Monday, January 11, 2021 Edition

Monday, January 11, 2021/ Jumada Awwal 27, 1442 AH

2467 Days after Malam Wada Maida (1950-2020), founding Chairman, Board of the Peoples Media Limited

Vol. 35 No. 085 N200

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peoplesdailyng

. . . putting the people first

The nation awaits rescue of the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls

Ganduje orders reopening of all Kano schools by January 18

>>>page 6

Troops kill 50 bandits, recover 334 livestock in Zamfara, Katsina >>Page 5

•As gunmen kill 3 in Kaduna community

>>>page 8

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (4th left), led other Senior Officers on condolence visit to Governor Udom Emmanuel (3rd right), over the demise of former CAS, Air Marshal Nsikak Eduok, at Government House, Uyo in Akwa Ibom State yesterday

AfCFTA: Dangote targets more African Countries in trade deal

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20 die in University of Abuja signs Gunmen kill Saudi Truth has triumphed — Bauchi road MoU, pioneers diabetes based oil expert in Obaseki hails verdict on accident studies in Africa Kogi alleged forgery suit pAGE 5

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

News CONTENTS News 2-14 Op.Ed

12-13

Politics 15-17 Stock Watch Business Metro

18 19-20 21

World Analysis 22 Africa News

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World News

24

Gunmen kill Saudi based oil expert in Kogi From Lokoja

Ahmad

Ibrahim,

U

nknown gunmen have assassinated a Saudi Arabia based oil expert, Ogacheko Atanu, in his Idah residence, in the eastern flank of Kogi State.

Peoples Daily reliably gathered that the incident occurred on Saturday night at about 11 pm, when the deceased was about retiring to his bed.

It was also gathered that when the assassins stormed the compound of late Ogacheko Atanu, he was asked to say his last prayers before he was shot repeatedly.

His elder border, Mr Ukubile Atanu, who is a lecturer with the

Kogi State Polytechnic Lokoja, under Art and Design Department confirmed the incident during a telephone interview on Sunday.

Mr Ukubile Atanu, who could not hold his tears while speaking to our newsmen over the death of his younger brother, charged security agencies to bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to book.

According to him, “when they(gunmen) entered his compound at about 11pm on Saturday, they told his brother( late Ogacheko Atanu) to say his last prayers before they killed him. He told them that he will give them money, so that they can spare his life, but they refused. That was how he was shot repeatedly. They didn’t

touch the gateman”.

“After he was killed, his gateman went straight to police station to report the incident.

I must tell you, this is another black day in our family. Those behind this evil act must be brought to book” he added.

It was further learnt that the deceased who is survived by four children, including an eighty years old mother was billed to travel out of Idah today, (Sunday), for Abuja were he is expected to pick a flight to Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, the spokesmen of Kogi State Police Command, DSP William Aya who confirmed the incident to our correspondent, said the command received a report about the assassination

L-R: : Senate President Ahmed Lawal; representative of President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of Defence, retired Maj.Gen. Bashir Magashi; representative of the Chief of the Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Lamidi Adeosun; representative of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Rear Admin.

Lawal Modu-Adams and Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, during the Juma’at Prayer for the 2021 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, at the National Mosque, on Friday in Abuja.

El Rufai appoints former PSN Chair to head Kaduna State Health Supplies Mgt Agency Page 4

Digest

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Feature 26 Sports 30-31 Back Page

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of the deceased at about 05:00 hours of Sunday. “ The security man of the deceased reported the incident to Idah Police division today at 05:00hours. Unknown masked men numbering about four entered the compound of the deceased through the fence”, he pointed out.

“They told the security man to open the gate while the deceased was relaxing with his friend inside the compound. The gunmen told all of them to lie down. They later told the owner of the house to stand up and shot him. His body had been moved to the mortuary for autopsy and effort is being intensified to get the perpetuators of this evil act” he stressed.

#ENDSARS: Falana, Nine others dragged to court over independent panel

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

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right activist, Mr Femi Falana SAN, and nine others have been dragged before a federal high court sitting in Abuja, over the setting up of an independent panel to probe killings during the #ENDSARS protest that rocked the country for three weeks in October last year.

The suit prayed the court to stop the defendants from setting up any parallel independent inquiry to probe any alleged killings of Nigerians, including security operatives and the destruction of properties following the deployment of security operatives in the wake of the #EndSARS protests in Nigeria.

Mentioned as other defendants in the suit filed on December 31, 2020 are Ade Atambi, Adewale Adeoye, Chino Obiagwu (SAN), Affiong Affiong, and Prof Adenike Ogushe.

As well as, Mr. Y.Z Yau, Mr Malachy Ugwumadu, Miss Fatima Umar and Mr. Olumide Ogele.

In the originating summons, the plaintiff, Lucky Odigie, Esq., had through his counsel Oghenovo Otemu, prayed the court to determine the following questions: WHETHER by virtue of the Tribunals of Inquiry Act Cap 447 LFN 1990 and all other extant Federal and State laws, regulations and enactments in Nigeria, the 1st to 3rdDefendants Trading under the name and style of Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 And Beyond (ASCAB)can validly and legally constitute or set up a parallel independent panel of inquiry to probe the killings of Nigerians, including security operatives and the destruction of properties following the deployment of security operatives in the wake of the #EndSARS protests in Nigeria?

WHETHER by virtue of the Tribunals of Inquiry Act Cap 447 LFN 1990 and all other extant Federal and State laws, regulations and enactments in Nigeria the 4th to 10th Defendants can validly and legally act as members of a parallel

independent panel of inquiry to probe the killings of Nigerians, including security operatives and the destruction of properties following the deployment of security operatives in the wake of the #EndSARS protests in Nigeria?

He also prayed the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Defendants from conducting any parallel independent inquiry to probe any alleged killings of Nigerians, including security operatives and the destruction of properties following the deployment of security operatives in the wake of the #EndSARS protests in Nigeria.

He prayed for a declaration that by virtue of the Tribunals of Inquiry Act Cap 447 LFN 1990 and all other extant Federal and State laws, regulations and enactments in Nigeria, the 1st to 3rd Defendants Trading under the name and style of Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 And Beyond (ASCAB) CANNOT validly and legally constitute or set up a parallel independent panel

of inquiry to probe the killings of Nigerians, including security operatives and the destruction of properties following the deployment of security operatives in the wake of the #EndSARS protests in Nigeria.

In the affidavit in support of the originating summons, the plaintiff said the action of the Defendants in setting up the panel of inquiry is targeted at undermining the different panels set up by the different state governors to probe the alleged police brutalities and human rights abuses by security agents.

According to him, the panel of the 4th to 10th Defendants are targeted at turning up a report or decision that will embarrass and undermine the Federal Government of Nigeria, the different State Governments, the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Army, all the security agencies as well as the existing panels of inquiries set up by the different state Governors.

Meantime, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the case.

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

News

News Editor, Ese Awhotu

University of Abuja signs MoU, pioneers diabetes studies in Africa

By Mariam Habeeb

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he University of Abuja has entered into a partnership with Diabetes Africa, a network of health professionals, to establish a top-class educational programme on Diabetes Education that will improve the quality of care offered to diabetes patients across Africa.

The partnership which will also address the dearth of Diabetologists and other health care professionals who play a critical role in the study and management of diabetes, would lead to the award of Master’s degree in Diabetes Education by the University of Abuja with support from Diabetes Africa in the form of experience, expertise and fundraising.

The virtual signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which took place simultaneously in the United Kingdom and University of Abuja, Nigeria, over the weekend, was also witnessed online by the Eastern African Diabetes Study group from Kenya.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, while commending the initiative, said the University was going to be a pacesetter in this programme.

“I express total support for this collaboration. I hope it is going to be a mark in the training in this area of professionalism, better knowledge management and treatment in Africa,” he said at the signing of the memorandum.

The VC added that the University would ensure that the collaboration brings about the strengthening of health services especially with regard to treatment of diabetes in the country.

Facilitator of the partnership and Dean of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Professor Felicia Anumah, said the burden of the complications of diabetes in Nigeria was quite high because of the poor-quality care and the unaffordability of medications and blood glucose monitoring devices by many patients. She said it had been the dream of the College of Health Sciences of the University to make impact in this area by starting a programme in diabetes.

Professor Anumah said the programme in diabetes education which would also have international faculties would be run on a dual mode with virtual lectures and then clinicals which will take place in some identified centres across the country. “I am very grateful to Diabetes Africa for being interested in this and being ready to support us in this venture. It is a day that I feel partly fulfilled; thank you very

much”, Professor Anumah stated.

In a brief remark the Chairman of the Eastern African Diabetes Study group, Professor Silver Bahendeka said diabetes education cannot be under-rated given the alarming rate of the disease and its complications, adding that it’s heartwarming to see that the University has taken the lead in establishing the programme and looking forward to seeing the

involvement of other institutions across Africa as Diabetes Africa rolls out programmes. “We have been looking forward to someone to take the lead and now that the University of Abuja has done it; congratulations,” Bahendeka said.

While lauding the commitment of the University of Abuja to the venture, the CEO of Diabetes Africa, Dr. Greg Tracz noted that Covid-19 had shown the whole world that

the dichotomy between noncommunicable and communicable diseases needed to be surmounted.

He said people living with diabetes were at high risk of contracting a range of communicable diseases and so “we believe strongly in tackling diabetes in all possible ways and the most impactful way to tackle diabetes as early as possible is through education.”

Federal Govt to establish 10 new National Parks

From:Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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he Federal Government has approved the establishment of ten additional National Parks to boost the Tourism sector.

The Conservator General Nigeria National Park Service (NNPS), Ibrahim Musa Goni disclosed this in a telephone interview yesterday According to him the main focus of the federal government this year is to transform and boost the activities of tourism industry in the country .

The Conservator General added that the National Park Service had equally accorded serious attention to

effective security in all the National Parks, to protect visitors and various communities within the areas .

Ibrahim Musa Goni noted that despite the prevalence of insecurity in different parts of country, the parks are currently enjoying relative peace .

He contended that The National Park Service has continued with various supportive programnes in communities near the parks to provide sucvour to people .

The Conservator General therefore called on the communities to reciprocate the gesture by being law abiding, and avoid hunting of wild animals and illegal felling of

trees, as well as setting up of bush fire to protect the Environment .

Ibrahim Musa Goni stressed that as part of effort towards aforestation activities, the National Park Service planted alot of economic trees in Kamuku National Park Birnin Gwari He stated that the National Park Service has also accorded priority in training and retraing of its rangers to properly equip and prepare them for the challenges ahead.

The Conservator General therefore appealed for Peoples support towards the protection of the nation’s National Parks to contribute to tourism developement.

The ten newly established National Parks, According to the Conservator General Ibrahim Musa Goni, include Alawa National Park in Niger state, Apoi National Park in Bayelsa state, Edumenun National Park also in Bayelsa state, Balgore National Park in Kano state, Hadejia Wet Land National Park in Jigawa state .

Others are Kampe National Park in Kwara state, Kogo National Park in Katsina state, Marhai National Park in Nasarawa state, Oba Hills in Osun state and Pandam National Park in Plateau State respectivelly .

Middle Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, Rev. Abare Kala Chairman Noth East Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Apostle John Adedigba CAN Secretary Gombe State left during the new year homage by CAN on governor Muhammad Inuwaya Yahaya on saturday at the Government House Gombe.

Osun Judicial Panel of Inquiry: Petitioners, counsel laud panel’s high sense of commitment From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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s the Osun Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality, Human Rights Violations and Related Extra Judicial Killings continued its proceedings, the petitioners and their counsels at the weekend lauded the panel for upholding the constitutional and judicial tenets of setting up the panel.

Similarly, the parents of the boy chased to death in September by a combined team of Security operatives have finally approached the Panel to seek redress.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Osun State Governor, Ismail Omipidan and made available to media in kaduna

yesterday.

The statement stated that the panel, which had resumed sitting on Friday and sat on Saturday, was also applauded for continually allowing the parties involved to take sufficient time to present and defend cases before it, as part of efforts to ensure fair hearing and justice.

In all, 10 cases were heard by the Panel at the weekend.

“At the Saturday’s sitting, some of the petitioners and their lawyers who spoke to journalists after the hearings of their cases, said the panel had demonstrated the required capacity to dispense justice without fear or favour. “ The concerned parties said they were convinced that the panel would dispense justice.

“ Barristers Imomoh Emmanuel, Kanmi Ajibola and Tadese Alagbe applauded the virtues exhibited by the members of the panel since the beginning of the proceedings, saying “we are satisfied by the steps taken to restore hope to the hopeless and ensure justice for all”.

The trio who described the panel as a bunch of people with impeccable character, expressed satisfaction with the way and manner their petitions were heard.

According to Barrister Imomoh Emmanuel, members of the panel were very composed, and from their comments, one can see that they are ready for justice, and that justice is their main goal.

Also, Barrister Alagbe said: “I have seen in this panel the

commitment to restoring hope to those whose hopes had been lost. I am highly confident that they will dispense justice with the way they are going about the proceedings.

“I have seen people of integrity and impeccable character as members of the panel, and with this, justice is guaranteed.

“So far, I am satisfied with the proceedings because I have seen that all they are doing is to go to justice, and no matter what their final recommendation and judgement are, we are very ready to abide by it”.

In the same vein, the petitioners, Mr. Kehinde Ajibola and Mrs Titilayo Ajibola who petitioned the police for masterminding the death of their son on 15th day of September 2020, in Osogbo,

expressed satisfaction at the way and manner the case was handled by the panel.

The couple had approached the panel to seek justice on the death of their son, Master Idris Ajibola, who lost his life to a fatal motor accident when he and his friends who were occupants of the car were allegedly chased by the officers and men of Joint Task Force (JTF) comprising the police and other security agents.

Another petitioner, Alhaji Dele Nafiu said he was convinced and impressed by the high level of accountability, fairness and transparency being displayed by members of the panel, which he said, was a signal to the fact that justice would be done in all matters.

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

News

Truth has triumphed —Obaseki hails verdict on alleged forgery suit

From Osaigbovomwan Iguobaro

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he Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has hailed the ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on the certificate forgery case brought against him by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The governor, in a statement, described the judgement as

triumph of the rule of law and a testament to the fact that truth would prevail ultimately no matter how vehemently detractors push lies in the face of incontrovertible evidence.

He said: “The verdict of the Federal High Court, delivered

by Honourable Justice Ahmed Mohammed is well-received and a victory for the rule of law.

It was a most needless attempt by desperate individuals trying to undo the will of the people through the backdoor but we are happy today that justice and truth have prevailed.”

He noted that the verdict confirms once again that Edo people were well-guided in trusting him to lead them in the September 19th governorship

election, promising to continue to prioritise the development of the state not minding the darts thrown by those who are embittered by their loss and continue their attempt to put spanner in the works even when they have been roundly beaten on all fronts.

“My profound gratitude goes to the judiciary who have

stood indefatigably for truth and justice; the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR); my party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); our party leaders and members; my teeming supporters; the good people of Edo State and all Nigerians.”

Tragedy averted in Benin Mosque From Osaigbovomwan Iguobaro

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ragedy has been averted at Livestock Central Mosque in Aduwawa Community, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, Edo State.

The unrest was the latest bout of violence by some youths who allegedly trespassed into the premises of Mosque, claiming ownership of the land, housing the worship Centre which was built 20 years ago.

This was after some unidentified individuals had dumped some trips of sand, gravel and blocks at the premises of the Mosque, ostensibly to commence construction work on the land, a development, which some concerned Nigerians, described as an invitation to anarchy.

Investigation revealed that rather than resort to self help during the incident, the some worshippers at the market, alerted the Priest (Ohen Oba’ro) of Aduwawa Community, Nosakhare Odomore who prevailed on the worshippers who are mainly traders at the market to shed their sword during the melee.

Briefing journalists on Saturday, the Priest (Ohen Oba’ro) of Aduwawa Community, Nosakhare Odomore, fears that the incident could escalate to a religious war if not checked.

According to Odomore who is the spiritual and traditional head of the Community, “the Islamic people just remain quiet because they are my tenants. They waited just to report the incident to me. Assuming they did not use their sense, the disagreement would have turned into a religious war.

“They broke into the Mosque.

The youths were led by one ‘Agbontaen’ who was a former Odionwere under my leadership.

‘Agbontaen’ has no right to do so”, expressing worry that over 10,000 people could be affected.

He accused the Local Government authorities of playing the ostrich by encouraging act of lawlessness in the Community.

The Priest told journalists that their appointments were based on their experience and commitment to peace building in the area over

the past 34 years.

He also admonished them to control their faithful and shun violence by supporting peace and development of the area.

Condemning the alleged trespass, Alhaji Abdullahi Ibrahim, the Chairman of the Mosque Committee, sued for peace and understanding.

He also commended the role of the traditional institution under the watch of His Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II for being a father to all indeed.

“We want peace and unity. We do want religious crisis or anything that will make anybody to lose his life and property. We after it. That is what the Ohen said is what we want.

We have always obeyed rules and regulations. If we offend you, rake us to court where the truth will be established.

“We are not happy that they want to demolish our mosque. We want settlement. They should give us time.

“They gave us the land measuring 500 by 600 feet. After

we took over the place, we built our market and built the Mosque.

“Why should they want to come and destroy our mosque when we pay revenue to the government?”, he asked.

The Spokesman of the Nigeria police, Mr. Chidi Nwabuzor, could not be reach for comment as at the time of filing this report.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo virtually meets with the President and CEO of Microsoft Corporation Mr. Brad Smith, recently in Abuja.

El Rufai appoints former PSN Chair to head Kaduna State Health Supplies Mgt Agency From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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aduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El Rufai has appointed the immediate past Chairman of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, (PSN), kaduna State Chapter ,Pharm.

Aisha Tukur Isyaku, as the Executive Secretary of Kaduna State Health Supplies Management Agency ,(KADHSMA).

This was contained in the Governor Twitter handle yesterday.

Pharm.AishaTukur Isyaku, who graduated from Ahamadu Bello University Zaria in 1985 with a degree in Pharmacy, also hold a Post Graduate Diploma in public Health from the West African Post Graduate College of Pharmacists.

She have vast knowledge in public and private sector as a Pharmacist and set a record as the first female to Chaired the kaduna State Chapter of PSN for six years.

Pharm.AishaTukur Isyaku

is Executive Director Ama Pharmaceuticals Nig.Ltd from 2016 to date, Managing Director/ Chief Executive Offcer ,Ishaq Pharmacy,Kaduna, Principal Pharmacist Yusuf Dantsoho General Hospital,Tudun-wada Kaduna and Pharmacist-in-charge General Hospital Funtua.

A devolt Muslim that accommodates everyone inrespective of their religion or enthic affiliation.

Pharm.AishaTukur Isyaku is

the State Ameerah of Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria, (FOMWN) kaduna State from 2019 to date.

Speaking on the appointment the Founder of Sickle cell Patients Health Promotion Center SCPHPC Hajia,Badiyya Magaji Inuwa said kaduna State Governor made the right choice by picking Pharm.

AishaTukur Isyaku ,Kaduna State Health Supplies Management Agency, (KADHSMA).

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

News

PDP governors Troops kill 50 bandits, recover 334 hail Tambuwal’s commitment to livestock in Zamfara, Katsina Nigeria’s unity, T development

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

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overnors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have thumbed up their Sokoto State colleague, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal over his patriotism and love for national unity and rapid national development.

The Governors, under the aegis of PDP Governors’ Forum, specifically described Tambuwal as a steady hand at critical periods of national emergency.

The Forum, in a statement signed by its Director-General, Hon CID Maduabum to felicitate with the Sokoto state governor on his birthday, noted that he (Tambuwal) has shown remarkable leadership skills in handling the affairs of the Forum.

The PDP Governors’ Forum said further that Tambuwal,who is the Chairman of the Forum, is a bridge builder per excellence, a quinticential mobiliser of men and materials and administrator of uncommon qualities.

They noted that those who have worked with Tambuwal know his passion for development.

The PDP Governors’ forum, in its statement, said, “Your patriotism and love for national unity and rapid development speaks volumes.

“You are a steady hand at critical periods of national emergency.

“You have shown remarkable leadership skills in handling the affairs of our Forum (PDPGF), repositioning it to serve as a stabilising force in national affairs.

“We are confident that your legacy will live in the minds and hearts of Nigerians you have touched with your services over the years. The best is yet to come. “Your birthday is unquestionably a period for sober reflection on our journey so far.

“It is yet another opportunity to ponder and profer workable solutions to the Nigerian question.

“We therefore heartily extend the good wishes of the Forum to you and the entire people of Sokoto State on this occasion”, the Forum said.

roops of Operation HADARIN DAJI, neutralised 50 armed bandits in Zamfara and Katsina states.

The troops also recovered 334 livestock, stolen by the bandits.

The military in a statement issued on Sunday, by Major General, John Enenche,

Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Defence Headquarters, said the troops on Saturday, targeted Kuriya village of Kaura Namoda LGA of Zamfara State, following actionable intelligence.

“The gallant troops with close air support by the Air Component, made contact with bandits at Kuriya village. In the course of the encounter, several bandits were

killed in action while 4 soldiers sustained injuries.

Human Intelligence confirmed that no fewer than 50 armed bandits were killed in the encounter. Equally, troops recovered 272 livestock from the bandits .

“In another development, troops deployed at Dunya village of Danmusa LGA of Katsina State while on routine patrol recovered 62 livestock from armed bandits

who fled into the bush on sighting troops. Currently the gallant troops have continued to dominate the theatre of operation with aggressive patrols to deny criminals freedom of action.

“The Military High Command commends the gallant troops for the feats recorded and encouraged them not rest on their oars until normalcy is restored to all troubled zones of the Country.”

L-R: Former Governor of Rivers State, Mr Celestine Omehia; National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Prince Uche Secondus; Gov Nyesom Wike of Rivers; Gov Aminu Tambwal of Sokoto and the Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Ikuinyi Owaji-Ibani during the inauguration of Forces Avenue Olumeni and Harvey streets on friday in Port Harcourt Rivers State. Photo: NAN

COVID-19: NPHCDA ultra cold chain effective for vaccine storage - ED

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

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he Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, said the agency’s ultra-cold chain is effective to store vaccines expected in the country.

Speaking during a webinar on Giri day, Shuaibu said that the Federal Government has invested in cold chain equipment to get vaccines that the storage facility can effectively manage.

At the webinar tagged; “Sensitisation Meeting with Media Gatekeepers on COVID-19 Vaccine Introduction”, the NPHCDA boss, assured Nigerians about the effectiveness of the expected vaccines, noting that the presidency

is confident and ready to participate in vaccination once the exercise kicks off.

