Thursday, February 4, 2021 Edition

Thursday, February 4, 2021/ Jumada Thani 21, 1442 AH Vol. 36 No. 003 N200

2477 Days after Malam Wada Maida (1950-2020), founding Chairman, Board of the Peoples Media Limited

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peoplesdailyng

. . . putting the people first

The nation awaits rescue of the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls

Again, DSS warns against plans to incite religious violence PG 5

FG okays 20 new private universities PG 5

N36.5bn for power, airports surveillance equipment

President Muhammadu Buhari and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila during their meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday

Osun Speaker decries non-implementation of financial autonomy for State Assemblies

PG 15

COVID-19: NGF wants states to set up centres for disease control, reveals Fayemi

Woman, 40, in court over alleged attempt to steal 3 children

Gov. Zulum inaugurates rehabilitation of MaiduguriBama road

NBA to boycott courts over attack on judges, lawyers

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

News CONTENTS News 2-14 Op.Ed

12-13

Politics 15-17 Stock Watch Business Metro

18 19-20 21

Gov. Zulum inaugurates rehabilitation of Maiduguri-Bama road

G

ov. Babagana Zulum of Borno has inaugurated the rehabilitation of the 66 kilometres Maiduguri – Bama road.

Speaking at the ceremony on Wednesday, the governor said the N6 billion project being executed in collaboration with the World Bank was part of the MultiSectoral Crisis Recovery Project.

Zulum said the road which was very vital to the economy of the state would later be extended

from Bama to the commercial border town of Banki.

“This will open vista of opportunities for us to enhance trans-border trade that will increase livelihood of our people, particularly those displaced by the insurgency, ” Zulum said.

In his speech, the Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Mustapha Gubio, said the road was first constructed in 1954 and rehabilitated last in 1979.

Gubio said that the rehabilitation work when completed would uplift socioeconomic activities of the people.

The commissioner said the rehabilitation plan showed that 98 structures and 374 persons would be affected.

According to him, the sum of N10.9 million has been released for the 374 persons whose livelihood would be affected by the project.

The News Agency of Nigeria

(NAN) reports that the governor on Wednesday also inaugurated the newly constructed township road at Zannari Ward of Maiduguri and the completed Maiduguri Chest Clinic.

The governor who also laid the foundation for the construction of a 50-bed capacity Wulari Clinic and staff quarters, also inaugurated the completed primary healthcare clinics in Njimtilo, 707 Housing Estate in Abujan-Talakawa Ward. (NAN)

World Analysis 22 Africa News

23

World News

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

News

Ag. News Editor, Tobias Lengnam

COVID-19: NGF wants states to set up centres for disease control, reveals Fayemi

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

T

he Chairman of Nigeria’s Governors Forum, NGF, and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi has described the coronavirus pandemic, which has been ravaging the country among others, as a good reminder of the implications of public health outbreaks on national security.

This is even as Fayemi disclosed that the NGF is recommending that states should begin to think about establishing their own Centres for Disease Control to handle the issue of the pandemic.

The Chairman of NGF in a paper entitled, “The Role of Nigeria’s State Governments in Recovery Responses to COVID-19 Linked Challenges”, which he delivered at a Chatham House Event, London,

....Calls pandemic a reminder of implication of outbreaks on national security

UK. The Ekiti State Governor made it clear that Nigeria needs to take the leap and gain a better level of independence, in the area of vaccine research and development and also science generally.

He stressed that another key point to note is ownershp, noting that public health is not for the health sector alone as is popularly practiced in countries including Nigeria.

In his words, “As we look forward to recovery from the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic, our approach must shift from emergency response to strengthening the resilience and sustainability of our health system.

“We must task ourselves and

rethink existing assumptions and facts around financing and delivery of health care in a manner that guarantees we build back better.

“This requires adequate funding of the health sector. We have begun to advocate for increased investment in health security and public health emergencies by State Governments.

“In Ekiti State for example, our capital budget for health in 2021 increased by 250% above 2020 figures. Our new four-year strategy for the health sector has public health security as a major priority.

“At the NGF, we are recommending that states begin to think about establishing their own Centres for Disease Control.

“In the medium to long term, we must begin to think strategically about the future of public health security and therefore explore the potential of in-country manufacturing of approved vaccines, following technology transfer.

“The pandemic is a good reminder of the implications of public health outbreaks on national security.

“We must take the leap and gain a better level of independence, in the area of vaccine research and development but also science generally.

“Another key point to note is ownership. Public health is not for the health sector alone as is

popularly practiced in countries including Nigeria.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is perhaps our biggest lesson around this, as the pandemic has affected all spheres of the economy.

“Nigeria now has a National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) that includes a multisectoral approach to prepare for and respond to disease outbreaks.

“Every sector must now contribute to ensuring health security and this is not limited to the provision of funds alone. Many of the determinants of health are outside the health sector, and so we must have multi-sectoral leadership and response to public health emergencies.

PDP extols Babatope, Oyinlola, Kawu Baraje on their birthdays

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

COVID-19: 2 die as Kano govt shuts private hospital that attend to severe cases Page 7

Digest

25

Feature 26 Sports 30-31 Back Page

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Chairman Taskforce FCT, Ikharo Attah Addressing Traders and Shop owners, during the unsealing of markets and mall, yesterday in Abuja..

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Stop Adamu from parading as IGP, lawyer tells court

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

A

legal practitioner, Maxwell Okpara, has asked a Federal High Court Abuja, to stop Mohammed Adamu from parading himself as the Inspector General of Police(IGP).

The plaintiff also asked the court to restrain from exercising any form of command over the Nigeria police force.

President Mohammadu Buhari, Muhammade Adamu, the Attorney General of Federation

and Nigeria Police Counsel are mentioned as the defendants in the matter.

According to the plaintiff, Adamu’s tenure has elapsed on February 1, 2021 by the virtue of Nigeria Police Act. He maintained that Adamu completed his tenure as IG on February 1, 2021 after completing 25years in service as requires by the Nigeria Police Act. In the originating summon in suit number FHC/ABJ/ CS/106/2021, the plaintiff,

Maxwell Okpara, wants the court to determine, whether by provisions of section 215, 216, and Section 7 of the Nigeria Police Act 2020, Adamu can continue to function as IGP after Feb 2, 2021.

The plaintiff also wants the court to determine, whether the failure of the president or the Nigeria Police (1st and second defendants) to appoint another IG does not constitute abdication of their duty.

In a ten paragraph affidavit, deposed by the counsel, Maxwell

Okpara,(plaintiff), he stated that though, Adamu is no longer a serving Police officer but has continued to function in that capacity.

The plaintiff urged the court to determine if the continued stayed in office by Adamu has not breeched the provisions of the constitution and Nigeria Police Act. The plaintiff, therefore wants the court to declare illegal, null and void all action taken by Adamu from midnight of February 1, 2021.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hailed one of the nation’s elder statesman and member of Board of Trustees of the party, Chief Ebenezer Babatope as he celebrated his 78th birthday yesterday.

The PDP describes Chief Babatope as a patriotic Nigerian, an energetic politician and forthright leader, who has shown uncommon commitment towards the entrenchment of democratic tenets, social justice and equity in the polity.

“The PDP celebrates Chief Babatope and earnestly prays God to grant him many more years in good health so that our party, the PDP, the nation and indeed humanity at large will continue to benefit from his wealth of wisdom and commitment to serve”, the party said in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan yesterday in Abuja.

Also yesterday, the PDP saluted the former governor of Lagos and Osun States and former National Secretary of our party, Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola, as he attained the milestone age of 70 years yesterday.

The PDP said about Oyinlola, “Over the years, you have demonstrated an uncommon commitment in the service of our dear fatherland and humanity at large. As a soldier, state governor and party leader, you have firmly established that the essence of statesmanship is in pursuing the good and welfare of others rather than self.

“Our party therefore prays to God to grant you many more years in good health and active service to our dear nation”, it said.

Chairman House Committee on oil theft, Mr. Peter Akpatason, Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Temitayo Oritsajafor, and Member of the committee, Mr. Muranina Ajibola, during an investigation hearing on oil theft, yesterday in Abuja..

Photo: Mahmud Isa

CJTF seeks patrol vehicles from government, individuals

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he Commandant of Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), a security outfit in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Musa Ahmadu has appealed to the Federal Government as well as highly placed individuals to provide patrol vehicles for the organization to combat crime in the territory.

Ahmadu, who made the appeal in an interview with Peoples Daily Correspondent on Tuesday in

Gwagwalada, also charged the government of the day to support the organization financially to discharge its duties effectively He further called on the security agencies to give the necessary attention to the organization for the sake of security fight in Abuja and Nigeria at large.

He said his men will continue to wage war against criminals in Gwagwalada and the FCT as a whole, adding that protection of lives and property would be their primary concern.

Ahmadu, therefore, advised men of underworld to repent for their bad deed and live a new life.

Also speaking, the Administrative Secretary General of the organization in the FCT, Mr Suleiman Idris Gatawa, called on both government and security agencies to carry CJTF along in the affairs of things in the country.

He charged the government at all levels to place the members of CJTF on the welfare packages to boost their morale at work.

Gatawa also tasked the Federal

Government to integrate CJTF into National Security, and urged members of CJTF to be vigilant always.

On his part, the Deputy Commandant of CJTF in-charge of Section C in Gwagwalada, Mr Shamsudeen Badamasi Abba, said the CJTF was set up for the purpose of fighting crime in the society.

Abba appealed to members of the public to continue supporting CJTF for its good work in our communities.

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N EWS

We’re dedicated to growth of democracy, political inclusion - Not Too Young To Run

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

Woman, 40, in court over alleged attempt to steal 3 children A

40-year-old woman, Kazeem Tawa, was, on Wednesday, arraigned before an Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court over alleged attempt to steal three children.

Tawa, whose address was not given, is facing a three-count charge bordering on attempt to steal.

The Prosecutor, Insp Oriyomi Akinwale, told the court that the defendant committed the offence

on Jan. 29 in Ado-Ekiti.

Akinwale said that the defendant attempted to steal Adeyeye Itunu, Bolarinwa Modupe and Joshua Ayomide, all secondary school students.

The offences, according to him, contravene Section 509 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

The prosecutor asked the court for an adjournment to enable him

to study the case file and present his witnesses.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the threecount charge preferred against her.

Counsel to the defendant, Mr Sunday Balogun, urged the court to grant his client bail, with a promise that she would not jump bail.

In her ruling, the Magistrate, Mrs Dolapo Fasuba, granted

the defendant bail in the sum of N100,000, with two sureties in like sum.

Fasuba said one of sureties must have landed property within the Ado-Ekiti Magisterial district and must be a member of landlords’ association in his/her community.

She, thereafter, adjourned the case till March 2, for hearing.

(NAN)

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

A

s the country approaches the 2023 elections, the Not Too Young To Run movement has reaffirms that it will retain its identity as a nonpartisan citizen-led movement dedicated to the growth of democracy, political inclusion, and transformative leadership.

The Movement in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, said it will not transit into a political party, neither will it endorse candidates during an election.

The Movement further reaffirmed its commitment to the campaign for political inclusion of youth, women, and People Living with Disabilities ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The statement added that the Movement will continue to advocate for further reduction in the age of eligibility and the cost of contesting for elective offices.

“We will also recruit, inspire, and support young women and men – across all ethnicities, creed and political parties – seeking public office through our Ready To Run platform.

“In the months ahead, the Movement will be host The Convergence 3.0, Nigeria’s largest gathering of young women and men aspiring for public office in upcoming off-cycle elections and the 2023 general elections.

“The Not Too Young To Run Movement believes that young Nigerians can transform governance in Nigeria in the same way as they have transformed sectors such as technology, arts and entertainment, and sports.”

The statement further revealed that currently there are four State Houses of Assembly led by young people in Oyo, Plateau, Kwara, and Zamfara states as well as a good number of young persons serving as principal officers of State Houses of Assembly.

It said the Not Too Young To Run law is critical to achieving more inclusion for youth; young women, young men and young People Living with Disabilities (PLWDs) who make up 52% of registered voters, yet constitute only 5% in elective offices across Nigeria.

Peoples Daily recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Not Too Young To Run (Age Reduction) Bill into law, which reduced the age requirement for contesting for the Office of the President, House of Representatives, and the State Houses of Assembly.

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

News

FG okays 20 new private universities •N36.5bn for NEPZA power station, airports surveillance equipment

By Egena Sunday Ode

T

he Federal Government has approved the establishment of 20 additional private universities in the country.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, on Wednesday while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the weekly Federal Exercise Council (FEC) According to the Minister, the council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja, reached the decision based on a memo presented before it by his ministry.

Nine of the private universities are located in North Central, three in South South, two in South East, five of them in North West and one in South West.

The minister said the approved universities will get their provisional licenses from the National Universities Commission

Niger: Suleja Chairman urged to repair roads at Madalla market

(NUC), and would be watched for the next three years to see how they would progress.

Adamu named the approved institutions as Topfaith University, Mkpatak, Akwa Ibom State; Thomas Adewumi University, OkoIrese, Kwara State; Maranathan University, Mgbidi, Imo State; Ave Maria University, Piyanko, Nasarawa State, and Al-Istiqama University, Sumaila, Kano State.

The list also included Mudiame University, Irrua, Edo State; Havilla University, Nde-Ikom, Cross River State; Claretian University of Nigeria, Nekede, Imo State; NOK University, Kachia, Kaduna State and Karl-Kumm University, Vom, Plateau State.

Also approved are James Hope University, Lagos, Lagos State; Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria, Kano, Kano State; Capital City University, Kano, Kano State; Ahman Pategi University, Pategi, Kwara State, and University of Offa, Offa, Kwara State.

Others are Mewar University, Masaka, Nasarawa State, Edusoko University, Bida, Niger State; Philomath University, Kuje, Abuja; Khadija University, Majia,

Jigawa State and Anan University, Kwall, Plateau State.

FEC also approved the sum of N35 billion for the building of power station by the Nigerian Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA), in Akamkpa, Cross River State.

According to the Minister of Industry Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo, who spoke on it at the post-council briefing, the contract awarded to Messrs Mutual Commitment Nigeria Limited, is for the power station to power the Calabar Export Processing Zone.

He said the contract sum is N35,411,119,159.47, adding that the contractor will finance 75 percent of the project, which is in the sum of N26,558,339,337.10 while the NEPZA would finance 25 percent which translate to N8,852,779,792.37.

He said council approved a payback period of 10 years of the contractor’s portion.

Adebayo informed that on completion after 11 months, the plant will be operated by the contractor for five years during which they will build local capacity that will take over the running of the plant.

He said: “The whole intention of the upgrade of the two zones is to create zones with world class standards. The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment is desirous of making Nigeria a manufacturing hub, especially now that we have signed on to the Africa Continental free Trade Area (AFCTA) Agreement.

“So, by putting 24-hour power in the two processing zones, it will make it more attractive to foreign investors to come and set up manufacturing concerns here in Nigeria.”

On his part, Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, said council approved for the categorization of Aluminum Smelting Company of Nigeria that is in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, as a power producing and strategic company.

With the approval, Adegbite said the production of aluminum will start in Nigeria.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who spoke on behalf of the ministers of Transportation and Aviation, said council also approved the sum of N783,521,275 inclusive of 7.5 percent VAT for the award of

contract for the procurement of two hydrographic survey boats for the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) by Ministry of Transportation, in Favour of Messers First Index Project and Services Limited.

Mohammed said council approved the contract for the design, supply and installation of PTZ long range tarmac camera surveillance system at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and also for a mobile surveillance system with remote controlled licensed for sober installed in the back of a Mercedes Benz Splinter Van 524 in favour of Messers Bruce Lee Pro Project, which is exclusive Nigeria and Africa representatives of the original equipment manufacturers Messers Datcom Systems Integrated Limited Posers of Slovenia.

While noting that the total sum of the contract is N1,278,594,250, he said this is in order to upgrade and provide security and safety for the Nigeria Airport Authority, especially to avoid incidence on the air site and runway.

By Usman Shuaibu

T From left: Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; National Security Adviser, retired Maj.-Gen Babagana Monguno and Minister of Aviation, Sen Hadi Sirika during a virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday

Unical VC pledges better IGR, infrastructure

T

he Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi, has given assurance that her tenure would increase the Internally Generated Revenue of the university and also witness rapid infrastructure development.

Obi gave the assurance during a one-day workshop organised by the Centre for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE) for expanded management staff of the university.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the workshop is “Re-engineering the University System for Effective Service Delivery”.

The VC told the management staff that her vision was to reposition the university in line with global best practices through research, knowledge production and transfer.

According to the VC, her mission was to produce quality graduates that can compete favourably in the global stage.

“University of Calabar with over 30,000 students’ population needs more lecture halls, auditorium, laboratories, studios and theatres for academic activities.

“Sometimes, lecturers clash during lecture time because of spaces. We will improve on this including micro teaching laboratories, research equipment, multimedia projects, central computer laboratories, ICT facilities among others.

“We are also going to improve the quality of university research, increase workshops on research proposal writings, set up a central laboratory for competitive research, especially in the sciences.

“Also, we are going to increase electricity period on campus, street lighting and lecture rooms at night through the introduction of inverters in central places,” she said.

On ways to increase the IGR of the institution, the VC said she would market the Consultancy

Unit of the institution and also establish viable commercial ventures.

“We are going to reposition the agric faculty or outsource some commercial aspect for efficiency and the faculty of science will be encouraged to set up viable business ventures.

“The Centre for Educational Services would also be repositioned for better accountability with a view to convert innovations for commercial products,” she said.

Obi also said that the institution under her leadership would review the university programme and curriculum along market demands, including programmes of graduate school.

She promised to be accountable and accessible to all labour unions, staff and students through regular interactions and deliberations.

The VC urged Deans of faculties to recommend hardworking staff for reward and those suitable for punishment as well.

Earlier, the Director of CTLE,

Prof. Monday Joshua, said that the workshop was organised to guide the management staff on implementation of the VC’s mission and vision in the new dispensation.

Prof. Eka Braide, former VC of Cross River University of Technology, Calabar and Federal University of Lafia, urged Obi to enforce discipline on teaching and learning.

Braide, who participated in the workshop virtually, encouraged the University of Calabar to work tirelessly in eradicating cultism and examination malpractices.

“The University of Calabar should also review its curriculum to meet the present day realities,” she said.

NAN reports that those in attendance include former Vice Chancellor of University of Uyo, Prof. Akanaren Essien, Deputy Vice Chancellors, Registrar of the University, Deans of Faculty, Heads of Department and Directors of Boards.

he Chairman of Ram Sellers Asociation at Madalla Market in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, Alhaji Shehu Ibrahim, has urged the Chairman of Suleja Local Government, Hon. Abdullahi Maje to repair the dilapidated roads within the market for the sake of the marketers.

Alhaji Ibrahim also charged the chairman to construct a shade for the ram sellers for the safety of their animals.

He further begged the Chairman to drill boreholes in the market for the use of their animals.

He then solicited the assistance of the council’s Chairman to provide vaccines for the ram sellers for the treatment of their domestic animals.

However, Mallam Mohammed Umar Mairago who spoke on behalf of the Madalla Ram Sellers Association Chairman, said despite the revenue being generated in the market, the Suleja Local Government administration had failed to provide basic necessities of life for the traders.

The Chairman then appealed to the traders to continue to live peace with one another irrespective of tribal and religious differences.

Speaking in the same vein, a member of Suleja Emirate Civil Security in the market, Mr Sadam Musa, pleaded with the Suleja Chairman to swing into action to control gully erosion in the market this year’s rainy season.

Controller-General, Federal Fire Service (FFS), Dr Liman Ibrahim; Belarus Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Vyacheslav Brill; and Deputy Controller of FSS, Mr Quintus Azogu, during the visit of the Ambassador to FFS Headquarters in Abuja in Abuja on Wednesday

Again, DSS warns against plans to incite religious violence

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

T

he Department of State Services (DSS) has reminded the public of its earlier warnings about plans by persons and groups to exploit some fault lines to cause ethno-religious violence in parts of the country.

The DSS in a statement issued on

Wednesday by Peter Afunanya, its Public Relations Officer, said latest developments indicated desperate efforts by these groups to subvert public order.

“In this regard, they have continued to resort to inciting, unguarded and divisive statements and acts. The objective is to pit citizens against one another in order to apparently inflame the embers of tribal and

religious discords.

“For the umpteenth time, the Service strongly warns these elements to desist forthwith from their (planned) nefarious acts or face the full wraths of the law.

“However, the DSS will, in collaboration with other security and law enforcement agencies, take necessary steps to ensure the safety of lives and property of the citizenry.”

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News

Minister applauds Buhari for approval of Ayede Polytechnic, Ogbomosho

By Albert Akota

M

inister of Youth and sports Development Mr. Sunday has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the establishment of the Federal Polytechnic at Ayede, Ogbomosho with a take off grant of 2 Billion Naira.

