Tuesday, February 4, 2020 Edition

Tuesday, February 4, 2020/ Jumadal Thani 9, 1441 AH

2124 Days after

Vol. 33 No. 051 N150

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. . . putting the people first

The nation awaits rescue of the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls

Coronavirus: China to work Court stops FG with Nigeria, others to halt RUGA programme spread - Ambassador in Benue

Plateau attacks: Death toll rises to 26, 194 houses razed - Police

Buhari, SP, Speaker meet over service chiefs, others FG to recruit more soldiers, says Osinbajo pAGE 3

pAGE 8

pAGE 4

page 5

President Muhammadu Buhari (middle), receives Senate President Ahmed Lawan (left), and Speaker house of the Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, during a Visit to President at the Presidential Villa, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: State House

Nigerian professionals in EU nations pass vote of confidence on Buhari >>>page 3

CJN laments high volume of cases at Supreme Court >>>page 5

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PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

News CONTENTS News 2-14 Op.Ed

12-13

Politics 15-17 Stock Watch Business Metro

18 19-20 21

World Analysis 22 Africa News

23

World News

24

Insurgency: NAF Commissions 057-K9 Wing Investigation Group in Bauchi From Ahmad Bauchi

Mohammed,

T

he Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has commissioned 057 Air Provost K9 wing investigation group in Bauchi as part of a renewed move to tackle security challenges in the North-East sub-region which is currently facing an insurgency.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Saddique Abubakar said that the Nigerian Air Force embarked on the training of 20 Air Provost personnel comprising 3 officers and 17 airmen/ airwomen He said that, “This personnel, alongside their 20 Military working dogs, jointly undertook various specialist training, among which include explosives and narcotic substance detection,

waterman-ship, navigation and rappelling,” Saddique who was represented by the Chief of Administration, Air Force Headquarters, Abuja, Air Vice Marshal Mohammed Idris said that the establishment of the wing now brings to a total 40 military working dogs in the service.

He said that the Nigerian Air Force for the first time undertook the training and enlistment of five special operation dogs to further push the options for engagement of Military working dogs in the service.

The CAS attested to the impressive contributions and capabilities of the special operations military working dogs have brought to ground operations and base defence in various counterterrorism exercises conducted by the Service last year.

Sadiq explained that the decision to situate this K-9 wing in Bauchi stems from the imperative to have the Military working dogs directly supporting our counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations in the North East, “As well as integrating them in the activities of the Special Operations Command.

The growth in the Provost’s K-9 capability is equally projected to create the capacity for the Air Provost to be integrated into the conduct of Combat Search and Rescue operations in the Service, Indeed, the long-term outlook, is to have Military working dogs’ operations fully encapsulated in the law enforcement, base defence and special operations of the Nigerian Air Force, as well as in Military Aid to Civil Authority when the need arises,”.

The CAS, commended

President Muhammadu Buhari for his leadership and determination in providing the enabling environment for the Nigerian Air Force to keep discharging its statutory responsibilities despite other contending imperatives.

In his remarks, Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Special Operations Command (SOC), Bauchi Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Charles Ohwo Commended the Chief of Air Staff, Abubakar Saddique for the initiative of the Nigerian Air Force to constantly and consciously device ways to address potential security challenges to its operational effectiveness.

AVM Charles Ohwo said that the establishment of Air Provost K-9 Wing in Bauchi will go a long in complementing the efforts of Nigerian Airforce in performing their duties.

Kano govt approves N4bn water project, others Page 4

Digest

25

Feature 26 Sports 30-31 Back Page

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L-R: Corps Marshal. Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi with Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, during the Corps Marshal visit to Force headquarters, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

7 burnt to death in Delta auto crash From Nosa Akenzua Delta

A

fatal motor accident which occurred at the weekend along Koko Ugbenu road in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State claimed seven lives.

It was gathered that the victims were returning from a burial ceremony when they ran

into a trailer on the highway and the Sienna Bus conveying them burst into flames.

The identity of the dead in the accident as the time of this report were still unknown.

But eyewitness John Omonigho said that the victims were roasted beyond recognition as one person survived the accident and is at present lying

critically ill at an undisclosed hospital near Koko Community where they seemed to have hailed from.

The Chairman of the Council, Aduge Okorodudu described the incident as shocking and pathetic.

Accordingly, Okorodudu prayed for the repose of the deceased and also prayed God

to grant the affected families the fortitude to bear the loss of their loved ones.

Officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission ( FRSC) who spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity described the incident as unfortunate adding that investigation into the root cause of the accident was ongoing.

Page 3

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

News

Coronavirus: China ready to work with Nigeria, others to halt epidemic Envoy

By Ochiaka Ugwu

T

he Peoples Republic of China is willing to work with other countries of the world including Nigeria to respond to outbreak of pneumonia caused by novel Coronavirus, the Ambassador of China in Nigeria, Dr. Zhou Pingjian has said.

Dr. Zhou who made this known in Abuja yesterday in his opening remarks during the briefing on fighting the outbreak of pneumonia caused by novel Coronavirus put the total number of confirmed cases of infection to 17,205.

Zhou said, “Fighting the spread of the epidemic is a common concern of the international community. China is willing to work with other countries in the world, including Nigeria, to respond to the epidemic actively.

“We have informed the World Health Organization, relevant countries and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan of the latest epidemic situation, and have shared information on virus gene sequences with all parties at the first time.

“We have taken the most comprehensive and rigorous containment and mitigation measures, and many of them go well beyond the requirements of the International Health Regulations (2005). By doing so, China is not only protecting the health of its people, but also that of people around the world. Such efforts are fully recognized by many governments as well as the WHO” he noted.

Continuing, Zhou said that 21,558 people were suspected of being infected with the virus in the Chinese mainland based on the China’s National Health Commission findings.

He noted that a total of 361 people had died of the disease while 475 people had been discharged from hospital after recovery.

Zhou said these are not numbers, but lives, families, communities.

He said is going to be an unforgettable Spring Festival for the Chinese, as families are separated but united to stand together in the face of the disease.

His words, “The safety and health of the people always come first, and thus the prevention and control of the outbreak is the country’s most import work for now. The Chinese government attaches great importance to the epidemic.

“President Xi has repeatedly given important instructions on prevention and control work, and personally held a meeting on the first day of the lunar New Year for redeployment and remobilization.”

News Editor, Ese Awhotu

Nigerian professionals in EU nations pass vote of confidence on Buhari

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

A

group of Nigerian professionals, otherwise known as Association of Nigerian Professionals in Europe, in 44 European countries, have passed a vote of confidence in the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.

ANPE made this known in a communiqué after its extraordinary emergency assembly, held at The Hotel Urdanibia Park conference hall in Spain on Monday.

In the communiqué co-signed

by President, Dr. Agwu Onyeke and 13 country heads, ANPE said there is need for all to support President

Buhari and the military in the fight against terrorism.

As part of the issues identified and resolved, the Nigerian professionals frowned at the “ despicable killing of clergies and humanitarian workers by the Boko Haram/ISWAP group” which it described as “politically motivated.”

While acknowledging the efforts of the gallant troops, the group hinged the escalation of the crisis in Nigeria on foreign conspiracies and local actors to trigger ethno-religious war in Nigeria.

After extensive deliberations, however, the ANPE passed a vote of confidence on the Buhari-led

administration in tackling the various security challenges in the country.

While hailing the Service Chiefs for raising to the occasion amidst conspiracy from desperate politicians, it further urged Nigerians to unite in the fight against terrorism. ‘’That the Association of Nigerian Professionals in Europe after extensive deliberations passed a vote of confidence on the Muhammadu Buhari led administration in tackling the various security challenges in the country. ‘’That the efforts of the Service Chiefs in this regard are indeed commendable and an indication that in a matter of time, the war against

terrorism would be over in Nigeria. ‘’That Nigerians from all walks of life should extend their support to the government’s quest to making Nigeria secure and safe for all concerned. ‘’That the Association of Nigerian Professionals in Europe condemns the attempt by some politicians to politicize the operations of the Nigerian Military. ‘’That the Association of Nigerian Professionals in Europe is in support of the giant strides of the Muhammadu Buhari led administration in its efforts at making Nigeria a secure and prosperous country.’’

Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Zhou Pingjian, briefing newsmen at the embassy, yesterday in Abuja on novel coronavirus outbreak in China.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Power agreement: Follow due process, BEDC replies Edo govt From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

K

aduna State Director of Litigation in the Ministry of Justice, Sanusi Usman has promised to have a round table discussion with all parties in the demolition of Dubar Hotel kaduna belonging to late Head of State, General Sani Abacha He stated this when the case came up on before Justice Hannatu Balogun, for determination of the Motion on Notice, restraining ElRufai from taking over the hotel.

According to him, it was sad that the state government did not comply with the court order restraining the State governor, Nasir El-Rufai from demolishing and taking over the disputed Durbar hotel Plc. Recall that a High Court in

Kaduna presided by Justice Hannatu Balogun, had on January 21 restrained Governor Nasir El-Rufai and agencies of the Kaduna State Government from demolishing and taking over of Durbar Hotel Plc. Usman pleaded with the court that he would call for roundtable discussion with all the parties in the case and report back at the next adjournment.

The court restraining order is sequel on an exparte motion brought before the court by the counsel to the management of Durbar Hotel Plc, Mr. Reuben Atabo, praying the court for an order of interim injunction restraining El-Rufai and agencies of the state government from demolishing, taking over, or tampering with the property.

However, when the case came up on Monday before Justice Hannatu Balogun for determination of the Motion on Notice, Mr. Atabo applied for stay of procedure of Motion on Notice until the court order restraining El-Rufai from taking over the hotel is complied.

Usman who is the counsel to the Kaduna State government said, “It is really sad that the court order was not complied with but I am not aware of the fact that the order of this honourable court has been disobeyed by any party but to me, it is sad my Lord.

“I honestly feel bad about it. I am proposing a meeting with all the parties and Atabo to see how this can be addressed.

“Our reputations as lawyers are at stake because it will not be in

our interest to see that court order is not obeyed. We have to find the way out by Thursday, next week.”

Earlier in his submission, Mr. Atabo said, “The decision of the court is meant to be fulfilled by government officials, institutions and individuals. Our simple application is that your Lordship order must be complied with before another step could be taken in this case”.

Presiding Judge, justice Hanatu Balogun therefore adjourned the case, saying, “in the interest of justice we will hear the report of compliance with court order on February 11, 2020.”

The ownership of the hotel had been in contention between the federal government and the family of late Head of State, General Sani Abacha since 2001.

PAGE 4

News From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna.

T

he Niger State Government has charged investors at the Bobi Grazing Reserve that has not shown sufficient presence at the reserve, to begin work within the next two months or risk withdrawal and revocation of their allocation.

This was contained in a press statement issued by the SSG Information Officer, Lawal Tanko yesterday in Minna, saying that the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ahmed Ibrahim Matane gave the directive when he under took on the spot assessment of work currently going on at the

Gully erosion: Delta govt begins verification of victims for payment

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

News Editor, Ese Awhotu

Niger govt threatens to revoke Bobi Grazing Reserve contract Bobi Grazing Reserve.

The SSG who was accompanied round the Reserve

by Officials from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) led by Dr. Amina Habeeb, Assistant Director, Development Finance Department, top Government functionaries and representatives from WAMCO (Peak Milk), Chi Limited (Chivita), NEON, Irish Diary and Hail Consortium further stated that any investor that could not meet up with the dateline will forfeit his allocation to other investors on the waiting list.

Matane explained that out of the six investors that shown interest in investing in Bobi

Grazing Reserve only WAMCO and Chi Limited indicated active commitment at the Reserve, adding that NEON and Irish Diary have been allocated land but yet to commence work.

He said another reason that prompted the visit to the Reserve is for the investors to identify the lands allocated to them with a view to giving Government the opportunity to see what plans the investors have as well as reactivate and make the lands functional.

Addressing the herdsmen, the SSG said the present administration under the leadership of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello is leaving no stone

unturned towards promoting pasture development for pastoralists at the Grazing Reserve.

He told the people at the area that the settlement of pastoralists at the grazing reserve would turn nomadic pastoralists into mixed Farmers who will take up crop farming to supplement livestock farming.

Ahmed Matane expressed optimism that Bobi Grazing Reserve would no doubt put an end to the lingering Farmers/ Herdsmen crisis in the state.

Earlier in her remarks, the Assistant Director, Development Finance Department, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Amina

L-R: The Chairman of the occasion and former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Umaru AbdulLahi, Chief Justice of Nigeria (represented), the Chief Launcher, Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State, National Leader of APC and former Lagos State Governor, Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor AbdulLahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State at the book presentation in honour of Justice Amiru Sanusi (rtd), at the Yar’adua Centre, yesterday in Abuja.

From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

T

he Delta State government has commenced verification of payment to victims of Owanta Community gully erosion menace in line with the World Bank policy.

Recall that a contract of N2.4billion for the execution of project was signed between Delta State Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project ( NEWMAP) on behalf of the state government, Levante Construction Company Limited and the World Bank.

But sensitizing the beneficiaries on the implementation of resettlement Action Plan, ( RAP) in Owanta Community on Monday, the National Coordinator of NEWMAP , Dr Salisu Dahiru, however commended Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for his commitment towards the realization of the project, stressing that the compensation will only be for the affected in the course of the civil work and in accordance with the World Bank policy.

He said,” We have those who will be affected by structures, we have those who will be affected in terms of land space and economic displacement, also, We took cognizance of the vulnerable persons within the community to compensate them adequately.”

The Commissioner for Environment, Mr Chris Onogba in his remarks, solicited the cooperation of the beneficiaries for the successful implementation of the resettlement plan and commended the community for their calmness, even as he appealed that any perceived grievances should be settled amicably at the community level.

Habeeb pointed out that the measures taken by the State Government to make Bobi Grazing Reserve a model would serve as an example to other state governments on how peace can be attained by providing Herders with land and teach them how best to use the land.

The Secretary to the State Government, Officials from Central Bank of Nigeria, representatives of WAMCO (Peak Milk), Chi Limited (Chivita), NEON, Irish Diary, Hail Consortium and top Government functionaries visited milk collection centre, dams, irrigations sites and lands allocated to the investors.

Niger govt urges effective implementation of E- WASH Project From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

T

he Niger State Government has said that, with the Effective Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (E-WASH) project the solution to the numerous challenges confronting the water sector is inevitable.

Commissioner for Water Resources and Dams Development, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman made this known saying “water issue is one thing that no state government can shoulder alone, there has to be

a partnership if we really want to succeed”.

He disclosed this during the second Knowledge Café (Mu Gana) interactive programme of E-WASH, held at Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre, Minna, he said “when I met with the E-WASH team on my assumption in office few months ago, I knew that the project which is all encompassing was the best thing that could ever happen to the water sector if fully implemented.

“The provision of water is capital expensive and as such the sector must partner with

relevant organizations both within and outside the shores of the country especially the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) E-WASH programme,” he stated.

Suleiman, however, appreciated all those who were contributing to ensure potable and accessible water service delivery in the state, particularly the WASH Champion members in the state, the Commissioner added that his Ministry was ready to work with people who are passionate about water service delivery in the state.

In his remarks, former

Secretary to the Government of Niger State and WASH Champion, Mr. Daniel Clifford Shashere promised to work alongside the Ministry of Water Resources and the State Water Board to actualize their mandates.

There were presentation from heads of various units of the State Water Board, with the lead presentation made by renowned expert in the sector, Engineer Inuwa Musa Kuta who talked on the topic, “Sustainable Water Resources and Sanitation Management: A Panacea for Job Creation.”

26 killed, 194 houses razed in Plateau attacks -Police From Yusuf Mairiga Shekarau, Jos

T

he Plateau State Police Command said 26 persons lost their lives, one hundred and ninety houses were razed down in recent attacks that occurred in Mangu and Bokkos Local Governments Areas of the state.

A statement signed by the Police

Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Ubah Gabriel Ogaba and made available to newsmen Monday, in Jos maintained that 11 persons were so far arrested involving the Fulani ardos and the community leaders of the affected areas.

The statement reads; “The Command wish to set the records straight in view of the attacks in Bokkos and Mangu LGAs between

26 & 28/01/2020. In the attacks that happened in Bokkos LGA, twenty-two (22) persons lost their lives which includes fourteen (14) from Kwatas, four (4) from Sabon Barki, three (3) from Marish, one from Chenget. Also, four (4) persons were killed in Marish, Mangu LGA bringing the total number of deaths to 26”.

The command, further revealed

that a total of one hundred and ninety houses were set ablaze which includes one hundred and twentythree (123) houses owned by the natives and sixty-seven (67) houses owned by the Fulanis.

The police requires members of the public to continue to provide useful information to the command in respect of this unfortunate incident, nothing that it’s expedient

for the public to be on alert and report any suspicious movement around or within their communities promptly to law enforcement agents.

We however, enjoined residents of the affected areas and indeed, across communities in the state to continue to promote cordial interplay, embrace peace and always strive to be law abiding, the statement added.

Page 5

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

News

Buhari, Lawan, Gbajabiamila meet over service chiefs, others FG to recruit more soldiers, says Osinbajo

By Lawrence Olaoye

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari yesterday met the leadership of the National Assembly, represented by the Senate President, Sen. Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on the worsening security situation in the country.

This is just as Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has disclosed that the federal government will recruit more troops and officers to beef up the personnel of security agencies in order to contain the threats and security concerns in the country.

Responding to question from newsmen after the close door meeting which lasted over one hour behind closed door, Lawan disclosed that they discussed all issues around the challenge of insecurity including the controversial issue of demand for the sack of the service chiefs by the lawmakers and the majority of Nigerians.

It could be recalled that the Senate had last week urged the President to rejig the nation’s security architecture while the House of Representatives called for outright sack of the service chiefs for nonperformance.

Lawan, who said that the President was worried about insecurity in the country, added that Buhari was on the same page with the National Assembly on the need to do whatever it takes to ensure that security agencies are able to perform better than they are currently doing.

The Senate President equally disclosed that they resolved to prioritize procurement of relevant equipment for the use of security personnel as well as their welfare.

Asked whether they discussed the vexed issue of demand for the sack of service chiefs, the Senate President said “We discussed everything that matters as far as the issue of security of this country is concerned. We believe that it is imperative that we are able to provide those necessary equipment and welfare for the armed forces of this country and the police, to ensure that they are able to operate and perform efficiently and effectively.”

On whether the sack of the Service Chiefs could resolve the insecurity issue, Lawan said “You see, in matters of security of course as leaders we are supposed to lead but when it concerns security every single citizen matters in this. So it is for all of us, citizens and leaders to ensure that we are playing our part as it is necessary. But I believe that now the time has come, we have reached a tipping point that everybody

in Nigeria is concerned about the security situation and therefore we are all prepared and that is why we have come to meet with Mr. President as leaders of National Assembly on behalf of our colleagues, to discuss the way forward. And of course I believe that citizens participation is critical and crucial.”

Asked whether the President was concerned about the prevailing insecurity across the country, the Speaker said “probably more. Is the President looking to do something about it? Answer: yes. The question of security is uppermost in his mind and he opened up to us and you must understand that some communications are privileged. But, suffice to say that the President is concerned and he intends to do something about our challenges.”

On whether the sack of the Service Chiefs could end insecurity, Gbajabiamila said “Opinions are divided. The generality of the opinion is that the service chiefs should go.

That was evident in our debates in the House of Representatives and in the Senate. But sometimes you don’t want a knee-jack reaction.

“Many of us identify that something drastic has to be done. There is also the school of thought that says since we are talking about banditry, kidnapping and murders, what have the armed forces got to do with that anywhere in the world? So the question then arises that if he (President) changes the service chiefs, does that address the issues of kidnapping and banditry? The Army, Navy and Air-force are outfits set up to tackle external aggression. It is the police that is set up for internal security, such as we are all witnessing.

“That’s talking about service chiefs, has the Inspector-General of Police met up with his responsibilities? The question is, if we now narrow it down to the Inspector General of Police, many will argue that he has done a very good job and many will argue with you that he’s armstrung, straight-jacketed.

There is very little he can do in the

face of no equipment, no funding and we explained to Mr President that we have to increase funding, we have to recruit more.

We are talking, even just right now we have gone on to set up a committee that will periodically review the issue of security, maybe once a month or once in six weeks, which will involve the two arms of government and the party.

Major progress was made in this discussion, which is a meeting that lasted over an hour and I believe Nigerians will begin to see traction; they’ll begin to see changes. You can be sure that concrete steps will be taken in that direction.”

On recruitment of more soldiers, Osinbajo disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen yesterday by his spokesman, Osinbajo while receiving on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa clergymen from the Northern part of Nigeria under the auspices of the Arewa Pastors Forum for Peace.

“In fact, we have to now recruit

more into the army, and much faster than we ever did because we need men on the ground; resources also – to buy more arms, to buy more platforms,” the Vice President said.

While describing how serious the Buhari administration considered the task, he added that “at the last meeting of the National Security Council that was held on Thursday, we had discussions on how to beef up the military’s platforms. How do we beef up the numbers? How do we recruit more men and women into the army?

How do we collaborate more with local vigilante, the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and all that.”

He urged the group as ‘Men of God,” to also come up with ideas and their thoughts on how to find lasting peace.

Earlier in his remark, President of the Forum, Bishop Mbayo Japhet said the group’s visit to the Presidential Villa was to support the administration and the Vice President, describing him as an apostle of peace.

L-R: Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, Deputy Governor of Edo State, Hon. Philip Shuaibu, Representative of the House Leader, Hon. Peter Akpatason and Deputy Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Bima Muhammad Enagi, during the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governor’s Subcommittee on good governance with National Assembly Leadership, at Katsina State Governor’s Lodge, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

CJN laments high volume of cases at Supreme Court

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

T

he Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad, yesterday, reiterated his worries over the increasing number of appeals that are flooding the Apex court on a daily basis.

Justice Tanko, also noted that the exit of Justice Amiru Sanusi from the apex court bench drastically reduced the number of Justices of the Supreme Court

to 13.

The CJN made this known while speaking at the valedictory court session that was held in honour of Justice Amiru Sanusi who clocked the 70 years mandatory retirement age.

According to Justice Tanko, the Supreme Court, “is daily inundated and suffocated with cases of different types.”

“The highly embarrassing litigious nature of Nigerians” does not give space for Justices of the

Apex Court to rest their nerves.

“We can hardly have time for ourselves and our families.

“You will recall that barely seven weeks ago, being Thursday, 12th December 2019, we assembled here to honour our brother, Justice Kumai Baying Aka’ahs, JSC, OFR, in a similar valedictory session.

“That ceremony painfully occasioned the depleting of our ranks at the Supreme Court. In a similar fashion, this session, too, is billed to further drastically reduce

the number of Supreme Court justices as low as 13.

“This is not cheering news in view of the ever-increasing number of appeals that flood the Court on a daily basis”, the CJN added.

He described the retired jurist at “an epitome of humility and untainted integrity”, saying he gave “sterling account of himself while in the Supreme Court”.

Meanwhile, the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, at the event, queried why Senior Lawyers are

not appointed to the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, directly from the Bar. In a speech that was presented on its behalf by Chief T. J. Okpoko, SAN, noted that celebrated jurists like a late former CJN, Justice Taslim Ellias who served as President of the World Court, as well as Justice Augustine Nnamani, were both appointed to the Supreme Court Bench, directly from the Bar.

