Wednesday, November 13, 2019 Edition

Wednesday, November 13, 2019/ Rabi’ul Awwal 15, 1441 AH Vol. 32 No. 092 N150

2042 Days after

Reps want ban on fuel lifting at borders reversed

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The nation awaits rescue of the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls

Kogi, Bayelsa gubers hold as scheduled court disqualifies APC Dep. Gov. -INEC As candidate in Bayelsa

NASS passes 2020 budget Nov. 28 -Lawan >>>page 6

>>>page 5

Men of Nigerian Army, during the opening of 2019 Nigerian Army Small Arms Championship, at 2Div. Nigerian Army, yesterday in Ibadan. Photo: NAN

Edo APC suspends Oshiomhole, says report

pAGE 17

Gombe Deputy Speaker, Haruna impeached pAGE 15

Kano Police rescue another child kidnap victim pAGE 7

Pipeline vandalism: Senate summons NNPC GMD pAGE 3

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PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

News 2-10, 14

Editorial

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi and Musa Adamu

11

Op.Ed

T

he Senate on Tuesday summoned the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mele Kyari, to appear before its Committee on Petroleum Resources, over the spate of pipeline vandalism across the country.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, stated this after the chairman of an ad hoc committee on the explosion that rocked NNPC pipelines in Rivers and

12-13

Politics 15-17 Health

18

Business

19-20

Feature

21

World News

22

Africa News

23

World News

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News

News Editor, Ese Awhotu

Pipeline vandalism: Senate summons NNPC GMD

CONTENTS News

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PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

Lagos States recently, Senator Ibrahim Gobir, presented his report on the floor of the Senate.

The report had indicted unnamed officials of the NNPC, Nigerian Pipeline and Storage Company and those of the firm securing the facilities of allegedly conniving with vandals to sabotage the nation.

It specifically alleged that some of the officials were aware of the Komkom pipeline leakage in Rivers State, two days before the explosion but delayed in taking necessary action.

The President of the Senate

wondered why officials of government would be conniving with criminals involved in vandalising oil pipelines.

He said those involved should be sanctioned, arrested and prosecuted after a thorough investigation.

Lawan directed the Senate Committee on Petroleum (downstream) to invite the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) with a view to ensuring a review of security measures for pipelines in parts of the country.

He also said the National

Assembly will amend the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency Act to prevent the activities of pipeline vandals that leads to explosions and deaths.

Lawan said: “Our Committee on Petroleum (downstream) should invite the NNPC with a view to know what they have been doing over the years to secure the pipelines; what measures are in place and whether there is need to review these agreements.

“This is a multi-billion dollar industry. People consciously do these things, it’s not an accident.

Those who are caught in the fires

or who come to scavenge are the ones who end up losing their lives.

This is not acceptable.

“There must be sanctions, somebody will have to pay the price and of course, after these resolutions are sent to the executive, our committee must follow it up.

“When we have to amend the NOSDRA Act, this is something that we have to do expeditiously.

We should do it because it will help in preventing or minimising the reoccurrence of these criminal acts.”

R-L: Director, Science and Technology Promotions, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Mr. Ekanem Udoh, Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of State for Science and Technology. Barr Abduulahi Mohammed and the Permanente Secretary of the Ministry , Mr Bitrus Bako Nabasu , inspecting School innovation , A Plastic Waste Recycling Machine produce by Government Junior Secondary Scholl Phase 3, Gwagwalada in FCT, during the 2019 World Science Day Celebration, theme: “Open Science, Leaving No One Behind”, held yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Embrace agric to curb unemployment, minister urges youth Kano Police rescue another child kidnap victim Page 7

Environment 25 Feature

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Sports 30-31 Back Page

32

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By Ese Awhotu

T

he Minister of State for Science and Technology, Barrister Mohammed Abdullahi, has called on Nigerian youths to focus on agriculture in order surmount unemployment in the country.

Barrister Abdullahi made the call when he gave his goodwill message on African Youth Day celebration organized by the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports with the theme: ‘’One Million by 2021: Count Me In’’ Youth Policy, on Tuesday, in Abuja.

According to a statement signed by Maryam Zakari, SIO for: Head (Press and PR) in the ministry yesterday, Barrister Abdullahi said technology incubation policy of the Ministry

has the potentials to open wide employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for large number of youths.

He said the National Board for Technology Incubation of the Ministry has come up with new seedlings for cotton production which could rejuvenate our comatose textile industries, thereby creating employment opportunities for the youths.

The Ministry, he added, will collaborate with the Ministry of Youth and Sports to ensure that programs are organized through the deployment of technology to support the youths in order to create wealth in the country.

In his words ‘’ I stand in

solidarity with the youths in the country for being patriotic, energetic,industrious,creative and also representatives of what they stand for Nigeria’’.

Barrister Abdullahi also said that the emphasis today is on information and communication Technology, adding that ICT is one gamut of technology, which is a very wide sector including Science and Technology, Biotechnology, Engineering etc.

He therefore called on the youths to embrace Science and Technology and ensure that they utilize it in order to bring the country out of economic challenges.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of The Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mr. Sunday Dare, said to celebrate the

African Youths, the African Union has urged member countries to organize a series of activities in the month of November to align with the theme ‘’One Million by 2021 Campaign Objectives’’ which will create direct opportunities for one million young Africans in the areas of education, employment, entrepreneurship and engagement.

The 2019 theme of the African Day, he said further is a call for all stakeholders in youths development comprising Government, International Organizations, Development Partners, Private Sectors, Civil Society and all African Youths at home and in Diaspora to stand up and be counted as drivers of the one million 2021 initiatives.

Reps ask FIRS to refund N4.6bn illegal deduction to FCT -IRS

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he House of Representatives yesterday asked Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to refund total sum of N4.6 billion to FCT Internal Revenue Service (FCTIRS) being two percent overdeduction as cost of collection deducted from the N117 billion tax revenue realized between 2015 and 2019.

Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, Hon. Wole Oke issued the directive while ruling on the petition against FIRS adopted by the House.

According to the petitioner, FIRS deducted 4% of the total

sum of N117 billion collected on behalf of FCT-IRS between 2015 and 2019 through the office of the Accountant General of the Federation (oAGF), against the agreed 2% as cost of collection in the Memorandum of Understanding signed by both parties.

In his remarks, Hon. Oke argued that it was wrong for the FIRS to take part of the money belonging to the FCT-IRS in breach of the MoU signed by both parties.

“Our ruling will be that the Chairman of the FRIS should refund the 4 percent taxes collected due to the FCT-IRS. “That the Chairman, FCT-

IRS, if you are still in need of the services of FRIS, due process should be followed and engage FIRS and pay them properly.”

Hon. Oke observed FCT-IRS is entitled to 5 percent of the total tax revenue generated in accordance with the FCT-IRS establishment Act. While responding to questions from the lawmakers, Chairman, FIRS, Mr. Babatunde Fowler said that FIRS takes 2 percent of total tax collected as cost of collection rendered to FCT-IRS. He explained that FIRS is responsible for the payment of salaries of 170 staff deployed on secondment to FCTIRS throughout the period

under review, apart from the accommodation and other logistics service rendered to FCT-IRS. The FIRS chairman who argued that the agreement which started with 4 percent was renegotiated to 2 percent last year, said: “We support other States IRS but for FCT, we have given them buildings, logistics and staff, even this 2 percent is not enough to cover the cost.

“We cannot continue to support them this way, I may be forced to pull out our all my staff and support which will have negative impact on revenue generation in the FCT.”

L-R: Director Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Mr. Saliu Baba Alkali, Chairman of FIRS, Mr. Babatunde Fowler and the Chairman FCT Inland Revenue Service, Mr. Abdullahi Attah, during an investigative hearing on FCT IRS board by the House of Representatives on Public Account, at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Nasarawa govt to embrace SMEDAN's OLOP initiative

By Miriam Humbe

N

asarawa State Governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule has said that his government is ready to key into the One Local Government One Product (OLOP) initiative of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).

While receiving the Director General of SMEDAN, Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda in his office in Lafia, the Governor said as the chief executive of the young state, he would do everything possible to improve the lots of the people, adding with a programme like OLOP, MSMEs in the state would benefit from it.

He thanked the management of SMEDAN for finding time to visit the state to intimate him of the Agency’s mandate and mission.

“I am very grateful and I want

to inform you that I am very much interested in the OLOP programme, am ready to key into this, and I want MSME’s in the state to benefit from it.”

The Director General of SMEDAN, Dr. Radda told the governor that they were in the state to assist in capacity building for MSME’s in the state, adding this could only be achieved through a robust collaboration.

He said based on the National Survey of MSME’s released this year, Nasarawa state has 385,489 MSME’s, and noted that the recent survey also shared that Micro Enterprises constituted about 99.8% of the total MSME’s in Nigeria and that roughly 90% are in the informal sector.

The Director General further intimated the governor on the objectives of the OLOP and

the Conditional Grant Scheme (CGS) initiatives of the Agency, and urged him to facilitate the inauguration of the Nasarawa state MSME council. He said if established, the council would be responsible for marshaling out plans for MSMEs development in the state.

Dr. Radda revealed that there is a National Council on MSMEs at the national level headed by

the Vice President, while the states councils are to be chaired by the deputy governors.

The SMEDAN boss further suggested that Nasarawa state should establish mini enterprise parks at the local and state levels, as well as micro finance banks for the beneficiaries of MSMEs so that they can have easy access to fund and affordable interest rates.

Police foil robbery attempt at CBN, Benin By Osaigbovo Benin

T

Iguobaro,

he Edo Police Command yesterday evening, foiled an attempt by armed robbers to attack the Benin branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The robbers were said to have attempted to break into the

bank when a bullion van carrying cash to an unknown commercial bank was about leaving the CBN premises but were, however, repelled by the armed police security team at the bank.

The exchange of gunfire between the bank security and the robbers forced people and motorists on the busy Akpakpa

Road to scamper for safety.

The exchange of firepower which lasted for few minutes forced the robbers to retreat and escape but no casualty was recorded in the shoot-out.

At the time of filing this report, more policemen had been drafted from the State Police Command to beef up security at the CBN.

Neither the state Commissioner of Police, Danmallam Mohammed, nor the spokesman of the state Police Command, Mr. Chidi Nwabuzor, could be reached.

The Commissioner’s mobile line was switched off while Nwabuzor was said to be away from Benin on official duty.

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PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

News

Nigeria blazes the trail at African spelling competition From Kaduna

Femi

Oyelola,

N

igeria has successfully defended its champions title at the just concluded African Spelling Competition championships which took place in Kampala Uganda.

The National Coordinator, Bee Spelling Competition Initiative (BSCI),Mall.Abdulsalaam

Ibrahim disclosed this in a statement made available to the media in Kaduna yesterday.

According to the statement, EniolaIdowu of Mantclair College Ogun State emerged 2nd position, while Suleiman Dunoma of Federal Government College Maiduguri, clinched the 3rd position.

Other winners includes: BenedictaChukwu of Divine

Rays British School, Obosi, Anambra State and DavidOkoro of Deeper Life High School, Aba. The spellers were accompanied

by Mrs. Adigun, Ayodele Esther of Basic Secondary Education Department, Federal Ministry of Education, who represented the Minister of Education.

The 2020 edition of the Nigeria Spelling Bee Competition has taken off in

earnest, with Kano and Plateau State a blazing the trail.

The competition is organized at state, zonal and national levels at which champions will emerge to represent Nigeria in the continental competition.

Nigeria will be hosting the 2020 edition of the Africa Spelling Competition in which twenty two African countries are members.

UniAbuja gets new Registrar

By Usman Shuaibu

A

lhaji Yahya I. Mohammed is now the new Registrar of the University of Abuja.

Alhaji Yahya Mohammed took over from the outgoing Registrar, Mrs Rifkat Hoshen Swanta on Tuesday at the permanent site of the University.

Yahya Mohammed will spend a single tenure of five years.

While addressing the staff of the University during the handing over ceremony, the Registrar said he would remain committed to duty.

Meanwhile, the handing over ceremony was well attended by the staffers of the University.

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PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi and Musa Adamu

T

he Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has said the National Assembly will pass the 2020 budget on November 28.

Lawan, made this known during plenary on Tuesday, during which he said the Senate committees have concluded their work on the budget defence with Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

He therefore asked the Senate Committee on Appropriations to speed up action and produce its report so the bill can be passed by the end of the month.

“All the committees have done their work so well within the defined parameters and therefore

News

NASS passes 2020 budget Nov. 28-Lawan we expect the appropriations committee to galvanise into action and produce the report to be laid here on the 26th November – next two weeks, before the Senate. And I believe this will be the same thing in our sister chamber, the House of Representatives, so that we are able to pass the 2020 appropriation bill

on the 28th of November,” he said.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on October 8 presented the bill to a joint session of the National Assembly. He proposed N10.33 trillion for national spending for the year 2020.

Lawmakers of both chambers, thereafter, deliberated on the

provisions of the budget in separate plenary sessions. While some hailed the president’s propositions, others had one or two issues with some aspects of the bill.

The budget was, thereafter, referred to the Senate Committee on Appropriation which spread the budget across the committees who

held budget defence sessions with MDAs to defend their budgets.

Having concluded the budget defence sessions, the various committees will submit their reports to the Appropriations Committee – which will then produce a general report before the bill is passed.

Don’t hide under religion to create conflicts, Delta Chief Iman warns Muslims, others From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

T L-R: Coordinator-Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases Cluster of World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Rex Mpazanje, Minister of Environment, Dr. Mahmood Muhmmad Abubakar, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote and Managing Director, Pikku Vihrea, Minna Palo, during the Press Conference on 2019 World Toilet Day, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Abuja newspaper distributors mourn two members

By Miriam Humbe

T

he Abuja Newspapers Distributors Association has been thrown into mourning due to the death of two of their members, Barr. Kayode Adeleke of Sir Kay Agency, and Mr. Okoi

Ibiang Barnabas Iwara of SLO Agency and has declared one month of mourning.

A statement signed by the Association’s President, Comrade Benji Obute on Tuesday said that the Association was in deep shock at the loss of the two committed

members who died within the space of two weeks.

Comrade Obute who said he was sad and traumatized over the two incidents added that, “This is a sad moment for me and my Association to lose two members in quick succession. It’s a shock that we will

take time to recover from. We are saddened and highly bereaved”.

He promised to enroll the Association into the insurance that would take care of the bereaved children in the event of the death of members. The deceased have since been buried.

Minister urges Nigerian entrepreneurs to explore science, technology

By Ese Awhotu

T

he Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu has called for the evolution of new entrepreneurs that would key into the vast opportunities in the new world of Science and Technology.

Speaking on the World Science Day with the Theme: “Open Science, Leaving no One Behnid” on Tuesday in Abuja, Dr. Onu said if Nigeria should pay more attention to science and innovation, the standard of living of the people

and business opportunities will improve, adding that from medium business enterprises, Nigerians will gradually catch up with the rest of the developed world.

He also called on all Nigerians to embrace science and technology as a way of life so as to attain food security.

Dr. Onu said Nigerians should not be left behind on the scientific train, adding that both the old or the young, male or female should join the tremendous progress of science and technology.

“It is no longer story to know

that science and technology has changed the world through innovation and scientific research, he added.

While emphasizing that every Nigerian is a scientist, Dr. Onu further stressed the need for Nigerians to strive to improve in every areas of their endeavors to achieve concrete results.

The Minster further appealed to the youths to emulate the old one who have excelled in science and technology so as to be successful in their various callings.

Speaking earlier, the Permanent

Secretary of the ministry Mr. Bitrus Bako Nabasu, said “Open Science” is a burning issue in the nonScientific Community, which is gaining increasing attention by the non-scientific community as well.

He called on the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization, (UNESCO) to pay a crucial role in raising awareness and leading the global dialogue on Open Science thereby ensuring scientist meet their potential in bridging the world science technology and innovation. (STI) Gaps.

he Chief Iman of Delta State, Alhaji Utsuman Ayokunnu has warned Muslims and Non-Muslims on the need to avoid conflicts in the practice of their faith and respect one another’s religion as one Nigeria irrespective of their differences.

Alhaji Utsuman Ayokunnu who spoke to journalists in Asaba yesterday on the continued religious crisis that has bedeviled some of the states in Nigeria, regretted what he described as nebulous religious practice by some Muslims and Non-Muslims faithful, noting that religion as sensitive instrument of national unity should be practised with harmony with a view to bringing people together as one, and not to be used to create crisis and disharmony in the country.

He said,” Nigeria is a Circular State, no religion is more important than the other, therefore, adherence should practice their religion in such a way that it would create national unity, peace and development of the country” and appealed to Muslims in Delta State and the country in general to follow the steps of Prohet Mohammad who was born in 517AD in Mecca and was a man who preached peace.

He explained that Mohammad was a prophet sent by Allah to the world as a guardian, comforter and teacher of the message of Allah to Muslims, therefore should be emulated and do according to his works and not to cause crisis.

Alhaji Utsuman Ayokunnu, however, advised that the lifestyle of Prophet Mohammad was worthy of emulation, adding that as a comforter, he was patient and tolerance with humility as the only way to achieve desired objective of one Nigeria with strong bond of unity , development in progress While praying for Delta State government led by Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, Alhaji Utsuman Ayokunnu said that the state has been peaceful and warned that any evil perpetrators in the state would be put to shame and disgrace.

Cross section of Faithful Muslim, during a Quran recitation contest organized by the Association of Muslim Tricycle Owners and Operators (AMTOO) to mark Eid-el-Maulud celebration at central mosque, yesterday in Enugu. Photo: NAN

Kogi, Bayelsa gubers hold as scheduled -INEC

By Lateef Ibrahim and Vivian Okejeme

C

hairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu on Tuesday lamented that the plethora of court cases and conflicting judgements delivered on the eve of elections in Nigeria are stressful to the Commission and costly to the nation.

Yakubu, nonetheless, assured the people of Bayelsa and Kogi States that INEC, learning from experience, has taken steps to ensure that the elections on Saturday in the two States are not affected by any eleventh hour judgement.

This is as a Federal High Court Abuja, yesterday, disqualified the All Progressives Congress deputy governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, Biobarakuma DegiEremienyo, from participating in the November 16 governorship election.

The INEC Chairman gave the assurance yesterday in Lokoja, the Capital of Kogi State, during a meeting with stakeholders in the State in preparation for the Saturday’s governorship election in the State.

In the words of Prof. Yakubu, “I would like to assure the people of Kogi State that our preparations will not be affected by the judgement delivered five days ago in which

a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja ordered the Commission to include a political party on the ballot. “Although the judgement is at variance with the decision of another Federal High Court in Abuja delivered ten days earlier which affirmed the propriety of the Commission’s action in a similar case by another political party, INEC has a consistent record of obeying court orders.

“However, we will consider legitimate steps to address the conflicting judgements by courts of coordinate jurisdiction in the interest of our electoral jurisprudence.

“Furthermore, with four days to the Governorship elections, two more cases challenging the decision of the Commission on the validity of candidates’ nominations have been reserved for judgement in Bayelsa and Kogi States.

“In addition, there are twelve (12) cases of intra-party disputes filed by aspirants from different political parties challenging the conduct of their own primaries and nomination of candidates, some of which have been reserved for judgement in the next few days.

“I must admit that the plethora of court cases and conflicting judgements delivered on the eve of elections in Nigeria are stressful to the Commission and costly to the nation.

“However, I wish to reassure the people of Bayelsa and Kogi States that learning from experience, the Commission has taken steps to ensure that the elections on Saturday in the two States are not affected by any eleventh hour judgement”, he assured.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, it will be recalled, had few days ago ordered INEC to include the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Barrister Natasha Akpoti on the ballot.

The INEC Chairman however reiterated that Smart Card Readers (SCRs) have been configured, stressing that it is mandatory to use the SCRs for voter accreditation and authentication in line with the Commission’s regulations and guidelines for the conduct of elections.

Continuing, he said, “Let me also reiterate that voter inducement in all forms, including vote-buying at polling units is a violation of the law.

“The ban on the use of mobile phones and other photographic devices in the voting cubicles is still in force and will be strictly enforced and monitored.

“Recent reports of attacks on facilities and campaign materials in some parts of Kogi State reinforce rather than assuage our concern about violence during the election.

“I urge all stakeholders to

continue to maintain peaceful conduct during the electioneering campaign.

“Political parties and candidates have the right under the law to freely canvass the support of the electorate. After all, the choice ultimately belongs to the people of Kogi State.

“No voter should be compelled or induced. Similarly, no candidate should be encumbered in canvassing the support of the electorate.

“Let me also add that it is our collective responsibility to safeguard the process and to protect all election duty staff including the Youth Corps members who serve at the polling units which is the basic level of the voting process.

“It is also our responsibility to extend the same protection and allow freedom of movement and unimpeded access to polling and collation areas for accredited observers and the media during the election.

“At the same time, I would like to appeal to accredited observers to be neutral and the media to accurately, dispassionately and professionally report the election”, he said.

Justice Inyang Ekwo had in his ruling on Tuesday held that Senator Degi-Eremienyo, entered false information in his CF0001 form submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC) to contest the election.

The court, in a judgment, said it found no nexus in the name on his school leaving certificate, first degree (BA), Master’s and the affidavits he sworn to the correct his name.

He held that all his documents bore different names. He therefore disqualified him on the ground that he provided false information to the electoral umpire to stand for the election.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had sued the Bayelsa APC governorship candidate, David Lyon, Degi-Eremienyo and INEC, seeking the disqualification of DegiEremienyo.

PDP argued that Mr DegiEremienyo’s name was written as Degi Biobara in his primary school certificate, while his documents from his secondary education bore Adegi Biobarakumo, as his name.

Also, while that of his university education had Degi Biobarakuma as his name, the result from his MBA certificate had Degi Biobarakuma Wangaha as the name of the same person.

Justice Ekwo held that the affidavits sworn to support the changes in the names were insufficient to validate the changes.

Consequently, the court, held that Degi-Eremienyo did not fulfill the requirements for participation in the November 16 elections and thus disqualified him.

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

PAGE 6

News

L-R: Deputy Governor of Osun State , Benedith Gboyega Alabi ; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo ;Founding Chairman of the APC, Chief Adebisi Akande and Former Governor of Ogun State and Senate Abikunle Amosun during a book launch on Chief Adebisi Akande ‹the Challenges of Good Governance in Nigeria at Sheraton Hotel and Towers, yesterday in Abuja.

Reps want ban on fuel lifting at borders reversed

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he House of Representatives on Tuesday urged the Nigerian Customs Service ( NCS) to as matter of urgency lift the ban on the lifting of fuel by petroleum marketers two miles away from Nigerian borders with other nations.

The House further mandated its Committee on Customs and Excercise to ensure compliance to it's resolution.

The decision of the House was consequent upon the adoption of a

motion of urgent public importance moved by Hon. Sada Soli (Katsina, APC) on the matter on the floor of the House.

Soli while debating the motion noted that Nigeria is a nation comprising of thirty-six states and Federal Capital Territory FCT He further disclosed that there are over 2000 border communities sharing boundaries in Nigeria with other African nations.

According to him, the Federal Government of Nigeria recently gave orders for the closure of the borders between Nigeria and other

neighbouring countries.

He also noted that on November 6, 2019, the Nigeria Customs Service gave orders that no filling stations two miles away from these borders should buy fuel for sale.

The lawmaker informed the House that the policy is affecting many Nigerians and other citizens of our neighbouring countries negatively.

He pointed out that with the speed of the approaching yuletide, there is bound to be huge national crisis over it as most of the citizens who recourse to buying fuel with

jerrycan are being hunted by security agents.