He further assured that NPHCDA is working closely with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control as a regulatory agency, irrespective of other foreign certification of the vaccine.

“There must be due diligence.

When the vaccines come, NAFDAC has to go through the assessment and processes to certify it good enough for Nigerians,” he added.

“Our focus is to get vaccines that our cold chain can manage. We have the ultra-cold chain to keep them potent.

“100,000 doses of the Pfizer/ BioNTech vaccine are expected in the country by the end of January 2021.

“We are prioritising our health workers. When the vaccine arrives, 100,000 will go to the front line workers.

“We have invested in cold chain equipment, and we are aware the COVAX Facility will bring additional vaccines that will work more in our environment.

“There is a comprehensive deployment plan. We are identifying priorities especially those that work directly with patients and we have a list of these individuals that work across the country.”

“We are also generating a more comprehensive database of such workers.

“There’s no doubt that the vaccine is efficacious. I have no doubt that the President has confidence in the vaccines and will take it in the

20 die in Bauchi road accident From Ahmad Mohammed, Bauchi

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0 people have been killed and were burnt beyond recognition in an accident that occurred along Bauchi to Maiduguri Federal Highway in Bauchi State on Sunday. .Police Public Relations Officer Bauchi State Police Command, DSP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil who

confirmed the incident said that the charred bodies of the victims have been deposited at the mortuary of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) Wakil said two females survived the crash and were receiving treatment.

He said that Police personnel promptly responded to the distress

call and joined in the evacuation of the victims.

Eyewitness reported that the accident involved two vehicles that had a head-on collision at Mangorori in Tirwun a suburbs of Bauchi about 3km away from the metropolis.

He said that the two vehicles are a Hummer bus belonging to Borno Express heading to Maiduguri from

event of its availability.

“We are working with a regulatory agency — NAFDAC, irrespective of other foreign certification of the vaccine. There must be due diligence.

“When the vaccines come, NAFDAC has to go through the assessment and processes to certify it good enough for Nigerians.

“NAFDAC is consistent. The leadership of NAFDAC is very competent. They will work with WHO to certify the vaccine. We have competent Nigerians that can do the job.

“For us in the health sector, we must put in the effort and push the drive for vaccines…we must also listen to people and empathise with their concerns with continuous sensitization.”

Jos with 18 passengers and a VW Golf car coming from Misau heading to Bauchi with 4 passengers on board.

Eye witness said that the two vehicles burst into flames immediately they collided with 20 of the passengers been burnt beyond recognition after a combined team of firefighters from Bauchi put off the fire, in the end, two female passengers survived with degrees of injuries.

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

News

Ganduje orders reopening of all Kano schools by January 18 From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

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overnor of Kano state, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has directed for reopening of primary, secondary schools and tertiary institutions across the state.

The Commissioner of Higher Education, Dr Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure, in a statement on Saturday said the governor had

approved for the reopening of all tertiary institutions in the state by January 18.

Similarly, the Commissioner of Education, Muhammad Kiru, in a statement by the ministry’s spokesman, Aliyu Yusuf said Ganduje had approved the new Academic Calender for the

2020/2021 session for Public and Private Primary and Post Primary Schools.

According to the statement, with the approval of the calender, the state government had therefore slated 18 January as an official date for the resumption of all day primary and secondary students

in both public and private schools across the state.

He explained that boarding schools students are to resume on January 17.

“The commissioner however urged parents to ensure that their wards have resumed at the approved dates, further urging the

school authorities and students to adhere strictly to the protocols of the Covid-19.

“He therefore expressed appreciation to the parents for being law abiding whenever government issued an order, hoping that the tempo be sustained,” said the statement.

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From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

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ano state Police command has confirmed the arrest of two suspects and recovery of a car, snatched by armed robbers who killed the owner of the vehicle in Kano state.

The incident occurred on Saturday at around 10:pm , along

zoo road, near Shoprite mall when the suspected robbers shot at the driver of the car, identified as Isa Hassan Abubakar of Rijiyar Zaki quarters after forcefully removing him out of it.

An eyewitness said the suspected robbers started shooting sporadically in the air to scare people before they descended on the 50 years old man

in his white color Toyota Vibe car.

“When the gunshots rented the air, people around Shoprite mall and Al-Hamsad tower started running helter skelter to save their dear life. “ During the commotion, i saw the gunmen approached that guy in his car, forcefully removed him out and fired shot at him where he

fell to the ground and the attackers zoomed off in the vehicle,” said the eyewitness, who preferred not be mentioned.

The Public Relations Officer of the command, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said Police had swiftly reported to the scene after hearing the gunshots.

He added that on arrival, they

chased the gunmen, who eventually abandoned the snatched vehicle and ran away.

Kiyawa further stated that the Police also rushed the victim to the hospital where he died while receiving treatment.

He disclosed that two of the suspected robbers had been nabbed the as investigation is ongoing.

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he new Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT, CSP Tile Tersoo, has tasked the vigilante group as well as the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) to co-operate with him to fight crime collectively in Gwagwalada and its environs.

He also urged the entire Police Officers of his command to work hand in hand with him to arrest the security challenges facing the residents of the area.

Tersoo, who gave the charge while addressing the Police during

Police nab 2, recover car as armed robbers kill motorist in Kano

From Uche Uche, Damaturu

By Usman Shuaibu

By Usman Shuaibu

CRIME News

Police investigates death of girl after sleeping with a man in Yobe

FCT: Ex-Gwagwalada Chair advises APC members on registration he Former Executive Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council in the FCT, Hon. Abubakar Jibrin Giri, has advised all the members of All Progressives Congress (APC) to come out en masse at their respective wards during the forthcoming party registration in the area.

Giri, who gave the advice in a telephone interview after the inauguration of APC caretaker committee in Gwagwalada on Sunday.

His words: “ I wish all APC members to register in their various wards or polling units so that they can be full members of the party”.

He, therefore, charged the Kutunku APC caretakers to be honest in handling the affairs of the party at all times.

He further urged them to work towards the party’s congress so as to become an elected executives of the party.

On his party, the APC caretaker Chairman in Kutunku ward, Mr Balarabe Suleiman, asked the members of the party to remain committed.

Sulieman pleaded with the caretakers to be patient with the members of the party.

PAGE 7

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

President Muhammadu Buhari welcoming Gov Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti at the Presidential Villa on friday in Abuja . photo; NAN

2021: APC Vice-chairman South West tasks Buhari on employment

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he Vice-chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) South West in the FCT, Dr Wasiu Tunwase who is also the Otunba of Yoruba

Community in the FCT, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to redouble his efforts to provide jobs for the youths this year.

He also charged the Federal Government to put in place

community policing so as to arrest the security challenges facing the people at the grassroots level.

Tunwase said this an interview with Peoples Daily Correspondent in his residence in Zuba to mark the new year

message, commending president Muhammadu Buhari for what he had been doing in the area of infrastructural development.

Otunba also tasked Yoruba people on peace, while describing them as law-abiding citizens.

FCT: Gwagwalada DPO charges Vigilante, CJTF on co-operation the handing over ceremony at the Gwagwalada Police Divisional Command, further urged the security agents to work closely with him for the sake of peace.

He said: “When you have an information let us get the information immediately and see how we can work on the information and achieve the result”.

He, therefore, charged the police officers to deem it fit to give the maximum co-operation they had accorded to his predecessor in the area of curbing against crime.

His words: “I am a very free minded person. I have no friend.

My friend is the one who can do the right thing, whether you are a Muslim, whether you are a Christian and whether you are a

pagan. I do not have preference to anybody. My preference is for those who do the job rightly”.

The DPO, however, assured the police and other security outfits that he would take them long in the affairs of things at the command, and urged them not compromise in the discharge of their duties.

Speaking earlier, the outgoing

DPO, Mr Wilson Dankwano who was recent promoted to an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) advised the new DPO to embrace every Police at the command.

Dankwano pleaded with the DPO to take vigilante group as well as CJTF long in the security fight, while warning the DPO against nepotism or tribal sectionalism.

he Yobe state police command is now investigating the cause of the death of an 18 year old girl who was found dead after sleeping with a man in a hotel in Damaturu, the state capital.

Associates of the girl who revealed the incident to Peoples Daily, on condition of anonymity, stated that they saw a foaming substance at the corners of the girl’s mouth, thus alleging that she may have been poisoned or excessively abused sexually.

When contacted by Peoples Daily through a WhatsApp message, the Police Public Relation Officer of the command, Dungud Abdulkarim confirmed the incident stating that it was, “a case of suspected homicide against one Dr Albash who reported that a girl who was brought to him by friends at 2000hrs on 06/01/2021 to spent the night with him at a government lodge in Damaturu, collapsed and died after brief illness,” adding that the matter is under investigation by the police command.

However, as at the time of filling-in this report, four suspects, including the prime suspect, Dr Albash, has been arrested and charged over suspected homicide and the PPRO has assured that the charges would come out clearly after an autopsy has been carried out on the body of the deceased girl.

Meanwhile the corpse of the deceased has been deposited at the state specialist hospital in Damaturu, the state capital, while the arrested suspects are being kept at the Police ‘B’ Division in the state capital.

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

D

elta Governor, Sen. (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, has expressed shock over the demise of Chief Milton Ohwovoriole (SAN), who died in the early hours of Friday at 80.

The governor in a condolence message to the Ohwovoriole family, signed by his Chief Press

L-R: Chairman, Senate Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Senator Kabiru Gaya; Former Deputy President of Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu; and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on INEC, Hon. Aishatu Dukku, brainstorm during the ongoing retreat of the 15-member multi-stakeholders Technical Committee on the Electoral Act, at the Weekend in Abuja.

Troops rescue 3 kidnapped victims in Nasarawa

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

T

he Nigerian military said its troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE, have rescued three kidnapped victims in Nasarawa State.

The military in a statement

issued on Friday by Major General, John Enenche, Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Defence Headquarters, said the rescue took place on 7 January 2021.

He said “the troops successfully staged a daring rescue operation

at Mararaba Udege general area in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, rescuing 3 kidnapped persons and neutralizing one armed bandit in the ensuing firefight.

“The kidnapped victims were

subsequently reunited with their respective families.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria will not relent until all enemies of the Country are neutralised and normalcy is restored to all troubled zones.”

Ohwovoriole’s death great loss - Okowa Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, said the death of the legal luminary was a great loss to not only the family and Urhobo nation, but to the people of Olomu Kingdom and Nigeria Bar Association

(NBA).

He said that the deceased was a distinguished legal practitioner, who served the society in several capacities, including as Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association, Ikeja

branch and former President, Urhobo Social Club.

The governor described Ohwovoriole as a man of great determination and perseverance, and said that as a

founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he contributed significantly to the various victories recorded by the party in Ughelli South and the state.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

PAGE 8

News

Gunmen kill 3 in kaduna community From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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nidentified gunmen have killed three people and injured another person in Kamaru Chawai village, in Kauru local government area of Kaduna state.

In another development, a local farmer in Gindin Dutse village, Jema’a local government area of the state, suspected of poisoning two cattle have been arrested for questioning.

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

R

ampaging gunmen operating across the 25 local government areas of Delta State at the weekend reportedly invaded Bomadi local government area of the state and abducted one Henry Gomeromo, a leader in the area at gunpoint.

Eyewitness Felix Tamunor said that the gunmen struck during nightfall after shooting sporadically into the air severally before getting hold of their victim at his residence and whisked him away to an unknown destination in their vehicle.

He said the car was painted red and white with conflicting plate numbers that was bearing two different states where the numbers were obtained Sources in the community who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity said” They were shooting sporadically before when they invaded the area and after shooting seriously, they were able to get the community leader and took him away to an unknown destination and up until now they have not established ransom contact with us for us to negotiate” But the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Onome Onowakpoyeya who confirmed the kidnap of the community leader, said that the police were however working hard to ensure his release unhurt adding that” We are aware of the kidnap of the community leader and we are working hard to ensure his release unhurt from the hands of the hoodlums.

We have had over six persons reportedly kidnapped in the last few weeks in Bomadi and Burutu local government areas. We have Observed that these areas are flash points for Kidnappers” In another development, a miracle was witnessed at the weekend after a teenage girl who had been missing for days, was found alive in a soakaway in Abraka Community, Ethiope East Local Government Area of the state as the missing girl identified as Blessing Ineh was reported missing for five days before she was found.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Kaduna state, Mr Samuel Aruwan, yesterday.

According to Aruwan, “troops under the auspices of Operation Safe Haven have informed the Kaduna state government of an attack by criminals in Kamaru Chawai village, Kauru local government area.

“The troops responded to

a distress call from the village, and arrived the location to find three persons – Sunday Joshua, Samson Andy and Mrs Tani Jacob – shot dead, and one person, John Joshua, injured.

“An eye-witness reported that four attackers arrived at the victims’ compound and an argument ensued in English. Shortly after this, the assailants opened fire on the victims. Investigations indicate that the gunmen were criminals from a neighboring state who

crossed over into the village to carry out the heinous act.

“Governor Nasir el-Rufai expressed shock and grief at the report of the attack, and condoled the families of the deceased, praying for the repose of their souls. The Governor further tasked security agencies to ensure a thorough investigation into the incident.

Meanwhile, the corpses have been handed over to the relevant authorities in Chawai Chiefdom,

and the injured victim is receiving treatment in a hospital in a neighboring state.

“In a separate development, troops reported the arrest of a resident suspected of poisoning cattle in Gindin Dutse village of Jema’a local government area. Two cows had died in the village after eating some apparently poisoned cassava beside a farm. Troops trailed and arrested the owner of the farm, who is now undergoing preliminary investigations.”

Gunmen abduct Delta community leader It was gathered that Blessing was missing on the New year day when her parents sent her on an errand and did not return until a search party was conducted after informing the police in the area.

DSP Onome Onowakpoyeya, Police Public Relations Officer in the state confirmed that the missing girl was found with white chalk all over her body, a

situation that indicated that she may have been kidnapped by Unknown gunmen in the area.

Meanwhile, the police have arrested the Kidnappers of a six year old girl in Abraka Community identified as Courage Ejiro as the Lady and her lover were arrested during the weekend in Abraka Community.

Courage Ejiro was allegedly kidnapped by a woman and her lover two weeks ago as she was kept for six days in their den and was subsequently released after a ransom of N800,000 was allegedly paid to the abductors in their hideouts. She was seen in Benin City and taken to the police station.

DSP Onome Onowakpoyeya

Police Public Relations Officer in the state confirmed that the woman and her lover were arrested on intelligence gathering adding that they are currently under investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department ( CID Asaba) for further investigation as she and her lover will be charged to court on completion of Investigation.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

Page 9

Scientists to establish research laboratory in Nigeria

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

W

orried by the dearth of research in the country, a group of scientists have concluded arrangements to set up a biomedical science research laboratory in Nigeria.

The group said the laboratory will enhance infrastructures that can help find solutions to local and global medical science problems, as well as develop the competence of scientists in the country.

Speaking to newsmen, the leader of the group, Dr Mahmoud

Bukar Maina, expressed worry over Nigeria’s dependance on research intervention from the west despite ranking number 7 in the list of countries by population and among the top with a high death rate from diseases with little research done within the country to address these problems.

Maina, is also the Outreach Coordinator for TReND in Africa - an NGO that promotes scientific research and training.

He said the BioRTC lab which is located in Yobe state university is opened to all scientists.

“The work scope in the lab will depend on the type of researchers

who show interest in using the different equipment, their passion and commitment to research.

The types of equipment can help us understand some aspects of diseases, such as malaria, kidney diseases and other infectious diseases.

“The lab in Yobe hopes to tackle this problem by enabling any exceptional and passionate Nigerian scientist to undertake cutting-edge research. The Lab will also serve as a training centre for TReND in Africa, which means international-level programmes organised by TReND will be run in Yobe, helping to train many Nigerians”

He said the BioRTC laboratory is expected to kick start fully in 2021.

Maina who is a research fellow at University of Sussex, in the UK and working on what causes or sustain some forms of brain diseases, added that he will be leading work on areas of brain diseases in the laboratory.

On his part, Zaid Muhammad who works in Yobe state university and is in charge of setting up the laboratory said “we have a lot of equipment and more are on the way. We got a shipment coming in from multiple countries, some have arrived.”

From left: Commissioner for Works, Enugu state, Mr Greg Nnaji; Secretary to Enugu State Government, Prof. Samuel Ortuanya; Deputy Governor, Mrs Cecelia Ezeilo; and Enugu state former Accountant General (AG), Dr Paschal Okolie and wife, Stella, during a reception in honour of the former AG, yesterday at Nze Community of Udi LGA of Enugu state.

APC targets 2m In Adamawa membership registration - Prof. Tahir From Umar Dankano,Yola

Supporters of human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore during a solidarity protest at the magistrate court for the activist who is standing trial for alleged unlawful assembly, on Friday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Delta LG polls: Uwheru PDP petitions Okowa over alleged candidates imposition

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

T

he people’s Democratic Party ( PDP) Uwheru Federal Ward 9/1, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State has petitioned the state Governor Dr Ifeanyi Okowa over an alleged imposition of Councillorship candidates on the people. Protesting members of the party in the area had at the weekend stormed the Delta Central Party Secretariat in Ughelli North with different placards bearing different inscriptions of the party

leadership of the party of being partial, unfair and conniving with top government officials to undo others aspirants.

The prosteters had in a protest letter to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, signed by the leader of the aggrieved Councillorship aspirants Believe Ushe at the weekend alleged that the current serving concillor, representing ward 17, Mr Almradje Samuel had again been imposed on them, while another relative of the official, Samuel Naboufah also imposed on them in ward 16, and would challenge the

imposition to the latter should the party leadership fails to address the issue.

The Councillorship aspirants noted that they all insisted on primary election, but wondered why an automatic ticket was given to unpopular candidate who had never delivered his unit 5 in any election,but boasted that whether he delivers his unit or not his position was guaranteed.

Expressing their bitterness, they stressed that only popular aspirants should be feilded as candidates for the election,

hence they are calling for primary election.They therefore urged Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and the party leaders to call the perpetrators to order and conduct a fresh primaries for credible election.

Chief Kelvin Awikpe , PDP Secretary of Delta Central Senatorial district in a swift reaction however assured that the party will look into the protesters’ griviances including their petitions without sentiments adding that PDP is the only party for true democracy in Nigeria.

A

head of the 2023 General elections,the All Progressives Congress, APC has reiterated its commitment towards providing a levelled playing ground for all new,old and

returning members in the party.

Professor Mamman Tahir,Interim National Zonal vice chairman of the caretaker/Extraordinary conference planning committee of the party(APC) made the position during an in-

formation convention held in Yola, weekend.

He said that the party plans to register two(2) million members in the ongoing membership registration in Adamawa.

Tahir,who was visibly de-

lighted with turnover of the personalities perceived to have been wronged by the party’s action said the mega rally is a testimony that members are willing to team up for the party’s victory in the subsequent elections.

Okowa congratulates Tambuwal at 55

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

D

elta Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has felicitated with his Sokoto State counterpart and Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, as he turned 55 on Sunday.

He said that for the period he had been in

public service, Tambuwal had made sterling contributions to the socioeconomic and political development of Sokoto State and Nigeria, adding that such efforts were worthy of inspiration to the younger generation.

According to Okowa in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba,

the former Speaker of the House of Representatives has brought his wealth of experience to bear in the development of Sokoto State, especially in the education and road transport sectors.

He stated that Tambuwal was a nationalist, whose selfless and impressive political disposition had placed him ahead of his contemporaries.

“The people of Sokoto State are no doubt, reaping the benefit of trusting you to lead the state for a second term as can be seen in the monumental achievements in infrastructural development of your state under your astute leadership.

“As Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, you have provided leadership and direction to a virile opposition party

ready to return Nigeria on the path of greatness in 2023.

“On behalf of my family, the government and people of Delta, I congratulate a gentleman of candour and unassailable integrity, a leading light of this generation, an astute politician of our time and a courageous democrat, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, on his 55th birth anniversary.

News PDP Justice group hail Gov Obaseki

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he Coalition of Intelligentsia for Rule of Law and Justice, CIRLJ, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has congratulated the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, over his triumph at the Federal High Court in a frivolous suit filled by the All Progressives Congress, APC, and agents of Adam Oshiomole and Osagie Ize-Iyamu, alleging perjury and degree certificate forgery, amounting to serious criminal offences.

The group in a goodwill message to Obaseki on Sunday 10th January, 2021 by the convener, Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, Esq and made available to newsmen in Asaba, said Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court Abuja Division, did justice to the matter when he ruled that the plaintiffs failed woefully to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt, and for not contacting the University of Ibadan to verify the authenticity of Obaseki’s degree certificate before approaching the Court.

The group further posited that the functionality of a photocopier and the photocopy produced from the original copy of Obaseki’s University of Ibadan degree certificate is immaterial and of less evidential value when compared to the original copy of the certificate and the weight of evidence on oath by the authorized official representative of the University of Ibadan, in Court.

The group is of the legal opinion in line with the ruling of Justice Mohammed, that neither the APC nor the Court can prove the genuineness of the alleged forged degree certificate other than the issuing authority, and in this case, the University of Ibadan confirmed that Obaseki’s degree certificate retained all the water marks, designs and features and properly signed by the Vice Chancellor and the Registrar of the premier University.

“It follows that the errors or defects noticed after the reproduction of the degree certificate by a faulty and/or substandard photocopier cannot in anyway invalidate or render the original copy of the certificate useless and cannot be declared void, fake or forged.

“The judgment is sound and without blemish. We are pretty sure that even if the APC and her agents decide to appeal the judgment, the Courts above will affirm the decision of the Court below, because the facts in issue are salient enough for the layman to comprehend.

“Did Obaseki lawfully gained admission into UI, Yes. Did he graduated, Yes. Did UI issued a degree certificate to Obaseki, Yes. Did Obaseki forged his UI degree certificate, No. Can an error in a photocopy invalidate the original certificate, No. Can Obaseki be held liable for error produced by a faulty and/or substandard photocopier, No. res ipsa loquitur.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

PAGE 10

News

Buhari to Disabilities Commission: Your role critical in lifting 100m Nigerians out of poverty

By Egena Sunday Ode

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in Abuja charged the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities to play its roles adequately in the realisation of the government objective of lifting 100million Nigerians out of poverty.

Speaking when he received members of the newly established body at the State House, President Buhari said,” I am enjoining you as a team of the commission, to realize that your work forms a critical aspect in achieving the objective of our Administration to removing 100 million Nigerians out of poverty. I am therefore looking forward to commissioning projects and programmes of high impact to the disabled community in line with this vision.