PAGE 6

News UniAbuja PG students’ association inauguration suffers setback

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he ex-presidents of the Student Union Government (SUG), University of Abuja have disrupted the activities of Postgraduate Students’ Association at swearing in of their pioneer executive members which took place at the Faculty of Management Sciences lecture theatre.

Some of the federal ministers including the Chief Justice of the FCT who were there to witness the event left the venue of the ceremony as the inauguration of pioneer postgraduate students was paralyzed by the ex-SUG presidents.

The invited ministers were Mallam Adamu Adamu (Minister of Education), Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed (Minister of finance) and Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu (FCT Minister of State).

In an interview with newsmen during the incident, the pioneer president of the association, Engineer Adamu Suleiman Yakubu, said the trouble started when inauguration was about to commence.

He explained that before the commencement of the association event, a letter was written to the management of the University, as well as the deans of faculties and management staff of the institution about the inauguration.

He said: “We gave an opportunity to all faculties of the University to choose their representatives to represent them in the association, as we are the one going to be pioneering the affairs of the association and that they told us to go ahead. Pioneering means that in the next one year we will conduct an election to get the real officials to come in.”

He expressed dismay at the way which the hoodlums who claimed to be ex-SUG presidents disrupted the inauguration, pointing out that another date would be fixed for the official inauguration of Postgraduate Students’ Association.

Engr. Yakubu, however, appealed to the management of the University to continue to support the pioneer postgraduate students to get their inauguration done, and said the postgraduate students meant well for the University in terms of infrastructural development.

During the purported inauguration the security men of the University alongside other security agents positioned themselves during the crisis.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

Bauchi governor charges civil servants on attitudinal change From Ahmad Mohammed, Bauchi

B

auchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has observed that unless public officers and civil servants in the state change their attitudes in the conduct and management of government business, the dream of Bauchi to reclaim its lost glory and assume its rightful place among the best performing states in the federation will be a fantasy.

The governor said that civil service is the engine room of

policy generation, articulation and execution, hence the need for civil servants to provide leadership and carry along their subordinates in the conduct of government business.

Senator Bala stated this in a paper at the just concluded twoday retreat for top government functionaries in Gadau State University, said however that Bauchi has in the past six months shown that the PDP led administration in the state is well on course to reclaim the lost glory.

“Whatever position one holds, it is a public trust. Do not abuse it.

Do not mistake career elevation to wealth accumulation by foul and dubious means”. Do not abuse financial instruction. Do not take your eyes away from supervision, monitoring and evaluation”, the governor told the retreat participants.

He also reminded them that in the area of contracts, especially in civil engineering, “You should always insist that basic engineering management and evaluation apply. Always insist on Due Diligence in the award of government contract.

Seek additional knowledge and

update you professional skills in order to be relevant”.

Bala urged key players in education and health sectors to which state of emergency were declared, to provide him with necessary working documents with timelines for summits on the sectors within the first quarter of this year.

He told the Bauchi citizens that with the distraction created by the needless litigation regarding his election which is now over, renewed his pledge and promise to rededicate himself to the services of the state.

T

he Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) has expressed dismay over what it called unprecedented deterioration of security situation in Kaduna State.

This was contained in a statement signed by National Public Relations Officer Luka Binniyat and made available to the media in kaduna yesterday.

The statement said that grim reality has continued to cast frightening uncertainties on the protection of lives and properties in the state.

“The last time we called the attention

of the Nigerian public on the killing of scores of persons, sacking of no fewer than 14 Gbagyi communities in Chikun Local Government Area and the kidnapping of over 58 persons, including a breast-feeding mother with her six-month old baby. We want to tell the world that since the abductions of these defenseless people, there has been disturbing silence on the part of both government and security agencies over the fate of the abducted.

“Just yesterday, Sunday 2nd February, 2020, a suspect in possession of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was arrested in the Living Faith Church, Sabo

Tasha, Kaduna. “ This created a tense situation in Kaduna, as the evil cruelty of past bombings of churches in Kaduna by Boko Haram terrorists is still fresh in the minds of relations of victims and their loves ones. “ It could be recalled that with the incessant kidnappings of people and other violent crimes on our communities, four students of The Good Shepherd Major Catholic Seminary, Buwaya, Kaduna were kidnapped.

“After three weeks of dehumanizing experiences, three were released, but one of them, Brother Nnadi Michael, was grisly murdered last Saturday.

“In a similar fate, the wife of a philanthropist, and a medical Doctor, Mrs Ataga, whose husband had built a police post for the Unguwan Juji, community in Kaduna, was forcefully taken away with her three kids after a vigilante, Emmanuel Usman, was killed by the assailants. “ A ransom of N20 million was thereafter demanded. While her husband, relations and friends were running from pillar to post to raise the ransom, she was mercilessly murdered in the most barbaric manner. Her mutilated corpse was later dumped by the roadside. “ At the time of making this statement, her abductors are still demanding N20

million as ransom for the kids. What a tragedy! Only in Nigeria would such dastardly act not attract quick response from the authorities.

“Having observed resurging recurrence of violence ripping across the state, with the heartless manner that victims are murdered, especially the southern part, SOKAPU is constrained to draw conclusion that Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram, in collaboration with Fulani herdsmen militia, have now found a safe haven in Kaduna state to perpetrate their murderous activities as witnessed in the recent killings.”

ASDV gives N1.5m to 100 Indigent widows in Delta From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

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saba Development Club of 81 ( ASDEV) a Non-Governmental Organization ( NGO) as part of its humanitarian services

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Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse District of the Federal Capital Territory has granted bail to five journalists of the Nigerian News and TeleVision Nigerian, arrested by the Nigeria Police last weekend over a report on Coronavirus.

All the five journalists pleaded not guilty to the First Information Report brought against them by the police authorities.

The journalists, Pricilla Ajeshola, Jacob Orji, Abayomi Adedoyin, Peggy Shande and David Gold Enemingin, were charged before the court over allegation of joint act,

A

SOKAPU bemoans security deterioration in Kaduna

From Femi Oyelola/Yusuf Idris

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

B2 to hang for armed robbery in Jos

L-R: Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi; Founder and former Chairman of DAAR Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, and President of the Senate, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, with others, during the Town Hall Forum on Hate Speech organised by DAAR Communications, yesterday in Abuja

has donated N1.5million to 100 Indigent widows of Asaba to improve their living standard as measures to Cushion their pains of the past.

Speaking to journalists on Sunday in Asaba, the Chairman

of the Committee for Widows”, Ogbueshi Peter Iweze, disclosed that the guesture was geared towards giving back to the society, especially widows whose late husbands left little or nothing for them and do not

have other means to live on.

Ogbueshi Iweze further disclosed that 100 widows benefitted from the event, adding that” we have Ebohs in Asaba,our Organization is nonprofitable making, so it’s

just all about what we can do for now, we were able to handle 100 indigent Widows”and called on the beneficiaries to ensure Judicious use of the money for their pressing needs and for irrelevant things

PAGE 7

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

High Court in Jos on Monday sentenced two men, Dayabu Ahmad, 20, and Umar Aliyu, 21, to death by hanging for armed robbery.

Justice S.P Gang found them guilty of criminal conspiracy and armed robbery.

Delivering judgment, Mr Gang held that going by the findings of the court, the convicts armed themselves with dangerous weapons, blocked the Barkin Ladi/Mangu road and robbed commuters of their belongings.

“This sentence is mandatory, as the law states that any person convicted of armed robbery shall be punished with death by hanging.

“The sentence of this court upon you is that you, Dayabu Ahmad and Umar Aliyu, will be hanged until you are dead. May God have mercy on your soul,’’ Mr Gang said.

The judge also handed down three years imprisonment to the convicts for the offence of criminal conspiracy.

News Agency of Nigeria reports that the convicts were arraigned on February 19, 2019.

The police charged them with criminal conspiracy and armed robbery, contrary to Sections 6(b) and 1 (1&2) of the Fire Arms Act punishable with death upon conviction.

Prosecution counsel told the court that the convicts on January 26, 2019 on the Barkin Ladi/ Mangu Road armed with weapons and dispossessed travellers of their belongings.

The convicts in their confessional statement to the police admitted to committing the crime, blamed the devil for their actions, adding that they were ‘broke’.

The items stolen by the convicts include; 1kg of meat, a gallon of groundnut oil, a packet of Maggi cubes, watermelon and N100, 000 cash.

Counsel to the accused, Thomas Ochigbo, said he will get a copy of the judgment, study it and look for possible grounds of appeal against the death sentence imposed on the convicts. (NAN)

News

Coronavirus: Court grants 5 journalists bail

disturbance of public peace and inciting disturbance contrary to sections 79, 113 and 114 of the penal code law.

According to the FIR, they were said to have unlawfully invaded the premises of Wise General Hospital and pretended to have been infected with the Coronavirus, thereby causing panic among residents of the FCT. After the FIR was read to them and they pleaded not guilty, their counsel, Oghenovo Otemu, prayed the court to admit them to bail.

According to him, the defendants are journalists and are also first offenders. He prayed the court to admit them to court on liberal terms.

The prosecution, Onobunu

Peter, in his response did not object to the submission of the defence counsel.

According to him, the court should use its discretion in granting bail to the defendants.

In a short ruling, Senior Magistrate Musa Jobbo, granted the journalists bail in the sum of N100,000 each and a surety who must be resident in the FCT. The case has been adjourned to March 23, 2020.

Shortly after the regaind their freedom, the management of TheNigerian Group, owners of Television Nigerian, expresses their profound appreciation to all partners, stakeholders, organizations and everyone that stood by us in the ongoing ordeal of our staff who were arrested, humiliated, tortured, denied

acceess to their family and lawyers, paraded like common criminals and eventually arraigned on Monday for performing their legitimate duty as journalists.

A statement from Mr. Lawrence Audu, Media Officer, TheNigerian News Group said, ‘’We wish to specifically thank the Chairman of the FCT Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Emmanuel Ogbeche, NUJ members, lawyers, civil society organisations, friends and patriots who stood up for us during the ugly incident. It was a traumatizing experience for their families and TheNigerian News Group across the globe.

“This does not however rule out the option of amicable

resolution of the issues with the FCT Administration towards building the nation of our dream. TheNigerian News Group as a responsible and upcoming conglomerate does not wish that this in any further coat the image of our dear nation as a country that represses free speech and media independence. The overzealous persons who ordered this inhuman treatment of our staff do not represent the views of our countrymen and women or the leadership of our beloved country under the current administration of President Buhari.

“TheNigerian spirit cannot be broken until our mission to change the narrative is achieved.

Nothing shall discourage us!’’

Commander of 13 Brigade, Nigerian Army in Calabar, Brig.-Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye (2nd, L); Commandant of Naval War College, Nigeria, Rear Adm. Adeseye Ayobanjo (3rd L); Chief Staff Officer of Eastern Naval Command, Rear Adm. Taye Imam (4th L); Commandant of Nigerian Army Amphibious Training School, Brig.-Gen. Nimmyel Joshua and participants of the Naval War College, Nigeria, during their graduation ceremony, yesterday in Calabar.

Photo: NAN

Gunmen kill works director in Delta From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

T

ension and palpable fear of the unknown have continued to unsettle the family of Onochie in Illah Community, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State following the killing of a member of the family, a director in the State Ministry of Works identified as J.O.Onochie by suspected assassins.

Onochie was killed right inside his uncompleted building on Sunday While some residents of the community who spoke to journalists on condition of

anonymity described the incident as pathetic and devastating, considering the tragedy barely one year after the said Onochie allegedly lost his wife to kidney disease.

They alleged that Onochie’s killers could be suspected armed bandits who have been on rampage in the community in the last few weeks and have made lives unbearable for the residents, especially during nightfall.

But the Public Relations Officer ( PRO) Ministry of Works in the state, Tina Oki who spoke to journalists in Asaba confirmed that Onochie was allegedly

murdered by unknown gunmen in his uncompleted building where he went to do some work at Ilah Community on Sunday Sources said that Onochie before his untimely death, was easy going and hardworking even as a director in the State Ministry of Works.

The Police Commissioner in the state, Hafiz Mohammed Inuwah in a swift reaction, said that the police were determined to fish out Onochie’s killers even though no arrest has been made, adding that investigation was ongoing with a view to bringing those responsible for the killing of Onochie to arrest.

Unconfirmed sources said that the unidentified gunmen drove in Toyota Camry without plate number as they made straight to their victim’s uncompleted building where he was doing some work to kill him after several bullets unleashed on him at close range even when he tried to escape to no avail.

At the premises of the state Ministry of Works, staffers were seen gnashing their teeth in pains while many others who could not hold themselves with the news, openly wept profusely as the late Onochie was described to be a good man while he was alive.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

PAGE 8

News

Yoruba monarchs urge Buhari to brace up security apparatus From Femi Oyelola Kaduna

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he chairman Yoruba Traditional Council in Northern States and Abuja, Ambassador Mohammed Arigbabuwo has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to end the unabated on insecurity ravaging the entire country.

In a statement he signed in Kaduna yesterday, the traditional title holder said the action should be taken without any further delay in order to save the nation from an impending war.

Ambassador Arigbabuwo noted with regrets that despite all the efforts of the government and the security apparatus to nib insecurity in the bud, the menace has refused to vamoose because of the involvement of some bad elements in our midst who are bent on destablishing the current government and by extension the country as a whole.

He called on President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR), the Vice President, Yemi Osibanjo (GCON) and the government to initiate a bill to the National Assembly to look into the issue and declare state of emergency on the situation immediately.

According to him, the lack of will on the government to do the needful has made those involved in the heinous crimes to continue without any fear or favour.

Ambassador Arigbabuwo noted with regret that no day passes across the country without any report of unnecessary killings and kidnapping which created the impression as if we don’t have a government, he added.

He expressed the fear that some people in the country are bent to cause religious war and we should all stand up to rebuke them.

“It has become necessary now than ever for the government to use the big stick on these set of people for peace to reign in the country”, he concluded.

Court stops FG RUGA programme in Benue From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

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Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, presided over by Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon yesterday declared the federal government policy, plan or proclamation to establish RUGA Settlement and cattle colonies in Benue State as unwarranted, unlawful and unconstitutional.

Delivering judgement in the suit filed by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Benue State, Barrister Michael Gusa against the Attorney General of the Federation, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Minister of Agriculture, Justice

Olajuwon declared that any move by the federal government to compulsorily acquire land for RUGA Settlement or cattle colony in Benue State without the approval of the Benue State government is null and void.

The judge therefore granted an order nullifying every action or decisions taken to establish RUGA Settlement or cattle colonies for herdsmen in Benue State.

Justice Olajuwon further issued an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Attorney General of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the Minister of Agriculture, their agents, privies, servants or whosoever from making any

attempt to hold, administer, use or allocate land in Benue State for RUGA Settlement, cattle colonies or any other purpose contrary to the 1999 constitution, the Land Use Act and the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017.

The judge held that by section 1 of the Land Use Act of 1978,ownership of land in any state of the federation is vested on the governor of the state,and only the governor has the right to grant statutory right of occupancy to any person.

Reacting to judgement, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Benue State, Barrister Michael Gusa

described it as sound, noting it is complies with rules and norms of democracy.

He said when Governor Samuel Ortom assumed office as governor, innocent people were killed by herdsmen as the Governor thus necessitating the enactment of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law as the solution to the killings and the global best practice in rearing cows.

He added that the policy of the federal government to establish RUGA settlement and cattle colonies came late, as the state already has the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017. .L-R: Convener, “Say No Campaign”, Mr. Ezenwa Nwagwu; Co-convener, “Say No Campaign”, Comrade Jaiye Gaskia and Coordinator African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, Mr. Chido Onumah, during the press conference organized by Say No Campaign and other Civil Society groups to address the various concerns raised on the released of 2017 audit report of MDAs from the office of the Auditor General of the federation, yesterday in Abuja .

Photo: Justin Imoowo

Police, Fire Service probe inferno in Anambra, Imo INEC offices

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

T

he Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, confirmed yesterday that it has reported the two fire incidents that were reported at its offices in Idemili North Local Government area in Anambra State and Orlu Local Government Area in Imo state

at the weekend to the Police and Fire Service in the respective states.

The Commission said that investigations are underway to determine the causes.

This was confirmed yesterday in a statement by Barr.

Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education

Committee in Abuja.

The Commission noted that although no life was lost in the two fire incidents, but that the extent of the damage is still being assessed.

According to the statement, “Two fire incidents were reported at INEC offices in Idemili North Local Government area in Anambra State and Orlu Local

Government Area in Imo state at the weekend.

“The Commission has reported the two incidents to the Police and Fire Service in the respective states and investigations are underway to determine the causes.

“Although, no life was lost, the extent of the damage is still being assessed”, it said.

Kano govt approves N4bn water project, others From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

K

ano State Executive Council has approved the release of N4, 332,407, 468, for the execution of various programmes/ projects.

The state Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba announced this while briefing newsmen in his office on the outcome of the council’s meeting, which held on Friday, January 31, 2020 at the Council Chambers, Government House, Kano.

He said the approvals are for the release of N2, 750, 400 billion

for the procurement of water treatment chemicals for potable water supply across the state, while the sum of N150, 000, 000 has also been approved as outstanding counterpart funds for Sanitation, Hygienic and Water Supply in Nigeria (SWAWN) II projects across the state in collaboration with EU and UNICEF. Malam Garba also explained that the sum of N26, 950, 000 has been okayed by the council for the conduct of General Household Survey of the state and the release of N89, 303, 734million for equipping and furnishing the upgraded Kafin

Mai-Yaki Cottage Hospital in Kiru local government areas.

The commissioner said that as the state sets to celebrate the year 2020 International Women’s Day, the council has given the approval for the release of N24, 750, 000 for the conduct of the programme and empowerment of 1, 500 women.

He also announced that the council has ratified several requests forwarded to the Governor for approval and subsequent release of funds for which provisional approvals were given as a result of the urgency and time constraints, pending the formation of the state

Executive Council.

The approvals include that of N441, 816, 140.05 million for the feeding of three boarding schools, activities of Bilingual College, Niamey, Niger Republic, repairs of 57 Girl Child Initiative Buses, acquisition of Islamiyya School owned by individual at GyadiGyadi/Ja’oji Quarters, selection of criteria for sponsorship of candidates for 2019 NECO/NBAIS SSCE Exams.

Other ratifications include N323, 413, 321.86 million approval for the provision of internet services, supply and installation of computers

and accessories, literacy training of staff of the ministry of education, construction of three classroom blocks, renovation of classrooms and toilets in some selected day and boarding secondary schools, as well as rehabilitation of staff quarters.

The rest are renovation of dilapidated structures within the premises of Mariri Orphanage School, upgrading and conversion to Science Technical School, general renovation GSS Sakarma in Kiru local government and additional fund to cater for the year 2019/2020 National Qur’anic Recitation Competition in Lagos.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

Page 9

News

Equip schools with e-teaching facilities, varsity don urges FG

By Usman Shuaibu

A

university lecturer at the University of Abu ja, Prof. The re sa O hi Odumuh, has called on the Federal Government to equip the institutions of higher learning as well as secondary schools with relevant technological e-teaching resources in order to enrich students’ instructional experiences.

He also charged the Government to give the necessary attention to the capacity building of English Language teachers in schools.

Odumuh, who made the call while presenting the 40th inaugural lecture of the University of Abuja with the theme “Teaching English as a Second Language: The Pedagogical Trends”, held at the Faculty of Management Sciences lecture Theater. She further urged the English Language teachers to deem it necessary to develop their capacity or knowledge in English Language.

Her words: “English Language teachers should endeavour to make learning English Language fun and eliminating psychological

fears of examination in the learners by granting them freedom to exercise their creative powers in communication through interactive and interesting activities.”

She said: “The culture of English as a Second Language teacher collaboration and sharing of professional experiences regarding classroom practices should be promoted within schools and beyond using professional learning communities”.

Odumuh, who is a Professor of Language Education, however, thanked the Almighty God and the management of the University for giving her an opportunity to present the inaugural lecture, noted that inaugural lecture is a unique day in the life of a scholar.

On his part, the Vice-chancellor of the University, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’allah, congratulated the Inaugural Lecture Committee for its unrelenting effort in making sure that they keep to the tradition of the inaugural lecture.

The inaugural lecture featured the presentation of plaque to the inaugural lecturer by the representative of the Vicechancellor.

Buhari, Johnson agree on new future for Commonwealth

By Lawrence Olaoye

W

ith the expected exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union having taken place, the stage is set for a new trade regime between the UK and its old partners as well as an alignment with new trading partners.

According to a statement made available to newsmen yesterday by his spokesman, Mallam Gatba Shehu, Buhari, understanding the inevitability of the situation, had stated earlier of the opportunities presented by Nigeria and indeed other nations of the Commonwealth in the emerging trade scenario occasioned by the Brexit.

‘It is therefore heart-warming that Prime Minister Boris Johnson also believes that indeed, a new dawn awaits the United Kingdom in its trade relationship with countries within the Commonwealth, Nigeria inclusive as reflected in his speech earlier Monday in

Greenwich.”

The President while writing on, A new case for a Commonwealth based on trade, on the eve of the ‘UK- Africa Investment Summit’ in London in January, had said: “I – like many other Commonwealth leaders – also seek a new settlement: not only of closer relations between the UK and my own nation, but of unleashing trade within the club in which we together shall remain.”

With a population of nearly 200 million made of largely of vibrant and energetic young men and women brimming with ideas, and being the largest economy in Africa, Nigeria looks forward to a trade engagement with the United Kingdom which will undoubtedly present for Nigeria and indeed the Commonwealth a mutually benefiting dawn.

Buhari is therefore optimistic that the forthcoming Commonwealth meeting in June promises to be one to look forward to by all participants.

3 killed, 14 injured in LagosIbadan Expressway accident

T

hree persons died while 14 others sustained injuries in an accident around Saapade area on the LagosIbadan Expressway on Monday.

The spokesman of the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirmed the incident to journalists in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.

Mr Akinbiyi said the accident, which occurred around 7:15am, involved a Mazda bus marked AKD 53 XN travelling from Ibadan to Lagos and a Ford bus marked RGB 490 XA travelling from Lagos to Ikire.

He said the accident occurred at a diversion area on the expressway where the vehicles collided due to speeding and reckless driving.

“The eyewitness account posited that the driver of the Ford bus coming from Lagos to Ikire was among the three dead victims while the other two were among the passengers in the Mazda bus,” the spokesman said.

Mr Akinbiyi said the three corpses were deposited at FOS Mortuary, Ipara.

He said the injured victims were taken to Victory Hospital, Ogere; State Hospital, Isara; and Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu.

He warned motorists to avoid excessive speed and reckless driving at diversion/ construction areas because of its attendant consequences.

Mr Akinbiyi urged them to keep to the 50km/h speed limit.(NAN)

February,

February,

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

PAGE 10

News Lagos Okada ban: Gridlock persists, commuters stranded, trek long distances I n spite of the ban and restriction of commercial motorcycles (Okada) and tricycles (Keke) by the Lagos State Government, the usual traffic congestion in the metropolis continued on Monday.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos reports that there was no significant difference in the traffic situation in the metropolis, compared to when the operators were not banned.