He also said that the situation is already worrisome and is bound to create more economic crisis.

Speaking in support, Hon. Abudulahi Abdulkadir A (Katsina, APC) said that the closure of the nation's borders for economic reasons is laudable but the introduction of other measures is draconian.

Consequently, the House presided by the Deputy Speaker Hon. Idris Wase unanimously adopted the motion with a voice vote.

Gov Obaseki's wife, Oshiomhole, Fashola, others absent at anniversary

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

T

he First Lady of Edo State governor, Mrs Betsy Obaseki and the National Chairman Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole were on Tuesday absent during the Ceremony to mark the three years anniversary of the State.

Wife of the Governor was away for an official engagement where she was billed to represent the Bank of Industry in South Africa, according to the organisers of the programme.

Our Correspondent learnt that the absence of Oshiomhole absence may not be unconnected with the political feud between the Governor and his predecessor.

But, our Correspondent could not confirm if Oshiomhole was invited to the event as at the time of filing this report.

Besides, the minister of Works, Mr Babatunde Fashola who was billed to feature at the Ceremony, was also absent at the event But, the former National Chairman of APC and former Governor of the State, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, made it to the anniversary which began last Week Friday.

NBA calls on Kebbi State to domesticate ACJ Act

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

T

he Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) has called on the Kebbi state government to domesticate the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.

The call was made in BirninKebbi, Kebbi State at the State Legislative Advocacy and Sensitization Workshop on Promotion and Domestication of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (“ACJA”), 2015 organize by the Nigerian Bar Association with support from the John D. And Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

While addressing participants, the Project Coordinator of the NBA- MacArthur Project, Victor Abasiakan-Ekim Esq. gave an overview of the extant criminal justice system in the state, and unveiled the objective of the workshop which according to

him, is to sensitize stakeholders in the criminal justice system in Kebbi State and the importance of having an administration of criminal justice law of the State that conforms to modern reality.

Ekim, who also represented of the NBA President, Paul Usoro, SAN, welcomed members of the bar, stakeholders, speakers and invited guests and expressed optimism that the workshop will achieve the desired objective.

In his address, he said the ACJA is geared towards ensuring that the system of administration of criminal justice in Nigeria promotes efficient management of all criminal justice institutions, speedy dispensation of justice, and protection of the rights and interests of the suspects and the victim of crime.

However, he noted that, ACJA will fall short of its potential if it only remains a federal law.

In his goodwill message, Acting

Chief Judge of Kebbi State, Justice Muhammad Suleiman Ambursa, said the workshop couldn’t have come at a better time, assuring that he will muster the needed support and assistance towards ensuring that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act is domesticated in the State.

Professor Alphonsus Alubo, SAN, who was the Keynote Speaker gave an ”Overview of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015” with specific emphasis on some innovative provisions of the Act, such as Section 6 of the Act which mandates an arresting officer to promptly inform the person being arrested of their right to remain silent or avoid answering any question until after consultation with a legal practitioner or any other person of their choice.

According to him, the landmark innovations of the ACJA notwithstanding, certain

provisions thereof need to be amended so as to bring the Act in touch with societal realities.

Some of the sections identified in this regard are: Section 293 of the Act which empowers a magistrate to remand a suspect in respect of an offence which the magistrate is not competent to try.

Although holding charge is not expressly mentioned, it is the belief of the erudite professor of law that the section introduces the practice of holding charge through the backdoor and is therefore of dubious utility.

Also, section 270(2) of the ACJA provides to the effect that resort could be made to plea bargain if the evidence of the prosecution is insufficient to prove the offence charged beyond reasonable doubt. It is the opinion of the learned silk that this provision should be jettisoned as it turns long established legal principles

on their heads.

He said section 148 of the Act which states that a search warrant may be issued and executed at any time and on any day, including a Sunday and a public holiday, is capable of being used by law enforcement agencies to infringe on citizens’ rights to privacy at ungodly hours.

According to him, the provisions of section 111 of the CPA are more apposite and should be substituted with section 148 of ACJA. He also said section 492(3) is vague, and gives too much latitude to a judge in the event of a lacuna in the Act. According to him, the provision that the court may apply any procedure that will meet the justice of the case is a carte blanche that is susceptible to abuse as the judge may rely on same to adopt despotic and oppressive procedures.

PAGE 7

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

CRIME News

FRSC arrest 111 drivers without valid licence in 5 days -Commander

T

he Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Lagos State Sector Command, says it has arrested 111 drivers within five days of the start of its “Operation Show Your Driver’s Licence” which commenced on November 4.

The Sector Commander, Hyginus Omeje, said this on Tuesday during his visit to Badagry Unit Command in Commemoration of World Remembrance Day for Road Traffic Victims/African Road Safety Day in Lagos.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that FRSC, Lagos State Sector Command, on October 30, said it would flag off “Operation Show Your Driver’s Licence” from November 4, as part of efforts to compel collection of abandoned licences in its offices.

The Acting Sector Public Education Officer, Olabisi Sonusi, had in a statement, quoted Mr Omeje as saying the exercise would last for two weeks.

Mr Omeje frowned at the attitude of driving without a valid licence, reiterating that it was the only legal document that permitted anyone to drive on Nigerian roads.

According to Mr Omeje, 45 drivers were arrested on November 4, when the operation started while 23 drivers were arrested on the following day.

“On November 6, 16 drivers were arrested by the command, 19 arrested on November 7 while eight drivers were arrested on November 9 to make a total of 111 drivers altogether,” he said.

The sector commander said the exercise would end this week, and all drivers caught without a valid licence would each pay a fine of N10,000.

He said the command had also arrested 88 drivers without valid vehicle plate numbers within the period.

Addressing the officers of the Badagry unit, the commander charged them to manage public perception very well.

Mr Omeje appealed to motorists plying LagosBadagry road to be extra careful because of the ongoing road rehabilitation.

The sector commander said his visit to Badagry was to attend a stakeholder’s meeting with the Federal Controller of Works to see what we could be done to manage traffic within the axis during the period of rehabilitation.

He said that it was important that motorists plying the road cooperate with the corps and construction company so that the road rehabilitation would be completed as speedily as possible.(NAN)

Staff members of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) with some stakeholders on disaster management after a meeting on disaster preparedness, yesterday in Birnin Kebbi. Photo: NAN

Kano Police rescue another child kidnap victim

By Ese Awhotu

I

n continuation of its crackdown on kidnapping and other crimes in the state, the Kano State Police Command’s anti-kidnapping team of Operation Puff Adder has rescued another child kidnap victim.

The rescue which brings to eleven

the total number of kidnapped children rescued so far, occurred in a fresh operation carried out by the Kano Police yesterday.

This was contained in a statement, made available to newsmen, by the Police Command’s spokesman, DSP Abdullahi Haruna, saying that the Command’s anti-kidnapping team

of Operation Adder carried out the rescue operation, during which, one Muhammed Ya’u, 11, who was kidnapped in 2014 at PRP Quarters, Kano was rescued.

Haruna said the operation was successfully carried out at Onitsha, Anambra State by the team.

According to him, the victim was

kidnapped by one Paul Onwe and Mercy Paul and sold to one, Ebere Ogbodo at the sum of N200,000 and renamed Chinedu Ogbodo.

Haruna said that all suspects are currently under investigation.

He added that, efforts are in progress to rescue more kidnapped children.

No Nigerian in Namibian Prison, says Envoy

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

T

he Namibian High Commissioner in Nigeria, Humphrey Geiseb has disclosed that there is no Nigeria in Namibian prison.

This is even as he announced that Diaspora voting will take place all around the world tomorrow as Namibians go to the polls to elect a new President and parliamentarians.

The Namibian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Humphrey D. Geiseb made the disclosure when he visited Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission ( NIDCOM), in Abuja on Tuesday.

Geiseb stated that Namibians living in Nigeria will join other

Namibians, all over the world on Wednesday to participate in diaspora voting for both Parliamentary and National Elections holding on November 13 and 27, respectively.

He recalled that Namibia started diaspora voting since the early 2000s till date having amended its electoral laws to accommodate it.

Geiseb said that the relationship between Nigeria and Namibia dated back to the 70’s when Nigeria contributed to the fight for Namibia’s independence.

Since then, numerous efforts, he pointed out, have been made in cementing the relationship between Nigeria and Namibia.

He described Nigerians living in Namibia as good ambassadors, doing well in various fields of human

endeavours.

According to him, “I am happy to inform you that there is no Nigerian in Namibian prisons, and none has been harassed, as they are all well behaved and hardworking.

"They are doing well in various endeavours- academia, business and many others”, he said.

The Envoy explained that the political party system policy, in his homeland, is gender-friendly, noting that the Namibian political parties practise what he called the “50-50 or Zebra system”, which allows equal representation of women in politics.

He thus sought for a partnership with NIDCOM on ways of effectively aligning Namibians and its Diasporas with NIDCOM initiatives especially in the areas of trade and

investment.

Responding, Hon. Dabiri-Erewa urged the National Assembly to make the Diaspora Voting in Nigeria a reality by expediting action on the amendment to the Electoral Act in Nigeria .

Her words, “There is no reason why Nigeria cannot have diaspora voting just as Namibia and some other countries have already joined the league of countries doing diaspora voting”.

She congratulated Namibia on its diaspora voting, gender equality and being a friendly country to Nigerians in the Diaspora.

The NIDCOM boss was equally happy that Nigerians in Namibia are making the country proud by being good ambassadors.

Protesters march in Lagos, demand Sowore’s release

D

ozens of protesters gathered in Lagos on Tuesday to demand the release of Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters.

The protesters marched to the Lagos headquarters of the State Security Service (SSS) around 10:25 a.m.

They demanded the release of Mr Sowore who had been detained since August by the SSS in Abuja.

He is being held despite meeting two

separate bail conditions given by two different judges.

Premium Times reports that, Ayo Ademiluyi, a lawyer and one of the protesters in Lagos, said they have come to receive Mr Sowore.

“This morning we came peacefully to receive Omoyele Sowore. Four days ago, DSS said it is ready to comply with the court order but it has not yet seen anyone to receive Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare,” he said making reference to

a controversial claim by the SSS. Mr Ademiluyi said the protesters were also challenging the “vandalisation of Nigeria’s Democracy by Muhammadu Buhari.”

The protesters were, however, stopped by fully armed police and SSS officers.

“The Department of State Services has buried our democracy and destroyed everything that is remaining for the democracy, ” Mr

Ademiluyi said.

“We met this place militarised, we have no guns, no bullets but you see them, they have paraded this place with guns and bullets.”

The protest was still on at the time of this report.

Mr Sowore, a presidential candidate in the last elections, was arrested for calling for a revolution against bad governance in Nigeria.

He is accused of treasonable felony and money laundering.

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

PAGE 8

News Auctioneers appeal to Attorney General on patronage of members

By Miriam Humbe

N

ational President, Nigeria Association of Auctioneers, Alhaji Aliyu Kiliya has appealed to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation to engage the authentic members of Nigeria Association of Auctioneers.

Alhaji Kiliya further said the recovered assets are overdue for disposal and urged the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to speed up the auction sales of those items to avoid further wastage.

Kiliya said this in Abuja yesterday following a delegation of the Ministry of Justice to take charge of sales of all recovered and forfeited assets to the federal government He said: "I want to appeal to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation to engage the services of authentic and verifiable professional auctioneers with the wide knowledge and experience in the business of auctioneering who are registered members of the authentic umbrella body of the Nigeria Association of Auctioneers.

"We have been at the forefront charting the cause for sales of all recovered and forfeited assets to be handled by the Ministry of Justice and I want to thank the Commanderin-Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari for heeding to my calls.

"This is because most of the items have gone through litigation and my members, the authentic body of Nigeria Association of Auctioneers who are professional auctioneers with relevant documents as stipulated by the Bureau of Public Procurement Act 2007.

We have people of good reputation, long term experience those we can checkmate their activities in the handling of auction sales.

According to him, a lot must be considered because of the technicalities involved in the auctioneering business and care must be taken in engaging any person(s) for the disposal of the recovered and forfeited assets.

He warned those parading themselves as auctioneers without relevant documents as stipulated by BPP Act 2007 and are not properly registered with the authentic Nigeria Association of Auctioneers headed by him to desist from doing so.

"The right thing must be done to avoid a very bad outcome of the these sales now that our appeal to the federal government to sale all recovered and forfeited assets has been accepted through our recommendation to the Ministry of Justice to take charge of the sales.

He promised that his members will ensure transparency in the sales of the public assets and commended President Muhammad Buhari for choosing the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation for the hard job".

Chances of my re-election high, Obaseki assures investors By Osaigbovo Benin

Iguobaro,

T

he Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki on Tuesday told investors in the State not to bother about the outcome of the 2020 Governorship election, stressing that the chances of continuity was high.

Obaseki said his government was the right path to deliver the Benin Port and Industrial Park in the first quarter of next year.

The Governor made the remark during the Alaghodaro (progress) summit tagged: "Delivering to the people the next level" to mark his third year anniversary in Benin City.

He said: "Next year is election year in Edo state, despite the anxiety associated with the forthcoming election, I want to assure our partners and other investors that because of the fundamental reforms which we are very popular with our people, the chances of continuity of these policies are very high. We urge you to continue".

According to him, notable international Organizations has confirmed that Human trafficking and irregular migration have dropped in Edo State" due to employment opportunities he has generated in the past three years.

The Governor stated that the monthly internally Generated

Revenue across the 18 Local Government Areas of the State has improved from N31 million to N205 million, representing 508 percent.

Obaseki also said his administration has build 150 roads of roads in the State and have made sustainable progress in provision of water and quality healthcare as well as Education in the past three years.

The Governor said Civil servants in the State would undergo training In January 2019, adding that plans have reached advanced level to reduce the duration of acquiring C of O by developers as part of efforts to deepen the ease of doing business.

In a keynote presentation, Mr Dato' Sri Idris Jala, former Minister and Chief Executive Officer and Delivery Unit, in Malaysia, said tangible improvement has been made, but, there was need for the government to set aggressive target.

He said, "getting result is not putting things on paper, which requires to put political opponent on precarious position.

Idris Jala who spoke on the topic: "Doing more talk less", noted with sadness that many Governments hide under official secret Act and legislation to manoeuvre their way from meeting their obligations.

L-R: Senior Director, African Services, Oracles Academy, Mr/ Anil Gaur, Representative of the Minister of education, Alh.Abubakar Isah, Managing Director , Oracle Academy, Mr. Aderbajo Sanni, Deputy Director ICT, Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs . Uwem Asomugha and Plateau State Commissioner of Education, Hon. Elzaberth Wapmuk, during the computer Science Education Curriculum mapping Summit, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

PAGE 9

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

From: Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

B

enue State Governor Samuel Ortom yesterday presented a budget estimate of N189.4billion for 2020 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly.

Christened 'Budget of Advancement, Growth and Development', the 2020 estimate is N10.3 billion lower than the 2019 budget of N199.7billion.

The governor said the recurrent expenditure stood at N114.5billion while N50.6 billion was earmarked for Personnel cost as Overhead cost got a share of N63.9 billion and Capital project pegged at N74.9billon.

Ortom disclosed that the Economic

News

Ortom presents N189b budget for 2020 fiscal year sector takes the highest share of N73.7 billion followed by the Social sector with the sum of N64.6billion and the Administrative sector got N48.2billion while the Law and Justice sector has the lowest share of N2.8billion.

The Governor pledged that his administration will focus and pursue

aggressive growth and development of the State especially now that it has achieved relative peace.

Receiving the estimated budget, Speaker of the House, Titus Uba, noted that the presentation of the 2020 estimate was the earliest budget proposal ever presented to

1,007 applicants interviewed for agro-processing grants in Kaduna From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

O

ne thousand and seven applicants yesterday commenced interview for the World Bank support Agro-processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support, (APPEALS), in Kaduna yesterday.

The interviewees made up of women and youth were among the 75,000 applicants that applied for

the grant in the state.

The State Project Coordinator, APPEALS, Dr. Yahaya Aminu, disclosed that the Kaduna State Government is interested in the project which cardinal objectives are to promote food security, diversify the economy, create jobs, attract investments and improve livelihood of citizens.

He added that government is working towards providing conducive environment for the

programme to achieve it set objectives in the state by way of reaching the farmers and beneficiaries.

Dr Aminu called on the participants to corporate and ensure they utilize whatever intervention they will get from the APPEALS project because the opportunity is supposed to support them create jobs as agric entrepreneurs and convert assets into wealth to become employers

of labour.

Speaking on security challenges in the state, the State Coordinator said security has become a daily issue and the State Government is up and doing in ensuring that lives and property of citizens are protected.

In his own remarks, the National Project Operations Manager, APPEALS, Dr. Salisu Garba, explained that the interview is part of the stage of selection of

T

he Kaduna State Planning and Budget Commission (PBC), has began a five-day training to build the capacity of the state Committee on Food and Nutrition (SCFN), on leadership, change management and effective nutrition coordination.

Mr Yusuf Auta, Deputy Director, Development Aid Coordination, PBC, in a remark at the workshop holding in Zaria, said

that the workshop was organised with support from Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN).

Auta explained that the capacity building was designed to build the capacity of SCFN members to effectively coordinate nutrition interventions and programming in the state.

He said that the training was crucial in equipping the members with new skills and best practices to enable them to create the desired

impact in changing the disturbing malnutrition indices in the state.

According to him, Kaduna State is committed to addressing the problem of nutrition through the provision of both human and financial resources for nutrition specific and nutrition sensitive interventions.

“The state will also continue to build the capacity of officials in all nutrition line ministries, department and agencies to enable them carry out their task effectively.

“We expect that after the training, the committee will be more active, efficient, effective and resourceful in coordinating nutrition interventions with guaranteed impact.”

Dr Zainab Mohammed-Karu, the state’s Programme Manager, Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria, in her remarks, described the training as a welcome development, considering the key role of the committee in tackling malnutrition in the state.

Absence of Magistrate stalls hearing on defamation case against 2 journalists From: Nosa Akenzua Asaba

H

earing in defamatory charges against two Journalists the Managing Editor of BIGPEN Online newspaper, Joe Ogbodu, and Prince Amour Udemude, yesterday suffered a set back following the absence of the trial Magistrate, B.N. Anumadu in Court 5 Asaba, Delta State who

had proceeded on annual leave.

The two Journalists were on October 24, 2019, arraigned by the Delta state police command, following a report of alleged involvement of one Sam Ogrih's funding and sponsoring of armed Uzere community youths with the code name "Freedom Fighters" who unleashed mayhem on the community over N20 million oil largesse for the community by the

Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).

The two journalists who were charged for misdemeanor to wit defamatory had earlier after listening to the five-count charge, pleaded not guilty and their counsels, Chuks Ebu and Lawrence Obiorah, applied for their bail and the Presiding Magistrate of the court, B.N. Anumadu, granted them bail and

adjourned for hearing.

But yesterday the Registrar of the Magistrate Court announced that the court was on annual leave and said case has been adjourned until January, 6, 2020.

Meanwhile, Warri based human rights lawyers, Casey Omo-Irabor, Maxwell Ogedegbe and Asaba based lawyer, Chuks Ebu are offering pro bono services to the two Journalists.

women and youth empowerment programmed introduced in six states of Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Engu, Cross River and Lagos.

According to him, adverts were placed in two national dailies for applicants to expressed their interests in the programme as it has been done before in commercial agric, the APPEALS project is a new one building up on what was done in commercial agric.

Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare (M), with members of the Nigerian Youth Parliament, during the African Youth Day celebration, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

Kaduna govt. trains stakeholders on effective nutrition coordination From: Femi Oyelola Oyelola

the Assembly since the return of democracy to the country in 1999.

He assured that the House would ensure accelerated passage of the budget even as he appealed for cooperation of his members and the various Ministries Departments and Agencies, MDAs to achieve success.

Involve Nigerian Engineers in designing of your software -NSE tells INEC From:Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

T

he Nigerian Society of Engineers, (NSE), Kaduna Branch, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to domesticate its technology by engaging Nigerian Engineers in the design and implementation of its software.

The Society stated this in a communiqué issued at the end of interactive session with professional organizations held in Kaduna yesterday.

The communiqué tasked Nigerian professionals to come up with a more robust technology that will enable the Card Reader be used not only for

verification and authentication of voters but also to transmit election results.

The forum also recognized Multiple registration as a major challenge to the Electronic Voters Register (EVR); and advised INEC to synergize with other agencies to develop a central database for all Nigerians.

“Elections are the only legitimate medium that governments are formed, hence it must be carried out with utmost integrity “INEC has been tasked to pursue amendments of its law to enable it conduct electronic voting come 2023.

“Law enforcement agencies should not be seen as a tool in the hands of

the politicians. Proper sanctions must be given to any erring staff/personnel.

“Legal Practitioners should desist from taking undue advantage of the current Electoral laws by way of securing court injunctions that serves as clog in the wheels of the Commission.

“INEC has to vigorously pursue Continuous Voter Education especially in the interior villages and remote areas.

“Journalists and media outfits should ensure positive reportage and level playing ground to parties involved,” the communiqué reads.

In his remarks, Chairman, NSE Kaduna Branch, Engr Nasiru Dallatu

Umar, said as engineers they can offer a lot in the area of ensuring a free and air election in Nigeria particularly in the area of technical/equipment support.

“I believe we as engineers are complying with the urge by our President, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari to team up and reverse the Nigerian infrastructural deficit.

“The President said and I quote, ‘Nigerian problems require uniquely Nigerian solution’.

“On this note I want to call on all tiers of government to genuinely look inward and patronize indigenous engineers in attending to our Nigerian problem as stated by the Nigerian President”.

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

PAGE 10

News

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

PAGE 11

EDITORIAL Osinbajo, ignore the nay sayers

C Alleged 500 Sacked Science Teachers in Cross River State blocking entrance of Government House demanding for their reinstatement and for the payment of their September and October salaries, yesterday in Cross River.

Photo: NAN

Bauchi to clear N3m debt in 20 local government areas -Zaki From Ahmad Mohammed, Bauchi

T

he Bauchi State Ministry of Local Government has expressed its determination to clear the inherited debt from the previous administration before the end of next year December for the smooth running of the council's administration.

The State Commissioner of the ministry Abdulrazak Nuhu Zaki stated this yesterday when he interacted with reporters in Bauch.

He said when we came on board we discovered that the previous administration took three billion naira loan from a commercial bank where local governments account is domiciled with 18 percent interest , apart from the huge amount of money collected from the federal government.

Zaki said the loan bring challenges in the administration of the 20 local government areas because “after we collected the grant the bank swallow it but I came out with a genuine strategy to pay back the loan and free the 20 council account”.

He said if not because of the joint account, many councils will not be able to pay their workers salary.

The Commissioner said last month he was able to save 300 million Naira as part of the strategy to pay back the loan.

Yobe records 53 deaths in 71 road accidents in 2019 -FRSC From Uche Uche, Damaturu

A

total number of 53 persons were reported death as a result of 71 recorded road traffic crash in Yobe state between the month of January and October, 2019.

Yobe state Commandant of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mohammed Sani Hamzat revealed this yesterday while briefing journalist on activities lined up for the flag off of the commemoration for victims of

road traffic crashes nationally and internationally with the team, ‘Life is not a car part’.

Among the activities that would mark the celebration, he said, would include campaign in religious places such as churches and mosques, and also to radio and television houses to enlighten the public on the dangers and after effects of road crashes to lives and properties and the need for being security conscious while travelling both on the side of the drivers and

passengers.

He said the agency would carry out a very aggressive campaign to ensure that members of the public, especially the motoring public to be aware of the menace of road traffic crash and how to take life protecting measures that would reduce the incidence.

