Monday, August 16, 2021 Edition

Monday, August 16, 2021/ Muharram 8, 1443 AH

UPDATE ON SCHOOL CHILDREN HELD CAPTIVE

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

Vol. 37 No. 030

FEDERAL GOVT COLLEGE BIRNIN YAURI

N200 61 DAYS

@pmlonline

peoplesdailyng

BETHEL BAPTIST HIGH SCHOOL, KUJAMA

43 DAYS

. . . putting the people first SALIHU TANKO ISLAMIC SCHOOL, TEGINA

78 DAYS

Dokpesi, Bode George, 4 others eye PDP National Chairmanship >>PAGE 5

Plateau attack:

IGP orders coordinated response to protect citizens >>PAGE 15

DIG Sanusi Lemu leads Police crack team

FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello (4th left), FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu (5th left) Minister for Environment, Dr Muhammad Mahmood Abubakar(6th left) Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola (3rd left) and other officials of the FCTA and Environment Ministry, at the Flag off of construction of access road and car park of the Kagini Train Station, at the weekend in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Ahmed Joda: We’ve lost a patriot, most valuable citizen, says Buhari

pg 7

NDLEA arrests Italy-bound Zulum: Borno in Insecurity: UniJos Kidnappings, criminality 53-year-old woman with dilemma over Boko suspends second semester have reduced in Katsina Haram surrender exams till further notice 100 wraps of heroin State, says Masari pAGE 2

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

News CONTENTS News 2-14 Op.Ed

12-13

Politics 15-17 Stock Watch Business

18 19-20

Metro

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World New

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Africa News

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World News

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NDLEA arrests Italy-bound 53-year-old woman with 100 wraps of heroin T

he National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has arrested a woman bound for Italy with 100 wraps of heroin at the departure hall of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos.

The NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi disclosed this in a statement made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, in Abuja.

Babafemi said that the operatives, who had sustained their nationwide offensive action against drug traffickers with strings of arrests and seizures, also intercepted two parcels of the same substance.

He said that the suspect, Mrs Nnadi Chinyere, was arrested on Tuesday, Aug. 3, during an outward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways flight to Florentine, Italy.

He added that the drugs found on her were concealed in five containers of a hair relaxer cream.

Similarly, Babafemi also said that operatives of the MMIA Command of the agency intercepted a UK-bound consignment of illicit drugs at the NAHCO export shed of the airport on Thursday, Aug. 12.

He said that further investigation revealed the consignment contained 66.600kg of cannabis sativa, in addition to 1.600kg heroin and 1.450kg of cocaine with a combined weight of 69.65kilograms, all concealed inside cosmetics.

“Earlier, precisely Thursday, August 5, narcotic officers on routine patrol at the NAHCO export warehouse, intercepted another consignment of 25.8 kgs of cocaine and cannabis concealed inside foodstuffs going to London, UK. “When the export package was

opened and examined, 2.3kg of cocaine and 23.5kg of compressed cannabis were discovered inside, ” he said.

In the same vein, during a patrol operation along AkureOwo road, a team of operatives from the Owo Area command of the agency equally intercepted a bus from Lagos enroute Owo to Ibilo, Kogi state, on Aug.7 packed with six parcels of skunk weighing 3.6kg.

“Also recovered from the vehicle were 30 pinches of Crack Cocaine weighing 87grams and six sachets of Arizona weighing 265grams.

“Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the trafficked illicit items,” he said.

Meanwhile, on Friday, Aug.13, the Benue state command of the agency arrested an interstate trafficker, Eze Victor Ezenwanne along Apir- Aliade road, Makurdi, with 65.436kgs of diazepam

tablets.

Also on the same day in Maiduguri, Borno state, Babafemi said a suspected fake soldier, Adeyemi Segun Olamide was arrested with 650gm of skunk.

He added also that an ex-staff sergeant in the Nigerian Army, Muffat Ekong and one Frank Iredia Obamwonyi, were arrested on Wednesday, Aug. 11, with 286.3kgs of cannabis at Ogwashi Uku, Delta state, enroute Enugu State.

The spokesman quoted the Chairman, NDLEA, retired, Brig.

Gen. Buba Marwa as commending the officers and men of the MMIA command, Ondo, Borno, Benue and Delta states for the huge seizures and arrests.

He charged them and other commands to sustain the current momentum, assuring them that Federal Government recognised their efforts and would continue to motivate them to do more. (NAN)

News

Ag News Editor, Tobias Lengnam

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (middle), with government officials, during an inspection visit to the ongoing Chalawa/Goje water treatment plant at Karaye Local government area of Kano. The treatment plant will provide 3.5 mega watts when completed, at the weekend in Kano state.

Group faults Online story on Jebba-Mokwa-Tegina road media reports bridge collapse false, says FG on Jos killings

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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Ahmed Joda’s death: An iroko has fallen in Nigeria, says Atiku Page 8

Education

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Feature 26 Sports 29-31 Back Page

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L-R: Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mrs Cecelia Ezilo; Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Comptroller General Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede during the inauguration of permanent office of Immigration, recently in Enugu

Insecurity: University of Jos suspends second semester exams

NGO calls for conducive environment for women participation in politics

Yusuf Mairiga Shekarau, Jos

Non-Governmental O r g a n i s a t i o n (NGO),Evolving Women In Politics (EWIP), has called for adequate involvement and conducive environment for women participation in politics.

The Vice President of the organisation Abuja branch, Mrs Raliat Abdulsalam, made the call in Abuja at the first ‘Meet and Greet’ conference organised by the group.

The News Agency of Nigeria

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ollowing recent civil unrest in some quarters within Jos metropolis which claimed many lives, the management of the University of Jos has approved the suspension of the ongoing second semester examination for the 2019-2020 academic session till further notice.

The University, in a statement signed by its deputy registrar information and publications, Mr.

Abdullahi Abdullahi and made available to newsmen Sunday in Jos said all examinations earlier scheduled between Monday, 16th and Saturday 21st August 2021, have been suspended.

While commending security agencies for their timely response, the University has enjoined all its students to remain calm in their respective hostels and avoid visiting other areas outside the University community to prevent potential risk of being harmed.

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(NAN) reports that EWIP is an organisation that seeks to mitigate violence against women during elections and encourage participation of women in politics in the country.

Abdulsalam said that women should register and collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and take advantage of their numerical strength, education and global democratic trend to find a space in politics. (NAN)

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

group under the auspices of Muslim league for Accountability MULAC has expressed concern on how some media stations have changed the narrative and reported false news which was not exactly what occurred during the killing of innocents Muslims in Jos. This was contained in a statement signed byDr. Yusuf Yakubu Arrigasiyyu and made available to the media in kaduna yesterday.

The statement stated that one of such papers reported that the attackers were ‘suspected bandits’ at the time another famous media station reported that the attackers were Christian youths. “ They deliberately reported the news as such for reasons best known to them but we call on them to always balance in their reports and report exact reports free from any religious, regional or tribal bias.

“We read a press release by the Nigerian Police Force of Plateau State in which the force pledged to arrest and prosecute perpetrators of the act. But this is not the first time it is happening.”

T

he Federal Ministry of Works and Housing has dismissed reports on Jebba-Mokwa-Tegina road bridge collapse.

It said such report was false.

The ministry said its attention was drawn to an online story over the weekend, stating that a bridge along Jeba -Mokwa road had callapsed resulting in total closure of the road.

“This is totally false as the recently constructed Talabu bridge along the road that was claimed to have collapsed is intact contrary to the online report”.

The ministry in a statement signed and issued by Director Press and Public Relations, Boade Akinola, said the story was aimed at discrediting the effort of the ministry.

“The motorists flying the Jeba-Mokwa road who were interviewed confirmed that

the road has not been cut off anywhere, as their movement has not been affected in any way as claimed in the story.

In view of this, the Permanent Secretary, Ferderal Ministry of Works and Housing, Babangida Hussaini, hereby assures motorists that the road is safe and passable, urging them to disregard the story and not to panic Babangida further reassured the public that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari

Oil spill: Proposed N45.7bn payout by Shell, a rip-off, says ERA

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro

T

he Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has welcome Shell disclosure to pay N45.7 billion final compensation for an oil spill Ejama-Ebubu Community in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Recall that members of EjamaEbubu filed a writ against Shell at the Nigeria’s Federal High Court of justice in 1991, following the alleged default

by Shell to take responsibility for the oil spill it caused in the Community and remediate and restore their environment in 1970.

In furtherance to this legal action, in 2010 the federal High court awarded compensation to the Community in the sum of N17 billion but Shell in its usual intransigence vigorously objected to paying the compensation awarded by the court and proceeded to drag out the case before the Supreme court in November 2020, rejected Shell’s last ditch bid to set aside the 2010 compensation award after 11 years of Shell’s intransigence, ballooned to N180 billion.

ERA/FoEN in reaction to the court verdict, its Executive Director of ERA/FoEN, Dr. Godwin Uyi Ojo, accused the multinational

organization of major dubious ripoff of the community after 30 years harrowing legal obstacles in a bid

by Shell to deny people from the impacted Communities justice.

According to the statement, “This same scenario played out in the case of Saro-Wiwa and other vs Shell in New York in 2009, Bodo vs Shell at the industrial court in London 2016.

Shell’s refusal to accept responsibility implies that the company is yet to learn any lesson from their wanton destruction of the environment and therefore unwilling to make changes to their clean-up operations from their frequent oil spills and destruction of livelihoods.

NSCIA appeals to resident doctors to call off strike

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has called on the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to call off their ongoing strike action.

The leadership of the NSCIA is headed by His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto, A statement yesterday by Arc. Zubairu Haruna Usman-Ugwu, the Director of Administration of NSCIA said the strike action has brought untold

hardship to the ordinary Nigerians and appealed for it to be called off.

The statement said without prejudice to the demands of the NARD, the appeal to them is in the spirit of the Hippocratic Oath to which the doctors subscribe, and in consideration of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic which is taking a toll on our people who are currently helpless.

The NSCIA also called on the government to vigorously and sincerely engage the striking doctors to inspire their confidence in the negotiation process.

“The Federal. Government also has a duty to coordinate the responses of the other tiers of government towards addressing the grievances of the doctors,” the statement said.

The NSCIA commended the role of the National Assbly and other concerned bodies and urged the Federal Ministries of Health and that of Labour and Productivity to intensify talks to find a lasting solution to the core issues raised by the doctors.

“In the meantime, the Council urges the doctors to suspend the current strike to allow for meaningful negotiations,” the sarment said.

is working tirelessly to provide good roads for Nigerians, as such called on the citizens to give the government necessary support and encouragement He explained that the Ministry has Controllers of Works in every state that will quickly inform the Ministry of any emergency of such nature on the roads for immediate intervention.

He therefore appealed to Nigerians to verify stories received on social media before sharing.

Flood: Bauchi Gov symphatises with victims, donates food items

From Ahmad Mohammed , Bauchi

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auchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir has sympathized with victims of flood in Kirfi Local Government Area of the State and donated two trucks loaded with food items to the hundreds of displaced household.

Governor Bala made the donation when he paid a sympathy visit to the area.

He urged the people to take it as an act of God, expressing joy that no life was lost in the disaster.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

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By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

MINISTRY OF AVIATION in compliance with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) Establishment Act 2005 & National Policy on Public Private Partnership (N4P) REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION (RFQ) FOR THE CONCESSION OF FOUR AIRPORT TERMINALS AND RELATED SERVICES IN NIGERIA The FGN intends to develop Nigeria’s four major commercial airports and surrounding communities into efficient, profitable, self-sustaining, commercial hubs which will create more jobs and develop local industries through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) through the Ministry of Aviation is inviting bids from reputable Airport Developers/Operators/Financiers/Consortia for prequalification for the Concession of selected Airports Terminals under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

The airport’s terminal concession is one of the critical projects under the Aviation Sector Roadmap of the FGN and fits well within the scope of the Ministry’s strategic plan for the sector. The execution of this project is meant to achieve the Federal Government’s objective in terms of air transport value chain growth by developing and profitably managing customer centric airport facilities for safe, secure and efficient carriage of passengers and goods at world-class standards of quality.

The airports are: 1. Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja (NAIA), IATA – ABV, ICAO – DNAA. 2. Murtala Muhammed Internatıonal Aırport Lagos (MMIA), IATA: LOS, ICAO: DNMM. 3. Mallam Amınu Kano Internatıonal Aırport (MAKIA)IATA: KAN, ICAO: DNKN. 4. Portharcourt Internatıonal Aırport (PHIA)IATA: PHC, ICAO; DNPO REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION (RFQ) Reputable and experienced Airport Developers/Operators/Financiers/Consortia are hereby invited to respond to the RFQ to bid for the concession of the airport terminals.

This RFQ is the prequalification stage of the procurement process for the Project in which interested parties are required to meet the pre-qualification requirements specified in the RFQ package. Only pre-qualified parties will proceed to the Request for Proposal (RFP) stage and shall execute a Non-Disclosure Agreement prior to issuance of the RFP documents.

1. PRE- ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS i. Full names of firm/consortia, verifiable office address (s), contact person, postal address, telephone/fax and email address, If a Consortium, the names and contact details of the consortium members); ii. Evidence of Company Registration with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) or its equivalent for foreign firms; iii. Ownership structure of bidding entity, Name(s) of major shareholders and percentage shareholding of participants in the bidding entity; iv. Audited Financial Statements prepared in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) of the bidding company or members of consortium for the most recent three (3) years (2018, 2019,2020); v. In the case of a consortium, evidence in the form of letter of association, agreement (joint venture agreement and/or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU); or Consortium Agreement must be provided vi. Power of Attorney/Board Resolution, in case of a consortium, identifying the lead member of the consortium authorized to submit the RFQ and binding on all the members of the consortium. vii. Sworn affidavit disclosing whether or not any officer of the relevant committees of the FMA and its agencies, is a former or present Director, shareholder or has any pecuniary interest in the bidder, that the company is not bankrupt, in receivership or under liquidation or involved in any litigation which can potentially affect the company’s ability to effectively discharge their responsibility if engaged and to confirm that all information presented in its bid are true and correct in all particulars.

2. TENDER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: In order to be prequalified for consideration as a prospective PPP Partner for the project, the prospective firms/consortia must: Technical, Operational and Financial capability including: i. Profile of firm or firms (if in a consortium); including ownership structure and role and equity participation of each firm; with full contact details (including full name of contact person, telephone numbers and email addresses); In the case

of a consortium, the members of the consortium must jointly submit the required information and must also clearly identify one of the consortium members as the lead firm; ii. Experience in the Development and Operation of an International Airport and Cargo Terminals illustrated by the following: • Experience in Airport Operations and Maintenance.

• Experience in Airport Development and financing.

• Relevant recognitions, certifications, and rankings on size of operations and performance • Evidence of similar integration of Airport and Cargo Terminal operations within an aviation ecosystem.

• Experience in emerging economies will be an added advantage. iii. Evidence of Financial Capacity Evidence of financial capacity, in support of the company or consortium’s ability to undertake the airport concession illustrated by; a. A minimum net worth of NGN 20 billion b. Letters of Support from credible financial institutions in support of the consortium’s ability to manage and operate the Airports terminals.

The RFQ Package can be downloaded from the website https://nacp.aviation.gov.ng Clarifications and enquiries may be sent via email to enquiry@nacp.gov.ng 3. METHOD OF SUBMISSION a. Application shall be submitted in a sealed envelope containing 7 copies neatly bound (1 original and 6 copies clearly marked) of the completed RFQ and the required supporting documents, which shall be clearly marked “RFQ for the Concession of Airport Terminals’ at the front top right-hand corner of the envelope and the Bidder’s name and address at the back of the envelope, and should be addressed to the: Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation, Federal Secretariat Complex, Annex 3 Shehu Shagari Way, Maitama, Abuja – NIGERIA. Attention: Director Planning, Research and Statistics Room 113, 1st floor, Contact number: +234 803 627 7690 Email : enquiry@nacp.gov.ng b. Prospective bidders and interested applicants may obtain further information at the address above between 9.00am and 4.pm, Mondays through Fridays (except on public holidays), or through the following contact details: Name: M.R. Shehu Phone : +234 803 627 7690 email: enquiry@nacp.gov.ng c. The Application shall be submitted either physically or by pre-paid, registered/ certified mail or courier to the address provided above. Submission shall on or before 15:00 hours Nigerian Time (14.00hrs GMT) on 27th September, 2021. Late submissions will not be considered. d. For additional information, please visit: https://nacp.aviation.gov.ng IMPORTANT NOTICE • Interested international parties are encouraged to partner with local firms in compliance with the requirements of the Federal Government of Nigeria local content development policy.

• Late submissions will be rejected.

• Submissions via courier will be accepted only if delivered within the submission time shown above.

• Submission of RFQs through electronic media will not be considered.

• Only short-listed Consortium/Firms will be contacted.

• Submission of RFQs shall be in English language only.

• FMA reserves the right to verify the authenticity of any claims made in the documents submitted by the companies • This notice shall not be construed to be a commitment on the part of the FMA to award any form of contracts to any respondent(s) nor shall it entitle any organization submitting document to claim any indemnity from the FMA.

Signed: Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Aviation

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

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he Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered the immediate deployment of Police Intervention Team to Plateau State to carry out on-the-spot assessment and ensure enhanced, coordinated response to protect the community and boost public

Jingir condemns attack on Muslim travellers in Jos, calls for arrest, prosecution of perpetrators From Yusuf Mairiga Shekarau, Jos

News

Plateau attack: IGP orders coordinated response to protect citizens confidence in the affected area(s) of the State.

The Police in a statement issued yesterday by its spokesperson Frank Mba, said the deployment followed the unfortunate attack on innocent citizens in Rukuba Community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State on Saturday 14th, August, 2021.

“The Police Intervention Team is led by DIG Sanusi N. Lemu, the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Finance and Administration who is also the coordinating DIG,

•As DIG Sanusi Lemu leads Police Intervention Team North-Central geo-political zone.

“The Team comprises personnel of Police Tactical Units - the Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Police Special Forces, amongst others deployed to protect the communities, prevent further attacks and bring the perpetrators to justice.

“Also deployed are investigators and covert operatives from the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) and the

Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB).

The operatives are expected to provide additional investigative, intelligence and forensic support to the Plateau State Police Command in the ongoing investigations and rescue operations.”

The IGP, while condemning the incident, has called for calm and assured victims and relatives of the attack that the Police are working with the military, other security forces and the State Government to ensure that all

perpetrators of the unfortunate incident are brought to book.

Meanwhile, the IGP noted that twenty (20) suspects have been arrested in connection with the attack while thirty-three (33) victims have been rescued.

“The IGP enjoined citizens in the affected area(s) to support the security forces deployed to the hotspot by providing useful information that will lead to the arrest of other perpetrators of the crime and forestall any further attack.”

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he national chairman council of ulama of Jama’atul Izalatil bid’ah Wa Ikamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), Sheikh Muhammad Sani Yahaya Jingir has described as devilish the blooded attacks on innocent Muslim travellers along Rukuba area of Jos North Local Government Area of plateau state.

Speaking during a media parley on Sunday at his residence in Jos, the cleric lamented that it wasn’t the first time when dastardly attacks was perpetrated on innocent Muslim travellers in Jos. He said a discreet investigation must be carried to fish out the perpetrators and made them to face the wrath of law.

He commended the security agencies for their efforts toward restoring calm in the disquiet areas and enjoined them to offer much more in ensuring safety of the people of the state and commiserated with the victims of the attack who have sustained various degrees of injuries.

Irigwe youths of Bassa Local Government area of Plateau protesting over the herdsmen killings in their land, on Saturday b in Jos

Insecurity: Nigerian leaders are confused - Cleric From:Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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n Islamic Cleric Sheikh Muhammad Soliu has said Nigerian leaders are confused

and don’t know what is happening in the security system of the country.

He expressed this while speaking as Guest Speaker at celebration of the new Islamic year,

organised by Muslim Council of Nigeria (MCON).

Sheikh Muhammad Soliu who spoke on ‘Role of Muslims in Restoring Peace’, cautioned

against blaming the leaders, saying that, those engaged in blame game should rather support the leaders to find solution to the challenges bedeviling Nigeria.

Dokpesi, Bode George, 4 others eye PDP National Chairmanship

By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja

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head of the forthcoming national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, no fewer than six of its members from the southern part of the country are believed to be eyeing the position of its National Chairmanship.

The National convention of the PDP has been slated to hold latest by the end of October this year.

The decision to fix the national convention of the PDP for October, as against the initial date of December, this year, was one of the decisions reached by the national stakeholders’ meeting of the party in Abuja last week.

Among those eyeing the top position of the National Chairman of the main opposition party in the country are; founder of DAAR Communication (owner of African Independent Television

(AIT) and Raypower Radio), Chief Raymond Dokpesi, forrmer national secretary of the party and ex-governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and erstwhile deputy national chairman (South) of the PDP, Chief Olabode George.

Others are; former governor of Cross River State, Mr. Liyel Imoke; the immediate past deputy governor of Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral John Jonah, rtd, and the party’s former governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje.

Similarly, a former presidential aspirant and immediate past Governor of Gombe State, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo is believed to also be in the race.

Credible sources within the PDP confirmed that more aspirants may also join the race before the arrangements for the party’s national convention kick off.

It was reliably gathered that the PDP may have resolved to zone it’s presidential ticket to the Northern part of the country.

One of the sources said, “From the look of things, there are strong indication that more aspirants may signal their interest before the convention.

“More groups and concerned members of the PDP are holding consultations to ensure that the party comes out stronger after the current National Working Committee (NWC) quits”, it said.

It will also be recalled that the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan had, in a statement last week, said that members of the current National Working Committee, NWC, of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, are nor barred from exercising their rights, under the constitution of the party, to contest in the forthcoming National Convention

of the party, the National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan has said Ologbondiyan said this in a statement shortly after the stakeholders fixed the party’s National convention for October this year The explanation, according to the PDP’s national spokesperson, has become imperative given misrepresentations of the outcome of the intervention by elders and leaders of the party on the challenges that faced the PDP recently.

According to the statement by Ologbondiyan, “Sequel to barrage of enquiries from members of the public regarding the status of current members of the National Working Committee (NWC), the NWC wishes to clarify that no decision was taken to bar any member of the NWC from exercising his or her rights under

the constitution of the PDP to contest in the forthcoming National Convention of the party.

“This explanation has become imperative given misrepresentations of the outcome of the intervention by elders and leaders of the party on the challenges that faced the PDP recently.

“While the PDP has put these challenges behind it, the NWC states that it will continue to adapt itself to the Constitution, traditions and practices of the party in carrying out its responsibilities.

“The NWC therefore charges members of the party to remain focused in their commitment as we jointly work to further strengthen our party for the tasks ahead”, he said.

The National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting of the PDP is expected to hold soon.

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News

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

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overnor Babagana Umara Zulum on Saturday in Bama and Gwoza, addressed military officers and community leaders, noting that ongoing surrender of Boko Haram fighters has left Borno State with two extremely difficult situations.

He said the situation require diverse stakeholders including representatives of attacked communities, to come together and critically review the pros, cons and implications of the surrender, in order to agree on a framework that is well thought-out, according to a statement by his spokesman Isa Gusau.

Zulum travelled to Gwoza and Bama local government areas for humanitarian and developmental activities before addressing military

Wase condemns Jos traveller’s attack

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

Zulum: Borno in dilemma over Boko Haram’s surrender commanders at Brigades in Gwoza and Bama, and community leaders at the palaces of the Emir of Gwoza and Shehu of Bama. The Governor delivered the same message in both towns.

“We (in Borno) are in a very difficult situation over the ongoing surrender by insurgents. We have to critically look between two extreme conditions and decide our future.

We have to choose between an endless war or to cautiously accept the surrendered terrorists which is really painful and difficult for anyone that has lost loved ones, difficult for all of us and even for the military whose colleagues have died and for volunteers. No one would find it easy to accept killers of his or her parents, children and other

loved ones. In the last 12 years we have been in this war, and we have lost thousands of fellow citizens.

We don’t know the whereabout of thousands of others, we don’t know whether they are alive or dead. In these 12 years, millions have been made homeless and many wealthy farmers, transporters and others have been rendered poor. In these years, we were able to cultivate maybe around 3% of the arable land, and as a result our people became dependent on food aid amid donor fatigue and potential food insecurity, infact the repercussions of the Boko Haram crisis are enormous and as someone who has been involved with assessment of the impacts and rebuilding efforts in the last seven years, I am in position

to know the endless negative impact the Boko Haram has made in Borno” Zulum said.

The Governor said accepting Boko Haram has the risk of seriously offending the feelings of victims with potential of civil rebellion, just as there is the risk that if Boko Haram fighters willing to surrender are rejected, they can join ISWAP to swell the ranks of fighters in the bush and the path of peace becomes narrowed.

“On my way travelling to Gwoza and Bama, I saw many people cultivating their farmlands by the roadside and this is an indication of emerging peace, which we have to sustain in order to salvage our people. However, like I said, we must come together to carefully

Adamawa State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Prof. Abdullahi Isa, (L) admitting Oral Polio Vaccine to a child during the inauguration of Round Outbreak Response Poliovirus type 2 case, on Saturday in Yola

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Ahmed Idris Wase has condemned the recent attack on travellers along Rukuba road on Jos north local government area of Plateau state The Deputy Speaker in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Umar Muhammad Puma, expressed shock and sadness, over the attack, saying the cause of the attack must be investigated with perpetrators brought to book.

