other items at Akaa and Mbagyeren villages in Ukum LGA of Benue State on 26 June 2020.”

He added that the troops also distributed palliatives to communities in Riyom and Bassa LGAs of Plateau State and conducted COVID-19 pandemic enlightenment campaign at Sabon Gida and Suntai Daji communities in Donga LGA of Taraba State.

“Equally, the drilling of one new borehole at Nkindero village in Bassa LGA of Plateau

State commenced with the site assessment of the preferred location on 29 June 2020. This was followed by distribution of palliatives to various communities in Langai and Chanso communities in Mangu LGA of Plateau State on same day.

“Summarily, with the scaling up of activities in the North Central Zone, peace is gradually returning to the troubled locations while the confidence of the local populace is being enhanced. Furthermore, farmers are gradually returning to their farms as a result of troops’ patrols in the hinterlands to deny armed herdsmen, rustlers and other criminals, freedom of action. Also, the ongoing CIMIC activities continue to foster the much desired Civil-Military Cooperation between troops and the local populace.”

Founder of Glovis Entrepreneurial and Leadership Development Foundation (GELD), Mr Kayode Akinade (1st, R), presenting training certificate to one of the beneficiaries, Miss Maureen Sheyin (L), during the lunch of Intervention for 100 Economically Active Widows, in Kaduna yesterday

Anambra South: FG arraigns Obinna Uzor over forgery of court judgment

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

T

he Federal Government, yesterday, arraigned Dr. Obinna Uzor and his lawyer, Eziafa Enwedo, for allegedly using a forged originating summons and court processes to sack a Senator representing Anambra South, Sen. Ifeanyi Uba. The forged judgment alleged to be obtained by a Federal Capital Territory High Court, has since been set aside by the Supreme Court of Nigeria Aside Uzo and his lawyer, Anani Anacletus Chuks, Aroh Ifunaya and Faith Samual also mentioned as defendants in a six-count criminal charge are at large.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/ CR/78/2020, the defendant’s were alleged to have conspired and used a

forged motion with No. M/4017/19, and forged originating summons to obtain the upturned judgement that sacked Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Peoples Party, YPP, as the lawmaker representing Anambra South Senatorial District. It was also alleged that the judgment presented by the duo was forged.

According to the prosecution, their action is contrary to Section 3(b) of the miscellaneous offences Act Cap M17 Law’s Of the Federation Of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under Section 1(2) of the same Act. They however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Counsel to the defendants, Mr. Chukwudi Igwe, prayed Justice Okon Abang to release the 1st Defendant on bail but withdrew his application for bail of the 2nd Defendant (Obinna Uzo).

Opposing the bail application, the prosecution counsel, Mazi Afam Osigwe, urged the court not to allow the Defendants counsel to orally apply for bail as the Federal government intends to put facts before the court.

Osigwe noted that the Obinna Uzoh deliberately refused to make himself available for trial until he was declared wanted by the Police.

In his ruling, Justice Abang allowed the Eziafa Samuel who is the 1st Defendant to continue on his existing bail granted to him on 19th March 2020.

The court however ordered that the 2nd Defendant, Dr. Uzor should be remanded in police custody till July 6 when his formal bail application will be heard.

Justice Abang directed that Police should call the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, NCDC, to carry out

COVID-19 test on the 2nd Defendant and submit the test result to the court before the adjourned date.

“The court cannot order his remand in prison having regard to the current situation and since his medical condition is not known. The court have to be slow in remanding Defendants in Correctional Center.

“The court will take further decision as regard to his custody upon submission of result of his COVID-19 test”, Justice Abang ruled.

Recall that Justice Bello Kawu of the Abuja High Court at Kubwa had on April 11, 2019, sacked Ubah from the Senate over the allegation that he used a forged National Examination Council, NECO, certificate to contest the senatorial election that held in Anambra South on February 23, 2019.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

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News Alleged 46 property: Court orders interim forfeiture of property link to fmr NSITF Boss

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

A

in

Federal High Court in Abuja has granted an order of interim forfeiture relation to 46 property

including houses and parcels of land allegedly linked to former Chairperson of the Board of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Mrs. Ngozi Juliet Olejeme.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo granted the order in a ruling on a motion ex-parte, marked: FHC/ ABJ/CS/538/2020, argued on Tuesday by Ekele Iheanacho, a lawyer with the Economic and

Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Taiwo ordered the EFCC to publish the order in a national daily to enable anyone who is interested in the affected

property to show cause within 14 days why the assets should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

The judge fixed July 27 for continuation.

From left: Sokoto State Commissioner for Health, Dr Ali Iname; Commander of 119 Composite Group of Nigeria Air Force, Sokoto, Group Cpt. Garba Bello, present consignment of food items to the District Head of Sabon Birni, Alhaji Isa Muhammad, for onward distribution to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) affected by recent banditry activities in the area, during Nigerian Air Force’s activity to provide free treatment and food support to IDPs in Sokoto state yesterday

Tambuwal subsidises price of fertilizer to farmers

From Raji Bello, Sokoto

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okoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal on Wednesday flagged off the sale and distribution of fertilizer to farmers at a subsidized rate of N4000, per bag to boost farming activities in the state.

Tambuwal said the aim was to boost agricultural production, reduce poverty and create jobs in the state.

The governor announced that one bag of 50kg of Nitrogen,

Phosphorus, Potassium (NPK) which was procured from Federal Government at the rate of N4500 would be sold for N4000 while Urea which is sold for N9800 in the market would go for N5000 per bag.

According to the governor the transport cost of all brands of fertilizer would be borne by the state government to make the products affordable to farmers.

“Our state have comparative advantage in the production of some crops because of our

weather and government is poised to offer maximum support to harness these potentials to fast track economic and social development of our people, he said.

He further disclosed that state government has put some strategy in place in collaboration with security agencies for those in Eastern part of the state to go to their unhindered.

He enjoined retired civil servants, businessmen and youths in the state to return to farm because it has a defined

market for better price.

He thanked the farmers for their cooperation with government in implementing agricultural policies in the state.

Earlier the commissioner of Agriculture and natural resources in the state Hon Arzika Tureta thanked the governor for his immeasurable support to the ministry.

Arzika added that aside the provision of fertilizer in subsidized rate the government has also provided other

inputs such as improved seed ,pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals for farmers.

He implored farmers to reciprocate the magnimity gesture of the state government.

Arzika further explained that ministry of agriculture and natural resources has evolved concrete strategy to check sharp practices by middle men and fertilizer racketeers.

He assured that fertilizer would be supplied to farmers directly at the rural areas at the designed sale points.

Don’t usurp powers of executive, lawyers tell NASS

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group of lawyers with the name Coalition of Public Interests Lawyers and Advocates (COPA), has advised the National Assembly (NASS) members not to indulge in actions capable of portraying them as usurpers of executive functions.

Mr Pelumi Olajengbesi, convener of COPA gave the advice in a statement following Tuesday’s rowdy session as lawmakers and Festus Keyamo, Minister of State for Labour trade words over

sharing of 774,000 employment slots.

Olajengbaesi while reacting to the development said that the session would have been had with professional decency, and cordiality extended to the Minister and Senior Advocate of Nigeria as against the raucous show exhibited by the lawmakers.

“It is, however, apparent from yesterday’s revelatory drama that the lawmakers are intent on usurping the powers of the

executive as represented by the Honourable Minister through armtwisting and by exerting control over the employment programme.

“It is not in contention that legislators have and can exercise the right of review over executive actions or programmes; it is part and parcel of the checks and balance feature of our constitutional democracy.

“The enabling provision of the constitution, to wit; Section 88, which so empowers the legislators

to review programme such as the recruitment program, however, stops-short of enabling the legislature from exerting control over such matters.

“Its part and role stops at censoring, querying or reviewing executive actions and does not empower them to usurp this roles or programmes even where in its wisdom the executive are not handling it quite well.

“Simply put, the legislators have the right to ask questions,

demand explanations, and or, make suggestions, but may not take charge of the execution of such programmes directly or through any delegated authority stemming from it.

“In view of this, the attempt by the National Assembly through one of its committee to usurp executive power and exert itself improperly on the special federal recruitment exercise underway is truly deserving of public condemnation,” Olajengbesi said.

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PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

CRIME News FCT: Paikonkore elite forum visits LEA secretary

By Usman Shuaibu

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he chairman of Paikonkore community Elite Forum in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Comrade Adamu Barde and his members have paid a courtesy visit to the newly appointed secretary of Gwagwalada Local Education Authority (LEA), Mr. Musa Mamman in his office.

Barde who made this known while speaking with newsmen after the visit at the LEA secretariat on Monday, said the purpose of the visit was to rejoice with the Education Secretary of his appointment.

He noted that the appointment of the Education Secretary was a step in the right direction, adding that the Education Secretary deserved the appointment.

He, however, prayed to God to guard the Education Secretary throughout his tenure in office.

Some of the members of the Elite Forum who accompanied the chairman during the visit included Mr. Ahmed Shangalo: the retired Headmaster of Pilot Science Primary School Gwagwalada, Mr. Ibrahim Yakubu; the secretary of the Forum as well as the community leader of Paikon-kore, Mr. Madaki Baba Danjuma.

One Killed, scores injured in suspected assassination attempt in Delta From: Asaba

Nosa

Akenzua,

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ne person was on Wednesday confirmed dead while scores of others sustained various degrees of injuries in Evwreni community, Ughelli North local government area of Delta State in the aftermath of a perceived assassination attempt on the immediate past Executive Director, Projects of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Engr Sam Adjogbe.

Trouble was said to have erupted after the police was

prevented from arresting a suspect fingered in the June 20 attempted assassination of Engr Adjogbe along the East/West road close to the community.

Though details of what transpired yesterday was still sketchy at press time, sources from the community disclosed that one person was killed after youths from the community prevented the police from arresting the suspect.

The source who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “One person was killed while several others sustained various degrees of machete cuts after they were attacked by some

persons whom are suspected to be members of the local vigilante in the community.

“The person killed is Sylvester Adjogbe. Men from the State Criminal Investigation Department, Asaba, led by one John Agbajie, had visited the community to arrest one Atiri Stephen following a petition by the ex-NDDC director, but were resisted by youths from the community.

“The traditional ruler of the community (names withheld) ordered the local vigilant and some of his loyalists to attack any relatives of Engr Samuel Adjogbe after the police had

been stopped from effecting the arrest, an incident that led to the death of Sylvester Adjogbe who was killed at his father’s house.”

Efforts to speak with the State Police Public Relations Officer DSP Onome Onowakpoyeya was fruitless as at press time on Wednesday.

However, the Police Commissioner in the state, Hafiz Muhammed Inuwah confirmed the incident, saying that Investigation was ongoing with a view to bringing those responsible for the killing and assassination attempt to book.

From left: Mr Ahmed Yusuf from Taraba; Mr Bello Wamakko from Sokoto; Oladele Gboyega from Osun; Alhaji Adamu Dibai from Borno; Mr Alfred Egba from Bayelsa and Hajiya Salamatu Bala from Adamawa taking Oath of Office before President Muhammadu Buhari as commissioners at the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission during their inauguration at the Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday PHOTO: NAN

Traditional rulers, businessman bag media awards

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he Management of Orator Communications limited, the publishers of orator weekly newspapers based in Niger State and FCT has conferred a distinguished merit

award of “Merchant of progress” on the community leader of Tudun-wada, Dakwa in Tafa local government area of Niger state, Mallam Sani Mohammed as well as the chief of Hausawa community in Dakwa, Engr.

Muktar Bello with a distinguished

“Articulate Leader Award”.

Not left out a businessman based in Dakwa, Alhaji Aliyu Ahmed was also bestowed with merit award of “Ambassador of Progress” by the leadership Orator communication limited.

Conferring the merit awards

on the recipients at Dakwa community, the managing Editor of the Orator weekly newspapers, Mr. Nasir Oseni said the awardees were honoured based on their contributions towards the development and progress of Dakwa Community.

Oseni tasked the recipients to continue to do their best to humanity and society at large.

On their responses, Engr.

Muktar Bello and Alhaji Aliyu Ahmed, thanked the authority of the orator weekly newspapers for the honors done to them.

Lockdown: e-learning for students boosts sales of cell phones

T

he free e-learning portals for all students in primary and secondary schools following the closure of schools nationwide to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic is a boost for cellular phone sellers in Abuja, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) survey reveals.

At the launching of the portals — schoolgate.ng and mobileclassroom. com.ng. in Abuja — Minister of State for Education Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, said that all students in Nigeria had been granted free-access to e-learning.

The platforms are subscriptionfree for Nigerian students in primary and secondary levels during the period of this lockdown as necessitated by COVID-19 pandemic. E Following this development, a cellular phone sellers at the GSM village, Abuja, Mr Saint Dozea, observed that sales of smart phones

and other accessories have improved.

He said that as many schools, mostly primary schools in Nigerian, began pushing for online coaching, parents were encouraged to buy phones, laptops and other accessories to catch up with their learning.

Mrs Grace Aregbesola, a mother, told NAN that since the lockdown, she had bought four cell phone tablets to ease her children’s learning.

She said that the prices were on the increase, noting that the first two fairly used tablets she bought at “N65, 000 is now selling for N80, 000 two weeks after.

“It’s crazy, my children will always take my tablet to press the buttons and disrupt my workings and I don’t have any choice than to look for money and buy their own”.

Aregbesola said that she had to buy at a high price due to the overriding importance of the wellbeing, health

and safety of her children and for them to catch up with the standard of education.

She, however, expressed concerns that some students were living in homes that might not have access to Wi-Fi or limited access to internet and some parents could not afford the device to use for schoolwork.

Mr Geoffery Azuka, an engineer and also a parent, noted that during COVID-19, most parents had stopped their children from attending lesson classes and most children were now restricted to the use of mobile applications.

“I have six children, it has not been so easy but to make them comply; I have to make adequate provision for their needs and it is so unfortunate that most of the traders at the GSM village were exploiting every individual,’’ he said.

He said that in spite of spending

so high on the purchase of learning equipment, schools were also charging high fees to provide alternative online learning to ensure continuity in teaching and learning.

“I bough four tablets at N70,000 as against N60,000 each that I bought one week ago, there is sudden increase because many parents are patronising GSM village.

“The patronage has made the traders to increase their price, for instance the TECNO phone Camon 11 that I bought for N80,000 two weeks ago is now N90,000, where do we go from here,” he said.

Azuka said that lack of reduction in data tariffs and offline options on learning platforms had also made it very difficult for some parents with more than two children to cope.

“I have to buy the tablets rather than share mine with them because my office period sometimes coincides

with their learning period.

“The online teaching is very beneficial and should be encouraged during the holiday but government must look into the operations and make it less-expensive by ensuring adequate power supply and reduction in data tariffs,” he said.

However, in spite of the schools’ influence and apparent ability to deliver certain kinds of online learning, parents are alarmed by what they call the unrealistic cost of virtual education.

Mr Badmus Ogunwusi, a teacher in Abuja, said that the COVID-19 period had been a difficult time for schools, teachers, parents, young people and all those involved in education globally.

Ogunwusi said that he had hooked up to the online professional development courses and this had led him to buying tablets to cope with the training.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

PAGE 8

News GDP: Nigeria stock market may end 2020 in red – Uwaleke

U

che Uwaleke, Professor of Finance and Capital Market, says the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) will likely close 2020 in red, based on negative real GDP growth rate projections.

Uwaleke, of the Nasarawa State University, expressed the view in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday.

He said that the likely outcome was against the backdrop of negative real GDP growth rate projections by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank occasioned by COVID-19.

“The NSE All-Share Index is most likely to close the year in the red against the backdrop of negative real GDP growth rate projections by the IMF and the World Bank.

“Despite this, I expect to see some bright spots, especially in sectors not severely affected by COVID-19,” Uwaleke said.

He said telecommunication stocks would likely outperform the market because of people’s adaptation in the wake of coronavirus.

Uwaleke said that pharmaceutical stocks and insurance companies’ stocks would offer investors increased returns on their investments.

He cited pharmaceutical stocks such as Niemeth, currently benefitting from government stimulus packages, adding that insurance companies’ stocks are also usually sought after during periods of uncertainty, as insurance uptake rises for many.

“Industrial stocks such as Dangote Cement may not disappoint, especially if the government faithfully implements the Economic Sustainability Plan with a lot of stimulus funds to the housing and construction sectors,” Uwaleke said.

According to him, the global response to the negative impact of COVID-19 and how soon the world economy gets started will have an effect on the performance of the market.

“A lot will depend on the global response to the negative impact of COVID-19 and how soon the world economy gets restarted, since foreign investors constitute a significant part of activities in the stock market.

“Market performance will also depend on the level of both local and foreign investors’ confidence in the economy reflecting the vagaries in the international crude oil market, given that the economy of Nigeria is substantially powered by the oil sector,” he said.

We’ll protect poor, vulnerable Nigerians -Buhari

By Egena Sunday Ode

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has said the recently developed Economic Sustainability Plan, aimed at stimulating the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, will extend protection to very poor Nigerians and other vulnerable groups through pro-poor spending.

This was contained in a statement on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Pubilicty, Femi Adesina.

The President spoke in a recorded video message to a virtual high-level UN meeting on trends, options and strategies in poverty eradication across the world.

The event took place at UN headquarters in New York, Tuesday and also served as the official inauguration of the Alliance for Poverty Reduction (APE), an initiative of the President of the General Assembly, Prof. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande.

Warning that COVID-19 pandemic risks reversing decades

of progress achieved in the efforts to eradicate poverty globally, President Buhari apprised the UN meeting on steps to revive the nation’s economy in the wake of the pandemic. ‘’It is my conviction that devoting our efforts towards human capital development, efficient management of our resources, greater financial inclusion and transformation of the agricultural sector to ensure food security are crucial to poverty eradication. ‘’In this regard, Nigeria continues to strengthen its existing social safety net initiative by increasing access to enrolees who fit the various programmes in the scheme. ‘’Nigeria will also continue to provide easier and increased access to financial services for micro and small-scale businesses through the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme. But we are determined to do more. ‘’Nigeria holds the view that education is a critical driver of sustainable development and has

an immense capacity to eradicate poverty. ‘’Educating our children, especially the girl-child, contributes significantly to the fight against poverty, environmental sustainability, and improved health, as well as building peace and resilient societies,’’ he said.

President Buhari also used the occasion to reiterate the commitment of his administration to poverty eradication, highlighting the national programme of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty. ‘’Nigeria attaches great importance to poverty eradication. ‘’It is, for this reason, that in May 2019, on my inauguration for a second term in office, our Government committed itself to starting a Programme of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty within a 10-year period,’’ he said.

On the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, President Buhari said in Nigeria, as in many other countries,

the domestic supply chains and trading corridors have come under enormous strain, bringing to fore the health versus economics debate.

On poor and vulnerable people, the Nigerian leader expressed concern that more than 700 million people or 10% of the world’s population are classified as living in extreme poverty. ‘‘All the while they struggle with the most basic needs like nutrition, shelter, health, education and access to clean water and sanitation. ‘‘In this condition, the number of poor people is estimated to triple as livelihoods across almost all economic sectors have been adversely affected,’’ he said.

President Buhari also told the meeting that with a population of about 200 million; a large percentage of Nigerians live in various stages of poverty, adding that the prospect of the population sliding further into extreme poverty is real, stressing, however, that government was also striving to combat and reverse the trend.

Dr Farida Dankaka taking Oath of Office before President Muhammadu Buhari as the Chairman, Federal Character Commission at the Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday PHOTO: NAN

Okowa tasks IOCs on host communities welfare From: Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

D

elta Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, on Wednesday called on International Oil Companies operating in the state to always live in peace and harmony by taking care of the welfare of their host communities to avoid a volatile working environment.

The Governor stated this at the inauguration of the new leadership of oil rich Odimodi community in Iduwini Kingdom, Burutu Local Government Area of the state.

Governor Okowa who was represented by the Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Prince Emman Ambgbaduba had during his speech at the ceremony appreciated the community for

their peaceful conduct of election and the subsequent hand over ceremony.

He stated that the host communities must be well taken care of as they are the hens that lays the golden eggs.

He tasked the new Odimodi community leadership to carry everyone along in the commuity by consulting all relevant stakeholders throughout their administration, stressing that he is hopeful that the community chairman, Elder Capt. Yangaboy James will surprise his people with robust leadership.

In his acceptance speech, Chairman of Odimodi and its federated communities, Capt.

Yangaboy had promised to carry everyone along and to always

consult widely, adding that he will consolidate on the existing progress of Odimodi.

Earlier, Chairman of Burutu Local Government Council, Hon. Godknows Angele, in his remark stressed that he is proud of the people of Odimodi community for their peaceful disposition over time.

He noted that for the community to have resorted to self-help developmental schemes which has resulted to what he has seen in Odimodi shows how great they are, noting that he is always happy to grace any occasion at Odimodi.

Speaking further, Angele maintained that COVID-19 is real as he charged sons and daughters of the community to always adhere

to the safety measures put in place by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC).

In his speech, out gone Chairman of Odimodi community, Chief Edward Prebor appreciated members of the town for giving him the opportunity to serve as their community chairman, adding that he will always be grateful to them.

Prebor stated that whenever the need arises that the current executive needs his services, he will not hesitate in working with them.