Breaking down the figure for road traffic crashes in the state, he stated that out of the 71 crashes, 546 persons were involved with 344 persons

injured, which he said is a proof that road traffic crashes has reduced in comparison with the 2018 record.

In 2018, he said, a total number of 91 crashes were recorded in which 984 persons involved, 542 persons were injured while 86 persons died, pointing out that the reduction was as a result of hard work on the part of personnel of the corps, with the support being received from the state governor, Hon. Mai Mala Buni.

Niger govt commences $2.6m plan for urban devt -SSG

From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

T

he Niger state government has commenced plans for the state urban development policy with 2.6 million dollars international partnership with South Korean government for urban renewal under United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN- Habitat).

The Secretary to the state Government SSG Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane who is the technical support team committee chairman dusclosed yesterday at a press

briefing in Minna.

He said that the state will begun its town hall meeting with stakeholders for concensus building in four cities of the state which includes; Minna on 16the November 2019, Suleja on 3rd December, 2019, Bida on 19th November, 2019, and Kontagora on 10th December, 2019 respectively.

Matane stated that the composition of the said meeting would consist of councils acting Chairmen, traditional rulers, Director of works and planning, youth and woman leaders, NGOs,

Assembly members and other relevant stakeholders adding that the report would be forwarded to the state assembly to enact a law for its sustenance.

He explained that the policy will be funded through counterpart fund and will be prepared through a bottom- up and stakeholder driven process that will give the government and the people objective basses, among other things to build consensus.

He said that this sought to build consensu on the causes and effects of

T

he Senior pastor of House of Purpose Ministry, kaduna Apostle Yakubu Yusuf has cautioned preachers on erroneous teaching.

He stated this during the graduation of Purpose Bible Institute in kaduna yesterday.

Acccording to him, erroneous and misleading massages preached

by some preachers from the pulpit is the reason for the complications in the church today.

He explained that people who claimed they are called to be God servant must be on watch so that they don't lead the people astray.

Pastor Yakubu Yusuf said in this end time the people need nothing but the truth for the salvation of their souls.

He expressed dismay over the

activities of some preachers , saying it is time for every Minister of Gospel to know that they will be accountable for all their deeds before the God. Yakubu added that the Purpose Bible Institute is graduating out the new set of graduands for them to make positive impact on the Church and the Country at large.

He charged the graduating students to remember and always work in line with the training they

“

the current development challenges of towns and cities in the state as well as build consensus on present and future sustainable development path for the state.

The SSG said it will enable the state build socially inclusive societies, rearranging the financing , Management, and governance of the cities and towns to operate on self sustaining basis, instill the willingness to pay equitable share of the cost of service provision, and Developing in the people proprietary pride in the state.

OUR MISSION

received from the institute.

He advised them to give in to prayes and teaching of the words of God and shun all forms of temptations.

Pastor Yakubu who eexpressed gladness over the dedication of the House of Purpose Sanctuary byPaul Enenche of DUNAMIS Int'l Gospel Centre call on Nigerians to live in peaceful coexistence as there is no development amidst rancour.

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

Clergy warns against erroneous teaching

From: Femi Oyelola, kaduna

ertain political interests have minds and mouths of mischief makers, been insinuating a rift between who are desperate for entertaining President Muhammadu Buhari stories from the Aso Rock Villa with and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. They which to titillate the public. This see every action Buhari takes as aimed at ulterior motive is the basis of the wrong eroding the influence and visibility of the interpretation given to the recent vice president. It all began with Buhari’s exercise in the Presidency. decision to divest Osinbajo of his “There has been a streamlining of headship of the presidential economic staff going on for a while. The President policy team, after winning reelection in has always had fewer staff than the Vice February. The latest was the president’s President, and there were always plans reduction of Osinbajo’s aides. These to reduce the number of staff at the so called political clairvoyants say it is Villa. The streamlining was not personal humiliation of the vice or targeted to president and they urge undermine the Vice him to resign.

President’s office, as The Presidency, last the so-called insider weekend, had to come sources quoted by up with an explanation. The exercise, which has been the media appear It said the sacking of ordered by the President, is to to make it seem. over 30 of Osinbajo’s streamline decision-making, The President is in 55-strong personal cut down multiple authorities absolute control of staff was to “save the his government. The and reduce the cost of cost of governance”. media should stop A statement by administration. It is also an attributing nonpresidential spokesman, appropriate response to the existent powers to Garba Shehu, on Friday, general perception that the some people. There said: “The Presidency Presidency has an oversized cannot be anyone wishes to confirm that and bloated workforce which too powerful for there is, ongoing, an acts as a drag on efficiency. President Buhari to unprecedented overhaul As may have been noticed control.” of the nation’s seat of It must be said by discerning members government, arising that the President of the public, a number from which a number of owes nobody an of political appointees political appointments explanation for have either been revoked among the few that served every action he or not renewed in the in the office of the President takes. The 1999 Second Term.” federal constitution were not returned for the “The exercise, which makes it clear Second Term. The office has been ordered by that the Office of of the Vice President, His the President, is to President is an streamline decision- Excellency Yemi Osinbajo, Executive one. making, cut down has, in compliance with the The buck, as the multiple authorities directive of the President, saying goes, stops and reduce the cost of on the President’s equally been shed of a administration. It is also number of such appointees.” desk. The same an appropriate response constitution does to the general perception not ascribe specific that the Presidency has an oversized responsibilities to the Office of Vice and bloated workforce which acts as a President but only such as the President drag on efficiency. As may have been decides to delegate to him. Vice noticed by discerning members of the President Osinbajo, a Senior Advocate public, a number of political appointees of Nigeria (SAN), understands both the among the few that served in the office letter and spirit of the constitution. This of the President were not returned is why he is not complaining. Even if for the Second Term. The office of the he does have a grouse with his boss, he Vice President, His Excellency Yemi knows better than to hire complainants Osinbajo, has, in compliance with the from outside. directive of the President, equally been Buhari and Osinbajo, together, have shed of a number of such appointees.” come a long way since their first term, Shehu also denied there was any rift four years ago. The Vice President, by between Buhari and Osinbajo, saying his unquestioning loyalty, has earned the relationship between the two was Buhari’s respect and trust. The two cordial. “The relationship between should be allowed to continue on this the two leaders remains excellent and trajectory of mutualism. Our advice trusting. Together, they will script to Osinbajo is to ignore the ‘Madding a glorious future for the nation,” he crowd’ out there and hang on to the man said. The media reports of a soured that first put him on the Presidential relationship are originating from the Ticket in 2015.

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Letter to the Editor

Bridge the inequality gap

G

ender inequality acknowledges that men and women are not equal and that gender affects an individual’s life experience. These differences arise from distinctions in biology, psychology, and cultural norms.

Some of these distinctions are empirically grounded while others appear to be socially constructed.

Studies show the different lived experience of genders across many domains including education, life expectancy, personality, interests, family life, careers, and political affiliations. Gender inequality is experienced differently across different cultures in different perspectives as well.

Gender inequality in Nigeria has became a major challenge to the fact that in whatsoever perspective Men are mostly recommended than women thinking that Men has higher capacity to withstand and run multiple task interms of service delivery except for advertising purposes to the fact that even in politics perspective women are considered as minors to extend level that today in Nigeria women in most cases are denied the opportunity for both Presidential and gobernotorial tickets to participate and exercise their franchise, so also applicable to other affairs of the country as well, for instance if you can take a look at the past administration of ministerial nominees you will notice that Men are given much more priority than women candidates to the fact that in the whole list you will notice that women are not given consideration up to 40% out of 100% quarter for gender privilege.

So also applied to other sectors women are considered minors, when you go to various ministries, parastatals, private agencies and other sectors, most of their Staff/ Manpower are Men though, there are women but they are not much mostly women are just use as motorist or vechicle of marketing, you will get to see women equal in number with Men population interms of service delivery or discharging office work only when it comes to issue of marketing and advertising which rearly is not good as such there right has been deprived as such act need to be reviewed.

Here in our African countries particularly Nigeria just consider that women are just main for kitchen and the other room as stated earlier by his Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that there is no office for FirstLady in his regime, though that is a wish of our amiable Commander in chief of the Arm forces.

You will also notice that parents always promote Education of their Male children thereby neglecting Girl Child Education in most cases

thinking that the moment when woman get married she will no longer be useful to her parents talk less of taking care of the family members, forgetting that women take care of their parents much more better than Men, a typical example is Whenever parents got seek you will notice that is the female daughter that will first start to leave her husband’s compound to come and look after the parents in some instances Men cannot come to see how you are feeling they will just phone you and transfer fund for the one’s that can even think positively.

Forgetting the other way round of womens capabilities, capacity, credibility, and tenacity are far better than what other Men are delivering, for example if we can recall and trace back to history of past regime that is Dr. Goodluck Ebele Johnathan’s administration women had did far more better than Men of that regime to the fact that Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala in which she was a material in global economy transformation an Economist, also recommended as international Development Expert Financially and Economically as well as Former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Allison Diezani Madueke even though she was accused of corruption, but if we look at how they contributed positively to developmental issues you will just say that what do the Men waiting interms of featuring and projecting plans of forthcoming situation through ideological initiatives of their high thinking capacity to the fact that Mrs Okonjo prosfer a target plan that it will soon get to a point that Nigeria will enter into economic recession in forthcoming recession and we had all experienced such fact and let us not forget that she is a Woman projecting what many Men cannot.

Finally I will like to tell Nigerians that let us give equal opportunity to women as well to exercise their franchise, also mingle altogether in all the nation’s related affairs to see whether if can discharge their initiatives in accordance or not before judging them according to their performance if fail to deliver as Men fine, but if performed and highly recommended then we should continue supporting them not always neglecting and subjecting them to be in kitchen always as they are our mothers, sisters, cousins as well, let’s let’s join hand and promote our mothers to also take part of playing vital roles to the development of our society equally as Men as that will promote peace harmony and unity between the two Genders if given equal opportunity for equal participation in all affairs of the Nation.

Abdubakar Iliya writes in from University of Maiduguri.

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Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

Enforcement of fundamental rights of companies in Nigeria

By Nwokeke Chidera

T

his article examines the enforcement of fundamental rights of companies and its possibilities in Nigeria. However, the argument on this subject matter is not novel because some persons claim that companies should not enjoy any fundamental right at all on the ground that they were not in contemplation by the Nigeria Constitution.

Without prejudice to their argument, the pith of this article is that the fundamental rights of companies can be enforced in Nigeria without having regards that companies are not natural persons. Going further, this article will not consider the different categories of companies (public and private) but on certain rights companies can enjoy and how it can be enforced.

The concept of fundamental rights and the arguments on its definition is not novel. The learned authors of Black’s Law Dictionary, 9th edition, page 744, describes the term fundamental right as a right derived from natural or fundamental law. The court in plethora of cases particularly in the case of OSONDU & ANOR V AG ENUGU STATE & ORS (2017) LPELR-CA/E/25/2016 defined fundamental right to mean any of the rights provided for in chapter IV of the constitution and includes any of the rights stipulated in the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act. It is pertinent to state that in law, the fundamental rights cannot exist except if the following indices are available: (a) The Subject of the right: This is the right holder. He is the person on whom the law confers the freedom or power to act or not to act and the capacity to permit a person to act or compel another not to act. In the context of this article, the subject of the right is the company. (b) The duty bearer: This is the person on who the law imposes an obligation to respect the right assigned to the right holder. (c) The object of the right: This is the purpose for which the right is prescribed.

Fundamental rights have always been seen as a prevention of dictatorship and despotism. The Court in the case of KELVIN PETERSIDE V IMB (1993) 2 NWLR (PT. 278) 710, held that it is a long settled issue that a company could be liable for infraction of fundamental rights and can also enforce same. In the case of ONYEKWULUYE v BENUE STATE GOVERNMENT (2008) 8 NWLR (Pt. 28) 614, the court of appeal held that a limited liability company is a persona ficta- a juristic personality which conducts its affairs through its agents like the managing director, directors and others and as such, it will not be correct to say that fundamental rights do not apply to artificial persons – OMEGBA & ORS V DG NBC (2001) 1 FHCLR 547, ROBINSON INTERNATIONAL INSPECTORATE LIMITED V ISEGHOHI (2000) 1 FHCLR 410 It is apposite to have a succinct overview on the corporate personality of companies in Nigeria, to ascertain if they can enjoy these fundamental rights.

The court in the case of CDBI V COBEC (NIG) LTD (2004) 13 NWLR (PT. 948) 376 held that as from the date of incorporation mentioned in the certificate of incorporation, the subscribers of the memorandum together with such other persons as may from time to time become members of the company shall be a body corporate by the name contained in the memorandum capable forthwith of exercising all the powers and functions of an incorporated company including the power to hold land and having perpetual succession and a common seal.

Where a company is registered under the

Companies and Allied Matters Act or any other previous Act, it continues to retain its status of a legal entity distinct from its members. Companies upon its incorporation is regarded as a person and the word “Person” was defined in the case of KASANDUBU V ULTIMATE PETROLEUM LTD (2008) 7 NWLR (PT. 1086) 274 to mean both artificial and natural persons and includes sole or public bodies, corporate or incorporate.

In the Interpretation Act, the word “Person” is defined as including any company or association or body of person, corporate or incorporates. Corporate bodies are separate legal persons capable of owning properties, entering into contracts and suing or being sued- JIBO v. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION & ORS (2016) LPELR-CA/OW/425/2013 Perusing from the aforementioned points, important question often arise as to whether companies not being a natural person are entitled to the same fundamental rights guaranteed by the Chapter IV of the constitution and the African Charter available to natural persons?

Chapter IV of the Constitution of Nigeria talks about the fundamental rights. However, there is a thin line of division between the rights provided in this chapter. While some of these rights are available only to citizens others are available to persons. In circumstances where the constitution confers a particular right to be enjoyed by citizens in contradiction to those enjoyed by all. The constitution has used the phrase “Every Citizen” or “A citizen” and in some sections the phrase “Every Person” is also used.

It is in this context that the difference between persons and citizens become vital to determine the right companies can enjoy. However, a question that crosses the mind at this point is, can companies also enjoy fundamental rights that are specifically assigned to citizens by the wordings of the constitution? I answer in the affirmative. Firstly, it is important to consider what is citizenship? The concept of citizenship in the 1999 constitution is provided for in Chapter III but unfortunately, the word is nowhere defined either in the chapter or in Section 318 dealing with interpretation. The word “Citizenship” has been defined by the Black’s Law Dictionary as pertaining to a person who under the constitution and the laws of a particular state is a member of the political community owing allegiance and being entitled to the enjoyment of some fundamental rights Going by the provisions of Section 25, 26 and 27 of 1999 constitution of Nigeria, there are 3 categories/ mode of acquiring citizenship. A clear reading of the provisions will show that the draftsmen never had the companies in mind to be a citizen or acquire same.

Howbeit, it is barefaced that from the definition and mode of acquiring citizenship, that a company is not a citizen. But it is my humble contention that even if companies are not citizens, they can still enjoy certain fundamental rights specially assigned to citizens. A perusal on certain sections of chapter IV will be essential and they include: Right to acquire and own immovable property anywhere in Nigeria: This right is guaranteed under Section 43 of 1999 CFRN and it provides: “Subject to the provisions of this constitution, every citizen of Nigeria shall have the right to acquire and own immovable property anywhere in Nigeria”.

Immovable property as the name shows refers to landed property (empty lands and or buildings on same). It is apposite to state here that even though the constitution stated that citizens have the right to acquire immovable property, a company as an independent legal personality though not a citizen can acquire properties (moveable and immovable) in

its name for the purpose of its existence and service in anywhere in Nigeria.

The right to acquire immovable property by a company is not the prerogative of any member or director of the company but that of the company itself. In the case of MACAURA V NORTHERN ASSURANCE CO LTD (1935) AC, P.615, the court held that members of a company have no insurable interest in its property as the property belongs to the company. However, this right to acquire land or an interest in land, like any person is subject to the requisite approval as provided in the Land Use Act 1978.

Right against compulsory acquisition of property: This right is guaranteed under Section 44 (1) of 1999 CFRN and it provides: “No moveable property or any interest in an immovable property shall be taken possession of compulsorily and no right over or interest in any such property shall be acquired compulsorily in any part of Nigeria except in the manner and for the purposes prescribed by a law that, among other thingsRequires the prompt payment of compensation therefore and Gives to any person claiming such compensation a right of access for the determination of his interest in the property and the amount of compensation to a court of law or tribunal or body having jurisdiction in that part of Nigeria.

Implicit in this provision is that no moveable or immovable property of a company shall be acquired compulsorily by another company, government or individual without paying the necessary compensation. However, it is pertinent to note that the government can acquire immovable properties of a company but such acquisition must be for public purpose as Section 28 of Land Use Act, 1978 provides that private lands must be acquired for public purposes. So, where the government acquires a company’s immovable property or land for a purpose other than public, the court will nullify such acquisition.

Subsection 1(b) of 44 of 1999 CFRN gives to any person claiming for compensation the right to approach the court for the determination of interest in the property and the amount of compensation.

The court in the case of TELL COMMUNICATION LIMITED & ORS V STATE SECURITY SERVICE (2002) 2 HRLRA 104 @ 138-139 the Respondents joined issues with the applicants over the competence of the 1st applicant, a publishing company to sue for the enforcement of its fundamental rights under the FREP Rules. In overruling the preliminary objection, Adeyinka J. (as he then was) held that the 1st applicant Tell Communications Limited is competent to institute an action under Section 40, 1979 CFRN and to hold otherwise will mean that the Federal Government of Nigeria can acquire the property of a company without compensation.

Right to Freedom of Expression: This right is provided for in Section 39(1) of 1999 CFRN and it provides “every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference”. The freedom of expression is of utmost importance that even the government cannot do without it. This right is available to companies to express their view and hold diverse opinions of their choice. However, this is not a blanket right. It must not be utilised or invoked in such a way that it offends public safety, order, morality and must not be injurious to the rights and freedom of other persons.

In CONCORD PRESS NIGERIA LIMITED V AG FEDERATION & ORS (1994) FHCLR 144; PUNCH NIGERIA LIMITED & ANOR V AG FEDERATION

& ORS (1998) 1 HRLRA 488 – both applicants separately challenged the closure of their business premises under the 1979 FREP Rules. The Federal High Court upheld the contention of the applicants that the Federal Military Government violated their fundamental right to freedom of expression. Apart from ordering the reopening of the companies’ premises, the court awarded exemplary damages against the respondents.

Right to Fair Hearing: This right is provided for in Section 36 of 1999 CFRN. The court in the case of MARTMAN TRANSPORT LIMITED V AG FEDERATION (2003) 2 FHCLR– it was held that a limited liability company can enforce an action for fair hearing as provided in Chapter IV of the constitution. A company is also entitled to legal practitioner of their choice if they have any matter in court and are entitled to receive court processed served at their registered office address.

Right to Freedom of Association: Section 40 (1) of 1999 CFRN provides “that every person shall be entitled to…freely associate with others and in particular, he may form or belong any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interest”. The import of this section is that every company in Nigeria is free to relate with other companies by way of joining associations for the protection of their interest. A company can maintain an action where they are forced to join association that they are not interested in.

Going further, it is pertinent to outline the procedure a company will use to enforce their fundamental rights when breached or likely to be breached. Section 46 (1) and (2) of Chapter IV of 1999 CFRN vests jurisdiction over enforcement of fundamental rights on the High Court. The section provides as follows: “Any person who alleges that any of the provisions of this chapter has been, is being, or is likely to be contravened in any state in relation to him may apply to a High Court for redress. Although the 1999 CFRN does not define “Court”, Order 1 Rule 2 2009 FREP Rules defines Court as the Federal High Court, or High Court of a State or the High Court of the FCT, Abuja.

Section 46(1) merely empowers or enjoys any aggrieved person (natural person or juristic person) to seek redress in the High court. For a company to commence an action for enforcement of their right, such action must be made by any originating process which is accepted by that court. The application shall, subject to the Rules, lie without leave of the court. Such originating process shall be supported by a statement setting out the name and description of the applicant and the relief sought and the grounds upon which the relief is sought. An affidavit setting out the facts upon which the application is made and a written address- Order II Rule 3.

In conclusion, it is now a settled position of our law that the provisions in chapter IV of the Constitution are enforceable not only by natural persons but also artificial persons. It is important that the fundamental rights of companies are preserved because it is essential for the growth of Nigeria. If companies are expected to perform their duties and obligations according to the laws of Nigeria for the interest of others, then at the same time their rights and interest should also be protected. The importance of companies to our nation’s economy and industrial development cannot be overemphasised. I humbly submit that if companies can be held liable under CAMA and other laws of Nigeria when they default or contravene same, there should be no restriction of any kind to the enforcement of their fundamental rights and it should be preserved.

Chidera Nwokeke, a graduate of Law can be reached at Nwokekechidera@gmail.com

A state creaking under the strain of its population

By Issa Babatunde Ahmed

L

agos can be one of the world’s central business district (CBD) but as the economic and business hub of Nigeria it lacks the essentials of a world central business district. Eko is garnished with all the attributes of a megacity, from Lagoons, Coasts to its Sea harbours, which serves as the channel for Export and import with Airports that operates both local and international routes.

The Island part of the old capital territory like other considerable cities around the world has buildings with special industrial, political, religious significance and the Idumota market, extensive environmental deterioration and traffic congestion while the main land part also share similar traits accommodating its two airports and the famous Oshodi and Yaba markets.

Lagos is an over rated part of one of the

most populous nation in the world, the city itself is over crowded with a population of over 20 million from many ethnic groups despite being the smallest state in Nigeria. Many are stucked in the city and not wanting to return to their previous locations after being hit by reality, realizing they painted a false picture with many assumptions of finding it easy and making a lot of money to send back home.

Just like many think they will find it easy travelling abroad, many are in lagos with same sentiment even though the land is with many opportunities; the stress, bottlenecks, hooliganism, extortion can create life and business cripple. From the man in a black uniform to the one who beats the conductors for not paying dues, one begins to wonder why the state has made some touts rich by standing at the parks and every bus stop just by screaming, tormenting and threatening motorists.

Have you ever asked yourself where the

money the Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers collects goes or seen any project from them? Well we know they make a lot of money from the lifestyle of their bosses who lavish the money on fuji artists, Well that’s the myth for another day even though they have made life tough for commuters with the cost of transportation.

The city of many millionaires is dominated by the Yorubas but a home for all, a centre of excellence, a centre of all traffic jam with many slums, impassable roads, the mainland is choked and grubby and the island where the best of the elites see as their own is flooded with little drops from the sky but they keep filling the water to make an island but can’t get proper drainage.

Lagos doesn’t sleep but not really for the appropriate reasons as many residence spend most of their day on the road, many are awake as early as 3:00 am to head for work and don’t return home till past 12:00 am even though

most close at work by 5:00 pm but can’t find their way home until late hours, the roads are death traps from potholes to boreholes (depth), they are deteriorating.

As one of the world most tedious place to stay, it is beginning to reflect in the lifestyles of many who stay in Lagos as they are angered easily, exhausted, anxious, slowing down people’s productivity with many traits of depression which has increased the rate of suicide in the city.

Why are we seeing so much money spent on transportation and infrastructure but not seeing improvements in traffic congestion?

Why do we see traffic getting worse despite all the solutions rolled out to try to fix it? When the state loses $30.5 million monthly due to traffic with the county’s wharf in the state also losing $19 billion annually.

Issa Babatunde Ahmed is a Public Affairs Analyst.

