Thursday, October 17, 2019 Edition by Peoples Media Limited

Thursday, October 17, 2019/ Safar 17, 1441 AH

Vol. 32 No. 073 N150

2015 Days after

Minimum wage: Labour assures on peaceful negotiation

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peoplesdailyng

. . . putting the people first

The nation awaits rescue of the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls

FEC okays establishment of $3bn oil, gas parks

Buhari slashes estacodes on foreign trips >>>page 4

>>>page 5

Sets new travel guidelines for ministers, others

By Ese Awhotu

resident Muhammadu Buhari has slashed estacodes and the number and duration of foreign trips for ministers and other public officials. This is as the President approved

additional cost saving measures aimed at curtailing financial indiscipline in official travels of Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and other top officials of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs.) A statement issued by the Office of Secretary to the Government of the

Federation yesterday signed by the Director of Information , Willie Bassey,, said henceforth all foreign travels must be for highly essential statutory engagements that are beneficial to the interest of the country. “Except with the express approval of Mr. President, Ministers, Permanent

Secretaries, Chairmen of Extra-Ministerial Departments, Chief Executive Officers and Directors are restricted to not more than two (2) foreign travels in a quarter,” the statement said. Continued on page 5

L-R: Minister of Water Resources, Alhaji Suleiman Adamu; Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor; Minister of Environment, Muhammad Mahmud; Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo and Minister of Humanitarian Services, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar-Farouk, during Federal Executive Council Meeting at the Presidential Villa, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

Floods destroy 2,714 FG deports 7 Xenophobia: Another houses, claim 10 lives Koreans for Nigerian killed in in Niger -NSEMA South Africa life pAGE 6

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

News CONTENTS News

2-10, 14

Editorial Op.Ed

12-13

Politics 15-17 Health Business

18 19-20

Feature

World News

Africa News

World News

L-R: President Muhammadu Buhari with the Senate President Ahmed Lawan, during the launch of the 2020 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Emblem at the Presidential Villa, yesterday in Abuja

FHA unveils plans to construct Abuja Diaspora City By Christiana Ekpa

First Lady, Aisha Buhari gets more aides Page 4

Environment 25 Feature

Sports 30-31 Back Page

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News Editor, Ese Awhotu News Buhari launches 2020 Armed Forces emblem By Lawrence Olaoye

he Federal Housing Authority (FHA) yesterday revealed plans for the construction of Abuja Diaspora City to be sited on 750 hectares of land in KabuzuMaitama II District as well as 30,000 mass houses in the nation’s capital city. The FHA acting Managing Director/CEO Umaru Gonto who disclosed this in Abuja during an interactive session with chairman and members of House Committee on Housing and Habitat, explained that plans were underway for road shows in part of Europe, Asia in partnership with Nigerian in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) as part of efforts geared toward attracting foreign investors. While commending the 8th Assembly for its intervention tin that resulted into appropriation of N5 billion for FHA in 2017 since

2005, Gonto solicited for budgetary allocation from Federal Government in the bid to embark on mass and commercial housing schemes across the country. He disclosed that FHA has so far constructed 7 estates in Abuja including the estate located in Apo District which is currently before the Supreme Court following the dispute with Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) which initially awarded the land to FHA but was revoked by Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA). The Acting MD informed the Committee of the 150 hectares of land acquired FHA in Bwari Area Council of Abuja for constructionof houses for key workers such as Doctors, Immigration, Police, NSCDC, among others. Gonto explained that the 30,000 pilot mass housing scheme being developed by FHA in Abuja will be replicated in the six geopolitical

zones of the country, adding that similar estates have been developed in Osogbo, Yenegoa, Kano, Gombe, Cross River and Benue States respectively. He added that the mass housing estate being developed in Zuba area of Abuja which has attained 75% completion level is to be completed by December 2019, just as he lamented the inability of FHA to have access to land in the city capitals across the country. According to him, no fewer than 5,000 houses were developed by FHA in Gwarimpa area of Abuja, while efforts are ongoing to construct system houses in the North East geopolitical zone for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in partnership with foreign investors from Germany and Spain. The Committee Chaired by Hon Mustpha Dawaki tasked FHA management on the need to liaise with Federal Ministry of Works

and Housing in order to access from the N100 billion earmarked for mass housing under the Service Wide Vote as proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari during the presentation of the 2020 budget estimates to the joint session of the National Assembly, as well as the need to synergize with Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN). This came just as the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters assured Nigerians to do everything within its powers to improve and strengthen the conduct of elections in the country.. The Chairman of then Committee, Hon Aishatu Jirbril Dukku gave the assurance at the inaugural meeting of the Committee in Abuja on Wednesday. She explained that this would done in partnership with all relevant electoral and political bodies, civil society organizations both local and international .

Niger SUBEB spends over N6bn in 6years, says Board From Yakubu Minna

Mustapha,

he Niger State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB) has said that it received and expended the sum total of Six Billion, Six hundred and Sixty Two Million, Four Hundred and Seven Naira, Eleven Kobo (N6,662,054,407:11k) in the last six years. The Chairman, NSUBEB, Alhaji Alhassan Muhammad Bawa Niworu disclosed this yesterday while addressing journalists at the press gallery in Government

House, Minna, noted that the Board has trained over 16,000 teachers since 2015 to date. The NSUBEB chairman further revealed that the expenditure of over N6 billion was between 2013 and 2018 for interventions in the Basic Education and Junior Secondary School across the state. “We are going to give employment letters to two thousand, five hundred (2,500) teachers and they will resume work next month (November). “We have scaled up intervention in the educational sector with our development

partners. For now, the total number of enrollment to primary schools is 721,977 with 21,767 teachers in the state. While, 3,989 teachers will take care of 193,304 junior secondary schools.” he stated. He however, lamented the standard of education in the state revealed that some of the teachers who are mostly NCE holders cannot compete with Grade 2 holders. Niworu hinted that it has constructed 1,313 class rooms, renovated 1010 with 22 Whole School Approach, 960 VIP toilets,

20 storey buildings, 50 schools were fenced and 70 boreholes sunk from 2013 to date in Niger state. He decried the level of decay inherited by the present administration in the education sector including the poor standard and unqualified teachers hence the need for the creation of Teachers Development Institute in Agaie, Nasarawa and Mararaban Daudu to ensure proper teaching background. He added that, the abolition of teachers colleges was responsible for the low standard of teachers in Nigeria.

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

resident Muhammadu Buhari has launched the 2020 Armed Forces emblem in the Presidential Villa. The President in his remarks yesterday at the launch cautioned that Nigerians should mind the negative impacts of strife and conflicts just as he emphasized that people should avoid actions that emphasized the nation’s differences. Buhari, who noted that the nation’s strength lied inner diversities, insisted that peace and national security were not negotiable in the country. The Armed Forces Day, according to the President was deliberately fixed for January 15th to commemorate the end of our civil war and the need to jealously guide her unity won at great cost. He said that the country was appreciative of the gallantry an sacrifices made by the Armed Forces in the fight against insurgency and other internal security operations urging that all hands must be on deck to check the attacks on soft targets, mostly innocent Nigerians. He said, “The peace and security of Nigeria is nonnegotiable and the security agencies must continue to do their work diligently. As a government, we will continue to provide necessary logistical support to

ensure that our Armed Forces operate with the best modern warfare equipment, while at the same time adequately addressing the issues of their welfare.” Buhari hinted that the government will not waver in her alliances with neighbouring countries to rout out insurgents adding that the task of resettling and rehabilitating citizens as well as the reconstruction of territories affected by the war will continue to be one of the priorities of his administration. He said, “We shall not rest until all our displaced persons are safely resettled into their communities without fear of further attacks. It is for this reason that the North East Development Commission and Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development were established. The Executive Arm of Government hereby commends the National Assembly for the

passage of the Bill establishing the Commission.” He continued, “It is our hope that with prudent management of limited resources and support from well-meaning Nigerians and Corporate bodies, the Commission working in close collaboration with the Ministry and friends abroad will be able to deliver on their mandate. “We are aware that it is the business of Government to provide the enabling environment for businesses to thrive. We will not fail to provide our citizens with an atmosphere that is devoid of security threats and criminality, where life is stable and progress is certain. “Government is also well aware that an insecure environment stifles businesses and undermines growth and prosperity. For this reason, we will like to commend and reinforce our gratitude to our men and women in the Armed Forces

who have risen to the challenge of securing our nation and providing enabling environment for national progress. “It is on this note that we acknowledge and commend the rising trend, where business concerns offer discounted services to our men and women in the Armed Forces in appreciation of their selfless sacrifices to the fatherland. We commend these laudable initiatives and urge more of our business concerns to do likewise. Such gestures would no doubt encourage them in defence of our country and its people.” Buhari lamented the collateral effects of the fight against insurgents leading to loss of lives stressing that “It is, therefore, our duty to ensure that the loss of these bread winners does not relegate the spouses and dependents to a life of want and deprivation. Government will do all in its powers to look after the

L-R: Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Muhammad Sabo Nanono, Governor of Nasarawa state, Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule, Chairman, Board of Trustees of National Agricultural Foundation of Nigeria/ Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, and others, during the opening ceremony of 2019 Agricultural Show and World Food day celebration, at the Agricultural Show ground in Tudun Wada along Keffi road, yesterday in Nasarawa state. Photo: Mahmud Isa

FG deports seven Koreans for life By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

he Federal Government has deported seven Democratic People’s Republic of Korea nationals from Nigeria. The deportation order was effected by the ComptrollerGeneral of Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, in Abuja, on Tuesday. The immigration service spokesman, DCI Sunday James in a statement added that the deportees, who allegedly attempted to undermine national security, were also banned from returning to the country for life. They include; Jo Sun Phil, Jang Sung Chol, Che Chunk Hyok, Pak Yong Gon, Ri Yong Il, Ri Hak Su, and Ri Tong Nam. The statement added that the Koreans were deported to their country of origin on Tuesday through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. “They were deported on the orders of the Minister of Interior based on the powers conferred on him by the Immigration Act 2015,” the statement noted.

bereaved. “Service leaders must take urgent steps to settle the entitlements of these affected citizens as well as the welfare packages designed for their dependants. It is the responsibility of government to ensure that the families of our fallen heroes do not suffer the loss of their loved ones and at the same time be deprived of their due benefits.” The President explained that the quest to ensure that veterans continue to share the comradeship that existed while in Service and adequately cater for their welfare at exit, the Federal Government established the Nigerian Legion. He expressed delight that the legionaires have been carrying out their duties by engaging in productive ventures to support themselves just as he called on all Nigerians to procure and wear the emblems with pride.”

Insecurity fight: NAF 6 operational strategies successful -Air Chief By Christiana Ekpa

he Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal AVM Sadique Abubakar yesterday disclosed that the Nigerian Air Force NAF has successfully launched six different operation strategies to tackle insecurity and other forms of criminality in the different parts of the country. Abubakar said this at an interactive meeting of the NAF management team with members of the House of Representatives Committee on Air Force in Abuja. He stressed that, the agency was saddled with the

responsibility of national security and was at a point grappling with serious threat to national security by bandits and criminals in Nigeria. He explained that in the last five years, the agency had done everything possible to protect Nigerian citizens and also protect the territorial integrity of nation against any for form of aggression According to the NAF boss launched six different operations to tackle insecurity particularly insurgency and banditry in the North-East state of Borno and some few other Northern States of the Federation

He listed the different operations as follows: Operation Lafia Dole, Safe Heaven, Thunder Strike, Hadarin Daji, Swift Response and Delta Safe. Speaking on the achievements of the agency, he said that it had successfully evacuated stranded Nigerians from crisis prone areas in Cameroun and also have sent relief materials to victims of similar crisis in Malawi, Gambia other African nations. He further informed the lawmakers that NAF had expended 64,964,000 hours to tackle these security challenges adding that it expended 924,000

hours in the North-East region alone. The NAF boss commended the lawmakers in both the Senate and House of Representatives for passing the Air Force Institute of Technology Establishment Bill into law saying that it would help in its operations as well as capacity building. Chairman of the House Committee Hon.Shehu Koko commended the efforts of the NAF boss and his management team for successfully engaging the first female pilot to fly one of its aircraft in its sixty-five years of operations.

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

News Minimum wage: Labour assures on peaceful negotiation From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

s negotiation between labour and government continues on the implementation of the new minimum wage in the public sector, organized labour has assured of a peaceful and just resolution that would improve on workers’ pay and enhance the growth of Nigerian economy. Comrade Issa Aremu, NLC NEC member and labour member of the National Wages and Salary Commission stated this in a statement made available to the

media in Kaduna yesterday. According to him, the ongoing negotiation about minimum wage implementation in the public sector was legitimate and expected and does not in any way mean there was a “crisis”. “There is already a subsisting new minimum wage of N30,000 signed into law by President Muhamadu Buhari. “It was an outcome of robust negotiations between organized labour, organized private sector, Federal and states governments. “This is also the 5th National

minimum wage Act. The first was in 1981. What is at stake is not a renegotiation but implementation. But as the saying goes, devil is in the details. “New wage for workers is Godliness. The details are what we are working towards through dialogue with the government. I have no doubt that there would not be any crisis. “There would be an agreement just the way we negotiated the past minimum wages. The Joint Public Service Negotiating Council is working with both the NLC and

TUC to achieve the goal of a just consequential adjustment”. “He went further to commend governments of Kaduna and Lagos states who he said are “law respecting” in implementing the new minimum wage. “ Comrade Aremu said decent employment and living wage are not mutually exclusive adding that decent work is work paid for adequately to ensure productivity. He said good pay is “smart economics” because workers’ pay increases effective demand for goods and service in a depressed economy like Nigeria.

Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe state (middle), inspecting firefighting and utility vehicles recently refurbished by his administration, yesterday in Gombe.

First Lady, Aisha Buhari gets more aides By Lawrence Olaoye

resident Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of more aides for his wife and First Lady, Hajia Aisha Buhari According to a statement made available to newsmen yesterday by Suleiman Haruna, Director of Information to First Lady of Nigeria, the new appointees include Dr. Mairo Almakura – Special Assistant on African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM); Muhammed Albishir – Special Assistant on Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) and Wole Aboderin – Special Assistant on Non-Governmental Organizations Others are Barr. Aiyu Abdullahi – Special Assistant on Media and Publicity; Zainab Kazeem – Special Assistant on Domestic and Social Events and Funke Adesiyan – Personal Assistant on Domestic and Social Events The appointments take immediate effect.

Kano Igbo community condemns abduction of 9 children

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

Communities laud Gov. Badaru over N394m for hospital completion From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

he coalition of community base organisations in Birninin Kudu local government area of Jigawa State has lauded Governor Muhammad Abubakar Badaru for the approval of N394 million

for the completion of ongoing project of Birnin Kudu General Hospital. This was contained in a statement issued to news men in Dutse the state capital yesterday. The coalition under the leadership of District Head of Birnin Kudu Alhaji Garba Hassan

Jibrin, said the completion of the hospital will certainly help in addressing health challenges in the area. According to the statement, Governor Badaru deserved commendation as the project of the hospital commenced since last five years but with approval

of this N394 million the project will be completed and put on use for peoples benefit. The group then thanked Governor Badaru for the concern and commitment toward provision of social infrastructures in the area and other part of the state at large.

Innovation in housing investment key to devt, says Fashola By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

inister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has said innovation in housing investment would lead to development and prosperity. Fashola said the provision of good roads , houses and consumer credit were part of the major objectives of the present administration in the next level agenda of Mr. President. He stated this during the unveiling of a Prefabricated

Assembly and Installation Building Facility by Karmod Nigeria Limited in Abuja recently. A statement signed by Stephen Kilebi Deputy-Director (Press), said Fashola pointed out that the President Buhari led administration was ready to collaborate with stakeholders to meet the housing needs of Nigerians. He commended Karmod Nigeria Limited for its introduction of the building technology , its investment in housing and consumers credit. He also lauded the company for generating its own power through

licensing by the regulator. The Minister assured the investors of support from the Federal level up to the municipal level in expanding the company business . Speaking further, the Minister called on members of the public to open accounts with the Federal Mortgage Bank (FMBN) of Nigeria in order to access fund to build or buy their own homes. Earlier in his remarks , the Chairman Karmod Prefabricated Technology , Turkey , Mesut Cankaya said “As a result of the

collaborations , Karmod Nigeria Ltd has become a role player in the sector , it can now assemble small and large projects and produce some of the sub-modular parts by its own.” Managing Director Karmod Nigeria, Akeem Shagaya in his opening remarks said, “At Karmod Nigeria Limited, we have identified the need for functioned and affordable housing, a prime component in the realization of the federal government’s goal of lifting millions out of poverty and improving the quality of lives.”

he Igbo Community Association in Kano has condemned in strong terms the abduction of nine children from the state and trafficked to South East. Recall that last Friday, Kano Police Command paraded some suspects with nine children they allegedly trafficked to Onitsha, Anambra State. This was contained in a statement jointly signed by President General Igbo Community Association in Kano Chief Ebenezer Chima and Sarki Ndigbo Kano, Igwe Boniface Ibekwe yesterday. The statement commended the security agents with their proactive investigation and synergy that led to the recovery of the victims. ‘’We are recommending stiff penalty for the culprits to serve as a deterrent to others who may be nursing ambition for such nefarious act,’’ said the statement. The statement appreciated the state Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the Emir of Kano Malam Muhammad Sunusi and the good people of Kano for their understanding of the issue. It also called on Igbos in Kano to be law-abiding and go about their legitimate businesses.

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

Continued from Cover According to the statement, all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are henceforth to submit their Yearly Travel Plans for statutory meetings and engagements to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and/or the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation for express clearance within the first quarter of the fiscal year, before implementation. It also said MDAs are also to make their presentation using the existing template and also secure approvals on specific travels as contained in the plan, from the appropriate quarters. It said, all public funded travels must be strictly for official purposes backed with documentary evidence. The statement added that, “When a Minister is at the head of an official delegation, the size of such delegation shall not exceed four including the relevant Director, Schedule Officer and one Aide of the Minister. ”Every other delegation below ministerial level shall be restricted to a maximum of three.” For Class of Air Travels, President Buhari approved that Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants to the President, Chairmen of Extra-Ministerial Departments and Chief Executive Officers of Parastatals who are entitled would continue to fly Business Class while other categories of Public Officers are to travel on Economy Class. Also, travel days will no longer attract payment of Estacode Allowances as duration of official trips shall be limited to only the number of days of the event as contained in the supporting documents to qualify for public funding, the statement added. It said the Auditor-General of the Federation has been directed to treat all expenditures that contravene these guidelines as ineligible. The statement reads, “In a bid to curb leakages and ensure efficiency in the management

News

Buhari slashes estacodes on foreign trips *Sets new travel guidelines for ministers, others of resources of government, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved for immediate implementation, additional cost saving measures aimed at instilling financial discipline and prudence, particularly, in the area of official travels. “Henceforth, all Ministries, Departments and Agencies are required to submit their yearly travel plans for statutory meetings

and engagements to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and/or the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation for express clearance within the first quarter of the fiscal year, before implementation. “Also, when a minister is at the head of an official delegation, the size of such delegation shall not exceed four, including the relevant director, schedule officer

and one aide of the minister. “Every other delegation below ministerial level shall be restricted to a maximum of three. “For class of air travels, the President has approved that ministers, permanent secretaries, special advisers, senior special assistants to the President, chairmen of extra-ministerial departments and chief executive officers of parastatals who are

entitled, to continue to fly business class while other categories of public officers are to travel on economy class. “Travel days will no longer attract payment of estacode allowances as duration of official trips shall be limited to only the number of days of the event as contained in the supporting documents to qualify for public funding.”

L-R: Chairman, National Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPPMED) Group ‘B’ of Ogbete Main Market in Enugu, Mr Chucks Ofuji; representative of the Director-General, National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs Olajumoke Ojetokun; Chairman of NAPPMED Group ‘A’ of Ogbete Main Market in Enugu, Mr Oliver Ezemba and Deputy Director, Port Operation, NAFDAC, Mr John Okwori, during a sensitization workshop for NAPPMED members organised by NAFDAC, yesterday in Enugu. Photo: NAN

FEC okays establishment of $3bn oil, gas parks By Lawrence Olaoye

he Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved over $3 billion for the establishment of oil and gas parks in Akwa-Ibom and Bayelsa states FEC also approved the sum of two billion, four hundred and thirteen million, nine hundred and sixty three thousand thirty five naira seventy five kobo (N2,413,963,035.75) for the procurement of aviation security equipment and training. The Council chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday at the Presidential Villa also okayed the sum of N581 million for the construction of bouys on River Niger for the Nigerian Inland Waterways. Briefing newsmen after the meeting, Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Timipre Silva, said he presented two

memos to the Council for the establishment of Oil and Gas Parks in Akwa-Ibom an Bayelsa states. “These parks are to support the development and manufacturing of oil and gas tools. As some of you know, in some countries, service sector of the oil industry is sometimes even bigger than the oil industry itself. Unfortunate in Nigeria that sector has not really grown so much. Now this administration is really committed to developing the service sector and that is why the oil and gas parks are being built. These parks will create a lot of jobs, we are looking at about 1000 additional jobs and of course it will also improve the security of the Niger Delta,” he explained. Asked why Nigeria continued to lose money by not activating the Deep Offshore Act, the minister said “Most of these laws are old already and they need to

be amended. The amendment of these bills really portends a lot for us. There are a lot of missed opportunities already. The previous law provided that when oil prices went beyond twenty dollars, we are supposed to negotiate and get some additional revenues. We didn’t take advantage of that and of course, when we approached the oil companies, the oil companies said look, this is a lost opportunity, its not lost money because this money is not just there, it is not being kept in some cupboard. So, of course, it is a lost opportunity, we have to do something quickly to ensure that we don’t lose this opportunity in the future. That is why we have to ensure that this bill is passed. With this bill now, there will be some adjustments in the fiscal regime and we believe that the government will get a lot from the oil companies, especially their

deep shore exploration activities.” Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, said “Today in council two memoranda were considered for and also the International Civi Aviation Organisation, ICAO. The second memoranda that was considered and approved by council today was the ratification of the instrument of International Civil Aviation Organisation Treaties. They are five in number, there is the protocol to amend the convention for the separation of unlawful seizure of aircraft which is called The Hague Convention of 1970. The other one is protocol to amend the convention for the separation of unlawful acts against safety of civil aviation which is the Montréal Convention of 1971. Another one is the protocol to amend the convention on offences and certain other acts committed on board aircraft. This one also

is called the Montréal Protocol of 2014. The fourth one is protocol to amend Article 50 (a) of the convention on International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, called the Chicago Convention of December 1944. The fifth one is the protocol to amend Article 56 of the Convention of International Civil Aviation Organisation, the ICAO Convention, December 1944 at Montreal. The significance of all of these is to improve safety and security.” Minister of State, Transportation, Gbemisola Saraki, told journalists that the Council approved the sum of N581 million for the purchase and installation of 300 buoys on the River Niger for the Nigerian Waterways. According to her, the six month contract will create approximately 120 direct jobs and many other indirect ones.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

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News

From Femi Oyelola Kaduna

L-R: Minister of Trade, Ghana, Alan Kyeremaen; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ghana, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria, Geofery Onyeama, and Minister of state, Amb. Zubair Dada, during a meeting on bilateral relations between the two Countries, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

Floods destroy 2,714 houses, claim 10 lives in Niger

he Director General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Ibrahim Inga, on Wednesday said the 2019 floods destroyed 2,714 houses and claimed 10 lives in the state. Mr Inga disclosed this when he appeared before the Niger State House of Assembly to brief it on the agency’s activities in 2019. He said a total of 21, 223 people were affected by the disaster in 20

local government areas with 123 communities submerged. “The floods, which began in August as a result of a localised high intensity rainfall accompanied by torrential winds, triggered massive run off activities in streams and rivers. “These violent river behaviours resulted in loss of 10 lives with some roads, bridges, culverts and residential buildings badly affected by the force of the

water. “These excess waters have inundated several hectares of farmlands and displaced some dwellers in hinterland communities,” he added. He said the agency could not sufficiently respond to the disaster as it had exhausted its N200m capital budget for 2019 before the flooding season. “The agency may not have responded with relief

interventions due to the reasons mentioned but had acted within the conduct of the above assessment exercise. “In view of the above therefore, the agency has requested for an emergency supplementary budget wallet,” he said. According to him, in addition to its assessment exercise, the agency has forwarded request for assistance in favour of the victims from donor partners.(NAN)

Patients laud National Ear Care Centre over efficient service delivery From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

everal patients of the National Ear Care Centre, Kaduna lauded the management and staff of the centre, over what they described as prompt service delivery. Speaking in separate chats with our this Correspondent during a tour of the centre on yesterday, they all expressed delight at the reception they received whenever they visit the facility. Aisha Hamza, who said she was there for the first time, was excited by the friendliness and prompt attention she us receiving at the General

Emergency and Accidents waiting hall. Hamza, who was there as a result of her baby said, “Although I am here for the first time, I am pleased with the services rendered so far.” Another patient, Ubaida Musa a resident of Unguwan Rimi in Kaduna metropolis, described the services as orderly. “The place is neat and orderly, when I came, I followed the queue and saw the doctor, who attended to us and told me to be coming with my baby for dressing of the wounds daily,” she said. For Amina Ahmed who brought

her baby, said they were referred to visit the Ear Care Centre after several doctors in their place of residence, Fungus Local Government Area of Katsina State could not solve their problem. “We came all the way from Funtua LGA, Katsina State and started visiting the centre a week ago. We have been well attended to and the medical personnel are friendly. My baby has ear problems, she is two years old and doesn’t hear clearly. We are optimistic the condition would be taken care of,” she said. At the Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic of the centre, David Patrick said he is

suffering from Sinusitis as a result of a growth in the nasal passage obstructing the nasal cavity and first visited the centre, three months ago. “I started coming here three months ago. I was supposed to be operated on but the highly professional doctors here diagnosed that I have high blood pressure, hence they are monitoring and still and conducting tests. Meanwhile, it was observed that in all the waiting halls, none of the patients seemed to be bored or anxious as they are entertained with movies from TV sets hung on the walls.