“Your appointments were no mistake as you were all selected

after careful evaluation and assessment of your good conduct and contribution to the society and the disabled community in Nigeria.

“The task before you is enormous. You must work diligently towards ensuring that Government is able to touch the lives of our fellow citizens with special needs despite our limited resources.”

Buhari assured that his administration will continue to give effect to treaties that give inclusivity to persons with disabilities: “Nigeria is a signatory and a state party to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which seeks to promote the inclusion of persons with special needs in all development efforts globally.

Under my leadership, Government shall continue to give effect to all global, regional and

sub-regional treaties that seek to improve the lives of our disadvantaged citizens.”

The President expressed joy that the Commission was finally in place having been an issue during his campaigns: ”In December 2014, during my campaign for the President of this country under our great party, I met with the Community of Persons with Special Needs who showed unalloyed loyalty and support for our party and my candidature in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital. I recall that the most pressing and priority request from the Community was the passage of the Disability Bill and the subsequent presidential assent which I promised them I shall do. I am happy to have fulfilled that promise.”

He commended some governors who had enacted laws on disability and enjoined others

who had not to do the needful.

“I thank the Governors of Plateau, Lagos and Nasarawa States for enacting disability laws and establishing Disability Rights Commissions in their states, I am calling on Governors of Yobe, Kano and Kogi States, to implement their laws while those states that are yet to do so should take necessary action to enable Federal Government efforts have the desired impact at the subnational levels,” said President Buhari In her remarks, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, who led the team, said she has continued to receive words from persons with disabilities, local and non-governmental organisations, and the international community commending the President for the establishment of the Commission.

A cross-section of Military Officers, during the Juma’at Prayer for the 2021 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, at the National Mosque on Friday in Abuja.

Gujba attack: Buni appreciates military quick response From Uche Uche, Damaturu

Y

obe state Governor Hon. Mai Mala Buni has commended the quick response of the Nigeria army that led to the repelling the Boko Haram attack on Gujba on Saturday, the 9th of January 2021.

He said the determination of the security forces in pursuing the insurgents had recorded success and would change the nar-

ratives in the fight against insurgency with positive results.

In a press statement from the office of Buni’s Director General on Press and Media Affairs, Mamman Mohammed, the said “The resilience and gallantry of the military is highly commendable and must be appreciated to spur them to do more”.

He assured the support of the government and people of Yobe state to the security “this is

a collective fight that we are all involved and also called on Nigerians to always appreciate and support the security operatives in view of the overwhelming security challenges across the country.

He equally called on the people to always provide useful and timely information on suspicious movements in their communities to government authorities and the security forces for proactive measures.

He however regretted casualties recorded and wished those injured quick recovery while assuring that government would provide emergency support to the victims.

He therefore directed the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA to provide the needed assistance to the people and provide government with the detail of the destructions suffered from the attack for necessary action.

She requested the President to direct that public buildings like airports , motor parks and schools be made accessible to persons with disabilities in Nigeria although it has been captured in the Act. She also requested for technologies to aid the persons with disabilities in their educational pursuits.

The Minister added that her Ministry had ensured that persons with disabilities had access to palliatives from her Ministry and are also included in its social investment programmes.

Speaking with State House Correspondents after the meeting with Buhari, the Minister revealed that no fewer than two million Nigerians have been displaced as a result of insurgency, armed banditry, communal clashes amongst others.

I will always be patriotic in my administration, Gov Yahaya tells Christians community From David Hassan, Gombe

G

ombe state governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has assured Christian community of being patriotic in his administration, even as he said his style of leadership will embrace all in respect of differences.

Governor Yahaya was speaking at the weekend when Christian community through Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) paid him Christmas and new year homage at government house chamber in Gombe.

He said he will never relent in supporting Christian community due to oath of office he took in 2019.

He said as a Muslim, transparency will be the subject of his administration.

Governor Yahaya also assured them that his administration is committed to construct roads within southern part of the state which was neglected by the past government.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

PAGE 11

Letter to the Editor

EDITORIAL

2020: A year unlike any

T

he New Year 2021 already is eight days old today. Undoubtedly, it is with a huge sigh of relief that Nigerians are transiting to the New Year. Their hope is that it will be, indeed, a “happy and prosperous” 2021. We pray that this will not remain just a traditional wish but a reality.

The previous year ended on a rather somber note. It was a year that saw the country ravaged by the nouveau coronavirus, the cause of the covid-19 pandemic. As of Thursday, the nation had recorded over 90,000 cases, reported 70,000 recoveries and over a thousand deaths.

that many had predicted was avoided. The international price of crude rose marginally; inflation fell significantly to 14 percent. These were gains of tough decisions taken by Buhari’s economic team, with his approval, of course.

They included ending the importation of luxury goods and those that could be produced at home. Previously, those banned imports consumed a lot of scarce foreign exchange.

As we celebrate the New Year, we must be reminded that 2020 was a watershed, speaking politically. State governorship elections were held in September and October The pandemic forced in Edo and Ondo respectively. the economy into a second Candidates in the elections recession in five years. Growth conducted themselves with decorum, such dipped below 1 as had never percent.

In other been seen before. words, it was negative.

The polls went Inflation rose to a high of 18 percent high; The pandemic off without any incidents. These job losses also rose in forced the were hopeful the year 2020, hitting economy signposts for the almost 30 million over all in a population into a second general elections of supposedly 200 recession in five due in two years’ time. million.

Hunger, years.

Growth caused by scarcities While we pray and high prices stared dipped below millions of Nigerians 1 percent. In and hope that 2012 will be a in the face. In the other words, it much happier year midst of this mass frustration, some top was negative than the last, we must not forget government officials that Covid-19 were doing their damnedest best to undermine is still very much with us.

President Muhammadu Indeed, there is a new variant Buhari’s anti-graft campaign of the virus that mutates and that has struck a cord with the spreads very fast. It is said to majority of Nigerians across be more deadly. Therefore, we would do well to observe the political divide. the safety protocols given by However, in 2020, Buhari, the Presidential Task Force on whose economic policy was Covid-!9, particularly those on criticized by the opposition as hand washing and physical/ lacking direction, managed to social distancing. We may just redirect the economy back to the be able to flatten the curve this path of growth. The depression year.

“

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OUR PEOPLE

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Buhari and the Nigerian Youths

By Zayyad I. Muhammad

I

n his New Year address to Nigerians on January 1, 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari said his government had heard; listened and is committed to fulfilling the demands requested by Nigerian youths following the nationwide #ENDSARS protests. Although, the government has fulfilled most of the initial demands of the #ENDSARS protest, the most important demand is providing productive employment for youths and creating easy access for youths to participate in governance, politics and decisionmaking. Although, political-power is not given freely, one must work for it, but the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said Both formal and informal engagement of youth can be understood as political participation, and both are beneficial for a vivid and resilient democracy and should be supported.

President Buhari has acknowledged that young Nigerians are the most valuable natural resource the country has. He said: “Our young people are our most valuable natural resource, at home and abroad. Their ingenuity, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit is evident to all. Many of our young people are excelling in various spheres of life including sports, entertainment, information and communication technology, commerce and are globally recognized as achievers.”

But, sadly, most young Nigerians feel under-represented in the Buhari government. What should President Buhari do?

In terms of political participation and engagement in governance, the President should appoint twelve (12) young people ages from the late 40s downwards, two (2) from each of the six (6) geo-political zones, as Senior Special Assistant with full cabinet status. This will greatly impact on the youths’ perception of the government and give the government the ‘strength’ to boast that, youth are adequately represented in the government. This will also create a strong link between the government and the youths, who form more than half of Nigerian voters and represent a significant percentage of the Nigerian population. Though, there are some youths currently occupying positions in the government, an addition of 12 more youths is an added 27% more representation of the youth in the cabinet. This would serve as an impetus for a good image and a sound political strategy for the All Progressive Congress (APC) towards the 2023 elections- the party

would have something new to tell the Nigerian youths.

Concerning youth employment, the government already has some good programmes, like N-Power, SurvivalFund, Presidential Youth Empowerment Scheme (P-YES) etc. However, a veritable approach to tackle youth unemployment is agricultural entrepreneurship programme. It is good news that the Federal Government is already looking at that direction. The Government needs to re-model some of its agricultural programmes. The government can partner with the private sector to establish rice mills, poultry, fisheries, dairy, snailery and plantations etc in various locations in the country. The participating youths should receive hands-on training on how to manage the farms. After passing-out from the scheme, the farms should be transferred to them for management as entrepreneurs.

The scheme should work in such a way that local councils and state governments provide land and other logistics, the private sector provides the fund while the federal government stands as the guarantor of the fund. This will be done through the issuance of either callable, par value or coupon rate bonds. The private investors or financial institutions who will participate in the scheme are not to give money directly to the governments in order to receive the bond-certificate, but it would be a kind of batter arrangement. The investorseither financial institutions or private individuals would setup the farms, and put in place all structures required for the farms to function optimally. After which a bond certificate equivalent to the pre-agreed cost, will be issued to them. The youths, to whom the farms are to be transferred, should gradually refund the monies back to the government. This approach will make the scheme sustainable and self-sufficient.

Youths played critical roles in the emergence of the Buhari government in 2015 and 2019. While the government has continued to incorporate young persons in the political system, there is still a long way to go. The recent protests by ‘youths’ shows there are still major gaps between the government and its agenda for youths on the one and, and young people on the other hand.

The Buhari Government should take advantage of this situation because its opponents and the oppositions are already doing so.

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

PAGE 12

Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

A shambolic democracy: The fall of United States of America

By Tunmise Ajeigbe

T

he historical event that transpired on the 6th of January, 2021 will forever be hearkened back in the great history book of record of the United States of America and the world at large. This is highly disheartened, in a reputable nation with a high standard of political settings, befalling itself in the open face of the world with a crestfallen mode of democracy that was suddenly introduced on the basis of the event that had come to pass on the 6th of January 2021. Birthed into such kinds of FAQ from the intellectuals across the globe: is the United States of America rightfully practicing what the whole world can call a modern democracy? The answer is absolute No. it is more or less like a pride of shame, degrading is prestigious integrity laid by the forefathers the nation. I believe Abraham Lincoln and the likes of others will be weeping out their tears bitterly in their prospective graves regarding the catastrophe.

Following a musical tune of the Nigerian Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti in a musical track titled “Beast of No Nation” the Afrobeat Legend Fela Kuti pulled out a rhetorical question in a pidgin language asking Africans to question the prefix “united” appearing in the name United Nations and in the United States of America.

Fela asked: “wetin unite inside the United nation? East block West versus West block East”.

Fela Kuti emphasized that he has not seen any symbol of unity despite the fact that the nation bears the United States of America as its name. According to him, the internal boras within the states and tribes that make up the United States of America has not been buried for centuries and the United States of America will always call for an interference;

disguising as a peaceful nation when other nations most especially countries in the Africa continent and other nations across the globe find themselves battling in the political wilderness. On the basis of his ideology, the interference of the United States of America in any crisis in an Africa nation isn’t for the sake of peace and harmony but for captivity and for personal benefit.

More so, the United States of America as a nation competing with China in the league for dominating the world. The current sad tale would suppress the built noble reputation of the United States of America as a nation to a devastating degree in such a way that some countries in the Africa continent and other nation might get rid of united states of America as a weak political emulator which has lost its strength of political organization now being seen as a nation looking for more prey for captivation and victimization.

Indeed the United States of America might have forever lost its glory as a nation on the throne of political advisory for other developing nations across the globe. For case study, in a country like Nigeria, the most populous nation in the continent of Africa of about more the 206 million according to the 2020 estimate of the National Population Commission (NPC) of the country.

A nation that has been conquered by the warriors of China as a nation with huge investment and monetary relationship. It may be highly impossible for the United States of America to get its ground back in such a nation in line with odd policies placed on Africans especially Nigerians by the government of the United States of America in the recent years.

Nigerians are being perceived by Americans with ill reputation and blackishly attribute, it has not stopped there. This catalyzed some weird policies such as mass

deportation and visa ban on some Nigerians that might like to visit the United States of America for greener pastures. Unfortunately no way for them under the governmental administration of President Donald Trump that came into office as the president of the United States of America in January 2017 under the platform of the Republican Party defeating Hillary Clinton of the Democratic Party in the 2016 US election.

JANUARY 6TH, 2021 CAPITOL INVASION IN WASHINTON DC After several litigations that roamed across the globe that President Donald Trump failed to concede defeat against his political rival Mr. Joe Biden, the president-elect of the Democratic Party in the November 3rd, 2020 election. The whole world at large perceived that President Donald Trump has this cruiser emphasis that he will surely win the November 3rd US election expect if the November 3rd election is to be rigged. All are pre-election matters but President Donald Trump can’t just let it go by waving his hands to his shadow as an ex-president of the United States of America without breaking the yoke of re-seat in his sanctuary.

So sad, President Donald Trump lost the November 3rd US election to the candidate of the Democratic Party but finds it uneasy to acknowledge the result announced by the different media houses across the globe, as it the usual ethics of the nation, unlike that custom of some African countries that citizen must wait for the electoral commission for the final election result. Still, on his old emphasis, President Donald Trump believes that he won the November 3rd US election but his victory was stolen away by the media and some forsaken politicians that don’t want vast development of the United States of America. President Donald Trump kept informing his supporters that his mandate

The Donald Trump coup and man on horseback

By Festus Adedayo

W

hat is it about power that makes its holder captive of all the age-long narratives of power’s awesome, yet ephemeral aura and hold? The ongoing case of the most powerful president in the world, Donald Trump, becoming one of the most excoriated persons in the globe today is at issue. His ignoble collapse should make a very good reading to every student of power. For Africanist and African studies scholars, Trump is not unexampled and can be found in ancient Africa. Remove contemporary swagger, Capitol Hill, Nancy Pelosi and all that from the fall of Trump, the graveyards of powerful behemoths are replete with the bones of the Trumps and other laggards of power.

In the past one week or so and indeed, since the 2020 American election which humbled Trump off his arrogance, loquaciousness and naked display of raw power, the president and America have been on the front burner.

Why would such a powerful man fall into such ignominy, becoming a harbinger of unprecedented hate and recipient of tremendous disdain?

Already, Trump has gone down in history as the most vilified, most isolated in the last weeks of his hold on power and undoubtedly, the most disdained. It is akin to tumbling down from an Olympian height. His second impeachment is being considered and he is also going down in history as the first president of a country to have his Twitter account spiked for inciting violence, an act compared to a coup plot.

As coveted, revered, celebrated and desired as power is, it is as well one of the

most fleeting acquisitions of man. Of all man’s life ascriptions, power is the most transient, unreliable and unenduring. When it and its accoutrements – wealth, fame, honour, etc – leave man, they have varied methods and time lag of their departure. Everyone of the lot, except power, leaves in droves. Power leaves its holder in totality and immediately. This is because, when wealth leaves man, they could still have its insignia – cars, clothes and house – which many may confuse as signifying the continued existence of wealth. When power leaves man, it leaves immediately and with all its family members. Donald Trump must have begun to have a whiff of that by now. If not, he would see all in manifestation on January 20.

Whatever fate befalls Trump as his presidency grinds to an end and even subsequently, should serve as a great homily to current world occupiers of power and the ones who will come after them. Simplistic reading of the power they wield has made many people to wonder if power wielders, at whatever level, actually understand the purport and the texture of power.

In ancient Africa, as a way of excusing and legitimizing the huge sycophancy that has become the signature of power, a proverb in Igbo says that whoever holds the palm-frond is one the goat will follow. A once powerful holder of office in that region was aghast to learn of this when he left office. Gradually, all his loyalists began to crumble and a gradual collapse of his support base. He had just relinquished power to his successor. As Dr. Reuben Abati, ex-Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, wrote in a post-office lamentation of the migration of fawners from an ex-office holder, Abati in that piece situated

the dilemma of power in Africa.

Dictators are made to eat the humble pie when they are told the shocking and calamitous end of Basorun Gaa of the Old Oyo Empire. Gaa was a notable chief and nobleman of the Empire in the 16th century who stood in that position and oversaw the reign of four Alaafins of Oyo and contributed to the death of three of them. The Alaafin’s suzerainty was so expansive as to extend to Dahomey (present day Benin Republic) and even Ghana. Gaa’s military prowess and mastery of the geography of war gave the Empire all-round conquests in wars Oyo fought during this period. More than these however, Gaa’s talismanic fetish powers and prowess befuddled his sense of reasoning, which made a tyrant of him. The fourth Alaafin while Basorun lived, Alaafiin Abiodun, however superintended over his killing. Gaa was reportedly incinerated alive, as a way of ensuring the non-reincarnation of his wickedness.

The man on horseback story is also deployed as a narrative among the Yoruba to impart the moral of power. No one gives same regard given to an approaching rider of a horse to one who rode on a horseback yesterday, the saying goes. Manifesting similar warning about the ephemeral nature of power with the Igbo proverb on palm-frond above, the two warn the holder of fresh palm-frond and the horse rider of today to watch their steps while power is in their hold. It holds same currency with another saying which warns that the Masquerade Festival, with its orgy of celebration and merrymaking, would soon end and the son of the masquerader would go down to the village square to eat corn meal and bean cake with his peers. All of them warn

must be restored.

Perhaps, that might be the chemistry behind the invasion of the Capitol building on the 6th of January, 2021 after the lawmakers had done with the post-election Congress. Although the United States of America congress had certified the candidate of the Democratic Party, Mr. Joe Biden as the winner of the November 3rd US election, hours later the invasion by some mobs who claimed they are supporters of the incumbent president, President Donald Trump. Lawmakers resumed the session after police removed the mobs that have been encouraged by President Donald Trump as part of his attempt to overturn his defeat.

The certification clears the way for Mr. Joe Biden president-elect to be sworn in on the 20th of January 2021.

Shortly after the catastrophe that resulted in the death of four Americans, the incumbent president, President Donald Trump conceded to be defeated by his rival Mr. Joe Biden, the president-elect, and he finally pledged an orderly transition of power.

If adequate care is not taken, if the United States of America ceased to have learned its lessons from other past fallen nations across the globe, it might yield to an unerasable track record in the history of the planet with this current record of odd democracy. The United States of America may start appearing as one the one-time dominants nation in the world, if there are no swiftly steps for absolute corrections to erase the mess that is currently hindering its integrity nation, it will forever tarnish the reputation of the United States of America and its modes of democratic rulings falling to a devastating state.

Tunmise Ajeigbe is a Public Affairs Analyst. that power’s endurance level is very thin and elastic.

Unless Joe Biden unlearns the steps of Trump and imbibe these eternal lessons of power, he would willy-nilly find himself espousing some of the raw power concepts of Trump. Granted that some claim that Trump has always been a narcissist from his mother’s womb, inside the vortex of power lays an inexplicable spirit that most times drives its holder crazy. That is why an ordinary, sedate-minded, urbane and unassuming man, pre-power, could suddenly go berserk when handed the stronghold of power. Power is a spirit.

Many people ask why power changes its holder. Why would a man who was seemingly humane, loving and exhibiting temperance suddenly assume the mane of a lion in office?

The truth is that, most times, we fail to keenly study such people before their elevation.

Whatever you carry into power oftentimes sticks to you as you ascend the ladder of power.

Thus, if you are consumed by pettiness before your elevation, you will most likely go into your pouch of pettiness while sitting on that hallowed seat of power.

Again, it is a known fact that the confines of power in Nigeria’s practice of presidentialism has further made monsters of the power of its holders, many of those power-holders also carry into the office that belief in the Kabiyesiness of power. They equate political office to Gaa’s kind of power. As odd, queer and seemingly eccentric as Trump is, his eccentricity was largely tamed by the same American system and the loophole which he explored and exploited to become president.

The Nigerian system however gives fillip to and encourages the transformation into monsters by power seats occupants.

Festus Adedayo is a Public Affairs Analyst

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

PAGE 13

Comment

Assessing the activities of NSCDC under Gana

By Sode Mohammed

N

o flawless human in the entire universe thus, there is nothing like being perfect but those around Mohammed Gana, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC knew that he is a near perfect individual.

From time immemorial, it’s difficult to come across an individual who is always ready to support people irrespective of their background, religious and tribal affliction.

He is a thoroughbred professional who places national interest above personal considerations.

Although, Mohammed Gana has tried to live a very quiet life but as the saying goes “A golden fish has no hiding place”.

Therefore, his achievement as a gallant officer has kept him on the limelight.

Saying that he has transformed the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps since assuming office on the 17th of July 2015 is an understatement considering the plethora of successes he has achieved which is getting commendation from all and sundry. There is no doubt that he

succeeded where others have failed. He has put smiles on the faces of officers and men of the Corps.

Majority of his closed associates described him as an astute Administrator par excellence with no penchant for material wealth. Instead, he is always ready to sacrifice a lot for the benefit of many, reason why the yearly promotion exercise that was hitherto nonexistent became a recurring decimal under his stewardship.

CG Mohammed Gana since assumption of duty has built fourteen new state commands in addition to the erection of the state of the art hospital at the national headquarters of the NSCDC. The Civil Defence Boss also purchased and distributed Patrol Vehicles and Motorcycles to all the Commands of the Corps Nationwide. In fact, that of Bida Niger State was received amidst jubilation after the Council Chairman of the Area; Alhaji Suleiman Sheshi joined the euphoria.

As if that was not enough, CG Mohammed Gana who recently birthed the agro Rangers for protection of Farmers and Herders ensured the completion and movement of the NSCDC National

Headquarters to the permanent site at airport Road Abuja.

His exemplary leadership attributes and camaraderie has led to synergy with sister agencies culminating in the deployment of personnel of the Corps to protect correctional facilities across the Nation.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps under the current leadership has also been saddled with greater responsibilities more than ever especially in combating insurgency, banditry, cattle rustling and a host other criminal activities.

The hallmark of a steady democracy lies on a formidable security and that is exactly what the Civil Defence Corps being led by CG Mohammed Gana has provided over the years.

This is because he has so far done his job diligently.

The current Boss of the NSCDC has been able strictly devote his time entirely to the service of humanity.

It is unequivocally clear that Mohammed Gana is a resolute security Chief with passion for the job based on the decisions he has taken since clinching the mantle of leadership.

He has mentored a number of people from the scratch bringing them to limelight to attain their potentials and goals in life.

To him, skepticism has no place in the mind of any erudite being thus: he sees possibility in every task assigned to him.

As a result of his ingenuity, uprightness and open-mindedness among other sterling qualities Mohammed Gana is endowed with, he has been able to instill a culture of discipline among officers and men of the corps.