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

Shiaki’s place in history

By Tawey Zakka

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r. Ando A. Shiaki died 20 years ago, exactly Nov. 11 1999. Writing about this iconic personification of an emergent Kuteb national identity has proved particularly difficult because, firstly, his highly visible political involvement did not resonate with a people yet to understand their proper place in a volatile and often hostile socio-political milieu. This explains why there is little or no documentation of the great man’s exploits and personal sacrifice for his people. That it is only a memorial is being planned for him is both an indictment and a commendation. Secondly, the lack of documentation of Shiaki’s life and time is as much a consequence of the circumstances of his emergence on the stage. He appeared like a bolt out the blue and disappeared just as quickly. He appeared as one on a Messianic mission but one acutely aware of the short time he had on his hand to accomplish it. In a sense, his typified the ministry of our Great LORD Jesus Christ. This address will disappoint you if you had expected a biography of Shiaki. No, rather it will dwell on the methods he used to accomplish that mission and their effectiveness or lack of it.

A trained medical doctor, eloquent but reticent, Shiaki’s whirlwind appearance was both a shock and a surprise: a shock to the Chamba hegemonic establishment and surprise to his Kuteb kith and kith who had all but given up hope of freedom from their oppressors. In 1990-91, he became the chairman of Takum local government area, the first Kuteb to hold that position. In that position and within that short time, Shiaki revolutionized local government administration. In the ‘war’ against his detractors he took no prisoners. You either walked and worked with him or be shoved aside.

He made no pretensions about his mission: to set his Kuteb people free. He peopled the administration with his kinsmen and women; but in doing so he was not unmindful of merit.

Those he brought into the administration were people eminently qualified. He did not have to search far and wide to find them. They were in abundance. How did it happen? The Kuteb used the period of their persecution to acquire education, while the ‘enemy’ indulged in the debauchery of drunken power. By the time they realized the mirage of their vanity, the Kuteb had left them far behind in the knowledge race. Till date, the opposition still resents this intellectual advantage and accounts for its unwillingness to dialogue with the Kuteb.

I still cannot say, for sure, whether or not Shiaki realized at the time that a war is not won until the hearts and minds of people are won over. Even if he did not, he did something fortuitous that helped to push the cause he was fighting. His decision to open a garden in the heart (centre) of Takum was a political master stroke. As a business, it was a flop because it was losing money: many ended up not paying for the drinks they ordered. However, it provided a

good venue where the Kuteb intelligentsia often gathered to discuss the future of the inchoate Kuteb nation, away from the prying eyes and out of the listening ears of the enemy. Until that time, our men and women frequented bars owned by Ibos, places also visited by the enemy.

The Igbo bar owner would take money from his Kuteb customers as well collect information which he passed over to the enemy. In other words, he played the dual role of a businessman and a dangerous informant. I recalled a sad incident one night in 1990 at Cameroun quarters by Yola Road, just opposite the late Hassan Maiyaki’s residence. [I understand the sprawling compound has been repossessed by the enemy because Hassan allegedly defaulted on the mortgage he took] There was a drinking parlour owned by an Ibo in the quarters. I happened to be in Takum, having obtained a leave of absence from my employers at Citizen Communications Ltd in Kaduna. That year was the year Rubur Nyim was attacked and sacked by Chamba allies at Kapyea and Fete.

The discussion among Kuteb revelers that night soon turned to the invasion. The unfortunate comment I picked up was that Rubur people were too cowardly to have allowed their place to be sacked. I just couldn’t understand how they had forgotten that Rubur Nyim, surrounded as it is by the enemy, serves as a protective door mat for the Kuteb nation. If it is destroyed the whole race is imperiled and vulnerable. By the way, instead of casting blame why not saved the money being wasted on alcohol that “leads to debauchery” for food and munition for the courageous young men fighting the enemy on the Rubur front. In anger, I fled the place and the following day made my way back to Kaduna.

A year or so later, I was told that Kuteb quarters of Takum had been sacked. Those who fled from the city centre would regroup opposite the army barracks where a wholly new city has sprung up.

I do not know if Shiaki read Robert Greene’s The 48 Laws of Power. In my many conversations with him, including a long drive in his car from Takum to Gboko and a night spent in his house, Shiaki never mentioned the author or the book. However, his understanding of power and how to use it to one’s maximal advantage was faultless. Let us see how: a) Law #28 Enter action with boldness Greene posits that “If you are unsure of a course of action, do not attempt it. Your doubts and hesitations will infect your execution.

Timidity is dangerous: Better to enter with boldness. Any mistakes you commit through audacity are easily corrected with more audacity.

Everyone admires the bold; no one honors the timid”. He illustrates this point with the story of the young Pietro Aretino. In 1514, at age 22, he was running errands for a rich Roman family.

Nobody took notice of him. To draw attention to himself, Aretino published an anonymous pamphlet lampooning the Roman nobility, including the Pope at the time, Pope Leo X. The pamphlet caused quite a stir throughout Rome.

Greene writes, “With one short pamphlet,

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Comment Aretino, son of a poor shoemaker and servant himself, he hurled himself to fame. Everyone in Rome rushed to find out who this daring young man was. Even the pope amused by his audacity, sought him out and ended up giving him a job in the papal service. Over the years, Aretino came to be known as the “Scourge of Princes”, and his biting tongue earned him the respect and fear of the great, from the king of France to the Hapsburg emperor”. Greene’s conclusion: When you are as small as David was, you must find a Goliath to attack. The larger the target, the more attention you gain. The bolder the attack, the more you stand out from the crowd, and the more admiration you earn. Society is full of those who think daring thoughts but lack the guts to print and publicize them. Voice what you feel the public feels = the expression of shared feelings is always powerful. Search out the most prominent target possible and nd sling your boldest shot. The world will enjoy the spectacle, and will honour the underdog = you, that is = with glory and power.

How did Shiaki use the Aretino strategy?

His target was not a Polycarp or an Ashu but the man at the very top in the enemy’s camp: a former chief of army staff and minister of defence. After he left the military, the civil war veteran chose to lead a revived Jukun expedition force by accepting a frightful war garb from the Aku Uka. In a piece that I did which was run in New Nigerian newspaper on January 20 1982, I said: For someone who risked his life in defence of our fatherland to have accepted to lead a tribal cause was …damnable. The role I had expected to this respected son of the soil to play was that of a pacifist, but he side-stepped that role, choosing to return home a wolf to prey on the Kuteb. It was this Civil War hero that Shiaki, then an unsung medical doctor practising, not at home but Gboko in Benue state, took on. That David versus Goliath fight earned Shiaki the respect of his kinsmen and fear of the Chamba.

Did Shiaki, like David, win in the end? b)Law #4 Always say less than necessary This is what Greene thinks: “When you are trying to impress people with words, the more you say, the more common you appear and the less in control. Even if you are saying something banal, it will seem original if you make vague, open-ended, and sphinxlike. Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less. The more you say, the more likely ou are to say something foolish”. His inference: “Power is in many ways a game of appearances, and when you say less than necessary, you inevitably appear greater and more powerful than you are. Your silence will make other people uncomfortable. Humans are machines of interpretation and explanation; they have to know what you are thinking. When you carefully control what you reveal, they cannot pierce your intentions or your meaning”.

Unlike his opponents, Shiaki wielded no pistol or gun. His weapon was his taciturnity.

A man of very few words, he concealed his intentions and plans from the enemy, making

him sheepish. His silence blunted the blade of the enemy’s sword. Yes, Shiaki was not much of a loud speaker, but he wrote compulsively. He compiled a volume of poetry that gave vent to his deep thoughts. In his Gboko residence, he turned it over to me. However, to my shame I must admit, I lost it during my travels between Kaduna and Lagos. I want to believe, he kept copies in a file. I urge the children to find and have it published as an anthology. This said, the psychological advantage of Shiaki over the enemy was not to last. The General managed to deliver one fatal political thrust. It happened in 1992 when Shiaki wanted to run for the governorship of old Gongola State. He had just been removed as chairman of Takum Council, and turned his attention to the governorship race, which he entered flying the flag of National Republican Convention (NRC), one of two parties President Ibrahim Babangida had created under his convoluted transition to civil rule programme. The General, though retired, used his enormous influence in the government, the military and the secret service to stop Shiaki, citing “security reasons”. He completed his coup de grace in April 1997 when he got the government of General Abdulsalami Abubakar to excise 3 Kuteb communities [Bika, Kwambai and Rubur Nyim or Jenuwa Kogi] from Takum LGA in an absurd boundary adjustment that brought far-flung Chamba communities into Takum. Now back to the question: Did Shiaki, a little David, win the battle with a Goliath? Here you have an answer.

The end. Was Shiaki betrayed by ‘friends’?

Greene’s Law #2 Never put too much trust in friends, learn how to use enemies He advocates wariness of friends because “they will betray you more quickly, for they are easily aroused to envy. They also become spoiled and tyrannical. But hire a former enemy and he will be more loyal than a friend, because he has more to prove. In fact, you have more to fear from friends than from enemies. If you have no enemies, find a way to make them”.

Shiaki’s end was too sudden. Did he forget this law of power? Theories of the cause of death have been bandied around. I am in no position to confirm or deny them. Suffice to say that his death dimmed to torch of a rising nation.

Let me use yet another Jesus parallelism.

A new Kuteb nation shall rise from the ashes of Shiaki’s demise. And “the gates of Hell (the enemy) shall not prevail against it”. The Church of Christ was not founded till after His departure from the earth. For that to happen required that there be faithful, loyal and courageous disciples, ready to face persecution, even martyrdom.

Am I a truthful Shiaki apostle? Are you one?

Ca, c’est la grande question. [That is the big question] Tawey Zakka is the Chairman of Editorial Board, Peoples Daily, Abuja.

Skill acquisition among Nigerian youth

By Idris Saadu

S

kill acquisition is the ability to be trained on a particular task or function and become expert in it. It is a pity that there is huge parading of unemployment in many parts of the world today especially in Nigeria.

This is giving many youths in different parts of the world today a sleepless night. It is one of the causes of rapid growth in crime in many parts of the world. But do you think there is any relationship between someone who has acquired skill on how to perform a particular job and make money from it and unemployment? The answer is no because the skill he has acquired can always speak for him/her in the absence of white collar job opportunities.

Today, there are many unemployed graduates in the country. This is partly as a result of our long system of education that is more of grammar and not much practical learning. It is evident that the highest number of unemployed is found in the African

Continent. The truth remains that the major causes of the unemployment among these vibrant youths is lack of skill to back up what they learnt from their institutions of learning.

When these graduates were still in school, they did not border to learn at least one single skill, may be that which is related to graphic designing, typing, hair dressing, electrical maintenance, computer literacy, Fashion Designing, Cosmetology, Catering and Hotel Management, Bag/Shoe making, Hair Dressing, Bead making, Capentary, Bread production, Tailoring, Weldering and others.

If they have learnt any skill at all, the rate of unemployment will reduce among them & economic recession will reduce as well.

Skilled person can survive in any environment to the fact you can resist to withstand living in a country that that you are not bona-fide of it why because you are material economy to any society you find yourself in As water is very essential to human life, so is skill training and acquisition needed in the life of every serious minded human being. Skills

can do a lot of great work in the life of every living soul. Lack of entrepreneurial skills is one of major causes of corruption, bribery, robbery and killing, kidnapping, insurgency, conflict as well as misunderstanding between government and it’s citizenry.

For these reasons, Development Education Centre (DEC Enugu) during the past 3 decades engaged in the provision of entrepreneurial Skills acquisition programme which empowered over 3000 out of school female youths from 500 communities in the South East of Nigeria since its inception.

If we are serious about nurturing our youth towards income creation, we have to start implementing relevant programmes within the school system. Vocational guidance to identify entrepreneurial potential must be provided and teachers should be trained to make all subject material relevant to real-world earning opportunities right from the root cause background foundation of educational system which is primary level.

One of my pet peeves is seeing creative

efforts by students that are not coupled with entrepreneurial guidance to help them reap financial benefits from their hard work.

For example, students often design viable inventions for science fairs that could be produced and marketed for profit, but the value that they create is never channeled into a business venture. Unfortunately, many of these students turn around and leave university without job options and opportunities.

In Nigeria we are reaping the bitter harvest of too many idle young hands which are not being channeled into projects to supply them with steady income and hope for the future. It is crucial for Government, wealthy individuals, donor agencies as well as merger enterprises/limited companies to use the tool of entrepreneurship/skill acquisition Initiatives to provide opportunities for our young people to escape the chains of poverty and crime.

Idris Saadu writes in from University of Maiduguri.

PAGE 14

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

News

PAGE 15

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

From Ahmad Ibrahim, Lokoja

T

he Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu has warned those planning to disrupt this Saturday governorship poll in Kogi State to be prepared to face the dire consequences.

Speaking at the stakeholders' meeting organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission, ahead of the coming governorship election, the police boss warned hoodlums to steer clear of polling units, saying anyone caught tormenting trouble would be severely dealt with.

This is even as some thugs forcefully prevented the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Natasha Akpoti Esq from attending the stakeholders'

Kogi poll: We're fully ready for troublemakers - IGP

meeting.

He pointed out that election is not a war, and that those carrying arms would be doing themselves a lot favour by submitting same to the law enforcement agents, adding that anyone caught with m before, during and after the election would face the full wrath of the law.

He further assured that the police has enough men on ground to confront challenges that might be propped up as a result of the exercise, even as he promised that a level playing ground would be provided for all contestants and

political parties.

The IG equally warned politicians not to move anyhow from one poling unit to another during the poll, and warned security agents against following some officials to polling booths, carrying arms.

He warned that any policeman found violating the rules of the game would be dealt with, even as he disclosed that all security agents to be deployed for election duty would be carrying INEC accredited tags to prevent disruption of the exercise by fake security agents.

Also speaking, the chairman

of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu disclosed that all arrangements have been put in place to ensure a hitch free governorship election on Saturday.

He assured that the process would not only be transparent, but free and fair, even as he stressed the need for the contestants and political parties to eschew violence, more so that ought not to be taken as do or die affair.

Akpoti had arrived Idrinana Hotel, venue of the stakeholders' meeting where some governorship candidates, including the governor,

Members of civil society organisations protesting against continued detention of human rights activists, Omoyele Sowore and Olawale Bakare, at the DSS office, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Members of Association of Heads of Federal Establishments (AHFE) Enugu State Chapter during a Road Walk for a healthy Federal Civil Service, yesterday in Enugu.

Photo: NA

Flood washes another federal road in Delta From: Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

M

otorists plying the Asaba --Illah--Uromi federal highway have been warned against the danger on the road where three culverts have been washed away by flood.

Delta state Commissioner for works, Chief James Augoye who gave the warning at a press briefing in Asaba on Tuesday, said the state government was already carrying out a palliative work on the bad spots by engaging the services of Setraco and CCECC, a Chinese firm.

According to him, the state government has also informed

the federal ministry of works for further action while awaiting for a comprehensive report on the degenerated sections of the road.

"Three culverts on the road have been washed and it is not advisable any more for vehicles to play the road.

"We visited the road along with the federal controller of works in the state and what we saw was alarming. " The challenge we are having is that the water level is high and until it recedes, we can't do any proper investigation" Chief Augoye disclosed however that one lane has been closed to traffic while officials

of the state traffic management agency have been positioned to assist motorists.

The commissioner said contrary to scary report that the Udu bridge in Warri, built in the 1970's by Dumez construction company has failed, integrity test carried out by the ministry of works, proved otherwise, adding that ," the bridge is very safe for motorists."

He lamented the washing off of culverts along Ashaka - Aboh road due to flood, a situation he said , is making it difficult for travellers to access Aboh, headquarters of Ndokwa east except by river.

Benue govt to construct airport

From: Uche Makurdi

B

Nnorom,

enue State Government is to construct an airport to boost investment and trade in the State.

Governor Samuel Ortom disclosed this yesterday during an interview with news men after presenting the 2020 budget estimate to the State House of Assembly.

The Governor said the project has a two completion period at a cost of over 11 billion naira, adding that it will be financed

with Internally generated revenue.

He acknowledged the attempt to construct a cargo airport in the first term of his administration failed, explaining that the State Government had no financial commitment in the project.

"Benue State Government did not have any liability whatsoever.

We are talking about Benue State project because we have seen that it is very critical for a state which is the Food Basket of the Nation with vast potentials in term of entire value chain. We believe with the establishment

of an airport, international and national investors will come to invest.

"We have already interacted with a lot of potential investors and with the regularization of our Internally generated revenue through the Benue Internal Revenue Service, BIRS, we believe that we can fund the airport project through the Benue Revenue Internal Generation Agency. As soon as the budget is approved, work will commence.

Several banks are willing and ready to finance and support the project", he said

Bauchi earmarks N60m for Maulud, Qur’anic competition From Ahmad Mohammed, Bauchi

B

auchi State Ministry of Religious Affairs and Social Welfare has explained that the state government has earmarked over 40 million naira for the smooth qur’anic competition in the state and local government councils.

The commissioner of Religious Affairs Ahmad Jalam stated this yesterday while speaking with reporters in Bauchi.

He said 20 million was earmarked for Qur’anic competation in the 20 local government areas, 20 million for the forth coming state competation and 20 million for support of maulud celebrations in the state.

He said part of the money will be used for feeding and purchasing of gifts like cars, tricycle, motorcycles and other gifts that will be distribute to the winners during the competition.

Jalam said already the local government competition was completed and the winners are receiving more training to increase their performance in order to help Bauchi to reclaim its position worldwide in the competition.

Jalam said, “the Ministry has met with the State Qur’anic Competition Committee to finalize all that is needed for the competition, and assured that winners from the state will participate both in the national and international aspect of the competition.

FRSC arrests 5 manufacturers of fake number plates From: Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

T

he Kebbi State sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr. Ebenezer Abayomi Asaniya said five people have been arrested for possession of fake car number plate in the State.

He stated this yesterday while addressing press conference on road traffic crash victims, held

at the NUJ Press center Birnin Kebbi.

"We are working hard so as to fish out the criminals of this ugly act, they are reducing our revenue, the investigation is on going as a result of the five people producing fake car number plate" he added.

He added that most of this fake number plate carry Lagos, ogun and some part of the south east.

Alhaji Yahaya Bello are already seated, while the meeting was going on, and attempted to join the meeting, but was forcefully prevented by some thugs.

The SDP candidate has been having a running battle with the APC led government in the last few days, following the invasion and burning down of the state secretariat of the party.

She put the ugly development at the door step of the ruling party, accusing them of unleashing mayhem in the state, with a view to remaining in power in the next political dispensation.

Highlights of the stakeholders meeting was the signing of peace accord by the contesting parties and candidates ahead of the governorship election on Saturday.

Reps probe alleged sharp practices in N-Power programme

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he House of Representatives yesterday moved to probe the allegeded corrupt practices in the implementation of the N-Power programme across the country.

The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion on the 'Need to investigate the arbitrariness and possible corruption in the N-Power Programme of the Federal Government', sponsored by Hon. Oluga Taiwo.

In her lead debate, Hon. Oluga expressed displeasure over the plight of some beneficiaries of the N-Power programme, especially in the teaching profession being excluded from subsequent benefits.

She observed that the National Social Investment Programme which was established in 2015, was in fulfilment of the administration's campaign promises to Nigerians through the implementation of the N-Teach, N-Agro, N-Tech, N-Build and N-Creativity Programmes.

While calling for the House intervention, Hon. Oluga stated

that the beneficiaries who have their stipends withheld are supposed to be those with queries on truant behaviour, but it has become worrisome, especially in the South Western States where credible teachers have their stipends withheld without any queries or stipulated offence.

She urged the House to investigate the issue with the view to set the records straight if the programme is becoming discriminatory or some people are trying to sabotage the good efforts of the Federal Government aimed at helping out Nigerians, and may be carry out some form of financial mismanagement.

"The House notes that the N-Teach Programme involves the engagement of educated Nigerians with Minimum NCE, OND,HND, B.sc, M.sc and Ph.D. Degrees who are engaged and posted to teach in different schools in the 36 States and F.C.T. "The Programme requires these beneficiaries (N-Power Teachers) to report in their States, and the State offices/vocal offices will now post them to different schools in various

Local Governments within the State, where they will be posted to teach courses related to their discipline and as directed by their various school heads.

"The N-Power Programme as a form of quality assurance and check, equally engaged Independent Monitors, One per Local Government, who Monitors the attendance of the N-Power Teachers at their various places of assignment, by paying unscheduled visits to them.

"The Independent Monitors are now required to investigate the teachers and report truancy indiscipline or misconduct to the NSIP Office in Abuja through their Electronic Tablets.

"Upon receipt of the queries by the NSIP Office, they conduct an investigation to ascertain the merits of the query and now withhold payment of the erring N-Power Teacher/Beneficiary by holding his profile for 45 days and if there is no change or satisfactory response within the period, they are exited from the programme.

"The House is concerned that in

recent times, there are increasing cases of N-Power beneficiaries/ Teachers who are diligent in their places of official assignment and who have no queries or negative reports, yet at the end of the month, their payments are withheld and all efforts to get reinstated has proven abortive.

"The Hpuse is worried that these N-Power beneficiaries, their School Principals and the Independent Monitors have confirmed that there are no queries and yet some of the N-Power beneficiaries have been blocked and exited from the platform for no reason whatsoever, yet they keep reporting in their place of duty and have now been owed several months' monthly allowance without pay.

"In Osun State alone, over 400 N-Power Beneficiaries/teachers are been owed monthly allowances ranging from 12months, 15months and 18months, respectively, due to arbitrary withholding of their account and unlawful exit from the Platform despite diligence of place of official assignment, which is contrary to the objectives of the N-Power, N-Teach

Programme.

"That this arbitrariness in withholding accounts and nonpoyment of monthly allowances signals corruption and waste of Public Funds. This is also the case in many other South Western States and some State in the North Central.

"The House is cognizant that the Funds used for the National Social Investment Programme ore monies belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria, and Appropriated for that purpose by the National Assembly and thus, this House is constitutionally empowered by virtue of Section 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to investigate waste or mismanagement of the Funds," she stressed.

To this end, the House mandated the House Committees on Sustainable Development Goals and Youth Development should immediately investigate the alleged arbitrariness in the management of the N-Teach Program and report back to the House within the next three weeks for further legislative action.

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

PAGE 16

POLITICS

T

he House of Representatives yesterday asked the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development to provide geological records of Gold deposits in Nigeria, and mandated the Committee on Solid Minerals Development to ensure compliance.

The House resolution followed the adoption of a motion on the: "Need to Prioritize Gold Mining as one of the Major Earners of Revenue to the Nation" moved by Oghene Egoh (APC, Lagos) at Tuesday plenary.

Presenting the motion, the Lawmaker recalled that on 7 April 2019, the Federal Government banned all mining activities in Zamfara State and directed all foreigners operating in the mining fields to leave within 48 hours, threatening to revoke the license of any recalcitrant mining operator.

He said the House is aware that Nigeria has about 21.40 tons of gold deposits and therefore there is the need for many large scale gold mining companies, gold mining policies, state of the art geological survey, including map production and maintenance of up to date geological records, health and safety inspections and maintenance records, legal records of licences and legal examination of new applications, among others; According to him, the House also, "recalls a publication in This Day Newspaper that Nigeria loses about $9 billion (nine billion dollars) to illegal mining every year

and that many lives are lost as a result of mining activities that ignore environmental protection policies.

"Also aware of official records that mining in Nigeria accounts for a mere 0.3% of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP), meaning that the Federal Government may not have official records of the amount of mineral deposits in Nigeria which if ascertained, could make the mineral sector one of the largest contributors to Government’s revenues through the payment of royalties, employees income taxes and corporate taxes.