According to the Minister, “The approval of the establishment of the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, OgoOluwa,Ogbomoso in Oyo State with a release of 2billion naira for take off by Mr. President.

“This development is a realization of a long held dream to have the presence of a Federal institution in our historic town.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

Dutse varsity lauds FG, NNPC for construction of roads, hostels From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

T

he management of Federal University Dutse (FUD) have commended the Federal government for the construction of N500 million hostels and construction of 2km meter roads through NNPC and federal ministry of works in the campus.

The commendation was made by the Vice-Chancellor Federal University Dutse (FUD), Prof. Fatima Batul-Muktar, at the commissioning of the two projects.

She explained that, this is not the first intervention work done by the ministry in the university.

“This road really made us happy because the particular road was in deplorable condition, many vehicles broke down on it and may parents had to park their vehicles when they brought their children to school.

“So the road will check

flooding and erosion, as well makes it easy movement of human and vehicles,” the VC said.

Commissioning and handing over of the 800 meters road to the University, the Minister of Works and Housing Mr Babantude Fashola said the gap in Nigerian infrastructure is steadily being bridged by a gradual process of repairs, renewal and construction on major highways.

Mr Fashola explained that there are currently 43 road intervention within tertiary institutions across the country, stating that, “ 29 of such road intervention projects have been completed, with 17 already handed over in 2020”.

The Minister who was represented by Mr Atewolara Gabriel, the Federal Controller Works, in Jigawa, read the ministers speech in parts that, “today we are handing over this FUD road as a critical intervention to support education. And the point must be made that although

this is a civil work project, it is an investment in education,” he said.

According to him, during the construction, 200 people were employed, contributing to the job creation initiative of the government.

“And it is hoped that the school will now ensure that this asset is used properly and not aborted,” he advised.

“While it is true that a lot of work needs to be done in many sectors of our national life, including education, the Buhari government has step-up to lead the process of getting that work done”, according to the address.

“The gap of our infrastructure needs is steadily being bridged by a gradual process of repairs, renewal and construction on major highways and it has reached the schools.

“And it is undebatable that the quality of education will impacted by the quality of infrastructure and learning environment and

those who doubt it should simply listen to some of the feedback from in the schools where this types of intervention has taken place,” Fashola said.

The VC also commended Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNCP) for the construction of medical students hostels worth 500 million for the University.

Professor Batoul added that, the hostels was named after the former Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNCP), late Maikanti Baru.

She maintained that, the commissioning of newly hostels was done by the present MD of the NNPC, Mr Mai Mele Kyari at the Rasheed Shokoni Teaching Hospital Dutse.

The two blocks hostels have 145 rooms each. The present VC is rounding up her projects before her tenure will come to an end very soon.

Kaduna Electric sets 3 years target for full transformation From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

T

he Board of Kaduna Electric, the operator of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company has approved the implementation of the Company’s Performance Improvement Plans aimed at transforming the Company into a world class utility company that deliver values to its customers and other stakeholders.

This was disclosed yesterday by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, Yusuf Hamisu Abubakar during the opening of the Company’s 2021 Strategy Retreat currently holding in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Abubakar stated that the Board has set a three year target for the full transformation of the Company into the efficient electricity service provider that would be the pride of all. ‘’The story of Kaduna Electric is not much different from the story of Akwa Ibom State; starting from a modest beginning about 20 years ago, the State is today in the forefront of infrastructural development. We may have started on a rough footings, we must know that no challenge is unsurmountable and we shall begin our march towards transforming the Company into what we want it to be from here’’, he said.

Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno, inaugurating the rehabilitated state Chest Clinic in Maiduguri on Wednesday (3/2/21). Left is Sen. Ali Ndume, Chairman, Senate Committee on Army

Gombe: Teachers Service Commission train staff to actualize skill From David Hassan, Gombe

T

eachers Service Commission in Gombe state has trained its members, its senior management staff and other critical staff on skills, knowledge and competency.

The training which took place at the Education Resource Center was aimed at educating members of the commission in the area

of recruitment, selection, and retention of teachers.

Chairman of the commission Mrs. Na’omi Maiguwa in her remarks during the training on Wednesday said TSC is mandated to carryout teachers recruitment, promotion and discipline. “ It also handled teachers welfare such as conversion to appropriate cadres in teaching, civil service, transfer, and

retirement from service.”

She decried inadequate learning where secondary school leavers could not pass their external examination like WAEC, NECO and but got admitted into tertiary institutions.

It is sad that the current student ratio in state secondary schools and colleges is about 1:350 which according to her subjects like Mathematics, English language,

Sciences, and humanities are witnessing shortage of teachers.

She said Teachers Service Commission is working ways out of this ugly scenario to achieve its objective.

While calling on the participants to take the training seriously she said the two days training was to enable staff of the commission to refresh their managerial skills.

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

NBA to boycott courts over attack on judges, lawyers

From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

T

he Birnin Kebbi branch of the Nigerian Bar Association has resolved to boycott all courts in the state following the unlawful activities and lingering impasse of ‘Yan Sakai, in Zuru Emirate Council.

This decision was informed sequel to attacks both lawyers and judges are facing in the state by the group.

This was contained in a communique signed by the branch Chairman, Kabiru Aliyu, and the Secretary, Aminu Hassan, after an emergency congress meeting which was held recently and made available to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi.

The statement accused the group of land grabbing, abduction, torture, threat to kill amongst others.

The NBA also resolved and marked as Annexure ‘NBA 1’ that It is noteworthy that the Association had made several efforts to ensure that all the stakeholders in the Administration of Justice and Kebbi State Government take necessary steps in curtailing the unlawful activity and lingering impasse of ‘Yan Sakai who crossed all the boundaries of Rule of Law, including resort to extrajudicial killings but to no avail.

“The ‘Yan Sakai is an armed ethnic militia in Zuru Emirate established as a Vigilante group with the sole objective of curtailing the activities of bandtits, abductors and cattle rustlers in the Emirate. However, the group has no regulations to guide and control its activities. Therefore, the group metamorphosed into something else thereby usurping the powers of constitutted authorities by arresting, investigating, adjudicating and extra judicial executions. The group sits on appeal to cases already adjudicated upon by the High Court and Court of Appeal”, he said.

News COVID-19: 2 die as Kano govt shuts private hospital that attend to severe cases From Fagge

K

Mustapha

Adamu,

ano state government has shut down UMC Hospital for treating patients with severe COVID-19 cases, leading to death of two of the patients.

The state government, through its Commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba

said the medical faciility was shut down because it failed to refer the patients in the state capital to designated isolation centres in the state.

Garba said in the statement that the action was in parallel with standard set by the state Task Force on COVID-19 that requires such facility to attend only to mild cases of the disease.

He said “as a result of its inaction, two confirmed patients with severe cases died, one at the facility and another on the way to the hospital.”

Malam Garba, who was in company with the commissioner for health, Dr. Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa during a visit to the hospital, said it would remain closed pending resolutiom of the

matter between the management and the state governent.

The commissioner stated that two other patients with severe cases of the disease have been transfered to isolation centre, while other patients on admission have been taken to Malam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital and Muhammadu Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital.

President Muhammadu Buhari presides over a virtual FEC meeting at the Council Chambers State House, Abuja. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE.

Court sentences ‘yahoo boy” to 1 year imprisonament

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Kaduna State High Court on Wednesday, sentenced Francis Emmanuel, an internet fraudster to one year imprisonment for defrauding a trader of N300,000 Delivering judgment, Justice M.T.M Aliyu, also ordered the convict to pay restitution of N300,000 to the nominal complainant, Julius David.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kaduna Zonal Office, charged Emmanuel with fraud.

Justice Aliyu gave the convict an option to pay a fine of N100,000, after he pleaded guilty and begged for leniency.

Earlier the EFCC counsel, Onyeka Ekweozor told the court that the convict allegedly convinced David through a social media account, to invest in an online business plan with a promise of 100 per cent returns on the investment within 24 hours.

Ekweozor said, following the chat, David transferred N200, 000 and N100,000 in two different accounts owned by the

convict.

The anti graft counsel, said that after the money was transferred, the convict blocked the complainant and all effers made to recover the money failed.

The offence, he said, is punishable under the provisions of Section 309 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017.

The defence counsel K. J. Garba, appealed for mercy, saying the convict was a first time offender who has promised not indulge in such acts again.

Gov. Ortom accuses Presidency of being surrounded by sycophants From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

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enue State Governor Samuel Ortom has lamented that President Muhammadu Buhari is Surroundered by sycophants who are singing his praises while the country is in turmoil.

Governor Ortom who made the lamentation yesterday while informing newsmen that he has tested negative for Covid -19, also, accused the President of bias, blaming the high level of insecurity on inability of the Presidency to act fast.

He particularly, 9frowned at the

manner the Presidency would react swiftly on issues bothering on Fulani herdsmen especially the recent quit notice given to them by Ondo State government,averring that the President is for Fulani people and not for everyone.

“The President had promised to be for everyone but he has not demonstrated this. There is general insecurity propelled by herdsmen. Leaders of Miyetti Allah must be arrested for peace to reign in this country. What is going on is wrong and has potential to divide the country. If anyone is telling Mr. President that all his well, they are merely decieving him”,the

Governor fumed.

He lauded Governors of the South West for the bold step to also, adopt ranching in their domain, noting that it remains the best practice for animal husbandry.

“Am elated that Benue has become a model in the area of security and quality legislation as it concerns the anti-open grazing law. Ranching is been celebrated in the nation just as the law on kidnapping which we were the first to pass it into law”, he said.

The Governor who once again distanced himself from posters and

appeals urging him to contest for Presidency, maintaining that it is the handiwork of his detractors. Even as he banned all campaigns amongst his cabinet members or aides who are eying political positions in 2023.

“I am not interested in any future election. I still have two(2) years and six months as Governor to add value to the State. Likewise, all those in my cabinet and other appointees interested in 2023 or anchoring campaigns for anyone, if found, I will demand your resignation from that person or sack such a person”,Ortom warned.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

PAGE 8

News

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

Lack of operational vehicles, dilapidated structures, major hindrances to postal services – SERVICOM boss

Mallami’s Governorship posters flow Birnin Kebbi

By Paul Efiong, Abuja

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From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi he Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Jika Mallami’s Governorship posters flow Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State Capital.

Our correspondent who visited some areas in Badariya, bypass, Market area and Yauri Local Government area of Kebbi State gathered that Mallami poster is everywhere in market areas in the state.

According to some market traders, Mallam Mohammed Zauro said that the people of Kebbi State have decided to support the Minister’s governorship ambition following his achievements recorded across the 21 Local Government areas of the State.

Mallami who is the Minister of Justice for the second term in this present administration had recorded a tremendous achievement by empowering youths, less privilege, orphans and widows through his NGOs.

T

he Service Compact with all Nigerians (SERVICOM), says postal services across the country had suffered setback for a longer period of time, owing to lack of operational vehicles, motor cycles and dilapidated structures.

Mrs Nnenna Akajemeli, National Coordinator, SERVICOM, made the observation when she presented SERVICOM Compliance Evaluation Reports (SCER) to the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy on Wednesday in Abuja.

The overall objectives of SCER is to ensure citizen focused service delivery in MDAs, this included identifying gaps in services delivery and making recommendations to MDAs to improve customers` satisfaction and accountability.

Akajemeli explained that on the course of SCER routine exercise, SERVICOM team carried out its operation on 22 general post offices across the six geo-political zones including Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) Headquarters Abuja, to examine their operation.

“It was observed at most of the post offices visited that operational vehicles, postal bikes for postmen were broken down and insufficient.

“The building housing most of the post offices were observed to be old, some in the state of disrepair and therefore, not conducive for both staff and customers of NIPOST. “The mail movement for interstate is not regular in most of the post offices visited and as was confirmed by staff, the vehicles come once or twice a week to convey parcels and mails, “ she said.

The SERVICOM boss, therefore, noted that such had contributed to delays in moving mails from one location to another, hence the need for ministry`s intervention.

Dr Ismail Adewusi, Chief Executive Officer NIPOST expressed satisfaction over the SERVICOM reports, saying it had unveiled some of the challenges faced by them.

Represented by Mr Yahaya Rufa`i, Chief Operating Officer, Adewusi said lack of funds had also contributed to their plights, adding that NIPOST since a year 2,000 had been out of capital budget.

Responding, Mr Festus Daudu, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Communication said he was satisfied with the SERVICOM management team with its efforts in executing its mandates.

“I am aware that the main objective of SERVICOM SCER is to ensure citizen focused service delivery in Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

“SERVICOM compliance monitoring is not a means to witch hunting any agency, is a means of looking into the agency, look at the strength and the weaknesses of the agencies to improve upon, “ Daudu noted.

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News INEC to meet critical stakeholders over democracy, election management issues

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

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he Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, said yesterday that it has finalized plans to engage with diverse stakeholders including political parties, civil society organizations, religious leaders and traditional institutions among others over some burning issues relating to democracy and election management in the country.

Other stakeholders to be engaged by INEC include: labour unions, socio-cultural organizations, various arms of the federal government, as well as state governments The commission said this in a statement yesterday after a crucial meeting of its national leadership in Abuja.

In the statement signed

by Barr Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, the commission

listed some of the burning issues to be addressed at these consultations to include the challenges that declining access to Polling Units pose to democracy and election management in Nigeria..

The Commission appeared to stakeholders in the electoral process and Nigerians at large to work with it to address this major issue.

The statement by Okoye reads, “The Commission met today (yesterday) 2nd February 2021 and deliberated on a number of issues including the finalized arrangements for the upcoming engagements with stakeholders on expanding voter access to Polling Units in Nigeria.

“For several weeks, the Commission has been preparing for these national engagements to address the inadequacies of Polling Units in Nigeria and the challenges they pose to

Group threatens to expose Kperogi, Peoples Gazette over attacks on Buhari, Gambari

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

T Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Ita Enang (L), welcoming Udurhie 1, Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom, King Obukowho Monday Whiskey Udurhie to his office during a visit in Abuja on Wednesday

Cancer cases in Africa double in last 20 years - WHO

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

T

he World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director, Dr Matshidiso Moeti on Wednesday revealed that new cancer cases have more than doubled in the African Region, from 338,000 cases reported in 2002 to almost 846,000 cases in 2020, over the past 20 years.

Moeti added that the rising cancer burden will place additional pressure on resourceconstrained health systems and on patients and their families who incur catastrophic costs to access services.

“The African Region also bears the highest burden of cervical cancer among WHO regions, and so the World Health Assembly’s adoption in 2020 of the Global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem was of key

relevance to African countries.

As part of the first wave countries implementing this strategy, Eswatini, Guinea, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia are scaling-up comprehensive cervical cancer programmes”.

Moeti noted that, the most common forms are cancers of the breast, cervix, prostate, bowel, colon, rectum and liver. Saying, the risk factors include older age and family history, use of tobacco and alcohol, a diet high in sugar, salt and fat, physical inactivity, being overweight, and exposure to specific chemicals, among others.

She gave this revelation in her message to commemorate the 2021 World Cancer Day, which is always marked on 4th of February , every year. The theme of this year is: “I am and I will”, marking the end point of this three-year campaign, which has sought to reduce fear, increase understanding and change

behaviours and attitudes around cancer.

She added that, Industry interference is a growing challenge, including promotion and marketing of known cancercausing products, such as tobacco.

Moeti further hinted that, “Forty-four countries in the Region have ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control towards reducing tobacco use and 20 have ratified the WHO Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products.

“In many communities in African countries, people have limited access to cancer screening and early detection, diagnosis and treatment. For example, only about 30% of African children diagnosed with cancer survive, compared to 80% of children in high-income economies.

Challenges in access to cancer care are further compounded in times of crisis, like the current

COVID-19 pandemic.

“Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine introduction needs to increase to prevent cervical cancer. So far 17 African countries have introduced HPV vaccination nationwide, including Rwanda and Zimbabwe, who are both achieving high national HPV vaccine coverage with the commitment of their governments and partners.

“As countries work towards achieving universal health coverage with WHO’s support, provision of cancer services, including pain relief, should be integrated in benefits packages and social insurance schemes.

To strengthen cancer services, capacity-building is needed of health workers at the district level, along with implementation of a comprehensive surveillance system, and investment in digital innovations to improve cancer care.”

he Nigeria Integrity Group (NIG) has threatened to expose a columnist, Dr Farouq Kperogi and the Peoples Gazette over their constant, unwarranted and serial attacks on President Muhammadu Buhari and his aides.

The NIG particularly frowned at what it described as “a totally discredited muck-rate” about Prof.

Ibtahim Gambari, the Chief of Staff to President Buhari and his son published recently by the Peoples Gazette.

The group said this in a statement yesterday which was jointly signed by Comrade Abdullahi Namadi Adamu, the National Coordinator, Prince Emmanuel Aguibe, National Secretary and Elder Ayo Bolaji, Director of Operations in Abuja.

The NIG carpeted Dr Kperogi, who it described as a “serial regime hater”, stressing that, the Peoples Gazette is “a the mendacious rag founded by surrogates of a leading opposition political party and funded by one of its potential presidential aspirants for the 2023 presidential election.

The group, in the statement said, “While we warn the duo of Kperogi and Peoples Gazette to ply their dark trade and sell their dirty tales else where, we will not hesitate to expose them, their patrons, the dark fund that is fuelling their animus against president Buhari and the fifth columnists who are aiding and abetting their unpatriotic acts from

the current path of infamy they are threading to the anticipated season of sleaze they will unleash on the system as Femi Adesina warned not too long ago”.

The NIG described the story against the Chief of Staff to the President as “rascally lies and fictional tales” engineered by Peoples Gazette newspaper and Farooq Kperogi, targeted at Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff.

The NIG stated that the story was contained in “a poorly written, illresearched beer parlour gossip fit for the dustbin but which, of course, made the day of sick soul who wallows in dirt and putrescence”.

The group said that it saw a few days ago, Farooq Kperogi’s imaginative flight of fancy in attempt to breathe life into story dead on arrival by inventing a fictional narrative about how it was Prof. Gambari who is behind People Gazette’s alleged media troubles.

According to the statement, “both Kperogi and the rag sheet he is defending, trade on blackmail, are not far away from the dark and rotten money that powers their relentless, bitter and unremitting angst against President Buhari, Prof. Gambari and the present administration, and are ever faithful lapdogs and errand boys of Nigeria’s leading opposition political party noted for its legendary intellectual laziness and rich history of sleaze, corruption and graft.

election management.

“Some of these challenges include overcrowding, numerous unserved populations and poor locations, which are potentially disenfranchising millions of Nigerians, and also pose health risks in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is a national problem that calls for national consensus.

“For several years the Commission has tried to address this fundamental challenge to democratic consolidation and election administration with minimal success.

“This has been mainly due to inadequate engagement between the Commission and stakeholders. Consequently, the Commission has had to resort to interim measures such as creating Voting Points at Polling Units nationwide and establishing Voting Point Settlements in the Federal Capital Territory.

“These engagements will afford an opportunity for the Commission to consult with stakeholders in order to build a genuine national consensus to address the problem of declining voter access to Polling Units.

“In the next few weeks, the Commission plans to engage with diverse stakeholders including political parties, civil society organizations, religious leaders, traditional institutions, labour unions, socio-cultural organizations, various arms of the federal government, as well as state governments. Among the burning issues to be addressed at these consultations are the challenges that declining access to Polling Units pose to democracy and election management in Nigeria.

“The Commission appeals to stakeholders in the electoral process and Nigerians at large to work with us to address this major issue”, it said.

JIGAWASTATE GOVERNMENT MINISTRY OF HEALTH

BLOCK B NEW SECRETARIAT COMPLEX, 3 ARM ZONE DUTSE.

ADDENDUM

INVITATION FOR PREQUALIFICATION AND TENDER IN RESPECT OF PHASE II CONTRUCTION WORKS AT SPECIALIST HOSPITAL HADEJIA, SPECIALIST HOSPITAL KAZAURE, SCHOOL OF NURSING AND MIDWIFERY BABURA AND NEW GENERAL HOSPITAL GURI AND CONSTRUCTION OF 3 NEW GENERAL HOSPITALS AT GAGARAWA, GWIWA AND KIRIKASAMMA

Reference to our advertisement in Blue-Print and People’s Daily News Papers of Thursday, January 28, 2021, additional information to be taken note of include: 1. The opening date has been extended to 11th March 2021.

2. Submitted bid should come along with a Bid Security in form of Bank Guarantee of note less than 2% of the bid price 3. Prequalification and financial bids should be submitted in two different sealed envelopes, addressed to the Honourable Commissioner Ministry of Health, block B New Secretariat Complex, Takur Dutse.

4. All documents for submission must be transmitted with a forwarding letter dully signed by company representative under the company’s Letter Headed Paper bearing the CAC Registration Number (RC), Contact Address, Telephone Number (preparedly GSM) 5. The Bid Validity period should be 120 days from the deadline of the bid submission date.