The Deputy Speaker while sympathising with the family of the victims, the Government and the good people of Plateau State, called on citizens to be calm, urging them to refrain from reprisals which could endanger the peace on the Plateau.

Wase further called on the people of Plateau state to have faith in the Governor Lalong led administration in it’s quest in finding lasting solutions to the perennial crisis in the state.

The Deputy Speaker commends security agencies for their prompt response to the crisis, urging them to do all it takes to ensure that those involve in the dastardly act are arrested.

analyze the two extremes and come up with a workable framework” Zulum said.

Zulum explained, that he will engage in high level consultations with President Muhammadu Buhari, service chiefs and resident security heads, traditional rulers, elders and religious leaders, national and state assembly members, academics and other stakeholders particularly victims of the crimes perpetrated by the insurgents, so that stakeholders will critically review the situation and come up with a framework on how to move forward.

Meanwhile, Zulum during his visits to Gwoza and Bama, gave developmental directives on improving schools and hospitals.

J

ournalists under the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council, have lauded the state government for its proactive steps taken in approving the 2022 budget proposal of N425 billion.

News Ahmed Joda: We’ve lost a patriot, FOMWAN most valuable citizen, says Buhari decries alarming rates of P divorce in Nigeria

By Egena Sunday Ode

resident Muhammadu Buhari Sunday in Yola, Adamawa State, described former Permanent Secretary and Chairman of his Transition Team, 2015, Ahmed Joda, 91, as a patriot and most valuable citizen, who gave his best for unity and development of the country.

Speaking through a delegation led by Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, to commiserate with family, friends and associates of the elder statesman, including government and people of Adamawa State, President Buhari said Joda’s transition was a collective loss to the family, state, country and the world that he touched and improved with integrity and competence.

A statement by the Senior Spacial Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said President told the family that: “Joda was a trustworthy and loyal companion, who steadfastly stood

for the interest of the nation through highs and lows.’’

“The country will not forget his sacrifices.”

The family, through Alhaji Mustapha Aminu, Galadima of Adamawa, thanked the President for sending a high powered delegation to mourn with them, agreeing that Joda was a hero for all Nigerians, Shehu noted in the statement.

He said Aminu highlighted the trust and loyalty that shaped the relationship between the President and the former Permanent Secretary, also known as one of the “Super Perm Secs’’, saying the President shared greatly in the loss as well.

At the palace of Lamido of Adamawa, Dr Barkindo Aliyu Mustapha, according to the statement, the SGF conveyed “deepest condolences” of the President and that of the government and the people of Nigeria to him and his people, saying “we have come to mourn a hero, a mentor and a father.”

The President commended the late Permanent Secretary for productive services to Nigeria and the world, it said.

President Buhari also said when he looked around for someone to help manage his transition to the Presidency, following his victory in the 2015 General Elections, he out that Joda was most fitting, with “the right quality and calibre.’’

Joda the President said, made a deep impressed on all by the work he did at that time, 2015, ensuring a “seamless transition by remaining focused, resourceful and avoiding land mines for a successful takeover.”

The Lamido thanked the President for sending the delegation and described Joda’s death as a big loss to the state and the country.

“Knowing the relationship between the President and Joda, we should be the ones going to Abuja to condole with the President instead of his sending a delegation to us,’’ the royal father said.

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

S

urveyor General of the federation, Surv.

Taiwo Adeniran has urged professionals in the survey industry to take advantage of existing technology and innovations to deepen practice.

Surv. Adeniran made the disclosure at a seminar of association of private practicing surveyors of Nigeria (APPSN) organized by the FCT branch in Abuja recently.

He said, “The only thing that is permanent is change, and for any professional to keep on been relevant in the scheme of things and be

afloat, it must be ready to change and adapt to the dynamics around.

“This very important particularly now with the blinding changing technology, which is rapidly affecting all sectors recently.”

According to him, the international federation of surveyors council recently at it’s meeting in Morocco approved a proposal for an update on vision or the definition of a “surveyor.”

He said that there is need for curriculum updates to our universities and polytechnics to take into account recent technologies and development within than field of Geomantics.

The commendation was part of the resolutions reached during the monthly meeting of the chapel held in Asaba on Thursday.

The chapel noted particularly, the emphasis which the budget proposal placed on capital projects over recurrent expenditure, which is indicative of the administration’s desire to consolidate on its infrastructural

development across the state.

“This is in line with financial and development standards across the globe aimed at building infrastructure, human capacital development and welfare of citizens.

“This commendation has become necessary at a time when most political state actors are pre-occupied with politics of

By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja

F

ormer Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has condemned the report of an attack on innocent travellers on a major highway in Plateau State.

Atiku, who made the condemnation in a statement yesterday by his Media Adviser, Mr Paul Ibe, commiserated with the families of the deceased for losing dear ones and secondly, in the gruesome and callous manner they met their untimely deaths.

While acknowledging that the

security outfits in the country are doing their very best in the current circumstance to make the people safe, the former Vice President however said that skirmishes and the pain accompanying it “makes us feel as though enough is not being done” Atiku expressed the view that it is important must continue to scale up security and give all moral and logistical support for security operatives to continue to face this battle and register victory that will restore peace and safety of lives and property to every Nigerian.

According to the statement by

Paul Ibe,, “The report of an attack on innocent travellers on a major highway in Plateau State stands condemned, just as those too numerous to mention across the country in recent time.

“Atiku Abubakar commiserates with the families of the deceased.

One, for losing a dear one and, secondly, in the gruesome and callous manner they met their untimely deaths.

“It is acknowledged that the security outfits are doing their very best in the current circumstance to make all of us safe. However,

reflected on the administration’s consistent high regard for traditional institution which has culminated in relatively peaceful atmosphere across communities the state.

“This has also been demonstrated with the building and inauguration of the state of the art Secretariat for royal fathers in the state,” it added.

skirmishes like this and the pain accompanying it makes us feel as though enough is not being done.

“The former Vice President is of the view that we must continue to scale up security and give all moral and logistical support for security operatives to continue to face this battle and register victory that will restore peace and safety of lives and property to every Nigerian.

“It is also his prayer that the Almighty Allah will heal our land and accept all the souls that have been lost to these cruel acts of killings”, it said.

R-L: Senate Deputy Minority Leader, Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu and Former NUJ Chairman FCT Council, Comrade Timothy Elerewe, during the Kwararafa Reporters Annual public lecture and award , held recently in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-owo

“There is need to expand the margin to strengthen the core surveying training, our education Institutions should increasingly focus on global market place rather than on national scene, so that practicing surveyors will be on the move,” he stated.

Similarly, the chairman of FCT APPSN chapter, Surv. Solomon Olukotun, said surveyors of 21st century, should not be limited or contented with cadastral practices alone.

He said “it is high time we look into other untapped surveying surveying jobs, like engineering surveying, hydrographic surveying, application of GIS in surveying related jobs”.

2023.

“But the Delta Government led by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is very much concerned about the development of the state which is in line with the administration’s ‘Stronger Delta’ vision,” the resolution stated.

Also the meeting preside over by the chairman of the chapel, Mr. Dominic Adewole,

Governor of Adamawa State, Umaru Fintiri, who also received the Presidential delegation, according to the statement, said the state and country had lost a “father, a friend and an adviser to whom we ran for solutions to intractable problems.”

The Presidential delegation to Yola also included Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Senator representing Adamawa Central, Sen. Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani, Members of the House of Representatives representing Yola/ Yola South, Hon. Ja’afaru Sulaiman Ribadu and representing Gombi, Hon Yusuf Buba as well as Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammad Musa Bello.

Others were Senior Special Assistants to the President, Sarki Abba and Garba Shehu, and a Special Assistant in the Presidency, Ibrahin Bapetel and Commander of the Presidential Air Fleet, Air Commodore A.Y. Abdullahi, according to Shehu.

Atiku condemns weekend’s attack on travellers in Plateau

Surveyor Gen. urges surveyors to deepen practice technologically

Delta Journalists laud Okowa on 2022 budget proposal

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

PAGE 7

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

Group refutes MURIC claims on demolished worship places in Borno From: Kaduna

C

Femi

Oyelola,

entre for Justice on Religious and Ethnicity in Nigeria has refuted a report credited to Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC). Prof. Ishaq Akintola

that 11 Mosques and four Churches were demolished in Borno state.

The Director General of the Centre Rev. Kallamu Musa Dikwa, stated this in a statement made available to the media in kaduna yesterday.

Rev. Dikwa, described the

report as false, mischieved, misleading and decieption of the public. “ I have never seen a Professor concocting lies like this. I am an indigene of Borno State and Kanuri by tribe, all the statement and claims by Prof. Akintola is false. Only

in 2009 the Borno State govt demolished mosques belonging to Boko Haram leaders/ members.”

He added that the so-called Prof. did not name any Mosque or their locations that were demolished by Gov. Babagana Umara Zulum administration.

From: Femi Kaduna

Oyelola,

F

ederation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) kaduna State chapter has decried the high rate of divorce among couples in Nigeria, blaming it on lack of understanding and forgiveness.

The State Amira of FOMWAN, Pharmacist Aisha Isyaku Tukur stated this during a marriage counselling for parents and couples in Kaduna yesterday.

According to her, marriage is a devotion and people should see it as such, saying alot of people who go into marriage do not understand what it is a“Many young couples today marry without knowing what marriage is all about. They think it is about posting flamboyant marriage proposals, wedding pictures and all sorts of things on social media”.

Economic recession responsible for insecurity - Sanusi

From:Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

F

ormer Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi has said that the general economic recession in the country is the root cause of the various security challenges bedevilling the country.

He made the assertion while speaking during the first annual Muhammadu Sanusi II colloquium in Kaduna recently.

Sanusi who was the Khalifa of Tijjaniyya sect in Nigeria, said 70% of insecurity problems in the country such as banditry, herders -farmer clash, kiddnaping and others have their root in the economy.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

PAGE 8

News

UNICEF says death of children in Borno “unacceptable” From Umar Dankano, Yola

T

he United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has condemned the death of three children and life threatening injuries

caused by unexploded war in Borno state.

Reports had it that the innocent children as young as 12 years old who were playing on Mblu bridge in Ngala stumbled on the unexploded

crisis which exploded, killing three and injuring many. In a press statement issued and signed by the Communication Officer of the Organisation,Folashade G.Adebayo weekend, described the death of

the children through unexploded ordinance as “Unacceptable “regretting that children have been direct and indirect targets in conflicts.

It further stated that concerned authorities must rise to their

responsibilities, noting that thousands of children have been killed, maimed, abducted, displaced and experienced multiple violations of their human rights in the North East.

Ahmed Joda: Bello mourns Plateau attack victims An iroko G has fallen in Nigeria, says Nigeria will rise above its challenges, says Osinbajo Atiku By Folorunso Abuja

F

Alagbede,

ormer Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has described Alhaji Ahmed Joda, who passed on few days ago, as an accomplished administrator and shining star in the galaxy of Nigeria’s public servants.

Joda, according to Atiku, belonged to the first generation of Adamawa indigenes who put the state and the North in the map of modern Nigeria.

The former Vice President and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2019 general election, said these in a statement he issued at the weekend to eulogise the late Ahmed Joda.

The stature of Ahmed Joda as an accomplished administrator, the former Vice President pointed, out, was towering and colourful.

His words, “Today, our beautiful Adamawa State has lost a colossus. Indeed, an iroko tree has fallen in Nigeria, particularly Northern Nigeria.

“The news of the death of Alhaji Ahmed Joda, CFR, comes with some kind of a jolt even though he lived to a prime age.

“He belonged to the first generation of Adamawa indigenes who put our state and the North in the map of modern Nigeria.

“His stature as an accomplished administrator was towering and colourful. He was a shining star in the galaxy of Nigeria’s public servants.

“Ahmed Joda, with a few of his peers, wrote the rule book of Nigeria’s civil service and his footprints will remain indelible.

“As we mourn this great Nigerian with immense contribution to the growth of our country, we pray that the Almighty Allah accepts his soul and provides his family with fortitude to bear the loss of a forthright and iconic patriarch”, he said.

ov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi has expressed his sympathy with families of those killed by gunmen in Rukuba area of Jos, while travelling to Ondo State in Nigeria’s Southwest.

The travelers were killed early on Saturday in Rukuba which is in the Plateau North Local Government Area.

Bello expressed his disgust over the incident, giving his condolences to the government and people of

Plateau State in a statement, signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Onogwu Muhammed.

Bello, who is the also the Chairman of the Committee on Security of the Northern Governors’ Forum, described the attack as inhuman, barbaric and unwarranted.

He noted that the cause of the attack must be investigated and the perpetrators brought to book.

The governor, however, called for calm among the

people of Plateau, urging them to refrain from revenge.

He assured that government was on top of the situation, admonishing that Nigerians should live in peace with one another, irrespective of their religious beliefs and ethnic differences.

The statement explained that the victims were travelling from Bauchi State to Ondo State when the gunmen descended on them, killing scores and injuring others.NAN

By Egena Sunday Ode

Olorunimbe Mamora, among other dignitaries and Christian leaders.

Quoting from the first chapter in the Biblical Book of Genesis, the Vice President related events surrounding the creation of the heaven and earth to the nation’s present challenges and the lives of great individuals.

Osinbajo stated that “indeed, the lives of great men and women, even as the lives of nations teach important lessons.”

He noted that, “in the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. The beginning was bleak, confused, without form, empty.

“This is the way of the lives of some of the greatest men and women and also nations. There might be confusion, grief, trouble, darkness and

fear. But even in that confusion, the Bible tells us that the Spirit of the Lord was hovering over the face of the deep. God was in the darkness, He did not run away, He is not asleep.

“So, it is with our nation. Today, some things may seem bleak and grave, with insecurity, economic difficulties, but even in the midst of these problems, the Spirit of God is in this land, it is here, hovering over this nation.”

He continued: “so, what happens next in verse three? We are told that suddenly God spoke, ‘let there be light…and there was light.’ The darkness came to an end, the fear, insecurity came to an end. So, it shall be for you and our nation. In the next verse, scripture says, God saw the light that it was good….so it shall be for you and our nation. The light will come and it shall be good, very good.”

N

igeria will eventually rise from its security and socio-economic challenges into the glorious light of dawn that would herald greater things for the country and its citizens, because the Spirit of God is in the land, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

The Vice President stated this on Sunday during a Send Forth Service for Revd. Dr. Israel Adelani Akanji, who until recently, served as Senior Pastor and Minister in Charge of the First Baptist Church, Garki, Abuja, for 22 years. Revd. Akanji is now the new President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention.

He spoke in a short remarks he gave at the service which was also attended by the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Revd. Olasupo Ayokunle and the Minister of State for Health, Dr.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

Page 9

News

We have constructed, rehabilitated 1,000km of roads in Katsina – Masari G ov. Aminu Bello Masari of Kastina State has said his government constructed and rehabilitated over 1,000 kilometres of roads across the state in the last six years.

Masari told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Katsina that the road construction initiative, which covered both inter-town and community feeder roads, was executed in conjunction with local government councils.

He said about 463 kilometres were constructed while 460 kilometres were rehabilitated by the state government in addition to those done by local governments.

“If you look at the road projects we have done, we spent over seven

billion naira to complete the roads that we inherited from the previous administrations.

“We have constructed 463 kilometres of roads, we have also rehabilitated 460 kilometres of well-tarred and standard roads and we have also constructed these local government feeder roads. ” If you take what we did and what the local governments have done, then we have over 1,000 kilometres of roads,” he said.

He, however, lamented that some of the projects had not been handed over to the communities because of the security situation in certain parts of the state.

On the health sector, he said

most of the township and rural hospitals have been upgraded and equipped while others were newly constructed.

“We started with Daura, Kastina and Funtua General Hospitals that can now compete with any general hospital in the country. ” After that, we went to Baure, we have upgraded Baure, we have upgraded Dutsin-Ma, Malumfashi, Kankara and many others. ” We have spent billions of naira in terms of healthcare delivery services alone. “’Also in the area of rural electrification, through what we call constituency projects within

the last six years, we have spent billions of naira to provide for electricity power lines across the state. ” At any given time, we are not afraid to show what we have done with the resources we have gotten,” he said.

On ranching, the governor said the government had commenced the process of sourcing for funds for the initiative long before the Federal Government’s eventual intervention. “’I think Nigerians should thank God for the fact that Buhari is from Katsina State, he has not done anything that is out of the constitution. ” We had started asking for

R-L The Founder, “Men Against Rape Foundation”, Comrade Lemmy Ugbegbe, The Mother of ( late Keren Happuch) the deceased student of Primier Acadamy Lugbe Abuja, that died under abnormal circumstance . Mrs Vivien Akpagher and a Member of the organisation fighting for justice fot the late victim / the Vice President Queen of Rosary oid Students Association, Jennifer Igah, during the group press conference calling for Juctice for late Keren”, held recently in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Institute builds capacity of social workers in Edo

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro

T

he International Peace Training Institute (IPTI) West Africa in collaboration with Mediators Beyond Borders International and Rotary International have enhanced the skills of some social workers in Edo State on the need to build peace through proper conflict analysis

Participants and officials of FCT Administration at a one day Sensitation campaigns on the recent removal of Illegal structures in the FCT, held recently at the Arts & culture, area 10, Garki, Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Umahi floats Salt City FC for Ebonyi

G

ov. David Umahi of Ebonyi has fulfilled his pledge of floating a football club for the state with the formation of the Salt City Football club of Abakaliki.

The State Commissioner for Youth Development and Sports, Charlse Akpuenika, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, describing the development as ‘heart-warming’.

Akpuenika said that the team would compete in the national league cadre of the 2021/22 football season and acquire the participatory slot from an existing club in the country.

“We have gotten the necessary endorsement to participate in the league from the relevant soccer authorities and would not inherit any liability from the acquisition process.

“Players to form the core of the team would be sourced from the grassroots to enable talented Ebonyi footballers display their talents nationally.

“The forthcoming King David Football Championship will be used to select such players as the ministry of youth development and sports had notified that of local government and chieftaincy matters on the development.

“The competition will involve teams from the 64 LGA development centres of the state and selected players would be groomed to ensure we present a formidable team.

“We hope to quickly gain promotion to the higher cadre as efforts have been intensified to also float a female team for the state,” he said.

The commissioner said that an interim management committee for the club had been

formed which he will inaugurate on Aug.17.

“Hillary Obiesie has been appointed as the Acting Chief Coach and will be assisted by Chris Akukwe, Harrison Obasi and Martin Mkpuma.

“Felix Odionye is the Acting Team Manager, Desond Ome—Acting Secretary and Leonard Obijiofor– the Acting Welfare Officer.

“The team’s media crew include: Emeka Ikegwu, Nnamdi Echem and Emenike Ogalagu,” he said.

He thanked the governor for fulfilling the pledge of floating the team which he made on several fora especially during the #END SARS youth summit in January.

“I urge youths of the state to believe in the governor as he will fulfil all promises made to empower them and uplift their wellbeing,” he said.

(NAN)

and assessment.

Speaking at a one day training on Thursday in Benin City, Barr.

Agatha Osieke, state Coordinator, Partners For Peace (P4P) in Edo State, said one crucial way to build peace is to get to the root cause of the conflicts.

Osieke, a facilitator at the training, who delivered a lecture on conflict assessment

and conflict analysis, identified poor communication, lack of compromise, desire for power, making assumptions, lack of empathy and many more as causes of conflict.

She explained that perception and communication are key to handling conflicts which can impact the way people react to issues and might lead to conflict escalation

and de-escalation or peace.

The facilitator listed some conflict handling styles to include avoidance, confrontation, compromise, accommodating and joint problem solving method.

According to her, as a mediator, you need to look at the issue critically to get a true picture because it will significantly help in making verdict.

Surveyors, Geometicians should be solution providers – Surveyor General

By Ochiaka Ugwu

S

urveyors and Geometicians must start thinking solutions based on the fact that surveying and geomatics is about solutions, the Surveyor General of the Federation, Surv. Taiwo Samuel Adeniran has said.

Surv. Adeniran made this known Thursday in Abuja during a seminar organized by Association of Private Practicing Surveyors of Nigeria, FCT branch with the theme: Surveying Practice in FCT “Problems and Prospects.

Adeniran who spoke on the topic, “Surveying Practice in Federal Capital Territory: The burden of land tenure system and lack of adaptability to change” noted that what was needed was to consider the goals and come up

with geospatial solutions or inputs that can facilitate the realization of the goals.

He noted the major problem was waiting for people to create jobs for them, while they have the capacity to create it and provide solution.

Adeniran noted that surveying practice in FCT is been affected by land tenure, status of surveying capacity, level of awareness of the importance or relevance of surveying and geomatics and adaptation to changes.

He said we should also care about challenges and how innovative and up to date are the practitioners.

He however, recommended practicing surveyor must be ready to study and analyze his environment and prepare

proposal to relevant government institutions, rather than wait for advertisement in the dailies for jobs.

He stressed the need for curricula updates in universities polytechnics to take into account recent technologies and development within the field of Geomatics.

Adeniran said the margin supposed to be expended to strengthen the core surveying training and our education institutions should increasingly focus on the global market place rather than on the national scene to practicing surveyors will be on the move.

“Courses such as land information and management, oceanography, hydrology, geophysics, programming, web

mapping, data mining, and big data analytics should be reflected in the new curriculum for training of surveyors.

Other courses such as entrepreneurship and professional practice should include such areas as, principles of corporate/partnership practice, reports and proposal writing, marketing and public relations.

These courses will ensure that graduates of surveying are not only technically proficient but also corporate managers.

This will go in line with the postindustrial society’s view of itself as a society that is information and knowledge-based; brain work and information handling will dominate every facet of life and most practicing surveyors will become managers” he noted.

money for ranching under Natural Resources Fund, we started under Stabilisation in other to provide infrastructure for the frontline local governments, we didn’t succeed and he (Buhari)didn’t say this is my state, give them.

“In 2017, we applied for Natural Resources Fund again, we applied for N12.5 billion and the Federal Government said go and source for N6.25 billion and I said where are we going to source for that amount? ” But at the end, only this year, the Federal Government gave us N6.25 billion to start a pilot scheme. ” But the governor of Benue is looking for N100 billion, is there any relationship between N6.25 billion naira and N100 billion?’’

In the area of water supply, the governor said the Ajiwa Water Project had reached 70 per cent completion stage, adding that government had also drilled about 7000 boreholes across the state in a bid to ensure adequate water supply to the people.

“We have reached about 70 per cent completion of the rehabilitation of Ajiwa Water Dam. ” We have completed that of Malumfashi and the Federal Government has completed that of Dobe. ” We also have completed our own part of Phase 1, now Phase A and B are our own and the state government is looking for money for completion. ” We have drilled over 7,000 boreholes across the state, all our local governments have semiurban water supply,” he said.

(NAN)

Youth innovation catalyst for devt -Minister

By Albert Akota

W

ith the increasing uptake of technology as an enabler by a huge number in the younger generation, the innovative minds and skills of the youth will serve as the fuel for development.

Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, who made this known yesterday added that this year’s International Youth Day celebration offers the world an opportunity to again implement timely policies that will harness the innovative talents of the youth for development.

According to the Minister, “Our world is increasingly technology driven by a youthful generation of brilliant and innovative minds who are daring and ready to discover new frontiers through innovation.

From fintech, to E-medicine, e-agriculture, solar energy systems, digital arts, digital marketing, robotics and artificial intelligence, the youth hold sway”.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONday, august 16, 2021

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News

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

T

he Ona of Abaji, Alhaji Adamu Yunusa, Chairman, FCT Council of Traditional Rulers, has expressed support for medical laboratory directors.

The Ona expressed the support when the global politics on vaccines, and the leadership of the Guild of Medical Laboratory Directors, led by its President, Prince Elochukwu Adibo visited his palace.

Meanwhile, a statement issued yesterday by Jack Lampang, Media Consultant, GMLD, said,

Ona of Abaji supports medical laboratory directors “Nigeria has no business importing vaccines, we can produce any human vaccine in the country, we have the capacity, manpower and human resources to do so.

Laboratory Scientists in Nigeria have done it in the past and can still do it today”.

Prince Adibo informed the Ona

Niger: Business T woman bags two media awards

of Abaji that Nigerian Medical Laboratory Scientists produced Small Pox Vaccine in Nigeria at the Yaba Vaccine Centre, supervised

by World Health Organisation (WHO), not only for Nigerians but for the entire West African citizens in the fight against Small Pox in the sixties up to the early nineties.

He wondered what went wrong with the Yaba human vaccine centre.

However, he told the Ona of Abaji, that, “like every other institution of government in Nigeria, the vaccine centre was mismanaged, your Royal Highness sir, every striving government

institution in Nigeria then, be it Nigerian airways, railways, refinery, shipping lines, Nigerian Mining Corporation, Hotels owned by government, transportation, etc were mismanaged and they all collapsed.

Therefore, the vaccine centre in Yaba also went down”.

Suleja: Rafinsenyi village head urges council chairman to repair roads

By Usman Shuaibu he Village Head of Rafinsenyi Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, Alhaji Zakari Madaki, has called on the chairman of Suleja, Alhaji Abdullahi Maje to as a matter of urgency to rehabilitate

the dilapidated roads within the Rafinsenyi community.

He said if the roads within Rafinseyi community were rehabilitated, the farmers would transport their farm produce to the nearby market easily.