"Concerned that though Gold is found in large quantities in Zamfara State, illegal miners cart away billions of dollars’ worth of gold yearly, leaving the State with poor state of education and inadequate healthcare system.

"Acknowledges that if the resources are effectively managed by the Government, 30% derivation from gold earnings can go a long way in boosting the economy of Zamfara State while the remaining 70% can go into the federation account.

"Desirous of the need for the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, whose responsibilities are to promote full-scale gold mining in Nigeria, facilitate interaction between mining employers, examine mining policy issues, create partnerships with key stakeholders and to come up with modernized and conducive policies, legislative and functional environment to facilitate real investments in gold mining".

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi and Musa Adamu

T

Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) Zamfara State, Alhaji Lawal Liman (R); addressing a news conference on the suspension of Local Government Chairmen, yesterday in Gusau. With him are: Secretary, Zamfara State APC, Alhaji Sani Talata-Mafara (M) and Chairman of Maradun LGA, Alhaji Ahmad Maradun. Photo: NAN

Gombe Deputy Speaker, Haruna impeached From Gombe

David

Hassan,

M

embers of Gombe State House Assembly yesterday passed vote of no confidence on its Deputy Speaker Hon. Shua'abu Adamu Haruna.

The Deputy Speaker who represents Kwami East at Gombe State House of Assembly was impeached early Tuesday at the floor of the House during plenary sitting chaired by the

Speaker Hon. Sadiq Abubakar.

The removal of the Deputy Speaker by 21 out of 24 members in the House that gave two third of majority was moved by Member representing Yalmatu East Hon. Adamu Saleh Patah and seconded by member representing Billiri West Hon. Tulfugut Meimei Kardi.

It was alleged that his removal of the deputy Speaker was due to his negligence for attending a function of swearing ceremony of commissioners,

special advisers and Permanent Secretaries organized by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya where members of the House including the Speaker boycotted A source told our correspondent that the legislators were furious for keeping so long without official cars from the government, adding that the sworn in new commissioners were given new vehicles immediately before taking their offices.

Senate probes N40bn abandoned Baro Port project

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi and Musa Adamu

S

enate Tuesday, mandated its Committees on Marine Transport; Works; and Public Procurement to investigate the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA in respect of the abandoned Baro Port project and make adequate recommendations to facilitate its early completion.

It also urged the federal government to make funds available to contractors handling Baro River Port project for final completion, and also transfer the roads project to Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund, PIDF for better funding and execution.

Similarly, the upper legislative chamber advised the government

to facilitate the rehabilitation of Narrow Gauge Railway in Baro to ensure rapid socio-economic growth of the country while there should be continuous dredging and maintenance by NIWA of the Rivers Niger and Benue to ensure its navigability.

Resolutions to these effect, were sequel to a motion sponsored by Senator Muhammad Bima (APC Niger South).

Bima in the motion titled: "Urgent need to complete all the necessary components of Baro River Port project of the Lower River Niger" and co sponsored by 22 other Senators across party lines , declared that over N40billion has so far been expended on the various components of the Baro Port without achieving any significant progress towards utilisation of

POLITICS

Senate imposes death penalty on hate speech offenders

Reps want geological records of gold deposits in Nigeria

By Christiana Ekpa

PAGE 17

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

the port, wondering why "such a laudable project with all its potential benefits would be so neglected."

He said the federal government awarded the contract for the dredging of the Lower River Niger, construction of the Baro Port, installation of cargo handling equipment and connecting access roads to ensure movement of goods and services to the Northern parts of the country in addition to the general improvement of socioeconomic activities of the region.

According to him, "Baro Port project is expected to create 3,000 direct jobs and many more indirect jobs as well as improving our roads network by keeping heavy duty trailers and trucks off roads thereby expanding the life span of the roads."

The lawmaker informed that the capital dredging of the Lower River Niger from Warri to Baro had been completed while the Baro Port and its cargo handling equipment have also been completed and commissioned on January 19 by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He further stated that the access roads which will facilitate movement of goods from Baro to the Northern parts was awarded in 2015 and 2018 for LambataBida and Agaie-Katcha-Baro respectively, but lamented that the two major access roads, Lambata-Agaie and AgaieKatcha-Baro respectively have only achieved about 20% and 2% progress.

He also regretted that funding of the access roads had been grossly inadequate as N670million and

N4.5billion so far been released for the project out of the contract sum of N17billion and N33billion respectively.

Contributing, Senator Adamu Aliero (APC Kebbi Central), informed that the project was awarded during the administration of late President Musa Yar'Adua to create jobs and ensure easy movement of goods from Baro to other parts of the North, but expressed surprise that it was abandoned by his predecessors despite its economic benefits.

In his own, Senator Mohammed Musa (APC Niger East), urged the federal government to ensure early completion of the project, noting that doing so would advance economic prosperity of the people and industrial growth in parts of the country.

he Senate Tuesday reintroduced the hate speech bill it abandoned under pressure last year through which it sought to impose outright death penalty on "any person found guilty of any form of hate speech that results in the death of another person" The upper legislative chamber was last year forced to drop its first attempt to enact the law following massive public outcry that ensued after it was widely reported in the media in March, 2018.

In the new attempt the bill tagged : "National Commission For the Prohibition of Hate Speeches" sponsored by Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullah (APC, Niger State), was lited as item 12 on the order paper and passed for first reading.

The death penalty, among others, is the most severe punishment provided by the anti-hate speech Bill as provided for in the draft copy of the bill.

It defines hate speech as comments that insult people for their religion, ethnic, linguistic affiliation, racial contempt among others.

The bill among others can, stipulates thus :" Anyrson who commits an offence under this section shall be liable to life imprisonment and where the act causes any loss of life, the person shall be punished with death by hanging" "For offences like harassment on the basis of ethnicity, racial contempt, the bill proposes not less than five-year jail term or a fine of not less than N10 million or both" The Bill also states that: "A person who uses, publishes, presents, produces, plays, provides, distributes and /or directs the performance of, any material, written and/ or visual which is threatening, abusive or insulting or involves the use of threatening, abusive or insulting words or behavior commits an offence if such person intends thereby to stir up ethnic hatred, or having regard to all the circumstances, ethnic hatred is likely to be stirred up against any person or person from such an ethnic group in Nigeria.

According to the Bill, "Conduct shall be regarded as having the effect specified in subsection (1)(a) or (b) of this Section if, having regard to all the circumstances, including in particular the perception of that other person, it should reasonably be considered as having that effect."

"A person who subjects another to harassment on the basis of ethnicity commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to an imprisonment for a term not less than five

years, or to a fine of not less than Ten million Naira, or to both." The bill added.

The Bill, according to its sponsor, is aimed at ensuring the elimination of all forms of hate speeches; promoting the elimination of all forms of hate speeches against persons or ethnic groups; as well as advising the Federal Government on the matter.

Other situations which the Bill frowned at is when "a person subjects another to harassment on the basis of ethnicity for the purposes of this Section where, on ethnic grounds, he unjustifiably engages in a conduct which has the purpose or effect of violating that other person’s dignity; or creating an intimidating, degrading, hostile, humiliating or offensive environment for the person subjected to the harassment."

The Commission will be headed by an executive chairperson to be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the National Council of State, subject to the confirmation of at least two-third majority of the National Assembly.

Other functions of the Commission include: discouraging persons, institutions, political parties and associations from advocating or promoting discrimination or discriminatory practices through the use of hate speeches; promoting tolerance, understanding and acceptance of diversity in all aspects of national life and encourage full participation by all ethnic communities in social, economic, cultural and political life of other communities It is also to plan, supervise, coordinate and promote educational and training programs to create public awareness, support and advancement of peace and harmony among ethnic communities and racial groups; Also, the commission is expected to promote respect for religions, cultural, linguistic and other forms of diversity in a plural society; promoting equal access and enjoyment by persons of all ethnic communities and racial groups to public or other services and facilities provided by the Government; Other functions of the commission include promoting arbitration, conciliation, mediation and similar forms of dispute resolution mechanisms in order to secure and enhance ethnic and racial harmony and peace and investigate complaints of ethnic or racial discrimination and make recommendation to the Attomey-General, the Human Rights Commission or any other relevant authority on the remedial measures to be taken where such complaints are valid.

Chairman House of Representatives committee on Health Institutions, Hon. Pascal Chigozie Obi addressing the House of representatives correspondents, at the National Assembly, yesterda in Abuja.

Edo APC suspends Oshiomhole, says report

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has suspended the National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, over his role in the crisis rocking the state chapter of the party.

The decision is said to follow the vote of no confidence passed on Comrade Oshiomhole by the Chairmen of the APC in the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs)

of Edo State.

According to a statement this Tuesday night signed by Edo APC Chairman, Anselm Ojezua, and Assistant State Secretary, Ikuenobe Anthony, “Consequent on the development, the State Executive Committee has adopted the vote of no confidence passed on him and the subsisting suspension order from the organs of the party in the state.”

The Edo APC leaders said

the decision was necessary to prevent a repeat of what happened in Zamfara State, where the party was unable to field any candidate in elections.

“Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is the one behind the crisis in Edo APC. We have passed a vote of no confidence on him and he stands suspended from the party.

“We don’t want what happened in Zamfara State or other parts of the country to happen in Edo State,” they said in the statement.

Senate seeks FG ban on textile importation

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi and Musa Adamu

T

he Senate on Tuesday appealed to the Federal Government to ban the importation of textiles in the country for a period of five years to allow for the production of local textile materials.

This followed the debate on a motion sponsored by Kabir Barkiya (APC-Katsina Central) during plenary on “Urgent need to revamp the nation’s comatose textile industry”.

The upper chamber also appealed to the Federal Government to provide the necessary infrastructural facilities especially power supply to local textile manufacturing companies to revamp the industry.

It also called on the government to encourage local textile manufacturing companies by providing them with soft loans and easy access to credit facilities through the Bank of Industry.

Debating the motion, Mr Barkiya noted that the textile industry in the country played a significant role in the manufacturing sector of the Nigerian economy with a record of over 140 companies in the 1960s and 1970s.

“The textile industry recorded an annual growth of 67 per cent and as at 1991, employed above 25 per cent of the workers in the manufacturing sector.

“The textile industry was then the highest employer of labour apart from the civil service.”

He noted that the industry had witnessed a massive decline in the last two decades with many textile

companies such as Kaduna Textile, Kano Textile and Aba Textile among others closing shops and throwing their workers into the job market.

The lawmaker further said that government policies like increase in taxation, high cost of production, trade liberalisation resulting in massive importation of textile materials had negatively affected the production of local textile materials.

Mr Barkiya said the resuscitation of the industry would provide additional revenue and assist the government to diversify the nation’s economy.

Contributing, Robert Boroffice (APC-Ondo North) said the importation of textile materials was as a result of the comatose level of the textile industry.

“The closure of our borders is an eye-opener. China closed its borders for 40 years for its industrialisation and development.

“I believe that the closure [of] our borders should be extended to allow us put our house in order.”

Mr Boroffice, who is the Deputy Senate Leader, said that the extension of the closure of the borders would serve as an opportunity to resuscitate the textile industry among other industries that had been characterised by smuggling.

Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP-Abia South), who disagreed with Mr Boroffice on the fact that the closure of the borders would help revamp the industry said that “closing the borders and doing nothing will not lead to increase in production of textiles.

“The real problems have been indicated; first, is the fact that we are unable to produce the cotton that we

need.

“But far more important is the fact of power. Power was the key problem that made most of the textile mills closed. ” Once it became very difficult after 1982 for industries to be supplied with power and they needed to switch over to now produce their own power in order to do production, it became a lose, lose situation for most of the industrialists.”

Mr Abaribe, who is Senate Minority Leader, called on the Federal Government to provide stable electricity to ensure that the smuggling of textile products was done away with.

Similarly, Gabriel Suswam(PDPBenue North-east) said that without power, no meaningful profit would be realised in any manufacturing industry in the country.

Mr Suswam, who called on the government to address the issue in the power sector, said that if this was done, the manufacturers would be able to make profit.

“If we take concrete actions on these issues, our economy will be enhanced, the welfare of the people will be enhanced, insecurity and by extension, criminality, will be reduced,” he said.

In his remark, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, said that as Nigeria had signed the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement, “we have to be prepared for the repercussions.

“We cannot stop trading easily with other people. We have to up our game; we need to be competitive,” Mr Lawan said.

Health PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

Substandard medicine: Why NAFDAC’s new strategy will save lives

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

I

n its determination to weed the country of substandard medicines, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), said from January next year, it will be mandatory to identify and test the active pharmaceutical ingredient for all imported and locally manufactured drug products to ensure compliance with international standards for starting materials and making sure they are actually used during production processes.

NAFDAC said beside safeguarding the health of the people, this regulatory control will also build confidence in Nigerians about the medicines that are available in the country since Substandard/Falsified (SF), medicines can come in through importation.

Speaking on Monday during a press conference in Abuja, the Director General of the Agency, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye said the plan will also reduce substandard and falsified medicines to 5% prevalence in Nigeria by year 2025.

“Globally, the prevalence is about 10%. The last data we have on prevalence of SFs in Nigeria is 16.7% but that was about 14 years 390‘ .Thus, it is high time we did the survey on the prevalence”.

She said that the fight toward eliminating substandard, adulterated and unsafe drugs, medical devices, foods and water in the country is none negotiable.

“Substandard and falsified medicines have become a global problem that presents enormous public health challenges to National Medicines Regulatory Authorities in both developed and developing countries. Along with other countries, NAFDAC is maximizing the efforts to curb the menace of’SFs. “The unpatriotic business men/women involved in the illegal manufacture, importation and distribution of substandard and falsified medicines target medicines with high volume of use for the treatment of diseases of public health interest. The classes of medicines targeted include: Antimalarials, Antibiotics, Antihypertensives, Antidiabetic

Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof.

Mojisola Adeyeye.

agents and Life style drugs.

“The public health implications of SFs are numerous and these include the following: Increased hospital admissions, Prolonged stay in the hospital, Development of resistance (drug resistance or multi-drug resistance or cross resistance), Treatment failures and death.

“All these lead to: Increased cost of controlling disease increased out of pocket expenses, increased human suffering, loss of confidence in the healthcare system and increased burden on the healthcare system.”

She added that NAFDAC has been highly proactive and vigilant toward curbing SFs in the country in all efforts to safeguard the health of the Nigerian populace.

“In 2018, we started a country-wide inspection of one hundred and sixty-five (165) companies in Nigeria using international standards in order to ascertain GMP compliance.

Part of GMP is the use of appropriate manufacturing equipment and facilities by manufacturers to ensure adequate controls and measures are in place for production of quality products “This GMP Road Map is extremely important because SF products can occur during production. This can be due to poor GMP of the factory, bad raw materials, poor packaging and bad formulation.

“In March 2019, NAFDAC instituted the Five Plus Five Validity (5+5 Validity) for several reasons among which

“

is dumping of drug products in Nigeria: This occurs through multiplicity of registration of same drug for the same dosage form (Tablets, Suspensions, etc.) or product that has resulted in the glut of some products and possible SFs. “Having known that significant amounts of SFs are imported as unregistered, or registered but with compromise on the content after approval to become substandard, one of the drives of my administration is to encourage local manufacturing for products that can be manufactured in Nigeria. A new policy to achieve this is through the 5+5 Validity as explained below: NAFDAC advises importers whose products have enjoyed 5-year registration and are due for another 5-year

This GMP Road Map is extremely important because SF products can occur during production. This can be due to poor GMP of the factory, bad raw materials, poor packaging and bad formulation

renewal to produce blue print of migration to local manufacturing or to partner with indigenous manufacturer for local production, if they so wish. There must be evidence of migration by the 8’“ Year with a full blue print. Submission of the full blue print would allow for the last and 3ml Five-Year renewal. For newly registered imported product, the validity procedures will be similar.

“If there is more than enough capacity to meet the incountry demand, the product may not enjoy the 5+5 Validity.

The regulatory control will be done with the understanding of ensuring drug security, reducing unemployment and contributing positively to the growth of the economy.”

She said NAFDAC now encourages innovation from local manufacturers by giving 5-year market exclusivity to the innovator company that has the capacity to meet the country demand, during which there will be no approval of a similar product.

The agency plans to work closely with the pharmaceutical regulatory and professional bodies to jointly call for action in curbing SFs. “The Religious Communities, Traditional Rulers, other Community-based Organizations and Concerned Citizens are also very critical to curbing SFs. Several months ago, a citizen reported lack of expect effect of an antibiotic, the person reported to NAFDAC. The product was tested and found to have zero content of drug. Investigation was carried out and it resulted in a raid at the Onitsha Bridge Head”.

She called on members of the public to refrain from buying medicines on the internet.

“People should always look out for NAFDAC registration number on medicines before purchase . The physical appearance of medicines such as should be checked to see if there are noticeable differences compared to what they are used previously. .

Date markings on the products should always be cross-checked.

Always report suspected SF to nearest NAFDAC office or call 0800-1-NAFDAC (1800-1623322).

Page 19

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

PTDF, legal experts brainstorm on oil, gas litigations

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Counsels in the Ministry of Justice and other key stakeholders yesterday converge on Abuja to brainstorm on oil and gas litigations and other related matters.

The Two-Day workshop which was organised by the PTDF as part of its capacity building efforts in the oil and gas industry was intended to further develop capacities and

competencies of state counsels and some stakeholders and raise their knowledge on oil and gas related litigations and related matters.

Declaring the workshop opened, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva said, the oil and gas industry was dynamic, therefore there was need to take a second look at the existing laws in the industry.

Sylva who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr Moses Dayo Olamide said, the workshop

would help participants to look at the bubble points in the existing laws for effective speedy administration of Justice.

Speaking in a Keynote address, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, SAN commended the PTDF for the initiative and assured that the Fund the ministry was working to ensure access to Justice by all, especially Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government.

Represented by the Director,

Legal Drafting, Mr Hamsa, the Minister said, everything possible would be done to ensure speedy dispensation of Justice.

Earlier in his Welcome Address, the Executive Secretary, PTDF, Dr. Bello Aliyu Gusau said, the evolution of the oil and gas has witnessed significant transformation in terms of its effect and impact on national economy and other activities.

Gusau said, the oil and gas industry is dynamic, therefore,

the laws guiding the industry must correspondingly be dynamic as well.

The workshop attracted the presence of legal experts from the Public and Private sectors while the plenary featured panel discussants on topics such as, Negotiations and Drafting of oil and gas agreements, Key Contractual Clauses in Oil and Gas agreements, International Dispute Resolution and Arbitration & Fiscal Policy issues as they relate to the oil and gas sector, amongst others.

Men of Nigerian Army, during the opening of 2019 Nigerian Army Small Arms Championship, at 2Div. Nigerian Army, yesterday in Ibadan. Photo: NAN

Afreximbank, Thelo DB sign pact on railway development in Africa

By Etuka Sunday

A

frican -Export Import Bank (Afreximbank) and South Africabased Thelo DB Proprietary Limited yesterday in Johannesburg, South Africa, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop, finance and operate railway projects in Africa.

Under the terms of the MoU, signed on the sidelines of the ongoing Africa Investment Forum, Afreximbank and Thelo DB will collaborate to support the modernisation of the continent’s railways as a catalyst to promoting trade, investment and

economic skills development, recognising the urgent need for implementation of efficient and effective transportation and logistics solution in Africa, with particular emphasis on the freight railway sector.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, Prof.

Benedict Oramah, President of Afreximbank, described the event as timely, given that the continent was in the process of operationalising the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement. According to the President, it is imperative that critical trade enabling infrastructure be put into place to facilitate the flow of tradeable goods and services

along Africa’s trade corridors.

He noted that Afreximbank’s strategic plan, IMPACT2021, sought to dramatically improve intra-African trade.

Ronnie Ntuli, Chairman of the Board of Thelo DB,welcomed the opportunity to work with “this leading and prestigious African multilateral development finance institution” and said that the strategic collaboration between the two organisations provided Thelo DB with the prospect to enhance the technical value chain of services that it offered to the African railway sector. “Through this critically important relationship, we are able to offer to the continent,

not only the best technical solutions for the railway sector but also introduce financing solutions to finance railway projects across the continent.”

He further stated that Afreximbank and Thelo DB were well-positioned to facilitate trade, support development infrastructure and, importantly, help deliver the ambition of regional integration.

Thelo DB was committed to delivering unparalleled knowhow and experience in the African railway sector and to providing railway infrastructure development, operational cooperation and construction supervision by implementing,

and rehabilitating existing infrastructure, enhancing operational efficiencies and managing risks associated with rolling stock while transferring skills through training and skills development programmes, explained Mr. Ntuli.

According to him, by bringing separate but complimentary sets of specialities, Afreximbank and Thelo DB anticipate much improved efficiencies in the development, financing and operation of railway infrastructure projects, enhancing regional skills and supporting broader economic development on the African continent.

Page 20

Pension /Insurance

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

Deposit recapitalization Fund with CBN, NAICOM Directs Insurance Firms

By Stanley Onyekwere

A

s part of reinvigorated efforts to mitigate perennial traffic gridlock in the nation’s capital city, officials of the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS) and FCT Ministerial Task Team on Traffic Free Flow has commenced intensive enforcement of ban on commercial tricycles within restricted areas.

Recall that the FCT Administration through the DRTS recently announced a reinforced ban on the operations of Tricycles ( otherwise known as Keke NAPEP) on major highways and the city centre.

According to the DTRS’s Director, Wadata Bodinga, the FCT Administration has decided to intensify enforcement of the ban, to ensure orderliness in the city.

Bodinga, who spoke during a sensitization campaign yesterday, said the Directorate has cleared

From Ngozi Onyeakus, Lagos

I

n an effort geared towarding protecting shareholders’ fund, the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has directed insurance companies to deposit their recapitalization fund with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) escrow account.

The Commission’s Director, Policy and Regulation Directorate, Pius Agboola who disclosed this during an interactive session of the regulator with shareholders’ associations of quoted insurance companies in Lagos, assured shareholders that their investments are secured.

Agboola who represented the acting Commissioner for Insurance, Sunday Thomas, said, “The recapitalization fund with CBN escrow account cannot be withdrawn without NAICOM’s approval after a time frame.

“NAICOM will make sure that the money that insurance companies have collected is not wasted. NAICOM will assist shareholders. So, we will supervise the escrow account.”

It would be recalled that NAICOM recently reviewed the existing minimum paid – up capital share of Life Insurance business and raised it from N2 billion to N8 billion.

General Insurance business was raised from N3 billion to N10 billion, Composite business was raised from N5 billion to N18 billion while reinsurance business was raised from N10 billion to N20 billion.

The new paid-up share capital requirement takes immediate effect for new applications made to NAICOM by companies seeking to carry on insurance business in Nigeria and existing insurance and reinsurance companies are required to fully comply with the new minimum capital requirement not later than June 30, 2020.

Agboola while giving options on how insurance companies can raise the money said, “Insurance companies can raise the money through Initial Public Offering (IPO), right issues, capitalisation of retained earnings and other means such as private placement, merger or acquisition.”

He however condemned borrowing adding that, “If any company wants to go for merger and acquisition or IPO, it must give date because all options have time frame.”

So far, the director said NAICOM has approved the recapitalization plans of 44 companies, rejected that of six insurance companies of which they have been directed to make amendments, two companies are under review, while two companies have not submitted any plans at all to the Commission.

METRO

Page 21

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

Gridlock: DRTS, others up enforcement of tricycles’ ban its carport to accommodate all impounded tricycles during the period of the enforcement and beyond.