6. Bids submitted after the deadline for submission will be returned un-opened.

7. Only the financial bids of successful pre-qualified bidders will be opened, while those for the un-successful bidders will be returned un-opened 8. This advert shall not be construed as commitment on part of the Jigawa State Ministry of Health, nor shall it entail a Company to make any claim(s) whatsoever and/or to be any indemnity from the Jigawa State Ministry of Health by Virtue of such Company having responded to this advertisement.

9. All cost will be borne by the bidders as the Jigawa state Ministry of Health will not be held responsible for any cost or expenses incurred by any interested party i.e. in connection with any response to this invitation.

10. The Jigawa State Ministry of Health reserves the right to annul the procurement process at any time without incurring any liabilities.

11. Alternative bid will not be accepted 12. Bidders with same subsidiary relationship are not allowed to partake in the same lot.

Signed: Dr Salisu B. Muazu, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

PAGE 10

News

Land compensation: Gombe govt pays N900m to beneficiaries in 2020 fiscal year From David Hassan, Gombe

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ombe state government said it has paid compensation of N900 million to land owners in 2020 fiscal year.

Commissioner for land and survey Hon. Muhammed Danladi Adamu made the disclosure in Gombe during an interview with Journalists on Monday.

He said the compensation was made to settle land owners within Gombe metropolis and its environs so that they can acquire a new place as part of their livelihood.

Hon. Adamu told Journalists that the leadership of governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has directed the ministry of land and survey to give out 1000 hectares of land at Gari Abdullahi Dadin-kowa in Yamaltu Deba local government area for construction of an industrial park.

He however said the Nigerian Airforce through Gombe state government has also benefited with 230 hectares of land along Gombe-Bauchi road to commence their activities.

The commissioner expressed government’s commitment which according to him, government will not rest until the demand of the people is made.

He advised land owners not to hesitate to register with the ministry of land and survey in order to get authentic documents that will safeguard their lands.

Bida Poly: ASUP group urges Minister to maintain stands on Rector From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

A

group of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) in Federal Polytechnic Bida has urged federal government to ignore the call by some ASUP unionists that an acting Rector be appointed for the

Institution before February 15, 2021.

This was contained in a statement issued yesterday and made available to journalists which was signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the group, Dr. Victor Okolobah and Mr. Abdulkadir Abdullahi Yahaya respectively.

The statement however described their appeal to the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu as selfserving, callous and borne out of mischief, adding that the call by ASUP was the height of ignorance, sheer mischief and disregard to the laws guiding such appointments.

It further maintained that

President Muhammadu Buhari acted in accordance with the law when he reappointed Dr. Abubakar Abdul Dzukogi for a second term of four years in 2019, saying that “the reappointment is in line with Section 8 (6)c of the new Polytechnic Act and also in compliance with the extant Civil Service Rules.”

FG flag off implementation of $20m GPE fund Maryam Abeeb, Abuja

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he Federal Government through the Ministry of Education has flagged -off the implementation of the $20million Accelerated Funding Grant given by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) for Education in Emergency in Nigeria.

The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu during his remark at the ceremony in Abuja,

explained that GPE funding seeks to support state driven intervention that transparently address the gaps in delivering education in emergency.

He added that it is also to address inequities existing within the education sector in each of the BAY ( Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states).

According to him, the grant will focus on select strategic actions that are catalytic in improving the education

architecture in the three focus states.

He stressed that the grant will reduce the number of out of school children, establish robust teacher preparation, professional development and recruitment systems, address protection issues, and strengthen leadership capacity for education in emergency for long term sustainability. ‘’ Each activity will include consideration for children within

the poorest wealth quintiles to redress inequalities due to poverty and displacement resulting from violent conflict. ‘’ The overall targeted outcome of this joint partnership is to improve access to education through formal and non formal approaches , improved learning outcome and continuity of learning for conflict –affected children in safe , healthy and protective environments in North –East Nigeria,’’ he said.

From left: Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), University of Calabar, Prof. Mike Okom; Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Prof.

Winifred Oyo-Ita and Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Florence Banku-Obi, during a workshop for expanded management staff of the University held in Calabar on Wednesday

Lawmakers donates cash, wrappers to widows in Delta community

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

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he Member representing Ika South Local Government Area in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Festus Okoh has donated cash and bundles of wrappers to widows in Ika South Local Government Area.

Making the donations, at an event where over 300 widows

were ministered to, Hon. Okoh noted that giving was a passion.

“This gesture is not just a way to giving to the people, but a passion. I love being a succour and hope to the less privileged around me,” he stated.

While urging the women to continue to maintain their role as moulders of destinies, he called on them to continue to pray for their children.

Hon. Okoh, who is also the Chief Whip in the Delta State House Assembly, enjoined the beneficiaries to continue to support the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa led administration saying that it was poised to deliver more developmental strides across the state.

In her remarks, one the beneficiaries and leader of the widows, Mrs Victoria Odudu

said that Hon. Festus Okoh had been taking care of them for almost a decade.

“He has been decorating, clothing, feeding and empowering us. Before now, we were abandoned, but he has taken over our wellbeing. Just as he doing for us that is how he has affected the lives of our youths and others,” she said While praying God o

continue to advance Hon. Okoh, she called on other wellto-do individuals in the society to emulate him by caring for the less privileged around them.

The widows, who were delighted by what were given to them, held a prayer session in honor of the donor and his family.

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

PAGE 11

Letter to the editor

EDITORIAL

Don’t abandon agric for crude search

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overnor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed of Bauchi State had cause to celebrate last year that crude oil has been found in his state.

The find, Kolmani River Well 11, is in Alkaleri local government area. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) announced the discovery on Oct. 10, 2020. It explained that “at 18:02hours, one of the reservoirs was perforated and hydrocarbon started flowing to the well head at 21:20hours in which the gas component was flared to prevent air charge around the Rig. “Preliminary reports indicate that the discovery consists of gas, condensate and light sweet oil of API gravity, ranging from 38 to 41, found in stacked siliciclastic cretaceous reservoirs of Yolde, Bima sandstone and pre-Bima formations.

Computation of hydrocarbon volume is on-going and will be announced in due course”.

We at Peoples Daily understand governor Bala Mohammed’s euphoria over the oil find in his state. It demystifies the belief that Northern Nigeria survives only on the oil economy of the South. The region is a big parasite on the far more productive southern part of the country, is the lie that has been Peoples told time and time again.

“

We at Daily understand governor Bala Mohammed’s euphoria over the oil find in his state. It demystifies the belief that Northern Nigeria survives only on the oil economy of the South

Reacting to the fossil oil discovery, confirmed by Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Timipre Sylva, the Bauchi governor described it as “a giant stride in unlocking the well documented economic potentialities of the state”. In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Comrade Mukhtar Gidado in Bauchi, the governor said the discovery “will make the state a net contributor to the nation’s crude oil output”.

The statement added, “the occasion of striking of oil in Alkaleri Local Government of Area of the state by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation as a great moment, OUR MISSION

not only for the state but for Nigeria as a whole as it is a monumental opportunity for both the present generation and the future”. He advised, however, that “there is need to embrace the currents of time and global best practice by diversifying and keying into the digital age”.

However, this does not tell the whole story. And this is why it is not yet celebration time.

For one, it is as yet to be ascertained if the find is of commercial value.

Secondly, in not too distant future fossil fuel will cease to be popular because of huge production costs and pollution risk. Cleaner and less costly energy sources are fast emerging on the scene.

Therefore, the North should, and must, not be lulled into complacency by the crude oil strike in its heartlands. Plans to resuscitate its agrarian economy should continue apace the search for crude. Because the future of the region lies in agriculture which will ensure food security and provide jobs for its teeming youth population.

OUR PEOPLE

“To be the market Chief Operating Officer place of ideas and /Editor, the leading player Hameed M. Bello, PhD in the industry by putting the people first, upholding the Manager, administration Hassan Hammanyaji truth, maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards while HEAD, ADVERT delivering value to patrick UGAMA our stakeholders”

OUR VISION

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

The protracted KadunaZaria-Kano expressway

By Zayyad Muhammad

T

he delay in the completion of the Kaduna-Zaria-Kano expressway is a major topic in the northern part of Nigeria.

Recently, I witnessed a debate between two friends in JimetaYola, Adamawa state, on the completion of the KadunaZaria-Kano expressway.

That debate prompted this headline. The duo debated the role of Engineer Abubakar D. Aliyu, as Honourable Minister of State for Works and Housing in the delayed completion of the Kaduna-Zaria-Kano expressway, considering the fact that he is from the north.

Whenever the unpalatable tale of the delay of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing projects in the north is mentioned, Aliyu’s name often pops up. This may be due to no other reasons other than that he is from the north; a politician, an accomplished engineer, a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, a member of the Council of Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), and has the record of being the longestserving deputy governor in Nigeria, - 10 and a half years as the deputy governor of Yobe state. With aforementionedEngr. Aliyu cannot run away from being mentioned and looked-upon for criticism and some explanations.

When asked, the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing explained why the construction work on the Kaduna-ZariaKano expressway is taking long to complete.

They clarified that; the project did not begin early as planned because some members of the National Assembly demanded the expansion of the road from two lanes to three lanes, to which the executive obliged.

After the directive from the presidency, there was a need to redesign and accommodate the expansion.

The redesigning meant the realignment of 40 different bridges on the road and other technical readjustments. After undergoing all the processes of

procurement for redesigning to three lanes, the ministry received another instruction to revert to two lanes due to paucity of funds. These were the major reasons for the delay.

Apart from popping-up in debates on the state of federal roads, Engr. Aliyu’s name comes up frequently in Adamawa state. Though having Yobe state as state of origin, Engr. Abubakar and his late brother, former governor of Yobe State, senator Mamman Ali were born and raised in Jimeta-Yola, Adamawa. Many people in Jimeta pay attention to their affairs, as they are seen as indigenes of Jimeta and as role models. In his current position, Engr.

Abubakar has gone through the mills to contribute to the ministry’s policies and programs on highway construction and rehabilitation; infrastructural planning and design; and the monitoring and maintenance of federal roads and bridges, nationwide. Aliyu has been actively involved in driving initiatives aimed at improving the country’s infrastructure.

The Jimeta-raised technocrat was integral to the plans by the Federal Government to build 500 houses for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Zamfara, Borno, Adamawa and Katsina States, including the construct affordable housing for nationwide. He is also contributing in driving the federal government’s wider target to cut the housing deficit in the country by 20 million in 2033. As a seasoned engineer, Aliyu is a round peg in a round hole in the ministry of works and housing. With the bureaucracy of the Nigerian administrative system, which often delays achieving monumental projects like the KadunaZaria-Kano expressway, the country needs the expertise of technocrats like Aliyu to take its infrastructure development to the next level.

Zayyad I. Muhammad writes from Jimeta, Adamawa State, zaymohd@ yahoo.com, 08036070980

PAGE 12

Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

Five social media trends in January

By Ezinwanne Onwuka

S

aying that social media has become an integral part of people’s lives and daily routines would not be an exaggeration, not in today’s world.

We might only be a month into 2021 but this year has already had some huge social media trends that has made most social media users spend a good part of their days scrolling through one social media application to the other. These trends got most people addicted to their phones so much so that the first thing they do after waking up is to check their social media feeds.

Let’s take a look at the five trends that dominated social media last month, January 2021.

1. Charlie Charlie Game: The Charlie Charlie Challenge, otherwise known as the pencil game, has been around for some years before it stormed the internet in January. It is a question and answer game: you ask questions and “Charlie” answers either “yes” or “no”. The game is simple: draw a grid on a piece of paper with a “yes” in the top right and bottom left hand corner, and a “no” in the remaining two. Balance one pencil on top of another in the shape of a cross, and ask something along the lines of “Charlie, Charlie can we play?” The pencils should then start moving. If they go to “yes”, “Charlie” is ready and willing to answer your questions — put the pencil back, and use the same technique to get answers. If it’s a “no”, then you’ll have to come back later, or try again. At the end of the game, you are to ask, “Charlie, Charlie, can we stop?” and say goodbye when the demon says “yes”. For fun, film yourself doing this and share the video afterwards on social media.

Days after the trend started, social media was soon flooded with video clips of strange happenings that some participants of the game experienced after playing the game. This caused the game to be labeled ‘demonic’ and people were advised to desist from participating in the challenge. The general belief is that Charlie is a demon and those who hold this view cite this as the reason the pencil moves – the demon moves the pencils. This is a misconception. The fact is that there is no demon who moves the pencils, rather gravity causes them to move. The arrangement of the pencils that the game requires means that they’ll always move, because it’s just not a natural position for them to be in. the pencils have to be so finely balanced on top of each other that even the slightest movement from a breath or slightly tilted surface will push it around.

It’s possible that some people experienced strange things after playing the game. But it’s equally likely that after playing the game, the brain gets itself into a state that makes it extra fearful. That’s the same thing that makes people more likely to hear strange noises when they’re on their own or in the dark. In both of those situations, people are genuinely more in danger — so the brain think itself into a special fight or flight state that makes it extra-vigilant to noises, so that those dangers can be avoided.

You might ask: if Charlie is not a demon, who is he? As with most myths, the actual fact of who Charlie is seems to vary depending on who’s telling it. Some claim it is a child that took his own life, others say it is a demonic Mexican man. However, the only way to really find out who he is for sure is to play the game and ask him (winks).

2. Stingy Men Association of Nigeria (SMAN): SMAN was created as a form of revolt from men who have had enough of giving their hard-earned money to their female counterparts who are in the habit of always seeking financial help. Since it began to trend online, many Nigerian men have shown their interest in the association, with many sharing their identity cards and others asking how they can become bonafide members.

The motto of the association is “let me see what I can do.” Judging from their motto, it is obvious that men who are members of this association will always find one excuse or the other to give whenever someone, especially a woman, asks them for financial support.

Although the trend started with just a few social media users, it soon gathered momentum with several notable male personalities in the entertainment industry using their influence to amplify the existence of the association. As if that is not enough, some of these celebrities have also made known their membership of the group while sharing their identity cards on their social media platforms. SMAN, which already has registered social media handles with thousands of followers, describe themselves as an “online fun gathering of the great men of our country who spend wisely, making sure that every Kobo is being accounted for.” There is no official procedure to become a member of SMAN, all that is required of you is to download the ID card template, edit it and add your name and a photo.

3. Stingy Women Association of Nigeria (SWAN): In reaction to the emergence of Stingy Men Association of Nigeria (SMAN), the women came up with Stingy Women Association of Nigeria (SWAN). It can be said

that SWAN was created to challenge SMAN. Thus, it is the rival association of SMAN. SWAN is an association of women who would rather not give in to the demands of the male folks for sex. This informed the choice of their motto: “Do not open”. This simply means “no money, no sex.” Backing the association across social media, just as it is with SMAN, are Nigerian women celebrities of all ages, including the media personality, Toke Makinwa. There is, also, no official procedure of becoming a member of SWAN, all you need to do is to download the ID card template, edit it and add your name with your photo.

4. Buss It Challenge: The Buss It challenge started on TikTok but spread to every social media platform like a wildfire and like all social media trends, everyone went crazy about it. Social media users got in on the trend and shared their amazing transformations.

As more and more people began to show off their “glow up” with the challenge, it became increasingly popular, catching on with celebrities and social media influencers.

Buss It is simple and fun to pull off. It just takes two different outfits, some video editing knowledge, and twerking skills (you don’t really have to be a pro at dancing, though).

The challenge starts with the participants in their regular day-to-day clothes with a messy hair and no make-up as Nelly’s “Hot in Herre” plays. Once the beat drops, he/she says, “I think my butt is getting big” which signals a transition. As soon as the song after which the challenge was named – Buss It by Erica Bank’s starts to play, the participants comes up all dressed up, showing off their outfits as well as their twerking skills.

Ezinwanne Onwuka writes in from Cross River State and can be reached at ezinwanne. dominion@gmail.com

Gender roles and equality: The African perspective

By Star Arinbomen

W

hen discussions about the concepts of ‘gender roles’ and ‘gender equality’ arise, partisanship is bound to play out; while emotions are let loose and allowed to flare unrepressed. Once, I witnessed one of such impassioned discussions among a group of wouldbe medicos. Moved by their conflict of thoughts, I indicated my desire to weigh in with my position on the subject of discourse. No sooner had I started enunciating my thought on the subject matter than the superintendent of the discourse, a medico, cut in and rebuffed my contribution. For the rest of the session, I was just a spectator. I felt a pang of unease within me, as the contributors seemed to have stereotyped perspectives about the discourse.

“Do you believe in the concept of gender roles?”

The superintendent started out. “No! What a man can do, a woman can do also”, a male contributor retorted. “Do you think men should show special consideration for women in social situations; for instance, a man offering a woman his seat?” The superintendent added. “No! Men and women should be treated alike in social situations”, another male contributor replied. In a rather quick succession, the superintendent posed another question: “Should family responsibilities be borne by the husband alone or shared equally by both spouses?” This time, however, he specifically requested a female contributor. After a momentary period of quietude, a mellifluous feminine voice responded: “Well, I think it’s a matter of the level of cooperation among couples. Perhaps the husband can take responsibility for major family affairs such as upkeep and payment of their children’s school fees; while the wife can take responsibility for providing food for the family”. The discussion went on and on; but there was no meeting point in the diverse thoughts of the participants.

Admittedly, the concepts of ‘gender roles’ and ‘gender equality’ are contentious and socially divisive; and it is difficult, nay impossible to sway one’s audience in one’s direction, especially if they hold a contrary view. However, before I pontificate on this issue, I would like to kick the ball rolling by shedding some light on some terms that are germane to this piece- ‘sex’, ‘gender’, ‘gender role’, and ‘feminist’.

Conventionally, ‘gender’ may pass as a synonym for ‘sex’, among other contextual meanings of ‘gender’. However, technically- especially in medical parlance- a distinction is often being made between ‘sex’ and ‘gender’. Technically, ‘sex’ refers to the biological characteristics that define humans as males or females. These biological characteristics are not mutually exclusive, as there are some individuals who possess both; nevertheless, they tend to differentiate humans as males or females.

‘Gender’, on the other hand, refers to social or cultural distinctions associated with a given sex. It is generally considered to be a socially constructed concept.

‘Gender roles’ refer to socially constructed roles of men and women within a given culture or location. A ‘feminist’ is a proponent of a doctrine or movement that advocates equal rights and opportunities for women as men.

Now, let’s consider the first part of the crux of the matter. Should the concept of ‘gender roles’ be given a place in contemporary African society? A feminist or a pro-feminist’s answer to this question will most probably be in the negative; while the answer of a proponent of this concept is most likely to be in the affirmative. Nevertheless, I think the answer to this question should be informed by reason rather than emotion; and objectivity rather than personal bias. In this regard, the concept of cultural diversity should be borne in mind. Culture has classically been defined as the way of life of a people. In other words, culture is the true identity of a people; it portrays what they stand for and what they believe in; and it epitomizes their ideals, values and most treasured heritage.

The concept of ‘gender roles’ is an integral component of the African cultural configuration.

The patriarchal social organization in the typical African setting lends credence to this position. In recent times, however, there have been several crusades against the place of ‘gender roles’ in modern-day African society. Both external and internal influences underlie the advocacy of consignment of the concept of ‘gender roles’ in the African culture to the rubble of time. The external influence is borne out of the rub off of western culture on Africa by virtue of western colonialism and cross-border migration. The internal influence is an offshoot of iconoclastic tendencies precipitated

by modernization and global networking of the diverse cultures of the nations of the world.

Cultural ideology is a unique impression of nature on every human society, as it varies in different climes of the world. As such, this natural bequeathal should be guarded jealously.

Furthermore, culture is a unifying factor of a people; thus kicking against one’s culture is akin to deliberately undermining the symbol of unity and essence of one’s society. It is important to reckon that culture adoption is a very contentious and divisive issue. Also, that a society is seemingly faring well under the influence of its cultural setting does not imply that any society that adopts such a culture will equally fare well. On the contrary, adopting the culture of another society could open a Pandora’s Box of chaos in a given society.

The other part of the kernel of this discourse is the concept of ‘gender equality’. ‘Gender equality’ is a concept that has been in the front burner of the campaigns of many human rights and other allied organizations in recent times. Both on the local and on the international scenes, these organizations have been in the vanguard of the crusades for ‘gender equality’. The proponents of this concept believe that men are not superior to women; and, therefore, demand that both genders be given the same consideration in every facet of life. Equality is an egalitarian concept, which can only exist in a Utopian sphere. In reality, however, equality cannot be achieved in any practical human society. The quest for equality always culminates in hostility, polarization and uprising against the fundamental ideals and values that unite a people.

