Wednesday, October 14, 2020 Edition

Wednesday, October 14, 2020/ Safar 27, 1442 AH

2381 Days after

Malam Wada Maida (1950-2020), founding chairman, board of the Peopels Media Limited.

Vol. 35 No. 021 N150

@pmlonline

peoplesdailyng

. . . putting the people first

The nation awaits rescue of the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls

Northern elders call for change in security architecture >>>page 5

ENDSARS saga:

Release protesters from custody immediately, Buhari orders page 5

As IGP directs psycho-medical test for ex SARS personnel NBA warns against use of life bullets on protesters >>>page 3

Representative of the CBN governor, the Special Adviser to the CBN governor on development finance, Mr Anthony Ifechikwu, Honourable Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Senator Basheer Garba Mohammed and Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum at the verification for the launch of Project Reliance at the Muna IDPs’ camp in Maiduuguri on Monday.

Zimbabwe journalist: ‘I was jailed for a month after exposing corruption’ PG 26 Buhari to APC members: N10b libel suit: ASUP urged FG to Senate begins legislation on Let's work together or Oshiomole seeks out- address issues to management of recovered suffer for nothing of-court settlement prevent strike action funds by EFCC, ICPC pAGE 2

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PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

News CONTENTS News 2-14 Op.Ed

12-13

Politics 15-17 Stock Watch Business Metro

18 19-20 21

World Analysis 22 Africa News

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World News

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Buhari to APC members: Let’s work together or suffer for nothing

By Egena Sunday Ode

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday in Abuja called for a stronger sense of commitment to the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), that will translate into electoral victories in polls, admonishing that “unless we work together, we will suffer for nothing.’’

The President gave the advice to APC leaders and members when he received the re-elected Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu at the Presidential Villa.

Akeredolu was accompanied by the Chairman of the Interim Management Committee of the APC, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State; Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State; Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum, Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State; Chairman of the Ondo APC

Campaign Council, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, and Governor Mohammed Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina who revealed this in a statement Tuesday in Abuja quoted President Buhari to have said there was a need for party members at ward, local council, state and national levels to take ownership of the party structure and operations, with a larger goal of serving the country, and working together to deliver on its mandate to the people.

“Nothing succeeds like success,’’ The President said.

“We are here to celebrate and congratulate Governor Akeredolu for his re-election, which was as a result of collaboration.’’

President Buhari noted that victory at the polls in Ondo was an indication of strong collaboration among party members, urging

more harmony as the party prepares for the Anambra State election, and general elections in 2023.

“This is an evidence that when we come together and collaborate we can achieve a lot. I received the governors in the State House on their way to Ondo State for the final campaigns.

“Let’s keep the relationship going while in office, and afterwards. We better tell all state party members what working together can do. There is nothing like tenacity of purpose,’’ Buhari was quoted to have said.

According to Adesina in the statement, the President called for more steadfastness, loyalty and consistency, stressing that only tenacity of purpose can lead to success in every facet of life, including winning elections.

“I am an example of tenacity of purpose. I contested elections three times, and the fourth time I

Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State, right in a warm handshake with the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji AbdulMumin Kabir Usman at the opening of a two-day Security Awareness Workshop for Local Government Administrators and District Heads in Katsina, yesterday.

Attachments area

N10b libel suit: Oshiomole seeks out-ofcourt settlement Page 6

Digest

got here. You just can’t sit and wait for things to happen under any system, you have to work,’’ Buhari said.

In his remarks, according to the statement, the Chairman of the APC Interim Management Committee said Ondo State indigenes showed they were enlightened by opting for continuity and consolidation, knowing that it was better to encourage Governor Akeredolu continue with the good work.

Buni said the party will work together for legislative elections in Bayelsa State, Imo State, Cross River State and Zamfara State.

“We are mobilising for the elections and as usual we will need your support, Your Excellency.’’

The also noted that Akeredolu thanked the President, party leaders and governors for all the support, promising to further justify the confidence reposed in him by the party.

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Feature 26 Sports 30-31 Back Page

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CAN commends Buhari, FG on SARS’ abolition

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

T

he leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu,for being sensitive and responsive to the clarion call for the disbanding of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

The Association has however called for an Administrative or Judicial Investigation into the disbanded SARS with a view to bringing the culprits to book so that such bad eggs might not be allowed to corrupt other units or continue with their old habit of lawlessness.

The call was made in a statement yesterday by the President of CAN, Rev (Dr) Samson Olasupo A. Ayokunle in Abuja yesterday.

...Seeks total reforms of security agencies, sanctioning of bad eggs

The umbrella body for the nation’s Christians similarly called on the nation’s security agencies to be reformed and transformed into a modern security architecture that befits the contemporary challenges such as terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and herdsmen attacks.

Uniformed men and women, the CAN, advised, should cherish the rare opportunity the country gave them and the trust of handling the security of the nation by behaving responsibly.

The statement by CAN reads, “We are aware of the circumstances that led to the agitation which included but not limited to alleged extra- judicial killings, unlawful arrests and detentions, extortion, tortures, and disappearances of detainees.

“CAN acknowledges the

spontaneous nature of protest nationwide but regrets the loss of lives and the destruction of some property in the cause of the mass actions.

“We ask God to console and comfort all the bereaved as He heals those who are recuperating in the hospitals.

“Equally, CAN appreciates the prompt and positive responses of the Federal Government in disbanding SARS. “It is unprecedented in recent history of our country and it is praiseworthy.

“This is what democracy is all about.

“However, CAN is not happy with the automatic redevelopment of the officers and men of the disbanded unit to other units without sanctioning the bad eggs among them.

“We call for an Administrative or Judicial Investigation into the disbanded SARS with a view to bringing the culprits to book so that such bad eggs might not be allowed to corrupt other units or continue with their old habit of lawlessness.

“Finally, we call on all our security agencies to be reformed and transformed into a modern security architecture that befits the contemporary challenges such as terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and herdsmen attacks.

“Uniformed men and women should cherish the rare opportunity the country gave them and the trust of handling the security of the nation by behaving responsibly. They should make us to be proud of them”, the association said.

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PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

News

News Editor, Ese Awhotu

EndSARS Protest: NBA warns against use of life bullets on protesters

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

T

he Nigeria Bar Association, has warned security operatives against the use of live bullets on the #ENDSARS protesters at the ongoing across the country.

The Association said that the use of live bullets on innocent citizens will aggravate the already tensed atmosphere in the country.

It posited that the policemen already indicted for brutality against the citizenry must be dismissed from the services of the police.

Speaking at the press conference in Abuja, the Association through its National

President of the Association, Olumide Akpata, said that this has become important so as to demonstrate good faith and commitment towards ensuring accountability, restoring confidence and sanitising the system.

Speaking further, Akpata announced that the NBA will make its human and other resources available to the Independent investigate the violations of human rights by the disbanded SARS and other segments of the Nigerian police.

He therefore, demanded an expedited audit of the various SARS detention centers across the country, especially the notorious detention facilities in Awkuzu in Animal state, the infamous human abattoir in Abuja and others in Lagos, Port Harcourt and other parts of the country.

The Bar also demanded an immediate audit of the detainees in the detention camps with view to ensuring that all Nigerians, unjustly and unlawfully clamped into detention are immediately

released, All so, those who have case to answer must be prosecuted in accordance of the law.

The NBA chief promised that the Association will work with Chief Magistrates accords the country to pay monthly visits to police stations and other detention facilities within their territorial divisions to direct arraignment of suspects and grant them bail in line with the newly enacted police act in FCT. ‘’We demand that Police Service Commission should

live up to its responsibilities by speedily looking into complains against the police for abuse of and misuse of power. This is important to ensure that the relationship between the public and the police is one of the trust and confidence instead of suspicions and indifference.’’

Concluding, the NBA promised that it will set up a reform team that will work with police and other institutions in developing a comprehensive blueprint for police reforms in Nigeria.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; declares open the Yusuf Ali & Co webinar on designing a World Class Public Private Partnership Framework for Nigeria, yesterday

RTEAN ruling: Industrial Court declares Musa Muhammed as president

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he National Industrial Court of Nigeria sitting in Abuja has declared Alhaji Musa Muhammed as an authentic national president of Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) as the former national president of the association, Alhaji Musa Shehu Isewele alongside Mr. Eriyo Osakpamwam were sacked by the court.

The presiding Judge, Justice O.Y. Anuwe, who made the declaration during the final judging on Tuesday in Abuja, saying that Isewele and Osakpamwam were no longer the members of RTEAN. Justice Anuwe therefore, directed both Isewele and Osakpamwam to handover all the documents of the association to the national secretariat in Abuja.

Speaking to journalists after the judgment, the incumbent national president of the association, Alhaji Musa Muhammed, expressed satisfaction over the judgment.

His words: “I thanked the judiciary for giving us our mandate. So my door is open for everybody”.

He advised the entire members of the association to continue to live in peace for the overall development of RTEAN in Nigeria.

On his part, one of the counsels to the RTEAN president, Sule Shuaibu gave kudos to the judge who was patient enough to deliver the judgment.

Malami inaugurates National Arbitration Policy Committee

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

T

he Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN yesterday inaugurated members of the National Arbitration Policy Committee.

The minister charged the new committee to come out with a comprehensive policy to ensure that domestic transactions originating and terminating in Nigeria are arbitrated in the country.

Malami said the proposed National Policy would also provide for sanctions against public officers who do not act in the national interest in the conduct of their official assignments.

This is contained in a statement issued by Drof the Federation and Minister of Justice which was made available to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday the 13th day of October, 2020.

Speaking at the virtual inaugural meeting of the Committee for the Development of a National Policy on Arbitration in Nigeria, the AGF said the P&ID case has raised concerns on the impact of arbitral cases and awards

against the country leading to calls for the development of a National Policy on Arbitration to guide the arbitral process and agreements in Nigeria.

The statement issued by the Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Office of the AGF, Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, charged the committee with the responsibility of developing transformational Arbitration Policy framework that addresses issues relating to arbitration agreements, government contracts, domestic and foreign contractual relationships and transactions arising or terminating in Nigeria.

According to the Minister, the objectives of the proposed policy include protecting Nigeria’s economy, ensuring that transactions originating and terminating in Nigeria are arbitrated in Nigeria.

Other objectives were having the seats/venues of arbitrations in Nigeria thereby creating jobs for and maximally harnessing the talents of Nigerian lawyers who have specialized in Arbitration as well as saving the country billions of dollars.

The Committee was mandated

to review the current laws and policies on Arbitration in Nigeria, proffer advice on a new national Arbitration Policy, draft an Executive Order to support the application of the new Arbitration Policy across government agencies, develop an implementation plan; and advise on the required infrastructure for setting up a world standard Arbitration Center in Lagos and Abuja.

“Our goal is to create an arbitration hub in Africa and to ensure that Nigeria remains the venue of arbitration for transactions arising from Nigeria.

It is expected that the National Arbitration policy will be applied in respect of government contracts, such that arbitration agreements in respect of all disputes arising from governmental contracts, especially with foreign entities will have Nigeria as the seat of arbitration.

“It is also expected that the federal and state government agencies will adopt this policy to be applied to all agencies, which will encourage domestic arbitration and curtail the flight of arbitration to other countries,” the statement added.

Members of the Committee

included, Dr OLISA AGBAKOBA, SAN, Abubakar B. Mahmoud, SAN, Prof C.J Amasike, of the International Dispute Resolution Institute (IDRI) Mr. Akin Sowemimo, Mr Lawal Hassan from the Federal Ministry of Power, Mrs. Halima L. Halilu from the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Other Members of the Committee included Wilfred Ikatari The Director Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration, Mr G. Umar Andumar, Head of Legal, Nigerian Ports Authority, Chike Okoye Rep. of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the Minister of Budget and National Planning.

The Committee also comprises representatives from Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Ministry of Power, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Works and Housing, Bureau for Private Enterprises, and representatives of the Federal Ministry of Justice Regional Center for Arbitration.

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News EndSars protest: LAWSAN President calls for IGP resignation

By Ochiaka Ugwu

L

aw undergraduates of Nigerian universities under the auspices Law Students’ Association of Nigeria (LAWSAN) have called for the immediate resignation of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu over the arrest, detention and dehumanization of protesters asking for the reformation of Nigeria Police Force.

In a press conference addressed in Abuja Tuesday by the association’s president, Dr. Blessing Agbomhere, it noted the war against Nigerians by some unprofessional agents of the police force has continued.

He informed of too many empirical facts to believe that agents and elements of the police force were venting their frustration and anger against the administration on the peaceful, law abiding and defenseless citizens, saying that Grand norm has provided “suo moto” that safety and protection of life and property of Nigerians is the primary responsibility of the government.

Continuing, he said that EndSars protest became necessary to reflect the violation of our laws and breach of our fundamental and universal rights by agents and elements of the Nigeria Police.

He stated that disbandment of the SARS Unit of the police and their redeployment without adequate reassessment of the team, prosecution of the bad eggs amongst the team or rehabilitation of some members of the team who are in need of such treatment connotes and denotes that the pronouncement of the disbandment by the IGP is paying lip service to a matter that can lead to a breach of National Security.

He maintained that the crescendo to EndSars protest was the arrest, detention, molestation, intimidation, humiliation and dehumanization of Treasure Nduka a student of Nigerian Law School, Abuja who was arrested at Ojuelegba, Lagos with many other Nigerians.

He however, called on Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu to resign immediately on the ground of incompetence failure in which they will call on National Assembly to remove him within two hours.

Dr. Agbomhere called for immediate appointment of an acting Inspector General of Police

by Mr. President who will in turn release all EndSars detainees, pay damages to victims and put an end to police brutality.

PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

N10b libel suit: Oshiomole seeks out-of-court settlement From: Uche Makurdi

Nnorom,

T

he former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomole yesterday sought for an out-of - court settlement in the N10 billion libel suit instituted against him by Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom.

Governor Ortom had filed the libel suit against Oshiomole following comments he made against him in an APC sponsored press conference held on July 27,2018.

Oshiomhole had accused Governor Ortom of been an accomplice in the death of two(2) Catholic priests and other parishioners at Mbalom Community, Gwer East local

government on the grounds that one of the priests had preached a ‘very critical sermon’ against him (the Governor).

When the case resumed for definite hearing, counsel to Governor Samuel Ortom, Samuel Iraq or told the court that he was ready to call his witnesses. But Oshiomole’s counsel Titus Akuhwa who held the brief for Festus Jumbo informed that they have considered putting up a retraction of the publication which will be ready within a week.

Governor Ortom’s counsel who confirmed the information, said in such circumstances, he was applying for another date to take a look at the terms of settlement canvassed by

Oshiomole.

“That is the true position of the matter. We have met and we are drawing out terms of settlement.

After listening to both counsels, the Presiding judge, Justice Augustine Ityonyiman adjourned the case to October 29, for report on the out-ofcourt settlement.

It should be noted that amongst some of the reliefs sought by Governor Ortom in the N10 billion suit against Oshiomole include “a declaration by the court that the Defendants’ allegations and publication of July 27 against him are false, mischievous, unsubstantiated, defamatory and libelous.

“An order directing the defendants to publish simultaneous retractions/

apologies in respect of the said libelous publication against him in the Sunday editions of 10 National Dailies circulating within Benue State as well as paid advertorials to the same effect on the prime time beats of the Nigerian Television Authority, Channels Tv, TVC News, African Independent Television, Independent Television (ITV), Benin, Radio Nigeria, Radio Benue and Harvest FM.” “An Order of Perpetual Injunction restraining the Defendants, their officers, privies, assigns, surrogates or agents whosoever called from further defaming and libeling the Plaintiff’s character and reputation and any other order(s) that the Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.”

From left: Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba; Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed; and Director-General, Budget Office, Ben Akabueze, during the Public Presentation of the 2020 Budget Proposal in Abuja on Monday (12/10/20).

Photo: NAN

FDC’s report on Delta economy faulty — Aniagwu From: Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

T

he Delta State Government has said that the publication by the Financial Directives Company (FDC) on the state’s economy was faulty and a misrepresentation of the prevailing economic indices in the state.

In a statement on Tuesday in Asaba, by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, said that the report as published by Financial Directives Company (FDC) was misleading and at variance with the reality on

ground.

The Commissioner said there was no iota of truth in the report and urged the public to disregard it.

Aniagwu also pooh-poohed the publication on Vanguard Newspaper by the Delta Chapter of African Action Congress (AAC) where it alleged that based on the FDC’s report, Delta had fallen under fairly miserable states in the country.

“The Economic Confidential in its Annual States Viability Index (ASVI) report of 2018 and 2019,

ranked Delta among 10 states that are economically viable having grossed a yearly IGR of not less than 20 per cent of its FAAC allocation.

“The report listed seven states in the South that recorded over 20 per cent IGR in 2018 and 2019, they are Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, Edo, Enugu, Ondo and Delta States while three states in the North viz; Kwara, Kano and Kaduna fall within the same improved revenue bracket.

“The improved condition of living in Delta was further

buttressed by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its recent report where it ranked Delta as second least poor state in Nigeria.

“The Bureau, in its latest Poverty Index Report, ranked Delta second after Lagos among the states with low poverty rate, and said that 40.1 per cent of Nigeria’s total population was poor.

“A state with such economic indices can, therefore, not be said to be miserable considering the fact that the state meets her financial obligations as they fall due,” he said.

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PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

News

ENDSARS: Buhari orders unconditional release of protesters from custody

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam & Egena Sunday Ode

T

he Presidential Panel on Police Reforms on Tuesday approved for immediate implementation, the five-point demand of the #ENDSARS protesters which includes halting use of force against protesters and unconditional release of arrested citizens.

This is as the Inspector General of Police, IGP Muhammed Adamu, has ordered all personnel of the defunct SARS to report at the Force Headquarters, Abuja for debriefing, psychological and medical examination.

This decision was reached at a meeting convened by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, and attended by stakeholders which discussed the need to halt police brutality and restore public confidence and trust in the force.

The approval followed directives by President Muhammadu Buhari on dissolution of the Special AntiRobbery Squad and immediate response to yearnings of citizens.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Tuesday, which revealed this, noted that the meeting, organized by the Office of the Inspector General of Police and National Human Rights Commission, was a multi-stakeholders’ forum attended by leaders and representatives of civil society organisations in Nigeria, activists from the entertainment industry and the ENDSARS movement and development partners.

It said the Ministry of Police Affairs and Police Service Commission were also present at the meeting whcih affirmed that the five-point demands of the protesters and the ENDSARS movement are genuine concerns and will be addressed by the Government.

The statement also made

•As IGP orders psycho-medical test for ex SARS personnel available a communiqué of Stakeholders’ Meeting on the Implementation of the Recommendations of the Presidential Panel on the Reform of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), which resolved that the following steps be taken immediately: An order by the Inspector General of Police to all State Commands to halt the use of force against protesters; Unconditional release of arrested protesters and citizens; Open communication and outreach to citizens to establish trust and confidence And a roadmap for the implementation of the White Paper of the Presidential Panel on the Reform of the SARS. Also, the Forum welcomed the proposal to set up an Independent Investigation Panel to look into the violations of human rights by the defunct SARS and other segments of the Nigerian Police.

The Forum agrees to the setting up of this Independent Panel by the National Human

Rights Commission within the next one week.

An open call for Memoranda from members of the public whose rights have been violated by the defunct SARS and other segments of the Police will be released by the Commission within one week.

The Forum recommends the psychological evaluation, training and retraining of disbanded SARS officials prior to re-deployment.

It also resolves to set up the following Technical SubCommittees to design an implementation roadmap and work plan for the implementation of the White Paper: Training, Capacity and Re-orientation; Logistics: Infrastructure, Communications and Technology; Arrest, Detention, and Investigations; Regulations, Oversight and Accountability and Financing and Partnerships.’’

The communiqué stated that sub-Committees will be supported by the National Human Rights Commission and other civil society organisations.

Meanwhile, the Inspector

General of Police, IGP Muhammed Adamu, has ordered all personnel of the defunct SARS to report at the Force Headquarters, Abuja for debriefing, psychological and medical examination.

The IG in a statement issued yesterday by Force PRO, Frank Mba, said the officers are expected to undergo the process as a prelude to further training and reorientation before being redeployed into mainstream policing duties.

“The medical examination will be carried out by the newly set-up Police Counselling and Support Unit (PCSU), a Unit, which henceforth shall engage in psychological management, reorientation and training of officers of the Force deployed for tactical operations and other duties.

“The Unit, which is domiciled with the Force Medical Department and coordinated by the Force Medical Officer, has its membership drawn from amongst psychiatrists, psychologists, medics, pastors and imams, Public Relations practitioners, Civil

Society and other Human Rights groups with relevant qualifications and expertise.”

Meanwhile, the IGP has set up a new Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team that will fill the gaps arising from the dissolution of the defunct SARS. The statement said the prospectives members of the new team will also undergo psychological and medical examination to ascertain their fitness and eligibility for the new assignment.

“They are to commence training at the different Police tactical training institutions nationwide, next week. While personnel from the Police Commands in the South-East and the South-South will be trained at the CounterTerrorism College, Nonwa-Tai, Rivers State, those from the Police Commands from the North and the South-West will be trained at the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ende, Nasarawa State and the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ila-Orangun, Osun State, respectively.

Women being transported with canoes from Bablebri/ Yenaka communities to Federal Medical Center in Yenagoa Tuesday (13/10/20).

Photo: NAN

Northern elders call for change in security architecture From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

T

he Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has said following the persistent insecurity in the country, it is time for a change in the security architecture in the country.

The Director, Publicity and Advocacy, of the Forum Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed stated this in a statement made available to media in kaduna yesterday.