NAN reports that the gridlock along Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Agege Motor Road, Oshodi-Isolo and some other parts of the state continued.

The usual gridlock at IyanaIpaja, Iyana-Dopemu, Cement, Ile Zik, Ikeja Along, Bolade Oshodi, Under Bridge and other places persisted in spite of the ban and restriction of `Okada’ and `Keke’.

The corridors, which had been known for unrestrained operations of motorcycles and tricycles, were devoid of such operations from Iyana-Ipaja to Oshodi.

The security operatives comprising the Police, Anti-Robbery Squad, Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps and officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority were on the ground arresting the erring motorists.

Some of the officers chased commercial vehicles flouting traffic laws and regulations along the corridors.

Some of the operatives were armed while others held sticks to clamp down on recalcitrant motorcycle and tricycle operators and motorists.

A large number of commuters were stranded at Kola, Ile-Epo, Iyana-Ipaja, Iyana-Dopemu bus stops, seeking vehicles to convey them to their offices on the first working day after the ban and restriction.

While many were grumbling and complaining over the ban of Okada and Keke in most bus stops, some others resorted to trekking from Iyana-Ipaja to Ikeja and Oshodi.

A commuter, Mr Saheed Raheem, urged the state government to expedite action on the OshodiAbule Egba Bus Rapid Transit corridor to reduce the pains of people living in Alimosho.

Raheem said, “Things are no longer the same. Things are not easy for commuters, especially those of us living along this Lagos-Abeokuta

Expressway.

“I think the government should have waited until the inauguration of this our BRT here. It would have reduced the stress.

“When I couldn’t get a bus, I started trekking with others to Ikeja.”

Another commuter, who simply identified herself as Mummy Abigail, lamented that nursing mothers, who had to move their children to wherever they go, are facing tough times.

She pleaded with the Lagos State Government to put to use the BRT corridor on Oshodi-Abule Egba.

A trader at Oshodi, Mrs Tosin Adebayo, said the pains created by the ban were huge, urging the government to do more in reducing the plight of commuters.

At Onipanu, a retired civil servant, Mr Sayo Ogunsakin, described the ban as good in reducing `Okadarelated accidents’.

However, the ban in Surulere,

Lagos Mainland and Apapa Local Government Areas ended the usual crowding, loitering and lawlessness of motorcycle and tricycle riders at Costain Roundabout, Ijora, Apapa road, and Ojuelegba.

Some commuters were also seen trekking from Costain to Bode Thomas, Ijora and Oyingbo because of the non-availability of motorcycles and tricycles.

At Oshodi-Isolo Local Council Development Area, the ban and restriction had little or no effect on traffic situation between Oke-Afa and Iyana-Isolo as the usual gridlock persisted and many commuters resorted to trekking.

Also, the usual traffic congestion from Ikotun to Jakande Gate also persisted in spite of the ban.

NAN reports that the ApapaOshodi Expressway, especially from Cele to Mile 2 Bus Stops, known for unrestrained operations of motorcycles, was free on Monday

morning.

From Ikorodu-Mile 12-KetuOjota-Maryland-Onipanu-FadeyiOjuelegba-Barracks-Stadium-Alaka, Iponri to Costain, there was total compliance by motorcycles and tricycles and the usual gridlock was not there.

There was, however, shortage of commercial buses at most bus stops as some workers and students resorted to trekking to offices and schools.

Some people who spoke with NAN around Ojuelegba could not hide their anger, saying that they trekked from Idi Araba, Ijesha and other places in Surulere to Ojuelegba, Yaba, and other nearby places.

A mother of two, who simply identified herself as Mummy AbdulMojid, told NAN that she trekked with her children from Banire St. to Nathan St., Surulere, a long-distance, to take her children

to school, urging the government to look into the ban.

She said the total ban on motorcycles and tricycles in Surulere would affect a lot of people and students, urging the state government to rather restrict their operations.

A student of St Catherine Schools at Ojuelegba, Master Johnson Nwachukwu, told NAN that he trekked from Lawanson to Ojuelegba because he could not find a tricycle to pick him.

“Most of us are trekking to schools because motorcycles and tricycles have been banned in Surulere, where we reside,’’ he said.

The state government on February 1, commenced enforcement of the extant Transport Sector Reform Law 2018 banning operations of motorcycles and tricycles in some LGAs and LCDAs and restricted them

Burn fire at Ijora Olopa as commercial motorcyclists (a.k.a. Okada) and tricycle (a.k.a. Keke) riders protest ban of their operation, yesterda in Lagos. Lagos State Government had on Jan. 26 announced that it would commence the enforcement of the extant Transport Sector Reform Law. Photo: NAN

Power agreement: Follow due process, BEDC replies Edo govt

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

T

he management of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has advised Edo State government to follow due process in procuring Osiomo Power Plant in the State instead of pledging to call a snap by issuing executive order by fiat that can create pointless delay Mrs Funke Osibodu, the Managing Director of BEDC said this at a press Conference on Friday in Benin while reacting to the expiration of

48 hours ultimatum given to the organization and Ossiomo power plant to sign the bilateral agreement.

Osibodu who was represented

by Mr Abel Enechaziam, the Chief State Head of BEDC, accused the government of attempting to circumvent due process in line with the regulations governing the power value chain.

She said “let me use this opportunity to clear the air on the ultimatum given by the State government.

“BEDC has always be in the fore front of attending meetings

regarding the bilateral agreement we are about to sign with government and Osiomo Power Plant.

“We are in a regulated business and power have regulatory guidelines which we must follow.

“There were over 25 areas we had disagreement but we have allow the issues to go except two major ones that are critical before the agreement would be signed,” she said.

According to her, part of what we are saying is that the valuation of the lines to be used to convey power must be done through

open competitive and transparent tendering process.

“This is in line with the National Electricity Regulator Commission (NERC).

“And Osiomo does not want to start construction and Edo state is coming as an eligible customer we need to convey power to them through the osiomo who generates power.

“But because of the limited capital access that Discos have to spend for the year, whatever capital that is allowed affect the tariff of customers.

“It is a big project that is

capital intensive and we cannot use money met to repair network for consumers to go and construct a new project for someone else.”

Osibodu who displayed copies of the reply letter by the management of the copy sent to the government, noted that” We have ask them to appoint someone to work under the supervision of BEDC which they have refused,”.

Recall that the State government on January 29 gave BEDC and Ossiomo Power Plant 48 hours ultimatum to sign the bilateral agreement.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

PAGE 11

EDITORIAL

Find Nashan’s killers

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Nigerian radio said they found a message journalist, Maxwell Nashan had sent from his Nashan, has died cellphone saying his life was after he was found bound, in danger. Nashan’s relatives gagged and near death on a described evidence of a farmer’s field in Adamawa break-in at his home in the state. A newscaster with Lainde community, where government-owned Federal nothing but his computer Radio Corporation of Nigeria was missing.

(FRCN), he appeared to have been abducted from his We at Peoples Daily deplore home and hacked to death.

Nashan’s mindless killing.

Women who discovered This crime against a selfless Nashan in the profession that early hours of Jan. works only for 15 contacted the society’s ultimate Nigerian Security good must not and Civil Defense go unpunished.

The police in Corps personnel Nashan, as CPJ, the state have who rushed to the has said, “must scene but were not become just confirmed the unable to save crime killing but have another Nashan, who died yet to determine statistic, and shortly afterward investigators must whether it was tied consider whether in hospital. to Nashan’s work as his journalism was The police in the state a journalist. Donald the motive for his have confirmed the Didan, Adamawa killing.” According killing but have state chairman of to Angela Quintal, yet to determine CPJ‘s Africa whether it was tied the Nigeria Union p r o g r a m m e of Journalists to Nashan’s work coordinator, as a journalist. (NUJ), called on “Authorities in Donald Didan, the police to bring Nigeria must work Adamawa state to ensure the the killers, yet chairman of the safety of reporters, unidentified, to which Nigeria Union includes justice. of Journalists investigating acts (NUJ), called on of violence against the police to bring members of the the killers, yet unidentified, press.” It said, “At least five to justice. The New Yorkjournalists have been killed based Committee to Protect in relation to their work in Journalists has also asked Nigeria since 2010.” CPJ the Nigerian government ranks Nigeria 12th on its 2019 to conduct a thorough impunity index. This is a sad investigation into the commentary on our country, murder. but one well deserved. If we decided to shoot ourselves in Colleagues of Nashan, who the foot who was to blame? covered the Adamawa state House of Assembly and was We understand the police have preparing for his wedding arrested eight suspects in in the days leading up to the connection with the case. attack, told CPJ they were Good. But it must get to trial not aware of any threats and a sentence obtained. made against the journalist.

Only then will justice be seen Local police, however, to have been served.

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Letter to the Editor

Nigeria’s Multiple Reforms

By Musa Ilallah

I

t is not in doubt that the unprecedented achievements recorded in Nigeria since 2015 when President Muhammadu Buhari came on board are too numerous to mention.

These achievements are fully acknowledged by both Nigerians and non Nigerians which have put Nigeria as in a better position to build the strongest economy in the African continent.

Recently, a Middle East online newspaper’s reviews described President Muhammadu Buhari as better positioned to ‘build the strongest economy on the African continent with the ongoing multiple reforms in Nigeria’.

It is on record that President Buhari, as head of state, began to rebuild the country’s social, political and economic systems, along with the reality of austerity economic conditions.

Reconstruction included the removal or reduction of excesses in national spending, total elimination of corruption resulting from the country’s social ethics, or shift from primarily employing the public sector to self-employment.

Just recently, a Qatar based business news website, ‘Amwal’ said in an article titled, “During The ‘Buhari’ Era…Will Nigeria Become the Strongest Economy in Africa?,” noted that the president’s “integrity, and discipline, and his fame for strict measures against political corruption within the armed forces and civil institutions,’’ will fuel the effort to reverse the “oil curse’’, which had pervaded the continent since 1958.

According to Amwal’s review, Buhari had worked to diversify the multiple tributaries of the Nigerian economy through a number of measures including, ease of doing business that attracted foreign direct investments, FDI; reallocated resources; developed the structure of exports and imports by expanding manufacturing operations and exporting manufactured products, instead of continuing to export cheap and substandard materials.

It is heart warming to note that in its critical review of the multiple reforms of the PMB administration rejecting the proposal of the International Monetary Fund, IMF calling for the devaluation of the naira by 60 per cent, the medium observed that the president took a right decision to stimulate and buoy the hitherto dormant economy, including encouraging import substitution with local materials.

This also includes a shift in boosting agricultural production through the Anchor Borrowers

Programme where government is committing billions of Naira with a view to stopping importation of agricultural products.

“Today, Nigeria has a good economic situation. In July 2018, the IMF issued a list of the strongest African economies, in which Nigeria ranked first with a total of $376.3 billion of oil production annually, ahead of Saudi Arabia, whose oil production stands at the index of $349.3 billion dollars,’’ Amwal added.

The review also considered Nigeria’s 1.93 per cent Gross Domestic Product, GDP growth in 2018, and a 2.28 per cent growth in the fourth quarter of 2019.

For President Buhari and Nigerians, the year 2020 will remain one with a harvest of acknowledgements of the multiple and workable efforts PMB has put in place to improve the economy and consequently improve the living standards of Nigerians.

Also, a Bahrain based business news website, Al Watan Al Arabi, in its review of the economic fortunes of Nigeria under President Buhari titled ‘The Link Between Nigeria and the World,’ stated that “within 20 months as head of state in his first term in office, about 500 politicians, government officials and businessmen were under interrogation for corruption.’’

Some of the interrogated Nigerians were released after various sums of money were returned to the treasury under government’s ‘’plea bargaining’’ project.

Since his inauguration on May 29, 2015; President Buhari as Nigeria’s President had maintained a balanced foreign policy by making Africa as the centre piece of the country’s foreign policy.

For Nigeria, the multiple reforms embarked upon by the Buhari administration are working despite low revenue, security and fighting corruption challenges. PMB’s reforms span across agriculture, education, infrastructure like in the power, roads and rail sectors; health, security, economy and solid minerals among others.

According to the two news outlets, it is therefore not in doubt that the President’s integrity, fame and discipline for strict measures against political corruption within the armed forces and civil institutions, will fuel the effort to reverse the ‘’oil curse’’ which had pervaded the country since 1958.

Ilallah wrote in from EMEKA ANYAOKU STREET, ABUJA

PAGE 12

Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

Takeaways from FUNAAB 27th convocation

By Adewale Kupoluyi

T

he just-concluded 27th convocation ceremony of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State offers a unique opportunity to showcase its success story, ruminate over rough moments, and interact with key holders to chart a way forward for the 32-year-old university. The event was the second to be held after the sixth substantive ViceChancellor, the respected administrator and Professor of Soil Physics, Felix Kolawole Salako, assumed office.

At the event, the Visitor to the university, President Muhammadu Buhari, has reiterated the role of education as a tool for nation-building and development. President Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, charged stakeholders to fully deploy education towards addressing national needs and assured of his administration’s continuous support in funding, noting that the provision of job was not the sole responsibility of government. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Mohammed Nanono had highlighted the efforts of the Federal Government at improving the agricultural sector and reducing the nation’s overdependence on oil.

The minister observed that many challenges were facing the nation’s agricultural production such as inadequate mechanisation, and the relegation of research and development to the background. In the same vein, the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Rasheed has called on specialised universities to work closely with the industries, to mitigate unemployment problems facing the country. The Executive Secretary was represented by NUC Deputy Executive Secretary (Academics), Dr. Sulaimon Ramon-Yusuf.

FUNAAB Chancellor and Obong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Okon, Abasi Otu V, appealed to the Visitor, to restore the institution’s courses in the College of Management Sciences (COLMAS) that were delisted about three years ago, stating that the establishment of the College was for the diversification of academic courses in specialised

universities with the assurance to retain agriculture as the flagship programme in FUNAAB, having recognised the strong inter-relationship between agriculture and management, as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, Dr. Aboki Zhawa, assured that Council members would key into the President’s mission of fighting corruption and in the provision of quality education.

On his part, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Salako, admonished the graduates to uphold the institution’s core values of academic and moral excellence, and be good ambassadors. The well-attended convocation ceremony witnessed the conferment of Honorary Degree (Doctor of Science) on the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) and a former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Adewumi Adesina as well as the appointments of two Professors Emeriti, who were former vice-chancellors of FUNAAB; Prof.

Julius Okojie, immediate past Executive Secretary, NUC; and Prof. Israel Adu, National President, Nigerian Institute of Animal Science (NIAS).

The honorary awardee, a first-class graduate of agricultural economics at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), has won several local, international accolades and honorary awards. Dr. Adesina disclosed that agriculture remained the most important profession and business in the world that could guaranty food security. The President of AfDB advised the Federal Government to develop an integrated value chain, to make Nigeria more competitive in the food and agriculture industry, saying that the size of food and agriculture in Africa would rise to $1 trillion by 2030, as the population of Africa, now at 1.2 billion, would double to 2.5 billion by 2050, saying universities of agriculture were crucial in linking research, innovations, technologies, and that AfDB was spearheading efforts to Feed Africa by investing $25 billion over a 10-year-period.

As part of the 5-day convocation activities, there were Jumat and interdenominational church services, press conference, theatre performance, film show, commissioning of projects, and research and agricultural fair. The film, “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” was directed by the Nigerianborn British actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor

and screened by a Visiting Fellow to FUNAAB, Alagba ‘Tunde Kelani; while the Convocation Lecture titled, “The Beast Unburdened Once Again: Artificial Intelligence and Life More Abundant”, was delivered by the renowned scholar, journalist and novelist, Prof. Adebayo Williams, Executive Director, The Nation newspapers, under the Chairmanship of Prof. Ayoade Ogunkunle of the Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan, Oyo State.

Prof. Williams described the era of Artificial Intelligence as the most far-reaching in human, scientific and technological revolution, stressing that it had opened up an era of surplus and unprecedented prosperity and new possibilities for the human race by making life more abundant, by ensuring food security and safety. The don wants the graduating students to address the ‘imbalance’ between the dramatically expanding frontiers of knowledge in other societies unlike the contraction in Africa and tasked federal authorities to constitute a National Initiative for the Recovery of Intellectual Treasures (NIRIT) Board, to make the nation great again.

The Overall Best Graduating Student, Miss Odunayo Odunsi, of the Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, College of Environmental Resources Management (COLERM), stressed that the best investment that any society can make is the education of its young people and this should not basically be looked upon myopically as a ‘cost’. Rather, it should be seen as the best investment that any society can make. Miss Odunsi described FUNAAB as a place that is more than an academic learning ground for her, while appreciating the efforts of the FUNAAB Chapter, Nigerian Association of University Women (NAUW), under the leadership of Prof. Comfort Onifade of the Department of Communication and General Studies (COLAMRUD), for sponsoring her entrepreneurial training that helped her in alleviating her financial burden on campus. The eloquence of the University Orator, Prof. Christian Ikeobi of the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production (COLANIM), added flavour to the convocation that had a total of 3,226 graduates from various disciplines out of which 122 bagged first-

class honour degrees; and meticulously coordinated by the Registrar, Dr. ‘Bola Adekola.

In the final analysis, there is strong justification to heed the Visitor’s call that stakeholders should fully deploy education towards addressing national needs with the assurance of the government’s continued support for funding. In realising this, the Agriculture Minister’s call for the reduction of the nation’s overdependence on oil is equally apt while specialised universities work more closely with industries to address the perennial problem of unemployment, as canvassed by the NUC Executive Secretary. This makes the plea by the Chancellor that the College of Management Sciences should be restored because of the synergy between agriculture and management and in line with the Pro-Chancellor’s call for quality education.

No doubt, quality education coupled with the Vice-Chancellor’s admonition for FUNAAB graduates to uphold the institution’s core values of academic and moral excellence that would distinguish them as good ambassadors and the promise by the AfDB President, to invest $25 billion over a 10-year period to transform the continent’s agriculture, and the timely suggestion by the Convocation Lecturer that federal authorities should partner entrepreneurs in establishing centres and institutes for Artificial Intelligence, to bring about cutting edge innovations in the knowledge-industry would produce the needed tonic for our ivory towers.

Not only that, everybody should agree and indeed demonstrate that education is the best investment that any society can make through, as recommended by the Overall Best Graduating Student through the joint intervention of both government and non-governmental organisations like NAUW and many others and more importantly, by creating the convivial atmosphere of peace to reign, as advocated during the convocation Jumat and interdenominational church services. With these variables in place, just the like “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind”, FUNAAB and our citadels of learning, can truly make their desired outputs toward national development.

Kupoluyi writes from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

Likely impact of the Coronavirus on global economic activities

By Ololade Agboola

T

he outbreak of a new virus similar to the 2003 SARS(severe acute respiratory syndrome) virus has brought the society thus the world at large in a state of tension and uproar. While agencies saddled with health responsibilities have responded consciously to the threat posed by the virus which is inimical to human health, this virus has claimed over 300 lives and infected more than 14,000 globally mostly in Wuhan China where it was recorded to have originated from.

Needless to say, the virus might endanger our economic environment if it proliferates and grows in its mortality rate unless adequate measure are taken to combat the virus. The economic impact will depend very much on the behaviour of the virus, the propagation of its gospel and dissemination however if the virus retreats quickly the impact likely will be small.

It is noteworthy that there will be slowdown in imports and domestic activities due to the closure of borders among states and people staying at home due to lack of confidence and fear. Scott kennedy, a senior adviser and trustee in chinese business and economics at the centre for strategic and international studies opined that much of the potential impact of the virus depends on whether it is contained or it turns pandemic.

China, the world’s most populous nation has become integral to nearly every sector of the global economy. It is the world’s largest manufacturer and imports more crude oil than any other country. Chinese travelers are the top spenders in international tourism, making 150 million overseas trips worth $277 billion in 2018. And the country’s 1.3 billion population which provides the largest market in the world for several categories of consumer goods have whipsawed this week as traders struggle to price in the risk of the outbreak. Investors have moved their

money to safe havens like the U.S. dollar, the Japanese yen and gold. The prices of some commodities, including oil, have declined sharply over concerns that the virus and measures to contain it will lead to lower demand from China, according to Rabobank, a Dutch bank and financial services firm.

It is already apparent that the Wuhan coronavirus will hit tourism hard. Chinese authorities have announced a temporary ban on outbound group travel. Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and the Philippines have stopped accepting visitors from China’s Hubei province, and Russia and Mongolia have closed their borders with China.

Airlines across the world, from United Airlines to British Airways have cut flights to and from China or suspended them altogether.

Production for sectors from automobiles to technology is also likely to take a hit.

Several automakers have assembly plants in Wuhan, including General Motors and

Honda. Toyota Motor Corp. has halted its China production until Feb. 9 and Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, said the company is taking steps to “make up any expected production loss.”McKibbin says that a lot has changed since 2003 and that today many companies are dependent on Chinese production.“It’s actually hurting production chains.”

The statement made by US president Donald Trump in a speech at auto parts manufacturer in Warren, Michigan on Thursday in which he denounces that he believe the virus was under control has led us into a servitude of instinctual primitivism, while measures are being taken to eliminate the coronavirus humans should maintain a healthy and hygienic environment not restricted to trading alone but all aspects of human life.

Ololade Agboola is a 500l law student at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

PAGE 13

Comment

TI corruption index and Nigeria’s poor rating

By Michael Jegede

O

n January 23, 2020, Transparency International (TI), the well-respected global corruption watchdog, founded in 1993 and headquartered in Berlin, Germany, released its 2019 Corruption Perception Index (CPI), showing Nigeria as one of the countries that performed poorly and received low ratings.

Of the 180 countries surveyed and captured in the TI corruption assessment for 2019, Nigeria was ranked 146, moving two places down from 144 in 2018, with a total score of 26 points out of 100, falling by one point from the 27 it has maintained since 2017. Using the same scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean) in 2016, TI scored Nigeria 28. In 2015, the country got 26 points.

The year before that, it scored 27. In 2013, it scored 25 and 27 in 2012.

Nigeria’s score of 26 from the 2019 CPI is below the global average of 43. It is also less than the average score of 32 for the Sub-Saharan Africa, which is the lowest-scoring region on the index. Countries such as Rwanda (53), Namibia and Mauritius (52), Cape Verde (58), Senegal (45), Tunisia (43) South Africa (44), Botswana (61), Ghana (41), Sao Tome and Precipe (46) and Seychelles (66), the least corrupt on the African Continent, met the global average of 43.

The following African countries did not attain the global average score, but they are better ranked than Nigeria: Guinea, Togo, Mali and Liberia (29), Algeria, Cote D’Ivoire and Egypt (35), Zambia and Eswatini (34), Malawi and Gabon (31), Djibouti (30), Benin, Ghana and Morocco (41), Burkina Faso and Lesotho (40), Ethiopia, Gambia and Tanzania (37), Niger (32) and Sierra Leone (33). Nigeria however ranks above Chad (20), Equatorial Guinea (16), Zimbabwe and Madagascar (24), Cameroon, Central African Republic and Comoros (25), Eritrea (23), Guinea Bissau (18), South Sudan (12) and Somalia (9), the worst corrupt country in the world, ranking at 180th.