Traditional medicine practitioners elect new executives By Usman Shuaibu

he leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP) on Saturday elected new executive members to pilot the affairs of the association for three years. The elected officials are; Alhaji (Dr) Shaba Maikudi (president), Dr

Igene Mutairu (Deputy President), Alhaji Adeagbo Kamaldeen (Secretary-general), Alhaji Ganiyu (Assistant secretary-general), Dr Mohammed Beji (Vice-president North central), Alhaji Hashiru Aliyu Maikada (Vice-president North west), Alhaji Mustapha Ibrahim Al-Amin (vice-president North East) and Chief (Dr) Okwudili (Vice-president South East).

Other elected officials include; Chief Samuel Banjo (Vice-president South West), Dr Bameyi Akhamie (Vice-president South South), Mrs Moradi Nkem (Treasurer), Alhaji Ibrahim Agaie (P.R.O.I), Dr Orhotohwo (PRO II), Dr Akeem Atanda (Financial secretary), Dr Ali Amodu (Auditor I) and the position of Auditor II went to Husseni Lukman Ademola.

Addressing the crowd before the commencement of the election, the newly elected president of the association, Alhaji Shaba Maikudi, told the contestants who lost an election to accept the defeat in good faith. Maikudi charged every member of NANTMP to desist from any act capable of undermining the progress of the association.

Delta: NUJ facilitates with Osahor on appointment as Permanent Secretary From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

he Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Delta State Council, has congratulated Mr Paul Osahor JP, of the State Ministry of Information on his appointment as a Permanent Secretary in the Delta State Civil Service. The NUJ, in a statement issued yesterday in Asaba, said the appointment was well deserved and a reward for hard work, dedication and zeal at giving verve to information service delivery in the state. The statement signed by the Council Chairman, Michael Ikeogwu and Secretary, Churchill Oyowe, expressed confidence that the appointment would further motivate the creative best in Mr Osahor for effective service delivery. The council, while also congratulating all the other appointees on their elevation to the peak of their career as civil servants, thanked Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for extending his appointments to the civil service and Post Primary Education Board. The council particularly commended the governor on the ground that testimonies from some of the appointees indicated that they did not lobby but rather, merit was considered in the appointment. The council urged the governor to maintain the tempo in subsequent appointments, arguing that it would help to build a resilient and re-oriented civil service

PAGE 7

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

Kaduna State High Court sitting in Kaduna has discharged and acquitted 9 members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria arrested three years ago while on their way to attend the Islamic religious rite of Ashura mourning in Kaduna. This was contained in a statement signed by the President Media Forum of the Movement, Ibrahim Musa. According to the statement, the Court was presided over by Justice Nyoms. All the nine, including two women, stood trial in the Kaduna State High Court since September 2016. They were accused of being members of the Islamic Movement, unlawful assembly and intent to disturb the public among others. In his judgment, Justice Nyoms, said the prosecution didn’t prove any of the charges against any of those standing trial. “This recent favourable judgement adds to the number of landmark cases in which the government has failed to convict any member of the Islamic Movement for any crime in various courts across the country since the Zaria massacre of December 2015.

CRIME News

After 3 years, court acquits 9 Shi’ite members “ So far, hundreds of members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria have been discharged and acquitted for alleged crimes including that of culpable homicide among others after proper trials in courts. “ Since the persecution of the members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria led by Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky (H) commenced, the High Courts in Kaduna and Sokoto, as well as the Court of Appeal have discharged and acquitted 309 members of the

Islamic Movement and dismissed the frivolous charges brought against them. “On 2nd July of 2015 the Sokoto Judicial Division - Court of Appeal - has discharged and acquitted 112 members of the Islamic Movement of any offense. “On Tuesday 30/07/2018 Justice David Shiri Wyom at the Kaduna State High Court cleared over 80 Shiite supporters of the Islamic Movement of criminal charges linked to a violent

protest in 2015. He ruled in favour of the defence’s no case submission, saying that the state did not present enough evidence to go ahead with proceedings. “This explains why the government has resorted to employing delay tactics in the prosecution of the remaining cases left in court including the one trying the leader of the Islamic Movement, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky through deliberate attempts at frustrating the legal team of the

L-R: Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar; Chief of Training and Operation Air Vice Marshal Amawo and the Chief of Air Craft Engineering Air Vice Marshal Musa Muktar, during an interactive session / inaugural meeting with the Committee on Air Force, at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Xenophobia: Another Nigerian killed in South Africa

mid Nigeria and South Africa seeking ways to end xenophobia in the latter’s country, the Nigerian community in South Africa has confirmed the killing of one of its members, Ikenna Otugo. Sylvester Okonkwo, Acting Chairman of Nigerian Union South Africa (NUSA) in the Kwazulu Natal Province, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday that the deceased was killed at Empangeni, in the province on Tuesday. He said that Mr Otugo, 41, a native of Nimo in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra, was allegedly stabbed to death by unknown assailants over a business disagreement. Mr Okonkwo told NAN on telephone from Empangeni that Mr Otugo had repaired a cellphone for a client in the area. He said that information made available to the union indicated that the female client was not satisfied with the work done by Mr Otugo. Mr Okonkwo said the client brought some men who allegedly stabbed the victim. “Otugo died on the way to the hospital following the stabbing. We have reported the incident to the police and national secretariat of our union, NUSA. “His (Otugo’s) body is now in the mortuary awaiting autopsy,’’ he said. The acting chairman said the victim is survived by a nine-yearold son. Contacted, Adetola Olubajo, President of NUSA, said that the national secretariat had been informed about the incident. (NAN)

Islamic Movement, led by Mr. Femi Falana, SAN and Mr. Maxwell Kyon, who have so far successfully defended and won all the cases against the government. “We therefore call on the federal and state governments to withdraw the unfounded charges against our leader Sheikh Zakzaky (H) and others standing trial. They are toying with the lives of innocent citizens, which is an aberration in any democratic polity,” the statement reads.

Kano 9: Senator Gaya charges NASS on thorough investigation By Ese Awhotu

enator representing APC Kano South in the Senate, Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya has called on the leadership of the National Assembly to as a matter of urgency institute a proper investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the kidnap of nine children from Kano

State allegedly found in Anambra State last week. In a motion on the floor of Senate, “Empowering the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTlP) to Address the Scourge of Kidnapping and Human Trafficking,” Senator Gaya urged the Senate to engage all security agencies in the country to get

to root of this kidnap and many others in the country to bring the perpetrators and sponsors to book. He said that the reason behind the motion is to stop this ugly trend of kidnapping in the Nigeria as it is portraying the country in bad light before comity of nations. He enjoined parents to be security conscious and urged

security agencies to intensify effort to make the country safe for the citizens particularly children who are the leaders of tomorrow. The former Kano State governor used the opportunity to thank Nigerians and call on them to continue to pray for the country adding that Nigeria will come out stronger from the security challenges facing the nation.

B/Haram comment: Ndume tactically diverting attention, says NDF By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

he National Democratic Front (NDF) has claimed that Senator Ali Ndume’s latest strategy on Boko Haram is aimed at diverting attention of his contribution to insurgency. NDF made this claim in reaction to the Borno South lawmaker’s assertion, were he claimed that 847 soldiers were lost in the insurgency. The group posited that the Senators’ recent claim confirms his ties with the Islamic sect. In a statement signed by the Secretary General, Dr Bolaji Abdulkadir, the NDF reckoned it was time to address Senator Ndume’s inglorious role in the Boko Haram conundrum. In a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, the group said, Mr Ndume, who was once

heavily linked to the Islamic sect, genuinely knows about its activities and may be enjoying some benefits. While the Nigerian Army has asked the former Senate Leader to substantiate his claim, the NDF asked Nigerians not to take him in a solemn manner, especially knowing his history of substance abuse. The National Democratic Front, therefore, advised Senator Ndume to stop using Boko Haram as a political tool to impoverish his people. The group further cautioned the lawmaker to desist from spreading falsehood in a bid to cover up for all the atrocities he has perpetrated in Borno. The statement reads in part; “‘The National Democratic Front is constrained to convene this Press Conference in light of

the shameful and dishonorable statement credited to Senator Ali Ndume, the Senator representing Borno South Senatorial District of Borno State, wherein he mischievously stated that over 847 soldiers had been killed by Boko Haram and buried in Borno cemetery. ‘’The National Democratic Front wishes to state that the statement credited to Senator Ali Ndume is not only mischievous, it is indeed a testament to the fact that he genuinely knows more about the activities of Boko Haram and probably benefiting from it. ‘’The National Democratic Front wishes to inform members of the general public that Senator Ali Ndume is not one whose perceived contribution to the national discourse should be taken seriously, not even with the fact that he is a Boko Haram sponsor

despite the kangaroo judgment he secured from the courts when he was arraigned for terrorism related offences some time ago. ‘’Senator Ali Ndume has a long history of substance abuse and we are constrained to believe that his recent utterances might be as a result of the same substance overdose and as such his views on national issues should be viewed with a pinch of salt. ‘’The National Democratic Front, in the same vein, wishes to advise Senator Ali Ndume to desist from spreading fake news in a bid to cover up for all the atrocities he has perpetrated against the people of Borno State. ‘’He should, as a matter of urgency, seek forgiveness from his people and henceforth desist from commenting on national issues because he lacks the moral authority to do so.’’

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

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News

he Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has warned those using his office for fraudulent acts to desist or face the consequences. Mr Mustapha gave the warning in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by the Director of Information in the office of the SGF, Willie Bassey. Mr Mustapha said his attention had been drawn to unrelenting activities of faceless persons to such fraudulent activities. He said the faceless persons had been using the social media and other platforms to lure unsuspecting members of the public to submit their Curriculum Vitae, at a fee, to his office for federal government appointments. He said his office was also aware

Faceless persons using my office for fraudulent acts -SGF of inaccurate information peddled around, regarding constituency projects being executed under its supervision. “For the avoidance of doubt, the office of the SGF neither executes nor supervises constituency projects.

“Also, the SGF is aware of numerous forged introductory letters purportedly issued from his office seeking diverse favours from individuals and corporate entities for personal gains. “The general public is by this notice advised to beware of the

clandestine activities of these dubious and fraudulent persons and their cohorts going about to fleece unsuspecting members of the public,” he said. The SGF said government has evolved measures to track these unpatriotic and faceless

persons and will bring to justice anyone found engaging in these unwholesome activities. He said for enquiry and clarification, the official communication channels of his remain: www.osgf.gov.ng and info@osgf.gov.ng.(NAN)

FCT community lambast minister over abandonment of Cottage Hospital

News The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Adedamola Kuti, on Wednesday said that the federal government was committed to ongoing reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads in the state. Mr Kuti told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that work was ongoing on Lagos federal roads, adding that contractors handling the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway project would soon return to site. “We are working on all our projects except that serious work seems to have slowed down because of the rains, but the most important thing is that all the contractors are on site,’’ he said. He said the Ministry of Works and Housing is supervising contractors working on section three from Agbara to Seme Border on Lagos-Badagry Expressway to

41 Bauchi communities benefit from N370m CSDP projects From Ahmad Bauchi

Page 9

Why rehabilitation of Lagos roads is slow -FG aid reconstruction and repair of the failed portions. He added that work had also commenced on various sections of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and critical sections of the Ikorodu Sagamu Road. “Work is ongoing on three sections simultaneously around Kara, Ibafo and Mowe on LagosIbadan Expressway. We are using different equipment on various sections to speed up work. “On Apapa-Oshodi-OjotaOworonsoki Expressway, the reconstruction work is ongoing. The contractors are on site, and we

have also made diversions. We are working on sections one, two, three and four. “We have to appreciate that contractors are on site because ordinarily work is expected to slow down because of the rains,’’ he told NAN. The controller, who refused to comment on allegation of delay in the completion of the reconstruction of Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, said the ministry would soon make the roads more motorable. He said the ministry was working hard at carrying out

palliative works on the highway, adding that contracts for the reconstruction of the highways had been awarded. Mr Kuti also said repair works on all bridges would be sustained to ensure motorists comfort. “Dorman Long Bridge is work in progress. We have succeeded in replacing some of the bad expansion joints. We have replaced five of them when you are coming from Fadeyi inbound Ojuelegba. We have also completed milling and resurfacing of the bridge. “On the out bound from Ojuelegba towards Fadeyi, the

Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State speaking during a visit to the Emir of Jajere Alhaji Hamza Buba Ibn Isa Mashio (right) when he visited Babbangida Town of Tarmuwa Local Government of the State where he had a town hall meeting with the people yesterday. With him is his deputy, Hon. Idi Barde Gubana (left)

INEC recruits 81 physically-challenged persons for Kogi election

he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said that 81 persons with disabilities were among ad hoc staff it had recruited for the November 16 governorship election in Kogi State. The Director of Voter Education and Publicity, INEC office, Lokoja, Ahmed Biambo, disclosed this on Wednesday on the sideline of a oneday sensitisation forum organised by the commission for persons living with disabilities. Mr Biambo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the 81 physically challenged persons were recruited to work as Presiding Officers and Assistant Presiding Officers. He said the recruited ad hoc staff will be deployed to polling units across the 21 local government areas

of the state. The official, however, said the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) had ordered that they be posted to non-volatile areas , saying that they will be trained on the use of braille ballot guide among others. Also speaking, the Chairman of the state Chapter of the Joint National Association of Persons Living with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Solomon Yahaya, confirmed the recruitment of his members as ad hoc staff by INEC. He thanked the commission for the inclusion of physically challenged people in the electoral process, saying that it has given them a sense of belonging. Mr Yahaya charged members of the association to come out on election day to vote for a candidate

of their choice and advised those recruited as ad hoc staff to give a good account of themselves. Earlier, while declaring the forum open, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner , James Apam, said the commission was determined to ensure that all persons living with disabilities exercise their franchise on election day. Mr Apam, said persons with disabilities will be given access to polling unit unhindered saying that they will also be accorded priority to vote first before others. The REC , further explained that security agents had been properly briefed on how to treat person with disabilities on election day, urging all of them to come out and vote. The Deputy Director, Civil Society Organisations Division at the INEC

headquarters, Dorothy Bello, said the forum was organised to intimate members of JONAPWD on the preparations towards ensuring a free, fair and credible election. Mrs Bello said INEC had taken steps to make the election allinclusive by organising roundtable meetings to mainstream persons living with disabilities in the political party structures, activities and leadership positions. She said INEC had also procured and deployed magnifying glasses to aid the albinos in making informed choices during voting. She also stated that the visually impaired/blind among them will be given transcribed voter education materials in braille to further enhance their participation in the election.(NAN)

Jigawa govt. sacks principal over computer theft

he Jigawa Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has sacked the Principal of Unity Secondary School, Maigatari, Dayyabu Madaki, for negligence of duty. The sack was contained in a statement signed by Yakubu Abbas,

the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maigatari on Wednesday. Mr Abbas said Mr Madaki’s sack would serve as punishment, following the theft of a K-Yan learning computer

from the school by unidentified person. He described such negligence as unpardonable “because the ministry had directed heads of schools to always safeguard learning materials in their care.”

The permanent secretary said the Zonal education office of the ministry in Gumel would now oversee the school. He said that the sacked principal had been redeployed to the ministry. (NAN)

orty one communities and vulnerable groups in Bauchi State have benefited from over three hundred and seventy million naira under the State Community and Social Development Project CSDP The World Bank assisted project which attracts the counterpart of one hundred million naira by the state government, provided about ten million naira to each of the benefiting communities and the vulnerable groups Presenting the cheques to the beneficiaries, the state governor senator Bala Muhammad said the goal of the project was to improve the wellbeing of people especially at the rural areas Senator Bala Muhammad charged the state community and social development project to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation to prevent execution of substandard work While appreciating the world bank for complementing his administration’s determination for improving the lives of people, Bala Muhammad said he will maintain cordial relationship with donor agencies for socio economic development of the state. The General manager of the state community and social development project Dr. Sadeeq Abubakar explained that the communities were allowed to proposed the projects of their need for optimal utilization of the facilities Dr. Sadeeq Abubakar who called for using the fund for the purpose it was meant for, maintained that monitoring and evaluation will be intensified. Some leaders of the benefiting communities, who expressed gratitude for the initiative, noted that the gesture is an indication of commitment to meeting their needs.

contractor is moving in to start work for the replacement of the expansion joints. “The approach to the bridge, coming down from Fadeyi, a contractor was able to move to site last night when we had favourable weather to fix it, so the road is motorable now,’’ he said. The controller said repair works and replacement of expansion joints on the Ojuelegba, Eko and Alaka Bridges had been completed. He said the repairs on the Third Mainland Bridge would commence as soon as the traffic management architecture was completed.(NAN)

Acting Vice Chancellor, Adamawa State University, Mubi, Prof. Kaletapwa Farauta (right), with the Chairman of the newly Constituted Governing Council of the University, Alhaji Auwal Tukur (middle) and other members of the council, being conducted round projects in the Institution, yesterday in Yola. Photo: NAN

Mohammed,

By Usman Shuaibu

ollowing the visit by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister of State, Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu to Gwagwalada Area Council, some of the residents of Kutunku community in the area, have accused the minister of failing to visit the abandoned cottage hospital in the community. They also scolded the officials of the FCT Administration who were aware of the abandoned hospital without intimating the minister during the visit. The residents, who spoke with our in separate interviews after the visit of the minister on Tuesday, appealing to the minister to deem it necessary to complete the neglected cottage hospital in Kutunku community. Malam Yahaya Madaki, a resident in the community, who was visibly angry, said he was disappointed as the minister did not visit the site of the abandoned hospital in Kutunku community. Another resident, Mr Magaji Shamaki, expressed with dismay the way the FCT Administration abandoned the hospital in the bush. Shamaki said: “The most painful thing is that the FCT Administration has not care to complete the hospital project”. Mr Emma Silas, who is also a resident in the community, called on the minister to repair the dilapidated Kutunku road that links to FRCN road for the benefit of commuters. However, an aggrieved APC member who spoke on the condition of anonymity, alleged that the planned by the FCT minister of state to visit the six area councils was an avenue for the minister to loot government funds.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

Assent to ICCON Act, Chemical Society of Nigeria urges Buhari From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

he Chemical Society of Nigeria (CSN) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the amended Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria, ICCON Act into law. This was contained in a communiqué signed by the President of CSN, Professor Sunday Olawale Okeniyi and made available to the media in Kaduna yesterday. The communiqué was an outcome of the Society’s 42nd Annual International Conference and 4th African Conference on Research in Chemistry Education. The Society commended the National Assembly for passing the amended, ICCON act into law. The statement added that the conference, tagged Eko 2019 with the theme: “Chemistry Education and Sustainable Development” among other recommendations said that Curriculum review in the

Nation’s educational space should be regular and industry driven, adding that secondary and tertiary education chemistry curriculum in Nigeria should be reviewed so as to concentrate more on practical knowledge than theory, which will in turn instill entrepreneurial skills and ability on the graduates from these levels of education. “Concept and knowledge of chemical security, safety and management should be incorporated in the chemistry educational curriculum to be reviewed in Nigeria in order to facilitate adequate knowledge of chemical management, security and safety amongst the chemical practitioners and stakeholders.” “Government should encourage and promote adequate synergy between academia and the industry; so as to facilitate transfer of chemistry research outputs, knowledge and technology from laboratories to industries for appropriate investments.

The communiqué also suggested that; government should deploy adequate funding and infrastructure such as energy and telecommunication (bandwidth) to teaching/learning and research in the Nigerian educational institutions in order to measure up with best practices in a competitive global knowledge economy. “For Nigeria to aspire to move on to the level of fourth industrial revolution globally, chemistry as a discipline must be driven by appropriately positioning our chemistry education curriculum in line with international best practices. “Chemistry, as a discipline should be supported as it is pivotal to achieving the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) in Nigeria on or before year 2030. Training in the chemical sciences should also be given a special and unique status it deserves, considering the specialized nature

of the skills chemists are expected to acquire during training. “Government should re-assess its science education policy to give particular and special attention to chemistry education in view of the importance of chemistry and science knowledge to Nigeria’s dream of industrial revolution. “Chemical industries based on renewable natural resources are the weapon to fast track sustainable chemical education in Nigeria and Africa “Government should motivate chemistry teachers at the Secondary School levels in Nigeria to enhance effective discharge of their academic duties and functions,” the communiqué stated. According to them, the concept of “Alternative-to-Practical’ currently embedded in the curriculum and being practiced in the Nigerian educational training institutions should be discouraged and totally outlawed.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

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News

Mohammed,

he Bauchi State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Aliyu Usman Tilde has sacked the principal along with two storekeepers of the Hasan Usman Katsina Unity College for underfeeding students of the school. Tilde in a press statement issued to journalists in Bauchi yesterday, said the affected officers were found serving the food of 350 students to over 1200 students last weekend while government has provided sufficient food items to all its 35 boarding schools before the inception of the school. According to the statement, a new principal has been appointed by the Ministry for the Unity School which draws students from all 19 Northern states. The Commissioner in the statement said a robust high-tech

arrangement for monitoring of student meals along with designated resident food police will soon be deployed to all baording secondary schools in the state, insisting that the era of starving boarding students will become history in the state.

The statement however, said Hamza Isah Dakusni has been appointed as the principal of the GHUKUC Bauchi, Umar Inuwa, Principal GDSS R/Zayam, Bashir Aliyu Adamu, Principal GDSS Tilden Fulani, Shamsuddeen Yunusa, as V.P. 1(Admin) GHUKUC

Bauchi while Nehemiah Joel was appointed as V.P II (Academic) GDSS R/ Zayam. Others appointed are Muhammed Abba Aminu from GDSS Dewu to GDSS Gyamzo and Yakubu Sa’ad Tilde as Subject

Inspector for GDSS Rimin Zayam. The statement indicated that all the affected schools are requested to take note and all handing over formalities should be completed within a week while each officer report for duty should be communicated to the ministry.