Given the foregoing, there is the need to negotiate some common ground in this contentious and socially divisive matter. The common ground here should be the advocacy of gender equity and fairness. Rather than allow our ideological differences on this issue translate into bigotry and cultural extremism, we should redirect the drives for the crusade against ‘gender roles’ and for ‘gender equality’ towards the achievement gender equity and fairness in contemporary Africa.

Although a patriarchal society, Africa has not fared ill under the influence of this social configuration; however, some may contest this position. Every society operates a social structure that is in sync with its fundamental cultural ideology.

The proponents of the crusade against ‘gender roles’ and for ‘gender equality’ might argue that the patriarchal nature of the African cultural setting has resulted in the marginalization of the feminine folks, while also promoting intimate violence against them. Well, from an objective point of view, it is apparent that the originators of the crusades that we’re currently promoting have not fared any better with their cultural settings. Evidence abounds that the owners of these exotic cultures harbor the weirdest forms of feminine marginalization and intimate violence, their façade of social civility notwithstanding. Perhaps their climes could also pass as the fountain of the most heinous acts of inhumanity.

Therefore, rather than promoting exotic cultural ideologies in the name of addressing some so-called ‘aberrations in our social configuration’, I think it will be rational for Africans to look inwards and evolve solutions to our social challenges within the confines of our cultural peculiarity. In recent times, a lot of resources have been devoted to fighting the social ethos, values and ideals that have kept us strong as an indivisible entity. This is rather unfortunate! I suppose the time has come for us to have a profound reflection on our actions so far on this matter vis-à-vis our cultural ideology.

On a final note, it is imperative that the proponents of the crusade against ‘gender roles’ and for ‘gender equality’ take a step backwards and reflect again on the objectives of their course.

Their crusades should be reorientated towards the pursuit of gender equity and fairness. Gender equity and fairness is about a man acknowledging the uniqueness of a woman in terms of her strengths and foibles; and a woman reckoning a man in the same light. Gender equity and fairness does not consist in a woman striving to be recognized as a man; or a man striving to be recognized as a woman.

It’s about creating the right pedestals for both sexes to fulfill their potentials. Gender equity and fairness is without strife, envy or tussle. It promotes peaceful coexistence among men and women; and helps translate the potentialities that repose in them into creating a rejuvenated human society.

This, therefore, should be the pursuit of every wellmeaning African.

Arinbomen Star writes in from Ibadan and can be reached at Starins4real@yahoo.com

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

Russia’s population decreases

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

R

ussia has demographic crisis. Notwithstanding official efforts to boost birth rates, reverse brain drain, use immigration policy over the past few years, Russia’s population still falls by half a million.

According to official data cited last month, Russia’s population stands at 146.24 million as of Jan. 1, 2021, down from 146.75 million the previous year. Russia’s population could drop by more than 12 million by 2035, the national statistics office said in its annual forecast published on its website.

The State Statistics Service (Rosstat) said that Russia experienced its highest natural population decline in 11 years.

Here are the three population scenarios that Rosstat predicted for the next 15 years. That, however, Russia’s natural population is expected to continue to decline — meaning deaths will continue to outnumber live births.

Optimistic scenario: 150.1 million. Natural population is expected to slow its contraction from nearly 250,000 next year to 21,300 in 2035.

Migration is expected to grow from under 340,000 next year to more than 385,000 in 2035.

Baseline scenario: 142.9 million. Natural population is expected to decline by more than 350,000 next year and almost 400,000 in 2035.

Migration is expected to drop slightly from almost 265,000 next year to around 264,000 in 2035.

Worst-case scenario: 134.2 million. Natural population is expected to contract by 484,400 next year and near 1 million people by 2035. Migration is expected to drop from almost 191,000 to under 16,000 arrivals in 2035.

All the figures were revised downward from 2018, when Rosstat forecast Russia’s population to grow to 153.2 million under an optimistic scenario, 144 million under a baseline scenario and 138.1 million under the worst-case scenario.

Besides, there are Russian Ministries that show concern and closely involved in discussing ways to implement measures to support population growth.

For instance, the Health Ministry and the Economic Development Ministry.

Russia’s Health Ministry Deputy Health Minister Evgeny Kamkin, back in October 2020 at the Territory of Care forum, said that “By the decree of the President of the Russian Federation on national goals and strategic development objectives for the period up to 2030, we have been given an ambitious but achievable task – increasing the life expectancy of Russians to 78 years by 2030.

Increasing the share of older citizens of working age in the structure of the country’s population requires a timely restructuring of the entire health care system, with an emphasis on early detection of age-related diseases and risk factors for their development.”

The Demography National Project for 20192024 consists of five federal projects: Financial support for families with newborn children, Support for female employment, Older generation, Public health promotion and Sport as a norm of lifestyle.

The project’s key goals include: increase in life expectancy; decrease in mortality of the population over the working age; increase in birth rate; promotion of a healthy lifestyle. At present, relevant ministries and agencies are adjusting the indicators of the national project. The project was extended

PAGE 13

Comment until 2030.

Economic Development Ministry The Economic Development Ministry, as far back in August 2019, expected the population in Russia to grow by almost two million people in five years. This is according to the ministry’s basic macroeconomic forecast for 2019-2024, the outlook on demography took into account “the development of measures to support the birth rate.”

According to the document, the population would increase annually by 0.2-0.5 million people and would grow from 146.8 million people to 148.7 million people by 2024.

According to the forecast, the number of working-age population would also increase – from 82.0 million people to 85.3 million people. At the same time, the number of retired people would decrease from 37.3 million people to 35.6 million people.

Experts on Population Growth Many Russian experts say population growth in any country can be ensured by either a natural increase (the difference between the number of births and deaths) or migration. That said, migration can become a demographic resource, but for this, Russia’s migration policy needs to be changed, Director of the Higher School of Economics’ Institute of Demography, Anatoly Vishnevsky, suggested.

Russia must have “special programmes focused on receiving migrants, and furnishing mechanisms for them to adapt and integrate, but Russia doesn’t have them,” he stressed. His proposal implies adopting one more measure for boosting the population, and to ensure a growing population as people makes up the wealth of a country. On the contrary, Russia has let the pace of migration slip

through its fingers over the past decade. If we had a sound migration policy, then we could be considering migration from other countries,” suggested Anatoly Vishnevsky.

Putin on Population Growth In his Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly delivered at the Manezh Central Exhibition Hall in January 2020, President Vladimir Putin said “There are nearly 147 million of us now.

But we have entered a difficult, a very difficult demographic period. We are alarmed by the negative demographic forecasts. It is our historic duty to respond to this challenge. We must not only get out of this demographic trap, but ensure a sustainable natural population growth by 2025. The aggregate birth rate must be 1.7 in 2024.”

“Demography is a sector where universal or parochial solutions cannot be effective. Each step we take and each new law or government programme we adopt must be scrutinised from the viewpoint of our top national priority – the preservation and increase of Russia’s population,” he told the gathering.

Putin suggested building a long-term policy to support population growth, adding “it is our historic duty to respond to this challenge. We must not only get out of this demographic trap but ensure a sustainable natural population growth by 2025.

Demography is a sector where universal or parochial solutions cannot be effective. Each step we take and each new law or government programme we adopt must be scrutinised from the viewpoint of our top national priority – preservation and increase of Russia’s population.”

Kester Kenn Klomegah is an Int’l Affairs Analyst.

Re: Critical steps towards the sesolution of Nigeria as a true federation (1)

By Jerome-Mario Utomi

I

t is pretty obvious that the Nigerian Nation state seems to lack the necessary ingredients of real unity and peace required for her socio-economic development and genuine progress. This counter, cross and Trans arguments is particularly “nourished” by two separate but related factors. First is what many describe as ‘leadership haemorrhage’ that the nation has suffered right from independence in October 1960. The second has to do with the notion that Nigeria’s Problems of Political Instability is traceable to the fact that the nation came into existence by virtue of British imperial power and colonial diplomacy and primarily to achieve the British objectives of colonization of Nigeria.

These main British colonial objectives going by reports includes: The supply of primary raw material (agriculture and mineral) for which Nigeria as a large Nation was abundantly endowed to the British home industry, and To secure Nigeria as a large market for the industrial goods (capital and consumer items) and professional technological services of the British home industry and personnel.

But the most serious and surprising reason for amalgamation according to one of Nigeria’s foremost Lawyers, late Richard Akinjide, is found in Fredrick Lugard’s Book, titled “The Dual Mandate of Europe in Tropical Africa” London, 4th Edition, 1929. Where, Lord Harcourt, the British Colonial Secretary, after whom Port Harcourt (PH) was named, clearly stated that the Purpose of Amalgamation of the Entities named Nigeria as follows, “We have released Northern Nigeria from the lending Strings of the Treasury (British Government Treasury). The promising and well conducted Youth is now on Allowance on his own and is about, to effect, the Alliance with a Southern Lady of means. I (Lord Harcourt) have issued the special License and Sir Fredrick Lugard will perform the Ceremony.May the Union be fruitful and the Couple constant”.

These scenarios have made commentators conclude that there was no available evidence from historical records that the British Colonial

Authorities intended to develop Nigeria into a really united World competing modern technological and industrial Nation. And, conflicting nations, they say, cannot achieve unity, nationalism, love, pride and or real progress.

However, as Nigeria and Nigerians dwell in regrets with many apprehensive that what we are experiencing is no longer be the first half of a reoccurring circle, but rather the beginning of something new, one quietly influential Nigerian, namely, Professor Felix N.C. Oragwu.

FSAN, a Former University Academic in Physics, from 1960s, at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka,(UNN) before the Civil War of 1967-1970, Coordinator of the Technological Services, the Industrial War Machine, that operated in the defunct State of Biafra, 19671970, and first Senior Director in Charge of the Department of Science and Technology Policy, Planning and Development (DPPD) of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, 1979-1987. and author of the book; Scientific and Technological Innovations In Biafra (the ‘Ogbunigwe” Fame (1967-1970), among others, in a well knitted Memorandum titled; Critical Steps towards the Resolution of Nigeria as a True Federation, forwarded to some Principal Officers in the National Assembly, disagrees with People, who say that all Nigeria’s Problems of Political Instability are due to “the Mistake of Amalgamation” in 1914 of over 200 differing and distinct ethnic Nationalities to set up Nigeria as a Nation.

Aside from adding sidelight to the present national disagrees, Oragwu’s new awareness as subsequent paragraphs shall reveal forms the plot that gave big helping hands to this piece.

To copiously quote him,“ Amalgamation” made United States of America (USA) a big and most powerful Nation on earth, USSR a second most powerful Nation on earth and United Kingdom (UK) of Great Britain a great and formidable Colonial Power in Europe. Nigeria with its large population and talented human resources, huge natural resources and large geographical space can be a great power at least in Africa. However USA and UK respectively came into being through a strategy of negotiated

terms of Union in the case of USA of America States who are all immigrants from Europe, Asia and Africa, respectively, but who found themselves in North America originally owned by what is now history called the Red Indians, and in the case of UK of Great Britain is also through a negotiated Union of independent Nations of England, Scotland and Wales living independently in one big Island called Britain, which through the resulting Treaty of 1707 brought UK into being.

What I believe is the “Mistake” in the case of Nigeria is the strategy of “forced Amalgamation” in 1914. Britain herself to her credit as a Colonial Power later realized her “mistake” and corrected it in 1951, when she organized a National Conference of representatives of Nigeria’s over 200 constituent ethnic Nationalities led by Alhaji Ahmadu Bello leading the Northern Nigeria’s Group of Nationalities (now the 19 Northern States), Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe leading the Eastern Nigeria Group of Nationalities (now the SouthEast States, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States, and Chief Obafemi Awolowo leading the Western Nigeria Group of Nationalities (now the 6 South West Sates, Edo and Delta States) respectively, in Ibadan, Western Nigeria for a negotiated Federation in 1951 to make Nigeria a true Federation, which sustained Nigeria in relative unity, peace and progress from 1952-January 15, 1966 until Nigeria, by Military Fiat, jettisoned and disbanded the well worked out Terms of Nigeria Union by our Founding Fathers in 1952 to now introduce a destructive Unitary Administration.

In the light of the above complex of Nigeria’s Nationhood, the Responsibility of the Restructuring of Nigeria In Peace, in the light of the Existing Constitution, into a sustainable Nation, State or a True Federation in Peace, lies squarely with the National Assembly / 36 States Assemblies who are now the Elected True Representatives of the over 120 ethnic Nationalities comprised in Nigeria.

The British Colonial Authority is no more here and has long since left Nigeria in 1960. It is now our Responsibility to organize Nigeria, the

Way we (Nigerians) want. The British Colonial Census of Nigeria of 1931 indicated or informed us that Nigeria consists of the following diverse / distinct ethnic Nationalities or Nations in the following descending Order / Size of Populations,namely, Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, Igbo (Ndigbo), Kanuri, Ibibio, Tiv, Edo, Nupe, Ijaw and other smaller Population Groups including Urhobo, Itschekiri, Efik, Ogoja, Idoma, Igala, Isoko,Beron, Gwari, among others,spread along the length and breadth of the River Niger/River Benue.It is also found that,out of the Ten(10) large Population ethnic Nationalities, namely, Hausa, Fulani, Kanuri, Tiv, and Nupe,are domiciled in the Northern Region of Nigeria, while the Yoruba, Igbo (NdiIgbo), Ibibio, Edo and Ijaw, are domiciled in the Southern Region of Nigeria. There has been no love lost politically among these diverse ethnic Nationalities comprised in Nigeria.

Also, in his (oragwu) Writings,since the end of the Civil War in 1970 including Bookson Nigeria-Biafra Civil War, it is stated that the held View that the Hausa-Fulani led Northern Nigeria can continue indefinitely,to oppose the Restructuring of Nigeria into a True and sustainable Federation is no longer feasible because of the following existing facts,namely (1) No Empire lasts forever(2) the present Northern Nigeria since 1970, is no longer cohesive nor what it was in 1951 and (3) the Northern Region of Nigeria is now very politically polarized and ethnically divided, that it can no longer politically speak with one Voice. The Civil War of 1967-1970 is primarily a War between Igbo (NdiIgbo) ethnic Nationality and the rest of the ethnic Nationalities in Nigeria. The Situation has drastically changed.

In fact, that Civil War tells us that together Nigeria is a Great Nation and that all the ethnic Nationalities in Nigeria have a lot to lose, some very badly, in the unlikely Event of Nigeria’s disintegration.

Utomi is the Programme Cordinator (Media and Public Policy), Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA), Lagos. He could be reached via; jeromeutomi@yahoo. com/08032725374.

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News FRSC Benin gets new Zonal Commanding Officer

M

r Godwin Ogagaoghene, the new Zonal Commanding Officer, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Zone 5 Office, Benin, has assumed duty.

This is contained in a statement issued by Mrs Nekpen Ehigie, the Acting Zonal Public Education Officer on Wednesday in Benin.

Ehigie said that the movement of Ogagaoghene to the zone followed the recent redeployment of senior officers of the corps.

The new zonal commanding office replaces Mr Emmanuel Abe, who was redeployed to Osogbo.

She said that Ogagaoghene had served the corps in various capacities, including as Sector Commander, Edo, Ondo, Enugu and Bauchi states “Until his redeployment, Ogagaoghene was the Zonal Commanding Officer, RS11 Osogbo,’’ she said. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

Niger @45: Security, infrastructural devt paramount - Gov. Bello From Yakubu Minna

Mustapha,

N

iger state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has felicitated with Nigerlites on the 45th year anniversary of the State’s creation from the defunct North Western State during the regime of General Murtala Ramat Muhammad.

This was contained in a statement issued yesterday by his CPS, Mrs Mary NoelBerke, who appreciated God for the appreciable growth and development recorded in the last forty five years of the State’s

existence.

Governor Bello who noted that the level of development in the State is not commensurate with its years of existence, explained that a lot is being done to add value to the contributions of successive administrations towards building a virile State.

On the security challenges, Governor Sani Bello said his administration has done a lot but will not relent until the issue of insecurity is addressed stressing that his administration is more than ever, determined to halt the insecurity challenges in the areas.

“The people in the affected

parts of the State have suffered enormously due to the continued attacks by the bandits ,but I am not going to be deterred by that, government will step up its plans to end the insecurity”, he added The Governor acknowledged the efforts of the traditional rulers and urged them to improve on the existing harmonious, peaceful coexistence in their domains as well as fish out enemies of the State who are serving as informants to the men of the underworld and advised them not to compromise in the discharge of their duties.

He called for collective efforts noting that the task

of governance is a collective responsibility which must not be left to government alone while assuring that Government will continue to formulate policies and programmes that will impact positively on the lives of the citizens.

Meanwhile, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ahmed Ibrahim Matane has appealed to the people of the State to rededicate themselves to the developmental ideals for the creation of the State for sustainable human development and virile economy as the state marks its anniversary.

Delta community decry increase in electricity tariff

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

A

lleged Increase in Electricity Tarriff in Ogwashi Uku Community in Delta State on Tuesday unsettled its residents and consumers who appealed to the authorities concern to look into the situation before it gets out of hand.

While decrying the high cost of living in the community as major impediment, the people said that the increase in Electricity Tarriff may further compound their already existing poor economy challenges in the area and called on Benin Electricity Distribution Company ( BEDC) to as a matter of urgency reverse its decision or be ready to face their protest soon.

Spokesman of the community, Mr Peter Okeke who spoke to Journalists in the area said that the increase in the electricity tarriff was unwelcome development, adding that it was already affecting the lives of the people.

Minister of Environment, Dr Muhammad Mahmood Abubakar (3rd L), inspecting some patrol equipment donated by Africa Nature Investor (ANI) to the National Park Service to improve and strengthen the patrol capacity of Gashaka Gumti National Park, in Abuja on Wednesday (2/2/21). With him are: Conservator-General, National Parks Service, Dr Ibrahim Musa-Goni (R); representative of ANI, Mr Tunde Morakinyo (3rd R) and other dignitaries.

Excitement as schools resumes academic activities in Kaduna From:Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

T

here was an atmosphere of excitement in many Private schools in Kaduna State as academic activities resumed in compliance with the state’s directive on COVID-19 guidelines.

Investigation by this reporter revealed that as early as 7AM students and staff started trooping to various schools within the metropolis.

Findings also shows that there were provisions for hand-washing facilities, observance of social distancing, and the wearing of face masks.

The thermometers were used to test the temperature of students and visitors at the gates before allowed entry into the school’s premises.

The Kaduna State Government had directed students JSS3

SS1 and SS1 to resume on 1st of February 2021, At Destiny College, Umaru Muhammad Road, Malali GRA Kaduna the school had put in place necessary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as students and teachers resume classes.

From the gate, students, parents, and visitors’ temperature were checked by the security officers with infrared thermometers, asked to put on their face masks, and use hand sanitizers before entering the school premises The security officer at the school informed this reporter that the schools had also been decontaminated prior to the students’ resumption.

“We have water and wash hand basins at the entrance of the school and classrooms for people to wash their hands,” he said.

Director of Studies of the school Akintunde Busayo, said the school had long been preparing ahead for the resumption in order to avoid issues. “ We are glad to be back at least we will refresh out memories and have the opportunity to start Academic activities after long Covid-19 break.” He said At SAMBIS School International Ungwa Boro in Chikun Local Government Area washbasins were installed at the entrance of the school, with soap and sanitisers at the entrance of each class.

Already, the students have commenced Academy activities before the reporter gets to the school.

The students were seated in compliance with COVID-19 protocols. Principal of the school Mrs. Nkechi Okparaoka ,

said the school was fumigated in preparation for the students’ resumption.

It was observed that the school cleaners had tidied up the environment and an official was at the entrance ensuring that everyone used a face mask and adhere to the hand-washing protocol.

A visit to Gwazachat Academy school, 19 Dominion street U/ Barde, sabon Tasha in Chikun Local Government Area of the state shows the the school observed the COVID-19 protocols.

The propertress of the School Victoria Noah said the turn out of students was encouraging as academic activities is in high gear.

“We created the social distances sitting arrangement in the classroom under strict observation of the COVID-19 protocols,” she said.

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

School resumption: Ozigbo urges strict monitoring of pupils to contain COVID-19

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Anambra State, Valentine Ozigbo, has called for vigilance and strict monitoring of primary school pupils in the state to avoid the spread of COVID-19.

Ozigbo also commended the decision of the Anambra State Government to resume school in the state, saying COVID-19 will not disappear suddenly from the world, rather, the world should learn to live with it.

In a statement he signed and issued to journalists in Awka, he said, “Children are naturally adventurous and playful, hence, may let down their guard against the pandemic.

“This implies that the chances of infection and spread of the coronavirus may become higher.

“I therefore, call on relevant authorities to, in addition to putting in place the necessary protocols such as hand-washing and compulsory use of facemasks, to also ensure that the school management and the teachers are vigilant and closely monitoring the students to ensure they are complying with the safety protocols,” Ozigbo added.