The statement stated that following the scrapping of Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) by the federal government, similar action should be taken on the nation’s security apparatus, particularly the Service Chiefs.

The statement titled, “Northern Elders Forum on Developments Related to Policing Nigeria”, said the energy deployed to remove SARS should also be directed to protect north from insecurity currently ravaging the region.

“The Forum demands that the spirit deployed against SARS should be visited on policing and securing the North. We further demand a complete overhaul of our policing and security agencies, starting with the removal of Service Chiefs and the involvement of responsible opinion in initiatives that will address the manner the nation is designed to be policed and secured.

“We appeal to fellow Nigerians

to show the highest levels of restraint and maturity in the manner we organize the defence of our rights.

Under no circumstances should we encourage acts that increase our exposure to crime, lawlessness and insecurity.

“The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has noted the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to order the scrapping of the muchmaligned Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), and reorganization and investigations into excesses of the outfit.

The Forum notes that this decision should be placed in the context of the huge demands that had been made for the President

to address serious shortfalls in our policing and security institutions.

“There have been many abuses that ought to have been checked by this and earlier administrations, but were ignored or treated with levity owing to very low levels of respect for accountability. It is a sad commentary on the manner this administration approaches sensitive matters such as security of citizens that it had to be forced into taking this decision after serious damage to the integrity and credibility of our policing and security institutions.

“The Forum reminds President Buhari that hundreds of thousands of people in Northern communities

have been at the mercy of bandits, kidnappers and rustlers without any form of police protection.

It is clear that many things are seriously wrong with our policing and security institutions, if the same institutions will be accused of extra-judicial acts by some citizens, and virtual non-existence by other citizens. It is not acceptable that thousands of our fellow citizens in the North will be virtually abandoned to armed criminals and a vicious insurgency, and the Nigeria police will get a slap on the wrist for acts that go against the core of its mandate in other areas of its responsibility”, the statement said.

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PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

News

Group ASUP urges FG to address issues to prevent strike action urges FG to T reform FSARS Maryam Abeeb, Abuja

By Albert Akota

F

ollowing the dissolution of the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS), otherwise known as (SARS) by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, on Sunday, the Citizens Action for Good Governance (CAGG) insisted it’s call for reform remains.

The group stated this during a protest at the Unity Fountain in Abuja, saying that with or without the dissolution of SARS the total reformation of the police force is paramount.

Speaking during the peaceful protest, the national coordinator of the civil society group, Comrade Nazir Galadanchi, said: “The Citizens Action for Good Governance was not formed based on SARS, therefore ending SARS will not change our position on the reformation of the Nigeria Police Force.”

He also commended the IGP for taking the bold step of dissolving SARS, urging him to set motion in place to commence the much needed reform process of the police force.

“We want to see a reformed police that is digitally ready and prompt in responding to security alerts across the country. A reformed police with improved welfare package, where officers of the police force on duty can walk into any registered restaurant and eat and drink without paying but the cost will be charged on the police account using their verified recruitment numbers.”

he Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has urged the Federal Government to address issues affecting and threatening the development of the sector in order to avert strike actions.

This was made known by the President of ASUP, Mr. Anderson Ibe, when he led a delegation on a working visit to the Ministry of Education in Abuja.

Ibe, who listed 10-point items threatening the harmony of the sector, said the timely intervention of the minister would save the sector from avoidable strike actions.

While recounting the pains the sector had gone through, Ibe called on the leadership of the ministry to address the content of the needs assessment study of polytechnics since 2014.

According to him, with the gradual reopening, it is pertinent we bring forth these issues to be

addressed to forestall chaos in the sector.

“We the leadership of ASUP appeals that the ministry urgently intervenes in some lingering issues in the sector which is currently threatening the sector.

“No single polytechnic has benefited from funds meant to address the content of the needs assessment exercise. The intent will be defeated if the polytechnics do not get the implementation.

“President Muhammadu Buhari signed the minimum wage effect from April 2019 and up till now, polytechnics in Nigeria are owed 10 months despite different levels of interventions from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and the rest.

“Only two states have the minimum wage bill implementedKano and Jigawa.

No implementation has been made in other states. We also have states where members were owed 21 months and some not even paid during the lockdown.

Ibe also listed another grey area of attention to include nonadherence to the provisions of the polytechnics Act as amended in 2019 as seen in the nonreconstitution of the governing council as well as the need to ensure that credible persons are appointed into the council.

He pleaded with the ministry to ensure that only persons who have a passion for education should be appointed to be in the governing council of polytechnics.

Others are continued victimization of union officials as seen in IMT Enugu, Federal Polytechnics Mubi and Rufus Giwa Polytechnics, Owo as well as fresh plans to victimize union officials at the Federal Polytechnics, Bida.

“Five officials of our union have been dismissed and we are also receiving signs that three other staff of the Federal Polytechnics Bida are bid down for dismissal.

Continued victimization is not in the best interest of our union,” he said.

Responding, the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Chukuemeka Nwajuiba promised to look at the areas identified by the union with the hope of giving adequate attention to them within a week.

“We are here to do what is right and in doing what is right we will be guided by the extant laws and rules. ” We will not want to reply verbally because a lot of them bother on the issue of laws and rules. We want to ensure that our schools are safe which is key in understanding how we want to approach all our discussions. ” The primary purpose of existence is the development of manpower for our country. So why is that the focus, we will take note of the 10 items.”

Nwajuiba urged the union not to lose focus but encouraged them to continue to contribute their quota to the development of Polytechnic education in the country.

From left: Director ICT, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mrs Christy Uba; representative of the NYSC DirectorGeneral, Hajiya Habiba Bappah; and Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs Adeyemi Adenike, during a workshop for Information Act Desk officers in Abuja on Tuesday ( 13/ 10/20).

Photo: NAN

DHA staff felicitates with Zailani on Speaker position From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

S

taff of Kaduna House of Assembly (KDHA) have congratulated Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani on his

emergence as the Chairman Northern Speaker’s Forum.

This was contained in a statement signed by the chief of staff to the Speaker Hon. Jafaru Sambo.

The statement stated that the emergence of Zailani should be seen as victory for the Northern Nigeria democracy and collective progress of the nation.

Kaduna state Assembly staff

also hailed other contenders for accepting his emergence, saying they had exhibited the tenets of true democrats, saying history would remember them for their political maturity.

FCDO urges Jigawa peoples to learn how to live with Covid - 19 From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

T

he Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) through its programme lafiya programmes embarked on enlightenment campaign through use of media and CSOs on how people could continue ‎surviving with covid - 19 without being

infected.

The state team leader lafiya programme Dr Abdullahi Maiwada announced the move while delivering his speeches at two day CSO/media workshop on fight against the spread of the virus.

He explained that, since we believe with presence of new

virus in our communities, the best solution is to learn how to live with it in our daily activities and to avoid meltdown of our economy by enforcing lock down.

Dr Maiwada who described covid - 19 as infectious disease said, observing prevention measures are better solution to reduce the spread of corona in the state.

The state team leader maintained that, the workshop is aimed at training media practitioners and civil society organisations on how to convince the publics to develop the habits of observing preventive measures all their movements.

According to him, lafiya programme with support of Foreign

Commonwealth Development will continue to partner with Jigawa state government and promote and improve health sector for the benefit of all citizens in Jigawa.

He then urged the participants to extend the skills acquired at workshop to the masses through awareness campaign in their various media houses.

PAGE 7

PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

K

ano State Community Policing Implementation Committee has called on the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu to remove bad eggs from the force after he scrapping Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS).

In a press conference in Kano yesterday, an official of the committee, Barrister Mujiburrahman said the disbandment of SARS was a commendable decision, but the IG should take drastic steps to eliminate bad eggs from the force.

He said, while the IGP has

CRIME News Remove bad eggs from Police, Kano Community Policing C’tee advises IGP launched the reform of the Police force, he should identify bad officers within the force in order not to place them in the new outfit that would be created to replace SARS. Mujiburrahman also called on Nigerians not to put pressure on the IGP as he plans to set up a new unit in place of SARS, noting that rushing in the Police reform would

not augur well with the country.

“I commend the IGP for his courageous decision to scrap SARS by answering the yearning and aspirations of the citizens. “ I equally called on the general public not to put pressure on the IGP in forming another outfit in place of SARS, as rushing would only take us back to square one.

“There is a need for painstaking

effort to establish a new outfit in place of SARS, we therefore implore Nigerians to support the IGP with goodwill and prayers,” he said.

Mujiburrahman further appealed to Nigerians to appreciate the police and their commitment to service as they condemn the bad eggs in the system.

He further called on the police to release those arrested for protesting as the scrapping of the SARS has vindicated their actions.

“Those arrested for protesting should be released as they have been vindicated by the banning of the SARS unless if they have committed crimes for which they will be prosecuted in a court of law” he stated.

Benue varsity gets new Vice Chancellor From: Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

A

new Vice Chancellor has emerged for the Benue State University, Makurdi.

He is Prof. Joe Tor Iorapuu.

Prof. Iorapuu came tops amongst two(2) other contenders; Prof.

Edward Omudu and Prof. Tarhule Vitalis.

A letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG Prof. Anthony, SAN, and made available to Peoplesdaily announced the appointment of Prof. Tor Iorapuu as the 6th Vice Chancellor of the institution.

‘Governor Samuel Ortom who is the Visitor to the Benue State University (BSU), Makurdi is in receipt of the Council report submitted by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the University Governing Board in respect of the selection process of the next ViceChancellor at the BSU. “In the said report, the Chairman of the Governing Council of the University had transmitted the names of the three(3) best candidates as required by the University law to enable the Visitor complete the process of appointing a new Vice Chancellor of the University.

“In line with His Excellency’s policy to recognise merit, the candidate who came first has been appointed.

“His Excellency has therefore approved the appointment of Prof.

Joe Iorapuu as Vice Chancellor of the University”, the statement read.

Over 27 professors contested for the plump job which has a single 5 year tenure.

It should be noted that the new Vice Chancellor was a Head of Department Theatre and Film Arts from the University of Jos, Plateau State. He succeeds Prof.

Moses Msugh whose tenure expires in November, 2020.

Representative of the Director-General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Hajiya Habiba Bappah (5th L); Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs Adeyemi Adenike (5th R); and other participants, during a workshop for Information Act Desk officers in Abuja on Tuesday (13/ 10/20).

Photo: NAN

Activist advocates justice for victims of police excesses From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

P

olitician and businessman, Mr. Gbenga OlawepoHashim has canvassed for an efficient police services run by well-trained men and women, motivated and well paid, consistent with acceptable Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), towards accountability and the protection of citizens Fundamental Human Rights.

This was contained in a statement made available to media in kaduna yesterday.

Olawepo-Hashim, a notable

civil rights leader, and a 1989 Amnesty International Prisoner of Conscience stressed in a reaction to the ongoing ENDSARS protest that the action of heroic Nigerian youths is a noble one, deserving prompt attention.

But while the conduct of the protesters has been civil and peaceful, the politician regretted the widespread report of fatalities caused by police violent response to peaceful protests, aside the hauling of scores of peaceful protesters into police cells.

He stated: “I condemn the excessive use of force to handle

what is otherwise a peaceful protest and commend the protesters for breaking a twoand-a-half-decade long silence in the face of myriad of injustice in the land. As one who has been a victim of such brutality in the hands of Nigerian security forces as students’ leaders in the 1980’s; I know what these current events mean.”

The veteran advocate of civil justice acknowledged the response of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, to end SARS and ensure the redeployment of men of that

dreaded unit but insisted that something more comprehensive is urgently needed.

Olawepo-Hashim insisted that “nothing must be done to apply force in crushing the on-going nationwide peaceful protests. As a matter of fact, under our laws, it is the obligation of the Nigerian Police to offer protection for peaceful protesters, not persecute and kill them. I urge the police authority to ensure the immediate release of all detained protesters and to investigate and bring to book all those involved in the brutal murder of protesters”.

Group says Minister’s intervention will stop hunger in North/west From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

A

Group under the auspices of group, Unified Awareness Forum (UAF), has described the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouk as mother of the less privileged whose activities

rekindled hope in the Nigerian poor, adding that her intervention will stop hunger in North/west.

The was stated in a starement signed by the Chairman and Secretary,Mohammed Abdu and Alhaji Ibrahim Yanmu ,respectively, and made available to media in kaduna yesterday.

The group expressed delight

in the Federal Government ‘s intervention on food security to the people of Kaduna and North west region.

The statement added that apart from food items and other palliatives which the Minister presented to the government for onward distribution to the needy across the state, her intent to adopt

some Women Empowerment Programs initiated by the Kaduna state government, was soul lifting and heart warming.

According to the conveners, the minister who visited Governor Nasiru Ahmad el-Rufai, delivered Covid-19 palliatives and flood relief items to the state government.

PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

PAGE 8

News

From: Uche Makurdi

Nnorom,

N

ational President of the Association of Christian Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (AOCTRON) and paramount ruler of the Tiv nation, Prof. James Ayatse, has promised to work with other traditional rulers in the country to unite and support relevant institutions of goverment at all levels to tackle the insecurity and other challenges confronting the country.

The Tor Tiv stated this yesterday during a courtesy visit on Governor Samuel Ortom at the goverment house in Makurdi.

The Paramount ruler harped

Christian traditional ruler president promises to unite Nigerians on the need for Nigerians to remain an indivisible entity irrespective of religious background in the interest of peace, unity and development of the country.

“We will unite together,

cooperate together, encourage one another and support relevant institutions of goverment and relevant institutions of different religions to promote peace and welfare of this country in

ensuring that Nigeria is able to confront the challenges confronting it”.

The Tor Tiv explained that the association charged with the responsibility to contribute its quota to promote Christian

faith especially among Christian traditional rulers to encourage them serve God , adding that it is neither a political party nor a pressure group but a group of people who answer the name of Jesus Christ as the Son of God.

From Ahmad Mohammed, Bauchi

T

he Vice - Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Prof. Abdullahi Bala, has urged the founder of Tilt Group of Companies, Alhaji Habeeb Olalekan Okunola to consider

News Covid-19: CSOs partner USAID to curb community spread COVID-19 pandemic in E-WASH partner states and Abuja.

The USAID E-WASH CSO COVID-19 Prevention Campaign is aimed at providing improved access to accurate information on COVID-19 prevention, addressing the rise in the dissemination of fake news and stigmatization of COVID-19 survivors.

The partnership is aimed at strengthening federal government and E-WASH partner states COVID-19 prevention campaigns and strategies through strategic communication and advocacy; deepening the partnerships

with national and local media to increase access to quality information, and leveraging digital technologies to stem the pandemic.

Speaking at the partnership which took place virtually yesterday, WEWE Executive Director, Josephine Ogazi, averred that one of the important measures in stemming the spread of the COVID 19 pandemic is proper hand hygiene practices.

“Part of WEWE’s activities would be geared towards informing and motivating more frequent and regular hand hygiene

practices by drawing on the support of the federal and state ministries on risk communication activities and addressing gaps in risk communication on WASH as it pertains to the spread of COVID prevention in the Federal Capital Territory”.

“COVID-19 is preventable, it is preventable if we join hands together to observe simple rules laid down by the NCDC,” said NEWSAN Executive Director, Mathew Agboro.

He added that NEWSAN will work in partnerships with national and local media to increase

access to quality information and leverage digital technologies to fight the pandemic in Delta state.”

On her part, National Amirah for FOMWAN, said that “FOMWAN recently embarked on a sensitization program Pyata in Niger state to sensitize over 200 people on the precautions and hygiene measures they can take in preventing COVID-12.”

She said FOMWAN will support the government’s efforts on hygiene promotion, social distancing and adaptation of risk communication to suit risk fragile communities in Niger State.

T Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mrs Cecelia Ezeilo, addressing EndSARS and police brutality protesters in Enugu on Tuesday (13/10/20).

Photo: NAN

No going back on Ogboeogonogo market stores project, says Delta govt

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

D

etermined to ensure work on the construction of 200 lockup shops at the Ogboeogonogo market in Asaba, Delta State government on Tuesday ordered traders at the market to relocate to the makeshift market provided by the Oshimili South Local Government.

The state commissioner for Trade and Investment, Mr Chika

Ossai who confirmed this to our Correspondent on telephone, said that the market project was not negotiable and that traders should adhere to the directives of the state government, disclosing that the state Governor Mr Ifeanyi Okowa recognized the traders and as such his order cannot be undermined.

According to him” The state government has done a lot of palliative for traders by making provision for makeshift market

in order for traders not to suffer any loss.All the state government need is your cooperation to make sure that the project, shops is successful.”

On the issue of the cost of the rent for the new shops, which the traders raised in the meeting, the Commissioner said that the alleged fee ranging from N3million to N6million was false, adding that the agreed fee ranged from N1.5 million to N2.1million.

Ossai said that the shop

owner would pay the money for a stipulated time, as agreed with the local government, and urged the traders to cooperate with the right traders only and stay away from those who were ready to protect crisis between traders and government for their selfish reasons and appealed to the traders to cooperate with the state government as the present administration was determined to rebuild Ogboeogonogo market to give a facelift to the capital city

Prof. Bala Woos Investors to FUT Minna Mustapha,

I

n their determination to curb the spread of coronavirus, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) partnered United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to curb the spread of the virus across the country.

The CSOs included; Widows and Orphans Empowerment Organisation (WEWE), the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) and the Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN).

The CSOs are in partnership with the USAID E-WASH program to carry out activities to stem the community spread of the

Page 9

From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

S

From Yakubu Minna

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

FCDO urges Jigawa peoples to learn how to lives with Covid - 19

Group educates stakeholders on peaceful Bauchi council polls earchlight Initiativefor Community Peace Advocacy and Rural Development in Nigeria, a nongovernmental organisation has task stakeholders on the need for peaceful local government election in Bauchi State this Saturday 17th, October 2020.

The group stated this yesterday in Bauchi at a seminar organised by the group themed; “the imperative of Peaceful Conduct of Local Government elections in Bauchi State”.

In his welcome address the Deputy Director Peace and Conflict Resolution of the group Comrade Umar Nuru said as an organisation that promotes peaceful election in Nigeria, the seminar came in good time when Bauchi citizens are planning to elect their leaders at the third tier of government.

Nuru advised people to exhibit nonviolent behavior such as humility, honesty, empathy, hard work, love, volunteerism and charity work to achieve violent and successful hitch free election.

PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

setting up a project in his name in the institution.

Prof. Bala made this appeal when he led other Principal Officers of the University on a courtesy visit to the Corporate Headquarters of the Company in Abuja.

The call was part of efforts by the FUT VC to change the

narrative of the university administration by attracting investments and projects from spirited individuals and corporate bodies.

The Vice - Chancellor disclosed that the purpose of the visit was to intimate Alhaji Okunola on the kind of intervention that the university requires from him in

order to advance its fortunes.

The University VC said the institution has over 11, 000 hectares of land and would be ready to also partner with him since he has a keen interest in agriculture.

He revealed that the University has concluded arrangements to establish an agricultural research

farm with interest in animal husbandry, fishery and crop production, among others.

According to him, the agricultural research farm would help the University to train the new generation of herders as well as address the incessant herders and farmers clashes in the country.

he Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) through its programme lafiya programmes embarked on enlightenment campaign through use of media and CSOs on how people could continue ‎surviving with covid - 19 without being infected.

The state team leader lafiya programme Dr Abdullahi Maiwada announced the move while delivering his speeches at two day CSO/media workshop on fight against the spread of the virus.

He explained that, since we believe with presence of new virus in our communities, the best solution is to learn how to live with it in our daily activities and to avoid meltdown of our economy by enforcing lock down.

Dr Maiwada who described covid - 19 as infectious disease said, observing prevention measures are better solution to reduce the spread of corona in the state.

The state team leader maintained that, the workshop is aimed at training media practitioners and civil society organisations on how to convince the publics to develop the habits of observing preventive measures all their movements.

According to him, lafiya programme with support of Foreign Commonwealth Development will continue to partner with Jigawa state government and promote and improve health sector for the benefit of all citizens in Jigawa.

He then urged the participants to extend the skills acquired at workshop to the masses through awareness campaign in their various media houses.

Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari (M), Director General of the DSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi and Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu holds a meeting on extensive police reforms in the aftermath of a pPresidential directive. Tuesday, October 13, 2020. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE.

Flooding: Edo communities, Rep seek Govt. assistance, warn of IDPs crisis

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

L

eaders of Anegbette and Udochi communities, two towns worst hit by floods in South Uneme Clan of Etsako Central local government area of Edo State has called for urgent government intervention in the provisions of relief materials and relocation in order to avoid a major food crisis situations and outbreak of diseases.

President of Anegbette Development Association (ADA) Hon. Emma Okolo and National President of Udochi Development Union (UDU), Mr. Abubakar Aleobua said the havoc wreaked on the riverine communities has left thousands of their people

displaced from their ancestral homes while many now take shelter under trees.

Also, the member representing Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency in House of Representative, Honourable Peter Ohiozoje Akpatason has warned of the dangers of the increasing numbers of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the country.

Briefing journalists in Lagos, the two leaders said only the prompt intervention by government and concerned bodies will bring relief and succour to the people whose farm lands and agricultural produce worth hundreds of millions of naira has been destroyed.

Hon. Emma said “hundreds

of houses in Anegbette have submerged, our farm produce, mostly rice, cassava, yam, pepper, tomatoes and others have been washed away. Our people are at the mercy of God as we speak.

The predicament of the people right now is beyond what anyone can describe, our plea goes to not only the government but also humanitarian organizations and international bodies to come to our aides”.

On his part, the UDU President, Abubakar lamented that the only IDP camp in the local government area located Ogomere is not easily accessible and called for the establishment of one closer to the community.