He also disclosed that the government has decided to phase out all rickety vehicles, especially those that have failed road worthiness test.

DTRS boss noted expressed serous concern that about 95 percent of vehicles in Abuja would not pass road worthiness test.

He reiterated that the grace period given to affected taxi operators has elapsed, hence , the implementation of the ministerial order.

He therefore warned that the enforcement which is commencing on 13th November (today) would be total, and that defaulters will be arrested and their vehicles impounded.

“We urge all who want to operate in FCT to abide by the rules and regulations.

“We have cleared our carport to accommodate all impounded vehicles and Tricycles,” Bodinga stated.

Similarly, Chairman of the Traffic Control Task team, Comrade Ikharo Attah , said the full enforcement will not only restore sanity to the nation’s capital, but will help in the fight

against traffic gridlock.

Attah while debunking claims by some individuals that the order was deigned to unleash hardship on both the operators of the Tricycles and residents.

He noted that the ban was in line with the transportation master plan of the city, which stipulates that the operations of all means of transportation should be regulated and controlled.

He explained that the Ministerial directive was meant to enhance safety of the operators, as well as that of the passengers, as they will no longer be allowed to move on highways.

He however maintained that the Abuja project would not succeed if laws and regulations that govern operations of businesses are not enforced and obeyed.

According to him, “What the Minister is asking the Minister to do is just to restrict themselves to areas designated for them to operate. They cannot be verywhere across the city, particularly on major highways and in the city centre.

“The ordered deployment of high capacity buses from the fleets of Abuja Urban Mass Transport will cushion the effects of the ban.”

L-R: Deputy President, Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Alhaji Ayuba Dallatu; Oyo State Secretary of NUP, Comrade Segun Abatan; and National President of NUP, Dr Abel Afolayan, at the National Executive Council meeting of pensioners, yesterday in Ibadan. Photo: NAN

Micro Pension participants grow to 28,000 in Seven Months From Ngozi Onyeakus, Lagos

T

he National Pension Commission (PenCom) has disclosed that about 28,000 participants from the informal sector have been enrolled into the micro pension scheme, since its inception, March, 2019.

This was disclosed by the Head, Corporate Communications, PenCom Peter Aghahowa, at the Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria ( PenOp), annual Media Seminar held today in Lagos.

According to him, 19 Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) have registered 28,000 micro pension participants as at October, 2019.

Giving the breakdown, Aghahowa said up till June 2019, 21,430 participants were registered, in July 2019, 221 participants were registered, in August 2019, 1,299 Nigerians were registered, in September 2019, 2737 participants were registered and in October 2019, 2313 participants were registered.

Aghahowa also assured that the pension industry was targeting 30 per cent of nations working population which represents 40 million participants into the scheme by 2020.

He noted that the Micro pension guideline was designed in such a simple and flexible manner so as to accommodate more participants.

He equally opined that Micro

pension recorded fast growth though was marred by registration challenges.

He called on the media to step up awareness through their reportage.

Speaking further, Aghahowa stated that registration has however been challenged due to low financial literacy, because a lot of Nigerians at the low income level still do not understand the benefits of pension and as such often mistake the scheme as scam.

Other challenges highlighted by the head of communication, are low National Identity Number (NIN), which is one of the criteria for registration; low awareness about the scheme and inadequate technology platform to support the registration process.

Tackling these challenges, the commission has embarked on a campaign across the traditional, social and digital media, engaging with union, associations, professional bodies and Non Governmental Organizations, says Aghahowa.

“Though NIN has slowed down the process of micro pension registration, PenCom has however collaborated with the DescriptionNational Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to ensure that participants get their numbers on time to fast track registration.

“The commission is working on having its own USSD code to ease payment of pension contribution for enrollees,” he added.

RSA Transfer Window Opens June 2020 -Official From Ngozi Onyeakus, Lagos

R

etirees and active pension contributors under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) may have course to rejoice as the National Pension Commission (PenCom) and the Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp) have assured that the Retirees Savings Account (RSA) transfer window will be unveiled by June next year.

Briefing the journalists at the PenOp Annual media seminar

in Lagos today, the Managing Director, UBA Pension Custodian, Bayo Yusuf said PenOp and PenCom has been working tirelessly in the last few weeks to ensure that the long awaited transfer window is opened.

RSA Transfer Window, a mechanism that allows contributors and retirees to move their Retirement Savings Account (RSA) to another PFA of their choice, in accordance with the Commission’s directives as enshrined in Section 13 and Section 106 subsection 1 to 4 of the Pension Reform Act 2004 as

repealed by PRA 2014.

Giving insight on this, the Head, Corporate Communications, PenCom, Peter Aghahowa said though the June 2020 date for unveiling of the window remained a tentative one but assured that it should not be from the said date.

Speaking on the growth of the industry, the President of PenOp, Mrs Ronke Adedeji assured that CPS has recorded N9.7 trillion since 15 years of inception.

“However, we are not yet where we want to be. We need to address the issue of transfer window and

the slow registration of NIN, but we are making progress in that aspect.

“In recent time we have been experiencing slow pace of growth of the industry and the reason is not far fetched.

“In terms of the state of the Nigerian economy, we have increase in unemployment rate which is a threat to the growth of the industry,” she added.

Adedeji however said the solid structure that the industry has put in place has continued to yield results despite the challenges facing the Nigerian economy

Students of JSS Jikwoyi in FCT entertaining guest with song and poetry, during the National Environmental Standard and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), 13th National Stakeholders Forum, recently in Abuja.

Photo: Justin ImoOwo

Purple Hands floats N4M revolving loan for FCT rural women

By Stanley Onyekwere

P

urple Hands Empowerment initiatives, an Abuja-based Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), has launched a N4m revolving loan scheme for rural women grouped into four cooperatives.

It was gathered that no fewer than 80 women in Igu community, a rural area in Bwari Area Council of the FCT. According to the NGO, the women were sensitised, which qualified them to benefit from the revolving loan scheme of the organisation.

Speaking at the presentation of

cheques to the beneficiaries in Abuja at the weekend, founder of the NGO, Brenda Max-Nduaguibe, explained that the loan scheme to the women is an interest-free, payable at the end of six weeks.

Nduaguibe, who is also the Chief executive officer of Purple Hands added that the women have been groomed and sensitized in cooperative governance and financial book keeping, which enables them take care of the money they receive from the organisation.

Explaining that the NGO started in 2016 was conceived by the need to support indigent women grow their businesses, urged well-meaning individuals and

organisations to back her up, in the quest to reduce poverty especially among women and youth.

“The women are into cooperative socities and the loan is interest-free. When they are given N10, 000 they pay back in six weeks. So, in every meeting day they contribute certain amount of money.

“That is why we are partnering with Microfinance bank that will sit down with them and design the most convenient way for them to pay back.

“The initiative is to uplift women above poverty line through partnership and technical support to provide start up kits for them,” she stressed.

She stated that the organisation is also working towards taking the revolving loan scheme to other communities in the FCT to enable more rural women in the territory benefit from the scheme.

One of the beneficiaries from the community, Mrs. Ike Justina, said that herself and other members of her group have benefitted from the sensitization and training of the organisation, especially on how to manage businesses.

According to her, the revolving loan scheme would enable her and others to improve on their businesses that would help their immediate family, the Igu community and others.

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

Page 22

world news

N international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

Hong Kong protests: Rule of law on ‘brink of collapse’, police say

H

ong Kong’s rule of law has been pushed to the “brink of total collapse” after more than five months of protests, police have warned.

The warning came a day after the territory saw a marked escalation in violence, with police shooting one activist in the torso.

A pro-Beijing supporter was later set on fire by anti-government protesters.

Protesters continued to clash with police on Tuesday in the central business district and at universities.

According to news agency AFP, hundreds of masked protesters were seen throwing bricks and other objects, while police used tear gas to force them back.

But there were also thousands of office workers out on the streets, peacefully chanting: “Fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong!”

The protests started in June against a now-withdrawn plan to allow extradition to mainland China, but have since morphed into wider demonstrations, with activists demanding greater democracy and police accountability in Hong Kong.

On Tuesday afternoon, police spokesman Kong Wing-cheung hit out at the protesters, saying they had “countless examples of rioters using random and indiscriminate violence against innocent” people.

“Hong Kong’s rule of law has been pushed to the brink of total collapse as masked rioters recklessly escalate their violence under the hope that they can get away with it,” he told reporters, adding that Monday’s attack on the pro-Beijing supporter was being investigated as attempted murder.

Speaking at the same conference, Supt Li Kwai-wah defended the officer’s decision to shoot the protester on Monday.

“We found out that our colleague did not only face threat from one person, instead it was a group of people with an organised plan attempting to steal the gun,” he said.

“In a situation like this, we believe our police are reacting according to the guideline, to protect themselves as well as the people around them.”

Both the protester and the proBeijing supporter remain in hospital, with the latter in a critical condition.

What happened on Tuesday?

Clashes erupted at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, with police firing tear gas to disperse students, while at City University there was standoff between students and riot police which continued throughout the day.

Police continued to use tear gas to try to disperse the protesters.

Students at Hong Kong’s Chinese University fought with police throughout the day Students built roadblocks on streets in and around City University campus to stop police from entering.

At one stage, a van used as part of a street barricade was set on fire.

In the morning, suspended railway services and road closures had already led to long traffic jams in

Protesters continued to clash with police across the city on Tuesday

Students at Hong Kong Polytechnic also tried to disrupt traffic near their campus. the early rush hour.

At noon, protesters moved into the city’s central business district for a flash mob protest.

Dozens of local and international schools across Hong Kong said they would close on Tuesday with some

telling parents on text messages it was due to safety concerns.

Speaking on Tuesday morning, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said despite the unrest, there would be no blanket suspension of all schools.

A Christmas tree inside Festival

Protesters set up roadblocks near the City University of Hong Kong Walk shopping mall was set on fire.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption At Festival Walk shopping mall, a Christmas tree was set on fire What happened on Monday?

Protesters had called for a day of city-wide disruption. Early in the day a protester was shot at close range by a police office near a roadblock set up by activists.

Elsewhere a man was doused with flammable liquid and set on fire by anti-government protesters after arguing with them.

More than 260 people were arrested on Monday, according to police, bringing the number to more than 3,000 since the protests began in June.

Ms Lam, speaking at a news conference in the evening, called the demonstrators enemies of the people.

The US meanwhile expressed

“grave concern” over the situation in Hong Kong, condemning “violence on all sides” and calling for restraint.

Why are there protests in Hong Kong?

Hong Kong is part of China but as a former British colony it has some autonomy and people have more rights.

The protests started in June against plans to allow extradition to the mainland - which many feared would undermine the city’s freedoms.

The bill was withdrawn in September but demonstrations continued and now call for full democracy and an inquiry into police behaviour.

Clashes between police and activists have become increasingly violent and in October the city banned all face masks.

American Islamic State suspect ‘stranded on Turkey border’

A

US citizen suspected of being an Islamic State militant is stranded on the border between Greece and Turkey, after Turkey expelled

him.

The alleged militant was deported on Monday as Turkey launched a drive to repatriate captured jihadist fighters held in its prisons.

Greek police said they refused him entry when he tried to cross the border near the Greek town of Kastanies.

The man is reported to have spent the night stuck between the two borders.

He has been named by Turkey’s Demiroren News Agency as Muhammed Darwis B and is said to be a US citizen of Jordanian descent.

A Turkish official told AFP news agency that he had refused to be returned to the US and instead asked to be sent to Greece.

On Tuesday he was still stuck on a strip of road between the two countries and witnesses said he had been trying to shout to reporters on the Turkish side.

The fate of foreign IS fighters has been a key question since the defeat of the group in territory it controlled in Syria and Iraq.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has indicated that 2,500 such militants are in prison in Turkey.

Unfinished business since defeat of IS There can be few more graphic illustrations than this of the unfinished business left over from the US-led Coalition’s military campaign to defeat IS. More than 70 countries got together to defeat and dismantle the jihadist caliphate that had terrorised huge swathes of Iraq and Syria. But as with other military campaigns in the Middle East, they failed to plan sufficiently for the aftermath.

Following the final battle against IS at Baghuz in Syria in March, thousands of IS fighters and their dependants were interned in camps. Turkey, which

has been arresting IS members for years, now has around 2,000 of them in its prisons.

Turkey, Iraq and the Kurdish authorities all want Europe and the West to hurry up and take back their citizens but so far governments have been extremely reluctant to do so, partly for fear that prosecutions may fail.

Turkey’s current expulsions now threaten to force them into action.

Who else has Turkey deported?

Turkey’s interior ministry said it had also deported a Dane alleged to be an IS member on Monday. Danish authorities said their citizen had been arrested on arrival in Copenhagen.

Germany said one of its citizens had also been expelled.

Turkey said more than 20 other European suspects, including 11 French citizens, two Irish nationals and several more Germans, are in the process of being repatriated to their countries of origin.

Turkey has long accused Western countries of refusing to take responsibility for citizens who joined Islamic State.

Germany, Denmark and the UK have repeatedly stripped people of citizenship for allegedly joining jihadist groups abroad, in a bid to block their return.

The UK is said to have withdrawn citizenship from more than 100 people - among them the IS recruit Shamima Begum, who left London as a teenager.

On Tuesday UN chief Antonio Guterres called for international co-operation to resolve issues around foreign jihadists, saying it was not up to Syria and Iraq “to solve the problem for everyone”.

The UN has previously said countries should take responsibility for their own citizens unless they are to be prosecuted locally, in accordance with international standards.

Turkey has not confirmed whether those being repatriated were seized in Syria, or in Turkish

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

territory.

Some IS members and their relatives were captured in north-eastern Syria in October, when Turkey launched a cross-border operation against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) there.

At the time, the SDF said it was holding more than 12,000 suspected IS members in seven prisons in the area, at least 4,000 of them foreign nationals.

Relatives of suspected IS militants were also being held at a number of camps for displaced people - the largest of which, al-Hol, housed almost 70,000 people.

How will the repatriations work?

A French foreign ministry source told AFP news agency last week that suspected jihadists were often returned to France from Turkey under a 2014 agreement.

“Jihadists and their families are regularly sent back to France and arrested as they leave the plane.

Most of the time it is done secretly. The news is not published, or released much later,” the source said.

Germany’s interior ministry said this week that “it did not wish to oppose the return of German citizens”.

A German foreign ministry official confirmed that legal proceedings involving at least three men, five women and two children were under way in Turkey.

On Monday a court in the Netherlands ruled that the country should take back the children of Dutch women who joined IS - but not necessarily their mothers.

Some 23 Dutch women and their 56 children are currently being held in detention camps in Syria, AFP reports.

It is unclear whether Turkey will be able to repatriate IS suspects who have had their home citizenships revoked.

Source: BBC

e w s F r o m Branson apologises for South Africa launch tweet

T

he entrepreneur tweeted a photo which was criticised for failing to reflect the diversity of South Africa.

One of the critics is South African fashion designer Thula Sindi, who says: “Where did you find so many white people in South Africa?”

Sir Richard tweeted an apology, saying it “clearly lacked diversity”.

A Virgin Group spokesperson added the image in Sir Richard’s tweet did not reflect “the diverse make-up of attendees” at the launch event.

In the intial tweet, Sir Richard said: “Wonderful to be in South Africa to help launch the new Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship.

We aim to become the heart of entrepreneurship for Southern Africa.”

It sparked a series of responses, including from Mr Sindi - whose designs were worn by South Africa’s minister of communications and telecommunications, Stella Ndabeni-Abraham on the day she was sworn in.

He remarks that it must have “Really taken an honest effort for exclude the majority of the

population which is just as skilled and talented”.

Sir Richard later tweeted: “Apologies. I hope you will take a look at my blog which does far better justice to the amazing work of the Centre and its team.”

In the link to his blog, Sir Richard writes: “We will play a more meaningful role in entrepreneurs’ lives than your average accelerator, supporting companies to not just survive, but thrive, and make business a real force for good in society, for the environment and the economy.”

One individual had told critics they were wrong. “This is one of many pictures, most of which are diverse,” he tweeted.

South Africa’s population of almost 58 million is 80% black African, and Sir Richard writes in his blog that the “economy is dependent on entrepreneurial activity for creating future economic growth and jobs”.

“But the economic contribution to South Africa’s entrepreneurial sector is below the developing country norm. I believe that increasing entrepreneurship in this country is the golden highway to economic democracy,” he adds.

Sir Richard Branson has apologised for a photo he used to mark the launch his new Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship in South Africa.

Mozambique beefs up border police

E

xtra police officers have been deployed to Mozambique’s western border to prevent growing numbers of people entering illegally from Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

“Foreigners should use official border crossing points,” said Tete province’s police spokesman Feliciano de Camara. “Whenever we come across law-breakers, procedures, including repatriation to

their place of origin, will be taken.”

He said beefed up patrols meant that over the last weekend alone, 200 more people than usual were caught trying to illegally enter Tete province.

Many migrants use Mozambique as a transit point on their way to southern Africa’s economic hub, South Africa, for greener pastures.

Those who settle in Mozambique often find work, particularly in the gas, coal and aluminium industries.

Job losses loom at South African Airways

O

ne of Africa’s biggest airlines warns that a fifth of its staff face job losses as the company restructures.

South Africa Airways (SAA), which employs more than 5,000 people, hasn’t made a profit in nearly a decade and survives on government bailouts. It currently has debts of more than $600m (£465m).

Delivering his medium-term budget speech last month Finance Minister Tito Mboweni cast doubt on the company’s future, saying: “SAA is unlikely to ever generate sufficient cash flow to sustain operations in its

current configuration.”

The airline’s top brass has taken that stark warning to heart, and is now attempting to slash costs and ease its cash flow problems.

Some in the public and private sectors are calling for state-owned SAA to be privatised. South Africa’s finance minister supports the idea, and has said the government is open to prospective equity partners.

However, unions say that would threaten their members’ livelihoods, and are vowing a shutdown should jobs be cut.

Source: BBC

Page 23

A

f r i c a

Zimbabwe dollar notes issued for first time in a decade

People were eager to get hold of the new notes

Q

ueues have formed outside banks in Zimbabwe as people hope to get hold of the country’s first Zimbabwe dollar notes to be issued since 2009.

The currency was scrapped a decade ago because of hyperinflation when prices were almost doubling every day.

Zimbabwe’s central bank hopes the new notes will ease a severe cash shortage as the country suffers a deepening economic crisis.

The bank has played down fears that the move will fuel further inflation.

Currently inflation is thought to be about 300%.

This figure is an estimate according to the latest data published by the International Monetary Foundation.

The Zimbabwean government has stopped publishing an official figure itself.

The Reserve Bank of

Zimbabwe insists that the twoand five-Zimbabwe dollar notes will not increase overall money supply. The cash is supposed to replace money that was stored electronically.

Why didn’t Zimbabwe have its own currency?

Since the country scrapped its own currency in 2009, Zimbabweans had relied at various times on US dollars, South African rands, as well as other foreign currencies, an electronic currency called the RTGS dollar, and what are called bond notes.

The banks limited the number of dollars each customer could withdraw In 2016, the government introduced the bond notes and coins, which were supposed to be equivalent to the US dollar, to make up for the dollar cash shortage.

But no-one had faith that they were equivalent in value and, on the black market, bond notes lost

value against the US dollar.

Then in February this year, the government introduced the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) dollar, which was described as a new currency, but only existed electronically.

US dollars and other foreign currencies were banned in June by the central bank, citing the need to return to normality.

The government says the new notes will ease the cash shortage that has seen most people unable to withdraw their pay and savings.

But the BBC’s Shingai Nyoka in Harare says the government has a chequered past with money management and many people remain convinced that a huge cash injection in the middle of an economic crisis will stoke inflation.

Since the reintroduction of the RTGS dollar local currency in February, inflation has soared.

A loaf of bread now costs seven times as much as in January.

Kenyans rage against police brutality after beating video

K

enyans have expressed outrage after a video of police officers beating a student was widely shared online.

Four policemen can be seen hitting him with a stick and stamping on his head, before he is led away.

The four have now been identified and suspended, police chief Hilary Mutyambai has said.

Kenya’s police are often accused of brutality, although the authorities usually deny such charges, saying their officers are highly trained.

Human Rights Watch said that during the 2017 election campaign, police officers beat and killed opposition supporters.

The incident on Monday that was captured on video was filmed during a protest at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, close to the capital, Nairobi.

The police had been deployed there after students held a demonstration against rising insecurity.

The film of the beating has

The video, filmed from a high-rise building, shows officers beating a student been widely shared on Twitter, met with excessive force every time with people using the hashtag they come out to protest,” Muthuri Kathure wrote. #StopPoliceBrutality.

Announcing the identification ‘Thanks for making it viral’ “We must condemn police and suspension of the police officers brutality on students. I mean for involved, the police chief commended God’s sake this is just a student not “the individual who had the presence of mind to record the incident and a terrorist,” Ispan Kimutai tweeted.

“We must also ask ourselves [I] thank all Kenyans who made it go why university students have to be viral”.

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n Israeli air strike has killed a senior commander of the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza.

Baha Abu al-Ata died along with his wife when a missile hit their home, the group said. Four of their children and a neighbour were reportedly injured.

Israel’s prime minister said Abu al-Ata was a “ticking bomb” who was planning to carry out attacks on the country.

At least 150 rockets have been fired at Israel from Gaza since the killing, which PIJ has vowed to avenge.

Seventeen Israelis have been lightly wounded in rocket attacks across the south, according to the Barzilai Medical Center in the city of Ashkelon.

Medics said an eight-year-old girl was also in a serious condition after collapsing as her family rushed towards a bomb shelter when an air raid siren sounded in Holon, south of Tel Aviv.

Around the same time as the attack on Abu al-Ata, two people were killed and 10 injured in an Israeli air strike on the home of another Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader in the Syrian capital, Damascus, Syria’s state news agency Sana said.

Syrian media said another Israeli air strike targeted the home of a PIJ leader in Damascus Sana cited a military source as saying the PIJ leader, Akram al-Ajouri, was not harmed, but that his son was among the dead.

Israel’s military did not comment.

PIJ, which is backed by Iran, has its headquarters in Damascus and is one of the strongest militant groups in Gaza.

F

r o m

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PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

Israel kills top Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant in Gaza

Palestinian Islamic Jihad has vowed to avenge Baha Abu alAta’s death Benjamin Netanyahu called Abu What happened in Gaza?

An Israeli warplane fired a al-Ata an “arch-terrorist” and missile at a residential building in said he was “the main instigator the eastern Shejaiya area of Gaza of terrorism from the Gaza Strip”.

“He initiated, planned and before dawn on Tuesday, causing an explosion that could be heard carried out many terrorist attacks. from kilometres away. The missile He fired hundreds of rockets at hit the third floor, killing Abu al- communities in the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip, whose suffering Ata and his wife.

The Israeli military said it we have seen,” he told a news carried out a “surgical strike” on conference in Tel Aviv. “He was in the midst of planning additional Baha Abu al-Ata’s home A PIJ statement confirming attacks in the immediate short Abu al-Ata’s death said he term. He was a ticking bomb.”

The Chief of Staff of the Israel was its commander in Gaza’s northern region and that he was Defense Forces (IDF), Lt Gen undertaking “a heroic jihadist Aviv Kochavi, said Abu al-Ata had undermined recent efforts to action”.

Israeli Prime Minister broker a ceasefire between Israel

and the militant group Hamas, which runs Gaza and is considered a rival to PIJ. Mr Netanyahu warned there could be a protracted period of tension with militants in Gaza.

“Israel is not interested in escalation, but will do everything necessary to defend ourselves,” he said. “And I say in advance: This could take time. Patience and composure are required.”