He described the announcement by the government of Anambra State of the reopening of both public and private primary and secondary schools in the state for academic works on the 1st day of February 2021, as a welcome development.

Late Momoh inspired us to make sacrifices required to form APC in 2013 - APC Govs

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors Forum has said that the late Prince Tony Momoh inspired many of them to make the sacrifices required to form the APC, which is governing the country today.

In a statement issued yesterday by the chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Atiku Abubakar Bagudu, which is titled ‘Condolence Message on the Death of Prince Tony Momoh’, the governors said as the chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), which was one of the legacy

parties that merged to form APC, Momoh was able to demonstrate that the determining factor for any successful leader is sacrifice.

In the statement APC Governors said “We received the death of Prince Tony Momoh with heavy heart and gratitude to God for a life well blessed and spent.

We, the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), join the Momoh Royal family, our party leaders and members, in particular President Muhammadu Buhari, people and government of Edo State and the nation to pray for the repose of the soul of our dear and beloved Prince Tony Momoh.

“Being one of the founding

fathers of our great party, All Progressives Congress, all leaders and members of the party will continue to celebrate his inspiring leadership, vision and belief in the unity of Nigerian progressives’ politicians being the foundation for Nigeria’s political transformation.

“As a former CPC National Chairman, he was able to demonstrate that the determining factor for any successful leader is sacrifice. Together with the leaders of all our legacy parties, Chief Bisi Akande and Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, he was able to inspire all of us to make all the sacrifices required to make the emergence of APC in

2013 possible.

“As a former Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he will always be remembered for his passionate campaigns for national unity and peaceful coexistence.

His death is a loss to the nation, Nigerian progressive community, the media and all patriots.

We pray to God Almighty to grant the family the fortitude to bear this heavy loss. May Allah reward all the good work of Prince Tony Momoh, forgive his limitations and bless what he left behind.

“May the soul of Prince Tony Momoh rest in peace!”

Osun Speaker decries nonimplementation of financial autonomy for State Assemblies

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Timothy Owoeye, has decried the inability of the Legislative and Judicial arms of government in meeting up with the task of implementing the Executive Order of President Muhammadu Buhari on financial autonomy to both arms of government.

Owoeye who said this during the plenary on the Floor of the House yesterday, observed that the two arms of government have failed in their primary responsibilities of effectively implementing Sections 121 and 123 of the Nigerian Constitution.

He disclosed that the Judiciary did not support the legislative arm of government in implementing the autonomy.

This, according to him, has made the implementation of this Executive Order to be almost of non-effect on these two arms of government.

Registrar, Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria, Dr Yakubu Muhammed-Baba (M), during a news conference on the 2021 COVID 19 protection and environmental regulation in Abuja on Wednesday (2/2/21). With him are other officials of the Council. NAN

Ohanaeze: OYC urges Obiozor to accept Elders’ Council position

T

he Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) on Wednesday, urged Ambassador George Obiozor to accept the role given to him as chairman of the Elders’ Council of the Igbo organization.

This was contained in a press statement issued by the President-General of the OYC, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike.

He said Ndigbo cannot continue living as a divided family.

Recall that since the January election of the Igbo organization, both Obiozor and Engr. Chidi Ibeh have been laying claims to the Ohanaeze leadership.

Only a few days ago, Ibeh named Obiozor as the chairman of the Ohanaeze Elders’

Council.

In a statement by the OYC, it urged Obiozor not to be used by selfish politicians to cause confusion in Igbo land.

Okwu said “we are aware of a purported election where Obiozor was said to have been elected, but that exercise cannot stand because it was totally flawed.

“Judging also by age, Obiozor, a respected elder, does not possess the strength needed to pilot the affairs of Ndigbo at this point in history. Ibeh has what it takes to achieve this.

“We are, therefore, appealing to Obiozor to back down and accept the position of Elders’ Council, he will serve Ndigbo better

with that position.”

The OYC equally lauded the Southeast governors for restating the ban on open grazing, stressing “what is now left is the political will to enforce the ban. Ndigbo want to see a clear action from the governors in this regard. We cannot continue to live at mercy of rampaging herdsmen.”

On the 2023 presidential election, Okwu urged all the political parties not to consider zoning the position to any other region except the Southeast.

“Our stand is simple- 2023 is the turn of Southeast and we are not going to accept any alternative,” he declared.

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

POLITICS Tunde Bakare asks Osinbajo to resign if Buhari obstructs his official assignments

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

P

astor Tunde Bakare, the Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church in Lagos, has told VicePresident Prof Yemi Osinbajo to resign his office, if he is not allowed to carry out his official assignments.

Bakare, speaking to media mogul Dele Momodu in an Instagram Live chat on Tuesday, however insisted he did not believe reports that Osinbajo was being handicapped in office.

He called on the vicepresident to come out publicly and clear the air.

Bakare said, “I don’t know if that statement is true that he is not allowed to perform. The Constitution is very clear on the vice-president’s role, especially as it relates to steering the economy of the nation.

“Before I accepted General Muhammadu Buhari’s offer, I said what would be my role because I will not be a spare tyre. He assured me that my role will be as prescribed by the Constitution and as many other things as you can be given to do.

“I want to hear it from the vice-president himself that he’s not allowed to perform. I don’t like rumour and I don’t like gossip.”

Bakare was Buhari’s running mate for the 2011 Nigerian presidential election.

Marafa has lost his political relevance in Zamfara – PDP

T

he secretary of Zamfara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Ibrahim Umar, has reacted to the reconciliation of former governor Abdulaziz Yari and his political rival, Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa.

He described the reconciliation as an empty propaganda that can be thrown into another waste basket.

Addressing newsmen in Gusau, the state capital, the scribe said that Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa has since 2019 lost his political relevance, even in Tsafe Local Government Area where he comes from.

Hon. Umar noted that senator Kabiru Garba Marafa is a power drunk politician, who created serious friction that led to the deep cracks in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

“Everyone in this state is a living witness how senator Kabiru Garba Marafa destroyed his party in the state just because of own selfish interest”, he lamented.

The PDP secretary in the state explained that the so-called reconciliation between the two warring factions of APC in the state being led by former Governor Abdul Aziz Yari and senator Kabiru Garba Marafa does not in any way affect PDP as a party.

He said that PDP is a different political party with viable structures, pointing out that their reconciliation does not make any difference as APC still remains an opposition party in the state.

Hon. Umar stated that the main reason for bringing Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa and other political heavy weights in the system was that Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle needed a

government of unity in the state so that there would be relative peace in the state.

“The same Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa and Abdul Aziz Yari destroyed APC in the state due to their selfish interest” ” It is obviously not sound to notice that the that had triumphed itself to the position of leadership in the state since 1999 should be mired in such a shameful crisis but worst for the platform that has been forming government in the state since Nigeria recovered democracy from the military cabals in 1999.

“While conceding that disagreements are inevitable in any human enterprise including politics, it must therefore be pointed out that having marketed as the party imbued with all it takes to govern a state, the infantile squabbles ravaging the party in

the state are so disgraceful as they were a needless distraction.

“In the coming days, weeks and months, we shall see who remains the political godfather in the APC circle in Zamfara state, whether there will be a new owner of APC in the state or the old brigades have continued to keep their control”.

However, a commissioner in the Governor Matawalle’s cabinet, Hon. Surajo Mai Katako, who is a die- hard loyalist of Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa resigned his political appointment this morning after the statement of the state PDP secretary.

Katako noted that he could not fold his hands and watch the state PDP secretary insulting senator Marafa, his political leader in the state, saying that the unwanted statement from the secretary warranted his resignation.

From left: Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha; Minister of Transportation, Mr Chibuike Amaechi; National Security Adviser, retired Maj.-Gen Babagana Monguno and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo during a virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday NAN

Shun political sentiments, invest in Oyo – Makinde tells politicians, residents

By Musa Baba Adamu

G

overnor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Wednesday appealed to politicians in the state to shun political sentiments and find ways of developing the state.

Makinde, who said that his government will continue to implement policies and programmes that will ensure that the state remains a pace-setter in both human and physical development, also appealed to residents to cooperate with his government.

He made these declarations while congratulating indigenes and

residents of the state on the 45th anniversary of the creation of Oyo State.

The state was created during the tenure of late General Murtala Ramat Muhammad who was then the military Head of State.

Makinde while speaking, urged politicians in the state to shun political sentiments and move the state forward.

He added that the state belongs to all irrespective of their political affiliations.

The governor, while speaking further, also declared that his administration has been executing programmes that target the growth of the state’s economy,

the upliftment of its people and the transformation of its infrastructure.

“As we celebrate the 45th anniversary of the creation of Oyo State, I felicitate my people on this epochal occasion.

“We appreciate the labour of our heroes’ past and the immense contributions made towards the growth and progress of the state by former administrators, traditional rulers, religious leaders, security agents and law-abiding residents.

“Today, we are proud to say that Oyo State continues to stand tall as a pace-setter in excellence across different sectors. And, in line with our promise to the people

during the electioneering period, we will continue to maintain the standard of excellence the state is known for.

“Already, our government has been implementing policies and programmes that will make the state continue to set the pace in physical, infrastructure and human developments.

“This will continue in the years to come, as we are not going to rest on our oars until Oyo State becomes the state of everyone’s dreams.

“However, this occasion, more than anything else, is a challenge to all citizens and residents of Oyo State: it is another opportunity to

bond in the interest of our great state, an opportunity to unite against anything that assails our dear state.

“The state belongs to all of us. As I said while addressing the people during my visit to Ibarapaland, irrespective of our political differences, we must put the interest of our state first, because it will outlast all political tendencies.

“Once again, I congratulate every indigene and resident of Oyo State on this landmark. It is my prayer that God who has brought the state this far will continue to be with us all as we contribute our quota towards its success.”

PAGE 17

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

APC commences membership registration/ revalidation in South West zone

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

A

ll Progressives Congress (APC) has commenced its nationwide membership registration and revalidation exercise in the southwest region, which is coming on the heels of similar event by President Muhammadu Buhari who revalidated his membership of the party in his hometown, Daura, in Katsina State.

The event was held at Ila Orangun, the hometown of one of the national leaders of the party to honour the pioneer interim National Chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande and Iragbiji, the home town of Governor Gboyega Oyetola.

Akande was the second party member to formally validate his membership after Buhari.

The exercise is holding simultaneously in no fewer than 119,973 polling units and 57,000 voting points across the country.

The Governor of Osun State, Oyetola, a member of the APC National Caretaker and Extraordinary/Convention Planning Committee, on Wednesday, canvassed mass participation in the All Progressives Congress (APC) membership registration and revalidation exercise.

He called on party members and loyalists across the nation, particularly in the southwest to ensure full participation in the registration exercise, which he described as the only sacrosanct way of being a bonafide cardcarrying member of the ruling party.

Addressing the people at the two registration points in Ila and Iragbiji, Oyetola said, “Adequate training has been given to the personnel who will be in charge of registration update and revalidation for a duration of two weeks beginning from today.

“I call on the good people of Osun to seize the opportunity of becoming card-carrying members of our great party. I urge state, local government and ward leaders of the party to take all the necessary steps in ensuring a smooth and transparent registration exercise,” he added.

Earlier, the leader of the APC Membership Registration and Revalidation Monitoring Committee in Southwest, Sen. Lawali Shuaib, said the choice of Ila Orangun, the home town of Chief Akande, as the venue for the southwest flag-off registration exercise, was a deliberate decision.

He noted that the initiative is a testimony to the undiluted respect which the party has for its leaders.

POLITICS

2023 Presidency: Gov Buni says APC can’t hand Jonathan ticket in Abuja

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he All Progressives Congress (APC) has refuted claims that it is planning to field former President, Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate in 2023, saying the new APC can no longer crown aspirants in Abuja, but from the grassroots.

There have been rumours that some Northern APC Governors had during a visit intimated Jonathan of a plan to give him the party’s ticket in 2023.

But Speaking to BBC Hausa, Mai

Mala Buni, the interim committee Chairman of the party, denied the reports, saying that from the directives given by President Muhammadu Buhari with regards to the ongoing membership registration/revalidation exercise, no politician will henceforth be crowned in Abuja by party leaders.

He maintained that those peddling such information were afraid, as he insisted that the decision of who takes what party ticket henceforth must come from the people at the wards, local governments, and not politicians in Abuja.

He said “Those peddling such information are afraid. But for now, there is nothing in the APC which has anything to do with the aspiration for 2023.

“Even if someone wants to base the assumption on our recent visit to him during his birthday, we were there because of his status as a former president of Nigeria.

“Again, even when we are talking of peaceful coexistence, we must give credit to former President Jonathan on the issue of peace.

“How he accepted defeat in 2015 and resigned to fate. That has

qualified him to be a statesman, and he is now among our fathers,” he added.

Buni who is also the Governor of Yobe State said some party faithfuls visited Jonathan to exchange pleasantries.

“Our visit to Jonathan was because of his status as a former president, that could be why some may think there was something beneath.

“There are numerous of such visits, to leaders of PDP, APC, why are others not being mentioned but Jonathan.

Chairman Taskforce FCT, Ikharo Attah Addressing Traders and Shop owners, during the unsealed of markets and mall, yesterday in Abuja.. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Ex PDP Chairman, Kawu Baraje warns of possible escalation of insecurity

By Musa Baba Adamu

F

ormer Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, has warned that the insecurity problem confronting Nigeria presently may boomerang.

He explained that if Nigeria’s security problem is not tackled seriously, the country may cease to exist.

Answering questions from newsmen at a media parley on his 70th birthday, in Ilorin, on Wednesday, Baraje, also questioned

the true identity of the bandits and insurgents rampaging the troubled geopolitical zones of the country.

He declared that the bandits and insurgents “Are not our real Fulanis, but invaders from our neighbouring countries sponsored by frustrated Nigerian politicians who are desperate for political power at all cost.”

The PDP Chieftain cautioned desperate politicians behind the insecurity problem in the country not to throw Nigeria into a wartorn nation like Sudan and Rwanda, among others.

He defended the setting up of

security outfits in some parts of the country, such as Amotekun and others, saying ”there is nothing wrong in people putting in place their own security outfits when their lives are threatened.”

On moves by some governors’ of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to woo former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2023 presidential election on the platform of APC, the PDP leader said their action will not constitute any threat to the opposition party because “Jonathan is a thorough personality who knows what to do at

the appropriate time.”

Speaking on zoning in the PDP, the former chairman asked Nigerians to be patient as the party has constituted a committee which is presently working on it, as zoning remains a cardinal principle of the party.

On the crisis within the PDP, Baraje, described it as normal in a democracy, saying, with the reconciliation committee headed by the former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, the issues affecting the party would be resolved amicably soon.

Oyo APC sets up three committees to dislodge Gov Makinde

T

he Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has set up three committees to wrest power from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023 general election.

The committees which were inaugurated on Tuesday, are saddled with the responsibility of mobilizing members for the party.

The committees are to strategize on how to dislodge the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government led by

Governor Seyi Makinde.

The Committees were inaugurated at the Party’s State Secretariat in Ibadan by the state caretaker Chairman, Chief Akin Oke. Oke, speaking at the event, said the setting up of the Committees became imperative given the enormity of the task of capturing all targeted people across the state within the period earmarked for the registration and revalidation process.

The Committee’s composition

includes: FINANCE AND BUDGETARY PLANNING; Hon. Segun Dokun OdebunmiChairman, Barr. ‘Lowo ObisesanSecretary, Alh. Fatai Ibikunle, Prof. Adeolu Akande Mr. Zacch Adelabu Adedeji, Hon. Bimbo Kolade, Hon. Tolulope Akande-Shadipe, Hon. Wumi Oladeji Sen. Olufemi LanlehinChairman, Hon. Mojeed OlaoyaSecretary, Hon. Asimiyu ‘Niran Alarape, Hon. Abiodun AdigunHammed, Hon. Femi Yusuff, Hon.

Felix Ige, Alh. Hammed Ayinla, Hon. Wasiu Dauda (Azuzu), Hon. Lanre Olaoseegba, Hon. Isiaka Salawu-Areokuta, Hon. Akeem Olatunji.

Alh. Kehinde Olaosebikan – Chairman, Olawale Sadare – Secretary, Hon. Gaphar Ojetola, Mr. Bolaji Tunji, Hon. Ademola Solalu, Hon. Jelili Agboola, Mr. Kunle Olatunji, Hon. Taiwo Okunlola, Dr. Olatunde AbdulAzeez, Hon. John Fatona, Hon. Fatai Azeez Adesokan, Mr. Babajide Fadoju.

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

Stock Watch: Monday, February 1, 2020 Low

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2.80 3.15 0 1.94 3.94 0 0.27 0.27 0 0.64 0.64 0 4.60 8.60 0 37.00 68.30 0 3.79 4.21 0 9.65 10.05 0 31.50 34.00 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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Stock Close Gain UPL 1.14 0.13 LIVESTOCK 0.52 0.01 SOVRENINS 0.21 0.03 OKOMUOIL 60.00 1.80 GUARANTY 23.50 0.55

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0.11 0.21 0 0.21 0.21 MBENEFIT 0.00 0 0.43 0.43 0 0.43 0.43 MCNICHOLS 0.00 0 1.05 2.05 261 2.05 2.05 MEDVIEWAIR 0.00 0 124.80 184.80 0 184.80 184.80 MOBIL 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 970 0.20 0.20 MULTIVERSE 0.00 0 3.50 3.50 0 3.50 3.50 NAHCO 0.00 0 18.00 18.00 0 18.00 18.00 NASCON 0.00 0 78.50 78.70 0 79.50 79.50 NB 0.80 0 0.78 0.78 0 0.78 0.78 NEIMETH 0.00 0 2.60 2.60 0 2.60 2.60 NEM 0.00 0 552.20 552.20 150 552.20 552.20 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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NCC Lists Gains Of ECCs, Receives International Awards

By Etuka Sunday

T

he activation of Emergency Communication Centers (ECCs) across the country by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is making farreaching impact and enhancing the Federal Government’s drive to improve security of lives and property, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, has said.

The NCC has received two international recognitions from the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) and the African Public Relations Association (APRA) in acknowledgment of the transformational role of the ECCs in providing succor to Nigerians who are in emergencies.

According to Danbatta, “the IPRA Golden World

Awards (GWA) 2020 won by the Commission and the APRA Certificate of Excellence to the Commission were for its harmonized emergency number, 112 and the construction of ECCs across the country, as well as for the efforts in leveraging the emergency communication centers for national security.”

Danbatta, while receiving the twin awards from the Director, Public Affairs of NCC, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, who had earlier accepted the awards on behalf of the EVC, expressed appreciation for the recognition by the two international organizations.

“On behalf of the Board and Management of NCC, I count these recognitions as very important to the Commission as they underscore our collective efforts towards aligning our regulatory

activities in enhancing the security situation in the country,” he said.

Danbatta noted that, at a time when the country is faced with insecurity issues such as insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and many more life-threatening incidents, including the Covid-19 pandemic, the emergency communications centers, established by NCC across the states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been central to saving lives.

With 19 ECC’s already established in 18 states of the Federation and the FCT, Danbatta said the centers play a vital role during emergencies as they facilitate response from emergency response agencies such as the Nigerian Police Force, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Fire

and Ambulance Services, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and others by dialing 112 from any network.

“The ECC has transformed lives and helped many in handling emergencies today. It is no doubt having positive impacts on lives, improving security and providing jobs for Nigerian youths,” he explained.

Continuing, Danbatta said “because of the recognition of the important role the ECC is playing in states where we have activated them, many states are asking us to come and activate their ECCs and serious work is ongoing in this regard, as we know that this important life-saving facility supports security architecture in the country”.

The ECCs were activated as a one-stop shop for receiving distress calls from the public and

dispatching same to appropriate Emergency Response Agencies (ERAs) for timely response and resolution of the distress.

In recognition of the centrality of the ECC project to national security, Danbatta has also received the ‘Nigeria’s Goodwill Ambassador for Security and Emergency Management’, while the NCC, as a corporate organization, was honored with the ‘Corporate Social responsibility Award in Security and Emergency Management in the country’ at the Security and Emergency Management Award (SAEMA) 2020 where the NCC was also declared winner of ‘security and emergency management award.’

Earlier in February, 2020, the Commission was inducted into the membership of the Forum of Spokespersons of Security and Response Agencies (FOSSRA).

Economy: NBS begings National Business Sample Survey

By Etuka Sunday

F

ollowing the successful completion of listing of Establishments, a component of National Business Sample Census (NBSC), the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has commenced National Business Sample Survey (NBSS), otherwise known as the survey of establishments.

The Head, Public Affairs & International Relations, NBS, Ichedi, Sunday Joel in a statement said, NBSS is also a component of NBSC which involves in-depth study of sampled establishments based on the sectors identified in NBC. According to the statement, the objectives of the National Business Sample Survey include; To re – base the Gross National Product (GDP) from 2010 to 2018/2019, To provide sectorial data at National and State levels,

To determine the structure of the Nigerian Economy, To determine the sectors that drive the Nigerian economy and those that require government intervention to improve them, To serve as a benchmark for subsequent commercial and industrial Sector Statistics Surveys.