Abubakar added that “our

people are going through untold hardship as many have been without food and adequate clothing for days. The community school buildings, our health center and places of worship are under the waters.”

“The government must declare an emergency in these areas and send NEMA and sisters agencies to visit affected communities and provide them with relief materials else we may witness a severe health crisis” he explained.

Honourable Akpatason told journalists that the high numbers of Internally Displaced Persons in the country does not augur well for Nigeria and urged the government to take concrete steps to address the burgeoning challenges.

PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

PAGE 10

News

By Maryam Garba Hassan

M

inister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola, has promised to support the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) in its move to implement the Makkah Road Initiative.

The minister made the promise when NAHCON’s Chairman, Zikrullah Kunle Hassan and his management team paid him a courtesy visit.

In his remarks, the Chairman said the purpose of their visit is to seek the support of the ministry in the commission’s quest to be included among the beneficiaries of the Makkah Route Initiative.

Hassan said the request if granted will make Nigeria the first beneficiary in Africa.

While briefing the minister on the expectations of the Commission, the Chairman described the role the ministry will play in achieving the said goal as crucial since it oversees a fundamental aspect of the said initiative.

Hassan further explained that if the project is implemented, it will end the suffering Nigerian pilgrims have endured due to multiple

Minister of Interior pledges support for Saudi’s Makka route initiative in Nigeria screenings in both Nigerian and Saudi Arabian airports.

“With this initiative the pilgrims will be screened by the Saudi authorities right from our homeland airports and straight to their buses when they arrive Saudi Arabia. Even their bags will be waiting for them in their hotels, to be delivered by the relevant Saudi Arabian authorities. All necessary security checks will be concluded here in Nigeria, ” he said.

He said the Saudi Arabian authorities will send a delegation to Nigeria to assess level or preparedness of the Commission and relevant agencies. “This will

give Nigeria the chance to be part of the Makkah Road Project” he added.

In his response the Minister, Rauf Aregbesola, promised the support of his entire ministry to the course and also added that the government is ready to do whatever it will take that will guarantee the welfare of Nigerians.

“I welcome you, I promised you all the support of the ministry and its agencies, we eagerly await the arrival of the Saudi officials that will fully elaborate what the initiative is all about. From what I read and heard you can count on us as worthy partners in the

successful inclusion of Nigeria in the Makkah route Initiative which is meant to remove and bring to the bearest minimum stress, difficulties and challenges that pilgrims face in discharge of their religious duties.” He said.

He said countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and Pakistan are all enjoying the initiative and Nigeria should also queue in.

It would be recalled that Nigeria first expressed interest in the project in 2018 while in 2019, Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of Hajj, Abdul Rahman Al Bijawi renewed the offer while receiving the NAHCON delegation in his

office.

Al-Bijawi said the Makkah Route Project has already been implemented in five countries with Pakistan being the latest to join.

He advised Nigeria to start by giving it a trial.

“You can give it a try even if it is in one state”, Al-Bijawi said.

“The Makkah road project is the game changer when it comes to external pilgrims. It takes 20 to 25 minutes to process an entire aircraft. There is no need for Immigration, Customs or antinarcotics department to screen the pilgrims after they have landed” the Deputy Minister added.

Scores of APC members defect to PDP in Ika North East

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

S

cores of All Progressive Congress (APC) members in Umunede, Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State have defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The defectors who trooped out in batches, also willingly submitted their brooms which were later torched.

Receiving the defectors at Umunede, the Chairman of the PDP, Ika North East chapter, Hon. Chukwudi Agbomah, described their return as the right step in the right direction.

“From today, you all now have right to enjoy everything accruable to PDP faithful in this local government area and beyond,” he said.

He maintained that PDP had enough room to accommodate them, urging defectors to quickly start attending ward meetings as well as making themselves relevant.

According to the Chairman, “You have done noble to return home. Your decisions to come back is divine and an answer to our prayers. We receive you all whole hearted.”

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, the duo of Mr Augustine Mekuye and Stephen Ugbebor, disclosed that they had suffered untold hardship during the period they pitched their tent in the camp of APC.

L-R: Program Manager of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Mr. Salaudeen Hashim, Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani, and Board Member of CISLAC, Mr. Adesina Ola, during the press conference calling for amicable resolution between Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Police Management Team, at the CISLAC office, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

NGO train youths on smartphones networking usage for 11m users From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

A

European Company identified as the Impact Crown 1 Technology S.L in partnership with European Government has organized training for youths in the country on an online networking market through the use of smartphone to earn a leaving.

The Coordinator Star One and Team Leader Niger State, Haruna Abdulkadir Ruga disclosed that Crown 1 Online Networking Company however markets other company digital products.

He explained that over eleven million (11 Million) members have registered within one and half years of its existence

while targeting over 25 million membership by December 2020.

Ruga noted that each of the registered members are benefiting from such investment every Wednesday of the week.

He added that Crown 1 Company’s mission is to build smartphone user youths on entrepreneurship skills on how to market digital company

products such as Billion dollars and Trillion dollars companies.

He described the company as one of the best networking company and fast growing business in the world, just as he advised the public to register with the recognized company to enabled them earn a living from the opportunity of making money at your pleasure.

Sen. Musa applauds Buhari over SARS From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

S

enator Mohammed Sani Musa representing Niger East Senatorial District of Niger State has applauded President Muhammadu Buhari over prompt action to dissolved SARS operatives for their abuse

of power and brutality.

This was contained in a press statement he issued yesterday and made available to journalists in Minna.

He said that the president’s directive to the Inspector General of Police to immediately dissolve the SARS, which

already the IGP has issued orders in that direction was a welcome development.

According to the lawmaker, “The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) has been the topic of many discussions, particularly with regards to human rights violations and

police brutality.

“We were recently on-lookers as Americans gathered en masse to demand police reform, many of us shared the hashtags and the frustrations, but these same issues are occurring here at home and Nigerians have decided that enough is enough.”

PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

PAGE 11

Letter to the Editor

EDITORIAL

I

The Ondo vote

ncumbent governor of Ondo The president thanked the State, Rotimi Akeredolu, has people of Ondo State for keeping been returned to office for faith with their governor and the another four years. The candidate All Progressives Congress (APC). of the All Progressives Congress He noted that “the people know the (APC) won the October 10 election person and party that truly serves with 292,830 votes to defeat Eyitayo them, and have spoken in a clear Jegede of Peoples Democratic Party voice and unmistakable terms.”

(PDP) whose vote tally was 195,791. Buhari appreciated the electorate in Ajayi Agboola, the governor’s former the state for comporting themselves deputy ran against his former boss decently and in order and for on the platform of Zenith Labour exhibiting conduct that indicates that Party (ZLP) and received 69,127 the country is making progress in its votes. Jegede’s immediate electoral behaviour. reaction was philosophical.

“This project is a project He also gave kudos that God has ordained. to the Independent As it is so, we wait. So National Electoral Buhari we wait on God,” his Commission (INEC) appreciated for campaign spokesman organizing Gbenga Ademoyo said in a the electorate credible, free and statement. fair election, and to in the state for security agencies Accepting victory which ensured comporting Sunday, Akeredolu told that orderliness themselves was enthroned and Ondo voters: “The renewal of our mandate in this decently and maintained.

He election is an eloquent urged Akeredolu in order and to be humble and testimony to the degree of acceptance by you, in for exhibiting magnanimous the good people of Ondo and serve the conduct that victory, State. It affirms that the people of Ondo State confidence reposed in our indicates that even better than he Administration remains in the first term. the country is did unshaken. It is a statement “When you serve with on your assessment of our making progress heart and might, the performance in the last respond in like in its electoral people three and a half years. manner, and we can behaviour It is unequivocal, direct, easily get to where inspiring and soul lifting. It we are headed as a is awesome. It is a reward country.” for hard work, dedication, focus, honesty and patriotism. It is also a Warts and all, Ondo surprised challenge to us for rededication to even the optimists among observers service in the interest of our people. of the state’s politics. Given its On this, we shall not relent. history of political violence, few gave it any chance of pulling off a President Muhammadu Buhari, vote as clean as Edo’s on Sept. 19. expectedly, has rejoiced with But it did, in spite of isolated cases Akeredolu on his re-election. In of preelection violence. Attempted a congratulatory message by his ballot box snatching was reported spokesman, Femi Adesina, in Abuja at some polling centres and votes on Sunday, Buhari lauded the buying by candidates and their “resounding” victory of the governor. parties took place, according to He believed that the votes Akeredolu election monitors. Otherwise, the received “show that one good turn vote was credible, they reported. surely deserves another.”

Good for Ondo, good for INEC and good for Nigeria.

“

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Justifying Nigeria’s massive standard gauge rail projects

By Musa Ilallah

C

urrent standard gauge rail projects being pursued by the Buhari administration are all projects which pre dated the adminstration.

This means that the Abuja-Kaduna and ItakpeAjaokuta-Warri completed and commissioned; Lagos-Ibadan, nearing completion; Ibadan-Kano and Kano-Maradi, Niger Republic which contracts were approved by the federal executive council while construction work will soon commence, were all planned by previous governments in the country.

Infact the 326 kilometres Itakpe-AjaokutaWarri rail line project was started almost 33 years ago but was abandoned by past administrations due to lack of funding.

Nigeria’s current railway project is being developed in segments under the country’s 25year rail development master plan initiated during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and the implementation of the project was stepped-up by subsequent administrations, particularly the current administration of President Buhari who is determined to complete all abandoned projects during the PDP administration’s 16 years in power.

What is most interesting in all of these efforts by the PMB adminstration is the fact that all the railway projects are initiations of previous governments and President Buhari has in consideration of national interest patriotically and continuously pursued their completion rather than starting new ones that may end up as white elephant projects.

Notable among such projects are AbujaKaduna, Lagos-Ibadan, Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri, Ibadan-Kano and Kano-Daura-Maradi (Niger) standard gauge rail lines.

Firstly, the 186 km Abuja-Kaduna rail line as one of the first standard gauge railway modernisation projects, SGRMP undertaken in Nigeria was estimated to cost government $87.6m in 2011. This is phase 1 of the Lagos-kano project.

Secondly, the $8.3bn contract for the LagosKano standard gauge modernisation project awarded to a Chinese company, CCECC in 2006 marked the beginning of the initiative but couldn’t be implemented due to funding challenges. It was later re captured into different stand alone segments and the existing 1,124km narrow-gauge Lagos-Kano line was rehabilitated.

The next segment to undergo standard gauge renovations is the 312km dual Lagos-Ibadan rail line, which is a double-track standard gauge line scheduled for completion in 2020 and awarded at a cost of $1.53bn in 2012.

Thirdly, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi had disclosed that China has approved $5.3 billion for the ongoing railway projects across the country and that government is set to commence and complete construction soon while Federal government had released $318 million as part of the 15% counterpart funding for the IbadanKano rail line whose total cost is put at $8.68bn.

Fourth, the 276 km Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri Railway project was first awarded in 1987.

It was originally designed for the transportation of Iron Ore to Ajaokuta, Kogi state and Aladja steel Rolling mills, Delta State and also transport processed steel to the port in Warri, Delta State.

Construction of the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri railway line was abandoned after 70% completion for about 33 years.

In view of the need for the rail line to serve multi purposes, the PMB administration redesigned it to provide passenger services.

In 2017, the new administration of PMB funded the revival of Itakpe-Warri rail line at $200 million (N72 billion).

In 2019, the government signed a $3.9 billion (N1.4tr) contract with China Railway Construction Corporation Limited to extend the ItakpeAjaokuta-Warri Railway line to Abuja.

Commissioning the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri rail line, President Buhari declared that his administration recognised the importance of the railway mode of transportation as a vital backbone to support industrialisation and economic development. ”Accordingly, I have approved the prioritisation of viable railway routes for either new rail lines or the reconstruction and rehabilitation of some, to achieve effective and efficient train services supporting the country’s trade and commerce.

Also speaking at the occasion, Delta state

Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa commended President Buhari’s bi-partisan approach to governance, saying “it is a thing of pride and joy that this rail line was completed under your watch.”

Additionally, the Federal Government has approved award of contract for the development of the proposed 258 km Kano-Katsina-Jibia to Maradi rail line in Niger Republic and to Dutse, Jigawa state at $1,959,744,723.71, inclusive of 7.5% VAT. Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi who anmounced this after the 16th virtual FEC meeting chaired by President Buhari in Abuja said that more than 700 contractors bidded for 2020 railway projects.

The rail line, which will start from Kano, is to pass through, Dutse, Dambatta, Kazaure, Daura, Mashi, Katsina, Jibia, towns in Nigeria and terminate in Maradi, Niger Republic.

It is hoped that the rail line, when completed, would assist in the supply of crude oil from Niger Republic to a private refinery being built in the border town between both countries.

It would be recalled that an agreement between Nigeria and Niger in 2015, coordinated by the Nigeria-Niger Joint Commission for Cooperation had a plan for “Kano-Katsina-Maradi Corridor Master Plan, (K2M)” as it is called.

Going by this, the two nations would each build a rail track to meet at the border town of Maradi.

Nigerian delegates to that meeting comprised officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Boundaries Commission, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Water Resources as well as those of Kano and Katsina states.

The objective of the rail is the harnessing of raw materials, mineral resources and agricultural produce. When completed, it will serve domestic industries and play the role of a a viable transportation backbone to the West African subregion, starting with the neighboring Niger Republic for their export and import logistic chain.

Minister of Transportation Rotimi Ameachi also justified the construction of the Kano-DauraMaradi rail line as one that would significantly and substantially boost Nigeria’s economy.

“Currently, Niger Republic, Chad and others have abandoned the Nigerian market. They do not use our seaports again, they go to countries like Benin Republic and they are growing the economy of those people and we do not have deep seaports in Nigeria, explained Minister Amaechi.

He said Benin Republic was the first to build a deep seaport in Nigeria adding that Nigeria is the only country in West Africa without a single window for clearance of goods on the same day of arrival.

“Nigerians are now importing through Benin Republic, Lome (Togo) and Ghana because they have a single window. Corruption has made it impossible for Nigeria to adopt the single window,” said Minister Amaechi.

It is on record that the PDP administration under Goodluck Jonathan administration mooted the idea of the Kano-Daura-Maradi railway line as former Vice President Namadi Sambo revealed in Zaria during a reception organised by the Zazzau Emirate in honour of then Governor Muhktar Ramalan Yero of Kaduna state in 2013.

It will be recalled that in 2019, Olawale Rasheed, Director, African Railway Roundtable had written about a new rail corridor, the KanoMaradi line that is to connect Sahelo Sahara region with West African coast.

The projected new railway line will impact a population of approximately 8.8 million people with many positive social and economic effects, including encouraging economic development through ease of access to goods and services, facilitate transport of raw materials and manufactured goods, and creation of employment for a wide range of personnel.

Nigeria, in line with its massive railyway development plan has been able to also put in place measures to connect the whole country to railway network. Such plans include Bonny-Port HarcoutMaiduguri; Ibadan-Osogbo-Ilorin; Osogbo-Ado Ekiti; Ilorin-Minna and Minna-Abuja among others.

EMEKA ANYAOKU STREET ABUJA musahk123@yahoo.com

PAGE 12

Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

Cry of a sleeping giant

By Femi Oluwasanmi

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he recent demonstrations that characterized the Nigeria’s 60th independece day’s anniversary and the continuous persecution of Nigerians in some countries abroad show that the country needs to wake up from her slumber and regain her rightful position in the comity of nations.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had on 13th September, 2020, described Nigeria as a country slowly becoming a failed State and a basket case that urgently needs to be pulled from the brink of collapse. Though, this was countered by the presidency and those who have reservations for the comment, but the reality on ground shows that the man is not too far from the truth.

Particularly, looking at the level of poverty, insecurity, number of children out of school, unemployment, underemployment, police brutality, noise of secession and others that have nearly reduced Nigeria Independence to a paradox.

Infact, it seems the gain made by the nation’s founding fathers at the independence in 1960 is gradually dwindling with the incessant calls by most ethnic groups to leave Nigeria.

In the south west region of the country for instance, there were people that threatened to declare Oduduwa republic on the independence day before they were warned of the consequences of their action by the police.

In support of this declaration, the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) also declared a sit down at home for the people living in the Biafran land. Though, the declaration seems to be like a comedy organized by a group of comedians because the nation still remains as one despite the threat, but it is a great departure from the pact

signed at independence by the heroes past.

Based on the vision of those that fought for the independence of Nigeria, October 1, ought to be a day when Nigerians ought to renew their commitment to the unity of Nigeria by celebrating Independence secured from colonial masters in 1960. That was one of the reasons those that were alive during civil war in 1967 used the available resources at their disposal to prevent the country from collapsing.

In order to cement this gain, the country embarked on a big brother gesture by using her influence to help liberate other African countries from the vestiges of colonialism which set the tone for Nigeria’s Afrocentric foreign policy.

Nigeria mounted pressure on the apartheid government of South Africa and took on western powers by backing the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). And in West Africa, Nigeria offered herself as the economic and military machinery of ECOWAS and ECOMOG in attempts to quell civil wars in Liberia and numerous offshoots of conflict.

As a result of this great effort, Nigeria became the giant of Africa till after the doom in oil and leadership, which made the gallant giant to degragaded to the sleeping giant gasping for help.

In 2019, the media was flooded with the news of Xenophobic attacks in South Africa where Nigerians were sacrified on the alter of hatred for the foreigners.

Just of recent, the Ghanaian authority whose citizens benefited greatly from the oil boom economy in Nigeria before they were sent parking in 80s due to the oil doom that followed the boom also imposed a levy of one million dollars on foreigners doing business in the country including Nigerians.

Not only that, under the watch of the

Ghanaian government some buildings that belong to the Nigerian High Commission were seized and demonlished in a suspicious manner. Though, the government alleged irregularities in their documentation, but deducing from the statement that followed, it is obvious that the action goes beyond the issue of documentation.

For instance, the Ghana’s Minister of Information, Endkojo Nkrumah, after justifying the actions taken by his country, blamed Nigeria for closing Seme Krake border which seriously affected Ghanaian business men and had gravely impact on other countries in the Region.

However, this seems not to be strange to those that have been following the trend of events in the domestic affairs of Nigeria because for a country to be a gallant giant in a continent or the world, it must have strong economy, stable security, population, military strength among other ingredients that create diplomatic influence for a country in the international sphere.

Though, Nigeria had recorded notable victories in her foreign mission but the growing insecurity within the domestic sphere raises serious concern. The Nigerian military has been unable to completely wipe out Boko Haram in the North East. While the numbers of potential terrorist group tagged banditry continue to increase in the North West.

Similar story is told of the level of insecurity in the North Central, South West, South East and South South regions of the country. Recently, a sizeable number of security personnels attached to the convoy of Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State were killed by the Boko Haram terrorists while on duty.

Also, through police brutality, so many lives have been loss. Even, despite the ban on Federal Special Anti-Robbry Squad (FSARS), some

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here is no denying the fact that Nigeria’s economy has over the years been experiencing a downturn, and as a result led to a rapid increase to the rate of unemployment and poverty, particularly as graduates from tertiary institutions of learning have been finding it difficult to secure jobs. As a result of the foregoing gloomy situation, most parents are beginning to reason that a good foundation to employment generation and job security lies in the learning of artisanal vocations. In as much as one is not factually disposed to argue against their decision, it is expedient to agree with them that the growth of any nation depends on its technological components.

However, that does not rule out the fact that education is a Hobson’s choice.

At this juncture, it is expedient to ask, what is a Hobson’s choice? According to lexicographers, Hobson’s choice is a situation in which you are supposed to make a choice but do not have a real choice because there is only one thing you can have or do.

Analyzed from this definitional context, education; whether it is not guaranteeing gainful employment remains a Hobson’s choice.

To buttress the fact that education is a Hobson’s choice, former Nigeria’s President, Major General Yakubu Gowon, after being toppled as Nigeria’s head of state on July 29, 1975, returned to school for more studies and acquired a Ph.D. in Political Science.

This time around, it has to do with his going back to school when he is, officially, close to 80 years. In the same vein, former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, to the admiration many education-loving Nigerians, enrolled at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) to study Theology even when he was about 80 years

old, and having attained international fame as the former president of a country.

Consequently, in 2018 he received a doctorate from the same Open University.

Still in the same nexus, former Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) leader and the current Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba Land, Otunba Gani Adams, despite his enviable position in the country, particularly in the western part of the country, and his fame, he went back to school, and graduated from Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo Campus where he obtained a degree in Political Science.

Against the foregoing backdrop, it is expedient to say that examples abound on Nigerians who were known to be famous and wealthy but later opted for the furtherance of their education. That goes to show that education is a Hobson’s choice.

At this juncture, it is not out of place to ask, “Why should those the society may have seen to have made it in life go back to school?

The reasons cannot be farfetched. To some in their myopic reasoning, people go back to school so that they can secure a good job which would bring them a good (and steady) income, and makes them afford a good life. For most people, this is all there is to it. But the rich and famous as cited in the foregoing think differently.

To some, furthering their education even when they are already rich and famous is to enhance their eligibility for top political appointments. Some job appointments are highly political. Hence, there has to be a compelling reason displayed to the world why anyone is given such a position.

To others, furthering their studies at the stage of being considered to be fulfilled in life do so for them to have something to brag about with. Yes, there are people who go to school for this. In fact, there are wealthy people who have made a lot of money without going to school or as dropouts. But the issue of not having a degree bugs their

minds. So they go back to school to earn a degree so that they can have some academic success backing their financial success and complement their status in the society. And for most people, it puts them in a position to teach, share and be a thought leader in their industry.