Madaki made the call while speaking with Peoples Daily on

Tuesday in the community, also pleaded with the chairman to build a clinic in Rafinsenyi in order to prevent the people from travelling out for medical treatment, saying that part of his house was converted to Healthcare Centre in the area.

He called on the chairman to focus on the developmental

projects in Suleja and its environs for the sake of the people who voted for him.

He urged the chairman to provide basic necessities of life for the people at the grassroots level, pointing out that Rafinsenyi community was neglected in terms of development for so long now.

T

L-R: The Chairman, Concerned Abuja Residents (CAR), Comrade Ayedo Danjuma Abdul, Assistant Secretary of CAR, Mr.Danjuma Kure and a Member of the group , Hajia Amina Adamu, during the organisation Press conference commending the released of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky by the court which has given Abuja Residents a breath of fresh air, and also calling on the Federal Authority to released his international passport for him to undergo Medical Check up, held at the weekend in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Runsewe says culture will bring sustainable peace, national development

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

T

he Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture and the President of the World Crafts Council African Region, Otunba Runsewe,said culture will bring sustainable peace and national development in Nigeria.

He said his ultimate goal is to use culture to enhance unity in diversity.

Runsewe stated this at the opening of a 3 day meeting of the National Technical Stakeholders’ meeting of the National Festival of Arts and Culture, held in Ekiti State recently.

The Director General, disclosed that, time has come for

PAGE 11

Nigeria stakeholders to change the narratives of culture in Nigeria.

He said, “it is time for all hands to be on deck to take our good hands, good ideas and good culture to other parts of the world”.

Runsewe commended the EKiti State Cultural Troupe for their wonderful performances and promised to give them more exposure to the outside world.

Speaking at the meeting,Ekiti State Governor,Dr. Kayode Fayemi,expressed his excitement that Ekiti State will be hosting 52nd edition of NAFEST later this year.

He reiterated that the readiness of Ekiti State to host this year’s NAFEST saying that NAFEST will present a good opportunity to

showcase the rich cultural heritage of Ekiti State for the world to see and to tap into its economic potentials.

Fayemi who was represented by the Deputy Governor of Ekiti State,Otunba Egbeyemi, said any state that fails to take into account the need to situate culture as a creative capacity of its people within its developmental plan is bound to face serious social, political and economic crisis in the long run.

According to him,”iam hoping that the forth coming NAFEST will promote national unity, social integration, redirect cultural activities, revenue generation .

“And also create windows of investment opportunities for the

economic growth of not only Ekiti State but Nigeria in general.

The Ekiti State Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Prof. Rasaki Bakare in his opening speech said that the essence of the meeting was a reminder to the stakeholders of the Iconic American President, Abraham Lincoln quote who said and I quote “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four hours sharpening the axe”.

According to him, this collective interface among all the principal implementers of the National Festival of Arts and Culture 2021 project has become and will continue to be a major success factor in every successful edition of the NAFEST.

Letter to the Editor

EDITORIAL

N

Stand on it

igeria has threatened to withdraw its membership of the Maritime Organisation for West and Central Africa (MOWCA) because of a gang up against its candidate for secretary general of the regional body. The country is also contesting the eligibility of the other two candidates for the position.

A statement by Eric Ojiekwe, director of press and public relations in the Federal Ministry of Transportation said that was position of the Nigerian delegation to the 8th Bureau of Ministers and 15th General Assembly of MOWCA held on Thursday, July 29 in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ojiekwe explained that the Nigerian delegation did not accept the outcome of the meeting because it failed to recognize the country’s “ardent and consistent support” which included over $5 million financial contribution in the past ten years. In that period the organisation failed to employ a single Nigerian, the statement added.

case of Guinea and seven years in that of Benin. It argued that Paul Adaliku, the Nigerian candidate and director, maritime services, Federal Ministry of Transportation, was the only eligible candidate and should have been declared elected unopposed.

It is clear what is at play here geopolitics. Guinea and Benin, our close door neighbour, are both French speaking. And what more, membership of MOWCA is predominantly French speaking. It is, therefore, understanding, the gang up. Blood, in this case figuratively, is thicker than water.

This linguistic rivalry in Africa is not new. But it has worked against Nigeria’s interest more often. Why because of fear of domination by this “giant of Africa”.

We have the resources and market to make us a true giant. This is Providence, not our making. If our ‘brothers’ choose to cringe before rather than accept and respect us, it is their headache, not us. After all, we have not used our God given wealth selfishly.

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This linguistic rivalry in Africa is not new. But it has worked against Nigeria’s interest more often. Why because of fear of domination by this “giant of Africa”. We have the resources and market to make us a true giant

By Usman Shuaibu

he proprietress of the Race Restaurant and Suites in Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, Christy Ella Edwin has been conferred with the two media awards y the orator communications limited, the publishers of orator weekly newspapers based in Niger State and FCT, Abuja.

The two media wards tagged “Ambassador of Progress” and “Icon of Humanitarian”.

Conferring the awards the Managing Editor of Orator Weekly newspapers, Mr. Nasir Oseni, said the award were bestowed on the proprietress based on her outstanding contributions in the society.

He added that the proprietress of Lace Restaurant and Suites was honoured due to the research carried out by the Editorial Board of the Orator Weekly Newspapers.

Oseni told the gathering that the management of Orator weekly newspapers deemed it necessary to honour the proprietress as a result of her selfless services rendered to the society, saying that orator organization does not honour people with questionable character.

Responding, the recipient of the day, authority of the Orator Communications Limited for recognizing her.

Some of the guests as well as some staff of the Lace Restaurant and Suites who spoke during the award ceremony, said the honour done to Christy Ella Edwin was a step in the right direction.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

“Nigeria as a nation must take a stand against the promotion of illegality, disrespect for the rule of law and contravention of the rules regarding election of the secretary-general of MOWCA,” the statement read in part.

It said that Nigeria was the only country that met the age eligibility requirement that candidates vying for the position of MOWCA’s secretarygeneral must not exceed 55 years.

It noted that the candidate nominated

by Nigeria was 55 years at the close of nominations closed in 2020, while the Guinean candidate was 60 years old and that of Benin was 62.

Nigeria frowned on what it described as the “apparent willingness” of some member states to consider for elections candidates who, knowingly, contravened the age eligibility by over five years in the

OUR MISSION

Rather, we have used it to support sister nations and regional bodies of which we are members. Examples include the African Development Bank (AfDB) and this very MOWCA. For several years geopolitics denied Nigeria the presidency of the bank until Dr. Adesina won it in 2015. He was reelected in April 2021.

Having done so much for Africa, the least we expect is respect, not our benevolence to be used against us. This we cannot accept. Our delegation to the MOWCA meeting did the right thing by protesting the illegality committed in Kinshasa. We urge the Federal Government to take a firm stand in this matter

OUR PEOPLE

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

OUR VISION

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

Rice production in Nigeria now a gold mine

By Musa Ilallah

W

hen President Buhari pledged to commit billions of Naira and Dollars to revamp agricultural activities in Nigeria with a view to changing the fortunes of the country and her farmers, wailers in their usual style cried wolf where there was none. They vehemently opposed it on the premise that it was going to be a wasteful excercise and one that will only enrich its promoters.

Years after the introduction of the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, ABP domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN which was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari on November 17, 2015, Nigerian farmers are today the largest beneficiaries of the programme.

ABP, which was intended to create a linkage between anchor companies involved in the processing and small holder farmers, SHFs of the required key agricultural commodities like cereals comprising of rice, maize, wheat; roots and tubers comprising of cassava, potatoes, yam, ginger; tree crops comprising of palm oil, cocoa, rubber; legumes comprising of soyabean, sesame seed, cowpea; cotton; sugarcane; tomato and livestock comprising of fish, poultry and ruminants among others.

So far so good, Rice production in the country has topped the list with a very encouraging return on investment by government, individual farmers and groups.

The thrust of the ABP is provision of farm inputs in kind and cash for farm labour to small holder farmers to boost production of these commodities, stabilize inputs supply to agro-processors and address the country’s negative balance of payments on food.

Godwin Emefiele, CBN Governor had stated while unveiling the 2020 wet season harvest aggregation and flag-off of the 2021 wet season input distribution in the South-West geo-political zone in Ekiti State that the bank has committed more than N300bn under ABP in the southern part of the country.

According to Emefiele, under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, ABP a total of 3,107,890 farmers had been financed for the cultivation of 3,801,397 hectares across 21 commodities through 23 Participating Financial Institutions in the 36 States of the Federation and FCT since inception have been captured.

It is on record that under the 2020 wet season CBN-RIFAN partnership, the bank also financed 221,450 farmers for the cultivation of 221,450 hectares in 32 States while as part of efforts to boost food production locally, CBN had planned to cultivate a minimum of one million hectares of rice through partnership with members of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, RIFAN. The Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) said the country is in discussion with West African countries for rice exports as its current production capacity can satisfy local demand.

Prior to the coming on stream of the PMB initiative to rejuvenate agriculture through ABP in 2015 in the country especially on Rice farming, we were producing between 1.5 to 2.5 million metric tonnes per annum.

With the support of ABP, Aminu Goronyo the National President of had stated that RIFAN alone produces between

8.5 to 9.5 million metric tons of Rice per annum which the country consume annually, while other farmers who are not under the Association production takes the country’s local production to about 11 million metric tons.

While assuring that Nigeria has enough rice to satisfy local demand, Goronyo said there is a continuous increase in production with the support of CBN’s Anchor Borrowers’ Programme.

It is also on record that Nigerians consume a minimum of 7.5 million metric tons to a maximum of 9.5 million metric tons per annum.

In the words of Goronyo, Nigeria has “more than enough Rice to consume. We have achieved self-sufficiency in Rice production. Nigeria is ready to not only feed its citizens but also export the excess Rice we produce”.

Regretably, the current high cost of Rice and other foodstuff in the open market in the midst of availability is a big concern to Nigerians from all walks of life.

A number of reasons can be adduced to this misnomer. Such include fluctuation of exchange rates and the importation of the inputs used in cultivating Rice and other agricultural commodities.

Given the level of progress made by Rice farmers in Nigeria, RIFAN has signed an MOU with Benin Republic government officials for the arrangements to be perfected that will be a win-win situation for Nigeria and Benin Republic in the area of the rice value chain.

“What they requested from us, is the way we did it in Nigeria and achieved these successes and where we are today, that is exactly what they want us to go and replicate in their country, then in return, they will also be able to give us support that will establish the kind of rice business between the two countries in the area of processing, packaging and marketing,” he said.

However, a new report by the UK based think tank, Institute of Development Studies, has mischievously placed Nigeria as the second poorest country in the world in terms of food affordability.

The report, which was compiled through a publicly available global cost-of-living database, Numbeo, was used in creating a ‘cost of food basics’ analysis that compares the monthly minimum recommended spend on food per adult and monthly average wage in 107 countries across the world.

The Cost of Food Basics found that, more than one year since the outbreak of COVID-19, there is vast disparity between countries in terms of the proportion of average wages needed to afford enough food.

The top listed 10 countries where basic food is least affordable in are Syria, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Indonesia, Algeria, Iran and Uzbekistan.

According to the report, basic food is least affordable in Nigeria where 101 per cent of the average wage is spent on food.

Despite all the challenges, Rice farming in the last 4years or so has turned to be a blessing to the country and a gold mine to farmers in the country that has produced millionaires, courtesy of CBN’s Anchor Borrowers Programme, ABP. Be that as it may Nigeria’s current Rice and other commodities high cost is a major threat to the economic stability of the country that needs Federal Government’s urgent support to avert a major catastrophe.

PAGE 12

Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

One year after: Remembering Mallam Wada A. Maida

By Ibrahim A Maida

M

onday, August 17th 2020; what started like a normal day turned out one of the saddest for many of us; family, friends, professional colleagues and associates. I had woken up early feeling refreshed and energetic after the weekend’s rest. I drove 75kms to resume work after spending the weekend with my family.

Coincidentally, Mallam Wada in whose memory am writing this piece was part of that unforgettable weekend. He had visited his beloved hometown Katsina after being away for a long while due to the ravaging COVID 19 and the attendant restrictions that followed including the lockdowns. I had a busy day at work as it’s usual with Mondays, as such I decided to retire early to bed which was a departure from my usual habit of hooking on to social media until late into the night. It was indeed an unusual evening for me as I switched off my data a few minutes after 9pm for I had planned to sleep before 11 pm. Just as I was about to put off the lights, a call from an unknown number came in. I ignored it, but it became persistent and I still refused to answer because I wanted to avoid anything that will disrupt my plan to sleep early. On a second thought I decided to do a Truecaller search of the number, my elder brother, Kabir Maida’s name appeared. My heart skipped because I knew it was only something very serious that will make him dial my number repeatedly even though I wasn’t responding. I immediately called back and he asked if I had got any information from Abuja, I responded in the negative, he advised that I place a call to Abuja to get the true picture of what was happening that there was something

wrong but he did not tell me what it was. I was confused and scared as my thought went straight to Mallam Wada. I had noticed signs of ill health in the cause of our interactions over that fateful weekend. I was the last person to bid him good night on Saturday 15th August 2020, I was with him until around a few minutes to 12am. He went back to Abuja on Sunday August 15th and passed on the following day. I had managed to make the call, but what I got was perhaps the most devastating piece of information I ever got in my life.

I had inquired about Alhaji’s health from Farida his eldest daughter, and her response was “sai dai kuyi hakuri, Baba ya rasu”. My immediate reaction is better imagined. That was it, we had lost ‘’Alhaji’’ to the cold hands of death and life will certainly never be the same again. He was everything to us, he had been a constant part of our lives for as long as we all could remember. We grew up to know him as the head of the larger Maida family, a responsibility he bore with great commitment until he breathed his last. For me personally he was my moral compass, he was my confidante and adviser. I used to call him my shock absorber. In my teenage days, I used to be nonchalant and sometimes behaved carelessly, for I had confidence that Alhaji would come to my rescue should I run into any trouble, and he did a number of times. He was a disciplinarian and never condoned improper behavior, but he was not one to abandon you when you run into trouble. He was a good man in every sense of the word.

Alhaji Wada got his western education by sheer providence. He grew up under the tutelage of our father in a highly disciplined and industrious family setting. Our father; the older Maida was a business man

with interest in carpentry, metal works and real estate. He also worked with the Kaduna native authority’s sports council. He ensured that all his male children at that time took active part in the family business.

His first four children, all male then were Bishir, Saleh, Rabe and Wada.

They all joined him in the workshop after Islamiyya school. As narrated by the late Mallam Wada in one of our conversations, one day in 1958 while the four of them were hanging around our father who was then supervising the construction of the metal body for a heavy duty truck that he had just purchased, a messenger from the district office came to him with a message that the DO had instructed that he should release at least one of his four children for enrolment into formal school. Wada then a lanky little boy was picked by our father who tapped his head and said to the DO’s messenger “go with this one, he cannot handle the physical demands of the work here”. That was the beginning of what turned out to be uncommon greatness.

Alhaji Wada went on to become very successful first as a journalist and a civil servant who reached the pinnacle of his career with his stewardship of the News agency of Nigeria as the Managing Director for 9 years. He also had a short stint in national politics when he served as the chief press secretary to the then military government led by Gen. Buhari. He also made his mark in the world of business. After retirement, he went into full time media consultancy with interest mainly in the print media. He was instrumental to the establishment of some of the most successful newspapers we have today in Nigeria. He mentored a number of media practitioners, many of whom are still making great strides

in the industry. He became a media giant who commanded enormous respect and influence. His success in the media went beyond the shores of this country, he was an active member of various international media organizations, especially the International press institute. He was conferred with honorary membership of many international organizations including the Amnesty international.

Wada literally became a global citizen.

He was a philanthropist who loved to do his charitable works anonymously. He was involved with various philanthropic projects, many of which we only came to know about after his passing. He provided financial and material support to the needy especially in the areas of health care, education and resettlement of displaced persons. All these he did quietly with no publicity.

His humility and simplicity were uncommon. He had an infectious smile. Despite his professional, political and financial status, Alhaji interacted with everyone without any air of importance. He was simple and humble to a fault. He mixed freely with everyone irrespective of status.

He would attend big events but would choose to sit in a corner where there will be no special recognition. He was a contented and fulfilled man.

All he wanted was to live a quiet and simple life amongst his beloved family. He strove to serve humanity and did a lot in this cause without any noise. His ultimate goal in all these was to please his maker without the slightest need for any worldly praises or recognition. He was a man of great influence with powerful friends in the country’s political and business circle. He tried hard to live low key and avoid the limelight associated with persons of his status. But like a golden fish in the river, Alhaji Wada

had no hiding place as he became a household name whose contribution to the development of Nigeria was widely acclaimed across the country.

He was a highly detribalized Nigerian with a cosmopolitan disposition who never lost touch with his religious and cultural obligations.

Alhaji was a responsible family man and a loyal friend, he bore a lot of burden as a result. What I call the “burden of patience’’ must have been the weightiest of them all. He was a man of uncommon patience. As it is with all men with good heart, he faced a lot of disappointments and was in many instances shortchanged and out rightly betrayed by those he trusted, but that did not deter him in his commitment to serve family, friends and the larger society. His devotion to his family was total. He loved his children and spared no expense to give them the very best. For the extended family he was our pride, he was always there when we needed him and he gave his all to ensure our wellbeing. He was our rallying point and the force behind the enduring unity of the family. He was a perfect gentleman with a large heart. He was passionate about education and did a lot towards its advancement.

Hardly a day passes by without an encounter with persons who narrate how good a person he was, this is a source of consolation for us.

I am still in a state of disbelief and deep pain and find it hard to accept that Alhaji is gone forever. It’s indeed a loss that am yet to overcome, I am however consoled by the fact that he leaves behind a legacy of service to God and humanity. We pray Allah SWA grants him eternal rest and reunite us in Aljannah Firdaus.

Ibrahim A Maida can be reached at maidaibrahim@yahoo. com/08028905042

Market segments unlock China’s consumption potential

By Lin Lili

C

onsumer market in China saw continuous recovery in the first half of this year as the country’s economy registered a stable performance and sound momentum for growth.

In particular, some commodities that satisfy people’s needs for consumption upgrading witnessed fast growth in sales.

As consumption upgrading gains momentum, market segmentation is attracting more attention, said Zhao Ping, vice president of the Academy of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, noting that consumption of individualized and diversified goods and services will become an important trend in consumption growth.

According to relevant research reports, the total value of many market segments, including young adults living in China’s small cities, female consumers, and elderly consumers, has reached one trillion yuan (about $154 billion), demonstrating strong consumption potential.

Compared with people in China’s first- and second-tier cities, residents in the country’s small cities are more willing to spend and more capable of spending due

to many factors, including the fact that their necessary living expenses take up a relatively smaller part of their disposable income, indicated a report on consumption power of young adults in China’s small cities released by Chinese weekly news magazine Outlook Weekly last year.

Apart from young adults in small cities, the country has seen various new consumer groups emerge constantly.

In the process of consumption upgrading, consumer market is divided mainly by geographic location, family stage, gender, and income, with single consumers, female consumers, and elderly consumers representing typical market segments, according to Zhao.

Yang Yang, a 35-year-old resident in Yangpu district, east China’s Shanghai, lives in a rental apartment, orders one serving of takeout food online, watches videos after work, and takes online courses at weekends. Yang has lived in Shanghai in this way for 12 years.

Single consumers like Yang have considerable potential for consumption, according to a report released by a research institute, which suggested that 42 percent of single consumers are willing to spend money on themselves, higher than the proportion of 27 percent

among non-single ones.

E-commerce platforms have launched marketing campaigns targeting different consumer groups to stimulate consumption during holidays and festivals.

Thanks to such campaigns, the sales of makeup kits on an e-commerce platform rose 13 times year on year around this year’s International Women’s Day, and products like children’s balance bike, safety seat, and camping tent recorded obvious growth in sales around the International Children’s Day. Senior consumers represent an important part of China’s consumer market. It’s predicted that the number of senior citizens in China will exceed 300 million during the next several years. The group also has huge potential for consumption.

As their ideas about life change and their living standards improve, consumption structure of senior citizens in the country shows trends toward such traits as high quality, diversification, individualization, and convenience.

Consumption upgrading in China is driving further segmentation of market. Since working as migrant workers and the popularity of the Internet have offered young adults in small cities broader access to all kinds of

latest information, their demand for quality products and services has increased significantly, said an executive of an e-commerce platform.

Home appliance industry is undergoing a transformation, during which smart and healthenhancing products are the new hits in the home appliance market among consumers in counties and townships, according to the executive.

Consumption upgrading is indicated by the phenomenon that all consumer groups show increasing demand for products of higher quality, according to Ren Xingzhou, a researcher with the market economy research institute of the Development Research Center of the State Council.

Market segmentation is becoming more and more important during consumption upgrading, Ren pointed out, noting that businesses and industries that better grasp the needs, behavior, and other characteristics of their customers will achieve better development.

Data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) show that the online retail sales of the country’s physical commodities grew by 18.7 percent year on year during the first six months this year,

with the growth rate 4.4 percentage points higher than that of the same period last year.

The country’s courier sector, which is closely related to online shopping, enjoyed rapid development during the same period. According to data from the NBS, as of the beginning of July, the volume of parcels handled by China’s courier sector surpassed 50 billion, which was close to the annual business volume of the year 2018.

Fast growth in online retail sales has helped collect massive consumer data. “You can see the characteristics of different consumer groups through this data. For example, compared with other groups, young people’s consumption features greater diversification and social functions,” said Li Mingtao, head of the research institute of China International Electronic Commerce Center.

By understanding the consumption needs of different consumer groups and then adjusting products and services to match demand with supply, enterprises can embrace more opportunities for development, according to experts.

Lin Lili writes for People’s Daily

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

Comment

IBB: Celebrating Nigeria’s Military President @80

By Nourah Bamalli

A

s we celebrate the 80th birthday of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, we also appreciate him as symbolic of wisdom, experience and knowledge, which together came to him with age, active participation and commitment to national unity and development.

The gift of life is an exclusive privilege from God Almighty, which no one can put a price tag, but a lifetime that is full of happy memories, beautiful moments, commitment to national service and selfless sacrifices, like IBB’s, are a combination of Divine Blessings and conscious personal obligation to hard work. IBB possesses the qualities required to celebrate in the life of a great man on the occasion of his historic 80th birthday.

In a span of 10 years, IBB has today transformed from a septuagenarian to a splendid octogenarian, and, till date, has remained an inspiration, treasure of experiences and a living example of perseverance to the younger generations.

Some 45 years ago in 1976, at a tender age of 35 years, then Colonel Ibrahim Babangida came to limelight in the political scenario of Nigeria, when he single-handedly confronted Lt. Col Bukar S. Dimka at the Federal Radio Nigeria, Ikoyi, Lagos - the leader of the coup of February 13, 1976, that ended the lives of General Murtala Ramat Mohammed, the siting Head of State, along with his ADC, Orderly and Driver respectively, who were all assassinated on their way to office at Dodan Barracks, then the seat of the Federal Government.

Already a well-trained and strategic military Officer, IBB was specially selected and mandated to foil the coup and restore normalcy and peace during the turbulent time in the history of our country. To actualize his mandate, Babangida, in his strategic approach, decided to take “Okada” from Bonny Camp to get to Ikeja Cantonment, where he assembled armoured vehicles and advanced to Radio Nigeria, where he disarmed the coup arrow-head, and also ended further coup broadcasts by the rebels. Col. Dimka managed to escape, but was to be arrested eventually in Abakaliki. Since this incident, Col. Babangida remained in the limelight and continued to feature in national activities. Many analysts who write on him, have argued that IBB’s direct participation at the center of Nigeria’s politics at a tender age provided him with the training, experience, confidence and courage he needed to be involved in all the subsequent military coups, until he shot himself to power in 1985, as the only Nigeria’s Military President the country ever had, and he led and handled national affairs in his historic “maradonic” style.

During his 8-year rule, like all military governments, IBB faced fierce challenges of attempted coup plots, aimed at upstaging his government. Amongst the 2 officially announced coup attempts, the deadliest occurred on April 22, 1990, when a group of young Officers, led by Major Gideon Orkar nearly toppled the IBB regime, having succeeded in attacking and inflicting extensive damages at the Presidential

Villa in Dodan Barracks, Lagos. The rebellious soldiers killed the ADC to the President, Col. UK Bello, but in a rather mysterious circumstance, the President and his family escaped unscathed. The survival of IBB and senior members of his regime enabled the government to quash the rebellion and accordingly meted the supreme price to the plotters as defined in the military laws. IBB continued with his policies aimed at transition to civil rule, and on August 27, 1993 he “stepped aside” and handed power to an Interim National Government.

Local and international writers have rated IBB as the most powerful leader in the history of Nigeria, he was a methodical ruler who was skilful and tactical in approach, but also unpredictable when his options collided with national interest, which earned him the nickname of “Maradona”. In the early days of his government, IBB was rated high on human rights, but when national interests were impinged, the General resorted to his unpredictable toga, and deployed the ill-famed Decree Number 2, to enshrine country-wide safety and peaceful co-existence.