High point of the event was the inauguration of the land reclamation project embarked upon by the Edward Prebor’s administration.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

PAGE 9

News

Electricity: Sen. Suswan suggests measure for improved metering , other distribution infrastructures

S

en.Gabriel Suswan (PDP Benue) has advised Federal Government to purchase prepaid meters in bulk as a holder of 40 per cent equity in distribution chain to bridge metering gap in the electricity sector.

Suswan gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday while suggesting possible solution to challenge of poor power supply and distribution of prepaid meters by DisCos in the electricity market.

Suswan, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, also said that government could also decide to divest its equity in the distribution chain if it wanted.

“It is another way out , if government wants to divest part of their equity holding, in this power, so they could introduce new monies into the entities.

“Another way is for government , as part of their own obligation, holding 40 per cent, to buy mass meters and then put it before the DisCos and ask them to pay over a period of time.

“In that way, government can purchase, say about six million meters, and this will ensure that at least every person is connected to the grid; if not all of them between 80 per cent and 90 per cent of them are metered.

“If 90 per cent of people consuming electricity are metered, of course the sector will become solvent, because collection will become easy.

“Why are they unable to collect, it is because there is infrastructural deficit which includes that of metering as well, so, once these things are put in place and power supply becomes efficient, you and I will not mind the increase in tariff,” he said.

He said there was need for enumeration of people connected to the national grid and get them metered.

“There are laws that have to be put in place, they need enumeration of people who are connected to the national grid, those people have to be metered, when you meter people you are sure of collection, all of these have not been done.

“From Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, statistics shows that 10 million people are connected to national grid, out of which only four million are metered.

“So, how do you get the money if you say cost reflective tariff, because you have six million connected to the national grid that have yet to be metered,” he said.(NAN)

EFCC Arrests bank security, 2 others for ATM swap fraud

From: Uche Makurdi

Nnorom,

T

he operatives of the Makurdi zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC have arrested three fraudsters who specialize in defrauding innocent Nigerians by using

bank details obtained through sim swaps and Automated Teller Machines (ATM).

The suspects according to EFCC head of Publicity Mr. Dele Oyewale include, Michael Damhindi 36 year, a security guard with First Bank, North bank area, Makurdi. Others are Chidi Emmanuel Aniekwe 32

year, and Terhemba Iorhen, 35 year.

They were arrested at First Bank, North bank area, Makurdi.

It was learnt that their modus operandi is to station themselves around ATM machine to help those who want to withdraw money.

Upon arrest, items recovered

from them include, 1 Mazda millennia car, 31 ATM cards of different bankse bearing different names, 10 smart Phones 9 Nokia phones, 2 laptops, 16 starter sim packs, different kinds of SIM cards of various networks, 1 glo modem, 1 flash drive and fake currency notes.

L-R: Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari received by widow of former Governor of Uyo State, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, when the wife of the President Mrs. Aisha paid a condolence visit to the family of Senator Abiola Ajimobi, yesterday in Uyo state.

Judge laments high rate of divorce petitions From: Asaba

T

Nosa

Akenzua,

he Delta State Chief Judge, Honourable Justice Marshal Umukoro has lamented high rate of divorce petitions, attributing it to part of social vices contributing to congestion of prison in the State.

Justice Umukoro who released 77 inmates and granted bail to two at OgwashiUku Medium Security Custodial Centre in Aniocha South Local Government Area, disclosed that between January and May this year alone157 dissolution of marriage petitions have been filed in various courts in the State, describing the ugly trend

as worrisome.

The Chief Judge who has so far released 383 inmates out of 2143 warrants reviewed in the five Custodial Centres and Sapele Remand Home across the State, observed that such ugly trend has negatively impacted on juvenile delinquency, which in turn caused alarming rate of crime in the society.

Breakdown of total inmates released in the five correctional centres showed that at Warri 149 freed and six granted bail out of 787 warrants reviewed; Sapele out of the 252 reviewed 77 were pardoned and two granted bail; in kwale 42 released and four granted bail.

265 warrants were reviewed in Agbor out of which 38 freed and

four granted bail.

While advising parents to monitor their children closely and conduct adequate profile of the friends they keep, the Chief Judge admonished youths to avoid bad company, noting that 80 percent of inmates whose ages were between 17 and 25 in Ogwashi-Uku prison were from outside the State. “ Like as I always say, it shows that our family system is being threatened; many parents are not doing their home work, “ he stressed.

Decrying the adverse consequences of complainants who prematurely withdrew from rape cases, the Chief Judge stated: “It is unfortunate that most of the victims are being

pressurized to settle and agreed to compound the offence; it is a drawback on the advocacy by FIDA, our women Lawyers and other NGO’s who are advocating that people charged with such offences should be tried.”

He admonished Lawyers who represent inmates to plead for mercy rather than having the mindset of inquiring into their guilt or innocence, even as he implored them to exercise discretion in order to balance the scale of justice.

Justice Umukoro who refused to release or grant bail to inmates charged with capital offences such as kidnapping, murder and rape, noted that such heinous crimes were rampant in the society.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

PAGE 10

News Okowa tasks IOCs on host communities welfare From: Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

D

elta Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, on Wednesday called on International Oil Companies operating in the state to always live in peace and harmony by taking care of the welfare of their host communities to avoid a volatile working environment.

The Governor stated this at the inauguration of the new leadership of oil rich Odimodi community in Iduwini Kingdom, Burutu Local Government Area of the state.

Governor Okowa who was represented by the Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Prince Emman Ambgbaduba had during his speech at the ceremony appreciated the community for their peaceful conduct of election and the subsequent hand over ceremony.

He stated that the host communities must be well taken care of as they are the hens that lays the golden eggs.

He tasked the new Odimodi community leadership to carry everyone along in the commuity by consulting all relevant stakeholders throughout their administration, stressing that he is hopeful that the community chairman, Elder Capt. Yangaboy James will surprise his people with robust leadership.

In his acceptance speech, Chairman of Odimodi and its federated communities, Capt.

Yangaboy had promised to carry everyone along and to always consult widely, adding that he will consolidate on the existing progress of Odimodi.

Earlier, Chairman of Burutu Local Government Council, Hon. Godknows Angele, in his remark stressed that he is proud of the people of Odimodi community for their peaceful disposition over time.

He noted that for the community to have resorted to self-help developmental schemes which has resulted to what he has seen in Odimodi shows how great they are, noting that he is always happy to grace any occasion at Odimodi.

Speaking further, Angele maintained that COVID-19 is real as he charged sons and daughters of the community to always adhere to the safety measures put in place by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC).

In his speech, out gone Chairman of Odimodi community, Chief Edward Prebor appreciated members of the town for giving him the opportunity to serve as their community chairman, adding that he will always be grateful to them.

Prebor stated that whenever the need arises that the current executive needs his services, he will not hesitate in working with them.

High point of the event was the inauguration of the land reclamation project embarked upon by the Edward Prebor’s administration.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

PAGE 11

EDITORIAL

EFCC Arrests bank security, 2 others for ATM swap fraud From: Uche Makurdi

Nnorom,

T

he operatives of the Makurdi zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC have arrested three fraudsters who specialize in defrauding innocent Nigerians by using bank details

obtained through sim swaps and Automated Teller Machines (ATM).

The suspects according to EFCC head of Publicity Mr. Dele Oyewale include, Michael Damhindi 36 year, a security guard with First Bank, North bank area, Makurdi. Others are Chidi Emmanuel Aniekwe 32 year, and

Terhemba Iorhen, 35 year.

They were arrested at First Bank, North bank area, Makurdi.

It was learnt that their modus operandi is to station themselves around ATM machine to help those who want to withdraw money.

Upon arrest, items recovered from them include, 1 Mazda

millennia car, 31 ATM cards of different bankse bearing different names, 10 smart Phones 9 Nokia phones, 2 laptops, 16 starter sim packs, different kinds of SIM cards of various networks, 1 glo modem, 1 flash drive and fake currency notes.

Africa should support its own

T

he United States has had its way getting the board of governors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) to allow an independent investigator to probe allegations of corruption against the bank’s president Akinwumi Adesina. Its ethics committee had earlier cleared him of all the allegations raised by a group of whistleblowers. However, the U.S., the largest non-African shareholder of the bank said the commttee did not do a good job and demanded an independent inquiry. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, in a letter dated May 22 and addressed to Niale Kaba, chairwoman of the bank’s board of governors, said the Treasury disagreed with findings by the bank’s ethics committee that “totally exonerated” Adesina.

The intervention by the Treasury came two weeks after the ethics committee found no evidence to support allegations of favoritism by Adesina.

The 60-year-old bank chief, who has repeatedly refuted the allegations, is the only candidate up for election as president at an annual general meeting scheduled for August. “We have deep reservations about the integrity of the committee’s process,” Mnuchin said. “Instead, we urge you to initiate an in-depth investigation of the allegations using the services of an independent outside investigator of high professional standing.”

the AfDB’s website. U.S. criticism of the bank’s internal processes follows comments by World Bank President David Malpass in February that multilateral lenders including the AfDB tend to provide loans too quickly, and, in the process, add to African nations’ debt problems. The bank rebutted the statements as “inaccurate and not factbased.”

The AfDB is Africa’s biggest multilateral lender and, under Adesina it has an AAA rating from Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service and S&P Global Ratings.

Its shareholders are Africa’s 54 nations and 27 countries in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Asia.

In March, the lender issued a $3 billion social bond to help African countries deal with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

Bids for the securities on the London money market exceeded $4.6 billion. The bank also launched a $10 billion crisis-response facility for African nations.

These are no small achievements. It is a shame that rather than commendation, Adesina is being rubbished by Washington’s hangmen or moles in the bank.

If he is the devil that he is being made to be, why is it that nobody is running against him in next month’s election?

It is no secret that the U.S. does not want a Nigerian to head the AfDB. For years it has used its vote and those of its European allies to stop candidates put up by Nigeria for the bank’s president. Adesina, however, broke the jinx in 2015 and America did not like that. This is why it is pulling all the stops to stop Adesina’s reelection.

“

The intervention by the Treasury came two weeks after the ethics committee found no evidence to support allegations of favoritism

by Adesina

From left: Team Leader, Rotary International District 9142 (RID9142), Mr Chibuzor Asogwa; representative of Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT) Parkland Hospital, Chief Nick Ozioko; and Assistant Governor of RID9142, Mrs Chinwe Ejim, during the donation of medical items to ESUT to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, in Enugu on Wednesday (1/7/20).

Judge laments high rate of divorce petitions Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

T

he Delta State Chief Judge, Honourable Justice Marshal Umukoro has lamented high rate of divorce petitions, attributing it to part of social vices contributing to congestion of prison in the State.

Justice Umukoro who released 77 inmates and granted bail to two at OgwashiUku Medium Security Custodial Centre in Aniocha South Local Government Area, disclosed that between January and May this year alone157 dissolution of marriage petitions have been filed in various courts in the State, describing the ugly trend as worrisome.

The Chief Judge who has so far released 383 inmates out of 2143 warrants reviewed in the five Custodial Centres and Sapele Remand Home across the State, observed that such ugly trend has negatively impacted on juvenile delinquency, which in turn caused alarming rate of crime in the society.

Breakdown of total inmates released in the five correctional centres showed that at Warri 149 freed and six granted bail out of 787 warrants reviewed; Sapele out of the 252 reviewed 77 were pardoned and two granted bail; in kwale 42 released and four granted bail.

265 warrants were reviewed in Agbor out of which 38 freed and four granted bail.

While advising parents to monitor their children closely and conduct adequate profile of the friends they keep, the Chief Judge admonished youths to avoid bad company, noting that 80 percent of inmates whose ages were between 17 and 25 in Ogwashi-Uku prison were from outside the State. “ Like as I always say, it shows that our family system is being threatened; many parents are not doing their home work, “ he stressed.

Decrying the adverse consequences of complainants who prematurely withdrew from rape cases, the Chief Judge stated: “It is unfortunate that most of the victims are being pressurized to settle

and agreed to compound the offence; it is a drawback on the advocacy by FIDA, our women Lawyers and other NGO’s who are advocating that people charged with such offences should be tried.”

He admonished Lawyers who represent inmates to plead for mercy rather than having the mindset of inquiring into their guilt or innocence, even as he implored them to exercise discretion in order to balance the scale of justice.

Justice Umukoro who refused to release or grant bail to inmates charged with capital offences such as kidnapping, murder and rape, noted that such heinous crimes were rampant in the society.

Adesina was accused by a group of unidentified whistleblowers of handing contracts to acquaintances and appointing relatives to strategic positions at the Abidjan-based lender. “Considering the scope, seriousness, and detail of these allegations against the sole candidate for bank leadership over the next five years, we believe that further inquiry is necessary to ensure that the AfDB’s president has broad support, confidence, and a clear mandate from shareholders,” Mnuchin said.

The U.S. has a 6.5% stake in the lender, the largest shareholding after Adesina’s home country of Nigeria as of November 2019, according to OUR MISSION

The United States is sure to lose face again, given the solid support Adesina has received from President Muhammadu Buhari and his 52 colleagues in the African Union (AU).

Africa welcomes America’s partnership, but this is not to say it will always have its way. A second wave of colonialism is out of the question.

OUR PEOPLE

Chairman “To be the market Malam Wada Maida, place of ideas and Oon, Fnge the leading player in the industry by putting the people first, upholding the Chief Operating Officer Editor, Daily truth, maintaining the Hameed M. Bello, PhD highest professional and ethical standards while Manager, administration delivering value to Hassan Hammanyaji our stakeholders”

OUR VISION

“To be a reputable, profitable, innovative and technologically reliant media company offering world class services and products”

Letter to the Editor

Five lessons from Malawi Presidential Election

By Donald Deya

I

think there are many lessons to learn from Malawi, and, on my part, I am still learning.

1. THE PEOPLE: They were really resilient and protested the theft of their vote, on the streets, for close to a year, without ever giving up. We are not often exposed to that kind of longevity in principled protest in Africa, although it is by no means the first or the only example.

2. THE MILITARY: They have consistently demonstrated fidelity to the Constitution of the Republic, above their loyalty to the Commander-in-Chief. They stepped in, way back in 2012, when the outgoing President, Prof. Peter Mutharika and his cabal were trying to subvert the Constitution upon the death of his older brother, President Prof. Bingu wa Mutharika (who, by the way, is believed by many to be the first person to write a doctoral thesis on regional integration in Africa).

They have also stepped in, over the last year, to protect the peoples’ right to peaceful protest, when it was under threat by the Police. We saw them yesterday stepping in to guard the President-elect, and to demonstrate that power had shifted, due to the actions of the people of Malawi, despite COVID-19.

3. THE COURTS: They displayed independence and courage that is rare, amongst their peers in the continent. Picking the baton from their Kenyan counterparts (some would argue their Sierra Leonian counterparts too), they annulled a flawed election at High Court level, which was affirmed by the Supreme Court of Appeal. They issued two Stay Orders, on a Sunday, within minutes of filing, in Lilongwe and Mzuzu, when the President and his minions purported to send the Chief Justice on terminal leave, on the eve of a fresh Presidential election, ostensibly to ‘pack’ the Court with pliant and compliant Judges. Their Nigerian counterparts were neither as fast nor as resolute when Muhammadu Buhari and his minions did the same, on the eve of the February 2019 Presidential and General Elections.

Again, we have to honour the dynamism and alacrity of the Malawian people, especially their human rights lawyers and the Malawi Law Society leadership, in filing the two urgent Applications (both drafted in less than 20 hours) that led to the Stay Orders in the first place.

4.

THE ELECTION MANAGEMENT BODY (EMB): After a dishonourable display under the leadership of my friend, Dr. Jane Mayemu Ansah, a change in leadership late in the day brought about a great leap in integrity in

managing elections in the country.

The short preparation period, the COVID-19 and other logistical challenges did not deter them from delivering an election with the highest integrity that they could muster, in the circumstances. It shows that leadership and integrity is everything, and ‘logistical challenges’ are over-rated fabrications by those who steal for those in power, and those who provide the intellectual ‘cover’ for it.

It helped that the Malawi Constitution constrains the President in who s/he can appoint to head the EMB; it is not a free-for-all, like we see in some other countries.

This mattered.

5.

AFRICAN SOLIDARITY: Overtly and covertly, there was a significant amount of solidarity generated for our Malawian colleagues, within a very short time.

I was witness to, and small player in, some of the citizen solidarity efforts.

And we all witnessed a lot more. Two that stand out for me is how serving and retired African Chief Justices and Judges rallied to practically and prominently support their Malawi counterparts. Also, how young and old, female and male African law professors openly rebuked their former colleague, the former Professor of Law, Arthur Peter Mutharika. It mattered. It matters.

I hope we see more of this, all over Africa, in the near future.

A lot can be said about opposition unity, which reminds me of a halcyon moment in Kenyan politics in 2002, when opposition unity helped to ‘retire’ Mzee Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi, and put paid his plans for his then ‘project.’ I wonder who, between him and the people of Kenya, has had (or will have) the last laugh on that ‘project.’

There are still risks. Will the swearing in be smooth and safe? Will Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera turn into a theocratic demagogue, spewing forth HIS view of what HIS Lord has told him to do with HIS country? Will the military stay in the barracks and stay out of day-to-day politics?

To manage all these, and to protect their democracy, I choose to trust the Malawian people, with whom I started, and with whom I end these preliminary thoughts.

Solidarity forever!

Donald Deya is the Chief Executive Officer of the Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU), based in Arusha, Tanzania. He was previously Chief Executive of the East Africa Law Society (EALS) and before that, Acting CEO of the Kenyan Section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ-Kenya), and Deputy CEO of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK).

PAGE 12

Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

Assessing the controversy over married women and indigeneship

By Moses Amadi

T

he Federal Character Act was decreed into existence by the military which is now deemed to be the Act of National Assembly that has brought about this indigeneship confusion.

Societies that have evolved a consciousness that does away with outdated ideas of gender, whether those attitudes are religious or historical, concomitantly create other sophisticated concepts that result in social progression.

But insistence on rigid gender roles even as the ground beneath our feet is shifting, is one of the ways the society holds back everyone. In spite of the constitutional provision on human rights and fundamental freedoms, many women have inadvertently found themselves under the bondage of social inequalities and discrimination in the family, community and workplace.

For the most part, our sense of right and wrong is mediated by primal sentiments and stereotypes such as religion, ethnicity, tradition, culture, religion, political philosophy and beliefs detrimental to, especially, married women.

This belief system has raised fundamental questions bordering on indigeneship by birth or by marriage. There are examples of the jeopardy that some married women have suffered on account of their state of origin and state of marriage more particularly with regard to political appointments and other leadership positions.

The basis of belonging to the Nigerian state is citizenship. Unfortunately, the basis for sharing the “national cake” is indigeneship, an ephemeral concept which works against the highly mobile nature of the human being.

The trigger for this would appear to be what has played out in some states of the federation. In 2012, the then Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Muktar, declined to swear in Hon. Ifeoma Jumbo-Ofo as Justice of the Court of Appeal on the basis of her state of origin despite the intervention of the National Judicial Commission (NJC). Justice Jombo-Ofo hails from Anambra state and had served in the Abia state judiciary for 14 years where her husband hails from.

A similar scenario played out in Cross River State where the NJC interviewed two judges; Justice Akon Ikpeme and Justice Maurice Eneji, for the post of Chief Judge of the state. After the interview, the verdict was that Justice Akon Ikpeme was the preferred candidate while Justice Eneji was the reserve candidate. At the end of the day, Justice Ikpeme was sworn in in acting capacity.

But as a result of primordial sentiments, her confirmation as substantive Chief Judge was said to have been declined by the Cross River State House of Assembly on the grounds that she could become a ‘security risk’ to the state because of her ties with Akwa Ibom state. This was coming three months after Justice Ikpeme served as Chief Judge in acting capacity in Cross River state. This

situation generated controversy among the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria. Both associations insisted on swearing in Justice Ikpeme.

Justice Ikpeme was the most senior serving judge of the Cross River State High Court and worked for decades as a judicial officer, attaining the post of director of public prosecution. If she was found worthy to be director of public prosecution and a High Court Judge, what stops her from becoming a Chief Judge of Cross River State?

Justice Ikpeme’s husband is from Cross River state while she hails from neighbouring Akwa Ibom state. Both states were together until September 23, 1987 when Akwa Ibom was carved out of Cross River state.

The same fate befell Justice Patricia Mahmoud. Her appointment as the Acting Chief Judge of Kano State on January 2015 was marred by controversies because she’s from Benue state but got married in Kano state. This was after she has put in decades of service in the judiciary. Her nomination to the Court of Appeal was equally opposed by Kano state authorities who invoked the Federal Character principle. They were not pleased at the prospect of Justice Patricia claiming Kano’s slot at the Appellate Court.

As it affects women in politics, the lawmaker, Princess Miriam Onuoha, representing Okigwe, Onuimo and Isiala Mbano Federal Constituency of Imo State, symbolises a handful of Nigerian women who are still struggling to break through the barrier. Her electoral victory marks the first time a woman will represent her Constituency. This is coming after her fourth attempt in her determined effort to represent her people in that capacity.

