Friday, June 4, 2021 Edition

Friday, June 4, 2021/ Shawwal 23, 1442 AH

Vol. 36 No. 073 N200

2586 Days after Malam Wada Maida (1950-2020), founding Chairman, Board of the Peoples Media Limited

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The nation awaits rescue of the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls

$1.5m clinical trial delaying local Covid-19 vaccine - FG pG 5

Foreign enemies funding secessionist plots to sell weapons >>PAGE 5

Says Gov Ayade after meeting Buhari

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadia Umar Farouq, Blueprint Public Officer of the year on Humanitarian and Emergency Intervention receiving the award from the Senate President, Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan (left). With them is the Chairman of Blueprint Newspapers Ltd., Alhaji Mohammed Idris in Abuja yesterday.

Presidency rejects Campbell’s claim on Nigeria falling apart Military kill scores Buhari calls for global of terrorists, destroy support to develop enclaves in Borno Niger Basin pAGE 7

pAGE 3

Ganduje urges FG to hasten Kano-KadunaLagos rail project pAGE 2

>>PG 17

COVID-19: 200m people to become unemployed in 2022, ILO warns pAGE 3

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

News CONTENTS News 6-18 Op.Ed

12-13

Politics 15-17 Stock Watch Business Metro

18 19-21 24

World Analysis 22 Africa News

23

World News

24

Ganduje urges FG to hasten Kano-Kaduna-Lagos rail project From Kano

Mustapha

Adamu,

K

ano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has called on the federal government to speed up the completion of Kano-KadunaLagos rail project, billed to commence next month.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Kano State Outreach Learning Centre of the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Zaria, held in Dawakin Kudu Local Government yesterday, Ganduje noted that the project would boost socioeconomic activities of the people

in the states.

On establishment of the learnig center, Ganduje, represented by his deputy, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, said the project is in line with his administration’s resolve to human development.

According to him, his administration had established multi billion naira skills acquisition centre, which would soon be commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari, adding that the facility had been furnished with state-of-the-art equipment.

Ganduje pledged to sponsor some Kano youths to be enrolled in the center as part of his

continuous youth empowerment.

Commissioning the facility, the Minister of State for Transportation, Gbemisola Saraki said that the center would serve all the states in the Northwest geopolitical zone.

Mrs araki said that the aim of establishing the centre was to improve the transport sector of the country, adding that most developed nations invested heavily in their transport sectors.

She said that the centre would provide the relevant skills and knowledge needed in the transport sector.

“I wish to call on state governments to support the

youth in their respective states to enrol at the centre, and after graduating, to assist them with the facilities needed to set up their businesses,” she explained..

She noted that the Federal Government had committed huge resources towards the revitalisation and modernisation of railways across the country.

The NITT Director-General, Alhaji Bayero Salih, said that the centre and others across the country had been equipped with modern state-of-the-art facilities for both practical and theoretical training in all modes of transportation.

NECO appoints acting Registrar Page 10

Digest

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Feature 26 Sports 29-31 Back Page

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Member representing Aboh Mbaise/Ngo Okpala Federal Constituency from Imo state, Hon. Bade Uchema Eke, briefing the NASS press corps on the crisis in Imo state, at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja.

Buhari bows out as chair of Niger Basin Authority

By Egena Sunday Ode

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari Thursday congratulated President Roch Kaboré of Burkina Faso on his appointment as the new Chairman of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Niger Basin Authority (NBA).

In his closing address at

the virtual 12th summit of the Heads of State and Government of NBA, President Buhari, who is the outgoing Chair, said the Institution had ‘‘the utmost confidence’’ in President Kabore’s ability to steer the affairs of the Niger Basin Authority for the next two years. ‘‘Let me, on behalf of all Heads of State and Government of NBA, wish His Excellency

President of the Republic of Burkina Faso, a very successful tenure’’, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adssina, in a statement, quoted Buhari to have said.

He also congratulated member states of NBA for a job well done, calling on them to continue to muster the needed political will and courage to

implement the far-reaching decisions agreed at the Summit.

The President also expressed deep appreciation and gratitude to leaders and member-countries who attended the Summit as well as their ‘‘unwavering support and cooperation during my five year tenure as Chairman of Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Authority.”

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

News

Israel committed to supporting innovative Nigerian youths – Envoy

I

srael says it will continue to support innovative Nigerian youths by developing their innovative ideas toward the industrialisation of the country in particular, and Africa at large.

Mr Yotam Kreiman, Charge d’ Affairs of Israel to Nigeria made this known in his address at the two-day closing ceremony of the Innovation Fellowship for Aspiring Inventors and Researchers (i-FAIR) programme.

The programme, which began Dec. 1, was organised by the embassy, in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President and Skill G Ltd., Gregory University and DeNovo, private sectorbased organisations.

He commended 2021/21 i-FAIR participants for completion of the innovation programme amidst challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, while extolling Mr Shimon Ben-Shoshan, former Ambassador of Israel to Nigeria, for his efforts.

“I-FAIR is a platform committed to supporting innovative Nigerians, especially youths in transforming their ideas to inventions that will drive inclusive and viable industrialization in Africa.

“The initiative was created through the partnership of Israel, Skill-G and the Federal Government, to establish an ecosystem of innovation in Nigeria.

“The goal of this initiative is to identify potential, as well as gaps between prospects, successes and subsequently bridge those gaps, after a 9-months programme by Israel and Nigeria.

“I-FAIR initiative has produced 34 start-ups, which have reached prototypes development stage, to address market needs in the fields of security, food technology, medical simulators, green/ renewable energy and social responsibility.

“Israel is hoping to inspire Nigeria’s start-up work, creativity and commitment on the part of our fellows, mentors, experts and partners have played in bridging innovative ideas to reality,” he said.

In a remark, Mr Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science and Technology, commended the organisers for the initiative, saying it would further deepen scientific and technological relations between the two countries.

According to him, the ministry will play its part to ensure full realisation of the objectives of i-FAIR. Onu said, “We also commend Israeli Embassy for all you have been doing in this country; this is clear example of your interest in making sure knowledge is transferred.

“When I came in December, experts from Israel took me round some of the equipment and I think the relationship between our two countries will continue to grow from strength to strength.

“The relationship is one that will be of great benefit to both Nigeria and Israel.”

Meanwhile, Prof. Gregory Ibe, Chief Executive Officer of Skill “G” organisation, expressed appreciation to the Israeli Embassy and the Federal Government, for contributing to success recorded.

“In every strata of our Nigeria society, we deal with one person and that person is human beings.

“We are all blessed, have talent and somehow we die with it, because we do not have a place to vent, may be aspire or bring the ideas to fruition and that is all Skill “G” is all about,” Ibe said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme, with the theme; “Transforming Ideas into Invention”, is centered on agriculture, health, education, energy and homeland security. (NAN)

News Editor, Tobias Lengnan Dapam

Buhari calls for global support to develop Niger Basin

By Egena Sunday Ode

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in Abuja called for global support to develop the resources in the Niger Basin area, home to over 160 million people who depend on the River as a means of sustenance.

Declaring open the virtual 12th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Niger Basin Authority (NBA), the President said the Niger River commonly called Djoliba in Guinea and Mali, offers enormous development opportunities in the fields of agriculture, animal husbandry, fishing, fish farming, hydro-power, hydraulics and navigation. ‘‘It is therefore necessary to continue to promote its enormous potential for the benefit of our people, and to improve the socio-economic development of the region,’’ he said.

Buhari expressed appreciation to Technical and Financial Partners, including African Development Bank (AfDB), the Global Environment Fund (GEF), the German Financial Cooperation (KFW), for identifying with the vision and projects of the

authority, a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adssina, said.

He urged them to continue to support efforts at developing the Niger Basin in the fight against pollution and the degradation of ecosystems, in order to manage its resources in a sustainable and equitable manner, the statement also noted.

President Buhari, who is the outgoing Chairman of the NBA Leaders’ Summit, also used the occasion to give account of his fiveyear stewardship, piloting the affairs of the institution, according to Adssina. ‘‘Excellencies, it has been a privilege to lead this Summit of Heads of State and Government for the past five years, since you all unanimously endorsed me as the Chairman at the 11th Summit held in Cotonou, Benin Republic on 8th January, 2016 to lead our common Institution. ‘‘Of the several decisions taken at the Summit, only the decision on funding of the NBA 2016-2024 Operational Plan is yet to be fully implemented.

‘‘It is pertinent to note that there are some on-going programmes like: support to Ground Water Management in Niger Basin (AGES), project II to strengthen NBA and its Member Countries’ technical capacity and human resources for improving trans-boundary groundwater resource management in the Niger Basin, ’’ he said.

The President also listed other on-going programmes to include the Integrated Development and Adaptation to Climate Change in Niger Basin financed by the AfDB, GEF, KFW and NBA Member Countries to improve the resilience of the Niger River ecosystems and populations through a sustainable management of natural resources, the statement said.

Buhari, according to the statement, explained that the climate change programme will cover the nine NBA member-countriesBenin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Chad. ‘‘Distinguished delegates, it should be noted, to our collective delight that these achievements were only possible with your active

support. ‘‘It is also my pleasure to tell this meeting that there is an improvement in our organization’s financial status as member countries are striving hard to pay their annual contributions in a timely manner,’’ he said.

The President also commended all member countries for their unflinching efforts towards contributing to the construction of a befitting Headquarters for the NBA, noting with appreciation the commitments made so far.

On behalf of member countries, President Buhari while thanking the outgoing Executive Secretary, Mr. Abderahim Bireme Hamid, for serving the Authority noted that the 12th Summit is expected to appoint a new Executive Secretary and a Chairman. ‘‘At this Summit, my tenure as the Chairman Summit of Heads of State and Government of our common institution comes to an end as I will hand over to a new Chairman. ‘‘I urge you to extend maximum cooperation to the new Chairman for continued smooth running of our Institution”.

L-R; President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of Water Resource, Engr Sulieman Adamu and Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Amb Zubairu Dada at the 12th virtual summit of Heads of State and Government of the Niger Basin Authority held at the State House Abuja.

PHOTO; STATE HOUSE

COVID-19: 200m people to become unemployed in 2022, ILO warns

T

he International labour Organisation (ILO) says the economic crisis triggered by the COVID pandemic was expected to lead to the global unemployment of more than 200 million people by 2022.

ILO noted in its’ World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2021′, (WESO Trends), on Wednesday, that women and youth workers were worst hit by the economic crisis.

It stated that although the nations would emerge from the ongoing health crisis, “five years of progress towards the eradication of working poverty have been undone” nonetheless.

“We’ve gone backwards, we’ve gone backwards big time. Working poverty is back to 2015 levels; that means that when the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda was set, we’re back to the starting line,” said ILO

Director-General, Guy Ryder.

The worst-affected regions in the first half of 2021 had been Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe and Central Asia, all victims of uneven recovery.

They’ve seen estimated workinghour losses exceed eight per cent in the first quarter and six per cent in the second quarter, far higher than the global average.

Women have been hit “disproportionately” by the crisis, seeing a five per cent employment fall in 2020, compared to 3.9 per cent for men.

“A greater proportion of women also fell out of the labour market, becoming inactive,” ILO said, noting that additional domestic responsibilities had resulted from lockdowns, which risked a “retraditionalisation” of gender roles.

Youth employment has also continued to suffer the economic downturn, falling 8.7 per cent in 2020, compared with 3.7 per cent for adults.

The most pronounced fall has been in middle-income countries where the consequences of this delay and disruption to the early labour market experience of young people “could last for years,” ILO warned.

Pandemic-related disruption has also brought catastrophic consequences for the world’s two billion informal sector workers.

Compared to 2019, an additional 108 million workers worldwide are now categorised as poor or extremely poor – meaning that they and their families live on the equivalent of less than 3.20 dollar per person, per day.

According to ILO, global unemployment will reach 205 million people in 2022, up from 187 million in

2019.

The Geneva-based organisation also projected a “jobs gap” increase of 75 million in 2021, which is likely to fall to 23 million in 2022 – if the pandemic subsides.

“The related drop in workinghours which takes into account the jobs gap and those working fewer hours, amounts to the equivalent of 100 million full-time jobs in 2021 and 26 million in 2022.

“This shortfall in employment and working hours comes on top of persistently high pre-crisis levels of unemployment, labour under utilisation and poor working conditions,” ILO stated.

The ILO report maintained that although global employment recovery should accelerate in the second half of 2021, it would. however. likely be an uneven recovery. (NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

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News Ortom lampoons defecting governors From Uche Makurdi

Nnorom,

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overnor Samuel Ortom has lampooned governors defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC as ‘dramatist, adding that they are afraid of prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The governor stated this while speaking to newsmen yesterday evening on his return from Oyo state where he was invited by his counterpart Seyi Makinde to.commission some projects.

He noted that those decamping to the APC from the PDP are those who have soiled their hands in corrupt acts and are seeking for forgiveness.

“Remember what former APC national chairman Adams Oshiomole once said that if you decamp to APC, your sins are forgiven. It is why some of us our people are visiting EFCC because we have refused to be part of this kangaroo kind of forgiveness.

I have always told my people (aides) to do the right thing.

“Some are running from PDP to APC because they are afraid of prosecution. But there is no hiding place for any criminal or thief. All these eye service you are seeing around, a day of reckoning will come nobody will stop the authorities from fishing out those who have committed crime in this country. That is why I always say that prevention is better than cure.

“For me, I better go back to my village as a farmer than get myself involved in anything like that. That is why I try as much as possible to be decent in handling finances and other things of government.

“So, we are not disturbed.

Let us get to 2022 and you will see what will happen. There is freedom of association but I must tell you that PDP is waxing stronger. One thing we are doing by constantly meeting is to reposition the party so that it can represent true democracy.

“Now, Nigerians have tasted APC and the basis for comparison are there. What was the exchange rate? What was the security situation? What was the economic status of the country? How was the education and entire sector of the country? If you are to score APC, it will be below average.

They have not performed at all”, Ortom fumed.

UK worried over insecurity in Zamfara, promises support

M

r Sam Weldock, Head of Governance, Conflict and Social Development at the British High Commission, Abuja, has assured the Zamfara government of his country’s support in tackling its security challenges.

Weldock made the pledge when he led a high-powered delegation on a high-level security meeting with Gov. Bello Matawalle in Gusau, on Wednesday.

He explained that the UK government was worried about the security challenges facing the state and that his country would support Zamfara to overcome most of those concerns.

The envoy said the team was in

Zamfara for first hand information and that they would extend more security support to the state and other states in the North-West of the country, in order to return peace and tranquility to the region.

Earlier, Matawalle, thanked the envoy for the visit and appealed to the UK government to support his administration’s efforts at ending banditry and other criminal activities in the state.

The governor, who urged the UK to also sustain its cooperation with the Federal Government and other state governments in the fight against insurgency and other security breaches in the

country, briefed the delegation on the success of his carrot and stick approach, using peace and dialogue to contain banditry in the state.

He explained that the security challenges he inherited had posed a great threat to achieving his administration’s development desires, saying that the spate of insecurity had virtually affected socio- economic activities in the state.

Matawalle expressed gratitude over the relative peace brought by his administration, saying that President Muhammadu Buhari’s ‘shoot on sight” order on anyone found in illegal possession of firearms

would also help in further bringing sanity to the area.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Weldock was accompanied by Sophie Stevens, the Conflict Adviser from the British High Commission and Alice Gore.

The meeting was attended a team comprising the Zamfara Head of Service, Alhaji Kabiru Balarabe, Permanent Secretaries of Finance, Alhaji Kabiru Gayari, Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Garba Dauran, Office of the Executive Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Barmo, and Malam Lawal Maradun, Principal Private Secretary to the Governor, among others. (NAN)

Permanent Secretary, FCTA Olusade Adesola taking the second dose of the COVID-19 Vaccine in Abuja yesterday

Photo : Mahmud Isa

CJN wants judiciary to fix, review judges salary

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

T

he Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad has asked the National Assembly to alter the constitution to mandate the National Judicial Council (NJC) to fix and review judges salaries every four years.

The CJN made this submission in the paper he presented as recommendations of the judiciary on the occasion of the national public hearing by Senate Committee on review of the 1999 Constitution held at the Africa Hall of the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

A statement signed by a Senior Special Assistance to the CJN, Ahuraka Yusuf Isah, said the CJN submitted a 17-page paper titled ‘’Input by the Judiciary to the Proposed Alteration to the 1999 Constitution (as Amended).

According to him, the

CJN submitted before the senate committee contains 45 constitutional amendment proposals on reforms in the Nigerian judiciary.

In item 38, the CJN wants Part 1 of the Third Schedule Paragraph 21 to the Constitution be altered to include sub-paragraph ‘h’ to the effect that NJC should ‘’fix, in conjunction with salaries and wages Commission, Salaries and other emoluments of Judicial Staff; in the case of Judicial Officers, to review such salaries no later than four years from the last exercise’’.

By the dictate of Section 84 (1), the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) reviewed judges’ salary by the enactment of, ’’Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2008’’ which came into force on February 1, 2007.

Since this Act have not been reviewed with effect from 2008, judges’ salaries have remained the same for about 13 years.

Speaking further, Justice Tanko asked for the constitution to be amended for NJC Secretary seat to be at par with that of the Clerk of the National Assembly.

The constitution he said should categorically states that the CJN is the head of the judiciary of the Federation; just as he called for the Supreme Court Bench be reduced from 21 to 16. ‘’Section 230 of the constitution is altered by (a) substituting paragraph (a) of the existing subsection (2) with a new paragraph (a) ‘’(a)The Chief Justice of Nigeria who shall be the head of the judiciary of the federation’’ (b)Substituting the words ‘’not exceeding twenty-one’’ in lines 1 to 2 of paragraph (b) of the existing subsection (2) with words

‘’not exceeding sixteen’’.

This is just as he wants person to be appointed Supreme Court Justice not to be less than 25 years of post call to Bar. All the appeals from the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court should be by leave of the Supreme Court and the application for leave can be determined by 3 justices of the apex court sitting in the chamber.

He called for the number of the Court of Appeal Justices pegged at 49 in the constitution under Section 237 be amended now to no less than 100 justices.

NJC should collect, control and disburse all monies, capital and recurrent for the judiciary.

The judiciary is now to exercise control over the Code of Conduct Tribunal, as the Federal Judicial Service Commission is to advice the NJC in nominating persons for appointment as the Chairman and members of the CCT.

CITAD presents 2 books on how to mitigate hate speech, corruption

From Umar Dankano, Yola

T

he Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has

launched a two (2) published books with a view to highlighting the implications of hate speech and corruption in Nigeria.

Making the official

presentation of the books yesterday in Yola, Mr.Isah Garba,Senior Programme Officer of CITAD said the centre decided to document developments in the

two perspectives.

Garba explained that due to poor reading culture of Nigerians,the Centre opted to use the media as an avenue to sensitise

the people on the negative effects of the two challenges militating against the well being of the developmental strides of the country.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

Use of bicycle reduces crashes, traffic congestion – FRSC

T

he Plateau Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has said the use of bicycle as means of transportation will reduce road traffic crashes and traffic congestion in the state.

Mr Alphonsus Godwin, the Sector Commander of the corps in the state, said this at a cycling rally organised to mark the 2021 World Bicycle Day on Thursday in Jos. According to him, the use of bicycle has huge health benefits to humans and ensures better environment, hence advised Plateau residents to regularly use it as means of transportation.

“The benefits of non motorised transportation are enormous.

“These include decongestion of traffic, healthier environment, cost effective, compared to automobile usage, reduces road traffic crashes and a form of exercise to promote healthy living, among others.

“So, I want to advice Plateau residents and Nigerians to regularly use bicycles as means of transportation,” said Godwin.

The Sector Commander also appealed to citizens to obey traffic rules and regulations at all times.

He advised motorists to drive safely during the raining season.

The Chairman of Plateau State Cycling Association, Mr. James Amidu, also urged Nigerians to make cycling a way of life, adding that such practice would ensure longevity.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2021 world cycling day has the theme “Safe the Cyclist.” (NAN)

News

Foreign enemies funding secessionist plots to sell weapons

- Says Gov Ayade after meeting Buhari

By Egena Sunday Ode

A

bout two weeks after his defection from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Cross Rivers State Governor, Ben Ayade formally met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday.

He was led to the President

by Professor Ibrahim Gambari,.

Buhari’s Chief of Staff.

Sparking with newsmen after the meeting, Ayade said “I moved into the APC because of my personal relationship with Mr. President. I have watched him and I find honesty, integrity and

I see his wish and commitment to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

To that extent, I have a leader that I trust.

“Opposition in the third world means let everything happen that will make the other party look bad. The increasing insecurity in Nigeria as Nigeria suffers attacks from extraneous aggressors, paid militia and bandits, the opposition party only celebrates that because they believe it gives them a chance to win in 2023.

“So, opposition becomes very cannibalistic; so you rejoice over the bloodbath in your country.

You rejoice over the level of insurgency and killings in your country just because you are playing opposition. The country

us snowballing into a civil strife.

“We need to come together and support Mr. President to overcome the insurgency which is characterized by external militias who are paid for the purpose. I know very clearly that they have basic interest in our natural resources especially our tatalites and cobalt related derivative as well as diamond and gold.”

The governor also alleged that Nigeria’s foreign enemies were responsible for the festering internal crisis including secessionist agitations in parts of the country in order to dismember it amid crisis for the purpose of selling their weapons.

“As you know what this international community does for

Africa, once they see that large deposit of natural resources, they will be glad to see such country go to war. On one side they’re funding enemies of state; on the other hand they’re funding secessionists so that they can be in the business of guns,” he said.

While also paying glowing tribute to the PDP, the Cross Rivers state governor said that he still has great respect for his former party, saying it was the platform that gave him the ticket and supported him to win elections for senate and governor respectively.

Ayade said until he defected to the ruling party, he was a committed and dedicated member of the opposition PDP.

President Muhammadu Buhari receives The Cross Rivers State Governor Prof Ben Ayade. With them is the Chief of Staff Prof Ibrahim Gambari at the State House Abuja.

PHOTO; STATE HOUSE

$1.5m clinical trial delaying local Covid-19 vaccine - FG

By Egena Sunday Ode

T

he $1.5 million needed for clinical trial is the reason local production of Covid-19 vaccine is being delayed as government is not yet sure how to raise the money.

Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who was the guest at the weekly ministerial media briefing organized by the Presidential Communication Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja disclosed this on Thursday.

He affirmed that a Nigerian researcher had already developed a Covid-19 vaccine with a high probability of success, but noted that the cost of clinical trial had become an obstacle.

While wondering how to secure the $1.5 million needed to fulfill all the stages of the trial, He said government may have to look for sponsors who would recoup their investment when the vaccine is successful, adding that it is the feasible way to way to secure the much needed $1.5 million.