As you can see, the emphasis is not at all about what is taught in the classroom.

Choosing a school based on what is taught in the classroom is poor decision making. In some cases, the course of study doesn’t even matter.

The rich use higher education to get into other wealthy circles and position themselves to be richer. The regular people are going to school to learn something in the classroom.

It would be recalled that in 2017, when the multiple award-winning actor, Kanayo.O.Kanayo enrolled to study Law at the University of Abuja, after he bagged Master’s degree from the University of Lagos, few years back, explained at a media parley that why he took the decision was to prove those who believe that entertainers are not educated wrong. According to him, “Many people believe that we are not educated but I am here to prove them wrong.”

In the same vein, in 2014, when Premium Times, a Nigerian online newspaper, contacted the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on why he was returning to school, he said it was important for him to make some commitments towards achieving his aspirations in life.

He said, “I’m going back to school because I have to have something to aspire to in every endeavour of life, I always aspire to something new in my farm. I do that in my international activities. I do it in my writing.

I do it in the improvement of my academic work which helps to sharpen my brain and strengthen my faith.”

When asked how he was going to

Comment

Regional autonomy could resolve Nigeria’s multifaceted problems police officers still continue use fire arms against peaceful protesters.

At the heart of this urgly situation is the issue of poverty which has sent so many people to the early grave and increased the number of out of school children in the country. Due to the pain of this deadly disease, many Nigerian youths have turned to fruadsters while some are enrouting dangerous routes to Europe in looking for greener pastures.

Unfortunately, the government that ought to salvage this situation is also creating poverty through the “back door” by disengaging some workers even at the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, between June and July, the Federal Government disengaged 500, 000 N-power volunteers without given them exist package to start up the business of their dream and promise to engage another set of 400, 000 graduates to fill the gap.

These 400, 000 volunteers will also be thrown back to pool of poverty like currently 500, 000 volunteers swimming in the pool due to the disengagement by the Federal government after serving the nation for two years. Meaning that, by 2023, close to 900 000 of those participated in N-power programme would have been disengaged back to the league of graduates unemployed.

No wonder Nigerians are persecuted and called different names abroad. It is high time the nation wakes up from her slumber by returning to the pact of sufficient job creation, business friendly environment, peace, prosperity and unity signed at the Independence so that the labour of heroes past will not be in vain.

Femi Oluwasanmi writes in from Ibafo, Ogun State.

Seeing education as a Hobson’s Choice

By Isaac Asabor

PAGE 13

PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

cope combining his studies with his tight international engagements, He said he would take advantage of the flexibility of the National Open University’s system.

“Fortunately, the Open University is flexible enough and I will definitely be able to cope. I was able to cope when I did the Post Graduate. I was also busy during the period,” he said.

Analyzed from the foregoing perspective, it will not be out of place to say in this context that education is the foundation of basic life skills and street smarts. While education might sound like a fancy technical term, it’s really everything we learn in life about how to best conduct ourselves from day to day.

Education can be the most freeing and empowering thing in the entire world!

Truly, living life to the fullest means being well-educated and holding a vast amount of knowledge about the world around us. It also means we continue to learn every day in all kinds of forms, whether it be from the people around us, newspapers, experiences, research, or traditional classes.

Without any scintilla of hyperbole, education breaks barriers between people, and allows people from across the globe to be empowered as it allows its possessor to become the best, demonstrates the fullest version of himself or herself, learn about what interests him or her, and what he or she is good at. Education makes its possessor to become self-aware and conscious about the world around him or her even as it can help such person to establish a place in this world, and feel complete. Just like Archimedes was quoted to have said, “Give me a lever and a place to stand and I will move the earth. Give me a fulcrum, and I shall move the world.

Give me a firm spot on which to stand, and I shall move the earth”.

To my view, education is unarguably a place to stand, and it is a Hobson’s choice.

Isaac Asabor is a Public Affairs Analyst.

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

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he African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have turned blind-eyes to the unprecedented and indiscriminate killings of civilians mostly in the southern parts of Nigeria.

Nevertheless, the International Court of Criminal Justice (ICC) has utterly refused to categorise these as a genocide in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Amnesty International (AI), the International Crisis Group and local human rights organisations, have documented, in several reports, frequent attacks on civilians, mostly Igbo and Yoruba, in the Christian dominated southern Nigeria.

Armed Fulani and Jihadist Moslem groups from northern Nigeria committed heinous attacks.

Human rights reports say attacks also take the form of structural and cultural violence targeted at Christians by the heavily Moslem controlled central Government of Nigeria.

The structural and cultural violence against Christians by the present Nigerian Government involves the enactment of pro-Islamic laws and promotion of policies that are pro-jihadist, including the gross lopsided composition of the country’s public security establishments. Key heavily-Moslem controlled agencies condone the atrocious acts of the Muslim jihadists against the Christian population and provide them with state cover and protection, according to the reports.

The violence against Nigerians by ‘eco-jihadist’ Muslim groups is locally called “banditry”, and that involves targeted abduction of residing and travelling citizens and forcing them to pay monetary ransoms in captivity or permanent disappearance or killing without any traces.

Such young Christian women are forcefully married off by their Islamic captors, converted to Islam and made sex slaves. Men among them are forced to be converted to Islam or risk being killed or permanently disappeared in custody. Captured Christian children are radicalised with radical Islamic doctrines and forced into child soldiering, including suicide bombing.

IDN research checks reveal that there were, at least 1,800 Christians killed in Nigeria between January and September 2020. Further breakdown indicates that Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen accounted for between 1,150 and 1,200 Christian lives while Boko Haram and other jihadist groups accounted for, at least, 600. The number of abductions on the grounds of religion have also risen to 500 during this period.

“The current Government that was founded on fraud, can never credibly and correctly tackle corruption because anti-corruption crusade firmly demands moral decency and uprightness.

It requires clean hands, a saintly posture that the present Government does not have or possess.

There is confidence, and the will power to take up this task. It scratches the problems on the surface,” Emeka Umeagbalasi, Board Chair of the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule

of Law, told IDN in an emailed comment from Onitsha city, Eastern Nigeria.

He explained that the Government and its security agencies must return Nigeria to its secular status or divide the country in peace so that any party wishing to Islamize itself and its culture can do so freely and peacefully. Other regions that are not in the agreement can be given self-governance or self-determination, regional autonomy or statehood.

During the celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari appealed for nation-wide unity and integration. This principal task has not been realised after Nigeria gained independence in October 1960.

Tensions have persisted between the north and south, and there have been rivalries between ethnic groups. Millions have been killed in ethnic clashes, with the south-Eastern region working hard to break away to become the Biafra state.

“An underlying cause of most of the problems we have faced as a nation is in our consistent harping on artificially contrived fault-lines that we have harboured and allowed unnecessarily to fester,” President Buhari said in a televised address in an apparent effort to appease the population, majority deeply frustrated by his administration.

He promised to consolidate Nigeria’s democracy and called for patriotism. The president suggested that Nigeria’s population — now around 200 million and projected to be the third highest in the world by 2050 — is both a challenge and an asset for the country.

That has sparked debates, with scholars and researchers expressing divergent views.

“Nigeria is in the third place globally among countries most ravaged by terrorism. The structural insolvency in Nigeria is pronounced with the distrust, which has characterised the interactions between the Government and the governed since independence. Unattended to for years, the dissatisfaction of the oppressed has germinated into a chorus of clamour for an equitable and just society that now manifests as calls for self-determination by various ethnic spheres in the country,” according to Funmilola Ajala, an independent Researcher on African Affairs, based in Berlin.

Expressing some optimism, he explained: “As the drums of apocalypse sound louder in Nigeria, it is germane to say that, despite its intractable challenges, the strategic nature of the country makes it more appealing to remain one.

The strength of its huge population is one reason which has over the decades made Nigeria a place of choice for trade and economic interests by many foreigners.”

That said, however, Ajala further offered a few suggestions. First, there is a need for a national document that genuinely reflects the will of the people to live together. The notion that the indivisibility of Nigeria is ‘non-negotiable’ is a farce and should be discarded in search of a template for

peaceful co-existence.

Second, a return to regional autonomy in place of the subsisting quasi-federation is long overdue; the system is yearning for deconstruction to help redress its many apparent contradictions and the attendant deficient outcomes. This would afford the regional components opportunity to develop from within without necessarily dictated to by the federal authority.

Third, the ‘gentlemen agreement’ for rotational Head of Government should be constitutionally sanctioned to avoid making such a privilege an exclusive preserve of a particular ethnic group at the expense of others.

Nigeria’s population is estimated at over 200 million, which means the country has skilled and unskilled labour in abundance. The population also makes it a fertile ground for global trade.

Nigeria is also rich in mineral resources. It is sub-Saharan Africa’s largest, and the world’s 13th largest, producer and exporter of oil.

These endowments should have made Nigeria one of the critical destinations for global investment. And with its wealth in petroleum and natural resources as well as its vast agricultural potential, Nigeria should have by now become Africa’s undisputed economic giant, Sheriff Folarin, Professor of International Relations, Covenant University, wrote recently in an assessment report.

“Sixty years after independence, Nigeria, like a vehicle struggling to climb a hilly road, has yet to achieve its potential. Its large population has thus become a source of weakness, not strength.

With mass unemployment and overstretching of inadequate and poorly maintained infrastructure, many Nigerians have had to seek their fortunes abroad,” Folarin observes.

In comparison, Folarin said “Smaller nations such as Ghana, Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are beginning to catch up. At the same time, big corporations from industrialised and wealthy countries in Europe and South Asia find the Nigerian business climate inauspicious. That’s largely due to decaying infrastructure, corruption and insecurity. Big European corporations have, over the years, shut down or relocated their Nigerian manufacturing plants. They point to a lack of stable electricity supply and endemic corruption, both of which impede their smooth operations.”

In a research paper he co-authored, he argues that national integration and its benefits could be realised only with the development and entrenchment of a supportive public culture.

Nigerians must understand, respect and tolerate differences occasioned by socio-cultural diversity and develop new institutions and mechanisms that address poverty, revenue allocation and other national issues peacefully.

“Nigeria can transform its potential into success. With a huge population, its citizens can be mobilised and empowered to engage in manufacturing as China, Singapore and South Korea have done. This will change the society

from a consuming country to a powerhouse in manufacturing and exportation. At 60, Nigeria should not be groping in the dark. There have been numerous wasted opportunities, no doubt, but it takes just a right turn at any second for a vehicle in the middle of nowhere to find its bearing,” Sheriff Folarin suggested.

For Celine Akigwe, former General Secretary of the Nimo Brotherhood Society (NBS) UK & Ireland, multiple unresolved problems including frequent ethnic and religious attacks, deepseated corruption, ineffective federal system of governance make Nigeria not the Giant of Africa.

In her estimation, Nigeria is endowed with substantial natural resources. By population, it has the highest and that signifies the extent of its human capital in the country. As already known, Nigeria has three ethnic groups, namely the Hausa-Fulani in the North, Yoruba in the West and the Igbos in East. Ethnic conflict pulls down the expected high development, contributes to insecurity and youth unemployment in the country.

“Nigeria exposes the rich and poor divide in every aspect of society. The masses continue to suffer more and more electricity outages. Access to clean drinking water is another example, where the masses suffer poor quality water. Nigeria, lack of constant electricity, good roads, hospitals and schools have become the norm. The security situation all over Nigeria has reached a critical level,” Celine Akigwe told IDN in an emailed comment from London.

According to interpretation, there are too many problems facing Nigerians that nothing short of a total rethink, revamp and reworking of every denomination of our civilisation is required to change the status quo. This broken society must be dismantled and rebuilt. From its very inception, the concept of Nigeria was doomed. The land that is referred to or called Nigeria was created by the British. It made colonising Africans easier for them to administer.

Conclusively, Akigwe thinks Africans, or specifically Nigerians deserve that right. It has taken over 60 years for Nigerians to reach this point of agitation and Nigerians have suffered enough. It is time to leave the past behind and cease the administration of the colony – not former colony – called Nigeria.

Nigeria is an administrative convenience to ease the complications for the British. If Africans are totally honest with themselves, all of the borders that were drawn as a result of the Scramble for Africa should be erased. Integration simply means to continue to live in a state of denial of the past. Independence is not a myth but a reality that will happen now or in the future. If this generation is not ready for true independence, then future generations should do everything for that.

This story was first and originally published by InDepthNews.

Kester Kenn Klomegah is a Public Affairs Analyst.

The last but one word on SARS

By Saliu Momodu

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ARS is also a symptom of leadership failure as has plagued us here in Nigeria for decades now. A failure to create meaningful and legitimate employments for youths and young people- turning them thereby into cheap targets for demented, trigger-happy security BUSINESS operatives.

The Special Anti-robbery Squad Unit of the Nigerian Police Force popularly known as SARS, is failure and wickedness at three levels.

Firstly, it is a failure of the Nigerian Police to live up to its constitutional duties in the maintenance of law and order for the safety of lives, property and dignity of citizens. It is also wickedness because rather than being remorseful and seeking

to remedy the grueling situation, the Force instead has chosen to turn this very failure into an enterprise for extortion, brutalization and colonization of an entire people and demography while allowing the free reign of criminality and terror.

Secondly, SARS is also a symptom of leadership failure as has plagued us here in Nigeria for decades now. A failure to create meaningful and legitimate employments for youths and young people- turning them thereby into cheap targets for demented, trigger-happy security BUSINESS operatives.

This is wickedness also because rather than make amends and assuage seething grievances, the very failure is now employed as a tool of manipulation, propaganda, control and political-rent seeking as we see playing out in the present unfolding of the

situation.

Lastly, the SARS debacle is what it is, a failure of families, parents and communities to take responsibility for the moral, cultural and ethical upbringing of their children and wards. Hence the best from our homes nowadays are often cultists, miscreants and hedonists being a token contribution for social dissonance and disaster. Vainglorious young people without any shred of morality, skill or propriety, except the acquisition of illicit wealth, and satisfying every lustful craving therewith. What utter wickedness this is, because parents who at least should know and care better are themselves actively conniving and awaiting criminal proceeds as they urge on their children and wards towards premature death and destruction.

As you can see therefore, the solution we should be craving is beyond disbanding one

notorious organization of state, reforming it or replacing it even.

The vile thread that binds this urgliness runs across, starting way up from the highest hierarchy of our statehood, through our pseudo institutions and then right into our homes and families. So let those innocent and genuinely concerned protesters, whether off or online raise their heads, look forward and sideways lest you are hand-in-hand and in comradeship with a criminal, a scammer, a ritualist, a yahoo boy – one of your enemies thereby.

My condolences to all communities and families of victims of bad leadership and all those mourning as a result.

Saliu Momodu is the Producer and Host of The Scholastic-Ng Podcasts, and can be reached via saliumomoh123@gmail.com

PAGE 14

NEWS

Delta NUJ to partner Miss Nigeria on girl-child discrimination

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

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he Delta State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has said that it would lend its voice against the discrimination of the girlchild in the state and beyond.

The newly reelected Chairman of the council, Comrade Michael Ikeogwu, gave the assurance when he received in audience the 43rd and reigning Miss Nigeria, Beauty Etsanyi Tukura, at the temporary Press Centre of the union in Asaba, the state capital.

Comrade Ikeogwu who was represented at the occasion by the Vice Chairman of the council, Comrade Salvation Ogono, decried the unnecessary discriminations against the girlchild, particularly in the area of formal education, stressing that given equal opportunities, the girl-child might do better than her male counterparts in any field of human endeavours.

While urging journalists in the state and beyond to support the Miss Nigeria advocacy against discrimination of the girl-child in the country through informed publications to educate the general public, Comrade Ikeogwu enjoined government at all levels to enact laws prohibiting discriminations against the girlchild in the country.

Earlier in an address the beauty queen stated that she was in the council to seek the partnership of journalists in the state, considering their vital roles in advancing the course of humanity in the society, noting that Delta State was home to many prominent women of international repute.

She said that there was the urgent need to encourage the girl-child education to foster a better society, noting however that Delta State government was at the forefront of the fight against discriminatory treatments of the girl-child in the country.

PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

CAN commends FG on SARS abolition

By Albert Akota

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he leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, for being sensitive and responsive to the clarion call and disbanding of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

A statement available to newsmen yesterday in Abuja signed by the President, Christian Association of Nigeria Rev Dr Samson Ayokunle, said

that the body was aware of the circumstances that led to the agitation which included but not limited to alleged extra- judicial killings, unlawful arrests and detentions, extortion, tortures and disappearances of detainees.

CAN acknowledges the spontaneous nature of protest nationwide but regrets the loss of lives and the destruction of some property in the cause of the mass actions.

We ask God to console and comfort all the bereaved as He heals those who are recuperating in the hospitals.

Equally, CAN appreciates the prompt and positive responses of the Federal Government in disbanding SARS. It is unprecedented in recent history of our country and it is praiseworthy. This is what democracy is all about.

However, CAN is not happy with the automatic redevelopment of the officers and men of the disbanded unit to other units without sanctioning the bad eggs among them.

We call for an Administrative or Judicial Investigation into the disbanded SARS with a view to bringing the culprits to book

so that such bad eggs might not be allowed to corrupt other units or continue with their old habit of lawlessness.

Finally, we call on all our security agencies to be reformed and transformed into a modern security architecture that befits the contemporary challenges such as terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and herdsmen attacks.

Uniformed men and women should cherish the rare opportunity the country gave them and the trust of handling the security of the nation by behaving responsibly.

Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen (L), presents some education support materials and menstrual hygiene kits to a student of Government Science Secondary School, PyakasaMaitama, to commemorate the 2020 International Day of the Girl Child, in Abuja on Monday (12/10/20).

Photo: NAN

Asagba advices FG to consider ASUU’s plight

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

A

n elder state man, Chief Peter Asagba, has urged the Federal Government to listen to members of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASSU) in their demands.

Asagba made the call in an interaction with our correspondent at his Ekpan's residence in Uvwie Local Government Area while commenting on the impasse

between the Federal Government and ASSU that has led to the prolong strike action by lecturers in Federal Government owned universities.

Chief Asagba who is a former Secretary of Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) and the Traditional Mayor of Amukpe District in Okpe Kingdom, noted that it was unfair for the lecturers who he said were saddled with responsibilities of grooming the feature leaders of the country to be ignored by the

Federal Government.

"It is misplaced to igmore university lecturers when legislators who are suppose to be on part-time basis are paid bumper salaries and allowances," he reasoned.

He also noted that children of the less privileged were the ones adversely affected by the prolonged impasse because according to him, children of the legislators and top government officials were schooling in the

best universities abroad and private universities in Nigeria.

“That is why they are not bothered about the prolonged impasse. They should know that there is God," Chief Asgba stated.

Asagba who is the owner of the prestigious Casa Depedro Hotels along Refinery Road, Effurun, then called on the Federal Government to listen to ASUU by abiding by the agreement entered into without any further delay in the interest of the students.

Nigeria@60: Minister declares pen fashion exhibition in Lagos

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

A

multi-media Fashion Exhibition, aimed at exploring how the nation’s socio-cultural ways have influenced the forging of a national identity from the diverse cultures that make up Nigeria, has opened in Lagos as part of the activities celebrating Nigeria’s Diamond Jubilee.

Declaring open the Exhibition, tagged ‘Cycles of Fashion’, at Terra Kulture, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai

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PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

Mohammed, said it differs from the typical exhibitions because of the deployment of 3D mapping technology that animates the costumes on the mannequins.

This was contained in a statement signed by Segun Adeyemi Special Assistant to the President (Media) Office of the Minister of Information and Culture.

He said the incrediblyimmersive and colourful exhibition, which is being jointly organized by the Ministry and Terra Kulture, ‘’will take us

on a historic, educative and informative journey of the people and tribes that make up Nigeria and their unique dress styles”.

Mohammed, who described fashion as a valuable part of the nation’s culture, whose importance in the nation’s history cannot be ignored, said the ‘Cycles of Fashion’ will also capture the dress code to the Nigerian national identity all through the years.

He said the Fashion Industry has been underrated, especially in its capacity and ability to help advance the government’s

economic diversification policy, as well as wealth and job creation - a situation which this administration aims to reverse.

“While we continue to focus on Music and Film, we tend to ignore or underrate the fashion industry.

I guess this is because of the lack of adequate information about the industry,’’ the Minister said, disclosing that the annual revenue of the country’s Fashion Industry is around 2 trillion Naira while the industry comprises about 1,000 businesses that employ over 30,000 practitioners.

‘’Compare this with the Film Industry, with an annual revenue of 140 billion Naira or the Music Industry, with an annual revenue of 300 billion Naira, and you will understand how huge the Fashion Industry is,” he said.

In her remarks, the Founder of Terra Kulture, Mrs. Bolanle Austen-Peters, said the historic fashion exhibition is a six-part series to showcase Nigeria’s fashion, festivals and religions, among others, from preindependence to present day Nigeria.

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has called on the protesting youths who have called for the scrapping of SARS, to calm down and return to their normal lives since the federal government has acceded to their request to disband the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police Force.

Briefing journalists yesterday at the IPAC headquarters in Abuja, the national chairman of IPAC, Leonard Nzenwa, said though IPAC supports rights of Nigerians to peaceful protest and encourages orderly protests as it is allowed in all democracies, it is inappropriate, unfair and unjust to disrupt public peace indefinitely.

He said the continued protest is a recipe for anarchy, more so, when the objective of the protest has been achieved.

“It is on this note that the Inter Part Advisory Council, IPAC, calls for an end to the nationwide protests.