As a team player, division of labour has been one of the secret to his success because he always give the staff forum to work as a group for the purpose of collective responsibility.

No doubt, Mohammed Gana, a rare gem and force to reckon with at all times has continued to transform the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC on daily basis.

All he needs is more support from all and sundry for the NSCDC to effectively deliver on its statutory mandate.

Sode Mohammed, a Public Affairs Analyst writes in from Niger State.

An institutional inspiration from the incarceration of an American tyrant

By Richard Odusanya

T

he whole past will always remain the procession of the present. As a result, we must continuously study history because in it we make more history. A generation which ignores history has no future.

Governance is a big word that includes human rights, freedom of speech, economic transactions, religion and every other aspect of the human lives on a worldwide basis- it touches everything and everywhere. In the light of this, we cannot remain mere consumers of good governance; we must be patriotic participants and co-creators.

We are the owners of corporate governance which real mechanism is the active involvement of the owners. So, we must continuously learn from the works of historians who are prophets with their face turned backward for us to avoid the mistakes of the past and key into the mental and physical strengths of our heroes past to consolidate their achievements.

In the year 507 B.C., the Athenian leader Cleisthenes (the father of democracy) introduced a system of political reforms; to abolish the political distinctions between the Athenian aristocrats and the middle-and-working class citizens, that he called demokratia or “rule by the people”. This Greek system of direct democracy paved the way for the representative democracies across the globe today.

The present democracy owe their origin to the American and French revolutions. Since the best form of all forms of governance till date is “democracy”, it is our duty to jealously guard against its failure and continuously learn from the different democratic settings around the world to help us eradicate the madness we practise in Africa all in the name of “democracy”.

The politics of America, being the origin of the present day democratic setting, is enviable and symbolic to the existence of every other democracy drawing inspiration from it. A failed American democratic system is a time-bomb to the world as a whole.

It is the knowledge of this that stirred fears and worries deep down inside of me when Mr Donald Trump became the 45th President of the United States of America in 2016, in a contest against Hillary Clinton through electoral college.

My picture of Mr Trump has always been that of a potential tyrant, an insincere personality that cannot be held responsible for his words,

a racist, a shallow thinker and careless talker.

Many of the greatest tyrants on the records of history began their reigns in the fairest manner. But this unnatural power corrupts both the heart and understanding.

Hardly had President Trump settled into office that he started dishing out the evils he had up his sleeves. His policies heated up the world politics and brought about discomfort and humiliations to lots of second and third world countries; I remember him intentionally call Africa a shit hole just for the sake of humiliating us as a people.

He hid under the protection of legality and the banner of justice to spread his hate speech and misdeeds about religion and racism.

“A tyrant must put on the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion. Subjects are less apprehensive of illegal treatment from a ruler whom they consider godfearing and pious.

On the other hand, they do less easily move against him, believing that he has the gods on his side.”- Aristotle.

This is a perfect description of President Trump. He came like the destroyer of the antichrists and the saviour of the Christian faith.

He gained lots of followership initially with the promotion of racism and later by recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and ordering the relocation of the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. What an applaudable feat from an insincere heart!

His “American first policy” established a cult-like followership among the white supremacists; and a second term for President Trump became a do or die affair among his followers. He successfully got to religion extremists and racists, manipulating them to satisfy his personal interest of ruling as a despot that he has always been.

But those with their minds within their reach saw his moves as castles being built in the air; no wonder Pope Francis, on 18 February ,2016, accused President Trump of not being a Christian.

Recent research has shown that President Trump has been categorised as one of the worst presidents ever in the history of America,placing him in the league of President Nixon( 19691974; a symbol of criminality- the Watergate scandal), President Buchanan (1857-61; the worst ever), President Andrew Jackson (182937; a symbol of nepotism and bad judgement), President Harring (1920; a womaniser with

less interest in governance), President Andrew Johnson (1865-69; a drunkard) and Franklin Pierce (1853-57; a voice for slave trade).

In Africa, the offences that qualified these personalities as worst would have been applauded and celebrated. American democracy is an institution that is bigger than any personality or group of personalities; it is not like ours in Africa where our laws abide in the pockets of some lunatics we call leaders.

“America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand”-Harry Truman (the 33rd President of the United States).

We call ours in Africa democracy though it is built on nepotism, abuse of law, embezzlement, abuse of power, rigging of election and all disgusting practices in a sane clime.

“We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”Abraham Lincoln ( the 16th President of the United States; considered the greatest of all in the history of America).

“Our democracy here in Africa is a government of the political “thieves” by the political “thieves” and for the the political “thieves” It is a display of rascality and irresponsibility at its peak by those who are supposed to be the custodians of our constitution and its provisions.

“Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. If Nigeria succeeds at democratic governance, it will be an anchor for all of West Africa. Africa needs a strong Nigeria”Ed Randall Royce ( Chairman of United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2019).

The survival, sanity and greatness of Africa rest on a strong Nigeria. This we could only achieve by burying our present balderdash we practise in the name of democracy. Nigerians, most especially the intelligentsia, should always remember that the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors. If not for the American consciousness about their leadership, like in Africa, emperor Trump would have been rigged into power for a second term without any resistance.

“It is not hard to imagine Donald Trump

leading us into war just because somebody got under his very thin skin. Americans are not just electing a president in November. We are choosing our next C-in-C, the person we count on to decide questions of war and peace, life and death. And like many across our country and around the world, I believe the person the Republicans have nominated for president cannot do the job.”-Hillary Clinton.

Here in Africa, anything goes when it comes to our leadeship and governance; our politicians lack the required ideology for a democratic setting.They see the access to political powers as a means to settle personal scores, oppress the citizens and amass wealth. Yet, we do not see anything wrong with this. If President Trump was an African, he would have been praised for doing what is wrong.

President Trump grew up as a bossy personality with lots of cash to throw around. At a tender age of 8, he was already a millionaire.

He had always felt he was the boss until 3rd of November, 2020. The sane democratic system of America handed him the gift of sanity to mute the madness in him. The constitution clipped his wings and placed him where he actually belongs in the scheme of the American democratic setting; a citizen just like every other citizen.

No oppression is so heavy or lasting as that which is inflicted by the perversion and exorbitance of legal authority. Our system has been far too abused and we cannot all keep mute in the face of disorderliness and madness spread by our political mad dogs. It is time we stood up to bring sanity to our land.

We must all remember that just because we do not take interest in politics does not mean that politics will not take interest in us.The earlier we understand how tied our lives are to governance and the leadership over us the better for us in Africa.

“There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America”Bill Clinton. When would we say same of Nigeria and Africa at large?!

IT IS TIME WE AUTOMATED OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE IN AFRICA TO RECURRENTLY AND EFFORTLESSLY SELFDEFENSE AGAINST OUR IRRESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIPS! Odusanya is the convener of AFRICA COVENANT RESCUE INITIATIVE ACRI.

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

NEWS

2023: Ebonyi indigenes rule out zoning

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

A

s 2023 governorship election in Ebonyi state gathers momentum, some indigenes of the state under the platform of Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes in the Diaspora (AESID) have said that competence and credibility will determine who emerge the next governor and not zoning.

The association implored Ebonyi people to continue to study the records in and out of office of any contender and place same side-by-side with the prevailing challenges facing the state and seek out for only those who can reverse the negative indices.

In a statement signed and released to newsmen on Sunday by its President, Ambassador Paschal Oluchukwu, urged the people to ignore “paid political permutators, jobbers

and hatchets men mislead, misdirect or misinform Ebonyi people as they battle to choose a credible and competent leader who would take-over the baton as Governor David Nweze Umahi’s successor.”

The association was reacting to an opinion piece by one Sunday Okwerike- one of the Izhi youngsters on social media who lamented that the rest of Ebonyians should probably leave the battle of Umahi’s successor in 2023 to only his Izhi clan.

But while responding to the development, the AESID said Ebonyi people will also not support to be elected into the office of Governor in 2023, any leader or persons who have records of having been used particularly by the Umahi administration to dispense mindless violence on Ebonyians with many of such leading to deaths of the young and elderly.

“First, AESID wishes to assert that the number one crite-

ria which we implore every Ebonyian and lover our dear State to seek out in any intending aspirant or candidate is COMPETENCE and CREDIBILITY which would ultimately translate into such a leader’s capacity to reverse the numerous growing negative statistics and economic woes that the current government of Umahi has brought upon our dear State.

“Apart from the incontrovertible fact that there has never been a time when the rest of the zones in the State allowed only aspirants and candidates from a particular part of the State to seek the Governorship office in keeping with the so-called unwritten charter of equity, power as such pundits and analysts should be made to know only comes from above and it is never given but taken.

“Much more than the zone of an aspirant, AESID would, we reiterate implore Ebonyi people to continue to study the records in and out of office of

any contender and place same side-by-side with the prevailing challenges facing the young State and seek out for only those who can reverse the negative indices.

“We, as a group has variously raised the alarm over the rising poverty in the State which has placed us in a woeful third position among the 36 States of the federation and whoever wish to succeed Umahi must not only be worried about this ugly trend but have the feasible prognosis to proffer credible solutions to them.”

According to Oluchukwu, the government of Engr. Umahi has remained a family business with capital flights being the order of the day.

“Governor Umahi boasts that he knows even the costs of production and supply of ordinary nails, all because he is the sole supplier all to and by himself and his family. This is why the government has placed higher premium on concrete

roads, flyovers and decorative water fountains cum lights over and above the economic survival of a greater number of Ebonyians. Come 2023, Ebonyi people should choose, follow, support and elect a leader who would run an all-inclusive government that would see humans as humans and not as machines.

“It is our firm believe that the economic prosperity of Ebonyi people is more important than the antiquated zoning of political positions that would not afford us to put our best foot forward as Umahi’s successor in 2023. More so, our people will not elect any leader who has shown manifest greed and looting of previously or presently occupied public office, neither would we encourage them to support anyone hanging on the shoulders of any leader who has vaults in his massive country-home wherein he’s been saving looted public funds.

NUT boss urges Union to pray for country From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

T

he National President of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Comrade Nasir Idris Kaura Gwandu has called on the Union members to pray for peace and harmony in the country.

He stated this weekend while interacting with some newsmen in Birnin Kebbi.

He added that their is need for Nigerian teachers to joined others and pray for peace and love for the country, irrespective of different religions and ethnicity.

The National President of NUT who commended the effort of the president Mohammad Buhari for implementing the remuneration of the Teachers in the country, urged the union members to continue to support the present administration in order for them to succeed.

R-L; Outgoing South Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, Hon.Lee In-Tae, Senior Special Assistant. to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Ita Enang and Sen. Magnus Abe, during the senth forth ceremony for the Ambassador at the weekend in Abuja. Photo; Justin Imo-owo

Numan council bans tricycle operations G T

Group honours Gov Sule, Nasarawa Speaker as Ambassador of Peace

From Gambo Ahmed, Lafia

From Umar Dankano, Yola

he Native Authorities of Numan local government Area in Adamawa state has announced ban on all commercial activities by tricycles popularly known as “Keke Nappep” in Numan town indefinitely.

Executive Chairman of the

council, Mr. Innocent Koto disclosed the position in a mobile phone interview at the weekend.

He stressed that the ban was informed by last Friday’s break down of law and order as a result of a clash between members of ACOMORAN and NURTW commercial Tricy-

cles Unions in Numan.

Mr.Koto said intelligence report at the council’s disposal has revealed that the crisis between the two rivalry commercial Tricycle operators unions has created tension among residents in the town as some were injured and property destroyed.

ov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has bagged an award of excellence as an ambassador of peace and justice from an Umbrella body of youths in Umaisha Development Area of Toto LGC. Also honored is the Nasarawa state speaker Honorable Ibrahim Abdullahi Balarabe as the best leader of the year.

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

A

former Nigerian ambassador to the United States of America, George Obiozor, has emerged as the new President General of Igbo sociocultural organization, Ohanézè Ndígbo.

He defeated four other candidates to emerge victorious in the delegates election on Sunday.

The election took place at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, capital of Imo State.

PDP has no future in Nigeria – ExAdamawa gov Ngillari

F

ormer Adamawa Governor, Bala Ngillari, says Peoples Democratic Party has no future in Nigeria, noting that it is a dying party.

Ngillari said this at the state All Progressives Congress stakeholders meeting on Saturday in Yola.

The former governor, who defected to APC in 2020, was the PDP’s Adamawa North Senatorial Candidate at the 2019 general election.

“One of the reasons why I dumped PDP for APC is that PDP is a dying party. In fact, PDP is dead and it will be buried in 2023.

“Secondly, I don’t see PDP as an alternative for the future of Nigeria, because the contradictions in the party will make its members go to the graveyard and we will help them bury themselves.

“And the reason why I identified myself with APC is because of its laudable objectives that will take us to the promised land and give hope to our future generations,” Ngillari said.

He said that any nationalist who wanted the country to move to the next level should join APC as it has no alternative at present.

He said there was hope for Nigeria and its citizens under the APC-led Federal Government, urging progressive politicians across the country to rally around the party.

“I wish those who chose to remain in PDP well,” Ngillari said.

He said the APC currently has 90 per cent followership in Adamawa, assuring that the party would take over the state in 2023.

“Adamawa has abundant natural resources if properly harnessed, the resources would boost the economy of the state and the country at large,” he said.

He called on the people of the state to support APC for the future and development of the state.

(NAN)

Obiozor emerges new Ohaneze Ndigbo President Obiozor polled a total of 304 votes to win the election.

Three of his opponents had announced that they were stepping down for him at the venue before voting commenced.

Obiozor takes over from John Nwodo as the president-general of the organization following the expiration of the tenure of the Nwodo-led leadership.

Governors Okezie Ikpeazu (Abịa), David Umahi (Ebonyi) and Hope Uzodinma (Imo) attended the election.

How they voted: Abia Delegates Voted in Favour of Professor George Obiozor: 47 Votes. No Vote for his Opponent, Chief Valentine Oparaocha.

Anambra Delegates Voted in Favour of Professor George Obiozor:41. His Opponent, Chief Valentine Oparaocha, Got 1 Vote.

Delta State Delegates Voted in Favour of Professor George Obiozor: 17 Votes. His Opponent, Chief Valentine Oparaocha, Got 1 Vote.

Ebonyi State Delegates Voted

in Favour of Professor George Obiozor: 53 Votes. His Opponent, Chief Valentine Oparaocha, Got No Vote.

Enugu State Delegates Voted in Favour of Professor George Obiozor: 40 Votes. His Opponent, Chief Valentine Oparaocha, Got 1 Vote.

Imo State Delegates Voted in Favour of Professor George Obiozor: 42. His Opponent Chief Valentine Oparaocha, Got No Vote.

Rivers State Delegates Voted:

21 in Favour of Professor George Obiozor. His Opponent, Chief Valentine Oparaocha, Got No Vote.

Ohanaeze Affiliate Associations Delegates and Ohanaeze Diaspora Delegates Voted : 43 in favour of Professor George Obiozor.

His Opponent, Chief Valentine Oparaocha, Got 12 Votes.

The Total Result of election of President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo: Oparaocha 15 Votes, Professor George Obiozor: 304 Votes.

From right Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, receiving a holy bible from Rev. Abare Kala North East CAN Chairman, Apostle John Adedigba CAN Secretary Gombe State left during the new year homage by CAN on governor Muhammad Inuwaya Yahaya on Saturday at the Government House Gombe

APC congratulates Obiozor on emergence as Ohanézè Ndígbo President-General

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he All Progressives Congress (APC) has congratulated former Nigerian Ambassador to the United States of America, Prof.

George Obiozor, on his election as the new President-General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanézè Ndígbo.

A statement issued yesterday by the National Secretary of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator John

J. Akpan Udoedehe, said “On behalf of the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), H.E. Governor Mai Mala Buni and the entire APC family, our great party congratulates former Nigerian Ambassador to the United States of America, Prof. George Obiozor on his election as the new PresidentGeneral of the apex Igbo sociocultural organisation, Ohanézè Ndígbo.

“We also congratulate the outgoing Chief John Nwodo

executive for its mature and patriotic leadership of Ohanézè Ndígbo.

“Going by his distinguished service to the nation, Obiozor’s experience and suitability for the strategic position of PresidentGeneral of Ohanézè Ndígbo is not in doubt. The Party hereby urges Ndigbo to support Obiozor to fulfil the mandate of the organisation.

“The APC Caretaker/ Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) under the leadership of Governor Mai Mala Buni is determined to consolidate on the ongoing efforts

to further mainstream the South East geo-political zone in the workings of the governing APC and place the zone in its deserved political standing in the country.

“While the APC is ready to partner and work with the new leadership of Ohanézè Ndígbo towards our shared development, we are also confident that the new leadership will be a bastion for the unity and tolerance all Nigerians should imbue for the peace and progress of the nation.

“The APC wishes the Obiozorled Ohanézè Ndígbo a successful tenure.”

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

POLITICS

PAGE 17

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

POLITICS

APC condemns U.S. election saga

A

ll Progressive Congress (APC) has described events that followed the United States of America’s November 2020 presidential election and President Donald Trump’s refusal to concede defeat as condemnable.

The APC said this in a statement signed by Senator John Akpanudoedehe, Secretary of its Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee on Saturday in Abuja, while reacting to the development.

“The events of the past 72 hours in the U.S. are, to say the least, condemnable. Over time, elections in the U.S. had been used as a touchstone for elections in other democracies.

“It is settled that strong institutions are fundamental to the sustenance of democracies.

“However, this U.S. election saga strongly underscores the fact that the integrity of the country’s leader essentially complements the workings of these institutions.

“President Muhammadu Buhari contested and lost elections a couple of times and followed the process through to the Supreme Court on all accounts. This is an outstanding credential of a true democrat,’’ he said.

Akpanudoedehe noted that upon ultimately gaining electoral victory in 2015, the APC-led administration had carried out fundamental reforms to strengthen institutions.

This, he said, included noninterference in the functions of INEC among others.

He recalled that the APC contested elections; won some, lost some without splitting hairs, adding that at some point, it lost more than five states to the PDP, yet allowed democracy to prevail.

Akpanudoedehe added that the APC had remained resolute in its belief that in every electoral contest, popular will must prevail.

This according to him is a far cry from the days of the do-ordie politics where civilians took control of security apparatus to subvert the people’s will and determine the outcome of elections.

He stressed that electoral reform was a core plank of the programs of the APC-led administration and a legacy that President Buhari had promised to bequeath to Nigerians.

He said the Buhari-led administration had brought about several institutional reforms including granting autonomy to Local Governments Councils.

He said the signing into law

by President Buhari in May 2020 of the Executive Order No. 10 of 2020 for the implementation of financial autonomy of state legislatures and judiciaries and other related matters was a bold statement on institutional reforms.

NAN

Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (L), with Mrs Uduak Nsikak Eduok, during his condolence visit on the demise of the former CAS, Air Marshal Nsikak Eduok, on Saturday in Uyo . Photo;; NAN

Adamawa: We joined APC to expel PDP – Nyako, Abbo boast

P

olitical heavyweights in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State talked tough again Saturday, vowing that they are in the party to see off the state government formed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

What was intended to be a huge welcome rally for new prominent entrants was, in view of coronavirus, reduced to a small meeting attended only by the leading new members at the state Secretariat in Yola.

Sen Abdulaziz Nyako, who officially returned to the APC and his African Democratic Congress (ADC) which structures were collapsed into the APC constituted the highlight of the meeting attended also by Sen Ishaku Abbo who officially defected to the

APC from PDP, as well as former governor, Barr Bala Ngillari who also left the PDP. Abdulaziz, who defected from the APC towards the 2019 election to pick the ADC governorship ticket because he was not accommodated for his ambition at the time in the APC, admitted that the APC lost the 2019 governorship election because of conflict among leading members.

He said his priority as he returned to the APC is to contribute his part in routing out the PDP come 2023.

“We have to fight and win this time in unity and peace,” he told the APC family.

Speaking also, Sen Ishaku Abbo who had always been at loggerheads with Governor Fintiri even while in the PDP, charged

APC to do all that is electorally possible to remove Fintiri come 2023.

Abbo who has been touted to be interested to run for governor under the APC as he comes into it, said at the Saturday event that he was not a power monger and that he could say the same for the others coming into the party.

“We are not desperate politicians who must have power.

None of us in particular must be governor, but somebody in APC must be governor. We are not after our personal interests. We want to rescue Adamawa,” Abbo said.

Bala Ngillari, who was Adamawa State governor under PDP between October 1, 2014 and May 29, 2015, said he had always been in one party and did not believe in restless party politics but

for him to be defecting into APC means that APC is a great party.

“I don’t see PDP as an alternative in 2023. We want serious people to go into government and change the order of underdevelopment in the state,” Ngilari said.

The APC National Caretaker Committee member for Northeast, Prof Tahir Mamman, asked the APC in the state to brace up for thorough membership registration in the near future.

“We want to see at least two million residents of Adamawa as bonafide members of APC in the exercise. By God’s grace, in 2023 it is going to be APC ‘sak’ at all levels. With this new capacity, our candidates who emerge victorious at our primaries can be assured of victory,” Prof Tahir asserted.

2023: Igbo journalists urge focus, back South East for president

By Musa Baba Adamu

T

he United Igbo Journalists (UIJ) on Sunday commended Igbo political leaders who gathered recently in Igbere, Abia state to further unite on Igbo presidential bid ahead of 2023.

In a Press Statement issued in Abuja, the Igbo Journalists comprising all Igbo practising media practitioners in Nigeria, however cautioned against diversionary and divisive tendencies that could jeopardise Ndigbo collective interest.

The statement signed by UIJ Chairman, Emeka Nze, further posited that the decision of Igbo politicians to back any major political party that would hand a presidential ticket to a South Easterner was commendable.

According to the statement, “We unanimously commend the Igbere meeting of the South East political leaders which resolved on concerted efforts by politicians from the zone to deliver any major political party that fields a South Easterner as its presidential candidate in 2023,

irrespective of party affiliation.

“We however condemn the position of the South East governors which does not represent the majority of interest of Ndigbo. We enjoin them to put party differences aside and have a rethink in a bid to forge a common front in the affairs of Igbo nation.

“It is high time Igbo take their rightful place in the political leadership of Nigeria. We are regarded to be very productive in our individual and other areas of our endeavour.

We now need to translate our result-

oriented nature to collective pursuit of a common interest.

“That no Igbo man has ruled this country for decades now especially since the return of democracy in 1999 is a course for concern.

“We can’t continue to be used as tools to disunite ourselves even within the Ohaneze leadership structure. Let us now unite and stand for each other.

It is our belief that even the weakest Igbo person will make a better leadership point at the presidency.