Answering question on

the progress on local vaccine production, he said: “There is no personal interest in this. There are at least two, perhaps even three, Nigerian laboratories that have developed what you call vaccine candidates.

“In fact, yesterday, we also talked to a fourth Nigerian laboratory, based in Maryland, USA, he has also produced his own vaccine candidate. A vaccine candidate means that you have already been able to get the antigen, you have produced something that will work.

“Now, you have to do what is called the clinical trials; clinical trial means you go through testing it that it’s safe. First of all, if it’s safe, it doesn’t cause a problem. Secondly, that it does what it promises to do; generate antibodies in your system.

Okay.

“So, you go through those clinical trials, which are very detailed and they are expensive.

“One of our researchers here, who has produced such a candidate, I asked him, how much do you think you’ll need to go through these clinical trials; phase one, phase two,

phase three? At least $1.5 million.

“That’s a lot. Do we have that now to test a vaccine?

“Well, we say we look for sources where we can get the sponsors, because the sponsorship is what you need.

“What some people do is that they invest in it and then once you produce the vaccine it’s successful, they buy it and that means you are done. But if it turns out not to have worked, your money is gone.

“It’s hard to find a way to sponsor these clinical trials because the are expensive and they have a very good chance of being successful, but some of them also have a good chance of not being able to see strong enough you know, the trick of efficacy. The efficacy means how well it works.

“So, we want to support our own vaccine and do the necessary to make sure they come out, but we are looking for the funds to support and also the necessary technical and whatever other backings that are required to get them to a level where they can… not only shall we be proud, it will be cheaper for us, we can be able to export also.

“So, we are looking at that, we’re looking for it and that’s in fact our preference. We know that those who are producing a vaccine now, we are at their mercy and I’ve said before that even if you have money now, you may not even get your vaccine.”

Recall that the federal government had in February set aside the sum of N10 billion, which the minister said, had not been spent.

The minister also explained the reason behind the delay in getting the supplementary budget ready for the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines.

He said government wanted to get a clearer picture of the different prices of the available vaccines, before submitting a budget.

President Muhammadu Buhari was expected to forward a supplementary budget to the National Assembly to provide for funding of the Covid-19 vaccination in the country and as well make more money available to procure military hardware.

But the minister of health said said the figures are still in rough

stages and would soon be fine tuned.

He added: “There are different prices of the vaccines and we don’t really know exactly the one we’re getting. And we also know that the ones we’re getting from COVAX is at no cost to us. So what we’re doing is that the additional ones that we’re going to get will take care of 50 million Nigerians, COVAX will take care of 20 million, they are even offering to take care of more than that, maybe up to 30 million.

“The prices vary, some vaccines are in the neighborhood of $20 or $30, others are $5 or $6. So to really make a budget, we are working on rough sketch, some money have been earmarked. But Mr. President has also announced that there will be a supplementary budget. But we want to get a clearer picture first, before you actually submit a budget.

“So, we only have rough figures and as soon as those figures are there we can continue. We are also looking for perhaps, as I said, if we have to make the the payments, we can find some money to do that. But when that budget time comes, we need some precise information.”

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

PAGE 6

News Masari congratulates NGE executives

From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

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overnor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State has congratulated the newly sworn in leadership of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), lauding the peaceful manner the elections were conducted.

In a press statement signed by his DG Media, Abdu Labaran Malumfashi, Governor Masari noted that the landslide victory recorded by Mustafa Isa, to be reelected National President, was a vote of confidence passed on him by his colleagues.

He said the resounding reelection was an indication that members of the Editors Guild wanted more from him of what they had during his first tenure, urging him to redouble his efforts to justify his colleagues confidence.

Governor Masari drew the attention of the Guild to the precarious security situation the country has found itself, and urged the members of the Guild, as gate keepers, to remain steadfast in protecting, promoting and projecting the interest of the nation over and above any other interests at all times.

The Governor expressed the belief that if the Nigerian media would get its act togather, no adversity or challenge would be too great to overcome.

He said now was the time for the media to be one and united in purpose, the protection and promotion of the nation’s interests.

Okowa seeks brand new constitution, devolution of powers, state police

By Christiana Ekpa

G

overnor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, has called for a brand new constitution for the country, even as he sought a devolution of power from the Federal Government.

The governor equally called for a review of revenue allocation to states as well as an upward review of the 13 per cent derivation to oil producing states in the country.

The governor also called for the creation of state police to tackle the problem of insecurity in the country.

The governor stated these positions when the Chairman of the Constitution review

Committee and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Wase, visited him in Government House in Asaba, the state capital.

Wase was accompanied by House Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu, and other members of the committee.

Okowa said, “Is it possible to have a brand new constitution when there is one exiting? As the constitution is at the moment there is no provision to allow that.

But I believe that if we have a deep thought and look at Section 9 of the constitution it would be possible to add a clause and when that clause must have been approved and has become law,

it would now be possible under such a condition for the National Assembly to rewrite an entire constitution which would come into effect after all the process have been done.

“There is a need for devolution of power. We believe that the exclusive list is too burdensome for the Federal government to handle. It is not about this administration. It is about all the administrations at the Federal level. When you take too much for yourself, you find it difficult to be as efficient as you would have been ordinarily.

“And whether we like it or not the truth is the sub national governments are closer to their

people and are best situated to represent their people and to reach out and to touch them in ways and manners that the people would best appreciate.w e think there is a need to looking at that exclusive list and to make adjustment to devolve more power to the subnational government.

“Of course going through on that would be that there would need to be the reallocation of resources to be able to make the sub-national government more impactful than they are at the moment. When we concentrate too much power at the national level it creates a lot of challenges.

We can help ourselves as a nation by devolving those powers.”

Nigerian-America Varsity don relocates to Nigeria, establishes Bookshop

Crime News IPOB: No right-thinking Nigerian will support Military kill Igbo presidency in 2023- Kawu Sumaila scores of terrorists, From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

T

he former Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Assembly matters, Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila, has said that no right-thinking Nigerians would endanger their lives to support the candidature of any Southeast politician vying for presidency in 2023.

The former Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Assembly matters (House of Representatives), Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila, made the remark in

a statement he issued to newsmen in Kano on Thursday.

“With these atrocities committed by southeast people on record, how can Nigerians entrust them to govern them? I am sure not a single right thinking Nigerian will endanger his life to support the candidature of any southeast politician contesting for presidency come 2023 general elections.”

He noted that it has now become clear that the motives behind the attacks was to turn the country into anarchy, regretting that “the perpetrators of the attacks must

understand that if the country is turned chaotic, then nobody including the perpetrators can escape.

He, therefore, urged elders in the Southeast to publicly denounce the ongoing attacks by the suspected members of IPOB in the Southeastern part of the country or be considered among people responsible for the dastardly act.

He said until the Southern elites make their position definite, Nigerians would consider them part and parcel of the attacks being carried out in the southeast by some armed militia.

Sumaila added that Southern elites should be mindful of their reputations by not only condemning the attacks, but also distancing themselves from it, affirming that “it is only when they do this with sincerity that Nigerians will believe their innocence.

“The elites in the southeast should borrow a leaf from their northern counterparts such as Arewa Consultative Forum and Northern Elders Forum, who have been persistently condemning the activities of Boko Haram fighters and bandits in the North.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Hajiya Sadia Umar Farouq Blueprint Public Officer of the year on Humanitarian and Emergency Intervention Award from Senate President Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan (left), with them is Chairman Blueprint Newspapers Ltd. Alhaji Mohammed Idris

Gulak: Security forces killing our people, Imo Lawmaker cries out

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro

A

Nigerian-American University lecturer, Omo Ojior, has relocated to Nigeria to establish a Bookshop towards promoting African cultural values and tradition.

The Professor of political Science at the Moore House College, Atlanta Georgia, United States of America disclosed this while fielding questions from newsmen in Benin City.

The University don who hails from Etsako in Edo State, also acknowledged the support of his family and friends who he claim have being source of motivation to him since he embarked on the venture to make a long lasting impact.

“No! My people abroad including some Americans advised me that my enterprise is needed in Nigeria more. And I in particular, I knew that I could make more impact at home. My Children.”

Ejior, noted that he currently working on “preserving African proverbs and writing a book in my Language as a means to assist the teaching of Etsako Language in America like er have in America and other developed societies.

PAGE 7

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

...gives Army 14 ultimatum to respond to Noel Ezeribe’s murder

By Christiana Ekpa

L-R: Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr, Isa Pantami; Secretary, APC Caretaker Extra-ordinary National Convention Planning Committee, Sen. James Apanudoedehe and Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the president, Mallam Garba Shehu , during the APC Professionals Forum media parley with party’s stakeholders at APC national secretariat, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa.

Training necessary for hospitality business- Kangiwa

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

T

he Director General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Nura Kangiwa said without quality training hospitality business will not be sustainable.

Kangiwa made the disclosure at the Certificate Award Ceremony of staff of

Bristol Palace Hotel Kano.

The Director general who was represented by the Head of Media and Public Relations Unit of the Institute, Ahmed Sule, reiterated that continuous professional training and upgrade is one of the most important elements of running a hospitality outfit for quality service delivery and business sustainability for achieving

maximum profits.

The Director General noted that NIHOTOUR has delivered to staff of Bristol Palace Hotel well packaged training modules of international standards by its highly competent Instructors and Trainers, and has no doubt that the trainees benefitted a lot from the exercise.

Also speaking,General Manager Bristol Palace

Hotel, Paul Murry, thanked NIHOTOUR for training 45 staff members of the hotel with international standard training for quality service delivery.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the hotel, Senator Mohammed Ida, was conferred with Fellowship award of the Institute,for his enormous contributions to hospitality.

M

ember representing Abor Mbaise and Ngor Okpala federal constituency of Imo State, Hon. Bede Eke has to the authorities that the security agencies are killing his constituents.

According to the Lawmaker, the killings, came on the heels of the recent killing of the former presidential adviser and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Ahmed Gulak in Owerri, Imo State.

The lawmaker who addressed a press conference on Thursday in Abuja gave the names of some victims as Noel Chigbu Nzeribe, Tochi Ekwe and many others missing kinsmen.

He said that many have been driven to the bushes while others fled to where they have spent days without their families.

While totally condemning Gulak’s brutal murder, Eke appealed to the security agencies to exercise restraints and stop killing innocent people.

According to him, calls from his constituents have reached a crescendo to intervene in their current ordeal in the hands of the security operatives.

Eke asked the police and the army to conduct discreet investigation, identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice rather than mass intimidation and killings of his constituents.

“We lost a young man. Until his death owns and operates a Shawarma shop just to make ends meet. He was hot by the army

because he could not obey the rules at the checkpoint.

“The family has written a petition to the army. We as the people of Ngor Okpala/Mbaise are not happy about it and as the representative of the people, I want to make it known to the world that we are waiting for the outcome of the petition.

“As the representative of the people, I am giving the army 14 to respond to the killing of that young man who left a pregnant wife and his two children. One is 3 and the other is 2 years old.”

destroy enclaves in Borno

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

T

he Nigerian Military said its troops of Operation HADIN KAI has killed scores of terrorists and destroyed their enclave in Borno.

Speaking on Thursday in Abuja, while giving update on the military operations in the country, Brigadier General, Benard Onyeuko, Acting Director, Defence Media Operation, said the operations were carried out between 20 May and 2 June 2021.

He added that the troops also rescued kidnapped victims, arrested terrorists and intercepted terrorists’ logistics items including vehicles.

Specifically, Onyeuko said the rescue occurred on 20 May 2021, while the troops were responding to distress call by farmers.

“During the encounter, several terrorists were neutralized, while some others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot wounds.

Also on same day, troops while conducting aggressive clearance operation on BHT’s hideouts at Ngaiwa, Tongunle, Washelle, Mo’o, Mudollo, Mugdalla and Amtul villages, all in Dikwa LGA of Borno State, killed scores of the terrorists and recovered large caches of arms and ammunition.

“In related developments between 21 and 25 May, troops conducted cordon and search, raid operations and arrested BHT logistics suppliers at Ngamdu Town in Kaga LGA of Borno State, New Barracks Location along Damaturu – Potiskum road as well as Kukareta Town in Damaturu LGA of Yobe State.

Items recovered during the operation include; large numbers of jerry can and drums of PMS, assorted arms and ammunition and assorted logistics items. This large consignment of logistics has drastically dislocated the terrorists’ logistics network in the region.”

Troops arrest kill several bandits, arrest cultists in Benue

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

T

he Nigerian Military said it’s troops Operation WHIRL STROKE have killed several bandits and arrested some cult members in Benue.

Speaking on Thursday in Abuja, while giving update on the military operations in the country, Brigadier General, Benard

Onyeuko, Acting Director, Defence Media Operation, said the operations took place between 20 May and 2 June 2021.

He said the troops on 26 May 2021, neutralized several armed bandits and incapacitated some others in a raid operation.

“The raid operation was conducted on the bandits’ hideouts at a forest in Ankur Village in Katsina-Ala LGA of Benue State.

Several arms and ammunition were also recovered from the criminal elements during the encounter.”

Speaking further, Onyeuko said the troops swoop in to the area of the cult members on the heels of credible intelligence.

He said the members were arrested at Koko area of Adikpo Town in Kwande LGA

of Benue State during a raid operation.

“Exchange of gun fires ensued between the troops and the cultists during the encounter, before some of them were arrested. Some arms and ammunition as well as other dangerous weapons were recovered from the cultists; however, 2 of our troops paid the supreme price during the encounter.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

PAGE 8

News

Kebbi tragedy: Gov Badaru 2021 UTME: donates N25 million to victims

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

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he Jigawa state Governor Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar has donated the sum of N25 million to the families and victims of Kebbi capsized boat.

The governor also commiserated with the Kebbi State Governor Alhaji Atiku Bagudu over the tragedy that caused the death of over a hundred people in the state.

This was contained in a statement signed and issued to

news men by the Senior Special Assistant to the Jigawa state Governor on New Media Auwal D Sankara.

The statement said, a boat ferrying about 200 people capsized near Wara, a town on the shores of Kainji Lake, part of the Niger River

in Kebbi state on Wednesday.

Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar who visited Kebbi state to sympathize with the state government announced a donation of the sum of twenty five million naira (N25,000,000) to the victims.

160,617 candidates write mock

By Maryam Abeeb

A

From left: Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State (L) with the Chairman of Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, during the launching of Aliko Dangote Foundation-VDMA Technical Training in Lagos on Tuesday (2/6/21).

Every democratic constitution is made by the people –Hon. Elumelu

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu has said that for any constitution to have legitimacy and acceptance as democratic, it must be a product of the peoples will, through citizens participation.

Elumelu who commended the state governor, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, for hosting the zonal hearing, assured people of the zone that pertinent issues such as; resource control, citizenship registration, fiscal federalism, improved derivation formula, devolution of power, as well as democratization of electoral

processes would be looked into by the committee, as well as the 9th Assembly in general.

The lawmaker, whom is fondly referred to as the “pride of Delta” and who chairs the subcommittee stated these while delivering his welcome address at the opening of the ongoing South-South Zonal public hearing on the review of the 1999 constitution in Asaba, Delta State.

He said: “Indeed, the convergence of our leaders and citizens from the three states that make up this cluster, underscores the urgency and significance the people of the states; the people of the Niger Delta region and indeed Nigerians at large, attach to this

exercise.”

“As we go into this exercise, we must bear in mind that every democratic constitution is made by the people for the fulfilment of their collective aspirations and objective as a society.

“Consequently, any constitution that does not guarantee the fulfilment of such aspirations, is to the extent of such shortcomings, defective, frustrating and cannot deliver benefits to the people.

Instead, such constitutions breed discontentment dissonances, agitations, violence, restiveness, economic retardation and political frictions.

“Your Excellencies, our leaders, ladies and gentlemen, the

current 1999 (as amended) has been adjudged by many as being replete with grave defects which are inimical to and frustrating the practice of a federal system that most Nigerians desire.

“There are also agitations for creation of additional states as well as the inclusion of the traditional institution as a special tier with statutory roles for our traditional rulers.

“Across the Niger Delta region, there has been demands that the Federal Government should completely relinquish ownership, control, and management of oil and gas resources situated in the various states of the region” he said.

Group, trains 50 education officers on UBE act

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

L

egal Defense and Assistance Projects (LEDAP) has organised training for 50 education officers on strategy for implementing the

Basic Education Act in Kaduna state.

Speaking during the opening ceremony of the training held in kaduna yesterday, the state Coordinator of LEDAP, Mr. Michael Aboh explained that

his Organisation plays a key role in the campaign for the right to education especially girls and child right to education.

He asserted that by virtue of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act

of 2004, the right to free, compulsory and universal primary and junior secondary education under Section 18 (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is an enforceable human right.

total of 160,617 candidates have written the 2021 mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), which took place on Thursday in 777 centres across the country.

The examination which is aimed at preparing candidates for the actual UTME due to take place between June 19 and July 3, 2021 was administered by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, in all centres nationwide.

JAMB’s Head of Media and Protocol, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, told reporters at the end of the exercise in Abuja that the essence of the mock exam was to test the capacity and suitability of the centres.

Fabian added that the exercise conducted nationwide was hitch-free, except in Dominion International School, Jabi, Abuja where the centre was gutted by fired and candidates were redirected to other centres.

“We have over 160,617 candidates sitting for this mock examinations in all our CBT centres. We received report of complaint of capacity and stability of one or two centres. “ Like in Abuja, there is a centre- Dominion International School, Jabi that cuaght fire during the examinations but everything has been put under control,” he said.

According to Fabian, JAMB is adequately prepared for the main UTME which is due to take place between June 19 and July 3, 2021, proven by the success of the mock exam. “ The exams are going on well and with what we have now, it shows we are good to go for the main examinations coming up June 19,” he said.

Earlier, a JAMB Technical Officer, who monitored the exercise at the Global Distance Learning Institute in Central Area, Abuja, Mrs Oluwaseun Omotosho, said 200 candidates registered for the exercise but only 125 sat for the exam.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

Governor Badaru receives second dorse of COVID - 19 vaccine From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

T

he Jigawa state governor Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar Badaru yesterday received second dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

The governor together with his deputy, commissioners and other cabinets got the second dose of the vaccines at government house Dutse.

Speaking shortly after receiving the vaccines, the executive secretary Jigawa state primary healthcare development agency Dr Kabiru Ibrahim said the state government Flag-off second dose of vaccine in the state on 2nd June,2021.

According to him, the state government has received the delivery of about seventy thousand doses of the oxford Astrazeneca covid 19 vaccine.

He said the essence of the second phase is to induce the front line workers that took the first jab to take the second jab for them to be fully protected from the covid-19.

Page 9

News

Kano set to invest 500m euro on waste management From Kano

Mustapha

Adamu,

T

he Kano State Investment Promotion Agency (Kaninvest & Diaspora) has revealed that it has recently facilitated for the investment into waste management, worth 500 million euro.

Speaking at a press conference in Kano yesterday, the Director General of the agency, Hama Ali Aware disclosed that the investment would be through Public Private Partnership (PPP).

Ms Aware noted that the investment,if actualized, would translate to growth in economy of the state, wealth creation, jobs creation, reduction in health risk

exposure, among others.

“Additionally, we recently facilitate for a PPP investment worth over 500 million Euros in waste management which will translate to growth in economy of the state, wealth creation, jobs creation, reduction in health risk exposure and many more”, she said.

She however stated that the upcoming Kano Economic and Diaspora Investment Summit (KEDIS 2021) will boost the revenue of the state, adding that the summit, which is targeted for August this year, would further enhance economic activities and inflow of investment to Kano state.

She said the summit is aimed

not only at getting new foreign investment but also to look internally and support existing investment while offering our local investors the ability to invest more in the state.

“We recently launched the CBN turnaround project which will ensure industries that were affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic are given another chance to survive and continue to flourish.

The DG said with the abundance of business entrepreneurs in Kano State, she believes the state “can look internally and encourage our industrialist to seize this opportunity that will be presented at KEDIS 2021 to expand on their

respective investments and create new ones.”

“We hope to have a successful Kano Economic and Diaspora Investment Summit with the support of investment stakeholders, government and private partners, Kano diaspora community, foreign bodies, the media and every willing participant. Our objective is to ensure Kano State becomes the prime destination for investment in Nigeria,” she added.

Recall that the state governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje last Saturday held a dinner with the business community and other major stakeholders in the state as a part of activities lined up for KEDIS 2021.

Group sentiszes Kaduna communities on Covid-19, gender based violences From: Femi, Oyelola, Kaduna

A

coalitions of Civil Society Organisation said it has sensitized communities in Chikun Local Goverment and kaduna North Local Goverment Areas of the State on how to prevent spread of Covid-19 pendemic and Gender Based Violences (GBV) Speaking to the media in kaduna yesterday Peter Ezekiel, Executive Director Eagle Lead Development said even though the Covid-19 Pandemic infection rate is dropping, it does not mean Nigeria is free from the manace.

Ezekiel who is the Focal person in Chikun LGA called on the Federal and State Governments to take necessary measures to halt community transmission of Coronavirus (COVID-19), especially in the rural area.

According to him, community transmission of COVID-19 can have an unimaginable impact on children. ”More preventive actions need to be taken to ensure the protection and well-being of children, whose lives hangs in the balance due to the pandemic.”

A cross-section of traditional rulers during the Southeast zonal public hearing of the House of Representatives Special Committee on the Review of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in Enugu on Wednesday (2/6/21).

Niger Govt says 136 students abducted in Tegina, bans Okada in Minna From Yakubu Minna

N

Mustapha,

iger State Government has confirmed 136 number of students abducted by bandits at the Salihu Tanko Islamic School, Tegina, Rafi Local Government.

The state deputy governor, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Ketso confirmed the number while giving update on the situation, at the Government House, Minna.

He gave assurance to the parents of the abducted children that the government was doing

its best for the safe return of the students and reiterated the readiness of the government to give continued support to the security agencies.

Meanwhile, the state government has announced total ban on commercial motorcycles popularly known as Okada in Minna, the state

capital.

Ketso said the ban which will take effect from yesterday the 3rd of June, 2021, was to ensure that the state capital is safe.

He added that private motorcycles are allowed to operate but with restriction from 9:00 pm to 6:00 am.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

PAGE 10

News Obaseki makes second appointment after seven months

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro

G

overnor Godwin Obaseki has made his second appointment, seven months after he was sworn-in for a second term in office.

This followed the appointment of Mr. Osaigbovo Iyoha Toni as the Chief of Staff.

The Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie who became the first appointee in the government said in a statement on Wednesday that Iyoha’s appointment takes immediate effect.

Iyoha, who served as the immediate Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters (Edo South), was a member of the State House of Assembly representing Oredo East Constituency, from 2015 to 2019, where he attained the position of Chief Whip.

According to Ogie, “Hon. Iyoha Osaigbovo Toni, born on 6th of July 1973, holds a Bachelors’ degree in Mechanical Engineering from Ambrose Alli University, (formerly Edo State University) and a Masters of Engineering degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Benin (UNIBEN).