The enforcement of such restrictions may have compelled both the 7th and 8th National Assembly to seek ways of addressing the problem. In the 8th National Assembly, the House of Representatives passed a bill sponsored by the former Attorney-General of Plateau state, Hon. Edward Gyang Pwajok, SAN, which gave women dual indigeneship. The bill provided women with the option of choosing either indigeneship in their state of origin or state of marriage in official matters.

Unfortunately, by the time the 8th National Assembly wound up, the Senate had not concurred to that bill. It is hoped that the bill will be reintroduced in the 9th National Assembly and passed and assented to by the President.

There is a temptation to see the gender challenge as a mix of constitutional and social conflict. The Federal Character Commission Act in its guiding principle provides that for the purposes of appointment at the federal level, that the married woman shall continue to hold on to her state of origin. In clearer terms, a relevant paragraph as part of a subsidiary legislation gives the indication that a married woman “shall continue to lay claim” to her state of origin for the purpose of implementation of the Federal Character principle at the national level.

By way of beneficial interpretation, this Act seems to have conferred dual advantage on the married woman,

which means that she will continue to enjoy her rights both as an indigene of her state and in her husband’s state.

On the other hand, the Constitution provides for the principle of non-discrimination, expressly prohibiting prejudice on the basis of state of origin, ethnicity, sex and other grounds for discrimination. The Constitution is supreme. Once there is a conflict between a national law and the Constitution itself, the law is clear; national law should give way to the Constitution. Every other law derives from the Constitution including the Federal Character Act. If there is that inconsistency with the Constitution, then the Constitution will prevail. That inconsistency derives from the interpretation.

Generally, the problem of indigeneship goes beyond the Federal Character Act and constitution grafting and panel beating. Most of the issues that affect married women in politics and other appointive positions, have to do with cultural norms and societal bondage.

Even a woman’s physiological build has become a barrier. Sadly, a married woman who doesn’t have children, is viewed as being incapable of providing quality leadership. The assumption is that since she does not have children of her own to control or guide, she will have crisis of leadership integrity in politics. The way a woman is wired for marriage is such that she could be married today and for circumstances she may not control, she is no longer married. It’s a psychological imbalance that deals a blow on women who ordinarily should be encouraged to aspire to get to their peak.

Indigeneship is not so much about legal matters; the confusion can also stem from the politics of patronage in Nigeria. For every example you can cite, legally speaking, why a woman is denied, you can also cite why, if she has the right backing, sentiments will be overlooked in her favour.

The federal character principle suggests that all the appointments by the federal government shall be done in such a way that there will not be preponderance of any ethnic group. Put differently, the general internment of the federal character principle is that it applies throughout the federation and also to the sub-national entities. For equity and fairness, the Principle can also be applied so that only one ethnic group or one local government will not continue to dominate the others.

But in reality, federal character principle is flouted as evidenced in many government agencies in terms of appointments, employment, among other factors. What is playing out is power politics. The same power game applies to indigeneship.

As part of political culture, power determines who gets what and why. A lot depends on the political support the woman has. A number of examples will suffice.

Senator Grace Folashade Bent from Osun state was elected to represent the people of Adamawa Southern Senatorial Zone.

The nomination of Justice Ifeoma Jumbo-Ofo

was made by former Abia state governor, TA Orji, even though majority of Abia people were not happy about the nomination. According to them, Justice Jombo-Ofo had taken the slot of Abia state in the Court of Appeal. But TA Orji stood his ground. Eventually, the case was brought before the NJC which looked into it, and found merit in her nomination and declared that she had been working in Abia State Civil Service for over 20 years.

To provide further direction, all appointments to public offices should be based on merit. There have been sterling examples in recent times such as the appointment made by the Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi. He appointed Akan Akpan originally from Akwa Ibom State as the Executive Secretary in the Ekiti State Civil Service.

Similarly Governor of Borno state, Babagana Zulum, approved accelerated promotion of a teacher from Abia state to the post of Assistant Headmistress with cash gift to boot.

Elsewhere in Africa, Uganda has put measures in place to encourage engaging participation of women in politics. The Ugandan Constitution ensures that out of the 112 districts in that country, one district must be represented by a woman. There are five special interest groups that are also given reserve seats in their parliament including labour (workers union), military, youth, persons with disability and the women. For the military, there are 10 seats reserved for them in the parliament, two of those 10 seats must be filled by women. Out of the five reserved for the youth, one must be filled by a woman. Out of the five reserved for the workers union, one must be occupied by a woman. This way, Uganda has shown that it is promoting inclusiveness in its political space.

But in Nigeria, the Federal Character Act was decreed into existence by the military which is now deemed to be the Act of National Assembly that has brought about this indigeneship confusion. The way to cure it alongside gender bias Customary Laws, is to go back to the National Assembly which has the power to rectify it even though when a matter is before the National Assembly, it becomes a mixture of politics and constitutional provisions.

The moral necessity to uphold human rights cannot be overemphasised because in cherishing freedom and the values that define a focused society, we become proactive. This way, we can give meaning to responsibility and accountability.

More than ever, it shouldn’t matter where a woman comes from so long as she is a Nigerian. Merit should matter. There are sizable numbers of Nigerian women who are vibrant, world class citizens, and can hold their own anywhere but are limited by politics of patriarchy and hegemony.

Moses, Publisher, Researcher, Biographer, Phonetics Instructor, Speech Writer, Media Entrepreneur, is the Managing Consultant, Legacy BookMedia, Ikoyi Lagos, mosaiclaww@ yahoo.com

Mohammed Adamu and the Nigeria Police

By Marcel Ezenwa

T

here is no doubt that Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector-General of Police, inherited a great task when he was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari early last year to pilot the affairs of the largest police force in Africa and the entire black nation.

The many challenges that confronted the police chief include: combating a growing insecurity menace that his predecessors tried to eliminate or mitigate without much success, the inexorable depreciation of values and performance of the Nigeria Police Force against the pale efforts of successive governments in the country at reforming the institution, even in the face of very great expectations.

However, the leadership change in the Nigerian Police Force brings a sigh of relief to Nigerians who face harassment, intimidation, and coercion, paying “illegal toll fee” everyday on Nigerian roads. It was common for some bad eggs in the Nigerian police to mounts illegal road blocks to extort money from the motorists under the guise of preventing crimes. The unauthorized police barriers on Nigerian highways have in most cases caused fatal accidents and there are cases where policemen have intentionally or accidentally killed innocent people with their guns because they failed to pay unlawful mandatory fee.

Adamu who is not unaware that great accomplishments in human history are always preceded by great challenges and difficult choices but usually overridden by prospects of new opportunities and order, quickly went to work. From the unset, the performance of the Force has constantly been overwhelmed basically by the lack of fund upon which other ills that have bedeviled the force could well be blamed.

This explained the jubilation that trailed Adamu’s appointment, first, as the Acting Inspector General of Police and also the hope his confirmation as the Inspector-General of Police means for the nation. There is no gainsaying that Adamu is a leader with unprecedented

levels of professionalism, unbridled integrity, selflessness, tact with focus and result-orientation – qualities that he has brought to bear in the force for better policing.

His vast experience, having worked in different formation of the force to emerge its top notch cuts him squarely for the job. Adamu has served in various departments of the Force, including Operations, Investigation, Administration and Intelligence, leaving indelible prints of success. A man whose qualities tower high above his contemporaries, his academic stand, both enviable and intimidating, placed him well to better appreciate and deal with the basket of problems that the Force is today faced with.

With Adamu at the headship of the force, the Nigeria Police now has a man whose passion on reforming the police agrees with the aspirations of most Nigerians that there is a strong belief that the desired wind of change is finally wafting across the police force and will permeate every crevice of the Force’s operational machinery to make it one big and formidable institution.

The antecedents of Adamu speak volumes also in competence and ability. He understood that the Nigeria Police, as it is, needs a holistic change; a turn-around from old ways which can only be attained by hard work and commitment. He has demonstrated a remarkable propensity to bring new and appropriate perspectives at providing solutions, and ideas aimed at redeeming and advancing the Force with cutting edge technology to policing functions. He did this when he was the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State and Assistant Inspector General of Police of Zone 5 Headquarters in Benin. He developed anti-robbery and anti-kidnapping operational protocols that proved highly effective in addressing high-level crimes in the State and in the zone.

Again, he also championed the restoration of professional excellence and high investigative documentation and prosecution standards which got him commendation from many.

Prior to his appointment, Adamu who was an Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police posted to

the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, near Jos, Plateau State as a Directing Staff distinguished himself making it possible for Mr. President to spot him and appoint him to the exalted position of IGP. Against all odds, Adamu professionally conducted the 2019 general elections upon the fact that he was just assuming office. It was to his eternal credit that the trio of presidential, National Assembly, Governorship and State Assemblies elections went without many hitches.

Under his leadership, he also ensured supplementary inconclusive and off-Season elections which followed after were successfully conducted peacefully with officers and men exhibiting highest level professionalism.

A great motivator, Adamu initiated policies that greatly transformed the operational environment of the force. This led to the re-establishment of the Ministry of Policy Affairs. This was followed by the passage of Policy Reform and Police Trust Fund Bills by the National Assembly. The implementation of Community Policing Strategy is gradually taking shape by the day.

In his quest to police with integrity, Adamu undertook landmark reforms and restructuring initiatives towards arresting the challenges posed by heinous acts of heavily armed highway kidnappers and robbers. These are all in addition to the activities of the dreadful Boko Haram and other organized militants, cults and regionally-biased armed terror groups.

Fighting this menace, Adamu deployed combat ready Police personnel who with other security agencies gathered their acts together towards giving these criminals a bloody nose. IGP Adamu unfolded a grand policy and strategy for dealing with these internal security challenges head-on. To take policing to the people, he set community policing as his strategy which has enabled him water down the activities of the force to the grassroots with the aim to tackle the various domestic security challenges facing the country.

The ‘Operation Puff Adder’ which was formed to tackle violent crimes, especially banditry and kidnapping

in Kogi, Katsina, Niger and Zamfara. Abuja-Kaduna Highway that has witnessed several kidnappings in recent days saw massive deployment of personnel as part of the operation.

While speaking at a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs, on Tuesday, February 25, 2020, Adamu, who was represented by Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) Operations, Abdulmajid Ali lamented that aside the inadequate manpower, the police are also battling with other challenges which includes -dilapidated barracks, poor remuneration and low budgetary allocations. It shows that Adamu believes in upgrading the welfare of members of the Nigerian Police Force as motivation was key to increasing productivity.

Given his programme of action and operational strategy, it shows that the IGP is ready to bring crime rate to the lowest minimum and bequeath a low-crime-society where all will be safe.

However, to augment the encouraging scheme of the IG, most stakeholders have asked that the police should be independence and be protected to discourage its performance from being polluted with politics. Political interference would undermine the cohesion, effectiveness and performance of the Nigeria Police Force under the performing IGP. Again, the police must be well funded and our budget must be used judiciously to address our security challenges and deliver a new Nigeria Police by sustaining the good works of Mohammed Adamu.

Government should take the bull by the horns by having the courage and the will power to initiate a comprehensive and objective restructuring of the Nigeria Police to reflect the dynamism, complexities of today’s Nigeria and the yearning of the populace. The usual belief that nothing can work in Nigeria is absolutely unfounded given the track record of IGP Mohammed Adamu.

Marcel Ezenwa, Coordinator Greater Virtue for Traffic Watch & Development Initiative writes in from Abuja.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

PAGE 13

Comment

President Buhari and reality of poverty alleviation in Nigeria

By Momoh Emmanuel Omeiza

P

overty is not an abstract term in Nigeria’s lexicon. In fact, both the young and old, the rich and poor can give accurate explanations and analogies to describe this highly dreaded term but which financial analysts have concluded has eaten deep into the nation’s fabric.

“Poverty is a threat to human security anywhere”.

The above quote by Kofi Annan, the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, aptly captures the current reality of things in the self-styled appellation of the entity regarded as ” Africa’s Giant”.

President Muhammadu Buhari had yesterday highlighted the commitment of his administration in ensuring that over a million Nigerians are lifted out of poverty. This was sequel to the announcement of an extension in the second of the lockdown occasioned by the Coronavirus by four weeks.

Apparently speaking from the perspective of a financial analyst and in order to fulfill the demands of business planning which proposes the fact that a business plan must be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound, the septuagenarian leader who is also an erstwhile cum astute military administrator highlighted the time frame in which he hopes to achieve this plan as a decade.

In the first instance, to define poverty in a country like ours would rather prove to be a herculean task. No thanks to the complex

structure as well as the heterogenic threads of language, tribes, religion, and geographical division which were used by colonialists in weaving the fabric of Nigeria’s statehood.

This was orchestrated by the amalgamation of the year 1914 which culminated into the independence of 1st October 1960 and the subsequent declaration of the nation as a republican state in 1963 respectively.

However, the definition by Irene Khan, a former Secretary-General of Amnesty International, which says that “poverty is not only about income poverty, it is about the deprivation of economic and social rights, insecurity, discrimination, exclusion, and powerlessness…..” would in all sincerity be useful in judging the current tide and turn of events in Africa’s most populous country.

Poverty is not an abstract term in Nigeria’s lexicon. In fact, both the young and old, the rich and poor can give accurate explanations and analogies to describe this highly dreaded term but which financial analysts have concluded has eaten deep into the nation’s fabric.

While I wouldn’t want to assume the President’s speech was a slip of the tongue.

After all, the commander never wavers even when the battle is fierce lest he instills fear into the minds of feeble comrades.

Nonetheless, it as though the mantra of poverty alleviation is a constant sermon which Nigerians are coaxed whimsically and manipulated capriciously to listen to especially during the eve of elections.

Nigerian politicians are quick to use

this term as a bait to lure the minds of poor Nigerians towards believing that they have the magic wand of sweeping this seemingly deadly virus off the nation’s borders.

Reality over time has, however, revealed the fact that Nigeria is far from been regarded as a non-poverty stricken state.

From the standpoint of equity, justice, and fairness, it is incongruous and unthinkable for a country to engage in a journey of poverty alleviation when several of its days to day expenses are funded from foreign loans and debts.

We cannot shy away from the fact that several citizens of the country sleep and wake in poverty. This without ado is evident in the life expectancy rate which has over the years dwindled on a downward scale.

Unemployment which seems to be another fuel driving the wheels of poverty is on a large scale. Innumerable thousands of graduates are roaming the streets in search of gainful and profitable jobs to kill the pangs of hunger.

The Federal Government through its Ministry of Humanitarian Services opened a job portal recently to absorb a rather small fraction of these categories of people. From reliable statistics, it is overly bewildering that over a million individuals have enlisted and are jostling for a space of about 400,000 candidates.

The poverty alleviation programme (PAP), the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), the seven Point agenda are few of the many strategies put in place by

past governments towards “lifting Nigerians” from the pit of poverty.

All these have yielded little or no result as reports and observations from the National Bureau of Statistics reported on the website of Al-Jazeera on the 4th of May 2020, revealed that more than 82 million Nigerians live on less than $1 a day.

Nairametrics and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) had reported similar news zoning the headquarters of the situation to the Northern part of the country.

A concrete report by the World Poverty Clock also revealed that Nigeria has overtaken India as the country with the Most extremely poor people around the globe. It is therefore wishful thinking for Nigeria to achieve the contents of the United Nations agreement drafted in the Sustainable Development Goals especially in the aspect of poverty alleviation.

Thus, President Buhari and his assumed team of experts and economic advisers undoubtedly have a long way to travel as their plan to nipping poverty in the bud is in the opinion of Nelson Mandela, “not a gesture of poverty, but an act of justice, protection of fundamental human rights, the right to dignity and a decent life”.

All hands must, therefore, be on deck!

This according to the World Economic Forum entails investing in the girl child education, investing in health and well-being, and ultimately expanding economic opportunities and embracing technology.

Momoh Emmanuel Omeiza is a Public Affairs Analyst.

N-Power and Youths Unemployment

By Jerome-Mario Utomi

‘For a nation to move forward both politically and socio-economically, the leaders must demonstrate esteem for talents, actively encouraging able men, and honoring those who excel in their profession. And encourage their citizens so that they can go peaceably about their business, whether it is trade, agriculture or any other human occupation’- Anonymous

I

t is a general knowledge that Nigeria is a vast country with vast problems that disrupt its progress- corruption, insecurity, unemployment, and lack of energy. But one need not pause to know that the most pernicious of all these challenges is youth’s unemployment as a large army of unemployed youths often always becomes a security threat to the few that are employed. And one of the cardinal promises of the APC during the 2015 electioneering was massive job creation for the army of young unemployed graduates in the country. That promise and a legion of other similar promises ‘conspired’ to give the party victory at the polls.

Five years after that promised employment creation, President Muhammadu Buhari, recently, precisely on Friday 12th June, 2020, during the nationwide broadcast to mark the democracy day celebration, informed Nigerians that his administration’s Social Investment Programme has continued to be a model to other nations. As it has recorded the following results; engaged 549,500 N-Power beneficiaries, 408,682 beneficiaries of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme and 2,238,334 beneficiaries of the Growth Enhancement and Empowerment Programme, registration of 774, 000 Nigerians youths for employment in progress. These youths, he submitted, will be engaged in Special Public Works Programme aimed at cushioning the effects of economic downturn. Each of the 774 local government areas in the country will be allotted 1,000 slots.

Unarguably a well thought out plan and an alluring scorecard. The initiative becomes even more attractive when one remembers the experience of the general election in the country where jobless Nigerian youths flood every political

campaign grounds in their numbers for illicit electoral responsibilities while looking up to the crumbs that fall from their master’s table. The events of that period really demonstrated that youth unemployment is rapidly on the increase and may not end suddenly unless something dramatic is done by the government.

However, this widening stride by Mr. President notwithstanding, the grinding truth is that considering the fact that unemployment rate is currently well above 26% and underemployment about 16%, says the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), such staggering figure renders the planned employment of the 774,000 youths as not only insignificant but not good enough.

Also, as subsequent paragraphs will reveal, there exists ingrain factors that characterize this scheme by the Federal Government as a mere palliative that cures the effects of an ailment while leaving the root to flourish, there are other concerns/factors that plagues the programme.

First is the politicization of the programme. It was in the news a while ago that disagreement over control of the programme exists between the Joint Committees on Labour of the Senate and the House and the Honourable Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo. While lawmakers going by reports, argue that they ought to have an input on how the programme should be implemented- in other words, they sought to control the programme as to who gets what, where and how, Keyamo shared a different opinion. A development that purportedly forced the Joint Committees to suspend the work of the Selection Committees nationwide until they decide how the programme should be run and who should be in those Committees. Even if the rancore is resolved amicably, it will not in any appreciable way uplift the life chances of the youths as it plagued with short duration and ‘peanuts’ as remuneration.

While I sympathize with these youths on whose shoulders rest on the crushing effects of unemployment, it is important to state that solution to youths unemployment in the country lies neither in this mechanically manufactured program or similar politically motivated ones in the past but on carefully planned and execution of certain economic policies which should chiefly revolve round entrepreneurship and skills development.

Lamentably, the nation’s educational system

did not in any way help the situation as it was structured without recourse to entrepreneurship and skills development from kindergarten to the university. That informed why everybody heads to the labour market upon graduation thereby increasing the sea of heads labouring in vain in the already saturated labour market.

While the nation keeps the above awareness in mind, it is important to add that the current unemployment challenges call for an urgent attention and concerted effort by government as the nation is currently in ‘dire need of solution to this problem because unemployment has diverse implications. Security wise, ‘large unemployed youth population is a threat to the security of the few that are employed. Any transformation that does not have job creation as its main objective will not take us anywhere”.

To explain; if the government has done anything substantial in this direction, Nigerians will not have to look very far to see the impact. And my concern is not what the federal government intends to do or is capable of doing. Rather, my concern is about what they are presently doing, and if it’s in the best interest of the Nigerian youths?

Now, look at the danger of such wicked neglect.

First, aside from the fact that youths unemployment has put us in a position of appearing before the world as a people that lack plan for their future leaders, the situation impels the watching world to conclude that government is unmindful that youths unemployment comes with challenges that cuts across, regions, religions, and tribes. Of which such has in the past led to the proliferation of ethnic militia as well as restiveness across the country.

Notably, this threat has become even more pronounced not just in the southern oil-rich region of the country with the chunk of the proponents spearheaded by the large army of professionallytrained ex-militants currently without a job. But in the northern part were the Almajiris who are on the increase by the day.

Very instructive also, our leaders may be ‘winning political positions’ but their inability to turn these victories into better lives for the youths through job creation and other social programmes is beginning to generate questions about their integrity.

I hold the opinion that the government must

do something to help the youths come out of this challenge. It Is in the interest of the government to create jobs for the youths as a formidable way of curbing crime and reducing threatening insecurity in the country. It should be done not merely for political consideration but from the views of national development and sustenance of our democracy.

To get started, it will translate to great steps taken in the right direction if the Federal Government could overhaul agencies such as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Presidential Amnesty Office to be more responsive in job creation and youths capacity building.

In the same token, getting both the nation’s academic curriculum and the National Youths Service Corp (NYSC) scheme to accommodate entrepreneurship and skill development- with the likes of the National Industrial Training Fund (NITF) and the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) equipped to handle youth’s skill training with startup funds made available.

Very importantly, creating a productive collaboration between the government, private organizations and civil society groups during this window of vulnerability that will act as both a crucial enabler as well as a means to an end should be an urgent task before the government.