Baha Abu al-Ata came to prominence in Gaza this year, commanding fighters of Islamic Jihad’s al-Quds Brigade in the north and east of the strip.

But he acted increasingly outside of the control of the dominant militant faction Hamas, ordering rocket attacks seemingly without approval after Israeli soldiers shot and injured dozens of Palestinians during regular protests at the perimeter fence earlier this month.

A Palestinian TV presenter even warned on-air recently that his actions might see the Israelis trying to kill him.

A serious escalation in hostilities is now likely, despite Israel’s efforts to signal to Hamas that it has not returned to a wider strategy of so-called targeted killings.

How have Palestinian militants responded?

At Abu al-Ata’s funeral, senior PIJ official Khaled al-Batsh said Israel had “executed two coordinated attacks - in Syria and in Gaza - in a declaration of war”.

PIJ vowed that its retaliation would “rock the Zionist entity”.

Hamas said Israel bore

“full responsibility for the consequences of this escalation”.

It warned that the killing of Abu al-Ata would “not pass without punishment”.

Following the air strike, rockets were fired from Gaza towards Israeli territory. Some were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome air defence system, the IDF said.

Air raid sirens sounded across parts of southern and central Israel, including Holon and Modiin, which are more than 50km (30 miles) from the border with Gaza.

A factory in Sderot was hit, sparking a large blaze, along with two houses in Netivot and Eshkol Regional Council, Israeli media reported.

After several hours, the IDF said it had begun retaliatory strikes on PIJ targets in Gaza, hitting a training compound and underground sites used for the manufacturing and storage of ammunition.

Israeli aircraft also targeted PIJ rocket-launching units in two separate strikes, according to the IDF. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reported that three Palestinian men were killed in northern Gaza.

The European Union called for an immediate end to the firing of rockets on civilian populations which it said was totally unacceptable, and said it supported Egyptian efforts to broker “a rapid and complete deescalation”.

Source: BBC

Iraq protests: UN and US call for reforms to help end unrest

T

he UN and US have urged the Iraqi government to stop using violence against protesters, pass electoral reforms and hold early elections.

Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have taken to the streets since 1 October to demand more jobs, an end to corruption, and better public services.

At least 319 people have been killed at the protests, where security forces have fired live rounds and tear gas.

Iraq’s leaders have vowed to

hold to account anyone using excessive force.

But the UN called for swift prosecutions.

After a meeting in Baghdad on Sunday, Iraqi President Barham Saleh, Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi and Supreme Judicial Council head Fayek Zaydan stressed that the protests were legitimate.

They also said they agreed on the need for “radical reform” and were preparing for a national

dialogue to “review the ruling system and the constitution”.

More than a dozen people have been killed in recent days as security forces have sought to clear protest sites in the capital, Baghdad, and in the southern cities of Basra and Nasiriya.

Overnight, four protesters died in clashes outside the education directorate in Nasiriya, the semiofficial Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights reported.

The UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (Unami) warned on Sunday

Syrian media said another Israeli air strike targeted the home of a PIJ leader in Damascus

that an accumulation of frustrations about the lack of progress in Iraq since the US-led invasion in 2003 was “clearly perceptible”, and that with the rising numbers of deaths “a climate of anger and fear” had set in.

“The Iraqi people cannot afford to be held back by the past nor by partisan interests. Rising hope asks for a leap forward,” it added.

“Meanwhile, the risk of ‘spoilers’ hijacking peaceful demonstrations is increasing and potentially derailing any attempt at genuine change.

“Time is therefore of the essence, as are tangible results.”

The mission called on Iraqi politicians to take a series of measures to help end the crisis.

The immediate steps were: • Releasing all peaceful demonstrators detained over the past six weeks • Initiating full investigations into cases of abduction • Prosecuting those responsible for the excessive use of force and other violent acts • Calling on all regional and international parties not to interfere in Iraq’s internal affairs The short-term measures, to be taken within two weeks, included: • Submitting a new electoral law to parliament • Implementing an executive order prohibiting any weapons outside state control

• A public declaration by the “political elite” of all their assets UN special representative Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert discussed the proposals with Iraq’s most influential Shia Muslim cleric in Najaf, south of Baghdad, on Monday.

She cited Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani as saying that he “supports the conduct of serious reforms in a reasonable period of time” but is concerned that “political forces are not serious enough to carry out these reforms”.

The White House also said it was seriously concerned by the deaths of protesters.

“Despite being targeted with lethal violence and denied access to the internet, the Iraqi people have made their voices heard, calling for elections and election reforms,” a statement said.

“The United States joins the UN Assistance Mission to Iraq in calling on the Iraqi government to halt the violence against protesters and fulfil President Saleh’s promise to pass electoral reform and hold early elections.”

Neither the US nor the UN mentioned one of the protesters’ key demands, which is for the resignation of the prime minister.

Mr Abdul Mahdi has said he is willing to step down once the main blocs in parliament can agree on a replacement.

Source: BBC

P roperty

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

Page 25

The Honourable Minsiter of Works and Housing making his remarks at the 70th Session of the Trans Sahara Road Liaison Committee (TRLC) meeting.

FG conducting census to determine housing deficit -Fashola

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

T

he tMinister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has said federal government is currently carrying out a census to determine the accurate housing deficit in Nigeria.

Fashola, who stated this at the 8th meeting of the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development recently in Abuja, said it would be better to have an idea of a more accurate housing deficit in Nigeria than to continue speculating.

“The ministry is conducting its census now to get an accurate figure of the housing deficit in Nigeria. This is in order to tackle the gaps that exist,” the minister told delegates from

the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory.

Fashola stated that in tackling this gap, there would be employment, access to various opportunities, additional life enhancing activities, etc.

He said the move would also boost the Federal Government’s drive to lift millions of citizens in Nigeria out of poverty.

“If all these strategies that we are carrying out for the development of the housing sector and consumer credit are implemented successfully, more than 100 million people will be lifted out of poverty,” the minister stated.

To achieve this, Fashola said every stakeholder in the sector must work together, as he stressed that the delay in the execution

Trans Sahara highways reconstruction 80% complete -Fashola

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

T

he Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has disclosed that the reconstruction of the major highways that link Nigeria’s borders with the six member states of the Trans Sahara Road namely,Chad, Niger, Tunisia, Mali and Algeria is 80% asphalted.

Fashola made the disclosure at the opening ceremony of the 70th session and meeting of the Trans Sahara Road Liaison Committee (TRLC) which Nigeria is hosting in Abuja.

This was contained in a statement press signed

by Stephen Kilebi Deputy Director Press said the objective of the meeting of the TRLC member countries was to discuss and share knowledge on how to improve African connectivity, integration and trade.

Fashola noted that the over 9000 kms Trans Sahara Road Which serves about 37 regions in Africa and connects about 74 urban cities and 60 million people across six countries if completed would create immense opportunities in Agriculture, information technology and the fashion industry among others, adding that most of the roads that were plied by horses and carmels are presently motorable.

According to the Minister, “Now if you appreciate that these roads, roads of horses and camels are now the roads of vehicles and trucks, you can imagine the opportunities that lie ahead as we converge here.”

He further noted that Nigeria is part of the large urban network of opportunity as the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Trans Sahara Road would intensify cultural and economic exchange of goods and services across the African region.

Accordingly, the Minister also stated that the reconstruction of these major roads are due to their busy nature, adding that heavy duty trucks of about 5000 in number ply these roads on a regular basis.

He listed some roads in the trans sharan route such as: the Abuja- Kaduna- Kano , Lagos - Ibadan-Ilorin-Jebba among others which are at different stages of completion.

In an address by the President of the Muhammadu Buhari delivered by his representative, the Minister of Police Affairs Alhaji Mohammed Dingyadi,the Mr.President reiterated the committment of his administration to introduce change in Nigeria geared towards a sustainable and quality infrastructure development to drive economic development and job creation.

He explained that provision of road infrastructure was meant to increase Nigeria’s trunks of roads to ease the cost and time of doing business and improve economic competiveness in Nigeria’s Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP).

The President, however, maintained that his administration “shares the vision of the Trans Sahara Road Liaison Committee to develop the section of the Trans Sahara road within their respective territories.”

The President also charged the delegates attending the meeting to remain committed to the prompt delivery of the crucial development of road transport infrastructure for the benefit of the people in member states.

He added that the member countries of the Trans Sahara and Committee have the task to build excellent relationship that would stimulate trade in the region.

of any approved project could lead to denied opportunities.

He urged directors and senior management employees of the FMWH and agencies under the ministry to carry out their functions diligently.

For individuals who seek housing loans from the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, the minister urged them to go through cooperatives, as he noted that the bank had been working with various cooperatives.

“If cooperatives can get lands and register themselves, then the government through FMBN can give them loans to build,” he stated.

On other policies and programmes of the ministry geared towards lifting millions of people out of poverty, the minister said the FMWH had issued 3,000 backlog of certificates

of occupancy and 1,708 consent to land transactions.

“These instruments strengthen and support access to credit and also contribute to improving value of land by 30 to 40 per cent,” Fashola stated.

He also noted that this asset value appreciation served as a contribution towards the prosperity ladder.

Meanwhile,the Chairman of Senate Committee on Housing, Senator Sam Egwu said the responsibility of any Government was to provide affordable houses for its citizens.

“We at the National Assembly will provide the legislative support to move the housing sector forward. We are ready to work on any bill sent to us,”.

Easy guide to building a low-cost house in Nigeria

W

ith the fast rising cost of owning a house in Nigeria, you are probably on the lookout for an alternative low-cost house that helps you become a homeowner without drilling a gaping hole in your pocket.

Architects have maintained that a growing population of people are opting for building their own homes as opposed to buying a property.

This explains why you would rather go for the option of building a low-cost house as opposed to buying one that has already been built.

Building a low-cost house in Nigeria requires an extra careful planning. There are certain elements that you must factor into your building plans if you intend to build a house successfully.

This easy guide we have put together will help you build a perfect house with a manageable budget.

The budget is arguably the most important factor you put into consideration when you are building a low-cost house. The idea here is to save as much money as possible so you have to decide precisely how much you plan to spend on the house. Coming up with the budget is one part of the equation. Sticking to the budget is another.

If you do not come up with a budget, then you might be doomed to fail. Regardless of the amount of money you have saved up, you need to consider your following: The House What kind of house are you trying to build?

A bungalow or a 5-bedroom duplex? You need this to determine what building materials you will buy as well as the quantity.

Research Find out precisely what you need to build the house. Are you going to need 50 trucks of granite or 30? How many bags of cement are you going to need to complete the house?

Additional Fees The fact that the price of a plot of land has been set at N8 million doesn’t mean that’s all you’re going to pay. There are always additional charges here in Nigeria. Additional fees that come with building a house in Nigeria include: A). Survey Plan: This rests largely on the location of the land and is usually between N150,000 and N300,000.

B). Legal Fee: This is usually 5% of what the land costs C). Agency Fee: This is also 5% of what the land costs D). Cost of Signing Documents: The officials in Lagos State in charge of this have a strange tradition of making you pay to get your documents. In other states in Nigeria, this is not applicable.

E). Cost of Securing Your Documents: Before you perfect your documents like your C of O at the Land Registry, you’ll be required to pay a fee.

Location Location means everything when you are building a low-cost house. The cost of building a 4-bedroom duplex in Lagos is not the same as building the same structure in Oyo State or Ogun State. Lagos will definitely cost you more considering the cost of the following – Cost of acquiring land, cost of building materials, cost of labour and cost of furniture.

Lagos is a commercial hub and building a house is not cheap but there are neighborhoods that are more cost friendly than others. For instance, if you are building on a budget, neighborhoods like Ikoyi, Lekki, Victoria Island and Ikeja might not be the wisest places to build a house in. However, the likes of Ikorodu, Agege, Abule Egba, Akute and Ipaja are more cost friendly.

Credit: Private Property

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesday, November 13, 2019

26

feature

CLASSIFIED

Why being kind could help you live longer W hat can kindness do for you? Give you a warm glow perhaps, or a feeling of well-being? While that may be true, scientists and academics at a new research centre say it can do much more - it can extend your life.

The staff at UCLA’s Bedari Kindness institute are ready for the jokes.

“We look at the scientific point of view.

We aren’t sitting around in circles, holding hands. We’re talking about the psychology, the biology, of positive social interactions,” says Daniel Fessler, the institute’s inaugural director.

The notion of kindness has made headlines recently.

It was a key part of former president Barack Obama’s eulogy of veteran US Democrat Elijah Cummings, following his death last month.

“Being a strong man includes being kind. There’s nothing weak about kindness and compassion,” he said. “There’s nothing weak about looking out for others. You’re not a sucker to have integrity and to treat others with respect.”

And then there was Ellen DeGeneres calling for kindness when speaking about her surprising to some friendship with George W Bush: “When I say, ‘Be kind to one another,’ I don’t mean only the people that think the same way that you do. I mean be kind to everyone. It doesn’t matter.’”

Ahead of World Kindness Day this week, what does it actually mean to be kind - and why is it important?

This is what the experts want to examine. And they are deadly serious about it. After all, it could be a matter of life and death, they say.

Mr Fessler’s work has looked at how people can be motivated to be kind simply by witnessing acts of kindness - and working out who is affected by this “contagious kindness”.

“I think it’s fair to say we live in an unkind age right now,” he says. “Both domestically in the United States and around the world, what we are seeing is increasing conflict between individuals who hold different political views or belong to different religions.”

Kindness, he says, is “the thoughts, feelings and beliefs associated with actions intending to benefit others, where benefiting others is an end in itself, not a means to an end”.

And unkindness, on the other hand, is “intolerant beliefs, the lack of valuation of others’ welfare”.

It’s something familiar to anyone who’s experienced trolling on social media.

While the practice is “nothing new”, Mr Fessler says “people are more likely to be aggressive, less likely to value others’ concerns and welfare, the more anonymous they are”.

The institute was founded thanks to a $20m (£16m) grant from the Bedari Foundation, set up by philanthropists Jennifer and Matthew Harris.

Based in UCLA’s social sciences department, it aims to help both members of the public and also to inspire leaders.

Mr Harris says research was needed “to understand why kindness can be so scarce in this modern world” and to “bridge the divide between science and spirituality”.

Some of the projects at the institute include: • Anthropologists examining how kindness spreads between people

Asian car makers lead the hydrogen car market

Darnell Hunt, left, and Daniel Fessler • Sociologists analysing how those who behave unkindly could be persuaded to be kind • Psychologists researching how kindness can improve mood and reduce depression symptoms Darnell Hunt, left, and Daniel Fessler It is also providing students with mindfulness training, and those in underserved Los Angeles communities.

Mr Fessler says that it’s known that bad stress - the kind where you can’t do anything about a challenging situation, as opposed to the “good” stress from challenging but satisfying activities, like rock climbing - is bad for you.

“Living with people who treat you, at best, with disregard or a lack of concern, and at worst with open hostility, is bad for you. It shortens your life, quite literally,” he

says.

“Conversely, both receiving kindness from others, and providing kindness, both of those things are the antithesis of this toxic stress situation. And they’re good for you.”

Even seemingly trivial interactions, like a barista at a coffee shop smiling and asking how you are, can improve people’s wellbeing.

“Engaging in kindness, contemplating how you can be kind to others, lowers blood pressure. It has therapeutic benefits,” he says. “There are benefits for treating depression and anxiety.”

‘Urgent message’ Columbia University doctor Kelli Harding has been examining the phenomenon in her recent book, The

“

Kindness, he says, is “the thoughts, feelings and beliefs associated with actions intending to benefit others, where benefiting others is an end in itself, not a means to an end”. And unkindness, on the other hand, is “intolerant beliefs, the lack of valuation of others’ welfare”. It’s something familiar to anyone who’s experienced trolling on social media. While the practice is “nothing new”, Mr Fessler says “people are more likely to be aggressive, less likely to value others’ concerns and welfare, the more anonymous they are”.

The institute was founded thanks to a $20m (£16m) grant from the Bedari Foundation, set up by philanthropists Jennifer and Matthew Harris.

PAGE 27

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

Rabbit Effect.

She says: “It helps the immune system, blood pressure, it helps people to live longer and better. It’s pretty amazing because there’s an ample supply and you can’t overdose on it. There’s a free supply.

It’s right there.”

Explaining the title of her book, she says: “I heard about this study of rabbits, back in the 1970s. One set had better outcomes and they wanted to find out what was going on. It turned out the rabbits doing better were under the care of one really kind researcher.

“As a doctor, I was absolutely shocked.

It felt like there was an urgent message.”

Kindness, she says, can “turn a lot around and help people navigate things in their world”.

Dr Harding says it can be easier to be kind to others, rather than ourselves It’s often easier to be kind to others than to ourselves, she says.

“There are so many ways to foster kindness to ourselves and to others. In the workplace, at school and at home, being compassionate leads to better outcomes,” she says. “In medicine, the technology may be getting better but you can never replicate the kindness of a supportive caregiver. The connection between mental health and physical health is so critical.”

Tips for living a kinder life From kindness expert Gabriella Van Rij 1. Truly start listening to others (instead of already formulating the answer in your head) 2. Answer rudeness with kindness (think of someone being extremely snippy to you, then say in a friendly tone “did you have a hard day?”. You will have already diffused the moment) 3. Include someone who is on the sidelines. By doing this, you have valued them - it’s dehumanising to go through life unnoticed, unwanted and unloved 4. Action/reaction.

Understand when there is unkindness, it is not about you. When you are triggered, take a deep breath and step back Darnell Hunt, dean of the UCLA social sciences division, said he wanted the institute to be an antidote “in the midst of current world politics, violence and strife”, that is “rooted in serious academic work”.

“I think we’re living in a time where there’s a direct need to step back and explore the things that make us human and that have the potential to lead to more humane societies,” he says. “We are living in a moment of political polarisation in the United States and elsewhere, with increased urbanisation leading to less direct interactions between people.”

When people see kind acts, they are inspired to replicate those acts, he says - but we are still trying to understand the mechanisms of kindness.

“It’s not a case of us being here in an ivory tower. We want to translate this research into how people in the real world can use this to create policy and make a difference.”

This “historical moment is the right time to do this”, he says.

“We are in one of the most diverse states in a diverse country. A lot of problems in LA echo problems elsewhere in the world.

If you can solve them here, we can see what can be done around the world.”

Source: BBC

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THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Bereni Dinma Fiberesima (chairman) 2. Minena Dinma Fiberesima 3. Soala fubara Lawrence Jumbo (secretary) 4. Tonye Soba Jumbo 5. Ngowari Diminas 6. Idua Edward Olunwa 7. Ibuomi Abibo

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. OHANYERE THERESA EKWUTOSI 2. NWEDO-NZERIBE GENEVIEVE OSY 3. EMERONYE PERPETUA EZIOMA 4. ANUDOKEM UGOMMA EMILIA 5. OJADI VIVIEN OGOCHUKWU 6. ANYANWU RUTHCOLLET NGOZI 7. OBI HELEN CHIKA 8. MBEREKPE MARYANN IFY 9. OPUTA ANGELA CHINYERE 10. VIVIAN CHINYERE MADUH

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To encourage youths and provide for underprivileged children in the city of portharcourt.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

PATHFINDER WOMEN INITIATIVE

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART 'C' OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. MRS. EUNICE OLUFUNKE AYANFE OLORUNFEMI. - CHairman 2. MR. FESTUS BAYONLE OLUWADERO. - Secretary.

3. MRS. COMFORT YETUNDE DARAMOLA THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. To create an environment where women are equipped to reach their full potentials for self-sustainance through the creation of economic empowermentñ projects.

2. To educate and re-orientate women for a better purposeful driven life style in the society.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

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PUBLIC NOTICE HAGALSTINE TIS-LOH FOUNDATION THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART 'C' OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Christopher Hagalstine Bot, 2. Ayuba Macham James, 3. Yilji David Nenfwang, 4. Andrew Yilnaan Mangbok

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : TUNDE OGUNDIJO NOVEL 'N' NOBLE CHAMBERS 08128033123 ABUJA.

Any objection therefore should be addressed to the Registrar-general Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, P.M.B 198, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication

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-CHAIRPERSON -SECRETARY: -MEMBER -MEMBER -MEMBER -MEMBER -MEMBER -MEMBER -MEMBER -MEMBER

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. To provide forum for building ties, encouraging interaction and fostering unity among alumnae, present students, staff and management of our alma mater.

2. To build robust, mutually beneficial and enduring relationships among members.

3. To build a formidable network for members’ development, sharing knowledge, information, skills, insights, and cross fertilization of ideas and wealth creation opportunities.

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PUBLIC NOTICE

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. To help protect the rights of the indigent 2. To promote Equality 3. To promote innovations that will help in solving justice issues 4. To promote a more robust and localized community based justice system 5. To promote Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism in resolving legal issues amongst communities.

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PUBLIC NOTICE

FIRE OF GOD ASSEMBLY THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART 'C' OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : (1) OKODUWA BEATRICE (2) OKODUWA JEFFREY OSELENOMEN (3) OKODUWA RAPHEL. THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1. Propagation of the Christian faith and promotion of the spiritual welfare of members.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : PRESIDENT

PUBLIC NOTICE

THE TRIUMPHANT BELIEVERS’ ASSEMBLY

EBONYI YOUTH PROGRESSIVE ASSOCIATION -EDO BASE

The above named Church has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C.) for registration in accordance with the provisions of the Companies and Allied Matter Act. 1990.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC) FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART "C" OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

The Trustees are: 1. REV. RICHARD NOSA IMARHIAGBE 2. REV. (MRS.) EXCEL ELLA IMARHIAGBE 3. MRS. ESOHE CHAYIL EBIAGHIAN 4. MRS. ELIZABETH ABIEMWENSE DELE-OGBEIDE 5. MR. JEPH ALEXANDER IMARHIAGBE The Aims And Objectives 1. Proclaiming and spreading the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to the World.

2. To establish and maintain churches, fellowship centres and missions in and outside Nigeria.

3. To training and ordain Ministers for the purpose of spreading the Gospel.

4. To print, publish, broadcast the Gospel and distribute Christian literature.

Any objection therefore should be addressed to the RegistrarGeneral Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, P.M.B. 198, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED : Omonuwa Ogiemudia Esq. Solicitor.

TRUSTEES: 1. EKEBE ZERIBE -- PRESIDENT 2. UWANCHOR OKWUCHUKWU -- VICE PRESIDENT 3. OGINYI ISRAEL RENE - SECRETARY 4. ODOM KINGSLEY NWIGBO - TREASURER AIMS/OBJECTIVES 1. TO EMPOWER FOR MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION 2. TO BUILD CAPACITY IN MEMBERS THROUGH SKILL ACQUISITION. 3. TO TEACH, EMPOWER ENTREPRENEURS TOWARDS ADDRESSING FUTURE CHALLENGES IN BUSINESS. 4. TO INCULCATE THE SPIRIT OF LOVE, PEACE, UNITY, AND PATRIOTISM AMONG MEMBERS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION, SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA, WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. Signed: Secretary

PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

CLASSIFIED PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

The power in the name of Jesus ministry international

Mother of Jesus Academy for the poor international

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. DR. FRANCISCA NONYELUM TOCHUKWU ANOJULU (chairperson) 2. MR. JOSEPH NNAMDI ANOJULU

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. DR. FRANCiSCA NONYELUM TOCHUKWU ANOJULU (chairperson) 2. JOSEPH NNAMDI ANOJULU (secretary) 3. FRANCIS MMADUKA OKONKWO (member) .