IBB has always been a believer that timely decisions shape an upright leadership, and he would therefore not sit on the fence and allow any situation to deteriorate without taking appropriate action. Throughout his rule, he never relented in taking a decision when the situation demanded so. For him, it was always better to take timely decision, and realize it was wrong, than to avoid taking any decision at all, and be at a standstill, to pave ways for uncertainties and

insecurity to worsen. His regime faced several difficult times that needed urgent and tough decisions, which IBB courageously and decisively took the initiative and the lead; such as declaring a National Economic Emergency, which brought about austere economic measures that required great sacrifices, implementing important changes in the basic structures of military federalism, where for the first time in Nigeria, a military leader was officially named and addressed as “President”, aimed to emphasize the executive powers he wielded. IBB also renamed the supreme lawmaking body, from Supreme Military Council (SMC) to the Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC), and later in his regime he again created a new Armed Forces Consultative Assembly (AFCA) in 1989, to function as an intermediate legislative chamber between the AFRC and the rest of the military. IBB was known for regularly changing his ministers, state governors and other top functionaries, including the so-called “powerful” and “kitchen cabinet” members of his government regardless, with the sole aim of moving the nation forward; although critics speculated that IBB was only consolidating his power from the exercises. Other reforms the Babangida-government introduced, included far-reaching changes in the civil service, the police, the armed forces, security agencies and the entire political system. The most controversial action IBB took was in 1986, when Nigeria became a full member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), an

The need for children’s equal right to education

By Adeparua Damilola

T

he right to education is one of the basic human rights and it implies that every child must be able to go to school, be it a boy or a girl in order to acquire knowledge. In as much as knowledge paves way for awareness of rights, inaccessibility to education is tantamount to enslavement.

I was privileged to attend the 6th year anniversary of the Gbaramatu voice lecture and Niger Delta award ceremony, which was held at the Eko hotels and suites on August 10, 2021. In the course of the event, one of the speakers made mention of the challenges facing a typical Niger delta child.

According to him, children in the Niger delta must attain the age of 12 before starting from primary one because it is only at that age that children can be able to paddle their boat successfully to the other side of the community where their school is located. In such a case it is arguable that the percentage of uneducated women will be very high since it is only at the age of twelve boys can be allowed to paddle boats, then it will take a supernatural girl of 12 to start at that age. This makes the global statistics feasible that just 39% of rural girls attend secondary school and this is far fewer than that of rural boys, which is 45%, compared to urban girls, which is 59% and urban boys 60%.

Yet, the Nigerian government is beyond reasonable doubt aware

of this unbefitting and outrageously persistent occurrence but has been able to successfully evade the solution to the problem while diverting its strength toward unnecessary and less beneficial issues, but that is just by the way.

Some of the girls who even live in communities which have access to free education and have their schools located in places where it is accessible are denied their right to education based on religious reasons, while some are hampered by poverty.

Although the issue of children’s education deprivation is not limited to girls as posited by UNICEF that 1 in every 5 of the world’s out-of-school children is in Nigeria. Even though primary education is officially free and compulsory, about 10.5 million of the country’s children aged 5-14 years are not in school. Only 61 percent of 6-11 year-olds regularly attend primary school and only 35.6 percent of children aged 3659 months receive early childhood education.

Unequal right and access to education pertains to girls more especially in Africa due to the importance attached to the male children and the societal belief that the male child is superior to their female counterpart, which explains why some parents prefer to send the male ones to school.

Poverty is one major reason some girls are denied the right to get educated. Parents who cannot afford to buy the necessary things that can enhance their children’s

learning or who have many children prevent the female ones from going to school, and choose to send the male ones because of the wrong belief that women’s education will automatically end in the kitchen which is in contrast to what the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) says about children’s education.

According to UNICEF, All children have the right to go to school and learn, regardless of who they are, where they live or how much money their family has. What then happens when children from a particular part of a country are not allowed or granted the same right to education like those who are from other parts of the same country? How do we also describe parents’ preference in sending the male children to school at the expense of the female children’s future?

Another societal practice that deprives the female gender of education is child marriage.

In a previous piece by this same author titled ‘Child marriage and its disastrous effect on women’s lives’, the author discussed the issue of child marriage, how it shortens the life span of women, thereby increasing mortality rate among women and its effect on women’s education. When a child is withdrawn from school at a tender age and sent away in marriage, they end up being uneducated because in most cases, they do not go back to school and women’s rights keep getting denied because they are in no

way enlightened.

A 2013 report by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) found out that 31 million girls of primary school age were not in school, and about one out of every four young women in developing countries had never completed their primary school education. That number represents a huge pool of untapped girl power: that same report suggests that educated women are more likely to get married later, survive childbirth, raise healthy kids, find work, and earn more money, among other positives.

In addition, The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) recognizes education as a legal right to every child based on equal opportunity. Its Article 28 guarantees free compulsory primary education for all; progressive free secondary education that should in any case be available and accessible to all; and accessibility to higher education on the basis of capacity.

It states the obligation of the State to take measures regarding school attendance and discipline.

It also encourages international cooperation in matters related to education, in particular elimination of ignorance and illiteracy and access to scientific and technical knowledge.

Going by a source, in the northern part of Nigeria, the female gender’s education picture is even bleaker, with a net attendance rate of 53 percent. Getting out-ofschool children back into education

international association of Islamic states, in which Nigeria had held only observer status. This action of IBB became so controversial, until Nigerians realized OIC actually provides economic and political opportunities for all member nations irrespective of religious affiliation, despite being an organization that emerged from Muslim solidarity, which Nigeria continues to enjoy till date. The country remains a beneficiary from the action of IBB! In running his government, IBB implemented an open-door policy approach, which provided him the opportunity to get closer to the people, to understand their problems and needs, it also provided him with the chance to identify grass root local representatives in the states and local government councils for appropriate meritorious appointments to those who would analyze the basic problems of their people and also provide lasting solutions. The government of IBB carried out deep analysis of all sectors of Nigeria’s political, social, economical and developmental needs, and took futuristic actions as well, to forestall any imbalance in the country and ensure security and safety for all.

Between 1989 and 1991, IBB created a total of 282 Local Government Council Areas, in addition to the existing 301, as well as creating 11 new states, to accommodate demands from all regions of the country, which he aimed at bringing government closer to the populace and provide the required national development.

Nourah Bamalli can be reached at nourah_bamalli@yahoo.co.uk

poses a massive challenge. Gender, like geography and poverty, is an important factor in the pattern of educational marginalization. States in the northeast and north-west have female primary net attendance rates of 47.7 percent and 47.3 percent, respectively, meaning that more than half of the girls are not in school.

As stated by another source, Girls suffer more than boys in terms of missing out on education. In the northeast of Nigeria, only 41% of eligible girls receive a primary education, 47% in the north-west.

Social attitudes can also affect negatively on education rates especially in northern Nigeria. In northeastern and northwestern states, 29 % and 35% of Muslim children, respectively, attend Qur’anic education, which does not include basic education skills such as literacy and numeracy. The Government officially considers these children out of school.

Education deprivation in northern Nigeria is driven by various factors, including economic barriers and socio-cultural norms and practices that discourage attendance in formal education, especially for girls. If children are said to be the leaders of tomorrow and they are denied access to education that can mould them into becoming future great leaders, how can the nation develop?

Adeparua Damilola can be reached via; adeparuaadot5@ gmail.com

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

News

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

Alleged corruption: Electricity staff union removes President-General Okowa charges

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he members of the National Executive Council of the Senior Staff Employees of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) said it has unanimously impeached Comrade Chris Okonkwo as its President General.

This was according to a statement yesterday by Comrd Musa Gambo Mahammad (DPGP) and Comrd Kehinde Adegimpe (Branch president EKO Branch) sent to the media.

According to the NEC

members, the decision was taken to preserve the reputation of the association as well as save the association from total collapse in the hands of “corrupt and tyrant leader.”

The NEC also listed some

of the breaches of the SSAEAC constitution allegely committed

by Okonkwo to include Rules 3, 9 and 26.

According to the NEC members, the removal is effective from August 12, 2021.

contractors on projects’ deadline

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

Kidnapped Niger APC Zonal Chairman regains freedom D From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

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he Niger State Police Command has confirmed that the abducted APC Zone ‘C’ chairman, Aminu Musa Bobi has been released by his abductors.

This was cintained in a press release issued by DSP, Wasiu A. Abiodun, who is the Police Public Relations Officer, Niger State Command.

Abiodun stated that the victim was subsequently rescued from

the forest, debriefed and taken to General Hospital, Kontagora for medical attention, while effort to track down the culprits is being intensified.

According to him, Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command CP

Monday Bala Kuryas, appreciated the efforts of Nigerlites for their support and reiterated his commitment and readiness to ensure that the students of Mallam Salihu Tanko Islamiyya, Tegina are equally released and rescued unhurt.

from left :Permanent Secretary, Federal Capital Territory Administration, Olusade Adesola, FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello and Minister for Environment, Dr Muhammad Mahmood Abubakar at the Flag off of construction of access road and car park of the Kagini Train Station, at the weekend Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Niger NUJ mourns Jamima Bassey of NTA From Minna

N

Yakubu

Mustapha,

igeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Niger State Council has expressed shock over

the demise of a Professional colleague Jemima Sadiq Bassey of NTA Minna.

In a condolence message issued by the State Secretary of NUJ Comrade Usman Chiji described

the death of Mrs Jemima Bassey as a great loss not only to the bereaved family, but the entire practising journalists in the state.

The union noted with satisfaction that Jemima Bassey

brought her wealth of experience and innovation to bear in all her reports, adding that she would not only be missed by her family but those who came across here in both public and private life.

Stakeholders calls for reintroduction of sanitation officers

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

S

takeholders in the environment sector, have called for the reintroduction of environmental sanitation officers in rural areas.

The experts’ reiterated that,there is a need for sound recommendation of environmental health improvement in the country . “this will go a long way to robust framework for the improvement of environmental health in the society”.

The Chairman House Committee on Environment, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, the rural areas are more prone to environmental diseases,illnesses and all kind of communicable disease as they lack environmental amenities to handle those situations.

Ekweremadu made the made this known, at the first National

Summit on Environmental health held recently in Abuja.

He is there is a need to revisit and improved upon the ancient practice of environmental sanitation practice particularly in our villages.

“We have look round for a long time and have not seen their works around our communities”.

“Most of our environmental problems are in the villages, those in the urban centers are educated and they can read and keep good hygiene”. “ we want you to collaborate with traditional rulers in various districts and kingdoms at all levels. “massive sensitization campaign should be put in place for the villagers to enable them understanding environmental hazard and implementations before enforcement of environmental laws”,he said .

Speaking in his keynote address,Minister of Environment Dr. Mohammad Abubakar,said the environmental health sub sector is globally acclaimed to be a tool for sustainable development.

“Hence Nigeria can not afford to neglect its public and private stakeholders who must come together in partnership to make it work for our National public health to improved”. “ In the spirit of collaboration and cooperation, the summit was organized to unlocked the opportunities in Nigeria that inter sectoral collaborations are traditionally not given the desired attention”.

The Minister noted that, “it is important for all stakeholders and participants to interact, brainstorm and make sound recommendations to improve environmental health which

primary saddled to fight against diseases.

Earlier, Registrar/CEO, Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria,Dr. Yakuba Baba, said the essence of the summit was to strengthen environmental health officers to enable them to address outbreak of diseases in the country.

Baba said the federal government is doing it best at the federal government level and have a lot of practitioners working in different ministries.

“Local government are not longer recruiting environmental professionals and even the state governors.

“It is important for them to know that employing them is key, because they will work in fighting disease in those environment”, the Registrar emphasized.

elta Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, at the weekend charged contractors handling government projects in the state to intensify their efforts so as to meet contractual obligations and deadline.

Okowa gave the charge while speaking to newsmen shortly after inspecting ongoing projects at newly-established Dennis Osadebe University, Leisure Park and Film Village all in Asaba.

At the university, the governor inspected the Faculty of Agriculture building where he was conducted round two auditoria with 250 and 500-seating capacities, respectively, Administrative building and Faculty of Environmental Sciences.

He said that roads would be constructed to connect faculties and proper landscaping done to control erosion in the university.

He lauded the contractors handling various projects in the university for the level of work so far executed, but urged those handling projects at the Leisure Park and Film Village to speed up work so that the projects would be ready in December, 2021.

According to him, the vision of this administration is to ensure that enough facilities are on ground in the new tertiary institutions in the state to create a suitable ambience for proper academic work.

“If you watch from the beginning, the roads in the university are all paved. It is only the last section, the Faculty of Environmental Sciences that we have the challenge of access road.

“Already, l have instructed that rather than spend so much money to work on the current access road to the faculty, we can turn to an alternative road to that faculty where we do not need a lot to control erosion.

“I have asked that the road be designed in order to get into the faculty through the alternative space. However, further road development will come with more infrastructural development.

“Within the parts of the faculty buildings, we already have roads paved. So I don’t think it is going to be a challenge. We are trying to concentrate on the administrative and faculty buildings. ``We also want to ensure that we create space for a better ambience within the university,” he said.

The governor explained that the Leisure Park and the Film Village projects were being executed by his administration to add value to the economy of Asaba and its environs.

APC Caretaker: Ita Enang tells party to act before it’s too late like Zamfara, Bayelsa

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

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chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Special Adviser to President Mohammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Enang, at the weekend enjoined the party leaders to take immediate steps, with regards to the minority judgement of the Apex Court, to avoid a repetition of the party’s ugly experience in Bayelsa and Zamfara States.

Recall that due to unresolved party leadership issues at the State level, the APC had lost the governorship election in Zamfara State, just as avoidable negligence resulting in certificate of the APC candidate, cost the party its governorship seat in Bayelsa State.

While urging the party leadership to consider the overall interest of the party ahead of 2023, Enang, in a television programme monitored in Abuja, said internal examination of

both the majority and minority decisions of the apex court, has become necessary if the party is to avoid a possible hollow victory in 2023 elections.

Enang cautioned the party to err on the side of caution and realize that it cannot arrogate itself an almighty status, he said belongs to the Court in the matters of the law.

According to him, a close look at both the majority and minority decisions clearly shows that the court has pulled the ear of the party, enough to help any discerning legal mind see the danger of allowing the CECPC to proceed with activities leading to future elections.

Senator Enang who aired his personal opinion on the issues declared that “As a lawyer and as a legislator who has been involved in most of the laws now subject to interpretation and litigation, I am making it (opinion) as a person who has an interest in the welfare of the party, to avoid the kind of

situation of having a hollow victory or victory in subsequent elections which may be declared null and void.”

He observed with gratitude to the CECPC that the party has pulsed all activities leading to the Local government and State Congresses of the party, adding that the leaders of the party should empanel a body to study the judgement of the Supreme Court.

He said “I am Also using this opportunity to tell the Committee and all our party leaders not to fan ourselves or celebrate that we are relying on the majority judgement.

Yes, the majority judgement is the judgement but, read the majority judgement so well. I have read it,I have it around me, I have also read minority judgement. There are also salient points.

“All they said in seven of them is that as of today, since Mai Mala Buni, the chairman of the Caretaker Committee who

signed the papers, whose action is constitutionally entangled, him being a serving governor in a state, and that should they go on to declare that his actions one way or another are lawful or unlawful, it would be infringing on his right to a fair hearing because he is not joined as a party.

“The court also went ahead to say that although the named principal the —- –and then the consequences would be very hard.

“If that is so, let us retreat, come into the house as a party, look at, if the chances are fifty-fifty, let us take the part of caution and then advise ourselves on what to do”.

He urged the party to quickly do three things to avoid the descent to the part that led to the failure of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to retain power six years ago.

According to him, the measures which APC should adopt are: Set up a body to

study what happened to PDP in 2013/2014 and draw necessary lessons, set up a scrutiny team to find how APC lost Zamfara, Bayelsa, the situation in Rivers and the Edo States and learn necessary lessons.

“The last aspect of my appeal is, I am not here to criticize and give bullet to the opposition, I am here to work on how the party can come together and solve the problems.

“Let us look at all the issues the majority of the Justices said, the minority of the Justices said, what said other cases that did not even concern us. What they said in the Imo State case which we became the beneficiary, and look at them and ask ourselves, can we go on like this?

“We will definitely advise ourselves that we cannot go on like this because if we go on like this, we are likely to suffer a basket of trauma . A basket of trauma is indeed a basket of trauma, may God not allow”, he said.

Sit-at-home order: IPOB destroying Igbos economy – Ex-presidential candidates

By Musa Baba Adamu

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x-presidential candidates, under the aegis of ‘Patriotic Presidential Candidates Forum’, yesterday said leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, is destroying the economy of the Igbos with his declaration of Monday a sit-at-home in the Southeast.

The forum however, lamented the huge cost the people of Southeast have incurred for observing sit-at-home out of fear in the past, adding that the order is gradually crippling the economy of the Igbos, whom it said are predominantly business people who value their time.

A statement on Sunday by the forum’s Co-Chairman and Spokesperson, Rabia Yassai Hassan Cengiz, said Nnamdi Kanu’s coordination of IPOB was anti-Igbo in the first place.

The statement said: “Igbos are hard-working and intelligent people, but it never occurred to them that Nnamdi Kalu may be an agent of destabilization and destruction being sponsored by foreign or local agents in order to destroy the Southeast.

“All his policies and programmes are anti-Igbo. He is destroying the Southeast and making Igbo to be hated by other Nigerians.

“Stay at home will not compel the government to release Nnamdi Kalu even if the stay at home order was observed to the latter.

“The forum noted that Nigeria runs on a set of laws, hence the charges against Kanu by the Federal government which is in Court must be allowed to run its full course, adding that the nation must not be intimidated by the fresh nebulous directives.

“There are charges against Nnamdi Kalu by the Federal government and the matter is in court by law an accused person remains innocent until proven guilty.

“It is the court that will prove him guilty or innocent, so asking the people of the Southeast to stay at home every Monday is satanic and consequential”, the group posited.

From left: FCT Minister, Malam Mohammad Bello; Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari and President Muhammadu Buhari during the President’s arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja after his London trip. Photo: State House

Osun APC crisis: We did our job despite attack – Appeal Committee

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

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he Chairman of the Ward Congress Appeal Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Osun State, Ambassador Obed Wadzani, has revealed that the job of the committee at the state party secretariat on Saturday was completed despite the crisis

unleashed by some aggrieved party members.

Wadzani made this known at the party secretariat in Osogbo at the end of the committee sitting.

The chairman, who spoke with journalists at the end of the proceedings, stated that the committee’s proceedings were not disrupted.

He disclosed that all the

petitioners who were invited later adopted their petitions, adding that some had legal representation who also adopted the petitions on behalf of their clients.

Recall that security at the party’s secretariat in OgoOluwa Area of Osogbo was threatened after thugs invaded and unleashed mayhem on party

members.

They, however, were unable to disrupt the appeal committee’s proceedings as they remained in the premises under tight security.

Security men were seen escorting members of the APC appeal committee out of the party secretariat at the end of the proceedings.

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

POLITICS APC Caretaker chairman says Aregbesola masterminded State secretariat invasion

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

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he Caretaker Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Prince Gbenga Famodun, has accused the immediatepast Governor of the state, Rauf Aregbesola, who is now Minister of Interior, of masterminding the Saturday invasion of the party secretariat.

Famodun, in a statement signed by his Media Aide, Kola Olabisi, condemned the invasion, saying that the invasion of the party’s office which was led by the chairman of The Osun Progressive (TOP) group and former chairman of the party, Elder Lowo Adebiyi; the current State Secretary of the party, Alhaji Rasaq Salinsile; and a former Special Adviser under the administration of exGovernor Aregbesola, Barrister Gbenga Akano; with some of his cabinet members, was crude, unacceptable, wicked, unwarranted, self-serving, undemocratic and brutish.

Recall that there was pandemonium on Saturday morning when some members of the party had besieged the party secretariat to submit petitions as the party’s Ward Congress Appeal Committee resumed sittings.

Nurudeen Ajetunmobi, aka Abalawa, a supporter of Governor Gboyega Oyetola, was attacked at the party secretariat after he refused to remove his Fez cap branded with “OYETOLA 4+4” and sustained a head injury.

In the press release, Famodun stated that it was surprising that some elements, who were professing to be leaders and members of the APC in the state could be a party to bring the same party to disrepute, odium and an avenue to assault and attack fellow party members.

He said there was no reason why genuine members of the party cannot abide by the existing internal party mechanisms to settle crises instead of resorting to selfhelp.

Famodun, who stated further that the APC is a product of a constitution, enjoined all the members of the party to desist from any action or inaction that would not be in consonance with the provisions of the constitution guiding the party.

Osun PDP urges police to close down APC secretariat over violence

By Christiana Ekpa

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he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun state has called on the security agencies to close down All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat in the state, over the crisis that erupted on Saturday during the appeal committee seating.

This is as the opposition party alleged that the APC secretariat has become a place of war instead of party administration, adding that the call was necessitated to de-escalate the violence and commotion that has been associated with the APC ward congress and appeal Committee activities.

The PDP Publicity Secretary in Osun state, Ayodeji Areola, in a statement he issued on Sunday

in Osogbo, expressed alarm at the turn of events in the APC where a ward congress became unmanageable with attendant violence.

It stated that the party is not surprised because democratic management of party affairs is alien to the APC, which the State PDP chapter said has resulted in the state being portrayed as the nation’s capital of negativity due to a ward congress degenerating to a dangerous level.

Expressing dismay at the failure of the state governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, to effectively manage the APC supporters, the party disclosed that the people of Osun had resigned to fate in the face of his unarguable cluelessness in managing state affairs.

It wondered whether

violence remained the only dividend reserved for Osun and how the state governor could be at peace with the level of violence unleashed on the state by the factionalised state APC adding that the disregard for human lives was alarming.

The statement called on the warring factions in the APC to sheathe their swords in the interest of Osun people as the level of panic as a result of the sporadic gunshots by party thugs at the Ogo-Oluwa area of the state capital and other parts of the state on Saturday was sickening and condemnable.

“It is sad that economic activities in these areas were forcefully flagged down as people have to close shops to avoid falling victims of rampaging APC thugs and their

bullets. It is indeed a sad turn of events in our dear state,” it read.

Osun PDP, while offering to assist the warring factions in the APC with civilised modes of approaching domestic issues in a political party, also sympathised with victims of the internal party crisis.

“We admonish the suffering masses not to cave into dejection at this time as the four-year ‘Remote Controlled’ regime is fast running out.

“Residents are instead advised to arm themselves with voter cards in the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in steady preparation to reverse the gear of the current shenanigans and reshape the state into a productive path,” it said.

L-R: Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Odunayo Sanya; Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora; and Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Prof. Babatunde Salako, during the donation of Oligo Synthesizer by the MTN Foundation to Institute, on Friday in Lagos

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

POLITICS

Offor appeals for unity among APC stakeholders in Enugu

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he Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, Kate Offor, has appealed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, former Senate President, Ken Nnamani and former governor, Sullivan Chime, to help tackle the factionalisation of the party in the state.

Offor, in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said the assemblage of the three party leaders in the state chapter of the APC ought to be a source of strength.

“I, Mrs Kate Offor; I am appealing as one of the oldest politicians in APC Enugu State, who had thought that the entry of such prominent persons as His Excellencies Nnamani, Chime and Onyeama, among other high profile personalities into the Enugu State chapter of the APC was supposed to give electoral victory to the party in the state. ” I subscribe to the axiom that “united we win and divided we lose,” she said.

Offor said the APC lost in the 2019 general elections in Enugu State largely because of factionalisation of the party during the 2018 State Congress.

She also expressed worry over the sealing of the APC secretariat in the state by the police inspite of the ” excellent reconciliation works of His Excellency, M.M.Buniled Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).”

Offor urged the party leaders to recognise the Ben Nwoye leadership of the party and help unite party members ahead of the governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state. (NAN)

N17bn tax evasion: Senate asks FIRS to go after defaulting agencies

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

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s revealed by the 2015 Audit report, management of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has owned up to N17, 690, 341, 565.00 billion tax evasion by some companies whose addresses it claimed, could no longer be traced.

This is as the Senate ordered the Executive Chairman of the agency, Muhammad Mamman Nami, to go after the defaulting agencies for recovery of the money and remit it into Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) within 90 days.

It also directed FIRS to sanction its officers involved in alleged overlapping contracts and splitting between 2014 and 2015 and remit N32, 449, 743.61million into government coffers within 90 days with evidence of compliance submitted to the Auditor - General and the Senate Public Accounts Committee.

These were fallouts of the

queries issued against FIRS and 104 other public agencies by the Office of Auditor - General of the Federation in the 2015 Audit report, sustained and adopted by the Senate.

The Auditor General in the query on the N17billion unrecovered taxes by FIRS said “The Federal Inland Revenue Service failed to recover the total sum of N17,690,341,565.00billion from different companies in the year under review.

“The unrecovered taxes are made up of Value Added Tax( VAT), Company Income Tax( CIT), Withholding Tax ( WHT), Education Tax ( EDT) and NITDEF. “Though the FIRS in its response to the query said it had recovered N2,879,152, 077.76billion but actual receipted recoveries made by FIRS was N273, 038,474.74million , leaving a balance of N17,417,303,090.90billion to be recovered.

“Several companies were also

discovered to have defaulted in filling their Annual Returns many of which FIRS said could not be located due to change of addresses”.

The Senate, in adopting the report, directed the Chairman of FIRS to recover the money and pay to the Consolidated Revenue Fund, just as it orders for blacklisting of all companies that failed to file their annual returns.

“Evidence of compliance should be forwarded to the Public Accounts Committee”, the Senate stressed.

The upper legislative chamber was tougher in its resolutions on alleged contract overlapping and splitting by some officers of the revenue generating agency by calling for their identification and sanctioning.