So as not to be hijacked by hoodlums and enemies of Nigeria. The country belongs to all Nigerians, nobody should be prevented or hindered from carrying out his or her lawful business due to elongated protests.

“Attacking public facilities, blocking airports and major roads and stopping innocent citizens to go about their business is no more protest. It is very bad.​ “Today, the economy is in recession, damaged and crumbling following the COVID - 19 pandemic global lockdown. All hands should be on deck to revamp the economy and move the nation forward as the nation’s economy is private sectordriven.

“IPAC calls for restraint. If the struggle is to call for an end to SARS and SARS has been disbanded, and protests continue, there is a sinister motive. Council urges our vibrant, industrious youths to return home.

We need no more underserved death”, the IPAC boss said.

He said as an umbrella body of all registered political parties, IPAC is compelled to intervene so as to

IPAC calls for calm over #End SARS protests stop further killings, allow people to go about their lawful business and restore order in the polity.

Nzenwa added that IPAC is in the vanguard for sustainable democracy in Nigeria and will continue to partner with all stakeholders to

make Nigeria great again as the indisputable arsenal of democracy in Africa.

He said most Nigerians welcomed the call for scrapping of SARS, including IPAC, adding that it is obvious that SARS has outlived

its usefulness when its operatives became oppressors and killers of innocent citizens, particularly the youths.

He however expressed concern that after the government has acceded to the wishes of the people

by banning SARs and committing to reform the Nigerian Police Force, the protesters continue with calls to end police brutality, while others call to end oppression of people, call for restructuring of Nigeria, Buhari must go.

Re-elected Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State (L) and the Deputy Governor-Elect, Mr Lucky Ayedatiwa, displaying their Certificates-of-Return, presented to them by the State’s Independent National Electoral Commission Resident Electoral Commissioner, Amb. Rufus Akeju, in Akure on Tuesday (13/10/20). With them are their spouses.

Photo: NAN

Group petitions Reps, ICPC, others over alleged nepotism in NSITF

A

group, The Social Justice Initiative (TSJI) has petitioned the House of Representatives over alleged nepotism in the National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

The petition was also sent to Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The petition signed by its Executive Secretary, Azikiwe Chianu, accused the Acting Managing Director of NSITF, Kelly Nwagha, of reinstating some dismissed staff without following due process.

The petition dated 8th October, 2020, called for an external investigation into the matter.

The group stated that they approached the National Assembly and the anti-corruption agency to investigate the allegations against Nwagha of abusing his office and privileged position.

It said that the issue has been in the public domain, adding that they petitioned the National Assembly Committee on Public Petition, which has a lot of requests for reinstatement from many of the staff dismissed by the past administration.

“Dr. Kelly Nwagha was appointed in June 2020 as Acting Managing Director of the NSITF. Prior to his appointment, several staff of the NSITF had their appointments terminated for various offences.

“A notable case amongst these was that of about eight (8) members of staff of the NSITF (Mararaba branch) whose appointment was duly terminated under the previous management after internal investigations found them complicit in forgery of official documents to obtain personal loans from a Microfinance bank.

“These members of staff had their appointments terminated after they were found guilty by a duly constituted disciplinary committee of having breached some of the conditions of service of the NSITF,” the group stated.

According to the petition, after the appointment of Nwagha, some

of the dismissed staff were secretly brought back into the agency.

“We are aware through a reliable information that some of the eight members of staff dismissed by the previous management have been reinstated into the service of the Fund through the backdoor,” it said.

The group further disclosed that the said staff were allegedly reinstated because of their personal ties with the Acting Managing Director.

The group therefore called for investigation to ensure that the Acting Managing Director discharges his duties in an open and transparent manner, devoid of sentiments and personal interests.

Outburst in Senate as lawmakers debate N13.08 trillion 2021 budget

By Musa Adamu

S

enators on Tuesday made divergent opinions on workability or otherwise of the proposed N13.08 trillion 2021 budget.

While most of the PDP senators who contributed to the debate, picked holes in the budgetary proposals, their APC counter parts said as bad as the situations on ground are, the budgetary proposals can still bring about required recoveries in various sectors of the Nation’s economy as anticipated

by President Muhamnadu Buhari who christened the budget as one of “recovery and resilience”.

First to speak was the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi ( APC Kebbi North) who veered off by describing those clamouring for restructuring of the country as

people seeking for dismemberment of the country before addressing the budgetary proposals and projections.

“Mr. President distinguished colleagues, we are all witnesses to the cacophony of voices and opinions of some leading members of our society, our compatriots who out of genuine concerns, frustration, sense of entitlement or sheer political bravado, call for the dismemberment of this nation or for public disobedience through which they hope to bring down the government of the day, thereby truncating our hard won democratic journey.

“The constitutional reform process is there in the National Assembly to satisfy the earnings and aspirations of Nigerians for restructuring and reshaping our federation to make it an inclusive

and all-embracing polity.

“We as Senators of the Federal Republic, should not contemplate the dangerous and destabilizing temptations of dismembering our federation. We must stand by the honour of our status, our convictions and our oath of office which is to preserve and protect the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians, as a whole.

“We are obliged to place the social and economic challenges we face today in their proper historical perspectives with a View to determining the best course of action for our people and our nation at this point in history”, he said.

Specifically, while the Senate Leader on the budget proposals said “It is important to note at the outset, that this proposal

is not strange to the leadership of the National Assembly and the Committees of Finance and National Planning. All the parameters were discussed and agreed upon, at least in principle.

“What remains for us is to closely examine the contents and the details in order to sort things out and smoothen the rough edges.

A budget deficit of #5.19 trillion represents 3.64% of GDP and is therefore above the threshold set by the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007.

Even though the deficit is covered by N4.28 trillion of new borrowing and funds obtainable from privatization proceeds and multilateral and bilateral sources, it is important for our committees on Finance to raise the matter for the National Assembly to permit this increase, as specified in the

extant law, particularly given the special circumstances which made this necessary.

“It is also important to note that a budget deficit of this size requiring more indebtedness is not healthy for the long-term development of the country, but this must be tolerated now because of the challenges of the times”.

The Senate Minority Leader , Enyinnaya Abaribe ( PDP Abia South), in his own contribution , tore the budget proposals into pieces by saying that the budget is nothing but old news.

“The 2021 Appropriation Bill proposes to spend N13.082 trillion, with expected revenue of N7.886 trillion and a deficit of N5.196 trillion. As with the other budgets over the last few years, it looks impractical and unimplementable.”

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PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

POLITICS

COREN: Gombe Gov inaugurates State’s technical, expatriate monitoring C’ttee

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

G

overnor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe state has said his administration has taken concrete steps towards addressing the infrastructural challenges in the state.

A statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Ismaila Uba Misilli, said the Governor made this pledge while inaugurating the Gombe State Technical Committee (GSTC) and the Gombe State Expatriate Monitoring Committee (GSEMC) of the Engineering Regulations Monitoring by the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, COREN. He said from the construction of township roads to the land administration reforms and the enforcement of building codes and regulations, his government will continue to enforce regulations and ensure that engineering practices conform to the highest standards.

The Governor said any engineer supervising any project in Gombe state must be fully registered by COREN and must possess a practicing license as a condition for pre-qualification in all engineering projects in the State.

Governor Yahaya described Engineering as the bedrock of infrastructural development, saying the profession has played crucial role in the development of great countries.

He noted that the emergence of the Covid-19 has added another risk factor to the practice of engineering, urging the committees to come up with appropriate guidelines to regulate the practice of engineering during the pandemic, in line with best practices.

He said for Nigeria to achieve its developmental objectives, strong emphasis must be placed on the role of engineering and other related professions.

The Governor who noted that COREN performs key role in ensuring that engineering practice in Nigeria is executed with strict compliance to relevant codes, observed that, “From bridges to highways, water treatment plants to electricity plants, drainages to dams, housing and office infrastructure, the role of engineering in infrastructural development cannot be overemphasized”.

Senate begins legislation on management of recovered funds by EFCC, ICPC

By Musa Adamu

T

he Senate on Tuesday received an Executive bill that would amongst others, address the problem of lack of transparency and accountability associated with the management of recovered funds by anti-corruption agencies in the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari in a letter to the upper chamber explained that the decision to transmit the piece of legislation to the National Assembly for consideration was approved by the Federal Executive Council.

According to the letter dated 6th October 2020, and read during plenary by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, the Proceeds of Crime

Bill is critical in sustaining the fight against corruption, money laundering and illicit movement of stolen funds through the banking system and across Nigerian borders.

The letter reads: “I am pleased to inform the Distinguished Senators that the above mention bill was presented to the Federal Executive Council, in council memo EC (2020)159 on 16th September 2020 and was subsequently approved for transmission to the National Assembly.

“Please recall that this bill was passed by the National Assembly in 2019 but was not granted assent due to some issues that were identified during the review.

“The Proceeds of Crime Bill is essential and critical in building and

enduring and sustainable foundation for the fight against corruption, money laundering and illicit movement of stolen funds through the banking system and across the Nigerian borders.

“The bill will also improve the ability of law enforcement agencies to seize, freeze, and confiscated stolen assets in Nigeria while observing all related constitutional and human rights laws.

This bill will also address the problem of lack of transparency, accountability, and lack of credible records associated with the current procedure in the management of recovered funds by anti-corruption agencies and other institutions in Nigeria.

“An important feature of the bill is

the creation of the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Agency.

The objects of the Agency include the enforcement and administration of the provisions of the Bill and the coordination of the recovery and management of the proceeds and instrumentalities of unlawful activity in Nigeria in all collaboration with anti-corruption and other law enforcement agencies.

“Most importantly, the Agency will ensure that Nigerians can benefit from proceeds of crime by ensuring that once recovery is made, the properties and assets will be secured and that the final forfeitures granted through a court order can be paid into the Confiscated and Forfeited Account to be domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari (L), receives an Appreciation Award from the Publisher/CEO of the Value Chain magazine, Mallam Musa Usman, at the Magazine’s Third Annual Lecture and Awards, in Abuja on Monday (12/10/20).

Photo:NAN

IPPIS controversy: FG bows, considers ASUU UTAS

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

F

ederal government yesterday said it may consider adoption of University Transparency Account System (UTAS), being presented by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) as alternative emoluments payments platform to the Integrated Payroll Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

Addressing journalists after about two and half hours of closed door meeting with Senate Leadership, Labour Minister, Chris Ngige and ASUU leadership, the labour Minister said the alternative

“To subject devise to integrity test before approval

platform presented by ASUU is home grown and worths giving thorough assessment test.

“We agreed at the meeting to give required consideration to the UTAS alternative they came up with as a way of finding lasting solution to the lingering crisis over Implementation of IPPIS. “We have neither jettisoned the implementation of the IPPIS nor fully accepted UTAS. The level we moved to now, is to subject ASUU’s UTAS to integrity test and in doing so, it will be presented to users like the office of Accountant General of the Federation

on Wednesday.

“After that it will be sent to National Information Technology Development Agency ( NITDA) and from there to the office of the National Security Adviser for second look.

“The platform is an option grown device that requires stage by stage consideration and from the looks of things is good”, he said.

Confirming the head way achieved at the meeting, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Education and Tetfund, Senator Ahmad Baba Kaita ,said the interface had not ended but a stage of compromise is getting closer

between the two parties.

“The meeting brokered by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan among the various stakeholders , achieved a lot today with agreement on the need to subject the UTAS alternative brought forward by ASUU for integrity test by all relevant departments of the government”, he said.

The ASUU leadership though refused to speak to the press after the closed door meeting but were in good mood apparently due to consideration being given their alternative platform.

Reactivation of Onitsha Port attests to Buhari’s love for Igbos - Anambra APC

A

nambra State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Basil Ejidike, has said the reactivation of Onitsha Port by President Muhammadu Buhari’s government is a demonstration of love for the people of the SouthEast geo-political zone.

Ejidike stated this in an

interview on Tuesday in Awka, stressing that ensuring the Eastern Ports, especially Onitsha is viable, have been a concern for the people long before now.

“Onitsha is a well known commercial hub not only in Anambra but in Southeast, Nigeria and West Africa and making the Port functional is of huge benefits

to the people,” he said.

He said members of the APC in Anambra now walk with their shoulders high when they reflect on programmes and projects done in the zone by the federal government “It is Buhari’s government that is doing the second Niger Bridge, reconstructing the

Onitsha/Enugu and Enugu/ Aba expressways among others projects and we are happy for this,” he said.

Ejidike said apart from reducing pressure on the nation’s road infrastructures, reactivating the moribund ports would impact on the overall socio-economic life of the people.

“This development will certainly open doors for job opportunities to our people as we as reduce the prices of goods in our markets,” he said.

The APC chairman noted that he was not surprised to see the reactivation of Onitsha Port under Dr George Muoghalu as the Managing Director (MD).

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PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

Buhari asks Senate to confirm nominees as INEC Commissioners, others

By Musa Adamu

T

he Senate has received a request from President Muhammadu Buhari for the confirmation of four nominees as Commissioners for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The request which was contained in a letter dated 12th October, 2020, was read during plenary by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan.

The letter reads: “Pursuant to Paragraph 14 of Part I(F) of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, I hereby forward for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of the following four (4) Commissioners for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The nominees listed by the President are: Prof. Muhammad Sani Kallah (National Electoral Commissioner), Katsina; Lauretta Onochie (National Electoral Commissioner), Delta; Prof.

Kunle Cornelius Ajayi (National Electoral Commissioner), Ekiti; and Saidu Babura Ahmad (Resident Electoral Commissioner), Jigawa.

In a related development, President Buhari in a separate letter to the Upper Chamber, requested the confirmation of appointment of three (3) Executive Directors of the Board of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).

According to the President, the request for confirmation was in accordance with the provision of Section 2(3) of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (Amendment) Act 2007.

The nominees for confirmation are: Engr. Ifeanyi Christian Kammelu (Executive Director – South East); Muhammad Gambo Bizi (Executive Director – North East); and Prof. Abubakar Ismail (Executive Director – North West).

POLITICS

Senate confirms appointment of eight nominees as Justices of the S/Court

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he Senate has confirmed the nominations of eight Justices of the Court of Appeal as Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

The confirmation of the nominees followed the consideration of a report by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC – Ekiti Central), in his presentation stated that the appointment of the nominees, satisfied the requirement of Sections 230(2) and 232(1) and (2) and (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as

amended.

According to the lawmaker, “upon confirmation of the appointment of the nominees by the Senate, all Geopolitical Zones will be represented by three or four Justices, as the case may be, except the North-Central Zone, which will maintain its current two Justices on the Bench of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.”

Bamidele however explained that, “the reason why the North-Central zone has two Justices unlike other zones, can be attributed to the fact that during the selection process, the nomination from the zone was stood down by the selection Committee for a further review of the nomination by the

Federal Judicial Service Commission.”

He added that while necessary steps were being taken to meet the full compliment of the maximum number of Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the appointment of the Eight (8) Justices of the Supreme Court was a bold step taken by President Buhari to strengthen the Judiciary to meet with the challenges of the 21st Century.

Lawmakers, including the Deputy Senate President, Ovie OmoAgege (APC – Delta Central); Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi (APC – Kebbi North; and Gabriel Suswam (PDP – Benue North East) in their contributions, expressed satisfaction

with the qualification, experience and competence of the nominees.

The upper chamber in a Committee of the Whole, thereafter, confirmed the nomination of the Eight appointees as Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

The confirmed Justices are: Hon. Justice Lawal Garba, North West; Hon. Justice Helen M. Ogunwumiju, South West; Hon. Justice Addu Aboki, North West; Hon. Justice I. M. M. Saulawa, North West; Hon. Justice Adamu Jauro, North East; Hon. Justice Samuel C. Oseji, South South; Hon. Justice Tijjani Abubakar, North East; and Hon. Justice Emmanuel A. Agim, South South.

From left: Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; and DirectorGeneral, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, during the Day-70 briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja on Monday Photo: NAN

End SARS protests can consume Nigeria – Gani Adams

T

he Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has warned that the ongoing End SARS protests may consume Nigeria.

Adams said “there are signals” of a national crisis, and advised authorities to properly manage the situation.

He condemned the use of live bullets against demonstrators by policemen.

Recall that no fewer than 6 people have lost their lives since the protests began.

In a statement on Tuesday, Adams told the Police that it is the right of Nigerian youths to express anger over extra-judicial activities of law enforcement agencies.

“It is most disturbing seeing the number of casualties in the protests growing by the day. It is unfortunate that some bad eggs in the police have become utterly lawless, killing Nigerians raising their voices against SARS brutality.

“Those youths protesting are of the digital age, they are the

leaders of the future and they are entitled to express their voices and concerns against the state of the nation.”

“In the history of our nation, it has never got to this level where the entire system is in comatose.

It behoves on the Federal Government to listen to the cries of Nigerians over the spate of insecurity, hike in electricity tariff, increase in the prices of food commodities, and high cost of living.

“Many of the youths

protesting are students that left the universities years ago and are still unemployed. With their hopes bleak, they are frustrated with the government; they have lost confidence.

“More importantly, I think we must restructure this country to regionalism, based on federating units or we exit through referendum peacefully without shedding of blood. Liberia, Rwanda, Congo and Somalia started like this before they were engulfed in war”, Adams warned.

Lawan: Nigerians right to protest SARS brutality, killings

By Musa Adamu

P

resident of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has said Nigerians acted within their rights to protest the killings of, and brutality meted against citizens by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) across the country.

Lawan stated this in his concluding remarks on a matter of personal explanation into the murder of Jimoh Isiaka by the Police, and attack on the Palace of Soun of Ogbomoso Land during the recent #EndSARS protest in some states across the country.

Senator Buhari Abdulfatai (APC – Oyo North), while coming under Order 43 of the Senate Standing Rules, noted with grief “the death of Jimoh Isiaka and several other promising youths, whose lives were cut short at their prime during the recent End SARs protest, which started on the 8th of October.”

According to the lawmaker, the right to peaceful assembly and free expression as a fundamental principle of any democracy, and enshrined in Section 40 of Nigeria Constitution 1999, guarantees the right of every Nigerian to peaceful protest.

Abdulfatai bemoaned the

#EndSARS protest, which he said, snowballed into a confrontation between the security operatives and protesting youths in some parts of country such as Ogbomoso in Oyo State, where violence was recorded.

“For instance, the Nigeria Police were alleged to have injured seven (7) protesters and shot dead a young man known as Jimoh Isiaka, a Constituent of mine during the protest,” the lawmaker lamented.

He added that as a reaction to the death of Jimoh Isiaka, the palace of the Paramount Ruler of the city, the Soun of Ogbomoso land, was attacked by the protesters who destroyed

properties and vehicles, with some palace officials sustaining injuries.

The Senate President while commenting on the development which was sparked by SARS brutality against Nigerians, described previous conduct of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad as “unacceptable”.

“SARS was funded by public funds and the entire essence of having the Nigeria Police Force is to ensure that there is law and order, and that there is security for our people.

“When SARS turned against the people, it was right for the people to

protest peacefully,” Lawan said.

The Senate President also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for promising to bring to justice all those involved in perpetrating various atrocities against Nigerians.

He therefore prevailed on Nigerians to suspend the #EndSARS protest, particularly in view of the recent disbandment of the police unit by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.

Lawan assured that those found culpable of Police brutality against Nigerians would be brought to face the weight of the law.

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PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

Stock Watch: Tuesday, September 13, 2020 Low

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

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By Etuka Sunday

T

he Federal Government and members of the organised labour late Sunday night agreed to extend the electricity tariff hike by seven (7) days; that’s until October 18, 2020.

A work plan jointly adopted by both parties, indicates that, from next Monday, the tariff hike will continue but with a reduction by about 10 per cent across customer categories A to C that were earlier affected.

Recall, the power Distribution Companies (DisCos) had hiked the electricity tariff by about 100% on September 1, 2020, after the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) approved that.

However, the customers including labour opposed this with a planned protest leading to the Federal Government directing a two week suspension which elapsed last Sunday.

The document sighted by our reporter indicates that the one week extension was to ensure that some resolutions were implemented before continuing with the tariff hike.

One of such resolutions is that NERC will immediately create strategies to protect the salary of electricity workers.

Based on the Value Added Tax (VAT) generated in the electricity market, NERC will compute a 10% cut in the suspended Service Base Tariff (SBT) for Band A customers (those who have 20 hours and above daily power supply), 10.5% reduction for Band B (16 to 20 hours) and 31% reduction for Band C (12 to 16 hours) customers. This computation will form the basis of the new tariff from next Monday.

The Federal Ministry of Power will urgently work with NERC, CBN, the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency, NEMSA, and the DisCos to quickly deploy at least 1 million meters to customers from Monday till December 2020 while the DisCos are compelled to meet the 6m target period.

The document signed by President, Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba; President, Trade Union Congress, Quadri Olaleye; Labour Minister, Chris Ngige and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, created two ad-

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Cotton Ginners Association (CGA) has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari on the N19 billion granted the members through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers programme, saying the fund is capable of turning the economic fortune of the country around.

President of the association, Alhaji Salmanu Abdullahi, while briefing newsmen in Abuja, Monday stated that the N19 billion CBN loan will help Nigerian cotton farmers revamp the agricultural sector and contribute to the economic revival

FG, Labour agree to extend Electricity Tariff Hike by 7 days •Reduce Tariff Hike by 10%

hoc technical committees.

The first co-opted the GMD

of NNPC, Mele Kyari to review pricing of gas to power; NEMSA’s MD, Peter Ewesor is part of the second committee to immediately

implement the 1m metering, all from October 12 to December 12, 2020.

