Tuesday. November 19, 2019 Edition

Tuesday, November 19, 2019/ Rabi’ul Awwal 21, 1441 AHVol. 32 No. 096 N150

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The nation awaits rescue of the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls

Bandits kill Appeal Court dismisses AGF: Why I can’t scores in fresh speak on alleged arrest APC appeal, affirms Gov. of Adoke Zamfara attack Ishaku's re-election pAGE 4

pAGE 3

pAGE 15

Guber: How police aided coup against Kogi voters, by Wada page 5

•Heads to tribunal in protest •As Buhari urges Bello, Lyon to carry everybody along

R-L: President Muhammadu Buhari congratulates the Governor-elect for Bayelsa R-L: Kogi Governor re-elect, Yahaya Bello flanked by the Deputy Governor-elect, State, H.E David Lyon, at the State House, yesterday Abuja. Photo: State House Mr. Edward Onoja, during the Governor’s acceptance speech at the Government House, yesterday in Lokoja.

Lion removed from house opposite school in Lagos Inflation rate Perm. Sec, wife, 2 children rises to 11.61% killed in Benue fire -NBS

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PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

News CONTENTS News 2-14 Op.Ed

12-13

Politics 15-17 Stock Watch Business Metro

18 19-20 21

PTAD begins verification of 7,000 NITEL, PHCN other retirees

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he Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) says it has commenced the verification of about 7,000 retirees in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Executive Secretary of PTAD, Chioma Ejikeme, said during the exercise in Abuja on Monday that the verification was going on simultaneously in the three various centres in the FCT.

She said those expected to participate in the exercise were retirees from the defunct Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), and its telemobile arm, MTEL, and the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

Others include both academic and non-academic staff of federal universities.

Mrs Ejikeme said the verification exercise would last for

six days, while those who will miss it will be expected to participate in the continuous verification in PTAD office.

“We are trying to put together the data we have collated, thereafter we will come out with a statement regarding the result of the verification.

“We have created awareness through various media and pension unions, to inform respective

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World News

24

Scores killed in fresh Zamfara attack Page 4

Digest

25

Feature 26 Sports 30-31 Back Page

32

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News

Wife of Kebbi State Governor and the Founder, MEDICAID Cancer Foundation, Dr Zainab Bagudu (3rd L); Chief Medical Director (CMD), National Hospital, Dr Jafaru Momoh (M); Director of Clinical Services, Chairman Medical advisory Committee, Dr Aisha Umar (2nd R) and other official of the Foundation and the Hospital, during the presentation of a check for the treatment of cancer patients to the CMD, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

Niger State hosts 26th meeting on water resources

By Ese Awhotu

N

iger State is to host the 26th Regular Meeting of National Council on Water Resources (NCWR) to proffer lasting solutions to issues affecting the water sector in Nigeria.

This was contained in a statement

by Dalhatu Mundi, Deputy Director (Information) in the ministry yesterday.

Accrding to the statement, “the National Council on Water Resources has the theme “Water, Sanitation and Job Creation” is scheduled to begin from Wednesday 20th to Saturday 23rd November, 2019 will be chaired by the Honourable Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu with Honourable Commissioners of Water Resources in the thirty six states of the federation including Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as well as other stakeholders in the water sector in attendance.”

It added that, “The National Council on Water Resources is the highest forum for policy making and decision making body in the water sector. It holds annually to take crucial decisions as well as provide guidance for the effective and efficient management and development of water resources in the country.”

However, the National Technical Committee on Water Resources (NTCWR) will be chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Comfort Ekaro.

The statement said, the expected

participants include Permanent Secretaries from States, Directors from Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Managing Directors and General Managers of Water Boards, Managing Directors and General

Managers of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agencies, Chairmen and Executive Secretaries of Water Regulatory Commissions, relevant stakeholders and development partners.

Boats on Lagos waterways due for inspection December —LASWA

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he Lagos State Waterways Authority, LASWA, says all boats operating on the state’s waterways are due for inspection in December.

The General Manager of the LASWA, Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Monday.

Emmanuel said that the authority needed to step up its safety procedure on waterways in line with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s renewed commitment toward development of water transportation.

“One of the things we do to further enhance safety on waterways is to carry out biannual

inspection on boats. Before the end of the year, I mean before Christmas, boat operators are due for inspection.

“As they come, we carry out checks on them, and wherever there are safety issues, we give them a timeline to do it; if they don’t fix it, we will go after them,” the LASWA boss told NAN. He said that the authority would inspect all boats to see whether they were worthy to use on the waterways or not in order to prevent avoidable water mishaps.

The general manager, who noted that the authority relied a lot of information and feedback from passengers, urged them to

always report to the authority any threat to safety while onboard.

He said, “We rely a lot on information. We have passengers feedback form as a feedback mechanism where passengers report to us if they notice anything on boats.

“We also encourage our passengers to speak up and let us know, and we will make sure that appropriate penalties are issued out to any erring boat operator who doesn’t comply with the safety procedure.

“Passengers have the responsibility to be the first line safety agent themselves by ensuring that they wear life jackets.”(NAN)

News Editor, Ese Awhotu

AGF: Why I can’t speak on alleged arrest of Adoke

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

T

he Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, said on Monday that his office is yet to receive any formal communication on the alleged arrest of the former Minister of Justice and Attorney

General Mr Bello Adoke.

Malami declared that until he receives such formal communication, he would not comment speculatively in one way or the other over the matter.

The AGF and Minister of Justice disclosed this while reacting to the media reports

on the matter.

His reaction was contained in a statement issued by Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, the Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN and made

available to newsmen in Abuja.

According to the him, “My office as the Attorney General Federation and Minister of Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is not in receipt of any formal communication regarding the alleged arrest in line with international conventions, processes and

procedures relating to such matter.”.

Continuing, the statement said, “Until such formal communication is received the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice would not comment speculatively in one way or the other over the matter.”

Buhari receives Bayelsa gov-elect, Lyon in Aso Villa

By Lawrence Olaoye

World Analysis 22 Africa News

retirees about the exercise.

“We have been getting good responses from the awareness we created for the large turnout of concerned retirees for the verification,” she explained.

She said the directorate was committed to ensuring that the retirees “were given the required and deserved comfort throughout the verification programme.”(NAN)

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PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

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resident Muhammadu Buhari formally received Bayelsa state governor-elect, David Lyon, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and defeated the candidate of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Duoye Diri, in the November 16 governorship election in the state.

Lyon was presented to the President by a team led by the National Chairman of the ruling party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

Other members of the team were the governor of Jigawa state, Abubakar Badaru, who chaired the APC governorship campaign committee in Bayelsa alongside his counterpart in Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu who cochaired the panel and the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Timipre Silva.

Briefing newsmen about their mission, Oshiomhole said they presented Lyon to the President adding that the governor-elect’s victory was accepted by all Bayelsans across party lines.

According to him, his party played by the rules in line with the instruction handed down by the President to eschew violence and ensure free, fair and peaceful polls in the state.

He said “We thanked the president for his fatherly role and he insisted that we must ensure that while we are determined to win the election that we must play by the rules and ensure that the process is transparent and above all the president has always been concerned about peaceful election and we were proud to inform him that besides very isolated cases of ballot box snatching, the election in Bayelsa can be described as the most peaceful.

“I believe since 1999, you as very seasoned journalists who have covered elections in Bayelsa in the past, you will agree that this is the only time we can say the election is truly transparent and peaceful. Again, our candidate attract supports across the political divide when you see territories and communities where his victory was being celebrated you will agree that not only did he had the support of the APC family, he had support beyond the APC family.”

He appreciated the former President, Goodluck Jonathan, for the warm reception accorded

to the campaign committee after Lyon’s victory. Oshiomhole described the ex-President as humane, simple and committed.

Kebbi state governor who is also the APC Governors’ Forum Chairman said the former President, Goodluck Jonathan, who represents the arrowhead of the nation’s major opposition party (PDP) and others were happy with Lyon’s victory.

He said “It is equally noteworthy

that Bayelsa is a home of a former president of Nigeria and this election won by a party different from the one he belongs, has been accepted by all including around him and so far, from what we hear and what we are, he also is happy with the outcome irrespective of the difference in the party, which is an indication of the transparency of the process.

This is a victory for Nigeria because it shows that parts of

the country that has been under another political party, can in a free, fair election make their democratic choice and vote for another party with the right candidate.”

Badaru in his comments thanked the APC leadership in Bayelsa for presenting a marketable candidate who enjoyed the support of the Bayelsans across party lines.

Sylva in his comments said the

APC’s victory was significant in the sense that it signaled the beginning of political alignment of the SouthSouth and the South-east with the national party.

The governor-elect who also spoke assured Bayelsans of quality service even as he vowed to always accord party leaders and traditional rulers their respect.

He equally promised to provide adequate security for the citizens of the state.

Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State, flanked by his Deputy, Alhaji Mannir Yakubu (lfet) and Secretary to the Government (of Katsina) State (SGS), Alhaji Mustapha Mohammed Inuwa, during the swearing in ceremony of the newly appointed members of the Katsina State Executive Council, at the Peoples Square, yesterday in Katsina.

Bayelsa, Kogi guber: Accept defeat with grace, Presidency tells PDP

By Lawrence Olaoye

T

he Presidency has called on the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to accept defeat in the recent governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi states.

Candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa, David Lyon and Kogi’s Yahaya Bello emerged winners of the governorship polls held in both states last Saturday.

A spokesman to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Garba Shehu, in a statement made available to newsmen yesterday said “Predictably, we have seen the accusation of fabricated results from

the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, the PDP. Yet, the only fabrication is PDP’s conduct.

“It has now become standard procedure for the party to challenge any poll that does not return its candidates. Election is good when the PDP wins. The opposite is the case if any party other than the PDP wins.

“Democracy is not only about who wins or who loses, but also about the process. In disparaging every unfavourable result, they disgrace themselves by casting aspersion on the entire system.

“The February 2019 election saw the loss of five All Progressives Congress, APC governors. The government accepted the results.

In doing so, we realised that we did not win the argument in those contests, and so we didn’t win enough votes. We retired to assess what went wrong: were we responsive enough to the electorate’s needs and priorities? How can we improve on speaking to the nation’s hopes? We got ready and prepared ourselves well for the next contest.

The result is a healthier, more rigorous election.

“In rejecting the results as PDP has done, this reflection does not happen. Instead, the electorate gets mudslinging. Improvement is not sought, but cries of victimization; this is not an atmosphere in which democratic debate can thrive.

Opposition strategy of attacking

the electoral commission, security agencies, government at the centre and the person of President Muhammadu Buhari after each election loss is antithetical to healthy democratic norms. Candidates and parties, especially those that have lost, are not told to examine their campaign tactics and strategies with a view to improving their chances for the next election. The result of not doing this is a loss for the electorate and for the parties concerned.

We call on APC supporters to show dignity in victory, and for all Nigerians to remain peaceful in the wake of these elections. We call on PDP to learn to be democrats. We must now come together to build a brighter future for Nigeria.”

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PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

News

Scores killed in fresh Zamfara attack

From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

N

o fewer than 14 people were reported killed as suspected bike-riding armed bandits in tenths invaded Karaye village under Gummi local government area of Zamfara state last Sunday.

A survivor of the attack who anonymously spoke to our reporter narrated that, he was awaken by the unpleasant sounds of gunshots and the screaming of helpless women and children in the early hours Sunday night.

“I leaped off my bed to struggle for any route for escape, when running, I came across about 15 dead bodies that have been killed by the bandits while scores of houses were set ablaze, I heard voices screaming for help from deeply inside the burning flames”, the survivor has stated.

This is coming merely after six months without any report

Yahoo boy’ pleads guilty to fraud

of attack by either the warring groups of bandits or the vigilante group (‘Yansakai) on innocent communities since the inception of Governor Matawalle-led administration came on board.

Confirming the incident in a statement which was made available to our reporter by the Police Spokesperson, SP Shehu Muhammad said, the attack seemed to be a reprisal where fourteen

persons were killed and ten others sustained gunshot injuries and set some houses ablaze.

“Recalled that on 3rd November, 2019, some vigilante (‘’YANSAKAI’’) around Bardoki village under same Gummi local government area, attacked and killed nine Fulanis under the suspicion that they were bandits.

The Command swung into action and arrested 11 members of

Yansakai who actively participated in the actual killing of the Fulanis that led to the last Sunday’s incident and are being investigated by the State CID Gusau. They will be charged to court for prosecution in order to serve as deterrence to others”, the statement added.

According to the PPRO, teams attached to “Operation puff Adder” and Men of Operation Hadarin Daji and Vigilante led by the DPO

Gummi, had mobilised to the scene and embarked on extensive bush combing with a view to trailing and arresting the perpetrators.

The Command therefore called on members of the public to desist from taking laws into their hands, as it will not hesitate to deal decisively with any person or group of person that tries to sabotage the relative peace currently being enjoyed in the state.

FUTA suspends 6 students indefinitely for assault on female student

By Ese Awhotu with agency report

T

he Federal University Of Technology Akure (FUTA), Ondo State has suspended six of its students indefinitely for assaulting a first-year female student.

The incident which was captured in a viral video showed the victim get beaten up and injured by her

attackers in a private hostel.

Confirming the development to the media, the Dean of Students’ Affairs of the University, Prof.

Gbenga Onibi disclosed that since the video went viral, the authorities have been working to identify the attackers and achieved success through the cooperation of the students.

“It came as a shock and no one is happy about it, we saw the trending

video and we were contacted; since then the university has been working to get all those involved.

“We were lucky enough while working on that and realised that the students were unease because they were not happy at the act. They tried to locate the assaulters; luckily we have been able to identify six of them, even the cameraman that shot the video.”

He added that the University

has a zero-tolerance for such activities and the students have been immediately suspended.

“In FUTA, we have a zerotolerance to this type of act, immediately we ensured that they were put on an indefinite suspension so that the panel will meet.

“It was so clear that a student was assaulted off-campus, asides that, these students know the implication of their actions.”

By Usman Shuaibu with agency report

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he Ilorin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) on Monday, November 18, 2019, arraigned one Olamide Ijisesan before Justice Mahmood Abdulgafar of a Kwara State High Court, Ilorin on a one count charge bordering on internet fraud and related offences.

The charge reads “That you, Olamide Ijisesan ( Javier Cheryl) sometime in April 2016, at Ilorin, Kwara State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court cheated by pretending to be one Javier Cheryl, a Caucasian female with gmail account, javiercheryl@yahoo. com and fraudulently induced one Javier Hernandez to deliver the cumulative sum of $350 ( Three Hundred and Fifty United States Dollars) to you and thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under Section 325 of the Penal Code law.”

The accused person pleaded guilty to the charge.

Justice Abdulgafar adjourned the case till tomorrow November 19, for judgement.

Returning Officer for 2019n Kogi governorship election, Prof. Ibrahim Garba (right) stamps the final results of the 2019 Kogi Governor election, which returned Gov. Yahaya Bello, yesterday in Lokoja. Left is National INEC Commissioner for Kogi, Kwara and Nasarawa, Mohammed Haruna. Photo: NAN

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PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

News

Guber: How police aided coup against Kogi voters, by Wada

By Lateef Ibrahim, Lawrence Olaoye Abuja and Ahmad Ibrahim Lokoja

T

he candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the last Saturday’s governorship election in Kogi State, Engr Musa Wada has rejected the outcome of the poll in which the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Yahaya Bello was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Engr Wada, at a press conference he addressed alongside his running mate, Hon Bamidele Aro in Abuja yesterday, described the Saturday’s election as a sham, saying that they will be heading for the tribunal to seek redress.

The PDP governorship candidate said that it was clear to all that there was no election on Saturday, November 16th 2019, in Kogi, but a declaration and execution of war against the people.

Engr Wada stressed that what happened in Kogi was an organized war against democracy; coup against the people and seizure of power through brigandage and the barrel of the gun with members of the Police and other security agencies coordinating the stealing of the people’s votes.

According to him, “I, Engr. Musa Wada, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the overwhelming majority of the people of Kogi state reject the conduct and outcome of the gubernatorial election held on November 16, 2019.

“It is clear to all there was no election on Saturday, November 16th 2019 but a declaration and execution of war against the people.

“What happened in Kogi was an organized war against democracy; coup against the people and seizure of power through brigandage and the barrel of the gun with members of the Police and other security agencies coordinating the stealing of the people’s votes.

“The Police aided armed APC thugs to invade polling units with impunity, shoot and kill voters and carted away ballot boxes to government facilities where results were written in favour of APC and handed over to INEC

•Heads to tribunal in protest •As Buhari urges Bello, Lyon to carry everybody along to announce against the will of the people.

“Police helicopters were used to attack polling units, fire tear gas on voters and provide cover to APC hoodlums and policemen who brutalized the people of Kogi state and stole their mandate.

“The APC turned our state into a theatre of war. No fewer than nine innocent Nigerians were killed. Many more were maimed and injured by the APC in their desperation to seize power at all cost.

“It is therefore distressing that INEC went ahead with a shameful collation and declaration of fabricated results despite the glaring disruptions that characterized the shambolic exercise.

“In order to achieve this ignoble goal, INEC cancelled our votes in areas of our stronghold, subtracted from our votes in many other areas and padded the votes of APC to give a semblance of victory for APC. “The people of Kogi were horrified, brutalized and dehumanized. There have been weeping across the state

since the announcement of another four years of Yahaya Bello.

“We therefore stand with the people of Kogi to state without equivocation that this brigandage and stealing of our mandate cannot stand.

“We will never despair but remain strong in our determination to retrieve the mandate freely given to us by the people in their desire for a change. We will pursue this course to its logical conclusion within the confines of the law of this country.

“We commend the people of Kogi state for their resilience in the face of all intimidation. They showed, once again, that nobody can suppress their will at any time.

“Our campaign mourns our compatriots that were killed by the APC; their blood demand for justice and we will ensure that they did not die in vain”, he said.

The PDP governorship candidatetherefore called on all Nigerians to stand with the people of Kogi state “at this trying time as they quest for the restoration of their mandate in this election”.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated winners of the last Saturday’s governorship election in Bayelsa and Kogi states, David Lyon and Yahaya Bello respectively.

This is just as President Buhari urged the governors-elect to carry other divergent interests along in the next phase of governance, imploring those not satisfied with the outcome of the poll to seek redress through the constitutionally established channels.

He also condemned the violence that predated the polls and those that occurred during the election in both states.

In a statement made available to newsmen yesterday by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, on Lyon’s impressive victory in Bayelsa, the President commended APC supporters in particular and Nigerians in general in the State who exercised their civic rights in a peaceful manner, notwithstanding the pockets of unrest recorded in some locations.

Condemning the loss of lives in Bayelsa, particularly prior to the

election, the President commiserated with the families of the victims.

In another separate statement on Kogi’s re-elected governor, the President described Bello’s victory as “a race well run and a victory well won.”

He also enjoined the governor to imbibe the spirit of magnanimity in victory by extending a hand of partnership to opposition candidates, while urging those dissatisfied with the outcome of the election to approach the courts.

He commended APC supporters in Kogi state for remaining steadfast and resolute even in the face of isolated incidents of violence.

Buhari also condoled with families and loved ones of those who lost their lives as a result of regrettable acts of violence by thugs doing the bidding of their political sponsors.

According to the President, “All political actors and stakeholders must take deliberate steps to eschew electoral violence as a peaceful and orderly process is vital to our quest for enduring democracy.”

R-L: Humanitarism Affairs officer, UN office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Director General, NEMA, Engr.

Mustapha Maihaja, , Representative of the Inspector General of Police, CP Maikudi Shehu, Representative of the Ministry of Environment, Engr Labaran Musa and Professor Mohammed Daura of the university of Maiduguri , during the Public Presentation of NEMA National Disaster Risk Management Policy, recently in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Improve funding on malaria eradication, ACOMIN urges FG, states

Perm. Sec, wife, 2 children killed in Benue fire

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F

From Uche Uche, Damaturu.

he organization working on the prevention, treatment and mitigation of the impact of malaria and the promotion of immunization and better nutrition in Nigeria, ACOMIN, an NGO, has urged the federal, state and local governments to improve on their respective level of funding towards the eradication of malaria so as to achieve the set objective.

Chairman of the organization, Muktar Mohammed Shehu, made the appeal yesterday during a

press briefing with journalists and supporting civil society organizations, which took place at the conference hall of the state primary healthcare board in Damaturu, the state capital.

According to him, Nigeria is one of the countries with high incidence of malaria which affects 97% of its population of which, the under five children and pregnant women are the most vulnerable.

“If the fight against malaria would succeed, significant funding needs to be dedicated towards the effort…in order to reduce the impact

on the people and the economy of Nigeria,” he stated.

He regretted that although state, local and federal governments has pledged increase allocation and spending on malaria, there are still funding gaps on malaria and health and therefore to close this gap, there should be increased funding of malaria at all levels of government.

Here in Yobe state, report from some civil society organization personnel working with ACOMIN in some local government areas reports the existence of limited numbers of medical personnel in

some of the health centers with influx of patients needing attention in addition to insufficient drugs in some occasions.

These influx, they said, is as a result of patients coming from outside the state such as from Borno, Gombe and even from the neighbouring country of Niger Republic to access medical treatment in the state.

He therefore urged the state government, though commendable for its efforts in providing healthcare services to its teeming populace, to find a way to improve on these noted

gaps, pointing out that malaria is treatable, preventable and curable and thus, with concerted efforts, no child, pregnant women and adults should be allowed to die of malaria ever again.

During the occasion, participants made suggesting toward fighting malaria that includes the use of chemical spray, engaging the communities to seriously take part regularly on cleaning the environment, from evacuating the drainages to general sanitation activities such as the monthly sanitation exercise.

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

our persons yesterday lost their lives in a fire incident in Makurdi, Benue State Capital.