The query reads: “A contract for the sum of N32, 667,600.00million awarded by FIRS, was split and distributed to four companies, whose submissions were earlier rejected, mainly to accommodate the

approval ceiling of the Chairman, contrary to Financial Regulations 2921.

“The Audit also revealed that a total of N32, 449,743,61million contracts under recurrent expenditure were awarded by the agency in the 2014 financial year and paid for in the month of January, 2015, contrary to financial regulation 414(b)”.

Angered by the infraction, the Senate in its adoption of the report, directed FIRS to pay the money back into government coffers and submit evidence of compliance to the office of Auditor General of the Federation and its Committee on Public Accounts.

FIRS going by the Senate’s resolutions on the N17billion unrecovered taxes and N32million Contracts splitting and overlapping; has about 60 days left, to make the required recoveries and remittances into the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF).

L-R: Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State exchanging the document with Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu, during the signing of Memorandum between the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and the Gombe State Government on Collaborative Funding for Gombe Regional Water Supply project, at the weekend in Abuja.

NGO calls for conducive environment for women participation in politics

Imo 2023: It’s the turn of Owerri zone - Sen. Anyanwu

By Musa Baba Adamu

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former Nigerian Senator, Samuel Anyanwu, has endorsed zoning of the 2023 Imo State governorship position to Owerri senatorial zone, regretting that since the creation of Imo State, no person from the zone had governed the State beyond 24 months.

Anyanwu, who represented Owerri Senatorial District in the 8th National Assembly, said the reason why other states in the South East and South South geopolitical zones are making waves is that they have paid

high level of respect to zoning formula, wondering why Imo’s case is different.

The chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Ikenna Onuoha, said “while the Igbos are agitating against marginalization by the Nigerian government, Imo people should in like manner recall the injustice meted out at Owerri zone and ensure that equity and fairness are seen to be done in future.”

He stressed the need for all hands to be on deck to correct

the injustice against the Owerri zone as part of the efforts to bring every zone under one table as brothers by supporting the zone in 2023.

“Imo is one of the states in Nigeria with the highest number of educated persons.

It will be embarrassing for outsiders to see that our state is not making any impact in the areas of employment creation, health, technology, agriculture, education, public utilities and quality road construction,” he said.

He expressed annoyance that those maltreating Owerri

zone are the same people clamoring and crying for the inclusion of the South East in the sharing of federal appointments.

He urged men and women of conscience to speak against marginalization of Owerri zone in the power sharing before it is too late.

The 2019 PDP gubernatorial aspirant said that zoning arrangement allows for easy development and ensures that every component unit is at par with each other, appealing to those opposed to the idea to have a change of heart.

E

volving Women In Politics (EWIP), an NGO, has called for adequate involvement and conducive environment for women participation in politics.

By Gami Tadanyigbe A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Evolving Women In Politics (EWIP), has called for adequate involvement and conducive environment for women participation in politics.

The Vice President of the organisation’s Abuja branch, Mrs Raliat Abdulsalam, made the call in Abuja at the first ‘Meet and Greet’ conference organised by the group.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that EWIP is an organisation that seeks to mitigate violence against women during elections and encourage participation of women in politics in the country.

Abdulsalam said that women should register and collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs)

and take advantage of their numerical strength, education and global democratic trend to find a space in politics.

“Get your PVC please, educate all around you, women, children and even men alike because we cannot be here without the men behind us and we must put intelligent men to support us.

“So, educate all around you to register, get your PVC so that your vote will count; If I want to run now, how do I tell myself that EWIP is behind me when 80 or 90 per cent of members have no voters card.

“Lets make a change, we don’t have to carry placards, get your PVC, your voices can be heard without shouting, just your appearance is your voice, standing on the line is your voice and supporting someone is your voice,” she said.

She called on the National Assembly to bring to fore laws that guarantee women political

participation in Nigeria and Laws that protect the dignity of women from all forms of violence before, during and after the elections.

However, the vice president maintained that the participation of more women in the running of affairs of the nation would encourage sound decision-making and national development of the country.

Mrs Hadiza Kolo, the coordinator of the group, said that the organisation was also aimed at sensitising women on the need to participate in politics and the process of voting during elections.

Kolo called for the implementation of the 35 per cent affirmation for women as contained in the Beijing declaration to encourage women participation in politics.

“Women in politics work across party lines, even in the most politically combative environments, and champion issues such as gender equality and

laws that strengthen communities and generations to come.

“An increased number of skilled and knowledgeable women can promote gender equality in leadership roles and decision making in every sector of the economy, and at all levels with adequate support.

“We want political parties to support more women in politics to take up leadership roles to empower them to become an active citizen,” she said.

On her part, Mrs Oluwatoyin George-Tailor, a member of the organisation called on women to participate in politics and not to be discouraged by the challenges associated with elections in the country.

George-Tailor said that every woman needed to be trained to become prospective leaders in the society adding that massive advocacy and sensitisation could positively influence women participation in politics.

“We are calling on our government, from the national level to the local level to support women in becoming an active part of governance and development of our nation.

“This can also increase the numbers of articulate women who are capable of speaking out, raising women’s demands, and participating in promoting women as agents of change in our present day Nigeria,” she said.

According to her, it is important to encourage women to support each other in order to individually and collectively work together to achieve gender equality in leadership roles.

She, however, advised government at all levels and organisations to provide and support women with the platforms to voice their opinions and ideas for women’s full and effective participation in leadership roles. (NAN)

PAGE 18

NEWS

Arewa group hails peaceful resolution of PDP crisis, seeks inclusion

By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja

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head of the October this year’s national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, one of the groups within the party, Arewa PDP Support Group, APDPSG, has demanded for the inclusion of a sizeable number of youth in its national convention and zoning planning committees.

The group has similarly commended the efforts of the PDP critical national stakeholders, which includes the 13 States PDP Governors, Board of Trustees, BOT, National Working Committe, NWC, former Senate Presidents, former Governors, and many others, for the peaceful resolution of the crisis in the Party.

The APDPSG said these in a statement at the weekend by its National Secretary, Mr Desmond Minakaro.

The group further called on its members across the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, to remain calm and focus on building the party towards a total take over from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, come 2023.

The group also pledged its support to the rebuilding process of the PDP activated by its leaders, with a promise to mobilize its members to fully participate in the ongoing membership e-Registration Exercise.

According to the statement, “The Leadership of Arewa PDP Support Group wishes to commend the efforts of it’s PDP Critical National Stakeholders, which includes the 13 States PDP Governors, BOT, NWC, former Senate Presidents, former Governors, and many others, for the peaceful resolution of the crisis rocking our Party, the PDP in the last one month.

“The resolutions are; NEC meeting next week, Convention Planning Committee will be constituted at the NEC, early convention, latest before end of October 2021 and National Zoning Committee will also be constituted by the upcoming NEC “These wise resolutions are highly commendable and accepted by all peace loving members of the Party. No winner, No loser!

“To this end, we demand that a good number of our Youth should be included in the Convention and Zoning planning Committees, while still appreciating all our Party Leaders for their positive intervention in rescuing the Party.

“We also, wish to use this medium to call on our members across the 19 Northern States and FCT to remain calm and focus on building the party towards total take over from APC, come 2023.

“Finally, we pledge our support to the rebuilding process activated by our Leaders and we promise to mobilize our members to fully participate in the ongoing membership ERegistration Exercise”, the group said.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

Rate of kidnappings, criminality have reduced in Katsina, says Masari

G

ov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State has said that he did not apply any magic to reduce the rate of kidnappings and other criminalities across the State.

Masari stated this while responding to a question at a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Media Forum in Katsina, on Sunday.

He explained that all the

traditional rulers, security operatives, stake holders and the locals from wards to the state level were now involved in trying to find ways of nipping insecurity in the bud.

“I directed that all the good people living in the forest should come out from the forest and live with the good people like them in villages, towns and cities, to avoid

any eventualities.

“Therefore, we don’t have people living in the forests again.

If you see any people living in the forest they must be either bandits or criminals” Masari said that the state government had built houses to settle the people that were affected by insecurity.

“In fact, the old people

still living in the forests are also bandits, who come out to perpetrate their evil acts and go back to the forest. We have achieved a lot in tackling the security problems in the state” Masari said.

He noted that tacking insecurity was not the responsibility of the government alone, but for everybody. (NAN)

Ogun State coordinator, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Chief Belinda Amaeze Faniyi presenting a cheque of N500, 000 to the winner of Unity Bank Corp.preneurship Challenge, Adebola Adedapo, at the weekend in Shagamu, Ogun State. At the weekend

Group says non application of prescribed punishments encourages banditry, kidnapping From: Kaduna

T

he of has

Femi

Oyelola,

Muslim Council Nigeria (MCON), lamented that, the

security challenges were being promoted in Nigeria because of non application of prescribed punishments of the laws on perpetrators.

President of the Council,

Alhaji Liadi Olapade made the assertion during the celebration of the new Islamic year, 1443, in kaduna yesterday.

MCON an umbrella body of over 70 Islamic Organisations,

equally lamented that is sick with series of challenges ranging banditry, kidnapping to herder clashes and agitations for secession.

Nigeria security from farmer/ violent

Argungu emirate council to turban Lai as Kakakin Kebbi

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

A

ll is set for the investiture and turbanning of the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed for the traditional title of ‘Kakakin Kebbi’ (Ambassador of Kebbi Culture in Nigeria and Beyond).

The turbanning will be done by the Emir of Argungu,Mohammed Sama’ila Mera at an elaborate event in Argungu 25th September, 2021.

A statement from the Kebbi Emirate Council stated that the decision to bestow the traditional title of the Kakakin Kebbi on Lai Mohammed was reached at the Council’s meeting. “ based on the recognition of the efforts of the Minister in projecting the cultural heritage of the diverse people of Nigeria to the World and create jobs, income and positive awareness for the

youths through festivals, arts and cultural exhibitions.”

The statement noted that the Emirate Council equally observed with great admiration the loyalty and selfless service of minister in the discharge of the responsibilities of his office which has positively projected the general image of the country to the world as well as the cultural contents of the country’s diversity .

“In particular, the Argungu Fishing and Cultural Festival that earned it global recognition and was thus admitted into the UNESCO list of intangible festivals and humanity in 2016 during the tenure of Lai Mohammed as Minister”.

It would be recalled that in March last year, the Emir of Argungu,Mohammed Sama’ila Mera had, during the International Press Conference

in Abuja to herald the staging of the 60th edition of the Argungu Fishing and Cultural Festival, announced the conferment of the traditional title of ‘Kakakin Kebbi’ on the Information Minister in recognition of his passion and commitment to the hosting of the festival in 2020 after 10 years of its suspension.

The Emir, Alhaji Sama’ila Mera who used the occasion to decorate the Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and handed him the sword as a symbol of authority as a traditional title holder in the Kebbi Emirate Council, said the investiture will hold at the convenience of the Minister at an elaborate ceremony to be performed in Argungu, Kebbi state.

In his response, the minister of information and Culture,Lai Mohammed thanked the Emirate for the honour bestowed on him

which he least expected, noting that the recognition will spur him to do more in the service of the country and the Kebbi emirate in particular.

He said his ministry attaches great importance to the annual Argungu Fishing and Cultural Festival like many other cultural festivals and events nationwide and that the ministry will include it in the national calendar of festivals as well as continue to ensure the regular hosting of the festival annually.

The investiture of the Minister as the Kakakin Kebbi in September is part of the activities lined up for the celebration of this year’s World Tourism Day to be hosted

by Kebbi State on27th September, 2021 amongst other tourism and cultural side attractions during the celebration which promises to be entertaining, educative and leisure fulfilling.

Page 19

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Securities and Exchange Commission has warned Nigerians against investing in Ponzi schemes, adding that any investment schemes that promise unrealistic returns should be treated with caution.

The Director-General of SEC, Lamido Yuguda, gave the warning while addressing Journalists shortly after the Second Capital Market Committee meeting.

Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation where the operator, an individual or organisation, pays returns to its investors from new capital paid to the operators by new investors, rather than from profit earned through legitimate sources.

Speaking on the development, Yuguda called on Nigerians to always check the website of the Commission for list of approved capital market operators before making such investment decisions.

He cautioned the investing public against making hasty investment decisions when the returns on such investment are too attractive.

The SEC DG assured that the commission will continue to work with relevant agencies of government and other critical stakeholders in the capital market to tackle the issue of ponzi schemes.

He urged every capital market operator to conduct their businesses within the market functions approved for it by the Commission.

The SEC Boss said the Commission will not hesitate to deal decisively with any operator who carries out any activity outside the function approved for it by the Commission He said, “The Commission continues its campaign against illegal operators in the capital market, especially Ponzi Schemes and has adopted multi-level engagements with media platforms and regulators of publicity agencies in order to curb the reach and activities of these illegal operators.

“While we continue our activities to resolve the complaints that have been forwarded to the Commission through the official channels, it is important to reiterate to the investing public to bewary of unscrupulous schemes that promise unrealistic returns on investment.

“We will like to use this

Beware of Ponzi Schemes promising unrealistic returns -SEC warns Nigerians opportunity to reiterate our commitment towards zero tolerance for market infractions.

We urge every capital market operator to operate within the market functions approved for it by the Commission.

“The Commission will not hesitate to deal decisively with any operator who carries out any activities outside the function(s) approved for it by the Commission.

“No capital market can grow without discipline and adherence to laid down Rules and Regulations.

On the performance of the capital market, he said the Committee observed that market performance has been mixed,

driven largely by domestic and global economic factors, the impact and responses to the pandemic and the regulatory environment.

In line with its mandate, he said the Commission has been working on some initiatives that would put the market on the path to recovery.

He explained that the Commission has registered two Fintech Capital Market Operators, which include a Digital Fund Portfolio Manager and a Digital Sub-broker, noting that more would be registered in due course.

Yuguda stated that the Commission has also approved some derivative contracts, developed the regulatory

framework for derivatives trading as well as rules on Interoperability of Central Securities Depositories in Nigeria.

As part of measures to deepen the commodities ecosystem, he stated that the Commission held engagements with the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) towards de-risking and insuring certain commodity assets, which we believe will attract more investments within the space, particularly from the Pensions industry.

A technical committee was also constituted comprising representatives of the Commission, Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), AFEX, Lagos Commodities

and Futures Exchange (LCFE) & Nigerian Commodities Exchange (NCX) to deliver agro-based standards within 3 months.

To develop an effective price discovery mechanism for the commodities ecosystem, he said a technical committee has been constituted for this purpose with the mandate of developing modalities for this exercise.

On the due date for renewal of registration, he said the registration portal has been reopened until August 31, 2021.

This, according to him, is to enable operators that are yet to update their information with the Commission do so before the end of the new deadline.

Kaduna Electric Drags Electricity Theft’s Suspect to Court

M

al. SaifulLah Dan’zumi Musa of No. 2/4, Kinkinau Kaduna has been charged before Kabala Doki Magistrate Court for electricity theft and dishonest diversion of electricity contrary to sections 59(1) and 271 of the Kaduna State Penal Code.

Arraigning the suspect, Police Inspector Ibrahim Usman of the Special Investigation and Prosecution Task Force on

Electricity Offences, SIPTEO, disclosed that SaifulLah Dan’zumi Musa connived with his younger brother, Mubarak currently at large, to steal electricity from Kaduna Electric for almost one year.

The First Information Report stated that ‘’between 16th October 2020 and 2nd August 2021, you SaifulLah Dan’azumi Musa, male, adult and a Nigerian citizen of No. 2/4, Takum Street, Kinkinau,

Kaduna and your younger brother, Mubarak of the same address now at large, in your capacity as Kaduna Electric customers with account number 215120049601 and prepaid meter No. 58000614295 dishonestly diverted the use of electricity and thus stole 3492 kWh of electricity energy valued at #583,628:99 and thereby committed an offence of criminal conspiracy and electricity theft,

contrary to section 59(1) and section 271 of Kaduna State Penal Code 2017’’.

The presiding Magistrate, Nahid Ibrahim adjourned the case to 8th September, 2021 after taking a no guilty plea from the accused person.

The offences carry a jail term of not more than five years each and a restitution of twice the cost of the item stolen.

L R: Director General, Small & Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda with Representative of the Statistician-General of the Federation, National Bureau of Statistics(NBS), Mr. Adeyemi Adeniran, during a press briefing on 2021 National survey on MSMEs held at the SMEDAN Headquarters, recently in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Accountant General advocates continuous training for Heads of Govt agencies

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris has voiced his support for continuous training of Chief Executives and Heads of Government Agencies to equip them for optimal performance and efficiency.

He bared his mind after receiving a certificate and plaque

of participation in the mandatory training programme for Chief Executive Officers of Federal Government Parastatals/Agencies at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Lagos.

The Director, Information, Press and Public Relations, OAGF, Henshaw Ogubike in a statement quoted Idris to have opined that strategic management training was requisite for Heads of Agencies

especially at present when professionalism, expertise and increased efficiency is demanded from Heads of Agencies to drive the country’s economy to the desired height.

While commending the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) for the initiative, the Accountant General of the Federation noted that the knowledge he and other

Heads of Agencies gained at the training has introduced them to new management ideas and equipped them further for effective management of their respective Agencies.

The two-week mandatory training programme was designed to sharpen the skills of the Chief Executives and Heads of Government Agencies in public administration, strategic

management and leadership, public financial management, strategic human resources management, government rules, regulations and laws as well as strategic communication.

The Director of Studies of the institution, Alhaji Liman Tijjani presented the certificate and plaque to the Accountant General of the Federation on behalf of the Director General, Mrs. Cecilia Umaru Gayya.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

Page 20

BU$IN€SS

LG donates “New Artcool” air conditioning units to Lagos General Hospital

By Etuka Sunday

L

eading global consumer electronics giant, LG Electronics has donated its newly introduced Artcool Inverter air conditioners to the Ifako Ijaiye General Hospital in Ogba area of Lagos state.

The gesture, according to the company, was part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities in the health care delivery value chain to assist the government achieve its policy in ensuring the country’s citizens receive adequate health care services.

Speaking at the event, General Manager, Air Solution, LG Electronics West Africa Operations, Mr. Jung June Yoon, hinted that it is the ultimate plan of LG Electronics to constantly contribute to the good life of its highly esteemed customers and the general public.

He said “This visit, which is part of LG Electronics Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities, is aimed at reaching out to health institutions in the country. It is my firm belief that the items we are donating today will go a long way to empower this health facility as well as the people of this community in their quest to enjoy sound health”.Speaking at the occasion, Head of Corporate Marketing, LG Electronics West Africa Operations, Mr. Hari Elluru, said “We have remained competitive while improving sustainability; we have enabled investment and innovation required to deploy new technologies and to safely and responsibly develop progressive products.”

Elluru further said: “We believe that the air conditioning units we are donating today will improve the service delivery in

the hospital and provide the enabling environment for the medical personnel and patients.”

The company explained that the LG Artcool Ionizer feature has been proven to sterilize over 99% of adhering bacteria within 60 minutes. (Sterilize Escherichia coli over 99.9% in 30 min and Staphylococcus aureus over 99.6% in 60 min).

Also the comprehensive auto cleaning function prevents the formation of bacteria and mold on the heat exchanger and thus provides a more pleasant and comfortable environment for the

user while the Micro Dust Filter captures and eliminates harmful micro-particles, including bacteria and dust, in order to deliver fresh, clean air.

Medical Director of the General Hospital, Dr. Bamidele Mustapha, who received the items on behalf of the management of the Lagos State General commended LG Electronics for the kind gesture.

Dr. Mustapha said “We are proud to be the recipients of these distinctively designed air conditioners. We appreciate LG Electronics’ generosity and good

will to our community which is clearly demonstrated by this donation.” By donating these innovative Air Conditioners, LG Electronics through this event has shown itself to be a brand that truly cares for the health of the community.

He further commended the Electronic giant in terms of the quality of the product it offers Nigerian Market affirming that “One thing about LG Air conditioner is the energy saving feature and 10 year warranty on the compressor which reduces the

maintenance cost. This has helped in no small measure to preserve environments and help to improve quality of life. We implore LG to keep the good work up and running so that all and sundry can benefit.

Officials of LG Electronics interrelated with the health center management as well as members of the community just as they said the donated items are expected to meet the needs of the health center in their mission to provide people in the community with better health care services.

P

ostmaster General of the Federation/CEO NIPOST, Dr. Ismail Adebayo Adewusi has called on the Lagos State House of Assembly for Legislative support that will enhance Courier Regulatory role of NIPOST which include licensing of motorcycles used for such businesses.

He said NIPOST needed the support of the House with a legislation that would help ease the task before it especially as it relates to the registration of dispatch riders, issuance of identity cards, and tracking locations.

Adebayo who was on a courtesy visit to the Honourable

METRO

Page 21

IYD: FCT Natives advocate youth empowerment to end insecurity

By Stanley Onyekwere

A

s the world celebrated this year’s International Youth Day (IYD), an indigenous organisation under the auspices of Abuja Original Youths Empowerment Organisation (AOIYEO) has called on the federal government to invest massively in youth development as a way of tackling insecurity in the country.

President of the organisation, Amb. Isaac David, who made this call in a press briefing, to mark the IYD in Abuja, said the reasons youths engage in social vices that have become detrimental to society is a result of the prolonged neglect from the past and present

governments.

He noted that if the government decides today, to invest in the youths through education and skills, and social development, it will provide opportunities for youths to be meaningfully engaged instead of indulging in violence and crime.

According to him, the government at all levels has a stake towards ensuring that the society is safe, so they need stakeholders to invest in the people, mostly the young Nigerians, who are seen as the youth.

He further stressed that only sincere investment in youth development and education would help the teeming youths to follow the right track, thereby

appealing to the government to use International Youths Day to redirect their plans for Nigerian youths and ensure that they are properly empowered.

“The government should think of programs that would empower Nigerian youth and ensure that they are engaged through skills acquisitions and education. If our youths are properly educated they will not be easily lured into crimes by anyone.

“I will also want to advise Nigerian youth to shun violence, crimes, and criminality, because this is the only country we can call our own, and if we destroy it today, where are we going to run to? Nigerian youths should think of better ways to engage

themselves for the good of their family and the society at large,” he said.

Amb. David also frowned at the fact that in the present administration of Malam Muhammad Bello, the Minister of FCT, there is not a position for the Special Adviser to the minister on Youths Matters to advise the government on how the youths can be utilized for the benefit of the government and society.

“It is a shame that the youthful minister cannot carry the youths along in his administration. I will say that if we have a Special Adviser on Youths Matters in this FCT administration, the challenges that the youths are facing in the territory would be

tackled headlong because he will advise the minister on the way to go about them.

“The truth is that the SA on Youths Matters is very important and should be looked into by the Minister. Also, we have noticed that in the entire cabinet of the minister, no youth is represented in any way. That is not the way to go, if we want the country to grow, because the youths are the life wire of any development.

“We are appealing to him to think twice and carry the youths of FCT along in his government, because he was once a youth and was given the opportunity then to prove himself, that is why he is where he is today as the Minister of FCT,” he said.

FCTA, USAID partner to boost primary healthcare systems

By Stanley Onyekwere

A

L-R: Head, Corporate Marketing, LG Electronics West Africa Operations, Mr. Hari Elluru, Medical Director, General Hospital Ifako Ijaye, Dr. Bamidele Mustapha and Air Solution Product Manager, LG Electronics West Africa Operations, Mr. Yoon YungJune at the LG Electronics CSR Initiative donation of Air Conditioning units today at General Hospital Ifako Ijaye, Lagos Mainland Nigeria.

NIPOST: Adewusi calls for Legislative Support

By Etuka Sunday

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

Speaker, Lagos State Assembly, RT. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa in his office at Alausa Ikeja also sought the collaboration of the House in the area of training arrangements for despatched/ delivery motorcyclists in Lagos state and the use of the ‘Address Verification Solution’ (AVS), an idea of NIPOST is aimed at contributing her own quota in tackling insecurity and crime in the country.

Dr. Adewusi, who said he was proud to be associated with Lagos as a result of the successes recorded by the state, commended Speaker Mudashiru Obasa and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for playing roles that have assisted the state with its growth and development.

Adewusi, a former Finance Commissioner for Finance in Lagos, however, lamented that internet technology had altered the operational efficiency of the postal services across the world, but added that this had not deterred his team at NIPOST. “We have started the process of reform which is culminating in the unbundling of the Nigerian Postal Service to now have a Property Company, a Logistics and Transport Company, and a Micro Finance Bank.

“We have started this process and I believe that by the time I conclude my five-year tenure, we would have succeeded”, he said.

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt.

Hon. (Dr) Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, in his response promised that the House would collaborate with any organization that aims to assist the state with the ease of doing business.

“I want to assure you that Lagos is always ready to collaborate with any institution that is willing to work with us for the progress of the state.

“This House of Assembly is ready to work with you. The House is always ready to support with legislation and resolutions to enhance the ease of doing business in the state”, he said.

The Speaker expressed optimism that NIPOST will succeed especially with the recent amendment to law with the result being that

the organization now has the opportunity of a public/private partnership (PPP) arrangement.

“I commend the Senate, particularly the chairman, Committee on Communications, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for a good job done in amending the NIPOST law,” while he urged NIPOST to take advantage of amendments to revolutionize the organization’s mode of operations.

Noting that Nigerians now device various means of getting goods and services to their targets including using commercial bus drivers, the Speaker said he looked forward to that period when people’s interests in NIPOST would be rekindled like it was in the past.

s part of measures towards the revitalization of the FCT healthcare systems to deliver quality, affordable and sustainable preventive healthcare services to residents of the Territory, FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has inaugurated the FCTA/ USAID steering committee.