The statement said, the survey covers the thirty-six (36) states of the Federation, including FCT. In all, seventeen sectors of the Nigerian economy will be covered during the Survey Exercise.

"Already, Data collection on the Survey by NBS staff has commenced with lodgments of questionnaires in the selected establishments.

"NBS appeals to the selected establishments to provide the necessary information for the survey as their participation is germane for the successful completion of the survey exercise," the statement added.

Controller-General, Federal Fire Service (FFS), Dr Liman Ibrahim (L), presenting a souvenir to the Belarus Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Vyacheslav Brill, during his visit of Ambassador to FFS Headquarters in Abuja in Abuja on Wednesday (2/2/21). NAN

Collective Investment Scheme: SEC Releases New Rules/Amendments

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Securities and Exchange Commission has released general rules for Collective Investment Schemes prescribing that all units/securities of a collective investment scheme shall be registered by the Commission.

The Rule which is on the Commission’s website, also states that all units/securities subject to registration by the Commission may be offered through the following methods: (a) offer for subscription; (b) offer for sale; (3) Units/securities of a collective investment scheme may be registered by way of a shelf registration.

Shelf Registration is a filing undertaken by issuers intending to access the market in the near future.

It permits issuers to disclose certain information in a core disclosure document that is updated on a regular basis According to the Commission, in the case of Shelf Registration, some provisions shall be applicable and they include: the value of the shelf programme shall not be less than N5 billion, An issuer may issue, offer or purchase, or make an invitation to subscribe for or purchase units under a shelf registration where at the time of the issue, offer or invitation, there is in force a shelf prospectus as updated by a supplementary shelf prospectus, both of which have been registered by the Commission.

Other provisions are that a shelf prospectus shall be subject to renewal every three years from the date of its issue; A shelf prospectus shall— (i)

comply with the general form and contents of a prospectus as set out in these Rules and Regulations; (ii) state that the Shelf Prospectus has been registered by the Commission; (iii) state that the registration of the Shelf Prospectus and Supplementary Shelf Prospectus shall not be taken to be that the Commission endorses or recommends the securities or assumes responsibility for the correctness of any statements made or opinions or reports expressed therein; The rule also stipulates that the shelf registration prospectus should contain a statement that no units will be allotted or issued on the basis of the Shelf Prospectus read together with any Supplementary Shelf Prospectus later than three years after the date of the issue of the Shelf Prospectus;

if it contains any statement made by an expert or contains what purports to be a copy of or an extract from a report, memorandum or valuation of an expert, state the date on which the statement, report, memorandum or valuation was made and whether or not it was prepared by the expert for incorporation in the Shelf Prospectus; as well as set out such other information as may be specified by the Commission.

The SEC rule also states that a supplementary shelf prospectus shall state such information as may be specified in these Rules and Regulations on contents of prospectus; state the offer period which should not be longer than twenty-eight (28) working days from the date of the issue of the Supplementary Prospectus or such

longer period as may be allowed by the Commission.

The prospectus is also expected to disclose information such as: I. where a matter has arisen and information in respect of that matter would have been required by the Act, these Rules and Regulations or any listing requirements of a recognized securities exchange, to be disclosed in a prospectus if the matter had arisen at the time the Shelf Prospectus was prepared; II. where there has been a significant change affecting a matter disclosed in the Shelf Prospectus; III. where the Shelf Prospectus contains a statement or information that is false or misleading; IV. where the Shelf Prospectus contains a statement or information from which there is a material omission;

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Cancer Day: Helpline advocates establishment of testing centres

By Stanley Onyekwere

A

s the world marks Cancer Day, an Abuja-based Non Governmental Organisation, Helpline Foundation for the Needy, has called for establishment of cancer testing centres to assist in the treatment and prevention of the disease that has claimed millions of lives around the globe.

The founder and president of the group, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, told journalists in Abuja

that early detection has been identified as a means to control and prevent the spread of cancer, stressing that the effect of new treatments for cancer on mortality has been largely disappointing.

Ahmadu affirmed that the most promising approach to the control of cancer is a commitment by tiers of Government towards prevention.

She lamented that despite decades of basic and clinical research and trials of promising

new therapies, cancer remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality, just as she called for collective action against cancer.

Speaking on the 2021 theme: “Together, all actions matter”, Ahmadu affirmed that the theme was a reminder of the enduring power of cooperation and collective action, noting that collective actions have an impact on every neighbourhoods, communities and cities.

“The war against cancer is far from over. This is because despite decades of basic and

clinical research and trials of promising new therapies, cancer remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality.

“The effect of new treatments for cancer on mortality has been largely disappointing.

Therefore, the most promising approach to the control of cancer is a national commitment to prevention. There is urgent need for government at all levels to set up cancer testing centres.

“Above all, our collective actions have an impact on everyone around us, within our

neighbourhoods, communities and cities.

“Besides, our actions are also being felt across borders.

That is the reason why Helpline Foundation for the Needy aligns ourselves with this year’s theme; ‘Together, all of our actions matter’.

“This year is a reminder of the enduring power of collective action. When we choose to come together, we can achieve what we all wish for: a healthier, brighter world without cancer,” she stated.

Scene of an accident involving a tanker loaded with petroleum products on the Orile-Iganmu Bridge in Lagos State on Wednesday (3/2/21). NAN

School heads tasked on championing safety protocols among students

By Stanley Onyekwere

I

n the wake of the increasing spread of Coronavirus otherwise known as COVID-19, the authorities of schools in FCT have been admonished to be in the forefront of championing established non pharmaceutical safety protocols especially among students.

The Acting Director, FCT Department of Quality Assurance, Magdalene Uzoanya, gave this advice during an inspection visit to some schools in the Territory.

Uzoanya noted it was imperative for public and private schools to comply with the protocols considering the increasing statistics of COVID-19 cases in the second wave.

According to her, the FCT Administration has played it’s role by providing the needed safety items, hence the schools must play theirs by conspicuously displaying them in and around their environment for both students, staff and visitors’ use.

“In order to keep the schools in FCT on their toes, it is mandatory for the department to continue to embark on

vigorous regular monitoring and inspection.

“The FCT Education Secretariat has mapped out various strategies and it’s proactiveness has gone a long way to guard against any break out in our Schools,” stressed.

The Director noted that, the global pandemic has created a lot of concern for everyone with emergencies that the individual must be on alert to

combat it without toying with all the safety protocols .

She however frowned at a situation where school authorities give excuses and shift blames, insisting that erring persons will not be spared.

The schools visited were GSS, JSS, Gwarimpa, Regent Secondary school, Mabushi and Nigeria- Ghana School, JSS and LEA, Jabi respectively.

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N international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

Only unaccompanied minors are covered by the ruling beyond her years. She has had to write letters to legislators, asking authorities to release her and Ariana, her mother, from a US migrant detention centre in Dilley, Texas.

Luisa is tired of her situation. “I have spent two Christmases here,” she says. “I miss cooking food. I would like to cook my own food. I have learned a little bit of English.

I want to learn more at school, but away from here.”

Her mother says the girl does not like the food at the detention centre, and that her behaviour has changed as time goes by. “She only eats fruit, and sometimes not even that,” she adds.

Ariana, 31, adds that she herself has fallen ill from anxiety.

“I am taking pills, and some time ago I experienced an attack.

I did not know what it was. The paramedics told me it was an anxiety attack.

“I sometimes feel like it is not me who is in there.”

As President Biden starts chipping away at Trump-era immigration policies through a series of executive orders, it’s still difficult for some immigration advocates to celebrate.

“The expectation is that this administration take bold, decisive action by swiftly reversing policies,” says Alejandra Gomez, the co-

executive director of Living United for Change in Arizona, a grassroots organisation.

“It’s a good first step. But while review of Trump’s immigration policies is important, we need action. That’s why those of us who can vote elected him.”

So far, none of President Biden’s orders have directly reversed any Trump immigration policies.

“Our immigrant community experienced a lot of suffering over the last four years,” says Ms Gomez.

She says Mr Biden knows what the immigrant community wants.

“We ultimately are seeking to defund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and we are looking for

relief and a path to citizenship for 11 million people.”

Under a “zero-tolerance” immigration policy adopted in April 2018, adult undocumented migrants crossing the US-Mexico border were criminally charged and jailed.

These offences had previously been treated as civil violations.

Because the children of prosecuted migrants could not legally be charged with any crime, they were not permitted to be jailed with their parents, which led to the youngsters being placed in shelters or foster care.

Last week, the Biden justice department formally revoked the dormant policy.

Who decided to separate immigrant families in the US? However, the chain-link enclosures where some of the children were detained were built during the Obama presidency. Some 60,000 unaccompanied minors stopped at the southern border were detained in these cells during one summer alone back in 2014.

Obama-era officials have said migrant family separations were unusual during his presidency, for example, in cases where there was reason to suspect trafficking, though the exact numbers are unclear.

Mr Obama’s top immigration adviser Cecilia Munoz - who in 2011 defended the migrant family separations as the inevitable result of a “broken system” - served on Mr Biden’s presidential transition team.

Russia: Mass detentions after Putin critic Navalny jailed

M

ore than 1,400 people were detained in Russia during Tuesday’s protests in support of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny, rights monitors say.

In Moscow, riot police were filmed beating demonstrators with batons.

Navalny, 44, was earlier jailed for three-and-a-half years for violating the conditions of a suspended sentence. He says the case was fabricated.

He returned to Russia in January after being treated in Germany for a near-fatal nerve agent attack last August.

Navalny says Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the attack with the Novichok agent, describing him as a “poisoner”. The Kremlin denies the allegation and its spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the police response to Tuesday’s “unauthorised” protests was

justified.

The EU, the US and the UK have all condemned Tuesday’s court verdict, demanding the opposition leader be immediately released. The German government said it would discuss further steps with its EU partners, adding that new sanctions could not be ruled out.

Navalny has already served time under house arrest and his lawyer says he faces two years and eight months in prison.

What happened during Tuesday’s protests?Hundreds of protesters gathered in central Moscow after the court’s decision.

Soon there were violent scenes in the capital, with video on social media showing police beating and arresting those who came out to support Alexei Navalny. One journalist was seen being hit on the head with a baton by a police officer.

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Liberia war crimes: Rebel commander on trial in Finland

Biden signs orders on migrant family separations and asylum U S President Joe Biden has signed three executive actions seeking to reunite migrant families split up by a Trump-era policy and ordering a review of his predecessor’s wider immigration agenda.

In an attempt to deter illegal immigration, President Donald Trump’s administration separated undocumented adults from children as they crossed the US-Mexico border.

Mr Biden’s orders will set up a task force to try to reunite the estimated 600-700 children who are still apart from their families.

The Trump administration split up at least 5,500 children from adults along the border between 2017-18.

The administration of US President Barack Obama - whom Mr Biden served as vice-president - also separated undocumented children from adults at the border, though much more rarely, say activists.

Mr Biden’s second and third orders signed on Tuesday order a review of Mr Trump’s immigration policies that curtailed asylum, slowed legal immigration into the US, and cancelled funding to foreign countries.

Speaking at the White House, Mr Biden said: “We’re going to work to undo the moral and national shame of the previous administration that literally not figuratively ripped children from the arms of their families, their mothers and fathers, at the border and with no plan, none whatsoever, to reunify the children who are still in custody and their parents.”

Mr Biden has also proposed legislation to grant legal status and a path to citizenship to all of the estimated 11 million undocumented people in the US. But analysts say the new president has so far avoided reversing Mr Trump’s hardline policies in order to avoid a surge in illegal immigration at the southern border.

At Tuesday’s White House briefing, press secretary Jen Psaki said the administration was committed to building a “moral” and “humane” immigration system.

But until that happened, she added, now was “not the time to come to the United States”.

Nine-year-old Luisa, from El Salvador, is currently the migrant child who has spent the longest time in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to legal aid organisations.

Luisa sometimes sounds wise

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

rights monitors said 1,170 people were detained on Tuesday in Moscow, and 251 in St Petersburg, the country’s second-largest city.

Another 17 people were held in smaller Russian cities.

The authorities have not commented on the reported numbers.

Last month, thousands of people were detained during two days of protests across the country.

On Tuesday night, security forces “took” the centre of Moscow, arrest squads deployed in vast numbers to all the main roads and squares.

In body armours and helmets, they formed long lines beneath the multicoloured street lights still hanging up from New Year. Protesters were massively outnumbered.

The official show of force was like a postscript to the message sent by imprisoning

Alexei Navalny: the Kremlin is fully ready to crush those who challenge its authority.

But Navalny’s supporters refuse to be silent.

Hundreds were detained tonight, and judging by the honking car horns in central Moscow - a new phenomenon many more people are angered by what happened on Tuesday than are ready to risk taking to the streets in open protest.

What happened in the court?

Navalny has been accused of breaking the terms of a 2014 suspended sentence for embezzlement that required him to report regularly to Russian police.

His lawyers say the accusation is absurd as the authorities knew he was recovering in Berlin from the nerve agent attack that nearly killed him in Russia.

Source: BBC

T

he trial of a suspected warlord accused of atrocities during Liberia’s civil war has started in Finland.

Prosecutors say Gibril Ealoghima Massaquoi, from Sierra Leone, was a senior member of a rebel group that fought in Liberia from 1999 to 2003.

He is accused of killing civilians and soldiers who had just been disarmed, rape and recruiting child soldiers.

He denies the charges and says he was taking part in peace talks at the time of the alleged crimes.

Some 250,000 people were killed in the Liberian conflict, which was intertwined with the war in neighbouring Sierra Leone.

The 51-year-old was a commander and a spokesperson for the notorious Sierra Leone rebel group, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), which also fought in Liberia.

The RUF was known for atrocities such as hacking off the limbs of civilians, as well as murder and rape.

He gave evidence to the UNbacked Special Court for Sierra Leone set up to investigate war crimes committed in that conflict.

He was relocated to Finland in 2008 as part of a witness

Gibril Ealoghima Massaquoi denies murder, rape and recruiting child soldiers protection programme, which provided immunity for crimes committed in Sierra Leone, but not Liberia.

In March, he was arrested in the Finish town of Tampere, where he is standing trial.

What is he accused of doing?

He is accused of murder, aggravated war crimes and aggravated crimes against

humanity.

The AFP news agency reports it has seen court documents which contend he held an “extremely senior and influential position” in the RUF, one of the main militias fighting alongside President Charles Taylor’s NPFL forces in Liberia.

According to witnesses, he ordered civilians, including

children, to be locked inside two buildings, which were then set on fire.

In another alleged atrocity, Prosecutor Tom Laitinen says some of his victims’ bodies were cut up and “made into food which Massaquoi also ate”.

Prosecutors have demanded a life sentence, which, in Finland tends to mean 14 years

imprisonment, reports AFP. Why is this case significant?

The court will move to Liberia and neighbouring Sierra Leone in the next few weeks, reports AFP. It will do this to hear testimony from up to 80 witnesses and visit sites where the atrocities are alleged to have been carried out under Mr Massaquoi’s orders.

This makes it the first such cse to be partly held on Liberian soil, although Mr Massaquoi will remain in Finland.

Who else has been prosecuted after Liberia’s civil war?

Former Liberian President Taylor was convicted by an international criminal court in 2012 of war crimes and crimes against humanity, but that was in connection with the conflict in Sierra Leone. He is serving his 50year sentence in a prison in the UK. His son “Chuckie” Taylor was sentenced to 97 years in prison in a US federal court in 2009 for torturing and killing people while he was the head of Liberia’s antiterrorist services.

Ex-warlord Mohammed “Jungle Jabbah” Jabateh has been jailed for 30 years in the US for lying about his past as a leader of a force that carried out multiple murders and acts of cannibalism.

Uganda’s Museveni suspends Liberia’s antigraft head fund set up by ‘foreigners’

resigns in citizenship row

P

resident Yoweri Museveni stops to speak to supporters as he heads back to his residence on January 21, 2021 in Kampala, Uganda.

Uganda’s president has ordered the suspension of a multi-million dollar fund set up by donor countries, after complaining that it is run by foreigners and undermines Uganda’s sovereignty.

In a letter, Mr Museveni ordered the police to investigate how the finance ministry had allowed foreign donors to have what he called a “free reign” to choose which activities to finance, without needing the consent of the government.

The Democratic Governance Facility is funded by seven donors, including the European Union.

Its suspension could have a dramatic impact as it helps finance many grassroots organisations that focus on democracy and human rights.

Mr Museveni won a sixth elected term last month. Hs main rival Bobi Wine said the election was rigged but Mr Museveni said it was the fairest vote ever.

T

he head of Liberia’s anti-corruption body, Ndubusi Nwabudike, has resigned, the government said.

There were concerns on how he acquired his citizenship. Mr Nwabudike is of Nigerian origin.

Mr Nwabudike insists he is a Liberian and has denied any wrongdoing, but failed last year to prove to a senate committee his Liberian citizenship that had enabled him occupy top positions in the country.

President George Weah has accepted the resignation and thanked him for his service.

The resignation will take effect from 26 February.

In his resignation letter, Mr Nwabudike said his appointment was “marred by public debate of my person rather than what contribution I can make towards the economic development of our country”.

“It does not serve the overall strategic interest of your government and our people if I were to constitute a distraction,” he added.

President Yoweri Museveni has been in power since 1986

Call for vaccines to be distributed more equitably A

s a highly infectious new strain of the coronavirus spreads in southern Africa, the medical organisation, Médecins Sans Frontières, has called for vaccines to be distributed more equitably worldwide.

The charity said it would be indefensible if some countries moved to immunise lower-risk citizens while many countries in Africa were yet to vaccinate their first frontline health workers.

MSF said medical staff in

Mozambique, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Malawi were struggling to treat rising numbers of patients.

The agency said there was little clarity on when they would receive a vaccine to protect them from the virus.

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Myanmar coup: Detained Aung San Suu Kyi faces charges

P

olice in Myanmar, also known as Burma, have filed several charges against the elected civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi following Monday’s military coup.

She has been remanded in custody until 15 February, police documents show.

The charges include breaching import and export laws, and possession of unlawful communication devices.

Her whereabouts are still unclear, but it has been reported that she is being held at her residence in the capital, Nay Pyi Taw. Deposed President Win Myint has also been charged, the documents show - in his case with violating rules banning gatherings during the Covid pandemic. He has also been remanded in custody for two weeks.

Neither the president nor Ms Suu Kyi have been heard from since the military seized power in the early hours of 1 February.

The coup, led by armed forces chief Min Aung Hlaing, has seen the installation of an 11-member junta which is ruling under a yearlong state of emergency.

The military sought to justify its action by alleging fraud in last November’s elections, which Ms Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) won decisively.

Myanmar coup: What is happening and why?

What are the details of the charges?

Aung San Suu Kyi (pictured last year) remains detained by the military The accusations are contained in a police document - called a First Initial Report - submitted to a court.

It alleges that Ms Suu Kyi illegally imported and used communications equipment walkie-talkies - found at her home in Nay Pyi Taw. She was remanded in custody “to question witnesses, request evidence and seek legal counsel after questioning the defendant”, the document says.

Mr Win Myint is accused, under the National Disaster Management Law, of meeting

supporters in a 220-vehicle motorcade during the election campaign in breach of Covid restrictions.

Given the gravity of the military’s power grab, claiming that Myanmar’s national unity was at stake, and the storm of international condemnation that’s followed, these charges seem comically trivial.

But they may be enough to secure the military’s objective of barring Aung San Suu Kyi from political office, as members of parliament cannot have criminal convictions.

For 32 years the generals have tried, and failed, to neutralise the threat posed by Aung San Suu Kyi’s enduring popularity.

She has won every election she’s been allowed to contest by a wide margin.

The only election she did not win was one held by the military government 10 years ago - back then she was also barred from contesting by a bizarre criminal conviction which was imposed on her after an American man managed to swim across a lake in Yangon to her home, where she was being held under house arrest.

What opposition is there to the coup?

Activists in Myanmar are calling for civil disobedience.

Many hospital medics are either stopping work or continuing but wearing symbols of defiance in simmering anger over the suppression of Myanmar’s shortlived democracy.

Protesting medical staff say they are pushing for the release of Ms Suu Kyi. They are wearing red, or black, ribbons and pictured giving the three-fingered salute familiar from the Hunger Games movies and used by demonstrators last year in Thailand.

Online, many changed their social media profile pictures to one of just the colour red.

“Now young people in Myanmar... have digital power, we have digital devices and we have digital space so this is the only platform for us” Yangon Youth Network founder Thinzar Shunlei told AFP. “So we’ve been using this since day one, since the first few hours that we are opposing the military junta.”