Youths on their part must recognize that ‘the future is full of promises as it is fraught with uncertainty. That the industrial society is giving way to one based on knowledge’. They must, therefore, learn to be part of the knowledgebased world.

While this is ongoing, the Federal Government should as a matter of urgency take steps to address the current energy challenge in the country.

Achieving a stable power regime will guarantee the peaceful existence of both the medium and small scale industries. It may also bring back multinationals that fled this country at the wake of the nation’s energy crises. This will go a long way in throwing Nigeria’s monster-youth unemployment which breeds all manners of restiveness. A stitch in time, definitely, will save Nigeria’s dangerously burgeoning “unemployment nine”!

Utomi is Consultant.

a

Lagos-Based

Media

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

PAGE 14

NEWS

PAGE 15

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

Buhari commends economic team

By Egena Sunday Ode

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday in Abuja appreciated the outstanding support and guidance provided by the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) which he described as a “tutorial,” urging the members to do more to help the country exit “our very terrible state of development.”

Speaking during a virtual audience with members of the PEAC, the President said: “We are a country characterised by a large population of poor people, serious infrastructure deficit, lack of housing and a vulnerable economy now haunted by the COVID-19 pandemic and collapse of the oil sector and its effect on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).”

This was contained in a statement by the Senior Special

Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

The PEAC, while making a presentation to President Buhari, had commended the administration for implementing several of its recommendations, even as it presented the government with a number of tough choices to make in order to put the country’s economy on a higher growth path, according to the statement.

Chairman of PEAC, Prof.

Doyin Salami, who led the presentation, specifically expressed delight with the ongoing review of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the 2020 Budget in view of the disruptions caused

by COVID-19; the deregulation of the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS); approval for the implementation of the Oronsaye Report on the need

to rationalise and restructure federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), as well as the adjustment of the exchange rate of the Naira.

He however, noted that more needed to be done to increase efficiency, coordination and accountability on the part of MDAs, the statement noted.

The PEAC welcomed the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) produced by the Economic Sustainability Committee (ESC) headed by Vice-President Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo and adopted by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), but warned that in the implementation of the N2.3 trillion spending plan, there could arise a number of problems which if unattended, could hamper smooth implementation.

The Committee advised among others, that the ESP should be implemented using existing institutional and

administrative structures; attention be paid to sources of funding to avoid inflation; ensure that priorities, targets and time limits be set for all projects to make for their completion within the 12-month life-span of the ESP, and where this is not achieved, such projects should be rolled into the new Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP II).

The PEAC recommended that the ESP must promote “exportoriented production strategies;” ensure the use of local resources; curtail post-harvest losses in agriculture now put at between 40-60 per cent and above all, the need to make the economy attractive to “non-debt” private sector-funded investment in order to cut the rising cost of debt services.

Other recommendations included the need to embark on mass housing schemes to

COVID-19: PDP prays for Okowa, wife, others

From left: Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammed Babandede; Director General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Julie Okah-Donli and the Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, during an interactive session of interAgencies synergy on Ms Temitope Arowolo’s Human Right Violation in Lebanon, at the National Assembly in Abuja on Wednesday (1/7/20).

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on Nigerians to pray for the speedy recovery of Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, his wife, Edith, as well as other leaders and Nigerian citizens who have tested positive to COVID-19.

The PDP made the call in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan in Abuja.

The party expressed concern over the reports of the spread of the disease in the country, but remained optimistic that the nation would soon overcome the pandemic with the concerted effort of all compatriots in various sectors of intervention.

The PDP urged Nigerians not to succumb to fear but to continue to be vigilant and prayerful while redoubling all efforts in adhering to and enlightening others on health safety directives of personal hygiene, social distancing and early reporting of symptoms.

The party noted that with the further easing on restrictions, the nation is facing a critical time, which calls for intensified vigilance and adherence to safety directives.

The PDP restated its commendation to our health workers and other Nigerians in the public and private sectors, who are on the frontline, for their sacrifices at this trying time.

create jobs financed through a Public Private Partnership arrangement; the urgent need to move away from multiple exchange rates to a unified currency exchange rate, and to do all that is necessary to continue to ease the environment of doing business in the country.

President Buhari accepted the immediate need to activate the proposal by the PEAC on the Public Policy Coordinating office under the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation as he gave further assurances that “we will continue to listen to you and do our best.”

Other members of the PEAC are Dr Mohammed Sagagi – ViceChairman; Prof. Chukwuma Soludo; Prof. Ode Ojowu: Dr Shehu Yahaya; Dr Iyabo Masha; Mr Bismarck Rewane and Dr Mohammed Salisu – member/ Secretary.

COVID-19: PDP condemns attack on FMC, Lokoja, seeks investigation

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the attack on Federal Medical Center, Lokoja Kogi state, by gunmen, who invaded the facility, destroyed and carted away documents and equipment used for data collection and management of COVID-19 in the state.

The party has consequently called on the security agencies to immediately commence a high level investigation into the attack on the Federal Medical Center, Lokoja and ensure that the gunmen and their sponsors are made to face the wrath of the law.

The PDP made the condemnation in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan

in Abuja.

The party expressed shock over the violent attack, especially given allegations in the public space that the gunmen were sponsored by the Kogi state government, which was earlier alleged to have ordered Kogi people not to visit the medical center for their medications, following its reported disagreement with the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) on the state’s COVID-19 status.

The leading opposition party insisted that such an attack on a medical facility cannot be justified under any guise, whatsoever.

According to the PDP, “It is however revealing that the gunmen shot their way into the Medical Center at the time the

staffers were getting ready for a press conference on issues related to the state’s COVID -19 status; invaded the record and admin department where they destroyed sensitive documents and carted away computers, in addition to ransacking the office of the Chief Medical Director.

“It is instructive to state that the target and mode of the attack strongly expose a desperate mission to destroy gathered information, suppress statistics and completely disrupt COVID-19 management effort in state.

“Nigerians are invited to note that the attack came just a day after Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, declared COVID-19 an artificial creation, orchestrated to shorten the lifespan of the people”, it said.

The PDP recalled that it had on Monday raised alarm over the hostile attitude of the Kogi state government towards the COVID-19 intervention in the state, which is resulting in fear of unreported cases and alleged “silent deaths” in the state.

The party lamented the situation in Kogi state and urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call Governor Yahaya Bello to order, particularly over his needless confrontation with the managers of COVID-19 issues in the state.

The PDP also called on the security agencies to immediately commence a high level investigation into the attack on the Federal Medical Center, Lokoja and ensure that the gunmen and their sponsors are made to face the wrath of the law.

Blame Akeredolu for Deputy Governor’s exit from APC Adelami

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

A

governorship aspirant on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state, Chief Olayide Owolabi Adelami, has said Governor Rotimi Akeredolu should be blamed for the exit of the Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, from the ruling APC. Adelami, who was a Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, told journalists in Abuja, during an interactive session on Thursday, that Governor Akeredolu failed to provide needed and necessary leadership when the crisis arose within the APC, leaving the Deputy Governor with no other choice than to leave the party for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

When asked to comment on the deputy governor exit from APC to PDP, Chief Adelami described the Ondo state deputy governor’s sudden exit from the party as “one of the key weaknesses of the incumbent governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu at managing people.”

According to Adelami: “the governor (Akeredolu) is not people oriented.

This explains why majority of aggrieved members of APC in Ondo state are looking for a replacement.”

He added that “ordinarily governor Akeredolu should have towed the part of reconciliation rather than a face – off with his deputy, Agboola Ajayi.”

On the question of how the deputy governor exited will affect the fortune of APC in the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo state, the Owo – born politician rhetorically dismissed any adverse effect on the fortune of the party adding that governor Akeredolu will directly missed a stabilization figure in his administration.

Adelami said: “On the coming days it will not be a surprise, if other key personalities in his administration will not follow the same path of exit. That is when the whole World will see the true picture of Akeredolu.”

On his choice of primary election mode, the former National Assembly deputy clerk said “the popular opinion is a direct primary.

I normally refer to it as election before election, nobody will be disenchanted, everybody will be given opportunity to express themselves.”

On his plans for the state, Adelami said: “Ondo state is yearning for something new, something novel. If you look at the history of Ondo state you will find out this is not the first time. Remember Baba Ajasin who was a renowned teacher and a technocrat, Baba Adefarati, a renowned teacher and a technocrat, they all performed well.

“Like I said, the first thing is to come to Ondo state to maintain party cohesion.

Number two, the numerous disenchanted, near hopeless youths roaming the streets.

We have so many of them in Ondo state who have been carrying their certificates for the past five, six years looking for job that is not there.

“I’m coming to Ondo state to engage our teeming youths. They must work, they are the asset of Ondo state and I value them so much. They are going to take priority in the projects I’m going to execute in Ondo state.”

Edo guber: Ganduje leads APC 49man war chest against PDP, Obaseki Political contest between APC and South South Govs - Wike threatens

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he caretaker Committee of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has appointed the Kano state Governor, Umar Ganduje, to lead the forty nine man high level campaign Committee who will mobilise human and material resources to ensure the defeat of the incumbent Governor of Edo state, Godwin Obaseki, in the September election.

This is just as the Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike, threatened that the Edo election is not about APC against Governor Obaseki, but against the people of the South-South and their Governors.

Speaking about the preparation of the South South Governors through his official Twitter handle, Governor Wike said: “There would be no intimidation in the

Edo election, the people must choose who they want. All the South-South Governors would be in Edo State to support our brother Governor.

“Edo people rejected Ize Iyamu in the last election because they saw he wouldn’t be a good Governor. Edo election is not an Obaseki election but for the people of the South-South. It is time for the South-South to speak with one voice.”

Nevertheless, in a statement issued yesterday by the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of APC, Yekini Nabena, the party said Ganduje will chair the party’s highlevel National Campaign Council for the Edo State Governorship Election.

Other members of the committee are: Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, who will serve as Deputy Chairman and Abbas Braimoh, who will serve as Secretary of the 49-member Campaign Council.

The statement said the selection followed the approval for the constitution of a National Campaign Council for the 19th September governorship election, by the National Chairman of the APC Caretaker/ Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee, Mai Mala Buni.

The campaign council which will be inaugurated on Monday at the Party’s National Secretariat, has also as members, Ovie Omo-Agege, Gov. Inuwa Yahaya, Gov Yahaya Bello, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, John Odigie-Oyegun, Adams Oshiomhole, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko.

Others are Godswill Akpabio, Orji Uzor Kalu, Roachas Okorocha, Timipre Sylva, Pius Odubu, Sen. Degi Eremiemyo Biobaraku, Oserheimen A. Osunbor, Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, Sen. John Owan Enoh, E.J. Agbonayiman, Babachir Lawal, among others.

From left: Director, Diaspora Affairs, Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, Indigenous Art Works and Culture, Mrs Nneka Nwakwo; Commisioner for Diaspora, Anambra state, Mr Christian Madubuko and Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, at the National Assembly, before an interactive session of inter-Agencies synergy on Ms Temitope Arowolo’s Human Right Violation in Lebanon in Abuja on Wednesday (1/7/20).

Group alleges N80bn scam in NDDC, petitions NASS to halt IMC spending

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

A

pressure group, Act for Positive Transformation Initiative (ACT) has petitioned the leadership of the National Assembly, including the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, for expeditious action on the planned probe exercise over the alleged financial impropriety in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

In the petition titled: “Save the Niger Delta Development Commission Now “ and dated 30th June , 2020, the group alleged that verifiable available records at its disposal indicate that money squandered by the Interim Management Team of NDDC between January and May this year is N80 billion as against N40billion the Senate passed resolution on in April this year.

ACT in the petition signed by its Head, Directorate of Research, Strategy and Programmes, Kolawole Johnson, gave the breakdown of the allegedly squandered N80billion and consequently urged the National

Assembly to stop NDDC under its present leadership from further financial transaction aside monthly salary payments to workers.

The petition reads in part : “That the National Assembly directs the Commission to stop all forms of procurements. That the National Assembly directs the commission and relevant agencies to stop all forms of payments from the commission’s account.

“That a proper account must be given for the over N80billion Naira squandered by the commission between January and May, 2020.

That the commission should be allowed to pay salaries only.

“That the National Assembly directs the commission to stop payments of all forms of allowances as this has been grossly abused”.

Kolawole on behalf of the Advocacy group alleged further in the two page petition that the Interim Management Committee members of the NDDC pay themselves monthly, several illegal allowances running into hundreds of millions, which are also extended to some staff of the commission.

He gave example of such special payments made through alleged fraudulent imprest to

include the payment allegedly made to one Charles Odili, a director in the commission, on the 30th of April, 2020 at about 12:56pm in the sum of N10 million as captured in his UBA private account.

Same Charles Odili, the group alleged further, raised memos for over N1.2billion naira payments for imaginary media work within four weeks.

“They also receive N10million naira monthly for hosting visitors. These payments are not connected to the money already provided in the budget for project monitoring, which has been overdrawn by over N180m in the last few months.

“That the National Assembly strives to save the commission from the monster of corruption through the ongoing probe. Among numerous agitations, our office is, in recent times, inundated with cries from students abroad under the commission’s scholarship who are currently stranded in different countries.

“While these students are facing untold hardship, the present Interim Management Committee members are busy paying themselves money meant for the helpless students.”

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

PAGE 16

Politics Lawan condoles with Borno Gov over death of Chief of Staff

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

P

resident of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has sent his condolences to the Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, over the death of his Chief of Staff, Babagana Wakil.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ola Awoniyi, Lawan condoled the family of Wakil and the government and people of Borno over the sad loss.

The Senate President said Wakil was a loyal and trusted aide to the Governor, who had made a great contribution to the efforts of the state government in rebuilding a state that has been devastated by several years of a mindless insurgency.

Lawan prayed that Allah will forgive the shortcomings of the departed and grant his family the fortitude to bear his painful loss.

Senate to block illicit financial flows, summons Finance Minister, FIRS, CBN, EFCC, ICPC

By Musa Adamu

T

he Senate on Wednesday moved to block Nigeria’s revenue loss through money laundering, tax evasion by international oil companies operating in the country (IOCs), proceeds of corruption and other criminal activities involving illicit financial flows.

The decision to so do was reached in resolutions reached sequel to the consideration of a motion on “the need to review the domestic legal framework against illicit Financial Flows and to consider the creation of a Tax Amnesty for the voluntary repatriation of funds to Nigeria.”

The upper chamber, accordingly, resolved to invite the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, and the Heads of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS); Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); and Independent

Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to brief the Senate Committees on Finance, Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes; Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions on measures being sought to curb revenue loss, and curb tax evasion and money laundering activities.

Also to be invited are the Heads of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU); the Nigerian ExportImport Bank (NEXIM); Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) among other relevant institutions.

The upper chamber while mandating the Senate Committees on Finance, Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes; Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions to investigate illicit financial flows, called for an appraisal of the Federal Inland Revenue Service’s (FIRS) current framework for tracing, identifying, preventing and sanctioning Crossborder tax evasion and other illicit

financial outflows.

The Senate also mandated the Committee to come up with a holistic legislative framework on how to repatriate lost revenue due to illicit financial flows, mitigate such future unabated flows and provide an efficient strategy for the reinvestment of repatriated resources into the Nigerian economy.

Sponsor of the motion, Senator Gershom Bassey (PDP – Cross River South), in his presentation, while citing a 2014 Global Financial Integrity Report said, “Nigeria lost a minimum of US$140 billion to illicit financial flows between 2000 and 2014, mainly to crude oil and commercial activities mispricing.”

According to the lawmaker, “this economic loss to the country was not abated, as Nigeria was ranked among the global top 30 countries of illicit financial outflows by dollar value, with US$8.3 billion in illicit outflow from Nigeria in 2015.”

Senate mourns late Ajimobi

By Musa Adamu

No new registration of voters for Ondo guber polls – INEC

By Lateef Ibrahim agency report

W

with

ith about three months to the October 10 governorship election in Ondo State the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state, on Wednesday announced the suspension of the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise ahead of the election.

This was disclosed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in the state, Ambassador Rufus Akeju while addressing newsmen on the notice of election.

According to Akeju, there will not be any registration of new voters, distribution of Permanent Voters Card, transfer of registration as well as a replacement of lost or mutilated PVC. The REC attributed the development to the ravaging COVID -19 pandemic with the assurance that the commission is already mapping out ways of mitigating the challenges posed by the virus ahead of the polls.

He also noted that out of the 1,822,346 registered voters in the state, 1,478,460 have so far collected their PVC while 372,888 PVC are yet to be collected.

Akeju added that all the participating political parties must between July 2 and June 25, conduct their primaries to pick their candidates for the election.

While urging the parties not to abuse the electoral rules, the REC emphasized that the date for the commencement of any form of campaign remains July 13, 2020.

Bassey expressed worry at further findings by the Tax Justice Network and International Monetary Fund, “that developing countries, including Nigeria, have lost over US$200 billion per year to illicit financial flows as multinational corporations neglect, fail and/or refuse to pay taxes in these countries where they generate substantial amounts of profit.”

“Nigeria loses approximately US15billion annually to offshore tax evasion. This has resulted in a consistently low tax revenue as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as low as 5.7 percent in 2017.

Such statistics are alarming, especially when compared to the 17.2 percent average of 26 African countries in the same year”, Bassey said.

He added that, “this incessant financial drain on the Nigerian economy continues to have negative implications for domestic resource mobilization and long-term economic growth and development.”

T .from left :. Minister of State of Health Sen. Adeleke Mamora, , Minister of Health ,Dr Osagie Ehanire, Minister of the FCT ,Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control,Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, at the stakeholders’ meeting with healthcare practitioners on the inaccessibility of health care facilities by Nigerians due to COVID-19, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Ondo guber: PDP aspirant withdraws from race

By Lateef Ibrahim with agency report

A

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirant, John Ola-Mafo, has withdrawn from the Ondo State governorship election scheduled for 10 October 2020.

Ola-Mafo made the announcement in a statement on Wednesday in Okitipupa, Ondo State.

According to him, his exit from the

contest is predicated on circumstances beyond his control.

He also thanked supporters across the state who believed in his vision and who contributed towards actualizing his dream.

He said: “With a great sense of responsibility and unbroken faith in the future of Ondo State, I announce my formal withdrawal from the governorship race, having been an aspirant under the platform of the

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“My exit from the contest is predicated on circumstances beyond my control as history is my witness as I withdraw from the governorship race.

“From the activities of the present administration and disposition of the people, it is clear that the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has failed to meet the expectations of the people”, he said.

he Senate on Wednesday observed a minute silence to honour the immediate past Governor of Oyo State, Senator Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi who died on June 25, 2020 at the age of 70.

The decision to so do was reached following a personal explanation by Senator Kola Balogun (PDP - Oyo South) on the floor during plenary.

Coming under rule 43, the lawmaker stated that Ajimobi made great strides in the world of business for almost three decades before delving into politics in 2003.

He noted that the deceased was an elected Senator who represented Oyo South Senatorial District on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), and served as Deputy Minority Leader of the Senate.

According to him, Ajimobi later went on to served as Governor of Oyo State between 2011 and 2019.

Why AD lost 2019 gubernatorial election in Oyo - Hakeem Alao

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he Alliance for Democracy (AD) governorship candidate in the 2019 general elections in Oyo State, Oyedele Hakeem Alao, has revealed why the party lost the 2019 gubernatorial election in the state.

Addressing journalists in Ibadan, the state capital, Also disclosed that leaders of the party in Oyo State were sold out to work with another party in the state.

Alao while speaking on electoral reforms and political system in Nigeria, said the leaders of his party, one of whom is currently a political adviser in the cabinet of Engineer Seyi Makinde, were not interested in fielding a credible candidate.

He said that the leaders were only interested in reaching an agreement with other parties and offering their candidates for sale.

Alao, while extolling the virtues of the immediate past Governor of the state, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, described the deceased as an illustrious son of the

state who knew his onions.

He said, “In fact, a lot of people asked me whether I really wanted to contest the 2019 governorship election or eyeing an appointment as a commissioner. I told them “no”. I said “No” because I want to make a difference. I have seen what is going on in the last eight years and our people have not really enjoyed dividends of democracy”.

“The excos of political parties, at both federal and state levels, usually constitute themselves as autocrats. They would want to do things the way they want it.

“How AD was run as a party really affected our efforts in the 2019 elections.

In fact, there were so many internal problems with the party; the national body was factionalised and there was also a court case, and above all, the South West excos were suddenly dissolved and our party leaders in the state eventually sold out.

“There were parallel congresses in political parties; some political parties didn’t do primaries, they handpicked party excos. The current PDP exco in

the state (Oyo) which brought in the present government in the state is a clear instance.

“Our political parties don’t allow internal party democracy; no party ideology, people just move into where they can get a ticket and feed and that’s why in the 2019 elections, they were moving from APC to ADC, PDP to ZLP and ADC to PDP. This is because what the majority of them know is politics, maybe they don’t have alternatives and are not known with any profession unlike our deceased governor Senator Isiak Abiola Ajimobi who brought deep experience into governance.

“The people of Oyo State have seen what is going on now and I believe, they know who to put in office in the next election, as we’ll announce sooner or later the platform on which to contest, also adding that “a lot of parties have been deregistered, including AD, and have all gone for life”.