Enough of discordant tunes, the time is now.”

Representative of the Governor of Kebbi State, Alhaji Suleiman Muhammad Argungu (3rd R), presenting a souvenir to the Controller-General (CG) of Federal Fire Service, Dr Ibrahim Liman (M), yesterday during the inaugurationof the modern Firefighting Truck delivered by the CG to State in Birnin-Kebbi. With them are: Commissioner for Works, Alhaji Abubakar Liman and others

Ohanaeze: Imo election an act in futility, shun exercise – Okwukwu to Ndigbo

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

A

factional Deputy PresidentGeneral of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dimm Uche Okwukwu, had advised Ndigbo against taking part in any election being organized in Imo State in the name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

This is coming after Okwukwu was elected alongside others at a parallel Ohanaeze election, which was held in Enugu on Saturday, under the Prince Richard Ozobu election committee.

Another election is underway in Imo State, being conducted by the Chief Garri Igariwey committee.

But in a statement he made available to journalists on Sunday, Okwukwu said the tenure of Chief

Nnia Nwodo-led executive had expired and that as such, it lacked powers to spearhead an election.

His statement read: “The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has received credible information to the effect that Chief Gary Igariwey, who had in the last two weeks purportedly claimed to chair a non-existing Electoral Committee, EC, is about to organize an election in Owerri, Imo State, with the aim of announcing an illegal National Executive Council, NEC, we therefore wish to inform the general public that: “The Igariwey committee is illegal, null and void. It is a subject of litigation before an Umuahia high court and we urge Ndigbo to completely disassociate themselves from such illegality. Any action,

commission or omission, by the Igariwey-led committee is of no consequence. Whatever emanates from it cannot stand the test of time.

“In my former position as Secretary General before the midnight of 9th January 2021 when my term constitutionally expired, I repeatedly said any Imeobi, NEC, Council of Elders or General Assembly summoned by persons other than me was illegal, null and void.

“What is frightening today is that a purported election is being conducted after the 9th January 2021 expiration of the term of office of the former NEC. One wonders what the Igariwey charade is all about? How can an election be conducted after the expiration of term of office? Even

the Nigerian state does not conduct election outside the term of office of an executive. If what is about to happen in Owerri had happened in the larger Nigeria, Ndigbo would have condemned it.

“I call upon Ndigbo to rally round their newly elected President General, Engr Chidi Ibeh, and members of his NEC. His emergence, against threats of ostracism and violence, is a true testament that Ndigbo are a free people with the capacity to decide who leads them.

“We congratulate all Igbos, particularly those who mistakenly bought forms from the Igariwey committee to contest for offices, particularly the office of the President General, PG, and who for the greater interest of Ndigbo

PDP defies COVID-19 protocols to elect state leaders in Jigawa

M

embers of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have conducted state congress by defying the COVID-19 protocols.

This is coming at the time when the country is seriously concerned about the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), said 99,063 cases have been confirmed, 79,417 cases have been discharged and 1,350 deaths have been recorded across the country.

Jigawa State has recorded 415 COVID-19 cases in total and twelve persons lost their lives to the deadly virus.

Governor Muhammad Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State said state Government is taking steps to prevent the spread of the second wave of the pandemic.

Governor Badaru had banned all gatherings that involve more than 50 persons, ordering civil servants to work from home and closing all the primary and secondary schools.

He also ordered for the strict compliance with all COVID-19 safety guidelines, including ban on large gatherings, compulsory wearing of facemasks, keeping physical distancing, regular hand washing and use of sanitisers.

However, the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, National headquarters had in a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, said the congress would be observed in accordance with NCDC directives.

It is however, observed that

all the safety guidelines were largely ignored and violated by the delegates and other members of the party.

Announcing the results, the congress chairman, Umar Ardo, said consensus candidates were elected in all the 39 positions.

He said Hon. Babandi Ibrahim was elected as chairman, Deputy Chairman Hon Ali Idris Diginsa.

While Isa zakari , Idris Iliyas and Muhammad Zangi as Vice Chairmen and Isa Bello Gwadayi as Secretary of the party.

withdrew from the election in the face of overwhelming irregularities.

We congratulate Dr Joe Nworgu, Chief Chris Asoluka and Professor Chidi Osuagwu. These men of honour will be remembered when the history of Ndigbo is properly written.

“Finally, my deepest gratitude goes to the highly efficient Global Igbo Leaders for the great role it played in seeing that Igboland remains stable without violence.

I must mention Prof Uzodinma Nwala of Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF); Prof Anthony Ejiofor and Dr Festus Okere of World Igbo Congress (WIC) USA; Dr Nwachukwu Anakwenze, Chief Christian Onuorah and Chief Oliver Nwankwor of Igbo World Assembly (IWA) Worldwide and Prof Chika Moore and Ngozi Odumuko of Nzuko Umunna (USA and Nigeria).

“Ndigbo recognize the immense contribution of Ben Allison of Ndi Igbo Canada; Luke Nwannunu of Ekwe Nche USA; Barr Austin Okeke and Mazi Obi Okoli of Igbo Board of Deputies Worldwide and Barr Alex Coker Ezeamakam of Council of Igbo Communities UK. We are proud of Ogbuefi Delly Ajufo of Aka Ikenga Nigeria; Mazi Obi Okoli of Council of Igbo Leaders UK; Chief Oliver Nwankwor and Barr Alex Coker Ezeamakam of European Igbo Communities (EIC) Europe and Mazi Amadiebube Mbama of Council of Igbo States in America (CISA) USA. “It is not true that after the 1929 Aba Women Riots, the Igbo woman turned her back on politics. Iyom Josephine Anenih and Mrs Regina Amadi of Nkata Ndi Iyom Igbo (Nigeria and Uk) are resolute in advancing the Igbo interests. I thank these great amazons; including Mrs Joy Ukaegbu and Mrs Eunice Onwuamaegbu of One Voice UK; and Mrs Amaka Agabi of Women Support and Mediation Group UK”.

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

Stock Watch: Friday, January 8, 2020 Low

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2.80 3.15 0 1.94 3.94 0 0.27 0.27 0 0.64 0.64 0 4.60 8.60 0 37.00 68.30 0 3.79 4.21 0 9.65 10.05 0 31.50 34.00 0 1.90 1.92 0 18.45 18.45 0 1.72 1.84 0 23.25 23.25 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.20 0.20 0 6.10 6.10 0 1.75 1.75 0 186.00 186.00 0 6.00 6.65 0 14.60 14.55 0 1.80 2.00 0 3.37 3.37 0 4.30 4.70 0 14.00 14.00 0 7.35 7.80 0 1.62 1.65 0 1.91 1.96 0 4.95 4.95 99 0.33 0.33 0 21.85 21.85 0 29.60 30.70 0 0.20 0.20 0 12.20 13.05 0 32.60 32.95 0 72.00 72.00 0 1.18 1.18 0 1.53 1.53 0 31.50 31.50 0 0.51 0.54 0 0.20 0.20 0 23.25 23.25 0 0.44 0.44 0 0.30 0.30 0 1.36 1.36 0 0.72 0.72 0 0.52 0.49 0 1.83 1.83 0 2.45 2.45 0

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Stock Close Gain UPL 1.14 0.13 LIVESTOCK 0.52 0.01 SOVRENINS 0.21 0.03 OKOMUOIL 60.00 1.80 GUARANTY 23.50 0.55

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

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0.11 0.21 0 0.21 0.21 MBENEFIT 0.00 0 0.43 0.43 0 0.43 0.43 MCNICHOLS 0.00 0 1.05 2.05 261 2.05 2.05 MEDVIEWAIR 0.00 0 124.80 184.80 0 184.80 184.80 MOBIL 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 970 0.20 0.20 MULTIVERSE 0.00 0 3.50 3.50 0 3.50 3.50 NAHCO 0.00 0 18.00 18.00 0 18.00 18.00 NASCON 0.00 0 78.50 78.70 0 79.50 79.50 NB 0.80 0 0.78 0.78 0 0.78 0.78 NEIMETH 0.00 0 2.60 2.60 0 2.60 2.60 NEM 0.00 0 552.20 552.20 150 552.20 552.20 NESF 0.00 0 1,475.00 1,475.00 0 1,475.00 1,475.00 NESTLE 0.00 0 1.60 1.65 0 1.60 1.60 NPFMCRFBK -0.05 0 4.60 4.80 0 4.60 4.75 OANDO -0.20 0 80.00 76.20 0 80.00 80.00 OKOMUOIL 3.80 0 64.00 64.00 0 64.00 64.00 PRESCO 0.00 0 0.50 0.50 0 0.50 0.50 PRESTIGE 0.00 0 12.30 12.30 0 12.30 12.30 PZ 0.00 0 4.20 4.20 0 4.20 4.20 REDSTAREX 0.00 0 0.20 0.21 0 0.20 0.21 REGALINS -0.01 0 0.50 0.50 0 0.50 0.50 RESORTSAL 0.00 0 0.21 0.23 0 0.21 0.22 ROYALEX -0.02 0 640.00 640.00 405 640.00 640.00 SEPLAT 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.21 0.21 SOVRENINS 0.01 0 46.50 46.00 0 46.50 46.50 STANBIC 0.50 0 102.00 102.00 122 102.00 102.00 STANBICETF30 0.00 0 1.97 1.96 0 1.97 1.97 STERLNBANK 0.01 0 203.00 203.00 0 203.00 203.00 TOTAL 0.00 0 6.10 6.10 632 6.10 6.10 TRANSCOHOT 0.00 0 1.15 1.21 0 1.16 1.18 TRANSCORP -0.05 0 9.60 9.60 0 9.60 9.60 UACN 0.00 0 1.74 1.92 0 1.74 1.74 UAC-PROP -0.18 0 7.60 7.80 0 7.90 7.95 UBA 0.10 0 6.00 6.05 0 6.00 6.05 UBN -0.05 0 2.89 2.94 0 2.89 2.91 UCAP -0.05 0 36.30 37.00 0 36.30 36.30 UNILEVER -0.70 0 0.27 0.27 0 0.27 0.27 UNIONDAC 0.00 0 1.00 0.99 0 1.00 1.00 UNITYBNK 0.01 0 2.04 1.97 0 2.14 2.14 UPL 0.17 0 0.23 0.23 0 0.23 0.23 VERITASKAP 0.00 0 4.50 4.99 0 4.50 4.50 VITAFOAM -0.49 0 11.30 11.50 0 11.30 11.65 WAPCO -0.20 0 0.40 0.40 0 0.40 0.40 WAPIC 0.00 0 0.59 0.61 0 0.59 0.61 WEMABANK -0.02 0 21.20 22.70 0 21.70 22.50 ZENITHBANK -1.00 0 Copyright © 2019 NgTradeOnline

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W

ith many countries strategizing for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) that kicked off at the beginning of this month, Dangote Industries Ltd, has stated that its cement expansion plan and fertilizer investments will open new trade routes for the company and Nigeria under the trade deal.

Already, the cement company, despite an installed capacity of 29.3Mta in Nigeria, is targeting an expanded entity in-country and in Cameroon, while new plants will soon be ready for commissioning in Niger, Benin, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Togo.

According to President/Chief Executive, Dangote industries Ltd, Aliko Dangote, Africa needs to deliberately improve its per capita consumption of cement in order to aid infrastructural development by stimulating further demand and forcing down the cost of the commodity.

With the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTD) report for 2020 clearly stating that for the Africa free trade area to work, the deficit in infrastructure should be looked into, Dangote is hoping to leverage the deficit with his cement investment in the continent.

For Dangote Industries Ltd, moving goods like cement by road from Nigeria where they are manufactured to Ghana, where there is a big market, is “unviable”, hence the need for new plants that will open multiple trade routes.

Group Executive Director of Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, had earlier explained that the movement of products via road is expensive as the governments of Togo and Benin complained of the pollution that the trucks will bring to the environment as well as the toll on the roads.

With the success of the Doula plant in Cameroon, the company is already doubling its capacity in Yaoundé and targeting three million tonnes in the country to check competition as well as earn foreign exchange.

Last year, Dangote Cement’s Pan Africa performance has been strong for all its operations in terms of margin in local currency with a few exceptions due to Covid-19.

As the restrictions in many economies are lifted, the company is hopeful of improved performance and earnings.

In 2011, Dangote had announced plans to invest $100 million to build a cement factory in Cameroon, in a move that would come to check monopoly and impact the economy of the country.

Dangote however described the plant as “our largest Greenfield project in a neighbouring country with which we not only share a boundary but also a long history of brotherly relationship dating from our colonial days. Owing to the rich culture and history that we share, we have a better understanding of Cameroon.”

He had said: “Our desire to increase our investment with the Phase 2 project is based on not only the fast growth rate of the

AfCFTA: Dangote targets more African Countries in trade deal Cameroonian economy but also due to the warm welcome extended to us and the enabling environment created by the government of Cameroon.

“Our choice of Cameroon for this multi-million-dollar investment is quite strategic. Cameroon is the largest economy in Central Africa and is well endowed with abundant natural resources. The country also enjoys political stability, adequate security and growing infrastructural development. In addition, President Biya has created an enabling environment that has continued to attract investors both from within and outside the African continent.”

He said that the desire to ensure that Africa becomes self-sufficient in cement production informed the signing of a $4.34 billion contract with Sinoma International Engineering Company Limited, a Chinese construction giant, for the construction of 11 new cement

plants in 10 African countries, and Nepal in Asia.

Pioneer Country Manager, Dangote Cement Cameroon SA, Abdullahi Baba, stated that the journey in the last five years has been excellent, noting that it was not easy to oversee a project from the drawing table until full actualization.

“We came in and the market was already satisfied but we brought out high quality products at affordable prices. We are so proud at the way we have been received both by the government and the people of Cameroon and I want to say that as at today, we have become the household name and we have come to stay in the entire country.

“There are so many high points for the company. The first was that we came into Cameroon with the best technology available in the industry anywhere in the world.

The other was that we introduced

products that were the trailblazer in Cameroon as at that time because our quality was up there.

He however noted that though competition has been coming up fast in the country, the firm is not relenting on its oars, saying, “We are doing everything we can to ensure that we maintain this position, but the key thing is the market share, the profitability and the maximizing of the use of local raw materials in the production of cement.

“As we continue to work on volume increase and cost reduction, our current programme of alternative fuel system for all of our plants is will equally change the game. By leveraging alternative energy, we hope to bring down our cost as much as possible considering that cement production is a highenergy intensive activity”, he added.

Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, Gabriel Dodo Ndocke stated

that since Dangote Cement was established in Cameroon, accessibility to cement product, the price and the quality has been enhanced, adding that the impact of the company on the economy is huge.

“Today you can get cement everywhere and the price is accessible for everyone and the market has been open to other investors creating job opportunities.

“Dangote has thrown the market open and before he came to Cameroon, our market was with just one investor in the sector. The presence of other investors has made it easy for us to get cement in a good quality and at an accessible price”, he added.

The firm’s Country Manager, Bertrand Thaïs Mbouck, said the cement company is completing a period of induction, going by the sustainable approach towards growth.

NCC Mourns Loss of Staff, Family in Road Accident

By Etuka Sunday

T From left Dr.Manassah Daniel Jatau Deputy Governor of Gombe State during a Sunday service yesterday at mounting of power church Liji Yamaltu Debal Local Government Area of Gombe State.

he Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has expressed shock and deepest grief over the loss of its staff, Mr. Nuhu Hamman’Gabdo in a road accident.

Hamman ’Gabdo died alongside his wife, four children, his niece and driver in an accident that occured on Saturday, January 9, 2021 along Nasarawa-Abuja Expressway while the deceased and his family were returning from his country home, Serti in Gashaka Local Government Area of Taraba State.

The Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde in a statement said, until his death, Hamman ’Gabdo was a Principal Manager in the Human Capital and Administration Department of the Commission.

The entire Board, Management and staff of NCC express their deepest grief over the incident and commiserate with the entire family, relatives and friends of the deceased.

We pray that the Almighty grant the deceased eternal peace in His bosom and that the entire NCC and the deceased family find the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.

FG Suspends Electricity Tariff Hike, To Consider vulnerable Nigerians

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Federal Government has directed the Suspension of intended electricity tariff hike by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

This, it said, was to promote a constructive conclusion of the dialogue with the Labour Centers through the Joint Ad-Hoc Committee.

Recall, the Federal government of Nigeria and the Labour Centers have been engaged in positive discussions about the electricity sector through a joint ad-hoc Committee led by the Minister of State for Labour and Productivity and Co-Chaired by the Minister of State for Power. Great progress has been made in these deliberations which are set to be concluded at the end of January 2021.

Some of the achievements of this deliberation with Labour are the accelerated rollout of the National

Mass Metering Plan, clamp downs on estimated billing, improved monitoring of the Service Based Tariff and the reduction in tariff rates for bands A to C in October 2020 (that were funded by a creative use of taxes).

However, the Minister of Power, Engr. Saleh Mamman in a statement yesterday said, “to promote a constructive conclusion of the dialogue with the Labour Centers (through the Joint Ad-Hoc Committee), I have directed NERC to inform all DISCOs that they should revert to the tariffs that were applicable in December 2020 until the end of January 2021 (when the FGN/Labour committee work will be concluded). This will allow for the outcome of all resolutions from the Committee to be implemented together.”

He affirmed that the reports that approval had been granted for a 50%

increase in tariff are inaccurate and false.

“It is unfortunate that these reports have led to confusion with the public.

“On the contrary, Government continues to fully subsidise 55% of on-grid consumers in bands D and E and maintain the lifeline tariff for the poor and underprivileged.

“Those citizens have experienced no changes to tariff rates from what they have paid historically (aside from the recent minor inflation and forex adjustment). Partial subsidies were also applied for bands A, B and C in October 2020. These measures are all aimed at cushioning the effects of the pandemic while providing more targeted interventions for citizens,” he said.

He however, noted that “the regulator must be allowed to perform its function without undue interference. The role of the

Government is not to set tariffs, it is to provide policy guidance and an enabling environment for the regulator to protect consumers and for investors to engage directly with consumers.

“Bi-Annual Minor reviews to adjust factors such as inflation are part of the process for a sustainable and investable NESI and the Regulator must be commended for implementing the subsisting regulations while putting in place extensive actions to minimise the adverse impact on end user tariffs.”

He said, the Administration was committed to creating a sustainable, growing and rules-based electricity market for the benefit of all Nigerians.

“The Administration and the Ministry of Power will also continue to devise means to provide support for vulnerable Nigerians while ensuring we have a sustainable NESI,” he added.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

Page 20

Industry

UK-based Nigerian global media strategist and expert, Joanna KellyOchiagha, specialises in human development and innovation strategy. She is acclaimed to be with a major track record of excellent results translating people and brands into bottom-line results in reputation, image (public perception), revenue and above all else, personal development.

She tells Miriam Humbe that in the year 2021 and beyond, with the positive projections from the IMF, Nigerian citizens must aggressively engage in business activities to improve the nations Gross Domestic Product in the post covid-19 era.

Excerpts: 2020 presented economic turbulence globally especially with the covid-19 pandemic which negatively affected all aspects of life. How can citizens rebuild their lives in 2021 and beyond?

The truth is that no one anticipated the happenings in the past year. We all stepped in there looking forward to better things ahead until the corona virus sprang up to challenge our very being. This of course, affected virtually every aspect of life including the world’s economy. So, governments began to give out palliatives and financial handouts as bailouts. Although not all citizens can confidently say that they were direct beneficiaries, to some extent, some of those bailouts must have helped households in coping with the pandemic. Now, a new year is here and with new opportunities. To your question, people should start by looking at the sunny side of life. Start a business, no matter how small and nurture it to fruition. You can do this within

Be inspired by IMF projections to grow the economy-Ochiagha your capacity, considering available financial resources. Also, some government interventions such as the MSME Survival Fund, (Nigeria economic sustainability plan) is launched to give backbone to the survival of MSMEs. Citizens can utilize such opportunities to grow or stabilize their businesses in order to improve their livelihoods in the new year and looking forward.

this reason, I implore the youth to aggressively pursue economic activities. Look at the Chinese economy for instance, it is mostly being developed by the youth, who deploy their energy positively into creative endeavors. The Nigerian youth are not different. They must also take the lead and make our country one of the topmost economies in the world.

What’s your picture of Nigeria’s economy in the next five years?

I believe we will start to see new generation leaders raised, the youth heard more and a more unified force but we will see, Change Begins With Me so I will do my part. Already, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had projected that the Nigerian economy would grow by 2.4 percent in 2021. This is a good omen but for this to be achieved, all hands must be on deck. This means that more than ever before, more people must get involved in economic activities, leading to higher income generation and employment so as to raise the country’s Gross Domestic Product.

The youths, mostly referred to as the future leaders must rise to the occasion, who knows, there just might arise among us, the future Dangotes and Adenugas.

You have a passion to lift the Nigerian girl-child out of poverty. How are you doing that?

I have a passion for Nigeria as a whole; the girl child is my focus for now amongst other things as I believe our women need more security, especially economic security and to be empowered to voice themselves in every way possible. I grew up in Nigeria and I know it takes more then just feeding a village or building boreholes for clean water which I have done all of. My intention for my foundation is to create platforms to expose and build young strong women like myself so that they are able to do the same for others. It will take more than me. I’m just a vessel but I know I’ll build and produce other global leaders but it will not work unless we unite.

What can you say to the youths in terms of building the country’s economic future in 2021 and beyond?

I would say 2020 took a lot but gained us youths our voice and we will be heard. Fear does not live here and don’t look at your circumstances as your final destination. It only breeds defeat. We will stay as one and make this country great again for the generations after us. For

Are you doing this alone?

Absolutely not, how? Me and my husband run a foundation here called ‘The Ochiagha Dynasty’ which sole purpose is to help in building communities, creating platforms and giving better opportunities. We also work and have the backing of global cooperations such as Nxtion Family and others across the world.

We are just at the forefront of it all but we have a great backing and

Joanna Kelly-Ochiagha team.

Do you have a time frame towards achieving this vision?

The time is now! There is no time frame, it’s just that I will not be satisfied until I see consistency across Africa. The aim is to take one city at a time and pour everything possible in that city to create a ripple effect.

What are the success stories so far?

We have currently just finished building new rounds in the East of Nigeria. We built boreholes in Makoko, we fed over 10,000 people across Nigeria on one project, we worked with the UN to feed women in Ghana and the list goes on; but it’s nothing to the vision we have

for Africa. My focus now is to create platforms, opportunities and security.

In your view, how is Nigeria perceived internationally?

Internationally the county is looked at as very corrupt and in some parts looked down on.