The latest CPI rating Nigeria as the fourth most corrupt nation in West Africa and 34th in the world, in the views of some observers, is a clear indication that contrary to the claim of President Muhammadu Buhari, no progress has been made in his declared war against corruption in 2015 upon assumption of office. Critics of Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are of the belief that the 2019 CPI has clearly shown that Buhari is only pretending to be fighting corruption.

For instance, the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), gladly accepted the TI Corruption Index and maintained that “It indeed speaks volume that the Buhari administration and the APC that came into power in 2015 on an anti-corruption mantra, has ended up becoming the most corrupt in the history of our dear nation.”

Expectedly, the report of Nigeria’s poor rating from the TI Corruption Index drew the anger of Nigerian authorities and supporters of Buhari’s government who are totally convinced that he has made significant headway in the fight to checkmate corruption in the country. President Buhari’s admirers wondered how Transparent International arrived at the discomforting placement of Nigeria in its 2019 CPI, in spite of the evidences of laudable feats recorded by the government

in reining in the monster.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in giving the position of the Federal Government, described the TI rating that Nigeria was doing worse in fighting corruption as incorrect.

Mohammed, who spoke in London when he featured on interview sessions with some international media outfits, maintained that the government would remain focused and not be distracted by the TI’s wrong assessment about Nigeria.

Hear him: “In any event, we are not fighting corruption because we want to impress any organisation.

We are fighting corruption because we believed that without fighting the menace, the much-sought development will not happen and we have results to show for fighting corruption. We have put in place policies and legislations that have tamed the monster called corruption.

“For instance, apart from the TSA (Treasury Single Account), which has saved us billions of naira, we put in place transparency portal which enables every Nigerian to see how much is being spent by the government every day. Under the transparency portal regulation, any expenditure above N5 billion must be reported and that gives every Nigerian the opportunity to know exactly what is going on. We will continue to fight corruption and we know that we are winning the war.”

Emphasizing that for the first time in the history of Nigeria, high profile people have been convicted of corruption charges, Mohammed added: “For those who say that the anti-corruption fight is selective, how do you say that when serving senators and past governors who were members of the ruling party are now serving jail terms?”

Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, dismissed the report, saying: “It is different from the reality that you have on the ground. The report is harsh on the government. It does not take due cognizance of the ground reality. In fairness to the TI that presented the report, they said themselves that it is not research-based.

So it is not fact-based but based on second-rate data – information collected here and there. In effect, anybody could put together this kind of report from press releases issued by opposition political parties.”

An Abuja-based contractor, Mr. Balogun Jephthah Olorunosebi, is among Nigerians in utter disagreement with the global anti-corruption watchdog on its rating that gave a dismal depiction of the country’s anticorruption efforts.

His words: “I honestly don’t think that Transparency International rating of Nigeria from its 2019 Corruption Perception Index is a true reflection of what is on ground in the country. Any ranking or rating of Nigeria showing worsening situation of corruption in the country under President Muhammadu Buhari cannot be said to be fair and objective.

“Whether we like to accept it or not, President Buhari has shown great commitment and determination to fight the cankerworm called corruption which has eaten deep into the fabrics of our system. No doubt, we still have corruption in the system. But, we cannot deny the fact that the Buhari-led administration has done so much in curbing the rate of corruption.

“The anti-corruption agencies that used to be dormant became very active upon the emergence of Buhari as President in 2015, as evident in the number of convictions they have recorded including high-profile cases and even in the recovery of looted assets as well the introduction and implementation of different policies that have greatly helped to block leakages through which funds were hitherto siphoned.

“Anyway, they call it Perception Index. And I want to believe that perception is not reality. In reality, the present government of Buhari has made noteworthy progress in the war against corruption. Therefore, it is important that Nigerians should continue to support the government to curb the menace of corruption. Let’s not get sidetracked by the so-called corruption index that does not mirror reality or bear the weight of reality.”

But, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Transparency International chapter in Nigeria, appears not to be surprised by the reactions from the Nigerian government and its supporters.

In a statement by its Executive Director, Auwal Rafsanjani, CISLAC said: “While the index does not show real incidences of corruption, it is a reliable indication of the perception of the Nigerian public and the international community about the state of corruption in the country. The index is 100% impartial, objective and globally well respected.

“The negative result from this year provokes tough questions. Despite the proclaimed war on corruption, why is Nigeria perceived by Nigerians and the international community still as very corrupt?

The government of Nigeria claims winning the war on corruption, but is this statement backed by evidence?

Instead of analytically discussing why Nigeria does not seem to be winning the war on corruption, the government and her supporters will spend taxpayers’ resources and precious time on denying the obvious.”

Explaining that the CPI aggregates data from different sources that provide perceptions by business community and country experts of the level of corruption in the public sector, CISLAC highlighted seven reasons why Nigeria’s anti-graft war is backsliding in global ranking. They are as follows: “1. Nigeria’s rule of law is selective; 2. The backlash against media and civil society damages Nigeria’s anti-corruption effort; 3.

Institutionalized corruption in political parties and political integrity; 4. Poor understanding of the definition of corruption and how to tackle it; 5. The anti-corruption legal and policy framework is underdeveloped; 6.

Inability to implement recommendations on anticorruption; 7. Corruption in vital sectors such as oil and gas and defence is endemic.”

A clergyman, Archbishop Emmanuel Ojo Powerson, faulted the TI in its report, saying that Nigeria is more corrupt than the rating of the agency.

Powerson, General Overseer of Family Restoration Ministries (International Holy Ghost Royal House of Restoration Churches) and the President, Emmanuel Powerson Outreach Ministry, said: “To be honest with you, I will say they are wrong in the sense that they don’t have the correct data. I have preached in 179 countries in the world, and to be honest with you, I am a Nigerian by birth; I lived here until I was 18 years old before I left the country. I have not seen a country as corrupt as Nigeria.

“From the moment you come out of the plane to the gateman of your house, everybody is expecting something from you. That statistic is wrong because I think Nigeria should be about 170 or 179 or even 180.

Egypt is like that too. Egypt is corrupt, while Nigeria is very very corrupt. To me personally, and unless we want to shy away from the truth, this country is extremely corrupt. The Transparency International needs to revisit the ranking.”

In the course of the debate over what yardstick was used by TI for its assessment and methodology applied in carrying out its research, a Civil Society Organisation, Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Financial Crimes Prevention (CFTFCP), opined that the time has come for Africa to have her own independent Corruption Index.

The CFTFCP Executive Director, Umar Yakubu, in a statement, said: “There is also no need to shy away from stating that corruption is still prevalent in some sectors of the economy. But we firmly believe that it’s high time to develop a Nigerian or an African Corruption Experience Index. The reason we argue for such is that with the current methodology used by Transparency International, most African countries will always rank low, thus misleading the public about efforts made by several governments in Africa but particularly Nigeria.

“Firstly, Transparency International insists on using a ‘perception methodology’ and draws data from about 13 foreign-based sources. These include the Bertelsmann Stiftung Sustainable Governance Indicators; Bertelsmann Stiftung Transformation Index, Economist Intelligence Unit Country Risk Service, and African Development Bank. Data is also drawn from World Economic Forum Executive Opinion Survey; Political and Economic Risk Consultancy Asian Intelligence; Global Insight Country Risk Ratings; and World Bank Country Policy and Institutional Assessment; and a few others. TI also admits that it collects information from businessmen and credible institutions, as well as in-house researchers and academic advisors.

“These sources are what are used to assess Nigeria.

It becomes difficult to convince any audience that you evaluate a country with indicators based on perceptions of people outside the country. If it is from the businessmen, what percentage are international businessmen compared to local ones in terms of transactions within Nigeria? Who does corruption hurt the most? TI is clear about its technical methodology; stating that it does not source for perceptions or experience of corruption by Nigerians! So how does the generated data support the ‘perception’ of corruption in Nigeria?”

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) argues that the responses from officials of government knocking TI was unnecessary and unhelpful, advising that the poor rating of the country should rather be seen as a wake-up call.

SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oludare, said: “The authorities should not simply dismiss the ranking.

Going forward, Nigerian authorities must embrace the recommendations by TI and set some benchmarks for anti-corruption improvements in the coming years.”

Michael Jegede, a media professional writes from Abuja

As the dust settles on tens of Brexit parties, the outside world watches and wonders: What happens now?

By Henry Morris

S

o to London, capital of what until Friday was the European colony of Great Britain. At 11pm local time, this former coal and pop-music producer declared independence and shook off the manacles of frictionless free trade with its close neighbours.

Many observers were concerned lest triumphalist Brexiteers should attempt to perform the ritual bonging of the totemic local clock Big Ben, and thereby infuriate the vanquished subsidy-bloated Europhiles.

But forecasts of violence were unfounded.

To the untrained eye, the nationalistic fervour that has gripped Britain was a reaction to decades of London-centrism, nostalgia for Imperial weights and measures, and concern about Polish men in Everlast tracksuits poaching carp from their silted-up waterways: a tinderbox that went up in smoke when revolutionaries Nigel “Spartacus” Farage and TV’s Dr David Bull executed a plan so masterful that not even they have ever been at liberty to fully explain what it was.

Up and down this former fishery, the dust is settling on the tens of Brexit parties that were held across the newly-liberated nation on Friday night.

After a night on the sparkling English pear wine, the insurgents appear to have gone back to ground

while the outside world watches and wonders: what happens next?

The dissidents’ chief demand was to “take back control”. While non-Brexiteers (or Remainers as they became sympathetically known) were too preoccupied with superfoods, Pilates timetables, and getting their kids into the right primary school to notice any lack of control, outsiders looked on awestruck as the Brexiteers managed to negotiate its return without one shot fired.

Linked to control has been sovereignty – a local shamanic tradition which rarely makes sense to outsiders unless they have fully experienced the altered state of consciousness that full exposure to common sense can bring. Restored sovereignty will now be redistributed in the form of cashback (after original Eurosceptic, Bill Cash). The European Super-state looks on with interest to see how the local yeomanry will respond; anecdotal reports suggest that some Leavers are living up to their name and taking theirs to Benidorm, but it seems likely that most will keep it where it is safest: in a Slazenger hold-all under the bed.

Boris Johnson has stepped into the power vacuum left by the 2016 insurrection. He has been flexing his diplomatic muscles by negotiating unrivalled post-Brexit trade deals. Emboldened, he has placed

a defiant Union Jack in the centre of the trade negotiation roundabout with the neighbouring rogue state, the United States, and invited Huawei to build the UK’s new 5G network.

The Huawei decision is seen locally as a masterful triple bluff that has thwarted Chinese ability to spy on Britons by letting them know that they know they are doing it. On the eve of crucial trade talks, the revolutionaries hope that this swagger will let US tribune Mike Pompeo know that they are not just war-weary soldiers, but a proud nation that has risen Phoenix-like from the bonfire of EU red tape. As of now, Britain can strike trade deals at will, subject to Chinese approval.

One of the biggest tests of the insurgency was the Irish border. Depending on who and where you are, this is also known as the English border in Ireland.

The depleted but triumphant British trawlermen who must now sail around it have made sure that the calamitous worldwide decline in fish stocks has been subordinated to their right to do the overfishing, and must now scan the horizon for reprisals from rogue European super trawlers. Do not doubt that if Brexit is to mean Brexit, the patriotic mariners will “cry ‘haddock!’ and let slip the dogs of war”.

In coming months, as the despised colonialists are bussed out of the country past the M20 Lorry Park,

the revolutionaries, from the ERG to UKIP, must come together and begin training the hundreds of thousands of care and medical workers who will soon be needed to fill the shortage in skills gap. They might also come up with a plan for the sheep farmers whose EU subsidies were the only thing between them and work as a barista; or indeed the Honda and JaguarLand Rover employees on shortened hours whose skills may just mean they now have to work behind enemy lines in the EU, to send us back the cars we need to keep our motorways jammed.

For the moment, calm prevails. While Britain continues to follow EU rules and will contribute to its budget for another year, the revolutionaries now feel free. Hence, while uncertainty still hangs in the air, the valour of the self-styled “Spartans” who engineered this David and Goliath victory can only be saluted.

While the patrinots were subsidising the poachedegg-and-avocado boom years, these soldiers of fortune inspired the nation’s patriotic heart with references to Magna Carta, straight bananas and daily Bomber Command flypasts over primary schools.

As these Arthurian knights wake from their sleep of victory and check their smartphones to see if they are still in control, all they are going to need now is a Huawei charger.

Henry Morris is an Int’l Affairs Analyst.

PAGE 14

NEWS Commission seeks pact with stakeholders to improve education From Gambo Ahmed Lafia

N

asarawa State chairman, Teachers’ Service Commission, Abdullahi Galadima has called on the key players in the education industry in the state to as a matter of concern work harmoniously through sharing of ideas, advice and identify possible corrections that will at the end promote the standard of education in the state for the benefit of the future generation.

Galadima who made the assertion while speaking with newsmen in Lafia the state capital, lamented that the standard of education is deteriorating and needed collective attention.

According to him,” Governor Sule has a vision and mission for the education sector in the state. I call on the key players to support his vision.

The gevernor always emphasized on ways to improve education which is one of his cardinal priority. Let us rally round him to achieve his vision and mission for the state.

Education and health sectors, are social responsibilities of individuals and government to give a desired attention I plead with the people of Nasarawa State to focus attention on education, no matter the challenges. we should not play politics with education and health sectors.”

He further appealed to teachers to always have passion for the profession by impacting knowledge positively to pupils and secondary school students in the state; lamenting that a lot of teachers don’t have the passion for the teaching profession as according to him” they on joined the teaching profession because of there are no Jobs.”

His words: A lot of them have no basic teaching qualifiaction to impact on students. They don’t have the basic principles and practice of education. In those days teachers were groomed with the basic techniques. Government at all levels should engage professional teachers.”

Galadima further assured that the commission is working assiduously with the ministry of education and SUBEB aimed at improving the system; calling on teachers in the state to breast up as well as have passion for the teaching profession.

“The commission has worked out ways of improving the living condition of teachers in the state.

Before now people say that the reward of teachers is in heaven.

Today teachers are reaping their reward here on Earth. Now salaries are paid simultaneously.

The grade levels are the same.

Teachers are treated equally like every civil servant in the state. Let us collectively accord priority to education by supporting the present administration of Engr Abdullahi Sule,” he maintained.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

Restore checks on luggage, Police tell schools, worship centers

T

he Kaduna State Police Command has advised schools, worship centers, markets, motor parks and other public places to resume checks on luggage at their entrance points.

The advice followed the arrest of a suspected suicide bomber,

Nathaniel Samuel, at Living Faith Church Sabon Tasha, Kaduna on Sunday.

The suspect was intercepted while the Church service was in session with some suspected Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) contained in a bag.

The Command Public Relations officer, Yakubu Sabo, in a press statement, said the measure was necessary to prevent any security breach.

He said the Commissioner of Police, Umar Muri, had directed all police officers to

intensify surveillance and to liaise with stakeholders within their respective jurisdictions to ensure collective vigilance.

He assured the people of adequate security, through proactive measures adopted by the Command, recently.(NAN)

R-L; Chairman Elders Forum, Alhaji Yusuf Usman presenting School uniform and books to an orphan, Amira Daiyabu while a committee member, Comrade Ibrahim Danfulani looks on during the distribution of uniforms and other educational materials

by Afaka Community to orphans and less privileged at Manado Kaduna at the weekend. Photo; BASHIR BELLO

Community holds prayer for Tambuwal over reelection, court victories From Raji Bello, Sokoto

R

esidents of Yabo Local Government Area of Sokoto State yesterday offered a special prayer for the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal’s reelection and Supreme Court victories.

The prayer session was conducted at the Community’s Central Jumma’t Mosque and well attended by Islamic clerics, community leaders, APC bigwigs as well as party supporters.

The Chief Imam, Alhaji Lemo Faruk Yabo who led other clerics expressed gratitude to God for making his victory at election

tribunal, Appeal and Supreme courts a success.

The clerics also prayed God to continue to guide and protect the governor in the discharge of his duties as well as grant continuous peace and stability to the state and country at large.

Speaking with journalists shortly, Deputy Speaker of Sokoto State House of Assembly, Hon. Abubakar Magaji, said Tambuwal’s leadership virtue exhibited since inception had earned him wider supports from people of the state, irrespective of their political affiliations.

Magaji also reiterated the House’s commitment for

harmonious relationship with the executive arm of government of the state.

“One of the support given to the State Executive led by His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal was the speedy passage into law, 2020 appropriation bill. That shows the harmonious relationship existing between executive and the legislative.” The lawmaker explained.

The Deputy Speaker assured that the expectations of electorates will be met by the present administration. He restated that citizens welfare had already been prioritised in this year’s budget, urging more supports and prayers

for the State Governor.

The lawmaker however commended the people of Yabo community for their prayers and supports to Tambuwal’s administration.

He reiterated that as lawmakers saddled with primary responsibility of making laws for good governance and peace, the House will not relent in offering adequate and affordable representative to the electorates.

Magaji however called on opposition in the state to embrace the olive branch offered by the Governor Tambuwal and join hands with him in moving the state forward.

Okada ban: FRSC cautions motorists against overloading

T

he Zone RS2 Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) comprising Ogun and Lagos Stats has advised motorists against overloading following the ban and restriction of commercial motorcycle (Okada) and Tricycle (Keke) in Lagos.

The Zonal Commanding Officer, Mr Samuel Obayemi, gave this caution an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday.

The zone RS2 Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) comprised Ogun and Lagos States.

Obayemi said officers of the corps would not close their eyes and watch motorists overloading their vehicles, especially commercial vehicles, for any reason.

According to him, overloading

remains an offence and that commuters should not allow themselves to be overloaded in a vehicle no matter the pressure.

“Now that the state government has banned and restricted the use of Okada and tricycles in major highways in Lagos, a lot of motorists will now want to overload their vehicles, flouting the law against overloading.

“We are saying that FRSC will not fold out hands and allow motorists to take laws into their hands.

“FRSC will not tolerate overloading as a result of the ban of motorcycles and tricycles on Lagos highways.

“It is an offence for you to overload your vehicle either with animals or people. Beginning

from today, we will emphasise that people don’t overload their vehicles,” Obayemi said.

The FRSC boss said that there were huge risk and danger in overloading a vehicle with goods, animals or human beings.

“The danger there is that if there is a crash, it will be more difficult to rescue victims when the vehicle is overloaded than when it is not.

“So, we are advising people not to allow themselves to even be the overloaded passengers,” Obayemi, FRSC Assistant Corps Marshal, said.

NAN recalls that the Lagos State Government on Jan. 26 announced that it would commence enforcement of the extant Transport Sector Reform

Law 2018 from Feb. 1.

The law banned the operation of motorcycles, popularly known as Okada, and Tricycles (Keke) in so e Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

They include Apapa LGA, Apapa Iganmu LCDA, Lagos Mainland LG, Yaba LCDA, Surulere LGA, Itire-Ikate and Coker-Aguda LCDAs and Ikeja LGA, Others are Onigbongbo and Ojodu LCDAs, Eti-Osa LGA, IkoyiObalende and Iru/Victoria Island LCDAs, Lagos Island LGA and Lagos Island East LCDA. The state government also listed highways, bridges and roads where the law also banned motorcycles and tricycles from operating in the state. (NAN)

PAGE 15

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

Hate Speech: Stakeholders spoil for war with Senate, threaten Bill sponsors As Reps dissociates self from ignoble Bill, joins Nigerians

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi and Musa Adamu

V

ehement oppositions from Nigerians were visited on two controversial bills before the Senate, both seeking to gag the freedom of expression by ordinary Nigerians, including the Internet Falsehood Manipulation Bill and Hate Speeches Bill.

This is even as sponsors of the Bills, Senators Sani Musa (APC Niger East) and Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC Niger North), were threatened by stakeholders to withdraw the bills from the Senate in the interest of peace.

Opposition against the bills came to the fore at the Town Hall meeting organised on them by African Independent Television (AIT) at the NAF Conference Centre.

Troubles slammed on the bills at the round table session after presentations

by their sponsors as virtually all the eight panelists were against the conception of the Bill in the first place.

The panelists of erudite freedom fighters ranging from the former Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Professor Chidi Odinkalu to the Chief Executive Officer, Connected Development (CODE), Hamzat Lawal, kicked against the two bills for allegedly being tailored at stiflingly the freedom of press and Speech contrary to what is enshrined in section 39 of the 1999 Constitution.

Specifically, Professor Odinkalu in his antagonism against the bills said neither the anti social media bill nor the Hate Speech bill will address the pervasive poverty and increasing wave of insecurity in the land.

According to him, it is ironic that the sponsors of the bills are from Niger State where innocent lives are being

lost on daily basis to uncontrolled and unchecked attacks from armed bandits without any bill in that direction.

“Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi who sponsored the Hate Speech bill spent 20 minutes on presentation without mentioning a provision, while Senator Mohammed Sani Musa laboured to convince us that the anti social bill is not meant to stifle freedom of speech which by all intents and purposes, is the case.

“Nigerians want bill that will facilitate improvement of their wellbeing and security of their lives and property.

“Extant laws abound on what the two bills are aiming at. What is the work of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), National Human Rights Commission etc, that will warrant establishment of National Commission for Prohibition of Hate Speech”, he queried Senators Sabi and Musa.

Hamzat Lawal in his own objection to the bills raised two posers on who

to decide hate speech or fake news. He said rather than wasting time and tax payers money on such bills, they should be discarded by the Sponsors, warning that if they refuse, ...”.

Threats against the bills and their sponsors worsened when discussions on them were extended to the audience in form of questions and answers, as virtually all who contributed rejected them out rightly.

Leading the pack in this category was the National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chris Iziguzo, who said the two bills were anti people, anti freedom of speech and against the media, saying the Bills would be prevented from seeing the light of day.

Others like Deji Adeyanju of Concerned Nigerians Group and Barrister Daniel Makido, also kicked against the bills during the questions and answers session.

Barrister Makido even presented a

judgement given by the ECOWAS Court in Abuja against the Hate Speech bill in November last year to the panelists.

According to him, since there is a subsisting judgement against the Hate Speech bill, it is Illegal for the Senate to continue entertaining the bill in form of consideration.

However, the sponsors of the bills at separate interviews with journalists after the town hall meeting, vowed to continue the push for their consideration and possible passage, saying “the bills are not about us but about unity and peaceful coexistence of Nigerians”.

The Town Hall meeting was declared open by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, who, apparently sensing catastrophe and violence against the Bill, quickly left the two senators who sponsored the Bills behind at the venue to defend it, but with the assurance that the senate will do what Nigerians decided at the town hall meeting.

INEC can’t contest S/Court rulings on Imo, others - Okoye

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

T

he Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has vowed to resist the invitation to be drawn into the debate on the propriety, correctness or otherwise of the decisions of the various Election Petitions Tribunals and the Courts.

The Commission made it pointedly clear that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) have clearly and comprehensively delineated the powers and areas of jurisdiction of various institutions of our democracy.

The Prof Mahmood Yakubuled INEC stated further that the decisions of courts and tribunal are final, stressing that the rule of law dictates that all authorities and persons give effect to them.

The Commission said these in a statement yesterday by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, VEP, Barr Festus Okoye in Abuja.

The statement explained that the Commission’s code of conduct ensures that all its staff remain nonpartisan in the discharge of their official duties.