Inaugurating the committee, Aliyu said it was a follow up to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on December 17, 2020, to support the revitalization of FCT healthcare systems.

Aliyu noted that the MoU seeks to address weak healthcare system especially the Primary Health Care (PHC) performances and the root causes of poorly functioning health systems in the Federal Capital Territory.

She explained that through the partnership, the FCT Administration would improve the capacity of the FCTA to plan, allocate and manage resources as demonstrated by increased budgetary allocation for PHC, and increased expenditure for Primary Health Care.

According to her, other milestones that could be achieved through this partnership include increase the coverage of FCT’s

minimum benefit package for PHC to 20 percent of the residents of the FCT in 2020, 30 percent in 2021, 40 percent in 2022, 50 percent in 2023, 60 percent in 2024.

To drive the operationalization of the signed MoU, the Minister charged the committee to serve as an avenue to promote transparency, the use of data for decision-making and problem solving, adding that the committee would engage other

stakeholders such as members of the Senate and House of Representatives as required.

On her part, the Mission Director USAID, Anne Peterson, who joined the inauguration virtually, identified the primary healthcare services as the foundation of strengthening universal health coverage.

She noted that USAID recognized the important roles healthcare system play in guaranteeing universal access

to health services and improving the health outcome, while expressing the hope that this new steering committee would provide a road map in guiding primary healthcare partnership.

“USAID is committed to partner with FCT Administration to improve primary healthcare services by creating and strengthening systems that will improve and assist our primary healthcare in equitable distribution of resources”, she stated.

Members of the committee include, the FCT Minister of State, as chairman, Mission Director, USAID, co-chairperson, FCTA Permanent Secretary, Secretary Health and Human Services Secretariat, Executive Secretary, FCT PHCB, Director, HPRS, Director, FCT Health Insurance, Director, Treasury, and Deputy Director Health Financing Equity and Investment as Secretary of the Committee.

L-R: Minister of State for Education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajuiba , Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dame Pauline Tallen, Deputy Governor of Taraba State, Engr.

Haruna Manu and the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Arc. Sunny Echono, during the 65th National Council on Education conference held recently in Jalingo, Taraba State

Construction of N1.8bn Kagini rail station access road takes off

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he construction of access road and car park for the Kagini Light Rail station, estimated to cost about N1,830,392,695.00, financed from the Green Bond fund domiciled in the Ministry of Environment, The project was said to have been awarded to an indigenous contractor and expected to be

completed within twelve months.

FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, at the flag-off ceremony, said the project was earlier this year approved by President Muhammadu Buhari, as part of efforts towards accelerating infractural development in the nation’s capital.

Bello noted that Kagini rail station was designed to enable residents within the area and

other adjoining Districts enjoy the benefits of a modern rail transportation system, while also helping to reduce carbon emissions that destroy the environment.

Also, the Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohmood Abubakar, who was the special guest and also performed the ceremony said the project was funded from the proceeds of the second issuance of the Sovereign

Green Bond of the Federal government.

He also pledged that his Ministry would partner with FCT in solving the protracted poor traffic lights management through the Green Bond initiative.

Abubakar noted that government was using the Green Bond project in tackling the menace of climate change in the country.

On her part, FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Aliyu, disclosed that the project was in line with the Administration’s commitment to improving and providing services that have direct impact on the citizens.

Aliyu further added that the administration was mobilizing private sector stakeholders and resources for more people oriented projects that enriches lives.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

Page 22

world news

N international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

Afghanistan on the brink of Taliban takeover A

fghanistan is on the brink of a total Taliban takeover, with the insurgents reaching the outskirts of the capital after capturing most of the country.

President Ashraf Ghani was reported to have fled the country as the Taliban drew closer to victory.

Officials earlier said talks had taken place to ensure a peaceful transition.

Thousands of Afghans have sought refuge in Kabul in recent weeks. There were scenes of panic in the city on Sunday as people tried to flee.

Western countries have also been scrambling to evacuate their citizens. The US sent military helicopters to transport staff from the heavily fortified embassy compound in Kabul to the airport.

A Taliban spokesman told the BBC there would be “no revenge” on Afghans.

It is almost 20 years since the Islamist group was ousted by a USled military coalition. They have been seizing territory across the country at speed now that foreign troops have all but withdrawn.

US President Joe Biden has defended the US withdrawal, saying he could not justify an “endless American presence in the middle of another country’s civil conflict”.

How are residents reacting?

Afghan security forces are still controlling central Kabul, but it is not clear for how long There is panic in Kabul, where some residents have been trying to reach the airport to leave the country. Cars have been abandoned and people have opted to walk because of traffic jams.

Residents have also been rushing to withdraw cash from ATMs, and queuing to get travel documents at the passport office and at foreign visa centres.

Farzana Kocha, an MP in Kabul, told the BBC that people

did not know what to do as Taliban militants closed in on the city.

“Some of them are running, some are hiding in houses,” she said.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said militants had been ordered to enter some parts of Kabul on Sunday.

He said Taliban forces were going in to prevent chaos and looting after security forces left parts of the city and their

checkpoints.

Earlier on Sunday, the Taliban said they had taken control of Bagram airfield and prison, about 40km (25 miles) north of the city centre.

Once the largest American military facility in Afghanistan, the complex was evacuated by the US military in the dead of night on 2 July.

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen told the BBC that people

in Kabul had no need to worry and that their properties and lives were safe.

“We are the servants of the people and of this country,” he said.

He added that the group did not want Afghans to flee, but instead to stay and help with the post-conflict reconstruction.

How are other countries reacting?

The US has deployed 5,000 troops to help remove its staff and the Afghans who assisted with its mission. Helicopters transporting embassy personnel could be heard over the city, and there were reports of smoke rising near the embassy compound as important documents were destroyed.

About 600 British troops are being deployed to assist with their own withdrawal mission.

Other countries are also evacuating their nationals, scaling back their presence in Afghanistan and in some cases closing their embassies altogether.

Russia is planning to convene an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.

It says it will not be closing its embassy, because it has been provided with security assurances by the Taliban.

Source: BBC

Pudong New Area in Shanghai makes every effort to boost innovation in various fields

By Ji Juesu, Xie Weiqun, People’s Daily

P

udong New Area in east China’s Shanghai municipality is ramping up efforts to grow into a more influential and vibrant innovation hub.

At a 1,000-square-meter experience hall of Zhangjiang AI Robot Valley of the area, where robots can perform a lot of tasks, including making coffee, conducting surgery, and solving Rubik’s Cube, visitors feel as if they were in the future world.

Although some industrial parks of Zhangjiang township are still under construction, many businesses have raced to set up offices in the place.

In one to two years, a robotics innovation center equipped with incubator, industrial chain, and supporting services will be put into operation in the heartland of Pudong New Area and the center of Zhangjiang Science City of the area. The robotics innovation center is located only eight kilometers of Zhangjiang AI Island in the north and adjacent to advanced manufacturing clusters in Kangqiao township of Pudong New Area. In addition, an industrial park of 5G carrier China Telecom is also situated in the robotics innovation center.

Many multinational sci-tech

innovation enterprises have seen opportunities in Zhangjiang AI Robot Valley.

In July, Fourier Intelligence, a Shanghai-based technology company which has established overseas branches in cities including London and Chicago and exports products to more than 20 countries around the world, moved its headquarters to Zhangjiang AI Robot Valley.

In the first quarter of the next year, Swiss tech giant ABB’s $150-million gigafactory is expected to be comprehensively put into operation in Zhangjiang AI Robot Valley. In the future, a manufacturing mode featuring “robots making robots” will be created there.

A relatively complete AI innovation chain covering various links, from technological breakthroughs and R&D to production and market expansion, has taken shape in Pudong New Area.

One third of the AI companies in Shanghai are located in Pudong New Area. Last year, the output value of AI companies in the area amounted to 91 billion yuan (about $14.05 billion), accounting for 40 percent of that of AI industry in Shanghai.

Pudong New Area has also realized all-round development of industrial chains in integrated circuits and biomedicine.

After years of development, the area’s integrated circuits industry has covered design, manufacturing, package test, equipment material, and other links.

According to reports, two of the global top five silicon wafer foundry companies are headquartered in Zhangjiang township; six of the top ten semiconductor equipment manufacturers in the world have established their headquarters and R&D centers in Zhangjiang; and among the top ten chip design companies in China, seven have established headquarters and R&D centers in the township.

Last year, the output value of Pudong New Area’s integrated circuits field rose 20.5 percent from the previous year to 147.1 billion yuan, accounting for 71 percent of the output value of Shanghai’s integrated circuits industry and one sixth of that of the country.

Biomedicine is also seeing all-round development in Pudong New Area, where there are almost all the key factors for growth, including talents, R&D institutions, innovation chain, and the industrial system.

In fact, 15 percent of China’s innovator drugs and 10 percent of the country’s innovative medical devices are created in the area.

During the past five years, seven Class I new drugs invented in the area got market approval for public use, which accounted for nearly 15

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

percent of that approved in the country. During the same period, nearly 40 Class I new drugs, or about 20 percent of the Class I new drugs invented in the country, were put in clinical trials every year by companies in Pudong New area.

Pudong New Area’s business environment featuring efficiency, openness, international competitiveness, and obvious advantage of talents can help Covestro China improve its strength for innovation and competitiveness, said Holly Lei, president of the China division of new materials manufacturer Covestro.

On July 29, the government of Pudong New Area released its Group Open Innovation (GOI) plan, aiming to give play to large enterprises’ innovation resources and advantage of global innovation network and gather, cultivate, and incubate small and medium-sized sci-tech firms in the innovation chain for collaborative innovation.

The first 20 projects of the plan are focused on key industries and have been participated by wellknown innovative companies including Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, Baidu, and Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China.

Pudong New Area is now home to 966 R&D organizations set up by key enterprises and foreign-funded R&D centers, and the number is expected to exceed 1,000 this

year. These R&D organizations and centers all have the potential to enjoy rapid development within a few years and realize explosive growth in their respective fields.

In addition, planning for 22 open innovation centers of large Chinese and foreign enterprises is underway in the area.

With further efforts to optimize business environment for innovation, Pudong New Area has demonstrated growing awareness of intellectual property rights (IPR) protection.

In 2017, China (Pudong) IPR Protection Center was inaugurated in the area. Over the past four years, the IPR protection center, which specializes in the management and protection of patent, trademark and copyright, has received more than 10,000 visits for consultation and provided services for 977 applicants.

An entrepreneurial team led

by Wang Weifeng, a postdoctoral researcher who has returned to China after studying abroad, got approval of medical devices within merely 70 days.

Thanks to a special review and approval procedure for innovative medical devices, the IPR protection center provides preliminary patent review service for Wang’s team, thus helping the team which possesses tumor sequencing technology get through the critical link in the launch of products.

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UN: ‘Essential basic services including power and communications [in Tigray] will resume swiftly’

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his is from a statement by the office of UN Secretary-General António Guterres on 9 July, after a conversation Mr Guterres had with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

“The [UN] Secretary-General welcomed... the Prime Minister’s commitment that essential basic services [in Tigray], including power and communications, will resume swiftly,” it said.

The evidence suggests this has not yet happened.

And on 29 July, when we asked the Ethiopian government about this, we were told the “resumption of these services heavily depends on the acceptance of the belligerent group [the TPLF] to a ceasefire.”

The government has announced a unilateral ceasefire, but the Tigray rebels want a negotiated truce, with certain conditions met.

Large parts of Tigray still appear to be without power, telephone communications and banking services.

Some people are able to get electricity through generators, but there are shortages of fuel and it’s rationed when it becomes available.

On 22 July, Mekelle University posted on Facebook about how it was affected by continuing telecoms shutdowns, internet blackouts and disruption to power supplies, as well as the absence of banking services.

Aid agencies say the restriction of these services is also affecting their operations in the region.

The prime minister’s spokeswoman told the BBC the government had been working to restore services.

But she said fighting by the TPLF, and the “destruction of fibre optic cables, transmission lines and attacks on... maintenance workers sent into the region, have made it difficult.”

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SA’s jailed ex-President Zuma undergoes surgery S outh Africa’s jailed former President Jacob Zuma has undergone surgery and remains in hospital, prison officials say.

The 79-year-old is due to have other procedures in the coming days, Singabakho Nxumalo, the correctional services department spokesperson, has said.

There has been no word on the nature of the operations or likely discharge date.

Zuma began serving a 15-month sentence in July for contempt of court for failing to appear at an inquiry looking into allegations of corruption during his 20092018 presidency.

His admission to hospital delayed the start of a separate corruption trial last week.

It is linked a $5bn (£3bn) arms deal in the 1990s and Zuma says the case against him is politically motivated.

He has pleaded not guilty to all the 16 counts of racketeering, corruption, fraud, tax evasion and money laundering.

The 79-year-old says the corruption case against him is politically motivated

Ethiopia: What do we know about aid going into Tigray?

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ith conflict continuing in Ethiopia’s Tigray region and nearby areas, the government has made a series of claims about the problems in accessing much-needed food supplies.

We have checked some of these claims against what we know about the aid situation in Tigray.

Ethiopian PM’s office: ‘Aid trucks are prevented from entering Tigray by the [TPLF] group’ At the moment, there’s no firm evidence to support this claim about the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

The TPLF itself has told the BBC that the government was “coming up with all kinds of excuses” to obstruct the movement of aid supplies into Tigray.

We know the conflict has intensified and spread beyond Tigray, and that land routes into Tigray from the Amhara region were closed.

And there are security issues affecting the one remaining route via the Afar region, which starts Road access through the Amhara region was blocked by militias who support the

An aid distribution point in Mekelle in the Tigray region Ethiopian government, rather than by Tigray forces.

The UN has referred to an incident at a checkpoint in the Afar region on 28 July on the way to Tigray, where two trucks were

said to have been stopped and looted by civilians.

But it’s not clear who was involved, and whether Tigray rebel forces were in that area at the time.

Ethiopian PM’s office: ‘Permits for humanitarian flights have been granted’

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he Ethiopian government said that flights into Tigray would be allowed from early July - after being banned in June.

The UN told us there have been recent improvements in the number of flights carrying relief workers to the area.

But in July, there don’t appear to have been many flights at all due to strict approval requirements from the authorities - with only two recorded.

The first UN passenger flight wasn’t until 22 July, and the other one carried the UN humanitarian chief, Martin

Griffiths.

In August, however, four humanitarian flights did go from Addis Ababa to the regional capital of Tigray, Mekelle.

Billene Seyoum, a spokeswoman for the Ethiopian prime minister’s office, told the BBC there were security issues to

consider: “All efforts are being made to ensure ease in the process with a priority given to security.”

The UN estimates that at least two flights a week are needed to rotate humanitarian aid staff in and out of the region.

Zambia election: President claims vote was not free and fair

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ambia’s incumbent president has described Thursday’s elections as “not free and fair”.

Early results show President Edgar Lungu trailing his main opponent, businessman Hakainde “HH” Hichilema.

The president said election officials from his party Patriotic Front had been chased from polling stations, leaving votes unprotected.

In response, Mr Hichilema said the statement was the “desperate final act of an outgoing administration”.

Mr Lungu, who is seeking a second term, also said that violence in provinces where he lost votes had rendered “the whole exercise a nullity”.

The party, he added, was considering its next course of action.

Zambia’s electoral commission is yet to respond.

Violence had broken out in Southern province, North Western province and Western Province, the president’s statement said.

Mr Lungu referenced the killing of a

Patriotic Front chairman in North Western province and of another young party activist in clashes earlier this month. When the deaths occurred, the president brought in army reinforcements.

European Union election observers said in a preliminary report that the vote was “marred by unequal campaign restrictions, restrictions on freedoms of assembly and movement, and abuse of incumbency”.

Social media and internet access was also shut down on Thursday. On Friday the High Court in Lusaka ruled that access to

the internet should be fully restored.

The results of the election were initially expected on Friday.

However, the announcement was halted after some party election officials criticised the commission for trying to declare results that hadn’t yet been verified.

A candidate can dispute an election by filing a petition in the country’s Constitutional Court. This stops the winning candidate from exercising executive powers until the petition is heard in court.

Source: BBC

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By Liu Yiqing, People’s Daily

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o help more rural women find jobs or start their own businesses, northeast China’s Jilin province has implemented free training programs to train them in handicraft skills and e-commerce skills.

After participating in the training programs, an increasing number of women in rural areas gained practical skills, found jobs, and witnessed steady growth in their income.

Shao Mingshuang, a resident in Nanshandao village, Jilin city, Jilin province, has learned straw plaiting skills at a training session.

“I usually use more red threads so that the small basket looks more festive,” Shao said, sharing her experience in handicraft making.

“I can earn more than ten yuan (about $1.54) for each basket I make. Thanks to the training, I’m able to make a living with my skills,” Shao added happily.

When she was little, Shao broke her spine and has since been disabled. She often feels pain in the cervical and lumbar vertebrae, and her upper body can’t stretch up straight. Because of her physical condition, Shao had difficulty finding a job.

After her husband died, Shao had no source of income and merely lived on subsistence allowance from the government and the money from the transfer of her land-use right to others and sewing clothes for neighbors.

At that time, She only earned

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

Free training programs launched by NE China’s Jilin province help rural women embrace better life about 5,000 yuan a year and was so poor that she couldn’t afford to buy new clothes for years.

In August 2016, the women’s federation and disabled persons’ federation of Jilin National Hightech Industrial Development Zone got in touch with Shao to inform her that she could learn straw plaiting skills at a free training session held in Chaijia village, a village near Shao’s hometown.

She was also told that besides training people in handicraft skills, the training session even provided free materials, meals and accommodation for participants.

Shao watched with interest how participants at the training session turned corn leaves into exquisite handicrafts.

“The training was perfect for me, as the skills don’t require much physical strength and I can finish the work at home,” she said.

Based on her sewing experience, Shao soon became skilled at straw plaiting. With the technique, she can now earn about 1,000 yuan more a month than before.

While benefiting from the straw plaiting training session, Shao also consulted workers at the local disabled persons’ federation about other kinds of training courses.

Photo taken on May 28, 2021, shows a straw plaiting skills training course arranged by the women’s federation of Jiaohe city, northeast China’s Jilin province. (Photo/Official website of the government of Jiaohe city) Over the past five years, Shao has participated in training courses on paper-cutting, Chinese knot, embroidery, calligraphy and other handicraft skills. “Although I have just learned the basic techniques, my horizons have been broadened because of these incredible crafts,” Shao noted.

In recent years, Jilin province has carried out such training courses across the province, asking women’s federations at all levels to invite handicraftsmen

to teach rural women and unemployed women in urban areas for free.

Taking advantage of local natural resources and folk culture, the province has organized training courses on over 20 kinds of handicrafts, including straw plaiting, matryoshka doll painting and resin craftwork making, benefiting over 60,000 people.

To help sell the handicrafts, Jilin province has adopted an order-based training model,

under which enterprises place orders for handicrafts from training bases before training sessions and women make relevant products according to the orders after receiving training.

It is estimated that since it was launched, the handicraft skills training program has enabled over 80,000 women to either start up businesses or work at home, bringing them an average annual income of over 5,000 yuan each.

So far, the sales of handicrafts produced under the program have exceeded 400 million yuan.

Together with the commerce bureau of Jilin city, women’s federation in Jilin city has also rolled out a training program on online marketing and other Internet-related skills.

Meanwhile, they have also made efforts to help women open online stores and provide e-commerce beginners with places, facilities and warehouses free of charge as well as logistics services at below market price.

So far, Jilin city has trained about 1,200 e-commerce practitioners under the program.

Many rural women have combined e-commerce with handicraft making, with more and more rural women leveraging live-streaming to promote their products.

China expands imports of high-quality products to drive consumption upgrading

By Luo Shanshan, People’s Daily

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uring the first half of the year, the amount of goods imported by China grew by 16 percent, and the value of imports of bags and suitcases, jewelry, and clocks doubled compared with the same period in 2020, said data from the General Administration of Customs of China.

The steadily recovering Chinese market has driven increase in the imports of consumer goods. China’s retail sales of consumer goods totaled 21.2 trillion yuan ($3.27 trillion) during the first six months of the year, which represented a year-on-year increase of 23 percent and an average growth of 4.4 percent in two years.

Online and offline channels for imported goods to enter the Chinese market have continuously be broadened, as mirrored in China’s vibrant e-commerce imports, which have made strides forward as the country’s crossborder e-commerce gathers momentum.

Data suggest that the country’s cross-border e-commerce imports reached 283.1 billion yuan from January to June, rising 4.6 percent year on year.

High quality has become the most important feature of imports.

At the same time, categories of imported goods are increasingly enriched, with skin care, cosmetic, health care, maternity and baby care products attracting the most attention from Chinese consumers.

The increase in imported consumer goods shows the release of the potential of the Chinese market and represents a corollary of consumption upgrading, according to Dong Chao, head of the institute of circulation and consumption under the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.

Noting that Chinese consumers are showing greater demands for personalized, diversified, and mid-to-high end products with economic development and income growth, Dong believes that increasing imports of high-quality consumer goods can optimize the market supply structure, improve the quality of supplies, make the supply system match domestic demands, and better meet people’s growing needs for a better life.

Since a new duty-free policy was launched in south China’s island province Hainan in July 1, 2020, the offshore duty-free sales supervised by customs in the province had reached 46.8 billion yuan as of June 30 this year, a yearon-year increase of 226 percent.

The number of tourists shopping in Hainan during the period reached 6.28 million, up 102 percent year on year. They bought a total of 60.72 million items of goods, marking a 211-percent growth from the previous year.

This year, China has made continuous efforts to establish international exhibition and trading platforms, including the first China International Consumer Products Expo held in May and

Customers buy duty-free cosmetic products at a store in Haikou, south China’s Hainan province, April 20, 2021. (Photo by Kang Denglin/People’s Daily Online) the second China-CEEC Expo & International Consumer Goods Fair in June, facilitating communication between sellers and buyers from home and abroad and enriching supplies for domestic market.

The country will kick off the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE) on Nov. 5. By July 27, 284 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry-leading enterprises had signed up for the fourth CIIE, outnumbering those during the previous sessions. The planned exhibition area of companies has reached 360,000 square meters.

Besides, over 50 countries have confirmed their participation in the CIIE this year.

The CIIE has become a shortcut

for foreign products to enter the Chinese market. Since the third session of the expo, Shanghai, host city of the event, has set up 56 permanent displaying and trading platforms, introducing nearly 180,000 kinds of products worth 146.47 billion yuan from 1,390 exhibitors at the CIIE. Besides establishing international exhibition and trading platforms, China has also improved relevant policies in a bid to ensure the healthy development of imports in an all-round way and facilitate imports of high-quality consumer goods.

In recent years, China has frequently lowered import tariff rates, especially that of consumer

goods for which the demand of Chinese people can’t be satisfied by domestic supplies. The country has lowered its overall tariff level to below 7.5 percent from 9.8 percent in 2017.

To promote trade facilitation, China has furthered the construction of its international trade single-window system, a system that aims to achieve one-stop customs clearance. The country has realized systematic connection and data sharing between the singlewindow system and 25 government departments, promoted paperless and electronic customs clearance at ports, accelerated the construction of smart ports, and improved the efficiency of customs clearance.

Meanwhile, China has cut regulatory documents needed for verification in imports and exports by 52.3 percent to 41 types, from 86 types in 2018.

Conforming to the trend of consumption upgrading, the country has continuously optimized the list of cross-border e-commerce retail imports.

China’s cross-border e-commerce retail imports are managed through a positive list, said Ren Hongbin, assistant minister of commerce, adding that the Ministry of Finance of China has adjusted the list twice together with other government departments, and the number of categories of commodities on the list have exceeded 1,400. The country will further improve the list to better meet the demands of Chinese consumers, Ren noted.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

Education Maryam Abeeb, Abuja

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he Federal Government has taken stock of its achievements in the education sector in the last six years, scoring itself high, even as it admits that there are challenges in the coming years.

Rolling out its achievements at this year’s 65th National Council on Education holding in Jalingo, Taraba State, Education Minister, Adamu Adamu, said the Buhari administration has put in place, the Better Education Service Delivery For All, (BESDA) in 17 Pilot states resulting in the drastic reduction of the number of Out - ofSchool children from 10.1 million in 2019 to 6.9 million in 2020, thereby promoting access to quality education.

In the same vein, the Minister who was represented at the occasion by the Minister of State for Education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, said, the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment,( AGILE) programme is another government initiative designed to ensure that adolescent girls who are out of school or have never been in school are trained and financially empowered to enable them live normal and quality lives.

According to the Minister, the Federal Government has frontally approached the programme by developing a curriculum in basic literacy and numeracy in the three major Nigerian languages and English.

He emphasized that government has also developed a code of conduct for learning centres for adults and non-formal education.

Additionally, the development of literacy and numeracy primers for teaching arithmetic as well as facilitating guide in English and the three major Nigerian Languages has been finalised .

The Minister also revealed that the National Commission for Nomadic Education, (NCNE) which has developed three training manuals for the operations of nomadic education in the country has also trained 100 Nomadic Extension Agents on Nomadic Extension Services to ensure that the children of the Nomads under go some kind of learning while going about their businesses .

Similarly, the Minister said government’s engagement with the National Association of Proprietors and School Owners in Nigeria, (NAPSON), has successfully taken over one million Out-of-School children off the streets by requesting that each private school sponsors at least, five pupils.