The fire happened at Kwararafa F1 quarters located close to the Government House and mainly occupied by civil servants.

According to eye witnesses, the fire started at about 2:45 am in the residence of Mr. Sekegh Tyodugh, an acting Permanent Secretary Ministry of Science and Technology Though, the cause of the inferno could not be immediately

ascertained, neighbors said it may have been caused by electrical fault even as it razed down the entire house and extended to three other houses including that of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Religion, Evangelist Daniel Unongo.

Mr. Unongo said he heard a scream but the magnitude of the inferno prevented them from entering the house to assist just as they immediately alerted men of the Fire Service Department who arrived at about 3:20 am and struggled hard to put out the fire which raged on for a long time.

The Venue state Deputy Governor, Engr. Benson Abounu who visited the scene expressed shock at the level of devastation.

He described it as a monumental disaster, adding, ‘it is black day for Benue’.

Engr. Abounu said the state has lost a prized asset in Mr. Akaa and prayed God to give the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

“We cannot undo what has happened. At the moment, Government will take responsibility for their burial and also, assist the other families who lost property

to relocate. We warn against any looting of property”, Engr. Abounu said.

Rev. Favor Akaa, brother to the deceased described him as a God fearing man, averring that they had attended a two retreat at ECWA Church in Makurdi at the weekend where he worshipped and praised God. According to him, he had a conversation with his brother yesterday night at about 11 am about a certain transaction he was scheduled to do on Monday but preferred to do it on Sunday before

his demise.

“He told me that his heart could not rest until he had done the transaction. It is appointed unto man to die but you cannot spend time with God and tragedy will happen. It is a wonderful thing to spend 48 hours with God. It is time for him to depart and we give glory to God. The late acting permanent Secretary, it was learnt, was due to be confirmed Permanent Secretary soon before his demise. He was born on February 4th, 1954 and has only two children.

PAGE 6

News Masari swears in 18 new commissioners From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

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overnor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State yesterday swore in 18 new commissioners as members of the state Executive Council.

Speaking shortly after the swearing in ceremony, Masari tasked the new commissioners to always show dedication to duty.

He similarly urged them to key into the government restoration agenda and work towards the development of the state.

He said “your appointment is a call to service of God and the people of katsina State, you should therefore be committed to serve with honesty and transparency.

The commissioners sworn in and their portfolios include, Alhaji Ya’u Umar Gwajo-Gwajo, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy affairs, Musa Adamu Funtua, Commissioner of Water Resources, Usman Nadada , Commissioner of Land and Survey, Abdulqadir Zakka, Commissioner of Special Services, Abdullahi Imam, Commissioner for Resource Development, Faruq Jobe, Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning.

Others include, Rabe Nasiru, Commissioner of Science and Technology, Tasi’u Dandagoro, Works, Housing and Transport, Professor Badamasi Lawal Charanci, Education, Rabi’a Muhammad Muhammad, Women Affairs, Mukhtar Gidado Abdullahi, Trade and Commerce.

The rest include, Sani Aliyu Danlami, Sports and Social Development, Hamza Seligman, Environment, Kasim Mutallab , Finance, Mustapha Mahmud, Rural Development, Abdulkarim Yahaya Strike, Information and Ahmed Usman El-Marzuq, Attorney - General and Commissioner of Justice.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

8 killed as trailer rams into vehicles in Kogi From Ahmad Ibrahim

E

ight persons lost their lives while seven others sustained various degree of injuries yesterday morning as a trailer loaded with petrol rammed into some vehicles following a brake failure.

The ghastly auto crash which occurred at Felele community, a suburb of the state capital, along

Lokoja -Abuja highway involved four tricycles, two motorcycles, three cars and a bus.

An eye witness, Moses Johnson told our reporter that the ghastly auto crash occurred around 8:45 am , adding that the trailer was coming from Lagos with petrol when it lost control as a result of brake failure leading to the killing of innocent citizens.

Our correspondent who went to the scene of the accident saw the

trailer burning in flames while men of the federal fire service drafted to Lokoja for the governorship election were making concerted effort to put off the fire that has virtually taken over one lane of the highway.

The Federal Road Safety Corps were also on ground to evacuate corpses and other victims of the accident that sustained various degrees of injuries.

One of the road safety

officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, attributed the accident to brake failure suffered by the white colour petrol laden tanker with registration number JEG141XA DAF, disclosing that 17 people were involved in the accident He equally revealed that the victims have been taken to Federal Medical Central and Specialist Hospital both in Lokoja for medical attention.

From Yakubu Mustapha,Minna.

T

he Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has ended its sensitization tour of the communities within the prospect hydro -carbon deposit in the Bida Basin before the activities for exploration survey begun in the mapped areas of Niger State.

This is coming barely three weeks after the visit of the Department Director, Alhaji Ahmed Rufai Shakur to the Niger State governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello and Etsu Nupe and Chairman of the state traditional council Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar at Wadata palace in Bida.

DPR team during its sensitization visits led by the Operations Controller, Engr Abdullahi Isah Jankara told the Emirates that they should be informed on aircraft flying at lower latitude to allay their fears and avoid panic, hence a survey would be carried out using aircraft equipped with modern technology to determine the quantity of hydrocarbon deposit in the Bida Basin.

The team which begun its sensitization visit to the traditional

From Mikail Tsoho, Dutse

T

he Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has urged President Muhammad Buhari to disassociate himself from bill proposed by the Nigerian Senate to regulate the social

institutions who are the custodian to the people begun from the Emir of Lapai, Alhaji Umar Bago Tafida111 in Lapai local government in addition to other eight (8) traditional ruler within the prospected hydro carbon deposit areas of the state.

Bahago assured the Department of Petroleum Resources, Minna Field Office, headed by the leader, Engr.

Abdullahi Isah .Jankara, whom he described as an illustrious son of the Niger would succeed in the assigned exercise, the emir however pledged his total support.

During its visit to Emir of Minna, Alhaji (Dr.) Umaru Faruk Bahago

expressed his happiness about the development appealing that some of the mapped out areas within his domain were named and should be corrected for data accuracy.

DPR Minna Niger State explained the essence of the visit and plead with Kagara Emirate to take the vital information down to the rural dwellers, to enable for a successful Radiometric survey exercise that covers Garin Gabas in kagara emirate.

The department solicited for absolute support of the people within the affected communities towards the success of the hydrocarbon

survey through the use of aircraft flying at lower altitude saying people must be sensitized for panic free exercise, stressed that what they see is meant for the good of Niger state.

Engr Isah Jankara told the monarchs that the radiometric survey activities flying aircrafts would be flying at lower latitude like hundred meters above the surface ground, which is unusual and could cause worry if people are not well sensitized, and it beholds on his establishment to reach out to the people through the leadership.

Consequently, all the community leaders visited expressed their

happiness and appreciated the federal government led by President Muhammadu Buhari for the project that would actualized their dreams of joining the oil producing states that will actually boast their economic base, create jobs and reduce lawlessness in the society, assuring of maximum support and cooperation for the success of the project.

In the DPR delegation during the sensitization tour were, Head of Operations, Mr. Joshua Madaki, Head Downstream Alhaji Ahmed Emimaru and Head of Human Resources, Alhaji Dalhat Hassan Dalhat and others.

Our economic policies yielding positive results, says Gov. Bagudu From Ahmed Idris Birnin Kebbi

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conomic diversification policies put in place by the Kebbi State Government are yielding positive results with multi billion Naira Investments being witnessed in the State.

Speaking at the first Kebbi Town hall Meeting on Budget held yesterday in Birnin Kebbi, Governor Abubakar

Atiku Bagudu said liberal economic policies anchored on mutual understanding spur investments in agricultural commodities processing and value addition citing the ongoing construction of multi billion Naira Dangote Rice Mills at Saminaka as well as the largest Tomatoes Processing Plant at Ngaski in addition to the ultramodern WACOT Rice Mill in Argungu.

Pursuant to this, the Governor stated that more employment and empowerment opportunities as well as increased Internally Generated Revenue, IGR for the state and its citizenry will be enhanced.

Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu called on Community Based Organisations, Civil Society Organizations and NGOs to enlighten youth to take advantage of such

investments for mutually beneficial engagements across the State.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Budget Ministry, Hajiya Aisha Usman presented an overview of the budget performance for 2019 with estimated projections embedded in the 2020 Budget with a view to making critique, valuable inputs and contributions to the budgetary process.

media named as protection from internet false hood and manipulation bill.

This was contained in a speech delivered to news men by the CITAD Executive Director YZ Ya’u yesterday in Dutse, the state capital. ”We should also condemn the

reintroduction of the Bill on Hate Speech with its provision of death penalty for hate speech, which we think is all in the same vein of restriction the freedom of expression of Nigerians,” he stated.

The executive director, who described the bill as a calculated attempt

to gag the Media, urged the national assembly to as a matter of public interest and respect of democratic principles to withdraw the proposed bill.

CITAD also urged the general public and media houses to engage the Nigerian senate in a peaceful and lawful manner to ensure the withdrawal

of the bill.

He called on all civil society organisations and lovers of democracy in the country to rise up and condemn the bill and speak out to their representatives not to support the bill should the senate refused to step it down.

Edo police bags exemplary public service award

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DPR sensitizes Bida Basin communities on Hydro -Carbon deposit

CRIME News

Disassociate self from hate speech bill, CITAD advises Buhari

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Mr Ernest Umakhihe; Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Olalekan Adegbite; Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba; Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed; Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Olamilekan Adeola; Director General of Budget Office, Mr Ben Akabueze; Central Bank Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele; and, Permanent Secretary (Cabinet Secretariat), Mr Tunde Lawal, at the send-forth organized by Chevron Nigeria Limited at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, at the weekend to mark the retirement of Prince Agba from the company shortly after his appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari. Photo: FMBNP

PAGE 7

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

igeria Police topped other professional bodies on "exemplary service public award" for outstanding Nigerians who have made a mark in their own career and societal development.

Six policemen and the immediate past Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Mr Mohammed Danmallam and the Zone 5 police Public Relations Officer, DSP Emeka Ihenacho including two prominent members of Edo Civil society Organizations, Leftist Omobude Agho and Leftist Osazee Edigin were also honoured during the 2019 edition of award ceremony which was organized by Rosha Search Service Limited in conjunction with Edicharson Foundation for Sickle Cell.

The award was hinged on act of sincerity that was demonstrated by some police personnel and a litigant who helped to recover undisclosed foreign currency which was donated to Edicharson Foundation for the procurement of drugs for Sickle Cell sufferers, but was diverted by a Bureau De Change operator bade in Benin City.

The President of Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Iryne Omorogiuwa, Edo State Commissioner of Justice, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe and two members of the Nigerian Bar

Association, Benin branch were also honoured by the group in this year's award..

The Duke (Enigie) of Evbuobanosa Community in Orhionmwon Local Government Ares of the State, HRHProf. Gregory Akenzua, and with the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council, and the immediate past Secretary of the Council, Comrade Aliu Ozioruva

Alemma and two other Broadcasters, Comrade Daisy Osunde and Comrade Ese Best Idahosa were recognized for their contributions in to the Media.

In a remark, President of Edicharson Foundation for Sickle Cell, Mr Charles Edigin, extolled the moral support of the police personnel towards helping to recover the funds that was allegedly diverted by a Bureau De Change operator and the private

investigator for their intervention.

He appealed to Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki to redeem his pledge he made on June 19, 2019/during the World Sickle Cell Day Celebrations in Edo State where he said that he will restore 24 hours medical attention at the Sickle Cell Centre in Benin City.

Speaking at the maiden edition of the award which at the Weekend in Benin City, President of Rusha Service

Limited, Mr Alfred Kissinger Darusha, said the the award which began in 2015, was in recognition of people who have done exploit in life and have contributed immensely to human development and impacted society.

According to him, There was some foreign currency that was sent from Europe to assist Edicharson Foundation procure drugs for Sickle Cell sufferers.

L-R: Director, Registration and Regulatory (R & R) Dr Monica Eimunjeze; Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and control (NAFDAC), Prof.

Mojisola Adeyeye and Chairman of Coleman Wires and Cables Asiwaju Solomon Onafowokan during sensitization campaign, recently in Lagos. Photo: NAN

Court jails 3 persons for impersonation, criminal conspiracy in Niger From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

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Magistrate Court sitting in Minna has sentenced 3 persons to two years imprisonment for their involvement in cheating by impersonation and criminal conspiracy.

The men were Alhaji Tijajani

Sarki Abdullahi who is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Zumunta marketing and Construction company limited, Musa Umar and Adamu Magaji both from Zumba village in Shiroro Local Government Area.

They were arrested on a four count charges of criminal

conspiracy, cheating by impersonation, criminal misappropriation and mischief, contrary to Sections 97, 324, 309 and 327 of the Penal Code.

The complainant, Commissioner of Police, Niger state told the court that a complaint was received from Moses Makeri, Sokoto

Muhammadu and Ibrahim Makeri that the land of the subject matter where the convicts illegally mined ‘woframites’ (precious stones) is located at Patuko village near Zumba in Shiroro local government area of Niger State.

Magistrate Murtala M.B. Ibrahim in his ruling however

sentenced the men to two years imprisonment or to pay a fine of N60, 000 each.

They were also ordered to pay the sum of N50,000 as compensation to the Nominal Complaints and in default of payment they are to serve three months without option of fine.

After 3 months in captivity, Katsina Varsity urges release of abducted lecturer From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

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arely three months after the abduction of a lecturer with the Federal University Dutsin-Ma, FUDMA, in Katsina State, Abubakar Idris, the management of the university have appealed to the abductors to release it staff from his captivity.

Idris, a lecturer in the University’s Department of Languages and Linguistics was sa i d to ha v e b e e n a b du cte d

b y su spect e d b and i t s at hi s residence in Kaduna on 2nd August, 2019.

The management of the university in a statement through its Acting Director Public Relations and Protocol, Habibu Garba Matazu and made available to newsmen in Katsina, said abductors of Idris up till now did not call for a ransom or any other reason for his abduction.

Matazu said the management have held emergency meeting and reported the matter to all

the relevant Security Agencies in Katsina State and the State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari for intervention to rescue the missing lecturer from his abductors According to the statement, “The University Management described as inhuman and abuse of human right, the abduction of a family man like Abubakar Idris whose detention has generated tension and uncertainties to members of the University community and his family in particular.

“The University assured the national body of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and FUDMA branch, that it would not relent at working more closely with the security Agencies until the adducted staff of the University is rescued” it added.

It further disclosed “in the spirit of sympathizing with the distracted family of Abubakar Idris, the University Management has resolved to give some financial support to the family of the victim and set up a

three Man Committee to convey message and commiseration to the family.

“The University appealed to the abductors of its staff to kindly release him so he can report back to work place and to his loved ones,” Matazu stated”.

The University, however, requested that fellow Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU members in all Nigerian Universities and the general public to offer prayers for unconditional release of the abducted English lecturer.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

PAGE 8

News

FCT: Obiechina emerges patron of ‘Igbo in Diaspora’

By Usman Shuaibu

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he leadership of FCT Igbo in Diaspora Initiatve has appointed Abuja-based business man, Chief (Dr) Tobias Obiechina as the patron of Igbo in Diaspora in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Speaking to Peoples Daily correspondent during a meeting in Abuja, the coordinator of FCT Igbo Diaspora Forum, His Royal Majesty, Igwe Ochendo Ogidi-Igbo said, the organization honoured the business man with the patron ship due to his contributions towards the progress of Igbo in the FCT and beyond.

He also said the business man had touched the lives of Igbos positively in the FCT, describing the business man as a gentle man to the core.

Ogidi-Igbo called on the Igbo community to embrace Chief (Dr) Tobias Obiechina for his achievements or legacies already put in place in the territory.

Also speaking, a member of Wawa Council, Chief Ojiegbe thanked the FCT Igbo in Diaspora for the honour done to Chief (Dr) Tobias Obiechina.

Responding, the awardee of the day, Chief Obiechina lauded the FCT Igbo in Diaspora for choosing him as the Patron saying that he would continue to support the organization.

He urged the leadership of the organization to spread its tentacles to the FCT Igbos in order to know their existence in the territory.

Obiechina used the occasion to advise the Igbos to live in peace among themselves as well accord respect to the indigenes of the FCT, while calling on the Igbo Youths to emulate their elders of their good characters.

Delta govt. to immunise 5,000 dogs -Commissioner From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

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elta State Government has said that it is committed to funding veterinary public heath activities as it targets the immunization of over 5,000 dogs across the state this year.

Mr Julius Egbede, State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, stated this on Monday while flagging off the state yearly free immunization programme against rabies in dogs and cats in Asaba. According to Egbedi, one of the policy thrust of the state government is the promotion of public health. “The Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa led administration has made funds available to annually for various veterinary public health activities which includes prevention of animal diseases like rabies in dogs, African Swine Fever in pigs, Avian influenza in birds and pest des petite ruminants in goats. “Most of these diseases are endemic in Nigeria with outbreaks the records up to 100 per cent mortality once contracted.

Micro finance bank distributes gifts to customers

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he Grants Micro Finance Bank Limited in Gwagwalada Area Council on Saturday distributed some items to customers operating with the bank in the area.

Speaking with our Correspondent during the 2019 Customer Forum in Gwagwalada, the Chairman Board of Directors, Mr Innocent

Agu, said the Customers Forum was being organized every year to appreciate the customers.

He also pointed out that Customers Forum was an avenue for customers to channel their complaints as well gives advice to the management of the bank. “What you see here today is what we do every year to encourage our customers�, he said.

Agu assured the customers

that the management of the bank would continue to empower the customers through their programmes.

In his welcome address at the occasion, the chairman of Customer Forum, Dr Umar Abubakar, commended the leadership for the bold step being taken to organise the 2019 Customer Forum.

However, the Head of Department in charge of loan

of Grants Micro Finance Bank Limited, Mr Peter Tarhule gave a brief history of the bank, while the branch manager of the bank, Mr Sussana Udo spoke on strategic plan towards improving our services 2020.

The 2019 Customers Forum featured questions/suggestions from the customers and breaking of kola nut was carried out by Chief Eze B.O. Elendu, a member of Board of Directors of the bank.

L-R: Executive Director, YIAGA AFRICA, Mr. Samson Itodo, Project Director, YIAGA AFRICA Watching the Vote-Bayelsa Observation Mission, Cynthia Mbamalu, Chair, Watching the Vote, Dr. Aisha Abdullahi and Co-Chair, Watching the Vote, Mr. Ezenwa Nwagwu, during the YIAGA’s press conference on 2019 Bayelsa Governorship Election Results, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Abia gov presents N136.6bn budget estimates for 2020

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overnor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State on Monday presented N136,617 billion Appropriation Bill for the 2020 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly.

The bill, tagged “Budget of economic repositioning,� has a Capital Expenditure outlay of N69.8 billion, representing 51.1 per cent, and Recurrent Expenditure of N66.8 billion, representing 48.9 per cent.

Mr Ikpeazu said the budget outlay was less than N140. 9 billion for 2019 because of his administration’s resolve to formulate a realistic budget.

He further said that government would work hard to improve revenue generation

and expenditure management approach.

The budget also had an expected Recurrent Revenue of N106.9 billion, which is made of N67.2 billion from the statutory allocation from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), representing 63.9 per cent of the revenue.

News of Agency Nigeria (NAN) reports that it also had a projected Independent Revenue of N39.6 billion, representing 37.1 per cent of the revenue.

The governor said that the draft estimates were intended to strategically strengthen his administration’s achievement, especially in creating conducive environment for local and

foreign investors.

He said the budget will also provide opportunities for human capital development, revitalising social services as well as building critical infrastructure for sustainable development. “In 2020, we will work to ensure completion of ongoing projects while re-envisioning new ones that will open new frontiers. “We will ensure that only projects and programmes provided for in 2020 budget are funded,� Mr Ikpeazu said.

In a speech, the Speaker, Chinedum Orji, commended the governor and his team for early presentation of the bill to

the house.

Mr Orji said such a laudable feat had not been achieved in recent time.

He promised the continued support of the seventh assembly to the governor, assuring him of accelerated hearing and passage of the bill.

He urged the governor to ensure at least 75 per cent implementation of the budget, when finally passed. “This will fast track the repositioning of Abia economy with improvement in the most critical sectors, such as job creation, development of infrastructure and Small and Medium Enterprises in the state,� he said.(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

Page 9

News

Adamawa Police arrest 2 kidnap kingpins

From Umar Dankano, Yola.

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he Adamawa State Police Command said it has has apprehended two out of a 6 man kidnapping syndicate that have been terrorising the state for some times now.

Parading the suspects at the command’s headquarters in Yola yesterday ,the spokesman of the Command, DSP Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje said that the new strategies adopted by the operatives under the leadership of Commissioner of Police,Mr Audu Adamu Madaki made it possible for their arrest.

Nguroje explained that some time back the 6 man gang of kidnappers abducted a famous business mogul in Yola Ultra-Modern Market,A.D Bashar at his cattle farm and whizzed him away to unknown destination but later released him after collecting N20 million as ransom.

Nguroje added that four of the gang members including their leader are still at large while one Bello Abdullahi and their armourer were arrested when patrol by detectives in the state metropolitan.

He therefore called on people in the state to always assist the police and other security agencies with useful information on any suspicious acts .

Answering questions from journalists, one of suspects ,Bello Abdullahi,20 years old from Damaru in Yobe State said they were part of the six man gang that kidnapped Alhaji A.D Bashar few months ago.

Abdullahi stated that the herder of Alhaji A.D Bashar convened with them to get him kidnapped for money which they succeeded when he was at his farm to check on his herds of cattle .

Abdullahi who was regretting his action confessed that out the ransom,he was given N450,000 as

his share which he used to purchase a 10 herds of cows which he kept in his village.