Alao, identified lack of political will and commitment as the main problem

militating against the Nigerian political system, including electoral reforms and good governance, maintaining that the problem was not with the electoral reforms, acts and laws themselves but implementation.

“We’ve had so many electoral reforms and from 1999 to date, so much has been spent on the electoral reforms and our political process. I’ll conclude that nothing much is actually wrong with our electoral reforms, the drawback is the lack of genuine political will and commitment to enforce the electoral laws to have credible polls that will give Nigerians across board good governance.

“That’s why the Kofi Anan post2019 election roundtable in Abuja with European Union (EU) described the 2019 elections as falling short of the international standard in the real democratic context, although there were some positive sides like the nottoo-young-to-rule which offered a lot of young people the opportunity to contest the 2019 elections”.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

PAGE 17

Politics

Why NASS Edo Election: Gov Wike slams Pastor Ize-Iyamu, halts DisCos reveals why he lost to Obaseki in 2016 tariff hike because the people of the state on his official Twitter handle, be in Edo State to support our

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi saw that he will not make a also said that the Edo election brother Governor.

“Edo people rejected Ize is not an ‘Obaseki election’ but overnor Nyesom good leader.

Sen. Suswam Recall that Ize-Iyamu, who for the people of the South- Iyamu in the last election Wike of Rivers State

By Musa Adamu

S

en. Gabriel Suswam (PDPBenue) has explained why the National Assembly has directed the Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) not to increase electricity tariff because of the current economic challenges occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic across the country.

Suswan, Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, made the disclosure in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Thursday.

He said that the increase in the tariff had to stop for now even when it was obvious that an increase, given the provision of necessary distribution infrastructure in the electricity market, would help the sector to be solvent.

Suswan noted that an increase in electricity tariff in this period would worsen the economic hardship faced by Nigerians, hence the intervention of the National Assembly to prevail on the DisCos to suspend the increase until the first quarter of 2021.

According to him, “Under a normal situation, an increase in tariff increase will help the operators to meet their remittances 100 per cent, and the government will not need to subsidize.

“Now governments all over the globe are giving palliatives to their citizens; in America, for instance, most of the people who fought for palliatives for not being employed receive some stipends weekly.

“Now, here we have people who are unable to feed family because of the COVID-19 pandemic and DisCos is saying it will increase tariff at the same time; we are saying yes, reflective cost tariff is the way to go because we need the sector to be solvent, but the timing is not auspicious.”

He also explained that the government had also reduced the petrol pump price because it did not want to increase the burden on Nigerians, observing that it would not make sense if DisCos increased electricity tariff.

“In the interim, the government will continue to subsidize petrol pump prices because that is the responsibility of the government, no government will want a situation where their citizens would be overburdened with prices of goods.

“So, that was why we stepped in and good enough with the decision we took, the president has agreed with us and said they should not activate the increase until certain things are in place,” he explained.`

G

has slammed the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the September 19 election in the state, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, saying he was rejected in 2016

contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) four years ago was defeated by Obaseki who was the APC candidate then.

However, Wike, in a tweet

South.

He said: “There would be no intimidation in the Edo election, the people must choose who they want. All the South-South Governors would

because they saw he wouldn’t be a good Governor. Edo election is not an Obaseki election but for the people of the SouthSouth. It is time for the SouthSouth to speak with one voice.”

From left: Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire with the Minister of the FCT , Malam Muhammad Musa Bello during the stakeholders’ meeting with healthcare practitioners on the inaccessibility of health care facilities

by Nigerians due to COVID-19 held , yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Covid-19: Korean Embassy share election management tips with INEC

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

A

head of the off season elections scheduled for Edo and Ondo respectively in September and October, the Republic of Korea has shared some safety tips for election management in the Coronavirus pandemic with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The Ambassador of Republic of Korea in Nigeria, Lee In-Tae, who disclosed these Covid-19 safety tips for election management with the INEC chairman at the commission’s headquarters, also discuss ways of providing practical support for the upcoming Edo and Ondo states 2020 governorship elections.

A statement signed by Lee Jin Su, the Director of Korean Cultural Centre (KCCN), said along with facial masks, a brochure on ‘Responding to COVID-19’ was specially designed and distributed to INEC in order to provide a clear picture of Korea’s successful factors on the general elections.

“Nigeria is considered one of the strongest democracies in Africa, and under your leadership, I believe that Nigeria’s voting system has been growing strong and stable,” Lee In-Tae commented during the meeting with the Chairman of INEC. The statement said “Amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, the Republic of Korea successfully held its 21st general elections on April 15.

Being one of the first countries to hold national elections during the pandemic, many countries showed

great interest in Korea’s election management policy and a number of foreign media covered the country’s elections”.

It said the overall turnout stood at 66.2 percent, recording the highest in 28 years with over 29 million voters at the polling place, observing that the election successfully ended leaving zero cases of suspected or new infections of COVID-19, derived by the election.

According to the statement, “Referring to the guidelines on COVID-19 prevention measures, the 21st general elections was held under strict and systematic voting procedures handled by the National Election Commission (NEC) of the Republic of Korea to block and prevent the spread of COVID-19 through mutual cooperation with related agencies such as the Korea Centers for Disease Control (KCDC) and the Ministry of Interior and Safety (MOIS).

“The NEC set out various measures including the establishment of voting and counting procedures, disinfection of polling stations and ensuring the suffrage of persons in quarantine or those with confirmed cases of COVID-19.

“Wearing masks and disposable gloves, using hand sanitizers and getting a temperature check was obligatory at polling stations. Also, various stickers and collapsible belts were used to guide voters to keep distance of at least 1 metre from each other. Last but not least, separate polling stations

were established for voters with symptoms or high temperature for precautionary measures.

“Voters with a temperature higher than 37.5 received a special envelope for the ballot and voted in a temporary polling station.

After voting, if the voter had any symptoms, they were guided to contact the public health centre for next steps. For confirmed COVID-19 patients, they were eligible to vote from home or visit special polling stations installed at facilities where COVID-19 patients were isolated.

“Quarantined voters were able to vote after the closing of general voting at 6:00pm, at a temporary polling booth installed in a well ventilated location. These people were temporarily allowed outside from 5:20pm to 7:00pm, to allow themselves to vote and immediately return back to their residences afterwards.

“During all these processes, staff were also requested to strictly follow the precautionary guidelines. All staff were to wear masks and gloves at all times and make sure that the total number of voters waiting inside the polling station was limited in order to maintain social distance.

Unnecessary conversation was minimized and election equipment including polling booths, marking devices and ballot boxes were disinfected on a regular basis”.

In addition, it said overseas voting was held at Korean diplomatic missions worldwide, where over 40,000 Korean expatriates voted from abroad.

It said strictly complying with the safety regulations, Koreans residing in Nigeria voted from April 1st to 3rd at the Embassy of Korea.

“Thus, to protect the people’s right to vote, the election was expanded into 5 different methods to make voting more accessible.

First, home voting(March 24-28) was provided for people who were unable to move freely. This enabled them to vote at the place they were residing.

“Then, overseas voters or sailors on board vessels had the chance to do overseas voting (April 1-6) or shipboard voting (April 7-10). Early voting (April 10-11) was provided for voters not able to vote on the election day. A total of 3,508 early polling stations were set up across the country, and could be accessed without prior registration. Finally, on the election day voting(April 15), a total of 14,330 polling stations were installed and operated from 6:00am to 6:00pm.

“The success of Korea’s elections was possible because the Korean people trusted and voluntarily followed the guidelines provided by the government,” Mr. Lee In-Tae mentioned. “Voting procedures were informed in advance so that people will feel safe to vote, and Korean authorities continued to provide up-to-date information transparently so that the people will trust the government,” he added.

Meanwhile, concluding the meeting, Ambassador Lee In-Tae expressed hope to continue close and friendly relationship in the future with INEC.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

Page 18

NEWS

Abuja filling stations sell PMS at N143 new price

F

illing stations across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja have started to sell petrol at N143 per litre, as announced by the Federal Government, with effect from July 1.

A survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja indicated that major marketers at Wuse, Gwarimpa, Maitama, Wuye, Asokoro and Karmo had adjusted their pump to the new price.

Alhaji Suleiman Yakubu, National Public Relations Officer, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), told NAN that most filling stations had adopted the new price regime, while others would join in due course.

“We support the government and its policy, as we also know the government has its citizens’ welfare at heart. The oil and gas business has been unstable since the pandemic started,” Yakubu said.

A manager at a filling station, who pleaded anonymity, described the new price regime as a welcome development.

He said the station recorded some losses when the price of petrol was reduced by government, due to the fall in the price of crude at the international market and the outbreak of the coronavirus.

According to him, the increase in the price of petrol will help the growth of the nation’s economy.

A taxi driver, Mr Idris Bako, said that the new pricing of petrol was not good for their business, adding that commuters would have to pay more.

“During this COVID-19, we carry one passenger at the front and two behind to maintain social distance but now, the fares will have to increase,” Bako said.

NAN reports that since April, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) had continued to issue monthly pricing directive on premium motor spirit (PMS) to the marketers.

In June, there was a slight reduction as the price was fixed at N121.50 per litre, from N123.50 in May. The July new price is N20.30 higher than the June price of N121.50 per litre. (NAN)

NGO translates Benue anti open grazing law in to Hausa Language From: Uche Makurdi

Nnorom,

A

Non Governmental Organization, NGO, International Center for Peace, Charities and Human Development, (INTERCEP), has translated the Benue Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017 into Hausa language to further bring the law to the doorsteps of critical stakeholders.

Speaking at the official presentation of the translated version, the Executive Director, INTERCEP, Barr.

Clement Iornongu described the development as a milestone towards making Benue a very peaceful state fit for peaceful coexistence and community strengthening.

Recall that the Benue state government had, in 2017,

enacted the anti open grazing law to forestall the herder/farmer conflicts which had resulted into destruction of lives and property.

But the law was rather met with complaints from some stakeholders who alleged that the law was not properly understood by their members.

Barr. Iornongu said it was in an effort to contribute to the spirit of the law and put it at the door steps of the critical stakeholders that his organisation in collaboration with Peace Direct and Peace Initiative of Nigeria, (PIN) did the translation for easy understanding and smooth implementation.

According to him, “a problem understood is 90 percent solved.”

He therefore enjoined all stakeholders to continue to dialogue so that all concerns of all involved will be agreed upon and tackled for the purposes of peace and peaceful coexistence in Benue

state.

The Director of Livestock Services at the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Edward Amali expressed great happiness over the translation and called on other organizations to emulate INTERCEP. Mr. Amali who noted that the Hausa version of the law was not only timely but very useful tool in the peace building programme of Benue state government, opined that the translation of the law into Hausa language will enhance a better understanding of it by many stakeholders thereby improving the relationship between farmers and herders in the state Speaking to our correspodent, the Executive Director of Civil Organizations Research Advocacy and Funding Initiatives Development, (CORAFID), Mr Nathaniel Awuapila commended INTERCEP for a job well done.

He said “Over the last couple of years, one of the contentions about the law is that some of those in the cattle business said they are not aware there is a law, some say they don’t understand what the provisions are.”

He said having the Hausa version of the law will facilitate easy understanding of the law and bridge the gap in sensitization of stakeholders.

Also, the Chairperson of Ja’amatu Nasir Islam, Women Wing, Benue State Chapter, Hauwa Isah and the Secretary of MACBAN in Benue state, Ibrahim Galma praised the translation saying majority of the herders are Hausa and do not understand English.

They said the translation in Hausa language will facilitate a better understanding of the law and ensure compliance to the provisions.

L-R: Speaker House of representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila; Chairman House Committee on Public Account, Mr. Oluwole Oke;Members of the committee, Mrs. Omowunmi Ogunlola, and Dr. Alex Egbona, during the investigative hearing on the Homeschool feeding programme, at the National Assembly on Wednesday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

20 APC groups back Buhari, Burutai on fight against insecurity

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

A

n APC Youth Movement and Development Forum (APC-YMDF) has pledged their support to President Muhammadu Buhari and the military in the fight against insecurity.

The at least 20 APC youths group, made this vow in a statement in Abuja, after a meeting of the 20 groups also held in the nation’s capital.

Speaking on behalf of the groups, Comrade Ahmed Suleiman, representing the Buhari’s Youth Emancipation Strategy (B-YES), called on all

other APC groups and supporters of the President to rise up for the administration and not allow criminal elements break its ranks.

According to him, this has become crucial as “agents of darkness of late have relentlessly seized the security situations which they have created to come hard on our very patriotic Service Chiefs”.

He further disclosed that there is an ongoing mass mobilization of groups for street protests and rallies against Buhari’s policies and programmes, especially insecurity.

More worrying, he noted that these same groups is fuelling

nefarious individuals and organizations strictly for political reasons to fulfil their evil desires against the president and the Security Chiefs.

Despite all these, Suleiman added that the military has held its own, maintaining an enviable level of security of lives and properties in the country.

As a party, the APC groups expressed total support and appreciation to the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonishakin, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen, Tukur Buratai and other Security Chiefs.

It also vowed to defend and stand by all actions, policies and

programmes of President Buhari.

Part of the statement reads; ‘’Using the security situation in the country as an example, the APC Youth Movement and Development Forum is aware that the state of insecurity experienced in some parts of the country is fuelled by these nefarious individuals and organizations strictly for political reasons to fulfil their evil desires against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and the country at large. ‘’We wish to state that despite this glaring conspiracy against the efforts of the Security and Service Chiefs in the country, our various

security agencies have been able to maintain an enviable level of security of lives and properties in the country. ‘’The APC Youth Movement and Development Forum is using this medium to express its support and appreciation to the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonishakin, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen, Tukur Buratai, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu and the Director-General of the DSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi respectively.’’

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

NITDA Pledges To Support AMAC With ICT Training

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, has promised to support the Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, with Information and Communications Technology (ICT) training and capacity building of its indigenes.

The DG made the pledge while receiving in audience, a high ranking officials of AMAC, led by the AMAC Chairman, Honourable Abdullah Adamu Candido who were on an official visit to the agency, Wednesday, in Abuja.

While welcoming the guests, Mallam Abdullahi said that the agency has always been open to collaborations from different sectors and has, so far, been involved in several intervention programmmes for various sectors, both in the rural and urban areas of the country.

He said, the agency is doing all it can to ensure that Mr President’s promise to take 100 million Nigerians out of poverty is realised through the efforts of MDAs including NITDA. According to him, “so far, the agency has embarked on several intervention programmes through empowerment in the six geo political zones of the country, providing training in digital skills and assisting in digital capacity building.”

He added that NITDA has created several ICT centers and hubs, supported ICT startups, and so much more which have created thousands of jobs for Nigerians.

“Collaboration with your council, AMAC, is equal to fulfilling our mandates. Part of the agency’s mandate is to ensure that digital skills and empowerment get to the communities especially the grassroots and the underserved.

“The visit is good and timely and we can work together to achieve optimum success in those areas, Mallam Abdullahi said.

In his own remarks, the Chairman, AMAC, Hon.Adamu Candido said that the primary purpose of their visit is to enable his council share in the knowledge of ICT through the only regulating body in Nigeria, NITDA. “We are here to share knowledge and tap on the advantage of what is ruling the world at the moment which is technology.”

Hon. Candido said that his administration is doing all it can to make things different for its people by not just giving fertilizers to farmers but also by bringing new ideas and innovations such as creating ICT centers for AMAC communities to learn digital skills. This will allow for adequate and prompt information dissemination through the community radio to the people.

The Chairman said that the Agency’s support in the area of ICT is to enable the AMAC community grow in line with modern technology and digital trends. He thanked the management of NITDA for their warm reception.

He expressed his optimism that with the Agency’s support, his council and its ICT centres will get the best in IT innovations and empowerment.

Mallam Kashifu assured the AMAC boss that NITDA is open to collaboration on ICT training with the Abuja Municipal Area Council for the maximum benefit of its residents.

Page 19

House rent agreement, C of O, others must carry stamp duty -FIRS

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has alerted Nigerians and others resident in the country to make sure that documents pertaining to rent or lease agreements for their homes or offices, Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) as well as a list of other common businessrelated transaction instruments are subject to authentication with the new FIRS Adhesive Stamp duty.

This is necessary in order to give these instruments the force of law and make them legally bidding on all parties involved in such transactions.

The FIRS issued the alert

on Thursday in a statement

by Director, Communications and Liaison Department, FIRS, Abdullahi Ismaila Ahmad.

The new FIRS Adhesive Stamp Duty was launched in Abuja on Tuesday June 30, 2020 in Abuja at the official inauguration of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Audit and Recovery of Back Years Stamp Duties.

In the statement, Executive Director, FIRS, Mr. Muhammad Nami, stated that “chargeable transactions under the Stamp Duties Act as amended in the Finance Act 2019 are in two categories – Fixed Duty Instruments and Ad-Valorem Instruments.”

Mr. Nami continued: “The

following are the chargeable transactions in the Fixed Duty Instruments category: Power of Attorney (PoA); Certificate of Occupancy (C of O); Proxy form; Appointment of Receiver; Memorandum of Understanding (MoU); Joint Venture Agreements (JVA); Guarantor’s form; and Ordinary Agreements Receipts.”

“While ad-Valorem Instruments chargeable under the Stamp Duties Act are Deed of Assignment; Sales Agreement; Legal Mortgage or Debentures; Tenancy or Lease Agreements; Insurance Policies; Contract Agreements; Vending Agreement; Promissory Notes; Charter-Party; and Contract Notes.

“Stamp duty is basically

charged in two forms, either ad valorem where duty payable is a percentage of the consideration on an instrument or a fixed sum irrespective of the consideration on dutiable instrument or document.”

“The FIRS enjoins members of the public to make sure that any of the above-listed Instruments they give or receive in the course of their business or official transactions have the new FIRS Adhesive Stamp Duty affixed or stamped on them to authenticate or legalize such Instruments,” Mr. Nami stressed.

The new FIRS Adhesive Stamp Duty is available in all FIRS offices nationwide.

Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu (Middle), Deputy Inspector Gerald of Police in charge of Training, Mr. Lawan Shehu (right), Surgical/ Researcher, Dr. Stanley Boniface, during the flagging off a day Workshop and 14 days cancer screening as well as Cum - Treatment Program for Officers and men of the NPF who are 40 years and above, at the force headquarters, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa.

Capital Market Committee Commends FCTA on COVID-19 Response, donates Ambulance

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Capital Market Support Committee on COVID-19, CMSCC, has commended the Federal Capital Territory Administration in its efforts in assisting the Federal Government combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

Acting Director General of the SEC, Ms. Mary Uduk, stated this in Abuja Thursday when she led other members of the Committee during the donation of an ambulance and other essentials to the FCTA by the CMSCC. According to Uduk, since the country recorded its COVID-19 index case in February this year, the number of affected persons has been on the increase, leading to emergency situations and in some cases, death.

The Acting DG while acknowledging the various onongoing efforts to combat the pandemic, both from the government and private sectors, said the capital market recognizes the need to lend its support towards strengthening the available response mechanisms as

well as ameliorating the burdens on those affected.

“Consequently, the Nigerian capital market community, led by the Securities and Exchange Commission, in April of this year, set up the Capital Market Support Committee on Covid-19, to mobilize the necessary resources and coordinate all efforts required in that regard.

“The Committee has been mobilizing financial support and other resources from capital market participants and stakeholders for the purpose of providing medical and protective supplies as well as other palliatives.

“The CMSCC hereby announces the execution of the first phase of its intervention. This phase would cover donation of ambulances and other medical items to Lagos State, Kano State and the Federal Capital Territory, being centres with relatively high number of cases. The CMSCC would also be donating an ambulance to the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19, to support the efforts in flattening the curve in Nigeria.

“We encourage all capital market stakeholders to key into this initiative

and contribute to the CMSCC Covid-19 fund to enable the capital market community deliver on planned future interventions. We also encourage fellow Nigerians to continue to take necessary safety precautions and abide by directives issued by the Federal Government and relevant health agencies. Together, we will overcome this pandemic. We believe these donations will aid in fighting the pandemic and flattening the curve in Nigeria”.

Uduk said the Committee has studied relevant data on the pandemic and has identified critical areas of intervention, in the first phase of the execution of this initiative, the centers with relatively high number of cases, including the Federal Capital Territory have been prioritized.

She thanked the Committee and those who have contributed to the Capital Market Support Fund on Covid-19 and also expressed appreciation to the Minister and his officials for the privilege of collaborating with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the effort to make Nigeria free from Covid-19.

Together, we will overcome this

pandemic.

In her remarks, Minister of State FCTA, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu urged Nigerians to continue to follow laid down protocols as COVID-19 is real.

She said, “We know that lockdown is being eased, but this is not the time to let down our guards, we must continue to maintain social distancing, use our face masks when in public places as well as other protocols.

Aliyu commended the SEC for the donation saying that it will assist greatly in ensuring quick response and efficiency in the fight against the pandemic.

The CMSCC was set up on Thursday, April 16, 2020, to coordinate the capital market community’s contribution to fighting Covid-19 and has Mr. Ariyo Olushekun as Chairman.

The Committee has been working tirelessly to mobilize resources from market participants and other stakeholders to advance the cause of providing palliatives to those in need and medical equipments to designated hospitals and isolation centres.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

Page 20

ICT

Zamfara: NACOTTAN assures improved economy, massive employment

LG named GM Innovator of the year

T

he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has donated an ambulance to assist the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) flatten the curve and spread of Coronavirus otherwise known as COVID-19 pandemic in Abuja.