A Facebook group has been set up to co-ordinate the disobedience campaign.

But there have been few signs of major protest. On Tuesday night, drivers honked their horns in the main city, Yangon (also known as Rangoon), and residents banged cooking pots.

Kameel Ahmady: British academic facing jail escapes Iran over mountains

A

British-Iranian academic facing nine years in jail in Iran has told the BBC how he escaped on foot over mountains to start a new life in the UK. Kameel Ahmady was convicted two months ago of collaborating with a hostile government. He denies the charge.

He decided to try to flee while on bail and appealing against the sentence.

Mr Ahmady trekked over a mountainous border to escape the Revolutionary Guards - a journey he described as “very long, very dark and very scary”.

Mr Ahmady was born of Kurdish stock in western Iran.

But his parents sent him to Britain when he was 18 for his education.

He remained there many years, studying at the University of Kent and the London School of Economics. Such was his affection for Britain that he applied for British citizenship before returning to Iran as an anthropologist.

His research focuses on child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) in Iran. This brought him to the attention of the authorities because he campaigned to raise the age at which girls can marry, which is currently set at 13 years old.

One morning in August 2019, a man came to his door in Tehran saying he was a postman. Mr Ahmady opened the door and 16 Revolutionary Guards stormed in.

He was arrested and taken to the notorious Evin prison.

Kameel Ahmady decided to flee Tehran while out on bail and appealing against his sentence Mr Ahmady said he had been targeted not just because he was a dual national, but also because Iran wanted to retaliate after Britain seized an Iranian oil tanker off Gibraltar that was suspected of breaking EU sanctions.

“Being a dual national, you are always a potential case,” he told the BBC. “My chief interrogator said, ‘You’re very delicious,’ a) because I was Kurdish; b) I was coming from a Sunni religious background as opposed with the majority of the Shia in Iran; and c) I was a researcher who was digging up sensitive issues. And I wasn’t only

a simple researcher, I was actually acting on my research and using it for awareness raising.”

He spent three months at Evin prison where, he said, his interrogators played mind games with him.

“They treated me, on a human level, well. But don’t underestimate the concept and the seriousness of so-called ‘white torture’ - the psychological pressure they put on you. And all these games are played stage by stage, and they’re very well trained as to how to put a little bit of extra pressure on you when it’s needed.”

“There are all sorts of mind games, it’s almost like a trade.

You give me this, I’ll give you that - a minute of a phone call needs all sorts of negotiation with your interrogators. Five minutes more extra fresh air than the half an hour that you’re entitled to. And it is becoming really sad and petty because you want to be interrogated even more, not going back to the cell, which is almost like a grave.”

After three months he was released ahead of the trial but monitored closely.

Last December, Mr Ahmady was convicted of collaborating

with a hostile government, something he denies, after prosecutors claimed that a charity he had once done some work for had once received some funding from the United States.

He also faced various other charges, including promoting homosexuality in his research.

He was sentenced to more than nine years in jail and given a fine of more than £500,000 ($683,000). But while out on bail, he decided to flee Iran.

He said: “The appeal was overturned. That was the moment that I decided to escape because I couldn’t see myself staying in prison for 10 years and watching my son from a distance growing up. By the time I would have been released - if I was released - my son would have been 15.”

So, without telling anyone but his immediate family, Mr Ahmady fled in secret, travelling over the mountains on foot to escape.

“I just simply left. I packed my bag with a shaving kit, a few books of mine, and a laptop.”

“And warm clothes, because I knew I had to smuggle myself out of that train in the mountains. It was very cold, very long, very dark and very scary.”

“I had to leave behind everything I loved, I worked for, all my human connections. It was so sad and scary. If I got arrested, I would have been back before the judge, and God knows what other scenarios that would be.

SOURCE: BBC

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CAPPA launches TakeApart Nigeria Report

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

T

he Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) Friday launched the TakeApart Nigeria Report .

The titled of the report “The Big Tobacco Allies – How tobacco companies use intermediaries to foster their corporate social responsibility initiatives and promote their image in Nigeria.

The report which documents a series of instances where tobacco multinationals use intermediaries to foster their efforts to undermine implementation of the WHO FCTC, maps tobacco industry allies and exposes how tobacco companies use them to clean their image and grow their business.

The report, relying on surveys carried out by CAPPA across Nigeria with support from the African Tobacco Control Alliance (ATCA) exposes amongst others, how tobacco multinationals undertake partnerships with the Nigerian government.

How several entities organize events and implement programs that promote tobacco industry initiatives; how several entities provide technical and intellectual support to

the tobacco industry; how front groups launder tobacco industry image through social development engagements; how tobacco companies hide behind front groups to promote educational initiatives; how front groups whitewash tobacco industry image through environmental projects; how tobacco companies use fronts to organise trainings and seminars; and how tobacco multinationals use front groups to undertake unnecessary interactions with government officials, among others.

The report highlights the fact that the use of intermediaries by the tobacco industry poses a threat to the advancement of tobacco control in Nigeria as it facilitates interaction of the industry with public officials, enabling multinationals to garner good media reviews and further their inroads into the public space.

CAPPA Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi said: “Tobacco industry interference is a major challenge to effective tobacco control. The TakeApart Nigeria Report is a vital tool that will enable the Nigerian government and public health advocates to identify and plug loopholes that the tobacco industry and its allies and

front groups have exploited to interfere in public health policy.”

CAPPA Director of Programmes, Philip Jakpor said: “The TakeApart Nigeria Report is a product of painstaking investigation which unearthed how the tobacco industry and their front groups pull wool over our faces. We are now handing the Nigerian government the resource that is necessary to ending the unnecessary interactions that the tobacco industry initiates.”

The report makes several recommendations on how the tobacco industry can be checkmated. They include:Full implementation of the National Tobacco Control Act 2015 and the National Tobacco Control Regulations 2019.

Halt of economic incentives and benefits to the tobacco industry.Prohibition of all interactions with the tobacco industry not related to policy implementation.

Establishment of a policy for government agencies to

fully disclose minutes and proceedings of meetings and interactions with the tobacco industry.

Regular updating of information websites to ensure easy information dissemination that will in turn guarantee transparency.

Sensitisation of authorities on the public health implications of interactions with the industry.

Periodic declaration of no conflict of interest by stakeholders must interact with the tobacco industry.

Minister urges environment officers to enforce covid-19 protection regulations

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

T

he Minister of Environment, Dr Mohammad Abubakar has urged the Environmental Health Officers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON), to enforce health protection regulations on Covid-19 in the country.

Abubakar made the disclosure during a ministerial press briefing on Covid-19 Health Protection Regulation yesterday in Abuja.

He explained that the environmental health Officers regulations 30(part 5) makes it compulsory for officers to enforce the Regulations in both state, local and federal government.

The minister maintained that,he will not hesitate to instill disciplinary action in line with Regulation 36, on any erring Environmental Health Officer that defaults.

He also re-echoed the need for disinfection of various premises as provided in Regulation 7 (Part 2) of the environmental health Regulations.

He re-emphasized high risk areas where people can also contact Covid-19 such as markets, schools , worship centers, leisure centers among others. “ People should ensure they maintain social distances, use of face masks, observe washing of hands, which remains the best approach to curb the disease.

Also speaking, the

Acting Registrar of the Environmental Health Officer’s Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON), Dr Baba Yakubu Mohammad said “the minister has activated those of us in the ministry of environment to start the enforcement in earnest and give the directions on what to do.”

He pointed out that the activation of the environmental health officers is to ensure that the enforcement of health Protection regulations is being achieved and enforced in local,state and federal government.

“With this enforcement and regulations, it will go a long way to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Any one found not obeying rules will face penalties”, he said.

Minister of Environment, Dr Mohammad Abubakar

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

26

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

Feature

CLASSIFIED

Ethiopia’s Tigray crisis: What a blind man’s death reveals How Asmelah, Seyoum and Abay - all aged over 60 - died is unclear: some allege they were shot dead in cold blood, but the official Ethiopian version is that they were killed in a cave area after they refused to surrender.

Their deaths came on top of the capture of several other TPLF stalwarts - including Sebhat Nega, who was paraded in front of the cameras in handcuffs and looking dishevelled, in a scene reminiscent of the capture of Iraq’s former ruler Saddam Hussein in 2003.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter Faisal Roble from the US-based Institute for Horn of Africa Studies and Affairs said that supporters of Mr Abiy are celebrating the fate of the men who belonged to an organisation that had ruled Ethiopia with an iron hand until mass protests forced it to relinquish power to Mr Abiy nearly three years ago.

“They are saying: ‘We got the TPLF. We are destroying it. They will never be able to oppress us again.’

“But Tigrayans - including those who never liked the TPLF - are saying: ‘You killed Asmelash, a blind man, Seyoum, who had back surgery and struggled to walk, Abay, who had heart surgery, and you humiliated Sebath, who can’t walk up two stairs.

These are our heroes.’”

Exiled Eritrean human rights campaigner Paulos Tesfagiorgis said there was no doubt that almost three months into the conflict, the TPLF has suffered major setbacks after being hit by drone strikes and the massive deployment of Ethiopian and Eritrean troops, as well as forces from Ethiopia’s Amhara region, which under the country’s federal system has its own land dispute with Tigray.

“The TPLF has lost a lot of ground, a lot of leaders, a lot of fighters, and a lot of heavy weaponry. It now has only medium and light weapons. I don’t think it expected Eritrea to get involved to the extent it has.

“Isaias has pursued his old strategy of overwhelming the enemy with troops, tanks, armament, and bombings,” Mr Paulos said, adding: “But the TPLF is not finished. It fought intense battles. Now, it has returned to familiar ground, the rural areas of Tigray, its mountains and hills, to wage a guerrilla war.”

Tigray is a sparsely populated mountainous region

Menychle Meseret, an academic at Ethiopia’s University of Gondar, said the TPLF’s move to guerrilla warfare, after waging a “full-scale” conflict against the Ethiopian military, posed its own dangers.

“With insurgent groups, even one suicide bomber can cause a lot of deaths. In the case of the TPLF, it has some remaining fighters.

There are reports of fighting in some mountainous areas, and of the TPLF having already carried out ambushes on roads - even on an aid convoy.”

Warnings of famine Mr Paulos said he believed that the government was using starvation as a weapon of war.

“Government soldiers burnt the crops of Tigrayans; the offensive happened during the harvest season, and slaughtered their livestock. This was happening while the government imposed a total blockade on Tigray.

No food was getting in. Even now, the flow of aid is heavily restricted.

“People are already dying of hunger. There are warnings of a famine. This is a war waged without compassion. It reminds me of Mengistu’s quote: ‘To kill the fish, drain the pond’.” In order to weaken the TPLF, Abiy’s government has to subdue the civilians, including subjecting them to hunger,” Mr Paulos said.

Aid agencies have reported that the conflict - which came amid the coronavirus pandemic and a locust infestation of crops - had caused a “dire” situation: • More than two million people are in need of aid • Mass displacements have raised fears of a “massive” transmission of Covid-19 • Only five out of 40 hospitals are accessible • Some 300 motorized water sources are dysfunctional • Local markets are near collapsing An official in the newly appointed administration in Tigray was quoted by local media as saying that the crisis in the region was “unprecedented in its history”. He put the number who required emergency food aid at 4.5 million (up to 75% of the population), the number of displaced

“

T

he injury-plagued life, and now death, of Asmelash Woldeselassie highlights the brutality and cyclical nature of conflicts in Ethiopia’s mountainous Tigray region.

Having joined the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) around the time of its formation in 1975, Asmelash lost his eyesight when he was bombed in his hideout in the Imba Alaje mountain during the war that ended with the guerrilla movement marching into Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, to seize power from the notorious Mengistu Haile Mariam regime in 1991.

Then in 1998, when the TPLFled government found itself at the centre of a border war with Eritrea, Asmelash lost his left arm in an airstrike on the regional capital, Mekelle.

In the latest conflict that has seen the TPLF return to being a guerrilla movement, Asmelash - who was a member of its executive - was killed along with two other TPLF veterans - former foreign minister Seyoum Mesfin and former minister of federal affairs Abay Tsehaye.

Ethiopia’s 44-year-old Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed - who ordered the military operation that ultimately led to their deaths - was a junior member of the TPLF-led coalition government until his rise to power in 2018.

Now, he and the TPLF are enemies fighting for control of Tigray, a strategically important region which borders Sudan and Eritrea, the gateway to the shipping routes of the Red Sea. Eritrea’s President Isaias Afwerki has reportedly sent troops to Tigray to bolster the Ethiopian military’s operation and, some say, to avenge his humiliation at the hands of the TPLF during the 1998-2000 border war that left up to 100,000 people dead.

Both governments deny Eritrean troops are in Tigray, despite many Tigrayans, Eritreans and the US government saying they are there.

Mr Abiy declared victory over the TPLF following the capture of the regional capital, Mekelle, on 28 November, but vowed that efforts to apprehend the TPLF “clique” - which was estimated to have 250,000 fighters under its command - would continue.

Handcuffed and dishevelled

We face problems with some of them, such as where they don’t want to obey the rules, like when it comes to wearing masks or taking mandatory Covid tests. Some of the guests just don’t understand that this is for their own health and our own safety.

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House of freedom city of light ministry

About 60,000 people from Tigray are in refugee camps in Sudan at 2.5 million, and said his office had received reports of 13 people including three children - having died of hunger.

The government has denied using starvation as a weapon of war, and Mr Menychle said such accusations were “completely wrong”.

“The government has enough food stocks but it can’t deliver them in rural areas because the TPLF is killing drivers. The TPLF wants to orchestrate starvation as a weapon to manipulate global opinion and get sympathy for its cause.

“The TPLF gave guns to farmers, and forced some of them to fight.

That is why crops ended up being destroyed. The TPLF also controlled the government administration of all towns. It destroyed offices - even hospitals - before it abandoned towns,” Mr Menychle said.

The state-linked Human Rights Commission said that residents of the agricultural hub of Humera in western Tigray had reported widespread looting of houses and businesses by an ethnic Amhara youth group, militias, special forces, as well as some Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers.

“Looters have also emptied food and grain storages,” it said, adding that a resident had complained that even people sent by the newly appointed administration to help them “take part in theft”.

PAGE 27

The International Crisis Group’s Ethiopia analyst William Davison said the federal government was delivering some aid into areas where its troops, or security forces from Amhara, were firmly in control.

But this was not happening in areas where Tigrayan forces were still a major threat, as the government would not want them to get hold of aid supplies or to find ways of smuggling in fuel or arms.

“Large swathes of rural Tigray have not been receiving any aid because there is insufficient federal control or too much insecurity.

“Aid is going into Mekelle, the regional capital, and some parts of the south or west, as federal or Amhara forces are in control in these places,” he said.

‘Eritrean troops in sacred city’ Mr Davison added that to get aid into areas under the control of Eritrean troops was also difficult logistically and politically, as there was as yet no acknowledgement from either the Ethiopian or Eritrean leadership that the latter’s forces have been part of the Tigray conflict.

Local people told the BBC that Eritrean forces were in key cites and towns, including Aksum, the most sacred site for Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, and Wukro, only about 45km (28 miles) from Mekelle.

Source: BBC

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THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

FIFA Refuses To Disqualify Pinnick From Council Election Despite Corruption Petitions

W

orld Football FIFA has refused to disqualify Nigeria Football Federation President, Amaju Pinnick from standing in for election into its Council despite submission of corruption petitions against Pinnick by a Nigeria, it has been discovered.

An attempt by a Nigerian to scuttle Pinnick’s ambition from seeking a position for the FIFA Council next month in Rabat, Morocco, has been foiled by World football governing body.

Though, Pinnick has been cleared by FIFA Review Committee to contest for the Council seat at the 43rd Ordinary General Assembly of CAF slated for March 12, in Rabat, it was learnt that a Nigerian, in his bid to scuttle the plan, wrote to the Investigatory Chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committees to disqualify the NFF boss.

In his letter to FIFA General Secretary, dated January 20, 2021, former President of National Association of Nigerian Footballers (NANF), Harrison Jalla, wrote a petition tagged: Amaju Pinnick lacks integrity, not a fit and proper person for the exalted position of FIFA Council member.

Among other things, Jalla alleged in his letter that FIFA couldn’t feign ignorance of several allegations of fraud against Pinnick.

However, FIFA has responded to Jalla’s petition, saying it is not obliged to start ethical proceedings.

In a letter from Zurich, Ref. N0: RE2100012, obtained by The Guardian, FIFA wrote: “We acknowledge receipt of your correspondence and have taken note of the information provided. We wish to express our appreciation for having filed a complaint in the context of art.58

FIFA President, Infantino and the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick

par.1 of the FIFA Code of Ethics (FCE).

It is noted that FIFA bears a special responsibility to safe guard the integrity

and reputation of football worldwide and your complaint shows your commitment with our values and principles.”

FIFA continued: “Notwithstanding the above, even though you are entitled to file such a complaint in the context of a conduct considered in compatible with the FCE, it does not follow that you become a party to the proceedings which may result from this claim, as only accused subjects are conceived as such parties (see art.37 of the FCE).

“In sum, and based on your complaint and your initial lack of standing in the potential case, FIFA is not obliged to start ethical proceedings. Further, we need also to clarify that we will not be in a position to provide you with information with regard to your inquiries or regarding the state of the proceedings before the FIFA Ethics Committee (if any).

“However, in the event that we would require any further information, or documents from your part, we will contact you in due course. Also for the sake of clarity, please note that the Chairperson of the Investigatory Chamber may initiate preliminary investigations at her own discretion and at any time.

Finally, and after a careful analysis of a complaint, should the allegation reported here is considered to be an internal matter or, in case it does not fall within the jurisdiction of the FIFA Ethics Committee, the claim may be closed or transmitted to the relevant Member Association or Confederation,” FIFA said.

If Amaju Pinnick wins on March 12 in Rabat, he will become the third Nigerian to seat on the FIFA Council after Etubom Oyo Orok Oyo and Dr Amos Adamu, who had represented the continent on the hallowed chambers of world football governing body.

NVBF President, Nimrod Emerges CAVB Zone 3 Secretary-General

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he President of Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Engineer Musa Nimrod has emerged as the Secretary General of African Volleyball Confederation (CAVB) Zone 3.

The election, which brought in Engineer Musa Nimrod, was held in a General Assembly on Saturday.

Nimrod said the position on the board of CAVB Zone 3 is a call to duty, adding that the zone will witness a turn around.

He revealed that the President of CAVB Zone 3 is determined to focus on the developmental programmes of volleyball in the region.

Nimrod said, “The position of the

Secretary General Zone 3 means more work for me in the volleyball family. The vision of the Zone 3 is very simple; we want our region to be reckoned with in Africa. This means more work for our President, Ali Yaro and other members of the board because we are here to transform volleyball.

“I can recall that we held various Zone 3 African Club Championships in the last three years and this new board wants to do more by making sure there is synergy between the clubs in the region and players are able to ply their trade in different clubs across Zone 3”.

Nimord appealed to stakeholders in

the Zone 3 to support the new board in achieving its aims and supporting the region in terms of sponsorship.

After the election, a meeting led by the President of CAVB, Bouchra Hajij was held to pilot the way forward for volleyball in the region.

The election was conducted by Keshy from Mauritius and assisted by Tunisia’s Mounir Ben Silmane from the legal department of International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).

The Presidents of the countries of Zone 3 includes; Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Niger Republic, Ghana, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Liberia.

AFN President, Ibrahim Gusau and Sports Minister, Sunday Dare

African Giants Ahly Seek Club World Cup Redemption In Qatar

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PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

S p r t Only Ovie Ejeria Boxer dies charity bout cleared by A FIFA to play for Nigeria - NFF

O

nly the Reading midfielder, Ovie Ejaria, has been cleared by FIFA to represent Nigeria at the international level, according to the NFF boss, Amaju Pinnick.

Speculations recently frittered around, claiming that the world footballgoverning body had granted clearance to some Germany and England born youngsters to switch their allegiance to the three-time African champions.

The players include RB Leipzig forward currently on-loan at Fulham Ademola Lookman, Hertha Berlin’s defensive ace Jordan Torunarigha, Southampton’s versatile attacker Nathan Tella and Liverpool-owned Cardiff City winger Sheyi Ojo. Others are former Liverpool man Ovie Ejaria, PSV wonderkid Noni Madueke, Fulham’s centreback Tosin Adarabioyo, and exciting young forward Ike Ugbo, who is on loan at Cercle Brugge from English giants Chelsea.

“Ovie Ejaria has been cleared by FIFA to play for us (Nigeria), that I can confirm to you, I’m not aware of the others,” Pinnick was quoted as saying.

Ejaria, born in England to Nigerian parents, has represented the Europeans at age-grade levels, winning the U-20 World Cup with the Young Lions in 2017.