Similarly Nguroje announced that professor Felix Ilesanmi of the

Department of Urban and Regional Planning,Modibbo Adama University of Technology Yola has been released by his abductors.

Nguroje stressed that professor

Ilesanmi was kidnapped at his residence at the professorial quarters of the University last week Thursday in the evening.

He also reiterated the commitment

of the force in the state to protecting lives and properties of all citizens maintaining that even the abductors of the professor released him due pressure on their trail by the police.

Ex-bank manager, account officer jailed for fraud

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ustice Adama Iyami- Lamikanra of the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Monday, November 18, 2019, convicted and sentenced a former Manager of Diamond Bank Plc (now Access Bank), Chinyere Oti, and a former Account Officer of the same bank, Odigboh Okechukwu, to two years imprisonment for defrauding the bank of N25 million (N25,018,467).

The convicts were arraigned on November 19, 2009, by the Port Harcourt Zonal Office of the EFCC on seven-count charges bordering on conspiracy and stealing. The charges were amended on April 25, 2019.

Count four reads: “Odigboh Okechukwu and Chinyere Oti on or about the 23rd day of October, 2008 at Diamond Bank Plc Port Harcourt within the Port Harcourt Judicial Division did fraudulently steal the sum of Twenty Million Four Hundred And Thirty One Thousand Three Hundred And Forty Two Naira Five Kobo (N20,431, 342.05) property of Diamond Bank Plc by means of Diamond Bank Cheque No. 16216303 through an unfunded account in the name of Achufa Investment Limited operated by Odigboh Okechukwu and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 381(1) and punishable under Section 390( 9) of

the Criminal Code CAP 37 Vol. II Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria 1999.�

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. Their pleas led to a 10-year-long trial. The prosecution called three witnesses and tendered 15 exhibits while the defence called three witnesses.

Delivering his judgment today, Justice Iyayi- Lamikanra found the two defendants guilty of the charges and sentenced them to two years imprisonment each or an option of fine of N1,000,000 each. She also ordered the convicts to pay a sum of N25 million as restitution to Diamond Access Bank Plc. Trouble came for the two convicts

when the former Diamond Bank Plc petitioned the EFCC alleging that its Manager, Rumukwrushi Branch, Port Harcourt, Chinyere Oti, fraudulently opened a Current Account for one of its customers and used the account to make fraudulent withdrawals and overdrew it to the tune of N25 million (N25,018,467). Investigations showed that the alleged customer of the bank never opened an account with the bank, rather, Odigboh Okechukwu, an account officer with the bank used the customer’s photograph to open the account without the customer’s knowledge or consent.

It was through the account the two convicts defrauded the bank.

L-R: Auwal Musa Rafsanjani Executive Director CISLAC/ Transparency International Nigeria đ&#x;‡łđ&#x;‡Ź, Mr. Reueben Lifuka vice Chairman Transparency International, Mrs Linda OforiKwafo Executive Director Transparency International Ghana đ&#x;‡Źđ&#x;‡­ and Dr. Peter Eigen the Founder of the Transparency International at the ongoing TI Annual Membership Meeting in Berlin Germany đ&#x;‡Šđ&#x;‡Şdiscussing on new ways to combat corruption and ensure more transparency and accountability globally the meeting is being attended by over two hundred and fifty people across the world.

Delta govt. moves to curb child, women mortality From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

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elta State government at the weekend introduced Newborn Action Method ( DSNAP) in order to end preventable newborn child and pregnant women mortality during child birth in the state.

While it restated its commitment to implement the method to the letters, Secretary to the state Government

( SSG) Barr Chiedu Ebie who spoke to Journalists in Asaba, said that the DSNAP became necessary as available statistics indicated that each year,289, women die while giving birth while an estimated 18,000 children die every day from preventable diseases and circumstances, adding� over 2.9million newborn die during their first days of life each year and the need therefore is inevitable for an

accelerated response to the situation and I wish to place it on record the reality and an undeniable fact that the age long ugly phenomenon of women and children mortality has remained not only a tragic affairs but also a very nagging and worrisome issue�

According to the SSG, the every newborn Action Plan launched by WHO and UNICEF in 2014 was a roadmap of strategic actions for

ending preventable newborn mortality still birth and reduce maternity mortality, adding that every efforts targeted at ending women and children mortality brought about the understanding that these deaths are index preventable and are only caused by complications related to premature birth,severe infections,low social class, ignorance and unavailability of skilled manpower�

The SSG remarked that the state government has made remarkable efforts in improving the general health and well-being of children aged five years and below through her free maternal and child health care services, adding that the Delta state Contributory Health Scheme which provides free medical care for Pregnant women and children under five years.

Group offers free medical services to 1,000 patients in Zaria From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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group, Waziri Foundation yesterday offered free medical services to over 1,000 patients around Zaria communities.

Speaking at the medical outreach, the founder of the

Foundation, Dr. Ali Dahiru Waziri said, the gesture was in line with the Foundation’s programmes aimed at touching the lives of less privileged people in the society.

He said, the areas they are most concerned is giving special Sickle Cell Clinic, Free Medical Consultation, Free Genotype

testing and free treatment.

According to Dr. Waziri, the Foundation is not only working on medical issues, but there are areas they are working on such as education and skills acquisition for youth and widows.

He said, the Foundation is facing serious financial shortage

which an urgent support from individual, corporate organizations and the government to enable it’s deliver its mission.

The exercise was conducted at Bello Aliyu LGEA Kofar DOKA, Zaria and has attended to various patients with different medical problems.

Dr. Ali Waziri advised parents to always visit hospital for any medical issue instead of staying at home dying in silent.

Some the beneficiaries of the free medical services including , Malama Hussaina Mustapha thanked the Foundation for the assistance given to them.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

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News

INAC 2019 commences tomorrow in Abuja, offers free medical testing

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

T

he much awaited International Art and Crafts Expo(INAC),would commence in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja t from 20th to 24th of November 2019.

The Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture, (NCAC)Otunba Runsewe,reiterated that there will be special provision of free BMI, free eye testing, glasses, free dental services, free skill acquisition and Waste to Wealth initiative.

According to Runsewe “this year’s INAC has been carefully packaged to empower Nigerians by providing free skills for small and medium startups”.

Runsewe encourages Nigerians and indeed foreign nationals to take full advantage of the components of INAC. Out of 30 countries from around the world that are billed to exhibit during the event, 4 have expressed commitment to take special days to thrill Guests and participants.

China will take centre stage on the 21th to showcase its oriental endowments as a unique cultural destination of sorts.

On the 22nd, India will be on hand to entertain guests with breathtaking music and dance routines, in a fantastic showing reminiscent of Bollywood.

Venezuela and Bangladesh will combine on the 23rd for a double dose of excitement in what has become a much anticipated aspect of INAC since Runsewe expanded the Expo to a fanfare of global repute in 2017.

Yoruba Council of Obas disown Aregbabuwo, bemoan visit to Osinbajo From David Hassan, Gombe

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ssociation of Yoruba Traditional Council of Obas said the visit of Ambassador Mohammed Arigbabuwo to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo claiming to be leader of the Council of Obas is not for Obas.

The Association made this known in their 17th quarterly meeting of the Nineteen Northern states and FCT Abuja.

In a communiqué issued at the end of their quarterly meeting attended by all Obas of the nineteen

northern states and signed by their Secretary General, Dr Alani Kolawale Adeyemi, the Oba of Gumbi of Adamawa State and the Oba of Borno who is the chairman Alh Hassan Alao, said the personality lived in Kaduna, and a politician seeking political relevance.

Arigbobuwa, on the 5th of November visited Vice President Osinbajo and claimed to be the chairman of the Council of Obas.

The communiqué, said he is not known to the association let alone being the

chairman of Yoruba Council of Obas for nineteen northern states and FCT. The communiqué called on the Presidency, National Assembly and all the security agencies of this country to be beware of the activities of this person. “He is an Imposter and should be treated as such,” they said.

They also called on their esteem royal fathers and their Majesties from South Western Yoruba States, parents and the general people of Oduduwa’s descent to beware of the activities of some fraudsters that

are recounting youth of ages 15-25 years from Osun and Oyo States in particular to come to work, secure admission to institutions of higher learning or for empowerment in northern states to desist from embarking on the journey to any part of the northern Nigeria without proper arrangement.

The association thanked his royal Highness, the Emir of Gombe Alh Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III for his landmark remarks and warm reception accorded the association during their courtesy visit at his palace.

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group, Civil Society in Malaria Control, Immunization and Nutrition, (ACOMIN), has called for more private sector involvement in the fight against malaria in order to achieve the desired result.

The Programme Officer of the group, Mr Ogidi Nicodemus, stated this during advocacy focused media meeting held in Kaduna yesterday.

He added that there is an urgent need to have malaria champions in the state to help in fighting the menace..

Mr Nicodemus further stated that for the surge towards malaria eradication to have meaningful impact on the citizens, traditional and religious leaders must continue in monitoring commodities and

PAGE 11

Participants of Seagul Band dancing along the streets of Calabar, on Sunday during the second dry run of the 2019 Calabar Carnival.

Photo: NAN

service provision.

According to him, ACOMIN, is the National Network of Civil Society Organizions working on the prevention, treatment and mitigation of impact of Malaria, as well as the promotion of immunization and better nutrition in. Nigeria.

In his effort to address the challenges of malaria, the organization has engaged the Vathic Relief Services, (CRS), under the ongoing Global Fund, (GF).

“The project is being implemented in the thirteen GF supported states Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger, Taraba, Gombe, Yobe, Adamawa, Ogun, Osun and Delta.

“In Kaduna State, ACOMIN, is working in five Local Government Areas of Kachia, Chikun, Kajuru, Makarfi and Zaria,” he said.

In his own remarks, State Technical Officer, Malaria Consortium, Dr Finma

Augustine, said there must be accountability and judicious use of commodities.

He explained that while the partners are ready to support in the fight against Malaria via donations of commodities, it is logical for them to demand transparency in disbursement and use of such commodities.

Dr Augustine express dismay over inadequate funding to quash Malaria menace in the state.

The Director Epidemiology

and Disease Control, Kaduna State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Aliyu Aminu, advised that it is time civil society organizations should start looking for means to eradicate the Malaria parasites instead of treatment.

Giving credence to this, the Programme Manager, State Malaria Elimination Programme, Yusuf Mohammed, said they will work with CSOs to reduce Malaria parasites menace in the state.

Masari holds maiden executive council meeting From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

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ew hours after inaugurating the new Executive Council yesterday, Governor Aminu

Bello Masari of Katsina State held the maiden meeting with the new cabinet members.

Governor, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari presided over the meeting with the Deputy Governor Alhaji

Mannir Yakubu, the Secretary to the Government of the state, Dr Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa and Head of Service, Alhaji Usman Idris Tune in attendance.

Others in attendance are the

returnee and new members of the council.

The meeting has the sole agenda of scrutinizing the 2020 katsina State budget before it’s submission to the state house of assembly.

Letter to the Editor

EDITORIAL

T

Nigeria’s Assets Recovery Yielding Results

A ticking bomb

he African Development (23% in 2018), with another 20% Bank (AfDB), last week, of the labor force underemployed.” warned that Nigeria’s youth The National Bureau of Statistics’ unemployment situation was latest report said Nigeria has some “frightening” and could become of the highest unemployment and “catastrophic” if “decent jobs” underemployment rates in Africa, were not created for the country’s put respectively at 23.1 per cent youth population. It raised and 20.1 per cent. this alarm during the regional presentation of a report ‘Creating It is true that Nigeria’s decent jobs: Strategies, policies bludgeoning unemployed youth and instruments’ in Abuja.The population is its soft underbelly report, a compilation of that the nation’s policy recommendations enemies like from some of the Boko Haram have world’s leading labour discovered and are and development attacking. Their foot It is true that economists, also looked soldiers are drawn Nigeria’s at the unemployment from this large pool situation in different bludgeoning of idle hands that are African countries. ready for hire.

“

unemployed youth population is its soft underbelly that the nation’s enemies like Boko Haram have discovered and are attacking.

Group wants private sector involvement in fight against malaria From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

AfDB’s Senior Director, Nigeria Country Department, Mr. Ebrima Faal, in an address, said Africa was facing a job crisis, with the African Economic Outlook estimating that 20 million new jobs needed to be created annually until 2030 to absorb new entrants to the workforce.

On Nigeria, he noted that the situation was frightening due to the country’s growing population. Only the creation of decent jobs for the nation’s fast growing youth population would prevent the situation from turning into a catastrophe, he said. He warned that if the trend was maintained, youth population in Nigeria would exceed 130 million by 2063, needing decent jobs to forestall a catastrophe. The World Bank also has shown some concern over the Nigerian unemployment situation. It said recently that “employment creation remains weak and insufficient to absorb the fast-growing labor force, resulting in high rate of unemployment OUR MISSION

The government is aware of the enormity of the problem. The fact that the World Bank and AfDB whose president is a Nigerian have beamed the searchlight on it stresses the urgency of a workable solution. Mr. Faal described President Muhammadu Buhari’s plan to create 100 million jobs within 10 years as timely, but advised that “bold political will” and sustainable policy efforts would be required to realise the plan. With elections over and the Supreme Court last week affirming his reelection, Buhari has the whole of his next 4 years to deepen his government’s social investment platform that aims to put millions of idle youth in gainful employment. The political will that Faal referred to should not be difficult for the President to find. He will not be distracted by the 2023 polls because he won’t be a candidate. His second and last term ends that same year.

OUR PEOPLE

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

OUR VISION

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

By Musa Ilallah

R

egardless of what arm-chair policy analysts, cynics, pessimists and even wailers from the blinded opposition will say, the PMB administration’s efforts to recover public stolen assets by politicians, public servants and their accomplices is yielding substantial fruitful landmark results. During his electioneering campaigns as APC’s Presidential flag bearer in 2015, Muhammadu Buhari had explained that one of his key priorities in office when elected will be to recover stolen assets of the country, Quite significant recoveries have been made by anti graft agencies like the EFCC, ICPC, SPIP and the Assets Management Company, AMCON among others.

It will not be out of place to put on record the tremendous support the Nigerian Judiciary has given in the current fight against corruption and assets recovery by the Buhari administration since he came on board in May 2015.

It is therefore not surprising when the Buhari Media Organisation, BMO threw its weight behind the judiciary for granting order for forfeiture of properties and monies believed to be proceeds of corruption. BMO felt duty bound to commend the Judiciary for its forthrightness in promptly deciding on cases of assets recovery brought before it expeditiously.

In the words of the BMO ‘‘the courts orders were clear signs of renewed vigour of the anti-graft crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. ‘’The Judiciary also deserves commendation for aiding in the steps that would eventually lead to permanent forfeiture of top-of-the-range properties belonging to high profile politicians and public office holders to the Federal Government’’.

A Nigerian newspaper, The Sun recently reported that ‘FG uncovers fresh N3.2 trillion Abacha loot’. It further reported that Abacha’s loot must have exceeded the already established US $5billion.

The simple truth is that the spates of forfeitures are widely viewed as confirmation of Buhari’s readiness to intensify the fight against corruption and corrupt practices. Only recently, in an unprecedented move within 24 hours, Nigeria recorded a major boost in its war against corruption with three separate rulings by two Federal High Courts in Lagos and Abuja for the interim forfeiture of no fewer than 28 high-end properties.

It is on record that in one of the recent court rulings, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC secured a court order to hold on to two houses belonging to former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, located in high-brow Ikoyi in Lagos State. The property was said to have been acquired by Saraki while he was the governor of Kwara State with funds taken directly from government coffers.

Another significant recovery was awarded by a another court also in Lagos which ordered the forfeiture of three landed properties belonging to Kola Aluko, an associate of former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke which the EFCC valued it at N6.42 billion.

“The court also granted authority to the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to hold on to 23 properties in four states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory belonging to the former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina.

The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu during a session with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila in September 2019 reiterated the commitment of the Commission to the recovery of stolen assets for the development of the nation.

The EFCC boss who was unequivocal in pledging to recover Nigeria’s stolen funds hidden in different parts of the globe, said, “I

am very committed to the recovery of stolen funds wherever they are located which should be utilised through budgetary system to remedy the harm the theft has caused all Nigerians” While intimating the lawmakers on the recent achievements of the Commission in the fight against cyber fraud, especially the outcomes of EFCC’s collaboration with United States of America’s Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Magu was quick to say that “the just concluded ‘Operation Rewired,’ resulted in the recovery of the sum of $169,850 as well as N92 million,” adding that lots of expensive cars and several plots of land were also recovered during the operation across Nigeria.

Other strategic recoveries by EFCC include the $40 million worth of jewellery owned by former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke and forfeited to the federal government, stating that the EFCC will assist the government to ensure that there was effective utilization of recovered stolen funds.

In line with government’s commitment to maximise utilization of recoveries made so far, some forfeited properties have been allocated to government agencies in dire need of office accommodation while funds recovered are being judiciously used by the Buhari administration for the well being of all Nigerians.

Agencies that have benefitted from allocation of recovered assets include Voice of Nigeria, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, North East Development Commission, National Social Investment Office and Fiscal Responsibility Commission among others.

Hon. Gbajabiamila in his remarks said the essence of the discussion was to see how public funds and assets recovered can help in relation to budget processes, accountability, transparency and how the country can be developed by putting the funds to better use.

Another landmark recent forfeiture ruling by an Abuja High Court presided over by Justice Okon Abang is the case of authority granted the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to hold on to 23 properties in four states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) belonging to the former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina. An Assistant Director in the Federal Civil Service, Maina was mischievously believed to be seemingly untouchable since 2013, and whom President Buhari was alleged to be shielding from prosecution is now in custody and was last Friday dragged to court on a 12 count charge along with his son, Faisal.

It is very heart warming that the court orders are a clear sign of intent of more intergovernment collaborative effort to retrieve and recover property illegally acquired with public funds for private purposes. It is therefore very encouraging that the PMB administration has raised the bar in the anti-corruption war and so deserves more support from Nigerians for the success of the crusade.

Nigerians therefore anxiously look forward to the speedy trial and subsequent sentencing of people found to have breached public trust for betraying that trust of using our commonwealth to acquire personal properties at the expense of taxpayers over the years. Nigerians must as a matter of necessity continuously support government to ensure that these individuals, no matter how highly placed, do not escape justice. What is also required is for the antigraft agencies to live up to the confidence reposed in them by the Buhari administration to stand their feet and refused to be cowed by the might of the corrupt. They must do everything possible to write their names engraved in gold for posterity to acknowledge and remember their patriotism for life.

Ilallah wrote in via musahk123@yahoo. com, EMEKA ANYAOKU STREET, ABUJA

PAGE 12

Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

Food security and sustainable development!

By Abba Lawan Musa

A

griculture in Nigeria tends to have future prospects; this is because agriculture is the only occupation that affects all the inhabitants of the state and the country in general directly or indirectly. It is the only business that can provide employment opportunities to over 60%-70% of the population of the state if it has been improved and government come up with different policies that enhance the system and encourage the citizens to go back into it.

Agriculture is the only way that people gain their livelihood because; it provides the people with food, raw materials that are used in our agro based industries. It generates revenue to government and various categories of people and also boosts the economic situation that gives ample opportunity for saving and investment.

Negligence in Agricultural activities by many state governors as a result of over reliance on federal government allocations make the sector inactive which causes serious problem not for only those in the sector, but to all the citizens of the state and the nation in general.

Investigation shows that these problems of over reliance by state government, abandoning the sector, carelessness by the farmers and state governors affects all the societies in different field and sector ranging from national government down to the final consumer (household).

Some of the consequences of the problem include: low revenue to government, unemployment and poor economic development. This problem also affects the farmers by making them lost a large quantity of their produce. This is

because, any time they invest their money instead of making profit they end up with lost and this makes the farmers became unemployed and by being unemployed, the problem makes them to move to some places where they can gain their basic needs. This is called “Rural-Urban Migration” which is another problem to the state.

The problem also affects manufacturers in terms of raw materials scarcity, low income, poor supply and some cases leads to closure of the companies and this would create scarcity of goods or services in the market, Inflation, possibility of famine as a result of it, etc.

In addressing the problem, there is a need of collaboration between all stakeholders at the sector like government, farmers, experts in agricultural activities, manufacturers, traders as well as final consumers.

If we take government as a solution, government should come up with different policies that improve the sector like one that federal government under Olusegun Obasanjo military administration in 1976, Operation Feed The Nation, Green Revolution, by Shehu Shagari administration and other policies with the intention of improving the sector and encouraging more people to enter into the agricultural sector.

In order to reduce over reliance on federal government and importation of food stuff from in and out of the country, the state government should establish University and College of Agriculture or convert some colleges to college of agriculture. Also government can address the problem by providing infrastructural facilities in rural areas in order to discourage rural-urban migration.

The objectives of the programme would be based on: to provide food, reduce unemployment, convert rural-urban migration and reduce over reliance on federal government as well as importation of food stuff from in and outside the country.

In achieving all these objectives, state government should collaborate with federal government, international organisations, private companies and interested individuals to embark on capital projects in the rural areas where most of the farmers live, for example, government or any interested stakeholder should go to some areas and build factories that transform what farmers produce in that areas to secondary product. This would help in many fields like preventing farmers from lost, provide them with irrigation equipment for dry season farming, this also would reduce all that I have mentioned above.

Another way to achieve the objectives of the programme is by setting some amount of money aside by government in order to buy what farmers produce at the price that all the farmers would not lose and sell to the public at affordable prices.

If all these would be done by next 10 years, there would be no rural-urban migration, no unemployed farmers, no more importation of food stuff as well as over reliance on federal government.

The goals and objectives of his invention should be achieved through massive awareness to all stakeholders (government, organisations, companies, farmers and private individuals) through various channels of communication like radio, television, posters and the use of traditional and religious leaders.