Obaseki announced the appointment of Mr. Osarodion Ogie, Secretary to the State Government on November 14, 2020, two days after he was sworn-in for a second term in office.

Following the uncertainty that surrounded his appointment, Mr. Ogie said in a terse statement that the Governor has suspended further appointments till February 2021.

But the State House of Assembly had given the Governor a clean bill of Health to appoint 15 Special Advisers who are yet to be named.

Recall that Iyoha defected with Governor Obaseki from the All Progressives Congress to Peoples Democratic party to All Progressives Congress (APC) in last September.

This was after he lost his bid to represent Oredo Federal Constituency in the 2019 general elections to Mr. Ogbeide Ihama, Candidate of PDP in the election.

The appointment of the new Chief of Staff have laid to rest the speculation that the Governor had shortlisted Dr. Tony Aiziegbemi suspended State Chairman of PDP. The apponitee, is presently concluding a Ph.D in Industrial Engineering from UNIBEN. He is a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers”.

He is a resourceful and resultoriented professional with eighteen (18) years’ work experience in Nigeria’s public and private sectors. His experience spans across Construction, Legislation, Public Service and Industrial Engineering.

Constitutional amendment, an opportunity to write our names in gold -Wase

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Wase, said the ongoing efforts to amend the Nigerian constitution is an opportunity for them to write their names in gold in the history of the country.

He said this at the opening of the two-day South-South Zonal Public Hearing of the House of Representatives Special committee on the review of the Nigerian Constitution in Asaba Delta State.

Wase, who is the chairman of

the Committee, assured Nigerians they would ensure justice is done to every presentation made at the public hearing.

“This is a golden opportunity for us to write our names in gold so that we would give a stable Nigeria a document to work with.

I want to assure you that we shall do those things that would promote the unity, happiness and prosperity of Nigeria,” he said.

Minority Leader of The House Of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, said public hearing is a direct response by the 9th National Assembly to the aspiration and

demand by Nigerians for an urgent amendment to certain fundamental provisions of the 1999 Constitution to guarantee a peaceful, socially cohesive, politically stable and economically viable nation.

Elumelu, who is also the Chairman South-South Public Hearing (Asaba Centre), said they were conscious of the fact that every democratic constitution is made by the people for the fulfilment of their collective aspirations and objective as a society.

“Consequently, any constitution that does not guarantee the fulfillment of such aspirations, is

to the extent of such shortcomings, defective, frustrating and cannot deliver benefits to the people.

Instead, such constitutions breed discontentment, dissonances, agitations, violence, restiveness, economic retardation and political frictions,” he said.

He also expressed the commitment of the 9th National Assembly towards the aspiration of Nigerians in the current amendment exercise.

He however pointed out that the amendment process would not accommodate the disintegration of the country, saying the unity of the country is not negotiable.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

PAGE 11

EDITORIAL

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The stormy Chad Basin talks

resident Muhammadu Buhari has already shaken off the shock of the killing of his chief war commander in a plane crash last Friday to summon an extraordinary summit of heads of state and government of Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

The sub-regional leaders called up were the Presidents of Niger Republic, Mohamed Bazoum and Central African Republic, Prof. Faustin Touadera

government, Lt.-Gen. Mahamat Idriss Deby, would also address the summit on developments in his country as well as other relevant issues.

President Buhari, who is the chair of leaders of LCBC member-countries, had asked for a minute silence in honour of the late Chadian President, Marshal Idriss Deby, who was killed by rebels on April 19. Apart from Chad, the extraordinary summit would deliberate on the issue of Islamic State and the challenges that they pose to the member states as well as President Buhari, who the Lake Chad environment. is the chair of leaders It observed that of LCBC memberthe resilience of countries, had asked Boko Haram and for a minute silence the Islamic State in the Lake Chad in honour of the late Basin had been Chadian President, unprecedented in Marshal Idriss Deby, who recent times

“

FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello taking the second dose of the COVID-19 Vaccine in Abuja yesterday. Photo: Mahmud Isa

NECO appoints acting Registrar

From Yakubu Minna

Mustapha,

T

he Governing Board of the National Examinations Council (NECO) has approved the appointment of Mr. Ebikibina John Ogborodi as the Acting Registrar/Chief Executive of the Council.

This was contained in a press statement issued yesterday in Minna by Azeez Sani, who is the Head Information and Public Relations Division of the Council.

According to Sani, “the appointment followed the death of the Registrar, Professor Godswill Obioma on Monday, 1st June, 2021 after a brief illness.

Mr. Ogborodi was the Director Special Duties in the Council before his appointment.

He stated that “A Circular issued by the Director, Human Resource Management, Mr. Mustapha K. Abdul, explained that the Acting Registrar’s appointment was endorsed by the Governing Board at its

emergency meeting held on 2nd June, 2021.

The Circular explained that Mr. Ogborodi’s appointment was as a result of his being the most Senior Director in the Council. The Circular stated that all activities of the Council are to continue unabated as earlier planned.

Mr. Ogborodi hails from Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. He obtained his first Degree from University of Jos in 1986 and

a Master Degree in Learning Disability from the same university in 1999.

The Acting Registrar joined the service of NECO in 1999 and had served in different capacities.

He was a former Acting Director, Examination Development Department; Acting Director, Office of the Registrar; Director, General Services and Director, Human Resource Management among others.

Kebbi Gov. doles out N1.5m, 600 bags of rice to Corps members, staff

K

ebbi state Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has donated the sum of N1.5 million and 600 bags of rice to the 2021 Batch A Stream II corps members currently undergoing their orientation exercise and their

camp officials.

The Public Relations Officers(PRO),Hajia Hadiza Idris who confirmed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi ,disclosed that,the Governor made the donations during his

unscheduled visit to the corps members at the NYSC permanent orientation camp,Dakingari in Suru Local Government Area of the state.

According to the statement, “His Excellency Abubakar Atiku Bagudu the Executive

Governor of Kebbi State paid an impromptu visit to NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Dakingari Suru Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

“While leaving, he promised the Corps members better welfare services in camp and after camp.

Others were Lt. Gen. Mahamat Idriss Deby, President of the Transitional Military Council of the Republic of Chad, while Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, was represented at the meeting.

The rest were representatives of was killed by rebels on Mohamed Al-Menfi, The leaders April 19 Chairman of the were also Presidential Council of Libya, expected to discuss the issue and the Sudanese President. of transfer of water from the Central African Republic into The leaders were expected the Chad Basin. The lake is to discuss the growing security drying up at a terrifying speed, threats in the Sahel and Lake forcing a southward migration Chad region, political relations of several farming and fishing and economic ties as well as the communities. situation in Chad.The Executive Secretary of ICBC and Head of A communique on the mission of the Multinational outcome of the summit was Joint Task Force are expected expected at the close of the to make presentations on the deliberations of the sub-regional situation in Chad. The head leaders later yesterday. We wish of the country’s transitional them the best.

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Letter to the Editor

As Buhari wins all Africa’s award for performance!

By Musa Ilallah

T

o the utter disappointment of naysayers and other wailing elements within and outside the shores of the country, who would stop at nothing to block achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari from being showcased and noticed, more international bodies not only see those achievements but are nominating the Nigerian President for various international award competitions as well as continental leadership roles, none of which he has failed to emerge as winner.

The latest being that on Friday 28 May, 2021, when the Daura, Katsina State-born President of Africa’s most populous country, Muhammadu Buhari, was named winner of the 2021 Great Builder Super Prize for “Trophée Babacar Ndiaye,” taking over from President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi of Egypt, who won the 2020 prize.

A statement from the African Development Bank, AfDB in May this year named President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria as the winner of the Africa Builders Award during the inaugural Africa Road Builders Conference held in March this year in Cairo, Egypt.

Slated for formal presentation of the award on June 24 on the side-lines of the AfDB’s Annual Meetings, the selection committee for the award comprises of media representatives from the five regions of the African continent who rely on media reports and experts on road networks, transport, and sustainable development.

Fattah al-Sissi, received the award “for his personal leadership and for the efforts made to ensure road safety and the health of the population in the context of transport.

The selection committee however, cited Nigeria’s efforts towards ‘improving road safety and air quality for road users’ as the reason for the conferment of the Babacar Ndiaye Africa Road Builders Award on President Buhari.

It is very heart warming hearing that the committee also commended the Nigerian President for his efforts to obtain COVID-19 vaccines and for ‘advancing major transport projects, especially in the rail sector that would ensure the optimal operation of roads and transport’.

The Babacar Ndiaye Africa Road Builders Award is organised by Acturoutes, an information platform on infrastructure and roads in Africa, and Media for Infrastructure and Finance in Africa, MIFA, a network of African journalists specialised in road infrastructure.

Created in honour of Babacar Ndiaye, a former President of the AfDB Group from 1985 to 1995 and sponsored by the AfDB President.

The selection committee comprises of media representatives from the five regions of the continent by relying on media reports and experts on road networks, transport, and sustainable development.

As an annual ritual, the Africa Road Builders selection committee carefully

evaluates ambitious and tangible projects that have a real impact on the mobility of people in Africa.

Excited by the award on PMB, the Buhari Media Organisation, BMO in a statement signed by Niyi Akinsiju and Cassidy Maduweke, Chairman and Secretary respectively, described the award as a major “recognition of Buhari’s infrastructural strides”, adding that it was coming at a time the country is doing so much work with lmuch less money available at it’s disposal.

“We see it as a worthy honour because the selection committee depended on experts on road networks, transport and sustainable development in the continent to arrive at the decision that President Buhari was heads over shoulders above his fellow African leaders.

“And in rating Nigeria high in infrastructural development under the President, the committee cited the country’s efforts at improving road safety and quality for road users, as well as in advancing major transport projects especially in the rail sector.

“For us, it is not surprising as it is a confirmation of all we have always said about the President doing far more than his predecessors in the area of road construction, reconstruction and rehabilitation, as well as in modernising and expanding Nigeria’s rail network’’ BMO added.

BMO recalled that this is not the first time since 2015 that the President would be getting accolades in the continent.

It needs noting here that just last year, PMB was singled out for praises and recognition among his peers in ECOWAS as West Africa’s Covid-19 champion. This was as a result of the proactive steps President Buhari took at the onset of the pandemic to prevent it from overwhelming the nation’s health system.

One can vividly recall that those measures also caught the attention of the World Health Organisation, WHO which urged many countries to take a cue from Nigeria’s strategic efforts to address the threats Covid 19 posed to the citizens.

Also, The African Union, AU in 2018 pronounced President Buhari as its Anticorruption champion that year.

“So the Babacar Ndiaye trophy is his third major honour in four years and we dare say that Nigerians should be proud to have a President that is well respected for his achievements in office across the World”.

BMO reassured Nigerians that President Buhari would continue to make the country proud.

It is therefore undoubtedly clear that the country is marching towards growth and sustainable development in not just transportation but in all other spheres of life like Education, Health, Agriculture, Power, Water supply, Security and general economy.

What Nigerians need to do to reciprocate and encourage PMB to do more is support, support and more support to the administration.

EMEKA ANYAOKU STREET, Abuja. musahk@123@yahoo. com

PAGE 12

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

Opinion

Child development and the challenge of social media

By Jerome-Mario Utomi

O

ne of the major high points at this year’s children day celebration in Nigeria, is the admonition by Wilfred Mammah, a child protection specialist with UNICEF, in Kaduna, that parents should always protect their children or wards against all forms of violence.

According to him; “As we celebrate children’s day, it is important for all of us as parents to know that children are the bedrock of society. As such, there is a need for us to protect them.”Children are facing unusual challenges in our country. They are violated almost everywhere in schools, homes and communities.“This violence against children includes sexual, physical, psychological assaults, among others,” he said. He explained that the first thing to do as a parent in protecting the children is to be responsible by catering for their needs, like feeding, clothing, decent shelter and education, adding that parents are primary caregivers.

Essentially, Mammah admonition becomes well appreciated, when one remembers that the World Children’s Day which was first established in 1954 as Universal Children’s Day and celebrated on May 27 each year was initially among other aims targeted at providing Mothers and fathers, teachers, nurses and doctors, government leaders and civil society activists, religious and community elders, corporate moguls and media professionals, as well as young people and children themselves, an opportunity to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving

children’s welfare.

But as parents, how well have we played this role?

Indeed, this question comes to mind particularly now that there is a veiled agreement that social media originally created to foster sharing of ideas, thoughts, information, and encourage the building of virtual networks and communities, has turned a nightmare to some of its users particularly the children/youths. The graphic description at different times and places by concerned Nigerians of how children/youth’s uncensored access to social media adversely affects their education, promotes fake news, and appreciably encourages premarital sexual escapade underscores this assertion.

Looking at the crowd of young Nigerians that fraternize with the social media with ‘ ‘exiting progress’’, recorded in this direction, and instincts coming from the larger society, it is evident that the social media has great power to educate, create new ideas and promote human relations. But just as an unchained torrent of water submerges whole country sides and devastates crops, even so, uncontrolled use of the social media serves but to destroy.

Parents have allowed social media to spread its wings across all spheres of their children’s lives – educational, sociopolitical and most importantly, morals..This is the reality confronting our republic.

If this line of reasoning is correct, it will necessitate the posers as to; how many of the youths in Nigeria would stand the test? Who will stop those that cannot apply the virtue of moderation

in their use of social media? And who should be the judge? Or must we as a nation allow the useful and the useless like good and evil go on together allowing our nation to reap whatever fruit that comes to grief in the nearest future?

Again, aside from the fact that many who originally supported youth’s unhindered access to social media have recently come to realize that such judgment was plagued with both moral and ethical issues, there are questions of what the parents and government are doing to regulate the access from within?

The solution for these problems, urgent as they are, must be constructive and rational.

But then, it would be naïve of me proffering solutions without acknowledging the factors that contributed to this challenge the country is currently grappling with.

Beginning with reality, most bracing of all these factors are; parent’s inability to regulate the activities of their children on social media and the government’s payment of reluctant respect to quality education in the country.

To shed more light on the above, the vast majority of parents have at different times and places, in their concern with values such as, namely; Work, success, prestige, and money advocated that social media like a free press is an organic necessity in a society and if children are precluded from using social media to ventilate their sentiment on a matter which may involve the most serious and alarming consequences that can invite the consideration of mankind; the freedom of speech may be taken

away, and dumb and silent they may be led, like sheep to the slaughter’.

So, if you are asking why Nigerian youths have for the moment lost all fear of punishment and yielded obedience to the power of social media which their friends exercise, then, search no further as the majority of the youths enjoys their parent’s support.

But in taking this position, one vital point these parents failed to remember is that the formation of children is a delicate one.

And experts have described childhood as a period of the storm, a stage in the developmental growth of the youths that drives the youths to explore and express their psychosexual self to possibly know more about the world around them.

Once the point is missed, such ignorance and mistake by the parents causes on the child an opening that many a time is wrongly filled by ‘friends’the internet voluntarily posing as one of such friends.

What Nigerian children in my views desire most from their parents are love, solidarity, peace, faith and not unhindered or uncensored access to social media.

Beyond the above concern, lays the question as to how the government contributes to the youth’s abuse of social media.

Undoubtedly, the not too impressive educational system characterized by incessant industrial action on one hand, and the quality of materials youths are exposed to by teachers in the name of education should be a source of worry to all.

After all, it’s established that one can

be extremely educated and at the same time be ill-informed or misinformed.

For example, between ‘ 1930s and 1940s, many members of the Nazi party in Germany were extremely well educated but their knowledge of literature, mathematics, philosophy, and others simply empowered them to be effective Nazis.

As no matter how educated they were, no matter how well they cultivated their intellect; they were still trapped in a web of totalitarian propaganda that mobilized for evil purpose’ From the foregoing, it is important to underscore that the menace posed by the activities of our youths was created by the youth, accelerated by parents and government.

An effort, therefore, must be made by all to end its existence and erase the guilt.

Catalyzing the process will require parents becoming more religious in monitoring the activities of their wards.

Similarly, it will be rewarding in social and economic terms if the government pays more attention to the nation’s educational sector as a way of getting these youths gainfully engagedthis, no doubt holds the possibility of ending fake news scourge on our political geography.

Nigerian youths on their parts must develop the Spartan discipline to reorganize, and go for activities with high moral values Utomi, is the Programme Coordinator (Media and Public Policy), Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA), Lagos. He could be reached via;jeromeutomi@yahoo.com

Mankind needs a healthier, safer, fairer world

By He Yin

I

n the face of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, mankind cannot attach too much importance to solidarity and cooperation, just like an ancient Roman aphorism quoted

by Chinese President Xi Jinping “We are all waves of the same sea.”

At the recently-concluded 74th World Health Assembly (WHA), which was themed “Ending this pandemic, preventing the next: building together a healthier, safer and fairer world”, participants all expressed the intention to continue enhancing solidarity and cooperation, heightening the functions of the World Health Organization (WHO), and actively improving the global health governance system.

The past year and more have seen repeated resurgence and frequent mutations of the coronavirus. “We might be tired of COVID-19. But it is not tired of us. Yes, it preys on those in weaker health. But it preys on other weaknesses, too: inequality, division, denial, wishful thinking and willful ignorance,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus last November at the 73rd WHA.

Facts have proven that his warning is no exaggeration.

According to statistics recently released by the WHO, the past year witnessed a 40-fold increase in the number of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 and an 11-fold rise in the number of COVID-19 fatalities. In addition, the global numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths from the virus since the beginning of 2021 have surpassed the corresponding figures of 2020.

What’s worse, a lack of supply and inequitable distribution of vaccines still remains the biggest threat to ending the acute stage of this pandemic and driving a global recovery, according to Tedros.

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently said in his video message to the WHA that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought “a tsunami of suffering”.

To clinch an early victory against COVID-19 and restore economic growth is the top priority for the international community.

China has put people and their lives first, followed sciencebased policies and ensured a coordinated and systemic response, offering other countries important experience in fighting the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the country has called on countries to stick together, promote solidarity and cooperation, uphold fairness and equity while striving to close the immunization gap, and address both the symptoms and root causes as they improve the governance system. In doing so, China contributes its wisdom and strength to global anti-epidemic cooperation.

Global cooperation in fighting the COVID-19 has proven that the idea of building a global community of health for all accords with historical and development trend, points the way to joint efforts of mankind to tackle challenges, and is winning more and more understanding and support.

“The first lesson we may learn from this crisis is that we can only succeed together. No country can save the world alone, and no country can save itself alone. Every one of our citizens knows that this pandemic is global by nature.

Global through the mechanisms of contamination, and in our responses,” said French President Emmanuel Macron in his video address at the 74th WHA. This pandemic has demonstrated how interconnected countries are and how dependent they are on each other for health

and well-being, pointed out South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who believes only by adhering to multilateralism can countries build a healthier, safer and fairer world.

China has been widely applauded by the international community for continuously injecting positive energy into global COVID-19 fight and economic recovery.

To address the most pressing problem of immunization gap, China has honored its commitment to make Chinese vaccines a global public good in spite of limited production capacity and huge domestic demand.

China has provided free vaccines to more than 80 developing countries in urgent need, exported vaccines to 43 countries, and already supplied 300 million doses of vaccines to the world, ranking first in the world in terms of the number of COVID-19 vaccines provided for foreign countries.

At the 74th WHA, delegates from many countries expressed their gratitude to China for helping them combat the COVID-19 by donating vaccines, sending experts, and transferring technologies.

The first batch of COVID-19

vaccines Senegal received was from China, according to a Senegalese delegate to the assembly.

“Sierra Leone was fortunate to receive 240,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine generously donated by the People’s Republic of China,” said the country’s Minister of Health and Sanitation Austin Demby.

“I would like to highlight the significance of reaching an international strategy to improve access to medicines and vaccines with a focus on the importance of technology transfer, which Egypt has already done through constructive cooperation by resettling the vaccine industry and transferring manufacturing technology from the Chinese side,” said Egypt’s Minster of Health Hala Zayed.

Mankind must fight against the COVID-19 through global efforts, response, and cooperation. Time has proven and will continue to prove that mankind needs to build a healthier, safer, and fairer world, and it’s crucial that countries join hands to build a global community of health for all and work for a healthier and brighter future for humanity.

He Yin writes for People’s Daily

Comment PAGE 13

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

Expediency of bending the arc of history towards brotherliness

By Isaac Asabor

I

t is no longer news that Nigeria is at war with herself as a huge gamut of the youth population has in the recent times been overwhelmed by the spirit and culture of war. Hardly will one open the pages of any given newspaper, listen to radio or TV or even surf through the internet, without reading or hearing about destruction in the form of gruesome murder and arson that were in most cases fueled by the need for secession or invasion of gunmen in other people’s land.

Without any scintilla of hyperbole, how much we have destroyed than built is unarguably conspicuous in virtually all parts of the country; particularly in the South East region, and that has become synonymous with the region’s identity in the recent times. Our country has been bent towards self-destruction and self-extinction in the past few weeks that it is by each passing day unprecedentedly threatening our co-existence as Nigerians. As a departure from the somewhat peaceful days in the country, what portends to deafen the ears is the mourning of bereaved families burying their loved ones; either killed by kidnappers or bandits and worse still, what meets the eyes are bodies littering our land all over. Did I hear you say “Lori iro”? If in doubt, take your time to find out from residents of Shikaan, Mbagena and Kpav in Benue State who have literarily been wailing from the rooftops on how they had being incessantly attacked by suspected Fulani herdsmen that are wont to invade

their communities whenever the need to spill blood arises.

In fact, the gory images the subconscious mind now conjures whenever the names, kidnappers, armed bandits and terrorists are mentioned are sounds of predatory birds and wild carnivores preying on the bodies of Nigerians!

Imagination now runs riot that the picture one see these days in our villages are the wailings of women, young children, old men, and women under renewed attacks! What covers our skies are smokes of villages on fire! And on everyone’s face are signs of despair, destruction, and uncertainties about the future!

Against the backdrop of media reports, a frightening upsurge of violence has left the country in upheaval at the collapse in security.

Attacks by ferocious Boko Haram group in the north-east have been compounded by a sharp rise in abductions targeting civilians in schools and on major highways across Nigeria. Mass killings by bandit groups in rural towns, rise in armed robberies in urban areas and increasingly daring attacks on security forces and INEC offices in the south-east have all compounded fears in the land.

As gathered, in April 2021 alone, almost 600 civilians were killed across the country and at least 406 abducted by armed groups, according to analysis by the Council on Foreign Relations. The violence has left much of the country on edge and President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) are facing the fiercest criticism like never before.