“This is the only way they can maintain the delicate balance between all the contending political parties and candidates in the political process.

It declared that it is therefore unhelpful and counterproductive to profile senior staff of the Commission operating in any part of the country and paint them with

the brush of partisanship just to score political points.

Rather, the Commission made it abundantly clear that it will focus on its efforts and that of other institutions to bring about necessary reforms to give Nigerians comprehensive and robust electoral framework that will take care of perceived and identified flaws and lacunae in the electoral process.

The Commission thus enjoined political parties and candidates to develop the democratic spirit and assist it (the Commission) in the conduct of free and transparent elections.

It assured Nigerians that the it will remain focused and determined to continue with improvements in the electoral process and solidify the sovereign right of the Nigerian people to freely choose their representatives.

The statement reads, “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted general elections in 2019 to fill 1,558 positions.

“Arising from the conduct of the elections, some of the Political Parties and Candidates filed Petitions before the various Election Petitions Tribunals and Courts to ventilate their grievances and all the Petitions have been determined.

“For the records, a total of 807 post-election petitions were filed, out of which 582 were dismissed, 183 withdrawn by the petitioners and only 30 petitions, representing less than 2% of the total resulted in orders by the Tribunals and Courts to the Commission to rerun the elections.

L-R: Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, with Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, Alexey Shebarshin when the governor paid the envoy a courtesy visit at the Russian Embassy, yesterday in Abuja.

APC crisis: Obaseki orders IG to arrest Oshiomhole

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he Edo State Government has submitted a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, and Department of State Services (DSS) for the arrest of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Governor Godwin Obaseki-led government also wants the former Governor prosecuted by the security agencies for constantly disobeying the State government orders.

This was disclosed in Abuja on

Monday by the Deputy Governor of the state, Phillip Shuaibu.

The Deputy Governor, however, stated that the Edo ex-Governor is still his father, adding that their present differences did not change that fact.

Audit account: Reps give Peterside 48hrs to face panel

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he House of Representatives committee on Public Account has ordered the Director General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) boss, Hon Dakuku Peterside to appear before it within 48 hours over the inability of the agency to submit its audit accounts in the last four years.

The committee members are currently investigating the alleged deliberate and reckless refusal by non Treasury Funded Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) to render audited accounts to the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation, took the decision after the submission of the Director, Victor Onuzuruike, who

represented the NIMASA. The Committee described the explanations of the Director that the audited report for the period under review was ready but that it has not been approved by the Board of the Agency as unacceptable and after thought.

The members frowned at the attitude of the agency for failing to render the audited account for over four years and consequently directed the Clerk of the Committee to write to the NIMASA boss to appear before the it within 48 hours, failure of which warrant of arrest would be issued against him.

While expressing displeasure over the failure of some accounting officers of some of the invited MDAs to be at the hearing, the Chairman of the Committee, Wole Oke, lamented that the MDAs

stayed off despite the adequate notice in newspapers and invitation letters to that effect.

He said the refusal of the agencies to render their audited accounts not only violated the constitution, but a deliberate efforts to sabotage governance in the country.

While describing the statistics of violations as alarming, Oke noted that the development indicated an outright disregard for the constitution which he said is the grandnorm of the country.

He also warned the heads of the MDAs to stop hiding under the guise of absence of governing boards that would approve their audited accounts as reasons for not coming before the parliament with the documents, warning that the long arm of the law would catch up with them.

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

politics

Oshiomhole plotting state of emergency in Edo — APC

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

T

he All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday accused the national Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of plotting to cause a State of emergency in Edo State, following the recent violent attacks in some parts of the State.

The factional State Publicity Secretary of APC, Mr Joseph

Osagiede, disclosed this while addressing the Media at the party Secretariat in Benin City, the State Capital where he accused the former governor of leading dissident members of the party to threaten the peace and safety in the State.

“It appears Comrade Oshiomhole is hell-bent on pushing Edo State to the precipice with the intent of creating the impression that law and order

have effectively broken down in the State, so that a State of emergency will be declared by the authorities”.

He berated Oshiomhole for disregarding directives from the State government and other law enforcement agencies including the police and judiciary.

According to him, “The issues took another turn for the worst at the Weekend, when he along his lieutenant in the proscribed

Edo Peoples Movement (EPM) reported to the use of explosives and other dangerous weapons in some parts of the State, thereby endangering the lives of lawabiding Citizens.

He said the activities of the dissident group inclusion the factional Chairman of the Colonel David Imuse (Rted) who had been restrained by a Federal High court in Port Harcourt from parading himself as the State Chairman

L-R: Executive Director, Carmelite Prisoners’ Interest Organisation (CAPIO), Rev. Fr. Ambrose Ekeroku, Founding Director, Women Aid Collective (WACOL), Prof. Ngozi Ezeilo; Executive Director, Prisoner’s Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), Dr Uju Agomoh; and Executive Director, Women Information Network (WINET), Mrs Miriam Menkiti, during a news conference on the brutalisation of WACOL Legal Counsel, Ibangah Goodness by Nigeria Police men of the State Area Command, yesterday in Enugu.

Photo: NAN

of the party were pointer to the brigandage in the party, leading to the hospitalization of tens of Edo people and the destruction of property worth millions of Naira.

The factional Secretary alleged further that the national Chairman of the party in his egoistic style of operation orchestrated the State House of Assembly primaries to fix his stooges so as to impeach the governor along with the 14 Lawmakers-elect who are yet to be inaugurated in the 6th Assembly.

But, a Chieftain of Edo APC, Mr Samson Osagie who reacted on behalf of the national Chairman of the party, urged the State governor, Godwin Obaseki to stop the blame game.

He said the State government and itself are the ones responsible for the attacks and the public is aware of this.

“The State government has continued in error by seeking to put every blame on every other person, other than itself.

The truth of the matter is that I do not know how they decided to put logic on its head, as the Governor who is realtor the security of life and properties has decided to blame other persons rather than itself.

“He (Obaseki) has threatened time without number on violence over time and the state government is moving around to accuse those who are being attacked for being responsible for the attacks”, he said.

Reps threatens sanction on MDAs evading summon

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he House of Representatives yesterday vowed to sanction Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs of Federal Government over refusal to honour legislative summon in accordance with the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The Speaker, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila gave warning in Abuja while declaring open the public hearing organized by the House Committee Public Accounts (PAC), on

•To name, shame defaulting MDAs

the need to investigate the “deliberate and reckless refusal by non Treasury and Partially Funded Agencies to render their audited Accounts covering the period of 2014-2018 to the Auditor General of the federation.

Represented by Deputy Leader of the House, Rep Peter Akpatson, the Speaker stressed that henceforth it would no longer business as usual as the Ninth National Assembly would go all out to compel the defaulting MDAs to adhere strictly to the relevant

provisions of the constitution and statutes to account for public funds appropriated to them.

In his address, the Chairman of the Committee, Rep Wole Oke who lamented the lukewarm attitude of the MDAs in rendering accounts of the Funds allocated to the over the years rolled out the long list of the numbers of MDAs involved.

Oke disclosed that the Parliament would have no option than to publish the names of defaulting MDAs in the

pages of the National Dailies as a wake up call “The 9th Assembly is not a ‘Yes’ Assembly or ‘rubber stamp’ one, we will go all out to make all the MDAs to surrender accurate accounts appropriated to them over the years, it very disheartened when some Heads of the MDAs will dodging the Parliament when it comes to rendering of accounts, henceforth, it is not going be business as usual.

Peoples Daily reports that the

investigation was at the instance of the House, following a Motion moved and adopted by Hon Sa’ad Abdullahi representing Ningi / Warji Bauchi state who is the Deputy Chairman PAC. The defaulting Agencies who were not at the public hearing includes: Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN; Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS; National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA; Nigeria Post Office, NIPOST ; Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA; among others.

RCCG/CAN protest: Timi Frank says ICC awaits Buhari

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, on Monday, commended the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, for leading a “prayer walk” against the unabating insecurity in the country.

Timi Frank said the peaceful protest is a vote of no confidence already passed on the current administration of General Muhammadu Buhari, adding that All Progressives Congress (APC) has failed in all ramifications.

In a statement to newsmen on Monday, Frank said it will amount to a breach of agreement for

General Buhari to sack the current Service Chiefs because “the powers that be are directly benefiting from the corruption in the military.”

The former APC’s deputy spokesman urged the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) not to relent but to mobilize more Christian leaders to join the likes of Pastor Adeboye on the streets, as a “one-off protest is not enough.”

The Bayelsa-born political activist also lauded Sheik Gumi for speaking against the cluelessness of the APC and called on other Islamic leaders to join the fray, warning that the situation might get worse if religious leaders fail to speak.

“Nigerians must forget religious sentiments at this period.

Muslim and Christian leaders need to come together and speak

out loud because it is only in the atmosphere of peace that anybody can practice his or her religious faith,” he said.

Frank called on traditional rulers to join Christian and Muslim leaders to “tell the failed federal government led by Buhari to step aside if the administration cannot protect the people any longer.”

He insisted that despite the trillions of Naira allegedly expended on the military by the APC administration in the last four years, “the dreaded Boko Haram is still more vicious and appearing to be outwitting the Nigerian military.

“The Service Chiefs and the APC’s government under General Buhari will be questioned by the International Criminal

Court (ICC) one day to give an account of how these monies were mismanaged while Nigerians died avoidable deaths and untold hardship,” he said.

Frank, however, called on all the regional leaders to emulate the South-west by setting up security outfits capable of protecting their people instead of relying on the failing national security architecture.

“I call on my South-south leaders, South-east leaders, North-central, North-east, and North-west governors to urgently consider what they can do to protect the lives and properties of their people and not rely on the central government anymore,” he said.

On the recent U.S. visa ban on Nigerians, Frank said General

Buhari’s negligence and obvious corruption in the military which has left the insecurity to degenerate are responsible for the action.

He, however, called on the United States Government to review the ban in the interest of innocent Nigerians.

“I have to make it clear that Donald Trump’s administration does not hate Nigerians but it hates injustice, human rights abuse, non-adherence to the rule of law, lack of freedom of speech and all manners of impunity and corruption under the General Buhari-led government,” he said He also appealed to the international community to come to the aid of innocent Nigerians now confronted by unnecessary attacks and killings on a daily basis.

PAGE 17

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

politics

Ex-SDP Secretary, others defect to APC F

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

ormer National Organising Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Chief Emeka Atuma, has formally defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), along with his supporters.

Atuma, represented Ikwuano/ Umuahia Federal Constituency (2003-2007) on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, before moving to the SDP ahead of the 2019 general elections.

He announced his defection to APC at a ceremony in his country home in Ntalakwu Oboro, Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia.

According to him, he joined APC to be part of the struggle to transform the state.

He said: “I am elated to join men and women of like minds, who are desirous to see Abia on the wings of development because our state is backward.

“It is not by mistake that we are here today. We are here to form a force that will bring positive change in Abia,” adding that he realised that the change could only come through APC. Atuma paid tribute to leaders of the party in the state, especially Sen. Chris Adighije, Chief Chima Ugboajah, former Chairman of Ikwuano, and Chief Donatus Nwankpa, the state Chairman of APC, saying that they were instrumental to his joining the party.

“If they desired that I be part of the force to achieve the desired

change in Abia, I have no choice than to concede to the pressure,” he said.

He said that he was further persuaded to join APC because of the anti-corruption stance of President Muhammadu Buhari and visible infrastructure development across the country.

In a speech, Ugboajah described Atuma’s defection to APC as a great feat for the local government area and Abia.

He said, “Today is a great day for Ikwuano, Abia and entire Nigeria.

It is not easy for great men to leave their comfort zone to join APC.” Ugboajah, who was the DirectorGeneral of Uche Ogah Governorship Campaign Organisation in 2019, regretted the party’s loss at the poll but assured the people that “in

2023, we shall recover what we lost.”

He said that the massive infrastructure deficit and underdevelopment of the state under the PDP administration called for all prominent Abia citizens to join the struggle to deliver the state from PDP. “Abia is the worst state in Nigeria today. If you travel to Ebonyi (which was created five years after Abia) you will weep because of the huge infrastructure decay and insecurity in Abia.

“What is happening in Abia is not tolerable to us and it is unacceptable to us.

“Eminent sons and daughters of Abia at home and in diaspora have said that they are no longer comfortable with the situation and have resolved to come together to

Uzodinma lying to protect his illegitimate govt — Ihedioha

Fayemi appoints first female head of service in Ekiti

T

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, has appointed Morenike Babafemi as the new head of service in the state’s civil service.

Babafemi, who has had a stint as acting head of service, before proceeding on an overseas training program last year, was, until the new appointment, a visiting research fellow at the African Leadership Centre, School of Global Affairs, King’s College, London, United Kingdom.

In a statement Monday, her appointment as head of service takes effect from Monday, February 10.

According to the statement, signed by the chief press secretary to the governor, Yinka Oyebode, she is to take over from Ayodeji Ajayi, who will retire from the civil service on February 9, 2020, having attained the mandatory retirement age.

Meanwhile, Fayemi has commended Ajayi for his diligence and professionalism, which has helped in repositioning the state’s civil service for effective service delivery.

Babafemi, is the first female to be appointed substantive head of service since the creation of Ekiti State on October 1, 1996.

She started her career as an administrative officer with the old Ondo State civil service on June 30, 1987.

She rose through the ranks to become a permanent secretary in October 2009 and has served as Permanent Secretary in several ministries including Ministry of Women Affairs; Ministry of Local Government; and the Cabinet and Special Services Department.

The new head of service is to be sworn in on Monday, February 10.

rebuild the state.

“It is embarrassing, PDP has failed woefully in Abia and I can assure you that in 2023, no matter what they do, we will recover the state.”

Also, the state party chairman said that the ceremony marks the launch of “Operation deliver Abia “Abia must be free in our time and a member of the comity of developed states in the federation.

“We know that with somebody as Atuma in APC, we are going to liberate Abia,” Nwankpa said.

The event was attended by members of the APC state working committee, local government chairmen and a former state Chairman of SDP, Chief Chidi Nwosu, who returned to APC, shortly after the 2019 polls.

Plateau State Polio Representative, Rotary Club of Nigeria, Tognan Dada-Bawa (L) presenting Rotary Vocational Service Award to Rev Fr Augustine Ndu and President, Rotary Club of Naraguta, Dr Ayodele Adewole (right) during the vocational award ceremony by the Rotary Club of Naraguta, yesterday in Jos. Photo: NAN

Oyo LG Leadership Crisis: Caretaker committees return to office

S

ix days after the state high court restrained the elected chairpersons from returning to their local government secretariats by force, caretaker committee chairpersons on Monday returned to the offices.

The chairpersons were elected under former Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, but were sacked in May last year by Governor Seyi Makinde who in December appointed caretaker committees to run the 68 councils in the state.

The resumption of the caretaker committees followed a court injunction obtained by the state government, restraining the Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar, Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and the

local government chairpersons from taking over the council secretariats by force.

The chairpersons had earlier last week Monday resumed, eight months after Mr Makinde sent them home.

But the state high court in Ibadan, on Tuesday, granted the injuction.

At a meeting with the caretaker chairpersons last week, Mr Makinde said his administration did not meet any elected local government official in office. He urged the caretakers to return to their various local government areas.

Those who resumed include the caretaker chairpersons for Oluyole, Iseyin, Oorelope, Saki and Aare Latosa LCDA. The caretaker chairperson

for Oluyole, Olaide Settle, while addressing his supporters, advised the residents to shun hooliganism and join hands with Governor Makinde for the progress of the state.

He told the gathering that members of NULGE would return to work as soon as normalcy returns to the secretariats.

Settle was accompanied to his office by a member of the State House of Assembly for Oluyole State Constituency, Francis Adetunji, and other leaders of the PDP in the area.

The caretaker chairperson for Aare Latosa LCDA, Kazeem Oshoniyi, told Premium Times that all the caretaker chairpersons had resumed.

“We have resumed. All of us have resumed today,” he said.

he immediate past governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, has accused his successor, Hope Uzodinma, of telling lies against him in order to continue as the governor of the state.

Ihedioha, in a statement by his media aide, Chibuike Onyeukwu, said Uzodinma was taking credit for the projects of the former governor.

The ex-governor insisted that the Supreme Court judgment, which declared Uzodinma as the duly elected governor of the state, was faulty.

He alleged that Uzodinma was trying to ambush the Supreme Court by saying the time had elapsed for the apex court to review the judgment which sacked Ihedioha and simultaneously declared his successor as the duly elected governor of the state on January 14.

Ihedioha said, “We wish to inform the general public that all the claims made by the senator (Uzodinma) concerning the Supreme Court judgment, the matters arising from it, restoration of pipe-borne water and electricity, as well as payment of all outstanding salaries owed Imo workers, are blatant lies and deliberate distortion of facts, aimed at currying legitimacy.

“It is however not surprising to us that Senator Uzodinma has resorted to telling lies to the people of Imo and Nigerians on the true state of affairs in Imo State.

“Firstly, we bear no grudge on his statement that the Supreme Court cannot review its January 14, 2020 judgment. That is the extent he knows, in order to sustain his deception and illegitimate government.”

Protests rock Benue PDP over LG chairmanship endorsement

A

head of the local government election slated for March 2020 in Benue State, a group, the aegis of Concerned Members of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Otukpo Local Government Area, has protested the purported endorsement of George Alli by the state caucus of the party.

Alli, who is contesting the

chairmanship of Otukpo with three other aspirants in the area, was allegedly endorsed by the caucus against the wishes of the other LGA party members.

The aspirant, who is the Caretaker Chairman of the Otukpo Local Government, was allegedly endorsed by the PDP caucus of the LGA as aired on a local radio

station, Joy FM. However, the concerned members, in a joint statement signed by Mr Owoicho Abel, Mr Patrick Ogbole and Inalegwu Ogebe, described the endorsement as a sham.

The aggrieved PDP members, who were accompanied by a large number of protesters to the state

PDP secretariat, were rebuffed by some youths that stopped them from entering the party office.

When contacted, the state PDP chairman, John Ngbede, said, “I was not in the office on Friday and so, no protest letter was given to me in respect of anybody’s consensus candidature. On that note, I can’t comment on anything not yet seen.”

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

Page 19

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

Stock Watch: Monday, February 3, 2020 Low

OPEN Volume Close High

4.80 1.15 0 2.94 1.94 0 1.27 0.27 0 1.64 0.64 0 6.60 4.60 0 57.00 48.30 0 5.79 2.21 0 9.65 40.05 0 31.50 64.00 0 1.90 1.92 0 18.45 18.45 0 1.72 1.84 0 23.25 23.25 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.20 0.20 0 6.10 6.10 0 1.75 1.75 0 186.00 186.00 0 6.00 6.65 0 14.60 14.55 0 1.80 2.00 0 3.37 3.37 0 4.30 4.70 0 14.00 14.00 0 7.35 7.80 0 1.62 1.65 0 1.91 1.96 0 4.95 4.95 99 0.33 0.33 0 21.85 21.85 0 29.60 30.70 0 0.20 0.20 0 12.20 13.05 0 32.60 32.95 0 72.00 72.00 0 1.18 1.18 0 1.53 1.53 0 31.50 31.50 0 0.51 0.54 0 0.20 0.20 0 23.25 23.25 0 0.44 0.44 0 0.30 0.30 0 1.36 1.36 0 0.72 0.72 0 0.52 0.49 0 1.83 1.83 0 2.45 2.45 0

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3.80 6.00 ACCESS -0.35 1.94 3.94 AFRIPRUD 0.00 1.27 0.27 AGLEVENT 0.00 1.64 0.64 AIICO 0.00 4.60 8.60 BERGER 0.00 37.00 67.00 BETAGLAS -1.30 6.79 3.79 BOCGAS -0.42 4.65 10.05 CADBURY -0.40 71.50 31.50 CAP -2.50 0.90 1.90 CAVERTON -0.02 08.45 18.45 CCNN 0.00 0.72 1.72 CHAMPION -0.12 23.25 23.25 CONOIL 0.00 0.20 0.20 CORNERST 0.00 0.20 0.20 COURTVILLE 0.00 6.10 6.10 CUSTODIAN 0.00 1.75 1.75 CUTIX 0.00 186.00 186.00 DANGCEM 0.00 6.00 6.25 DANGFLOUR -0.65 14.60 14.60 DANGSUGAR 0.05 1.80 2.00 DIAMONDBNK -0.20 3.37 3.37 EKOCORP 0.00 4.30 4.30 ETERNA -0.40 14.00 14.00 ETI 0.00 7.45 7.60 FBNH -0.35 1.62 1.67 FCMB -0.03 1.92 1.98 FIDELITYBK -0.04 4.95 4.95 FIDSON 0.00 0.33 0.33 FIRSTALUM 0.00 21.85 21.85 FLOURMILL 0.00 29.60 29.60 FO -1.10 0.20 0.20 FTNCOCOA 0.00 12.20 12.20 GLAXOSMITH -0.85 33.50 33.50 GUARANTY 0.55 72.00 72.00 GUINNESS 0.00 1.18 1.18 HONYFLOUR 0.00 1.53 1.53 IKEJAHOTEL 0.00 31.50 31.50 INTBREW 0.00 0.53 0.53 JAIZBANK -0.01 0.20 0.21 JAPAULOIL 0.00 23.25 23.25 JBERGER 0.00 0.44 0.44 JOHNHOLT 0.00 0.30 0.30 LASACO 0.00 1.36 1.36 LEARNAFRCA 0.00 0.72 0.72 LINKASSURE 0.00 0.52 0.52 LIVESTOCK 0.03 1.83 1.83 MANSARD 0.00 2.45 2.45 MAYBAKER 0.00

Stock Close Gain UPL 2.04 0.01 LIVESTOCK 0.22 0.04 SOVRENINS 0.12 0.11 OKOMUOIL 06.00 0.50 GUARANTY 13.50 0.15

Low 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

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0.21 0.21 0 0.21 0.21 MBENEFIT 0.00 0 0.63 0.43 0 0.43 0.43 MCNICHOLS 0.00 0 1.15 2.05 261 2.05 2.05 MEDVIEWAIR 0.00 0 24.80 184.80 0 184.80 184.80 MOBIL 0.00 0 1.20 0.20 970 0.20 0.20 MULTIVERSE 0.00 0 6.50 3.50 0 3.50 3.50 NAHCO 0.00 0 12.00 18.00 0 18.00 18.00 NASCON 0.00 0 68.50 78.70 0 79.50 79.50 NB 0.80 0 1.78 0.78 0 0.78 0.78 NEIMETH 0.00 0 1.60 2.60 0 2.60 2.60 NEM 0.00 0 52.20 552.20 150 552.20 552.20 NESF 0.00 0 1,475.00 1,475.00 0 1,475.00 1,475.00 NESTLE 0.00 0 1.60 1.65 0 1.60 1.60 NPFMCRFBK -0.05 0 4.60 4.80 0 4.60 4.75 OANDO -0.20 0 80.00 76.20 0 80.00 80.00 OKOMUOIL 3.80 0 64.00 64.00 0 64.00 64.00 PRESCO 0.00 0 0.50 0.50 0 0.50 0.50 PRESTIGE 0.00 0 12.30 12.30 0 12.30 12.30 PZ 0.00 0 4.20 4.20 0 4.20 4.20 REDSTAREX 0.00 0 0.20 0.21 0 0.20 0.21 REGALINS -0.01 0 0.50 0.50 0 0.50 0.50 RESORTSAL 0.00 0 0.21 0.23 0 0.21 0.22 ROYALEX -0.02 0 640.00 640.00 405 640.00 640.00 SEPLAT 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.21 0.21 SOVRENINS 0.01 0 46.50 46.00 0 46.50 46.50 STANBIC 0.50 0 102.00 102.00 122 102.00 102.00 STANBICETF30 0.00 0 1.97 1.96 0 1.97 1.97 STERLNBANK 0.01 0 203.00 203.00 0 203.00 203.00 TOTAL 0.00 0 6.10 6.10 632 6.10 6.10 TRANSCOHOT 0.00 0 1.15 1.21 0 1.16 1.18 TRANSCORP -0.05 0 9.60 9.60 0 9.60 9.60 UACN 0.00 0 1.74 1.92 0 1.74 1.74 UAC-PROP -0.18 0 7.60 7.80 0 7.90 7.95 UBA 0.10 0 6.00 6.05 0 6.00 6.05 UBN -0.05 0 2.89 2.94 0 2.89 2.91 UCAP -0.05 0 36.30 37.00 0 36.30 36.30 UNILEVER -0.70 0 0.27 0.27 0 0.27 0.27 UNIONDAC 0.00 0 1.00 0.99 0 1.00 1.00 UNITYBNK 0.01 0 2.04 1.97 0 2.14 2.14 UPL 0.17 0 0.23 0.23 0 0.23 0.23 VERITASKAP 0.00 0 4.50 4.99 0 4.50 4.50 VITAFOAM -0.49 0 11.30 11.50 0 11.30 11.65 WAPCO -0.20 0 0.40 0.40 0 0.40 0.40 WAPIC 0.00 0 0.59 0.61 0 0.59 0.61 WEMABANK -0.02 0 21.20 22.70 0 21.70 22.50 ZENITHBANK -1.00 0 Copyright © 2019 NgTradeOnline

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SON, NSCDC partner to combat substandard products in Anambra

By Miriam Humbe

T

he Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Anambra State command, have resolved to partner towards combating the menace of substandard products in the state.