R-L: Deputy Speaker House of Representatives, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase receiving a present from the Deputy chairman of the committee on international affairs of the Russian parliament and also the author of the book Senator Andrew A. Klimov. At the Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly holding at Belgrade Serbia, yesterday.

Jigawa govt. empowers 15 groups with Typher grasses clearing equipment From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

o fewer than 15 groups that live along Rivers Hadejia/ Jama’are wetland in Jigawa State have received Typher grasses clearing tools worth millions of naira from Jigawa State government. The state Commissioner of Environment, Alhaji Ibrahim Baba Chaichai dropped the hint yesterday during the distribution of the equipment held at Miga local government area of the state. He said, the tools that include eight canoes, 3,000 empty bags, cutlasses and shavels, spanplats were donated freely to these groups to clear typher grasses. The commissioner who represented the Deputy Governor Umar Namadi at the occasion said the tools meant for all the groups in LGAs laying within the Jigawa wetland. He said the tools were purchased by Governor Mohammed Badaru Abubakar with the view to assist in clearing all the water blockages along rivers Hadajia/Jama’are. Speaking, the council chairman of Miga local government area, Mohammadu Abubakar urged the beneficiaries to make use of the materials in order to serve the purpose of which they were provided for. Also the Special Assistant to Governor Badaru on Empowerment, Community and Social Inclusion, Honorable Hamza Muhammad said this gesture is meant to be reciprocated by the people because a substantial amount was used in purchasing them.

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EDITORIAL

Bauchi govt. sacks principal, 2 others for under feeding students From Ahmad Bauchi

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

Benue Investment Coy sacks 44 staff

From Uche Makurdi

Nnorom,

ew Managing Director, Benue Investment Property Company, BIPC Barr. Alex Adum has lamented over the depreciating liquidity and asset base of the company. Barr. Adum made the lamentation yesterday at a press conference held at the company Guest House in Makurdi, Benue State capital. He regretted that from an asset base of 45 billion naira in 1999, the fortunes of the company dropped to 25 billion and it is as low a 3 billion naira, blaming this on politics, over bloated staff of almost 200 as well as misplaced priority by preceding management.

The MD explained that this informed the recent restructuring of the company that led to right sizing in staff. According to him, 44 staff have been disengaged, adding that more will be sacked. ‘We are sinking so we needed to offload the weight. We applied three (3) principles, last in first out, redundancy and misconduct in carrying out this exercise. It was not targeted at any local government or individuals. Those disengaged failed to add value to the company. There is no blackmail about this. “Those disengaged was done based on the shareholder directive. I also, took the decision with the inherent power bestowed on me without consultation with the board.

“We have been experiencing liquidity challenge. We are not generating Investment on income. Our money portfolio, receipt on commodity trading failed woefully, gains from subsidiary operations, stock investment is all time low, returns from deposit no longer exist even as our worth is as low as 300 million naira while bank interest is nonexistent. “Our Plaza in Abuja and Kahana are not doing well. Our guest house in Makurdi has a staff strength of 50 and a personnel cost of over 4 million naira monthly. The total income turnover is slightly above 1 million naira. So,our first choice was to reorganize the management structure. In that like, 4 general managers were sent out, 2

general managers Operations/ Finance and Accounts while only 2 Assistant General managers were retained”, he said. Adum, a former Commissioner for Commerce and Industry and later, Commissioner for Justice under the Suswam administration said the cumulative loss of the company is over 66 million, promising to retool and refocus it to its original mandate and status within three (3) years, explaining further that so far, the operational cost of over 130 million naira has been reduced to 42 million in a month. He maintained that if operational cost remains low and dividend high, the company will buy more treasury bonds and euro bond to shore up its assets base.

Former Chief Judge heads Kaduna Grievance Redress C’ttee From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

ormer Chief Judge of Kaduna State, Justice Tanimu Zailani has been appointed by the state government to chair the Grievance Redress Committee (GRC) of the Agro-processing, Productivity Enhancement And Livelihood Improvement Support Project (APPEALS) in the state. The legal bigwig is to work with other members of the committee which includes Dr

Yahaya Aminu, Dr. Habib Tukur, Mr. Musa John (NSCDC), Mr. Henry Jonathan and Mr. Ibrahim Yakubu, Alhaji Rufai Mohammed, Mrs. Tabitha Jummai, Mr. Habibu Lawal, Barrister Priscilla Akut, Mrs. Aisha Idris, Mrs. Farida Abubakar. Inaugurating the committee at a hotel in Kaduna, yesterday Deputy Governor, who also Chairs APPEALS Project State Steering Committee, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe said, the Committee was an important

element needed for the successful implementation of APPEALS in Kaduna State. According to her, “Kaduna State is glad to collaborate with the World Bank towards driving our goal to transform the economy of the state through development of agricultural sector, to transit agriculture from subsistence to commercially viable and marketoriented business and attract investment into the sector to create jobs and improve standard of living of the people.

“The Project targets 10,000 direct and 50,000 indirect beneficiaries in the various segments of the value chains. Each of the value chains has high potentials for market driven sustainable development in the State. “The APPEALS Project is a needed impetus to improve agricultural production, ensure food security, job creation and economic development in beneficiary states and the country.”

Simply unsatisfactory

he joint panel that other security agencies establish an investigated the August Interagency Liaison Desk to include 6 killing of three police senior officers for timely resolution officers and two civilians of future misdemeanor.” Firstly, we note that the BOI took by soldiers at a checkpoint near Wukari, Taraba state, turned in a longer than the time given to it to report slightly over a week ago. The finish the inquiry and submit its inquiry was ordered by President findings in a case that had become Muhammadu Buhari following the very emotive. This led to allegations in certain quarters of huge public outrage that an attempted coverthe killings provoked. up. Secondly, if the The BOI’s report was panel’s investigation submitted to the Chief The BOI also was “thorough and of Defence Staff, Gen. recommended that painstaking” as Olonisakin. A statement the NA and NPF further claimed by Defence by Defence Headquarters, investigate Captain Headquarters, Abuja, said in part: Tijani Balarabe, why did it only “After a thorough and Sergeant Ibrahim painstaking investigation Mohammed, Corporal recommend “further into the incident, the BOI Bartholomew Obanye, investigation” of submitted its report to persons whose roles in DCO, Ibi Police Division, Assistant the convening authority, the killings had been Superintendent of confirmed? Why not observing that there were Police Aondoona simply say this and infractions and poor Iorbee, and Inspector that should be done communication between Aliyu Dadje for personnel of the NPF and to them? Thirdly, it complacency and does not make sense troops of the NA. It was necessary disciplinary also observed that there to mandate the CDS, measures. It was also was non-adherence to recommended that whose neutrality the Standard Operating further investigation be the Nigeria Police Procedure by both parties conducted on Hamisu Force, may doubt, involved in the incident. Bala (Wadume) for to make the final It further made some recommendations gunrunning and recommendations to the possible kidnapping, on the matter to NA and NPF to forestall in order to prosecute President Buhari. the suspect future reoccurrence and In our Aug. 15 2019 bring anyone culpable to editorial, we had book in accordance with extant laws. referenced that unstated doubt “The BOI also recommended when we asked why Police Hqtrs that the NA and NPF further chose to conduct a parallel inquiry investigate Captain Tijani Balarabe, to the one ordered by Mr. President. Sergeant Ibrahim Mohammed, “This can only be the outcome of Corporal Bartholomew Obanye, mistrust”, we said. “This is not good. DCO, Ibi Police Division, Assistant We believe the joint team ... should Superintendent of Police Aondoona be trusted to do a thorough job of Iorbee, and Inspector Aliyu Dadje the investigation. If, at the end, the for complacency and necessary outcome is not seen to be impartial, disciplinary measures. It was it is then that questions, if any, also recommended that further should be raised”. In our view, the investigation be conducted on panel’s insipid recommendations do Hamisu Bala (Wadume) for not reflect the claimed thoroughness gunrunning and possible kidnapping, of the inquiry. It is now left to in order to prosecute the suspect. Mr. President, who has the final “Additionally, the BOI say in the matter, to salvage this recommended that the Services and unsatisfactory inquiry.

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Letter to the Editor

Governor Badaru’s appointment of 54 Special Assistants in Jigawa By: Adamu Muhd Usman.

he entire media has been awash with commentaries on appraisal and chains of criticism on the appointment of 54 Special Assistants by governor Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa state. Though, I am not governor Badaru’s spokesman or one of his cabinet members, but am a citizen of Jigawa state and the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution accorded me the right and privilege to write and express my opinion on this issue including others affecting my stateJigawa. Some people, especially those outside Jigawa state condemned the appointment because of the sheer size of the aides, though no law in the land prohibits a governor from making such appointments, and governor Badaru was not the first governor to appoint many aides in his cabinet. Previously, there was a governor who appointed over 150 aides. Appointing many aides is a political advantage to him and reducing unemployment. Jigawa is a rural state with few opportunities including the culture of extended family, the remuneration of one aide to the governor will have a multiplier effect of hundreds of people especially in the rural areas. Some observers also criticized Gov. Badaru for appointing one aide each for his 3 wives, but I do not see anything wrong with that, as far as they are capable, and can meet the requirements in their job description as well as having what it take to serve in that capacities. I It is a gender sensitivity; also the appointees will be advising the Governor’s wives, and in return, the wives will advise their husband on feminine issues especially the girlchild-education, maternal and infant mortality. Some pundits are of the view that, this will assist the government to revisit Haifuwa Lafiya Scheme which was introduced by Sule Lamido administration in the state. Some people, who are mostly apolitical, questioned the appointment of the Special Assistant on streets light. Well, the motive behind those portfolios may be linked to former Governor Sule Lamido’s wisdom on rural development - during the tenure of Sule Lamido administration, he provided the 27 local government headquarters in the state with streets light which made the towns look like big cities. This also helps security of lives and properties in the towns but because they were neglected and no proper and constant maintenance, most of the streetlight became nonfunctional. The situation is very worrisome and has also put fear in the minds of ordinary citizen in terms of basic security especially in the nights. Appointing an aide to assist the governor to overlook the affairs of the streets light will bring proper inspection, management and regular functioning of the streets lights.

Sometimes, some actions of public office holders may appear irrational from afar, but a closer look of the actions may provide deep and sensible reasons why the action was taken. To this regard, I extol governor Badaru for the appointment of special assistants on wheat, rice, crop production (other crops), irrigation, cluster and conflict resolution. As governor Badaru promises and preaches agricultural production in the state of small and medium scale, as one of his agendas he will solely concentrate on. So, we still hope that, farmers in the state will continue to enjoy the maximum support in crop production, including the use of mechanized farming system in order to encourage and support livestock farming system which will go along the way to reduce or stop clashes between the farmers and the Fulani cattle breeders as Sule Lamido did. Furthermore, Gov. Badaru should be commended for the appointment of special assistant on the desert encroachment. Climate change is a global issue; serious governments are concern about it. Moreover, desert encroachment is one of the hazardous environmental issues facing Jigawa state. The special assistant on Drug Abuse and rape which will go along the way to checkmate, reduce or halt social vices and immorally in the land especially among the young generation. How I wish, the governor has also appointed an aide on flood and water disaster, which is also one of the environmental problem facing Jigawa state both in urban and rural areas, especially farming communities. In a nutshell, we hope the government will give all necessary cooperation, power and support to all the aides in order to discharge their responsibilities diligently, effectively, efficiently, sincerely and heatedly. We still hope sensitization workshops, seminars and other events would be organised in order to educate, enlighten, entertain, encourage and intimate the general public most times through the media (print, electronics, online and social/new media) on the need to know why Jigawa state require these kind of political appointments and how the SAs will discharge their responsibilities Lastly, we hope and pray the appointees will be God fearing, committed, dedicated, upright and up and doing. What gives people hope and meaning is the pursuit of meaningful and noble purpose. And one of the simplest and easiest ways to change your people and the society is to assist or help others achieve their dreams. Stephen R. Covey once said “The environment you fashion out of your thought, your beliefs, your ideas, your philosophy us the only climate you will ever live in. The key is not spending time, but in invest it” Jigawa of my dreams Adamu writes from KafinHausa, Jigawa state amu3333@yahoo.com

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Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

Border closure and lessons from the World Bank By Jerome-Mario Utomi

t is common knowledge that the Federal Government on August 20th, 2019, ordered the closure of Nigeria’s border with Benin Republic, citing massive smuggling activities taking place on that corridor as the reason(s). Within this space also, Nigerians have listened with rapt attention to the Federal Government reel out how smuggling of rice and other communities from the neighbouring countries threatens the nation’s domestic rice production and frustrates the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN)’s Anchor Borrowers Programme. Expectedly, the decision has elicited various comments from numerous stakeholders. While Pro-border-closure expressed the view that though the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) protocol permits free movement of people, security must be prioritised, adding that the initiative aside from other gains have brought about increase to the nations’ revenue. Despite these ingrain “virtues and attributes” associated with the programme, Nigerians with critical interest have expressed concern about introducing such a policy without palliative, submitting that the policy in their estimation remains an unjust man-made code that neither squares with moral laws nor uplifts human personalities, as it possesses the capacity to render many Nigerians jobless and hungry. Whatever the true position maybe, like the next paragraph will illustrate, when one juxtaposes government narrative with the World Bank report on a similar decision in June 2015 by the Nigerian government, where it among other things excluded

certain products eligibility for purposes of importation, it will further illustrate that FG’s present decision was more consistent with income generation and not in agreement with the harsh effect the policy may visit on the households. Writing on the short-run impact of the import ban on poverty; the case of Nigeria (2008 to 2012), Andrew Dabalen and Nga Thi Biet Nguyen, Lead Economist and Economist respectively, in the World Bank poverty and equity global practice noted that the Nigerian Government uses food import prohibition as part of policies that seek to protect existing domestic producers and reduce the country’s dependence on imports; without considering the fact that such policies have negative effects on net customers of such products due to higher prices. The World Bank on that report particularly noted that with 70% of poor households’ budget spent on food, and about 13% of the total budget devoted to products subject to import-banned, poor households is vulnerable to such trade policies. Prices of some imports prohibited food products are found to be higher than what they will in the absence of such bans. During this period (2008 to 2012), ‘products that make about 13% of the household budget were subject to the import ban. And the unintended consequences of such a policy stand on net consumers of products subject to import bans- particularly, the impact on prices of banned products and welfare of households who are net consumers. They empirically established that prices of products that were subject to import prohibition between 2008 and 2012 were on average 29% higher in Nigeria than in Ghana and Senegal, and therefore advised that

elimination of import, bans would result in welfare gains for the population (Nigerians). The magnitude of the estimate, the report added, differ by the country or countries used as benchmarks. On average National poverty, measured as those living below the international poverty line of 1.25dollars, could be lower by 2.6 percentage point, if Ghana is used as a benchmark country while suggesting that removal of import bans would lead to 2.9 percentage point reduction in rural poverty. These findings in my views seem puzzling, and, the analysis demonstrates a direct relationship with what the vast majority of Nigerians currently experience as a result of the Federal Government closure of Nigeria’s borders Substantially, this piece is not against border closure if it is aimed at greater good for greater number. Also, the purpose is not to illogically criticize the policy but to objectively understand the basic reason(s) responsible for the policy and what made it seem attractive to the FG; and possibly challenge those ‘fundamental’ assumptions. Interestingly, one of the best ways to achieve these are by finding the answer to; why this is coming at a time when the agricultural sector is not yet viable enough to carter for that consumption gaps created by the border closure? Why is the FG coming up with such decision at a time when the unemployment rate in the country is going by the National Bureau Statistics (NBS), 2019 report is presently at 23.1 per cent, underemployment rate of 16.6 per cent and expected to reach an all-time high of 33.5 per cent by 2020. Aside from the challenge posed by unemployment which makes the unemployed

and underemployed a threat to the few that are employed, one of the incongruities of this situation is the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Sabo Nanono’s recent declaration during media a briefing to mark World Food Day in Abuja.that Nigeria is not in jeopardy of a food crisis or hunger as the Nation is producing enough to feed ourselves. This cannot be further from the truth. Regardless of what others may say, there is hunger in the land and it is obvious. The price of rice and other commodities which have astronomically gone up in the market occasioned by the boarder-closure and stands as a telling proof to this assertion. In many ways, the present administration may have a sincere desire to move the nation forward, but there are two major militating factors. First, there is no clear definition of our problem as a nation, the goals to be achieved, or the means chose to address the problems and to achieve the goals. Secondly, the system has virtually no consideration for connecting the poor with good means of livelihood-food, job and security. This is the only possible explanations for this situation. To solve this lingering challenge, we must as a nation start looking for ways to developing/implementing plans and policies that will lead to price stability, high employment, effective regulation, trade and availability of finance for business. As the debate rages, the Federal Government may go on with the closure as it appears socio-economically alluring. But one thing is sure; the harsh impact on Nigerians will be high. The choice is left for the FG to make. Jerome-Mario (eromeutomi@ yahoo.com) writes from Lagos.

Why toll gates: When road de-nationalization or the railway system can deliver better revenues? By Ifeanyichukwu Mmoh

nly a few weeks ago, the federation government of Nigeria announced a proposal to reintroduce the toll gates system across the federation. Although, they had said that this toll gates will be electronic and automated; it was nevertheless received with mixed feelings by a great number of the good citizens of Nigeria. The general concern however, was of how these facilities would be distributed across the federation. In what appeared to be a response, information (which I have not been able to ascertain its genuineness) hit the internet and a list that showed designated toll gates and how many each geo-political zone of the federation was allotted, soon set tongues waggling. In the said list, the northwest will get 12, the northeast will get 9 and the northcentral will get 14. The south-south will get 21 and the southwest will get 22. But the southeast will get 56. That sounds like the way things will turn out eventually; don’t you think? Presently, several comments, press statements and live interviews on national televisions has taken place already and, while the last may not have been seen on this matter particularly on the perceived imbalance or uneven distribution of the facility; the thought hit me to do this article. Let me begin by presuming that the idea behind the proposed re-introduction of the toll gate facilities across the federation was purely BECAUSE OF THE DRIVE TO GENERATE REVENUES. If this is the sole reason with no other ulterior motive; then what I shall be proposing here may offer a better solution. The fact of the matter is

that if the federal government of Nigeria were a corporation; it would’ve long filed for bankruptcy! It is clear that nationalization of many of our patrimony; several of whom are money-making machines – or if you would ATMs if de-nationalized – is no longer the way to go. Back in those days, it was normal to have the government own and control assets that directly affected the citizens; those were the days when some theorists even proposed socialism, communism and stuffs. But things have long changed since then. It no longer made sense for government to take charge of assets that affected the masses and, of which they are financially incapable of running. Before NITEL was phased out for instance, its running cost had become a huge burden on the government. The Nigeria Airways is another sinkhole which until it finally failed had become a bad investment for the government to continue to put taxpayer’s monies into. The Nigeria Railway Corporation was another bad investment. The Toll Gate system that previously existed had turned into a bad investment long before the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo administration dismantled them in the early days of the 4th Republic. The Sea Ports that comprised but is not limited to the Apapa Ports, Tin Can Ports and the Onne Ports are all a burden too much for the government to manage. The federal highways have been a burden for the government long before now and so are the numerous Airport Terminals. The last time I checked, the government could not finance the construction of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal despite the billions of naira that accrued to that terminal annually. So they arranged to

have it built, operated for 36 years and transferred to the government with Messrs Bi-Courtney Ltd. Looking at all these assets – that ought to pour monies into government coffers and somehow enable government to lower the burden of tax imposed on the masses – and how they’ve turned into liabilities because of corruption, nepotism, politicization and mismanagement; one becomes so concerned to want to suggest a different approach that could lead to a win-win situation for both government and the people. To re-introduce an automated Toll Gate is to re-introduce a liability and for it to have started on the note of uneven distribution confirms my humble submission. The federation government should rather de-nationalize the federal roads and place it in the hands of the state governments. The state government may wish to go the way of concession or go the way of adopting a public-private partnership (PPP). Whichever approach they approved, the aim must be to build standard facilities, make it available to the citizens, toll it fairly and deliver a certain percentage of that toll to the national government annually. Roads are a fundamental part of the resources of any state. For instance, in Chicago the government has put most of their busy roads in the hands of the private sector who built, operated and remitted a certain percentage to Chicago government. For the railways, I once responded to a request by the honorable minister of transport – Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi – for ideas on how best to deliver on the transport sector promises. In that reply, I did say that this government through

him must endeavor to concentrate on building standard rail lines and terminals and let it cut across the federation and then open up the sector for private participation. That way, it will cost the government less in terms of managing the railway terminals and the trains and, will put more monies into government purse in the process. As it is now, those who owned trailers and trucks may not be too comfortable with the idea of reviving the NRC or even the proposed Toll Gates. And if one should factor in the Inland Dry Ports currently constructed in Kaduna and Kano; it’ll be taking business out of their hands. Furthermore, the quantum of jobs that could be created if the roads are de-nationalized, if the private sector is either partnered or called in to play in the space and if the rights to own and operate train shuttles are given to the private sector will be unfathomable. One of the things that I admire with the Europeans is that they run their economy on policies that are up to date and are never hesitant to improve on them. E. Dewey in his book Cycles advocated the injection of fresh ideas, fresh blood and fresh input every time an economy climaxed and was about to go on a decline. This government must understand that whatever it was trying to do in order to rejig the economy was ultimately going to be for the overall benefit of every Nigerian. Hence, it needed to be able to differentiate between an obnoxious policy and the viable ones. Comrade Ifeanyichukwu Mmoh is an advocate for attitudinal change.