Considering the fact that “all fingers are not equal” as men

are not equal in status, wealth, orientation, disposition, size, and shape, it is salient to reason that brains of great scientists and great doctors who would have rolled back the burden of diseases that we are faced with on daily basis; of great musicians and artists who would have composed songs we would be singing for generations; brains of great economists who would have revived our economy from the jaws and menace of those politicians who looted the country’s resources and threw our economy, mercilessly, to the dogs might have being among those killed since the height of insecurity in the country became extremely worrisome.

It can also be reasoned in this context that those sent to untimely graves would have being great leaders, or politicians who would have called for freedom, liberty and equal distribution of resources in our country; those who would have called for the rule of law, those who would have proclaimed to us, that in the eyes of those laws we should be viewed equally; those who would have called for our government to discharge its full responsibilities, that where there is plenty, poverty is but evil, and where there is government, our citizens should not be facing what they face today in the land of great abundance!

That poverty and government are incompatible; great enemies to each other, especially in this century!

Given the undeserved collective experience which Nigerians are passing through since the emergence of the ongoing Buhariled administration, it is expedient to say that where there is a properly functioning system, human being, the child of Almighty God, should

not live in poverty, but in plenty, with dignified life! It is not a misnomer to say that the great leaders we lost to human brutality fueled by the superstition that we cannot co-exist, side by side, as sisterly tribes or communities or sub communities will be highly regretted. At the moment, our land is tragically full of graves with bones of great athletes who would have won us medals and trophies from different competitions! In those graves are bones of beauty queens: young Nigerians who died at very young age, with potentials unleashed; robbed from us by human cruelty; brains of activists, those who would have called for justice, freedom for all; and for self-expression, a chance to be listened to and to listen to others, to distinguish ourselves from other creatures, the beasts of the forests and the wild. In those graves are the brains of great professors: educationists who would have taught our generations to achieve their God-given potentials; that every child should be given a decent chance in life to achieve whatever he or she sets his or her eyebrows on, and our government should function to avail those chances.

But history has shown, time and again, that when men overcome their differences and decide to work for the betterment of all, they can bend the arc of history once more in a better direction. In this context, to the direction of brotherliness. It is up to us then to bring back hopes to our people. It is up to the youth to rise from all corners of our country, and beyond our borders, to call for peace and national reconciliation!

It is up to us to put the best angels of our humanity to work. It is up to us to remind our politicians that it

is not destruction as they constantly peddle that we need as a nation, what we need from our government is a restoration of human dignity, wiping of tears from our faces, and an end to the bloodshed that has soaked our soils for so long! It is up to us to call for rebuilding of our country: one in which justice flows like the mighty waters of the Niger; one in which freedom for all matches our common humanity; one in which plenty is cherished by all; one in which equality in the eye of laws is like a daily bread and easily accessed by all; one in which all our citizens should live as they wish and worship as they please!

We must call for those things to happen, not because they lay the foundation for our growth, although they do; not because the civilized world demands them, although it does; not because we missed them for so long, though we do; and not because our politicians constantly forget them, though they do! We called for them because that is the best way to live as human beings, to meet the challenges of the constantly changing world.

From the ashes of self-destruction, we can rise once more and bend the arc of history in a better direction, where our common humanity can be unleashed! Let us be each other’s keeper, let’s work for one another, let us watch each other’s back, and protect our hard-won liberty and freedom from the menace of mankind! Let us rewrite our history once more! To me, it is expedient we start bending the arc of history to brotherliness and rise from the ashes of self-destruction.

Isaac Asabor is a Public Affairs Analyst.

The alarming increase in Yahoo Boys amongst the youth

By Sodiq Shittu

C

ybercrime in Nigeria is largely perpetrated by young people and students in tertiary institutions, and are socially tagged yahoo yahoo or yahoo boys.

Yahoo boys rely on their computer dexterity to victimise unsuspecting persons in cyberspace. It’s no longer a new thing that people are been cheated online. Some lost their money,goods etc in the process of engaging in an online business without knowing the people they are dealing with are internet fraudsters. Internet provides a lot of commercial, educational and social opportunities. Examples of computer assisted crimes in Nigeria and the world as a whole includes, hacking, impersonation, scams e.t.c. For most of these fraudsters, greed is the name of the game. But as these examples abound and the economic climate worsens, more young people are seeing Internet fraud as a viable means of survival.. While it has mainly gained notoriety in the Internet age, the origins of Yahoo date back to a time when the main tools were a pen, paper, and a very vivid imagination. As far back as the 1970’s, young Nigerian men would use false personalities to create long-distance friendships with ‘pen

pals’ in better off countries like the United States and England. Nwude had committed one of the biggest scams in the world.

Specifically, his fraud was the third largest banking scam in the world after the Nick Leeson’s trading losses at Barings Bank, and the looting of the Iraqi Central Bank by Qusay Hussein.

Nwude was a former director of Union Bank of Nigeria and this position made him privy to some links, information and documents that other persons would not be aware of. He impersonated the then governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Paul Ogwuma, and connected with Sakaguchi informing him of a mouthwatering deal of Nigeria’s plan to build an airport in Abuja. Cyber crime is increasing astronomically and one of the reasons for the vast increase of internet fraud in Nigeria is poverty. Most Nigerians lack means of subsistence and they barely have a place to lay,food to eat,cloth(s) to wear etc and this makes individuals engage in such cyber crimes as listed above for sustenance. This is because life seems to be survival of the fittest and the poor sees internet frauding as a means of making life meaningful to them. Another causes of cyber crimes in Nigeria is

greed. Most people actually involve in cyber crimes not because they don’t have what it takes to live a normal life but because they are never contented with what they have and the desire to have quick and more wealth without having to go through the right process of acquiring wealth. Research has shown that the more reason people involve or engage in cyber crimes is as a result of greed. If individuals see the little they have to be enough for them, there won’t be any need going into cyber crime or scamming others in order to get rich. In addition, unemployment is one of the major reasons people get involved in cybercrimes.

After all the educational qualifications one seems to have obtained In Nigeria, jobs are still not available for them and this lead to frustration and for them to live an average life,they see internet frauding as a means of survival. Come to think of it,even the employed are not been paid for months sometimes years and this can also lead to individuals engaging into cyber crimes.

Lack of confidence is one of the reasons people engage into cyber crimes. Some people believe they can no longer make it in life,they feel disappointed and they think the only way to make up their

mistakes and to move forward is by making quick wealth,in this case they fall back on internet fraud.

Internet fraudsters or as everyone calls them, Yahoo Boys keep themselves awake and creative through the long night with the necessities of weed and alcohol, often more expensive varieties to reflect the degree and strength of their ‘hustle’. One or two ladies may be scattered around; a loyal girlfriend whose partner is fulfilling one part of her Bonnie and Clyde fantasies; a scantily clad leftover from the escapades of the previous night; sometimes, there’s a young friend of the family who wants to try her hands at the trade and become a boss lady.

These people play their part; motivation, sustenance in bad weather, the kind of momentary pleasure that becomes validation for sleepless nights like this one.

But the most important people in this place are the young men.

After all, it is them who have created an entire subculture around conning foreigners out of hundreds, thousands, and in often celebrated circumstances, millions of dollars. Nothing defines a successful yahoo boy like luxury. Contrary to popular belief, the most basic forms of Internet fraud often require little more

than a laptop, a mobile phone, and an internet connection. It is why in recent years, more young people have turned to Internet scams. The reality is that it is more accessible. There is also the role that our society plays in gratifying success regardless of its origins.

Nowadays, fraudsters have been elevated to the status of celebrity, thanks to social media and the vibrant activism of platforms like Instablog9ja and its ilk. In the end, regardless of what form it takes or the extent to which it is perpetrated, internet fraud is a crime that has far-reaching implications beyond the fraudster and his immediate environment. Whatever reasons or explanations may be given often pale in comparison to its effects on the individual, his society, and the victim. There is little hope of paid employment for the hundreds of thousands who leave tertiary institutions every year and this in itself, can be enough explanation for the choice that these young men have turned to. There is no justification for criminal activity, regardless of degree, extent, reason or time. Circumstance has never been an excuse for crime; it will never be.

Sodiq Shittu is a Public Affairs Analyst.

PAGE 14

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

News Ortom laments murder of aid From Uche Makurdi

Nnorom,

G

overnor Samuel Ortom has lamented over the gruesome murder of his Senior Special Assistant on Security, AIG Christopher Dega (rtd).

Governor Ortom who made the lamentation in a statement made available to Peoples Daily yesterday, condemned the assassination of his aide as a ‘huge blow’ to his administration and the entire state.

He noted thst the retired AIG was very active even in retirement, saying it was painful that he was gunned down in such a gruesome manner.

“Retired AIG Dega served with me here and this is someone who has retired but is not tired and was very active. So, for him to have been murdered in the manner they did, a retired AIG gunned down. This is very sad,” Governor Ortom stated.

He stressed that insecurity had bedevilled the North East, North West and North Central, South South, South East, South West, and called on security agencies to find killers of his aide.

Governor Ortom sympathized with the family, friends and former colleagues of the deceased and prayed God to grant him eternal rest.

It should be noted that a Police report made available to this medium, said three yet to be identified gunmen shot AIG Dega in an isolated restaurant at Bukuru, Jos The report indicated that from investigation so far, it appeared that he was trailed and shot.

“He arrived at Jos from Makurdi on the same date at about 1930hrs”.

“Some suspects have been arrested.

Meanwhile, the investigation is ongoing”, the report stated.

JAMB: Over 80% of registration problems linked to candidates’ fault

By Maryam Abeeb

T

he Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has expressed concern, saying over 80 per cent of problems encountered by prospective candidates in the registration for this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation (UTME) Examination and Direct Entry (DE) are self-created by the students.

This was revealed during a monitoring exercise for some prospective candidates, who were unable to register for the exam during the normal registration window that ended on 29 May, 2021.

The monitoring exercise, which allowed prospective candidates to fill and submit a form on the challenge(s) that prevented them from registering for the exam before now, is to enable the exam body to clear those with genuine cases for

this year’s exam after following the required registration process.

But a visit to some of the centres in Kogo-Bwari and Garki-2, Abuja, which are playing host to the exercise in the Federal Capital Territory, revealed that almost all the students that blamed JAMB’s system for the challenges they encountered were actually the architects of their own registration’s misfortune.

While the affected prospective candidates had blamed their challenges on their inability to secure e-pin or generate profile code on time, findings revealed that almost all of those interviewed failed to follow stipulated registration procedures as announced by the exam body.

A candidate, Emmanuel Ojo, who admitted to his mistake, when a JAMB official accessed his information on the exam body system to unravel

why he was having issues generating a pin, said he only sent his National Identification Number without indicating NIN on it while another said he erroneously added double space when sending his personal details to the registration code.

Hafsat Ahmed, a DE prospective candidate, said she tried severally to generate e-pin but didn’t succeed on time, but an official of JAMB also proved to her that the fault was from her.

“I have been trying to get the profile code but it was not coming, when I finally got it on 27 May, 2021, I was told that the e-pin was not available,” she said.

A UTME would-be candidate, Abraham Williams, said he also tried severally to get the profile code, saying he was probably not following the required format for him not to get it on time.

It was observed that the

issue that led to the registration challenges faced by many of the prospective candidates that trooped out for the exercise were mainly due to use of double space in sending messages for profile code generation, name not matched with the one in NIMC, phone number already used by another candidate, insufficient balance to generate profile code that cost N50, among others.

Reacting to the development, Registrar of JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, expressed concern that many of the candidates failed to follow simple instructions on registration process as put in place by the Board, adding that over 80percent of the challenges encountered were self-created by the candidates.

“Many of them were sending wrong things and commands for NIN, making NIMC unable to verify such numbers.”

T

Amendment: CNPP urges lawmakers to listen to Nigerians on new Constitution

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

C

onference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has urged the National Assembly to be patriotic enough to listen to Nigerians and end its current process of further amending the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic and bring new Constitution as being demanded by Nigerians.

According to a statement issued on Thursday by the CNPP Secretary General, Willy Ezugwu, said “the feelers across the country is that the 1999 Constitution is irredeemable and cannot be amended to meet national aspirations.

“We believe that if the members of the National Assembly are truly representing

the people, it is time they stopped the ongoing journey to nowhere in the name of constitution amendment and align with the majority of Nigerians who favour a new Constitution, rather than fruitless amendments that have not brought about any meaningful national growth.

“Across the country, the tune of the music is almost the same: that the 1999 Constitution is flawed beyond amendment and that the country either needs to adopt the 1963 Constitution or draft a new Constitution for the country. To make the Nigerian Constitution a people’s law, we must subject the outcome of the process to a referendum.

“The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila recently admitted

that the 1999 Constitution is deficient and has failed to address some critical national questions confronting Nigeria and her people.

“The question to the National Assembly is: Why amend a Constitution that we all know to be a military document, that have continued to lie against itself by insisting that “We the people...” gave it to ourselves, whereas it was a document imposed on Nigerians by a military junta?

“Again, if the Constitution that brought the lawmakers into the upper and lower legislative Chambers is inadequately deficient, how can the outcome of a flawed Constitution like the legislators across the country cure the document?

“It has become almost

unanimous that Nigeria needs a workable document, a better Constitution that will meet the aspirations of the people.

“Such a document must be subjected to a “Yes” or “No” vote by the people before it can be binding. We have come to view the ongoing amendment process as a jamboree, a money making exercise by the lawmakers and an effort in futility.

“The ugly reality is that at the end of the amendment, the document will now be at the mercy of our State Houses of Assembly for survival or not. Even if it survives and scales through legislative processes at no fewer than 24 state Assemblies, it will then die or survive at the presidential villa.

“If the cabals fail to favour

the amendments, the President won’t sign as we have seen several vital bills passed by the National Assembly killed at the Presidency and were never signed into law by the Mr. President and the till date our National Assembly on the other hand has remained impotent and has done nothing about them.

“We fear that whatever amendments to the 1999 Constitution will end up in the dustbin of history and we will be back to there we started.

“Therefore, it’s about time we did the right thing the right way by beginning the process of drafting a new Constitution for Nigeria which must be ratified through a referendum”, the CNPP stated.

PDP accuses Uzodinma of masterminding killings in Imo

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

PRESIDENT BUHARI PARTICIPATES AT THE 12TH NIGER BASIN AUTHORITY SUMMIT. JUNE 3RD 2021

Umuleri-Aguleri boundary dispute, an internal problem for state – Boundary Commission he National Boundary Commission (NBC) says that the Umuleri-Aguleri boundary dispute is an internal boundary problem in Anambara State that should be handled by the State Boundary Committee.

The Director-General of the commission, Mr Adamu Adaji, at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum, in Abuja noted that inter-local government boundary cases within the state were being handled by its boundary committee.

Adaji said that the national

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

boundary commission would only intervene in inter-local government disputes resolution if its attention was needed or on invitation to partner with the state.

The director-general, while reacting to the age-long boundary dispute between the two communities emphasised that the commission was invited on the case few years ago by the previous administration which it partnered with to resolve it.

“We made our views known, and it was left for the government

to implement what was agreed upon.

“Whether the government implemented the agreements, suggestions and recommendations is what we cannot say because it is a different administration.

“But the present administration has not had cause to request our interventions in that case but we have had cause to intervene on that case previously,” he noted.

He said that for the case to resurface, it showed that it was not perhaps conclusively resolved by the previous administration with

whom it partnered to resolve it.

“But now that it has resurfaced we have not had any request for intervention by the state government until we are called upon.

“If we are called upon we will gladly partner with them to offer solutions and recommendations as expected.

“When they need our interventions, the state government will notify us and we will partner with the state to get it resolved it,” he said.

Adaji recalled that the

commission has had cases where states had intervened in some inter-local government boundary cases and one side would petition the national boundary commission to disagree with the state’s resolution.

He further stated that, it would only give the state that first opportunity of intervening on such cases but if a community disagreed, they could write the national boundary commission.

“We will request for the action taken and engage the community immediately to see how far. (NAN)

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State has accused the State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, of allegedly being responsible for the series of extrajudicial killings in the state.

The opposition party asked the governor to account for the killing of innocent civilians in the state.

The Imo state PDP Chairman, Charles Ugwu, made the allegations while briefing newsmen on Thursday.

He alleged that the governor failed to address the security issues in the state because he was masterminding them.

He regretted that prominent sons and daughters of Imo had been killed within a space of one month and the governor has done nothing about it.

“The governor has to tell us what he knows about the gruesome murder of the Oru-east PDP Youth Leader as well as that of his friend, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak.

“There is no gainsaying that the Uzodinma-led government lacks the competence and willpower to protect the lives of the people.

“We, therefore, urge the federal government to set up a panel to investigate the governor to find out the root cause of the extrajudicial killings in Imo State. Meanwhile, we appeal to all Imolites to remain calm and prayerful in this trying period.”

.L-R: Executive Secretary, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Umar Danbata; Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr, Isa Pantami; Secretary, APC Caretaker Extra-ordinary National Convention Planning Committee, Sen. James Apanudoedehe and Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the president, Mallam Garba Shehu , during the APC Professionals Forum media parley with party’s stakeholders at APC national secretariat, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Lawan tasks media to set agenda for Nigeria

By Musa Baba Adamu

P

resident of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has challenged the Nigerian media to set an agenda for a brighter tomorrow for the country.

Lawan acknowledged that the media had a crucial role to play in averting national crises and anarchy through positive actions that douses tension across the country and stabilizes the polity.

The Senate President made the remarks in a speech delivered on Thursday at the 10th Anniversary and 2020 Impact Series Awards of Blueprint Newspapers in Abuja.

Lawan, who chaired the occasion, said efforts must be made by the media to provide proper context to issues, as doing so would in turn ensure national unity and reshape public opinion.

He, therefore, called on the media in Nigeria to reaffirm their faith in Nigeria and rededicate themselves to their role as the fourth estate of the realm.

He said, “That role requires

them to responsibly moderate public conversation and debate, douse tension, resolve disputes including providing context for issues, and help in stabilizing the polity.

“In this age of information, the media plays a crucial role in creating national unity and remodeling of public opinions.

“It is true that public opinion is always disturbed during a crisis. But in such situations, the media can control the public emotions and public opinion with a positive attitude.

“Without a positive attitude in the media, even the best efforts of policy makers and government cannot produce results. Let us remember that a crisis is inevitable in society. Indeed, it drives development when properly managed.

“The Nigerian media must, therefore, always seek to help the nation turn its crises into wheels of progress.

This they can do by providing useful information to calm the people and encourage them to do positive actions.

“In the current situations, the media should seek information only from credible sources in order to limit the spread of fake news. They should avoid information that is capable of inciting violence and reprisals.

“When law and order succumb to anarchy, even lawmakers, journalists and journalism are endangered”, Lawan said.

The Senate President lauded Blueprint Newspaper for its patriotic desire to contribute positively towards building a stable democracy in Nigeria, as well as promoting unity, peace and prosperity.

“I consider your choice in this respect highly commendable, especially in the light of many around you losing their heads and reputation to the urge to bait clicks, with sensational headlines and odious stories that promote hate and division in the country”, he said.

Speaking on the security crises in the country, Lawan lamented that the spate of insecurity in recent times had taken

“an alarming dimension with killings, kidnappings and wanton attacks on public facilities becoming daily events in many parts of the country.”

He added that, “while government is forthright and unrelenting in its efforts to contain the security challenges, the crisis is certainly being aggravated by people cynically projecting our ethnic, religious, cultural and geographical diversities as the primary cause of political instability and social insecurity in Nigeria.”

On the ongoing constitution review exercise, the Senate President disclosed that the National Assembly had received hundreds of memoranda from across the country and many bills proposed for consideration.

According to him, the exercise seeks to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic institutions such as the Legislature and the Judiciary at the national and subnational levels, the local government system, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Civil Society.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

POLITICS

FCT: Giri, Dobi, Abdulmalik, Yahaya, Saba attend APC stakeholders meeting

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT, Hon. Abubakar Jibrin Giri, former lawmaker representing Abuja South at the National Assembly, Hon. Zakari Angulu Dobi, the Chairman of APC in the FCT, Alhaji Usman Abdulmalik, former Secretary of Gwagwalada Area Council, Alhaji Usman Yahaya and SA to the Minister of state for the FCT on the Area Councils and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Saba, amongst others, attended APC stakeholders’ meeting in Gwagwalada on Wednesday.

In an interview at the meeting, the Gwagwalada APC candidate, Hon. Abubakar Jibrin Giri, said the first APC stakeholders’ meeting was held in order to ensure harmony for the victory of the party in 2022.

He added that the stakeholders meeting was aimed at bringing every member of the party together to work towards the success of the party in 2022, urging party supporters/members to always mobilize the people for the party in their various wards.

He pleaded with the aggrieved members of the party to remain in APC, as well as work for the progress of the party.

Giri said committee(s) would be set up in the ten political wards of the Area Council for the take-off of the campaign in November, 2021.

Also speaking, the former legislator representing Abuja South at National Assembly, Hon. Zakari Angulu Dobi, said the APC members/executives would continue to work together to ensure that the party Chairmanship candidate, as well as the Councillorship candidates win the 2022 election.

Dobi noted that the APC has faction in Gwagwalada, while charging the party’s stakeholders to remain committed to the victory of the party in 2022.

On his part, the APC Chairman in FCT, Alhaji Usman Abdulmalik, urged critical stakeholders to remain in APC, as well as work for all the candidates of the party in the 2022 election.

He also tasked the members/ supporters of the party to be lawabiding citizens at all times.

Abdulmalik advised the aspirants who lost election to accept the defeat in good faith, saying that power comes from God. Not left out, the former secretary of Gwagwalada Area Council, Alhaji Usman Yahaya, said the stakeholders’ meeting today targeted at unity/unity of purpose as well as the success of the party at the Gwagwalada Area Council level.

He said: “The APC in Gwagwalada is one big family that is willing to come together, join hands and ensure that the councillorship candidates/ chairmanship candidate wins the 2022 election” He, therefore, called on the members of the party to continue to campaign for the party across the ten political wards, and urged them to maintain their stand.

No political pressure from opposition can topple Buhari’s govt – APC

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

A

ll Progressives Congress (APC) has said that no amount of political pressure from the opposition can topple the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking Thursday at a media briefing organised by the APC Professionals Forum which featured the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, APC national secretary, John James Akpanudoedehe, criticised opposition parties for staging fake security challenges to discredit the Buhari administration.

“Ladies and gentlemen, President Muhammadu will be judged by security and other achievements but the issue of security is not going to be an artificial security situation in Nigeria.

“I want to explain this very well. Those who are trying to take down President Muhammadu

Buhari through the back door will not succeed – you are hyping up for people to know that there is insecurity to bring down the government of APC and we will bring them to book insha Allah.

Speaking on the APC reward system, Akpanudoedehe said “I am speaking as a National Secretary not Senator Akpanudoedehe that people complain about the reward system that the President was voted to take care of all Nigerians and that does not mean that they should exclude us.

“I said we should be included because you cannot cry more than the bereaved, we are the bereaved, so what I am saying is that he should include us so that we can propagate his programmes.