Presenting the ambulance to FCT Administration, the Ag. Director General of SEC, Ms. Mary Uduk, said that since the country recorded its COVID-19 index case in February this year, the number of affected persons

Z

By Etuka Sunday

L

G Electronics (LG) received the coveted GM Innovation Award announced at General Motors’ 28th Annual Supplier of the Year Awards event last week, the automotive leader’s firstever virtual ceremony. Among other innovations, the award recognizes LG’s development (together with sister company LG Display) of the revolutionary P-OLED cockpit technology in the 2021 Cadillac Escalade.

This year, more than 100 companies from 15 countries were recognized as top GM suppliers with only five suppliers receiving the

prestigious Innovation Award.

LG Electronics and LG Display were praised for delivering cutting-edge automotive technology and vehicle components that furthered vehicle capabilities and the driving experience. This is the second time LG Electronics has been recognized by GM as a valued partner, having received the Innovation Award in 2016 with LG Chem for supplying automotive technologies and components toward GM’s electric vehicle (EV) efforts.

The P-OLED cockpit technology in the 2021 Cadillac Escalade not only acts as an impressive centerpiece inside the iconic SUV, it also represents the first time LG’s

advanced Digital Cockpit Solution is featured in a commercial vehicle. The 38inch display is composed of three separate P-OLED display panels, the largest measuring 16.9 inches diagonally. The three curved screens make up the Instrument Panel Cluster for displaying basic vehiclerelated information and an Integrated Central Stack that serves as an infotainment display for audio, video, and easy navigation. LG’s futuristic integrated display system offers a wide viewing angle, unmatched design flexibility, and a much-improved humanmachine interface.

LG Electronics continues to work closely with GM across

T

he Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Mr Kashifu Abdullahi has said technology advancement is key to teaching and improving learning productivity.

The Director General, who was represented by the Director, Corporate Strategy, Dr. Collins Agu, said this at the virtual EdTech summit 2020 in Abuja on Tuesday.

He stressed that, COVID-19

pandemic and the fourth industrial revolutions have created a global learning crisis.

This, in addition to global health crisis, is causing all sectors and the traditional schooling to change to the new normal.

According to him, “Without bold reforms in education through the introduction of education technology and clear policies to guide us through, many people will lack the necessary skills to fill the new positions in the future economies and societies that are anticipating to be fundamentally different.

“Our educators have a responsibility to prepare students, providing them, not only with the knowledge and understanding of the technologies, but also the skills needed to make them work ready and succeed in a fast changing world,” he added.

He noted further that, NITDA, as an ICT enabler, has introduced an award- winning EdTech solution, ‘The Unity Board’, with an IoT/AI STEAM Education Platform, championed by the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital

Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, to drive learning and teaching of emerging technologies, local content development, and to indigenize technology for human capital development.

“The Unity Board is an hands on tools that will help students to build their skills through critical thinking, communications, problem solving and invention’, and will ignite great things in them.”

Kashifu further explained that, the educational tools, techniques and curriculum

has been on the increase, leading to emergency situations and in some cases, death.

Uduk, noted that in view of the devastation of the virus, the Nigerian capital market community, led by the Commission, in April this year, set up the Capital Market Support Committee on COVID-19, to among other things mobilize the necessary resources and coordinate all efforts required in the battle against the pandemic.

“While we acknowledge the various on-going efforts to combat this pandemic, both from the government and

organised private sectors, the capital market recognizes the need to lend its support towards strengthening the available response mechanisms as well as ameilorating the burdens on those affected.

“The committee has been mobilizing financial support and other resources from capital market participants and stakeholders for the purpose of providing medical and protective supplies as well as other palliatives”, she added.

Uduk, revealed that the committee has studied relevant data on the pandemic and

has identified critical areas of interventions, just as she revealed that in the first phase of the execution of this initiative, the centres with relatively high number of cases, including the FCT have been prioritized.

While receiving the ambulance on behalf of FCT Administration, Minister of State FCT, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, identified the donation as an essential commodity, stressing that the ambulance would serve the Administration beyond COVID-19 pandemic.

According to her, “today we have among us the great

used for decades by the sector may no longer be of use, hence, the need for these skills, like Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence(AI), Robotics, Virtual Reality, Cloud Computing, 3D printing, and many more be put in place.

Kashifu, however, implored for collaborations with various stakeholders and MDAs to utilize our indigenous education technology solution, ‘the Unity Board,’ to enable our educational sectors measure up with the fast changing world and diminish deficiency in all our sectors.

leadership of the Securities and Exchange Commission. We appreciate so much because a gift remains a gift, but big gift makes the difference.

“We have received many gifts, but definitely we all know that ambulance will continue to last beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. This remains an essential commodity in the fight against the pandemic.

“For quick responses we need the ambulance, for efficiency we also need the ambulance. We will use it to move our patients from one place to the other with ease”.

L-R: Organising Secretary NURTW Federal Capital Territory, Mr Lawrence Fadipe, Chairman Long Journey Branch 3 Jabi Utako, Mr. Taiwo Oshobu; and Chairman Long Journey Mini bus Branch 2 Jabi Utako, Alh. Bashiru Gbadamosi during a washing hands exercise to sensitize passengers to prevent coronavirus at the motor parks as FG Lift Travel ban on Wednesday in Abuja.

various sectors, and since 2015, has been supplying 11 important vehicle parts, including infotainment systems, instrument clusters and driving components, for GM’s leading electric vehicle, the Chevrolet Bolt EV. “We are honored to be recognized by an industry leader such as General Motors, and LG will continue to strive to be a partner that understands the needs of our customers and grows with them,” said Kim Jin-Yong, president of the LG Vehicle Component Solutions Company. “GM and LG share a vision of the vehicle cabin as a complete a state-of-the-art system that lets drivers take the comforts of home with them.”

Technology Advancement Key for Improved Productivity in Teaching, Learning - DG NITDA

By Etuka Sunday

METRO

Page 21

Commission donates Ambulance to flatten COVID-19 curve in Abuja

By Stanley Onyekwere

From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau amfara State of the National Cotton Association of Nigeria NACOTTAN has assured improved economy and a paradise for job-seeking class in the state through ongoing cotton farming under Anchor Borrowers’ Programme of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

This was issued Tuesday by the association’s spokesperson, Malam Bashir Ahmad after a closed door meeting with the Coordinators of the 14 local governments of the state presided over by the state Chairman, Alhaji Sani Dahiru Gusau.

Sani Dahiru, who commended federal government efforts for the deployment of security personnel down to bushes for the protection of farmers and farm lands, has stressed the need for the cotton farmers to support the programme through effective utilisation of the inputs distributed to them.

The Chairman further urged Coordinators under the programme to in order to emerge best in the 2020 wet season’s loan recovery which will be paid in cotton products by the end of harvesting period, to ensure total respect of the conditions laid by the CBN. He also commended federal government for committing colossal amount of money to improve agricultural sector particularly cotton farming in Zamfara with a view to restore its’ lost glory especially as it struggle to reclaim it’s slogan ‘Farming is our pride’.

He however assured the federal government and the CBN, the NACOTTAN as well through its national headquarters, a successful outcome of the programme in the year 2020 and beyond with a view to ensure agricultural policies were met.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Okada’ Ban: How hoodlums attacked FCT Enforcement Team at Durumi

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Ministerial Task Team on Ban of Motorcycles popularly known as okada in the nation’s capital on Tuesday came under attack during an enforcement exercise in Durumi, Area 1 of Abuja, the nation’s capital city.

Our Correspondent reports that, the Team while driving through a shanties useded ask an illegal International Displaced Persons (IDP) camp somewhere

in Durumi when they came under attack for yet an unknown reason.

It was gathered that despite an immediate withdrawal from from the scene of the enforcement, men and security personnel attached to the team, including journalists and some vehicles were trapped and attacked by some suspected hoodlums in the alleged IDPs camp, believed to be where motor cyclesreside.

However, the team immediately re-strategize to rescue the endangered personnel, who were trapped and held

hostage by the hoodlums.

Our correspondent reports that Taskforce l used tear gas to dispatch the rampaging attackers, in order to rescue those held hostage.

Checks revealed that the injured personnel include; four Police, Two men from the Directorate of Road Services popularly known as VIO, One personnel from the Directorate of State Service (DSS), one Civil Defence Corps and two journalists. The journalist camera was sized, DSS vehicle burnt and

many other vehicles damaged.

Speaking on the development, FCT Police Commissioner, Bala Ciroma while assessing the level of damage at the scene of the event, said the attack was unacceptable, which according to him, such situation where hoodlums will attack security men will not be tolerated .

He adds “ We will go after this hoodlums and ensure we bring them to book. This case will be investigated, apprehend those responsible and charge them to court”.

Meanwhile, the Field Coordinator, FCT Ministerial Enforcement Task Team, Mr. Peter Olujimi disclosed that eleven persons were wounded and were hospitalized at different hospitals across the FCT. He added that, the suspected hoodlums were occupants of an illegal IDPs camp in the area, saying, “ We have cone to Durumi in Area 1 to enforce the law on the ban of motorcycles when they attacked us, and burnt DSS vehicle amongst several other valuables destroyed.”

Page 22

world news

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

Hong Kong: First arrests under ‘antiprotest’ law as handover marked

H

ong Kong police have made their first arrests under a new “anti-protest” law imposed by Beijing, as crowds marked 23 years since the end of British rule.

Nine people were held accused of violating the law, including a man with a pro-independence flag.

More than 300 others were detained at a banned rally.

The national security law targets secession, subversion and terrorism with punishments up to life in prison.

Activists say it erodes freedoms but China has dismissed the criticism.

Hong Kong’s sovereignty was handed back to China by Britain in 1997 and certain rights were supposed to be guaranteed for at least 50 years under the “one country, two systems” agreement.

The UK has now said up to three million Hong Kong residents will be offered the chance to settle in the UK and ultimately apply for citizenship.

On Wednesday, thousands gathered for the annual pro-democracy rally to mark the handover anniversary, defying a ban by authorities who cited restrictions on gatherings of more than 50 people because of Covid-19.

Police used water cannon, tear gas and pepper spray on demonstrators. One officer was stabbed in the arm by “rioters holding sharp objects”, police said. The suspects fled and bystanders offered no help, they added.

One of the nine arrested under the new law, adopted in the wake of last year’s widespread unrest, was holding a “Hong Kong Independence” flag. However, some Twitter users said the picture appeared to show a small “no to” written in front of the slogan. The man has not been identified, and it was not clear whether he would be prosecuted.

The legislation has been condemned by numerous countries and human rights activists.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called the measures a “flagrant assault” on freedoms of speech and protest.

The UK has also updated its travel advice on Hong Kong, saying there is an “increased risk of detention, and deportation for a non-permanent resident”.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said China

had broken its promise to Hong Kong’s people.

But in Beijing, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian urged countries to look at the situation objectively and said China would not allow foreign interference in its domestic affairs.

What does the new law say?

Crimes of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces are punishable by a minimum sentence of three years, with the maximum being life. It also says: • Damaging public transport facilities which often happened during the 2019 protests can be considered terrorism • Beijing will establish a new security office in Hong Kong, with its own law enforcement personnel - neither of which would come under the local authority’s jurisdiction • Inciting hatred of China’s central government and Hong Kong’s regional government are now offences under Article 29 • The law can also be broken from abroad by non-residents under Article 38, and this could mean that foreigners could be arrested on arrival in Hong Kong

• Some trials will be heard behind closed doors Beijing will also have power over how the law should be interpreted, and not any Hong Kong judicial or policy body. If the law conflicts with any Hong Kong law, the Beijing law takes priority.

Mr Zhang said the law would not be applied to offences committed before it was passed and that suspects arrested in Hong Kong on charges of violating the law may be tried on the mainland.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s proBeijing leader, said the law would “restore stability” and that it was “considered the most important development in relations between the central government and Hong Kong since the handover”.

What is happening with the protests?

Demonstrators in the Causeway Bay district chanted “resist till the end” and “Hong Kong independence”, with police using a flag to warn protesters that certain slogans and banners might now constitute serious crimes.

Ahead of the protest, pro-democracy activist Tsang Kin-shing, of the League of Social Democrats, warned there was a “large chance of

our being arrested”, saying: “The charges will not be light, please judge for yourself.”

A man who gave his name as Seth, 35, told Reuters: “I’m scared of going to jail but for justice I have to come out today, I have to stand up.”

A turning point

By Michael Bristow, BBC World Service AsiaPacific editor The law gives Beijing extensive powers to shape life in the territory that it has never had before. It not only introduces a series of tough punishments for a long list of crimes, it changes the way justice is administered.

Trials can be held in secret - and without a jury. Judges can be handpicked. The law reverses a presumption that suspects will be granted bail.

There appears to be no time limit on how long people can be held.

Crimes are described in vague terms, leading to the possibility of broad interpretation, and the right to interpret lies only in Beijing. Foreign nationals outside of Hong Kong face prosecution.

Most cases will be handled in Hong Kong, but the mainland can take over “complex”, “serious” or “difficult” cases. Whether or not you think the legislation was necessary, it is impossible to deny its significance. As Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam put it: this is a turning point.

What reaction has the new law drawn?

Minutes after the law was passed on Tuesday, pro-democracy activists began to quit, fearful of the punishment the new law allows.

Ted Hui, an opposition legislator, told the BBC: “Our freedom is gone, our rule of law, our judicial independence is gone”.

Media captionAi Weiwei: “Today is the darkest day for Hong Kong” The EU expressed “grave concerns” that the law could “seriously undermine” the city’s independence.

In the US, lawmakers from both parties have launched a bill to give refugee status to Hong Kong residents at risk of persecution, reported local media outlets.

Taiwan’s government has said it will set up a special office to help those in Hong Kong facing immediate political risks.

Coronavirus: Immunity may be more widespread than tests suggest

P

eople testing negative for coronavirus antibodies may still have some immunity, a study has suggested.

For every person testing positive for antibodies, two were found to have specific T-cells which identify and destroy infected cells.

This was seen even in people who had mild or symptomless cases of Covid-19.

But it’s not yet clear whether this just protects that individual, or if it might also stop them from passing on the infection to others.

Researchers at the Karolinksa Institute in Sweden tested 200 people for both antibodies and T-cells.

Some were blood donors while others were tracked down from the group of people first infected in Sweden, mainly returning from earlier affected areas like northern Italy.

This could mean a wider group have some level of immunity to Covid-19 than antibody testing figures, like those published as part of the UK Office for National Statistics Infection Survey, suggest.

It’s likely those people did mount an antibody response, but either it had faded or was not detectable by the current tests.

And these people should be protected if they are exposed to the virus for a second time.

Prof Danny Altmann at Imperial College London described the study as “robust, impressive and thorough” and said it added

to a growing body of evidence that “antibody testing alone underestimates immunity”.

Herd immunity This doesn’t necessarily get us any closer to herd immunity, though, according to assistant professor Marcus Buggert, one of the study’s authors.

More analysis needs to be done to understand whether these T-cells provide “sterilising immunity”, meaning they completely block the virus, or whether they might protect an individual from getting sick

but not stop them from carrying the virus and transmitting it.

Much of the discussion around Covid-19 immunity has focused on antibodies Y-shaped proteins which act like “missiles shooting down a target”, assistant Prof Buggert explained.

They bind to the virus before it can enter your cells, and neutralise it.

If antibodies fail to neutralise the virus, it can enter your cells and turn them into virusmaking factories.

T-cells, on the other hand, target alreadyinfected cells and completely destroy them, stopping them from spreading to other, healthy cells.

Like antibodies, T-cells are part of the bit of your immune system that has a memory.

Once it recognises a particular virus, it can quickly target cells infected with it and kill them.

A drug called interleukin 7, known to boost T-cell production, is being trialled in the UK to see if it can aid patients’ recovery.

T-cell crash Researchers from the Francis Crick Institute, King’s College London and Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital noticed a group of 60 severely ill patients appeared to experience a crash in their numbers of T-cells.

This was not observed in the Karolinska study, which found the sicker the patient, the higher the level of antibodies and T-cells they appeared to produce.

The team said more research was needed.

While theirs is the biggest T-cell study done so far, it still involved a relatively small group of patients.

T-cells are very complex and much harder to identify than antibodies, requiring specialist labs and small batches of samples being tested by hand over the course of days.

This means mass testing for T-cells is not a very likely prospect at the moment.

Source: BBC

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Hachalu Hundessa: ‘Fifty killed’ in protests over Ethiopian singer’s death A

t least 50 people have been killed in Ethiopia after the death of a popular singer sparked huge protests in the Oromia region, a local official has told the BBC. Thousands of fans had gathered to mourn Hachalu Hundessa, who was shot dead on Monday night while driving.

Police say 35 people, including prominent politician Jawar Mohammed, have been arrested.

The motive for Hachalu’s killing remains unclear.

But police say they have arrested two people in connection with the killing.

Hachalu, 34, recently said that he had received death threats. He will be buried on Thursday.

His songs focused on the rights of the country’s Oromo ethnic group and became anthems in a wave of protests that led to the downfall of the previous prime minister in 2018.

Many people were injured in Tuesday’s protests and there was “significant destruction to property,” Getachew Balcha, the spokesperson for the Oromia regional government, told the BBC. The authorities shut down the internet on Tuesday in parts of the country as the protests against his killing spread across Oromia region - there are reports of more unrest on Wednesday.

The military was deployed in the capital, Addis Ababa, while armed gangs roamed the streets, reports the Reuters news agency.

Why was Jawar arrested?

Trouble started when Hachalu’s body was being transported to his native town of Ambo, west of Addis Ababa for burial, but Mr Jawar and his supporters intercepted it and tried to return it to the capital.

Federal Police commissioner, Endeshaw Tassew, said on Tuesday that a stand-off ensued.

“There was a disturbance between federal security forces and others, and in the process one member of the Oromia special police force was killed,” Mr Endeshaw said.

“Thirty-five people including Jawar Mohammed have been put under arrest. The security forces have taken eight Kalashnikovs, five pistols and nine radio transmitters from Jawar Mohammed’s car,” he added.

Tiruneh Gemta, an official from Mr Jawar’s Oromo Federalist Congress party, told the BBC Afaan Oromoo service they were “concerned” about his arrest and that they hadn’t visited “those who’ve been arrested due to the security situation”.Mr Jawar, a media mogul, has led

Hachalu’s songs focused on the rights of the Oromo ethnic group

Smoke was visible after protests in Addis Ababa on Tuesday calls for more rights for the Oromo, Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group, who have been politically marginalised by previous governments.

He supported reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, himself an Oromo, but has since become an ardent critic.

‘More than an entertainer’

By Bekele Atoma, BBC Afaan Oromo Hachalu was more than just a singer and entertainer.

He was a symbol for the Oromo people who spoke up about the political and economic marginalisation that they had suffered under consecutive Ethiopian regimes.

In one of his most famous songs, he sang: “Do not wait for help to come from outside, a dream that doesn’t come true. Rise, make your horse ready and fight, you are the one close to

the palace.”

The musician had also been imprisoned for five years when he was 17 for taking part in protests.

Many like him fled into exile fearing persecution but he remained in the country and encouraged the youth to struggle.

What happened in the protests?

In Adama, 90km (56 miles) south-east of Addis Ababa, five people died on Tuesday after being shot during demonstrations and 75 others were injured, hospital chief executive Dr Mekonnin Feyisa told BBC Afaan Aromo.

In the eastern town of Chiro, two people were shot dead during protests, a medic at the local hospital told the BBC. In the eastern city of Harar, protesters

pulled down a statue of a royal prince - Ras Makonnen Wolde Mikael - who was the father of Haile Selassie, Ethiopia’s last emperor.

The statue shows Ras Makonnen, an important military figure and former governor of Harar province in the 19th Century under then-Emperor Menelik II, sitting on a horse.

In a recent interview with local TV station Oromia Media Network, owned by Mr Jawar, Hachalu had said that people should remember that all the horses seen mounted by old leaders belonged to the people.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expressed his condolences saying in a tweet that Ethiopia “lost a precious life today” and describing the singer as “marvellous”.

The musician’s death and the protests come as political tensions rise following the indefinite postponement of elections due in August, on account of the coronavirus pandemic.

They would have been the first electoral test for Mr Abiy after he came to power in April 2018.

Why have Oromos been protesting?

The Oromo, Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group, have long complained of being sidelined.

Demonstrations erupted in 2016 and pressure built on the government.

The ruling coalition eventually replaced then-Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn with Mr Abiy.

He has brought in a series of reforms, which have transformed what was considered a very oppressive state.

He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 primarily for making peace with long-time foe Eritrea, but his efforts in transforming Ethiopia were also recognised.

Jawar Mohammed is a top Oromo leader and critic of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed

Coronavirus: Uganda opens border for DR Congo refugees

U

ganda has opened part of its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo to allow in thousands of people stuck in no-man’s land for more than a month.

At least 3,000 of them fled their homes in May after inter-communal clashes in north-eastern Ituri province.

But they were unable to cross into Uganda to seek safety as the country had closed its borders in March to control the spread of coronavirus.

It has been agreed the refugees will be quarantined before being settled.