Furthermore, the Minister said the Muhammadu Buhari- led administration has approved the establishment of the National Senior Secondary Education Commission, (Nssec) to regulate secondary education in the country with the establishment of additional six Unity Colleges, bringing the total to 110 Unity Colleges in the country.

On Teacher Quality and Motivation, Adamu Adamu said the present administration has taken measures to motivate teachers including the approval of allowances for teachers in hard- to- reach areas namely; timely promotion to eliminate stagnation and prompt payment of salaries and the review of

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FG reels out achievement in education in 6 years the retirement age of teachers from 60 to 65 years while years of service have now been moved from 35 to 40 years to encourage more graduates to join the teaching profession.

The Minister reiterated that government has put in place a number of professional examinations including Professional Qualifying Examinations, (PQE), Professional Qualifying Examination Integrated, (PQEI), online examination for prospective diaspora teachers, online induction of graduating students of Teacher Education Institutes and Faculties of Education in the country, all in a measure to ensure quality teachers in the nation’s educational system.

Adamu Adamu also said government has constituted high powered Visitation Panels to Federal Universities, Polythenics and Colleges of Education to access the institutions’ activities for the past ten years(2011-2020) adding that the exercise has been completed and the reports are ready for consideration.

In the same vein, the Governing Councils of Federal Universities and Inter-university centres were inaugurated and Chancellors appointed in an effort to strengthen the institutions to enhance governance for effective service delivery, national development, and global competitiveness.

This administration the Minister said, has provided funding intervention through TETFUND for the completion of the National Library and enable all public Tertiary Education Institutions to develop ICT infrastructure and support the migration to e-learning, maintaining that ICT support intervention has recorded the successful completion of eleven websites, upgrade of projects and the training of a total of 12,873 staff in tertiary institutions nationwide.

Adamu Adamu revealed that the President, in its quest to increase access to Tertiary Education, approved the establishment of six new Federal Colleges of Education,

eight Federal Polythenics, two new Universities of Technology and upgraded four existing Universities of Technology.

The Minister informed that two specialized universities for Health, Nutrition and Medical sciences in Azare, Bauchi State and Ila-orangun in Osun state have been established.

He also revealed that the sum of Five Billion Naira(N5, 000,000,000.00) has been provided for the take-off of the two new universities of Technology and upgrade of the existing four universities.

Arrangement for the establishment of a National Institute for Technology, (NIT) Abuja is underway, the Minister reiterated.

The Minister fingered economic hardship, insurgency, and the rapidly growing population as some of the challenges bedevilling the education sector, adding that government will not rest on its oars until every child is brought on board.

Speaking at the occasion, the

Executive Governor of Taraba State, His Excellency, Arc. Darius Ishaku, while commending the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, for reducing the number of Out- of- School children from 10.1 million to 6.9 million however warned that efforts must be made by all stakeholders to sustain the momentum so that the country does not slide back into a hub of vulnerable children with no access to quality education.

The Governor who was represented at the occasion by his Deputy, said the government of Taraba state is engaging critical stakeholders in ensuring prompt and sustained funding for secondary education, payment of Registration fees of WAEC and NECO as well as supporting students with special needs.

The state government is also making provision for UBEC and UNICEF counterpart funding, in addition to the recruitment of 3000 teachers, the Governor disclosed.

Draft bill on National R&D Foundation loaded with innovative ideas - Prof Yadudu Maryam Abeeb

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he National Research and Development Foundation (NRDF) executive bill draft committee has submitted its document to the Federal Government.

Presenting the executive draft bill to the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu,in Abuja, the chairman of the committee, Professor Auwal Yadudu, said the proposed document contains massive innovative ideas that would propel the knowledge economy in Nigeria.

The legal luminary, who commended the Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Professor Suleiman Elias Bogoro, for putting in place the committee and for his vision for R&D, said the country stands to reap bountifully when the bill is passed into

law.

"This is a bill which seeks to establish a National Research and Development Foundation to institutionalise, mainstream and commercialise research and development; promote innovation and support enterprise development for job and wealth creation for knowledge driven economy. This is the key thing," Professor Yadudu said.

While hailing Bogoro as the Senior Advocate of Research (SAR) for his unwavering commitment to fully enthrone a culture of cuttingedge research that collaborate with industries, Yadudu said the draft bill identified viable source of funding for the proposed National R&D Foundation as well as a robust autonomous governing structure.

Receiving the document on behalf of the education minister, Professor

Bogoro said the draft executive bill when come into force would open a new chapter in the technological and industrial development of the country.

"A foundation has been laid for driving Nigeria's knowledge economy appropriately. When people talk of knowledge economy, I always say not the knowledge but research driven deeper knowledge, that is what makes the difference," he said While saying the foundation would go a long way to ensure Nigeria's future is driven by knowledge, Professor Bogoro thanked the committee for a job well done. " The Ministry of Education is very appreciative of the great job you people have done. It is on behalf of the minister I am receiving this document and I know it is a well packaged document," he said.

It will be recalled that the

Professor Auwal Yadudu education minister, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Sonny Echono, inaugurated the 11-man committee on 15 June, 2021.

TETFund targets N500 billion education tax collection by 2023 Maryam Abeeb

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HE Federal Government through Tertiary Education Trust Fund has disclosed that the agency is targeting more than N500 billion education tax collection by 2023.

Chairman, Board of Trustees of (TETFund), Kashim IbrahimImam, stated the government has injected more than N2.5 trillion in the development of infrastructure and staff development in public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in Nigeria in lthe last 10 years of establishment of the Fund.

He spoke at the 3rd edition of Tax Payers Forum with the theme: TETFUND Intervention: Catalyst for Transforming Tertiary Education in

Nigeria” held in Lagos, where he also promised to ensure that intervention to the beneficiary institutions be increased by 50 per cent next year and 100 per cent in two years.

The event which had the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by his deputy, Olufemi Hamzat, as guest of honour was attendded by captains of industries, academia and other stakeholders.

Lagos State, Governor in his speech delivered by his deputy, Hamzat, however, insisted that funding for the education sector must be prioritised, noting that TETFund was then established as a child of necessity to intervene in the ailing universities system and that universities in Nigeria would have been worse than the current

situation without TETFund.

He, therefore, appealed to the companies private operating in Nigeria to be consistent in their remittances, while also charging TETFund to endeavour to create Silicon Valley for Nigeria and focus on how to take research to the market.

Ibrajim-Imam, disclosed that for this year alone disclosed TETFund budgeted the sum of N300 billion to over 226 higher institutions across the country in 2021.

He noted that the agency had budgeted N120 billion to education in 2020, adding that this was increased to N300 billion in 2021, while tasking the Federal Inland Revenue Service on increasing the education tax collection to N500 billion in the next two years.

According to him, more than N30 billon was set aside for academic staff training in the various institutions across the country.

Ibrahim-Imam, said in response to the challenges of acute shortage of hostels in Universities in the country, the Board of Trustee of TETfund has approved the construction of 160,000 additional bed spaces in the institutions across the country.

Lagos State, Governor in his speech read by his deputy, Olufemi Hamzat, insisted that funding for the education sector must be prioritised, noting that TETFund was then established as a child of necessity to intervene in the ailing universities system and that universities in Nigeria would have been worse than the current situation without TETFund.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

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Feature

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

CLASSIFIED

Wildfires: How are they linked to climate change?

R ecent heatwaves and wildfires around the world have caused alarm - with warnings that parts of Europe and North America could be experiencing the worst fire season ever.

So how do wildfires compare with previous years?

California hit hard Parts of the western US have seen record-breaking temperatures this year, which - along with severe drought conditions - have triggered a series of major wildfires.

So far this year in California, more than twice as many acres of land have been burned by wildfires compared with the fiveyear average.

Dr Susan Prichard, from the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences at the University of Washington, says: “We now have the conflagrations in California that we feared, following the record-setting heatwaves.

“Given that California wildfires have burned all the way into November in recent years, I’m afraid that we might be set up for another record-breaking fire season.”

Across the United States, more than 3.5 million acres have been burned so far this year.

That’s one million more than at this point in the 2020 fire season - which ended as the most destructive season on record.

The acres burned across the US in 2021 so far sit below the 10-year average, with some other states not being as badly hit as California.

But experts are warning it is still very early, in what is looking like an exceptionally dry and long fire season.

Climate change increases the risk of the hot, dry weather that is likely to fuel wildfires.

Dr Prichard says: “Extreme fire weather events including increased lightning and strong winds, are also becoming more common under climate change.”

Turkey fires ‘worst in its history’ The wildfires in Turkey have been labelled ‘the worst in its history’ by President Recep Tayyip

Evacuations were required from the Greek Island of Evia

Fires have scorched large parts of western and southern Turkey Erdogan.

More than 200 have affected western and southern Turkey, although the authorities say the majority of these are now contained.

About 175,000 hectares have been burned so far this year, according to the European Forest Fire Information System.

That’s more than eight times the average for this time of year - measured between 2008 and

Thick smoke from wildfires in Siberia can be seen from space

2020 Dr Yusuf Serengil, from the Faculty of Forestry at the University of Istanbul, says: “It’s a very bad year all over the Mediterranean region. We believe that this is caused by an aboveaverage hot July in the region.”

The Turkish authorities have been criticised for being caught off-guard by the recent fires, and not having enough planes to help tackle them.

They eventually received help from France, Spain and several other nations which provided air support.

Greece has also seen recordbreaking wildfires - with 12 times as much land being burned than average.

Much of this destruction has been caused by wildfires on the Greek island of Evia, with more than 2,000 people being evacuated by sea.

There are also active wildfires in the Peloponnese region, in

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between the cities of Kalamata and Patras.

Siberia ablaze Thick smoke from forest fires has blanketed parts of Siberia, and satellites have tracked it drifting to the Arctic Circle and beyond.

Blazes in Siberia occur every summer, starting in the south around the Chinese-Mongolian border - before gradually moving north towards the remote Arctic Circle, where the fires are difficult to reach.

This fire season has seen smoke from Siberia reach the North Pole for the first time in recorded history.

And there are other signs they are getting worse. The average burnt area in Siberia for the last decade (2011-2020) was more than double the previous one, according to data from the Sukachev Forest Institute.

The Sakha Republic (or Yakutia) in the north-east has faced severe fires since mid-June.

This type of high intensity fire

emits more carbon dioxide.

The volume of carbon released by fires in Sakha this year far exceeds recent years. However, some neighbouring regions haven’t endured such a bad season.

Scientists say that warmer and drier conditions in northern parts of Siberia increase the fire risk.

And that human-caused climate change is a key factor in more extreme fire activity there.

A study found Siberia’s record breaking heatwave in 2020 was impossible without climate change.

What’s happening in the Amazon?

The Brazilian Amazon is closely monitored, as deforestation and fires linked to agriculture threaten this valuable ecosystem. It’s still early in the country’s annual fire season, which tends to peak in August and September.

The 2020 fire season in Brazil was particularly severe So far in 2021, the area burned is less than last year, according to satellite data analysed by Dr Michelle Kalamandeen, a tropical ecologist.

But the Cerrado, a vast grassland or savannah used to farm crops and cattle, has seen an increase in land affected by fires.

In 2020, fires were particularly destructive at the southern edge of the Amazon, such as in the states of Mato Grosso and Pará. Here the forest meets the more fire-prone savannah.

Current conditions and the rain forecast suggest another drought, meaning “we could see large fire conflagrations again in this region”, says Kátia Fernandes, Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas and the fires and drought theme lead for the SERVIR-Amazonia project.

In other sections of the rainforest in Brazil - and in Peru and Bolivia - a more “average” season is expected. Overall, forecasts suggest climate conditions will be less conducive to the type of severe fires seen in 2020.

Human activities such as deforestation also pose a major fire risk.

Deforestation levels remain high, which could provide fuel for fires when the weather becomes drier.

And alongside these human activities, the impact of climate change on the Amazon is significant, says Prof Fernandes.

“We have seen evidence the dry season has increased in length, and severe droughts are occurring more frequently due to natural variability exacerbated by climate change.”

Source: BBC

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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 'F' OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

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SIGNED : SECRETARY.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1AKWO JUDITH DAVID (CHAIRMAN) 2.AKWO DAVID 3.NNABUCHI MAURICE AMAECHI. 4. Nelson Violet Akwo 5.Ernest USANG EKPO. 6.Imelda Anyie AKwo THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1:To provide care, support, and shelter for old people, street children and victims of domestic violence 2. To provide health care and support for pregnant women, women with mental health issues having children aged 0-5 years, and disadvantaged children in underserved communities 3. To provide early intervention and support for people with disabilities, mental health issues, and alcohol and drug addicts 4. To support early detection and treatment of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases and promote uptake of these interventions.

5. To develop human resource capacity to support health service delivery and well-being of underserved communities.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : F.O ASOGWA ESQ. 07030806143.

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Corrections of directors names.

Vicen favours and company limited Rc 798250

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. OTOBO CHUKS OMOKARO - CHAIRMAN 2. OTOBO MERCY OHONOIMEN - SECRETARY 3. EGUASA ESEWI JOSEPHINE 4. OTOBO NOSA THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. TO RAISE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WILL BIRTH THE PURPOSE OF HEAVEN ON EARTH, THROUGH THE INSTRUMENTALITY OF INTERCESSIONS AND SUPPLICATIONS WITH THE ACCURATE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD. 2. TO RESTORE LIFE AND DESTINY. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

This is to inform the general public of the loss of the following: 1. Offer of Statutory, Right of Occupancy in respect of plot No: 1548, dated 23/10/2012, measuring about 9.68Ha in Cadastral Zone E23 of Kyami, with new file No: MISC 120551, belonging to M. S. JAE & SONS INVESTMENT LTD 2. Loss of Document In respect of plot No: 60 in Cadastral Zone D32 of Mamusa West, dated 3/27/2013 with file No: MISC 121893, measuring about 53205.40M2, belonging to RHODAND ASSET MANAGEMENT COMPANY LTD 3. Loss of Offer of Statutory, Right of Occupancy in respect of plot No: 23, dated 10/01/2011, measuring about 3.82Ha in Cadastral Zone C00 of Institution and Research, belonging to LIST LTD got missing.

All efforts made to trace the said documents prove abortive. If found please return to the nearest police station. General public take note.

ZION PROPHETIC SPIRIT EMBASSY

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Prophetess Onoja(JP) Blessing - CHAIRMAN 2.Tyozua Blessing Ngodoo - SECRETARY 3.Okonko Theresa Ijato 4.Onoja Ojoma 5.Gabriel Idankpo THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : TO PREACH, PROPAGATE AND REFORM PEOPLE THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT WITH PRINCIPLES THAT ARE BASED ON THE HOLY BIBLE TO PROVIDE PRAYERS AND MATERIAL ASSISTANCE TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE. TO BUILD CHURCHES FOR THE FURTHERANCE OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST AND TO PROVIDE A SPIRITUAL ATMOSPHERE OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP UNTO THE LORD. TO ESTABLISH TRAINING CENTRES TO TRAIN MINISTERS AND CHURCH WORKERS FOR THE FURTHERANCE OF GOSPEL WORK WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY. ADDRESS : No 1 Genabe welfare quarters makurdi, Benue state.

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Like minds community development initiative

ASSOCIATION OF TANK FARM OIL AND GAS MARKETERS OF NIGERIA CAC/IT/NO: 158370.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Hadiza Ribadu Tukur 2. Suleiman Lawan Ribadu 3. Jafaru Iya 4. Habiba Musa Tumsah.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. To assist the less previllage children in the society.

2. To Carter for widows and vulnerable women.

3. Assist communities with portal drinking water.

4. Providing health and educational materials for the benefits of communities.

5. To partner with government agencies and other relevant organisations in carrying out the said objects.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

The General public is hereby notified that the above company directors has applied to CAC for names correction.Their names were wrongly captured in the course registration to read as.

1.Nicholas promise 2.Nicholas Doris 3.Nicholas Divine 4.Nicholas Victor 5.Nicholas Joy That their names be corrected as follows.

1.Uzoma promise Chihurumnaya 2.Uzoma Chinyere Doris 3.Uzoma Prince -Divine Chukwuebuka 4.Uzoma Victor Onyedikachi 5.Uzoma Chidera Joy .

ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

UMU-ODOMA KINSMEN ASSOCIATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR Appointment, Removed and Retained trustees of Incorporation UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE APPOINTED TRUSTEE IS : 1. OBIOHA COLLINS CHIBUEZE THE RETAINED TRUSTEES ARE: 1. OKOLI CHRIS CHIGOZIE 2. KANU LAWRENCE UGEAGHA 3. ADAMU HARUNA BARAZA THE REMOVED TRUSTEE IS: 1. OGAH IFEANYI WILSON. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS APPLICATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.IGBONDU ERNEST .A. 2.KENNETH EZE IGBONDU THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1.TO FOSTER UNITY AMONG THE MEMBERS AND THE CONSTITUENT UNITS AS KINSMEN 2.TO PARTAKE, ASSIST, SUPPORT AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE WELLBEING OF THE UMU-ODOMA PEOPLE 3.TO PROMOTE EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONSTITUENT FAMILIES OF UMU-ODOMA 4.TO PROMOTE AND PRESERVE THE CULTURE AND CULTURAL HERITAGE OF UMU-ODOMA. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

SIGNED : BARR. MOHAMMED ATTAHIRU TEL: 08036492700.

SIGNED : T.K.BENWARI(LEGAL PRACTITIONER) JUSTIN MBADUGBA HOUSE.NO7 OKIGWE ROAD AKOKWA IMO STATE.

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ASSOCIATION OF YOUTH CLUB OWNERS, BENIN CITY

WATCHTOWER DOMINION INTERNATIONAL CHURCH

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.IDAHOSA DOUGLAS OTANIYEN - TRUSTEE|CHAIRMAN 2. OHIOWELE KINDNESS ENOTIEMWONMWAN - TRUSTEE 3. INONOJE ROLAND BENJI TRUSTEE 4. YAKUBU ALASA OSHOBUGIE - TRUSTEE 5. UGBODAGA IRABOR KENNEDY - TRUSTEE|SECRETARY. THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. TO FOSTER PEACE THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION OF YOUTH FOOTBALL LEAGUE, TOURNAMENTS IN BENIN CITY 2. TO PROMOTE MENTORSHIP OF YOUTHS IN FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS 3. TO CREATE AWARENESS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SPORTS EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS IN BENIN CITY 4. TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTH FOOTBALL CLUB ACTIVITIES IN BENIN CITY. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

MERCYLINK RESTORATION ASSEMBLIES

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. ATOYEBI JOHN ADESINA 2. ATOYEBI REBECCA KEHINDE 3. NNABUGO ANTHONY 4. ADIKA ZAKA ANYITONSAZO 5. JOHN TUNDE STEVEN 6. ATOYEBI SAMUEL THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. TO ASSIST THE NEEDY ON THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH. 2. RAISING FIRE AND KINGDOM MINDED PEOPLE 3. ENFORCING GOD’S COUNSEL TO OUR GENERATION. 4. TAKING THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO EVERY DOORSTEP. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : SECRETARY

SIGNED : SECRETARY

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. PASTOR NNAMANI DARLINGTON UGWU - CHAIRMAN 2. PASTOR NNAMANI SAMUEL - SECRETARY 3.PASTOR EDEH CHINEDU GODSON THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. TAKING THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO EVERY DOORSTEP 2. EMPOWERING THE LESS PRIVILEDGE 3. ENTHRONING JESUS CHRIST AS THE FIRST AND LAST KING 4. PREPARING THE CHURCH FOR THE COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AND TO ENCOURAGE TO MAKE HEAVEN.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

CLASSIFIED public NOTICE

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MODERN INITIATIVE FOR AGRO DEVELOPMENT

AUCTION! AUCTION!! AUCTION!!!

PROGRESSIVE PEOPLE'S CLUB, YABA, LAGOS STATE

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “F” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT OF 2020 THE TRUSTEES ARE. 1. IDOKO EBERE JASPER 2. IDOKO ONYEDIKACHI 3. EJEH CHINYERE ROSEMARY AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To bring modern agricultural system to Africa.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

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AHAVAH FOUNDATION FOR EMPOWERMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

This is to inform the general public that there will be an auction sales of unserviceable vehicles at the Nigeria correctional services of the following states 1. Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, Yobe and Lagos state.

Date. Monday August 23--31Tuesday 2021.

Time: 10am.

2. Jigawa, Kaduna,Kano, Katsina, Kebbi Sokoto, Zamfara and Oyo state.

Date. Monday August 23--31 Tuesday, 2021.

Time: 10am For further enquiry please contact the Auctioneer Bawa Garba. Quality int’l.Ltd on 08032903555.

2. Sambo & Dikko Nig. LTD on 08026638234.

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LOSS OF DOCUMENTS

COLLABORATIVEIMPACTINITIATIVE

This is to inform the general public on Loss of Original Right of Occupancy, Certificate of Occupancy and Acknowledgement in respect of plot no. 54 Cadastral Zone BO3 WUYE DISTRICT ABUJA, with old file no. KN 3392 and new file no. BO 11157, bearing IDRIS YUSUF IBRAHIM. All effort made to trace the said document prove abortive. If found contact the nearest police station.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “F” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT OF 2020 THE TRUSTEES ARE. 1. JUMBO IBIERE HELEN CHAIRMAN 2. JUMBO CECILIA SECRETARY AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO PROMOTE SOCIAL INCLUSION BASED ON BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES AND DOCTRINES 2. TO ORGANIZE VARIOUS SEMINARS AND CONFERENCES FOR PROMOTING THE INTERESTS OF THE LESS PRIVILEGED AND DIFFERENTLY ABLED PERSONS 3. TO ADVOCATE THE RIGHTS, FREEDOMS AND INTERESTS OF THE LESS PRIVILEGED AND DIFFERENTLY DISABLE PERSONS 4. TO PROMOTE AN INCLUSIVE, ACCESSIBLE AND DIVERSE CULTURE AS WELL AS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SOCIAL INCLUSIVE PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: CHAIRPERSON

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “F” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT OF 2020 THE TRUSTEES ARE. 1. ONWUAMA ONYEKA MATHIAS 2. OGAH YVONNE IGOH AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1.TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIVING AND PROVIDE SERVICES TO PERSONS IN NEED. 2.TO PROMOTE THE INTEREST OF THE VULNERABLE MEMBERS IN THE SOCIETY BY CREATING AN AVENUE FOR SOCIO - ECONOMIC GROWTH..

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: secretary

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LOSS OF DOCUMENTS

THE SHEPHERDS LIGHT CHRISTIAN CENTER

This is to inform the general public of the loss of original RIGHT OF OCCUPANCY in respect of plot No.265 with file No. KN2637 located at KATAMPE EXTENSION. BELONGING TO MANSUR AHMED. All efforts made to trace the said documents proved abortive, if found, kindly return to the nearest police station or land department. AGIS.

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 CAP C20, LFN 2020 THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. SULE DANIEL

- CHAIRMAN 2. DANIEL-SULE HELEN - TRUSTEE 3. OLUWAFEMI ADE-AKINBIYI - SECRETARY THE AIM AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. TO PROPAGATE THE GOSPEL AND WIN SOULS FOR OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST 2. TO ORGANIZE AND CONVENE CONFERENCES, CRUSADES, CONVENTIONS, SEMINARS, WORKSHOPS, TRAININGS AND MEETINGS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROPAGATING THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST THROUGH THE TEACHING OF THE BIBLE AND THE MANIFESTATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WITHIN AND OUTSIDE NIGERIA 3.

TO EMBARK ON OUTREACH PROGRAMS TO CITIES, COMMUNITIES, PRISONS, HOSPITALS AND REMAND HOMES ETC WITHIN AND OUTSIDE NIGERIA ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED SECRETARY

This is to inform the General Public that the above named Club has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part F of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 2020.

The Names of the Trustees are: 1. OLORUNTOBA AKINTAYO AKINTIMEHIN 2. KOLADE AWOSANMI 3. AUGUSTINE CHUKWUKA EBOMA 4. GLORY EMEM KANU Aim and Objective TO PROMOTE, ENCOURAGE, STRENGTHEN AND DEVELOP ASSOCIATION, SOCIAL INTERACTION AND NETWORKING AMONG MEMBERS OF THE CLUB AND THEIR FAMILIES. Any objection on this Registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street Maitama, Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

CORRECTION OF NAME MY NAME WAS WRONGLY CAPTURED ON MY BVN AS BAKABE SALIHU BALA INSTEAD OF BALA SALIHU BAKABE HENCEFORTH MY NAME SHOULD REFLECT AS BALA SALIHU BAKABE. All DOCUMENTS BEARING THE ABOVE NAMES REMAINS VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC / ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

MISPLACEMENT OF DOCUMENT I, SANI NUHU, of Suite 26, Aguiyi Ironsi Cantonment Complex, Guards Brigade, Asokoro Abuja, hereby wish to inform the general public of the MISPLACEMENT OF MY ORIGINAL LETTER OF OFFER IN RESPECT OF PLOT NO. 2964, WITH FILE NO. MISC 53344, CADASTRAL ZONE A04, ASOKORO DISTRICT ABUJA FCT DONATED TO ME BY NAUZO PHARMACY LIMITED. All efforts made to trace the misplaced document proved abortive. If found please contact the nearest police station. Concerned authorities and general public to take note.