Members of this party are angry to even discuss it, you cannot even talk about it. That is why we work day and night to put this government in place, that is why people work day and night for this government.”

Speaking at the event also, the

National Coordinator of the APC Professionals Forum, Akintayo Akeem, said “As an umbrella forum for professionals in various fields both in public and private sector who are members of our party, we have taken serious interventions and responsibilities to stand as guardians of the core value of the party and the necessities that gave birth to a APC through advisories to Government and APC members who are political appointees as well conduct press conferences to advocate for a better management of conflict within the party and government.

“Nigerians voted for our party as a better alternative to PDP in 2015 and 2019 because of the change and accountability needed in government and party management. It is for this reason that we have differences between us and the PDP of which we are partnering with our friends in the media under the umbrella of APC PRESS CORP to enhance today.

“It is on this note that we as a

responsible party and government should be asking ourselves how far we have done in policy formulation and implementation in line with the manifesto, and our promise to Nigerians. It is midway into the second term of President Muhammadu Buhari and we believe that this is the best time to reel out outstanding achievements and performances that will ease our campaigns and messaging towards the 2023 general elections.

“As we move forward to the next general election, APC Professionals Forum appreciate the leadership of our great party ably represented by the ever committed and dedicated National Secretary of our great party, for the support of this project and collaboration with our patriotic APC Press Corps to provide a noble platform like this for accountability of stewardship for our performing appointees and elected officials to tell Nigerians what they have done on behalf of the party.”

L-R: Executive Chairman, Kwali Area Council, Hon. Danladi Chiya, Chairman Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Abdullahi Candido, Chairman Gwagwalada Area Council, Hon. Adamu Mustapha and the Chairman Abaji Area Council, Hon. Abdulrahaman Ajiya, during the Chairmen press conference asking the party to respect the outcomes of the party primary conducted and not to substitute the party candidate names, held yesterday in Abuja.

Photo; Justin Imo-Owo

Bad leadership caused current bitterness, sadness in Nigeria – Obasanjo

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

F

ormer President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday lamented the current state of Nigeria, insisting that bad leadership had made Nigeria drip in her present bitterness and sadness.

He spoke at an event at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.

Obasanjo said bad leadership has made it difficult for Nigeria to attain its destiny of being a land flowing with milk and honey, even as he however, urged Nigerians to

change the narrative.

Obasanjo said: “My prayer is that all of us will have something to contribute to making this country what God has created it to be – a land flowing with milk and honey.

“Right now, it is a land flowing with bitterness and sadness,

that is not what God wants this country to be. We must change the narrative, we must talk to ourselves in the civilised language. Nowhere you go in this country you will not see geniuses in any section. So, why should we look down on ourselves.

How Nigerians can have their way in Constitution review exercise - Lawan

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

P

resident of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has advised Nigerians with pressing views to build a national consensus around them to ensure the amendment of the constitution in their favour by the National Assembly and State Legislatures.

Lawan gave the advice on

Thursday while declaring the National Public Hearing on the alteration to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution in Abuja.

According to him, the constitution review exercise embarked on by the 9th Assembly was imperative in view of existent flaws in its provisions which has attracted agitations.

He said, “Our country has

been consistently reminded that there are flaws in our constitution.

“There is a deep concern among legislators and other stakeholders, just as there are divergent opinions on what we should do to remedy the flaws.

The Senate President observed that such agitations and constitutional amendment proposals were focused on devolving more powers to

subnational governments, for resource control, greater representation and participation of women in governance and public life, return to the regional system of the post-independence era, creation of additional states and Local Government, enhanced residency and indigene rights, decentralized policing, and Local government autonomy, amongst others.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

NEWS

Presidency rejects Campbell’s claim on Nigeria falling apart

By Egena Sunday Ode

T

he Presidency on Thursday reacted to the claims by former US Ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell on the African giant falling apart.

In a rebuttal to the article published in the current edition of Foreign Affairs Magazine, made available to correspondents by Garba Shehu,

Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity) in Abuja, the presidential aide wrote: “Dear Sir, “The latest article on Nigeria in Foreign Affairs titled ‘The Giant of Africa is Failing’ is unfair both to a magazine with such an esteemed pedigree and to its readers.

“Ambassador Campbell has been predicting the collapse of

Nigeria for several years. He is of course entitled to his opinions, even where events consistently prove him wrong.

“But facts should not be bent to support distorted opinions.

Let me give you one example.

“The authors write: ‘At an April meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Buhari reportedly requested that the headquarters of the U.S. Africa Command be

moved from Germany to Nigeria so that it would be closer to the fight against jihadi groups in the country’s north.’

“President Buhari did not request that AFRICOM move to Nigeria. The transcript of the call with Secretary Blinken is available on the State Department’s own website.

It’s not just a question of the invented addition of ‘to Nigeria’ with regard to AFRICOM. It

sums up a piece that attempts subtly but revealingly - to shift facts to suit an argument.

“Nigeria faces multiple challenges, not least of which is the dissemination of fake news and prejudiced opinion.

“This is something we have come to expect from partisan blogs and politically motivated lobbies. It is still a surprise, and a disappointment, to see them joined by Foreign Affairs.”

2023: Free, fair, credible elections, collective duty of all, by INEC Chairman ...As Senate President says Nigeria going through dark patch

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

A

head of the 2023 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has declared

that having a free, fair and credible polls, which is devoid of rigging, is a collective duty of all Nigerians.

The Commission made it clear that the voters, political parties, politicians, civil society organisations, the media, security agencies, INEC and its staff, among others, are very critical to a free, fair and credible election.

The INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu said this yesterday at the Blueprint’s 10th Anniversary/Impact Series and Awards tagged “Technological Innovation as Antidote to election rigging”, held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

The INEC Chairman similarly said that law should be made to support the use of technology, rather than be a barrier, for the election.

He made it clear that public enlightenment and more stakeholder engagements are also important.

According to Prof Yakubu, who was represented by Mr Chidi Neafor, an official of INEC, “Law should be made to support technology, rather than be a barrier, public enlightenment and more stakeholder engagements because having a free, fair and credible election, which is devoid of rigging, is a collective duty of all Nigerians –voters, Political Parties & Politicians, Civil Society Organisations, the Media, Security Agencies, INEC & its staff.

The challenges with IT deployment could be overwhelming, especially for a vast Country like ours; “Technology is evolving, and therefore it is important to move with the trend to get the benefits therein.

“Battling with the crisis of People, Technology and Processes is a major task in a technologically driven electoral process; “It is very important to always realise that technology may most times not give a full end-to-end solution, the people aspect need to be well handled.

“The use of technology in elections has come to stay, especially in this part of the World, and therefore needs to be improved upon.

Speaking on the way forward, the INEC Chairman harped on the pertinent need for more research, developments and study tours, adequate training and staff development, more support (funding) from government and International partners.

In his address, the President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan said Nigeria is going through a dark patch, noting that economic and security crises are severe.

Dr Lawan, who doubled as Chairman of the occasion noted that “ economic challenges are being felt in many parts of the world, with countries still seeking to escape the havoc of the Covid-19 pandemic on many aspects of life” He lamented that “the insecurity in our country has taken an alarming dimension with killings, kidnappings and wanton attacks on public facilities becoming daily events in many parts of the country.

According to him, “while the Government is forthright and unrelenting in its efforts to contain the security challenges, the crisis is certainly being aggravated by people cynically projecting our ethnic, religious, cultural and geographical diversities as the primary cause of political instability and social insecurity in Nigeria” The Senate President who expressed his fervent belief in the destiny of Nigeria, thus urged every Nigerian to hold on to that faith.

Dr Lawan acknowledged that “ in this age of information, the media play a crucial role in creating national unity and remodelling of public opinions.

“It is true that public opinion is always disturbed during a crisis, but in such situations, the media can control the public emotions and control public opinion with a positive attitude.

“Without a positive attitude in the media, even the best efforts of policymakers and government cannot produce results”, he said.

Dr Lawan said further, “let us also remember that crisis is inevitable in society. Indeed, it drives development when properly managed.

“The Nigerian media must, therefore, always seek to help the nation turn its crises into wheels of progress.

“This, they can do by providing useful information to calm the people and encourage them to do positive actions. “In the current situations, the media should seek information only from credible sources in order to limit the spread of fake news.

“They should avoid information that is capable of inciting violence and reprisals.

“When law and order succumb to anarchy, even lawmakers, journalists and journalism are endangered.

“We also tend to forget the challenges that shortened our earlier democratic journeys, and that our struggle to address those challenges brought us to where we are”, said

Former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the President of Women Youth and Children Care Organisation (WYCCO), Hajia Farida Waziri; Chairman National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Buba-Marwa; members of WYCCO, Dr Dayo Kusa and Mrs Bunmi Dipo-Salami, during WYCCO delegation’s visit to NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday (2/6/21)

2023: Yahaya Bello kicks against zoning

By Egena Sunday Ode

G

overnor of Kogi State, Yahaha Bello, has dismissed calls for rotational presidency, saying it has outlived its usefulness.

Bello who is believed to be showing interest in the 2023 presidential race said competence and capacity should be the yardstick for selecting presidential candidates rather than ethnicity or region which according to him is he whole essence of agitation for rotating the plum position.

He said: “For once, let’s get Nigeria fixed. We have practised a seemingly rotational presidency since 1999 to date. Let us evaluate our successes or achievements from this seeming rotational presidency between then, and now.

“Why don’t we simply go for the best? After all, we copied this democracy from America and some of the developed world. How many of these countries are practising traditional presidency?

“You see, we are where we are today not because we are practising rotational presidency.

“If you want to go by that rotational presidency, then do perfect zoning. Go by perfect rotation. And if you go by rotation and whichever way you come from, I don’t think you should exclude where I come from. That’s number

one.

“Number two, let us get a credible, sincere, patriotic, Nigerian to fix it. If you’re flying an aircraft, you don’t ask who is the pilot? If you take the operation in a hospital, you wouldn’t ask which doctor is this, is he from your zone, your tribe, your religion? All you want is the best pilot to fly you safely to your destination.

All you want is you want the best doctor to handle you and deliver you safely from the operation.

“I think Nigeria is at that point now of seeking the best from anywhere in this country, irrespective of where he comes from. Thereafter, you balance, you remain in position to reflect equity, fairness and justice. That is my position.”

On how he would convince the South east which is agitating for a chance to produce the next president to support his ambition, the Kogi governor said: “Like I said, when the time comes, and when God give us the grace, and we’ll get there by the grace of God. “Surely, I am an advocate of who can serve this country, the best. Currently, in my administration in Kogi state, I have a south easterner serving my state, specifically my DG research and development who doubles as my speech writer, Barrister Moses Okezie, from Anambra state serving in the States.

“I think where you come

from should not matter in your service to this nation.

The religion you practise should not matter. The creed you belong to, the class you belong to, should not matter.

What should matter most is the content that is contained in you, your stuff, what do you have to offer this country, to secure this country lives and livelihood, to unite this country to make sure that Nigerians are respected not only our home, but abroad.

“Our green passport should be number one, should be respected across the world, who is going to enhance that?

“We have demonstrated that in Kogi state, where we united ourselves any Kogi citizen anywhere in the country today is proud to be a citizen of Kogi state.

“Any where a citizen of Kogi state is today, we are proud and hold your head high, that you are from Kogi state. That is what we should duplicate across the country, and not where you come from.

“So, I want to believe that when the time comes, Nigerians will see reasons. Of course already, they are calling on me that I should come and run, just a little time I have asked them to relax and let the time comes. When the time comes, is going to be overwhelming. It is going to be a hope. The 1993 hopes that were dashed will be revived and actualized in 2003.”

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AGRICULTURE

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

Songhai farm in Minna: The template for robust food production in Nigeria

BY MOHAMMED KANDI

S

uccessive governments in Nigeria have come up with a number of strategies and approaches to address food scarcity that could lead to full blown food insecurity in the country.

As ambitious as those approaches were, they failed to achieve much, owning to policy inconsistency and complete neglect by succeeding governments.

The President Muhammadu Buhari-led government has indeed shown some flashes of seriousness and determination in its resolve to make Nigeria a major food hub in the continent and globally.

To achieve this very important feat, the President Buhari administration is reforming and repositioning the agricultural sector to meet the food needs of Nigeria and serve as net exporter of agricultural commodities.

The Nigerian government is anchoring its food security drive and initiative which is aimed at tackling food insecurity, hunger and acute poverty on existing and reliable bodies like the River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs).

In a concerted effort made by the federal government to enhance the operations of all the River Basin Development Authorities through its supervisory agency, thus, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, a recent pronouncement by the Minister of Water Resource, Suleiman Adamu indicated that a lot was being done through the RBDA’s to address issues of food security in Nigeria. The Minister was particularly assertive on the volume of work currently being carried out at various RBDAs, sighting possible commercialisation of their activities for increased revenue generation.

There are several initiatives aimed at seamless implementation of RBDA’s mandates, one of which is the domestication of Songhai Farm, as a model that would facilitate Nigeria’s expedition to self-sufficiency in food production.

Paw paw plantation under trial at the Songhai Farm in Minna, Niger State.

The Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority (UNRBDA) under the leadership of Prof.

Mohammed Abdulkarim Ali, was rated the best amongst others for its commitment to the implementation of the Songhai farm prototype.

As the Managing Director, Prof. Ali’s tenacious drive to proactively change public perception about the Authority, especially from his

provision of firm leadership to timely execution of multi-billion naira projects within the franchise of the UNRBDA including Niger, Kaduna and the FCT cannot be contested. He has shown leadership, competence and capacity in the discharge of his responsibilities as well as other adhoc assignments given to him.

Already, Nigerians are beginning to reap from the Songhai farm in Minna, the

Niger state capital. Whilst the Ouando Centre, the main experimental site of the Songhai Farm in Porto-Novo in Binin Republic currently sits on over 22 hectares of land, the Model Farm Minna, which is one of its prototypes resides on approximately 7.51 hectares (75068 m2) and lies at an altitude of 310 m above the mean sea level, with a cultivated area of about 3 hectares within the premises of the UNRBDA

headquarters.

An integrated system of farming that combines different agricultural activities to increase food production and maximize returns per hectare was enabled in the Minna Farm Model, with the support of some expatriates from Songhai Farm in Benin Republic. Residents from communities around the Model Farm in Minna have continued to throng the Sales Unit to procure various products of their choice, ever since commercial activities commenced in the farm.

They’ve developed an affinity for the Model Farm for a single reason- all products from farm are organically produced.

As products disappeared from the shelves, sooner were products replaced in their troops to meet the daily needs of customers.

The constant demand for smoked fish, eggs and processed Gari- mixed with coconut or with pineapple have kept staff at sales point busy all day. Already, the farm management is planning to deploy some state-of-the-art storage facilities for preservation of other perishable crops like pawpaw, cucumber and okro that are often scarce, no thanks to their shorter life span.

The MD has repositioned the farm as a Model to draw huge revenue from training, entrepreneurship and agricultural needs of Nigerians. Also, there are eight sections in which various agricultural activities are organized into a functional unit to profitably harness resources.

These are: Agroforestry (Orchad), Poultry, Fishery, Market Garden (arable farm), Ruminant Section (livestock), Processing, Biogas production plant and sale point. Various groups mostly women have received trainings in poultry, fish and agroforestry farming.

Mohammed Kandi, is the Special Assistant (Media & Publicity) the MD, Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority.

Page 19

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has called for a stronger and deeper partnership with the media in its advocacy to ensure prudent management of Nigeria’s natural resources.

The Executive Secretary of NEITI, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji made the call during courtesy visits to media houses in Lagos.

The visits took the NEITI Chief Executive to the Chairman of Channels Media group, Dr. John Momoh and the Managing Directors of Arise News and Thisday Newspapers, Ms Ijeoma Nwogwugwu and Mr Eniola Bello respectively in Lagos.

“I am in Lagos to thank my colleagues in the media for their support and solidarity on my appointment and to seek collaboration and partnership. I regret that I am unable to visit all but only a few as a result of time and the Lagos traffic but will do so in the near future”, Dr. Orji appealed.

Dr. Orji stated that the success of his job requires a lot of media

NEITI renews call for prudent management of extractive revenues

collaboration in the use of data and information generated by NEITI to build knowledge and understanding, mobilise public support for a more transparent and accountable extractive industries.

According to him, “I am here to seek your support in the discharge of NEITI mandate especially in the dissemination of our reports”.

The transparency boss explained that NEITI exists to galvanise change in Nigeria’s natural resource management by making the findings and recommendations contained in its reports public, enlighten the people, and ultimately uplift their standard of living.

The Head, Communications and Advocacy, NEITI, Obiageli Onuorah in a statement said, he commended the media chiefs for the quality of their programmes, experience and professionalism of

their staff.

“Your media are very independent, analytical and insightful on issues. That is why we seek this relationship to enable us link our reports to visible impacts. I commend the young men and women you have given the opportunity to advance in the industry”. Dr Orji added that “I am very honoured and proud of the industry and veterans like you that have made the media to remain relevant in Nigeria’s socio-economic existence.

You have also created a lot of opportunities for the younger generation. Your legacies cannot be quantified”.

“Sometimes, out of curiosity I call some of them to ask where there were trained, because I never knew them while I was in the industry. Look at the kind of capacity and professionalism they have brought to bear in their

work. I am truly impressed”, he stated.

NEITI’s Executive Secretary appealed to the media executives to expand and equip their energy desks to enable them analyse sensitive and technical information associated with extractive operations.

The Chairman of Channels Media Group, Dr John Momoh, Managing Directors of Arise News Media and Thisday Newspaper, Ijeoma Nwogwugwu and Eniola Bello pledged their support to the implementation of the EITI process in Nigeria by creating new programmes on natural resources and sustainability while expanding and equipping the already existing ones.

While congratulating Dr. Orji on his appointment, they tasked NEITI to pay special attention to the mining sector, enforce sanctions against infractions and

support in building the capacity of their staff to understand the mechanics of the extractive industries.

Chairman of Channels Media pledged to put at NEITI’s disposal its digital space with over 44million followers. According to him, “It is a matter of national interest. We are interested in knowing how much money is being spent and what is happening in Nigeria’s extractive industries.

We will work with you. Just let us know what we can do”.

The advocacy visits open new chapters in NEITI’s relationship with the media and forms part of Dr. Orji’s efforts at re-building trust and confidence towards the NEITI process.

The visit to media houses in Lagos by the NEITI Executive Secretary, planned in phases is expected to cover other leading media organisations in future.

Chairman of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) Board of Directors, Mrs Ronke Sokefun (5th left) along with the NDIC Board pose for a group photograph with the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Mal. Musa Bello (6th left) during the NDIC Board’s visit to the FCT Ministry in Abuja.

Emefiele advocates for clean environment, donates waste bins to Schools

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has stressed the need for Nigerians to protect the ecosystem, warning that henceforth banks will consider sustainable banking principles when lending money to individuals and corporate entities.

He disclosed this on Thursday, June 3, 2021, while leading his deputies to plant trees at the CBN Head Office in commemoration of the 2021 World Environment Day with the theme: “Ecosystem Restoration”.

Mr. Emefiele said that the Nigerian banking sector was committed to protecting the environment by making sure that the principles of sustainable banking are put in place when banks consider those, they offer credit.

Citing examples of institutions

that refuse to grant credit to customers whose activities pollute the environment, the Governor enjoined Nigerians to strive to make the environment green by restoring the ecosystem and avoiding pollutants that destroy the earth.

“There is the need for the environment to go green. We must join the global community to ensure that we clean the environment and rid the ecosystem of pollutants that are harmful to us,” he added.

Highpoint of the ceremony was the planting of trees by Mr. Emefiele and the Deputy Governors of the Bank; Mrs. Aishah Ahmad (Financial System Stability); Mr. Edward Lametek Adamu (Corporate Services), Dr. Kingsley Obiora (Economic Policy) and the representative of the Deputy Governor Operations, Mr. Folashodun Shonubi.

Meanwhile, as part of activities marking the World Environment

Day for 2021, the Bank also paid advocacy visits to select schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Wednesday, June 2, 2021, during which the Bank donated waste bins and recycled tissue papers.

At the Model Secondary School, Maitama, the Special Adviser to the CBN Governor on Sustainable Banking, Dr. A’isha Mahmood, enjoined the students, who she described as young ambassadors of the environment, to protect the environment in order to avoid adverse environmental issues.

She noted that the Central Bank of Nigeria and other financial institution in Nigeria had in 2012 adopted the Nigerian Sustainable Banking framework, a written document, guiding its business operations and practices, to ensure that their actions are socially and environmentally responsible.

The high point of the visit was

the presentation of waste bins and recycled tissue papers, as part of the Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

In line with the theme, “Ecosystem Restoration”, She stressed the importance of recycling and proper waste management even as she encouraged the students to imbibe the 3 R’s, of “reduce, reuse and recycling”.

Responding, the principal of the school, Mrs. Elizabeth Emagun, thanked the Bank for its continued support, and affirmed that the lecture and token given, would put to good use.

Similarly, at the Government Science Technology (GST), Area 3, Garki, the Director Governors’ Department, Mr. Jeremiah Abue urged the students to embrace climate action in Nigeria by recycling, proper waste management in order to ensure environmental sustainability.

The Director who was represented by the Head Environmental Sustainability and Social Responsibility Division, Mr. Abdulahi Bappah Ahmed, admonished the students to embrace recycling as a way of protecting the environment and ensuring a better future for the country and the world at large.

Also speaking, the FCT Director, Science and Technology, represented by the Director, FCT Education Department, Mrs. Angela Nwachukwu urged the students to engage in recycling challenge and know what items goes to the bin in order to make their environment neat.

The Principal, Government Science Technology, Mr. James Kuta, in his welcome address thanked the CBN for the kind gesture and support as they assured the Bank that the items given to them would be used by the students to recycle the school and the environment.

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BUSINESS

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

Senate reinforces Legal Status for National Emergency Number 112

By Etuka Sunday

N

igeria’s upper legislative chamber, The Senate, has taken further steps towards strengthening the legal status for the country’s National Emergency Number 112, being implemented by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) though it’s Emergency Communication Centres (ECC).

The Senate Committee on Communications recently organised a oneday public hearing where stakeholders gathered to make valuable contributions and observations on two bills by the Senate Committee on Communications. These are

the Nigerian Postal Service Act (Repeal and Establishment) Bill, 2021 and the Nationwide Toll-Free Emergency Number (Establishment) Bill, 2021, being sponsored by Senator Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State.

The Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde in a statement said, the emergency number bill passed the second reading on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 and the recent Senate public hearing on the bill was to have extensive discussion towards making the bill more robust to ensure a more effective, uniform and well-coordinated national emergency number 112, when it is finally passed into law, similar to the 999 emergency number in the United Kingdom and 911 in

the United States.