Diffusion of innovation theory can be

used on this programme In order to achieve the set goals and objectives because of its relevance with the programme. The programme has relationship with the basic elements of the theory (Innovation, Communication Channel, Time and Social System). Once the programme is executed properly, it would call the attention of others to enter into the sector and keep those that are already in it busy throughout the year.

By the mid of the implementation of the programme with the proper and regular monitoring and supervising of government, professionals in the sector and other stakeholders like International observers and community leaders would find out some of these outcomes of the programme like: more revenue to government, increase the level of investment in the state, employment opportunities, food security, low level of rural-urban migration and many more outcomes with more than 50%.

At the end of the programme, Kano State would provide enough food for the citizens and the whole nation and more revenue that enables the state to carry out all its administrative activities without reliance on the federal government. Some of the challenges that the programme may face include frequent change of government, political instability, corruption, and careless attitude of the public.

Therefore, to tackle the challenges, government official can make its continuation law by any administration, fighting corruption in the state; provide a conducive atmosphere and massive awareness to the public about it.

Abba Lawan Musa is of the Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano.

Student as victims of escalated incidences on campuses

By Agidike Abdul Onu

I

t is no longer news that quite a number of corporate bodies and organizations now seek to employ only candidates who are less than 26 years of age. This will naturally exclude persons who did not gain admission to tertiary institutions early, as well as those who stayed longer in their institutions due to industrial actions or some other factors beyond their control.

Consequently, as a student in public school where strikes have become prevalent, there is every tendency that his mate in a private school will graduate before him and by implication become his boss in the office. The trauma and psychological effect of this on the student is quite unimaginable.

It was in view of the above concern that the Department of Tertiary Education, Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja invited Presidents and Secretaries of Students’ Union in public tertiary institutions in the country to a workshop where they were roundly reminded that students are indeed the real victims of escalated incidences on campuses.

The workshop with the theme “Towards a Win-Win Conflict Resolution to Prevent Escalation, Shut-Down and Disruption of Academic Calendar in Tertiary Institutions,” drew participants from public universities, colleges of

education and polytechnic and provided a robust opportunity for rubbing minds on how to achieve harmony in the school system.

The founder and president of Mediation Training Institute Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunyannwo who was one of the resource persons at the workshop restated the tripartite role the institutions play, which include teaching, research and community services. “They are suppose to impart high level skills to a reasonable proportion of the workforce, developing intellectual capability of individuals and engaging in training of competent and responsible professionals needed virtually in all aspects of human endeavour,”he said.

However, Mr. Segun in his presentation noted that a number of challenges faced students of higher institution in Nigeria including limited access, increasing cost and decreasing quality occasioned by out dated equipment and obsolete organizational structure. These according to him are some of the obstacle militating against achieving the objectives for which tertiary institution were established.

Various speakers at the workshop dwelt extensively on the need for the students to join forces with their school management and to be in one accord towards enhancing harmonious relationship, rather than engage in

actions that could disrupt academic activities on campus.

A lecturer at the Department of Law, Baze University Abuja, Barr. Effiong Esu, highlighted the legal and regulating framework for student’s unionism in Nigeria, tracing the history of unionism in Nigeria to the time when the University of Ibadan was established in 1948.

He noted with regret that “over the years, tertiary institutions in Nigeria have witnessed students’ demonstrations and unrest, often leading to destruction of lives and properties with attendant consequences of shut-down of the institutions, disruption of academic calendar, and elongation of duration of courses, little time for teaching and learning and examination without adequate preparation.

The plight of students at the Federal University of Technology, Minna readily came to mind in the circumstance. For instance, the 300 level students in the institution who have been at home will return to school on April 18, 2017, after over two months forced vacation and are expected to commence semester examination two days after resumption.

Dr. Louis Ogbeifun in his presentation “Creating a Peaceful and Harmonious Environment for Students in various Federal Tertiary Institutions” said that union and management are but two sides of the same coin, required for

the purchase of industrial peace and engendering optimum productivity in an organization.

Dr. Ogbeifun blamed lack of effective communication and confidence building between management and the student union as responsible for most conflict situations in the campuses.

Deputy Director, Institutional support at the Federal Ministry of Education Mrs. Ann Haruna assured that such workshop would be organized regularly, to allow for interaction with leaders at various levels in tertiary institutions which in turn can guarantee sustainable harmonious relationship on the campuses.

The students’ union presidents and secretaries on their part commended Federal Ministry of Education for organizing the workshop and urged school managements to carry them along when taking decisions that affect the students.

The students also called on the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to revisit its decision on payment of N10, 000 as regularization fee as against N5, 500 as well as the introduction of N2, 500 screening fee by some institutions.

Agidike Abdul Onu is of the Press Unit of Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

PAGE 13

Comment

Hat in hand, begging: My experience at Lagos airport

By Joe Ogbechie

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n average Nigerian in Nigeria without question is a beggar. Yeap, I said it. We are it and you are one of us, period. Don’t jump off the hand rail yet and reserve your colourful language for some other time, the truth they say hurts. Your position on the Maturity Gradient and selftruth should be high now for a good dose of patience to read through this material.

Have you had an opportunity to request a need or service from a person or business in Nigeria? Have you been accosted by an overzealous man or woman, uniformed or not, that is willing to help you with doing little or nothing? I am sure that you have in one or two occasions. Come on! Am I alone here? I often get the “Welcome Sir” greetings, and the subsequent “Oga, we dey loyal ooh!” What about the “Wetin you get for us na?” Behaviours of these sorts are blossoms of acts by which a person is characterised. Donald Trump is expected to be outrageous and if he starts making sense, most of us will see that as out of character flaws. The very beautiful act of civility that is glorious in functional customer servicing is now a call for beggar-training 101. Hold your comments here now, okay; it seems like the old teaches the new and the new is responsible for returns and results at the end of the day. It is so seamless and assumingly symbiotic that has become a commonality of normalcy.

I am sure these acts may be in the rear view mirrors of some of us with powers beyond the naira level, they have bevies of road-clearers and may not be privy to the

luxury of the harassment that comes next.

Customer services pleasantries take a hike as you walk into these seemingly respectable enterprises; you are greeted and attended to by some of those seeming stoics behind counter; they will gaze through you with threatening looks of displeasures. At first, the belief is that this person would rather be somewhere else; cordiality is entirely removed from services and the notable act of wooing a customer for repeat business relations was maybe left in the lockerroom. You are left wondering what you did wrong and if you happen to be a first-time visitor and you are not shock-proofed, guilt of act takes over. With your bags in hand and nervous gaiety work to the door, “Oga, wetin you get for us now?” is bemoaned through toothy smiles that call for long and continuous dental appointments. You are made to understand in one instance that alms giving is not charity or for the handicap, it is actually a demand and in one sweet swoop you will be told how hard life is “for this country” as if you have just tightened a thread or two on the difficulty screw. Starting from hunger and starvation to a need for help in sponsoring kids whom you did not take part in making through school – “Oga, help me na; money no dey to pay school fees; I beg”.

How did we get here? Okay, you think that is bad? How about the hostage takers and the blackmailers. Ah; ah; ah! I am not talking about the rampant kidnappings of which the custodians of security in the nation could do little or nothing about. For the later, there is a name, and they are called criminals outright and maybe prosecuted

if caught. Here, we have the uniformedhostage-takers; these are the people upon which our safety and security are entrusted upon, and they are by no means in short supply. They are found in all of our commutable links. Airport entrances/exits and other motorways.

They actually are the worst and in my book the scum of the earth and if there is anything worse than my choice of words above, they are it. These are subhuman mongrels that grind your balls to a halt when you are most vulnerable; like a vampire, they will sink their teeth and fangs deep into your veins for the last droplets of blood. On your entrance into the country, they are aware that you are carrying foreign currency of which you may have earmarked for a purpose, the local currency is what you do not have. On your exit out of the country too; you have some local spices that madam and you only have acquired the taste for growing up, and she had asked you by all means to bring some back, and that is another sure bet circumstance to get the last drop whatever it is that you have out of you. These ingredients that most of these uniformed hostage-takers may have just had, by all means, become a prohibited exportable product, a contraband that requires an MIT trained chemist for proof of chemical content. They will threaten you with jail term for possessing an ingredient that they may just have availed themselves of or may have just eaten. Here, you are susceptible to all the verbal fear-lazed cajoles. You do not want to miss your flights, coupled with the fact that now you have little or no local currency; all you have is probably

little foreign currency you may have tucked away for coffee/sandwich at your transits or for taxi or trains at your final destinations; it is a need for you but they want it too. That is what they want and you have to give it to them. I was told by one of these guys that I would be made to stay in their office with my egusi/ogbonor over the weekend, as I was travelling on a Saturday, until Monday when the forensics and chemists will resume. That is the time the experts will be available to test these ingredients so as to make sure that they do not contain hard drugs. This was after a long frustration, and I decided to forgo the ingredients and board my flight to Frankfurt. Nobody cares if you have to walk, crawl or stay thirsty and hungry for the duration of your journeys that may span over 24 hours. That is not their concerns, they are here to collect and probably give returns at the end of the day. Selfish, selfcentred hypocrites have no place in civilised societies. These are the faces of Nigeria, they give the first and probably the only impression of what our society is all about, and if these subhuman mongrels are allowed to continue telling our story, I wonder who will buy Nigeria. Where are the leaders, the managers, and supervisors of these herds? Who do you complain to and how do you report these vices? Hello! Chain of command, where are you? Who makes these rules they adhere to, and who signed off on them? Well! You be the judge of our societal “decisional-considerations” – leadership vacuum. Let me hear from you.

Ogbechie is a systems specialist at George Washington University.

The tragedy of humanity’s nonchalance

By Samuel Orekoya

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ll around the world, there have been renewed calls for parleys, for rendezvous and tete-a-têtes. To bring together people of varying opinions, shedding their individual personalities and preferences to adopt a collective goal and reach a pre-determined conclusion. This is the righteous diplomacy of the 21st century.

The exact nature of this diplomacy is not known; deals are known to have taken places in churches, mosques, restaurants and offices, officially and unofficially.

This righteous diplomacy of the 21st century is a diplomacy which will attempt to mask the primordial instincts of man.

The instincts which say fight or flight. This diplomacy of the 21st century tries to find the grey between the black and white, the neutrality between the victor and the loser, the neutrality of war.

The diplomacy of this modern man intends to break down our primal instincts; the very nature of our existence, that which all culture, behaviour and action has been built on. Indeed, is it not these instincts that have birthed religion? Wars, culture and power? Far be it that I would be called an antimoderate. For I delight in the steady progress man makes! There now exists, a collective effort, to deconstruct the basic pieces of the primal instinct, to reform and rebuild, in a manner best suited to the builder.

These builders, who must not be named, then say to us, that we are at a juncture,

one auspicious for the progress and further construct of man, a moment which would allow for the natural evolution of man, one in which our subsequent actions, desires and characteristics will be determined not by 2 instincts long encoded in our DNA millions of years ago, but by those, formed from habits, interactions, consultations and projections formed in our enlightened mind.

They say we will no longer war or run, but will begin to take actions for reasons which are just, upright and morally uplifting; for posterity, for our children, for the future of our race and the future of our planet.

This 21st century diplomacy, so noble and considerate, makes a fatal error in its quest. It forgets about the nature of man. It trivialises humanity’s greed and sense of self importance. It forgets about the nonchalance of man. The nonchalance in Darfur, The cries of the children in Syria, The weeping of the girls in Nigeria, The stench of the 2000 dead in Baga, and the horror of the 7 dead in France.

The 21st century man walks in solidarity; 100 world leaders, linked arm to arm, 100 metres they walk, to show that we are one, to show that ‘I am Charlie’. The carpenter in Baga, walks slowly, as he gazes upon the destruction, the bodies of friend and foe, strewn far and near. He walks without registration or contemplation, as only one thought occupies him. His wife and kids are gone and his existence now seems nought.

He hears the news on the radio, the world leaders are marching, to say that we are one,

to say that ‘I am Charlie’. He shakes his head in regret as he walks off in contemplation.

The nonchalance of man, more powerful a foe than thought, must be fought with all resolve. Our basic thoughts and conducts must therefore be rethought. The 21st century man has said that we are one, but I see that one is not for all. One has been redefined, to select and elect, those that possess mutual interests and resources. One will give and take, court and flirt, before it takes you into its fold.

The little boy in Syria, sat in the ambulance, staring eerily into the distance, replaying events past. ‘Mother was serving lunch, brother was talking to me, and father read the papers. My fork quavered in my hand, as i listened to my brother’s tales. He had seen the ‘no more’ planes. Why where they called ‘no more’ planes I asked? ‘Because once you see them, you see ‘no more’ my brother replied. My brother spoke about the coalition planes. The help which was to redeem us, now was fearful to my nation. The bogey man wouldn’t get you, the ‘no more’ planes would.

I shivered and looked at my mother, in the solemn expectation that she would rebuke my brother, for scaring me silly. And then I felt a boom, and a sense of impending doom. All went black, I didn’t see, i didn’t know and i didn’t feel. As I felt myself fade away, one thought resounded, the ‘no more’ planes have got us. Alas, it was not my turn to fade, and I heard voices and I felt hands. I was raised from the rubble and i saw flashes.

Cameras were clicking, people were shouting, the floor beneath was moving.

A man picked me up, and said that he was Red Cross and all will be well, he sat me in the ambulance and said that he would be back. My head hurt badly, and I touched it to soothe it, but I felt a strange wetness, my head was covered in blood. The kind man came back, and told me my brother was no more, but that all will still be well, help was on the way.

I sat and i stared. Will the help bring back my brother? Will the help save my people?

I stared for my brother and i stared for my people.

The nonchalance of man, will break instead of make, the dreams of all people.

The nonchalance of man, will make all come to naught. Humanity must think as one, live as one and be united. Humanity must not, and cannot be extinguished. We must care, and void ourselves of partiality when we help and become greater united. Humanity must acquire knowledge, from the past and present, as we have endured unnecessary and tumultuous hardships from generation immemorial. We must learn from within and then without, and use our knowledge to form a shield of protection and a sword of advancement to take us to previously unimagined levels and to renew our zeal and give the whole of humanity, a renewed sense of purpose and commitment, to know what we live for.

Samuel Orekoya is a Public Affairs Analyst.

PAGE 14

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

NEWS

FG raises public awareness of orofacial gangrenous disease

T

he Federal Ministry of Health has joined partners and representatives from Niger Republic, Benin, Madagascar and others to launch the National Noma Control Policy document approved at the 2019 National Council on Health.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, on Monday, commemorated the third edition of the National Noma Day with the launch of the document.

News Agency of Nigeria reports that The National Noma Day is held annually to raise awareness of the non-contagious oro-facial gangrenous disease that affects tissues of the face and causes deformities.

Nigeria has marked the day every November 20 since 2017, as parts of measures adopted to eliminate the disease.

Noma, otherwise known as Cancrum Oris, is a fulminating, gangrenous infection of the soft tissue around the mouth, predominantly affecting younger persons with poor oral hygiene and predisposing them to serious illness.

NAN reports that the theme for 2019 is ‘Timely Recognition Averts Deformities.’

Ehanire said that the ministry worked in collaboration with the World Health Organisation and other stakeholders to develop the National Noma Policy Document and the Triennial Noma Control Action Plan (2019-2021).

He said it was approved at the National Council on Health in August

2019.

He defined Noma as an infectious, opportunistic disease which affects people living in extreme poverty and more prominent in communities with poor nutrition and hygiene.

The minister advised that early detection and treatment were critical in halting progression of Noma, noting, however, that “the disease generally responds to antibiotics treatment.”

According to him, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control says Noma disease can be found anywhere in Nigeria, but more prevalent in the

North-West region.

He disclosed that the Federal Government embarked on sensitisation activities in high-prone states of Kebbi, Jigawa and Sokoto to raise awareness of the disease.

Mr Philip Aruna of Medecins Sans Frontieres – Holland, said that the aim was to create awareness for Noma disease and make sure it was prevented in the country.

According to Aruna, timely identification, treatment and followup are critical in the management of Noma disease.

Dr Clement Peter, WHO Officer-

T

he Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has said it’s shocked at the comments in a media interview credited to the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, where he made very unpleasant statements against loyal members of the PDP. The caucus according to the statement, by Barr.

Oyorima Idahosa Special Adviser (Legal) To the Minority Leader said The group indeed is surprised that at a time other leaders and critical stakeholders of the PDP are working hard for solutions to move the party forward, the National Chairman is rather detailing his aides to castigate party member and make unguarded comments on critical party matters.

He said “This is indeed the first time, since 1999, an aide of the National Chairman of the PDP or

country.

He added that that NCDC would want to start reporting on the progress not just the problems in the country.

Prof. Abdulrazaq Habib of Noma Technical Working Group, said that the disease was associated with deformities and deaths.

Habib said it was mainly a result of weak health system.

According to data by WHO,over 500,000 people are affected and 140,000 new cases are reported each year across the world, while mortality rate is approximately 90 per cent.

NAN

Traditional medicine practitioners swear in new executives

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP) has sworn in the newly elected officers by Barr. Umar Salisu. The inauguration ceremony took place at Kaita Plaza on the 14th of November 2019, being Thursday where the National Head Office is sited.

However, it would be recalled that the new executives of the association were elected on the 19th of October, 2019 at the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology Abuja.

In an interview with newsmen during the inauguration ceremony, the president of the association, Alhaji. (Dr.) Shaba Maikudi, said his leadership would not hesitate to wage against quacks in the profession of traditional medicine Practitioners across the country.

He added that his leadership would work hand

Reps PDP Caucus expresses shock over Secondus comments

By Christiana Ekpa

in-Charge, said that Noma should be a disease of the past, not of the current generation.

Peter added that Noma disease had disappeared from the developed world but remained in Sub-Saharan Africa for reasons related to poor sanitation, malnutrition and others.

The Director General, NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, said that Nigeria could not raise awareness of public health challenges without strong surveillance system.

Chikwe disclosed that NCDC had included Noma disease in the case based surveillance system in the

any political party for that matter, has ever insulted or castigated an elected member of the National Assembly; and for no reason.

“While the PDP members in the Caucus, as loyal and dedicated members of the party, will not join issues with the person of the National Chairman, he is however urged, as a leader, to be more circumspect in the manner he addresses issues relating to the party and her members in the media.

“It is even more saddening that at this time other leaders of our party are concerting efforts to ensure our victory at the Kogi and Bayelsa Governorship elections, those vested with piloting the affairs of our party are more interested in creating distractions and division within our fold.

“Indeed such comments by the National Chairman, at a time like this, further inflames apprehensions that he is

acting on the behest of certain external forces who are pursuing personal interests at the expense of our party’s unity.

“If the National Chairman needed to be in the media on the issue of the Minority Leadership in the House of Representatives, such opportunity should have been used to explain why the National Working Committee (NWC), which he chairs, has failed to act on the report of the three committees set up by the party to investigate this and other issues relating to the National Assembly.

“Nevertheless, the Minority leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, and his colleagues remain loyal and dedicated members of the PDP and, once again, urge the NWC to weigh its actions, in the interest of fairness, justice, and equity in line with the democratic ideals of our great party, the rules of the National Assembly and provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended)” he said.

in hand with law enforcement agencies to fight fake herbal dealers.

Maikudi, however, appealed to the National Assembly to pass the bill to create the Council of traditional medicine dealers and empower it to fight fake quacks.

In his address at the inauguration, the chairman of Board of Trustees (BOT), Alhaji

(Dr.) Shehu Adamu Bashiru, urged BOT members as well as the national executives to be up and doing to move the association forward.

He then advised herbal practitioners to deem fit to carry out research aimed at advancing the field of traditional medicine in Nigeria.

The BOT chairman, therefore, applauded

the government of the day for supporting the herbal practitioners in all ramifications.

Meanwhile, the NANTMP inauguration ceremony was witnessed by the representatives of the minister in the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

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PAGE 15

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

Lawan congratulates APC, Kogi, Bayelsa governors -elect

By Musa Adamu

P

resident of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has congratulated the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidates on their victory in the governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States.

Lawan particularly rejoiced with the Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello on his reelection and David Lyon for making history as the first governor Bayelsa has elected on a platform different from the outgoing ruling party in the state.

The Senate President praised President Muhammadu Buhari for ensuring a level playing field that enabled the people to assert their sovereignty and choose their leaders.

“The impressive turnout of voters in the two states is a ringing endorsement of democracy by Nigerians as their preferred system, notwithstanding its current challenges,” Lawan said.

Lawan also thanked the security personnel for their sacrifices for peace and order in the face of great difficulties.

The Senate President enjoined the winners to be magnanimous in victory by accommodating all sections of the state in their governments and development agenda.

Lawan also admonished the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, to learn from the challenges experienced in the two states with a view to constantly improving its institutional performance and the electoral process.

The Senate President called on the relevant agencies to ensure thorough prosecution of the electoral offenders in the two states to serve as deterrence to others.

Hate speech Bill won’t Islamize Nigeria - Senate says

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he senate yesterday said the Hate Speech Bill before the National Assembly does not have any ulterior plan to islamise Nigerians as being expressed by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), even as the red chamber refuted the insinuation that the controversial Bill is aimed at gagging opposition against planned third term agenda by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Briefing journalists at the National Assembly, the Senate Spokesman, Godiya Akwashiki, said the Bill did not emanate from the executive arm of government to attract such

interpretation, arguing that rather it was a private member Bill sponsored by a senator.

According to him, the Hate Speech Bill, like other bills, will pass through many stages before it is eventually passed and signed into law. He therefore warned that the Bill has nothing to do with the executive or President Buhari islamising the country.