LOSS OF DOCUMENTS THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC OF THE LOSS OF DOCUMENT OF ORIGINAL OFFER OF TERMS OF GRANT/CONVEYANCE OF APPROVAL, DATED 10/03/2003 WITH ALLOTTEE NAME: ALHAJI ALI BIGAN WITH PLOT NO:91, JAHI DISTRICT OLD FILE NO:MFCT/LA/YB775 AND WAS REPLACED WITH NEW FILE NO: MISC 53029, GOT MISSING. ALL EFFORTS MADE TO TRACE THE SAID RIGHT OF OCCUPANCY PROVED ABORTIVE PLEASE IF FOUND KINDLY RETURN TO THE NEAREST POLICE STATION. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE. SIGNED: MODIBBO ISA BUBA

Darlington

BOB

ALHAJI

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS Patrick Darlington sunny. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS Darlington Patrick isolate. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, formal known and address as CHIBUZOR IJEOMA JULIET now wishes to be call and address as BOB IJEOMA JULIET All documents having the formal name are still valid.ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, formerly known as SABO BALA ALHAJI now wish to be known and addressed as ALHAJI SABO BALA. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

Sunday

NAWAILO

Currection of name

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS Obilikwu Patience.

NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS Sunday Patience Deborah. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, formerly known as RUKAYYA NAWAILO now wish to be known and addressed as NAWAILO RUKAYYA. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

This is to inform the general public that l, NWACHUKWU LILY AMAMIHECHUKWU whose name was erroneously captured on BANK VERIFICATION NUMBER(BVN) as NWACHUKWU LILIAN AMAMIHECHUKWU now wish to be known and addressed as NWACHUKWU LILY AMAMIHECHUKWU. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

Mahmood

Umar

Confirmation of name

I was formerly known as Mahmood Ismail but now wish to be known and addressed as Mahmood Alhaji Yaro. Former documents should remain valid. All authorities concerned should please take note.

I formerly known as Umar Babawuro. now wishes to be known and addressed as Umar Aliyu Umar. All former document remains Valid. The General Public should please take note.

This is to inform the general public that I, ZAPHANIAH SIMON, whose name was captured in Bank Verification Number (BVN) as ZAPHANIAH WAZIRI and my Bank as ZAPHANIAH SIMON refers to one and the same person. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

Sports

PEOPLES DAILY

PAGE 28

monday, august 16, 2021

Team Nigeria Paralympians assure of medal haul in Tokyo

By Albert Akota

W

ith less than a week to the commencement of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, Team Nigeria athletes have assured of an impressive outing in Tokyo.

According to Team Nigeria Paralympics Captain, Lucy Ejike, “We have been training seriously to make sure we meet up with the standard we set at previous games.

Everything is going on well. We are confident we will bring glory to Nigeria.

We have world records , so we hope to maintain the records and create new ones” Speaking in similar vein, Para Powerlifter, Nnamdi Innocent expressed appreciation to the Sports Minister for motivating the team. “We are grateful to the Minister for his support and encouragement, what he did for us during the lockdown will motivate us to excel in Tokyo. We have many world records and our target is to go there and make Nigeria proud” The Tokyo 2020 Paralympics games will be Nigeria’s 8th consecutive appearance since her maiden appearance at Barcelona 1992. Nigeria had her most successful outing at Rio 2016, finishing as Africa’s best team and 17th overall in the world on the medals table with 8 golds, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals.

Nigeria will participate in 4 events at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics viz; Powerlifting, Para-Athletics, Para-Table Tennis and Para Rowing.

The team is expected to depart for Japan this week.

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sports@peoplesdailyng.com, SMS- 08142929046

24 Athletes Depart for World Junior Atheletics Championship

By Albert Akota

T

wenty Four Athletes departed Abuja on Sunday for Nairobi, Kenya to participate in the World Junior Atheletics Championship scheduled for August 17th- 22nd.

They are to be joined by four others from the United States.

According to the President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria Chief Tonobok Okowa “This is another unique opportunity for a new set of young athletes to prove their talent at the world level.

Once they do well, it would be a great transition from the more established ones to the new generation.”

“These are a new generation of Nigeria track and field. it’s an opportunity for some of the Athletes who missed out from the just concluded Tokyo Olympics to show case their talents.”

“NIgeria should be hopeful that these sets of young athletes will bring medals from the world Athletics championships in Kenya.”

The event scheduled for the Nyayo Sports Complex, Nairobi will see 973 athletes participating in 44 events.

Players in action

Ashia Buhari Cup: Fans await Ghana, South Africa, others

By Albert Akota

T

he buzz and excitement for the Dr Aisha Buhari Invitational Women’s Tournament is gathering momentum, as the everpassionate and vibrant Lagos fans eagerly look forward to welcoming the African Ladies to the City of Aquatic Splendour.

With the theme, Playing for Good, the visiting teams won’t be starved of support from the home crowd.

The pleasure of playing in Lagos is extreme. It is a place where fans are ever ready to switch their loyalty to any side that meets their football expectations.

“I will support the Mali team, even though I know that Nigeria will win the Cup,” says Emmanuella, a JSS 2 student of Birrel High School Sabo, Yaba. For her friends Bose and Ifeoluwa, both students of Onike Girls Secondary School, the Aisha Buhari Cup tournament will provide them the opportunity to see four - time African Woman Player of the Year winner, Asisat Oshoala.

• As Mali announces provisional squad

Asisat Oshoala.

“Most of our classmates talk about Asisat Oshoala; will she play?

We will like to come and watch her play for Nigeria.” Emeka Ndidi, a shop owner at Shitta, Surulere, believes the rivalry among Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon is the spice that makes women football in the continent tick.

“You know the rivalry between Super Falcons and these other

countries is a big one. It will be interesting to watch them and see if they can measure up to Nigeria.”

Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa, Morocco and Mali are the teams expected to test might when the tournament takes place 13th – 21st September 2021.

Meanwhile, the Federation Malienne de Football has announced a provisional squad of

38 players of the country’s women A team for the Aisha Buhari Cup, with the players set to resume camping early this week.

Mali are ranked 9th in Africa and 84th in the world.

They will be joined at the 13th – 21st September tournament in the City of Lagos by hosts Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco, South Africa and Cameroon.

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, august 16, 2021

Page 31

CLASSIFIED Dupe

UNYIME

Boman

I formerly known and addressed as Musan Eunice Dupe. now wishes to be known and addressed as Dupe Eunice Amusan.

All former document remains Valid. The General Public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as UNYIME UDOH EZEKIEL. now wishes to be known and addressed as UNYIME UDOH FIFEN. All former document remains Valid. The General Public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Joseph Blessing. now wishes to be known and addressed as Boman Blessing Joseph. All former document remains Valid. The General Public should please take note.

MOJEKWU

DECLARATION OF NAME

Muhammed

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS AMAKA OGOCHUKWU MOJEKWU. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS MOJEKWU AMAKA OGOCHUKWU. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS Zipporah George or Zipporah Riki, Zipporah Bitrus Riki ARE ONE AND SAME PERSON. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS Zipporah George. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I formerly known and addressed as Muhammed Rakiya Saidu. now wishes to be known and addressed as Mohammed Rakiya Saidu. All former document remains Valid.

The General Public should please take note.

MOJEKWU I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS CHIDIMMA JENNIFER NLEM. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS JENNIFER DIMMA NLEM. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

SPACE FOR SALE

SPACE FOR SALE

Osimhen inspires Napoli to victory against Pescara

N

apoli continued their impressive run in their preparations to the new Italian serie A season as Nigeria’s Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen inspired the Partenopei to a 4-0 win over Pescara.

Osimhen scored the opening goal and

A

Of-course nothing can beat that feeling of scoring on your debut and Emmanuel Dennis will surely be relishing the moment he scored Watford’s first goal on their return to the topflight.

Emmanuel Dennis joined Watford during the transfer window alongside Nigeria teammate Oghenekaro Etebo.

Talking about Etebo, a beautiful EPL debut it was for the Nigerian mid-fielder as he was solid in the mid-field for Watford in their first game of the season, although he picked up a yellow card, but that will count for less as the fans will definitely be pleased with his first outing.

Watford striker, Isaac Success was not listed for the game same as Nigeria eligible

public NOTICE

public NOTICE

EUNICE ABOSEDE SOMOYE FOUNDATION

Hope Alive Foundation CAC/IT/No

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. AKINJEWE OMOBOLAJI FLORENCE 2. SHOKOYA GREGORY OLUSOJI 3. JIMOH RASHEED OLAWALE 4. Kolawole-Onanuga OLUYEMI AJIBOLA 5. SOMOYE ELIZABETH FOLA 6. SIDESO FRANCIS UNIJI 7. OBALOWO AKINWANDE LANRE 8. ODUBIYI ABIDEMI ADENIYI 9. SOMOYE OLUWAFEMI ADEWALE THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. SOCIAL AND FREE HEALTH CARE SUPPORT FOR THE ELDERLY, VULNERABLE, LESS PRIVILEGED, AND PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED. 2. FINANCIAL SUPPORT, FREE EDUCATION AND HOUSING FOR INDIGENT AND VULNERABLE PERSONS. 3. ALLEVIATING POVERTY THROUGH SOCIAL PROGRAMES AND EMPOWERMENT 4. TO PROVIDE ECONOMIC SUPPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION AND NON MEMBERS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY

Carney Chukwuemeka who is playing for Aston Villa.

Alex Iwobi came in as a sub to bagged an assist for Everton in their 3-1 win over Southampton. The Nigerian international replaced Townsend in the 70th minute of the encounter.

Mid-field general, Wilfred Ndidi was just a little too slow for this to be a vintage Ndidi performance, his passes not played with the required urgency. When the game became stretched in the second half, he excelled with his reading of the game.

His compatriot, Kelechi Iheanacho was a second half substitute. The community shield hero saw only 18 minutes of action in the Foxes opener.

It was a relatively good first outing for the Nigerians in the EPL on Saturday and it could only get better as season goes on.

Adam Ounas came on in the second half to score the third goald and then youngster Karim Zedadka added the fourth after 77 minutes.

Spalletti has won six out of six games in charge of the Azzurri, ready to start the

campaign against newly-promoted Venezia on August 22.

Osimhen was one of the outstanding performers for the club throughout the preseason your with over 7 goals to show for his efforts.

THE TRUSTEES REMAIN THE SAME.

CHRIST HOUSE BIBLE CHURCH THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. ONOKPITE MIKE OMAMUYOVWI - CHAIRMAN 2. UMUKORO UFUOMA INDEPENDENCE - SECRETARY

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES REMAIN THE SAME.

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS APPLICATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : SECRETARY

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

public NOTICE

winding up

ROLLY FOOTBALL FOUNDATION

SAINTS SIMON AND JUDE SEMINARY KUJEABUJA OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION, 1999 SET

Bulkwijs Nigeria limited

public NOTICE then Napoli doubled the lead from the penalty spot.

Eljif Elmas, who gave a great performance in the last test before the new season, was tripped in the area and Insigne made no mistakes from the spot.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR CERTIFIED TRUE COPY (CTC) OF LOSS OF ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

public NOTICE

public NOTICE THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.INONOJE ROLAND BENJI 2.INONOJE SUNDAY AGBA 3.INONOJE OKEOGHENE VICTORY THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. TO PROMOTE UNITY AMONG MEMBERS. 2. TO HELPS COMMUNITIES IMPROVE THEIR LOCAL FOOTBALL FACILITIES THROUGH FOOTBALL GRANTS. 3. TO HELP YOUNG ATHLETES IN MAKING THEIR DREAM COME THROUGH. 4. TO CREATE MEDIUM OF MAKING THEM SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR CAREERS. 5. TO SECURING EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS FOR ATHLETES. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : Bar. Karo Kelvin 08067108634.

Etebo sees yellow as Iwobi shines with Everton dream debut it was for new Nigerians in the English Premier League.

CLASSIFIED

GANVI WOMEN AND YOUTHS EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE

The general public is hereby notified that the above named organization has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Abuja for registration under part 'C' of the Companies and Allied Matters Acts, (CAMA) 2020.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

TUTA MATSHI MARY 2. YUSUF ZAINAB ZWALL 3.

SHERIFF KEFAS S AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO BUILD AWARENESS OF BUSINESS INNOVATIONS THAT ACCELERATE WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AND HAVE A REAL IMPACT ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR WOMEN, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES 2. TO ENSURE THAT WOMEN AND GIRLS ARE SENSITIZED ON SAFETY MEASURES AGAINST RAPE AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: TRUSTEES

public NOTICE

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘F’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, ( CAMA 2020).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. LUKOH JOSEPH IZUCHUKWU 2. ORTESE PETER TER 3. OLISAH JOSEPH UCHECHUKWU 4. OTIGA DAVID OKPANACHI THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. TO BRING ALL MEMBERS TOGETHER 2. TO ENSURE THE PROGRESS OF THE ASSOCIATION AND HER MEMBERS 3. TO PROMOTE THE WELL-BEING OF HUMANITY 4. TO ACT AS MENTOR TO YOUNGER GENERATION 5. TO INTERACT WITH OTHER BODIES OF LIKE OBJECTIVES. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

(rc no: 172378) 188, awolowo road, south west ikoyi, lagos THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 2020 PRIVATE COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES WRITTEN RESOLUTION OF THE SHAREHOLDERS OF BULKWIJS NIGERIA LIMITED WE, the undersigned, being all the shareholders of Bulkwijs Nigeria Limited (the “Company”) as of the date of this resolution who are entitled to attend and vote at a general meeting of the Company hereby assent to the passing of the resolution set out below, pursuant to the provisions of section 259 of the Companies and Allied Matter Act, 2020 to the effect that such resolution shall be deemed to be as valid and effectual as if they were passed at a meeting of the Shareholders, duly convened and held: 1. “That the Company be and is hereby voluntarily wound up” 2. “That Mrs. Oluwatoyin Bashir be and is hereby appointed as the liquidator of the Company for the purpose of winding up the affairs of the Company” DATED THIS 13TH DAY OF AUGUST 2021 ______________________ _______________________ TOYOSI ALASI ESTHER ADENIJI

public NOTICE

winding up

WOMEN OF DIVINE FAITH WIDOWS FOUNDATION

Bulkwijs Nigeria limited

The general public is hereby notified that the above named organization has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Abuja for registration under part 'C' of the Companies and Allied Matters Acts, (CAMA) 2020.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Mary Idoko .... chairman 2. Sunday Idoko... Secretary 3. Joy Idoko AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. Empowerment of women and widows.

2. Helping victims of gender based violence 3. Providing succor for widows and less privilege Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: SECRETARY.

(rc no: 172378) 188, awolowo road, south west ikoyi, lagos THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 2020 NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF A LIQUIDATOR Pursuant to Section 654 (1) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020, the general public is hereby notified of the appointment of Mrs. Oluwatoyin Bashir, Legal Practitioner of No. 50, Aguiyi Ironsi Street Maitama, Abuja as the Liquidator for the winding up of Bulkwijs Nigeria Limited, whose registered office is located at 188, Awolowo Road, South-West, Ikoyi, Lagos State by a Written Resolution of the Company dated the August 13, 2021.

All debtors of the Company (if any) are directed to deliver their payment cheques issued in favour of the Company (in liquidation) directly to the Liquidator at her office as stated hereunder. Also, all creditors, past or present officers or agents of the Company who are in custody of any assets of the Company are directed to yield same to the Liquidator.

Where any person or entity has any claim against the Company, relevant documents which constitute proof of such claim(s) should be filed with the Liquidator at her office. Where such proof has been destroyed or is otherwise unavailable, a statement of the facts and circumstances of the loss must be filed, under oath, with such claim(s). General questions about the liquidation of the Company should be addressed to the Liquidator, however specific legal and financial advice on the liquidation process should be sought from your legal and financial advisers as may be required.

OLUWATOYIN BASHIR The Liquidator No. 50, Aguiyi Ironsi Street Maitama Abuja

public NOTICE

public NOTICE

Goodluck and Gifted Health Foundation

GREAT JOSEPH DIVINE FOUNDATION

The general public is hereby notified that the above named organization has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Abuja for registration under part 'C' of the Companies and Allied Matters Acts, (CAMA) 2020.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Anugwa Emmanuel Okezie- Chairman 2. Anugwa Gift Amarachi - Secretary AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To build a Community health hospital.

2. To improve the lives of people living in deprived communities by providing basic health care services.

3. To provide a sustainable healthcare for vulnerable persons in the community.

4. To carryover community development health care programmes that will educate the people.

The general public is hereby notified that the above named organization has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Abuja for registration under part 'C' of the Companies and Allied Matters Acts, (CAMA) 2020.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. ALABI OLUWABOLAFUNMI MOBOLANLE 2. ALABI OLUWAKAYODE AYODEJI 3. ALABI LORE AMINAT 4. OJORARO ENIFOME MACAULAY AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO HELP THE YOUTH TO DISCOVER, DEPLOY AND FULFILL HIS GOD-ORDAINED PURPOSE IN LIFE. 2. TO ORGANIZE LIFE- ENRICHING PROGRAMS FOR THE YOUTH. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: SECRETARY.

GOVERNMENT COLLEGE UGHELLI OLD BOYS CLASS OF 1979

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: Chairman

The general public is hereby notified that the above named organization has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Abuja for registration under part 'C' of the Companies and Allied Matters Acts, (CAMA) 2020.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Okugo Anthony Obinna (president) 2. Akporugo Andrew Junior (secretary) 3. Onyeke Bartel Ujiro 4. Akaeze Victor Onyinyechukwu 5. Ekiejare Peter's Oghenerobo 6. Esiri Ovie Edirri AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO DEVELOP AND KEEP SOCIAL CONTACT, PROMOTE AND FOSTER UNITY AND BROTHERHOOD AMONG MEMBERS. 2.

TO HARNESS TALENT AMONG MEMBERS FOR ALL ROUND DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH OF MEMBERS. 3. TO WORK WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO DEVELOP OUR ALMA MATER IN PARTICULAR AND THE UGHELLI COMMUNITY AT LARGE. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: SECRETARY.

monday, august 16, 2021

SPORTS latest

Harry Kane: Tottenham can thrive under Nuno Espirito Santo with or without striker

T

he figure of Harry Kane loomed large over Tottenham Hotspur’s superb victory over Manchester City to such an extent that it firmly focused the minds of almost 60,000 fans filling this magnificent arena.

Manchester City’s supporters fired the opening salvo in the public battle for Kane’s heart and mind - as well as taunting their Spurs counterparts - within seconds of the game starting with loud chants of “Harry Kane, he wants to be blue”.

The tables were brutally turned as City’s performance sank without trace, leaving Spurs supporters to deliver a retort of their own in the direction of the wanted man.

They left it just late enough to feel confident that victory was theirs before singing: “Are you watching Harry Kane?”

He was. And saw Spurs, under new manager Nuno Espirito Santo, give a performance that hints at promise ahead, whether that is with or without Kane.

Ironically, it was Guardiola who once referred to Spurs as “the Harry Kane team”. This, with delicious timing and a touch of irony, proved they are much more than that.

Kane may not have been playing but still cast a shadow over this pulsating opening Premier League encounter deservedly settled in Spurs’ favour by Son Heung-min’s second-half goal.

The story will continue and it may just be that events here at a vibrant Tottenham Hotspur Stadium could have prompted the next chapter in this story.

Guardiola and Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi owners will be contemplating whether they can win another title without a recognised striker, even after the £100m acquisition of Jack Grealish.

Taye Taiwo and Oduamadi

Advert: news: Kano: lagos:

. . . putting the people first

IBB at 80 W

e first met in the midseventies. Both us were daring, very daring: maybe a bit careless with our lives.

It was okay that we were all young for only young men can do what we did. It is a great lesson I have learnt from one of my late uncles who was always sounding philosophical.

“When you are young, you run after death. But when you are old, death runs after you”, he told us one day.

On the morning of February 13 1976, General Murtala Mohammed, Nigeria’s Head of State was driving to his office in Lagos when he was gunned down by a mutinous band of Nigerian soldiers led by a whisky besotted Lt Colonel by the name Bukar Suka Dimka. In Lagos, then Nigeria’s capital city, there was panic and commotion. In the rest of Nigeria, there was confusion.

Evidently still heavily drunk, the assassin and his troops drove to the headquarters of the Federal Radio Corporation in Ikoyi and made an impromptu and incoherent announcement in which he sacked the government of General Murtala Mohammed. Then he announced the imposition of a daytime curfew on the whole country which allowed people to go about only at night but to stay at home in the day time.

The whole bizarre broadcast was capped with the grave warning that anybody who disobeyed his orders would be killed.

We students of Nigeria’s premier University at Ibadan refused to be intimidated by the threats. We first gathered voluntarily in the courtyard in front of Trenchard Hall. We sang the National Anthem and listened to the spontaneous oratory of our student union President, Mr. Banji Adegboro who urged us to go to town and protest the change of government as announced by the unsteady voice of an unknown army officer and also to liberate Nigeria from his lunacy.

We obeyed our union President and moved. From the Trenchard Hall, we liberated the Queens Hall and then proceeded outside the university gate to liberate Agbowo, then we liberated Orita and had just liberated Mokola and were marching gallantly to liberate Dugbe when a broadcast by Colonel Jemibewon, the Military Governor of Oyo state on radio O-Y-O to tell the people that the announcement from Lagos was made by a mutineer, who had no mandate to remove the government of the day.

Temporarily pacified, we retreated, got back to campus and went to rest, following the news carefully, just in case.

In Lagos itself, another strange drama was playing out at

0806 564 8620 0814 292 9046 0803 587 5846 08074420617

Monday Column By

Emmanuel Yawe royawe@yahoo.com 08024565402

the Federal Radio Corporation.

Dimka and his band of heavily armed and drunken men were still in control of the station beaming out to the world their strange broadcast. Then walked into the studio a smartly dressed army officer. He was evidently not armed but sought audience with the emergency broadcaster and coup maker – Dimka. The soldiers around Dimka did not only object to the meeting they cocked their guns ready to kill the intruder. Strangely enough Dimka ordered them not to kill him and proceeded to grant him audience.

The intruder left unharmed only to return a few minutes later with a full complement of armed men of his own that flushed Dimka and his drunken men out, ending one of the most dangerous dramatic acts that threatened Nigeria’s existence.

Dimka took to his heels and fled.

The bold actions of the young unarmed colonel who confronted armed and drunken soldiers and tactically rendered them impotent was the saving grace of the day.

It soon turned out that the man who saved the day, the daring army officer was Lt Col Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida. If Dimka had succeeded with his mad adventure, the students at Ibadan and Babangida were all going to be shot.

Then little was known of him outside the ruling military circles.

Then pictures started appearing of him in the newspapers showing that he was gap- toothed, handsome and had a permanent smile on his face.

He looked friendly and warm.

Some of us experienced this friendship and warmth by proxy in 1979 with the establishment of National Institute of Policy and strategic studies in Kuru. He was part of the first batch of students – a mixture of senior army officers and civil servants sent to the

“

Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida

institute. About forty years later when I had developed a personal relationship with IBB, I for the first time revealed to him that he was on that course with my maternal uncle.

He just stared at me and asked; “was that Mr. Ezekiel Akiga?” I was surprised. How did he know the person I was talking about? I just answered him “Yes sir” and our discussions continued. But Mr. Ezekiel Akiga was the first person I was closely related to who spoke of his positive qualities to me and other members of our family after their 1979 encounter. Ezekiel was already late when his name came up at our meeting.

IBB has some magnetic personality traits that make him look like a magician when you relate with him. First, once you have met and introduced yourself to him, your name sticks. Next time you meet, he just calls you straight by your name. I keep wondering how a man who meets hundreds sometimes thousands of strangers every day keeps such a long list of names in his head. Has he got a computer there?

The IBB mystic was

IBB has some magnetic personality traits that make him look like a magician when you relate with him. First, once you have met and introduced yourself to him, your name sticks

complemented by that of his charming wife Mariam while they were in office? She was the one who mesmerized my mother. Long after they left office, my mother kept asking me why subsequent governments scrapped the “Better life For Rural Women” which she introduced. Apparently the program had touched and positively changed her life in a profound way.

But how was I going to explain such a complex government issue to an illiterate rural woman who had been given out to my father as a wife at the tender age of thirteen and who had lived all her life as a rural woman? In retrospect I think I was unfair to her. Maybe I should have allowed her to benefit from the enormous personal sacrifices she made to enable me study political science at Nigeria’s premier university at Ibadan. I should have given her some lectures on the strange political developments in Nigeria.

When IBB phoned me after her death to sympathize with me and underwrite a substantial part of her burial expenses, I told him of my mother’s fondness of his wife. It was an emotional moment I will never forget. This was a woman he never met, he never knew but he had time to come down his high horse and relate his sympathy with me, ordinary me on my hour of grief.

That is the IBB style which was reflected in his governments programs in the eight years he ruled Nigeria. His projects such as DFRRI, road construction, liberalization of the petroleum industry, more funds for oil producing areas, infrastructural development – roads and bridges, the movement to and the development of Abuja, primary health institutions, opening up of electronic media to private investors are just a few of his achievements that make him tick thirty years after he left the magnificent Villa he constructed.

What is wrong in saying happy birthday to a man who has achieved so many remarkable things and lived on to be 80 years?

DAN GAYE Dangai 24 Athletes Depart for World Junior Atheletics Championship —News

Hope this time they wouldn’t be disqualify!

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