This will happen for 14 days at a new isolation centre, 13km (eight miles) from the border.

The UN’s refugee agency (UNHCR) says sample testing will be carried out on the group to see if coronavirus is present amongst them.

This will help authorities decide when the refugees can be transferred to camps.

Two border crossings in Uganda’s Zombo district temporarily opened on Wednesday and it is expected all the refugees will be able to cross over in three days.

Uganda hosts more than 1.4 million refugees - most have fled from South Sudan, while about 30% come from DR Congo.

Aid agencies have talked about the difficulties of ensuring social distancing and sanitation in refugee settlements, BBC Africa correspondent Catherine Byaruhanga reports.

Fifty-two refugees have so far tested positive for Covid-19 in Uganda out of nearly 900 confirmed cases.

The UN says it is concerned about reports of rising violence in eastern DR Congo, where a two-year Ebola outbreak was declared over last week.

“DR Congo has one of the highest rates of internal displacement in the world,”

UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch said on Wednesday.

He said that about six million people had fled their homes - five million remain in the country while a million have “sought safety in neighbouring countries as refugees”.

“UNHCR is receiving accounts of the way armed groups are unleashing terror on people as they flee, in displacement sites and hosting areas, and when they attempt to return, including reports of killings and mutilation, sexual violence and looting.”

Why is there fighting in Ituri?

Ethnic violence in gold-rich Ituri, involving the Lendu and Hema communities, has soared since March.

At least 531 civilians have been killed by armed groups in the region between October and May, 375 of them since March, according to the UN. Human Rights Watch says much of the bloodshed has its roots in competition for

control of gold mines, exploited for decades by rebels, politicians and military officials who smuggle the gold into neighbouring countries.

UN human rights commissioner Michelle Bachelet said in June that since 2017, the main armed group active in the region had been Codeco, mainly drawn from the Lendu community. She said it and other Lendu fighters had been pursuing a strategy of slaughtering local residents - mainly the Hema, but also the Alur - in order to control the region’s natural resources.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has found several warlords guilty of war crimes committed in Ituri. In mid-March two of them - Thomas Lubanga, who led a Hema militia, and Germain Katanga, who led a Lendu one - were released by the Congolese government after serving their sentences.

Source: BBC

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former employee of the UK’s Hong Kong consulate who alleged he was tortured in China has been granted political asylum in Britain.

Simon Cheng, a Hong Kong citizen, was detained on a business trip to mainland China for 15 days last August.

Beijing accused Mr Cheng of inciting political unrest amid antigovernment protests in Hong Kong.

He denied the charges, telling the BBC he had been beaten and forced to sign false confessions while in custody.

UK government sources said at the time they believed his claims were credible.

Mr Cheng, a supporter of the prodemocracy movement, says he believes it is too dangerous for him to return to Hong Kong, fearing he may be arrested and taken to mainland China once more.

In June, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said China had still not provided “an adequate response” to the UK’s questions over the incident.

Mr Cheng was granted asylum on 26 June. In a press conference on Wednesday, he said he believed he was the first Hong Kong holder of the British National (Overseas) passport, known as a BNO, to receive political asylum.

“I am grateful for the determination and courage shown by the UK government to rescue British nationals,” he wrote on Facebook. “I also hope my case can be a precedent for other HongKongers to seek for protection.

“Leaving means not an end but a beginning. We will continue the fight against the expanding totalitarianism, and be back to our hometown with true democracy and freedom.”

The UK government confirmed on Wednesday that up to three million Hong Kong residents would be offered the chance to settle in the UK and ultimately apply for citizenship in the wake of Beijing imposing a controversial new national security law.

Critics say the law, brought in on Tuesday, will erode the added freedoms granted to the region under the “one country, two systems” policy agreed after the UK handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997.

The Home Office said it did not comment on individual cases.

What happened to Simon Cheng?

Mr Cheng was working for the UK embassy in Hong Kong, charged with generating interest in investing in Scotland among the Chinese business community.

But as the 2019 protests began to grow, he also volunteered to collect information on the status of the protests for the consulate - for the purposes of observation.

He went missing on 8 August after being detained at the border on the way back from the Chinese city of Shenzhen.

Mr Cheng says he was held for 15 days during which time he was “shackled, blindfolded and hooded”, held in stress positions and beaten if he moved.

The questioning focused on his role in the protests. He also said he saw other Hong Kong protesters during his time in custody.

Later, after he had been released, China’s state-run broadcaster ran a video showing Mr Cheng confessing to soliciting prostitutes. Mr Cheng says he was forced into making the confession

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India coronavirus: Official asked to wear mask assaults female worker

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government official in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh has been arrested after he was caught on camera assaulting a female coworker.

Police said he attacked a disabled colleague when she asked him to wear a mask. The official has not yet commented on the incident.

Police said he had been booked under several sections of India’s crime law.

It is mandatory in India to wear a mask when outdoors or with other people to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The video shows C Bhaskar Rao, a deputy manager in the state’s tourism department, walking into an office room and dragging a female co-worker by her hair, throwing her to the floor.

He then goes on to beat her, at one point stopping to pick up a short stick-like object from a nearby desk.

Several people in the room intervene, with one man holding Mr Rao’s arm, trying to stop him.

He is eventually stopped and led away.

The office, where the incident took place, has been set up in a hotel where people arriving from abroad are being quarantined for 14 days.

Mr Rao is the deputy manager in the hotel run by the state tourism department.

The woman he assaulted is a temporary worker.

“It has come to our attention that Mr Rao was constantly harassing her due to her

A

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The above named Club has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) for Change of Trustees in accordance with the provisions of the Companies and Allied Matter Act. 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THE OLD TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Ibrahim Sani Mohammed - Retained 2. Dr. Mrs Nnenna Ezeigwe - Retained 3. Mrs Bolanle Akande - Retained 4. Babatunde Mohammed - Retained 5. Anyaoku Gloria Ojiugo (Mrs) - Retained 6. Mrs Tina Nwodo - Removed 7. Mr. Ayo Oyedokun - Removed The Newly Appointed Trustees: 1. Mr. Idris Yahaya John Gimba 2. Mr. Olakunle Oketikun The Aims And Objectives Remain Thesame Any objection therefore should be addressed to the Registrargeneral Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, P.M.B 198, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication SIGNED : ADORNED CHAMBERS.

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Police say C Bhaskar Rao (in white shirt) attacked a disabled colleague when she asked him to wear a mask disability,” Nellore deputy superintendent of police Srinivasula Reddy told BBC Telugu.

“On 27 June, she asked Mr Rao to wear a mask. He got angry and attacked her,” Mr Reddy said.

“He [Mr Rao] could not tolerate a lower level, contractbased job-holder asking him to wear a mask. So in a fit of rage, he grabbed her hair and assaulted her. He also tried to

attack other employees who were blocking him.”

Mr Reddy said they conducted an inquiry after they received a complaint about the incident and the accused was arrested on Tuesday.

“We have got him tested for coronavirus. As soon as the reports come, we will produce him in court,” he added.

Praveen Kumar, managing director of the state’s Tourism Development Corporation, said

Mr Rao had been suspended.

“The officer violated regulations.

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budget - about 2% of GDP replaces a previous decade-long strategy, set only in 2016, which had set aside A$195bn.

Mr Morrison said much spending would go to upgrading arms and equipment.

Australia will purchase from the US Navy up to 200 long-range anti-ship missiles, which can travel up to 370km (229 miles).

It will also invest in developing a hypersonic weapons system - missiles which can travel thousands of kilometres.

Up to A$15b would be spent on cyber warfare tools - which the prime minister noted “says a lot about where the threats are coming from”.

Last month, he warned that Australian institutions and businesses were being targeted by cyber attacks from a “sophisticated state actor”. The remarks were broadly interpreted as aimed at China.

Why does Morrison say this is necessary?

He said tensions between the

US and China had accelerated in recent years and their relations now were “fractious at best”.

The pandemic had worsened these tensions and put the global security order at its most unstable point in decades.

The region was also seeing “military modernisation” at an unprecedented rate, he said.

“The largely benign security environment... that Australia has enjoyed, basically from the fall of the Berlin Wall to the global financial crisis, that’s gone,” he said.

“The risk of miscalculation and even conflict- is heightening.”

He said Australia would vigorously defend its democratic values and those of others in the region, adding that increasing military capabilities would help “to prevent war”.

Under the 2016 strategy, military priorities had been split equally across that region but also on operations with Western allies, such as US-led missions in the Middle East.

What’s been the reaction?

The Labor opposition has welcomed the change in strategy, saying it had long called for greater military focus on the region.

Analysts say the change shows Australia is trying to be strong in its own region and on its own resources.

“There’s a great emphasis, implicitly, in Mr Morrison’s speech, in recognising the rise of China and also that America may not be as big a help as it has been in previous years,” said Sam Roggeveen from the Lowy Institute.

Many have also interpreted the shift as Australia taking a more defined opposition to China’s increasing influence in the region.

Relations with its biggest trading partner have further deteriorated in recent months, following Australia’s push for a global probe into the origins of the Covid-19 virus.

Source: BBC

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Australia seeks long-range missiles in Indo-Pacific defence shift

ustralia says it will significantly increase military spending and focus on the Indo-Pacific region amid rising tensions between the US and China.

PM Scott Morrison pledged A$270bn (£150bn; $186bn) to Australia’s arms budget over 10 years - a 40% boost.

He said Australia would acquire long-range missiles and other capabilities to “deter” future conflicts.

It was necessary because the region was the “focus of the dominant global contest of our age”, he added.

Mr Morrison named several areas of tension including the border between India and China, and conflict over the South China Sea and East China Sea. It follows deteriorating relations between Australia and China - which are widely seen to be at their worst in decades.

What is Australia spending money on?

The new defence capability

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THE NEURO HABILITATION CENTER FOR CHILDREN CAC/IT/145241.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REMOVAL OF TRUSTEE AND ALTERATION OF CONSTITUTION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. DUKE ROSELINE EKANEM 2. EKPO EYO 3. LAWRENCE EKAH - REMOVED 4. IDOKOGI EKPOANWAN OLUROTIMI. To alter the constitution to allow for the removal of a trustee.

THE TRUSTEE IS : 1.LAWRENCE EKAH. THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES REMAIN THE SAME.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS APPLICATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : SECRETARY

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JULY 3, 2020,

26

ISSUES

CLASSIFIED

At 99, CPC governance legitimacy shines brighter in time of global uncertainty

B

EIJING, July 1 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) is embracing its 99th anniversary as it leads the country’s homestretch toward building a moderately prosperous society in all respects despite the impact of COVID-19 and a global economic recession.

The CPC has reaffirmed its commitment to realizing its first centenary goal of creating a well-off society for 1.4 billion Chinese people on schedule.

This transformation will be one of the world’s most exciting stories in modern history.

This miracle is created by a political party that has faced misunderstanding, distrust and even misjudgement that its existence would be short-lived.

Uncertainties ripple through the world today, calling into question the definition of governance legitimacy.

In this context, the CPC’s ideas and practices are increasingly relevant and inspiring in the eyes of the international community.

STAYING TRUE TO FOUNDING MISSION Ever since the Party’s founding on July 1, 1921, the Chinese communists have been struggling to seek fulfillment for the Chinese people, and rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. After seven decades of governance, the CPC has transformed China from an isolated agricultural society into the world’s second-largest open economy.

Now the CPC is leading the nation’s battle to wipe out the absolute poverty that has haunted the nation for thousands of years. The Party sends its finest cadres to the frontlines to make sure not a single family is left behind on the nation’s way to common prosperity.

Sticking to its peoplecentered philosophy, the Party never stops striving to meet the people’s needs for a better life, ranging from those in education, employment, medical services and housing, to environment, security, and fairness and justice.

The Party has no special interests of its own. It has never been afraid of breaking the shelters of vested interests, and sweeping out obstacles hampering development.

That is why the CPC is competent to think both strategically and pragmatically.

The leadership keeps its eye on the country’s sustainable future and formulates long-term plans, while at the same time setting short-term goals to solve prominent issues that concern the people the most.

A recent survey by the Pew Research Center finds China

PAGE 27

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

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MENZ CLUB INTERNATIONAL

SUPPORTIVE PILLAR FOUNDATION

HOUSE OF GRACE INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Mr. Opeseitan Idowu Babalola 2. Mrs. Lamina Funmilayo Comfort.

3. Mrs. Adedoyin Funke Omotola.

4. Mr. Fadoju Oluwatosin David.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. JOHNSON OLUFUNMILAYO GRACE 2. LUFADEJU CHARLES SUNDAY 3. LUFADEJU FELA OLUWADAMILOLA.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.OYEBAYO DAVID OLASUNKANMI 2.ADEMUYIWA FADEJIMI JOSEPH 3.OLATUNBOSUN OLUWAFEMI AYODEJI 4.OLOWOYE OLUMIDE ABIODUN 5.OLANIYI FREDERICK ABIOLA 6.ONI FOLORUNSO SAMUEL 7.OKE OLUFEMI AFOLABI

- CHAIRMAN - SECRETARY - TREASURER - MEMBER - MEMBER - MEMBER

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1.To promote socio economic developments of its members.

2.For the welfare of it’s members.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

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BLOOD OF JESUS HAVE MERCY ON ME MINISTRY

LIFEX AGRICULTURE INITIATIVE

JASPER IMARENAKHUE BRIDGE OF HOPE FOUNDATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. OKPOKPOLOM EMMANUEL THOMAS 2. OKPOKPOLOM FAVOUR FLORA THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.TO PRAECH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

tops the 2019 global rankings in terms of the levels of satisfaction with government performance, with over 86 percent of Chinese surveyed expressing satisfaction, far above the global average of 47 percent.

This wide public support is the key to the CPC’s strength and confidence in long-term governance.

STICKING TO ITS OWN PATH The CPC has created China’s recipe for success, officially called “socialism with Chinese characteristics.” It is a path suited to China’s national conditions.

Following this path, China keeps pushing forward reform and opening up. The marketgovernment relationship, where the market plays a decisive role in resource allocation and the government better serves its duty, boosts steady and healthy economic development.

Stability is maintained. Social creativity is sparked. The principle of “the people running the country” is put into practice in China’s political and social activities.

China is proving its resilience in the face of challenges, with its innovation faster, middle class bigger, cultural life richer, and confidence stronger than ever before.

As the global economy contracts by 4.9-percent in a coronavirus-driven plunge in output, China is the only major economy that could see growth this year, according to a forecast by the International Monetary

Fund.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

ABILITY TO PURIFY, IMPROVE, REFORM ITSELF To have the courage to carry out self-reform and conduct strict self-governance is the most distinctive part of the Party’s character.

The CPC has drawn lessons from many political forces that have failed to break the historical cycle of gaining political power only to lose it.

It tightens discipline, improves work styles, fights corruption, and punishes wrongdoing.

China has also completed massive institutional reform, touching upon a wide range of entities of the Party and the state, paving the way for future development. Its self-reform will never end.

The CPC is a dynamic organization with a strong ability to learn and to adapt. It has been advancing theoretical explorations and adapting Marxism to a Chinese context.

By improving itself, the CPC has enhanced its ability to lead the country in the course of innovation-driven, coordinated, green, open, and shared development.

STRESSING UNITY & VITALITY The CPC upholds democratic centralism. It fully expands intraparty democracy, giving play to the initiative and creativity of Party organizations at all levels as well as its members. Once decisions are

made, they should be effectively implemented.

The Party exercises overall leadership and coordinates work in all areas. Under the CPC leadership, people’s congresses, governments, and supervisory, judicial, procuratorial, and social organizations work together coordinately.

Such mechanisms are especially vital for a big country with complicated national conditions. The system has proven efficient in pooling resources to deal with major problems, such as epidemic prevention and control, relieving natural disasters, and supporting the development of ethnic minorities.

The CPC forges a contingent of competent and professional officials, who are a central pillar of strength for the cause of the CPC. Its distinctive organizational arrangements of selecting and appointing officials guarantee the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, and maintain stability and continuity of policies, while stimulating vitality for development.

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE The CPC maintains an open mind towards development experiences of other countries, and is ready to share its own in this increasingly connected world. It embraces the surging trends of global multi-polarity, economic globalization, IT application, and cultural diversity.

The Party is committed to building a community with a shared future for humanity.

China has become an indispensable force in resolving global and regional issues, from wealth inequality and trade and investment to climate change, terrorism, and peace-keeping.

The CPC has not only sought to serve the Chinese people, but also made contributions to the development of the whole world through the Belt and Road Initiative, said Salah Adly, general secretary of the Egyptian Communist Party.

“China pursues a strategy of international cooperation based on mutual benefit, peace, and prosperity.”

China is now moving closer to the world’s center stage, and closer than ever before to national rejuvenation.

The victory to realize the first centenary goal lies ahead, but so do hardships. China is still the world’s biggest developing country. It is also facing a complicated external environment, especially when protectionism and unilateralism are bringing uncertainty to the world.

The CPC must continue to reinforce itself for another lofty target: a great, modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful.

As it turns 99, the Party is starting anew to answer history’s call in a new era. Enditem Source::Xinhua commentary

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. To propagate the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2. To help the less privileges people in our society.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : MRS JANE OLUYORI SECRETARY.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

A section of the Chinese communist party

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL AID AND WELFARE SUPPORT YEARLY TO A MINIMUM OF FIVE THOUSAND LIVES WITH SPECIAL INTEREST IN THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED, ORPHANS, WIDOWS, ELDERS AND OTHER VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Miss. Idahosa Sharon Esosa W. ( Chairperson) 2. Mr. Waliezi Christian ( Secretary) THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. To promote growth and development in the rural areas.

2. To improve agricultural productivity 3. To bring about economic stability 4. To promote a sustainable agriculture 5. To strike a balance between the rural and urban settlements.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.IMARENAKHUE JASPER 2.OGIERIAKHI PATIENCE THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.TO CREATE SENSE OF CORPORATION, PEACE, UNITY AND PROGRESS AMONGST MEMBERS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : BARR KENNETH AJIBO.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

Public Notice

TABITHA

UMAR

I, Formerly known as TABITHA BALA Now wish to be known and addressed as TABITHA AMOS. All former documents remain valid.

Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

I, Formerly known as Umar Idris Aliyu Now wish to be known and addressed as Umar Idris Yusuf. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

FOUNDATION FOR SOCIAL ORIENTATION & GENDER DEVELOPMENT THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. MARIYA INUWA DURUMIN-IYA CHAIRMAN 2. ABDULKADIR INUWA 3. NASEER INUWA DURUMIN IYA 4. FAROUK MUHAMMAD 5. FATIHU BASHIR ALI 6. JABIR MUKHTAR SALISU 7. SADIYA DANYARO LAWAL THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : PROVIDING CARE FOR WOMEN, EXTREME OLD AGE PEOPLE, YOUTH, AND PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED PERSONS. AWARENESS ON BAD SOCIO-CULTURAL INFLUENCE AFFECTING GENDER. PROVIDING EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND EMPOWERMENT FOR BOTH SEXES. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : MUHD BELLO MUKHTAR ESQ,

MARTHA

CORRECTION OF NAME

I, Formerly known as MARTHA Y. ZAMMA Now wish to be known and addressed as MARTHA ZAMMA. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

THIS IS TO NOTIFY THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT I, GABRIEL OLATUNDE EMMANUEL WHOSE NAME WAS ERRONEOUSLY CAPTURED AS GABRIEL EMMANUEL OLUWATUBOSUN NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS GABRIEL OLATUNDE EMMANUEL WITH DATE OF BIRTH 12/29/1995. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

NOTICE OF ADDITIONAL NAME I Sanusi Usman Yahaya is the bonafide owner of the following names as they appears on my documents A, Sanusi Usman Yahaya B, Sanusi Usman C, Usman Sanusi. Dangote Cement PLC, United Securities Ltd and the General public should please take note.

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The Contrite Heart Orphanage Home

MORINGA FARMERS AND MANUFACTURERS’ ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA CAC/IT/NO 130590

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REMOVAL AND APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEES (CHANGE OF TRUSTEES ) UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.Nnenna Marie Ngwu 2.Nelson Nwibina Chukwu

THE REMOVED TRUSTEES ARE : i. ISAH UMAR ii. ASHIMASHIGA MICHAEL AKOLOAGA

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : Establishing and running of orphanages and destitute homes.

THE APPOINTED TRUSTEES ARE : I. SHUAIB AGBARERE MUSTAPHA II. AMINU RABIU BAKORI

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : The Bright Light Practice.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES REMAIN THE SAME. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS APPLICATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

MRS. NWADIARO I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS MISS UZUKWU CHINWENDU CONFIDENCE NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS. NWADIARO CHINWENDU CONFIDENCE (NEE UZUKWU). ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

EZEMA THIS IS TO NOTIFY THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT I EZEMA OKONKWO DENNIS WHOSE NAME WAS CAPTURED AS EZEMA DENNIS AND EZEMA OKONKWO DENNIS IS ONE AND SAME PERSON, HOWEVER, I NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS EZEMA OKONKWO DENNIS. MY CORRECT DATE OF BIRTH IS 17TH APRIL, 1992. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

MRS. LABARAN I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS LABARAN RUKAIYA TANKO NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS. LABARAN RUKAIYA SULAIMAN. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

FATIMAH I, formerly known as Bello Fatimah binta now wish to be known and addressed as Fatimah binta yusufF. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

CLASSIFIED Public Notice

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NARAI FOUNDATION

Champions of Destiny Foundation

AMARAYA TOUCHING LIVES FOUNDATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC),ABUJA, FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT OF 1990.