However, that’s not for everyone and that is not 100% true. I believe our leaders are used to a certain way of doing things which is a system that goes back from way before our independence. I also believe our new generation leaders are realising this and strategising ways to fill the gap and implementing new ways to heal our country but all I can say is, I will be amongst them. It’s all hands on deck to see change in our county because it’s a beautiful place.

SON, stakeholders collaborate on equipment, machinery for improved health care delivery

By Miriam Humbe

T

he Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has offered its hands of fellowship and collaboration to stakeholders in the health care delivery sector in Nigeria, in order to enhance the quality of equipment, machinery and services being offered in the sector.

SON Director General, Mallam Farouk Salim made the offer recently in a goodwill message to the 45th National Convention of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian Students (PANS), held at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Represented by Engr. Ugochukwu Nwachukwu, the SON Chief Executive stated that the offshore conformity assessment programme for SON regulated imports (SONCAP) provides a window of import permit for raw materials, equipment and machinery and urged stakeholders to take optimum advantage of it to improve the quality of products being offered to Nigerians.

He said further that local manufacturing of medical equipment and machinery stand to gain a lot in accuracy of measurements from the calibration services being offered by the SON promoted National Metrology Institute (NMI) located in Enugu with outreaches across the country.

Mallam Salim invited all public and private sector organisations in Nigeria to take advantage of the SON internationally accredited Management Systems Certification services to guarantee improvements in their processes and systems in line with international best practices.

According to him, the internationally accredited Laboratory Services being offered

by SON provides seamless international acceptance for all commodities and products tested at very competitive prices, especially for members of the organised private sector to promote National self-sufficiency, increased export and foreign exchange earnings.

He commended the theme for the Convention “INDIGENOUS DRUG PRODUCTION: BOTTLENECKS/ CHALLENGES” as apt, particularly in view of the economic diversification agenda of the Federal Government aimed at ensuring steady and sustainable growth of the Nation’s wealth.

The SON DG expressed hope that the insights to be gained from the knowledge and wealth of experience in indigenous drug manufacturing and success of the Keynote Speaker, Dr. (Mrs.) Stella Okoli, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of Emzor Pharmaceutical Industry Ltd., in spite of the daunting challenges, would propel many of the

Pharmacy students into local manufacturing and entrepreneurship to create more job opportunities and greater wealth for Nigeria.

In his words “I wish to challenge you all as Students of Pharmacy to begin to focus your minds beyond the production and administration of drugs to the business models required to sustain pharmaceutical studies, practices and research to underscore your key role in the health care delivery sector”.

Mallam Salim enjoined members of PANS to fully internalize adherence to standards and quality, embodied in the ethics of the Pharmacy profession, as according to him, they will have the responsibility of continuously meeting international best practices in the global village.

“We at the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) are available to provide you support in the area of standards development and placing at your disposal our network of relationships locally and internationally to enhance your knowledge in the course of your study”, he said.

He disclosed that SON was working with the Nigeria Universities Commission and some Universities on adding standardisation to the curriculum, while Standards Clubs are already being established in Primary and Secondary Schools across the Nation to deepen the knowledge of Nigerians on Standards and

SON Director General, Mallam Farouk Salim

Quality Assurance.

Chairman, Governing Council of Pharmacist in Nigeria, Professor Ahmed Tijanni Mora stated that the appointment of Mallam Salim as the second Pharmacist to head SON, points to the vast scope of Pharmaceutical practice.

The PANS President, David Ataije expressed appreciation to all collaborators towards the success of the convention and specially thanked SON for the goodwill message from the Director General.

METRO Feature

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

here is no gainsaying that chief among the factors propelling the resurgence in the coronavirus pandemic, is the activi­ ties and assumptions that the virus does not pose a serious threat to our youthful popula­ tion, resulting in an increase in the infection rate among young people, who are subsequently infecting older and more vul­ nerable family members.

Accord­ing to health experts as well as the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 (PTF), the much dreaded second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is said to be a deadlier and more virulent strain of the virus is already claim­ing major casualties in the world.

In addition, another major cause of this second wave of the pandemic is the lack of compliance with nonpharmaceutical interven­tions – particularly the disre­gard for facial covering in pub­lic places, large gatherings at events linked to the yuletide season, as well as recent civil demonstrations.

Retrospectively, the Federal Government had warned Nigerians about the second wave of the pandemic, especially as the number of new COVID-19 cases continued to increase in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other parts of the country. And recent epidemiology re­cords confirm that Nigeria is now facing a rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases nationwide which is similar to the second wave of infections occurring in other countries across the world. In particular, Lagos, Ka­ duna and FCT have emerged as the new epicenter during this period, with over 70 percent of all confirmed cases.

As succinctly captured, Nigeria had record­ed a total of 5,125 new cases of COVID-19 and 30 deaths within the first five days of 2021, which is an in­ dication that the second wave of the virus is on the rise.

According to statistics, the 5,125 new cases are higher than the total infections recorded in the country in the first 75 days of the virus last year.

Moreso, reliable data shows Nigeria recorded a total of 4,641 cases From February 27 to May 11, 2020 and the average daily death from the virus within the period was three as against the average of six daily recorded within the first five days of this year.

Consequently, notable Nigerians who have purportedly also succumbed to the more virulent strain of the virus include the former University of Lagos State Vice Chancellor, Professor Ibadapo Obe, the

Page 21

Reawakening FCT youth to COVID-19 second wave safety interven­tions younger brother of the Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Haroun Hamzat, who died at just 37 years, after battling so hard to stay alive.

However, lifestyle choices like disregard for public health pre­ ventive measures such as hand washing hygiene and physical distance requirements have been identified as among major propellers of the pandemic.

Also social gatherings involv­ ing large congregations from different parts of the country, and the world, at events such as weddings, religious activities, political rallies, conferences and end of year celebrations have also been blamed for the upsurge in the respiratory dis­ ease.

Interestingly, these events, classified globally as ‘supers-

spreader events’, make the risk of a single infection causing a large outbreak among attendees significantly higher. Equally, the opening of the economy with progressive relaxation of restric­ tions in congregational areas such as places of worship, restaurants, bars, lounges, shopping and event centres is also not an exception.

By reason and experience, it is glaringly clear that Nigeria may be headed for another national lockdown, except a swift conscience reawakening especially among the youthful population is engineered, to reduce the spread of the virus.

Nonetheless, the youth are being encouraged to take personal responsibility to halt the spread of the virus and mitigate the negative

consequences that an­ other national lockdown could have on lives and livelihoods as was seen during the last time out.

Overtime, some of the guidelines that have been established by the NCDC, the PTF and other health experts as ef­fective measures of containing the spread of the pandemic, include the wearing of face masks that cover the nose and mouth when in public settings, such as schools, weddings, burials, places of worship, market places, shopping malls, banking halls, event centres, motor parks etc It is important also to always maintain physical distance of at least 2 metres (2 arm’s length) from others in public settings.

And other COVID-19 preventive mea­ sures include

covering the mouth and nose properly with a tissue paper, or your elbow when sneezing and/ or coughing and disposal of the tissue properly immediately after use. For elderly persons and other persons with medical conditions such as Hy­pertension, Diabetes, Asthma etc, they should equally avoid visitations and other unnecessary travels.

More importantly, the populace especially the youth must adhere to established safety interventions even as the world seeks to tackle the mortal dangers inherent in this new and more virulent strain of the corona virus, as these are necessary sacri­fices that everyone must make now, so as to ensure that COVID-19 is not only effectively tamed, but eradicated from their midst .

The 500-bed space COVID-19 treatment centre in Idu Industrial District of Abuja.

A fully equipped hospital bed inside one of the COVID-19 treatment centres in Abuja.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

Page 22

world news

‘QAnon Shaman’ Jake Angeli charged over pro-Trump riots A

prominent follower of the baseless conspiracy theory QAnon has been charged over the US Capitol riots.

Jacob Anthony Chansley, known as Jake Angeli, is in custody on charges including violent entry and disorderly conduct.

Mr Chansley, who calls himself the QAnon Shaman, is allegedly the man pictured with a painted face, fur hat and horns inside Congress on Wednesday.

Donald Trump faces another impeachment charge for his role in the unrest.

Democrats accuse the president of encouraging the riots, in which five people died.

The FBI has been appealing to the public to help bring the assailants to justice.

Mr Chansley has not commented publicly on the charges.

A statement from the federal attorney for Washington DC said: “It is alleged that Chansley was identified as the man seen in media coverage who entered the Capitol building dressed in horns, a bearskin headdress, red, white and blue face paint, shirtless, and tan pants.

“This individual carried a spear, approximately 6 feet in length, with an

Jacob Anthony Chansley is alleged to be the man seen wearing horns and a fur hat in photographs, including this from inside the Senate chamber American flag tied just below the blade.”

Truth and God on his side I arranged to meet Jake Angeli, also known as the “Q Shaman”, at a rally in Phoenix on Saturday to talk about his role in Wednesday’s riot, or in what he called that “beautiful day”.

Timings were difficult he said, because he had a voluntary appointment with the FBI

first.

I didn’t find that surprising. The fact he thought he might be free to leave, more so.

But he was unperturbed because, he said, he had done nothing wrong and he had truth and God on his side.

Earlier I asked Trump supporters in Tuscon if what they saw on Wednesday had changed

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international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

their opinion of the outgoing president. No, they said, it was peaceful protest that had been infiltrated by violent members of the far left.

I asked Jake Angeli if that was what he witnessed. He told me there were no members of Antifa or any other left-wing organisations present in or around the Capitol building on 6 January. It was “patriots doing what our founding fathers would have done”. The reason he knew that was “because Antifa are cowards who have no commitment to their country or their cause”.

The statement said police had also detained a man from Florida believed to have been photographed carrying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s lectern from the House of Representatives chamber.

Adam Johnson, 36, is being held on charges including one count of theft of government property and one count of violent entry.

A man is pictured carrying the lectern from the House of Representatives Also among those charged is West Virginia state lawmaker, Derrick Evans. He is alleged to have posted a video of himself online, standing outside the building with Trump supporters, and then going inside.

He was arrested on Friday and is also accused of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol Grounds, the Department of Justice statement said.

More than a dozen people have now been charged in offences related to the assault on the Capitol building. They include an Alabama man allegedly found with 11 Molotov cocktails near the unrest.

Covid-19: Hancock warns flexing of rules ‘could be fatal’

F

lexing the coronavirus lockdown rules could be fatal, the health secretary has warned as hospital admissions soar.

Matt Hancock did not rule out strengthening current restrictions and told the BBC’s Andrew Marr the NHS was under “very serious pressure”.

It comes after almost 60,000 new cases of coronavirus were reported in the UK on Saturday and the number of deaths after a positive test passed 80,000.

Scientist Prof Peter Horby warned the UK was in “the eye of the storm”.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the rules were tough but “may not be tough enough” and called for the government to hold daily press conferences to avoid “mixed messages”.

Mr Hancock told Andrew Marr “every time you try to flex the rules that could be fatal” and said staying at home was the “most important thing we can do collectively as a society”.

The health secretary said he did not want to speculate on whether the government would further strengthen restrictions, after warnings from scientists on Saturday that they may need to be stricter.

“People need to not just follow the letter of the rules but follow the spirit as well and play their part,” he said.

His comments came after Home Secretary Priti Patel defended police over enforcing lockdown rules following the case of two women who were fined for going for a walk five miles from their homes - a decision which is now under review.

The government has launched a campaign telling people to act like they have got the virus in a bid to tackle the rise in infections.

Under the national lockdown, people in England must stay at home and can go out only for limited reasons such as food

shopping, exercise, or work if they cannot do so from home. Similar measures are in place across much of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Prof Horby, who is chairman of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag), said there may be “early signs that something is beginning to bite” in terms of the restrictions - but if they did not then stricter measures would be needed.

He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “I really hope people take this very seriously. It was bad in March, it’s much worse now.

“We’ve seen record numbers across the board, record numbers of cases, record numbers of hospitalisations, record numbers of deaths.”

Prof Horby said tougher measures might include those during the March lockdown, such as people only being able to exercise once a day and stricter rules about meeting people.

“We are in a situation where everything

that was risky in the past is now more risky,” he said.

Prof Horby said the early signs were encouraging that the vaccines would be effective against the new Covid variants - first identified in the UK and in South Africa - and he did not want people to “hide under the duvet”.

“We can see the end game now,” he said.

Analysis, by BBC health correspondent Jim Reed Higher cases inevitably mean more hospitalisations and more deaths.

The most recent figures show that, on average, 894 people per day are now dying within 28 days of a positive Covid test, up from 438 at the start of December.

The spike in cases since Christmas means that figure is almost certain to get worse before the most recent lockdown measures can start to have any affect.

Scientists think the new variant of the

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

disease is more “transmissible”, possibly because each infected individual produces more of the actual virus - sometimes referred to as the viral load.

Vaccination should help to protect the most vulnerable from serious symptoms but we don’t yet know if receiving the jab stops an individual contracting the virus and passing it on to others.

Scientists say that may mean even tougher restrictions will be needed to bring the R-number below one and start to reduce the overall size of the pandemic.

Mass community testing is to be rolled out this week, the government has said, and the health secretary said that around two million people had been vaccinated in England, with some 200,000 jabs being given daily.

Mr Hancock said by autumn every adult in the UK would be offered a vaccine.

He said the government was on course to reach its target of 13 million people vaccinated by mid-February, with the opening of seven mass vaccination centres this week likely to increase the rate of jabs.

Mr Hancock told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge that he hoped coronavirus could be treated like seasonal flu with an annual vaccination programme in the future.

Prof Horby said the vaccines may have to be updated “every few years” as the virus mutates in the future and said it was unlikely the virus would go away completely.

“We’re going to have to live with it,” he said. “But that may change significantly.

“It may well become more of an endemic virus that’s with us all the time and may cause some seasonal pressures and some excess deaths but is not causing the huge disruption that we’re seeing now.”

Source: BBC

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f r i c a

Controversial Nile dam talks resume G overnment officials from Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan are once again holding talks in a bid to try to resolve a long running dispute triggered by the construction of a huge dam on the River Nile.

In July last year the reservoir of the hydro electric dam in the west of Ethiopia started filling with water despite the breakdown of talks between the three countries.

The Addis Ababa government is

determined to provide electricity for its population and will also export power.

But Egypt is concerned that during years of drought its water supply will be greatly reduced.

Sudan has warned Ethiopia not

to proceed with the second stage of filling the dam before an agreement is reached.

The latest round of talks mediated by the African Union will involve the officials meeting virtually.

EU urges unrestricted access to Tigray

F

ollowing a meeting with the Ethiopian government the European Union’s Foreign Policy chief has called for humanitarian access throughout the conflict-hit Tigray region.

Aid agencies have been allowed to visit some areas in recent weeks but not the entire region where the military has been fighting TPLF regional forces.

The United Nations has described the picture in Tigray as dire with looting and food shortages.

The EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said unrestricted humanitarian access to the Tigray region must be granted.

He said this was not a request to the Ethiopian government but was a requirement under international law.

The UN says it’s been denied access to two camps for Eritrean refugees.

Satellite images show that structures in the camps have been destroyed - including a World Food Programme building.

Now a military commander has admitted soldiers from Eritrea have been fighting in Ethiopia. There are numerous allegations that these troops have been committing abuses.

But by keeping people out it seems the government in Addis Ababa is trying to ensure some aspects of this war are hidden.

U

Uganda elections 2021: How ex-rebel Yoweri Museveni has stayed in power for 35 years

gandans under the age of 35 - and that is more than three-quarters of the population - have only known one president.

Yoweri Museveni, who came to power on the back of an armed uprising in 1986, has defied the political laws of gravity which have felled other long-serving leaders in the region.

The 76-year-old’s time at the top has been accompanied by a long period of peace and big developmental changes for which many are grateful. But he has managed to maintain his grip on power through a mixture of encouraging a personality cult, employing patronage, compromising independent institutions and sidelining opponents.

During the last election five years ago when he addressed the issue of him stepping down, he asked: “How can I go out of a banana plantation I have planted that has started bearing fruits?”

For this revolutionary the harvest is still not over.

My introduction to the president came in the 1990s in the form of a school play in which the turbulence of the Milton Obote and Idi Amin years was acted out.

The piece climaxed on 26 January 1986, with Mr Museveni’s National Resistance Army liberating the country, bringing an end to wars and senseless killings.

It is this image of the man as liberator and peace-bringer that many Ugandans have been raised on, and are reminded of at every opportunity.

Presidential press-ups He is also a fatherly and grandfatherly figure.

Many young Ugandans refer to the president by the nickname “Sevo”, and he fondly calls them Bazukulu (meaning grandchildren in the Luganda language).

But the family man does not see himself as a typical ageing patriarch, reclining in his favourite chair with his children and grandchildren fussing around.

In his campaign for his sixth elected term in office, which feels like it started straight after the last election, he has been traversing the country, launching factories, opening roads and new markets.

And with an eye on his relatively youthful challenger, 38-year-old former pop star Bobi Wine, Mr Museveni has been keen to show his vitality. Last April, to encourage exercise during lockdown he was filmed doing press-ups, and then repeated the trick several times including in front of cheering students in November.

Thousands of people have fled to SudanImage caption: Thousands of people have fled to Sudan

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter “If your father loves you, he has to empower you. In the next five years, ‘Sevo’ will make sure that when we finish school, we are able to get jobs,” 25-year-old Angela Kirabo says, touching on the issue of youth unemployment, which is a major source of concern.

The economics graduate is a proud Muzukulu (grandchild), having grown up in a family supporting the governing National Resistance Movement (NRM). She also served as vice-chairperson of the party’s chapter at university and thinks the president still has a lot to offer after 35 years in power.

Presidential age limits overturned One of his closest friends and advisors, John Nagenda, says Mr Museveni’s selflessness is one reason for his ability to inspire loyalty.

“He was prepared to die for Uganda. I would say that we are very lucky to have him,” the 82-year-old says.

“Most of the other people that I know who have been presidents, they wanted to do it for themselves; they wanted the glory. But Museveni wants to do [it] for the country and continent… he is an Africanist.

Nevertheless under the original clauses of the 1995 constitution the president should not have run for office again after 2005.

Indeed, before then it was widely understood that he was against staying on in power, brushing off queries about the idea, saying that he would rather go back to his farm.

Journalist William Pike, who at one time was seen as very close to the president and the NRA, described in his memoir how the president was genuinely upset when asked at a dinner in the early 1990s whether he wanted to stay in power for the rest of his life.

“Museveni said: ‘Of course not’, but he was clearly furious at what he considered a real insult. He was not faking it. At that stage he really was not intending to stay on in power,” Mr Pike wrote.

But something changed his mind in 2004, though it has never been clear what exactly that was, and his MPs endorsed the idea that

the constitution should be amended to remove presidential term limits.

He had the green light to stand until he reached 75 years of age.

And then in December 2017, the constitutional obstacle of an age limit for a presidential candidate was also removed an issue which led to brawls on the floor of parliament and a police raid on the building.

Many saw this as the NRM’s way to allow Mr Museveni to become president for life.

It is not for nothing that parliament felt compelled to reward the long-serving leader.

The willingness of MPs to go along with the changes has a lot to do with the fact that they felt they owed their positions to the president.

Fewer challenges to authority The significance of patronage extends right through society.

It sometimes manifests as development programmes for women, market vendors and government jobs. In a country where 15% of young people are unemployed and over 21% of the population live in poverty, aligning with the right party can save an entire village from destitution.

But his supporters point to the transformation of Uganda as a positive reason

to give Mr Museveni five more years.

“If you come from the north and east you will understand that a big achievement of peace has been brought. For 20 years those regions were engulfed in war,” says 28-year-old Jacob Eyeru, who leads the government’s National Youth Council.

While acknowledging that joblessness is a worry, he adds that the NRM has “transformed the economy to make it not just regionally competitive but also globally competitive”.

Despite these changes he has also weakened the independence of some of the country’s key institutions to ensure fewer challenges to his authority.

The judiciary has not been spared, and in recent years has been accused of recruiting so-called “cadre judges”, who are loyal to the government.

When judges have taken independent decisions, they have sometimes found themselves at loggerheads with the authorities.

For example, on 16 December 2005, highly trained armed security personnel raided the High Court in the capital, Kampala, and rearrested members of the suspected rebel People’s Redemption Army, who had just been acquitted of treason charges. Source: BBC

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Indonesia Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737 black boxes located

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lack boxes of a passenger plane which crashed in the sea soon after take-off from Jakarta, Indonesia on Saturday have been located, officials say.

A small flotilla of ships has been searching the site and navy divers are expected to be able to retrieve the two flight recorders, they add.

Aircraft parts and human remains have been found.

The Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737 was carrying 62 people when it vanished from radar on its journey to Borneo.

“We have located the position of the black boxes, both of them,” said Soerjanto Tjahjono, head of Indonesia’s transport safety committee, quoted by AFP, several hours ago.

“Divers will start looking for them now and hopefully it won’t be long before we get them.”

Investigators are analysing items which they believe to be a wheel and part of the plane’s fuselage.

BBC South-East Asia correspondent Jonathan Head says the sea in this part of Indonesia is relatively shallow and the bad weather which had been hampering rescue operations has now improved, making it more likely significant parts can be recovered.

However, the search appears to offer no hope of finding any survivors.

A spokesman for the Jakarta police, Yusri Yunus, said two bags had been received from the search and rescue agency.

“The first bag contained passengers’ properties, another bag contained body parts,” he told reporters, adding: “We are still identifying these findings.”

Police are asking families of the victims to provide DNA samples and dental records to help identify the remains.

Search and rescue efforts have been going on since early Sunday.

Four planes were also deployed to help with the search.

It will continue into Sunday night but only with boats using sonar scans, Reuters news agency reported.

The missing aircraft is not a 737 Max, the Boeing model that was grounded from March 2019 until last December following two deadly crashes.

What happened to the aircraft?

The Sriwijaya Air passenger plane departed from Jakarta airport at 14:36 local time (07:36 GMT) on Saturday.

Minutes later, at 14:40, the last contact with the plane was recorded, with the call sign SJY182, according to the transport ministry.

Source: BBC

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

UAE to restore Qatar trade and travel links ‘within a week’ after row ends T he United Arab Emirates could re-open trade and travel links with Qatar within a week under a deal that ended a bitter dispute between the Gulf states.

However, Emirati Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said some issues would take a longer time to fix.

The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt imposed an embargo against Qatar in 2017.

They accused it of supporting terrorism, which it denied.

The neighbours agreed to restore full diplomatic ties at a summit on Tuesday.