Ademola Lookman & Tosin Adarabioyo Both Of Fulham Nathan Tella Of Southampton Ovie Ejaria Of Reading Seyi Ojo Of Cardiff City Jordan Torunarigha Of Herta Berlin Noni Madueke Of Psv & Ike Ugbo Of Cercle Brugge.

Pakistani Boxer, Muhammad Aslam Khan, has tragically passed away at the age of 27 following a brutal KO during a charity bout.

Aslam Khan collapsed in the ring after being hit by Wali Khan Tareen and died in a hospital in Karachi, Pakistan, as a result of internal injuries.

According to local media reports, the injured boxer was rushed to a private hospital for treatment but passed away due to his injuries.

The boxers were from the Pishin district of Balochistan and were fighting in the 80kg weight category.

It is understood the bout took place for charity and BOL News report there were no medical personnel present at ringside.

It added: “He didn’t die in the ring, he suffered facial injuries and there wasn’t anyone there to look after him.

Marca say Aslam Khan combined boxing with his work in the Pakistani Election Commission.

They report he began his boxing career

in 2007 and within a decade he won a national title and several tournaments.

Mundo stated Aslam Khan’s death is being investigated by the authorities.

It has been reported the bout did not meet the necessary safety conditions.

Commissions/Heads of Sports Councils, dated February 1, 2021, obtained by The Guardian yesterday, directed that only teams that finished first at the zonal qualifiers would be allowed to feature at the festival.

The letter, signed by the secretary of the MOC, Peter Nelson, stated: “I write convey to you, the decision of the Main Organising Committee for the 20th National Sports Festival, to amend Rule 13 (v) of the General Rules and Regulations of the National Sports Festival (2020) by reducing the

number of qualifiers from each zone due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Accordingly, only one team (i.e. the team that placed first at the Zonal Eliminations), shall represent a zone in each Team Sport at the 20th National Sports Festival in order to reduce the number of participants.

“It is pertinent to state that this, amongst other measures are being put in place to safeguard the lives of all participants during the Festival. You are kindly requested to bring the content of this notification to all concerned.

African Giants Ahly Seek Club World Cup Redemption In Qatar

A

25 percent win rate in a tournament is not normally associated with Al Ahly of Egypt, the most successful club on the continent with 20 Confederation of African Football (CAF) titles.

But that is the disappointing FIFA Club World Cup record the Cairo Red Devils take into a quarterfinal on Thursday against Al Duhail from host nation Qatar.

It will be the sixth appearance by Ahly in the

annual competition and they desperately want to improve on having won just three matches of 12, losing the rest.

The low point came at the 2013 Club World Cup in Morocco as they were humiliated 5-1 by Monterrey of Mexico in the fifth-place playoff.

That was the third time Ahly finished sixth of seven clubs, with third and fourth places in the other appearances.

In 12 matches, Ahly could not even average

a goal a game, scoring 11 while conceding 22, including five against Monterrey and four against another Mexican club, Pachuca.

Two of the three sixth-place finishes came with a team widely regarded as the most powerful since CAF club competitions were launched 57 years ago.

Ahly reached four consecutive CAF Champions League finals from 2005, winning three and suffering a shock loss to Etoile Sahel of Tunisia in the other.

Why Messi planned to leave Camp Nou

B

arcelona coach Ronald Koeman has revealed why Argentine skipper Lionel Messi planned to leave before the expiration of his contract in June.

In an interview with the Athletic, Koeman said: “He was not happy to be in a team that lost 8-2 to Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Of course, he was angry, he wanted to leave the team.

“It was a difficult moment because he is still the best player, but he was angry about some situations at the club.”

Newly arrived, Koeman had to act as a forced mediator, although as he reveals, the talks were held between the club and the player.

“First of all, what I said to the club was: ‘Okay, it’s not my problem. It is a problem between the club and Leo Messi. And you have to figure it out’. Finally, the club told me: ‘We are not going to transfer him. He stays’. It was a difficult moment for Leo, but

he finally accepted it.”

Messi and Koeman now could talk, the content of which is revealed by the Barcelona coach. ” “I knew he had some problems with the club and I was out of it. I said to Leo: ‘I’m very happy if you stay. If not, it is your decision and it is what you have to handle with the club. If you stay, you will be part of the team and that will be your position to bring out the best in yourself’.

“I spoke to him at his house before we started the season, I made plans with him and he was very enthusiastic. Little by little, he accepted that situation. And look at how he’s playing in recent weeks, he ‘s very involved in the club, in the team. But nobody knows what will happen in the future.

“I’m enjoying being his coach, if you look at his qualities every day in training, it’s incredible. I still do not see Leo Messi with another shirt that is not that of Barça.

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Mesut Özil Parker Explains why he signed Josh Maja from Bordeaux makes his F Fenerbahçe debut ulham manager Scott Parker has provided reason for the club’s decision to sign Nigeria forward Josh Maja from Ligue 1 club Girondis Bordeaux.

Maja, 22, linked up with the Whites on a six-month loan deal on transfer deadline day with an option for the transfer to be made permanent.

Parker heaped plaudits on the young forward who is expected to help the club in their bid to avoid the drop this season.

“Why? It’s just I’ve not seen him at the moment. We’ll have to work it out. I’ve brought Josh to the football club because of his big potential and the work we’ve done with Tosin, Antonee Robinson, Loftus-Cheek – all of these players have done fantasically well and I think Josh fits into the same bracket,” he told a news conference on Tuesday.

Quizzed on whether the former Sunderland striker will be handed his debut against Leicester City at the Craven Cottage on Wednesday, the gaffer refused to give a definite answer.

“It’s a good question. He’s not here yet, he comes today and he’s not played the last

In 2019, there were four recorded deaths in the ring, the most since 1991, according to Wikipedia.

Patrick Day, Boris Stanchov, Hugo Alfredo Santillan and Maxim Dadashev all lost their lives.

Edo 2020: Sports ministry reduces number of team sports for festival With high level of uncertainty still surrounding the commencement of the 20th National Sports Festival in Edo State, the Main Organising Committee (MOC), has directed all states to reduce the number of team sports for the Games.

The festival, which has suffered series of postponements, is expected to hold from February 14 to 28, in Benin City.

A letter from the Sports Ministry in Abuja, titled: PMl/20TH NSF/S. CONFERE/12, addressed to all Honourable Commissioners/Chairmen, States Sports

PEOPLES DAILY, THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

G

erman midfielder Mesut Özil made his Fenerbahçe debut on Tuesday as the team emerged 2-1 winner over Hatayspor in the Süper Lig. Ozil started the game on the bench and came on in the 77th minute for Mame Thiam who scored the first goal for his side.

It was the first competitive match for Ozil since March 2020, a week before football was suspended due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. Since then, he has been frozen out of the squad by coach Mikel Arteta.

In a tweet after the match, the midfielder said: “Overwhelming feeling to have made my debut for Fenerbahçe.”

The German of Turkish descent terminated his contract with Arsenal in January and signed a 3.5-year deal with Fenerbahçe during an official unveiling ceremony last week.

In the game, Fenerbahçe took the lead in the 26th minute with Jean-Claude Billong scoring an own goal to hand their opponents a two-goal advantage.

Aaron Boupendza’s beautiful half volley goal into the top right corner in the 90th minute came only as a consolation for Hatayspor.

The win saw Fenerbahçe remain at the top of the Süper Lig, four points clear of Beşiktaş who has one game in hand.

three or four games,” Parker added. ”He was here as a young boy so with the

English game I don’t see an issue, probably more to do with where he’s at physically”.

Joe Aribo makes Scottish Premiership team of the month

S

uper Eagles midfielder Joe Aribo made Scottish Premiership Team of the Month of January. The Nigerian international who has become a must play for Steven Gerrard led Rangers got an impressive 7.60 rating to make the team.

The runaway league leaders Rangers dropped points just once in January to maintain their unstoppable march towards their first league title in 10 years.

Gerrard’s side have four players in WhoScored. com’s Scottish Premiership team of the month, while rivals Celtic have just one

representative in the XI..

Aribo who joined Rangers in 2019 from Chalton Athletic has made over 45 appearances for the side with 18 goals to his credit.

According to WhoScored .com Aribo remains very effective in the right flank in the team of the month having scored one and assisted another in January, those coming from respective returns of 12 shots and seven key passes. Eight successful dribbles also ranked highly in the league last month as Aribo secured a WhoScored. com rating of 7.60.

Ighalo Arrives Saudi Arabia sets for unveiling Former Super Eagles and Manchester United striker, Odion Ighalo has touched down in Saudi Arabia to seal his move to Al-Shabab from Shanghai Shenhua after his loan spell at Manchester United ended last month.

The 31-year-old, shared photos of himself and his agent in Riyadh following their arrival in Saudi.

The move for the Ighalo is subjected to him passing a medical after the footballer was given permission to talk with the Saudi Arabian club, according to Mail Online Football.

Meanwhile, the ex-international has heightened fear for the raging COVID-19 pandemic as he look forward to his Al

Shabab unveiling ceremony.

The former Super Eagles goal king, who recently penned a 30 months deal with the Saudi Arabian side, hinted this on his latest Instagram field. Ighalo, 31, was seen parading the city observing all COVID-19 precautions, which included social distance

and wearing of nose mask.

Having stormed Al Shabab from United Kingdom, a region with one of the highest Covid-19 cases, Ighalo took precautions in covering all sense organs except his ears.

The 2019 AFCON Golden Boot winner flaunted images of himself putting on a sunshade and a large nose mask in a bid to protect his health in a country living with three hundred and sixty thousand COVID-19 cases.

Joining the six times Saudi league champion will mark 10th club of his sixteen-year football career. He is keen to make his debut for the Saudi table topper come Saturday February 6 against visitor, Al Raed.

Manchester United humiliate 9-man Southampton 9-0

Lionel Messi

Southampton got the going tough at Old Trafford on Tuesday night after suffering a heavy 7-0 loss to Manchester United.

Even before the Saints could settle, they were reduced to ten men in the fourth minute when Alexandre Jankewitz, who was making his first start for the club, was sent off following a rash tackle on Scott McTominay. From the minute they were rendered less, the proceeding belonged to United.

The opener for United was to come after a combination of both fullbacks with Luke Shaw providing the cross from the left for

Aaron Wan-Bissaka to convert from close range for his first Old Trafford goal. It was 2-0 in the 25th minute with Shaw once again being the orchestrator. After excellent work from the Englishman from the left, Mason Greenwood pulled the ball back to Rashford about 14 yards from the Southampton goal with the striker firing past McCarthy after adjusting his feet.

Jan Bednarek was to turn a Rashford cross into his own net minutes later before Edinson Cavani scored a fourth with a header following a Shaw cross; United racing for the half time breather with a four-

goal cushion.

With the game seemingly done, United was to bring Anthony Martial and Van de Beek for Edinson Cavani and Luke Shaw but it was Southampton who thought they had a lifeline when Che Adams out the ball past De Gea in the 53rd minute but his goal was chopped off after consultation with the VAR. Daniel James was to be thrown in for Rashford with United extending their lead through Martial in the 69th minute after a perfect pass from Bruno Fernandes.

Southampton reacted by bringing on Nathan Redmond for Danny Ings but it was

United who struck again in the 72nd minute through McTominay with a 20-yard drive that easily beat the keeper.

Things went from bad to worse for the visitors eight minutes from time when Bednarek was sent off following a foul on Martial in his own box with Bruno Fernandes tucking in the resultant penalty. Martial was to add the eighth in the 90th minute before Daniel James wrapped up the proceedings in added time.

In another match of the day, Crystal Palace came from a goal down to beat Newcastle 2-1.

. . . putting the people first

THURSDAY, february 4, 2021

THIS SPACE IS FOR SALE

SPORTS CHECK’AM, JUST CHECK’AM (An Imaginary latest Conversation With A South-Easterner)

Van Dijk will not play this season

Adamu: Okoro, when will you guys in the South-East stop amusing us?

Did you hear what that your senior brother said last week?

Okoro: Who is my senior brother?

Adamu: I am talking about Anyim Pius Anyim, or did you not hear the ridiculous thing that he said last..?

L

iverpool manager Jurgen Klopp doesn’t expect defender Virgil Van Dijk to be back in action before the season ends.

The Dutchman has been out of action since his surgery in mid-October and is undergoing a rehabilitation programme with reports surfacing last week that he was ahead of schedule and could be involved later in the season.

“I think he was on the Premier League list. Nobody told me I have to change something with that. If we have space in the Champions League list, then Virgil will be on the list.

“At the moment, I don’t know where these things are coming from- nobody really, no doctor, nobody really told me there’s a chance for Virgil to play in this season again. I don’t want to say that’s absolutely impossible but it’s not likely.

It’s not likely. We don’t have to discuss these things really,” Klopp said

NPFL Matchday 8: Enyimba win away, Abia Warriors Pick first 3 points

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nyimba defeated Nasarawa United 2-1 in Lafia while Abia Warriors recorded their first win in the 2020/2021 NPFL season after they thrashed Sunshine Stars 4-1 in Okigwe, Umuahia.

In other results, Akwa United won 1-0 against Adamawa in Bauchi while Rangers recorded an emphatic 3-0 scoreline against Dakkada FC in Enugu.

Full Results: Nasarawa Utd 1-2 Enyimba Adamawa Utd 0-1 Akwa Utd Kano Pillars 2-0 Jigawa GS Wikki 2-0 MFM Kwara Utd 2-1 Lobi Abia Warriors 4-1 Sunshine Stars Rangers 3-0 Dakkada Wolves 1-0 Plateau Utd Taye Taiwo and Oduamadi

Advert: news: Kano: lagos:

O

koro (cuts in): What do you mean by ‘my brother’? How is Anyim my brother? The last time I checked the man is from Ishiagu in Ebonyi State and I am from Mbaitoli in Imo State! How is he my brother? Check’am naa!

Adamu: Oh, you mean because you are from Imo State and Anyim is from Ebonyi therefore he is not your brother? Two of una nobi Igbo? Oh, oh, okaaay, now I get it, so are you telling me that the people of Ebonyi state are not Igbo enough to be your brothers; abi?

Okoro: Well, I don’t know about that! Just tell me whatever it is that Anyim has said without referring to him as my senior brother, o’simple as dat!

Adamu: Okay, I get it. But tell me: what do you think about the man’s comments last week, that Igbos in Delta and Rivers states cannot use slots meant for the South East. Do you have to be a South Easterner to be truly Igbo?

Okoro: I do not see anything wrong with that. Because the last time I checked, Delta and Rivers States are in the South-South political zone, not in the South-East! How can you give an Igbo man from the SouthSouth a slot and then you expect the Igbos of the South East to jubilate in celebration? Check’am naa!

Adamu: My brother……

Okoro (cuts in): Who is your brother? Abeg, abeg, I am not your brother oo!. You are a ‘Nortaner’; and you are Awusa, or Fulani. Or maybe Awusa-Fulani. I am a South Easterner, I am Igbo. It is by accident that you and I are in the same country. How can you call me brother? Check’am naa!

Adamu: Do you know your problem, Okoro?

Okoro: I don’t have any problem oo! I am just telling you the truth from the bottom of my heart. No bi by force to be somebody’s brother! You are not my brother! I don’t have any problem oo!

Adamu: I mean the problem of some of you Igbos. Or should I say some of you South Easterners? Your problem is that you people know too much ‘buying and selling’ and too little politics.

Okoro: that one na your grammar oo! I am not your brother. Na by force?

Adamu: It is not by force. You are only confirming to us what has always

0806 564 8620 0814 292 9046 0803 587 5846 08074420617

Thursday Column

with Mohammed Adamu dankande2@gmail.com been obvious, that you people are incapable of playing politics without bitterness. In fact I can see that I am the stupid one here -to think that I (a Hausa-Fulani from the North) can make a brother out of an Igbo man from Imo State who would openly disown another Igbo man from just across Ebonyi State. Dis one I don check’am….

Okoro: Na you sabi!

Adamu: In any case, what I was trying to say is this: that no one is saying for example that you people in the South-East must jubilate in celebration of Lucky Irabor’s appointment as CDS….

Okoro (cuts in): Tufiakwa! What is there to celebrate?

Adamu: Yes, Anyim has already told us; and you have just confirmed it, that Igbos from Delta and Rivers states are not your brothers. We are not asking you to celebrate Irabor’s appointment. The new Chief of Army Staff, Attahiru, is Hausa-Fulani, from the North West. I am from the North Central. As you can see, we are not from the same zone. And yes, we did not jubilate over Attahiru’s appointment either. Just like we did not when Buratai from the North East was appoin…..

Okoro: Well, that one na una sabi….

Adamu: Hold it, hold it! Agreed!

A Hausa man for example, from a particular political zone in the North is not obligated to celebrate the appointment of a Hausa man from another political zone in the North. But he should not also complain that the appointment of a Hausa man outside his own political zone is not sufficient to appease his ethnic solidarity. You too check’am naa!

Okoro: What are you trying to say?

Adamu: What I am trying to say is that only the Igbo man, it appears, has the uncharitable liberty of complaining that the appointment of another Igbo man from outside the South East is not sufficient to appease his ethnic solidarity. But why am I even surprised? You have just denied that Anyim, from Ebonyi, is your brother. Who will you not deny outside the East?

Okoro: You cannot decide for anybody who they want to be their brother. Those people from Delta and Rivers, did you ask them if they have

accepted to be Igbos? If they decide when to be Igbo and when not to be Igbo, we too have a right to decide when they are Igbos and when they are not! Or to even decide whether they are Igbos at all! Check’am naa.

Adamu: Oh yes, yes! You people not only decide who is your brother, but it is even obvious some of you in fact also arrogate the right to decide who is Igbo and who has suddenly ceased being Igbo….

Okoro: What do you mean by that?

Adamu: Exactly what you just heard. Some of you have the habit of outrightly disowning Igbos who dare to build political bridges especially to the North. Or have you not said that Rochas Okorocha is no longer Igbo?

That he is now ‘onyi Awusa’?

Okoro: Of course Rochas is your ‘Nortan’ brother brother naa. The man is a complete ‘Iberibe’! Can’t you see the iberiberism that man brought to Imo state and to the East? Check’am naa….

Adamu: ….and when Arthur Eze recently bragged about his Northern connections and the fraternities outside of the South East that made him what he was, did some of you not strip him off his Igboness? You said that he was no longer Igbo but ‘Awusa’? And Femi Fani Kayode you have anointed an Igbo man. You guys are amazing, you know; you celebrated the Igbonness of an Ijaw man (Goodluck ‘Ebele Azikiwe’ Jonathan) who asserted his South-Eastern origin through Rivers State but then you had once openly repudiated the Igboness of another, Rotimi Amechi, from the same Rivers. And now Irabor from Delta isn’t Igbo enough! Why are you people trivializing ‘Igboness’?

Okoro: Nobody is trivializing anything mister man. Igboness is not only by birth or by blood alone. Nor is it only by territory. Igboness is also by character! Only people of strong character are Igbo. Iberiberism is not a part of Igbo ancestry! But come, come what is all these about? What has being Igbo or not being Igbo got to do with what Anyim has said or has not said?

Adamu: A lot my friend, a lot! We are just tired of your complaints….

Okoro (cuts in sarcastically): Then allow us to go naaa! It is as simple as that….. my brother Check’am naa!

Adamu (now getting heated):

I am not your brother my friend!

Remember? But maybe you are right after all. Maybe you people should just go! Because we are tired of your politics of tribe and tongue, religion and geography….

Okoro (cuts in again): This kitchen is not only crowded, we are tired of the nonsense ‘tuwo’ that you Awusa people have been feeding everybody in this kontri. Allow us to go and form our own kitchen. ‘ora’ and ‘onugbu’ suups na dem de hungry us biko…..

Adamu: …..Yes, we are tired too, of your penchant for playing politics with so much bitterness. You guys are something else! You will not appease others, yet you will not be appeased.

Head you are bitter, tail you are bitt…..

Okoro (cuts in again with biting humor): Did you not hear what I said? We are bitter because are tired of the nonsense tuwo you have been feeding us! We cannot wait to return to our sweet bitterleaf! We are tired of this your cry-cry Awusa black suup that you people call ‘miyan kuuka!’

How person go de chop suup de cry?

Check’am naa!

Adamu:….. try and be serious for a moment….

Okoro: No, Adamu, but check’am naaa….

Adamu: ……You people want out of this country yet you also want to rule this country! And what is more amusing is that you want it given to you on a platter of gold as if the presidency is an appointive office….

Okoro: I don talk my own finish.

Check’am…

Adamu: …..Play politics of give and take, you no gree; play politics of inclusion, you shout taaaa, play politics without bitterness, mbaa!

Hell, be Machiavellian even, plot to get it by crook, mbanuu! What do you people want?

Okoro: Just check’am!

DAN GAYE Dangai

We gave COVID-19 palliatives to all govs, Minister tells Reps -News

Why were they hiding them?

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