This resolution was made

during a courtesy visit of the Anambra State Coordinator of SON, Engr Olalekan Omoniyi to the NSCDC State Commandant, Mr. David Bille in Awka recently.

The SON Coordinator said the visit was necessitated by the need for the two agencies to sustain the existing relationship towards getting rid of fake and substandard products in the

State, protecting the consumers and promoting quality with a view to developing the State economy.

Engr. Omoniyi acknowledged the invaluable support of the Command to his predecessors and sought for greater collaboration in the collective interest of the State and its citizens.

He appealed to the NSCDC

to assist SON with intelligence reports from all the local governments in view of its wide presence towards getting to the source and root of substandard and life-endangering products across the state.

Responding, Mr. Bille, expressed the NSCDC appreciation of the enforcement and compliance roles being

played by SON in quality control and verification of products and promised to improve on the partnership for greater effect.

He said SON actions have in no small measure reduced the spread of substandard products in the state and the country, thereby improving the quality and standards of goods that Nigerians consume.

Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, and a team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) led by Senior Economist (Communications Department), Maurice Soto, (both middle) after a consultation exercise on Nigeria/IMF Article IV in the minister’s office, yesterday in Abuja

NASCON benefits from Increased Capacity as Assets hit N34.94bn

By Etuka Sunday

A

major player in the Consumer Goods sector, NASCON Allied Industries, recorded an increase in its total assets while maintaining an enhanced installed capapcity, according to an unaudited fourth quarter results released on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

The unaudited fourth quarter report of the company as of December 31, 2019 showed that the total assets rose to N34.94 billion from N30.27 billion in the corresponding period of the preceding year, while revenue also rose to N27.58 billion compared to N25.65 billion from the previous year.

In a move that analysts at Cordos Securities described as targeting more market share in the food sector through increased product range and innovation, the company recently increased its installed production capacity to 567,000 metric tonnes per annum from its Apapa, Port Harcourt and Oregun plants.

While the Apapa refinery, located in the Apapa Port of Lagos, has an installed capacity of 275,000 metric tonnes per annum; the Port Harcourt refinery located in the seaport in Rivers State has an installed capacity of 210,000 metric tonnes per annum, and the Oregun plant’s installed capacity stands at 82,000 metric tonnes of salt per annum.

Managing Director, NASCON, Paul Farrer said the company, which has demonstrated resilience in the challenging environment, is strongly focused on capacity growth and increased market penetration. He disclosed that the company would be leveraging on a number of synergies including improved output in terms of quality, quantity, and business efficiency to deliver value for all stakeholders.

On the new products, he said, “…we launched the Dangote Stew Mix, Dangote Curry, and Dangote Classic seasoning. These three products are part of a wider product enrichment plan to diversify our product portfolio.

The products were specifically

developed to meet and surpass the needs of our consumers across the country. Each of these products has been tailored to suit the local taste and cooking habits of the different regions in Nigeria. We would continue to differentiate ourselves in our product category by consistently delivering high quality, nutritious products.”

Farrer, said the company made a strategic decision in 2011 to grow through new product lines and changed its name to NASCON Allied Industries in 2014 from National Salt Company of Nigeria to reflect its new positioning. “We took advantage of our existing site in Ota and construction activities commenced in 2012.

We commissioned the Seasoning plant in 2014 with an installed capacity of 5,016 metric tonnes per annum as of 2018. The Tomato Paste packaging plant, which is designed to produce and package Tomato Paste from tomato concentrate was commissioned in 2015 with an installed capacity of 37,440 metric tonnes. The Vegetable Oil

refinery was commissioned in 2015 and can produce 156,000 metric tonnes of refined vegetable oil from crude palm oil”, he added.

He stated that the company has the mandate to continue to introduce more products to meet the growing needs of consumers in Nigeria. “In 2018 we launched the Dangote Stew Mix, Dangote Curry and Dangote Classic Seasoning.

These three products are part of a wider product enrichment plan to diversify our product portfolio.

The products were specifically developed to meet and surpass the needs of our consumers across the country. Each of these products has been tailored to suit the local taste and cooking habits of the different regions in Nigeria.

We would continue to ensure that we differentiate ourselves in our product categories by consistently delivering high quality, nutritious products”, he added.

He disclosed that the company’s investment focus in the coming years would be dedicated towards offering consumers premium products in

all its segments, which include positioning new seasoning products to provide an assortment of savory taste experiences with regionalized flavors.

Dwelling on the various products from NASCON’s portfolio, Farrer explained: “Our Seasoning is presently available in chicken and beef flavour variants.

We have expanded our offerings inline with consumer needs, with the new Classic Seasoning cubes, Stew Mix and Curry powder.

He said the company remains positive about its business and will retain its focus on implementing a sustainable expansion strategy.

“During the year, we would continue to drive new seasoning products, whilst constantly engaging our stakeholders. In respect of our core salt business, we are excited about our significant investment in expanding our refined capacity while leveraging on our brand dominance. This capacity would be focused on driving volumes in both the sachet and corporate segments of the market”, he added.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

Page 20

BUSINESS

Deploy ICT to contain insurgency, NCC boss urges FG

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, has said that Nigeria must leverage and appropriately deploy telecoms and ICT resources in the fight against insurgency and to contain other emergencies.

He affirmed that empirical knowledge of what ICTs can do in tackling numerous challenges explained Commission’s insistence on compliance by all stakeholders to the guidelines governing SIM registration, and why NCC had been upbeat in getting the Emergency Communication Centres (ECCs) ready all over the country as directed by the Federal Government.

Prof. Danbatta stated this yesterday (29/01/20) at the Conference Room of NCC Head Office, at the induction of the Commission to the membership of Forum of Spokespersons of Security and Response Agencies (FOSSRA).

Bassey Uket, a Principal Manager at the Commission’s Special Duties Department was NCC’s representative

at the Forum.

Danbatta recalled the collaboration between NCC and the security and other emergency response agencies especially at the ECCs and suggest that many of the multi-faceted challenges can be addressed with scaling up the degree of deployment of electronic strategies.

To underscore the imperative of electronic and digital communication systems in managing the nation’s security challenges, Danbatta stated that “as we are addressing the situation in one part of the country, you find escalation in another part of the country”. Danbatta gave example of the 112 Emergency Communication Numbers, which are routed to the ECCs, as “a practical implementation of a security system that is bringing succour to citizens in distress”. The NCC Chief Executive added that he was gratified that there is an increasing “interface between citizens who are in distressed security situation and virtually all security and other emergency response agencies connected to it”.

Danbatta described the ECCs as a well-conceived project. It is a project

that has enhanced the capacity of agencies in the security governance sector to manage crises. He informed the audience that the Centres are wellequipped to address the purpose for which they were established.

He said 18 of the Centres, which are located in state capitals, have been completed and he assured that with the support of the Federal Government, “we are not going to stop. We would like to express our commitment to continue with the remaining 18. We would not rest on our oars until all other 18 are fully functional because the ECCs have started attracting attention” and are quite central to the management of security in the country.

He emphasized that the ECCs have become a success story today because of the commitment of the Federal Government and the culture of dedication to continuity of strategic national projects by successive leadership of the Commission.

Earlier, Oluwatoyin Asaju, Director Special Duties at NCC, said FOSSRA, which was established 6 years ago

by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), has performed well in coordinating public information activities of security and emergency response agencies and has helped to improve inter-agency collaboration.

He said the induction of NCC into the forum is a testimony to the Commission’s strides in this regard and also the visionary leadership of the Prof. Danbatta.

He recalled the nature of operation and kind of facilities at the ECCs and urged Nigerians to use the Toll-Free 3-Digit Emergency Communication Numbers 112 to get help in times of security challenges.

Brigadier Onyema Nwachukwu, Director, Defence Information and Chairman of FOSSRA, told the participants at the meeting that crisis is not peculiar to Nigeria and the present escalating trend speaks to emergent global culture where non-state actors resort to violence to express grievances.

He said agencies in the security sector are working all-round-theclock to improve the nation’s security situation. The FOSSRA’s role according

L R Oluwatoyin Asaju, Director Special Duties Nigerian Communications commission NCC, Tatiana Kurakova, International Telecommunication Union ITU, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof, Umar Garba Danbatta Executive Vice Chairman/CEO Nigerian Communications Commission NCC, Mr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director General National Information Technology Development Agency NITDA, Mr. Simeon Bugaba, Chairman SG13 Regional Group for Africa during the ITU Study Group 13 Regional Group for Africa yesterday at Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja.

Electric cars grab 44% market share in Norway in January

E

lectric cars accounted for a 44.3% share of Norway’s new car sales in January, rising year on year but falling short of the 50-60% range the industry forecast for 2020, data from the Norwegian Road Federation showed on Monday.

In January 2019 electric cars made up 37.8% of sales in the Nordic country and climbed in subsequent months to an overall 42.4% market share for the full year.

As it seeks to phase out the sale of combustion-engine cars by the middle of this decade, oilproducer Norway has exempted battery-powered vehicles from taxes imposed on those running on petrol and diesel.

As a result of the policy, Norway has the world’s highest rate of electric vehicle use, making it a valuable testing ground as car makers seek to promote new models.

In January, German auto maker Audi’s fully-electric e-tron sports utility vehicle was Norway’s topselling car for the second time in four months, hitting a market share of 9.4%, registration data showed.

Audi delivered 902 electric SUVs, ahead of Renault’s Zoe with 533 cars and Volkswagen’s Golf with 511.

In 2019, Tesla’s mid-sized Model 3 was by far the most popular car in Norway with some 15,700 vehicles sold for the full year, racking up an 11% share of the market.

The California-based firm last week announced it would start early deliveries of its Model Y, a crossover utility vehicle, amid rising competition from the likes of Volkswagen, Ford, Audi, Volvo and Daimler AG. (Reuters)

to him is to bring the public to speed on the activities of the security forces.

He affirmed that other issues needed to be addressed for the physical security provided by the armed forces to have better impact. One of these issues is national mobilisation of the mass media around the issues of security. Therefore, developing a national networking strategy of all stakeholders is important to address other challenges just as the challenge of inter-agency cooperation and collaboration among the security forces had been addressed.

Air Commodore Yusuf Anas (ret), the Executive Secretary of Crisis Communication Centre (CCC), also spoke about the efforts of FOSSRA in rallying information and communication stakeholders to ensure appropriate crisis communication management.

Commodore Anas expressed the gratitude of the Centre and other partners to NCC for the vital roles the Commission had played in enhancing the management of the Nation’s security communication programmes.

Oracle adds cloud data centers in five countries, sets new 2020 target

O

racle Corp said on Monday it had added new cloud computing data centers in five countries and aims to have them in 36 locations by the end of 2020, as it races with Amazon.com and Microsoft Corp for market share.

After a rocky start in the cloud business, Oracle, a longtime business software provider, is rolling out its second generation of cloud systems, in which it operates data centers and customers rent capacity from it.

Amazon Web Services and Microsoft are the two top players with more than two-thirds of the global market in 2019, according to Forrester Research, but Oracle is trying to win customers by extending its geographical reach.

Clay Magouyrk, the executive vice president of engineering in Oracle’s cloud unit, said new data privacy regulations in the European Union and elsewhere mean many businesses must retain data in the country where it is generated, making it important to offer them cloud data centers in as many places as possible.

Oracle’s goal is to have at least two “regions,” in each country where it operates, so that customers can have one primary region and one as a backup in case of disaster, he said.

“Overall, the strategy is to put lots of regions around the world to give customers data sovereignty,” he said.

Each cloud vendor promotes its data center footprint with different terminology, but in most cases a

“region” can have multiple data centers in physically separate locations called “availability” zones or domains. Microsoft has 56 regions.

Amazon has 22 regions but has 69 availability zones.

Oracle on Monday added regions in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Osaka, Japan; Melbourne, Australia; Montreal, Canada; and Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

The company plans to add a second region in Saudi Arabia this year, as well as two in the United Arab Emirates.

Oracle said the 10 largest businesses in Japan were using its cloud computing offerings, but did not give any names.

Oracle’s cloud rivals, some with

much bigger balance sheets, also continue to add data centers, with Amazon planning five more regions and 16 availability zones.

But Deepak Mohan, a research director at IDC, said aiming for geographical reach in the wake of new data regulations, is solid strategy given Oracle’s customer base of large businesses.

“Oracle’s taken a bad rap over the last couple years, but I think some of that has been them taking the time to get the ship righted,” he said.

“There’s a lot they need to do - the leaders are still innovating - but I think they’ve shown that from a first step perspective, they are definitely on the right path.” (Reuters)

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

METRO

Page 21

Lassa Fever: FCTA begins fumigation of markets

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

o help mitigate the outbreak of Lassa fever and other diseases, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) through the Abuja Markets Management Limited (AMML) has commenced fumigation exercise in all its markets in the Territory.

Kicking off the fumigation exercise in Wuse Market at the weekend, the entire market facility, especially the drainages,

the informal sector of the market, where food stuffs are sold and stored, and other places, were fumigated, to kill rodents and other insects.

According to the, Corporate Communications of AMML, Mr. Innocent Amaechina, who monitored the exercise, emergency preparedness is part of the routine duty of the market managers.

“I want you to know that at this time of the year, we have always carried out this fumigation exercise. It is just a

coincidence that it is happening now when there is a loud cry about sensitization on Lassa fever and coronavirus infections.

“But for us facility management body, emergency preparedness is part of our routine duty. So, just as we prepare for fire, we also prepare for epidemics.

“So, we don’t wait for it to hap p e n b e f ore we p re p are d and we have been doing this at interval, at least minimum of two times every year,” he stated.

Amaechina however revealed that the market managers also

use every available opportunity to sensitise the market users, especially the traders, on how to maintain hygiene in the market, adding that the fumigation exercise would be conducted in all its 15 markets in the territory.

Also speaking, Ismaila Haruna Dankogi, of Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), maintained that residents of the FCT have no need to worry about any outbreak of Lassa fever, as the board has always been involve in the routine cleaning markets and other places.

Dankogi therefore advised residents to imbibe the culture of cleanliness, because it is a way of life.

On his part, the Secretary of Wuse Market Traders Association, Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi Dangara said that the association have been sensitizing its members, especially those in the informal sector of the market on how to wash their table on a daily basis and how to clean the environment, to ensure that whatever they sell is safe for public consumption.

Labourers at a building site in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Zuba traffic: NURTW, traders accuse AEBP officials of bribery, sabotage

By Wisdom Acka

M

embers of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and traders have lambasted officials of Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) for allegedly collecting bribes, to sabotage effort of the FCT Minister, Malam Mohammad Musa Bello to move them into the new park and free traffic around Zuba interchange.

In particular, NURTW Chairman, Zuba New Terminal, Mr. Saidu Abdullahi accused a top AEPB official of collecting bribes, thereby allowing some to trade, load and discharge in areas they were warned not to operate in, resulting to frustrating the efforts of the FCT Minister to restore sanity to Zuba axis.

Abdullahi while speaking to journalists, and n the presence the AEPB Director, , Baba Shehu Lawal, Abdullahi during traffic decongestion exercise by the FCT Administration Task Team on Traffic Management in Zuba,

early hours of yesterday.

The NURTW boss vowed that he could go to any length to expose the corrupt AEPB officials, who were sabotaging the well-intended exercise by the current FCT Administration.

“The problem is that the traders are under us, they divided into two, the other group gathered money, over N300, 000 and gave it to AEPB in Area 3 enforcement office and Dei Dei office.

“So those who contributed the money have refused to move into the new terminal provided by the Minister.

Similarly, Zuba Terminal Manager, Useni Usman who corroborated the bribery allegations, adds: “We receive th e n e ws o f re loc at i n g t o a new terminal with topmost joy, because it will ease traffic gridlock in Zuba axis.

“We cleared the new terminal , barricaded it and even put CCTV cameras and made it food for traders and transporters to move in, but some of the traders

refused to comply.

“When we asked why they were not willing to mive in with, we learnt that some of them contributed money to give AEPB oficials in Area 3 office.

“They were even bragging that, nobody will demolish the place; that it is the new terminal that government is going to demolish.”

Responding, Baba Shehu Lawal said the job of the AEPB was to remove all nuinsances, including street trading on rosd corridors, that would constitute hindrance to free flow of traffic everywhre Abuja.

Lawal explains: “ Our staff in AEPB cannot be part of illegality, when you are to bring sanity to the city, you cannot be part of the people bringing problem to the city management.

“This is completely new to me. It is also very wrong for them to gather money and give a particular officers or office.

“I therefore urge the traders to follow up with the officers they

gave money to and collect their money back.”

Chairman, FCTA Task Team on Traffic Management, Comrade Ikharo Attah, who led the Team said the bribery allegations againts those who should be at the forefront of the decongestion drive were “quite shocking, disappointing and it is something we are not happy about, especially at a time when you have a Minister, who so trust us and believes that we should go and deliver, but here we are hearing these allegations.

“It is ve ry d i s he art e ning we gathered that some monies have gone into the hands of some officials. And though these are still allegations, but for the fact that you can hear unity of voices speaking against it really demoralises some of us we believe that the Minister has worked so hard to put Abuja on the path that it should be among world class to cities.

“It is not the first time we are hearing about this, we hear

about it as rumour, but this is the first time we are so touched to be publicly confronted about it. This is the first time, they are saying it point-blank and face to face with government officials.”

On whether the culprits would be penalised, Ikharo said: “They are FCTA staff; I think the Minister will take his own decision, indoor not want to preempt him. He has the Human Resource Development -those who have the discipline unit, and I am sure they will be looking at all these allegations put together.

It very weighty.

“The FCT Minister is a man everybody believes in living within his means and act on the platform of integrity rather than go crazy with wealth which cannot be taken out of world.”

The Chairman stated that the exercise was a very successful, as that the terminal was already functional, the road is cleared, and the transporters have got their own taskforce to continue enforcement.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

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Iowa caucuses: Race to decide election candidates begins

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he first event that will help decide the candidates for US president is to take place with Monday’s Iowa caucuses.

Democratic and Republican voters will choose their preferred nominees for the White House race.

While victory in Iowa doesn’t guarantee anyone the nomination, it can help give them crucial momentum.

The path appears clear for Donald Trump to be the Republican nominee, but there are still 11 people running for the Democratic nomination.

Many have spent the past few weeks vigorously campaigning in the Midwest state, which is always the first to vote. The primaries contest goes on until early June, and moves on to New Hampshire next Tuesday.

Here’s the story of what to expect in Iowa, broken down.

One person to watch Polls suggest that Bernie Sanders has risen to be the favourite in Iowa (or - depending where you look - the joint-favourite, with former vice-president Joe Biden).

He is one of four senators running for president who have had to stay behind in Washington to attend Mr Trump’s impeachment trial, but his supporters, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a wellknown congresswoman, have been energetically campaigning on his behalf in Iowa.

How do caucuses and primaries work?

Is this the start of a Bernie boom?

Four years after losing out to Hillary Clinton, could this be the 78-year-old’s time? He is backed by a huge pot of donations and a team of hundreds. But if he won the nomination, would moderate Democrats really rally around a candidate for the White House who identifies as a democratic socialist?

Some of the other big names including Elizabeth Warren, Amy

Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg will be hoping Mr Sanders doesn’t have it all his own way in Iowa.

There are also Republican caucuses on Monday, and two people are running against Mr Trump, but the president’s popularity within his own party is such that his nomination is all but a formality.

One piece of context Iowa, to some extent, provides a glimpse of what went wrong for Democrats in 2016.

In the last election, more than 200 US counties flipped from supporting President Barack Obama in 2012 to backing Mr Trump - and 31 of those counties were in Iowa.

What is a primary?

What’s the difference between a primary and a caucus?

Are any Republicans standing against Donald Trump?

Democrats will be hoping to lure back those swing voters in 2020. And while we won’t know until November whether they have been successful, we may get a glimpse of where the land lies on Monday.

Howard County in northern

Donald Trump has said that he does not want John Bolton to testify Iowa flipped by 41 percentage points in 2016, the largest change in the US. The BBC’s Angélica Casas and Marianna Brady went there to ask people whether they would vote for a Democrat in 2020.

Does Iowa actually matter? It depends how you look at it.

As the primary season curtainraiser, Iowa can help shape perceptions among voters. A win here can help give a candidate momentum early in the race (as it did in 1976 with Jimmy Carter) and erase any doubts about their

viability.

While Iowans have a good record at picking the eventual Democratic nominee, their record when it comes to the Republican candidate is more mixed. When it’s an open Republican race (unlike this year, for example), none of the winners of Iowa has become the Republican nominee since 2000.

It’s worth pointing out that Iowa isn’t the most diverse of states either - the rest of America will vote very differently in upcoming primaries and caucuses.

At some point during the meeting, you have to show your support for a candidate. You do this by standing next to others who also support that candidate, and a count takes place.

What’s at stake is delegates - 41 Democratic ones in Iowa - distributed according to how well candidates performed in the caucuses. If candidate A is awarded 10 delegates, those delegates would later vote for candidate A as the Democratic nominee at the summer convention - the aim for any candidate is to gain as many delegates as possible over the primary season.