A joint declaration brokered

by Kuwait and the United States pledged to “restore collaboration” among the six members of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), but it did not give any timelines.

At a virtual news conference on Thursday, Mr Gargash stressed that the UAE was “behind this deal, and positive about the prospect of re-establishing relations with Qatar”.

“The return of movement [of people] and trade between the two countries... will be within a week of the signing,” he said.

But he added: “Some issues are easier to fix and some others will take a longer time.

“We have a very good start... but we have issues with rebuilding trust.”

Qatar’s Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, meanwhile told the Financial Times that it had agreed to suspend legal cases against

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Maryam Abeeb

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socio-political group, Citizens Action for Good Governance, has expressed concern over the menace of Almajiri and out-of-school children in northern Nigeria comparing it to gunpowder that can explode anytime.

The organization, therefore, called on the state governments to reorganize the old academic programme which gets children in exchange for the study of Islamic or Arabic studies with western education in line with modern standards.

The National Coordinator of the group, Nazir Galadanchi, in an interview with newsmen, said, “Yes, Almajiri is an old academic

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its neighbours related to the embargo, and that it would cooperate on counter-terrorism and “transnational security”.

But he also said Qatar would not alter its close relations with Iran and Turkey, who Mr Gargash accused of interfering in Arab sovereignty and interests.

“Bilateral relationships are mainly driven by a sovereign decision of a country... [and] the national interest,” he said.

“So there is no effect on our relationship with any other country”.

What was the dispute about?

Qatar has long practised an ambitious foreign policy with different priorities to some other Gulf states, but there were two issues which particularly angered its neighbours.

One was Qatar’s support for Islamists. Qatar acknowledged providing assistance to Islamist groups designated as terrorist organisations by some of its neighbours, notably the transnational Muslim Brotherhood. But it denied aiding jihadist groups like al-Qaeda or Islamic State (IS).

The other key issue was Qatar’s relations with Iran, with which it shares the world’s largest gas field. Iran, a Shia Muslim power, is Sunni Muslim-ruled Saudi Arabia’s main regional rival.

Qatar’s defence partnership with Turkey also concerned its neighbours. Like Qatar, Turkey supports Muslim Brotherhoodlinked groups across the Middle East. It and the UAE also back opposing sides in the conflict in

Libya.

Who cut links with Qatar?

In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt severed all diplomatic and trade ties.

Qatar’s only land border was closed; ships flying the Qatari flag or those serving Qatar were banned from docking at many ports; and much of the region’s airspace was closed to Qatari aircraft.

The countries presented Qatar with 13 demands as conditions for ending the embargo. They included closing Al Jazeera and other Qatar-funded news outlets; downgrading diplomatic ties with Iran; closing a Turkish military base in Qatar; and ending “interference” in other countries’ internal affairs.

Hezbollah denies any role in production of amphetamines he leader of Lebanon’s militant group Hezbollah has denied accusations it is involved in amphetamine production.

Sheikh Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah, a staunch ally of the Syrian regime, said there was “no credibility” to the allegations.

Suspicion fell on the group following the seizure in June 2020 of 14 tonnes (30,100lb) of the drugs in Italy.

The drugs came from the Syrian port of Latakia, according to the Italian authorities.

“We contacted officials in Italy in order to trace its origins,” Hassan Nasrallah said. “The accusations had no foundation in reality. On the contrary, they’re investigating the Islamic State, the Italian and Russian Mafia and other criminal networks.”

He said Hezbollah was being targeted by “fake news” and indicated western “propaganda” was behind the claims.

US and European drugs

Education

By Maryam Abeeb

The Saudi crown prince embraced Qatar’s emir at the summit

agencies have long accused the Lebanese group of profiting from the drugs trade.

In the televised speech, the secretary-general of Hezbollah said, “Our position on drugs, of all kinds, is [clear]. It’s religiously banned to manufacture, sell, buy, smuggle and consume. In some cases, the punishment could even be execution, according to Sharia laws.”

He said any involvement in the drugs business was banned by religious scholars, “even if the plan was to pass it on to the enemy”.

Israeli police blame Hezbollah for smuggling hashish into their country. Lebanon is one of the world’s largest producers of cannabis resin. The plant is grown openly, including in areas controlled by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah.

The Italian drug seizure was the largest of its kind. Some 85 million Captagon pills were found hidden inside a shipment

of machine parts and industrial paper rolls in the Italian port of Salerno. The drugs were incinerated, under heavy guard, in December last year, along with an earlier shipment of hashish which also came from Syria.

Italy’s financial crimes squad, the Guardia di Finanza, initially said the pills, which it estimated were worth €1bn ($1.2bn; £900m) had been produced by the Islamic State Group.

However the scale of the production meant that was unlikely; factories inside territory controlled by Syrian President Bashar Al Assad were suspected.

Captagon is also produced illegally in Lebanon.

After misidentifying the drugs’ source, the Italian authorities refused to comment publicly on who they believed was responsible for the production.

The haul was discovered after the authorities monitored a local crime group. But their involvement was thought to

be only as brokers; the drugs weren’t bound for Europe, their final destination was believed to be Libya.

The Syrian regime and its allies have been accused of profiting from narcotics production. The lawlessness of Syria’s ongoing conflict and financial constraints, on the back of western sanctions, are believed to have led to a boom in illegal drug production.

Captagon is one of a number of drugs widely used by fighters in conflict zones. Initially developed to treat narcolepsy, it leaves users wired and alert.

Fighters say it helps dim fear on the battlefield.

It’s also used recreationally and has flooded the Arab world. Large shipments have been seized in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Jordan. In Egypt in November last year alone, there were three separate seizures totalling millions of Captagon pills, as well as tonnes of hashish, all of which arrived from Syria.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

niversities across the county are expected to resume academic activities on Monday, January 18, 2021 in line with a directive issued on Friday by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

The NUC said the directive stemmed from the advice of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 on the resumption of schools.

The Deputy Executive Secretary (Administration) of the commission, Mr. Chris Maiyaki, in a statement in Abuja, urged the universities to safeguard lives by strictly adhering to the extant safety protocols and the guidelines of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on COVID-19.

He noted that the guidelines have been communicated on several occasions to university authorities through circulars from the commission.

The Deputy Executive Secretary stated that on the resumption of academic activities, universities must under no circumstance violate the full cycle of the semester system, consistent with the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) approved by the NUC, as well as other extant quality assurance standards and guidelines.

He, however, said officers on Grade Level 12 and below should remain at home for a five-week

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Group urges FG to Integrate Almajiri, western education programme that gets children in exchange to come and study Islamic or Arabic studies from different places in the country.

I feel it is outdated, they can reorganise it in such a way that it meets modern times.

“It is not that they should cancel it, but they should modernise it and integrate it with western education so that while they are doing their Almajirinchi Islamic programmes, they will also be undertaking their western education. A lot of us had to

finish our Islamic programmes before even going into western education.”

He also called on the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, to engage the state governments to revive the old Almajiri Group of Enterprise which trained persons in market economics, financial discipline, entrepreneurship and different programmes for which they attained economic self-sufficiency.

“Honestly, we are worried because Katsina State,

unfortunately, is said to have the highest number of out-of-school children in the country. We want to use this medium to call on state governors to ensure that they create welfare and social programmes.

“The Almajiri children are like gunpowder, they can explode anytime. We can see what is happening with the bandits.

You see little children turning to kidnappers around communities and wonder what is happening because they have been neglected.

The government should make them useful to society.

“The Federal Government has created a lot of attractive programmes to ensure that people remain in school. We want the state governments to replicate these, even if it is not as generous as that. Let them do something too to show responsibility because it is the primary responsibility of state governments and local government areas to ensure that students are back in school,” Galadanchi said.

NUC directs universities to resume academic activities on January 18 period as earlier directed by the federal government.

Public universities in the country

have been closed since March 2020 after the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) embarked on

an indefinite strike that lasted about 10 months.

A lockdown imposed by the

government to contain the spread of COVID-19 also forced the students to remain at home.

Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu (2nd left) , Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria, Clara Pulido Escandell (2nd right) xith Directors of the Ministry of Education , during the Ambassador courtesy visit to the Minister recently in Abuja. Photo : Justin Imowo

Foreign scholarship: Kano govt. settles N7bn debt — Official Maryam Abeeb

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he Kano State Government says it has spent over seven billion naira to settle unpaid scholarship for Kano students in various countries from 2015 to 2021.

Mr Muhyi Magaji, Chairman, Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission, disclosed this at a news conference in Kano.

The Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje had mandated the commission to monitor the process of foreign scholarship programme and its current position.

According to Magaji the past administrations sponsored Kano State students to study in various countries in an initiative which received accolades across board.

“It is equally the understanding of people that all those sponsored have their tuition, upkeep and other necessary financial needs settled at the initial stage.

“The present Government of Kano State saw the need to involve this agency to supervise, investigate and perhaps take charge of the lingering foreign scholarship crisis which is becoming worrisome by the day.

“The governor is particularly worried at an unending demand on the issue.

“The present administration as of today has settled the sum of seven billion naira of foreign scholarship programme inherited from various administrations that initiated the programme.”

According to him, in spite of the payment by the government, students are complaining of being under financial pressure for one reason or the other.

He said that there was no standard mode of financing the programme.

He said that at the initial

stage, the office of the Secretary to the State Government ((SSG’s), Ministry of Higher Education and Scholarship board ran the programme at various times.

Magaji said that the absence of proper mode of financing made it difficult to keep records.

The chairman said that consultants were used as intermediaries which made the programme easy for manipulation.

He said that there were allegations of fraud raised by the students against some of those claiming to be consultants and other political gladiators.

“I want to inform you that the commission as an interim measures has recommended the payment of some requests in consideration of the condition of students.

“The government has so far released the sum of N144 million to my office for the settlement of the students’ tuition fees while we continue to unravel the truth.”

According to Magaji, presently over 200 million dollars meant for the payment of students’ scholarship is stranded in Egypt.

“We are doing everything possible to retrieve the fund,” he added.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

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Interview

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, january 11, 2021

My fears for Niger State RAMP 2 program –Project Coordinator Hassan Baba Etsu is the Niger State, Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP) State Project Coordinator. In this interview with some journalists in Minna, he spoke on the RAMP 2 program and other sundry issues. Yakubu Mustapha Bina was there for Peoples Daily and brings you details.

How far about RAMP -2 program in Niger state?

So far so good we have been able to deliver our project as the major and we are able to improve rural transportation over the years in the rural areas and to impact positively on the lives of rural dwellers. You are aware about our interventions, we conducted a base line to access the situation of the people leaving in the rural areas and after intervention we still went back to the same people to carry out the same assignment and we discovered that before our intervention the rural dwellers couldn’t travel from one point to the other, there are communities that ordinarily you can access within 3040 minutes but because bad access roads it takes 4-5 hours before you access such communities. For instance, Kutigi to Tashi Hajiya road before the intervention of RAMP it takes no less than 5-6 hours for you to access Tashi Hajiya from Kutigi but today after the intervention you can access within 45 minutes.

So, there is drastic reduction in travel time which has accounted for travel cost. We have also witnessed significant improvement of the economic activities of people leaving along our road corridors farmers can now move easily to their nearest markets and we also witnessed pumper harvest because farmers can access farm implements like fertilizers, herbicides and others because they now have good access roads accounting to pumper harvest.

So, because of the intervention too we discovered that women who are trying to put to bed (in Labour) find it difficult to easily access primary health facilities due to bad roads, some pay supreme sacrifice (loss of lives) but now that has reduced by about 60%.

We have as well witness increase in school enrollment because of good access roads, so this are some of the impacts we are able to create that include direct and indirect employments for over 600 people. We have linked over 420 communities in Niger state, over 900,000 people have benefited from our projects and we have opened up many rural roads in the state for better social and economic activities.

When you ply our road corridors, you will witness new settlements because we have put the roads in shape people are coming to settle along the roads. Like I said earlier our Community Based Road Maintenance where we engaged about 600 people who are watching

over RAMP roads we are paying them monthly stipend of N20, 000.

These are some of our achievements.

How many kilometers of road have you constructed and how communities have you impacted on?

We have constructed over 600 kilometers of roads in the state and we have constructed over 30 number crossing bridges and culverts of various sizes and we also to guarantee the sustainability of the projects. There is what we call Community Based Road Maintenance we engaged people for routine maintenance and by clearing the vegetation along the roads so as to clear the visibility of the road users and also maintain the culverts, patching of some pot holes. They are young people we identified, trained and well equipped who are right now in charge of our roads maintenance.

Some of your workmen were kidnapped, how has insecurity affected your job?

Insecurity has really affected our work because it has slow down our work. Ordinarily, especially the contractors handling our second face of our roads, the stipulated time frame is 18 months agreed for the construction of the roads, unfortunately, we didn’t achieve that because of the insecurity we experienced in the state. Although, the effect was not peculiar to Niger alone and not everywhere was affected.

Unfortunately, three of our policemen were abducted around Kampala Bobi road while working on the bridge site, but due to quick response from the Niger state government in conjunction with the security agencies they were rescued.

Since then, with the conjunction with our development partners (World Bank) we’ve developed a kind of strategy to engage a project security coordinator who is like a consultant to provide to all our site well armed security (Policemen) that are securing our workers, contractors, consultants and even the roads maintenance work force.

We don’t want to take anything for granted because our development partners take the issue of security very seriously. So, following that unfortunate incident we have been able to engage an experienced security expert a military retired officer who is coordinating our security arrangements and since then we’ve not experience any security threat. We have been very proactive that’s why not only Niger state other five participating States under RAMP 2 so here in Niger state we don’t have security threats therefore, when we are going for monitoring by our officials we are accompany by a well armed security personnel.

But we had the course to relocate some of our project like the initial 55km contract from Padongari to Bassa road due to the activities of armed bandits around that axis 25km into the work the military advised that the contractor should stop work because they would be

carrying out military operations in that axis, so we relocated the project to Makujeri Tungan Bako roads. Let me inform you that we received good cooperation from the security agencies especially the Commissioner of Police (CP), SSS and NSCDC to have a safe working environment for our workers.

It surely cost us more money in to the project and that is why moving forward in the next face of RAAMP what we intend to do is to see how we capture the issue of security as a cost. Contractors will have to provide security so there was no provision for security so we have to go extra miles to provide some money to take care of some of these security arrangements.

Recently, you received an award, what is the composition of this projects and its arrangements?

RAMP is a core finance initiative of the World Bank and French Development partners aim towards improving transport condition of the rural areas by construction and rehabilitation of key rural infrastructure. So, Niger state is one of the participating states with Osun, Imo, Enugu and Adamawa and each of those participating states is suppose to be 60 million dollars per state.

Niger state have just completed the implementation of RAMP 2 on 31 December, 2020 and interestingly, it is good to note that we were given targets as enshrined in the project and project document for us to construct just 370 km of roads and 16 number river crossing but we in Niger state surpassed our target documents by our development partners. We constructed 360 km of roads and construct 30 number river crossing. So, that earns the state letter of commendation and some series of award as best implementation amongst the implementors of RAMP. So for Niger state, I must say and confess without missing words that the state government has been doing very very well. What the governor is doing is unpresidented, today, the state government has injected over N6 billion for us to surface dressing of some of this roads constructed

by RAMP, this is to guarantee the sustainability of the investments in the state.

You know the nature of our roads when it lacks literal and the concept is to have a standard roads.

You know Niger state falls within the rain forest and when you have literal roads because of our typography and nature of the state if roads are left unpaved it hardly survive 3-4 raining seasons so therefore, Niger state provided funds for us to surface dressed them like Kutigi Teshan Hajiya 55km road, Sumaji Lemu road, Farindoki road, Abuchi Izom to Fadama road, Kampani Bobi and a host of others for over 440 km so far surface dressed roads constructed by RAMP in Niger state.

So, this is worthy of commendation therefore, I must commend the effort of the state government because of governor Abubakar Sani Bello’s

Hassan Baba Etsu passion for rural development and that’s why he injected such huge amount to improve the lived of rural dwellers.

Can you explain the situation of the counterpart funds of the state?

Let me tell you that the Niger state government has paid all its counterpart funds, we have even exceeded our payments and that is why the state government is being considered to key in to its next stage of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) and any moment from now we will commence. So that is why we have advised the state government even though we have completed RAMP 2 in the state not to disband the state project opportunity because their staff are well trained, we are just waiting to hit the ground running as soon as we commence the 3rd face of RAAMP which the state government has paid it counterpart funds as at when due that made it possible to consider Niger state for the next face of the programme.

What are your fears as you progress in the project?

My fears is that, now that we have this investments, our fear is that we have people working for us over 600 unemployed people all over the state and we are paying them N20,000 monthly stipends, some of them earn their leaving from this payment. So, what happened to these people if disbanded especially now that our development partners are no longer in the business? They have pulled out by the end of agreement, can we sustain them carrying out the road maintenance constructed by RAMP if not what happens to this roads. You can recall on the days of DFRRI during IBB regime because today you can hardly trace such lofty projects because there was no defer for sustainability arrangements. So in this situation in order to sustain and guarantee what we have on ground especially the community maintenance arrangement which can be sustained by the state government and we will see how RAMP will be transformed into the state Rural Roads Development Agency that will be responsible for

the maintenance of some of this roads in the state.

Already, recently we have in conjunction with federal ministry of agriculture, there is this law road manual developed in all our local governments we have directorate of works what they do in terms of rural roads. They only come up with their graders and clear the roads. That is not the case here, we are trying to do what is internationally accepted that’s why we have to deploy best practices in the rural road management. In this law volume road manual, there is maintenance manual, construction, design. So in this case, the working document will be made available containing everything about rural road construction. For instance, the specification of road weight, type of culverts constructed to have standard that will be adopted by the local governments in the state. The agency we are looking at will now motivate the development of rural roads. A bill has been sent to the state assembly and it has scaled through a second hearing and hopefully before the end of first quarter of this year the bill will be passed and possibly accented by the governor. By the time we have the law in place we will have a Rural Road Maintenance Agency so as to consolidate our achievements and we will be able to maintain this roads and open up more rural roads. So, that’s what we are doing in the state.

What is the size of RAMO 2 in terms of monetary value?

The facility is 60 million dollars and it is pertinent to know that it is not a grant it is a credit that will be paid by Niger State so this is Niger State Government thing wholly contrary to believe that World Bank investment alone they are in business too. They have investment also and it is credit to be paid over a period of 30 years in which all the 25 LGAs benefitted from the 60 million dollars project.

What are the major challenges confronting your organization?

The major challenges are the issue of weather. The weather here is not favorable for road construction.

You know we witness heavy rainfall last raining season and that resulted to the flooding of some section of our roads even though we have fixed them. I think it’s a challenge but is beyond us and even our contractors.

I also think the issue of insecurity which is not peculiar to Niger state has slow down the pace of project implementation. I think basically we need to sensitize our people and the challenge here in Niger state and this year Osun state is implementing the Sam project, our state size is three or four times size of Osun or bigger than the size of entire South East so considering its infrastructural deficit coupled with the size there is agitation for the state government to look for more multinational partnership so that it can leverage on that to deliver infrastructural deficit facing the state.

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Issues

China-Africa Cooperation Prospers against Covid-19

By Wang Zefei, commentator on International affairs

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he outbreak and spread of COVID-19 since the beginning of 2020 has severely affected economic and social development of countries around the world, and disrupted international cooperation as well.

Looking at comments on ChinaAfrica cooperation at the end of last year, we can find out that most were positive, but there were indeed negative tones about such cooperation. These comments fall into five categories, including the argument that China-Africa trade has gone through a free fall, the prediction that China’s investment and financing to African countries will continue declining and never rebound, the pessimism about the future of China-Africa cooperation, the exaggeration of the return of Chinese people back home, and the accusation of environmental pollution by Chinese projects in Africa. These arguments and reports seem to be convincing, but in fact are alarmist and lacking in evidence. So what is the truth?

China and Africa have maintained dynamic economic and trade cooperation. China has contributed to Africa’s economic growth by over 20% for consecutive years. Despite a gloomy picture of the global market, China-Africa trade was approaching US$180 billion in 2020. Although it is lower than US$208.7 billion of 2019, in comparison with other countries, China will remain the biggest trading partner of African countries for the 12th year in a row. China has opened its door wider to African products.

Over 400 African businesses from more than 40 African countries have attended the China International Import Expo (CIIE) for the past three edition, where the Zambian blueberries and Tanzanian soybeans have been imported for the first time to China. The Ethiopian coffee, Zambian honey, and Beninese cashew nuts were very popular at the third CIIE. The 3000 packages of coffee from Rwanda that had been difficult to sell due to the pandemic were sold out in a short while on line to Chinese consumers. China has also decided to offer financial support to the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), in order to promote a more balanced and diversified China-Africa cooperation.

China and Africa have continued investment and financing cooperation.

Investment and financing cooperation is part and parcel of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation. On the one hand, due to the pandemic, all countries

face the downward pressure of their economy while China’s financing in Africa faces the same difficulty. However, such a decline will not be irreversible.

With the easing of the pandemic in the world, China’s financing in Africa will rebound again. On the other hand, China’s investment in Africa was steady in 2020, with direct investment reaching US$3 billion, which was not easy at all.

In June 2020, the Lekki Deep Sea Port Project in Nigeria was launched, having received over US$1 billion investment from Chinese business through publicprivate partnership (PPP). The project will significantly boost the transportation capacity and competitiveness of West Africa, and create a large number of jobs for the local people. Chinese businesses have also invested US$680 million in the form of build-operate-transfer (BOT) in the JKIA-Westlands Expressway project in Kenya. Currently, the project is well under way in spite of the pandemic, and is expected to be completed beforehand in 2021. All these projects are undertaken through the new models of China-Africa investment and financing cooperation, striving for a new and high-quality ChinaAfrica cooperation. China has also signed debt suspension agreements with 15 African countries within the framework of G20, and has decided to forgive interest-free government loans that are due to mature by the end of 2020 for 15 African countries, ranking the first among G20 members in terms of deferral amount.

China and Africa have kept the momentum of practical cooperation. The Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19 was held in June 2020, making China the only major country that convened a summit with countries across Africa in 2020.

China has provided rounds of high-demand supplies to all African countries and the African Union to help them combat COVID-19, and African countries have also been firm in their support to China’s efforts on fighting against the pandemic.

We have demonstrated ChinaAfrica solidarity in times of difficulty. The “Belt and Road” initiative is very popular in Africa, with 44 African countries and the AU Commission having signed the Belt and Road cooperation documents with China, making up about a third of all countries and organizations that have entered into such agreements with China globally.