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

Comment

Of xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and reassessing our priorities as a nation By Caleb Arogundade

ow that we have chased away the fox in xenophobic South Africa, it is time for us to admonish the hen in Nigeria’s ‘leaders’. One of the problems that have bedevilled our country since independence is evidently the lack of leadership in the true sense of the word. We have passed through many exchanges of batons among various leaders, both civilian and military. Unfortunately, none of them can be said to have truly laid a very solid foundation for Nigeria’s greatness. This must not come to us as a surprise because it’s either this one was not prepared for the onerous task ahead or his successor was reluctant in taking over, but still did. In some other instances, the choice of leaders had been necessitated by the need to appease some sections of the country and or for geographical balancing. Not necessarily for being ‘fit for purpose’. We have witnessed instances whereby the person who eventually emerged as the president or head of state just emerged by chance – a child of necessity and or circumstance – as they usually refer to themselves. Even, one of them recently wrote that on two separate occasions in the past, he had deliberately handed over ‘power’ to candidates of his choice and NOT necessarily that of the people. Yes, he had the audacity to say that. And, that the tenures of those stooges ended in disastrous manners should NOT come as a surprise to anyone. It has always been through one political accident or the other that our leaders have been cropping up. Even under the present dispensation, it wasn’t as if President Buhari was the best person to lead the country to it’s

Biblical ‘promised land’ in 2015, but of the two ‘articles on display’ then, he appeared to be head and shoulders above his opponent, both in stature and status. As a matter of fact, I was one of those who made that error of judgement then. Four years after that choice, the rest is now history. Unfortunately, we are where we are now, what should we do? Against the backdrop of the recent ugly events in South Africa, there is the need for us to reassess our priorities as a nation. With the human and natural resources at our disposal, there can be no justification for the kind of embarrassment that Nigerians suffer abroad if we have been having leaders who were and are not bereft of ideas. Nigerians are doing very well in so many fields of human endeavour in the diaspora. It is quite unfortunate that the yardstick for measuring our capacity and capabilities as a people is the activities of a very few individuals who engage in criminal activities all over the world. Travelling with the green passport has needlessly become a nightmare. This is something that should give any government very serious concern. There is therefore the need to provide a very conducive atmosphere for all Nigerians to engage in legitimate activities to enable them make a living without necessarily travelling out of the country. If any Nigerian now decides to travel out, it would be a matter of choice, rather than an avenue to escape from the obviously terrible living (or surviving) conditions at home. We can make this happen if we start to make those who steal our commonwealth ‘vomit’ them and also ensure that they face appropriate repercussions in accordance with the laws. It must NOT be ‘business as usual’. The led (or already misled) should stop fighting over which thief is better

– yours or mine?! A thief should be treated as one to all intents and purposes. We must NOT wait UNTIL these unwilling returnees start to unleash their pent up angers on the hapless people. The attendant consequences would be unimaginable. In some parts of the world, they suffer from a number of natural disasters due to no fault of theirs but just because of their geographical locations. In Nigeria, it’s a question of God so loving us that we’re not located along those axis where those incidents happen. Our equivalent of natural disasters in Nigeria are our leaders. This is very unfortunate. In a country where many people struggle to have one ‘square’ meal in a day, you will get to some politicians houses and you would think you’re in a motor dealers show room, with all kinds of cars on display! Most of them are not even driven in a year! If that is NOT madness, nothing would be so qualified. They don’t have any visible means of livelihood other than politics! What Shall We Do? To start with, our political office holders must no longer be allowed to seek medical attention outside the country. If this becomes operative, they will be forced to ensure that our hospitals cease from being mere consulting clinics into proper health care facilities. Secondly, children of Nigeria’s public office holders must all attend public schools in Nigeria. If this becomes operative, our public schools will receive adequate attention and regain their lost glory. Furthermore, the use of power generating sets in public officers’ houses, as well as in offices, must stop immediately. If this becomes operative, we can all be assured

IGR: How States can raise it – Lekan Sote

any Nigerians argue that the Nigerian Constitution is loaded too much in favour of the Federal Government, and it becomes extremely difficult for sub-national governments – states and the local governments – to be economically viable. A recent National Bureau of Statistics report indicates that whereas 21 states were able to attract $14.31bn in the first half of 2019, 15 others, namely, Abia, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe, Jigawa, Enugu, Kebbi, Kogi, Osun, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara, could not. And the Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki complains: “I just could not understand why the Oredo Local Government Area… on a monthly basis cannot earn more than N5m as tax (revenue).” Lagos State’s capacity for relatively higher internally generated revenue comes from hosting the biggest ports in an exportoriented economy. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who appears to acknowledge the plight of subnational governments, suggests that states can raise their IGRs by: strategic planning; taking advantage of their comparative advantage in agriculture; and encouraging entrepreneurships. Atedo Peterside of the StanbicIBTC Bank has observed that the dearth of Foreign Direct Investment in Nigeria is attributable to structural imbalances in the system. To correct that, he suggests that (Nigeria must)… enact laws that provide clarity and reduce uncertainty for investors.” The place to kick-start this is via a review of the constitution to enable state and local governments to initiate mechanisms that will provide an enabling environment to improve their domestic economies and shore up their internal revenues. In expressing his idea of restructuring in Nigeria, Jerry Agada, a former Minister of State for Education, says: “The centre should not be too powerful, so that all the federating units can have their own self-actualisation that would augur well for their own system.” Peter Omonua, a Nigerian, resident in Canada, who is probably sympathetic to the cause of the Indigenous People of Biafra

separatist movement, observes that, “There is so much hunger in the people of the (Nigerian) South collectively, to break forth and set the stage for the emancipation of (themselves) and the Black race as a whole.” Omonua quotes the late Olanihun Ajayi, an apostle of Obafemi Awolowo, first Premier of Western Nigeria, who said: “The best thing for (Nigeria) is to concretise (its) six geopolitical regions. Each region (will) manage its own affairs, with little (interference from) the Federal (Government).” Diversity should thrive within democracies. Dare Babarinsa, renowned journalist of the defunct Newswatch magazine fame, regrets that the Federal Government is unable to complete the rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in 19 long years! He suggests a South-West Development Authority charged with infrastructure development throughout the Yoruba land. He also suggests six- or 10-lane roads linking state capitals throughout the SouthWest, Kogi and Kwara states. He also thinks the region should develop a cadre of youths with very much needed “competence in plumbing, carpentry, automobile mechanics, and other trades.” Other zones should identify their needs. Senator Banji Akintoye, who declared, at the Yoruba World Congress that, “It is (either) restructuring (some say, decentralisation), or dissolution,” was not threatening insurrection. He was merely alerting those who insist on maintaining the country’s current precarious state of affairs. Now that Shehu Garba, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, says, “If the (National Assembly) says (restructuring) is the way to go, President (Buhari) will consider it,” maybe, all the states should instruct their representatives at the National Assembly to go for it immediately! The presidential Economic Advisory Council should interrogate Section 16(3 and 4) of the constitution, to review ownership and control of business enterprises that have been declared as major sectors of the economy. But Gen. Alabi Isama (retd.), who argues

that “Awolowo (ignored constitutional stumbling blocks and) went to look for what was better for (the Yoruba),” queries, in his lilting English, “What stops (Oyo State from) owning its own airline?” Isama wonders why Oyo State could not apply its tax revenue to providing pipe-borne water for its citizens, or apply for an oil well to shore up its revenue, noting that government has given oil blocs to individuals. Governor Nyesom Wike just announced Rivers State’s acquisition of 45 per cent in the Shell Petroleum Development Company’s Oil Mining Lease in Eleme Local Government Area. That is the way to go! It would have been more appropriate if the intention of the United Arab Emirates investors to establish a 300-mega watts renewable energy generating plant in Lagos State was discussed with the state government, instead of the Federal Government. After all, Section 14(a,b and c) of the constitution provides: “A (State) House of Assembly may make laws for the State with respect to: electricity and the establishment in that state of electric power stations; (and) the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity (in that state.)” With such a provision in the Concurrent Legislative List of the constitution, the Lagos State Government should not wait to be propositioned by the Minister for Power, before giving a licence to the UAE investors, who are interested in generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. Openings are likely in that sector soon. An advertorial hints that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission may revoke the licences of the eight electricity distribution companies, and Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, which supplies electricity to the Lagos metropolis, is one of them. Lagos State should further activate its electricity board that was established in 1980 “to establish in-state electric power stations; (and) generate, transmit and distribute electricity to areas not covered by the national (electricity) grid,” among other things. Records indicate that the board has

of uninterrupted power supply all over the country within the shortest possible time. In addition, no public office holders or public offices should patronise those who supply water through tankers. If this becomes operative, all dry water pipes in Nigeria would have water running from them within the shortest possible time. The problem is that these privileged few called politicians are very far from the people they govern, such that they don’t feel what the masses feel. It was possible for Jesus Christ to feel the pains of the people because he came in flesh and blood, otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to feel what the people were feeling! All the suggestions above should be applicable up to Aso Rock. Recently, I read about one of the governors advising people travelling to his State to travel by air for security reasons. Can you imagine! How many people can afford the cost of air travel? People are complaining about the lack of bread, you’re saying they should try cake instead! Lord will have mercy on these people. The last but definitely NOT the least is that our public office holders, including the president, should be travelling on the road when going from one part of the country to another. By so doing, they will ensure that our roads are NOT ONLY motorable, but safe for travelling purposes. Until we do these, our embarrassment in the hands of lesser nations will continue unabated. Enough is now enough. Caleb Arogundade, a legal consultant and former company secretary/legal adviser, writes from London, United Kingdom

inaugurated four power plants, namely, Island, Alausa, Mainland and Pennisula and one transformer factory. With all these in place, and a constitutional backing, one wonders why Lagos State, and other states, continue to complain that the Exclusive Legislative List, and its understandable ouster clauses that make federal laws superior to state laws, are holding back their hands. At least, no one has held back the hands of the Imo State Government that built the Sam Mbakwe Airport or Akwa Ibom State that established Ibom Air despite the fact that aviation is on the Exclusive List. Certainly, state governments cannot truthfully sustain the alibi that the Exclusive List prevents them from reviving their cocoa, groundnut, palm oil, rubber, cotton and hides and skins production and export businesses. If private businesses can play in the oil, aviation, telecommunications, electricity, and foreign exchange businesses, nothing stops states from receiving part of their monthly Federation Account Allocations in hard currencies as some governors are suggesting. If the Federal Government continues to give excuses like inadequate funds, finds ways to scupper states’ development, and fails to invest in infrastructure to grow the economies and IGR of states, the state governments must seize the initiative. When, for instance, former Governor Ibikunle Amosun told the Ijebu people of Ogun State East Senatorial District that he would scrap Tai Solarin University of Education, they told him to steer clear, and demonstrated readiness to fund and operate the university. It’s the same way many missions are taking back their schools from government, and old students’ associations are intervening in rehabilitating their old schools for the benefit of the current students. Now is the time to interrogate the constitution to find out how much constitutional leeway states have to grow their economies and IGRs. – Twitter @lekansote

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

News

Minimum Wage: NLC shuts down offices, schools in Asaba T he Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Delta chapter, has started to shut offices and schools in Asaba ahead of the planned strike over delay to implement the new minimum wage. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports on Wednesday that the NLC members were seen patrolling Asaba in a marked Hiace mini-bus, closing

government offices and turning back school children. Recall that the national body of the NLC had threatened to go on strike from Thursday if the Federal Government fails to meet its demand on the consequential adjustment. Before the meetings, labour was demanding 29 per cent increase for officers at grade levels 07 to 14 and 24 per cent

adjustment for officers at grade levels 15 to 17. While the Federal Government proposed an 11 per cent increase for officers at grade level 07 to 14 and 6.5 per cent adjustment for workers at grade level 15 to 17. It is unclear why the NLC in Delta State had decided to begin an industrial action; a Tuesday meeting between the labour hierarchy and government

officials was adjourned till 2 p.m. on Wednesday. Goodluck Ofuburuku, NLC State chairman confirmed to NAN on phone that labour was on strike in the state. “We are on strike and that is all I can tell you for now. We expect offices and schools to comply. “The strike is in force that is why we are going round to enforce compliance,” Mr Ofoburuku said.

L-R: Member. House of Representatives Committee on INEC, Hon. Babangida Ibrahim, Chairman of the committee on INEC, Hon. Aishatu Dukku and deputy chairman, Hon. Tijani Kayode, during the Inaugural meeting of the Committee, at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Tanker fire destroys six buildings, shops in Onitsha -FRSC

o fewer than six buildings and shops were burnt on Wednesday at Upper Iweka, on Onitsha/Awka Road in Onitsha, after a 33,000-litre diesel tanker fell and caught fire. The Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission, Anambra Command, Mr Andrew Kumapayi, confirmed this to News Agency of Nigeria in Awka. He stated that the incident occurred at around 12:44 p.m.

Kumapayi said that the Fire Service Officials got to the scene of the fire promptly but could not put out the fire as their water pump developed a fault. “The tanker lost control due to brake failure, the head of the vehicle pulled out while the tank containing diesel fell into the gutter spilling its content on the road and it caught fire due to the spill. “The fire spread through the

gutter and affected about six houses on the road and shops in Ochanja Market. “No life was lost and no other vehicle was affected. “The fire service got there on time but their pump developed a fault, they left the scene to fix the pump and restrategise. “If the pump had functioned, the fire wouldn’t have spread to the houses and shops,” he said. Kumapayi warned tanker

owners and drivers to ensure that their vehicles were in good condition before plying the roads. “The saving grace was the road bumps constructed by the state government; it prevented the tanker from ramming into buildings around the area,” he said. Kumapayi said that policemen and FRSC officials were on ground to maintain order and ensure the free flow of traffic.(NAN)

CEPEJ inaugurates peace, environment clubs in Niger From Yakubu Minna.

Mustapha,

Nigeria-based nongovernmental organisation, Center for Peace Environmental Justice, CEPEJ has established Peace and Environment Clubs (PEC) to catch them young in Niger State in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals SDGs. The Niger State Peace and Environment Clubs programme was flagged off in Fomwan School Minna, while the State peace and environment clubs were inaugurated in three public secondary schools and a private secondary school in Chanchanga,

Bida and Suleja Local Government Areas respectively. Facilitators, Supervisors and Coordinators were nominated who will help to coordinate and facilitate the process in the selected schools in Niger State. This initiative is geared towards achieving the educational aspect of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is presently running in Delta State and it will soon be expanded to other public secondary schools in States such as Bayelsa, Lagos and the FCT, Abuja. The facilitators and supervisors who will help to coordinate the activities of the selected public and private schools are Aliyu Musa Wushishi, Fateema Umar Chado from Fomwan Schools,

and Mallam Yabagi Musa, Mrs. Jigah M. Veronica from Father O’Connel Science College, Minna in Chanchagan Local Government area; Alhaji Yahaya Usman Lakkan and Sa’hadatu Salawu from Government Technical College, Bida, in Bida Local Government Area, as well as Aminu Abubakar and Rifkatu Shabaze from Government Model School, Suleja in Suleja Local Government Area. The Chief Executive Officer of Development Initiative of West Africa, Mr. Daoda Kanneh inaugurated the club at Fomwan School and Father O’connel Science College, Minna, while the Principals of Government Technical College, Bida and Government Model School Suleja,

Mr. Mohammed A. Doko and Mr. Taneem M. A, inaugurated the Peace and Environment club at the other schools. During the inauguration, the National Coordinator of CEPEJ, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, represented by CEPEJ’s Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Mr. Samuel Asange , commended the Niger State Ministry of Education for approving the establishment, and thanked the various schools for accepting and supporting the PEC initiative. He noted that the initiative will enhance their self-esteem, a major key to success in life, strssing that the development of self-esteem is extremely fundamental to the success and happiness of students.

NAN reports that most government offices and schools within Asaba metropolis were closed as at Wednesday morning. The state government secretariat, along Okpanam road, was equally shut as some workers who had reported for work were seen milling around the gate. Tina Okolo, a civil servant told NAN that the NLC members came and locked her office premises and ask the workers to go home. “They came this morning and ask us to go home. I reported to work at about 8:15 a.m., but now am going home. “I don’t know much about the strike, so I am just waiting to see how things will turn out,” Ms Okolo said. NAN reports that the gate of West-End Mixed Secondary School, Asaba, was also closed, as the students were seen going home at about 10:15 a.m. A teacher, who pleaded anonymity, told NAN that the students had been asked to go home because of the strike. Also, members of the NLC were seen at the Achievers Group of Schools, DLA road Asaba, driving out the students and trying to lock up the school gate. However, most banks in Asaba remained open for business as customers continued their transactions without hindrance. (NAN)

Road crashes claim 351 lives in Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau

he Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), on Wednesday, said road traffic crashes killed 351 persons, while 2,413 were injured between January and September in Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau States. The FRSC Zonal Commanding Officer (ZCO) incharge of Jos, Ayobami Omiyale, disclosed this while presenting a paper entitled “FRSC and Road Traffic Management in Nigeria” at the Police Staff College, Jos. Mr Omiyale said 4,446 persons were involved in 756 road accidents across the three zones within the period under review. The ZCO attributed the crashes to over-speeding, wrongful overtaking, underaged driving, use of phone while driving, burst tyres, break failure and bad state of the roads. He said the number the of road traffic crashes reduced by 8.3 percent in 2019 from the similar incidents in 2018. “The number of people injured also reduced by 9.7 percent, but the number of deaths increased by 22.3 percent,’’ Mr Omiyale said. He said the number of people involved reduced by 7.9 percent in 2019 relative to 2018.(NAN)

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Reps fault non-assent to Electoral Act amendment By Christiana Ekpa

he House of Representatives yesterday faulted President Muhammadu Buhari’s refusal to assent to the electoral act amendment bill passed in the eight Assembly. The chairman of the House committee on electoral matters, Hon. Aisha Dukku (APC, Gombe), who stated this yesterday; at the inaugural meeting of the committee said it will accord priority to the amendment of the electoral act to ensure that elections in the country meet international standards. She said the National Assembly made several attempts to give the country a new electoral law in the eight assembly but all the efforts were in vain following President Buhari’s repeatedly declined assent to the bill, citing various reasons. “It is important to remind honourable members that during the life span of the eight assembly, twelve bills seeking to amend the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 and the Electoral Act Amendment Act 2015 sponsored by members of the House of Representatives were referred to the House Committee on Electoral matters after subsequent second reading for further legislative actions. “The National Assembly passed the Electoral Act (amendment) bill 2018 and forwarded same to the President for his assent pursuant to section 58(4) of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria as amended. “However, the President declined assent due to lacuna or drafting issues in some of the clauses of the bill and advised that those observation be addressed. “The President observations were accordingly addressed and the bill was again passed in December 2018 and later in April 2019 following another decline to assent by the President inter alia,” she stated. The lawmaker noted that there are a number of fundamental shortcomings in the electoral act that needs to addressed in order to make it fully in line with global

standards for elections. “As it stands the Electoral Act amendment bill is still hanging, hence there is need for this committee to bring up because there are several important amendments that will improve our electoral process.

“I wish to assure all Nigerians that the House Committee on Electoral Matters is fully ready and will do everything within its powers to improve and strengthen the conduct of elections in Nigeria,” Dukku added. Also, yesterday, the House

committee on media and public affairs said the not so good impression Nigerians hold about National Assembly legislators was due to misunderstanding of the primary functions of the legislature. Chairman of the committee,

Hon. Benjamin Kalu (APC, Abia) lamented that “Over the past two decades, the reputation of the Nigerian legislature has been shrouded in controversy, with many citizens skeptical of the role of the Nigerian legislature in national development.

Buhari may sign Peace Corps bill if passed again - SSA to NASS By Christiana Ekpa

resident Muhammadu Buhari, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the president on National Assembly matters (Reps), Hon. Umar Ibrahim El-Yakub yesterday disclosed that his Boss may assent to the Nigeria Peace Corps bill if passed again by the National Assembly. El-Yakub gave the hint yesterday while addressing the media about the five new bills assented to by the president. Responding to a question as to whether the president would assent to the Nigeria Peace Corps bill, if passed again and sent to him by the National Assembly, El-Yakub said: “So to answer you directly, of course with the renewed relationship, I’m sure there will be more work that will lead to the expeditious passage of the bill and of course, Mr. president will assent to all bills passed by the National Assembly, which do not have conflict or reservations. “I’m sure that many important

bill including the ones that you have mentioned (Nigeria Peace Corps) are being reintroduced; and some are even being re-introduced as executive bills like the PAC bill, which was tabled on the floor of the senate”, he stated. El-Yakub stressed “Let me put it on record that Mr. president does not withheld assent to a bill that is in the interest of this country; and certainly all bills that are sent to him be it non-executive bill, they go through the same scrutiny and opinions are sought and whenever he declined his assent, he actually communicates the reasons to the National Assembly. “And if those reasons are addressed, certainly Mr. President will assent to the bill. But you will find that some bills have flaws, some are technical issues, some are issues bordering on legality of the bill to the extent that it conflicts with provisions of the constitution or a treaty that has been signed by the country, which means assenting to such a bill will be a matter of conflict of interest. All these are looked at by the office

of the attorney general of the federation and relevant agencies that are stakeholders in that bill”. Recall that the Nigeria Peace Corps bill was passed by the 8th National Assembly, but the president had withheld his assent citing several reasons including paucity of funds. But just last month, the House of Representatives through the chief whip, Hon. Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno) reintroduced the Nigeria Peace Corps bill. Meanwhile, President Buhari has assented to five bills namely, the Obafemi Awolowo University (transition provisions) amendment bill 2019, the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi Amendment bill 2019, University of Maiduguri Amendment bill 2019, National Fertilizer Quality Control bill 2019 and Nigeria Council of Food Science and Technology (establishment bill) 2019. Speaking on the bills, El-Yakub explained that “The three university bills have something in common because they specify the minimum

qualification for the chairman of the Governing Board of the universities; which is a minimum of university degree or its equivalent. And the person must be physically fit. “It also seeks to regulate the ownership of intellectual property. It also includes the provision of pre-action notice. It means if any member of staff or student is aggrieved and wants to sue the university, he has to give the university a one month notice”. Continuing, the SSA explained that “The National Fertilser seeks for the repeal of the. This act now is to put measures that safeguard the interest of the farmers by addressing the issue of fertilizer. It also protects farmers against misbranding of fertilizer; it also helps to create an enabling environment and consider the importation and distribution of fertilizer. “It also provides penalties for defaulters for example importers of unbranded fertilisers. Essentially it is to ensure that farmers and farm produce are protected so that underweight fertilisers are found in the market”. L-R: Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Mr Uche Anozie; DI-G ABDULMAJID ALI; Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and National Commissioner, supervising Bayelsa, Edo and Rivers Stata, Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu, during the Stakeholder meeting with the INEC Chairman, yesterday in Yenagoa. Photo: NAN

Executive, legislature relationship improved under Buhari -Lawan By Musa Adamu

resident of the Senate, Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan has said the relationship between the Executive and Legislative arms of government received an unprecedented boost with the coming of the 9th National Assembly. According to Lawan, both chambers of the Legislature presently enjoy the highest level of cooperation from the executive arm of government since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999. Lawan stated this in his concluding remarks on Tuesday before the Senate

adjourned sitting till October 29, 2019. He said: “This is the first time when a President will announce that none of his Ministers or any head of agencies should travel out of the country at this time without defending his or her budget. “This is the highest level of cooperation that we have ever got in this National Assembly since 1999,” Lawan said. The Senate President urged the National Assembly to reciprocate the gesture by ensuring the timely passage of the 2020 budget before the end of December. Meanwhile, a total of 10 bills passed first reading on the floor during plenary on

Tuesday. The bills are: Mental Health and Substance Abuse Bill, 2019, sponsored by Senator Yahaya Oloriegbe (APC, Kwara Central); National Energy Bill, 2019, sponsored by Senator Ibrahim Gobir (APC, Sokoto East); National Agricultural Programme Coordinating Agency (Est.) Bill, 2019, sponsored by Senator Stella Oduah (PDP, Anambra North); Federal University of Technology, Ilaro Bill, 2019, by Senator Solomon Adeola (APC, Lagos West), and Federal College of Education Mutum Biyu (Est.) Bill, 2019, sponsored by Senator Abubakar Yusuf (APC, Taraba Central).

Others are: Federal College of Education of Education (Technical) Abakaliki (Est.) Bill, 2019, by Senator Samuel Egwu (PDP, Ebonyi North); Public Procurement Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill, 2019, by Senator Shuaibu Isa (PDP, Taraba North); National Road Fund (Est.) Bill, 2019, by Senator Kabiru Gaya (APC, Kano South); National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion Act 2004 (Amendment) Bill, 2019, by Senator Uche Ekwunife (PDP, Anambra Central), and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2019, sponsored by Babba Kaita Ahmad (APC, Katsina North).

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

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POLITICS

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate in Kogi State, Engr. Musa Wada said yesterday they have worked out strategic templates for swift payment of arrears of all salaries and pensions malevolently owed workers in the state by the Governor Yahaya Bello, immediately it assumes office, if elected in the November 16 2019 election. The PDP said the immediate payment of the salary and pension arrears, which is at the top of its intervention list, will run simultaneously with its job creation initiatives and direct empowerment of citizens in various income generating sectors for greater competitiveness, productivity and personal prosperity which was denied them by Governor Bello and the All Progressives

Kogi: Musa Wada will clear workers salaries arrears if elected Governor, says PDP Congress (APC). The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan revealed the plans of the party in an interactive session with a group of investors from Kogi state on Wednesday in Abuja. Ologbondiyan added that the party and its governorship candidate have finalized plans to hit the ground running in executing a robust economic recovery agenda. The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP hinted that the party was already in critical discussions with captains of industries, investors, professionals and experts in various fields from Kogi state and beyond on strategies to effectively

and transparently transform the state, revamp the economy and empower the people. According to him, ‘Our primary focus is the welfare and personal prosperity of the Kogi people. Kogi state is blessed with abundant human and material resources. It receives federal allocation in billions of naira every month, so the people of Kogi have no reason to live in poverty. “There is no excuse for nonpayment of salaries and pensions. The problem is that the APC has been stealing and mismanaging our resources. “As you are aware, the people are looking up to us for solution

and we must not fail them. I am happy that we have intensified discussions with professionals, investors and business people from Kogi and beyond on ways to harness and manage our resources and empower our people. “Already we have perfected a strong template that will enable us, as soon as we are elected, to swiftly pay the arrears of salaries and pension accumulated by Bello. Kogi state is largely a civil service state and our people depend on their salaries; so payment of salaries must be a priority for any government that has the interest of the people at heart. Unfortunately, Bello has failed to deliver on this”, he said. L-R: Clerk of the committee on media and Public Affairs, Mr. Sunday Adelani, Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu and deputy Chairman, Hon. Shetima Lawal, during the Inaugural meeting of the committee, at National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Stop blackmailing me -Adams Oshiomhole warns Governor Obaseki

he National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has warned Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State to stop blackmailing him and rather focus on delivery of good governance to the people. This IS contained in a statement signed by Oshiohmole’s Chief Press Secretary, Simon Ebegbulem, in Abuja. Chairman of the ruling party insisted that he was attacked at his residence in Benin on October 12 but Obaseki in a statement issued in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media, Crusoe Osagie, said that Oshiomhole was never attacked in the state.