L-R: The Chartered President of the Rotary Club of Abuja Maitama, Rotn. Joy Okoro decorating the new President of the club, Rotn. Dinah Achele Akuh with assistance from Rotn. Chima Nwankwo (third from left) and Rotn. Ann Marie Ada Adamu at the Investiture of the new President at the Merit House in Abuja.

NNPC anticipates 20-year old PIB to scale through Legislative Hurdles

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele K. Kyari has expressed optimism that through positive engagement and collaboration between the Executive, the Legislature and other stakeholders, the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) would smoothly scale through the remaining legislative hurdles.

Mallam Kyari who described the PIB as the future of Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry, expressed joy over the “renewed commitment on the part of everyone to get it passed.”

He spoke yesterday in Abuja

at the 3rd Valuechain Annual Lecture and Awards with a theme: ‘The Role of Media in the Nigerian Petroleum Sector Reform and Investment’.

The NNPC GMD reiterated the corporation’s commitment to sustaining its unflinching support to the government and the media in efforts at educating the public on the legislation.

He extolled the virtues of the Nigerian Media for what it stood for over the years: engendering responsible journalism; telling the truth to power, and above all, championing the cause of the common man.

“As the proverbial Fourth Estate of the Realm, the Nigerian Media has always been true to its

most critical role of a life-long commitment to selfless service for the public good,” he added.

Kyari said, the corporation was opened to partnerships with the media in terms of capacity building especially as it relates to the PIB. “I am of the opinion that every Nigerian deserves to know what this legislation means for the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry.

It is therefore duty-bound on the media to continue to scrutinize the provisions of the bill in order to provide validation and even additional value,” he added.

The NNPC boss noted the corporation was never afraid of any scrutiny, therefore, would continue to play its strategic

role as a key enabler of Nigeria’s economy.

“Our commitment towards entrenching Transparency, Accountability and best-in-class Performance Excellence (#TAPE) in all our operations is still unshakeable.

“Since coming on board, we have been very open in our dealings with all our partners and stakeholders. From the unprecedented publication of our Audited Financial Statement (ATS) and monthly financial and operational reports to crude term contracts and several other bids and contracting processes, we are not relenting until this great Corporation attains global excellence,” the GMD added.

Cotton Ginners Association hails Buhari on N19bn CBN loan

efforts of the federal government.

Speaking on the contributions of cotton to Nigeria’s economy, the CGA president said the sub-sector has the capacity to contribute not less than 15 percent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) if properly harnessed.

According to him, “This subsector has a huge value chain; from cotton farming, you talk of ginning, spinning, weaving, garment and oil mills, etc, which is a huge network of chains.”

“In the ‘80s and ‘90s, we had

over 160 textile mills in the country and they were the providers of second largest employment of labour, next only to the public service, but today, only about 10 textile mills are working. They were 52 ginneries but today, less than 20 are working.

“Beginning from the production of cotton to the garment sub-sector is a huge productive activity that needs to be harnessed properly to get the best from the sector.”

He advised that government must continuously look at this very key sector and do its utmost best to

harness the potentials with a view to reviving moribund and dead textile industries located in Kaduna, Kano, Funtua among other cities and ensure that cotton production is reactivated to provide the enabling environment for all the key stakeholders to thrive and watch the amazing contribution the sector would make to the GDP. The cotton ginners association president said it has become imperative for major stakeholders including the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, research institutes to participate in the implementation of

programmes targeted at revamping the cotton farming and its value chain activities across the country.

“The sources for the inputs should be transparent and we must ensure high quality of inputs, especially the seeds should be provided to the farmers at reasonable price and the use of hybrid seed should be explored.

“For it to succeed, we need also to work hard to revive the entire cotton textile and garment value chain so that the cotton that is produced by the farmers has available good market,” he stated.

PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

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PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

COVID-19 Action Review: WHO hails Nigeria as FCT takes lead

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he World Health Organisation (WHO) has commended Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) for setting the pace in the handling of COVID-19 pandemic and organising its Intra Action Review (IAR) retreat which it recommended.

The WHO County Representative, Dr. Walter K. Mulombo, who was represented

by Ibrahim Mamadu, Technical Officer, International Health Regulations, Nigeria said Nigeria was ahead of the African continent

in terms of the IAR. He said, on the other hand, FCTA is first in Nigeria to organise IAR and urged other states to follow suite.

The IAR retreat was organised by the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS) in collaboration with WHO, Clinton Health Access Initiative and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Similarly, Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chike Ihekweazu also commended the FCT Administration for leading the IAR and combining it with incident

management structure.

Ihekweazu, who was represented by Dr. Priscilla Ibekwe, Deputy Director at NCDC, noted that the FCTA did a lot of work at the peak of the pandemic tested officially over 1 % of the FCT population.

He said the IAR has provided a great opportunity to reflect, learn and go forward in the pandemic, and commended the decentralisation of COVID 19 response in the FCT. He however called on the FCTA to continue to support the area councils in this regard.

On his part, Chief host of the

retreat, Ag. Secretary, FCT-HHSS, Dr. Mohammed Kawu, said: “The reason why we are here is to chat the way forward, we decided to review what we have done in the last seven months.

“Our expectation is that the NCDC , WHO are training us in incident management, emergency management after this meeting we would have been better equipped on better coordination, better response and be able to respond to other public health emergencies that are not Covid-19.”

He disclosed they were escalating the process to the area councils and that they have met

with the six area council Chairmen to decentralisation.

Not left out, Chairman of the FCT COVID-19 Enforcement Team, Comrade Attah Ikharo, noted that the heroes of the fight, the front line doctors were able to achieve results because of the cando spirit they imbibed.

Ikharo urged Nigerians especially FCT residents to have faith and belief expertise of their medical team.

According to him, his Taskteam succeeded in enforcement during lockdown, because the front line workers were on their beat, and they trusted their judgement.

A cross-section of students of Government Science Secondary School, PyakasaMaitama, during the distribution of education support materials and menstrual hygiene kits by the Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, in commemoration of the 2020 International Day of the Girl Child, in Abuja on Monday (12/10/20).

Photo: NAN

L-R; President Muhammadu Buhari, APC Caretaker Committee Chairman and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, Governors of Lagos, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, Kebbi State Governor Sen Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and the Re-elected Governor of Ondo State, Chief Oluwarotimi Akeredolu during a thank you visit held at the Council Chambers State House Abuja. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. OCT 13 2020

Nigeria should learn from Rotary electoral system-SAN A

Senior Advocate of Nigeria( SAN), Chief Chris Uche has asked Nigerians to learn from the electoral system of Rotary International(RI).

He said the smooth succession plan which RI has bequeathed to the world is unique.

He also urged Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of giving and sharing to bridge the gaps between the rich and the poor.

Uche, who gave this advice in an address at the Investiture of the 9th President of the Rotary Club of Abuja Maitama, Rotn. Dinah Achele Akuh, said once a nation gets its electoral system right, its political system will be crisis free.

“Nigerians need to learn from the electoral system of Rotary International which is rancour-free without election petitions or legal battles in court. “ This is the type of succession

plan we need to enhance our political development and consolidate our democracy. “ Another thing I have learned from Rotary is about charity and the love for the less privileged. Nigerians need to cultivate the the virtues of giving and sharing to bridge the gaps between the rich and the poor.”

On his part, the District GovernorElect for Rotary International District 9125, Rotn. Ayo Oyedokun asked the privileged in the society to assist Rotary in its service to humanity.

He said Rotary International has succeeded in spearheading End-Polio Campaign.

He said: “Rotary International is a unique organization which accounts for funds donated to it. We are accountable and transparent. “ We will not relent in serving humanity. I implore more Nigerians

to join Rotary to lend more hands in assisting the poor and the needy.”

In her address, the Immediate Past President of the club, Rotn. Eucheria Ifeoma Ekweozoh, said: “We started the Rotary year with 42 members, 33 females and 9 males, but now the club has a total of 54 members in Rotary portal.

“However, we are waiting for the total ease of the Covid-19 pandemic lock down to admit quite a number of prospects in line with the Rotary International guideline on membership admission. “ We equally made a remarkable contributionf into Rotary foundation, 9 Paul Haris fellows and 1 major Donor, which brings our giving to $8,640 dollars.”

The new President of the club, Rotn.

Dinah Achele Akuh, said: “The theme for this Rotary year “Rotary Opens Doors for opportunities” is very apt coming at

Buhari mourns Sen. Anka

By Egena Sunday Ode

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has mourned the death of Senator Yushau Mohammed Anka who died on Monday and was buried in Abuja on Tuesday.

The President, in a statement by his media aide, Garba Shehu described the late senator as a righteous man who opposed evil and defended all that was

good.

In a tribute to the late senator, President Buhari described the late Senator as a fierce defender of all that is right and a staunch opponent of all that is wrong in his view, Shehu quoted Buhari to have said.

“Righteousness was his chosen path.

Senator Anka was a towering statesman.

As a politician, he was respected across political party divisions by all sections of

the society.

“May Allah grant him eternal rest,” the President said.

The late Senator represented the Zamfara West constituency from May 1999 to May 2007 and was famous for his staunch opposition to the tenure elongation efforts, Third Term, attempt in 2006.

After taking his seat in the Senate in June 1999, he was appointed to

a time when the Covid-19 pandemic has changed our world, opening doors of brand new opportunities all around us.

“Be assured that we will take advantage of the open doors of opportunities to enjoy more robust fellowships and better serve our communities. “ I, as the President of this great club for the year 2020-2021, with your co-operation, will by the grace of God connect with the District and Rotary International.

“I hope to enrich our fellowship time, encourage more friendliness among members as one family, grow and ensure membership retention, increase our Rotary Foundation giving and execute bigger, bolder and more impactful projects in all the seven Areas of Focus including our new area of focus, Supporting the Environment.”

AMAC: Stakeholders urged to end gender-based violence

By Stanley Onyekwere

S committees on Ethics, Foreign Affairs, Police Affairs (Vice-Chairman), Commerce, Internal Affairs and Government Affairs. In August 2001, he said the Federal Government’s Poverty Alleviation Programme was just distributing cash to political supporters rather than alleviating poverty. Anka changed over to the ANPP platform for his second term in Senate.

takeholders especially policy makers in Abuja, the nation’s capital city have enjoined to end reoccurring gender-based violence, harmful practices, early marriages and harrassment and other abuses melted out on the girl child.

The Shadow Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Ibrahim Victory Sawami, made this assertion, during the celebration of 2020 International Day for thegirl child.

Sawami, who is also the Girl child AMAC Chairman, for the annual event, urged stakeholders to urgently provide all the enabling power and conducive atmosphere that would promote the growth an advancement of the girl child.

She appealed to government, civil society groups and verious Leaders including parents to rise to empower and encourage the girl child to realise her dream and become agent of social change.

“As part of this year’s global takeover, girls are being given

the chance to takeover key roles in business, politics, Media, government and nongovernmental organisations.

“That’s why I’m here as the girl child chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council to shadow the office as a way of inspiring the dreams and aspirations of other girls towards occupying these key roles in the society”, she stressed.

She however encouraged the Girl Child that wherever she may be, whatever the circumstances she may face, to rise to maximise her potentials, demand for her

rights as a member of the society with enormous contributions to make to the growth of her land.

Earlier, in his remarks, the AMAC Chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Adamu Candido noted that in order to encourage women and by extension the girl child, the Council under his leadership has appointed women into key positions, to enable them to contribute their quota to the advancement of the society.

He said the authorities of the various arms of the Council gave a space to act as

shadow chairman, Secretary and Speaker as entails in the hallowed Chamber, to encourage the young ones to learn how to be good leaders of tomorrow.

According to him, “women have been over neglected in the society and I have given the best of my life to them because my mother is a woman, as well as trusted allies with capacity to deliver.

“Women have be undermined as far as development is concerned, so I ensure that women are given place in my cabinet.”

PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

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world news

N international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

Amy Coney Barrett: Trump Supreme Court nominee sidesteps questions

U

S Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett has evaded questions about her views on key issues on day two of her Senate confirmation hearing.

The conservative judge repeatedly refused to be drawn on abortion, healthcare and LGBTQ rights.

She stated she had “no agenda” and vowed to stick to “the rule of law”.

If Judge Barrett passes the committee hearing, the full Senate will vote to confirm or reject her for a lifelong place on the top US court.

Republicans want the confirmation ahead of the presidential election on 3 November. It would give the nine-member court a 6-3 conservative majority, altering the ideological balance of the court for potentially decades to come.

Democrats fear Judge Barrett’s successful nomination would favour Republicans in politically sensitive cases that reach the Supreme Court.

She is the proposed replacement for liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died last month aged 87.

On Tuesday, Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Lindsay Graham, a Republican, said she was “one of the greatest picks President Trump could make” for the court, while Senator Chuck Grassley, a fellow Republican, said her record showed she would approach each case in an “unbiased” way.

Republicans hold a slim majority in the US Senate, the body that confirms Supreme Court judges, making Judge Barrett’s nomination very likely to pass.

Democrats fear her as a threat to issues such as the healthcare reforms passed under former President Barack Obama. They have criticised the rushed nomination process as “reckless” and a “sham”, amid a coronavirus pandemic that has killed 215,000 people in the US. They have also accused Republicans of hypocrisy. In March 2016, when Mr Obama, a Democrat, put forward a nominee to fill a spot on the court, the Senate Republicans refused to hold hearings, arguing the decision should not be made in an election year.

What’s happening at Tuesday’s hearing?

Tuesday is the first of two days of direct questioning from senators on the deeply divided Judiciary Committee. On Monday the judge explained her legal philosophy and qualifications for the position.

Democratic senators are scrutinising her conservative views and decisions she has delivered as a judge on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Much of her record could be seen to be in opposition to the philosophy of the late Justice Ginsburg.

Senator Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the committee, asked her for her opinions on abortion and LGBTQ rights.

But Judge Barrett said it would be wrong as a sitting judge “to make my opinion about precedents”.

“I have an agenda to stick to the rule of law,” she said, stating that she had “no agenda to try to overrule” other decisions.

The judge is a devout Catholic but stated she had “never tried to impose” her personal choices on others, in her personal life or her professional life.

Democrats fear she could vote to strike down reforms providing health insurance to millions of Americans when the court hears a case against the public health insurance scheme next month.

Judge Barrett has in the past criticised a 2012 Supreme Court ruling upholding the

What’s the confirmation process?

After the hearings end, any committee member can require an additional week before the formal panel vote on whether to present the nomination for confirmation before the full Senate.

If she passes the committee stage, the full Senate will vote to confirm or reject Judge Barrett’s nomination. Republicans already appear to have the 51 votes needed to get Judge Barrett confirmed.

Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has vowed to hold a confirmation vote before the presidential election.

Amy Coney Barrett: “I have an agenda to stick to the rule of law” Affordable Care Act (ACA).

But asked for her opinions on the law, Judge Barrett refused again, arguing that as this case is soon to be heard by the court, “the canons of judicial conduct prohibit me from expressing a view”.

She also stated that she had had “no conversation with the president or any of his staff” about how she might rule on the healthcare case, adding that it would be a “complete violation of the independence of the judiciary” for someone to put a judge on a court to get a “particular result”.

She also added that she is “not hostile to the ACA, I’m not hostile to any statue that you pass.”

“I apply the law, I follow the law,” she said. “You make the policy.”

And the judge also refused to state whether she would recuse herself if any dispute about the presidential election ended up before the Supreme Court. While she vowed to “fully and faithfully” follow the law of recusal, she said she could not “offer a legal conclusion right now”.

The hearings last four days.

Sticking to the playbook Modern Supreme Court confirmation hearings have become an exercise in obliqueness. Nominees have learned the best way to ensure a smooth and drama-free path to success is to remain noncommittal on the most controversial topics of the day.

On her first day of direct questioning from senators, Amy Coney Barrett has been

meticulously sticking to this playbook. Asked about issues like abortion, gun control and gay rights, the judge has been circumspect.

She says she will honour the court’s prior decisions and will reserve judgement on cases that could someday be under her review.

Even on topics like the Democraticpassed healthcare reform, the legality of which she has publicly questioned in the past, Judge Barrett dodged. A high-profile challenge to ACA, also known as Obamacare, is before the court next month, but the judge said her past commentary is not relevant to the questions of law at issue.

The circumstances around this confirmation hearing are extraordinary, given the looming presidential election and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

For the moment, however, this seems like a typical - even predictable - process.

The longer it appears that way, the better it is for Republicans, as the predictable outcome is Judge Barrett receiving a lifetime appointment to the court.

Who is Amy Coney Barrett?

• favoured by social conservatives due to record on issues like abortion and gay marriage • a devout Catholic but says her faith does not influence her legal opinion • is an originalist, which means interpreting US Constitution as authors intended, not moving with the times • lives in Indiana, has seven children including two adopted from Haiti

Starmer ‘deeply sceptical’ about government’s plan

I

n response to the prime minister, Labour leader Keir Starmer tells the House of Commons that the country is at a “critical moment” with the virus is spreading in all areas of the UK. He says that nobody “should be under any illusions about where this is heading or the need for decisive action”.

“The question today is whether the restrictions announced by the prime minister can bring the country back from the brink,” he adds.

He says Labour will consider the

package of new measures and discuss it with local leaders and MPs but he says he is “now deeply sceptical that the government has actually got a plan to get control of this virus”.

He says it “increasingly feels like the PM is several steps behind the curve” and he says previous measures announced by the government have not worked.

Starmer finishes by addressing the critics of further restrictions, saying “the worst thing the prime minister could do is not act quickly and decisively enough”.

PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

Carlo Acutis: Italian teenager could be first millennial saint

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n Italian teenager who used the internet to spread his faith is on a path to becoming the Catholic Church’s first millennial saint.

Carlo Acutis, who died of leukaemia in 2006 aged 15, has already been dubbed “the patron saint of the internet”.

On Saturday, he was beatified at a ceremony in the town of Assisi and moved one step closer to sainthood.

The teenager recorded purported miracles online and helped run websites for Catholic organisations.

Acutis was placed on the path to sainthood after the Vatican ruled he had miraculously saved another boy’s life.

The Church claimed he interceded from heaven in 2013 to cure a Brazilian boy who was suffering from a rare pancreatic disease.

He is believed to be the youngest contemporary person to be beatified - the last stage before sainthood.

How does someone become a saint?

A ceremony was held in the Basilica of St Francis of Assisi on Saturday and a portrait of Acutis was unveiled. Those gathered also praised Acutis for his charity work.

“Carlo used the internet in service of the Gospel, to reach as many people as possible,” Cardinal Agostino Vallini said at the ceremony.

“Young people might have been tired of a pastoral ministry that’s maybe a bit out of step with the times despite all its efforts,” Church spokesman Enzo Fortunato said, according to the AFP news agency.

“But the Lord intervenes in history and human affairs and gives us these guiding lights,” he added.

For Acutis to become a saint, the Vatican would have to verify a second miracle in his name. But Pope Francis has waived this requirement on previous occasions.

Acutis was born in London in May 1991 to Italian parents. The family soon moved to Milan, and he spent the majority of his life in the city.

“There was in him a natural predisposition for the sacred,” his mother, Antonia Salzano, told the Corriere della Sera newspaper earlier this year.

The teenager had a passion for computers and reportedly taught himself to code at a young age.

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Israel unblocks big immigration of Ethiopian Jews

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srael has approved a plan to bring 2,000 Ethiopian Jews to the country, marking a major step towards ending a decades-long saga over their fate.

They are part of about 8,000 members of a community who have been waiting to come to Israel for years.

Known as Falash Mura, their right to settle in Israel is a contentious issue as their background rules out automatic citizenship available to most Jews.

Secret operations brought thousands of Ethiopian Jews to Israel in the 1980s.

Many members of the Falash Mura have familial connections to that community, which is known as the Beta Israel. However, they have only been allowed to emigrate to Israel on a caseby-case basis, and thousands remain in camps in Gondar and Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.

The Falash Mura community descends from members of the Beta Israel who were converted to Christianity

by European missionaries in the late 1800s. They have since returned to practising Judaism but are not officially recognised by Israel’s interior ministry as fully Jewish.

The issue of whether they should be allowed to come to Israel at all is a divisive one, even among Ethiopian Jews in Israel. While some Ethiopian Jews in Israel support their right to settle there, others object, seeing them as non-Jewish Ethiopians.

Israel’s recently appointed Ethiopianborn Immigration Minister, Pnina Tamano-Shata, welcomed the cabinet’s decision, tweeting that she felt “very

happy and excited” at the news.

She has previously vowed to bring the rest of the Falash Mura community to Israel as soon as the end of next year.

Ethiopian Jews were first brought to Israel from refugee camps in Sudan in a series of secret operations in the early 1980s by Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency on the orders of the then Prime Minister Menachem Begin.

Further operations followed, concluding with a mass airlift from Ethiopia in 1991.

The Ethiopian Jews’ integration in Israel has been challenging, with the community suffering disproportionately high levels of unemployment and poverty as well as discrimination, although their situation has shown signs of improvement in recent years.

Ethiopian Jews have emigrated to Israel in small numbers in recent years

Kilimanjaro: Fire breaks out on Africa’s tallest mountain

E

fforts are continuing in Tanzania to extinguish a fire that has broken out on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa.

Members of the Tanzania National Parks Authority (Tanapa) and local people have been struggling to put out the blaze which began on Sunday.

Their efforts have been hampered by the altitude as well as strong winds and dry weather which have caused the fire to spread fast.

The cause of the fire is not clear.

But according to a Pascal Shelutete, an official from Tanapa, the blaze started at the Whona area, a rest centre for climbers using two of the several routes up the mountain.

“The fire is still going on and firefighters from Tanapa, other government institutions and locals are continuing with the efforts to contain it,” Mr Shelutete said.