Speaking at the public hearing, Senate President, Dr. Ahmed Lawan, stressed the desirability of the passing of such a bill into an Act of national Assembly, adding that the critical role of communication in modern day, especially in handling emergency situations cannot be over-emphasized.

Similarly, the Chairman of the Senate Committee, Oluremi Tinubu, said the bill, when passed, will establish the Nationwide Toll-Free Number as a primary emergency number and contact point for all emergency services in Nigeria, thereby harmonizing the various emergency numbers in the country into one uniform number while, at the same time,

empowering the NCC to supervise and ensure compliance.

Represented by his colleague, Senator Odebiyi Akinremi, Senator Amosun said the bill seeks to make 112 the Emergency Number of Nigeria, stating that “this will enable citizens have access to quick and timely response in respect of all forms of emergency situations such as road accidents, fire outbreaks, burglary, medical emergencies and so on’’.

Also speaking, the Minister of Communications and Digital economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, commended the Senate for organizing the public hearing. The Minister said while NCC had established functional ECCs across 23 states and the

Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, efforts are in top gear to ensure ECC is established in the remaining 13 states of the Federation for the processing of the emergency calls through the 112 Number.

At the public hearing, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, made a number of valuable recommendations that will make the bill, which he said might be cited as the ‘National Emergency Communication Act, 2021’ when passed into law, more effectual in terms of board composition, scope as well as ability to accommodate emergency services by different statutory and regulatory agencies.

L-R: Executive Chairman, Kwali Area Council, Hon. Danladi Chiya, Chairman Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Abdullahi Candido, Chairman Gwagwalada Area Council, Hon. Adamu Mustapha and the Chairman Abaji Area Council, Hon. Abdulrahaman Ajiya, during the Chairmen press conference asking the party to respect the outcomes of the party primary conducted and not to substitute the party candidate names, held yesterday in Abuja.

Photo; Justin Imo-Owo

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

METRO

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Children’s Day: FCT Minister harps on virtues of honesty, discipline, patriotism

By Stanley Onyekwere

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he FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has proposed for the creation of an FCT Infrastructure Development Fund, as a guaranteed funding arrangement, to ensure adequate and unhindered funding for the rapid development of the Territory.

Bello noted that with the rate of population growth, without a robust and well-structured funding arrangement, for the provision of and maintenance of infrastructure, the FCT might ultimately be birthing an urban slum.

He made this point yesterday, in his presentation at the ongoing National Public Hearing by the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, in Abuja.

He explained that proposal was essential considering the fact that Abuja, is home to an ever increasing number of Nigerians who have made the Territory their homes.

According to him, of the 196 districts that make up the FCT, only 10 districts have been fully developed with infrastructure, 12 districts partially developed with 70 districts within the Federal Capital City undeveloped.

“We propose that a definitive constitutional provision be made to ensure adequate and unhindered funding of the FCT through the creation of an FCT Infrastructure Development Fund, OR through a 1st line charge on the funds of the Federation or some other acceptable arrangement”, he stressed.

Similarly, the Minister also made submissions to the Committee where he prayed for amendments to certain sections of the constitution, which will amongst others bring governance closer to the people.

While seeking amendment to SECTION 7 of the constitution, the Minister proposed the inclusion of a new sub section immediately after Section 7(5) to read as follows: A: (6)

The functions to be conferred by law upon the Area Councils may include those set out in the Fourth Schedule to this Constitution and, where so conferred, shall be performed outside the Federal Capital City (FCC) and such areas as may be designated from time to time by the Minister in charge of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja”.

He explained justification for the submission, is that “Section 7 (5) as presently constituted gives room for duplicity of roles, conflicts and mismatches in planning, provision of infrastructure and service delivery in the FCT.

He added that the proposed amendment, is aimed at addressing the aforementioned problems and achieving harmony between the FCTA and the Area Councils.

According to him, the Area Councils are entitled to their Constitutional mandates. However, they should do that outside the Federal Capital City (FCC) and, as a matter of expediency, collaborate with the FCT Administration, to ensure harmony in the development of infrastructure and provision of amenities.

He noted that collaboration between the FCT Administration

and the Area Councils, is necessary because the Federal Capital Territory is a planned modern project with a centralized planning system, cohesive infrastructural coordinates and interconnected engineering designs.

In proposing amendments to section 301 of the Constitution, the Minister submitted that Section 301(c) to read: “References to persons, offices and authorities of a State were references to the persons, offices, and authorities of the Federal Capital Territory Administration with like status, designations, and powers, respectively.

“The proposed amendment will enable the Federal Capital Territory functionaries to assume the statutory roles assigned to certain Government functionaries under the Federal Capital Territory applicable laws as contained in the Schedule of the Federal Capital Territory Act”.

Equally, in his submission, the FCT Minister also proposed an amendment to the First Schedule Part 2 of the Constitution which is “Amend Area Council Headquarters for Abuja Municipal from Garki to a town outside the Federal Capital City.

From left;..Ag Secretary, Health and Human Services Secretariat, D Muhammed Kawu, Chief of staff to the FCT Minister, Malam Bashir Mai- Bornu, FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello and Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola displaying their vaccination cards after taking the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in Abuja yesterday Photo: Mahmud Isa

COVID19 vaccine: MM Bello, top FCTA Staff receive 2nd jabs

By Stanley Onyekwere

Ahmed commissions OAGF Eye Clinic, reaffirms support for Treasury

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, has commissioned an ultra modern eye care facility at the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and reiterated her support for the Federal Treasury.

The Director, Information, Press and Public Relations,

OAGF, Henshaw Ogubike in a statement said, Ahmed, who commended the Accountant General of the Federation for his foresight in providing various basic healthcare and welfare facilities at the Treasury House, noted that the eye care facility is a very important addition to the list.

The Minister, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties in the Ministry, Alhaji

Aliyu Shehu Shinkafi, expressed optimism that with the eye care facility now available at the staff clinic, maximum healthcare is assured for the staff of the Federal Treasury.

In his remarks at the commissioning of the eye clinic, the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris FCNA, said the provision of the eye care facility confirmed the priority that is attached to welfare of Federal

Treasury staff and is in tandem with government’s aspiration to improve the quality of life of Nigerians through healthy living. idris noted that the eye care facility, which will provide eye care services at subsidized price for staff, is a milestone development in the history of the Federal Treasury. He urged staff to take advantage of the services provided at the eye facility.

The Treasury House eye care

facility, known as Rachel Eye Centre, was initiated last year due to numerous requests by staff of the Treasury House. The facility, which will provide wide range of eye care services for staff, will be managed by Rachel Eye Centre in a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) arrangement with the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

T

he FCT Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello yesterday led other top FCTA staff to take their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine, almost three months after taken their first doses of the vaccine.

In particular, Bello who the first to be administered with the second dose of the vaccine, in the evening at the FCTA Secretariat in Area 11, was immediately followed by the Permanent Secretary of FCT Administration, Olusade Adesola, his Chief of Staff, Mallam Bashir Mai-Bornu, Acting Secretary

of the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS), Dr. Mohammed Kawu.

Speaking after receiving his jab, the Minister, expressed pleasure that from March 11 till date, when the FCT Administration rolled out its vaccination programme against COVID19, a substantial number of people, have been vaccinated with 98% of the doses allocated to the FCT. He added that during the last few days, those who got the first jab have been taking their second one.

His words: “ I took my second dose of vaccination

against COVID19. I recall that I took the first jab on Thursday, 11th of March, 2021, and according to the health regulations, after twelve weeks I would have been due for the second injection (jab), which I took now (yesterday).

“Even though we are testing massively, but the incidences of positive cases have been coming low. But the fact that we have taken the vaccine, and a lot of our citizens have been inoculated or vaccinated doesn’t mean that we should loose our guard.

“Let’s continue to work very hard and pray to God almighty

to continue to protect the FCT from COVID19. And I assure you that with the support of the very dedicated workers of the Health Secretariat, we will continue to work to ensure that every resident of the FCT is protected against COVID19.”

He continues: “I will also continue to provide needed support in our hospital system, even if COVID19 is over, at least it has helped us to improve on our capacity for oxygen.

Already, our two oxygen plants have been almost concluded in rehabilitation.

“Going forward, I will appeal

to all of you especially those of you in the health Secretariat to continue to work hard like you have done, and maintain all the facility that have been established for the purpose of this pandemic, so as to ensure that we will be very prepared.

“I call upon all residents of the FCT, any opportunity that is brought forward to them, to be vaccinated, please let them get vaccinated, because unless we get substantial number of our population fully vaccinated to the level whereby we can say the incidence of this particular disease have been conquered”.

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world news

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

Benjamin Netanyahu calls to block Israel’s newly formed coalition

M

r Netanyahu called on right-wing members of parliament to block the coalition from taking office.

Eight opposition parties reached an agreement to work together to form a new government late on Wednesday.

But the group, from across Israel’s political spectrum, still needs parliamentary backing to take office.

No date has so far been set for such a vote in the Knesset (parliament). But it is expected to take place next week at the latest, and there is still a chance this newly formed coalition could be upended by defections.

In his first comments since the coalition was announced, Mr Netanyahu urged members of the Knesset “elected by votes from the right” to oppose the coalition.

In a post on Twitter, he criticised them as “left-wing” and “dangerous”. He has previously called the proposed new government the “fraud of the century”, saying it endangered the state and people of Israel.

Observers have already noted that Mr Netanyahu - who failed to form his own coalition despite his Likud party winning the most seats in the March vote - is likely to try to prevent the group getting the support it needs.

News of a fresh coalition emerged late on Wednesday, when Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party, called President Reuven Rivlin to let him know that agreement had been reached.

He pledged to form a government which would “work in the service of all Israeli citizens... respect its opponents and do everything in its power to unite and connect all parts of Israeli society”.

However, Mr Lapid will not become prime minister immediately. Under a rotation arrangement, the head of the right-wing Yamina party, Naftali Bennett, would serve as prime minister first before handing over to Mr Lapid in August 2023.

The coalition members span the full spectrum of Israeli politics with little in common apart from their plan to replace Mr Netanyahu.

For the first time in decades, the government will include an Israeli Arab party.

An image carried on Israeli media showed Mr Lapid, Mr Bennett and Mansour Abbas, leader of the Arab Islamist Raam party, signing the agreement, a deal many thought impossible.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter The other five parties included in the

The right-wing Yamina party’s Naftali Bennett (left) and Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party, after reaching an agreement agreement are: • Labor (social-democratic) - led by • Kahol Lavan (Blue and White) Merav Michaeli (seven) (centrist) - led by Benny Gantz (eight) • New Hope (centre-right to right• Israel Beiteinu (centre-right to right- wing)- led by Gideon Sa’ar (six) wing nationalist) - led by Avigdor Lieberman • Meretz (left-wing, social-democratic) (seven) - led by Nitzan Horowitz (six)

By Lu Yanan, People’s Daily ecently, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) directly under the central government of China displayed their innovations in high-end equipment manufacturing at an exhibition held in Beijing at the headquarters of China Railway Group Limited (CREC), showing that China’s calling card of smart manufacturing shines even brighter.

China State Construction exhibited a prototype of its smart jacking platform, the first of its kind in the world, which caught the eyes of many visitors. The smart jacking platform, which is about four and a half stories high, has a bearing capacity of 2,000 tons and is able to withstand 14-degree hurricanes. It allows constructors to work aloft smoothly and complete a structural layer within three days.

China National Building Material Group Co., Ltd. (CNBM) brought to the exhibition silicon nitride ceramic ball bearings. The black ball bearings, which look like ordinary glass marbles, have broken the monopoly of foreign companies on precision bearing rollers for high-end equipment. They have replaced imported ball bearings in engines, precision

machine tools, and large-scale medical instruments.

The CREC exhibited a huge hard rock tunnel boring machine (TBM) developed and built by it. With an excavation diameter of 15.03 meters, the TBM is equivalent to a fivestorey building in length.

At present, the TBM is playing a crucial role in the construction of the Kvesheti-Kobi road in Georgia, improving the efficiency of construction by three times.

SOEs in China are focusing their efforts on smart manufacturing to reform, optimize and upgrade industrial technologies, and drive the transformation from “Made in China” to “Created in China”, speed-orientated to quality-orientated, and from improving products to brands.

Many Chinese SOEs have broken through their bottlenecks and improved weak links by leveraging smart manufacturing.

China General Technology (Group) Holding Co., Ltd., or Genertec, has seen major progress in the manufacturing technology of high-precision horizontal machine tools. The positioning accuracy and repetitive positioning

Benjamin Netanyahu (pictured in March) says the new coalition is ‘dangerous’

If the coalition fails to win the support of a majority in the 120-seat Knesset, there is a risk of a fifth election in two years. All eight parties were needed to secure the 61-seat majority.

No rational political enemy of Benjamin Netanyahu can underestimate his ruthlessness and absolute determination to hold on to office.

Until a new government with a new prime minister is sworn in, he will do all he can to stop it.

If he found himself leader of the opposition, he would do all he could to destabilise a coalition with a wafer-thin majority that would be trying to span the entire Israeli spectrum, from the nationalist right to the liberal left. All that unites them is their desire to remove him from office.

However loudly he complains, the likelihood is that he is leaving office. In the end his defeat was sealed not by left-wing opponents but by fellow right-wingers he has made into enemies by his ruthless, high-handed tactics.

No-one should expect big, new initiatives from a new government. Just surviving the onslaught Mr Netanyahu is undoubtedly planning will be a full-time job. His opponents will be hoping that his fall will continue in the Jerusalem courthouse where he is already on trial on serious corruption charges.

Reaction to the agreement has been mixed.

According to news agency AFP, other parties representing Israeli Arabs - who make up 20% of the population - have said they will oppose a government led by Mr Bennett, who rejects the concept of a Palestinian state.

Meanwhile, right-wing politicians have also voiced concerns. “The left is celebrating but it is a very sad day for the State of Israel,” Miki Zohar, a prominent Likud member wrote on Twitter, saying the right-wing parties in the coalition “should be ashamed”.

But elsewhere there was jubilation.

Protesters who had been demanding Mr Netanyahu’s resignation danced in the street.

Some were just relieved at the prospect of an end to the political turmoil which has seen Israel hold four elections in just two years as politicians struggled to find someone to unite behind.

“I think that the political situation has been deadlocked for too long,” protester Zvi Yosef told Reuters news agency. “We have to try something new, even though it’s a little bit scary and there’s a lot of unknowns. But at the moment, I don’t see any other option.”

Source: BBC

China’s smart manufacturing bears rich fruits

R

accuracy of its linear axis have reached 3 microns and 1.5 microns, respectively.

The CNBM has continuously invested in high modulus graphite, and taken the lead in realizing key technological breakthroughs in dry jet wet spinning technique and independent production of core equipment, becoming a qualified supplier of home-made large aircraft.

In addition, China’s SOEs have continuously heightened independent innovation in machine tools, high-end chips, basic software, new materials, and other weak links in industry, and allocated talents, resources, and advanced equipment to priority tasks for more and bigger breakthroughs.

Smart manufacturing has helped SOEs effectively improve product quality and their business performance. China First Heavy Industries (CFHI) has gained independent intellectual property rights on manufacturing technologies of Generation III reactors and pressure vessels, and developed an extralarge forge-welded hydrogenation reactor. The application of its reactor at home helps cut the import price of relevant foreign products by 75 percent.

By tapping into digitalization of R&D and developing more intelligent and higherend products, the CRRC Corporation Limited (CRRC) has launched a number of representative works including the high-quality high-speed trains for the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway and the Beijing-Xiong’an intercity railway.

Smart manufacturing has added glamour to the brand image of Chinese enterprises. Since last year, many key projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) have made progress despite the COVID-19 epidemic, including the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail in Indonesia, the China-Laos railway and the Padma Bridge in Bangladesh.

The CREC, China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC), China Communications Construction and other central SOEs involved in BRI projects have made China’s smart manufacturing known by more people in the world.

The CREC’s shield machines have been adopted in a metro project in Paris, signifying the entry of China’s shield machines into top global high-end market.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

Thousands demand justice for Khartoum protest dead

T

housands of people in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, have been marching to demand justice for those killed in anti-government protests two years ago.

Security forces closed the main roads leading to the army headquarters ahead of the demonstration.

Campaigners say at least 128 people were killed in June 2019 when armed men violently dispersed a protest camp outside the headquarters.

The crowd had been there for weeks, calling for civilian rule after the ousting of Sudan’s President, Omar al-Bashir.

Eritrean troops ‘begin withdrawing’ from Tigray

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N EWS F R O M A F R I C A

The United African Republic Nigeria’s proposed new name

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hat is someone from the United African Republic called? Uranium or Urea?

The answer is keeping many Nigerians awake as they chew over a proposal to change the name of the country.

For two weeks, federal lawmakers have been traversing the country collating citizens’ views to amend the constitution.

The idea was to gather suggestions for amendments such as electoral reforms and the system of government.

But citizen Adeleye Jokotoye, a tax consultant, dropped something of a bombshell at the hearing in Lagos.

He wants the name of the country changed as it was an imposition by Nigeria’s past colonial masters.

The name Nigeria was suggested in the late

19th Century by British journalist Flora Shaw, who would later marry the British colonial administrator Lord Frederick Lugard.

It is derived from the River Niger which enters the country from the north-west and flows down to the Niger Delta where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean through its many tributaries.

But Mr Jokotoye wants the name changed and his choice of United African Republic to reflect the hundreds of ethnic groups that comprise the country - has blown a storm.

These Twitter users have a theory where the idea for United African Republic, or UAR, came from: As if he knew that some of his compatriots would not be impressed by his choice, Mr Jokotoye came armed with an alternative - the United Alkebulan Republic

(meaning: United Mother of Mankind Republic), which quite frankly doesn’t sound as pan-African as the first, but does have the same initials.

He also made other suggestions for the constitution, such as proposing amendments to the structure of governance, and taxation control - but for some reason these have not excited the popular imagination in the same way.

In the coming weeks as lawmakers sift through the bags of suggestions from Nigerians, no-one is sure what other ideas will bubble out.

But it is unlikely that we will see a United African Republic on these shores.

Which is a shame, as I quite like the idea of being addressed as a Uranium - it has a powerful ring to it.

E

thiopia has said that troops from neighbouring Eritrea involved in the war in Tigray have started to pull out of the country as international calls for an end to hostilities and unfettered humanitarian access continue to grow.

Billene Seyoum, the spokeswoman for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, said reports from the defence ministry indicate they had begun withdrawing.

Ethiopia had previously denied that Eritrean forces were in the country, but in March Mr Abiy admitted they were there and said they would start leaving.

The seven-month-old conflict in Tigray has seen all those involved, including Eritrean soldiers, accused of gross rights violations such as rape and extrajudicial killings.

Talking to journalists, Ms Billene denied allegations that people were being deliberately starved of food. She said the government was working to provide emergency food aid with several agencies, including the UN’s World Food Programme.

She alleged that Ethiopia was under an orchestrated diplomatic attack and accused the West of being “condescending in nature, often patronising in tone, belligerent in approach and destructive in the outcome”.

Close to two million people have fled their homes since conflict broke out last year while millions are in need of humanitarian assistance.

UN to take ‘pro-active approach’ to avert South Sudan war

T

he new head of the UN’s mission in South Sudan (Unmiss), Nicholas Haysom, has pledged that the force will do more to protect civilians and prevent a return to civil war.

In April, a panel of UN experts warned that following numerous outbreaks of inter-ethnic conflict and the failure by the former warring parties to fully implement the revitalised peace agreement, there was the risk of a return to a large-scale conflict

in South Sudan.

“We are rebalancing our military peacekeepers to take on a more robust and proactive approach to the protection of civilians,” Mr Haysom told journalists in South Sudan’s capital, Juba.

“We are deploying troops to conflict hotspots, setting up temporary bases and intensifying patrols to deter conflicts.”

President Salva Kiir and his former archrival, Riek Machar, now First Vice-President,

signed a peace deal in September 2018 ending five years of conflict. They formed a unity government in February last year, but insecurity is still rife across the country.

Mr Haysom also said that while some important progress had been made, the “peace remains fragile”.

He urged the parties to take courageous decisions, including the completion of the unification of security forces, in order to safeguard the peace.

udan is reviewing a agreement with Russia to build a naval base in the country’s Red Sea coast.

General Mohamed Othman alHussein said on Wednesday that they had held talks with a delegation from Russia “to review the deal to serve

Sudan’s interests”.

“If the agreement achieves gains for us and meets Russia’s interests, there’s no problem,” the military chief told the country’s Blue Nile TV. The military chief also noted that the deal was signed under the government of

former President Omar al-Bashir, who was ousted from power in 2019.

Russian authorities said they had seen the comments and were in contact with Sudan on the issue - and hoped it could resolve the situation, the Reuters news agency reported.

In November, Russia President Vladimir Putin approved the creation of a Russian naval facility - its first military base in Africa.

The facility would have been big enough for four warships and 300 personnel.

here’s a new kind of music from South Africa that’s got everyone talking.

It’s called Amapiano and it evolved from the country’s deep house and jazz music scene.

Radio host Boipelo in Johannesburg says it’s great music to dance to without breaking too much sweat.

She says people “have found their identity

in this music”. She says its “trajectory” has grown over the past five years - and now it “can be heard everywhere”.

For South African music star Focalistic, it’s the “many aspects of Amapiano” that make it good to work with.

He says you can break down the many chords, “it can be Grimey and it can really sound gangsta - or you can sound like you’re

making sweet music”.

At the core of its popularity, he says, is dance - and that’s why it’s taken off all over Africa.

Focalistic started his career as a hip-hop artist, and he told me this was a difficult genre of music to express himself in because he had to use English.

But with Amapiano, he says, he uses his

own language and that for too long “they put Hollywood in our face”.

He’s also been collaborating with artists from other countries, like Nigeria’s Davido.

For Focalistic, this collaboration will “always boost a song”.

In this edition of Africa Daily, I’m asking: could Amapiano be the sound of the year?

Sudan reviewing military deal with Russia

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Is Amapiano the sound of the year?

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

Greater Bay Area, a unique blend of rapid development and downshifting lifestyle

By Cheng Long, People’s Daily

I

n Shenzhen Bay Park, south China’s Guangdong province, visitors are wandering and enjoying splendid views of blossoming flower, while kilometers away, groups of tower cranes stand on the Shenzhen Bay Super Headquarters Base, erecting skyrocketing modern buildings.

The two completely different worlds along the Shenzhen Bay, which are totally compatible with each other, make a sharp contrast between a fairly laid-back lifestyle and an intense tempo of work, revealing the secrets to how the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, also known as the Greater Bay Area, has made itself one of the most vibrant bay areas in the world.

The development speed of Shenzhen once astonished the world, as the completion of every storey of the city’s Guomao Building, also known as the International Foreign Trade Centre, took merely three days. Today, such speed is prevalent in the whole Greater Bay Area.