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1. To preach the word of God 2. To minister to the needy.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. To provide free education to the less privileged 2. To promote social welfare for the less privileged 3. To provide succour to the needy.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Loss of document

ASSOCIATION OF BUREAUX DE CHANGE OPERATORS OF NIGERIA(ABCON) CAC/IT/NO. 9960.

SCIENCE IGNITE AFRICA INITIATIVE This is to inform the general public of the loss of original Certificate of Occupany (C of O) No. 00016540 Registered as 62/62/407 in the Lands Registry at Abeokuta deposited with Union Bank of Nigeria Plc as security for a credit facility.

All efforts made to trace the said document proved abortive. If found, kindly return to the nearest police station or Union Bank of Nigeria Plc. The general public should please take note.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAME ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REMOVAL AND ADDITION OF TRUSTEES UNDER PART "C" OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTER ACT, 2004.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. ALH. ISA LADU ........ REMOVED 2. ALH. ABDULWAHAB YUSUF ........ RETAINED 3. MR. NCHEKWUBE OKEKE ....... RETAINED 4. ALH. SHEHU ANKA....... RETAINED 5. ALH. AUWAL IBRAHIM ........ RETAINED 6. ALH. IBRAHIM UMAR...... RETAINED. 7. ALH. MALA MOHAMMED NJITI...... APPOINTED AIMS AND OBJECTIVES STILL REMAIN THE SAME. ANY OBJECTION TO THE REMOVAL SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRARGENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, PMB 198, GARKI, ABUJA.WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: PAUL EKWUEME, ESQ, PETPHIL & ASSOCIATES (EXCEL CHAMBERS) SUIT, 317 LOZUMBA COMMERCIAL COMPLEX AREA 10, GARKI, ABUJA. 08034102130.

Adamu I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS Adamu Daniel. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS Adamu Daniel Vongbut. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE. uzairu I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS samira Abubakar. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS uzairu samira sheikh Abdulrahman. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

Sports

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sports@peoplesdailyng.com, SMS- 08142929046

Wednesay November 13, 2019

Minister launches “DEEL” to alleviate challenges of Nigerian youths

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

adebukola I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS adebukola jumoke lawal.

NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS adebukola jumoke akande. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE. mrs glory I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS glory sabastian udo. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS mrs glory nickson elijah. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED, University of ibadan and GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

mrs khadijah I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS khadijah abubakar kafinhausa and khadijah abubakar sadeeq. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS mrs khadijah mohammed lawal.

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Musa I formerly known as Musa Abdullahi now wish to be addressed as Musa Abdullahi Abba, all former documents remained valid, concerned authorities and the general public to take note please.

ENIOLA I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS OLAIYA BALIKISU. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS ENIOLA DANIEL ABOLAJI. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE. YAHAYA I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS YAHAYA ISAH. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS YAHAYA MUSA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare with youth corpers

By Albert Akota

M

This space is for sale

inister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare yesterday in Abuja launched “a New DEEL” for the Nigerian Youth at the celebration of African Youth Day 2019 where the initiative to position Nigeria’s youth population for contemporary challenges was unveiled.

The Minister told the gathering of youth at the event that DEEL will equip about 500,000 Youth with digital skills- basic, intermediate and advance skills in the areas of web design and management, software training, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, App development, mobile device repairs, Artificial intelligence, coding and Data processing.

He said “President Muhammadu Buhari’s new DEEL for Nigerian youth connects with the African Union’s theme. What is this new DEEL? D stands for Digital literacy and Skills Acquisition program. E stands for Entrepreneurship. E stands for Employment. L

stands for leadership and mentoring.

“Mr. President’s has a new DEEL for the youth; and it starts today! This month offers a new vista of new beginnings; replete with exciting bouquets of offerings. Whether your interest is Digital Skills, Entrepreneurship, Employment or you are passionate about Leadership, governance and inclusion, there is something for everyone in the new DEEL. The digital revolution offers an unparalleled opportunity to drive a new wave of international economic growth for countries that have hitherto not fully enjoyed the benefits of the global economy.” He explained.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports Development is working with government institutions, private initiatives like Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN) and business organizations to provide training and employment opportunities to youth. United Nations (UN) Compact will collaborate with the ministry on YSIP – Young SDG Innovators Program beginning from March next year.

The Minister disclosed that “We at the Ministry will begin this process through one of our strategic implementation partners Junior Achievement Nigeria as soon as an agreement is delivered to leverage on their 64 digital hubs spread across the country.

The Ministry will also activate its Youth Development Centers across the country for Entrepreneurship Skills training.

“Today, we begin the new DEEL process through the Work Experience Programme (WEP). It is intended to connect in the next one year 5,000 unemployed graduates with employers by placing them in the corporate world on internship capacities for a short period.

We hope that through this window, they will acquire the basic work-place experience that will increase their chances of landing a job. I therefore call on all companies to sign up with us and offer the chance for our youth to smile,” Mr. Dare urged.

He promised that his ministry will address

the challenge of maintaining the relationship and sustain the partnership that are driving the initiative by sustaining an ecosystem of State and non-state actors in each thematic area of the National Youth Policy, which will evolve into the National Youth Policy Implementation Network.

DEEL was unveiled to a positive reception at the African Youth Day with Mrs Maryam Uwais, Special Adviser to the President on Social Investments, affirming her office’s commitment to collaborate with the initiative.

Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen; Minister State for Budget and National Planning, Mr Clement Agba, Minister of State for Science and Technology, Barrister Mohammed Abdullahi; Chairman House Committee on Youth Development, Honourable Yemi Adaramodu; and Chairman House Committee on Sports, Hounarable Olumide Osoba attended the event and expressed their support for the New DEEL.

CAF Confederation Cup: Enugu Rangers, Enyimba get group opponents Page 30

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Nigeria’s Rugby team qualify for 2020 Africa Cup Sevens

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PEOPLES DAILY, Wednesay November 13, 2019

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CAF Confederation Cup: Enugu Rangers, Enyimba get group opponents

By Albert Akota

T

Nigerian Rugby players, the Black Stallions

N

igeria Rugby Sevens Team, the Black Stallions missed qualification for Japan 2020 Olympics, but have earned automatic qualification for next year’s Africa Cup Sevens by finishing eighth in the edition that ended in Johannesburg at the weekend.

The Black Stallions participated in the competition for the first time since 2016 following a ban on Nigeria

by World Rugby in They entered the tournament as the last ranked team (14) and had to face defending champions Zimbabwe (1).

The Stallions were impressive all through the match leading 14-12 at half time. The match ended 2421 in favour of the Zimbabweans but immediately took Nigeria into the championship top 8 spot being the best loser of the first round of matches played.

Seven matches were played early on Day 1. the seven winners plus the best loser (Nigeria) advanced to the Championship phase of the tournament while the bottom six faced off in the Trophy phase.

The Stallions suffered injuries to Samuel Akpabio in the first match and lost steam and depth. They later went on to loose to Zimbabwe again, Madagascar, Zambia and Senegal.

Nigeria were relegated in 2017 after a ban by World Rugby and had to play from the ground up for two years, beating Super 16 Champions; Niger Republic 59-13 in Niamey in August 2018 which qualified them into the Africa North Regional Sevens in Ivory Coast in September 2018 where they finished runners up (tournament’s best team) to earn a place in this year’s Africa Cup Sevens and also set up a 2023 World Cup Qualification match against Madagascar on December 1.

Kenya shrugged off Madagascar in the semi final before beating Uganda in the final to pick up their second straight Olympic spot.

Zimbabwe beat Madagacar in the third place play off and earn a place in a repackage tournament to keep their Olympics hope alive. South Africa did not take part as they have qualified for the Olympics automatically through last year’s HSBC Sevens Tournament

wo clubs from Nigeria, Enugu Rangers and Enyimba, who are still in contention in the CAF Confederation Cup, now know their group opponents following the conclusion of the draws yesterday.

Enugu Rangers appears to have the more difficult pairings as the Flying Antelopes are drawn in Group A alongside two Egyptian clubs – Pyramids FC, Al Masry SC as well as FC Nouadhibou from Mauritania.

The Coal City-based made it to this stage of the competition last season but failed to make it out from the group stage under their erstwhile manger Gbenga Ogunbote who has since joined another Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side Lobi Stars.

On their part, Enyimba are housed in Group D and will be battling it out against FC San Pedro (Ivory Coast), Hassania Agadir (Morocco) and Paradou AC (Algeria).

The People’s Elephant were initially campaigning in the CAF Champions League but were edged out by Sudanese club Al Hilal and thus dropped to play in the Confederation Cup. Now Usman Abd’Allah’s men will

Enugu Rangers International be looking to make most of the second chance they have to take another shot at a continental title.

According to the schedule released by CAF, the first matches in this group phase will be played on December 1.

Enugu Rangers will host Pyramids FC at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu on Day 1 before travelling to Egypt to face El Masry on December 8 for their second game.

As for Enyimba, the two-time African champions will kick-off their group stage campaign against Hassania US Agadir in Morocco on December 1 before hosting FC San Pedro seven days later at their home ground in Aba. Since its inception, no club from Nigeria has emerged champion of the CAF Confederation Cup; though a handful including Enyimba has come quite close.

for Italy since September 2018, kicked the ball towards opposition fans and threatened to walk off the pitch after being subjected to racist insults from the crowd during Brescia’s Serie A match against Hellas Verona earlier this month.

“When I call Mario Balotelli it will be because he deserves it, not because of the colour of his skin,” Mancini told a news who defended one of the trophies here. conference.

I also know the capabilities of Nigeria’s “I know Mario Rachael Danjuma. and I love him.

“So, it is not a joking matter. But I am Remember, I got up to the task,” Magala boasted.

Mario to play when he Speaking on the championship, Dame was a boy, so I know Julie Okah-Donli, the Chairperson of the him really well.” championship’s Organising Committee, Italian soccer said all hands have been on deck in view of federation president the importance of the championship.

Gabriele Gravina said “We are making efforts to see to it that last week that naming there will be no shortcomings in providing the ladies the tools to compete favourably.

“We know how important the event is. If you play this event and you play very well, you get ranked worldwide as an amateur lady golfer.

“This is why you will see so many internationals coming to try and see how this event can help them to get the points needed for seeding,” she said.

Today’s event will be ceremoniously teed off by Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, Senator David Mark and a host of invited guests.

The championship’s Awards Night, Dinner and Prize Presentation will hold on Friday to round up the championship.

Balotelli in the squad would send a strong message against racism, but Mancini said the player had not done enough on the pitch to deserve a recall.

You can think like the president said, but you need to understand that if Balotelli gets another chance, it will be because he deserves it from a technical point of view,” Mancini added.

Racism has been a problem in Serie A in recent months.

Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku was abused by Cagliari fans in September and a game was briefly suspended when Fiorentina defender Dalbert said he had been racially abused by Atalanta supporters.

Italy has already qualified for next year’s European Championship but victory Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday would give them a 10th consecutive wins.

Balotelli to make statement against racism before call up -Italy coach

I

taly coach Roberto Mancini has said he will only call up Mario Balotelli if he deserves it for football reasons, not to make a statement against racism.

Balotelli, who has not played

Kenya, Zimbabwe, Tanzania others in Nigeria for 2019 Ladies Open Golf championship

By Albert Akota

amateur lady golfers from seven countries, as well as over 100 amateur male golfers.

The lady golfers are being expected ne hundred and fifty Ladies are set for the 2019 Nigeria Ladies from countries such as hosts Nigeria, Open Golf Championship at the Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, IBB International Golf and Country Club Botswana and Zambia.

In a statement signed by the Director, in Abuja from today with the trophy won last year by Ugandan Evah Magala up for Media and Publicity for the Open, Kayode Adeniyi, many of the expected players have grabs.

The three-day championship which been training hard for the championship is being organised by the Ladies Golf at the venue.

“Defending champion Magala who Association of Nigeria (LGAN) is attracting arrived in Abuja since Tuesday last week has not been leaving any stone unturned in her quest to retain the trophy.

“This is an indication that the tournament this year will be tougher than that of last year.”

Adeniyi went on to quote Magala as assuring that she was well prepared for the competition. “l came early to get acquainted with the Abuja heat and the course.

That is how prepared I want to be. I am here to retain the trophy” “We have handicap 2 and LGAN President EKANEM Ekwueme and handicap 4 players coming from my Organising Committee Chairlift, Julie country, and there is a Tanzanian Okah- Donli

O

Mario Balotelli

The rot in oil and gas industry Continued from back page 31 corners of the country; fuel scarcity was a regular sight in Nigeria. We accepted long lines at the filling stations as a norm rather than an exception The Federal Government paid subsidy on products that were mostly subsequently transported to our neighboring nation states at the detriment of the Nigerian citizens. Yet in the ten years from 2006 to 2016, we spent N9 trillion to finance fuel subsidy regime that had no impact on the common man. A research work shows that between 2012 and 2015, we lost on the average N971 billion to fuel subsidy; the then coordinating Minister of the economy, Okonjo- Iweala brought to book several fuel marketers for overcharging Nigeria for refined products they never delivered. Just imagine, we spent about N409 billion on subsidies in 2009, n667 billion in 2010 and then sky rocketed to N2.105 trillion in 2011 while our national refined product consumption level hardly changed.

As bad as all those already discussed are, they are still the icing on the cake when the other created avenues are unraveled. The worst corruption regime in our 63 years old oil and gas industry is those perpetrated by the alliances of the multinational oil industries and some elements in Nigeria. In the late 80s, the prospect of offshore drilling became the new bride in Nigeria; we have discovered huge offshore deposits and those who acted for us, caring more about personal

cuts, concluded what is best for us at the time was to enter into agreements that bring almost nothing to the country The structure of the deep offshore production sharing contracts (PSCs) we agreed with the oil companies, in the name of offering incentives was stupid and of near no benefit to Nigeria. Agreed, the risk was higher and the technology more expensive but that shouldn’t have warranted us giving out everything.

The agreement said in part, if they hit oil beyond 1000 meters, Nigeria get nothing in terms of royalty and for oil recoveries from the inland basin, we get a mere flat rate of 10% among several other cut down payments to Nigeria. We gave it all to the oil companies; the coast was clear for the multinational companies, they were making all the monies and Nigeria getting the peanuts Sometimes in 1999, the Nigeria government saw the need to get more and made a law to regulate the PSCs in Nigeria’s deep offshore and inland basin.

The law says in part, if the crude price exceeds $20, the PSCs would be reviewed for the country to get its due share of the revenue and even in the event of the price not exceeding $20, the agreement would still be reviewed after 10 years and subsequently after every 5 years.

That wasn’t okay by the multinational oil companies, they moved into action, and less than two months after the law was made it was amended to read 15 years in pace of the 10 years. They had infiltrated the rank of the policy makers

and the lawmakers and the threshold shifted to continue favouring them That was in 1999 and in 2006, when the agreement was due for review, oil was already selling for over $90 per barrel and the companies were already taking about 80% of all offshore oil production.

Yet everyone pretended not to remember it is time to reorder the PSCs. Even when the DPR in a way reminded the National Assembly, the lawmakers turn a deaf ear and chose to look the other way The price of oil continue to rise until it hit $110 per barrel in at a time; the oil companies were raking in gold, their Nigerian counterparts and collaborators smiling to the bank and the nation getting poorer for all its god’s given blessing Just as much as these elements intentionally allowed the nation’s refineries to go down so they could perpetuate their economic sabotage of the sector , has all other avenues be fully accessed to take it all from the common man. No wonder, the World Bank submitted that it is as if only 1% of Nigerian population own and control the nation’s oil assets Though we had expected that the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration would have acted earlier and stop the indiscriminate and unholy milking of the nation through all the listed channels but it is better late than never One after the other, inbuilt corruption in the sector is being taken care of; we are no longer breeding consistence and overnight billionaires in the oil and

gas sector of our nation; the economic sabotage of the fuel subsidy regime is now a thing of the past; petroleum scarcity has become a long forgotten occurrence in Nigeria and now, the unholy alliances that delivered the country economic main stay to the hands of the multinational oil companies broken by the recent signing of the amended PSCs. No more zero royalty for any level of production; more must legally come to Nigeria as production increases and price increases and it is estimated that only in 2020, Nigeria would get additional $1.4 billion from offshore productions Just imagine what we have lost for refusing to do what is right by our nation over the year.

It is now very easy to comprehend how ordinary human would just by virtue of heading the nation’s oil company, the NNPC, or being close to the system could buy choice properties across the globe, accumulating yachts, private jet and spending billions on jewelries only.

We now know why the enemies of this present administration cannot afford to back down; the blow is hot; so much has been taken off them.

Many thanks to President Muhammadu Buhari for all his good works and more importantly the latest unexpected clinically executed coup against the perpetrators of the unhealthy PSCs over the years.

God Bless The Federal Republic Of Nigeria!

. . . putting the people first

, Wednesay November 13, 2019

SPORTS latest

Female World Athlete 2019 award: Kosgei, Fraser-Pryce among finalists

M

arathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei is one of five finalists for the Female World Athlete 2019 award.

Last month the Kenyan broke Briton Paula Radcliffe’s 16-yearold world record, running a time of 2hrs 14mins 04secs to win the Chicago Marathon.

Kosgei, 25, also became the youngest winner of the London marathon in April.

American Dalilah Muhammad, Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Venezuelan Yulimar Rojas and the Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan are also up for the award.

Sprinter Fraser-Pryce won the world 100m and 4x100m titles in world-leading times of 10.71 and 41.44 in Doha, while Hassan broke the world mile record with a time of 4:12:33 in Monaco.

Murray believe he can beat Federer, Nadal, Djokovic again

A

ndy Murray believes he is closer to beating Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic than he was “seven or eight” weeks ago, leaving him feeling “excited” about his future.

Murray, 32, won the European Open title last month, only his seventh singles tournament since January’s hip surgery.

“I know if I played against the top players tomorrow there would be a very small chance of me winning that match,” the ex-world number one told BBC Sport.

Briton Murray feared he might have to retire after the hip resurfacing operation, but capped a remarkable return to singles action by beating fellow three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka in Antwerp to win his first title since March 2017.

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The rot in oil and gas industry P

rior to 2015, the magnitude of the rot in the Nigerian oil and gas industry was so monumental that several analysts came to the conclusion that the sector was the main channel through which the economic saboteurs of the country were milking the nation dry.

The World Bank had equally submitted that most of Nigeria’s oil wealth get siphoned off by 1% of the nation’s population. It stated that since 1960, estimated 300 to 400 Billion dollars has been stolen from the oil and gas sector.

It is on the basis of this and the absence of commensurate developments to justify the massive potentials and accumulated revenue from the industry, that several scholars adopted the resourcecurse theory in discussing the Nigeria oil and gas industry.

The argument has been that the nature’s free gift has become more of a curse to us than it is a blessing.

Down the path of facts, Nigeria is recorded as the number one crude oil producer in Africa and the world’s seventh largest exporter of crude oil as well as the tenth highest holder of proven gas reserves in the world.

The same Nigeria, in paradox, is rated among the poorest nations globally as at early 2006. Despite the constant and cumulative daily income from crude oil and natural gas sales over the years, we still count among the most heavily indebted nations of the world until we were partially freed in 2005 when part of our debt was magnanimously written off by the Paris Club of Creditors.

It was estimated as at then, that almost 75% of about 150 million people of the country live below poverty line.

The scenario got more worse in the early 2010s and got to its peak in 2015 when holders of power and managers of the industry threw caution and their conscience to the wind and plundered the sector with reckless abandon, without concern for the national economy or the masses of Nigeria who were getting poorer In 2014, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria and the current Emir of Kano, Mr. Sanusi accused the then Minister

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WEDNESDAY COLUMN By

USSIJU MEDANER info@medaner.com, justme4justice@yahoo.com of Petroleum Resources, Alison-Madueke Diezani of mismanagement of $3.5 billion of proceed of oil and gas sales without approval. The same governor of CBN claimed and raised alarm that only 24% of revenue accrued to the nation from oil sales between the period of 2012 and middle of 2013 were remitted into the federation Account. Calculations put the said unremitted revenue in the region of $20 billion. Mr. Sanusi was arbitrarily sent out of office for daring to exposed the underground national theft.

Then we got wind of the almighty Halliburton scandal; the monumental scandal ushered in another record of bastardisation of the sector and the extent of inbuilt corruption that prevailed therein. According to the confession of the American company involved in an American court, a whooping sum of $180 million was paid in bribe to top Nigerian government officials to secure four contracts worth over $6 billion for the purpose of building an LNG plant facility for the country The life of the scandal span through eight years beginning from 1994 to 2002 and a number of erstwhile respected high ranking members of the nation were deeply involved.

That was a glimpse of the treatments that revenue base of the country has been getting from those who were supposed to be the custodian of the resources.

These people had created every available channel to rob the nation off the oil revenues and opportunities.

Another of those channels was the oil sales regime of the NNPC over the period lasting till recently. On behalf of Nigeria, those people had gone into very poorly and disadvantage designed oil for product swap deal at about the same time NNPC started unilaterally taking part of the crude oil proceeds without passing it through the Federation Account or providing

accountability for its retirement.

It was a period of boom; 2011 through 2014; we were selling our crude for as high as $110 per barrel but our treasury receipt kept falling significantly.

The balance and unaccounted revenues, we lost to oil thefts by the few Nigerians Then we play the Domestic Crude Allocation (DCA) card.

The DCA was originally designed to feed the nation’s four refineries but as the refineries were utterly non-functioning, NNPC unilaterally exported 75% of the DCA crude allocations without any proper retirement of the payments. It is assumed that the unremitted balances were discretionally spent by NNPC all through to 2015; this amount to a sum of about $6 billion yearly. The DCA became the main node of waste and misappropriation of the national revenue from oil sales. In only 2013, the Federation Account was shortchanged by as much as $7.056 billion having received only $9.744 billion of the total $16.8 billion of the worth of the sales of the DCA crude.

Another channel they had devised to sap the nation was the revenue retention principle of NNPC and its subsidiaries.

They invented a makeshift regime for self-financing thereby creating a devilish opportunity to retain un-accountable, evergrowing lump sum within the ministry. Through the NNPC five oil trading subsidiaries, while acting as middlemen on large sales volume platform of close to 144,000 barrels per day with worth of $6 billion in 2012 and raking in commission , never disclosed to the public or remitted any to appropriate government coffer, commissions accrued on those sales Not limited to that, NNPC had also over ten years, retained huge revenues accrued from the sales of 110 million barrels of oil from a field controlled by NPDC at about $12.3 billion Then the discussion of the

nation oil-for-product swap agreement took center stage.

Between 2010 and 2015, we made seven of such agreements.

We released oil worth $35 billion to swap deals in various agreement that are openly one sided; the nation was obviously always on the losing side. NNPC routed about 210,000 barrels of crude per day, approximating 10% of our total production capacity through these deals The list is endless. Celebrated oil theft is another means devised by these elements within the nation to rob the country.

These people use various method ranging from hot tapping of flowing pipelinesto cold tapping of the same to steal off crude . this became rampant due to lack of oversight from the federal government and a large network of corruption involving high ranking members of the society.

Attempots by the present administration to target and apprehend suspected facilitators of these oil thefts has only led to increasing violence as they fought back. We all remember how the prosecution of Government Ekpemupolo, leader of a local militia group highly involved in oil theft led to the creation of the Niger Delta Avenger Then we had the corruption embedded in the past administration of the oil subsidy regime.

Originally designed to pass on benefits to the poor but hijacked by the few who rearranged the arrangement such the benefits started going to importers of fuel and oil majors.

Despite the enormous subsidy payment by government, black market prices prevailed at all Cont. on page 31

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