The Chinese government and the AU Commission have recently signed the cooperation plan on jointly promoting the construction of the Belt and

China President, Xi Jinping Road initiative. The 14th Senior Officials Meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was successfully held recently. China and African countries have implemented over 70% of the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, with priority shifted to the areas of public health, economic recovery and people’s livelihood. ChinaAfrica cooperation on digital economy has seen fast growth, with South Africa’s mobile operator and China’s Huawei jointly issuing the first 5G commercial network in Africa.

TikTok has become the fastest growing social application in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria.

In the first half of 2020, the newly contracted projects undertaken by the Chinese businesses in Africa totaled US$29.1 billion in value, a year-on-year increase of 33%. The freight volume of Mombasa–Nairobi Railway and Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway, which were constructed by Chinese businesses, was also on the rise despite the difficulties.

China is the only major economy that achieved positive growth in 2020, and is accelerating the building of a new development paradigm with domestic and international economic circulations reinforcing each other. The pie of China-Africa practical cooperation will surely grow bigger.

China-Africa people-topeople exchanges have overcome hardships and remain steady.

Given the severity of the pandemic, countries around the world have tightened their

border control, thus making people-to-people exchanges more difficult. Nonetheless, over 1100 Chinese cooperation projects have maintained operation in Africa, and a large number of Chinese technicians and workers held on to their positions in Africa. Bearing in mind Africa’s development and wellbeing of its people, China has sent thousands of employees of Chinese businesses back to Africa by commercial and temporary chartered flights. They are the most beautiful bridge connecting the hearts of the Chinese and African people. China has also sent medical expert teams of 184 people to 15 African countries.

Nearly 1000 medical staff from 40 plus resident Chinese medical teams have chosen to stay in Africa to help African people go through the difficult time. In the second half of 2020, events like China-Africa Youth Gathering, China-Africa Think tank Forum and China-Africa Private Sector Cooperation Forum have been successively held, strongly promoting ChinaAfrica friendship. Certain media and think tanks have spread the news that a large number of Chinese are leaving Africa, which is out of ulterior motives.

With the Chinese Spring Festival arriving soon, it is common and understandable for the Chinese people to travel back home for reunion with their families, which is just like westerners going home for Christmas. More importantly, many of the Chinese returning to China still have their businesses in Africa. As Africa has become

“

China has also sent medical expert teams of 184 people to 15 African countries. Nearly 1000 medical staff from 40 plus resident Chinese medical teams have chosen to stay in Africa to help African people go through the difficult time

their second hometown, they will surely come back to Africa after the festival.

China and Africa have been committed to sustainable development. China and African countries uphold the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith in their cooperation, and advocate joint, collaborated, green, safe and open development. As President Xi Jinping has said, green is gold. China-Africa cooperation should not be achieved at the cost of Africa’s environment and long-term interests. High energy consumption and high-pollution industries as well as outdated production capacity will never be transferred to Africa. Western media such as the CNN has solely focused on some individual coal power projects with Chinese participation, but deliberately ignored so many clean energy power stations built by China.

What they are up to is selfevident. China has helped to build more than 80 big power facilities for Africa, most of which are hydro, wind or solar power plants, greatly easing African countries’ power shortage. It’s suggested for CNN to take a close look at the Noor Ouarzazate Solar Complex, the world’s biggest solar power station, and the Garissa solar power plant of Kenya, the largest photovoltaic power station in East Africa. Both are built by Chinese enterprises.

Green development is also one of the eight major initiatives committed at the FOCAC Beijing Summit. Currently, 39 green projects are in the process of construction or implementation in Africa, and the China-Africa Environmental Cooperation Center has been launched in Beijing, demonstrating China’s sense of responsibility and sincerity to promote green development in Africa.

Undeterred by the raging pandemic, China-Africa cooperation has made impressive achievements. State Councilor Wang Yi will visit Africa soon, continuing the consecutive tradition of Chinese foreign ministers for the 31st time to choose Africa as the destination of their first overseas visit each year. The new FOCAC conference will also be held in 2021, which will inject new dynamism to China-Africa cooperation. We are convinced that no matter how the international situation and the global climate of pubic opinion may evolve, ChinaAfrica cooperation will continue to take the lead of international cooperation with Africa. Building on the past achievements, ChinaAfrica cooperation will move ahead steadily towards a better future.

Source: Xinhua

Sports

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monday, january 11, 2021

Victor Osimhen denies organising birthday party in Lagos

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uper Eagles and Napoli of Italy striker, Victor Osimhen has come out to reveal what really transpired during his infamous birthday party in Lagos, Nigeria.

The Nigerian striker was filmed at a private birthday party while on holiday.

However, the former Lille of France forward says he didn’t know anything about the controversial birthday party, he tested positive for coronavirus upon his return to Naples.

He had taken part in the surprise party without wearing a protective mask and Napoli have fined the striker.

“Before I went to Nigeria, I told my sister that I wouldn’t celebrate my birthday,” Osimhen said in an interview.

“I was not in the right mood because of my injury.

“On that particular day, I had been asleep for about six hours. When I woke up, my sister asked me to go downstairs.

“If you check what I put on, I was wearing the training jersey. I wouldn’t wear that for my birthday party. I wouldn’t dress so casually.

“I could celebrate my birthday in other ways too, but I wasn’t in a good mood. I went downstairs and they were playing music, gospel.

“I was down there for about 10 minutes before my older brother called me back upstairs. I didn’t throw a party.

“After I tested positive for COVID-19, I called my family and told them to get tested. All of them have done it and they tested negative.”

Agent Blasts Critics “The People Criticizing Victor Osimhen Hate Him Because Of His Money” - His Agent Blasts Napoli For Being “Racist” The agent of Napoli and Nigeria forward Victor Osimhen, Roberto Calenda has defended the striker following his breach of Covid-19 protocols in Nigeria.

The forward tested positive for coronavirus after his trip to Lagos where he had flouted social-distancing rules and partied with friends and family without wearing a mask.

Calenda defended his family’s decision to throw Osimhen a surprise birthday party and insisted that people must know ‘the context’ before judging the situation.

Calenda revealed how the 22-yearold had been going through ‘a difficult period in recent months’ after losing his father and that he had been struggling with injury.

Victor Osimhen

Sports Ministry: Aduda Bows Out As Nebeolisa Anako Takes Over As Perm. Sec.

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n what signified the end of a meritorious era, the outgoing Permanent Secretary of the ministry of youth and sports development, Mr Gabriel Aduda, Thursday handed over the mantle of leadership to his successor, Engr. Nebeolisa Anako, marking the beginning of a new era in the Ministry.

In his opening remarks, Mr Gabriel Aduda stated that his one year stay in the Ministry enabled him to build families and friends due to the cooperation he enjoyed from Management Team and staff of the ministry including cleaners and security officers.

He noted that though, it was not all rosy working in a challenging environment with a dynamic and innovative Honourable Minister, Mr Sunday Dare, whose leadership has piloted the affairs of the Ministry to enviable heights via initiatives/ programmes like adopt-an- athlete programme, D.E.E.L, Nigeria Youth

Investment Fund, Covid-19 Stimulus Funds and many other initiatives / programme to engage the Nigerian youths.

Mr Aduda urged the Youth and Sports family to equally extend the hand of fellowship and support given to him during his stay in the Ministry to the new Permanent Secretary in order to further consolidate on previous achievements towards actualising the mandate and vision of President Muhammadu Buhari for the teaming Nigerian youth. He appreciated the privilege of working with the Honourable Minister in the last one year, describing the relationship as cordial and work experience fulfilling.

While receiving the handover documents to kick-start the beginning of a new era, the incoming Permanent Secretary, Engr. Nebeolisa Anako thanked the outgoing Permanent Secretary for piloting the administrative function of the Ministry effectively under

the leadership of the Honourable Minister.

In his remarks, he stated that ‘’the only thing permanent in life is change, stressing that change should be embraced in order to confront the new challenges of work that awaits us as a people’’.

Mr Anako described the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development as a key ministry especially as the country is moving to the post covid-19 era of growing our economy and social life, adding that the teeming population of our youths must be engaged in activities that will give them a sense of belonging in the country.

He enjoined Management staff to extend the cooperation and good working relationship with his predecessor to him, nothing that he will be open to new and innovative ideas geared towards moving the Ministry forward in the interest of the service.

The occasion witnessed sections of photographs involving the two

Gabriel Aduda Permanent Secretaries and members of Management Team.

CAF Champions League draws set up thrilling clashes PG30 >>>PG31

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S p r t COVID-19: NWFL How Ahmed Musa made me a suspends league over club’s non- millionaire - Coach Bros Reveals compliance with guidelines

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he Nigerian Women Football League has postponed fixtures of match-day five after the clubs in the topflight division failed to adhere strictly to the COVID-19 testing rules.

A statement issued by the NWFL’s Chief Operating Officer, Faith BenAnuge, the clubs have been given January 11 deadline ahead of the league resumption on January 13.

“In view of the non-compliance of clubs towards the conduct COVID-19 tests of their players and officials as directed by the Nigerian Football Federation, we kindly write to inform you of shift in date of the NWFL matches for match-day five, which will now hold January 13 across the states,” the statement read.

“All NWFL clubs are given one week to conduct COVID-19 tests on their team (players and officials) and results scanned and forwarded to the secretariat on or before January 11. Defaulting clubs will be disqualified.”

Saturday PUNCH can report that players and officials of NWFL sides Sunshine Queens and Bayelsa Queens have undergone the compulsory COVID-19 tests ahead of the week-five matches.

Speaking after the tests, the Chairman of Bayelsa Queens, Robin Apreala, urged the players to adhere strictly to all the preventive measures of COVID-19.

Bayelsa Queens currently lead the NWFL with maximum 12 points from their opening four games, while FC Robo are three points adrift. Rivers Angels, Edo Queens and Osun Babes complete the top five.

Ahmed Musa and Coach Ibrahim

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opular Jos based football academy owner Ahmed Ibrahim popularly known as coach Bros has revealed how he became a millionaire for the role he played in the formative years of captain of the Super Eagles Ahmed Musa.

Speaking to news men, the lovable academy proprietor revealed that Ahmed Musa’s first transfer from Kano Pillars opened the door for him to becoming a millionaire and since then his life has been changed for good.

“I really want to thank God for what he has done for me via Ahmed Musa. Musa

is the reason why I find it hard to give up on helping young footballers. When Musa moved to VVV Venlo, my life was changed for the better because he insists that all that is due to me must be given to me. That singular move set me up”...

He also went further to reveal that bar Musa he has helped as many as thirty footballers move to Europe and as many as four of them have played for the Super Eagles ‎after making progress with their various teams in Europe.

The players in question are Moses Simon, Samuel Kalu, Kingsley Madu and

Rueben Gabriel. He however admitted that things didn’t go as planned with the aforementioned players after they decided to switch agents shortly before making big move in their career.

“Many of the players I helped the past few years didn’t bring me much success like Musa. You see I work with one main partner in Europe called ‎Tony Harris but most of these lads switch from him at the verge of a big move. There’s nothing one can do but wish them well”, he explained.

Presently he has Hilary Gong at Dutch Eredivisie side ‎Vitesse Arnheim as one star who will soon follow in the footsteps of graduates of the prestigious Golden Boot Soccer Academy (GBS).

“Gong is talented to a fault. He has been unlucky with injuries but mark my word, once he is fit and ready for games, he will take the Dutch League by storm and even Nigerian football”.

Speaking on the success that Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side Plateau United have enjoyed since he joined the team as Technical Director, he said it’s down to the collective effort of everyone associated with the team.

“It’s starts with the willingness of the state governor and the chairman of the club. They are largely why we are doing well the past few years. I have played a role as well but special appreciation will go to the players, coaches and also the fans. We are all partners in progress”, he concluded.

Ahmad Ahmad disqualified from contesting CAF presidency

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ncumbent President, Ahmad Ahmad has been disqualified from contesting for the Presidency of Confederation of Africa Football, CAF scheduled for March 12, 2021.

CAF has ruled that just two of the five candidates for March’s presidential elections are eligible to vie for the number one football man in the continent – with President Ahmad Ahmad not among them.

The Malagasy has been ‘declared ineligible’ given his five-year FIFA ban relating for abusing his office, mishandling funds and trading in gifts although his camp have slim hopes an ongoing appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) could change this.

Both former Ivory Coast football federation president Jacques Anouma and current Senegal FA president Augustin Senghor have been authorised to contest the March elections in Morocco.

Further checks are required before either Mauritania FA president Ahmed Yahya and Patrice Motsepe, the South African who owns Mamelodi Sundowns, can be added to the list of candidates.

“The committee considered that further checks are necessary before a final decision,” a CAF statement said. “To this end, a hearing of these candidates will be organised in Cairo on 28 January.”

The committee also authorised a total of 13 candidates to take part in the

elections for the Executive Committee, with a further three needing additional verifications.

In addition, the four candidates for the FIFA Council are subject to eligibility checks carried out by football’s world governing body and those decisions will be announced in due course.

The final list of candidates eligible for the various ballots will be made public no later than Monday 11 January 2021.

The CAF Governance Committee met on 5 and 6 January 2021 to study the applications for the positions of CAF President, members of the CAF Executive Committee and African members of the FIFA Council.

The electoral process was launched on 10 September 2020 after the Executive Committee meeting held by videoconference, in accordance with CAF statutes. It concerns key positions, for which the complete list is attached hereto.

By 12 November 2020, the last day of submission of candidatures, CAF General Secretariat had received five candidatures for the post of CAF President. It will therefore be up to the Governance Committee, an independent body of CAF chaired by Ivorian Michel Brizoua-Bi, to examine the eligibility of candidates who submitted their applications on time.

After the publication of the list of eligible candidates, the electoral process

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Bayelsa to host maiden wresting Champion of champions

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resident of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Hon. Daniel Igali says over fifty wrestlers will converge on Yenagoa the Bayelsa State capital for the first-ever Champion of Champions tournament in preparation for the rescheduled 2020 Olympics games in Tokyo, Japan.

Hon. Igali gave the hint in an interactive session with executive members of the state chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN in his office in Yenagoa.

Hon. Igali while felicitating with SWAN members over the new year, said the essence of the initiative was to keep athletes busy and prepared for the Olympics and other competitions.

The NWF president who is also the Commissioner for Youth and Sport Development in Bayelsa State, explained that the competition would also feature the top five wrestlers in the six Olympic weight classes in Women Wrestling and Freestyle events.

He stated that the competition would take place at the ultra-modern Theatre Wrestling Complex, Yenizue Gene, Yenagoa from 15th to 18th January, 2021 under strict Covid-19 compliance.

The World, Olympic and Commonwealth Olympic Games Champion, pointed out that as commissioner for Youth and Sports Development he would continue to initiate programmes that would develop Sports in the state.

On the forthcoming National Sports Festival he said the state contingent is fully prepared for the Fiesta, pointing out the state athletes would soon commence camping for the showpiece in Benin City, Edo state.

Earlier, the State Chairman of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria SWAN Mr.Alambo Datonye said the body would continue to promote the development of

wrestling and other sports in the country.

The NWF President later conducted Executive Committee Members and other Sports Journalists round some of

the facilities at the ultra-modern Theatre Wrestling Complex in Yenizue-Gene off Old PDP Secretariat Road in the Bayelsa State Capital.

CAF Champions League draws set up thrilling clashes

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Banned CAF President, Ahmad Ahmad

will therefore reach its peak on 12 March 2021, in the 43rd CAF Elective General Assembly scheduled in Morocco.

he group draw for the 57th edition of Africa’s premier club football tournament, CAF Champions League was held in Cairo, Egypt on Friday.

The draw for the 2020/21 Total CAF Champions League Group Stage was done at CAF Headquarters in Cairo, Egypt on Friday 8 January 2021 with mouthwaterinf fixtures.

The draw, conducted by CAF Head of competitions Khlaed Nassar, assisted by Egypt’s legend Hossam Ghaly, produced some thrilling pairings in the way to the continent’s premier club competition’s finals.

Last season’s title holders Al Ahly of Egypt will face the opposition of AS Vita, Simba and El Merriekh in Group A. In Group B we have TP Mazembe, Mamelodi Sundowns, El Hilal and CR Belouizdad while in Group C sees Wydad pitted against Horoya, Petro Atletico and Kaizer Chiefs.

Esperance, Zamalek, MC Alger and Tuengueth make up Group D

Match Day One fixtures are set for 12/13th February, 2021 Group A Al Ahly (Egypt) AS Vita (DR Congo) Simba SC (Tanzania) El Merriekh (Sudan) Group B TP Mazembe (DR Congo) Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) El Hilal (Sudan) CR Belouizdad (Algeria) Group C Wydad (Morocco) Horoya (Guinea) Petro Atletico (Angola) Kaizer Chiefs (South Africa) Group D Esperance (Tunisia) Zamalek (Egypt) MC Alger (Algeria) Tuengueth (Senegal)

monday, january 11, 2021

SPORTS latest

Ahmed Musa to establish worldclass school in Plateau State

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uper Eagles captain and World Cup record holder, Ahmed Musa will begin establishment of a world-class school in his state of birth, Plateau.

Musa who holds the record as the only Nigeria player to have scored four goals in World Cup including two braces against Argentina in 2014 and against Iceland in 2018 World Cups disclosed this on his Twitter handle.

Despite being clubless currently, the former Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia forward has continued to endear himself to Nigerians with his big heart of benevolence Miss revealed his plans to provide education in a way to giving back to the society in his birthplace, Plateau State, Joe local government Bukuru.

The former Leicester and CSKA forward in no doubt has received several accolades and applause following this revelation on his social media account as it is a coveted humanitarian gesture in such a complicated time as this.

“I am not ignorant of the need to give back to my wonderful community and that is why I am excited to announce the commencement of the M & S international school project in Plateau State. Jos South local government Bukuru,” he said.

Adding “Education is the key” Notably, Ahmed Musa became the first Nigerian to score more than once in a FIFA World Cup match, after scoring twice against Argentina in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and Iceland in 2018 Musa over the week donated the sum of MY million for grassroots football development Taye in Jos.Taiwo and Oduamadi

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Shame on America

I

have always given America the credit for my early education. The Reformed Church of North America established the Primary and Secondary schools I attended.

As a result, all my life I attended private schools until I got admission to the government owned University at Ibadan, the first university in Nigeria and considered the best up to date.

Miss Geraldine Vandenberg, the American Principal at the American funded and managed Bristow Secondary School Gboko which I attended left a permanent mark on her students.

“Shame on you” was the ultimate punishment you could get from her. Managing a school of youthful boys and girls that we were was a tasking job for her. Often we fell out of line and broke the laws that were designed to regulate our lives.

At Bristow there was a hierarchy of punishments for offenders.

The lowest was for the offender to be made to do some menial jobs – clean toilets, cut grass/ trees etc; if you still went ahead to commit a more serious offence, you were flogged on the buttocks with a cane in the Assembly Hall in full glare of the students. “Shame on you” only came as the punishment of the last resort.

You were summoned to the Principals office, subjected to a long sermon on how the offence or offences you committed qualified you for Hell fire on Judgment day. The Principal would then scream “shame on you” and break down and cry profusely. This queer punishment rarely happened but what every student at Bristow dreaded was that it should happen to him/her. It was a form of a curse on students who did not turn a new leaf even after the ordeal of watching an old woman cry. They have never amounted to anything in life. I will not mention names.

Even at the University of Ibadan, the teacher that made the biggest impression of political science students at the time, Dr Joseph Richards was an African American. Young

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at the time but very erudite, he managed to make his mark in a star studded political science department of the university, made up of intellectual giants, the likes of Billy J. Dudley and Bolaji Akinyemi. It is little wonder that he wrote a much acclaimed book on Prebendal politics in Nigerian soon on leaving Ibadan and has been a Professor at the Jimmy Carter Foundation.

It was not only in my little world that America was so much admired. All over the Africa continent, America was admired even by those the country wrongly considered adversaries. Look at the great Nelson Mandela, considered a Communist and therefore an adversary of America and the West in the cold war era. At his Rivonia trial in 1964 that led to his being incarcerated for twenty seven years, he said “The American Congress, the countries concept of separation of powers, as well as the independence of its judiciary, arouses sentiments of admiration in me”.

I share Nelson Mandela’s sentiments today. As the mob descended on the US Congress (which he expressly admired in that speech) with blood and fire trailing them on January 6 2021, I felt sad. But even then I agreed with one of the anarchists on that expedition. He told the BBC at the venue of the bloody invasion that their mission was to carry out a revolution to take their country back and that their revolution was like

“

the American Revolutionary War (1775 – 1783). He was honest enough to confess that what they embarked on was a disorderly thing which could not be achieved by law and order.

The problem with America is that after they revolted against the British and established the first modern constitutional liberal democracy in the world, it has become the world’s biggest revisionist country and stumbling block to new ideas. At their declaration of independence, those five pot smoking renegades rightly declared that “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

The American civil war of 1861 – 1865 occurred because after making this pious declaration in 1776 and going ahead to fight and defeat the British, America continued to be the greatest slave holding nation in the world. Some patriots felt this was contradictory - to make loud declarations on the equality of man and continue to hold black men as slaves.

This contradiction was not resolved until America went into a civil war that remains the central issue in the historical consciousness of the country.

Today, there is no other issue that causes so many problems in America as much as the racial hatred against African Americans. Majority of

The American civil war of 1861 – 1865 occurred because after making this pious declaration in 1776 and going ahead to fight and defeat the British, America continued to be the greatest slave holding nation in the world

white Americans still do not just understand why the people they used to hold as slaves not too long ago should raise their profiles, become law makers, judges and even governors and for once a President. For when America was demoralized and broke, they found a fresher Senator, an orator who moved the nation’s morale with speeches and got its economy on its feet in four short years. Immediately Barak Obama did that, Donald Trump started questioning his American citizenship. Thus the old hatred against blacks was reborn.

The problem in America today is not that Donald Trump has been voted out of office freely and squarely in an election he disputes without evidence. The problem is that America allowed a man who had evidence of racial bigotry in his DNA to take over the highest office in the land during which he bullied and intimidated many people into his line of thinking.

His views on black men all over the world, before he was elected in 2015 should have convinced Americans that this was another Adolf Hitler in the making. What he did in four years was to try and recreate the atmosphere in the US that allowed white men to treat black men on the streets as game by lynching them publicly.

We are just praying that he does not use the few days he has in office to start another crisis that will plunge the world into an avoidable war and another nuclear holocaust. The shame he has brought to America should be enough for him.

DAN GAYE Dangai

Insecurity, Covid-19, economic woes will end soon -Cleric

How soon please?

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