Oshiomhole said: “We have it on good authority that the governor (Obaseki) intends to create disaffection and crisis in the state, APC and probably dump the party for another party. That is why, he has embarked on this blackmail which Edo people will resist. So, he should stop blackmailing me and face governance which is why Edo people voted him into power. We are even more scared now that the governor is making every effort to coerce me into giving him details of my movement in Edo State. Who knows what he is plotting again. But every evil plot against me will fail.” He alleged that the last

Saturday’s siege at his residence by Obaseki’s thugs was a good example. “Before that incident, state government-sponsored thugs have been harassing, intimidating APC members across the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state because APC leaders refused to adopt his second term aspiration. People are being sacked in their jobs every day in the state,” he said. It would be recalled that Obaseki said that Oshiomhole was never attacked in the state as being alleged. “We have no knowledge of alleged attack on the residence of the APC National Chairman based on a report we received

from the State Commissioner of Police, DanMallam Muhammed,” Obaseki said. He said that the former governor did not inform his office, Commissioner of Police or State Director of the Department of State Service (DSS) for security while on visit to the state. In reference to him, ‘if our party’s National chairman does the needful while visiting the state, there would be less acrimony. He urged Oshiomhole, government functionaries and political office holders to observe protocols while visiting the state. This, he said, would ensure their security and guard against unjust attack.

Ologbondiyan also disclosed that the party has produced a blueprint for wealth creation including investments in industrialization, rural infrastructure, agriculture, trade and commerce, inland water businesses as well as financing instruments for small and medium scale entrepreneurs. He declared that the era of stealing and mismanagement of resources in Kogi will come to an end with the election as the party is set for a landslide victory, given the popularity of the PDP and its candidate, Engr. Musa Wada and the irreversible consensus among the people to do away with the repressive, corrupt and arrogant APC administration in the state.

Kogi 2019: Bello’s Chief of staff resigns From: Ahmad Lokoja

Ibrahim,

overnor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has approved the appointment of a new chief of staff, following the resignation of his chief of staff and deputy governorship candidate, Chief Edward Onoja. In a statement signed by the chief press secretary to the governor, Mr. Mohammed Onogwu, and made available to newsmen yesterday, Jamiu Abdulkareem Asuku takes over as chief of staff to the governor while Gabriel Ottah is appointed as director general, protocol. He disclosed that the appointment was contained in a letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Folashade Arike Ayoade, adding that the governor equally approved the appointment of Gabriel Ottah as director general (Protocol). Ayoade said these appointments take effect from 14th October, 2019. Until their appointments, Jamiu Abdulkareem Asuku was the Director-General, Protocol, while Gabriel Ottah was the Head of Department, Mass Communication, Kogi State University, Anyigba.

N5,000 for National ID: PDP asks FG to rescind decision By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has totally rejected what it called ‘the repressive decision of the President Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC)’ Federal Government to further squeeze Nigerians by imposing a N5,000 fee for national identity cards. The party said the idea of ID Card fee by the Buhari

administration is insupportable, reprehensible and completely offensive to the sensibilities of Nigerians as free citizens. The party said this yesterday in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan in Abuja. The PDP stressed that imposing such unwarranted and unjustified levy on Nigerians, for internal social safety instrument, amounts to wicked fleecing as well as stripping of their constitutional

rights in their own nation. According to the brand, “Our party holds that issuance of national identity card to citizens, as an obligation of the state to its citizenry, must remain free as established by the PDP. “The N5000 levy must be immediately rescinded before it triggers restiveness in the nation. “Already, the fee is generating tension in the country as Nigerians have continued to register their rejection in the public space.

“The PDP notes the increasing penchant of the APC administration to impose all sorts of taxes on suffering Nigerians. Only recently, the Buhari-led APC administration increased the Value Added Tax (VAT) on goods and services from 5 percent to 7.5 percent. “This is in addition to increase in tariffs for electricity and other services as well as the obnoxious decision to return the tollgates on our major highways.

“Our party cautions that such impositions breed resentment and erode the much-desired patriotism; leading to the escalation of social vices and low commitment to nation building by citizens”, it said. The PDP therefore charged President Buhari to direct the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to immediately cancel its decision to levy Nigerians for national identity cards.

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Politics Nigeria needs courageous leaders -Tinubu By Ikechukwu Okaforadi with agency report

ll Progressives Congress (APC) National Stalwart, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has said the people reserve the right to elect the type of leadership they want. The chairman claimed that leadership must be visionary to achieve the goal of nation-building, while knowledgeable leadership would discharge its functions effectively. Tinubu spoke at The Niche (an online newspaper) annual lecture held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos, was represented by a former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Dele Alake. While speaking on the theme: Business and Accountable Governance: Obligation

of Leadership, the APC stalwart said it was better for courageous leaders to serve. He said: “The leadership must be visionary; it must be knowledgeable and must have the courage to do what is right. A leader must come into office, not just for the conceptualising and formulating policies for the immediate needs. “A leader must plan for the future generation, and that is where visionary attribute is important. If you are a knowledgeable leader, you will attract the elite and you will have broader horizons. “When you have a broad engagement on policies and issues, you will arrive at logical deduction and conclusion. You must have the will to carry it through. More often than not, when you are given good policies and you lack the will, you will falter along the line.” Asiwaju Tinubu said Nigeria had not been lucky to have leaders with the encap-

sulating critical attributes, which he said, the late Premier of defunct Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, possessed. “In 1959, Awolowo brought the television technology to Ibadan. It was present at Ibadan before France, Belgium and other countries. There was Liberty Stadium and many other firsts that Awolowo brought to Nigeria. South Africa we are talking about today had its television in 1972. “You have the first sky scrapper in Africa in Nigeria. The country would have gone far if the process was not distorted along the line. Incidentally, Nigerians are making waves in other parts of the globe. We must create the environment by taking our future in our own hands.” Guest lecturer Prof. Anya O Anya said the country was enmeshed in a multi-dimensional crisis. The eminent scientist noted that the cacophony of voices was an indication that

the leadership had lost focus. He said: “The social crisis is as frightening as the economic crisis with tales of banditry, armed robbery, kidnapping, insurrection, militancy and the rampaging herdsmen all over. “We must re-examine our strategy on this matter to tackle the disease and not merely the symptom. The lesson is that it is possible to re-chart a new course and there are Nigerians who have the capacity to steer us away from the brink, if we are prepared to mobilise.” Chairman of the occasion and former Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK) Dr. Christopher Kolade said the youth’s views should be respected. “Let us change the direction of our journey, encourage the youths to contribute their quota to nation-building. Let us identify what they are doing and give them recognition,” he said.

Nigeria needs prayers to overcome challenges - Lawan By Musa Adamu and Ikechukwu Okaforadi

he President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, said on Wednesday that Nigeria needs prayers to overcome its challeng-

es. “Given the situation we are in today, the various challenges that Nigeria and its people face, we even need to pray more,” Lawan said while receiving in audience a delegation of the Christian Legislators’ Fellowship of the National Assembly. The delegation was led by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege. The Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu was also in attendance at the meeting. The mission was to invite the Senate President to the 10th National Prayer Breakfast scheduled to hold on 31st October, 2019 at the International Conference Center, Abuja. The Senate President said the Prayer Breakfast was timely and urged all to first seek the face of God for answered prayers ahead of the programme. “Today, we face serious security challenges. Where we have security agencies which are mandated to ensure that we are secured and protected, if nothing, we should pray for them that they are able to perform well. “It is not only in empowering them with weapons; the power of God is beyond weapons. I’m sure that all people of faith will continue to pray for our security agencies to protect us,” Lawan said. The Senate President, who also mentioned challenges in the economy, said as leaders, “we have the responsibility to ensure that we

continue to provide leadership, to continue to seek the intervention of God in the way and manner that we lead our people. “We have to do whatever we can to be as truthful, transparent and accountable to our people.” This, he said, requires the guidance of God,

adding that nobody can achieve anything without the blessings and mercies of the Almighty God. “I believe that this country needs prayers, and that this country needs unity amongst all faith. We all worship one God, and he is the only way through which we can have our

country led properly,” Lawan said. The President of the Fellowship, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, who is also the Senate Deputy Minority Leader, said the National Prayer Breakfast is an annual event organised by Christians in National Assemblies and Congresses all over the world.

L-R: Representative of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Bukar; Director of Agriculture, Dr Seyni Hamadou, UEMOA, and Executive Director, Orthopterist Society (OS), Dr Mohamed Ebbe, during the 5th Statutory Meeting of West Africa Regional Seed and Seedlings Committee (WARSSC), yesterday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

Obaseki plans to jump APC ship by cultivating crisis -Oshiomhole

omrade Adams Oshiomhole, the current National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki of deliberately sowing seed of discord and crisis in the party in the state with the intent to dump APC for a rival political party ahead of the 2020 governorship election in Edo. The National Chairman also accused the state Commissioner of Police, DanMallam Mohammed of colluding with the governor to dismiss the alleged attack directed at his person which he also blamed on the Edo State government, insisting that Obaseki is plotting evil against him. In the two separate statements signed by Simon Ebegbulem, his Chief Press Secretary, Oshiomhole said he has it on good authority that the governor is creating a crisis in APC in the

state perhaps with the ulterior goal of dumping the party. Oshiomhole was reacting to an earlier statement by the Edo state governor where he accused the APC National of stoking crisis in Edo and creating a security situation to distract the administration. But Oshiomhole insisted that the governor is actually the one mobilizing thugs and intimidating party across all 18 LGA of the state. He also claimed that Obaseki is jealous of his popularity among the party’s rank and file, adding that his plan to plot to track his movement in Edo is nothing but sinister. “Talking about security, it is actually the governor who is making every effort to plunge the state into crisis and bloodshed. The last Saturday’s siege at the residence of the national chairman by his thugs was a good example. Be-

fore that incident, state government-sponsored thugs have been harassing, intimidating APC members across the 18 LGA because the APC leaders refused to adopt his second term aspiration. People are being sacked in their jobs every day in the state. “And we have it on good authority that the governor intends to create disaffection and crisis in the state APC and probably dump the party for another party. “That is why he has embarked on this brigandage which Edo people will resist. So he should stop blackmailing Oshiomhole and face governance which is why Edo people voted him into power. “We are even more scared now that the governor is making every effort to coerce the National Chairman into giving him details of his movement in Edo State. Who knows what he is

plotting again. But every evil plot against Oshiomhole will fail. He has not hurt anyone and no man except God can hurt. “The governor should stop being jealous of Oshiomhole’s popularity in Edo State. He is a man that is at home with his people have performed creditably well as the governor of Edo State. So each time he is around both men and women gather around him, particularly APC members and of course the youths. “It is said that the governor in his usual style to blackmail the APC chairman now refer the hardworking youths of Edo State as thugs, forgetting that these same wonderful youths supported him during his election as governor. Oshiomhole also lashed at the Edo State commissioner of police questioning his hasty conclusion that he (Oshiomhole) was not attacked by thugs.

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

Malnutrition: What DFID’s N18.5 Billion donation will achieve in Borno, Yobe By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

orried by the level of malnutrition in the northeastern part of the country, the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) has donated 18.5 billion Naira (£41 million) to curb malnutrition in Yobe and Borno states. The two neighbouring northeastern states have a lot in common; they share the same culture, agriculture, religion and topography. Unfortunately, on the negative side, the two states have become theater of war, owing to the activities of the dreaded Boko Haram sect. Aside that, there is high poverty rate, food insecurity and child marriage, which many pundits believe are drivers of infant and young child malnutrition. Also, the Emergency Nutrition Network has estimated that 943, 000 children under five years old across Borno and Yobe states are acutely malnourished; 440,000 with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and 503,000 with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). Speaking at a 2-day media dialogue in Borno on Child Malnutrition, organized by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with the Child Right Information Bureau (CRIB) a department in the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF, Aminu Usman, stated specifically that out of the fund, Borno will get £36million while Yobe state will get £5million for malnutrition response projects from April 2019 to March 2022. At the workshop tagged; “integrated and timely response to nutrition-related humanitarian needs”, Usman assured that the funds will help curb the challenges faced by the people. According to him, the Borno project, tagged “flexible integrated and timely (FIT) Project: Multi-sectoral nutrition project” is aimed at detecting emerging/deteriorating nutritionrelated crises in the state through an agile nutrition surveillance system, providing timely response through the implementation of an integrated basic nutrition package. He said the Yobe project which is tagged “working to Improve nutrition in Northern Nigeria (WINNN), is aimed at improving maternal and young child nutrition in the north. Usman further informed that DFID has also donated the sum of N18.5billion for procurement of Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) in three Northeast states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. He further stressed that there is need for a robust contigency plan to absorb any shock in the affected areas as nutrition sector report has estimated that 258,950 children will be affected by severe acute malnutrition in 2020. “There is a gap of N4.4 billion needed to necessitate the procurement of ready to use therapeutic food for severe acute malnutrition treatment in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states”. Usman further urged the government to ensure increased funding to meet the nutritional needs of the citizens especially the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as there had been an influx of IDPs which further exacerbated the already poor nutrition situation in that part of the country. He said despite the DFID intervention, malnutrition is still at an emergency level in the region, requiring more funding from state governments. However, Sanjay Kumar Das, Nutrition Manager for UNICEF Maiduguri Office

said despite the emergency situation in the northeast, the situation is improving. “The situation of malnutrition is in an emergency state because global acute malnutrition in Borno state is 11percent. And according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), if the situation is more than 10percent, it is an emergency. There is an urgency to address the situation. But if you look at the situation compared to the last 3 years, there is improvement. In 2018, we estimated 440, 000 Severe Acute Malnutrition cases; in 2019, 371,000 while in 2020, we are estimating 209,000; cases of severe acute malnutrition. With these statistics, I will assure you that there is improvement. He said some of the things that increases malnutrition in those states include; food insecurity, poor hygiene and poor health care services. “ With poor healthcare services in these states, there is also increase in childhood illnesses which must be addressed to provide a brighter future for children. “Malnourished children are prone to diseases. Also, there is increase in under five mortality. We need more investment, to solve the problem. And there is need for continuous sensitization and education of the population to be aware of the dangers posed by malnutrition.” He said that insecurity has also denied people access to quality healthcare and food. But a Communication expert who is

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familiar with the activities in the northeast, Hajiya Maryam Garba Hassan, said poverty, early marriage and lack of education were the major reasons for malnutrition in Yobe and Borno states before the advent of Boko Haram. “Today, there is high level of poverty in the states of Yobe and Borno which has contributed to he high level of malnutrition. Mothers don’t have money to buy good food and they don’t also know the proper food to give to their children. Despite these problems, some parents are having large number of children more than they can take care of, despite the various methods of birth control available. Because of this problem, there are more female children that are out of school and given to early marriage. When this girl child with no education gives birth to her own baby, she doesn’t know the best food for a child and because of this ignorance, when she begins to sense that the child is malnourished, instead of going to the hospital, she will visit a herbalist, believing it is a spiritual problem. She called for mass sensitisation campaign in the northeast to educate both men and women to be aware of these dangers. “The men should be carried along so that they will provide the necessary assistance to their wives when the need arises. If the wife is the only one being educated on the dangers of malnutrition, she might not curb it alone because the husband, if not educated will become a stumbling block to anything the wife wants to do.

“Some northern parents still believe that western education is not good for the girl child for fear of exposure. This believe usually affects the young girls when they get married. When those children have their own babies at that stage, the baby suffers and in most cases malnourished. “There is a lot of gap here and there is need for urgent attention to address some of these challenges. The young girls and their parents need to know the importance of education so as to bring up children free from these challenges.” To ensure success, a military medical personnel familiar with the region who does not want her name in print said a state of emergency in the northeastern part of the country is necessary to address malnutrition. “They need health services. Also, there is massive destruction in the north east, we need to cry out now to address this. Majority of women don’t know how to properly take care of their children. Most are teenage mothers. They need skills on how to train babies and feed them with breast milk. They need basic skills and need to do their best. Women need health care and capacity in the society.” Speaking on the critical situation in the northeast, she said a lot needs to be done to stamp out the rampant cases of malnutrition in northeastern states of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa. Specifically, she said malnutrition in Nigeria is prevalent in the northern region, with over 25 million under five children suffering from malnutrition while over 10 million affected by stunted growth. She said “The situation and indices of malnutrition in the North Eastern part of Nigeria remains precarious, the under 5 mortality rate in these areas exceeds the threshold of 10,000 deaths recorded among children under the age of five daily”. She further identified insurgency, poverty, lack of education, gender issues amongst others as the drivers of malnutrition in the region. “There is high rate of illiteracy here and young girls are being married without any formal education. There is need to ensure that these young girls are educated so as to enable them take care of their children. We need a lot of sensitization in this part of the country so as to address these challenges.” She said there is need for adequate investment in nutrition, which she said will help reduce the negative trend of malnutrition and tackle the issue of stunting, wasting and obesity to its minimal level”. She said poor food security, sub-optimal water, as well as poor water hygiene and sanitation has further fueled poor nutrition in Nigeria. “Malnutrition is an emergency situation in Nigeria, we need an integrated approach from all sectors to tackle this emergency”. “Malnutrition has led to almost 50 percent deaths in children, high mortality rate, irreversible brain damage and compromised intellectual capacity in adulthood as well as over 16 percent loss of the nation’s gross domestic product”. “Malnutrition can be curbed through creating sustainable and resilient food system, providing nutrition related education for all, monitoring food fortification and ending conflicts, providing free food supplement to children and pregnant women. The illiterate population can get the right information through continuous education and counselling of caregivers on how to adequately feed their children and wards.”

January to December budget cycle’ll bolster investors, devt partners’ confidence’

L-R: Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta; Minister of Communications, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami and Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, during a meeting of ALTON delegation led by the EVC to the Minister to discuss critical industry issues, recently in Abuja

inister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba said that the mandate to retrun the country to the January-December budget cycle represented a great stride towards institutionalising predictions about the economic direction of Nigeria. Agba said that the new budget cycle would also bolster the confidence of investors and development partners in Nigeria’s economy with concomitant growth and development. In his closing remarks durring the breakdwon of the 2020 budget proposals in Abuja on Monday, the minister assured Nigerians that the 2020 budget would sustain growth and galvanise job creation. He expressed confidence that with the continuous support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, “we will surmount the challenges to the attainment of the country’s God-given destiny as a nation.” He also said that there was a need to create a brand new paradigm in the management of our national economy through proper planning, stressing that “to pass the final litmus test, the country’s new push, coming on the heels of Mr President’s commitment to take 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years, will be accountable and inclusive.” He further stated that the 2021 budgetary process would commence early so as to ensure more engagements and achieve robust contributions in order to have a better budget for the country. According to Agba, “a team has been set up in the Ministry to look at the next successor plan to the Economic Revocery and Growth Plan (ERGP) and the Vision 2020, which would both come to an end in December next year. He noted that “the current budget is a derivative of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP),” pointing out that “our focus is on the priority areas.” On Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit, the Minister said that revenues generated in the past were not effectively used, resulting in the huge deficit gap that existed and was evident in all sectors of the economy. Permanent Secretary (Special Duties) in the Ministry of Finance Dr Mohammed Kyari Dikwa, in his remarks, expressed optimism that the 2020 budget, when passed, would lead to sustained growth and job creation. He urged all the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to implement the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) scheme in their various institutions.

NCC, Galaxy Backbone to strengthen collaboration on broadband connectivity By Etuka Sunday

he Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) and Galaxy Backbone has pledged renewed collaboration to improve Broadband connectivity in the country. This was part of the fallouts from the interface meeting between the duo in Abuja on Tuesday. The Executive Vice Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, said the collaboration would facilitate increased fibre infrastructure to 72, 000 km across the country. Danbatta said, once achieved, a large part of the target of the broadband plan of the government would have been attained and help to transform the digital economy. “We are counting on your support to acheive this together so that before my tenure and yours are over, we can ensure that we

leave a worthy legacy to pass on. This country has never witnessed a project of this transformational significance before,” Danbatta said. He however said the commission was waiting for counterpart funding, adding that the amount of funding for the project was about N65 billion. “You have laid total fibres of 3,000-4,000km, the figure of 42,000km that we give from time to time is including the component of fibre that galaxy bone has laid. “We don’t know how much more fibre you intend to lay but the target is 120km per fibre, this has been captured in the next level documents of the government in the next four (4) years. “On our part, we have deployed additional 30,000km fibre through the infrastructure components project which is almost at completion through the

counter-part funding. This is going to be a Public Private Partnership (PPP). We are waiting for N200 billion counterpart funding, N65 billion counterpart funding on our part all subject to the approval of government. “If all these are done, we will see deployment on annual basis that will culminate to a total of 30, 000km, that will add to the 42km on ground making a total of 72, 000km that in turn will transform the digital economy of our nation,” he said. Earlier in his Welcome Address, the Managing Director of Galaxy Backbone, Mr Yusuf Kazaure, said the leadership of Ministry of Communication had emphasised the need for the organisation to collaborate with agencies to improve and boost the Communications sector. ” It is in this light, the Executive

Vice Chairman and his team have come to see some of the work that we believe will create synergy and deepen broadband connectivity in the country. ” Over the years, government had invested in the deployment of fibre infrastructure across the country,”he said. Kazaure said that the Tier III National Data centre, managed by galaxy backbone situated in Abuja, could cater for public and private clients. ”All the international certifications, required to maintain the quality and standards of the National Data centre, has been put in place. ” Galaxy Backbone is the second company in Africa and Middle East to have transited to the 2018 version of the Sevice Management System(SMS), accredited by the British Standard Institute(BSI),” he said.

Industry Minister charges152 inductees on adherence to standards By Miriam Humbe “To enhance standards, your task is to ensure compliance and adherence to metrological and measurement standards as you’re now certified inspectors and legal metrology officers of weights and measures”. inister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Richard Adeniyi Adebayo gave this charge when he inducted 152 inspectors to facilitate weights and measurement standards in the Nigerian trading

space. Adebayo urged the inspectors to be professional in their dealings and ensure standards of trade facilities are maintained. “Today the ministry is inducting 152 weights and measurement inspectors in line with the provisions of Section 9 of the weights and measurement act which states that non one shall attain to weighing or measuring by all means, except he holds a certificate from the Superintendent that he has sufficient knowledge and skill for the proper performance of duty.

In his remarks, the Director, Weights and Measures Department of the ministry, Engr. M. Sidi said the weights and measures department has been ensuring transparency in the area of transparency and customer protection in transactions involving measurements. He said: “In 2018, the department generated N500 million, if wellequipped the revenue generation from the operations of the Weights and measures is projected to be more than N5 billion per annum. “As a custodian of measuring and weighing equipments used for

trade in Nigeria, twe ensure that standards are maintained in line with the International Bureau of Legal Metrology (IBLM) “Also we have ten new procured operational vehicles to the newly trained inspectors and legal metrology officers of weights and measures and have presented testamur certificates. “The operations of the officials will be in the area verifying grains of indegeneous measures, monitoring of crude oil export at terminals, inspection and testing of pre-packed goods among others”.