I’m married to a woman, so my livelihood and happiness is at stake in this election. My family’s future is at stake in this election. And our freedom as Americans is at stake.

We need a strong leader to emerge as the Democratic nominee.

Someone with great passion and energy who can unify the United States.

The division and hate messages that we’ve seen under the Trump presidency needs to end. We don’t currently have a leader that works for all Americans.

Brexit: Boris Johnson says ‘no need’ for UK to follow EU rules on trade

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oris Johnson has set out his vision for a trade deal with the EU, saying there is “no need” for the UK to follow Brussels’ rules.

The PM called for a Canadastyle free trade deal, saying the UK would return to the Withdrawal Agreement if such a deal was not reached.

But the EU’s Michel Barnier said its “ambitious” trade deal offer required a “level playing field”.

Mr Barnier also said there should be reciprocal access to fishing waters.

Under the EU-Canada deal, import tariffs on most goods have been eliminated between the two countries, though there are still

customs and VAT checks.

The flow of services, such as banking - which is much more important for the UK - between Canada and the EU are much more restricted.

What is a ‘Canada-style’ trade deal?

Mr Johnson used his speech on “unleashing Britain’s potential” to raise the prospect of the UK reverting to World Trade Organisation (WTO) terms if EU chiefs refuse to sign off on a Canada-style free trade agreement.

In his speech in Greenwich, London, the PM said: “We have often been told that we must choose between full access to the EU market, along with accepting its

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

rules and courts on the Norway model, or an ambitious free trade agreement, which opens up markets and avoids the full panoply of EU regulation, on the example of Canada.

“We have made our choice we want a free trade agreement, similar to Canada’s but in the very unlikely event that we do not succeed, then our trade will have to be based on our existing Withdrawal Agreement with the EU. “The choice is emphatically not ‘deal or no deal’. The question is whether we agree a trading relationship with the EU comparable to Canada’s - or more like Australia’s.

“In either case, I have no doubt that Britain will prosper mightily.”

Why does a UK-EU trade deal matter?

He rejected the requirement for the UK to adopt Brusselsmade rules “on competition policy, subsidies, social protection, the environment, or anything similar, any more than the EU should be obliged to accept UK rules”.

The PM added that he will seek “a pragmatic agreement on security, protecting our citizens without trespassing on the autonomy of our respective legal systems”.

He said the UK was ready to agree a deal on fishing with the EU and suggested that there would be annual negotiations on this.

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Acquittals over Patel dam deaths in Kenya

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eople carry a victim’s body from a residential area after Patel dam burst its bank at Solai, about 40 kilometres north of Nakuru, Kenya, on May 10, 2018.

A court in Kenya’s lake town of Naivasha has acquitted nine people charged with causing the deaths of nearly 50 people in the Patel dam tragedy two years ago, after strongly criticising the prosecution.

The nine - including dam owner Perry Mansukh - were facing manslaughter charges.

But after 18 months in court, Naivasha Chief Magistrate Kennedy Bilali set the suspects free, citing the slow progress of the case.

He accused the prosecution of holding the court hostage with endless adjournment requests, saying the accused deserved a fair trial.

State counsel Catherine Mwaniki said she would appeal against the ruling.

The Patel dam - on a sprawling farm near Solai, 190km (120 miles) from the capital, Nairobi - burst its banks in May 2018 following a period of heavy rains.

The huge water mass swept through the Solai plantation settlement, killing dozens and destroying property.

State-sanctioned and independent investigations blamed the dam owners for flouting environmental regulations and substandard construction for the collapse.

They always denied any wrongdoing.

Landslides and heavy rain kill 13 in Rwanda

T

hirteen people in Rwanda have been killed after heavy rain struck on Sunday night, causing landslides, authorities say, quoting provisional figures.

Six of those died inside their homes in the capital, Kigali.

A resident of Kanombe, near the main airport in Kigali, told the BBC his neighbour and her two children were killed while asleep after a landslide hit their home.

“We found [out] in the morning,” he told the BBC. “The rain was too heavy with strong lightning, and everyone was scared.”

The national meteorology agency says more rain is forecast across the country on Monday.

Poilice are cautioning motorcyclists to lower their speeds during the rainy season to avoid accidents.

Turkish soldiers killed in Syrian army shelling in Idlib

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ix Turkish soldiers have been killed and nine wounded in shelling by Syrian government forces in Syria’s north-western Idlib province, Turkey said.

It said up to 35 Syrian troops had been killed in retaliatory fire. Syria’s media said there were no casualties.

Hundreds of thousands of people have fled an offensive by Syrian troops and their Russian backers against the last opposition stronghold in Idlib.

Many have moved towards the border with Turkey, which supports the opposition.

Turkey and Russia - a key ally of

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad signed a de-escalation deal for Idlib in 2017, but it has been frequently violated.

What did Turkey say?

Speaking to reporters on Monday morning, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said 46 Syrian “regime targets” had been hit by the Turkish military.

He said that “30-35 Syrians on the other side have been neutralised [killed].

“Those who question our determination will soon understand they made a mistake,” Mr Erdogan

said.

He warned Russia not to get involved in Ankara’s dealings with Damascus over the shelling, telling Moscow “not to stand in our way”.

Turkey has previously said its troops were in Idlib to prevent clashes there, and that their positions were being co-ordinated beforehand.

Mr Erdogan warned last week that Turkey would respond militarily if its soldiers in the region were threatened in any way.

How has Syria reacted?

Syria’s Sana state news agency said that “no injuries or damage were

reported” in the Turkish strikes.

It said Syrian government troops were continuing their offensive in Idlib, “liberating” several villages in the province.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, reported that six Syrian soldiers were killed in the Turkish strikes.

The strains are beginning to show in the relationship between Turkey and the Syrian regime, which in turn is souring ties between Ankara and Moscow. This was never going to be a marriage made in heaven, Turkey

having funded and armed opponents of the government from the outset of the Syrian crisis with the explicit aim of removing President Bashar al-Assad from power.

However, when it became clear that President Assad’s survival was assured, President Erdogan decided to change tack and sought out a better relationship with both Damascus and Moscow. This, he believed, was the best way to secure Turkey’s own strategic interests in Syria. But Turkey’s goals are incompatible with those of the other players.

Source: BBC

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Malawi election: Court ruling on 2019 presidential poll

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panel of five judges in Malawi has begun to read its ruling following an appeal challenging the results of last May’s presidential election.

President Peter Mutharika won a second term with 38.6% of the vote.

But opposition candidates Lazarus Chakwera, who came second, and Saulos Chilima, who finished third, went to court to argue that the election was not fair.

They say the way the election was handled was full of irregularities.

The judges, who arrived in court in the capital, Lilongwe, under military escort, are expected to read out a summary of their 500-page decision, according to the local Nation newspaper.

According to the official results Mr Chakwera, who claims he won the election, garnered 35.4% of the vote as the flag bearer for the Malawi Congress Party.

Mr Chilima, a former ally of the president, got 20.2%. He was the candidate for the UTM. There is a high level of anxiety in the country following months of tense clashes between the police and opposition supporters.

Many schools have been

An unnamed Ivorian woman who travelled from China is being tested for the coronavirus closed and some public transport had been suspended ahead of Monday’s court decision.

What were the allegations?

The losing candidates alleged that the electoral process, especially the way the results were handled, was full of irregularities.

In court, their lawyers said that correction fluid - known locally by the brand name TippEx - had been used on some of the tallying forms sent in by polling stations.

The changes were made after

they had been signed by party agents, they said.

The lawyers also said that in some cases polling officials sent in the wrong copy of the results sheet to the main tallying centre.

They also found some mathematical errors in a small number of cases.

Though in each case there were not a huge number of errors, the lawyers said that the evidence pointed to a flawed process.

What was the response?

In court, the Malawi Electoral

Commission (MEC) defended its handling of the vote as being in keeping with the law.

It said that on the few forms where correction fluid had been found, it had not been used to change a result, but to alter procedural information that had been incorrectly entered.

The MEC’s lawyers also argued that while the wrong copy of the results sheet had been submitted in some cases, that copy had been signed off by party agents and the tally itself was correct.

Sahel crisis: Burkina Faso to arm civilians against militants

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he authorities in Burkina Faso, struggling to grapple with a growing wave of Islamist militant attacks that is affecting the region, are planning to give weapons to civilians, as Louise Dewast reports.

The Burkinabe government is under pressure to take new measures to try and curtail the militants.

In January alone, at least 60 people were killed in four separate attacks in the north of the country, with another 20 killed on Sunday.

Members of parliament recently unanimously voted in favour of arming civilians in a move they said would help combat the armed groups. It is due to be signed into law.

The attacks by militants linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group have significantly increased in the past year, causing more than

half a million people to flee their homes.

Critics have questioned whether the new measure will make people safer, but the government insists that armed volunteers are necessary to stem the spread of violence.

Why get civilians involved?

The law says that the army’s capacity to fight the militants is limited in terms of numbers of soldiers and lack of appropriate training.

“In light of the persistent threat, populations have... expressed their desire to actively engage in the defence of the homeland,” it states.

But this is not proof of the army’s weakness, the government insisted. Speaking to the BBC, Communication Minister Remi Dandjinou likened the future volunteers to members of the French resistance during Germany’s occupation of France

in the World War Two. But there is a concern that the new measures could heighten ethnic conflict and fuel tensions between rival hunting and farming communities.

“The Burkinabe security forces are themselves implicated in very serious abuses against suspects,” Corinne Dufka from Human Rights Watch told the BBC. “That is why subcontracting any defence responsibilities to armed civilians is so potentially problematic.”

“It could exacerbate rising communal tensions and lead to more abuses, which would in turn push more people into the hands of the jihadists.”

Burkina Faso’s government has previously denied claims of widespread abuse.

Who will be armed?

Any national aged 18 and over can be considered for recruitment and there is no

maximum age. But recruits cannot be part of any political group or party.

Volunteers must be patriotic and loyal and have a “spirit of sacrifice” which could include making the “ultimate sacrifice”, according to the law that the MPs backed.

But, after it was passed, Defence Minister Cheriff Sy insisted recruits would not be used as “cannon fodder”.

Recruitment will be carried out at a local level at an assembly where village leaders will be supervised by the army.

But the volunteers will not be a route to legitimising selfdefence groups, made up of people who are sometimes referred to as vigilantes.

In Burkina Faso, as in Mali and Nigeria, civilians have armed themselves to defend their homes, and in some cases, gone on the offensive.

Rwanda and Uganda agree to swap prisoners

U Three people died when a landslide hit this home in Kigali

ganda’s President Yoweri Museveni and his Rwandese counterpart Paul Kagame met on Sunday in Luanda, the Angolan capital, and agreed to improve relations after tensions led to the closure of the main border between the two nations.

The summit was the second to be hosted by Angola’s President João Lourenço and was also attended by Democratic Republic of Congo President Félix Tshisekedi.

President Museveni and President Kagame agreed that their countries would “refrain from the perception of supporting, financing, training and infiltration of destabilizing forces in their neighbour’s territory”, according to a communiqué of the summit.

They also agreed to “take subsequent steps towards peace, stability, good neighbourliness and restoring mutual trust”.

Part of the steps would include swapping of prisoners.

But they did not say how many prisoners would be freed nor give details on how or when the exchange would take place, AFP reports.

The two leaders also agreed that the next summit would be held at the Katuna/Gatuna border point between the two countries on 21 February.

President Museveni tweeted that Uganda would ensure the agreement was implemented: Diplomatic relations between Rwanda and Uganda have been

strained for more than a year.

Rwandan authorities accuse Uganda of supporting an opposition movement, Rwanda National Congress (RNC), led by former Rwandan army chief Gen Kayumba Nyamwasa. They also accuse Uganda of arresting and torturing a number of Rwandans in Uganda.

Uganda, for its part, accuses Rwanda of infiltrating its security services and interfering with its internal politics.

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Yemen’s medical air bridge offers rare glimpse of hope

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eals of laughter bounce off the bright yellow walls of an inflatable castle, and the click-clack of children playing air hockey pierces the air.

Thirteen-year old Raghad pushes the plastic puck with all the strength she can muster from her delicate frame. The hint of a smile peeks from her protective face mask.

“She’s always been the smartest girl in her class,” her father Abdullah proudly informs me as we sit in the garden of a Sanaa hotel where their family and dozens of others have waited months for a long-promised UN flight to get medical care abroad.

But there is something Raghad’s father does not want her to know: her body is now consumed by cancer.

“I keep this secret for her,” he says quietly. “If she knows, it would change everything for her.”

Raghad is on the short list of 30 patients set to fly out of Sanaa International Airport as part of this medical air bridge for civilians suffering from conditions that cannot be treated inside Yemen.

It is a small but significant crack in a more than three-year-long blockade of civilian flights by a Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen’s government in its war with the rebel Houthi movement.

If all goes as planned, a series of flights, carrying patients and their caregivers, will leave for Amman and Cairo this month.

“If Raghad stays in Yemen, both her legs would have to be amputated because doctors here aren’t able to treat her,” her father reveals, his voice breaking midsentence as he fights back tears. “For her, that would be worse than death.”

“It’s a major breakthrough,” says Lise Grande, the UN’s resident humanitarian co-ordinator. “It’s taken two years of intensive discussions, asking the parties to agree on the modalities.”

“It shows that people really do care what happens to Yemenis, they care,” she explains when we meet in a heavily guarded UN compound in Sanaa, which is controlled by the Houthis.

It also shows how the littlest and most vulnerable are caught in the poisonous webs spun by a merciless war lurching towards its fifth year.

There are two other international airports in southern Yemen, controlled by the Yemeni government. But they are 15 to 20 hours away from Sanaa on rutted roads winding through mountain passes, threaded by checkpoints of rival fighters.

Houthi leader Mohammed Ali alHouthi takes this stage, hoisting himself into the back of a pick-up bristling with AK-47 rifles to artfully seize the moment of a rare visit by a foreign news team.

“We brought you to this airport to show you it was targeted, and is now blocked,” he declares.

Why is there a war in Yemen?

A World Food Programme plane taxis down the runway - only a handful of aid flights are cleared by the coalition, which controls Yemen’s air space.

The wreckage of a civilian aircraft, reportedly destroyed in 2016 by a Saudi air strike, is a sprawl of twisted metal sprawled across the edge of the tarmac.

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PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

Coronavirus: China accuses US of causing panic and ‘spreading fear’

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he Chinese government has accused the US of causing “panic” in its response to the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

It follows the US decision to declare a public health emergency and deny entry to foreign nationals who had visited China in the past two weeks.

There are more than 17,000 confirmed cases of the virus in China. Some 361 people have died there.

Outside China, there are more than 150 confirmed cases of the virus - and one death, in the Philippines.

Coronavirus: How worried should we be?

The virus causes severe acute respiratory infection and symptoms seem to start with a fever, followed by a dry cough.

On Monday, a study by a Chinese virologist said a pneumonia outbreak associated with the coronavirus had likely started in bats.

What measures has the US taken?

On 23 January, the US ordered the departure of all nonemergency US personnel and their family members from the city of Wuhan in Hubei province, where the virus originated.

Less than a week later, the US allowed for the voluntary departure of non-emergency personnel and relatives of US government employees from China.

On 30 January, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency over the new virus.

Following this, the US

ordered the departure of all US personnel family members under the age of 21 in China.

Any US citizen who has been in Hubei province will be subject to 14 days’ quarantine upon returning to the US. What are other countries doing to stem the outbreak?

On Monday, Hong Kong said it was suspending from midnight local time (16:00 GMT) 10 out of 13 border crossings with mainland China.

Various countries have imposed varying travel restrictions and other preventative measures, including: How did China react to the US measures?

In a news briefing on Monday, Chinese foreign ministry

spokesperson Hua Chunying said the US actions “could only create and spread fear” instead of offering assistance.

She said the US was the first country to impose a travel ban on Chinese travellers and the first to suggest a partial withdrawal of its embassy staff.

“It is precisely developed countries like the US with strong epidemic prevention capabilities... that have taken the lead in imposing excessive restrictions contrary to WHO recommendations,” Ms Hua said, according to a Reuters report.

Do the travel bans work?

Global health officials have advised against the bans.

The WHO has warned that closing borders could even

accelerate the spread of the virus, if travellers enter countries unofficially.

“Travel restrictions can cause more harm than good by hindering info-sharing, medical supply chains and harming economies,” the head of the WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said last week.

The WHO instead recommends introducing screening at border crossings.

On Monday, Dr Tedros again praised China for its commitment to fighting the coronavirus, stressing that the only way to defeat it was for all countries to work together “in a spirit of co-operation”.

How deadly is the virus?

More than 75,000 people may have been infected in the city of Wuhan, experts say.

But estimates by the University of Hong Kong suggest the total number of cases could be far higher than the official figures.

A report on the early stages of the outbreak by the Lancet medical journal said most patients who died from the virus had pre-existing conditions.

The report found that, of the first 99 patients treated at the Jinyintan Hospital in Wuhan, 40 had a weak heart or damaged blood vessels. A further 12 had diabetes.

Most people infected are likely to fully recover - just as they would from a normal flu.

An expert at China’s National Health Commission (NHC) said that one week was sufficient for a recovery from mild coronavirus symptoms.

Viewpoint: India budget raises more questions than answers

I

ndians are obsessed with the annual budget of the government, like no other country in the world.

After the finance minister presents the budget every year, citizens begin to ask familiar questions. How will the budget impact me? What has become expensive? What has become cheaper? Do I save more on tax or do I pay more?

This year there was more interest in the budget - presented in the parliament on Saturday - given that the economy has slowed down big time.

India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - the value of goods and services produced in the economy - is expected to grow by 5.7% during the current financial year. This is the slowest since 2012-13, when the economy grew by 5.5%.

This is primarily on account of a slowdown in private consumption. During the first

six months of 2019-20, private consumption grew by just 4.1%.

People are not spending money like they used to.

In this scenario, it was widely expected that more money will be put in the hands of people to encourage them to spend.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman cut personal income tax rates and also introduced a new alternate tax system.

In the current system, taxpayers get rebates on their savings and loans. But those who opt for the new system, will have to forego these exemptions.

So taxpayers have the option of following the old system where they pay higher tax rates but can claim deductions and exemptions - or opting for the new system - where they pay lower taxes but cannot claim any exemptions.

How will Modi handle India’s economy?

The trouble is that making

this decision requires an understanding of India’s complex income tax laws.

Also, the budget has not answered the basic question that every income taxpayer has: Has my income gone up?

This was crucial amid a slowdown. If the finance minister had simply cut taxes, without further complicating the income tax system, taxpayers would have been certain that their income would increase.

This would also have encouraged them to spend money, helping spur economic growth.

During an economic slowdown, politicians and governments typically drawn on British economist John Maynard Keynes.

Keynes had said that in times of economic trouble, the government should become the spender of the last resort.

He even suggested, rather rhetorically, that the government

should get people to dig holes and fill them up so that this money could be spent and would help in economic recovery.

India’s equivalent of the “dig holes and fill them up” scheme is the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).

Its mandate is to provide at least 100 days of guaranteed work every year to adult members of every rural household who are willing to do unskilled manual labour.

But the allocation for this scheme this year has been cut to $8.6bn (£6.5bn) from $9.9bn (£7.5bn).

This was the quickest way of putting money in the hands of the poorest of the poor, who have been hit hard by the slowdown.

But the finance minister decided instead to slash the budget for the scheme.

Source: BBC

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, february 4, 2020

INTERVIEW

25

FG needs to encourage indigenous manufacturers – Jamiu Yusuf

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r. Jamiu Yusuf is the CEO of Glodaris Technology and a Nigerian/UK based technology consultant. In this interview with Usman Shuaibu, he spoke passionately on the need to promote indigenous manufacturing for economic growth.

Three notable policy trust of this present administration are fighting corruption, insecurity and repositioning the economy. To what extent has the Federal Government tackle these, especially the economy of the country?

This is a question that has always come to me each time. I face the press on issues concerning Nigeria. I am always delighted to put one or two words concerning this because any country without a stable economy is bound to fail. She will wobble and feels insecure and for this reason, every responsible government will always strive to ensure that her economy is at least near to stability. In Nigeria, this is almost difficult. The dwindling nature of the economy calls for concern because I remember with nostalgia when our local product attracts huge foreign exchange.

Our currency is equaled to dollar and pound.

What do you think is the cause of this development?

The matter didn’t just start.

Mark this; a lot of factors engineered it. It gradually grew to the point whereby austerity measures came; economic recession equally came. And to get out of these economic quagmires a lot need to be done to tackle the issues. For instance, unemployment, inflation, corruption, insecurity that are sliding us backward. To answer your question, I think cause or causes of this ugly development are in colouration of the factors I mentioned, orchestrated by bad leadership or governance. The sincerity of purpose of our leaders left much to be desired. The corruption tendencies are quick to provocation. Hence, the citizenry has lost hope and decided in a manner that suggests government activities are in the hands of “no animal-owner” syndrome. To this extent, the economic system we inherited from the colonial masters scattered with attendant corruption, indiscipline and impunity.

How do you assess the government intervention in ensuring that the manufacturers in the country produce optimally?

Manufacturing sector is that if provided with a better environment can provide jobs to millions of people because it is the only sector that can provide three shifts a day and this will trigger Nigeria economy. It will make the employers to work 24 hours because currently, Nigeria economy goes to sleep at 6pm daily while other developed or even developing nations work for 24 hours.

Besides, there is need to reduce the cost of moving raw materials and goods from one destination to another either through Port, Air or Rail system. Today’s economy trends have changed and global market have also become over more competitive, forcing many companies to shut down production line or downsize in order to meet their bottom line.

For instance, currently energy cost accounts for 40 percent of production in the manufacturing sector, hence the need to create other ways to reduce further cost of production. That is why we are providing LEAN Manufacturing workshop.

No doubt, we appreciate the efforts of the present government through the current Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment (H.E. Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo) by making efforts to create enabling environment, policies and programmes aimed at repositioning the economy.

However, more needs to be done.

Is it only the government that will be responsible for reshaping the country’s economy?

No! Emphatically No. It is not.

By the way, what is government?

Who is the government? We are the government. Except that few of us are entrusted to the management of the country’s resources. Unfortunately, those successively being entrusted with this task have grown horn abysmally and have refused to make adequate utilization of the resources. And here we are, battling on how to reposition, reinvigorate the economy.

You said it is not only government that can assist in

Dr. Jamiu Yusuf situating the economy?

Yes, I said so. This is why as a consultant and an expert in technological development, I have continually addressed that whoever has a good vision or innovation about how the country will be repositioned; let him/her come up with it.

Hence, my firm, GLODALIS TECHNOLOGIES CONSULTANT LTD are embarking on capacity building empowerment with the MANIFACTURING ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (MAN) to carry out A-3 Day workshop slated to hold in Abuja,

“

the nation’s capital on 18th to 20th February, 2020.

What is the conference/ workshop all about?

Thank you. It is all about our mission to help manufacturing companies with their lean manufacturing system journey to find new ways of manufacturing improvement, with theme continuous improvement- when traditional ways of production just aren’t enough. We are bringing into Nigeria the best hands in manufacturing system from USA, CANADA and UK to come and

Manufacturing sector is that if provided with a better environment can provide jobs to millions of people because it is the only sector that can provide three shifts a day and this will trigger Nigeria economy

share their expertise to Nigeria’s manufacturers.