However, defending the Bill also, the former spokesman of the Senate, Abdullahi Sabi, who sponsored the Hate Speech Bill, said the Bill has a lot of modification to go through in the parliament before it will eventually become a law.

He recalled how he had sponsored

the Bill in the 8th senate during which it elapsed with the life of the then senate, explaining that the Bill was never killed or shut down as being insinuated by Nigerians.

Sabi Abdullahi noted that hate speech has been the bane of peaceful coexistence among Nigerians in which many innocent persons have been killed. He said the death by hanging as being advocated in the Bill will be at the discretion of the judge presiding over a hate speech induced case.

According to him, there are other lesser punishments stipulated in the Bill other than death by handing, just as he emphasized that the capital punishment will be applied only when

the case has been proved beyond every reasonable doubts.

Reacting to the statement from the minister of Information that the senate should not have sponsored the Bill given that it is already being prepared by the executive, Sabi said nothing stops him from doing his work as a senator provided that the parliament is an independent arm of government.

Further speaking on the necessity of the Bill, Sabi said many countries have been facing their respective challenges to unity and security, adding that the greatest threat to Nigeria’s unity is hate speech and speeches demeaning peoples’ religious and ethnic origin.

R-L: Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Public Account, Hon. Oluwole Oke, Clerk of the Committee, Barr. Usman Ibrahim and Assistant Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Danasab Ittwe, during the Public Account committee investigative hearing, at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

Taraba: Appeal Court dismisses APC appeal, affirms Gov Ishaku victory

By Vivian Okejeme

T

he Court of Appeal, Abuja division, yesterday, affirmed the judgement of the Taraba State Election Petition Tribunal, which upheld the reelection of Governor Darius Ishaku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 9, 2019 governorship election.

On September 20, 2019, a threeman panel of the tribunal led by Justice M.O. Adewara, dismissed the petition by the APC and its candidate, Abubakar Danladi.

The Appeal court, in affirming the judgement of the tribunal, the five-man panel of the court held that the appellant had no candidate in the March 9, 2019 governorship election

in the state.

According to the panel, this is by virtue of the disqualification of its candidate, Abubakar Danladi by the Jalingo division of the Federal High Court on March 6, 2019.

The tribunal had in an unanimous decision held that the petitioners failed to prove their claims that the election was marred by irregularities and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act. Further in its judgment, the tribunal held that even if the petition was to be considered on the merits, the petitioners failed to lead sufficient evidence to establish their claims that the governor was not validly elected by a majority of lawful votes.

Dissatisfied with the judgment

of the tribunal, the All Progressive Congress, without its candidate, Danladi, approached the Court of Appeal marked CA/A/EPT/934/2019, on October 3, 2019, in petition No: EPT/TR/GOV/01/2019, for an order setting aside the decision of the tribunal.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in its argument filed by its counsel, Chief Solo Akuma (SAN) noted that the appeal by the APC did not include the name of its candidate, Danladi as a person who would be directly affected by the outcome of the appeal.

Akume submitted that a party to a suit is not allowed to unilaterally alter a case as constituted from the trial court and that names of parties must

be maintained on appeal except as may be ordered by the court.

It maintained that the appeal is frivolous and unmeritorious, thereby urged the appellate court to dismiss it with punitive cost.

Akuma specifically drew the attention of the Court of Appeal to its decision wherein it held thus: “It is now trite law that an appellant or a party seeking to appeal as an interested party cannot rearrange or reconstitute the parties to an action as constituted in the lower court at appellate court. The parties on record at the lower court must be retained at appellate level...the structure of the parties cannot by unilaterally changed or amended by any of the parties to an appeal.”

Bayelsa poll: I’m father to all Bayelsans – Jonathan

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

L

eaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa have visited former President Goodluck Jonathan after Saturday’s governorship elections

in recognition of his position as the father and leader of the state.

Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, led APC leaders including governor-elect David Lyon, to visit the former president’s home on Monday.

To add to this, Sylva noted that as a former president and leader of the state, Jonathan deserved to be respected and honoured by all Bayelsa people, irrespective of their party leanings.

“Being a former president of

the country and a past governor of the State, Jonathan remains an asset to the state and his inputs will always be needed to advance the course of governance in the Bayelsa. As such, it was important for us to introduce the governor-

elect to him and seek his support and guidance in building a better Bayelsa,” he said.

While responding, Jonathan tasked Lyon to put the welfare and interest of the Bayelsa people above every other Issue.

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

politics

Ihedioha is committed to rebuilding Imo State - Ajike Ody Ajike, a lawyer, security expert and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in this interview with Vivian Okejeme, said Governor Emeka Ihedioha came fully prepared to build an intellectual based leadership for the people of Imo state.

In your view, what prompted the victory of Governor Emeka Ihedioha in the last governorship election in Imo state?

It’s not about Governor Emeka Ihedioha deserving eight years in office, it is about equity. We need to understand the political complexion of Imo state before we know why Govwrnor Ihedioha won the election.

Why I talked about the political complexion of Imo is because, in Imo, since 1999, no one from Owerri zone has been elected as the state governor. We have three zones in Imo state, Orlu zone, Okigwe zone and Owerri zone. Achike Udenwa is from Orlu zone and was governor for eight years and after Udenwa, Ikedi Ohakim came into power from Okigwe zone and was governor for four years. In 2011, Rochas Okorocha came in from Orlu zone again and was governor for eight years. You will see that it has been auxilating between Orlu and Okigwe zone. Owerri zone has not produced any governor since 1999 and it has nine local governments as against Okigwe’s 12. But what happened at the last election, governor Ihedioha did not only win all the local government in Owerri zone, he also won some local government in Orlu and Okigwe zones. So, that shows that he has that spread and the people are interested in making sure that there is equity. So you will see that, this is the first time somebody from Owerri zone will win an election since 1999 and that is what the people are concerned with. People are concerned about how to undo the political inequity in Imo state since 1999. That was why they came out en-mass and voted for him. It is on record that even the APC candidate didn’t win any seat in the State House of Assembly in Imo state in the last election and that explains to you that the APC is not on ground in Imo state. Even in the local government of Uche Nwosu, the candidate of AA in the election did not have up to 10,000 votes in his local government.

With your analysis of the last election in the state, would you say competence should be jettisoned for the zoning arrangement?

That is the beauty of democracy and the beauty of political complexion of the politics of Imo state. We are not jettisoning equity for competence because we have on ground today Governor Emeka Ihedioha, who is running a knowledge intensive government. I said it even before he became governor, that he is coming to run a knowledge intensive government. This is a man who came fully prepared, built an intellectual bases for leadership and for you to understand what he is doing, you need to go to Imo and see that the former governor of the state destroyed every democratic process, procedure and institution in the state. What governor Ihedioha is doing is rebuilding the establishment rules, institutions and putting in place people who are intellectually capable to design

Governor Emeka Ihedioha

solutions for the development of the state for the people. You can imagine, ministry of works under the last administration was a ghost to itself. Today, the civil service is being reorganize and the entire public sector is also being re-organize so that structures are being put in place.

The pension scheme has been completed because, the governor brought in experts to create accurate data to know the number of pensioners. In the process, over 3,000 ghost pensioners were discovered. He is putting ideas in place and technology at work because those are the two things that help government today. His competence is deployed across technology and ideas for people’s prosperity.

How would you compare the previous administration to the present one?

I am not here to do a rear-view analysis of what happened in the past. I only highlighted it for you to have a little idea of the level of devastation and destruction that occurred in Imo under Rochas Okorocha.

Governor Ihedioha is not interested in personal vendetta. When you look at the structures he puts in place, you will see that they are structures the former administration should have put in place for the people of the state to enjoy. There is a board of enquiry put in place by the state

government that is looking at the issue of allocation of lands and abuse of extant laws in land procurement and allocation.

The board is headed by a retired high court judge. There is also another board of enquiry in respect to government contracts.

How can Okorocha and his supporters say governor Ihedioha is engaging in personal vendetta, where, how, for what purpose?

Everything he is doing is for the benefit of the people of the state and that is why hw is following procedures permitted by law to achieve all these. So, you know that, as they always say, corruption will always fight back. You need to come to Imo and see the level of devastation. You need to come and see how government property were carted away from government house, offices and establishments by the past administration. We are not even dwelling much on some of these things, we are talking about purposeful leadership, knowledge intensive leadership aimed towards the welfare of the people and reviving the present and the future of Imo state.

Should the previous administration be probed?

The state government has put structures in place to look into the total devastation of the state because what happened in Imo before now is not just looting but

“

During the pre-independence and early independence years before oil became the mainstay of our economy, agriculture flourished and provided the much needed revenue that sustained the economy

total devastation of the state. So, you can imagine even spoons and other utensils were taken away from the government house. Even investors left the state under the last administration because as you know, investors are very shy people. But today, confidences are being rebuilt and investors are coming back. I will not sit here to tell the level of intervention coming into the state by people who have expressed intentions and people who are actually part of the development going on in the state now because of the confidence they have in the present administration.

How would you rate the present administration since inauguration on May29?

He has done what no governor has done in the first hundred days and I can count some of them. In his hundred days in office, he has been able to democratise local government administration. Today, they receive their funds and spend it without any interference from the state government. The local governments are engaged in people’s oriented projects. Each local government is developing a stadium so that the youths can be engage and tap their talents. Pension reforms in the state, has also received attention from the state government with credible data structures for pensioners. Today, pensioners are receiving their pay monthly and public servants also receive their salaries promptly. The roads are also receiving attention. From Owerri to Okigwe is under construction; from Owerri to Obowu is under construction and from Owerri to Nekede is under construction and so many others. As a matter of fact, 27 roads are under construction in the state and none of the construction companies handling the road projects has anything to do with him or members of his families. The contractors are prime Chinese, Europeans and Asians construction companies. Indigenous companies are also part of the project. As we speak, Dan Anyiam stadium is under construction to host the next National Sports Festival and the festival will hold across the local governments in the state because the local governments are also building stadiums. Technocrats who were chased away by the previous government are coming back to work with the state government to move the state forward for the benefit of the people.

What is your advice to Imo people concerning Governor Ihedioha?

The Governor needs their prayers and support to succeed. He means well for the people because the people are his biggest strength and source of inspiration. The governor is always very sad when he sees the level of destruction and devastation levied on Imo in the past 8 years. He is sad when he sees that they people were pacified with hardship. However, he has started implementation of his development programme by instituting a systemic security cum development strategy, that its end state is the prosperity, welfare and security of the people and the State.

PAGE 17

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

Bayelsa guber: Oyetola congratulates Lyon, APC From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

G

overnor Adegboyega Oyetola of the State of Osun has congratulated Bayelsa State Governor-elect, Chief David Lyon, over his victory at the poll over the weekend.

Oyetola, who is a member of the Bayelsa State All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Campaign Council, also noted that the victory is a clear indication of Nigerians’ preference for the ruling party, owing largely to its propeople policies and programmes at the various state levels and even at the centre.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Ismail Omipidan, the governor described the victory as a sweet one and noted that with Bayelsa now in the kitty of the APC, it has put paid to the long-held sentiment that APC is a party that had no foothold in the South South.

The governor further noted that lovers of democracy must commend the resilience of the people of Bayelsa in deepening the country’s democracy through their decision to vote the progressive party into power for the first time, since 1999.

“On behalf of the people and Government of the State of Osun, I congratulate our President, Muhammadu Buhari, our National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, our National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the leadership of the APC and the Governorship campaign committee under the chairmanship of the Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Badaru for this sweet and well- deserved victory.

“I congratulate the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting a peaceful election in the state,” Oyetola said.

politics

Gbajabiamila, Wase congratulate Lyon, Bello

By Christiana Ekpa

T

he Speaker of the House of Representatives Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila has congratulated the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states, Yahaya Bello and David Lyon, for emerging victoriously.

Gbajabiamila, in a congratulatory message by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, said the victories recorded by the APC candidates in the two states was an indication of the wide acceptance the party enjoys in the two states.

The Speaker said Bayelsa State, in particular, has now joined the Next Level train, having seen the massive change driven by the APC-led government at the federal level.

“It is gladdening to know that our party, the APC, came out

victorious in the governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states. This is a testimony that Nigerians across the length and breadth of the country are beginning to realise what the APC means for the country.

“This victory is not for the party or its members alone, but for the entirety of Nigerians.

“May I call on the two governorselect to be magnanimous in victory. The APC stands for the good of Nigerians, and I know the two governors-elect are part of the journey to make Nigeria better,” the Speaker said.

He called on the people of the two states, including members of the opposition parties, to join hands with the governors-elect to make their states great.

In the same vein, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative, Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase has congratulated David Lyon of the All Progressives

Congress (APC), on his emergence as the Governor-elect of Bayelsa State following his victory in Saturday’s governorship election held in the state.

Wase equally congratulated Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state for his re-election for the second term as the executive governor of the state.

In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Umar Muhammad Puma, Wase implored the Governors-elect to work closely with all persons and interest groups to move their States to the next level, while appealing to the people of the two states to remain law-abiding as the transition to new administration begins in earnest.

He said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deserves commendation for its conduct of the election, and advised the electoral umpire to properly appraise all aspects of the

exercise and improve for future polls where necessary.

The Deputy Speaker said the victory has further confirmed that the APC is widely accepted

by Nigerians from all walks of life, noting that the people of Kogi and Bayelsa states have by their votes decided to identify with Next Level Agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

Noting that the election was widely observed to be free and fair with massive turn out of voters, he commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for doing a thorough job in ensuring a winner emerged through a transparent electoral process While congratulating the people of Kogi and Bayelsa state, Wase urged candidates of other parties who lost in the polls to put the contest behind them and join hands with the winners to move the states forward.

Supporters of All Peoples Congress (APC) celebrate re-election of Gov. Yahaya Bello, yesterday in Lokoja. Photo: NAN

Kogi: Omo-Agege congratulates Bello, Lyon

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie OmoAgege has felicitated with the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello on his reelection in the justconcluded governorship election in the state.

According to a statement on Monday signed by Mr Yomi Odunuga, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Deputy President of the Senate, OmoAgege also applauded the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole; Kaduna State Governor and Chairman of the APC Campaign Council in Kogi State, Nasir El-Rufai and other leaders who contributed immensely to the Party’s victory in the November 16 exercise.

While thanking the people of the state for reelecting the governor for

second term, Senator Omo-Agege called on Governor Bello to deliver more dividends of democracy to the electorate by surpassing his first term achievements.

“I urge the governor to be magnanimous in victory by carrying all stakeholders in the state along,” he said.

The lawmaker also tasked contenders not satisfied with the outcome of the election to seek redress in law court.

Announcing the results of the poll at INEC office in Lokoja on Monday, Returning Officer, Professor Ibrahim Umar, declared Bello reelected, having polled a total of 406,222 votes to defeat his closest rival, Engineer Musa Wada of the PDP who garnered 189,704 votes.

In a related development, OmoAgege has congratulated the Bayelsa State Governor-elect, Chief David

Lyon on his victory in the November 16 governorship election.

Omo-Agege also commended the state and national leadership of the party, particularly the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole; Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva; Jigawa State Governor and Chairman of the APC campaign council for the Bayelsa governorship election, Abubakar Badaru and other leaders who contributed immensely to the overwhelming success recorded at the polls.

In the final election results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the early hours of Monday, it declared David Lyon of the APC winner of the gubernatorial poll, having garnered 352,552 votes to defeat his closest rival and candidate of the Peooles Democratic Party, Senator Duoye Diri, who

scored 143,172 votes.

In a statement on Monday signed by Mr Yomi Odunuga, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Omo-Agege stated that the victory has further confirmed that the APC’s overwhelming success at the last General Election was not a fluke.

He also thanked the people of the state for the confidence reposed in the party and its candidate, assuring that they will not be disappointed.

While urging Lyon to always remember that the electorate expects unreserved commitment to delivering the dividends of democracy to them, the lawmaker representing Delta Central Senatorial District called on aggrieved contestants to seek redress in court rather than resort to violence.

He expressed happiness for the APC in Bayelsa State for finally breaking the jinx by becoming the second state in the South-South after Edo to come under APC’s control.

“With this development and the actualisation of the Next Level Agenda of the APC-led administration, it is certain that our party will clinch more states in the South-South geo-political zone in future elections.

“Like I have always said, it is possible for the APC to rule in the South-South beyond Edo State.

And I have been proven right with the final results from Bayelsa State.

“This goes to show that with determination and tenacity of purpose, we can overcome what seems insurmountable.

“I, once again, congratulate David Lyon, the governor-elect of Bayelsa State,” Omo-Agege stated.

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

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PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

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3.80 6.00 ACCESS -0.35 1.94 3.94 AFRIPRUD 0.00 1.27 0.27 AGLEVENT 0.00 1.64 0.64 AIICO 0.00 4.60 8.60 BERGER 0.00 37.00 67.00 BETAGLAS -1.30 6.79 3.79 BOCGAS -0.42 4.65 10.05 CADBURY -0.40 71.50 31.50 CAP -2.50 0.90 1.90 CAVERTON -0.02 08.45 18.45 CCNN 0.00 0.72 1.72 CHAMPION -0.12 23.25 23.25 CONOIL 0.00 0.20 0.20 CORNERST 0.00 0.20 0.20 COURTVILLE 0.00 6.10 6.10 CUSTODIAN 0.00 1.75 1.75 CUTIX 0.00 186.00 186.00 DANGCEM 0.00 6.00 6.25 DANGFLOUR -0.65 14.60 14.60 DANGSUGAR 0.05 1.80 2.00 DIAMONDBNK -0.20 3.37 3.37 EKOCORP 0.00 4.30 4.30 ETERNA -0.40 14.00 14.00 ETI 0.00 7.45 7.60 FBNH -0.35 1.62 1.67 FCMB -0.03 1.92 1.98 FIDELITYBK -0.04 4.95 4.95 FIDSON 0.00 0.33 0.33 FIRSTALUM 0.00 21.85 21.85 FLOURMILL 0.00 29.60 29.60 FO -1.10 0.20 0.20 FTNCOCOA 0.00 12.20 12.20 GLAXOSMITH -0.85 33.50 33.50 GUARANTY 0.55 72.00 72.00 GUINNESS 0.00 1.18 1.18 HONYFLOUR 0.00 1.53 1.53 IKEJAHOTEL 0.00 31.50 31.50 INTBREW 0.00 0.53 0.53 JAIZBANK -0.01 0.20 0.21 JAPAULOIL 0.00 23.25 23.25 JBERGER 0.00 0.44 0.44 JOHNHOLT 0.00 0.30 0.30 LASACO 0.00 1.36 1.36 LEARNAFRCA 0.00 0.72 0.72 LINKASSURE 0.00 0.52 0.52 LIVESTOCK 0.03 1.83 1.83 MANSARD 0.00 2.45 2.45 MAYBAKER 0.00

Stock Close Gain UPL 2.14 0.03 LIVESTOCK 0.42 0.08 SOVRENINS 0.28 0.13 OKOMUOIL 20.00 0.90 GUARANTY 43.50 0.25

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0.21 0.21 0 0.21 0.21 MBENEFIT 0.00 0 0.63 0.43 0 0.43 0.43 MCNICHOLS 0.00 0 1.15 2.05 261 2.05 2.05 MEDVIEWAIR 0.00 0 24.80 184.80 0 184.80 184.80 MOBIL 0.00 0 1.20 0.20 970 0.20 0.20 MULTIVERSE 0.00 0 6.50 3.50 0 3.50 3.50 NAHCO 0.00 0 12.00 18.00 0 18.00 18.00 NASCON 0.00 0 68.50 78.70 0 79.50 79.50 NB 0.80 0 1.78 0.78 0 0.78 0.78 NEIMETH 0.00 0 1.60 2.60 0 2.60 2.60 NEM 0.00 0 52.20 552.20 150 552.20 552.20 NESF 0.00 0 1,475.00 1,475.00 0 1,475.00 1,475.00 NESTLE 0.00 0 1.60 1.65 0 1.60 1.60 NPFMCRFBK -0.05 0 4.60 4.80 0 4.60 4.75 OANDO -0.20 0 80.00 76.20 0 80.00 80.00 OKOMUOIL 3.80 0 64.00 64.00 0 64.00 64.00 PRESCO 0.00 0 0.50 0.50 0 0.50 0.50 PRESTIGE 0.00 0 12.30 12.30 0 12.30 12.30 PZ 0.00 0 4.20 4.20 0 4.20 4.20 REDSTAREX 0.00 0 0.20 0.21 0 0.20 0.21 REGALINS -0.01 0 0.50 0.50 0 0.50 0.50 RESORTSAL 0.00 0 0.21 0.23 0 0.21 0.22 ROYALEX -0.02 0 640.00 640.00 405 640.00 640.00 SEPLAT 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.21 0.21 SOVRENINS 0.01 0 46.50 46.00 0 46.50 46.50 STANBIC 0.50 0 102.00 102.00 122 102.00 102.00 STANBICETF30 0.00 0 1.97 1.96 0 1.97 1.97 STERLNBANK 0.01 0 203.00 203.00 0 203.00 203.00 TOTAL 0.00 0 6.10 6.10 632 6.10 6.10 TRANSCOHOT 0.00 0 1.15 1.21 0 1.16 1.18 TRANSCORP -0.05 0 9.60 9.60 0 9.60 9.60 UACN 0.00 0 1.74 1.92 0 1.74 1.74 UAC-PROP -0.18 0 7.60 7.80 0 7.90 7.95 UBA 0.10 0 6.00 6.05 0 6.00 6.05 UBN -0.05 0 2.89 2.94 0 2.89 2.91 UCAP -0.05 0 36.30 37.00 0 36.30 36.30 UNILEVER -0.70 0 0.27 0.27 0 0.27 0.27 UNIONDAC 0.00 0 1.00 0.99 0 1.00 1.00 UNITYBNK 0.01 0 2.04 1.97 0 2.14 2.14 UPL 0.17 0 0.23 0.23 0 0.23 0.23 VERITASKAP 0.00 0 4.50 4.99 0 4.50 4.50 VITAFOAM -0.49 0 11.30 11.50 0 11.30 11.65 WAPCO -0.20 0 0.40 0.40 0 0.40 0.40 WAPIC 0.00 0 0.59 0.61 0 0.59 0.61 WEMABANK -0.02 0 21.20 22.70 0 21.70 22.50 ZENITHBANK -1.00 0 Copyright © 2019 NgTradeOnline

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Retail SMIS Forex Intervention: CBN injects $341.75m, CNY14.7m

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has intervened in the Retail Secondary Market Intervention Sales (SMIS), to the tune of $341.75 million in addition to CNY14.7 million in the spot and short-tenored forwards segment of the inter-bank foreign market.