The general public is hereby notified that the above named body has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters ACT, No. 1 of 1990.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC),ABUJA, FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990

THE TRUSTEES ARE 1. ABDUL, MARYMARIAH IVEREN 2. ABRAHAM STEPHEN

The Trustees are: 1. ATTU SAMSON AGBO - CHAIRMAN 2. ATTU GRACE GBEDEOJO - SECRETARY

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To cater for the less privileged

Aims and Objectives: 1. To solve the problems of the needy and help them live a better life through the provision of basic necessities such as food, clothing and education

THE TRUSTEES ARE 1. Amarachi Kingsley OGU (Chairman) 2. Anuli Yulanda OGU 3. Chukwuemeka Fimbarr Ogu 4. Ugochi Henrietta Uzodinma

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, P.M.B 198, Garki Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To help the less privilege ANY OBJECTION TO FORWARDED TO THE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, OF THIS PUBLICATION.

THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE PLOT 420 torture CRESCENT, OFF MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS

Signed, Secretary

SIGNED: SECRETARY

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JOELAS FOUNDATION

ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL CONTRACTORS OF NIGERIA

FRUITFUL VINE MINISTRY INTERNATIONAL.

The general public is hereby notified that the above named foundation has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. OKERE JOEL UDOCHUKWU..... Chairman 2. OKERE LILIAN JACINTHA...Secretary THE AIM AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To help the needy, the vulnerable and less privileged of the society especially with the community of members.

2. To carry out humanitarian services.

3. To empower women and the youth and provide skills acquisition and other empowerment programmes.

4. To encourage rural youths to shun social vices and to become patriotic and productive citizens.

5. To engage in civic education, especially at the rural communities.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street,Maitama, P.M.B 198, Garki Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: Armstrong Ukwuoma Esq.

ALIYU I, formerly known as ALI SULEIMAN ABDULLAHI now wish to be known and addressed as ALIYU ABDULLAHI SULAIMAN. My correct date of birth is 1\05\1993. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

ADANMA I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS ADANMA CHINENYE OKOLO NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ADANMA CHINENYE UGWU. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS OF NIGERIA (ICAN) AND GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

EYAH I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS IDOKO ESTHER NGOZI NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS EYAH ESTHER NGOZI. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. NWAFOR-ORIZU COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, NSUGBE, ANAMBRA STATE AND GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

Public Notice

360 Medixreach Initiative

The general public is hereby notified that the above named foundation has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. AMANGALA GIFT TIMI - chairman 2. EKERU KINGSLEY EBITARE - secretary THE AIM AND OBJECTIVES: GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING:To build healthier lives, create lasting solutions to poverty, hunger and serve individuals and families in poorest communities Any objection to the registration should be forwarded the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street,Maitama, P.M.B 198, Garki Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED by chairman

The general public is hereby notified that the above named Association has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. NJOKU ROWLAND DANDY ..... Chairman 2. ADESINA ABOLADE ...Secretary 3. PRINCE GODWIN TABANSI 4. MRS JOSEPHINE ODUNGIDE 5. HAJIYA FATIMA ALSAFA THE AIM AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To protect the interests of members 2. To coordinate and harness the activities of members for quality andaccountable delivery of their work as local contractors.

3. To exchange ideas and modern technology among members and networkwith other organizations with objectives to improve quality service delivery.

4. To promote the ethics and values of in the work of local contractors.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, P.M.B 198, Garki Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: Armstrong Ukwuoma Esq.

Public Notice HOST COMMUNITIES OIL AND GAS WOMEN ASSOCIATION

The general public is hereby notified that the above named foundation has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. REV. (DR) DIETE SPIFF ETHEL 2. MRS. ODUNGIDE JOSEPHINE PHILIP 3. REV. (MRS). OGENE PERPETUAL 4. AMB. (MRS) GANI MERCY AJUKA 5. IWEZOR CHRISTIE EVELYN BARIBUMANWIN 6. MRS. EGEIN ELIZABETH LEIDE 7. CHIEF MRS. IGBOKA JOY NNEKA 8. MRS. AIGBUNOGA HABIBAT AGHUMELE 9. MRS. EKWUEME-ADIKE AUGUSTINA UZOAMAKA 10. MRS. OLOMIWE CHARITY OLUCHI 11. MRS. ESSIEN MARGARET IDO 12. DR. CHIEF (MRS) OKPOKPOR ALICE ENAKPOTOBO THE AIM AND OBJECTIVES: The aims and objectives of the ASSOCIATION are: 1. For the empowerment and skill acquisition training for women from oil and gas producing communities in particular, and Nigerian women in general.

2. For the promotion of adult literacy centres for women who are illiterate or semi-illiterate 3. To assist women in rural areas with their businesses.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded the RegistrarGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street,Maitama, P.M.B 198, Garki Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: Pamela N. Ezendu Esq. 07039205475

Public Notice THE TRUTH REVIVAL POWER INTERNATIONAL GOSPEL CENTRE

The general public is hereby notified that the above named foundation has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. EVANG. VINCENT AMOS 2. VICENT BELLA-SYLVERIA UCHENNA 3. NWACHUKWU KELECHI

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA, FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990 THE TRUSTEES ARE (1) Pastor Grace Ihekerenma Ukauwa -President (2)Mrs. Orlu Thomas Hansonba Nene - Vice president (3) Mrs Aiseosa Osaghae - Secretary (4) Pastor Favour Idagherehe (5) Mrs. Enuolare Ngofa-Obiaya AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To help the less privilege ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 torture CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

Public Notice AFRICA IS HOME

The general public is hereby notified that the above named foundation has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Enokela S Adama 2. Onah Peter Onah 3. Platini kernyuiy Womela THE AIM AND OBJECTIVES: To cater for the welfare of its members Any objection to the registration should be forwarded the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street,Maitama, P.M.B 198, Garki Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

Public Notice CHILD ACCESS FOR DEVELOPMENT

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC),ABUJA, FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT OF 1990.

TRUSTEES ARE : 1. OYEKAN OYETAYO MARY (PRESIDENT) 2. OSINOWO BABATUNDE ADEBOWALE (SECRETARY)

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To revive the body of Christ worldwide and to raise vibrant eschatological ministers of the gospel who will be thoroughly groomed until the church globally is restored to its Apostolic foundation.

2. To propagate the gospel vigorously through crusades, seminar, conferences, newspaper publications, books, radio, television, and other social media.

OBJECTIVES: 1. to impart the child with the suitable knowledge, values and attitudinal traits in preparation for adulthood that will sponsor a healthy mind and ability to channel energy into positive actions for personal and societal development.

2. Our vision is to build well-balanced and credible individuals with positive exemplary traits who can channel the course of leadership in Nigeria to engender development for the next generation

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street,Maitama, P.M.B 198, Garki Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION

SIGNED: SECRETARY

Sgned :secretary

Sports

PEOPLES DAILY

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friday, JULY 3, 2020

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sports@peoplesdailyng.com, SMS- 08142929046

Serie A Club Benevento knee on Mikel

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erie A club Benevento have been linked with a move for former Nigeria captain John Mikel Obi. The Wizards will play in the top flight for the second time in their history next season, having won the 2019/20 Serie B. Benevento first appearance in the Serie A was in the 2017/18 season.

The modest side are also on the verge of adding Mikel’s former Chelsea team-mate Loic Remy to their squad for the 2020/21 campaign.

According to a report in gianlucadimarzio.com, they are also targeting a move for Mikel, who is a free agent after leaving Turkish Super Lig club Trabzonspor in March.

Mikel left Trabzonspor by mutual consent in after expressing his concerns about the Turkish Super Lig continuing amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

The midfielder, who made 368 appearances for Chelsea between 2006 and 2017, has also been linked with Brazilian clubs Internacional and Botafogo.

Benevento is managed by former AC Milan and Juventus striker Filippo Inzaghi.

John Mikel Obi

Osimhen can reach Drogba’s level, Rohr

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igeria head coach Gernot Rohr believes Victor Osimhen has what it takes to get to the level of former Chelsea and Ivory Coast forward Didier Drogba.

Osimhen enjoyed a successful debut campaign with Ligue 1 club Lille, netting 18 times and grabbing six assists in 38 games across all competitions.

The 21-year-old was also voted the club’s player of the year and also picked up the prize for the Best African Player in the French League.

Many have compared the pacy forward to Drogba who was one of the most fearsome strikers during his active days.

Drogba scored 100 goals in 226 league appearances for Chelsea

between 2004 and 2012.

He is also Ivory Coast’s all-time top scorer with 65 goals in 105 appearances. ” I don’t know, it’s an important comparison, but I don’t rule it out,”Rohr told Radio Punto Nuovo when asked about the similarities between Osimhen and Drogba.

“He has everything he needs to become a player of that level. Victor is someone who always wants to grow and improve, technically and tactically.

“Then he is a smart boy, intelligent and I repeat: he has everything it takes to get to the level of Didier Drogba.”

Osimhen, who is expected to leave Lille this summer is currently negotiating a move to Serie A club Napoli.

Victor Osimhen

Griezmann ponders Arsenal move

>>PG 30

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Hakimi Joins Inter Milan from Real Madrid

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orocco international Achraf Hakimi has joined Serie A giants Inter Milan coming from Spanish side Real Madrid.

Hakimi graduated from Real Madrid’s prestigious academy and made his first team debut in 2017 and after just 17 games he moved to Borussia Dortmund on loan.

The youngster proved his worth with the Yellows as he became a vital part of their squad during his two years in the Signal Iduna Park, even guiding them to the 2019 DFL-SuperCup. Inter announced yesterday that Hakimi joined the club on permanent basis, signing a contract that lasts until 30 June 2025. The reported fee for the transfer €40M in addition to €5M as add-ons.

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CLASSIFIED Public Notice

Public Notice

HOLLAM CARE FOUNDATION

INITIATIVE FOR BALANCE EDUCATION AND GENDER EQUALITY

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC),ABUJA, FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT OF 1990.

He made 73 appearances for them across all competitions, scoring 12 goals and providing 17 assists. This season alone he scored nine goals and made 10 assists, becoming the defender with the most amount of assists in the Bundesliga.

He also represented the Atlas Lions in both the 2018 World Cup and the 2019 AFCON and reached the round of 16.

And now as his loan ended, Hakimi left Los Blancos to sign for Inter Milan under Antonio Conte in order to secure more playing time.

The Morocco international made sure to thank the Dortmund board, coaching staff, teammates and fans in a public statement before leaving.

TRUSTEES ARE : a. Adegoke Olamide Samson. b. Adegoke Sharon Zainab. c. Fasalojo Olawale Samuel.

OBJECTIVES: a. To provide humanitarian welfare services to the less privileged individuals in the society. b. To educate and sensitise individuals on ethical and moral values.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION SIGNED: Akharame Steven Esq. 09027237360, 07037398320.

A

Salah targets long stay, more titles at Liverpool

iverpool forward Mohamed Salah says he wants to remain with the Premier League Champions for a long time, as the team has developed a perfect understanding.

The Egypt international, who signed a new five-year deal in 2018, was the top scorer at the club this season with 17 Premier League goals, as they secured a 19th top-flight title with seven games to spare.

“I’m very happy; I can’t describe my feelings after we won the league after 30 years. I can see people’s joy and this is so important for all of us,” Salah told BeIN Sport.

“I enjoy the atmosphere here; I love this place and I hope to stay for a long time. The atmosphere here is different to any other place.

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

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Griezmann ponders Arsenal move

rsenal is reported to be eyeing a move for Barcelona attacker Antoine Griezmann during this summer’s transfer window.

Griezmann has struggled to perform for Barcelona since a bigmoney move from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2019.

The 29-year-old has scored 14 times at club level this term, but

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PEOPLES DAILY, friday, JULY 3, 2020

was only given the final minute against former club Atletico in La Liga on Tuesday evening and is no longer guaranteed a spot in the side.

And according to The Express, Arsenal are keeping a close eye on the attacker’s situation at Camp Nou and could attempt to sign him ahead of the 2020-21 campaign.

Also, the report claims that

Arsenal could even look to use Barcelona’s interest in Matteo Guendouzi and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to bring the 2018 World Cup winner to the Emirates Stadium.

Griezmann, who is also believed to be interesting Italian giants Inter Milan, penned a fiveyear contract upon his arrival at Camp Nou last July.

NBA: JR Smith reunited with James at LA Lakers for rest of season

“We have adapted well as a team and our understanding is perfect. If this continues, we can achieve more.

“It’s difficult to maintain our current level but it’s not impossible,” he said.

Salah hailed the impact of Club Captain Jordan Henderson and said he would pick the midfielder as the best player in the league this season.

“Maybe I’ll choose Henderson because he’s the captain and he’s been here for about eight-nine years.

“He had a difficult time in the beginning and he was heavily criticised.

“He, as a captain, is loved by all of us and he tries to help all players and helps youth players to adapt,” he said.

Liverpool visits second-placed Manchester City in the league yesterday.

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ree agent guard JR Smith has been reunited with LeBron James at the LA Lakers for the rest of the season.

Smith, 34, and James, 35, were NBA champions with Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.

NBA teams will travel to Orlando to begin training camps from 7 July before the season restarts at Disney World on 30 July.

“This guy is a big-time player,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said.

“He’s proven it over the course of his

career.”

Smith has not played in the NBA since leaving the Cavaliers in November 2018. His last full season was in 2017-18 when the team lost to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA finals, which was also James’ last season before joining the Lakers.

In game one of that series, Smith famously lost track of the score and ran down the clock instead of attempting a game-winning shot, with the Cavaliers losing in overtime.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC),ABUJA, FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT OF 1990.

TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Dr Imagbe Victor Usunobun 2. Mrs Imagbe Tracy 3. Dr Victor Aisosa Imagbe 4. Miss Imagbe Whitney 5. Bar Imagbe Wifred Osasere

- Chairman - Secretary - Member - Member - Member

OBJECTIVES: To Cater for the general welfare of its members.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION Signed :secretary

ARJI

TI-MFON

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS ATTAH VIOLET ONYINYE NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ARJI VIOLET ONYINYE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY (IMT) ENUGU AND GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS Ti-mfon Udo Ukpong NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS Ti-mfon Yossi Malachi. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

SPACE FOR SALE

Public Notice

NIABARI DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC),ABUJA, FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT OF 1990.

TRUSTEES ARE : 1 Blessing P Wiwuga Orage - Chairman 2 Ms. Pearl Faith Wiwuga - Secretary 3 Ashley Burabari Orage 4. Tiffany Abolo Orage 5 Hon Gabriel Baritulem Pidomson OBJECTIVES: 1. Provide economic empowerment for women 2. Cultivate macro business with minimal loans and educate them on Marcel savings 3. Provide skills training with computers, Safeguard the depraved from violence 4. Create aware on need for better hygiene and Provision of physical health .

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION Signed :secretary

Public Notice

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SPORTS latest

Shearer charges Liverpool on Manchester City EPL record

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Advert: business: news: lagos:

Challenges before APC caretaker committee

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anchester City will show Liverpool great respect with a guard of honour before the game, but it will hurt Pep Guardiola and his players to have to do it, and they will want to prove a point on the pitch afterwards.

The level Liverpool are at might depend on how much partying they have done since becoming Premier League champions last week. They deserved those celebrations but they have had a few days to get them out of the way, and my guess is they will want to be at their very best again when they play City.

This is a big game even without any silverware riding on it. Liverpool have already taken City’s title, and now they want their records too - most points, biggest title-winning margin and most wins.

That is what Reds boss Jurgen Klopp will be demanding. His side have been the best in the country by a million miles this season, and they will want to show that yet again, against their nearest rivals.

SPACE FOR SALE

ow with interim NWC put in place, All members of APC believe that the party will benefit from of MMB’s vast experience to mediate and negotiate between the different interest and ambitious groups within the party.

Like he and other stakeholders know politics is a game that moves together with interest and ambitions. As you can’t separate blood from the tissue so, also, you can’t separate politics from interests and ambitions.

Another challenge before caretaker committee is charting a new course with renewed commitment and dedication for the Party to be more strong party with emblem of internal democracy and mutual understanding among leaders and other stakeholders achieving these tasks will be a dire need by finding lasting solutions to the party lingering crisis before the mini convention will write your committee in the anal of history.

Surely, the tasks ahead of MaiMala Buni’s led Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Committee is bigger because different camps within the party are alienated with the ways former National Working Committee (NWC) handled their grievances with impunity. The party started wrestling with internal democracy and the nature of the relationship between party NWC, Party members, party NWC, legislative members, legislative members and government. This lack of cohesion and fragile harmony among APC all the ranks of the party in the country manifested after wining emporia Therefore the APC Caretaker/ Extra-ordinary Convention Committee has to go the extra miles in uniting the party which requires firm and clear decisions that will be in the best interests of the Party. At the same time to instill party discipline and respect of the party constitution. This will stop drifts and internal wrangling within the party before the mini convention otherwise the party may witness more crises. You and your led committee can restore the lost fortune of the governing party that plunged into a leadership crisis. A great and effective party is built on merit, truly democratic principles and responsiveness to APC members concerns.

Issues That Need Urgent Attention: 1. Caretaker/Extra-ordinary Convention Committee has the responsibility to instill discipline into the party and ensure strict adherents of APC ARTICLE 2: SUPREMACY OF THE PARTY CONSTITUTION; provides that subject to the provisions of the constitution of the federal republic of

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Abba Dukawa Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and any other laws for the time being in force in the federal republic of Nigeria, the provisions of this constitution shall be supreme, provided that where any rule, regulation or any other enactment shall, to the extent of its inconsistency, be null and void and of no effect whatsoever. This document leaves no room for any form of aberration or brigandage.

2. Article 20, Subsection 10 of the party’s Constitution, offences against it included the following: Filing an action in a Court of Law against the party or any of its officers on any matter relating to the discharge of the duties of the party without first exhausting all avenues for redress provided for in its Constitution. Need to use diplomatic approach in handling these issues to wooing the confidence of aggrieved members to take full advantage of the reconciliation committees the party has just put in place. While on part need for aggrieved members to withdraw all court cases with a view to resolving any outstanding disputes. Buni’s led caretaker committee should understand that as a progressive party that needs to operates on the principle of change, the committee should keep to the rules of change in discharging its assignment.

3. You and your led Caretaker/ Extra-ordinary Convention Committee need to change one of the party greatest challenge which is former national executive committee not strictly follow as constitution of the party stipulates a mandatory meeting of the national executive committee (NEC) every three months (Article 25 B (i) of

“

the APC constitution as amended.).

Like you all known regular meeting is not only targeted at keeping the members abreast of developments but ensuring collective responsibility of decision taken by the combined effect of the above provision and Article 18 of the APC Constitution as amended).

4. You and your led committee knows that from 2015 to 2019 the strength of the party in controlling states government is weakening as the party lost more states than adding state in it fold of APC’s governors. it is obvious that the fortunes of the Party are currently in jeopardy as the party lost controls of Sokoto, Benue, Adamawa,Bauchi,Zamfara and now Edo to PDP. Your led National Working Committee must obliged to understand the tasks ahead is tedious one and diplomatic approaches needed therefore the test is to restore the party image among Nigerians make the party wax stronger again, reconcile party aggrieved members, successful making APC win Edo /Ondo state during the forthcoming gubernatorial and also state respectively. Ensure Party Unity during and after and organize transparent convention which can be acceptable to all and importantly APC Caretaker and Convention Committee obey simply rules as contained in the party constitution and the caretaker members should avoid impunity and arrogance that brought APC to its present quagmire.

5.Mai Mala Buni’s led APC caretaker committee will face a huge test on the issue in the days ahead and turns out of the duties will be of

Surely, the tasks ahead of MaiMala Buni’s led Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Committee is bigger because different camps within the party are alienated with the ways former National Working Committee (NWC) handled their grievances with impunity

interest to many political observers, as pioneer party secretary need to engage other parties members. Like you know APC is a merger of four former parties plus a breakaway group of the PDP. Need for urgent engagement with all aggrieved members from former parties.

Party national leaders like Chief Bisi Akande, John Oyegun and Tinubu both should be fully engaged. It is no exaggeration to suggest that it is a threat to the survival of the party if not fully co-opts any party leaders and members if the committee wants to succeed and to avoid likely doom that may fall on the party as being a divided party.

Finally, Nigerians expect you and other members of APC NWC to be a team player and not to allow certain individuals interest to supersede the well being of the party. As you said you and your members are there to manage a crisis because without justice there will be no peace. So your committee needs to do justice to every APC member. Ordinarily party members cast fear that certain party leaders that have made great sacrifice are likely to be frustrated. Nevertheless, APC as a governing party faces its greatest trying moments as result of its dwelling popularity among its diehard’s members.

Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Committee should move quickly to put its house in order, get its acts together party discipline, party loyalty, and party cohesion are made sacrosanct and are imbibed by members by high and low.

Dukawa wrote in from Kano and can be reached at abbahydukawa@gmail.com

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