“The fire is big and they are continuing to fight it,” Alex Kisingo, deputy head at the College of African Wildlife Management, located near the mountain, told Reuters news agency.

The college has sent its 264 students to help fight the fire and distribute supplies to firefighters.

Tanapa shared a blurred image on Twitter of the fire: The parks authority said in a statement that it had taken “every step to make sure that, the fire will not affect the lives of tourists, their equipment, porters and tour

guides”.

Mount Kilimanjaro, which is 5,895m (19,341 feet) high is a popular tourist destination and tens of thousands of people climb it every year.

he authorities in Rwanda have penalised two Catholic priests after presiding over masses that violated coronavirus safety measures.

The Catholic parish of Ruhengeri in the north of the country, where the priests are stationed, also risks closure.

The two priests, Father Emmanuel Ndagijimana and Father Felicien

Nsengiyumva, are said to have failed to adhere to the number of congregants allowed to attend mass.

Police found “a chaotic situation” in the church and “everyone there was at high risk of infection”, according to a government statement.

“We remind religious denominations particularly those that were permitted

to resume services to follow strict safety guidelines as issued by relevant authorities,” the statement said.

Rwanda’s cabinet approved the reopening of worship places in July but under strict safety measures. Worshippers have to wear face masks, get their temperatures measured and maintain social distance.

Tesco’s Kenyan avocado supplier wants Rwanda penalises priests for congested masses abuse claims T probed

A

Kenyan food exporter has asked the country’s chief prosecutor to investigate allegations of human rights abuses on its farms a day after the British retailer Tesco suspended supplies.

Kakuzi, which is the country’s largest avocado producer, says it is the victim of a smear campaign.

It faces allegations that its security guards have over the last decade assaulted and raped local villagers and in one instance killed a man accused of stealing avocados.

The law firm Leigh Day says dozens of Kenyans have launched a legal claim in the High Court in London against the firm’s parent company, Camellia Plc. In a statement Kakuzi said it did not condone any criminal activities.

Uganda’s leader Museveni adopts childhood name

T

he president will now be reffered to as Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta MuseveniImage caption: The president will now be reffered to as Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni Uganda’s President, known publicly as Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has officially changed his names, to include his childhood name, Tibuhaburwa.

The name, which is in his Runyankore mother tongue, can be translated as “he who cannot take advice or be guided/corrected”.

The name change has drawn speculation

and jokes from Ugandans online, some wondering what the job of his advisers is.

The president signed a declaration as required by the Registration of Persons Act, to be formally known as Yoweri Tibuhaburwa Kaguta Museveni.

Though the name has been referred to in different instances over his 34-year rule, he has never used it publicly.

According to the deed poll document dated 6 October, the president says that the name has always been on his academic papers.

But it is believed that the move follows a requirement from the Electoral Commission, for 2021 election candidates to ensure that names on their nomination documents match those on their academic records.

The electoral body announced recently that candidates whose names on the papers submitted are not the same as those on their academic papers will not be nominated.

In 2017, a court ruling annulled an MPs election victory based on the fact that he had interchanged his names on different official documents.

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PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

N e w s F r o m A SI A Coronavirus: Syria government ‘prepares for virus second wave’

T

he Syrian government has set up a temporary hospital for Covid-19 patients at a Damascus sports complex in preparation for what an official said was a possible second wave.

The facility at Al-Faiha Stadium will operate 120 beds for people requiring oxygen, but has capacity for 100 more.

The health ministry has reported 4,774 cases of Covid-19 and 228 deaths in governmentheld areas since March.

However, experts believe the actual figures are significantly higher.

Last month, researchers in the UK estimated that only a fraction of deaths due to Covid-19 in Damascus had been reported for various reasons, including limited testing capacity.

The UN warned that community transmission was widespread, as almost 90% of new cases could not be traced to a known source; infection rates among health workers were rising; and shortages of staff and supplies were putting even more pressure on a health system decimated by years of civil war.

Health authorities in the opposition-held north-west of Syria and the Kurdish-controlled north-east have separately reported the deaths of another 77 people with Covid-19 since the

start of the pandemic.

What is the latest from Damascus?

So far this month, the Syrian government has reported 527 new Covid-19 cases and 26 deaths across its territory, according to the health ministry’s website. In September, 1,417 infections and 86 deaths were recorded in total.

The state-run Sana news agency cited a senior health ministry official, Dr Tawfiq Hasaba, as saying the new temporary hospital at Al-Faiha Stadium was part of the measures being taken to “provide appropriate services to coronavirus patients in the event of a new climax”.

Dr Hasaba said there had been an increase in the daily number of new cases in the past week, and noted that there could be a surge in cases this winter.

Sana reported that the ministry had also set up an emergency management room to co-ordinate the transportation and treatment of patients in government and private hospitals.

The government is not currently expected to reimpose the lockdown measures it eased in May because Syria is facing a deep economic crisis.

Why are the official figures being questioned?

Despite the dire humanitarian situation in Syria, far fewer cases

Digest

PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

25

Two drinks a week in early pregnancy could stunt a baby’s brain, scientists warn

Experts say limited testing capacity has hidden the scale of the crisis in Syria and deaths have been reported there than in neighbouring countries.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that limited testing capacity has hidden the scale of the crisis.

“A lot of cases are still going unreported, and the actual number of Covid-19 cases is much higher,” the WHO’s Syria representative, Akjemal Magtymova, told Reuters

news agency last week.

Schools reopened in Syria last month, ending a six-month coronavirus-related closure A senior official at a Western non-governmental organisation was also quoted as saying there had been a “major and unprecedented spike in July and most of August” in Syria, during which 120 people were dying each day on average.

That figure tallied with the

number of burials that took place at the Najha cemetery, the designated site for Covid-19 victims in Damascus, Reuters said.

Researchers at Imperial College London recently estimated that only 1.25% of deaths due to Covid-19 had been reported in Damascus, and that 4,380 deaths in total in the capital might have been missed as of 2 September.

Bangladesh to introduce death penalty for rape

M

embers of a feminist group take part in an ongoing protest in front of the parliamentary building, demanding justice for the alleged gang rape of a woman in Noakhali, southern district of Bangladesh, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 10, 2020.

Bangladesh is to introduce the death penalty for rape cases, following days of protests about the country’s high level of sexual violence against women.

Law Minister Anisul Haq told the BBC that the president would issue an ordinance on Tuesday making it law.

There was widespread outrage in Bangladesh last week after footage of a brutal gang assault on a 37-year-old woman went viral on social media.

At least 1,000 rapes have been reported in Bangladesh this year, activists say.

But many cases go unreported because women fear they will be stigmatised, according to human rights advocates, and in cases that are reported conviction rates are extremely low. Protesters galvanised by last week’s viral video have demanded faster trials and changes to the way rape cases are prosecuted.

An investigation by Bangladesh’s National Human Rights Commission found that

Bangladesh to introduce death penalty for rape

the woman in the viral video, who was attacked in the southeastern district of Noakhalim, had been raped repeatedly over time and terrorised. Eight men were arrested after the video emerged.

A student holds a placard during a protest against rape

and sexual assaults on women as they demand justices in Dhaka, Bangladesh, 08 October 2020.

In a separate case another woman was allegedly gang raped last week in a hostel in the northern district of Sylhet, leading to the arrest of several

members of the student wing of the ruling party.

Bangladesh was rocked over the weekend by an unprecedented level of protest.

Demonstrators carried signs reading “Hang the rapists” and “No mercy to rapists”. In the capital Dhaka, a mock gallows

was erected by protesters.

Responding directly to the protests, the government decided to make the change by way of an ordinance, since parliament is not sitting effectively passing it directly into law.

This year alone, more than 1,000 rapes were reported in Bangladesh, according to a human rights group in the country. A fifth were gang rapes.

It was the case of one 37-yearold last week which sparked the recent protests and in many ways forced the government to take this action. The UN has now weighed in, saying the gang rape in Noakhali underlined the “state of social, behavioural and structural misogyny” in Bangladesh.

At the weekend, Ananta Jalil, a well known actor, posted a video in which he said women who wore revealing dresses were inviting rape. After criticism, he issued a statement of clarification, but it appeared to simply double down on his initial remarks.

Many have welcomed the government’s decision to introduce the death penalty, but gang rapes have continued to make headlines in recent days, and some say it will take more than the death penalty to fundamentally shift attitudes towards sexual violence in Bangladesh

Just over two alcohol drinks a week could stunt a baby’s development, even in the very early stages of when a woman may not know she is pregnant

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

D

owning just over two drinks a week in very early pregnancy could be enough to stunt a baby’s brain development, warn scientists.

Even if the mother stops, the alcohol raises the risk children will suffer later from psychological and behavioural disorders, such as anxiety and depression.

Many women may not know they are expecting in the first six to seven weeks of pregnancy but having 16 drinks in this time is enough to cause damage, said the study.

Around 40 per cent of women in the UK drink while expecting, one of the highest rates in Europe.

Lead author, doctoral student Briana Lees, said: ‘Our research found even small amounts of alcohol while pregnant can have a significant impact on brain development.

‘Previous research has shown that very heavy alcohol use during pregnancy can cause harm to the baby.

‘However, this study shows that any alcohol during pregnancy is associated with subtle yet significant behavioural and psychological effects in children including anxiety,

depression and poor attention.’

Low-level intake was regarded as one or two drinks per occasion with a maximum of six drinks a week.

But Miss Lees, of the University of Sydney, added: ‘Generally, the more a child was exposed to alcohol in utero, the more severe the outcomes.

‘Children experienced negative effects even if they were only exposed to low levels of alcohol during very early pregnancy and then the mother stopped drinking. The difficulty is many women don’t know they are pregnant at that early stage.’

Senior author Professor Maree Teesson said: ‘The safest option during pregnancy is to abstain from any alcohol.’

For the study, interviews were held with the parents of around 10,000 children aged nine to ten, revealing that around 25 per cent had been exposed to alcohol in the womb.

Most of this group, 60 per cent, were only exposed to low levels during the first six to seven weeks before

women knew they were pregnant.

But those exposed to low levels of drinking in the womb at any time were more likely to have psychological or behavioural problems.

Differences in their brain volume and surface area were seen in MRI scan data, said the study in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Exposure to slightly heavier drinking was found to raise the risk of having an attention deficit

“

Exposure to slightly heavier drinking was found to raise the risk of having an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder by about 25 per cent.

hyperactivity disorder by about 25 per cent.

Children whose mothers had seven or more drinks a week while expecting had a 30 per cent higher risk of oppositional defiant disorder and were generally more likely to show aggressive behaviour.

The number of drinks women had while pregnant ranged from zero to 90, with 27 the average.

A healthy person’s BMI - calculated by dividing weight in kg by height in metres, and the answer by the height again - is between 18.5 and 24.9.

Among children, obesity is defined as being in the 95th percentile.

Percentiles compare youngsters to others their same age.

For example, if a three-month-old is in the 40th percentile for weight, that means that 40 per cent of threemonth-olds weigh the same or less than that baby.

Around 58 per cent of women and 68 per cent of men in the UK are overweight or obese.

PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

26

Feature

CLASSIFIED

Zimbabwe journalist: ‘I was jailed for a month after exposing corruption’

I

n our series of letters from African journalists, Zimbabwe’s Hopewell Chin’ono explains how he came face-to-face with the consequences of an alleged corruption scandal he helped highlight earlier this year.

I had been expecting trouble - so when eight men, some with AK-47s, arrived at my gate in an unmarked vehicle on the morning of 20 July, I was not surprised.

One warning had come about seven weeks earlier, when the spokesman for the ruling party had called me “unscrupulous” and accused me of tarnishing the name of the president’s family.

This was after I’d publicised a Covid-19 procurement scandal involving multi-million dollar contracts awarded to buy supplies at inflated prices - the health minister was then sacked and is facing charges over the allegations.

When the state agents asked me to come out of my house, I asked to see their warrant of arrest but they didn’t show me one.

Instead they hit my dining room glass door with a gun, and walked through to my bedroom where I was waiting for them with my phone, live-streaming their entrance.

I was dragged out of my bedroom barefoot, and asked to use the same entrance where the broken glass lay strewn.

That was the beginning of my 45-day nightmare.

I was not alone, I had been arrested on that same chilly day with Jacob Ngarivhume, a political activist who had called for a peaceful protest against corruption.

We were both charged with inciting violence as I had endorsed his march as the Zimbabwean constitution allows citizens to protest peacefully - something that President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government often thwarts.

Whilst at Harare Central Remand Prison, we received a visit from Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa, which we were told upset the president’s office.

Dermatitis and diarrhoea So the next day, we were

bundled into a truck and sent to the notorious Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison, where the convicted criminals are kept in legs irons and handcuffs if they move from their cell section.

The jail has a capacity for 1,360 prisoners, yet it had more than 2,600.

I shared a cell, meant to house 16 inmates, with 44 other prisoners. There was no space to turn whilst sleeping, and this is in the middle of a Covid-19 pandemic.

The prisoners had no masks at all, and there was no running water or soap in the cells, where we were locked up for 17 hours a day.

With only one light bulb, it was impossible to read.

During the day we were in a courtyard, where 500 inmates shared only two toilets. Again there was no running water.

Many of the convicts suffered with pellagra because of the poor diet - symptoms include dermatitis and diarrhoea.

There was maize porridge for breakfast, maize meal with boiled beans for lunch - served at 10 in the morning - supper was again badly cooked maize meal with boiled cabbage.

‘I teared up’ I fell ill in the last week of August with a terrible fever - the prison hospital didn’t even have a paracetamol to help relieve the pain.

When my doctor came to the prison, the hospital didn’t have a blood pressure machine for him to use.

Most of the prisoners have turned to religion - and it was difficult to get any sleep because of their loud praying, it is their only source of hope.

Some of them are there for crimes they have committed, there are also those inside for their political activism, some convicted despite no evidence.

I protested to the warders about the conditions - we got three more light bulbs, and some masks - some prisoners were given coronavirus tests.

My cell mates were grateful.

After I was granted bail on 2 September, I teared up when a couple of them turned to me before I left and said: “Please don’t forget about us.”

I felt my fight against

PAGE 27

PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

PUBLIC NOTICE

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Jarma 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.Adamu Musa - CHAIRMAN 2. Husseini Ahmed 3. Fadimatu abduljalal 4 Abubakar Mohammed turaki 5. Nurudeen Mahmood 6. Halilu sajo - SECRETARY 7. Salihu Dallatu Umar 8. Mohamed baba Abubakar THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.TO HELP THE LESS PRIVILEGED. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATEAFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

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Inmates seen in a kitchen at Chikurubi during a visit by a parliamentary committee five years ago

corruption was vindicated.

I had been writing about the alleged looting of public funds and at Chikurubi I had seen how an institution had been starved of investment.

My ordeal is also a reflection of the difficulties faced by

investigative journalists in Zimbabwe.

Three years since Robert Mugabe was ousted, abductions of perceived critics of the authorities have become more common.

That is not to say there was

“

I had been expecting trouble - so when eight men, some with AK-47s, arrived at my gate in an unmarked vehicle on the morning of 20 July, I was not surprised.

no intimidation under Mugabe, but I was still able to report on stories without arrest, including an award-winning documentary about the 2008 post-poll violence.

At the time I was taken into custody a government spokesman said no profession was above the law, yet I feel the intention of my arrest was to instil fear in journalists - and it seems to be succeeding.

Recently I met a few young journalists who said they had important information they were sitting on. Their reason for failing to report it? “We are too afraid,” they said.

Source: BBC

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SHEILA BASSEY OFFIONG c.

MUTIAT OLUWABUKOLA BABAYEJU d.

HAFSAT MUHAMMAD DANMADAMI e.

CHIEF ONYEJEOCHA KINGSLEY f.

OLANIRAN OLAJIDE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES a) To promote the good neighbourliness, safety and security of the estate b) To manage the welfare and contributory funds of the estate. c) To promote a secure, decent, peaceful and orderly environment for the benefit of the residents of Marshall Heights Estate Residents Association.

Any objection to the above named registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General , Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent , Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama , Abuja within 28 Days of this publication.

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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 THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE 1. Igbo Loveth Eje 2. Ileka Henrietta Obiageli 3. Davies Nosimot 4. Akwafuo Doris Chioma 5. Savage Rukayat Olateju 6. Chima Ugochi Urslar.......Secretary 7. Oranebo Patricia Nwaka 8. Ekwunife Obiageli Clara......Chairperson AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. Preserving our Alma Mata through creating platforms to reach out to younger Students in our great school and young ladies around our communities through mentoring, motivating, Networking, Workshops, Seminars, Skillsacquisition programsand boosting interpersonal relationship among women.

2. To be a pacesetter network of women striving to give back to her Alma Mata and community through various capacity building.

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Huzaifa

zuwaira

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I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS zuwaira adamu haruna.

NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS zuwaira adamu garba. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

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correction of name My name was wrongly spel AS damale mohammed bello, insted of danmale muhammed bello.

ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

Njemanze I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS Obiageli Njemanze and Obiageli Austina Njemanze are one and same person. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS Njemanze Obiageli Austina. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

PUBLIC NOTICE Greenview Agro Aggregators Association CAC/IT/NO 145383 Notice of change of trustees

This is to inform the general public that the above named organization has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) Abuja for change of trustees.

They are as follows 1. Hassan Ahmed Danbaba-Chairman 2. Sani Umar-Secretary 3. Danladi Abdulkadir-Member 4. Salisu Turaki-Member 5. Engr. Kabiru Mohammed Ahmad-Member 6. Ruth Caleb-Member 7. Ilyasu Muazu-Member 8. Aliyu Mohammed Abubakar-Member 9. Aliyu Hamma Garba-Member 10. Turaki Abba Nura-Member 11. Mohammed Abubakar Sajo-Member 12. Ibrahim Maigari Bello Aim Support for agricultural business development in Nigeria by way of partnership with all agricultural value-chain stakeholders Any objection to this application should be forwarded to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) Abuja within 28 days of this publication Signed: Secretary

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The general public is hereby notified that the above named Organization has re-constituted its Registered Trustees in accordance with its Constitution and the provisions of the Companies and Allied Matter Act. 1990 as follows: NEWLY APPOINTED TRUSTEES 1. MRS PHILOMINAH OMOWUMI AIDOKHAI 2. MR. TIMOTHY OPEYEMI OMOLE RETAINED TRUSTEES 1. REV. EMMANUEL OLANREWAJU DA-SILVA REMOVED TRUSTEE 1. PASTOR DAVID ONYENWE 2. REV. (DR.) BISI OREBAYO RECONSTITUTED TRUSTEES 1. REV. EMMANUEL OLANREWAJU DA-SILVA 2. MRS PHILOMINAH OMOWUMI AIDOKHAI 3.. MR. TIMOTHY OPEYEMI OMOLE 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.

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28

Health

Why Engraced Ones celebrates World Cerebral Palsy Day in Abuja streets

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

A

s Nigeria celebrated its 60th birthday, remembering the sacrifices of heroes past, the Engraced Ones Prayer Support and Advocacy Initiative organized their 3rd annual Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy Prayer/Advocacy walk on October 3, to remind the Government and highly spirited individuals on the plights of special needs children.

The NGO was worried that as the country celebrates 60years, many children, especially special needs children are lacking assistance from government and philanthropists in the country. The children also face rejection from the society at large.

World Cerebral Palsy Day is marked on the 6th of October every year, to recognise and celebrate people living with Cerebral Palsy.

The walk themed; ‘Make your mark’, was celebrated in the streets to rub minds with Nigerian on the challenges of the children in question and to call on people to contribute their quota in assisting the special children.

This year’s walk was highly memorable, as people from other states across the country joined in the campaign.

Here in Abuja; the March which took place in Jikoyi, a suburb in the nation’s capital saw people from different walks of lives, trooping out in green to add their voices to the plights of special needs children.

The campaigners were also educating the general public on the need to identify and assists children with down syndrome, autism and cerebral palsy condition.

Speaking, the Corrdinator of Engraced Ones, Mrs, Bibora Yinkere expressed worry over the poor economic wellbeing of parents of special needs children.

She said the NGO will continue to advocate for their rights to education, better care and acceptance. “Government should absorb them and cater for their education. We need diagnostic centers for them to get the best care they need.”

She frowned at some parents who are discriminating against the children living with these conditions.

The Coordinator said some of the parents don’t even have their children with special needs in the family album, “they don’t want the public to know that they have children with special needs; and as such they can’t even take their children with special needs to school.”

She scolded these parents and reminded them that children with intellectual disabilities deserve good life like others, “they can also excel in life, all that they need is extra support from their parents”.

While speaking on the rights of Special needs children, she said they have legitimate rights and needs. “They have a promising future and distinct impacts to make on their world. Please note that the ‘United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child’ is an important agreement by countries who have promised to protect childrens rights. The ‘Convention on the

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wednesday, october 14, 2020

Ahmed Musa becomes third most capped Super Eagles player

By Amechi Agbo

B

Rights of the Child’ explains who children are, all their rights, and the responsibilities of governments.

“For instance, the 23rd item on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child charter detailed the expected treatment of children with disabilities. It states that ‘every child with a disability should

enjoy the best possible life in society.

Governments should remove all obstacles for children with disabilities to become independent and to participate actively in the community”.

She said government is saddled with the responsibility of removing all obstacles for these children to become independent

“

These will include providing for unhindered access to basic health needs, special needs education, provision of required special technical educational aids, etc.

and participate actively in the community.

“These will include providing for unhindered access to basic health needs, special needs education, provision of required special technical educational aids, etc. These are the approved international standard rights of special needs children.