CBN Director in charge of Corporate Communications Department, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, made the disclosure, on Friday, November 15, 2019, adding that the United States’ dollar intervention was for requests in the agricultural and raw materials sectors. The Chinese Yuan, on the other hand, was for Renminbi denominated Letters of Credit.

Mr. Okorafor further reiterated that the market continued to enjoy stability because of the regular interventions by the Bank.

He also noted that the demand management approach introduced by the Bank had yielded positive results, adding that the CBN management would remain committed to ensuring that all the sectors of the forex market continue to enjoy access to the needed foreign exchange.

It will be recalled that the Bank on Tuesday, November 12, 2019, offered authorized dealers in the wholesale segment of the market the sum of $100million, while the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the invisibles segments each received the sum of $55 million.

Meanwhile, $1 exchanged for N358 at the Bureau de Change (BDC) segment of the foreign exchange market, while CNY1 exchanged at N48.

Inflation Rate hits 11.61% -NBS

By Etuka Sunday

T

he National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) yesterday disclosed that the consumer price index, (CPI) which measures inflation rose by 11.61 percent (year-on-year) in October 2019.

NBS in its Monthly Report said, the rate is 0.36 percentage points higher than the rate recorded in September 2019 (11.24 percent).

Increases were recorded in all COICOP divisions that yielded the Headline index.

On month-on-month basis, the Headline index increased by 1.07 percent in October 2019, or 0.03 percentage points higher than the rate recorded in September 2019 (1.04 percent).

The percentage change in the average composite CPI for the twelve months period ending October 2019 over the average of the CPI for the previous twelve months period was 11.30 percent, showing 0.03 percentage point increase from 11.27 percent recorded in September 2019.

The CPI which measures inflation increased by 11.24 percent (year-on-year) in September 2019.

This is 0.22 percent points higher than the rate recorded in August 2019 (11.02) percent.

The increase is attributable to the closure of border by the Federal Government in August 20, 2019.

Increases were recorded in all COICOP divisions that yielded the Headline index.

On month-on-month basis, the Headline index increased by 1.04 percent in September 2019, this is 0.05 percent rate higher than the rate recorded in August 2019 (0.99) percent.

The percentage change in the average composite CPI for the twelve months period ending September 2019 over the average of the CPI for the previous twelve months period was 11.268 percent, showing 0.003 percent point from 11.271 percent recorded in August 2019.

Recall, in August 2019, CPI increased by 11.02 percent (yearon-year). This is 0.06 percent points lower than the rate recorded in July 2019 (11.08) percent.

Accordingly, disinflation continued in August 2019

despite several pronouncements regarding restrictions on the import of some food items, minimum wage and the recent border closures.

It is important to note that with respect to the latter, the border was only closed 20 August 2019 with only 11 days of 31days for any significant impact to be felt either way on prices.

The inflation rate is also the average prices for the whole month and not only the price of goods and services in the last few days of the month.

Furthermore, the harvest season and existing weak consumer demand and their natural effect to slow down food and other prices will also play a major role in determining the direction of inflation.

L R: Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Hajiya Maryam Katagum; Director General, SMEDAN, Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda; Group managing Director/ CEO, Dun and Bradstreet, Rajesa Mirchandani and Vice President, NASSI, Adeyemi Olayinka, at the presentation of Report and formal Launch of National MSME Database online portal , yesterday in Abuja .

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Air Peace orders Three additional Embraer Jets worth over $200m From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

N

igeria foremost carrier, Air Peace on Sunday signed a contract for three additional aircraft Embraer 195-E2s.

The deal confirmed its purchase rights from the original contract that was entered into earlier in April by both parties.

The deal, signed at the Dubai Airshow, show that Air Peace has made total firm order of 13 E195-E2s with 17 purchase rights for the same model, which delivery would begin in May next year.

The new E195-E2s will be included in Embraer’s 2019 fourth-quarter backlog and have a value of $212.6 million, based on Embraer’s current list prices.

The April signing made Air Peace the first launch customer of the new brand of

E-jets in Africa and launch customer of the brand of business class configuration for its ordered airplanes worldwide.

The e195-E2s ordered by Air Peace will have dual configurations with 12-seater business class and 102-seater in the economy class.

The aircraft also comes in single configuration of all economy class of 144 seats.

Air Peace Chief of Finance and Administration, Mrs. Ejiroghene Eghagha who signed the new deal on behalf of the airline said, “The E195-E2 is the perfect aircraft to expand our domestic and regional operations and the new deliveries will ease our subsidiary fleet in the Air Peace Hopper to actualise our ‘no-city-leftbehind initiative which we shall continue to execute”.

“We are receiving impressive data about the aircraft’s economics when in revenue service, and this was a driver to place this new firm order with Embraer. We look forward to receiving our first aircraft, which will enhance connectivity in Nigeria and the African region. The new order will gradually replace our existing fleet, which will make us the airline with the youngest fleet in the world.

“It is our plan to connect the whole Nigerian cities that have airports and burst the triangular routs by connecting flights to direct destinations. Air Peace is looking forward to serving Nigerians with these brand new airplanes and adding more routes to the existing ones for the overall development of our country,” Mrs. Eghagha said.

Air Peace also disclosed that with the

delivery of the new jets, it would connect more cities in its domestic operations by developing new routes and connecting people to business hubs at different parts of the country.

“We will like to develop new routes to enhance the nation’s economy. We will like to connect Owerri to Kano, Benin to Port Harcourt, Ibadan to some destinations in the northern part of the country. We will also like to connect Sokoto to Maiduguri, Lagos to Gombe. We would connect these cities without stops in Lagos or Abuja.

“We will use our 50-seater Embraer ERJ 145 jets, which we acquired for this purpose. We have just added two of the brand to our existing six, making it eight aircraft. As the new deliveries arrive we utilise the 50-seater jets to connect every city in the country,” Mrs. Eghagha added.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

Page 20

ICT

NCC targets 80,000 Base Transceiver Stations

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he Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has again re state d its commitme nt to increase the number of base transceiver stations (BTS) from its current 39,000 to 80,000 in its efforts to bridge access gap and substantially address connectivity issues in the country.

The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, stated this at the National Assembly during the 2019 budget performance review and 2020 budget proposal defence of the NCC and the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF).

The session held at the instance of the NASS joint Committee on Communications and Telecommunication of the two houses of NASS. Danbatta also informed the legislators about the challenges hindering faster deployment of telecoms infrastructure and requested the support of the National Assembly as the Commission prepares to deploy broadband access points in each of the 774 Local Government Areas of Nigeria.

The EVC affirmed that once the Commission gets the needed support in those and other areas where it is experiencing challenges, connectivity will be better and so will the quality of telecom service delivery.

Danbatta reiterated the need for State governments to implement the N145 approved by the Federal Executive Committee (FEC) as the amount to be charged by states per metre of fibre laid by the mobile operators.

“As we speak, there is no indication that all the states are complying with the resolution of the National Economic Council in this regard. This has to be addressed because it is encumbering accelerated infrastructure rollout by the operators coupled with several other challenges such as multiple taxation and regulation as well as vandalism. These challenges are undermining our determination to achieve a more robust and pervasive telecommunication experience for the people of Nigeria in keeping with the vision of President Buhari’s administration,” Danbatta said.

Members of the joint NASS Committee, chaired by Senator Oluremi Tinubu, acknowledged the cost-cutting measures of the Commission as reflected in 2020 budget proposal of the Commission which shows a drastic reduction in many aspects of recurrent expenditure.

After the Committee members have sought clarifications and received satisfactory answers on aspects of the budget performance and the proposals, Tinubu said the NCC’s 2020 budget indicates compliance with the direction of President Muhammadu Buhari to run a more efficient government through effective cost-cutting measures.

Pantami orders deactivation of Automatic Voicemails on existing Phone Lines

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Ali Ibrahim Pantami has ordered broad policy deactivation of Automatic Voicemails on existing Phone Lines in the country.

Pantami said, the action was due to the latest trend of financial exploitation by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in the country, through the automatic activation of the Voicemail Service on their platforms.

A statement by the Spokesperson to the Minister of Communications & Digital Economy, Uwa Suleiman (Mrs) said, “based on recent reports

reaching the office, the practice has gained momentum in recent times.

The Voicemail service should be accessed at the discretion of the subscriber and not by default.

“The Honourable Minister finds it worrisome and totally unacceptable, that telecoms subscribers incur financial charges, for a service they are compelled to use by default.

“Voicemail is not a popular service among mobile phone users in Nigeria, coupled with the language challenge among rural dwellers, who mostly do not understand the language deployed by these networks.

“It is apparent, that the

recent clampdown on the exploitative activities of some Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) in the country, has beamed the searchlight on the sector properly, and some unpatriotic elements in the system are devising subtle, ingenious methods of defrauding Nigerians.

“The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy under the current leadership of Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), will neither overlook any acts, regardless of how subtle, that undermine the Anti Corruption Crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, nor condone any attempts to defraud Nigerians and indeed,

all subscribers.

“In the light of this, Dr Pantami has issued a broad policy directive to the sector regulator Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), to immediately ensure that issues regarding automatic voicemails are addressed on all existing phone lines and the subscribers, given the option of accessing the service via an activation code.

“It is our collective responsibility to ensure that the rights of consumers are protected, while providing a conducive business environment for Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), in line with global best practice,” the statement said.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

METRO

Page 21

FCTA moves to end unhygienic processing in dairy production

By Stanley Onyekwere

I

n what seems to be a swift move to curtail unhygienic processing methods in milk and dairy production, the FCT Administration through its Agricultural and Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS) has engaged stakeholders on ending the menace.

To this end, Animal Health experts from the ARDS emphasized the need for Livestock farmers involved in Dairy production in the FCT, to adopt safe and hygienic production practices.

Our correspondent reports that the experts spoke at a workshop organized by the ARDS to build the capacities of Livestock farmers on modern

pasteurizing techniques.

Declaring the workshop open, the Director, Administration and Finance of the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Mr. Ibe Prospect Chukwemeka expressed the concern of the FCT Administration on increase cases of diseases associated with unhygienic processing methods in milk and dairy production.

According to him, the objective of the workshop, Mr. Ibe stated is to avail participants with useful information that will help to increase output in terms quantity and quality in line with global standards.

In his words, “as government, we have the obligation of promoting public health safety of residents especially of who consumers of all Agricultural

products which includes Dairy products.

“Poor handling practices can result in the contamination of your products as well as the spread of water borne diseases such as cholera, worm infestation etc.”

The ARDS boss further advised participants to ensure that their animals receive medical attention from qualified medical practitioners to vaccinate them to eliminate the risk of infection.

He disclosed that the Secretariat has deployed some of its newly employed health workers to the rural communities across the FCT. He therefore urged stakeholders to patronise them in order to be properly guided in

their activities.

On his part, a resource person, Mambo Yahaya, emphasized the need for the farmers to desist from consuming raw milk stressing that there is high risk of contamination during the process of drawing the milk from the animals.

He advised farmers as well as consumers to always boil their milt, in order to destroy harmful germs.

Earlier in her welcome Address, Mr. Edith Onyeji who represented the Director, Animal Husbandry in the Agric Secretariat, Hajiya Ummah Abubakar lamented the increasing decline in the market competitiveness of locally produced dairy products compared to the foreign

products as a result of the poor quality of the products.

She said the Department of Animal Husbandry have embarked on rural outreach training programmes to enlighten farmers on simple modern milk production and handling.

According to the Director: “The response we are having from our outreach training programmes are encouraging.

But we still need to do more which is why we have trained more of our health workers who will continue to step this knowledge to more farmers.

Highpoint of the occasion was practical session on milk pasteurization techniques in which all the over 200 participants took part in.

L-R: Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo; Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Henry Nkemadu; Chairman, Digiserve Network Services/Conference Convener, Mr. Lanre Ajayi; Chairman, Open Media, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe and President, Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria, Mr. Olusola Teniola, during The Nigeria eGovernment Conference 2019 held at Sheraton Hotel, Lagos recently.

U.S. grants Huawei new 90-day license extension

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he Trump administration on Monday issued a new 90-day extension allowing U.S. companies to continue doing business with China’s Huawei Technologies Co Ltd as U.S. regulators continue crafting rules on telecommunications firms that pose national security risks.

After adding Huawei to an economic blacklist in May citing national security concerns, the U.S. Commerce Department has allowed it to purchase some American-made goods in a series of 90-day license extensions that it says aim to minimize disruption for its customers, many of which operate networks in rural America.

Reuters on Sunday reported the planned 90-day extension after

the Trump administration initially planned a short-term two-week reprieve, but ran into bureaucratic issues and opted instead to issue another 90-day extension.

“The Temporary General License extension will allow carriers to continue to service customers in some of the most remote areas of the United States who would otherwise be left in the dark,” said U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in a statement. “The Department will continue to rigorously monitor sensitive technology exports to ensure that our innovations are not harnessed by those who would threaten our national security.”

The U.S. Commerce Department added Huawei to

its “Entity List” in May after it concluded the company is engaged in activities “contrary to U.S. national security or foreign policy interests.”

Huawei said Monday the extension “won’t have a substantial impact on Huawei’s business either way. This decision does not change the fact that Huawei continues to be treated unfairly either.”

The company argues the decision to “add Huawei to the Entity List has caused more harm to the U.S. than to Huawei. This has done significant economic harm to the American companies with which Huawei does business.”

In May, President Donald Trump also signed an executive order declaring a national emergency

and barring U.S. companies from using telecommunications equipment made by companies posing a national security risk.

The Commerce Department was directed to draw up an enforcement plan by mid-October but has yet to publish one.

The Commerce Department is also considering whether to grant individual licenses for U.S. firms to sell components to Huawei after receiving more than 200 requests.

No action on those was taken on Monday.

The development comes amid discussions between the United States and China aimed at coming to an initial agreement to resolve a trade war that has lasted for over a year. (Reuters)

Praise singers, entertaining guests, during the public function, at Gudu Mechanics in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Drug abuse: NGO harps on intensive rehab for victims

By Stanley Onyekwere

A

n Abuja-based nongovernmental organization (NGO), Women Friendly Initiative (WFI), has called for adoption of alternative approach to mitigate

drug abuse especially among young members of the society.

In particular, the NGO urged government to set up more rehabilitation and training centres for drug abuse victims.

WFI made the call during a one-day sensitisation workshop

on drugs prevention, treatment and care (DPTC), for law enforcement officials and media personal in Kuje area council.

According to the Chief executive officer of the organisation, Dr. Francis Eremutha, there is the need

for relevant stakeholders to provide avenue for constant reorientation of people on the dangers and how to address the menace.

Eremutha opined that the cases of drug abuse should be seen beyond just arresting of

suspected victims, but should be the concern of all stakeholders.

He added that officials of security agencies and the media should assist in sensitising other Nigerians, especially the young minds to desist from the act.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

Page 22

world news

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international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

Hong Kong Polytechnic University: Protesters flee campus on motorcycles

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everal protesters have escaped from a Hong Kong university campus surrounded by police by abseiling from a bridge and fleeing on the back of motorbikes.

Around 100 others who tried to leave the Polytechnic University were met with tear gas and rubber bullets.

Some were arrested.

Authorities say 116 people were injured in the violence on Monday.

In the past week, the campus has become the latest battleground for long-running anti-government protests.

The violence is some of the worst seen during months of unrest in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory. The protests started over a controversial extradition bill, and have now evolved into broader antigovernment demonstrations.

China has warned that “no-one should underestimate [its] will to safeguard its sovereignty and Hong Kong’s stability”, and its ambassador to the UK said the central government would not sit back and watch if the situation became “uncontrollable”.

Hong Kong is a part of China, and the protests are, in part, about the fear that the special freedoms the territory enjoys as a former British colony are being eroded.

On Monday, Hong Kong’s High Court ruled that a ban on protesters wearing face masks was unconstitutional. The colonial-era emergency law was invoked in October, but protesters largely defied it.

Hong Kong’s government said the weekend’s events had “reduced the chance” of district elections being held on Sunday as planned, public broadcaster RTHK reports. Postponing or cancelling the vote could further inflame the protests.

The UK has urged an “end to the violence and for all sides to engage in meaningful political dialogue” ahead of the elections.

What is happening?

Police are still besieging the university where several hundred protesters are thought to be trapped.

Officers have ordered those inside to drop their weapons and surrender.

A protester inside the university told the BBC supplies, including first aid equipment, were running low.

Meanwhile, a fire broke out on campus and loud explosions were heard, according to the South China Morning Post.

PolyU has been occupied by protesters for several days. On Sunday night, police warned protesters they had until 22:00 (14:00 GMT) to leave the campus, saying they could use live ammunition if the attacks continued.

On Sunday, the university said it had been “severely and extensively vandalised”.

A number of protesters left inside the university have identified themselves as current students in media interviews but it is unclear exactly how many of them are, in fact, university students.

A protester arrested while trying to leave the campus Tears and pride

By Grace Tsoi, BBC News, Hong Kong Worried parents whose children were trapped inside the Polytechnic University were among the 200 protesters who joined a peaceful rally on Monday night in eastern Tsim Sha Tsui, a tourist area which is only 300 metres away from the besieged campus.

Ms Ng - who only wanted to be identified by her last name - found

out on Sunday night her son was among those trapped inside. “He’s frightened because he has not faced any emergency situation on his own.

She has been on the streets near the university since then.

The teary-eyed mother is proud of her 18-year-old son despite the circumstances. “My son didn’t cry.

He’s strong and likes to help others,” she said. “I told my son that you did nothing wrong and you are an outstanding kid. I wouldn’t blame

you.”

She told him to stay inside the campus and wait for her to pick him up. Ms Ng said the government should bear the responsibility for the chaos in Hong Kong.

“Our government is more and more reckless. It ignores the very lowly demands from the citizens!” she said.

“I wasn’t born in Hong Kong but I love Hong Kong so much! Hong Kong is a wonderful place but it has turned into such a state. It breaks my heart!”

How did we get here?

Campuses remained relatively free of violence during the Hong Kong protests but, last week, the Chinese University of Hong Kong became a battleground.

Police say protesters threw petrol bombs on a major road near the university in an effort to stop traffic.

Officers attempted to reclaim the road, leading to major clashes.

The university then cancelled all classes for the rest of the term. Days later, protesters at PolyU also tried to block access to a key tunnel near the university.

Protests have also been held at other locations in Hong Kong.

Why are there protests in Hong Kong?

Hong Kong - a British colony until 1997 - is part of China under a model known as “one country, two systems”.

Under this model, it has a high degree of autonomy and people have freedoms unseen in mainland China.

The protests started in June after the government planned to pass a bill that would allow suspects to be extradited to mainland China. Many feared this would undermine the city’s freedoms and judicial independence.

The bill was eventually withdrawn, but the demonstrations continued, having evolved into a broader protest movement against alleged police brutality, and the way Hong Kong is administered by Beijing.

Impeachment: Trump will ‘strongly consider’ testifying

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resident Trump says the impeachment inquiry against him is a “witch hunt” President Donald Trump has said he likes “the idea” of testifying in the impeachment inquiry against him.

In a tweet on Monday Mr Trump said he would “strongly consider” the move after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested it over the weekend.

The Democrat-led inquiry is establishing whether Mr Trump withheld aid to Ukraine in return for an inquiry into ex-Vice President Joe Biden.

The Republican president has dismissed it as a “witch hunt”.

On Sunday, Ms Pelosi said the president was welcome to “speak all the truth that he wants if he wants” before investigators.

“If he has information that is exculpatory, that means ex, taking away, culpable, blame, then we look forward to seeing it,” she told the CBS News programme Face the Nation.

In his tweets, Mr Trump attacked Ms Pelosi as “Our Crazy, Do Nothing” speaker, but said he would consider testifying “in order to get Congress focused again”.

The president has recently faced renewed criticism for his use of Twitter.

Chuck Schumer, the Democratic

leader in the Senate, told reporters that if Mr Trump “doesn’t like what he’s hearing, he shouldn’t tweet”, but instead “testify under oath”.

His comments came after Mr Trump tweeted attacks on a witness - Marie Yovanovitch, the former US ambassador to Ukraine - while she was testifying to Congress on Friday.

Ms Yovanovitch said it was “very intimidating”, which Mr Trump denied.

Ms Yovanovitch was removed as ambassador to Kyiv in May, two months before a controversial phone call between Mr Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr

Zelensky, which is now key to the inquiry.

A rough transcript of the call revealed that Mr Trump had urged President Zelensky to investigate unsubstantiated allegations against Mr Biden and his son Hunter, who sat on the board of a Ukrainian gas company.

In the latest development, state department official David Holmes told investigators in closed door testimony on Saturday that he had overheard a US diplomat telling Mr Trump that Ukraine would carry out investigations the president had asked for.

Essex lorry deaths: Vietnam bills grieving families to return bodies

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rieving families in Vietnam have been offered loans to cover the costs of repatriating their loved ones’ bodies in the wake of the Essex lorry incident, the BBC has learnt.