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Energy

NNPC, NLNG How gunmen shot AEDC seal $2.5bn transformer in Nasarawa State Gas Supply

By Etuka Sunday

esidents of Angwan Doka, a community in New Nyanya, Nasarawa State were thrown into darkness at the weekend, as yet to be identified gunmen shot a transformer installed by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) in the area. The transformer, according to the residents, was installed on Friday, October 11, 2019 by AEDC engineers as demended by the residents to boost the economic activities of the area. Unfortunately, they said, gunmen stunned the community at the early hour (2am) of Saturday, October 12, 2019 and shot the transformer. Some residents of the community who spoke to Peoples Daily on the condition of anonymity said, the incident must have been perpetracted by some greedy members of the community who are bent on extorting money from landlords in the

area. According to them, in 2012, the community contributed money and purchased a transformer. Shortly after the installation of that transformer, the community leaders started extorting money from the people. They said, the illicit act later became a lucrative business such that any new landlord coming to the area is made to pay between N50, 000 and N70, 000, even when it was learnt that they have recovered the money used to buy the transformer. The most worrisome, according to them is that, the payment continues even after the initial payment of N50, 000 or N70, 000 as the case may be. This time, it is for unending maintenance of the transformer. Each household of this community is made to pay between N4, 000 and N8, 000 for either transformer oil, recoil, general maintenance or whatever they choose to name the collection. When the payment became unbearable,

some members of the community approached AEDC to supply new transformer and take over the distribution of electricity in the area. This created a big problem between them and the extortionists. The matter, however, had been reported at the New Nyanya Police Station and arrest are being made. When contacted, the General Manager, Corporate Communications, AEDC, Mr Oyebode Fadipe described the incident as devilish and unimaginable. “It is good that the Police is on top of the situation, making some arrest. Nevertheless, the act was heinous for them to have shot at the transformer that was installed to supply the community. It was just unimaginable,” he said. The AEDC spokesman said, “while thanking the Police for doing its job, it is much more important for electricity consumers to be more vigilant and protect power facilities in their communities.”

Electric post power-plant transformer station .

Kaduna Electric denies having links with Former Vice President, Sambo

he Management of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company wishes to state for the record that former Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo is not a shareholder in the company neither is anyone holding shares for him by proxy. The Head, Corporate Communications, Kaduna Electric, Abdulazeez Abdullahi in a statement said, the clarification was necessary in the light of a recent report

by an online news medium which made a baseless and unfounded allegation linking the former vice president to Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company. We wish to state that the bidding for Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company was won through an open, competitive process by North West Power which comprises reputable business entities whose ownership is public knowledge

and can be verified from the Corporate Affairs Commission and other relevant government entities. We therefore appeal to media practitioners to be circumspect and always make the effort to verify information before going to press. The implications of not doing so has the potential to cause severe damage to not only people’s hard earned reputation but to businesses as well.

Deal

By Etuka Sunday

he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has challenged shareholders of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) to work very quickly towards expanding the production capacity of the company beyond Train 7 to take advantage of developments in the global LNG market. The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, gave the charge in Abuja, during the signing ceremony of a $2.5bn pre-payment agreement between NNPC and NLNG for Upstream gas development projects to supply gas to NLNG Trains 1 – 6. Speaking on the significance of the agreement, the GMD said it would help to resolve the issues around gas supply to Trains 1 – 6, stressing that there was need to fast-track action on the process of bringing more trains on stream. “Here at NNPC, we are thinking beyond Train 7; if your ambition is Train 7”, Kyari challenged the shareholders. He noted that though NLNG has been a huge success as a company, it must go beyond its current achievements and initiate other viable projects capable of generating better return on investment. “Actually, our thinking should be on what else we can do or what other projects we can work on as quickly as possible to take advantage of the enormous potential in-country. There is also the need for us to take advantage of what is happening in the global market and do things very differently. There are opportunities there and our company must move into those locations and we must move fast,” he declared. The NNPC helmsman said the prepayment gas supply agreement was a milestone which aligned with the Federal Government’s aspirations of monetizing the nation’s enormous gas resources, protecting the Federation’s investment in the NLNG, ensuring full capacity utilization (22mtpa LNG and 5mtpa NGLs) of Trains 1-6 plants, generating employment, and providing new vistas of growth opportunities in the nation’s LNG sector. Earlier in his address, the Managing Director of NLNG, Engr. Tony Attah, noted that the signing of the gas supply prepayment agreement was a significant step towards ensuring the company’s business sustainability and competitiveness. He called for support to ensure that the Final Investment Decision on the Train 7 Project is taken this year without fail, adding that the project was no longer an ambitious one in the light of developments in the global LNG market. Highpoint of the occasion was the signing of the gas supply pre-payment agreement which was witnessed by the Country Chairman of Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Osagie Okunbor, and representatives of Total, Eni/NAOC, amongst others.

METRO

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Abuja’s open defecation profile unacceptable -Minister declares By Stanley Onyekwere

he FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has described as unacceptable the high rate of open defecation among Abuja residents. In particular, the Minister said it is worrisome the last assessment carried out by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in collaboration with UNICEF, stating that 50 percent of Abuja residents defecate in the open. She assured that the FCT Administration will work closely with the six Area Councils

and other Agencies of Government to scaleup commitment in addressing challenges of water supply, sanitation and hygiene in rural communities. Aliyu who made this assertion during inspection tour of facilities in Gwagwalada Area Council of the territory, also commended the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) for the construction of 2 Nos block of VIP toilet at Tunga Maje secondary school. Assuring that the FCT Administration is determine to change the narratives, she stressed that if the respective authorities

fail to resolve this ambiguous menace, the target to end open defeacation in the nation’s capital on or before 2025 may be unrealistic. “It is important to emphasise that the provision of potable water supply, adequate sanitation and hygiene are primarily the responsibilities of States and Local Governments or Area Councils as in the case of FCT. “Let me state unequivocally that if the respective authorities (States and Local Governments) fail to resolve this ambiguous menace, the target to end open

defeacation in the nation’s capital may be unrealistic. “It saddens my heart to note that currently 102, 000 children die annually due to diseases related to sanitation. We must join hands to address this menace. “It is unacceptable and we are determine to change the narratives, henceforth, the FCT Administration will work closely with the six Area Councils and other Agencies of Government to scale-up commitment to implement the National WASH Action Plan to end open defecation,” he stressed.

From back row: Convener, Feed one Initiative and National Coordinator, Paulsta Entertainment Concepts, Comrade Nsikan Paul and the Resident Representative, Population media Center, Chief Ephraim Okon with pupils of Zhayi Kadokuchi primary school Jahi district FCT,. marking the 2019 World Food day celebration organized by Paulsta Entertainment Concept in Conjunction with Population media center, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

NCWS to honour female Ministers, legislators By Stanley Onyekwere

ational Council of Women Societies (NCWS), has said that plans have been concluded to honour female minister appointed by President Muhammadu Bahari, and female national assembly legislators to serve as torch bearers for other female politicians across the country. Our correspondent gathered that the ministers to be honoured include Minister of State for FCT, Dr. Rahmatu Tijjani Aliyu, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Hajia Sadiya Umar-

Farouk, and Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Hajiya Maryam Katagun. In a press statement issued in Abuja by the Chairman Media Sub-committee, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, and made available to newsmen said the President of NCWS, Dr. Gloria Laraba Shoda, has approved October 24, 2019, as the date to honour 7 female Ministers, 6 female Senators and 22 female House of Rpresentatives. The statement also revealed that resource persons have been invited to speak on the theme: “Mentorship; A Panacea for

Capacity Building of Women In Politics and Governance”, at the International Conference Center (ICC) Abuja. The statement reads in parts: “Though, the number of women in politics and governance both at the state and national level in this dispensation falls short of our expectation, but we are determine to encourage our fellow women who are either elected or appointed to serve as torch bearers to others. “It is our sincere hope that the award will spur them to a greater height and work assiduously to change the narrative in the

next political dispensation.” It adds: “Minister of State for Transport, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazu, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed and Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dame Pauline Tallen. The six female Senators elected are Stella Oduah and Uche Ekwunife who both represent Anambra, Monsurat Sunmonu from Oyo state, Fatimat Raji Rasaki, Oluremi Tinubu and Binta Garba. Dr. Jumai Ahmadu Chairman, Media Sub-committee.

FCTA explains temporary closure of Unity Fountain By Stanley Onyekwere

he FCT Administration has explained the sudden closure of Unity Fountain along Shehu Shagari Way, Maitama District of the nation’s capital city, was to pave way for upgrade the facility.

Accordingly, the Unity Fountain will be closed for this upgrade for between 60-90 days to allow for construction work which will include the provision of a car park, landscaping and perimeter fencing. This, FCTA it’s part resolve to provide adequate and modern recreational facilities within the Federal Capital City

(FCC) due the state of several parks and gardens in the city. “It is against this background and the symbolic nature of the “Unity Fountain” as a location symbolizing the oneness of the Nigerian people, that the FCT Administration has deemed it expedient to upgrade this facility.

“The FCT Administration therefore solicits the support and cooperation of members of the public in this regard with the assurance that the “Unity Fountain” will be opened to the general public on completion of this upgrade,” According to a statement from the FCTA Chief Press Secretary, Anthony Ogunleye.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

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world news

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

N international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

e w s

Arlene Foster and Nigel Dodds were in Downing Street this morning. As I understand it, they did not leave thinking this issue of consent had been sorted. This is not over, this is not done, but crucially it is still ongoing. The issue of the Irish border - and how to handle the flow of goods and people across it once it becomes the border between the UK and the EU after Brexit - has long been a sticking point in the negotiations. The border is also a matter of great political, security and diplomatic sensitivity in Ireland. The backstop - the solution to border issues agreed by Theresa May - proved unpalatable to many MPs so Mr Johnson has come up with new proposals to dispense with it. However, they would see Northern Ireland treated differently from the rest of the UK something the DUP, among others, has great concerns about. The BBC’s Brussels reporter, Adam Fleming, says there has been a shift in emphasis in the Brussels talks away from issues around customs towards matters surrounding the so-called consent mechanism - the idea the prime minister came up with to give communities in Northern Ireland a regular say over whatever comes into effect. The DUP is understood to be most concerned about this issue too. The party also fears the creation of a “customs border” in the Irish Sea, which would require checks on goods between the rest of the UK and Northern Ireland. The DUP are due to issue a statement later, following their latest round of talks in Downing Street. After a 90-minute meeting on Tuesday, they said “it would be fair to indicate gaps remain and further work is required”.

Protesters had erected barricades in parts of Guinea’s capital, Conakry

ight opposition leaders have gone on trial in Guinea, accused of organising protests against President Alpha Conde’s plans to seek a third term in office.

DUP’s Sammy Wilson raises concerns about Brexit deal Party leader Arlene Foster dismissed suggestions that their concerns had since been allayed. Skip Twitter post by @DUPleader The UK is due to leave the EU at 23:00 GMT on 31 October and Mr Johnson has repeatedly insisted this will happen, regardless of whether there is a deal or not. One senior EU diplomat has told journalists in Brussels it is now too late for EU leaders to formally approve a revised Brexit deal at the summit. They said the most they could do was give a provisional thumbs-up - “a political yes” - to whatever emerges from the talks pending the

release of the final legal text. ‘Foundations ready’ But Mr Tusk suggested an agreement was still possible within the next few hours. “Theoretically in seven to eight hours everything should be clear,” he told the TVN 24 News Channel. “It is still undergoing changes and the basic foundations of this agreement are ready and theoretically we could accept a deal tomorrow.” Thursday’s summit is crucial because under legislation passed last month - the Benn Act - Mr Johnson is compelled to ask the EU for a delay to Brexit if he does not get a new deal approved by MPs by Saturday.

Harry Dunn crash: Anne Sacoolas ‘disappointed’ by White House rejection

he US woman accused of involvement in the crash which killed Harry Dunn has said she was “disappointed” not to have met his family. Mr Dunn’s parents rejected a “bombshell” offer from Donald Trump to meet Anne Sacoolas at the White House on Tuesday. Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn felt “a little ambushed” when the

president revealed she was in the next room. Mr Trump described his meeting with the couple as “beautiful” but “very sad”. A statement issued by Mrs Sacoolas’ lawyer Amy Jeffress said: “We are trying to handle the matter privately and look forward to hearing from the family or their representatives. “Anne accepted the invitation to the White

House with the hope that the family would meet and was disappointed.” Harry’s parents said they wanted to meet Mrs Sacoolas, 42, in the UK. She returned to the United States under diplomatic immunity days after the crash which killed Harry, 19. Media captionHarry Dunn’s parents say they were told by the president he

would “try to push this from a different angle” Speaking to journalists about the meeting, President Trump said: “My meeting with the family, it was beautiful in a certain way.” Referring to Mrs Sacoolas he said: “[Mrs Sacoolas] was in the room right out there, we met right here. “I offered to bring the person in question in, and they weren’t ready for it.

utch investigators suspect an Austrian man held a father and five adult children against their will for nearly a decade on a remote farmhouse before they were finally rescued, officials said on Wednesday. The 58-year-old man, identified by media as Josef B., was arrested after police discovered the family of six in a tiny secret room in the

building in the village of Ruinerwold in the northern province of Drenthe. The mystery surrounding the case deepened with reports that the son who had reportedly walked into a bar and raised the alarm about their captivity had nevertheless been active on social media this year. “In the investigation, the man is currently

suspected of being involved in illegal deprivation of liberty and harming the health of others,” Dutch prosecutors said in a statement. AFP / The village of Ruinerwold where the family were discovered is in a northern province of the Netherlands The man will appear before an examining magistrate on Thursday who will decide whether he should be kept in custody for longer. Police also raided two properties as part of the investigation, including a former toy store owned by the suspect in the town of Zwartsluis, 16 kilometres (10 miles) from Ruinerwold. The Austrian foreign ministry earlier said an Austrian national from Vienna was being held in relation to the case, but said the man did not want to have contact with Austrian officials. Ministry spokesman Peter Guschelbauer told AFP that Dutch authorities had informed their Austrian counterparts that all others in the cellar case were Dutch. - ‘We never saw anything’ The mayor of Perg district in Upper Austria state said the arrested man had worked as a carpenter and lived alone for 10 years before

leaving for the Netherlands in 2010, describing him as “reserved” and “discreet.” The man was reportedly known in Ruinerwold as “Josef, the Austrian” and Dutch media said he was the one who held the group, renting the house and planting vegetables for them in the garden. ANP/AFP / Vincent Jannink Local residents expressed disbelief at the discovery of the family in a nearby farmhouse “We used to see him, at first we thought he was our neighbour. And we always used to think that he lived alone there, that no one else lived there,” Vincent de Gooijer, 46, who lived in a house overlooking the farm, told AFP. “He was always busy working, we assumed he was doing up the farm. But he arrived early in the morning and left at the end of the afternoon, so he didn’t sleep there or live there.” De Gooijer added: “I can’t believe that such a thing is possible. And you know it’s weird to say that we never saw anything all these years. But if these people never go out and they shut themselves away, there’s nothing you can do.” According to media reports, the family had spent years “waiting for the end of time”,

They belong to an alliance of political parties, unions and pressure groups - and face sentences ranging from three to five years. Activists say that at least seven people have been killed since protests began on Monday in the capital, Conakry, and elsewhere in the country. Health workers said demonstrators were shot dead by the police. The authorities have denied the security forces used firearms, and say only two people died. After the upheaval earlier this week, Conakry was quieter on Wednesday, but trouble has been reported in other towns and cities.

More than 70 arrested after Mozambique poll

he police in Mozambique have arrested 73 people for offences connected to Tuesday’s general election, a spokesperson says. Orlando Mudumane said they had been detained in connection with 22 electoral offences, including “creating disturbances in the polling stations”. Nine of those are being held in connection with an attempt to destroy a voting centre in Sofala province. Mr Mudumane told journalists in the capital, Maputo, that the attackers wanted to grab the ballot boxes from

the polling stations in this centre, but were prevented from doing so by the prompt intervention of the police. He said that 300 supporters of the former rebel Renamo movement were involved. He urged Mozambicans to remain calm and wait for the results to be announced, which are expected by Friday. The vote, which includes a presidential election, has been seen as a test of the recently-signed peace deal between the ruling Frelimo party and Renamo.

Ugandan parents arrested for avoiding immunisation

Austrian man ‘held Dutch farm family captive’

r o m

Eight Guinea protest leaders on trial

Brexit: PM meets cabinet and DUP as Brussels talks continue he future of Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal hangs in the balance as EU officials say the outcome of talks should be known by the end of the day. European Council President Donald Tusk said he would have “bet” on a deal 24 hours ago, but “certain doubts had appeared on the British side”. The PM has been trying to get the Democratic Unionists on board for his revised plan for Northern Ireland. He is in a race against time to get a deal before Thursday’s EU summit. Mr Johnson has been updating his cabinet on the state of the negotiations after further talks with the DUP, whose support is crucial if Parliament is to approve any agreement. The BBC understands ministers were not briefed on the full contents of the proposed deal because the situation in Brussels is still fluid. The PM has also briefly addressed a meeting of Conservative MPs, comparing the current position to Edmund Hillary’s ascent of Mount Everest in 1953 - suggesting the destination was “not far” away “but there is still cloud around the summit.” The EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier was due to brief EU ministers at lunch time but this meeting has been put back twice - and will not now take place until 18:00 BST. Differences remain on proposed customs and tax arrangements, and how to get support for them in Northern Ireland. There are all sorts of briefings, but there are very few briefings from the people who have direct knowledge of the conversations taking place. What I am not hearing is that the DUP have signed up to the latest proposals.

ive people have been arrested in Uganda after they were found hiding their children to avoid the measles, rubella and polio mass vaccination programme. The authorities are hoping to immunise 18 million children under the age of 15 over the next four days. The parents were arrested from their homes in the eastern Uganda district of Kamuli after health officials were informed of their resistance to the vaccinations. The government has said that

anyone found trying to prevent their children from being vaccinated will be detained, in line with the sanctions outlined in the immunisation act. This campaign is in response to a measles outbreak last year. In the past, mass immunisation exercises have faced resistance from different communities such as religious groups that do not believe in vaccinations and parents who do not understand why their children have to have several different vaccinations.

Liberia teachers strike over two months’ pay arrears

lassrooms in governmentrun secondary schools in and around Liberia’s capital, Monrovia, remained empty on Wednesday due to a teachers’ strike over salary arrears, among other things. This kind of strike action to demand the payment of wages has become common in Liberia in recent times. On Tuesday thousands of students affected by the teachers’ action staged street protests and then gathered in front of the presidency and other locations to draw President George Weah’s attention to the situation. As President Weah’s motorcade approached his office, protesters tried to get in the way but they were

driven back by police. Many of the student demonstrators were treated for wounds. The president’s office told the BBC that Mr Weah could not meet the students on Tuesday as no meeting had been arranged. Riot police were seen outside the presidency on Wednesday to deter the students from returning. The strike began on Monday with the teachers demanding that their August and September salaries be paid. “Things have become so bad with the educational system that we make students provide their own chalk, paper and even the report cards in which we record their grades,” one teacher told the BBC.

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f r i c a

Egypt archaeologists find 20 ancient coffins near Luxor

ore details about the discovery will be released at a news conference on Saturday Archaeologists have found more than 20 ancient wooden coffins near the Egyptian city of Luxor, the country’s antiquities ministry says. The coffins, whose brightlycoloured decorations are still visible, were uncovered at the Theban necropolis of Asasif, on the River Nile’s west bank. They were in two layers, with the

ones on top across those below. The ministry described the discovery as “one of the largest and most important” in recent years. More details will be released at a news conference on Saturday. Most of the tombs at Asasif, which is close to the Valley of the Kings, are from the Late Period (664-332BC) of ancient Egypt. However, there are also tombs from the earlier 18th Dynasty (1550-1292BC), which was the

first of the New Kingdom and included the famous pharaohs Ahmose, Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, Amenhotep III, Akhenaton and Tutankhamun. Last week, the antiquities ministry announced that archaeologists had discovered an ancient “industrial area” in Luxor’s West Valley. The area included “houses for storage and the cleaning of funerary furniture, with many potteries dated to the 18th Dynasty”, it said.

South African rapist recites poem for victim in court

onvicted rapist Nicholas Ninow has read out a poem he wrote for his seven-year-old victim as he appealed for leniency during a sentencing hearing in a court in South Africa. The 21-year-old was convicted last month after he was caught naked in 2018 with the child in the female toilets of a popular Pretoria restaurant. In the poem he said: “She may

never forgive, nor even forget.” Ninow detailed his history of drug use and apologised to his victim and her family. The accused admitted he had been on a three-day drug binge and that he did not care about the consequences of his actions at the time of the attack. He also disputed the court’s finding that the rape was premeditated but later admitted to flushing the

child’s underwear down the toilet to get rid of evidence. He was found guilty of rape, drug abuse and defeating the ends of justice, and faces a lengthy jail term. The prosecution argued against his plea explanation and urged the judge to impose the maximum sentence, EWN news reports. He is expected to be sentenced later this week.

Ahmad Benali: Libya captain wants stability on and off the pitch

orn in England and given his football education in Manchester City’s luxurious academy, Ahmad Benali might not seem a natural fit for the captaincy of a country bruised by nearly a decade of conflict. But as Libya prepare to start their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign next month, he has described leading the team as “the biggest honour” of his professional career. “It’s something every boy dreams of, so I feel privileged,” he told BBC Sport. Obviously, I would like the safety of people and stability in my country to be the priority before football Ahmad BenaliLibya captain Libya have not participated at a Cup of Nations since 2012 but Benali has high hopes this time around. “We have to be in qualifiers with intentions to qualify. I don’t see our Afcon group as one of the stronger ones and I think if we play how we know we can on a consistent basis we

can definitely look to qualify.” The Mediterranean Knights have been drawn in Group J alongside Tunisia, Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea. With Jalal Damja having been reappointed as head coach earlier this year, Benali says it is important that those in charge of the national team now take a long-term view and create a more stable environment for the players. “I’ve always said that this national team is potentially one of the best we’ve had for a long time because we have young, talented, hungry players. “But of course the players need to be helped by being put in the condition to do well. “By this I mean having a coach for the long-term that will have a project and a way of playing, as in recent years we’ve had too many changes and every coach has his own style so it’s getting used to everything all over again. “We hope that we can stick together and work towards the future

Ahmad Benali has played 10 times for Libya scoring three goals together.” Libya captain Ahmad Benali currently plays for Italian side Crotone Having been raised in Manchester, where his father still lives, Benali represented England at Under-17 level and also had the chance to play for Scotland. His club career also took him to Italy, where he has played in Serie A and Serie B for Brescia, Pescara and current club Crotone.

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Hossein Fereydoun: Iranian president’s brother begins prison term

ranian President Hassan Rouhani’s brother has reportedly begun a fiveyear prison sentence for corruption. Hossein Fereydoun, who was a close adviser to the president, entered Tehran’s Evin prison on Wednesday, his lawyer told local media. He was convicted of “receiving bribes” in May and sentenced to seven years. An appeals court later reduced the jail term, but ordered him to return any property that he had acquired illicitly and fined him 310bn riyals. That sum is equivalent to $9m (£7m) on the country’s official exchange rate, but $2.7m (£2.1m) at the freemarket exchange rate. Fereydoun denied any wrongdoing and some supporters of the president, who is a moderate, said the case was a move by hardliners in the judiciary to discredit him. The judiciary has said it has no political motivation for

the cases it tries. Mr Rouhani promised to curb corruption in the 2013 and 2017 president election campaigns. However, he has struggled to do so. The president was born Hassan Fereydoun but changed his surname to a word meaning “spiritual” or “cleric” decades ago after joining a seminary. In a separate development on Wednesday, the French foreign ministry said the Iranian authorities had detained the French academic Roland Marchal. The ministry added that it had asked Iranian officials to bring the “unacceptable” situation to an end without delay. Mr Marchal, a sociologist who focuses on civil wars in Africa, is reported to have been arrested in June along with a French-Iranian colleague at Sciences Po university in Paris, Fariba Adelkhah. Her detention was confirmed in July.