Most nations are doing more towards this goal. But these have remained a mirage in our dear nation.

“We at the Engraced Ones Prayer Support and Advocacy Initiative therefore call on the government of Nigeria to do more in honoring the UN child rights charter of which Nigeria is a signatory, as it concerns special needs children.”

Also speaking, on the significance of the day, Aunty Ada White, said the streets of Jikwoyi was adorned with green color for Cerebral Palsy and Yellow for Down Syndrome with music jingles to get the attention of residents who came out in their numbers,receiving the fliers and materials.

She said the walk was an opportunity to tell the people not to discriminate but instead show love and acceptance to people living with the condition.

“As is expected some had never heard of the condition, some who had seen people with the condition and discriminated and some who have children or family member living with the condition learnt a thing or two.

“There is a saying that droplets make a mighty ocean and we hope that the impact of the people reached would spiral down ending ignorance,discrimination and exclusion.

“Being an Advocacy group, we also advocated for an inclusion of people living with the condition and for more better policies for the benefit of persons living with Cerebral Palsy, down syndrome and other special needs condition.”

Meanwhile, the NGO also visited the Special Needs Orphanage Jesus Kids in Kubwa, Abuja, on the 6th October.

y featuring in Nigeria’s 1-0 friendly loss to African champions, Algeria on Friday in Austria, Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa has become the country’s 3rd most capped player in history, Bestchoicesports.com.ng can report.

The Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia striker made his debut for the senior national team ten years ago and yesterday he beat his predecessor Mikel Obi to record 92 caps for the Super Eagles.

A milestone he achieved below three decades of age.

Musa made his official national team debut on 5 August 2010, at the age of 17, for the Nigeria senior team in a qualification match for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations against Madagascar, where he came on as a substitute for John Obi Mikel in a 2–0 win.

The Former Kano Pillars forward scored his first goal for the Super Eagles in a March 2011 friendly against Kenya.

Having featured against Algeria, Ahmed Musa has overtaken John Obi Mikel to become Nigeria’s third mostcapped player with 92 international appearances. Mikel who retired in 2019 after the Eagles finished 3rd at the Nations Cup in Egypt made a record 91 appearances for the team.

In April 2011, Ahmed Musa was included in the Nigeria national under-20 football team squad to represent the nation in the 2011 African Youth Championship qualifiers, even though VVV Venlo had declared him unavailable for the tournament due to club commitments.

After some intense negotiations with the Nigerian Federation, VVV Venlo and Musa’s representatives it was agreed that Musa will shuttle between the Netherlands and South Africa to participate in the tournament with the national team. After the opening game against defending champions Ghana, Musa won the most valuable player award and boarded the next flight back to the Netherlands.

Ahmed Musa

In August 2011, Musa represented Nigeria U20 in the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Colombia, where he scored three goals in five matches.

Musa was included by FIFA in shortlist of 10 candidates for the Adidas Golden Ball, which was awarded to the most outstanding player of the FIFA U-20 World Cup. On 7 December 2011, Ahmed Musa was one of the four nominees named for the Confederation of African Football Most Promising Talent Award, however the award went to Ivory Coast’s Souleymane Coulibaly.

Musa was called up to Nigeria’s 23-man squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. He scored in a 4–1 semifinal defeat of Mali and appeared as a substitute against Burkina Faso in the final, as the Super Eagles won their third continental title.

Overall, he appeared in five of the team’s six matches. At the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, he started in all three of the team’s matches as they were eliminated in the group stage.

After appearing in all of Nigeria’s qualifying matches, Musa was named in Stephen Keshi’s squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He scored two goals in the team’s final Group F match, a 3–2 defeat to Argentina.

In May 2018 he was named in Nigeria’s preliminary 30-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Though his performance against Iceland was superb, it was not even enough to keep the West Africans in the tournament as they were eliminated by Argentina On 22 June 2018, Musa scored twice in a 2–0 victory over Iceland in their second group match of the

World Cup. In June 2019 he became the third most capped player for Nigeria’s national team, surpassing Nwankwo Kanu, after appearing in a friendly against Zimbabwe. He was named in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations team by head coach Gernot Rohr.

Former skippers of the team, Vincent Enyeama and Joseph Yobo are the most capped players in the country with both tied on 101 appearances for in their careers.

With those men retired from football and just 9 caps separating them from Musa, it is hoped that the 27 years old captain will supersede his erstwhile predecessors.

Musa is currently the highest World Cup goal scorer for the Super Eagles with four goals in two tournaments appearances.

Man United upbeat Nigerian- born forward for missing Sancho

>>>PG31

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PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

S p

r

t

Ronaldo tests W positive for Coronavirus

EndSARS: Anthony Joshua salutes protesting Nigerians orld Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Anthony Joshua, has commended the Nigerian youth protesting against police brutality and also demanding the scrapping of the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police Force.

The sustained protests across Nigeria and other parts of the world forced the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, and President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday to announce the dissolution of SARS. The two also promised that the demands for more police reforms would be looked into.

SARS officials have been accused of harassment of citizens, intimidation, and extra-judicial killings across Nigeria.

The boxer popularly called by his initials, AJ, seems to be impressed with the ‘gains’ made so far as he commended the protests and added that he was praying for Nigeria.

“Well done to all the Nigerians who have been protesting against SARS – those who made donations to fund organisations lobbying against it – those who have recently been informed & took time to educate themselves.

In June, at the height of the Black Lives Matter protests, Anthony Joshua rallied with his Watford community despite needing crutches to support himself against an injury then.

The 30-year old delivered a

breathtaking speech against racism where he said: “We can no longer sit back and remain silent on these senseless, unlawful killings and sly racism on another human being – based on what? Only their skin

colour.”

Meanwhile, the Nigeria-born British boxer will defend his unified world heavyweight titles against Kubrat Pulev in London on December 12.

Man United upbeat Nigerian- born forward for missing Sancho

PAGE 31

PEOPLES DAILY, wednesday, october 14, 2020

WEDNESDAY COLUMN SARS: Quest for justice and the creeping politics Cont. from page 32

that they get drafted and posted to other functions within the police force and remain police officers who still interact with the society. If a new special unit is to be formed to take over the role of SARS, from where will the men of the unit be drafted from? From the same police force. If our systems and handling of institutions remain epileptic, how can we be assured that a newly formed special unit will be better in any way than SARS? Now that SARS is no more, what becomes of the armed robbers terrorising our streets, the kidnappers and the yahoo boys at the corners of every street? Till a new unit is set up and unveiled, we should admit it is free days for crimes and criminals in Nigeria.

While everything I write remains my opinion, it only makes rational sense that rather than uniting to call for the outright scrapping of the unit, we should expend the very unity to demand and secure the reforms that are desirable for the proper functioning of the unit and every other similar ones in the country. Cases of police brutality and excesses are not limited to Nigeria, what other successful nations do to end or minimise such is what makes the difference.

In the United State of America, the recurring incidents of police excesses and extrajudicial killings of people of colour, especially the black became unacceptable and precipitated the Black Lives Matter movement, but the demand was never to disband the police force but to reform the force through deliberate measures. There is as much police brutality in America as we experience in Nigeria, yet Americans, even at the heart of their disdain for police misbehaviour, are well aware of the continuous need for police services. Suggesting the disbandment of a principal law enforcement agency or any functional unit of the force, regardless of whatever reasons does not make rational sense and cannot be in the final analysis in the interest of the nation’s security.

Unfortunately, as has always been the case with our system in Nigeria, we usurp every opportunity to a political cum personal advantage.

The unspoken truth would remain that how many of the musicians who joined and led the ”ENDSARS” protest today actually care about the welfare of Nigeria and Nigerians; are they not more interested in protecting their major customers, the

yahoo boys and criminals who make easy money they can spray without concern. How many of them consider it necessary to join protests against electricity tariff increase or the PMS pump price that were on the burner recently.

If Nigerians have become organised to demand for radical and beneficial reforms, that would be a big plus for the country; but if politicians, who cannot win legitimate contest choose to go underground to destabilise the government and gain undue footings in preparation for an election upset, then, we are the worse for it, as the outcome will only be chaos as the protest is already becoming with unnecessary attacks on Police formations, government properties and needless casualties on all sides. A protest that spells all elements of mob action is not what we should support and project; that would not speak well of us as a serious and committed nation.

Right now, it is becoming clearer that there is more to the ongoing protest than the rest of Nigerians are aware of. The demand was the disbandment of the SARS unit and its operation and the government has behaved unlike anyone before it to listen to the people and grant Nigerians their wish by announcing the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad with immediate effect. It is expected that the protest would end and the government would be praised for being peoplecentric, but the reverse is the case as the protest takes on a new intensity.

The protest is now becoming a mob action, attacking police structures across the country and trying to provoke the police force to a reprisal attack on the protesters. Just like in many states across the country, in Lagos, the Surulere police division was attacked and three officers were shot and wounded. We are now seeing a direct call for war and to sacrifice lives and properties on a cause the government had already handled maturely by obliging to the demand. The organisers of the protest seem to want something drastic and they never expected the government to yield to their demand swiftly. Their plan is to create national chaos and perhaps seize the opportunity to stage a coup against the government on the back of the excuse of mass national unrest.

It has been days since SARS was dissolved yet the protestors are still in the streets. I learned their demand, this time, is justice for the victims

of SARS which is understandable and reasonable.

However, what appears to be unreasonable - and even suspicious - is that despite having educated persons, including lawyers and celebrities who are rich enough to fund noble causes, none deems it necessary to explore better ways to pursue this new demand. I mean, are they not supposed to articulate their position including listing alleged victims requiring justice and recompense duly submitted to the authorities for necessary actions.

Where are the leaders of the protestor, as it appears some individuals are seizing the opportunity to claim limelight without substantial contributions like the preceding point I raised. How would the police know exactly what else they are demanding if they do not put them across. While democracy affords us to express ourselves, including protest, it is equally important that we apply discretion and be responsible at it. And in this case, doing the needful by engaging the authority, especially as they already scored a good point, by formalising their demands would save lives and properties.

Otherwise, it may only mean either the protest movement has been hijacked by those hell bent to destabilise the nation or that they are behind the protest in the first place.

The federal government must recognise this shift and be wiser as well as prepare ahead to respond appropriately to the probable development of an attempt at disorganising the country by elements who want to thrive at the back of the unrest. The government must see the need to intensify its intelligence gathering and tightened security; a protest that is gathering donations is already metamorphosing to the original intention of the organisers. They should not be allowed to have their way. The Governor of Rivers State decision to ban all public protest is good, but the governor must equally be careful to not hand over to the organisers what they actually wanted; a direct confrontation with the police.

In the final analysis, what we should want of the government and the police hierarchy at the moment and going into the future should be a readiness to make every officers of the force accountable for their action to the full force of the law of the land and to create the sense of control and caution on the officers use of un-allowed methods in the discharge of their duties. What we should want from the government is the proactive

Portugal and Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo has tested positive for coronavirus

GOD BLESS THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA!

CLASSIFIED

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onaldo is feeling well and hasn’t been suffering with symptoms, but is now self-isolating and will play no part in Portugal’s clash with Sweden.

The rest of the Portugal team have returned negative tests and are available for selection.

Portugal’s Football Federation said: “Cristiano Ronaldo was released from the work of the National Team after a positive test for COVID-19, so he will not face Sweden.

“The Portuguese international is doing well, without symptoms, and in isolation.

Ronaldo, 35, played the full 90 minutes of Portugal’s goalless draw with France in Paris on Sunday, having also featured against Spain in Lisbon last Thursday.

He posed for photos with his Portugal teammates at a team dinner on Monday night, as they continued preparations for their clash with the Swedes.

They go into the match top of Group C having won two of their opening fixtures and drawing the other against France.

Sweden have lost all three of their opening matches and are rock bottom without a point

readiness to change the module of administration of the entire police force, with the enshrined policy of producing well-trained officers that are subjected to regular scrutiny and checks that confirm their state of mind and mental fitness to relate with civilian communities. Rather than asking for the total scrapping of the unit, even though it has been done, we should want to see a list of punitive actions against elements in the unit that are responsible for the many atrocities already committed by the unit.

The need for control of crimes in a society already ridden by criminals surpasses the consideration for what we are demanding for now.

Nigeria currently is overwhelmed by kidnaping, internet fraudsters and armed robbers. The system and approach of the unit might have been off limits and elements in the unit might have become uncontrollable and self-serving, yet the results, outside the misdemeanor of the few elements are a testament of reduced crime and enshrined fear in the camp of the criminals. We cannot take that away from ourselves either in the heat of anger or calculated affront and politically motivated protest.

The Nigerian Police Force needs to be holistically and pragmatically reformed to bring in the ideals of civility and professionalism in the daily discharge of its official duty to the nation and its citizens. We must get to the point, where the men of the force regardless of what unit they belong to will be happy serving their nation and Nigerians will not only feel but also have absolute confidence in the entire Nigeria Police Force.

This is what we should clamour for instead of the erroneous desire to see the end of the SARS operation in a society that needs the continuous services of the unit. Let us stop heating up the country and seek better, non-destabilising means of resolving burning matters that affect our collective interests.

Finally, power is transient. Politicians shouldn’t be as desperate as willing to burn down their own country to take over power. That is what periodic elections serve us with. In the interest of Nigerians and Nigeria, let sheathe all sword and not burn down Nigeria.

Muhammad

sule

abdulrashid

I formerly known as Nasir Hamza now wish to be known and addressed as Muhammad Nasir Hamza. All other details remain valid. Niger State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB), and Kontagora Local Gov’t Education Authority & general public should take note.

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ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

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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. OMONIYI YAKUBU ADEBISI 2.OLAYIWOLA AFOLABI

M

anchester United chiefs are confident teenage forward Shola Shoretire can make up for missing out on Jadon Sancho.

United failed in their bid to lure the England international to Old Trafford this summer.

According to The Sun, Shoretire has impressed so much at youth level that he is already seen as a first team star of the future.

The 16-year-old is seen as the future on the right wing.

And he may have some competition

in that area in the coming years, with Facundo Pellistri and Amad Diallo signed on deadline day from Penarol and Atalanta.

Diallo will join in January, while Pellistri is already in Manchester. Both are wingers who can also play on the right.

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To protect the interest of its members.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATEAFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

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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.BARR. ATTAH OCHINKE - CHAIRMAN 2.EJIOFOR BEAUTY - SECRETARY 3.DR. Mrs. MABEL IKPIM - MEMBER 4.UNYI CATHERINE UJI - MEMBER 5.COMFORT EKPEME - MEMBER

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THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To promote the welfare of members.

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. . . putting the people first

wednesday, october 14, 2020

SPORTS latest

Elkanemi sack 7 players ahead of 2020/21 NNL season

N

igeria National League, NNL side, Elkanemi Warriors of Maiduguri has dropped 7 players as the club prepares for the 2020/2021 season, Bestchoicesports.com. ng can report.

According a release by the club and signed the media officer, the decision was reached after a meeting between the club’s management and coaches on Thursday adding that more players will be shown the exit door after more analyses of the team.

Nadal wins 13th French Open title

R

afael Nadal inflicted one of the most humiliating defeats on great rival Novak Djokovic in the French Open final on Sunday, thrashing the world number one 6-0 6-2 7-5 to lift a record-equalling 20th Grand Slam men’s singles title.

Tennis fans would have been salivating at the prospect of another epic clash in one of the sport’s greatest rivalries but it proved to be one of the most one-sided Grand Slam finals in the Open era under the closed roof of Court Philippe Chatrier.

The roof, which made its debut at this year’s rescheduled Grand Slam, was closed just before the start of play, sending fans and pundits on social media into a frenzy on which player would benefit from the indoor conditions.

Most thought it would favour the Serbian’s game against the 34-yearold Nadal, who was bidding for a 13th title on the red claycourts at Roland Garros.

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SARS: Quest for justice and the creeping politics

I

am always worried about the inefficiency of systems in this country. For decades, it has become a norm for institutions in Nigeria to malfunction. We are talking about SARS malfunctioning today, but look around, what has been the situation with almost every other institution in the country. Not long, we had a number of issues, including the energy sector and the operation of DISCOs in the country. So, what is happening to SARS is the expression of the rot in our administration of systems and institutions in this country; individuals and special interests bastardising institutions within the country for personal gains. We are today, on the street calling for the end of SARS, just the way we ought to have been angry with many other recklessness in the system over the past decades. But the outcry against a system should not be geared toward terminating the system, rather, we should be more preoccupied with forcing the hands of the managers of the systems to reorganise for effectiveness and control that we desire to see in the operation of such systems and institutions just like SARS. The last few days witnessed the demand for the scrapping of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). This is not new, the call for the scrapping of the unit has been a reoccurring event over the past decades. The undeniable fact of the operation of the unit is the story of its excesses and abuse of the power given to it. Should Nigerians be mad at the unit and the needless innocents’ lives they have abruptly ended without recourse to the path of justice and formality? Yes. It is equally a fact that the silence of the populace would have only given wings to the uncouth element of the SARS operatives who have become blinded with the power of their position to the point of becoming a menace to the same society they are meant to protect.

The failure of the Police hierarchy to have acted on the many petitions against the unit over the decade is a more pertinent issue that we must also be worried about as Nigerians. The bad elements among the SARS operatives have been emboldened to become more reckless because they have more or less concluded that the silence of those they are responsible to and who can call them to order is an unspoken approval of their daredevilry. As such, the blame for the misbehavior of the SARS operatives must be rightly laid at the table of the police leadership in the country.

I wonder what else we expect of a unit carved out of a rotten system of decade long unabated corrupt police force. The Nigeria police force, as we all know has become more of a menace to the society than a protection. The good elements within the force have become overwhelmed by the non-civility and

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increasing corruption of the majority of the men of the force who care less about any other thing outside the money they are able to extort from citizens under every possible opportunity. You cannot make a complaint at any police station in Nigeria and be responded to without bearing some unbargained costs, and in most cases, the victim gets more punishment for not having as much money as their oppressors because the men in uniform answer only to money. We have for ages closed our eyes to the atrocities of the police on the roads and highways; the extortions and unprofessional disposition of the officers who are not interested in checking vehicle document or confirming the safety or otherwise of vehicles or the criminal statutes of the occupants, as much as they are interested in the money that would exchange hands.

The unnecessary killings were becoming too much and I sincerely enjoin all Nigerians to condemn the excesses of the unit unreservedly.

Across regions and state, the recorded and unrecorded atrocities of the unit are enough reason to take a position on the continuous operation of the unit; but the questions that many Nigerians, at the moment of anger against the unit, refused to ask, or rather do not considered pertinent to the security of the country, are; what becomes of the official responsibility and assignment of SARS after its dissolution? What other security structure will carry on the assignments that SARS has performed in its glorious days in the past?

What do we need to know about SARS to inform our full judgement of what should become of the unit? The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) was a Nigerian Police Force unit under

the Force criminal Investigation and Intelligence department headed by the deputy Inspector General of Police. The unit was formed in 1992 in a desperate need by the police force to checkmate the increasing crime rates due to massive withdrawal of officers from active duties.

The unit’s official duty includes to detain, investigate and prosecute suspects involved in crimes like armed robbery, kidnapping, internet frauds, cultism in universities and other forms of related crimes. These duties were satisfactorily at the outset. It is equally a fact that with time, the Nigeria factor got into the operation of the unit, and we began to see a police force unit, using its position to intimidate the society on every possible conspiracy theory, such as equating wearing of deadlocks, piercing of ears, expensive phones and risqué means of expression to being a criminal suspect and in the process intimidate, arrest, torture, and even kill a number of innocent youths and citizens of Nigeria. Gory tales of such are all over the internet.

At a point when the unit began digressing to take advantage of a society bedeviled by corruption and the drive to make money by all means regardless of whose ox is gored, it became the responsibility of the police hierarchy to call the unit to order and effected structures and control that will keep it in its path of fighting crimes in the country. As at today, as it was in the last few decades, incidents of crimes and extreme criminalities against the citizens in a lot of ways have been on the rise and our streets have become increasingly unsafe which calls for the need of a special unit to rein in such criminality. However, despite the

public outcry and anger against SARS, I presume we should have been more interested in forcing the much needed reforms of the unit and the injection of qualified personnel that are well trained, particularly on civil and humanitarian matters into the unit.

Throwing out the child with the bathwater shouldn’t be the way to go.

We must clearly recognise that within the same SARS, there are good officers as much as the bad elements that perpetrate the evils we frown against.

Should we scrap an effective special squad because of abuses by some of its men and officers? No. I will rather in my opinion suggest a grand reform of the unit. Today, as a matter of fact, thousands of armed robbers, kidnappers and internet fraudsters, who are the final beneficiaries of a disbanded SARS are marching the street with Nigerians with a louder voice for the scrapping of the unit; are we not pushing ourselves to more dangers if there is no replacement, especially increase crime of the order beyond the reach of the conventional police response.

In the police force and among the SARS operatives are a good number of fine officers and men of the force who constantly put their lives on the line for the security of our streets and the nation at large. Mr. Kyari is a police officer, just like many others like him who have been diligently doing good works for their country. We must be very careful, while we seek for changes in the evil we see in the unit, that we do not demoralise the officers of the entire police force.

We need to ask ourselves, if all we need today is the scrapping of SARS, what happens next? What becomes of the disbanded officers; the very ones we are complaining about? The fact is Cont. on page 31

DAN GAYE Dangai

Zimbabwe journalist: ‘I was jailed for a month after exposing corruption’ -News

unit was formed in 1992 “ The in a desperate need by the

police force to checkmate the increasing crime rates due to massive withdrawal of officers from active duties

The danger of saying the truth!

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