Some relatives told the BBC they have been approached by the Vietnamese authorities with consent forms.

These gave them the option of taking a loan from the government, or covering the repatriation costs themselves.

The BBC has contacted the Vietnamese embassy in the UK for comment.

Authorities found the bodies of 39 Vietnamese nationals inside a container in the town of Grays in Essex last month. Two lorry drivers have since been charged with manslaughter, and several other men have been arrested in connection with the case.

While the police identified all the victims ten days ago, the bodies have not yet been returned to Vietnam.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

Coroners in England and Wales must grant permission before a body can be moved abroad or to other parts of the UK. What has the Vietnamese government offered?

Consent forms seen by the BBC say: “I, on behalf of the family, pledge to pay back all relevant expenses that the authorities have made in advance in order to repatriate them from the UK.” Victims’ families have been offered

a discounted price of 66 million dong (£2,200; $2,840) to repatriate a body or 44 million dong to bring back the ashes, the BBC has learnt.

Families had already taken out loans of up to £40,000 to pay for smuggling their relatives to the UK. Pham Ngoc Tuan, brother of one of the victims. told the BBC’s Nga Pham: “We already had to borrow so much money, we had to mortgage what we had. I don’t even know if we can borrow anymore.”

Source: BBC

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Oxford Union debate: Blind student ‘violently’ pulled from seat

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blind student who was “violently” removed from a prestigious debating society has been cleared of any wrongdoing.

Ebenezer Azamati was “accosted” by a security guard when he tried to return to a seat he had earlier reserved before the debate on 17 October.

He said he was “very pleased” that claims of “false violent disorder” were retracted by the Oxford Union.

The union has been asked for comment.

The postgraduate student from Ghana said his treatment made him feel “unwelcome in the union, Oxford and even the country”.

The Oxford Union, which is independent from the university, has a tradition of hosting debates and speakers stretching back to 1823.

Mr Azamati, who is visually impaired, was “forcibly and violently prevented from re-entering the union to resume his seat” before a debate, according to the university’s Africa Society.

It said he arrived to the union in Frewin Court early to reserve his seat in the chamber before the debate and then returned to his college.

The student was then confronted by a security guard when he tried to return to his seat so Mr Azamati sat in another seat offered by another member before staff attempted to remove him.

The society said: “Even if he had reentered when the debate had started, such poor treatment through violent means remains unjustifiable.”

Nwamaka Ogbonna, president of the Oxford University Africa Society, said a security guard had told Mr Azamati he could not enter the chamber because “the union was full” despite the student having apparently reserved a seat.

Ms Ogbonna said: “The argument that he had to leave because there were not any seats is invalid. People are allowed to stand.

“I think everyone is quite perplexed.”

‘Not human enough’ Video footage shared online showed an argument between security and Mr Azamati in the chamber before staff appeared to manhandle him.

Mr Azamati was attending the debate in which the motion “This house has no confidence in Her Majesty’s Government” was discussed by members and politicians from various parties.

The St John’s College student, who studies International Relations, said he was “treated as not being human enough to deserve justice and fair treatment”.

After the charges against Mr Azamati were successfully appealed on Saturday, the president of the Oxford Union, Brendan McGrath, apologised to the Africa Society “for the distress and any reputational damage” to the student.

Helen Mountfield QC, who represents Mr Azamati, said there were ongoing talks with the union over what steps it can take to address the “failings” exposed by the case.

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F r o m A f r i c a Banks facilitated South Africa corruption under Zuma, says Peter Hain

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everal international banks enabled corruption in South Africa under former President Jacob Zuma, British lawmaker Peter Hain has said.

At an inquiry hearing, he said HSBC, Standard Chartered and India’s Bank of Baroda were “directly culpable”.

The inquiry is investigating claims of graft against Mr Zuma and the Gupta family. They deny any wrongdoing.

HSBC said it supported the inquiry while Standard Chartered said there was no evidence linking it to the Guptas.

No-one from the Bank of Baroda was immediately available for comment.

Speaking in Johannesburg, Lord Hain alleged that the banks were helping the Guptas to hide the source of their illicit gains through a network of banks accounts and shell companies.

“They’re all up to their neck in this,” said Lord Hain, a former anti-apartheid activist. “They continued because of course the corporates concerned, including the banks, were making money out of it.”

He blasted the companies for not applying the same “stringent measures” to all customers, and called for more co-operation

Peter Hain has accused several firms of helping with the theft of public money in South Africa between corporations and national governments to help recover any stolen money.

Lord Hain’s remarks are the latest to be given to the corruption inquiry, which was launched last year.

Mr Zuma resigned as president in February 2018 after numerous allegations of corruption during his nine-year administration.

Several allegations focus on his relationship with the Gupta family, who have been accused of influencing cabinet appointments and winning lucrative state tenders through bribery. They also employed members of Mr Zuma’s family.

The scandal is widely referred to as “state capture” - shorthand for a form of corruption in

which businesses and politicians commandeer state assets to advance their own interests.

South African authorities raided the Guptas’ family compound last year, and the family have been blacklisted by several South African banks and the US Treasury.

Mr Zuma has agreed to cooperate with the public inquiry, but has dismissed it as prejudiced.

Lion removed from house opposite school in Lagos, Nigeria

A

lion which was reportedly being used to guard a house in Lagos, Nigeria, has been removed by authorities.

The two-year-old lion was reportedly discovered at a property opposite a school by a task force team on Friday.

It was tranquilised on Monday and transferred to Bogije Omu zoo in Lekki, head of the task force team Yinka Egbeyemi told the BBC. The owner of the animal has been told to report himself to police before the end of Monday or face arrest.

A team from the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit located the animal after residents filed a petition to the state’s ministry of environment.

A crèche and elementary school stand opposite the house, according

to the BBC’s Damilola Oduolowu in Lagos.

The school’s management said it had been conscious of the children’s safety.

It is thought the lion was brought into the building two months ago.

‘Huge fraud’ in Tanzania cashew nut trade probed

T

anzania’s government is investigating allegations of widespread fraud in a scheme intended to rescue the country’s cashew nut industry.

This is the first time the government has admitted something may have gone wrong with last year’s takeover of the

cashew nut trade, when price disputes between farmers and traders led to the government deploying the army and buying the entire crop.

It says more than $17m (£13m) paid by the cooperative unions on behalf of the government are questionable, with the quantities of

nuts purchased being exaggerated and “ghost” payments being made for nuts they never collected.

Agriculture Minister Japhet Hasunga also accused some unions of lying about the quality of nuts they bought in order to inflate the price. When intervening in the trade last year, the government

said it was shielding the farmers from traders’ exploitation.

The move led to a price hike in the world market and affected local production and trade. This season the government hasn’t set a minimum indicative price, suggesting they may have learnt from last season.

Air strike on Libya ‘biscuit factory kills foreigners’

A

t least seven civilians are reported to have been killed and many more injured in an air strike on the Libyan capital, Tripoli.

The country’s UN-recognised government said a biscuit factory had been hit, and that foreign workers from Bangladesh, Egypt and elsewhere were among the casualties.

The site lies in the city’s southern suburbs.

They have frequently been the scene of fighting since the forces of the renegade general, Khalifa Haftar,

launched an attempt to capture Tripoli in April.

His offensive met resistance, and it is bogged down in the city’s outskirts.

Transgender activist wins case against Zimbabwe police

A

court in Zimbabwe has awarded transgender activist Ricky Nathanson $25,000 (£19,000) in compensation after police arrested her in 2014 for wearing female clothes and using a ladies toilet in a hotel in the second city, Bulawayo, she and her lawyers have said in a joint statement.

The Bulawayo High Court awarded Ms Nathanson the compensation for unlawful arrest, malicious prosecution and emotional distress, the statement added.

“This has been a long, emotional rollercoaster for me. I have waited almost 5 years for this moment. I am

elated,” Ms Nathanson said.

“This is an incredibly life-changing decision. It is a great moment for Zimbabwe. It affirms and recognizes the fundamental human rights, freedoms and dignity of all citizens,” she added.

Ms Nathanson was detained for

48 hours in 2014 and charged with criminal nuisance after she used a women’s toilet at the hotel in Bulawayo.

She sued the police following her acquittal in a magistrate’s court.

Ms Ntahanson has tweeted about her latest court victory.

Source: BBC

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PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

Iran protests: At least 12 killed at unrest over petrol price rise A

t least 12 people have been killed in Iran since protests against fuel price rises erupted three days ago, officials have said, although reports suggest the number of dead is far higher.

The situation on the streets is unclear on account of a nationwide internet shutdown.

But demonstrations are reportedly continuing in some cities.

The government said Monday had been “calmer”, despite “some minor issues”.

Meanwhile, the powerful Revolutionary Guards demanded an end to the unrest.

A statement said Iran’s “sworn and evil enemies” had once again attempted to “sow discord”, and that the force would “firmly deal with the continuation of any kind of insecurity or actions to disrupt the people’s calm and comfort”.

The foreign ministry also criticised the US for expressing support for the protesters.

Protests have affected roads around the capital, Tehran Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted that “the United States is with you”, while the White House said

Blackout suggests unrest is not over

By Rana Rahimpour, BBC Persian

I

ran has experienced an internet blackout since Saturday afternoon, when the country’s National Security Council reportedly ordered providers to cut off access to the internet and switch over to the nationwide “intranet”, on which only selected websites are allowed.

For us journalists based outside Iran, it has been very difficult to get a real sense of how widespread the protests are. But the fact that the internet is still down, and that schools in dozens of cities are closed, suggests that the unrest is far from over.

Some people have managed to share videos of the protests despite the restrictions. Gunfire can be heard in them, but it is not easy to get a confirmed number of casualties.

During similar protests in January 2018, the authorities shut down the internet for a day or two.

This time, it is unclear how long Iran will remain cut off from the world.

By Sunday the protests had reached some 100 cities and towns, the semi-official Fars news agency reported. At least 100 banks and 57 shops were set on fire, and about 1,000 people were arrested, it said.

Videos posted on social media by people in Iran showed protests in the capital, Tehran, as well as Tabriz, Isfahan, Kermanshah, Sanandaj and Shiraz.

On Monday, NetBlocks, which monitors internet access, said a “near-total internet shutdown” implemented by the Iranian authorities was still in place.

The internet blackout has stemmed the flow of information, but sources on the ground confirmed to BBC Persian by telephone that many people had been killed, injured or arrested.

The contacts said the protests had been widespread and that there was currently a heavy security presence on main streets and in public squares in major cities.

The government had announced 12 deaths related to the protests by Monday morning, according to a tally by BBC Persian, but activists reported that at least 40 people had been killed.

Government spokesman Ali Rabiei told a news conference that there had been “gatherings in some cities, in some provinces” on Monday, but that “tomorrow and the day after we won’t have any issues with regard to riots”.

He also alleged that “rioters used knives and guns”, and that a number of security personnel were “killed or taken hostage”.

On Sunday, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, voiced his support for the fuel price rise, saying “hooligans” and “counter-revolutionaries” were responsible for sabotage and arson.

it condemned the lethal force and severe communications restrictions used against demonstrators.

Foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi described Mr Pompeo’s remark as “hypocritical” because Iran’s

economy had been crippled by sanctions reimposed by President Donald Trump last year in an attempt to force it to negotiate a new nuclear deal with world powers.

The protests erupted on Friday after the government announced the price of petrol would be increased by 50% to 15,000 rials ($0.12; £0.09 at the unofficial market exchange rate) a litre and that drivers would be allowed to purchase only 60 litres each month before the price rose to 30,000 rials.

President Hassan Rouhani said the government was acting in the public interest, and that the money raised would be distributed to the country’s neediest citizens.

However, the decision was met with widespread anger in a country where the economy is already reeling as a result of US sanctions that have caused oil exports to collapse and the value of the rial to plummet, and sent the inflation rate soaring.

International Criminal Court may investigate UK ‘war crimes cover-up’

T

he International Criminal Court could open its first investigation into the British military following a BBC programme about alleged war crimes.

Panorama found evidence the state had covered up killings of civilians by UK troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The ICC said it took the findings very seriously. The MoD has said the allegations are unsubstantiated.

The MoD said it had cooperated fully with the ICC and saw no justification for further interventions by the court.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman said the allegations against the MoD are “untrue”.

Public inquiry A formal investigation by the ICC, based in The Hague in the Netherlands, would be the first time it has taken action against any UK nationals for war crimes.

The ICC’s Office of Prosecutor said it would “independently assess” the findings of Panorama, which could be “highly relevant” to their decision whether to open a landmark investigation into the UK. The court has previously concluded there is credible evidence that British troops committed war crimes in Iraq.

Most of those cases involve allegations of the mistreatment of detainees.

The best known is that of Baha Mousa, a hotel worker in Basra who died after being tortured and beaten by British troops in 2003. It led to a public inquiry and the only conviction of a British soldier for war crimes in Iraq.

However, Panorama, working with the Sunday Times, has uncovered new information about alleged killings in British custody.

Detectives from the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT), which investigated alleged war crimes committed by British troops during the occupation of Iraq, say they found evidence of widespread abuse occurring at a British army base in Basra three months before Mousa was killed.

It happened at Camp Stephen, run by the Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland. IHAT investigated the deaths of two men, who died within a week of each other, in May 2003. The MoD accepts both were innocent civilians.

IHAT gathered statements from British soldiers and army staff that described how the two men were tortured before being found dead with bags tied over their heads.

This summer, British military prosecutors decided no-one would be prosecuted in connection with the two deaths.

When he was shown Panorama’s evidence, former Director of Public Prosecutions Lord Macdonald said

he thought it was “staggering” that no soldier had been charged.

“I think the conclusion begins to become rather obvious, that prior to their deaths, it’s overwhelmingly likely that these men were physically abused.”

‘Extensive investigation’ On Sunday, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told the BBC “all of the allegations, that had evidence, have been looked at”.

A No 10 spokesman said that the service police had already carried out “an extensive investigation” about the conduct of forces in Iraq and Afghanistan - and the independent Service Prosecuting Authority had decided not to prosecute any of the cases.

The MoD said military operations are conducted in accordance with the law and there had been an extensive investigation of allegations.

“Investigations and decisions to prosecute are rightly independent from the MoD and have involved external oversight and legal advice,” a spokesperson told the BBC. “After careful consideration of referred cases, the independent Service Prosecuting Authority decided not to prosecute.”

“The BBC’s claims have been passed to the Service Police and the Service Prosecuting Authority who remain open to considering allegations.

Source: BBC

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, november 19, 2019

Feature

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Israel-Gaza clash: Why Hamas chose restraint

L

ast week’s surge of violence over Gaza was notably different from previous cross-border fighting: Hamas stayed out of it and Israel did not target its traditional foe.

Paradoxically it confirmed that Israel and Hamas - Gaza’s main Islamist movement - are committed to pursuing strategic understandings to help keep the peace.

The fighting started when Israel carried out what it called the targeted killing of a top commander in the smaller, more radical Islamic Jihad group, claiming he was planning attacks that posed an imminent threat.

These controversial operations have been rare since the 2014 Gaza war, and Islamic Jihad responded with barrages of rocket fire.

It expected Hamas to join it in avenging the assassination of the commander, Baha Abu al-Ata. Hamas, which governs Gaza, did participate in a joint operations room with other factions to discuss tactics. But it conspicuously did not launch any attacks.

Message to Hamas That is because it was “in the Palestinian interest” to avoid an escalation, a senior Hamas official, Basem Naim, told the BBC. Gazans were already suffering enough due to dire conditions on the ground, he said, and “the regional and international atmosphere is not so helpful at this time”.

For their part, the Israelis departed from their usual practice of holding Hamas responsible for any violence emanating from Gaza.

And they made clear that they were only going after Islamic Jihad.

Much of Israel was shut down as civilians took to bomb shelters amid rocket-fire Critics of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were quick to connect the timing of the assassination to his political struggles. They accused him of trying to use a security issue to bolster

Much of Israel was shut down as civilians took to bomb shelters amid rocket-fire his case in coalition talks for a new government that would help him keep his job.

But the Israel Defense Forces claimed it as a military achievement.

It described Baha Abu al-Ata as a belligerent troublemaker who, according to the Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Aviv Kochavi, had obstructed Israel’s efforts to achieve a long-term truce with Hamas.

His killing was certainly interpreted by Israeli media as a message to Hamas that Israel wanted to maintain these understandings, brokered by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations a year ago.

‘Mutual interest’ Hamas and Israel are longtime enemies. Israel tightened its blockade of the Gaza Strip when Hamas reinforced its power there in 2007 and has since launched three major military operations to stop rocket attacks from the coastal

enclave.

But it has also opted for truce arrangements as Hamas proved its staying power.

The details of this one are still being negotiated. But the trade-off is for Hamas to lower the temperature of weekly protest marches along Gaza’s border with Israel, and for Israel to ease its crippling blockade.

Crucially for the financiallystrapped Hamas, a lifeline of monthly cash stipends from Qatar has been sanctioned. As for the Israeli military, it is looking to stabilise the security situation in southern Israel so it can focus on what it sees as the much bigger threat from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to the north.

Islamic Jihad and Israel fought for two days while Gaza’s Hamas rulers stayed on the sidelines

“

Palestinian sits beside crater caused by an Israeli air strike on Deir al-Balah, Gaza (14/11/19)

Nevertheless, Hamas was in a delicate position. Its decision to distance itself from the conflict led to some public anger especially after eight members of the same family, including children, were killed in an Israeli air strike - and to sharp tensions with Islamic Jihad

So Israel and Hamas probably had a joint “indirect” interest in seeing the end of the Islamic Jihad commander, says Mukhaimer Abu Saada, a political scientist at AlAzhar University in Gaza.

“It’s not easy for me as a Palestinian to say there was a mutual interest between Hamas and Israel in the assassination of Baha Abu al-Ata,” he told the BBC, “but let me say that Hamas wasn’t happy about [his] behaviour: he was responsible on many occasions for violating the ceasefire agreement with Israel by launching rockets against Israeli towns and villages adjacent to the Gaza Strip.”

Matter of time Nevertheless, Hamas was in a delicate position. Its decision to distance itself from the conflict led to some public anger - especially after eight members of the same family, including children, were killed in an Israeli air strike - and to sharp tensions with Islamic Jihad.

The group reportedly at one point threatened to withdraw from the joint operations room. And sporadic rocket fire continued after Egypt mediated an agreement to end the fighting.

Basem Naim played down the differences between the two groups. He insisted Hamas had not abandoned its commitment to armed resistance against the Israeli occupation, what Israel and many Western countries call terrorism.

Palestinian sits beside crater caused by an Israeli air strike on Deir al-Balah, Gaza (14/11/19) “Maybe we, based on our interests, sometimes decide to postpone or decrease our response [to Israeli strikes], but that doesn’t mean we don’t have the right to continue our struggle,” he said. “It is not our role to work as a police force for the occupation, and if we have to decide internally to stop, this is based on Palestinian dialogue, not a response to Israeli wishes or plans.”

According to commentary in Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper the security establishment believes it has improved the chances of a truce arrangement with Hamas and expects politicians to translate the “relatively successful round of fighting” into diplomatic gains.

From Hamas’ point of view, says Mukhaimer Abu Saada, that depends on whether Israel eases its blockade.

“If Israel is going to alleviate the daily life conditions in Gaza I can guarantee you Hamas will continue the ceasefire understandings,” he says. “But if the situation doesn’t improve, it’s only a matter of time before the next escalation will happen.”

Source: BBC

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, november 19, 2019

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PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

Digest

CLASSIFIED

Why gluten may not be the ‘bad guy in our diets’

By Mail On Sunday Reporter

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oing gluten-free is unlikely to be good for your gut, new research suggests. Fad diets that cut out gluten – a protein found in foods such as bread, pasta and cereal – have soared in popularity over recent years.

But now researchers from Sheffield and Reading universities say avoiding these products may be pointless.

They gave healthy volunteers, who had not been diagnosed with coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity, either organic gluten or a gluten-free blend to add to their food twice a day for two weeks.

The study, published in the journal Gastroenterology, found that the group who ate gluten had no more stomach complaints than those in the gluten-free group.

Dr Paola Tosi, from Reading University, said: ‘It appears that gluten is often unjustifiably given the role of the bad guy in our diet.’

Asthma patients who can’t use an inhaler properly Almost two-thirds of asthma patients are suffering needlessly because they aren’t using their medication properly.

Astonishingly, one in 20 don’t know how to use their inhaler at all, according to a new report.

The news is worrying, as deaths from asthma in Britain are at their highest level for a decade.

Data from the Office for National Statistics in August revealed that fatalities from the common lung condition have risen by more than a third over the past ten years.

Last year alone, the condition killed more than 1,400 people.

At least five million adults and children in the UK are being treated for asthma.

LloydsPharmacy, which carried out the survey, can show asthmatics how to their inhaler properly. Pharmacist Anshu Kaura said: ‘It’s potentially lifesaving for many people.’

People arriving at A&E could soon face a swab test as they walk through the door to see if they are infected with flu.

Researchers claim doing so would halt the rapid spread of infections in hospital.

Patients with flu-like symptoms are already routinely tested for the virus once they are admitted, but results can take up to 48 hours to come back.

A newer test can be carried out in the waiting room and gives a diagnosis in less than an hour. A pilot study at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham between December 2016 and March 2017 found that screening people with possible symptoms, such as a high temperature, meant patients were quarantined within hours and treated more quickly. The average length of stay for those diagnosed with flu dropped from almost eight days to about two-and-a-half.

Coffee boost for cyclists Lycra-clad cyclists take note: drinking

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TOES TO HEELS GIRLS AND WOMEN INITIATIVE

WAIDIYA MULTI PURPOSE NIGERIA FOUNDATION

coffee before heading out on your bike could make you go faster.