Hossein Fereydoun denied any wrongdoing

Dark web child abuse: Hundreds arrested across 38 countries

ore than 300 people have been arrested following the takedown of one of the world’s “largest dark web child porn marketplaces”, investigators said. The site had more than 200,000 videos which had collectively been downloaded more than a million times. It was shut down last year after a UK investigation into a child sex offender uncovered its existence. But on Wednesday, officials revealed that 337 suspected users had been arrested across 38 countries. US officials unsealed nine indictments against the site’s owner Jong Woo Son, 23, from South Korea – where he is currently in prison. The UK’s National Crime Agency said arrests had been made in the UK, Ireland, America, South

Korea, Germany, Spain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the Czech Republic and Canada among others. The site, named Welcome to Video, was run from South Korea and had nearly eight terabytes of content involving child abuse - enough to store hundreds or even thousands of hours of video footage. Prosecutors said the site had offered videos of sex acts involving children, infants and toddlers – and specifically asked users not to upload videos featuring adults-only pornography. The site was “one of the first to offer sickening videos for sale using the cryptocurrency bitcoin,” the UK’s National Crime Agency said. It was taken down by an international task force that included agencies from the UK, the US, South Korea and Germany after operating for three years.

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NAGGW train staff on capacity building

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

he Director General (DG) National Agency for The Great Green Wall (NAGGW) Dr. Bukar Hassan said that proper procurement process and procedures is essential for transparency and accountability of any responsible Government or Private entity. Hassan made the disclosure recently when he declared opened a two-day

Turkey-Syria offensive: Erdogan vows to press on with ‘safe zone’ plan

urkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to press on with an offensive in northern Syria until his mission to create a “safe zone” is complete. Turkish troops and allied Syrian rebels launched an operation to clear a Kurdish militia from a border area last week, after US troops pulled out. Mr Erdogan has also said he will meet the US vicepresident on Thursday after all, despite appearing to rule it out. He told Sky News on Wednesday that an American delegation including Mike Pence and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would only “meet their counterparts” in Ankara. Following the comments, a spokeswoman for Mr Pence said he would still be travelling to Turkey. Mr Erdogan’s

communications director then tweeted a clarification: “He does plan to meet the US delegation led by @VP tomorrow.” Fahrettin Altun also included a video clip of the president telling Turkish reporters: “For the moment, I am not meeting anyone other than Pence and Pompeo.” Turkey launched the offensive in northern Syria a week ago to push back from its border members of a Syrian Kurdish militia called the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and create a 32km (20mile) deep “safe zone” along the Syrian side of the border where up to two million Syrian refugees can be resettled. Media captionWatch as Syrian government forces enter the town of Ain Issa The YPG dominates an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF),

which has driven the Islamic State (IS) group out of a quarter of Syria over the past four years with the help of air strikes by a US-led multinational coalition. On Sunday, after US troops began withdrawing from the region and Turkishled forces made gains, the Kurds agreed a deal with the Syrian government for the Syrian army to be deployed on the border to help repel the Turkish assault. What did Mr Erdogan say? In remarks on Wednesday, Mr Erdogan called on “terror organisations” in northern Syria to lay down their arms in order to end Turkey’s military operation. “Our offer is that immediately tonight all terrorists should drop their weapons, equipment and everything, destroying their traps and leaving the safe zone we have designated,” he told a meeting of his Justice and

Development Party’s (AKP) parliamentary group. The Turkish government insists the YPG is an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has fought for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey since 1984 and is designated as a terrorist group by the US and EU. Mr Erdogan has maintained the offensive will only end when his planned “safe zone” is cleared of Kurdish forces. Critics of the Trump administration say the withdrawal of US troops from the region gave Turkey a “green light” for the offensive. The US has repeatedly denied this, and on Monday Washington announced sanctions on Turkish ministries and senior government officials. Mr Pence and Mr Pompeo are due to travel to the Turkish capital, Ankara, on Thursday.

Hong Kong’s Carrie Lam abandons speech after protests

ong Kong leader Carrie Lam has been forced to suspend her annual address after being heckled in parliament. Opposition lawmakers disrupted the Legislative Council session by shouting and projecting slogans behind her. After a first interruption, the session resumed only to be interrupted again. It was then suspended - and Ms Lam delivered the address by video instead. It means the extradition bill - the trigger for months of protests - could not be withdrawn formally. The bill was suspended in July, but Wednesday’s meeting was the first time the Legislative Council (Legco) had resumed since it was stormed by protesters in July, and was the first opportunity to withdraw the

bill altogether. But as Chief Executive Lam was about to begin her speech, opposition lawmakers began shouting and climbing on tables. They also projected the words “Five demands - not one less” on the wall behind her. Since the protests began, they have widened from rallies against the bill to five key demands - including universal suffrage. Opposition lawmaker Tanya Chan said Ms Lam was to blame for the Hong Kong’s troubles. “Both her hands are soaked with blood,” she said. “We hope Carrie Lam withdraws and quits. She has no governance ability. She is not suitable to be chief executive.” It was the first time a Hong Kong chief executive had been unable to deliver a policy

Procurement Training by the Agency in Keffi, Nassarawa State. A statement signed by Pauline Sule (Mrs) Head (P&PRU),said Dr.Hassan who was represented by Director Procurement Qs,Lawrence Oyadoye said that the training was meant to enhance the capacity of the staff as well as keep them abreast of the dynamics of Procurement Act, Bye-Laws and Executive Orders that constantly guide

expenditures of Contracts, Consultancies, Works, Goods and Services. The training was designed for all the Directors of Departments and Units and Members of Parastatals Tenders Board (PTB) in the Agency. Topics like Procurement Planning for Successful Budget Implementation, Procurement of Works, Goods, Consultancy of Technical Services, Overview of Public Procurement amongst others were well treated by the

Resource Persons. According to him,the Public Procurement was a creation of Government by an Act of Parliament in 2007 which led to the establishment of Procurement Department in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of Government, as a result, procurement has become one of the innovative ways of handling government business its importance to Government and the Country cannot be overemphasized.

Climate Chance Summit: Non-state actors battle climate change

he Climate Chance Summit – Africa 2019 will take place in Accra, Ghana, from October 16 to 18 at the International Conference Centre. According to the organisers, the event will be a wide gathering of 2,000 non-state actors fighting climate change on the African continent, including local governments, businesses, trade unions, environmental NGOs, farmers, women and youth organisations, as well as researchers – united to step up climate action on the continent. The summit was initiated by the Climate Chance Association. Convinced that the only way to tackle climate change is to coordinate the actions and initiatives in each of the main sectors of greenhouse gas emissions (agriculture, energy, mobility etc.), Climate Chance aims to bring together all the nonstate actors fighting climate change. The Climate Chance Association supports the central role of local climate action and the inseparable link between the climate agenda and the sustainable development goals. For this reason, Climate Chance decided to focus its action in Africa, the most vulnerable continent to climate change, where the development stakes and poverty reduction imply coherent and consistent development policies with the reality of climate change. The first Climate Chance Summit Africa 2018 (Abidjan) was the starting point of the creation of sectoral coalitions specific to the African continent and the eight resulting sectoral roadmaps (adaptation; agriculture, food, reforestation; buildings; education and training; energy; financing; sustainable development cities; mobility and transports). The upcoming Climate Chance Summit – Africa 2019 in Accra aims to strengthen the African sectoral coalitions created in 2018 and support the projects of these coalitions such as the African sustainable urban planners Alliance, a network of companies and investors in the sector of energy, or

an operational roadmap for mobility and transports in Ivory Coast. The Climate Chance Association wishes to mobilise the community of actors acting for climate in Africa, to reinforce synergies between actors, and to propel their actions, words and priorities to the forefront of the international climate scene. Climate Chance Summit – Africa is described as an opportunity to increase the number of actors involved in the coalitions. A call for contributions was launched and shared across the African continent in order to identify new projects and initiatives. The 376 received projects will be published on the cartography for climate action on Climate Chance’s website, their representatives will then become members of the coalitions, and 70 among these 376 projects will be showcased during the

Summit (renewable energies programme by Oxfam Sierra Leone, building and packaging materials made from coconut husk and sugarcane bagasse by Ecovon.) Four plenary sessions will also take place during the summit, opening debate between grassroots actors, institutional representatives and personalities (Nana Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana; Jean-Pierre Elong Mbassi, Secretary General of United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa); Ronan Dantec, French Senator and Founder and President of Climate Chance; Soham El Wardini, Mayor of Dakar (Senegal); Luc Gnacadja, past Environment Minister of Benin and Executive secretary of the UN convention on the fight against desertification; Tomasz Chruszczow, high-level climate champion from the UN

Convention on climate change, and more), all presenting their issues and proposals. The first day of the Summit – October 16, will be dedicated to side-events showcasing initiatives, supporting capacity building and networking: a journalists’ training by Climate tracker, a business forum, a presentation of the key findings and recommendations on water and climate from UNESCO’s World Water Assessment Programme, presentation of the project of the African Development Bank on finance and adaptation, the closing of the second stage of the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoM SSA) with the presence of 40 African Mayors, “COP in Africa” simulation of a climate negotiation to raise awareness and mobilise the young people. Source :Environewsnigeria

Climate Change disaster

Vaping Deaths: ERA/FoEN tells FG to ban e-cigarettes By Mashe Umaru Gwamna address in the chamber. Pro-establishment lawmakers condemned the interruption of the session - saying the address was important for Hong Kong’s economic future. After the assembly was suspended, a pre-recorded speech was made available on the Legco website instead. In the address, Ms Lam stressed her commitment to “one country, two systems” the parallel political system

introduced in Hong Kong after British rule ended - and said calls for Hong Kong independence would not be tolerated. She announced several housing and infrastructure policies, saying housing was the most urgent issue the city faces. In a news conference after the address, Ms Lam rejected claims that her speech ignored the demands of the protest movement.

he Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/ FoEN) has called on the Nigerian government to swiftly place a ban on e-cigarettes, shisha and other so-called novel products from the tobacco industry in the wake of mounting deaths attributable to vaping across the globe. In the United States alone,recently the Center for Disease Control and Prevention documented 29 deaths attributable to vaping and the outbreak of mysterious lung illnesses that have affected 1,299 persons. It reported that the ages of those who died

ranged from 17 to 75 years, and that many of those who became ill had vaped THC, some had used both THC and nicotine, and others report vaping only nicotine. In the United Kingdom a factory worker who died got pneumonia caused by oil from an e-cigarette in his lungs. Similar incidences are being documented across the globe. In a statement issued in Lagos, ERA/ FoEN described the situation as “horrific” warning that the Federal Government must not allow the deaths to start occurring in Nigeria before bringing its full hammer on e-cigarettes and other tobacco products currently being sold in the open markets and via internet in Nigeria.

ERA/FoEN Deputy Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi said: “Once again we are vindicated on our aversion to so-called novel products that the tobacco merchants of death have been peddling as less-harmful, particularly in recent years. The Nigerian government must take the lead in Africa by banning e-cigarettes and other products now causing grievous harm to innocent and misled users” “We knew the tobacco industry was packaging death in novelty when they started talking about e-cigarettes and other lethal innovation. It is only unfortunate that the youth are the guinea pig in this game of profits for the industry. That is why Nigeria

must not wait any longer” The ERA/FoEN boss extolled the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council (FCCPC) for taking the lead in enforcing the National Tobacco Control (NTC) Act and its Regulations, urging the agency to now extend its operations to online agencies that try to beat the law by marketing and even delivering shisha and e-cigarettes straight to the homes of consumers. “The price of delay might be too dangerous for us all. It is time that the federal government bans e-cigarettes and other death conveying products that the tobacco industry has unleashed on the youths. Now is the time to act”, Oluwafemi insisted.

PEOPLES DAILY, Thursday, october 17, 2019

ISSUEs

CLASSIFIED PUBLIC NOTICE

Eradicating Poverty, Promoting Human Rights By Zhou Pingjian

oday, October 17, is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. In his message for the Day 2019, the Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres stresses, “Ending extreme poverty is at the heart of the world’s efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and build a sustainable future for all. But success in leaving no one behind will remain elusive if we do not target the people who are farthest behind first.” According to the UN SecretaryGeneral, this year’s observance focuses on “acting together to empower children, their families and communities to end poverty”, as we mark the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty can be traced back to October 17, 1987. On that day, over a hundred thousand people gathered at the Trocadéro in Paris, where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in 1948, to honour the victims of extreme poverty, violence and hunger. They proclaimed that poverty is a violation of human rights and affirmed the need to come together to ensure that these rights are respected. Through resolution 47/196 adopted on December 22, 1992, the UN General Assembly declared October 17 as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty and invited all States to devote the Day to presenting and promoting, as appropriate in the national context, concrete activities with regard to the eradication of poverty and destitution. China was one of the poorest and most backward countries in the world when the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was founded on October 1, 1949. Since the founding of the PRC, the Communist Party of China has led the people in fighting poverty. Over the past 70 years, China’s GDP has averaged an annual growth rate of around 4.4% for the first three decades and 9.5% for the last four decades, lifting hundreds of millions people out of poverty. Between 1978 and 2018 the number of rural poor fell from 770 million to 16.6 million calculated against China’s poverty line set in 2010, and the incidence of poverty in rural areas dropped from 97.5 percent to 1.7 percent. More than 10 million people rose and remained above the poverty line every year from 2012 to 2018. China has built the world’s largest social security system, with the basic oldage pension covering more than 900 million people and medical insurance covering over 1.3 billion people. With the highest number of people moving out of poverty, China was the first developing country to realize one of the UN Millennium Development Goals for

Zhou Pingjian

poverty reduction. This achievement represented 70 percent of the global poverty reduction effort. By 2020, all people in China living below the current poverty line will be taken out of poverty, i.e., the rural pool will be guaranteed food, clothing, compulsory education, basic medical care, and safe housing; in povertystricken areas, the growth rate in rural per capita disposable income will surpass the national averaged growth rate, and major indicators of basic public services will approach the national average. It is fair to say that China has actively explored a poverty reduction path with Chinese characteristics and scored remarkable achievements in poverty reduction during the past seven decades. As Chinese President Xi Jinping once remarked, “This achievement deserves to be recorded in the annals of human social development, and it proves the worth of the CPC’s leadership and Chinese socialism.” What are China’s major efforts in poverty reduction? Why they work wonders? I would like to share China’s practices with Nigerian friends from four aspects. First, proceeding from the prevailing national conditions and exploiting its institutional advantages. Development is the paramount task of the ruling CPC in governing and rejuvenating China, which is essential to addressing the country’s existing problems. By exploiting its political and institutional advantages, China has formed a transregional, trans-departmental, and trans-industrial poverty reduction process to which all social sectors contribute through the mechanism of “Party leadership, government guidance and social participation.”

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

Second, accelerating economic development and promoting poverty reduction. Taking poverty reduction as a major element of economic development, China promotes poverty reduction alongside economic growth, combines development-oriented poverty alleviation and socio-economic development, treats poverty alleviation through development as the main focus of the economic and social development plan. Third, adhering to multi-form poverty reduction, and focusing on effect. Development is the fundamental approach to poverty eradication. China addresses poverty reduction by enhancing the skills of the impoverished population and improving their capacity for selfdevelopment, and acts to prevent the transfer of poverty across generations. The government adds preferential policies to its general welfare policy, devising preferential policies for the impoverished population on the basis

“

China was one of the poorest and most backward countries in the world when the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was founded on October 1, 1949. Since the founding of the PRC, the Communist Party of China has led the people in fighting poverty. Over the past 70 years, China’s GDP has averaged an annual growth rate of around 4.4% for the first three decades and 9.5% for the last four decades, lifting hundreds of millions people out of poverty.

of the general welfare policy for the rural areas, agriculture and farmers. It takes targeted poverty reduction and elimination as the basic strategy, with differentiated and targeted measures, and provides aid and guarantees for all those who qualify. Fourth, prioritizing social fairness and justice, and striving to bring benefits and common prosperity to all. Focusing on ensuring and improving public well-being, China encourages institutional and organizational innovation, and promotes social fairness and justice. It is establishing a social fairness guarantee system applying to rights, opportunities and rules, protecting the people’s right to equal participation and equal development with the rule of law, and bringing the benefits of reform and development as well as common prosperity to the whole population. Despite the achievements we have made, there are still challenges ahead. To fulfill the commitment to build China into a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020, there are more than 10 million people still to be lifted out of poverty, and we are fully aware that our development is unbalanced and inadequate. Moreover, winning the war against absolute poverty doesn’t erase the fact that relative poverty will still exist for a long time. China’s battle against poverty has entered the final but the toughest stage. To win the battle, we are carrying on the fight with firmer resolve, clearer thinking, more targeted measures, unique intensity, and concerted action, leaving behind no single povertystricken area or individual. We have the full confidence to bring reasonable prosperity to all poverty-stricken areas and individuals by 2020. As President Muhammadu Buhari points out in his statement delivered at the general debate on the theme of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York last month, “Poverty in all its manifestations remains one of the greatest challenges facing our world. Its eradication is an indispensable requirement for achieving sustainable development.” President Buhari also said in his Democracy Day speech in June, “With leadership and a sense of purpose, we can lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.” We highly appreciate and commend Nigeria’s firm commitment to making greater contribution to the global cause of poverty eradication. Nigeria can do it. China stands ready to work with Nigeria and the international community to promote the eradication of poverty and march ahead on the path to shared prosperity. Pingjian is (Dr. Zhou Ambassador of China to Nigeria)

SCIENCE TO PRODUCTS AFRICA INITIATIVE The General Public is hereby notified that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Dr. Olatunde Adegbola 2. Prof. Omotayo Abayomi Fakinlede THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. To promotes engineering education in Africa 2.To encourage training in the use of modern tools to enhance technology advancement in Africa at large and Nigeria in particular. 3.To enlighten a well orchestrated African technology intervention 4. To promote African languages through the use of technological time zones by erasing innumeracy and graphical illiteracy 5.To promote African literacy and history through the use of technology 6. To promote the state of the arts information technology, engineering and design tools to mediate the delivery of engineering services 7. To Promote, Develop, design and create products and services using modern day tools within the Africa continent. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

PUBLIC NOTICE ALLAHU SAMOD INTERNATIONAL PRAYER GROUP

THIS IS TO NOTIFY THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAME HAD APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION WITH THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION UNDER THE PART C OF THE COMPANY AND ALLIED MATTER ACT OF 1990 NAMES OF TRUSTEES: 1) LUKMAN KOLAWOLE SOLIU (Chairman) 2) MORUFAT OLOWU (Secretary) 3. SUWEBAT DAUDA (Member) Aims and Objectives: 1. To create a platform for a better understanding of Islamic Teachings among its members. 2. To cater for the common interest of its members. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESENT MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : Secretary

Signed: Secretary

PUBLIC NOTICE THE GOLDEN UNITY FOR PEACE, PROGRESS AND INITIATIVE This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied for registration to corporate affairs commission under part “C” of companies and Allied Matters Act 1990. NAMES OF TRUSTEES: 1. Odey-Agba Itite Emmanuel. 2. Ishubel Macween Ashuwel. 3. Ushie Regina Ukunim. 4. Agorye Pius. 5. Undie Eugene Igian. 6. Igbo Clement. 7. Undie Anthony Akpanke. 8. Yakubu Sale Enameje. 9. Agim Joe. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To promote and foster unity across tribes and religion. 2. To assist members in developing sound personality. 3. To support members financially, socially, morally and otherwise towards attending societal goals. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication. SIGNED : Barr. Odey-Agba Itite Emmanuel Secretary

PUBLIC NOTICE

TITCOMBE COLLEGE OLD STUDENTS ASSOCIATION 1978 - ‘83

INDIGENOUS OIL AND GAS PRODUCING COMMUNITIES CONTRACTORS FORUM

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

Ex-university of portharcourt graduate foundation CAC/ IT/ NO: 101353

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. ADESINA BERNARD - CHAIRMAN 2. OWOYELE OLATUNDE MARK - SECRETARY 3. ARO STEPHEN - MEMBER 4. AGBANA OLUSOJI - MEMBER 5. SHABA OLUWATOYIN ABIDEMI - MEMBER THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To inculcate and sustain interest in the well-being of Titcombe College, Egbe among 1983 graduating students. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Chief James Tangbowei (JP). - CHAIRMAN 2. Engr. Felix Umugo. - VICE CHAIRMAN 3. Mr. Ogie oritsebemigho Samson - SECRETARY 4. Mr. Charles Ebigbagha - PRO 5. Mr. Dele akpotare - FINANCIAL SECRETARY 6. Mrs. Patience olley - TREASURER 7. Mr. Friday Isaghare - PUBLICITY SECRETARY 8. Mr. Isaac Boyekporo - WELFARE 1 9. Chief Dominic Afeh - PROVOST 10. Mrs. Patricia Ike - WELFARE 2 11. Dr Wilson Ishima ASSIST. SEC. THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To foster peace ,unity and progress amongst members.

This is to inform the general public that the above named foundation has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for Appointment of Trustees under part ‘C’ of Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990 THE OLD TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Matthew philips eze - retained 2. Emesowun Ngozi - retained 3. George Inkkoba - retained 4. Afiesimama Tonye Iyeoneomi- retained 5. Nnaka Stephen onyinye - retained 6. Amobi chigozie Darlington - retained THE NEW TRUSTEE IS : 1. Ihenacho I. Joy - newly appointed THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES REMAIN THE SAME.

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.

Any objection to this should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, P.M.B 198, Maitama, Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

ROYAL VESSELS OF GOD CHAPEL

WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR AND CHILDREN WELFARE ASSOCIATION

GIRLS MENSTRUAL HEALTH FOUNDATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1) MUSA DESTINY JOSEPH 2) ITEYE OBED OKIEMUTE THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.TO REACH OUT TO THE UNSAVED, UNLOVED AND UNCHURCHED IMMORTAL SOULS IN ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.Awwalu Habiba Babangida THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To cater for the welfare of women and children in the society. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

ANYALECHI FOUNDATION

Glass masjid development Association

THIS IS TO NOTIFY THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAME HAD APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION WITH THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION UNDER THE PART C OF THE COMPANY AND ALLIED MATTER ACT OF 1990

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED ThAT THE ABOVE named has applied to the coperate affairs commision for CHANGE OF ITS TRUSTEES under part c of the company and allied matters ACT 1990

NAMES OF TRUSTEES: 1. Ifeanyi Kingsley Anyalechi 2. James Chibuzor Anyalechi 3. Vivian Amarachi Anyalachi 3. Philip Jacob Etubi 4. Chinyere Ivonne Anyalechi Aims and Objectives 1. To foster unity among members ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESENT MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : Secretary.