As landmark projects, such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, have opened to traffic, it only takes half an hour to drive from Hong Kong to Zhuhai and Macao, and the travel time between Hong Kong and Guangzhou is also shortened to less than an hour.

The Greater Bay area is also attracting entrepreneurs for its favorable business environment and high efficiency. The registration of companies there only takes less than a day, and over 90 percent of tax

administration affairs can be handled online.

Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cooperation Zone for Technology and Innovation, located in Futian district of Shenzhen, is an area of only 3.89 square kilometers. However, it has attracted and implemented 138 projects, becoming a new innovation driver of the Greater Bay Area.

Rapid development brings more opportunities. In Shenzhen’s Nansha district, CIC², an incubator for young entrepreneurs, houses 74 entrepreneur teams from Hong Kong and Macao; in Qianhai, the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation

and Entrepreneur Hub has nurtured 356 entrepreneur teams with a total financing amount of more than 1.5 billion yuan ($234.9 million); in Zhuhai’s Hengqin, the HengqinMacao Youth Entrepreneurship Valley has incubated 433 projects and introduced 50 high-tech firms.

Seeing such rapid development, emerging opportunities and continuously released dividends, more and more young entrepreneurs are joining the construction of the Greater Bay Area.

What the Greater Bay Area boasts includes not only the rapid development, but also a

By Zhong Sheng t’s a common sense to leave tricky jobs to the professionals. However, some U.S. politicians and media outlets are acting as back-seat drivers on the studies of origin tracing of COVID-19, a serious and complicated scientific issue, trying to interfere in the process with political prejudices and distort facts with lies fabricated for political conspiracies.

The U.S., which is a science power, chooses to stand on the opposite side of science and is shamelessly selling the so-called “lab leak theory.” Such ridiculous practice seriously disturbs international cooperation on the COVID-19 origin tracing, poisons global antipandemic cooperation, and undermines the common interests of all mankind.

The origin tracing of the virus is important, complicated and sensitive, which must be handled in a professional, impartial and constructive manner. It should be conducted according to science and led by the World Health Organization (WHO), based on worldwide studies and researches by scientists and medical experts. It should be free from political interference, respect

the sovereign equality of nations and avoid a presumption of guilt. All countries closely related to the virus should be covered by field missions.

The whole process should be open, transparent, objective and rational.

The goal of origin tracing is to help the world better understand this kind of virus and deal more effectively with major infectious diseases in the future, and the efforts shall bolster the ability of the UN system to perform its mandate, strengthen international solidarity and cooperation, and improve the system and capacity for global governance in the area of public health.

Respecting facts and science, China became the first country to carry out joint research on the origin of the virus with the WHO, displaying its attitude with concrete actions. The two sides jointly formulated the China part of a global plan for scientific cooperation on origin tracing.

Earlier this year, a 34-member WHO-China joint expert team carried out a 28-day research mission in Wuhan. Foreign experts on the team highly evaluated China’s openness, transparency and responsibility, with one of them saying that

he had visited all the places he wanted to go and met with all the people he wanted to see.

They said China’s openness was unexpected and the outcome beyond expectation. They also denounced the reports by some U.S. media outlets which said the expert team failed to acquire original data in Wuhan, saying these reports were distorting facts and disappointing.

The results of the WHO-China joint study on COVID-19 origins are objective, science-based and authoritative, and are able to withstand the test of history. In a 120-page report, the joint expert team said COVID-19 introduction through an intermediate host is “likely to very likely,” introduction through cold/food chain products is “possible,” and introduction through a laboratory incident is “extremely unlikely.”

Based on this scientific conclusion, Peter K. Ben Embarek, leader of the international team of experts to Wuhan, pointed out that future virus origin-tracing missions will no longer be focused on lab leak.

The platitudes of the groundless “lab leak theory” employed by some U.S. politicians and media outlets will only humiliate themselves.

downshifting lifestyle of its people, which is mirrored by the increasing numbers of lakes, wetlands, and parks emerging there.

Nantou ancient town on Shennan East Road, Shenzhen is ruins of a battalion in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Outside of it is modernity, while inside there are remains of city walls, local bureaucrat residence, and memorial arches. Western-style buildings on the sides of the streets in the ancient town accommodate both internet-famous shops and time-honored stores. The town is now a popular destination for local residents on holidays and weekends. It is an epitome of a high-quality lifestyle that is gradually taking shape in the Greater Bay Area, glittering with its unique charm in a blend of history and modernity.

So far, 158 black and stinky water bodies, and 1,467 micro black and stinky water bodies in the city have been purified, and the water quality of 310 rivers improved. As home to over 1,200 parks, Shenzhen is nicknamed “a city in a park.” In Xinhui district, Jiangmen, Guangdong province, a 400-year-old banyan is standing like a big forest, serving as a rest place for over 30,000 egrets. Thanks to the joint efforts made by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, Cantonese opera has been listed as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage item. All of this is injecting vitality to the development of the Greater Bay Area and passing on the traditional culture of the region.

“The intense tempo of work means more opportunities, while the downshifting lifestyle means higher quality of life. That’s exactly why the Greater Bay Area attracts me,” said a young man from Hong Kong who has just settled in Shenzhen for work.

Origin tracing of COVID-19 calls for respect to science

I

American epidemiologist Hume Field pointed out that politicizing science just generates “doubt” and “mistrust.” “So please park your prejudice and your dated cultural imperialism,” he once said on Twitter when refuting a report by Western media.

There is no place for “unsubstantiated rumor, or conspiracy theories often fueled for political purposes” when it comes to COVID-19 origin tracing, noted Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust.

A WHO expert compared the origin tracing to a complex puzzle, and the work of the joint expert team in Wuhan was just a small part of it. Apart from Wuhan, WHO experts shall also begin researches as early as possible in other places of the world that could possibly be the origins of the virus, so as to get a more comprehensive, objective and science-based answer. Any deviation from the scientific spirit during the origin tracing is irresponsible for history and mankind.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used

by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy.)

U.S. only brings harms by making COVID-19 origin sourcing a thing of CIA

By Zhong Sheng

T

he White House recently released a socalled statement on the investigation into the origins of COVID-19. In the statement, which is a little more than 300 words, “Intelligence Community” (IC) is mentioned six times, but no trace of “science” is found.

The so-called statement signaled one point that the U.S. is trying to make origin tracing of COVID-19 a thing of the CIA. Some U.S. politicians are disappointed as the so-called “lab leak theory” has been denied by the WHO and the international science community. That’s why they are placing their hope on the intelligence community, trying to answer a science question with political means, so that they can continue blaming China. They’d

rather believe the so-called intelligence report which is neither professional nor transparent, than trust authoritative and objective research results. How absurd it is!

It was not the first time for the U.S. intelligence community to make a lie. In 2003, the CIA accused Iraq of creating weapons of mass destruction and ignited flames of war in the innocent country. What followed were numerous deaths of civilians and collapses of families. However, facts proved that the socalled intelligence was cooked by the U.S., and the so-called evidence was merely a bottle of detergent.

Besides, Washington also launched air strikes on Syria, saying relevant intelligence showed that the Syrian government had employed chemical weapons. But the fact was that the Syria Civil Defence, sponsored by

the U.S. and the West, faked a video of Syria launching a chemical attack.

U.S. intelligence organizations are totally immoral. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who once served as the director of the CIA, once revealed the inside story of American intelligence agencies, saying “We lied, we cheated, we stole…We had entire training courses. It reminds you of the glory of the American experiment.”

Today, by making origin tracing of COVID-19 a thing of the CIA, some U.S. politicians are just trying to trap other countries. They believe such brainwashing could make people buy the so-called “lab leak theory” and stigmatize China, but they underestimated people’s intelligence.

Financial Times, citing multiple incumbent and former U.S. officials, noted that the U.S.

intelligence community is far from reaching anything that is called even a halfway firm conclusion. As a matter of fact, a “definitive conclusion” is still far off, but some politicians in the U.S. Congress just can’t wait to see China being held accountable for the pandemic.

Origin tracing shall be done by scientists, not intelligence agents; it shall adhere to justice, not a presumption of guilt; it shall pursue cooperation, not confrontation.

The U.S., ordering its intelligence community to investigate into the origin of the virus out of political targets, will only hurt international cooperation on COVID-19 origin tracing, which is exactly a practice that needs to be investigated into.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy.)

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

PAGE 25

ENVIRONMENT Group urge FG to compel shell to clean massive pollution

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

C

ivil society groups in Nigeria have urged the Federal government to compel Shell to clean up the massive pollution its extractive activities have created in the Niger Delta and cautioned that the company’s plans to move offshore is only targeted at evading the scrutiny that its onshore activities have attracted.

Three organisations – Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), and the Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/ FoEN) made this demand following reports that Shell is in talks with the Nigerian government to sell its stake in onshore oilfields.

Shell Chief Executive Officer, Ben van Beurden, had announced last week at the oil company’s annual general meeting in The Hague, Netherlands, that the company has struggled for years with spills in the Niger Delta because of pipeline theft and sabotage as well as operational issues.

Beurden had remarked that Shell cannot solve community problems in the Niger Delta, and added that, “that is for the Nigerian government perhaps to solve”.

But in a joint statement issued in Lagos, the three organisations described the Shell plan as a clear abdication of responsibility for years of ecocide in the Niger Delta and expressed worry that the Nigerian government will be setting a wrong precedent if it allows Shell to move offshore without addressing the grave environmental imprints its extraction has caused in the Niger Delta region.

Besides attempting to dodge responsibility over their onshore mess, Shell is attracted to offshore extraction because oil companies pay less, and sometimes zero, royalties to Nigeria on wells in deeper waters.

The move to extend exploitation with impunity for higher profits is unacceptable.

The groups however noted that this is the time for Nigeria to diversify and transition from oil/gas rather than allow Shell and her cohorts to set their eyes on more polluting activities offshore.

Director of HOMEF, Nnimmo Bassey said: “We never expected less from a company that has ridden roughshod on the environment and people of the Niger Delta while raking in blood profits. From Ogoni to Ikarama to Ikot Ada Udo and Ejama-Ebubu, the footprints that Shell wants to run away from are open wounds that cannot be healed by evading responsibility”.

He insisted that Shell’s operations have been a vicious cycle of reckless extraction, pollution and environmental degradation, utter disregard for the people, and brazen attempts to place the blame on the same people it has inflicted pains on.

Executive Director of CAPPA, Akinbode Oluwafemi said: “We are not deceived by the media whitewash on the reasons for Shell’s so-called divestment. Shell must own up to the onshore mess.

Offshore operations mean aquatic

life will suffer and our fishers will make fewer catch. It means we will have more dead fish littering our shorelines. Ultimately, it will only expose the incapacity of the Nigerian government to track pollutions.

“What we demand is accountability and the Nigerian government owes the impacted people of the Niger Delta the responsibility of making Shell do that”.

Acting Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, Chima Williams said: “It is simply unacceptable and wishful thinking for Shell to even think it could escape liability from the mess it has created in the Niger Delta.

The landmark ruling of the Dutch court against Shell in favour of the Niger Delta farmers in January 2021 and the UK court ruling in February affirming the rights of communities to sue even in European courts have opened vistas of opportunities that communities will exploit to hold Shell accountable.”

“Shell is going nowhere without cleaning up and paying up. The era of impunity is over”.

The groups urged communities that have been impacted by Shell’s operations to remain undeterred in their quest for justice, citing the January 29, 2021 landmark Dutch court ruling ordering Shell to compensate for oil spills in two villages over a decade ago as example to show victory will certainly come even if it is delayed. It urged the communities to explore legal tools such as the Liability Roadmap launched in 2020 to hold Shell to the task.

“There is no hiding place from the mess that Shell has created. It must not only own up, but it must also clean up and pay up. We are undeterred in our quest to bring Shell to justice”, they insisted.

Chairman , National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa (Rtd) (middle), flanked by the Chairperson, Women Youth Children Crime Organization (WYCO), Mrs Farida Waziri (right) and the member of the organization, Dr. Dayo Kusa (left), during the WYCO members courtesy visit to the NDLEA cooperate Headquarters in partnership for drugs abuse free Nigeria , yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Buhari approves national climate change policy for Nigeria

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has approved the revised National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) and the National Climate Change Programmes for Nigeria during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held yesterday.

This was contained in statement signed and issued by the Director press, Saghir el Mohammed said speaking on the development, the Minister of Environment, Dr Muhammad Abubakar explained that the new Policy document captures updates of emerging issues in the sectors not reflected in the

previous policy.

These, according to him, include “the inclusion of the Paris Agreement, signed by Mr. President in 2015 and Gender mainstreaming, which he said are very relevant to national response to climate change”.

Dr Abubakar further disclosed that the new National Policy on Climate Change with its programmatic plan of action is expected to run through 20212030.

“The objective of the new policy is to implement mitigation measures and promote lowcarbon, high-growth economic development and also strengthen adaptation towards a sustainable

climate resilient development Pathway.

“The National Climate Change programmes document compliments the National Policy by identifying measures and actions that will be implemented in a programmatic manner to address most, if not all, of the challenges posed by climate change and climate vulnerability in the country.

The Minister thanked the President for approving the policy document and for his unparalleled commitment to climate change issues and concerns that earned him global recognition.

HOMEF, CAPPA, ERA/FoEN hail court ruling against Shell

… Encourages more groups to sue oil companies

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

T

he Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) and the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) have hailed the court ruling against Shell in The Hague in a climate change case brought by several groups including Friends of the Earth Netherlands.

The landmark ruling mandates Shell to reduce its carbon emissions throughout its supply chain (including its suppliers and customers) by 45% as compared to 2019 levels by the end of 2030.

The ruling comes amidst the immense global pressure the company is facing to set short, medium, and long-term emissions targets that are consistent with the Paris Agreement.

The lawsuit was filed in April 2019 by seven activist groups —Friends of the Earth Netherlands, Greenpeace, Both ENDS, Fossielvrij Netherlands, ActionAid, Jongeren Milieu Actief and the Waddenvereniging— on behalf of 17,200 Dutch citizens.

In a joint statement issued in Lagos, HOMEF, CAPPA and ERA/FoEN welcomed the judgement and revealed that Shell knew for several decades that their activities were responsible for global warming, putting people and the planet at grave risk, but continued to deny and live in denial.

Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation, Nnimmo Bassey said: “We expected nothing less. The court at The Hague rightly held that Shell’s plan to cut emissions by 20% by 2030 relative to 2016 levels was measly and grossly inadequate. Even worse is the fact that the so-called cut was to put them on the path to achieving “net zero” status by 2050.”

Bassey explained that “Net zero” does not mean ending of emissions; It simply means Shell would continue polluting and merely carry out some activities that assume to absorb some of the carbons they emit using mathematical formulations.

The court apparently did not buy such shenanigans and demanded a cut of 45% of their emissions compared to 2019 levels.

Executive Director of CAPPA, Akinbode Oluwafemi said: “The Dutch ruling is a clear and an unmistakable warning to oil companies that believe they can deny climate change and keep engaging in destructive exploitation of fossil resources across Africa and elsewhere.

Shell thought it could pollute in the Niger Delta and other communities in the global south and enjoy immunity in the global north. Obviously, the company was wrong. Judgement day has already begun for Shell.”

Oluwafemi added that the ruling will further embolden impacted communities that have long sought justice to look to the courts for reprieve against Shell and other oil companies perpetrating ecocide on African soil and elsewhere in the global south.

Acting Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, Chima Williams said: “The landmark Dutch court ruling is heartwarming because it reinforces our conviction that the tragedy of the Niger Delta must be nipped in the bud without delay.

“Shell must not dream of running into the deep offshore in the Niger Delta, dodging

responsibility for over six decades of its onshore pollutions and stereotyping of the locals.

Cutting their emissions as demanded by the Dutch Court is a first step, they must also clean up their mess in the Niger Delta and restore the environment to its pristine.

The future of fossil fuels investment is fast becoming history.”

This is the time to wake up from the deadly fossil fuel revenue dreams. As the African proverb says, those who burn their father’s house inherit the ashes.

We are at a pivotal moment in time. It is a time for urgent transition from fossil fuels dependency rather than not trap needed resources in stranded assets.

The case is the first in which activists have taken a major energy firm to court to compel it to overhaul its climate strategy.

In January, some Niger Delta farmers also secured a win against Shell.

“The court has ruled. Oil companies and governments must listen,” the groups insisted.

PAGE 26

F E A T U R E

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

Tokyo Olympic Games: When are they and will they go ahead despite Covid?

T okyo 2020 president Seiko Hashimoto is “100%” certain the Games will go ahead, despite a state of emergency in the city.

When and where are the Olympics?

The 2020 Summer Olympic Games are scheduled to take place in the Japanese capital between 23 July and 8 August. The Paralympic Games are between 24 August and 5 September.

They were postponed last year because of Covid.

The Olympics involve 33 competitions and 339 events, held across 42 venues. The Paralympics feature 539 events, across 22 sports, at 21 venues.

Most are in the Greater Tokyo area. Some football games and the marathon are in Sapporo in Hokkaido, which also has a state of emergency.

What’s happening with Covid in Japan?

Japan has had relatively low numbers of Covid cases. There have been about 750,000 cases and 13,200 deaths.

But a new wave of infections began in April and some areas face restrictions until 20 June.

Japan only began vaccinating people in February, later than most other developed nations. So far, only about 3.6m people - or 3% of the Japanese population - are fully vaccinated.

In Tokyo and Osaka, the two cities hit hardest by the surge, authorities hope over-65s will be fully vaccinated by the end of July.

What Covid measures are in place for the Olympics?

Japan’s borders are shut to foreigners, so no international fans can travel to the games.

Organisers will wait until after a state of emergency in Tokyo ends on 19 June to decide whether local fans can attend.

International athletes and support staff will be tested before departure and on arrival in Japan.

They won’t have to quarantine, but must stay in bubbles and avoid mixing with locals.

Athletes don’t have to be

“

Mass vaccinations have only just started in Japan

Many people in Japan are against the Olympics vaccinated, though IOC officials expect around 80% will be.

The 2020 Summer Olympic Games are scheduled to take place in the Japanese capital between 23 July and 8 August. The Paralympic Games are between 24 August and 5 September.

They were postponed last year because of Covid.

The Olympics involve 33 competitions and 339 events, held across 42 venues. The Paralympics feature 539 events, across 22 sports, at 21 venues.

Participants will be tested for Covid daily.

Do people in Japan want the Olympics?

A recent poll in the leading Asahi Shimbun newspaper suggested more than 80% of the population want the Games either cancelled or postponed.

Several towns set to host the athletes have reportedly pulled out over fears it could spread Covid and put pressure on the healthcare system.

In May, a doctors’ union told the government it was “impossible” to hold the Games, given the pandemic - and the Asahi Shimbun called for them to be cancelled.

What have athletes’ representatives said?

A number of bodies and experts have expressed concern.

The World Players Association which represents 85,000 athletes in over 60 countries - said the IOC must do more to ensure athletes’ safety, with stricter physical distancing and more rigorous testing.

Japanese athletes have largely kept a low profile, but the country’s biggest sports star, tennis champion Naomi Osaka, said there should be a debate.

What have other countries said about taking part?

No major countries have spoken out against the Games.

The US issued a travel warning for Japan following the surge, but officials say they’re confident their athletes will take part.

Team GB remains “fully committed to sending our full team to the Tokyo Olympic Games”.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has also pledged his support. China is due to host the next Winter Games in February 2022.

Could the Olympics be cancelled?

Yes, but normally only under very exceptional circumstances like war or civil disorder.

The contract between the IOC and host city Tokyo makes it clear only the IOC can cancel the event.

The IOC is thought to make around 70% of its money from broadcast rights, and 18% from sponsorship. If the Games don’t go ahead, it could severely damage its finances, and the future of the Olympics.

Given that the IOC has repeatedly insisted the Games can go ahead safely, even under a state of emergency, it seems there’s little chance it will pull the plug.

If Tokyo was to break the contract and cancel, the risks and losses would fall on the Japanese side.

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THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.Adaju, Segun Solomon: Chairman 2.Asedeko, Funmilayo Mary: Secretary 3.Taiwo, Olajide 4.Olowo, Olasunkanmi Israel 5.Ovie-Binitie, Ebi Juliet 6.Odebunmi, Olukunle Olugbenga 7.Sojinrin, Olasimbo Olasubude THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1.To promote capacity building initiatives for startups and ventures through innovation and creativity.

2.To render vocational education services, skills acquisition, other interventions, provide basic educational materials to indigent students and other members of the society etc.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATEAFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE ZION PROPHETIC SPIRIT MINISTRY THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATEAFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC),ABUJAFOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Prophetess Onoja(JP) Blessing - CHAIRMAN 2.Tyozua Blessing Ngodoo - SECRETARY 3.Okonko Theresa Ijato 4.Onoja Ojoma 5.Gabriel Idankpo THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.TO PREACH, PROPAGATE AND REFORM PEOPLE THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT WITH PRINCIPLES THAT ARE BASED ON THE HOLY BIBLE 2.TO PROVIDE PRAYERS AND MATERIAL ASSISTANCE TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE. 3.TO BUILD CHURCHES FOR THE FURTHERANCE OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST AND TO PROVIDE A SPIRITUAL ATMOSPHERE OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP UNTO THE LORD. 4.TO ESTABLISH INSTITUTES TO TRAIN MINISTERS AND CHURCH WORKERS FOR THE FURTHERANCE OF GOSPEL WORK WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY.

The Tokyo Olympics are due to start next month, despite a surge of Covid cases in Japan.

PAGE 27

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY. ADDRESS : No 1 Genabe welfare quarters makurdi, Benue state.

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THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.ABRAHAM PAUL AKOKHAMEN 2.ABRAHAM EJEHIOUANSE VICTORIA THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL OF JESUS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

VICTOR

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

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2. To promote the welfare and collective interest of members.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : Barr. Emmanuel Ihite 08034623385.

ZAINAB

I, formally known as VICTOR OKECHUKWU AKAMANAM now wish to be known and addressed as VICTOR OKECHUKWU IWUEZE. All former documents remain valid, banks and the general public should please take note.

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GOLD

MARTHA

I, formally known as ngozi gold udensi now wish to be known and addressed as GOLD NGOZI CHARLES. All former documents remain valid, banks and the general public should please take note.