Researchers at Coventry University gave 19 men and 19 women either a cup of coffee, a placebo in water or nothing.

They then took part in a three-mile cycling time trial.

The performance of men who had coffee improved by about nine seconds and women by around six seconds, compared to the other groups.

The findings, published in the journal Nutrients, suggest drinking coffee made from as little as a dessertspoon of instant powder could give your legs a boost.

The British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (BAPEN) says this guidance neglects the most important factor when it comes to healthy eating – our age.

Earlier this month, a Mail on Sunday investigation revealed the shocking scale of malnutrition in the UK, with over-65s at risk of starving to death. Dieticians warned that the Government’s focus on eating less could be partly to blame.

‘The advice fails to recognise that the nutritional requirements of a frail 80-year-old is very different to a 30-yearold,’ says Dr Trevor Smith, of BAPEN.

‘What constitutes a healthy diet varies depending on the stage of life you are at.

The advice around nutrition should vary for different age groups.’

Teenagers, menopausal women, and thirtysomethings trying to conceive also have specific dietary requirements. It is vital information that could even help you live longer. So how do you know what to eat, when? Here, dieticians and health experts provide the answers.

Teenagers, menopausal women, and thirtysomethings trying to conceive also have specific dietary requirements. It is vital information that could even help you live longer. So how do you know what to eat, when? Here, dieticians and health experts provide the answers +10 Teenagers, menopausal women, and thirtysomethings trying to conceive also have specific dietary requirements. It is vital information that could even help you live longer. So how do you know what to eat, when? Here, dieticians and health experts provide the answers Despite the trend, cutting carbs is not always a healthy choice. In late adolescence and during university, carbohydrates – made up of sugars, starches and fibres – are a vital source of

“

The British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (BAPEN) says this guidance neglects the most important factor when it comes to healthy eating – our age

energy.

‘Your brain needs about 120g of carbohydrates daily to work properly,’ says dietician Catherine Collins. ‘This is easily met with a bowl of porridge and two slices of bread at lunch. Carbs like oats, wholemeal bread and sweet potatoes sustain energy for longer.’

Studies show those with diets high in slow-releasing carbohydrates have a reduced risk of obesity and heart conditions in later life.

TRY THIS: Add a handful of noodles to a chicken and vegetable stir fry.

Studies show those with diets high in slow-releasing carbohydrates have a reduced risk of obesity and heart conditions in later life +10 Studies show those with diets high in slow-releasing carbohydrates have a reduced risk of obesity and heart conditions in later life There are almost 250,000 vegan teenagers in the UK who avoid all animal products for the sake of the environment.

But dodging dairy raises the risk of bonewasting condition osteoporosis in later life.

Dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt are vital sources of calcium, which protect bones from damage. As adolescence is the peak time for bone development, under-19s are advised to consume 100mg more calcium than the rest of us.

‘Bone density increases in adolescence and peaks in our late-20s,’ says Collins.

‘A lack of calcium during these years means bone strength may never reach its full potential, increasing the risk of early osteoporosis. You’ll get the recommended daily dose of 800mg in one small pot of yogurt, a glass of milk and a small piece of cheese.’

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THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.Aisha Samaila 2.Khuraira Musa 3.Amina Lawal O. THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : Media and general advocacy for the human rights of girls and women Promoting their economic and political empowerment, developing their life / leadership skills, gender based violence Sexual and reproductive health.

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THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. ABUBAKAR MOHAMMED 2. IBRAHIM UMAR MADAWAKI 3. MARYAM ABUBAKAR 4. ABUBAKAR ILLO THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT. 2. PROVIDING ALTERNATIVES TO FORMAL EDUCATION SYSTEMS AND IMPROVING ON ACCESS TO SOCIAL AMENITIES. 3. TO PROVIDE SECOND CHANCE LITERACY TO EARLY PRIMARY SCHOOL, JUNIOR SECONDARY LEAVERS AND COMPLETE NON LITERATE, PARTICULARLY WOMEN. 4. ENGAGE IN PEACE BUILDING AND COUNSELLING AMONG COMMUNITY MEMBERS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990, (CAP C20, LFN 2004).

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Researchers from universities in Sheffield and Reading have determined that choosing gluten free food - for people who are not suffering coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity - is pointless

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tuesday, november 19, 2019

Coaches, players, commend 7th Dreamland/ Embassy of Hungary Cup organisers

Galadima Football Academy of Abuja won the tournament on Sunday Stories By Amaechi Agbo

C

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INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SDGS IN AFRICA

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oaches and players of clubs and academies that participated in the 7th edition of Dreamland/Embassey of Hungary Cup have commended the organisers for a great job done even as they called for improvement in officiating Some of the coaches who spoke with our correspondent at the final of the tournament on Sunday described the tournament as the greatest and most organised grassroots tournament in the country and lauded the Dreamland and Hungarian Embassy for the partnership which they said have given tens of Nigeria youths hope and aspirations in live.

Hokke Sport of Abuja coach, Bayo Dada said that the organisers deserve a pat on the back and commended them for a great job well done.

Coach Bayo whose team lost to Galadima in the final on Sunday said the defeat will motivate his players to work harder ahead of next edition.

“The organisers have done a great job in this tournament and I wish to commend them for it. This is a youth tournament and

…As Galadima emerges champion

they deserve a pat on the back. As far as I am concerned, they have brought the youth together and they are doing well. This is one of the most successful youth tournament I have participated in. the organisers are doing well for this country,” he said.

Coach Bayo however called for improvement in officiating during the next editions adding that the referees should be monitored for effective performance.

“The officiating needs to be much better.

The officiating is not sound though they are human. The referees need to be monitored and checked on their officiating. They are human beings and we do not ascribe perfection on them but then the mistakes should be minimal.

On his part, Jazzy Stars FC on Nasarawa state coach Caleb Theophilus, said the experience in their debut is one that will live long in their memory.

Coach Caleb who won the best coach of the tournament, bemoaned the loss of his team to Galadima in the semi-final said that

with the experience garnered by his players, they will go back to plan ahead of next edition stressing that they will be back to win the trophy next year.

“This is my debut in the tournament and my opening game was against the defending champions Dreamland, we won that game 1-0. Our semi-final was against another former champions, unfortunately we got a red card and we lost the match. But I am proud of my players for what they were able to achieve in the tournament.

“The experience is one that we will hold for a long time. It was something that is beneficial to the boys and a great one for the team.

“The organisation was top-notch. From the very first day we came on Monday from the screening, was a top-notch but just one or two problems.

“I was not no satisfied with the officiating but that is part of the game. Definitely we will be back next season to take the cup,” he said.

On his part, Galadima Football Academy

Coach, Ernest Enya commended the organisers for a great job but appealed for improvement on on logistics and officiating.

“The organisation is perfect. This is the kind of thing we yearn to be seeing in the country. This is the best grassroots football development tournament I have ever seen.

This is the best, there is none like this.

“I want them to improve on logistics but it happens all the time. But they keep getting better. This edition was better than the previous ones and I definitely know that next edition will get more improvement.

“When you lose as a player or coach you must always complain. It is normal thing in football. But the referees are humans. Even the VAR they just introduced now in football, everyone is complaining. There is nothing perfect but I believe they will get better along the line,” he concluded.

Galadima Football Academy defeated their neighbour 4-2 on penalty on Sunday to emerge champions of the 7th edition of Dreamland Embassy of Hungary Cup.

Rohr explains how he prepared Osimhen to replace Ighalo

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PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

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Rohr explains how he prepared Osimhen to replace Ighalo

V

ictor Osimhen is currently Nigeria’s best footballer and it appears to have come after a Gernot Rohr masterstroke in June.

Super Eagles coach Rohr has revealed that he had given Osimhen some study lessons as Odion Ighalo played his final tournament at AFCON 2019.

The Lille striker’s two goals and two assists in his last two Nigeria games has lead to a little discussion and secret-searching as to how the form has come. Rohr has thus explained that Osimhen did excellently when he took notes in Egypt.

“We had the best goalscorer in the AFCON, he wanted to retire and we had to find a solution,” Rohr said about Ighalo via Brila. ”When I took Osimhen to the AFCON as part of the 23-man list, a lot of you were very critical, they

asked why I didn’t take Kelechi (Iheanacho) for example.” ”He learnt a lot in the AFCON, watching, playing in the last match, seeing this very good goalscorer Ighalo, seeing Musa and now he is progressing.”

As far as club football, the Ultimate Strikers Academy product also has a wonderful tally of nine goals and two assists in 17 games for Lille. ”He’s in a good club Lille in France and scoring a lot of goals, confidence is there and this good understanding with the other players is good for a center forward,” added Rohr.

With the 20-year-old’s incredible form in a Ligue as competitive as Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League, the Lagos-born star looks destined for bigger clubs in the near future.

Brazil beat Mexico to win 4th FIFA U-17 World Cup

B

razil staged a remarkable comeback for the second time in a week on Sunday to beat Mexico 2-1 in front of their own fans and win the Under-17 World Cup for a fourth time.

Just three days after they recovered from being 2-0 down to beat France 3-2 in the semi-finals, Brazil scored two goals in the last 10 minutes to overcome their Latin rivals.

Although Brazil had more of the early chances, Mexico took the lead at 66 minutes when Bryan Gonzalez rose between two defenders to head a cross from the left into the net.

Kaio Jorge equalised from the penalty spot with six minutes remaining after the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) advised officials to pull play back following a challenge on Veron.

Then three minutes into stoppage time, substitute Lazaro ran on to a

cross ball and calmly fired home, to the delight of the home crowd.

The Flamengo forward had also come off the bench to score the winner in Thursday’s last-minute win over France.

“They use the VAR when it is convenient for them,” said an unhappy Mexican coach Marco Ruiz. “We had the game under control until the VAR decision. They grew after that.”

The win was revenge of a sorts for Brazil, who lost 3-0 to Mexico in the under-17 final in 2005, as well as to their under-23 team in the final of the 2012 Olympics.

Earlier in the day, Arnaud Kalimuendo-Muinga scored a hat trick to help France come from behind to beat the Netherlands 3-1 and take third-place.

Dutchman Sontje Hansen won the golden boot for the top goalscorer with six goals.

r

t

2019 FCT FA League: FC Liberty target to better last season’s record

F

C Liberty International has expressed its determination to make an impressionable impact in the 2019 FCT FA League.

The club which beams with confidence ahead of their league opener against Rhapsody FC in the league on Wednesday has expressed optimism that they will consolidate on their Super 8 finish last year.

Speaking ahead of their league opener, the General Manager of the club Bob Oluwole said that even though managing a private club is very difficult in Nigeria today due to obvious financial challenges, the club is ready for the challenges ahead and are determined to go above their last season’s record.

“It is not easy to manage a private club in Nigeria. The financial implication is enormous but we will keep pushing because it is a call we have answered.

With God all things are working well for us. We have been pushing and developing the boys and giving back to the community as a whole.

“Our target in the state league is

FC Liberty Team to surpass our record last year. In the last season we did well though but in this season, we want to go a step further. One good thing is that after last year’s league, big clubs in the country scouted our players and that is a huge motivation. Some of them moved to the premiership, the NNL and NLO and we are happy for that. So we will keep

pushing irrespective of the obstacles on our way particularly financially.

“Some of the new boys we have recruited are doing well and we are working on exposing them again like others. If we surpass the position we had last season, it will be ideal. We are targeting semi-final in the state league this year,” he said.

FCT FA Chair Reiterates Commitment To Football Infrastructure Development

FCT FA Chairman, Mohammed Mouktar receiving a medal from Coach Samuel Abimbola on Saturday Alhaji Mouktar who stated this on

By Amaechi Agbo Saturday when in visited the Area 3 Play he Federal Capita Territory Football Ground to watch on of the matches in the Association, FCT FA Chairman, ongoing 2019 FCT FA Football League Mohammed Adam Mouktar season said that with the constitution has reemphasised his commitment to of 14 different committees for the FA, maintaining and building infrastructures stakeholders and indeed residents of in the federal capital in order to encourage the FCT will in no distant time witness grassroots football development in the great improvement not just in the league and other competitions the board would area.

T

organise but in infrastructure maintenance ALhaji Moukar who was in June this year elected the new chairman of the FA described the league as the backbone of football in the country adding that organising the league is the primary responsibility of the FA with a view to discovering talents and nurturing them.

“If at the end of the day there is no league being played, no matter what we do, football is not developed. This is the backbone and the most important job that we are doing in ensuring that the league is played and players are developed. When we play the league, the players are involved, the coaches are there, the referees are busy too and the club owners are thinking ahead.

So it is a multipurpose action playing the league.

“The league, we should not forget, is a work in progress. Importantly the focus now is for the league to be played in a proper way and we have set out 14 committees in the FA whereby all of them will be inaugurated next week with so much responsibilities. So you are going to see a proper organisation committee and we also want to bring the marketing committee to begin work in terms of sponsorship.

Rohr Not Bothered By Early Goals Conceded By Super Eagles

By Amaechi Agbo

S

uper Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr is not bothered about early goals the team has conceded recently in the 2021 AFCON qualifiers campaign.

Super Eagles in the last two matches against Benin in Uyo on Wednesday and Lesotho in Maseru, conceded early goals which raise concern about the stability of the team.

In Uyo, the team conceded in the in the 3rd minute of the encounter and also conceded early against Lesotho in the 12 minute on Sunday. Even though the team rallied round to win the matches 2-1 and 2-4 respectively, Nigerians expressed worry over the nature the

team has conceded early goals.

But coach Rohr is unperturbed. The coach in defence of the team tactics said he was not bothered about the early goals conceded provided the team won the matches.

The German handler expressed his point of view after Nigeria’s 4-2 defeat of Lesotho in Sunday’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

The Crocodiles netted the opening goal of the contest with Nkoto Masoabi heading past Daniel Akpeyi just like it happened against Benin Republic.

However, Nigeria bounced back to secure victory with Lille’s Victor Osimhen netting a second-half brace.

In his press conference with the media,

coach Rohr saw only the positives whenever his side conceded first.

“Some matches, you score the first goal and in some matches, you concede first.

“We scored first against Brazil and Ukraine but we didn’t win, so I prefer to concede first and win the match.

“This has proven that my players have a good spirit because they never give up.

“They continue to play well and do not panic. We have a very young team and what I like is the enthusiasm to play football,” he said.

He is also full of praises for the Super Eagles for putting up a brave performance despite arriving Maseru a few hours before the game.

“We know that it’s difficult to win in Lesotho especially when you concede the first goal. They played very well in the beginning but we had to take the game in our hands.

“We had a long travel by night and you can see that at the beginning, my players were not fully concentrated.

“In the second half, we changed our organization a little bit and it was better and better. I feel that my players have fun when they play football and that is most important.

“We won but congrats to my colleague, he has a good team they gave us a lot of trouble.”

Nigeria top Group L with six points after winning their two games and host Sierra Leone in their next match on August 31, 2020.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, november 19, 2019

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TuesDAY, november 19, 2019

SPORTS latest

Mikel labels Hazard a lazy player

F

ormer Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has aimed a jab at Real Madrid forward Eden Hazard.

Mikel played alongside Hazard for five seasons between 2012 and 2017 before the Nigerian left.

Hazard joined Real Madrid last summer for an initial fee of £89 million, despite having had just a year remaining on his contract at Stamford Bridge.

Speaking to beIN Sports Turkey, Mikel named the Belgian striker as the laziest player he ever played with.

“The laziest player I’ve ever played alongside is Eden Hazard,” he said.

Hazard departed Stamford Bridge widely-regarded as one of the greatest players to ever line out in Chelsea’s colours.

Across 352 competitive appearances in the colours of the Blues, the Belgian directly contributed to over 200 goals This included an impressive 16 goals and 15 assists in the Premier League alone last season.

Olympic Eagles ouster: Imama leaves future in NFF’s hand, says team was unlucky

O

lympic Eagles coach Imama Amapakabo has opened up on his team’s elimination from the ongoing 2019 African Cup of Nations in Egypt.

The embattled coach revealed that his team gave their best, but we’re unlucky to miss out of a place in the semi-final of the competition and opportunities of picking Tokyo 2020 tickets in the process.

“We were unlucky and unfortunate to go out because we gave everything, but it’s totally out of my hands,” he said.

“I know that, as a coach, you come under pressure. We have to look at the future – this [Olympic hopes] has ended, whichever way we want toTaye look Taiwo at it.” and Oduamadi

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ongratulatory messages, mostly from party leaders, stalwarts and supporters have started pouring in for reelected Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state and APC gubernatorial candidate in Bayelsa state now Governor-elect, David Lyon.

President Mohammadu Buhari literally fired the first message hours after Bayelsa’s Chief Returning Officer, Professor Faraday Orumwense declared Lyon “duely elected”.

The president says he looks forward to working with the incoming government to improve the lives of the people in Bayelsa state while ensuring the security of lives and property of all citizens”. President Buhari further urges the Governorelect “to carry other divergent interests along in the next phase of governance”, imploring those not satisfied to seek “redress through the constitutionally established channels”.

Similarly, the president literally wasted no time in congratulating Governor Yahaya Bello, describing his re-election as “a race well run and a victory well won”. As with Lyon, Buhari wants Bello to “extend a hand of partnership to opposition candidates” while also urging those not satisfied with the outcome to go to court.

But what exactly, does the president mean by stretching a “hand of partnership to opposition candidates” and “carrying other divergent interests along”?

What form should it take? Does it mean that both Lyon’s and Bello’s administration when they officially begin a new slate next year in February, should be a unity government, accommodating divergent, opposition interests and candidates? Then, Mr. President asks those not satisfied by the result, that is, the opposition, to seek “redress” in court. You redress a wrong. I believe the presidency is convinced in their hearts of hearts that the results reflect the wishes of a majority of voters. Indeed, President Buhari hailed “officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies for creditably discharging their responsibilities under difficult conditions”. That means, the president has confidence in INEC, is confident that their results can stand the test of time. In fact since tenure of current INEC boss Professor Mahmood Yakubu, no governorship result as declared

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Tuesday Column

By VICTORIA NGOZI IKEANO vikeano@yahoo.co.uk 08033077519 by it has been upturned by the final Appeal Courts. So, those appealing INEC’s governorship or presidential election results will not be doing so to seek “redress” per se but to deepen our jurisprudence so to speak.

Continuing his congratulatory message to Bello, Mr President commended “APC supporters for remaining steadfast and resolute even in the face of isolated incidents of violence”, just as he condoles with families who lost loved ones during the elections.

Here the impression is given, rightly or wrongly, that APC supporters were the ‘victims’ of the violence. Some six persons were reported to have been killed in Kogi. The circumstances of these deaths should be investigated including persons injured in both states during the polls and their families duly compensated as best as possible. Urgent steps should be taken to curb these unbecoming and reoccurring incidents of electoral violence in our body polity. It was thought that introduction of card readers would help stem the tide. Alas what emergence of card readers have done is to check bogus figures being recorded as votes cast in the past. It is time we stepped up our electoral system with electronic voting.

Finally on the presidential felicitation, Buhari enjoined Governor Bello “to see his renewed mandate as another opportunity to “build on the foundations already laid towards improving the lives of the people of Kogi State”. One does

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not know whether Mr. President is referring to the foundations laid by Bello himself or those by his predecessors especially former governor Abubakar Audu who put up a number of structures during his reign as ANP governor (then Buhari’s party). Not a few would argue that Bello did not perform well in infrastructural development while he himself could argue that he was constrained by inadequate funds.

Many people may be surprised that APC won both states hands down, out rightly. Bello defeated his closest rival, Engr. Musa Wada of the PDP 406,222 to 189,704 while APC’s David Lyon also beat PDP’s Duoyo Diri 352,552 to 143,172. One would have wished that both leading parties win one state each to make it a draw somehow and so ‘reduce’ the cantankerous effusions from the losing party and their supporters. This is only a wish as one understands that no Nigerian politician ever wants to lose anything; they all want to win everything.

Having now won both contests they should be magnanimous in victory. The winning party and its supporters should not engage in unnecessary derision of the losing side. They should instead as the president admonished, extend their hands of fellowship to them as partners in progress.

Politicians all tell us that their objective to “serve’’ the people. If that is the case then they should wish and indeed pray for whoever among the contending parties win, to deliver the most dividends

Many people may be surprised that APC won both states hands down, out rightly. Bello defeated his closest rival, Engr. Musa Wada of the PDP 406,222 to 189,704 while APC’s David Lyon also beat PDP’s Duoyo Diri 352,552 to 143,172

of democracy to the citizenry, even giving him ideas as to how to achieve this which after all is a shared objective. For, the success of a governor via development of the state benefits every citizen one way or other while his failure harms them somehow.

Our politicians should enlighten themselves on why we are all here on earth. We are not here merely for wining, dining and other ephemeral material ‘enjoyments’ but for spiritual development by balancing our accounts through good deeds.

Being governor or the like offers the occupant the opportunity to do the greatest good to the greatest number of people. It should be fully grasped to uplift the people, not to heap misery on them through negligence, etc.; for, every single misdeed will come back to haunt you in accordance with the Creator’s inflexible law of sowing and reaping, the law of returns.

The victory of the APC in Bayelsa state is about to change the political equation in the south south zone. But there remains the little matter of Lyon and his deputy’s qualification for the election as one understands that the Appeal court only gave a stay of execution, pending its hearing and determination of the case. It is unfair for the courts to choose for the electorates. Once the people have made their choice through their votes whether the person they elected is a ‘bad’ person, they should be left to live with it until the next election cycle when he may be voted out. For the courts through some legal technicalities to declare somebody not elected by the majority of voters as the winner of an election is unjust.

Dan GAYE gaye DAN Abducted Kaduna ACP rescued, says Police

After how many days?

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