Trustees 1- Muhammad Nazifi Khalid 2- Yakubu Sule Okolo 3- Muhammad Lawal Abdullahi 4- Nuruddeen Abatemi-Usman 5- Hafizu Isa 6- Umar Aliyu Lapai 7- Halilu Usman 8- Jibril Tijjani 9- Adamu Ahmad Ndagi 10- Abubakar Mohammed Bello 11- Muhammad Ibn Yusufu 12- Muhammad Hazat Sule 13- Suleiman Baba Tata 14-Kabiru Usman Ali. Aim To preach the teaching of Islam. Any objection to this APPLICATION should be forwaded to the registra genetral coperate affairs commision plot 420 tigris crescent maitama abuja withing 28 days of this publication. SIGNEDBarr A .A MAIGAR

CHAIRMAN SECRETARY

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To end menstrual period poverty and stigma amongst girls in public secondary schools through advocacy, education and service. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE AWESOME AND BEAUTIFUL INITIATIVE. CAC/IT/NO. 123236 THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED ThAT THE ABOVE named has applied to the coperate affairs commision for CHANGE OF ITS AIMS AND OBJECTIVES AND AMMENDMENT OF ITS CONSTITUTION under part c of the company and allied matters ACT 1990 THE TRUSTEES REMAIN THE SAME ADDITION OF AIMS AND OBJECTIVES (1) To aid in tackling poverty amongst the deprived and disadvantaged (2) To aid in ending hunger and achieving food security amongst the deprived and the disadvantaged. (3) To aid in ensuring healthy lives and promote well-being amongst the deprived and the disadvantaged (4) To collaborate/strategically partner with like-minded organizations in catering for the needs of the deprived and disadvantage. REASON- The reason for addition of aims and objective is to widen the objectives to touch, The lives of the deprived and the disadvantaged. AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION- To alter and amend the constitution in order to add the new aims and objectives to the constitution. THE OLD AIMS AND OBJECTIVES REMAIN THE SAME. Any objection to this APPLICATION should be forwaded to the registra genetral coperate affairs commision plot 420 tigris crescent maitama abuja withing 28 days of this publication SIGNEDSECRETARY.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

CLASSIFIED PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

FAMILY OF ST VINCENT DE PAUL NIGERIA FOUNDATION

Old Students Association of Technical Secondary School, Amucha

Name of organisation: The Extreme Development Initiative

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE : (1) VERY REV. FR. CYPRIL NNAMDI MBATA (2) REV. SR. THERESA EKE (3) BARR. SYLVESTER ABABOTALE OJUBIAJA (4) LADY CHRISTY ORONSAYE. AIMS/OBJectives:(1) To intensify fraternity and understanding among the members of the different branches. (2) To recognize and become more deeply aware of the challenging reality of the poor. to create a database about the reality, needs, hopes and fears of the poor. (3) to deepen the vincentian charism in the light of today’s challenges. 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 : AYUBA ABDUL, ESQ. 08036373769. SOLICITOR.

PUBLIC NOTICE

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Chief Athanasius Iwuchukwu Ekezie- Coordinator 2. Jude Ibeawuchi Nwaugo- Secretary. 3. Chief Emeka Madu Steve-Treasurer, 4. Ike Emeka Uzoma, 5. Hon. George Chimezie, 6. Rev. Fr. Ujunwa Emmanuel Chigaekwu, 7. Everest Nwakamma, 8. Kate Iheanacho Nkuru. Aims To care for the welfare of its members

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : Barr. James C. Ude, Solicitor 08068392857/09092923394.

SIGNED : SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

ONE-ACCORD GOSPEL CHURCH

PROGRESSIVE VIRTUOUS WOMEN ASSOCIATION The general public is hereby notified that the above named body has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja, for registration under Part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST TO ALL NATION 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 : Barr. Dyane C. Ezenwajiaku

FAUZIYYA

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS Raji Maruf Bamidele. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS Raji Marufu Bamidele. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

ahmadu

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS ahmadu ahmed dago. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS ahmadu ajayi dago. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

acholo I formerly known as acholo vincent michael Now wish to be known and addressed as acholo vincent mike All former documents remains valid. The General public should please take note.

OCHAYI

I, formerly known as OCHAYI CECILIA ONUECHE now wish to be known and addressed as OCHAYI CECILIA. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

akpu

I, formerly known as akpu michael vincent now wish to be known and addressed as akpu vincent mmadubuchi. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

Uwakeme

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS Ojiako Tabitha. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS Uwakeme Tabitha. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. To empower women, children and youth at community levels to improve their lives in line with SDGs 5&10. 2. To facilitate the educational, physical, mental and environmental rights and wellbeing of children.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1 PASTOR ALEX ABIODUN NDUKWE CHAIMAN 2 BROTHER CHARLES ORUKPE SECRETARY 3 PASTOR AYOBAMI ONOKOYA MEMBER 4 PAATOR ABIODUN AKINYEMI MEMBER 5 MRS AUGUSTA AKWUBULU MEMBER 6 MRS JOY ABOH

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Okwudiri Blessing Udea 2. Okorie Mary Nwanyiocha 3. Anthony Sonia Ifeyinwa

PUBLIC NOTICE

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. OKUMAKUBE CORDELIA NKECHIYEM - Chairman, 2. NWAHAM UJU JOSEPHINE -Secretary 3. OKAFOR ROSE IHEKAONYE -Member 4. EJOH PATIENCE - Member 5. EBORAH NGOZI JENNIFER -Member 6. AKE NKIRUKA ANTHONIA - Vice Chairman The Aim and objectives : 1.TO GIVE ASSISTANCE TO THE LESS PRIVILEGED 2.TO PROTECT THE INTEREST OF ITS REGISTERED MEMBERS 3.TO FOSTER UNITY AND UNDERSTANDING AMONG MEMBERS 4.TO ATTEND FUNCTIONS ORGANISED BY MEMBERS WHENEVER AND WHEREVER THE ASSOCIATION IS INVITED Any objection to the above 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

KWAGHHEMBA

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS Ibrahim musa. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS Ibrahim musa abubakar. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

UGWU

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS CHIOMA GRACE ONAH. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS UGWU CHIOMA GRACE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

IBRAHIM

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS IBRAHIM ABDULLAHI. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS IBRAHIM ABDULLAHI YUSIF. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

Otunaiya

I formerly known as Madi Onyekachi Peters now wishes to be known as Amadi Onyekachi Peters. All former documents remains valid general public please take note.

Lincoln

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS Okon Ekanem Ita. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS Lincoln Ita Okon. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

HANNATU

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS HAFSAT ABDULHAMID. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS HANNATU MUHAMMAD. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

Mr Ifezue

I Formerly known as Mr Ifezue Chigozie Tobias now wish to be addressed as Mr Ifezue Chukwugozie Tobias. All former document remain valid and the general public should please take note.

AISHA

I Formerly known as AISHA AMINU now wish to be addressed as AISHA ABDULLAHI. All former document remain valid and the general public should please take note.

Comfirmation of name

This is to certify that the names Mrs Chukwugozie Joan and Mrs Chukwugozie Joan Chinegbonkpa is for one and same person. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

Sports

PEOPLES DAILY

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thursday october 17, 2019

Page

sports@peoplesdailyng.com, SMS- 08142929046

Dalung commends Bimo Sporting Club on youth football development By Amaechi Agbo

ormer Minister of youth and sports development, Barr. Solomon Dalung has commended the management of Bimo Sporting Club of Ogidi, Anambra State for their initiative in promoting grassroots football development in the country. Barr. Dalung who made the commendation in Abuja Tuesday at the final of the maiden edition of of the Bimo Sporting Club Club Youth Football Tournament played at Area 3 Play Ground, said with more private hands in the football sector, football and other sports will eliminate crimes and social vices in the country. FWC Champions came frombehind to beat Goddosky Internationa Football Club 2-1 to emerge champions of the tournament. “I am not happy because I came here late. You can see I came when the match has ended. My intention ws to watch the match from the beginning to the final whistle. Nevertheless, kudos to the winners. “I came here today (Tuesday) because of my passion for the game and sports generally. This passion is not because I was former minister of sports. It trancendes that period. “Chinedu Okoye, the chiarman of Bimo Sporting Club, by this singular act is doing a great job and I commend him. We can all see how beautiful the tournament was and the number of digniatries that came t watch the final. This tells you that with the right administration and funding, we can harness and maximise our potentional in sports and rule the world. “If we can get more hands, private individuals like this running and promoting not just football but other sports, we will be world beaters in global competitions. we have the raw talents everywhere in the country but underfunding is the bane of discovering and harnessing these potentials for national glory. “Look at the atheletes that competed in Doha. Almost of of them are blacked skined. Does that send a message? Very well. It means that Africa is competing against herself. And it also means that we have not put our money where our heart is. “Sports is a business and in this

Former Sports minister, Solomon Dalung part of the world, we have not realised it. Government is yet to see sports as a business investment and that is why we have the kind of budgatory allocation we have today for sports. As an investment, if you do not invest, you will not reap the fruit of the investment. Look at countries like Kenya, Ethiopia and now Uganda. These are countries who are prioritising sports currently. We need to go in that direction if we need to make progress in sports development,” he said. Speaking on the vision behind the tournament and the success recoded, Bimo SPortsing Club Chairman, Chinedu Okoye said that the main reason the club decided to organise the tournament was to scount for talented players and help in grassroots football development in the Federal Capital territory adding that despite obvious challenges in the first edition, subsequent ones will witness great

improvements. He appreciated the clubs that participated in the tournament and assured that of greater and better organisation in the future. “I am a happy man. Not because of this tournament but because so many personalities honoured this tournament as well as great clubs in the FCT participated in it. So it is a thing of joy. “The vision behind this tournament is for us to scout for hidden talents and we have achieved that. Nigeria is blessed with abundant talents but if these talented players are not discovered and giving a platform to nurture their career, we we end up either having angry disillusioned youth population or we are going to see a country at war because of crimes and social vices. “I congratulate the winners, FWC Champions, they have engraved

their name in history because this tournament, by the grace of God and support of all Nigerians will outlive all us. “I also want to than all the management and coaches of the 14 teams that participated in the tournament. I am sure of our obvious lapses and we assure them that subsequent editions will witness great improvements,” he said. FWC Champions who emerged champions of the tournament went home with the sum of one hundred thousand naira (N100, 000. 00) only while the runners up, Goddosky International FC went home with fifty thousand naira (N50, 000. 00) only. The two teams as well as officials in the final match also got medals each. A total of 14 clubs participated in the maiden edition of the 2019 Bimo Sporting Club Youth Football Tournament.

Organising Nigeria Ladies Open Golf Championship assures of best

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PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

Organising Nigeria Ladies Open Golf Championship assures of best tournament By Albert Akota

he Nigerian golf community has been assured of an excellent organization of this year’s Nigeria Ladies Open Golf Championship which holds next month at the IBB International Golf and Country Club in Abuja. Chairperson of the championship’s Organising Committee, Julie Okah-Donli, who is the Director General, National Agency for the Prohibition of the Trafficking In Persons, NAPTIP, gave the assurance during the unveiling of the championship’s logo in Abuja. In a release by Kayode Adeniyi, Media & Publicity it noted that Okah-Donli, who was assisted during the unveiling by the President of Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria (LGAN), Ekanem Ekwueme and other members of the championship’s Organising Committee, said the members should see the assignment as one to showcase Nigeria as one of the best sporting nations. “We all know that amateur golfers from Europe, as well as the Southern, Eastern and Western parts of Africa, are coming to participate in this championship. But we are not only to showcase our organisational abilities to host a successful event but to prove to them that Nigeria has what it takes to lead Africa.’’ While saying she and other members of the Committee were ready to deliver a perfect championship, NAPTIP DirectorGeneral urged LGAN to give maximum support to the Committee so as to achieve

100 percent success before, during and after the Championship. “Let me thank the LGAN President, Mrs Ekanem Ekwueme, and other Executive Committee members of the Association for finding us worthy by giving us the task of organising the 2019 edition of the Championship. “We however seek their cooperation and support towards delivering a memorable Championship in history,’’ Okah-Donli pleaded. Responding, the LGAN President, Ekanem Ekwueme, promised the Organising Committee members of the Executive Committee’s unflinching support towards setting a record in organising the best Nigeria Ladies Open Golf championship. “Your appointment is based on your qualities and abilities to excel, as well as your commitment to the game of golf and the country. So, we know why you were chosen, and we believe that success is your goal,’’ Ekwueme said. She urged the Committee to involve well-meaning Nigerians through courtesy visits and an awareness campaign. The LGAN president also advised the Committee to seek financial support which would assist it during the preparation and organisation of the job, saying ``all that starts well must end well’’. Highlights of the logo unveiling ceremony included the adorning of the Committee Chairperson with the LGAN jacket and presentation of LGAN key holder which symbolises the tee-off of the Championship.

FOSLA Football Club seek new challenge in NLO

Sports ministry, federations strategise on Tokyo Olympics Preparations

Real Madrid Target Chukwueze As Bale’s Replacement

Henry Onyekuru eal Madrid are considering a swoop for Samuel Chukwueze to replace Wales star Gareth Bale if he leaves the capital outfit in the upcoming transfer windows. Bale has been regularly linked with a transfer to Manchester United in recent months and saw a move to Chinese club

Jiangsu Suning fall through at the last minute in the summer transfer window. Spanish transfer market website Fichajes has claimed that Los Blancos are combing the market for a winger and Chukwueze has emerged as a low cost alternative to replace Bale. It has been suggested that Villarreal are resigned to losing Chukwueze at the end of the 2019-2020 season, with a host of clubs, including Barcelona, keen to sign the winger. A prized move to a more glamorous club is on the cards for the Diamond Academy product, having impressed for club and country over the last one year. Chukwueze dazzled for the Golden Eaglets at the 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup and was snapped up by Villarreal in August 2017 after turning 18.

he minister of youth and sports development, Sunday Dare has called on all federations to start preparations in earnest ahead of the 2020 Olympics Games hold in Japan. The minister gave the charge Tuesday in Abuja during a meeting with federations and stakeholders on the need to hasting prearations ahead of the quadrennial event. The Minister during the meeting held at MKO Abiola Stadium, reiterated the necessity of various national sports federations under his watch to start early preparations for Tokyo 2020 which he assured would be a departure from known results recoreded by the country in recent outings. He said with less than 7 months, the country is neither late nor early in its preparations and urged the federations to double their efforts. “We are left with barely 280 days to the commencement of the first two games as the Olympics and Paralympic games are scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan from July 21st

Uzoho Out of Action for Six Months

uper Eagles goalkeeper Francis Uzoho will be out of action for six months following the injury he sustained while on international duty on Sunday Uzoho, 20, suffered the injury after the hour mark during Sunday’s 1-1 friendly draw with Brazil in Singapore and had to be carried off on a stretcher. “Francis Uzoho has been diagnosed with a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament and external meniscus,” said his Cypriot club Omonia Nicosia in a statement. Despite being ruled out for an

unspecified period, Uzoho, who is currently first choice for both club and country, believes he will ‘come back stronger’. “Thank you all for the kindness. Trust me you all will see a stronger and the best Uzoho Francis when I’m back in a very short time,” he wrote on social media. In search of regular football, Uzoho returned for a second loan spell in Cyprus by joining Omonia Nicosia in July from Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna. A lack of top-flight football had cost him his place as Nigeria’s number one keeper ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of

Nations, going into the tournament as third choice behind Daniel Akpeyi and Ikechukwu Ezenwa. Capped 16 times by Nigeria, he played all three matches as the Super Eagles were knocked out of the 2018 World Cup in the group stage and made a solitary appearance at this summer’s Nations Cup against Tunisia as the Super Eagles sealed a third place finish in Egypt. He has since regained his starting place and been picked for both of Nigeria’s most recent friendly internationals against Ukraine and Brazil.

to August 9th 2020 and 25th August to 6th September, 2020 respectively. “As adept sports administrators, we are fully aware that it takes a minimum of 8 years for a country to make meaningful preparation to post podium performance at the Olympic and Paralympic Games and we don’t have such luxuries for the 2020 Tokyo games” he insisted. Hon. Dare said that countries see Olympics Games as avenue to show off their sports prowess, make statement that they are leaders in their own right, and we cannot afford to employ the Olympics as a trial events, this is a global sporting competition. The Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola, in his opening remarks, said that with just 280 days to Olympics, Nigeria needs to start preparations in earnest addng that the meeting marks the beginning of the journey to Tokyo 2020. The meeting was attended by presidents, secretaries, technical directors of federaiions among others.

PEOPLES DAILY, thursday october 17, 2019

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latest

Ronaldo’s 700th goal overshadows Ukraine win

ristiano Ronaldo reached a career landmark on Monday by scoring his 700th career goal in Portugal’s Euro 2020 qualifier at Ukraine. The 34-year-old scored a penalty as Portugal lost 2-1. His 700 goals so far have come from 973 matches - and he has scored at least once in 458 of those. His goal in the 2-1 loss to Ukraine was also his 95th for Portugal, leaving only Iranian Ali Daei in front in the international charts on 109 goals. Joining the greats Ronaldo’s goal means he joins an elite group of players to have hit at least 700 goals in their career. According to data from Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation, Juventus forward Ronaldo is still some way behind the most prolific player of all time, with Czech-Austrian Josef Bican scoring 805 career goals. Next on the list is Brazil legend Romario, who bagged 772, while his compatriot Pele is third on 767. Hungary legend Ferenc Puskas hit 746 goals, while former Germany striker Gerd Muller rounds out the top five with 735 goals. The goal was his 95th for Portugal. The 34-year-old is now just 14 goals behind the all-time international record of 109 held by former Iran striker Ali Daei.

Rohr rues Francis Uzoho’s injury

he Super Eagles’ 1-1 draw against Brazil has given Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, some confidence and the German believes this would surely reflect in the team in their next competitive matches. Rohr lauded the players for their impressive display against one of the best teams in the world. However, Rohr has lamented the injury sustained by goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, who horribly twisted his leg as he went for the ball from a corner kick as this will rule him out for a minimum of six months, according to team doctor Ibrahim Gyaran.

Advert: business: news: lagos:

ifty-year old former Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Sani Yerima, announced in 2010 he was marrying a young Egyptian girl, Marian -who the Media, without confirming from the future groom or his bride-tobe’s family, had claimed she was 13 years old. Yerima himself was still in far away Egypt making nuptial arrangements while this secularly ‘minor’ age was being bandied around back at home –and so he probably hadn’t the opportunity to immediately confirm or deny it. And when he returned to Nigeria, Yerima was also –probably- bitter he had already been judged and convicted by the Media without the benefit of a fair hearing, he therefore damned the consequences by refusing to dignify with any explanation, what he perceived as the cynicism, especially of the ‘Christian public’ in detraction of his Islamic marriage. Yerima was kind of saying: ‘Yes I am marrying a 13-year old! And so what!? The entire non-Muslim community in Nigeria was outraged at the very idea that a 13-year old should not only be subjected to such early marriage, but to a man 37 years older than her. And before you could say Jack Robinson, some of these aggrieved non-Muslim groups, bodies and organizations including Nigeria’s Human Rights Commission then under a Christian, Chidi Odinkalu, had already rushed to our municipal courts; and in fact other attention seekers too, it was rumored, may have approached the ECOWAS Court –whether or not it had jurisdiction-to challenge both the legality and morality of that marriage. Almost all of these aggrieved non-Muslims claimed that their sense of decency, dignity and morality as Nigerians sharing the same country with Yerima was about to be violated by such despicable conjugal abuse of a minor. Others in fact were musing the idea of going to the United Nations, to lodge a connubial petition of rights (in defense of the Muslim girl-child), alleging also that the U.N’s very own Declaration on the Rights of the child, was about to be desecrated. Here at home, the National Assembly was agog with petitions predictably by nonMuslim Human and Child Rights groups, Non-Governmental Organizations, NGOs, Civil Society Organizations, and other, mostly Christian bodies, not least the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN. And in no time the anger of these bodies -ventilated largely then through the sympathy of print and

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THURSDAY Column WITH Mohammed Adamu (08035892325 sms only)

dankande2@gmail.com broadcast Media, soon forced the Legislature, headed then also by a Christian, David Mark, to launch an investigation with a view to finding out whether Yerima’s marriage had violated the law of the land. What kept this campaign was especially the persistent lurid headlines and the sustained TV and Radio discussions on a daily basis, deploring and condemning what the Media had repeatedly said was an ‘abominable’ pedophilic marriage. A rage of Christian saints, in the shortest possible time was unleashed on the entire Muslim community and innocent Muslims even as they were pleading for inter-faith understanding, had already been adjudged vicariously liable and were to answer, instead, for the alleged infraction of just one of them. If memory serves right, it was Yerima’s righteous indignation over this issue that motivated a three-part series which I wrote titled: ‘What The Hell Is Wrong With 13?’ and in which –from the perspective of a fundamentalist, non-moderate Muslim, I tried to reconcile the provisions of Nigeria’s secular and Shari’ah laws on the subject, side by side with the English Common law and of the United Nations universal Declaration on the Rights of the child –which gave birth to the municipal ‘Child Rights’ laws of many countries. And what I said was that although the Federal Government had domesticated the instrument, most predominantlyMuslim states in the North, including Zamfara –for cultural and or religious reasons- had not adopted it. And I said that except for one or two states that had adopted the law, Islamic law marriages in the North are categorized under ‘customary law marriages’ with the minimum marriageable ages for girls fixed (by the various declarations of ‘Native Customary Orders’) at 13 in most, and 12 in a few others,. I also explained that none of the two major legislation regulating marriage in Nigeria (namely the ‘Matrimonial Causes Act’ and the ‘Marriage Act’) had pegged what should be ‘marriageable age’, and that recourse had always been had to the English ‘Common Law’ which puts it at the age of puberty

-12 for girls and 14 for boys. The number of angry SMS I got, from very bitter, diatribespewing non-Muslim readers of my column was so much, I had to do another three-part series which I titled: ‘Distilling The Yarima SMS’. And in fact it was such a potpourri of the ‘rage of Christian saints’, laced in some of the most superlative insults, it had to take thick-skinned journalistic courage to publish. And maybe I should reproduce just two samples, one from +2348066097565 who wrote: “I swear to God you are such a fool! How can you say there is nothing wrong with a 13 year old getting married to a 50 year old man?..... It is your types that are causing the crises in Jos. Please give your 13 year old daughter to a 50 year old so we know it is right. Mumu!” And the other, from +2348020600293, said: “Never read anything so stupid in my life. A psychopath justifying pedophilia. Your arguments are way so stupid!” So now how can a Muslim –no matter how deeply offended by such insults, from non-Muslims who arrogate the right to worry about the Muslim girl-childsuggest that such people, simply because they are Christians, are not truly concerned about what they sincerely believed was an unfair conjugal deal for any underage girl? Even though any Muslim also would be right to assume it was inconceivable that a non-Muslim should care for the ‘Egyptian 13’ more than her fellow Muslim brothers and sisters would, or more than her biological parents or members of her extended family –most all of whom, by the way, obviously had no objection to the marriage, because contrary to the largely secular opinions of our belligerently ‘concerned’ nonMuslim brothers who believed that early marriage was not good for her, the Muslim Umma on the whole, did not share in that secular opinion. Nonetheless, even when the non-Muslims express their disgust in such questionably bitter tone of voice, we should still appreciate where they are coming from and should simply be courageous to say: ‘God forgive them, for they do not

understand our Islamic way of life’; just like the Christians too, in moments of textual schisms with us, do simply say: ‘Lord forgive them, for they know not what they are saying’. And I have always hoped that this should be a fitting interfaith junction at which we should always gently release each others’ hands and say nicely, one to the other: ‘till we meet at the next junction’. But will we? Because if a Christian will arrogate to himself the moral and legal right to be this belligerently –even if bitterly- concerned about the fate of our Muslim ‘girl-child’, who he believes is ‘forced’ into early marriage, you would expect that such a one should even be more outraged for example, at the now pervasive, often kidglovedly ignored phenomenon of so called ‘fertility centers’ where we see ‘girl-children’ –if I may- at the puny, little ages of 10, 11 and 12 defiled, sometimes by ‘anointed men of God’, and put in the family way in order to bear children for sale. And then you wonder, ‘what happens if Muslim Rights groups also arrogate to themselves the right to be as belligerently outraged by such pedophilic abuse of minors, and such Muslim Rights groups also grow the appetite equally for such meddlesome interloping as going to our Municipal or ECOWAS court, or petitioning the United Nations, alleging, like our Christian brothers do concerning our own private religious lives, that our sense of decency too, our dignity and our sense of morality, as Nigerians sharing the same country with people who perpetrate such despicable abuse of minors, is being violated? Will it not then be said that Muslims are pocking their noses where they have no business? To be continued

DAN Dan GAYE gaye

Ghana: Days of coups over in Africa -Buhari - News

Coupists should go to jail!

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