What do you mean by lean manufacturing system?

Lean manufacturing system is founded on the Toyota production system. It is a management philosophy which shortens the time between customer order and the product delivery by eliminating all inefficiencies (source of waste).

This is ultimately reflected in terms of quality delivery, cost and greater team morale, making a company capable to overcome bigger challenges among their competitors. Indeed, LEAN MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUES improve quality production in manufacturing sector. For instance, SIDEL is a manufacturing company providing packing equipment for liquid beverages. The company uses LEAN manufacturing system at all its production sites, which benefit beverage producers worldwide. Lead time and wastes are reduced while overall quality is improved and resulted in $3.8 Million incremental sales and 80% increase in profit in just the first two months. It is mindset for Sidel.

Tell us more about the workshop.

In today’s competitive global economy, coupled with the demands and challenges being faced by the manufacturing industries, the workshop will no doubt address issues concerning maintenance of high productivity and efficiency, quality delivery of products and at the same time reduce or minimize waste during production. The 3-day workshop will address this, more especially in helping manufacturing companies to learn on how to navigate through difficult times by showing how to create a seamless flow of people, material and information.

Is the workshop meant for everybody? In fact, who are the target audience?

The conference is targeting the desirous manufacturer, such as the CEOs, Top Management Production Personnel, Operational Personnel, Engineering Personnel, Administrative Personnel, General Managers and Company Supervisors in supply chain including Accounting Personnel.

You can see why I said that to build economy, it should not be left only on the hands of the government alone. Individuals can in one way or the other contribute their own quota.

Although the Federal Government needs to encourage indigenous manufacturers so as to input maximum benefits required.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, february 4, 2020

26

Digest

CLASSIFIED

Vegetarians suffer fewer urinary tract infections because ‘meat harbours more bacteria’

By Harry Howard For Mailonline

V

egetarian women are less likely to suffer from the misery of cystitis, a study has suggested.

Researchers recruited 9,274 people and tracked them for nearly a decade to see if vegetarians got fewer urinary tract and kidney infections.

When other potential influences were taken into account, including age, sex and smoking habits, vegetarians were 16 per cent less likely than meat-eaters to develop a UTI. The effects were greater in men, but women are far more likely to be burdened with cystitis generally.

Meat, especially chicken and pork, is believed to carry the E.coli bacteria which cause up to three quarters of bladder infections such as cystitis.

Study leader Dr Chin-Lon Lin of Tzu Chi University in Taiwan suggested women who repeatedly suffer from UTIs should try becoming vegetarian.

Urinary tract infections are extremely common and affect more than half of women and around one in eight men at some point during their lives.

In the US, there are around 8.1million doctor’s appointments because of UTIs every year, according to the American Urology Association – this could be about equal to 1.6m in the UK. The infection is caused when diseasecausing bacteria attack the urethra, the tube carrying urine out of the body.

This causes pain in the stomach, back and legs and while anyone can develop the condition, women are more commonly affected because their bladder is closer to their back passage.

Sufferers often feel a frequent need to urinate and sleep and sex lives can also be affected.

A UTI can also develop into a more serious kidney infection if the bacteria travels further up the bladder.

Dr Chin-Lon Lin and his colleagues said finding alternatives to the standard first line of treatment - antibiotics - was ‘important’.

UTIs may be contributing to the rise of antibiotic resistance because doctors give them to sufferers so frequently.

It has previously been warned that antibiotic overuse could mean people die from routine operations or previously minor illnesses.

To see if diet could curb UTI cases, researchers tracked thousands of people in Taiwan, China. They were all

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It has previously been warned that antibiotic overuse could mean people die from routine operations or previously minor illnesses

also believe that vegetarian diets high in fruit and vegetables contain molecules known as phytochemicals, which stop bacteria from growing.

This may explain the old wives’ tale that cranberry juice is the best home remedy for UTIs. The high fibre in a vegetarian diet may also cause the intestine to be more acidic, making it harder for bacteria which cause UTIs to grow.

Dr Lin said: ‘Previous studies have suggested fruits including blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries as remedies for urinary tract infections, and while we did not look at these, our results suggest why they might work.

‘It certainly seems that drinking cranberry juice to treat UTIs, or prevent them coming back, is a pretty good idea.’

The benefits of a vegetarian diet were largely seen in those with uncomplicated UTIs – people who are otherwise healthy.

WHAT IS A URINARY TRACT INFECTION (UTI)?

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can affect different parts of your urinary tract, including your bladder (cystitis), urethra (urethritis) or kidneys (kidney infection).

Most UTIs can be easily treated with antibiotics.

Symptoms of a UTI include: Your doctor or nurse may prescribe antibiotics to treat a UTI. Once you start treatment, the symptoms should start to clear up within five days in adults and 2 days in children.

If your UTI comes back any time after treatment, you’ll usually be prescribed a longer course of antibiotics.

Things you can do yourself Mild urinary tract infections (UTIs) often pass within a few days. To help ease pain while your symptoms clear up: take paracetamol – you can give children liquid paracetamol place a hot water bottle on your tummy, back or between your thighs rest and drink plenty of fluids – this helps your body to flush out the bacteria It may also help to avoid having sex until you feel better.

You cannot pass a UTI on to your partner, but sex may be uncomfortable.

Causes of urinary tract infections (UTIs) UTIs are usually caused by bacteria from poo entering the urinary tract.

The bacteria enter through the tube that carries pee out of the body (urethra).

Women have a shorter urethra than men. This means bacteria are more likely to reach the bladder or kidneys and cause an infection.

Causes of UTIs include: pregnancy conditions that block the urinary tract – such as kidney stones conditions that make it difficult to fully empty the bladder – such as an enlarged prostate gland in men and constipation in children urinary catheters (a tube in your bladder used to drain urine) having a weakened immune system – for example, from type 2 diabetes, chemotherapy or HIV

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Buddhists, the most common religion there.

Around a third of the participants were vegetarians. They were followed from 2005 to 2014.

Most of the vegetarians were women and the benefits were largely seen among them rather than men, the researchers said.

The findings show that women were 18 per cent less likely to succumb to a UTI if they were vegetarian.

Among the 3,040 who were vegetarians, only 217 developed a UTI, compared to 444 out of 6,684 meat eaters.

Among the vegetarians, 188 women and 29 men developed UTIs, while the figures for meat-eaters were 91 for men and 353 for women.

Meat is believed to harbour strains of E.coli bacteria which can cause UTIs. Therefore, those who avoid meat may be less likely to have E. coli bacteria in their gut.

The E.coli gets into the urinary tract from the bowel when people use the toilet.

The experts, who published their findings in the journal Scientific Reports,

PAGE 27

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

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29

NFF Names Olowookere Bankole U-17 Female Coach As 41 Players Resume Camp In Abuja

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PAGE 28

SPACE FOR SALE

SPACE FOR SALE

Flamingos in training during 2018 U-17 World Cup qualifiers.

By Amaechi Agbo

N

igeria Football Federation, NFF has named Olowookere Bankole as the coach of Nigeria national U-17 women team, the Flamingos.

Although his appointment has not been made public, it gathered that the Ekiti State born tactician has resumed duties with the team along with his backroom staff.

Coach Bankole will be assisted

by Queen Akpan, who is based in Abuja and a goalkeeper trainer, Atuga Ndanusa who was formerly with Niger Tornadoes of Minna.

Coach Bankole was former coach of Lagos based female club, Dream Stars Ladies who played

in the Nigeria Women Premier League last season.

It was gathered that Olowookere Bankole was discovered by Barr Seyi Akinwunmi, NFF 1st Vice President.

Bankole was appointed coach of Lagos football team at the 2012 National Sports Festival, NSF, tagged “Eko 2012” .

As early as August 2019, Bankole was regarded as one of the favorites to manage the U-17 Flamingos.

Coach Queen Akpan on her part is with Abuja Women All Stars. meanwhile Flamingos technical crew Sunday drafted list of 41 players invited to resume camp in Abuja Monday ahead of

the team’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup against Guinea later this month.

The players, our correspondent gathered, started arriving Abuja on Monday although some hitches have made it that some are yet to arrive the camp.

In the list scooped, a total of 6 goalkeepers, 13 defenders, 7 midfielders and 15 attackers are invited by the technical crew.

It was further gathered that the technical crew of the team will further invite another batch of players by next week with a view to discovering and finding the best legs for the two-leg encounter.

Below is the full list of the invited players and their dates

of birth GOALKEEPERS Unamba Augustina, Ekeh Nelly Chukwebuka, Amole Damilola, Odinaka Nwacke, Egwin Favour and Perpetua Osinachi DEFENDERS Ogbuchi Chidinma Juliet, Shadrack Onumeze, Nnaocha Linda, Kalu Chinyere, Ihuima Chinyere, Ohacri Miracle, Precious Taiwo, Nwakwolan Marry Ifuoma, Aderemi Mary, Idowu Kuku, Onwere Oluma, Blessing Green and Eretan Ireti MIDFIELDERS Maryam Ahdulkabir, Yusuf Mistura Motunrayo, Shobowale Olushola, Abiodun Deborah Ajibola, Odoma Cordelia

Amarachi, Esther Inyang and Onyenezide Esther ATTACKERS Rofiat Imuran, Opeyori Foluk, Oladipo Shukura Damipola, Samuel Oluwayemisi Osanyijobi, Dahz Alvine James Ogechi, Azama Zepere Kefeghe, Yusuf Hannah Goodness, Oluchi Okwara, Opeyemi Ajakaye, Deborah Abiodun Chukumalem Kelechi, Owoeye Temilope, Jennifer Alani, Jumoke Victoria and Yemisi Samuel Nigeria will play Guinea away in the first leg of the first round on the weekend of 28 February to 1st March while the return leg will hold in a yet to be determined venue in Nigeria during the weekend of 13–15 March 2020.

FCT Sports Director, Dilichukwu receives 2020 NSF Unity Torch

>>pg 30

PAGE 30

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

S p Tony Ubani describes Sunday Dare as a true sports minister

r

t

FCT Sports Director, Dilichukwu receives 2020 NSF Unity Torch

By Amaechi Agbo

T

Minister of youth and sports, Sunday Dare

V

anguard Newspaper Sports editor Mr. Tony Ubani has described the minister of sports and youth development as “truly” a minister of sports.

Mr Ubani made the commendation made when he appeared on the Sports Ville TV programme as a guest analyst.

Commenting on the recent flag off of the Torch of Unity in the Presidential Villa in Abuja by the President Muhammadu Buhari, he said, “It was a very good sight to behold seeing the President himself very active with the Governor of Edo state and the Sports Minister Sunday Dare. It was a very good moment for everybody to know that indeed sports has really come back.

“We know that Sports is a tool that unites the country. It was so apparent, so palpable even at the occasion when we saw the Minister and of course the President lifting the Torch of Unity. That’s how united Nigeria has always been and if there’s one instrument that holds us together, it is Sports.

“Remarkable also is the fact that the President recognises that he has appointed a Sports Minister who knows and listens. A Sports Minister who has been doing well, according athletes their respects because according to him, athletes welfare remains the best thing, because without the athletes, there will be no Sports”.

Recall that the movement of the Torch of Unity was flagged off Thursday in Abuja by President Muhammadu Buhari, with the Minister scheduled to visit the host state of the National Sports Festival Edo state, for inspection of facilities ahead of the event (Edo 2020) coming up in March.

he Federal Capital Territory Director of Sports, Chief Mrs Dilichukwu Onyedinma Monday received the 2020 National Sports Festival, NSF Torch of Unity in Abuja.

The Torch of Unity was handed over to the director at the Unity Gate by the Coordinator, North Central Zone, Mr Saka Akeem at 11am.

The Torch thereafter took off from the City Gate and proceeded to the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA where it was presented to the Minister, of the FCT, Bello Mohammed and FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijani Alihu.

Speaking while handing over the torch to the FCT Director of Sports, Saka Akeem described the NSF as a unifying sports.

“Today, I handover to you the 2020 National Sports Festival Unity Torch.

This torch is a symbol of unity, peace and growth in Nigeria. It is on this basis that the NSF was envisaged and apart from producing talented players who have won laurels for the country in various global and continental competitions, it has also become a beacon of unity, peace and growth in the country,” he said.

In her response, Mrs Diichukwu Onyedinma thanked the Coordinator and the Main Organising Committee, MOC for the 2020 NSF adding that the FCT is ready

North Central Coordinator, Saka Akeem handling the Unity Torch to FCT Director of Sports, Dilichukwu Onyedinma in Abuja Monday to break more grounds in the festival.

“It gladdens my heart that today we are receiving the 2020 National Sports Festival Unity Torch. Of course, the FCT slogan is ‘Centre of Unity’ and this torch has come to re-echo this national symbol. Sport is a unifying sector and over the years Nigeria and her people have benefited immensely from the joy, peace and love that sport glows.

“We hosted the NSF 2 years ago and we broke many records including coming 7th in the overall medals table. This year, we aim to move a step up the ladder.

“It is on this basis that I thank the Honourable Ministers of the FCT Mohammed Bello, and FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijani Alihu for their

immense support. Edo 2020 presents another opportunity for us and we are ready for the challenges. We will go and win,” she said.

The 2020 National Sports Festival Unity Torch will proceed from the FCT to Niger State tomorrow. It is expected go round the 36 states of the federation and the FCT before the festival commences in March.

The 20th National Sports Festival titled “EDO 2020” is scheduled to run from Friday, March 20 to Friday, April 3, 2020.

According to the timetable, the opening ceremony of the game holds March 22, 2020, while the closing ceremony was scheduled for Wednesday, April 1, 2020.

Nigeria Basketball Federation saddened by Peter Aluma’s death

T

he Nigeria Basketball Federation is saddened over the death of former Nigerian international, Peter Aluma at the age of 46.

Reacting to the news of the former Comets Basketball Club player and Liberty University Hall of Fame member, the NBBF President, Engr Musa Kida described the death as shocking and heartrending.

“We are once again saddened by this unfortunate incident which has thrown the basketball family into a state of mourning as we never expected that the basketball world would be mourning so soon after the demise of Kobe Bryant.”

A member of the D’Tigers squad to the 1998 FIBA World Cup, Aluma helped the Liberty University capture their first Big South Conference (BSC) title and automatic NCAA Tournament bid during his freshman season in 1994 as he finished his career with 1,715 points and still held the program record for career number of 366 blocked shots.

Commenting further, Kida said; “Peter Aluma was one of the best ever centres that ever graced the Nigerian basketball scene during the golden era of Comets before traveling to the United States of America in search of greener pastures”.

A distraught Kida prayed that the good Lord will grant the soul of the departed player eternal rest.

A one minute silence in honour of Aluma and Kobe Bryant was observed before the final of the Total Basketball League between Impressions and Reformers on Sunday at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National stadium.

“Our thoughts are with his family members and his loved ones. We can assure them that they are not alone during this trying period. We mourn with them.”

Aluma had stints with Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns before playing in Venezuela with Toros De Aragua and Gomel Wildcats Sozh in Belarus.

Late Peter Aluma

FIFA life ban: I negotiated coaching job, never fixed any match – Siasia insists

A

s the March 19, 2020 date for former Super Eagles’ Chief Coach Samson Siasia’s Appeal at Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) approaches, the former International reiterates he did not collect any bribe to fix any match and that he only negotiated negotiated terms after being headhunted by someone who approached him for a coaching job.

He never knew and could not have known the man was involved or convicted for matchfixing. He has not seen or heard from the man since the cancelled negotiations back in April 2010 until he read about his life ban by FIFA in the media last August.

Siasia was banned for life by world football governing body FIFA in August 2019 August 2019 on the accusation that he agreed to receive bribes and for match fixing.

“In its decision, the adjudicatory chamber found that Mr Siasia had breached art. 11

(Bribery) of the 2009 edition of the FIFA Code of Ethics and banned him for life from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international level,” part of the FIFA statement read.

FIFA say the proceedings against Siasia stemmed from an ‘extensive investigation into matches that’ a certain Wilson Raj Perumal attempted to manipulate for betting purposes.

Although the specific game was not mentioned by FIFA, Perumal, a confessed match-fixer from Singapore had claimed in his book that he helped Nigeria to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. “It is clear that Fifa relied only on some emails about 10 years ago when I was approached for a possible coaching job and not for match fixing or bribery as FIFA claimed they banned me for life for.

“It is clear that I was falsely accused of

match fixing. Despite not fixing any match and despite not receiving any money FIFA insisted on banning me for life just for being approached to take up a coaching job.”

The former Super Eagles Coach claimed he was negotiating for a coaching job with

someone who contacted him for the job. It so happened that this man had been convicted for match fixing. But Siasia didn’t know that the man was convicted for match fixing.

FIFA assumed that Siasia knew him and was discussing match fixing. The former Eagles’ Coach however was only discussing the terms for the job according to him.

The lawyers representing Siasia are now seeking justice in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and their prayers are: To lift the ban, quash the fine and reinstate the Appellant’s Status in football and his costs ameliorated.

The embattled Coach has thanked some concerned Nigerians who stood up to help him so far and those who have been encouraging him not to lose hope in his fight to clear his name in the bribery and match the fixing allegations. He also solicited for financial support to be able to attend the appeal.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 4, 2020

PAGE 31

. . . putting the people first

TuesDAY, february 4, 2020

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SPORTS Ile Arugbo: Imperative of

compliance with physical planning

latest

Lille hail Osimhen after netting 11th Ligue 1 goal

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F

rench Ligue 1 side, Lille have hailed Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen after he netted his 11th goal in Ligue at the weekend.

Osimhen scored Lille’s second goal from the penalty spot in their 2-1 win at Strasbourg.

It was a comeback win for Lille who went behind in the game after conceding in the 12th minute.

Commenting on Osimhen’s goal, Lille published a video of the Eagles striker converting the winning spot kick.

“Goal number 11 in Ligue 1 for Victor Osimhen. Our forward from the spot at the weekend,” Lille wrote on their verified Twitter handle.

The win took Lille to fourth on 34 points in the league table.

Djokovic fights back to win 8th Australian Open

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ovak Djokovic defended his Australian Open crown and won a 17th Grand Slam after digging deep into his physical and mental reserves to beat Dominic Thiem in a gripping five-set final.

The Serbian second seed won 6-4 4-6 2-6 6-3 6-4 for a recordextending eighth title at Melbourne Park.

Advert: business: news: lagos:

Tuesday Column

By Victoria Ngozi Ikeano

ow that the so-called ‘Ile Arugbo’ case is out of the realm of judicial adjudication, following request by one of the parties for an out of court settlement, one can now comment on it. One views this option agreed by both parties with mixed feelings.

True, it is better to ‘jaw jaw’ than to ‘war war’. However, one was happy that the matter went to court as one was eager to see what concrete evidence the prosecuting party would tender to contradict the government’s claim backed by facts, that the land on which ‘Ile Arugbo’ was erected was illegally acquired.

According to media accounts, court officials reportedly said the only document the Sarakis filed through their firm ( ASA Investment Limited) to prove their case was a “mere letter of allocation in principle without attaching any right of occupancy or certificate of occupancy documents”. Yet, before now and following government’s demolition of the illegally acquired land for ‘overriding public interest’ all manner of people, especially internet warriors flooded the media space casting aspersions on the Abdulrshman Abdulrazaq administration for “demolishing former Senate president Bukola Saraki’s family house” without first accessing the facts.

Even a minister of the federal republic, Aunty Gbemisola Saraki who had been at daggers drawn with her brother, Dr. Bukola Saraki politically, suddenly aligned with him and considered the government’s demolition of ‘Ile Arugbo’ (so the land can be reverted to its original use)as a provocation, etc. I have always held that our politicians are not principled generally. For, it is naturally expected that anyone joining a political party would equally subscribe to its manifesto, unquestionably.

Now among manifesto of the APC government of which Gbemisola Saraki is a chieftain as a cabinet member, is fighting corruption in all ramifications which includes illegally

0806 564 8620 0704 385 9705 0814 292 9046 08074420617

By VICTORIA NGOZI IKEANO vikeano@yahoo.co.uk 08033077519 acquiring government assets without following the due process. In throwing her hat into the ring, Minister Gbemisola Saraki’s action sought to cloak the false accusations against the government with some form of credibility. Some people were hoodwinked and it gave the Internet warriors ammunition for their nefarious activity. Yet, anybody that digs deep enough would be able to separate the facts from fiction.

According to chairman of the committee on recovery of government properties, Senator Suleiman Ajadi, “We are not saying that the land was stolen”. Crux of the matter is that this is part of land earmarked for third phase of the state government Secretariat long ago. Indeed, foundation for this had been done in the 1980s. And as is the norm, government-owned land is not to be converted to private use.For one reason or other the Secretariat building did not continue as planned.

But the Ministry of Finance and a civil service clinic had been built. Part of the earmarked land was meanwhile acquired

by Asa Investment Limited, a private company, apparently owned by late Dr. Olusola Saraki, famously dubbed ‘the strong man of Kwara politics’. But as has now been confirmed, the Sarakis only

“

possess a letter of intent. They have no title to the land by way of certificate of occupancy or right of occupancy.

The widely held view that the demolished house was the Sarakis’ family house is false. Such a relatively modest house cannot be Dr.Bukola Saraki or his father’s personal house. For we are aware that our top politicians usually build state of the art house in their country home. It has now been discovered that the house served as a waiting place for the numerous persons flocking to see the ‘strongman of Kwara politics’, Pa Saraki and also used for political meetings.

Also, its name ‘Ile Arugbo’, (old peoples home) is a misnomer. Were it an old peoples home per se, it would have been equipped with the facilities and staff needed for the feeding, comfort and recreation of the elderly who would be living there permanently, similar to an orphanage home. It would also be a government facility, for, private citizens hardly own or run an old peoples home.

The fate that befell the Saraki house brings to the limelight the penchant by some influential persons to distort land master plans that are intended to benefit the citizens at large. And Kwara state is not an isolated case. It is a

The widely held view that the demolished house was the Sarakis’ family house is false. Such a relatively modest house cannot be Dr. Bukola Saraki or his father’s personal house

general nationwide malaise.

For example, in the FESTAC area of Lagos state, open spaces reserved for parks and school recreation fields have since been converted to residential and commercial edifices. Your guess is as good as mine on the consequences of such illegal conversions. Ditto the once exclusively residential Ikoyi and Victoria Island in same state that are now being turned to commercial areas.

Mallam Nasir el rufai, now governor of Kaduna state, as minister of the federal capital territory, Abuja, took the bold initiative of demolishing buildings that contravened Abuja’s original master plans.

Many abused and ‘cursed’ him for this. But objective persons commend him for this singular action which sought to save the FCT from the trappings of Nigeria’s former capital, Lagos with its social and environmental consequences.

It is noteworthy that Saraki through his lawyer is now seeking an amicable solution to the matter at hand.

To show that there is no political undertones in its action as well as exhibit its magnanimity, the Kwara state government could allocate another plot at the appropriate area to the Saraki family with the family paying all relevant fees for this new plot from start to finish, to government coffers. There is a limit to false propaganda. vikeano@yahoo.co.UK 08033077519

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