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CLASSIFIED PUBLIC NOTICE

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AMAEKPU OHAFIA DEVELOPMENT UNION

EVANGEL SEMINARY OVOM 1 CLASS OF 2004 ALUMNI

MARTIN’S CHINEME MEMORIAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1KALU UCHE OKWARA 2 IDIKA OJO 3 DIKE NZE THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : To cater for the welfare of its members ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY

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THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1MOSES, EMMANUEL AMAEFULA 2 DURU NNAEMEKA 3 EKEOMA JAMES IKECHUKWU 4 ORAFU UCHE OGOCHUKWU 5 UGWUZOR CHIKA FRANK 6 EZEAGWULA CHIAMAKA GLORY 7KELECHI OKECHUKWU ARIWODO 8 IGWE AHAMEFULA NNEKA ROSEMOND THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1 TO CATER FOR THE WELFARE OF ITS MEMBERS 2 TO FOSTER RELATIONSHIP AMONG THE MEMBERS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATEAFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

The above named Association has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) for registration in accordance with the provisions of the Companies and Allied Matter Act. 1990 The Trustees are: (1) MR. MICHEAL CHIKWADO CHINEME - CHAIRMAN (2) MR. TONY CHIMAOBI CHINEME (3) MR. OLUWATOSIN AKINYEMI - SECRETARY. The Aims And Objectives: (1) PROMOTE PROPER PLAYERS’ WELFARE IN NIGERIA BY ENSURING THAT FOOTBALL GOVERNING BODIES AND CLUBS COMPLY WITH EXTANT CLUB LICENSING REGULATIONS AND NATIONAL LABOUR LAWS (2) TO SUPPORT THE CAREER OF PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR FOOTBALLERS IN NIGERIA THROUGH EDUCATION ON THEIR LABOUR RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES, HEALTH MANAGEMENT AND FINANCE MANAGEMENT. (3) PROMOTION OF ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMMES WHICH CAN HELP FORMULATE MORE LEGAL FRAMEWORK AND INSTITUTIONS, FOR THE PROTECTION OF PLAYERS’ INTERESTS. (4) PROVISION OF LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF PLAYERS’ LEGAL RIGHTS. (5) PROVISION OF GENERAL CAREER CONSULTANCY AND SUPPLY OF PERSONAL EQUIPMENT TO POOR FOOTBALLERS. Any objection therefore should beaddressed to the Registrar-general CorporateAffairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, offAguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, P.M.B 198, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED - SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

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KABIRU

EDO GOSPEL MINISTERS ASSOCIATION.

CANCER PATIENT SUPPORT INITIATIVE (CAPASI) .

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THE TRUSTEES ARE : (1) IDAYE JOEL ABUMERE - CHAIRMAN (2) EROMOSELE VICTOR OMOKHOM (3) IKAREUME FRED IMOISOBOME - SECRETARY. THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : (1) To preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED - SECRETARY.

The above named Association has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) for registration in accordance with the provisions of the Companies and Allied Matter Act. 1990 The Trustees are: (1) OBOMA OFEM IBOR (2) OBOMA BEATRICE IBOR (3) OBOMA DEBORAH KOTON (4) OBOMA NAOMI NTONGHA (5) ETENG BLESSING AKAMA (6) GOMWALK MICHAEL DECHI. The Aims And Objectives: (1) To empower cancer patients especially those who are not Engaged in any productive activity through post recovery training such as still acquisition to help them fit into the society and lead purposeful lives.

Any objection therefore should be addressed to the Registrar-general Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, P.M.B 198, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

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AUWALU I, formally known as awalu yussuf now wish to be known and addressed as auwalu Adam Yusuf. All former documents remain valid, banks and the general public should please take note.

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Sports

PEOPLES DAILY

PAGE 28

FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

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29

sports@peoplesdailyng.com, SMS- 08142929046

Eagles ready to extend unbeaten streak with Cameroon friendly today

By Albert Akota

T

he Super Eagles say they are determined to extend an unbeaten streak of five matches when they confront the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon at the Stadion Wiener Neustadt in the Austrian capital in an international friendly today evening.

Three –time African champions Nigeria have not lost a match since they were edged by the odd goal by reigning African champions Algeria in an international friendly also in Austria in October 2020.

Since then, they have drawn 1-1 with Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles in a friendly match; drawn 4-4 and 0-0 with Sierra Leone in back-to-back 2021 AFCON qualifying matches in November 2020; defeated Benin Republic 1-0 in Porto Novo in another 2021 AFCON qualifier and; walloped Lesotho 3-0 in the finale to the 2021 AFCON qualifying race in Lagos.

Defender Anthony Izuchukwu, who plays for Sparta Trnava of Slovakia, joined up with the Nigeria camp at the Hilton Garden Inn, Wiener Neustadt Osterreich on Wednesday, moving the needle on the number of players in camp to 21.

Both fierce rivals on the

Super Eagles African continent will again clash in a second game also at the Stadion Wiener Neustadt in Vienna on Tuesday.

Players in camp:

Goalkeepers: Maduka Okoye, Francis Uzoho, John Noble Defenders: William Ekong, Valentine Ozornwafor, Chidozie Awaziem, Anthony Izuchukwu,

Jamilu Collins Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo, Abdullahi Shehu, Abraham Marcus, Samson Tijani

Forwards: Ahmed Musa, Paul Onuachu, Alex Iwobi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Moses Simon, Anayo Iwuala, Terem Moffi, Peter Olayinka

Sports Minister launches Scholarship for Indigent Oyo Undergraduates

By Albert Akota

A

bout 120 youth who gathered to celebrate the 55th birthday anniversary of the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Chief Sunday Akin Dare, at his Akobo area residence in Ibadan have applauded his introduction of a scholarship scheme for Indigent Oyo State students.

It was a gathering like no other as issues around youth development took center-stage, overshadowing the birthday celebrations. The celebrationsturned -youth engagement excited the celebrant as he fielded questions from the youths and also enlightened them on the achievements of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.

He particularly laid emphasis on the Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) which

Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Chief Sunday Akin Dare, is one of the Initiatives of the Ministry.

Speaking at the occasion, the Minister said “The NYIF is aimed at essentially supporting entrepreneurship among the youth. Thousands of youth have

registered for this loan which will go a long way to boost Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) as well as encourage new business innovations.”

“Also, the Ministry has introduced the Graduate

Attachment Program (GAP) with its focal point on integrating fresh graduates into relevant jobs/skills in order to provide them with the necessary work experience(s) while they also receive stipend during the program.

At the end of this program, the beneficiaries will be enriched with the required work experience for other larger roles in the public and private sectors.”he affirmed.

While adding that the country is counting on the youth for its economic vitality, Dare said he believes that with the present crop of hardworking youth, Nigeria’s better future is guaranteed.

One of the highlights of the event was the launch of the Dare Undergraduate Scholarship Scheme (DUGGS) which is aimed at providing financial support to

indigent students of Oyo State, in any University or Polytechnic across the nation.

The launch of the scholarship was met with a standing ovation from the audience of youths who immediately made enquiries on the process of benefiting from the scholarship scheme.

Dare assured them that this maiden edition of the scholarship will accommodate as many students as possible who meet the eligibility criteria. However, the scholarship scheme will eventually become an annual event.

Chieftains of the All Progressive Congress (APC), also joined the jubilant Youths, insisting that although they are not youths, they would not miss out on any opportunity to celebrate Chief Sunday Dare who has been providing Oyo APC with tremendous support to stabilize the party in the state.

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Morocco to honour Ziyech after Champions League triumph

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

r

t

Orji Kalu Hosts African Games Gold Medalist, Uche Eke

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S p r t Nigeria withdraws from hosting of 2021 CAA Championship

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M

oroccan Hakim Ziyech is set to be honoured by his country upon his arrival to the country this week.

After joining the league of African players who have won the prestigious UEFA champions league with Chelsea, the winger will be celebrated according to reports coming from Morocco.

“Hakim Ziyech will be honored with a passage bearing his name at the Mohammed VI Complex,” reports Maghrib Foot.

“There will also be a gala dinner for him with the rest of the Morocco squad. Should arrive in Rabat tuesday night.” He added.

The creative winger whose game was affected by injuries scored two goals in the tournament to help Chelsea get to the final and made a ten goal contributions for Chelsea.

Hakim Ziyech is only the second ever Moroccan player to win the Champions League after Hakim Achraf who won it at Real Madrid in 2018.

He joins other Africans like Micheal Essien of Ghana, John Obi Mikel of Nigeria, Edouard Mendy of Senegal, Didier Drogba and Solomon Kalou both of Cote D’voire to walk in that group of Champions League winners at Chelsea.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

Sen Kalu, 3rd from right in group picture after the visit

U

che Eke, Nigeria’s only decorated male gymnast, who won Gold at the 2019 All AfrIcan games in Morrocco on Monday, paid a courtesy visit to the African Pillar of Sports, who is also the current Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and his family The 2021 Margaret Mann awardee in company of the President of Gymnastics Federation of Nigeria , Prince Kelvin Erhunwmunse was welcomed by

Senator Kalu, his wife Mrs Ifunanya Kalu; children Olivia Kalu and Nicole Kalu in their Abuja residence The 21 year old Nigerian-American Gymnast who graduated from UMSI with a 4.0 GPA May 2021, has been competing and training with Michigan Gymnastics since he first came to U-M as a freshman in 2016. Uche aims to represent Nigeria at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, postponed to July 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since joining the Master’s of Science in Information (MSI) program, Uche said he found the support and stimulation he needed at UMSI to flourish academically, serve his peers as a graduate student instructor (GSI) and maintain his rigorous training regimen.

Within his first two weeks at UMSI, the master of balance earned Nigeria’s first-ever gold medal in gymnastics at the 2019 All-African Games ⁠— and he’s not stopping there.

Victor Moses wins May Player of the month Award Messi agrees

By Amaechi Agbo new two-year helsea loanee Victor Moses has been named Spartak Moscow’s Player of Barcelona deal the Month for May after spectacular

C

performances.

The former Super Eagles winger scored one goal and recorded two assists in three outings in the month in the Russia League.

His spectacular strike in the 2-2 away draw against Akhmat Grozny on the final day of the campaign helped Spartak Moscow secure a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.

Spartak finished in second position behind Zenit St. Petersburg.

The 30-year-old former Wigan Athletic winger scored four goals in 19 league appearances for the Russian side during the 2020/21 season.

Moses retired from international football shortly after the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

He made 37 appearances for the Super Eagles of Nigeria scoring 12 times in an international career that lasted from 6 years.

He was a member of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winning Eagles in South Africa under late Coach Stephen Keshi.

B

arcelona have reportedly set to end the year-long speculation surrounding his future by penning a new two-year deal with Barcelona.

The six-time Ballon d’Or winner’s future has been the talk of the transfer market since he tried to force a move away from a club last summer, but a dispute over his release clause ultimately led to him staying.

The Argentine did not commit his future to the club during the 2020-21 campaign, though, with Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain thought to be on red alert as his deal prepares to expire at the end of this month.

However, reports in Spain have claimed that Messi has decided to continue at Barcelona and will soon sign a new deal with the club until the summer of 2023.

he hope of Athletics Federation Of Nigeria, AFN, to host this year’s African Athletics Championship has finally been dashed as the country withdrew as the host of the championship.

Algeria was earlier scheduled to host the championship but choose to withdraw due to Coronavirus restrictions placed on some countries that intend to participate in the championship.

Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos was choose to replace Algiers as host and the state alongside Sports Ministry immediately swung into action in terms of preparations while waiting on National Health authority approval.

According to the reports, the health authority in Nigeria have refused to approve the championship due to the covid 19 pandemic.

The championship which was last hosted in Asaba in 2018, is slated to take place between 23 -27 of June, 2021.

African Athletics United on its offiacial Facebook page wrote: “CAA – The African championships won’t take place in Nigeria.

“Nigeria has withdrawn from hosting the African championships from June 23 to 27. Lagos City was supposed to host the championships following Algeria’s withdrawal, but the Nigerian Health authorities haven’t approved the organization of an event of this size on grounds of the COVID pandemic.”

Minister adopts Young Table Tennis Prodigies Okanlawon, Mustapha Brothers

By Albert Akota

T

he Minister of Youth and Sports Development Mr. Sunday has reiterated Government’s commitment to support the trio of Table Tennis ChampionsUsman Okanlawon and the Mustapha brothers through the Talent Hunt Programme to enable them win more laurels for the country.

The Minister gave this assurance in his office in Abuja yesterday when he received in audience the three Table Tennis Champions Usman Okanlawon, Musa and Mustafa Mustafa who were led by the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Table Tennis Federation Engineer Ishaku Tikon.

Mr. Dare said their adoption

By Albert Akota

T

he Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Akin Dare, has called on Team Nigeria to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, slated for July 2021, to embrace the spirit of patriotism with a view to ensuring more podium appearances during the competition Mr. Dare, made the call today in his office in Abuja during the presentation of Africa and Nigeria’s first Gymnastics Gold Medalist,

into the fold of the TableTennis Federation is very important as it would expose them to tournaments that would sharpen and hone their skill through sponsorship. ‘’ We are excited because our emphasis on other sports is paying off..

I’m excited and thrilled that Nigerian Athletes are performing excellently well. Nigeria is proud of your performance which is an indication that our grassroots sports development is on a progressive chart”.

The Minister added ‘’The Talents Hunt Programme of the Ministry will adopt and support the Mustapha brothers and Usman Okanlawon.They will be supported anytime they are to take part in competition. They will be closely monitored so that they

can continue to excel’’.

He attributed the performances of Okanlawon, silver medalist in the Under 15

Youngsters Contender series and the Mustapha brothers 11th and 14th ITTF ranking as a testament of their immense talent. .

Dare urges athletes to be more patriotic Uche Eke to him by the Chairman, Caretaker Committee for Gymnastic Federation of Nigeria, Mr. Ehizoge Erhunwmunse The Minister expressed optimism that the love for Fatherland, coupled with discipline, consistency, patriotism and dedication among the youth involved in sporting activities will no doubt ensure immeasurable success for Nigeria during the forthcoming Olympic Games

The Minister who said that Nigerian youth remain one of the greatest resource the country would ever have, stated that with the recent performances by some of the athletes, there is a ray of light for the country in the forthcoming global competition, adding that sports in Nigeria is on a new trajectory which is driven by youth with sterling performances He explained that “Uche Eke

signposts the picture of our sports development”, describing him as one of the best gymnasts in the world having transposed the future of gymnastic athletics in the country While applauding his excellent performance in the field of education and sports, Mr. Dare affirmed: “you have brightened our journey to the Olympics and I therefore urge Nigerian youth to emulate your spirit of patriotism and commitment to

Mr Dare also commended the excellent performances of Nigerian Athletes like Ese Brume, Tobi Amusan, Blessing Okagbare and Uche Eke and their doggedness for podium performances.’’ We are happy that Nigerians are putting up excellent performancesall over the world , Nigeria is proud of you , I am proud of you and will lend you all necessary support” Caretaker committee Chairman of the Nigerian Table Tennis Federation Engineer Ishaku Tikon expressed delight that the Minister’s Talent Hunt Program was already yielding results. He thanked the Minister for lending necessary support to Table Tennis and other sports.

sports development in the country” He assured that the Federal Government was fully committed to supporting the Gold medalist and other talented Nigerian youths to ensure excellence in the fields of sports and other disciplines Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Engr. Nebeolisa Anako, congratulated the Gymnastics Federation of Nigeria for its organisational capacity that has given birth to this feat for the country and Africa as a continent.

. . . putting the people first

FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2021

THIS SPACE IS FOR SALE

SPORTS Chief Ayo Adebanjo: Sustaining latest

Spurs begin Antonio Conte talks

E

nglish Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspurs have started key negotiations to recruit Antonio Conte as new manager The top Italian manager is clubless after leaving Inter Milan with a Serie A title but could not continue due to the club’s plans to sell key players instead of adding more depth to compete for bigger titles.

Following Jose Mourinho’s departure after Mauricio Pochettino in the 2019/20 season, Spurs are looking for another high calibre manager.

According to the transfer reports expert Fabrizio Romano, Spurs are chatting to Conte about their project goals, contract and salary expectations.

Mikel Obi signs new Stoke City deal

F

ormer Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi has penned a new oneyear contract extension with Stoke City, furthering his stay at the club till the summer of 2022.

Mikel linked up with Stoke City in August 2020 after severing ties with Turkish club Trabzonspor. The 34-yearold midfielder played 41 times for the Potters in the 2020/21 season.

Mikel who won a Champions League and two Premier League titles with Chelsea regularly captained Stoke City last season, showing some impressive performance.

Taye Taiwo and Oduamadi

Advert: news: Kano: lagos:

Afenifere’s one Nigeria stans

C

hief Ayo Adebanjo formally assumed the leadership of Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural cum political organization, when he presided over its first meeting at his Isanya-Ogbo hometown, near Ijebu-Ode, Ogun state on Friday, May 14, 2021. The former leader of the organization, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, from Ondo state, had willingly stepped down, on account of old age – he is 95 years old- and announced Chief Adebanjo as successor to the leadership of the Yoruba. Although Chief Adebanjo, a lawyer, is 93 years old, there is a general acknowledgement of his relentless, vibrant and energetic engagement with the Nigerian state apparatus over the years, that his emergence got consensus endorsement. He is a combat veteran of political struggles in the old Western region under the leadership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and a tested loyalist who stood by Awo in the years of political tribulations when federal might was deployed to jail the legend in the early sixties.

He had to go into exile to sustain the struggle. Chief Adebanjo is the last man standing among Awo’s disciples, and he exhibits the same intellectual discipline, rigour and consistency, which stood out Chief Awolowo among his contemporaries.

Since assumption of the Yoruba leadership position, he has remained consistent with Afenifere’s core demand for true federalism – anchored on restructuring the federation along the line of enhanced regional autonomy as contained in the constitution at Nigeria’s independence in 1960. Chief Adebanjo, while addressing the Afenifere meeting, also reiterated the organisation’s position against the agitation for secession of Yorubaland from the Nigerian federation. Chief Adebanjo had consistently stressed that many of them in the twilights of their lives have remained in the struggle for a better, but one Nigeria, simply because they did not want the edifice they labored to build come to ruin in their life time. On the issue of gerontocracy in the leadership of Afenifere, his position is that there is a process of ascension to Afenifere leadership which places emphasis on consistent loyalty and self-less service over the years, as against gate-crashing into leadership principally to parley the position for material acquisition. In spite of the current craze where money, however dubious its source, is celebrated above character which had been the core value of the Yoruba, Afenifere had remained a bulwark in the defence and propagation of the ‘Omoluabi’ culture in its

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Guest columnist

By Dr. Bisi Olawunmi leadership selection process. It is significant that over the decades, the organization has achieved a smooth leadership transition process, devoid of acrimony since Awo’s initial leadership, after which the mantle fell on Chief Adekunle Ajasin. From Chief Adekunle Ajasin, a former school Principal and governor of old Ondo state to Chief Abraham Adesanya, a lawyer and former Senator of the Federal Republic, to Chief Rueben Fasoranti, a former school Principal and now to Chief Ayo Adebanjo, a lawyer, Afenifere is one major organization that has not been hijacked by charlatans and hustlers. In fact, successive leaders of Afenifere come closest to actualization of Plato’s Doctrine of Philosopher Kings – the RULE OF EDUCATED WISE MEN - who can control “the impulses of their hearts and the greed of their stomach” , meaning people who are NOT skirt chasers (womanizers) and who are NOT materialistic. From Awo to Chief Adebanjo, Afenifere leaders belong to the educated elite, with stable families and have not been associated with obscene acquisition of wealth or moral scandals. They are a rare breed. Given these antecedents, it is therefore no surprise that Afenifere has acquired a moral authority, based on integrity, that has ensured its survival and relevance till date.

In the current heightened separatist agitation, even among the Yoruba, seeking a divorce from Nigeria, it is pertinent to consider the counsel of the elders in Afenifere before a blind rush into an inferno, in the name of Oduduwa Republic.

Given the current inarticulate agitation and emerging discord even among the many disparate groups rooting for Oduduwa Republic, the agitation for a Yoruba nation is shaping out as more of EMOTIONAL ROMANTICISM, lacking in sober calculations of the cost. No doubt, Nigerians across board today face daunting challenges, most especially with insecurity, that is becoming a choke-hold on the nation. But what we need to apply is brain power, not brown or muscle power, with its tempting recourse to a strategy of violent agitation. This is still a democracy, despite its imperfections,

that allows for contestation of ideas and mobilization of strategic groups for goal attainment, without hasty adoption of violence. The issue at stake is purely for a BETTER NIGERIA and the anger of the citizens should NOT be just against one target, as it were - President Muhammadu Buhari – but other targets, including governors and National Assembly legislators, who have conveniently chosen not to apply the leverage of their positions to put pressure on the president, thereby making them complicit, in varying degrees, in the nation’s rot.

They artfully present themselves as helpless, like us ordinary folks !!

On the contrary, they like projecting the president as the all powerful, SUPREME MONARCH , the only stumbling block, thereby setting him up to take the bullet for all that is wrong with Nigeria.

Thankfully, the rush of events is forcing the governors, particularly governors of southern states, to come together to confront the demon of insecurity, given that some of them now face existential threat from domestic violent agitators in their states. The Asaba declaration by the 17 southern governors banning open cattle grazing in their states is the first salvo. Apparently, the ‘North ‘ was caught off guard by that unanimous decision which must have informed the precipitate, inarticulate and laughable statement credited to Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice that banning open cattle grazing in the south is like banning motor spare parts selling by Igbos in the ‘ North ‘ !! Such illogic, and that from a SAN !!!

With the National Assembly now seemingly inclined to accelerate the process of constitutional review, going by the nationwide public hearings on the subject, even if this is seen as mere palliative in some quarters, a significant good may eventually emerge from the process. But Chief Ayo Adebanjo, doubts such a good outcome, insisting on Afenifere’s position of comprehensive restructuring of the governance structure of the country as the only viable option for a one Nigeria. In an interview published

in the Daily Independent of Sunday, May 23, 2021, the Afenifere leader had stressed that the 2023 election may not be feasible under the current constitution and that any delay to restructure the country can only spur secessionist agitators like Sunday Igboho and Nnamdi Kanu. “ I don’t want violence or separation, nobody wants secession “, Chief Adebanjo had declared, but noted that by the continued intransigence of the Buhari administration to embrace restructuring, they seem bent “ to provoke people for the country to break up “ .

Afenifere has provided intellectual vanguard for agitation to restructure the country and Chief Adebanjo has been a most vocal advocate of restructuring.

Perhaps, with the on-going push and shove about constitution review, the Buhari presidency, compelled to take cognizance of the emergent coalition of forces, may even if reluctantly, yield to the now strident people’s clamour for a new, restructured Nigeria where more power is granted to the federating states. If a broadly acceptable constitution from the current review exercise by the National Assembly is ratified at a Peoples Assembly before the 2023 general elections, Afenifere and its leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, should feel fulfilled that they fought a good battle. Democracy is about give and take – reaching a compromise.

No constitution is perfect, which is why there are provisions for amendment.

Dr. Bisi Olawunmi, a Public Affairs Analyst and Mass Communication scholar, is former Washington Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria. Phone, SMS only : 0803 364 7571. Email : olawunmibisi@yahoo.com.

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