Tuesday, August 24, 2021 Edition

Tuesday, August 24, 2021/ Muharram 15, 1443 AH Vol. 37 No. 041 N200

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Doctors strike: Court orders parties to maintain status quo

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50 abducted in Zamfara, 15 rescued in Kaduna As bandits kill four PG 5

Cross-section of Nursing mothers, during the inauguration of 2021 First Round of Maternal Newborn and Child Health Week and Roll out of Second Phase of COVID-19 Vaccination in Adamawa, in Yola on Monday (23/8/21).

We didn’t collect $10m bribe to pass PIB -Senate President

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INEC will continue to review security situation ahead of elections - Commissioner PAGE 4

Biden offers incentives to boost vaccination as FDA fully approves Pfizer vaccine PAGE 10

Mpape: Hoodlums on rampage as FCTA resumes clean up PAGE 2

EFCC arrests 37 suspected internet fraudsters in Oyo PAGE 6

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

NEWS CONTENTS News 2-14 Op.Ed

12-13

Politics 15-17 Stock Watch Business Metro

18 19-20 21

World Analysis 22 Africa News

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World News

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Mpape: Hoodlums on rampage as FCTA resumes cleanup S

By Stanley Onyekwere

ome miscreants thronged the streets of Mpape community yesterday, snatching women’s hand bags and cell phones as the FCT Ministerial Task Force on City Sanitation resumed demolition exercise, after three days break.

Trouble had ensued when FCT Task Team led by the chairman, Ikharo Attah had removed shanties, brothels, worship centres and National Union of Road Transport Workers Office (NURTW) on the ever busy road, as miscreants harassed passerby.

The hoodlums were immediately dispersed by the combined team of security personnel, paving way for motorists and other passerby to ply the road freely.

However, fielding questions from journalists after the clean up exercise, Attah said the exercise will be sustained till December.

Attah, said the decision has become necessary following the return of shanties barely one week after the last demolition.

He said the exercise which was originally planned for three weeks will have to be extended, to discourage the reemergence of illegal structures along the Mpape road corridor.

Attah, who lamented that Mpape has proven to be more complex than conventional encroachment, vowed that Mpape is now a theater of operation clean up that will be sustained.

“Today we are back to Mpape for what appears to be the most massive job since we came into Mpape community. We have begged residents of the area to vacate the road side where we are having enormous challenges because of the scrap market sitting on the road bed.

“The challenges of the roadside is also occasioned by the old shanty market that is badly

bastardized in terms of urban and regional town planning use and practices so we had to torch the panteka market as well as the shanty market which are clearly a violation of town planning and the Abuja master plan.

“We thought the clean up in Mpape will be done in three weeks, but what we have seen in the last week that we were not on ground shows that the operation clean up Mpape will last till the end of this year. We can’t leave Mpape till the end of this year, we may not be standing here every day but it will be routine and periodic clean up.

“We are telling the people not to be decieved Mpape is a theater of operation clean up.

“The minister of FCT malam Muhammad Bello had handed over Mpape to us as a task team to clean up the whole area and report back to him, if he is not satisfy we will continue till next year,” he warned.

The demolition operation carried out by a Joint Task Force made up of officers across security agencies, also saw the removal of the Mpape scrap market, popularly called panteka market, alongside brothels and other structures.

The panteka market notorious for the sale of stolen goods and illicit drugs, is said not to only provide cover for criminals, but also contribute to traffic build up on the Mpape lone road.

Similarly, the Secretary, Command and Control of the FCT Security Department, Mr. Peter Olujimi, assured that the sustained cleanup operations will dislodge miscreants and criminals from their hideouts.

He said the panteka has provided cover for criminals elements for years now, adding that the demolition of the market will however bring an end to crimes in the area.

INEC will continue to review security situation ahead of elections -Okoye Page 4

Digest

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Feature 26 Sports 30-31 Back Page

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L-R: Director General of NITDA, Malam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Author of the Book “Digital Innovation for Economic Prosperity in Nigeria” Mr. Inyene Ibanga, Chairman of the Occasion, Malam Sule Ya’u Sule and CEO/Editor-In-Chief, Economic Confidential, Malam Yushau A. Shuaib, during the book presentation on Digital Innovation for Economic Prosperity in honour of DG NITDA, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Senator La’ah visits victims of Zangon-Kataf attack From:Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

T

he Senator representing Kaduna South at the upper chamber Danjuma La’ah has visited victims of the Saturday night attack on Mado’o, a village near Mabushi in Zangon-Kataf

Local Government of Kaduna State.

A statement signed by Mr Victor Bobai, his online media aide, said that the senator, who represents Kaduna South, condemned the attack that claimed several lives and left many others injured.

It quoted him as calling on the Federal Government to adopt proactive measures to curb the killings that were becoming “a daily occurrence in my constituency”.

La’ah particularly urged the Federal and Kaduna State Governments to work out “extra

measures” to protect rural areas from being attacked by invaders.

He also called for extra efforts to tackle other security challenges like kidnapping and destruction of crops which were becoming common places in Kaduna State and other parts of the country.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

NEWS

Ag News Editor, Tobias Lengnam

By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja

A

s the 2023 general election draws nearer, the Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governors Forum, (PDPGF) and Governor of Sokoto State, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has declared that Nigeria needs a leader with a broad world view and not a parochial and provincial politician.

Tambuwal equally said that the nation needs an incorruptible leader who understands that the best way to fight corruption is by personal examples and also by the building of strong institutions that can withstand shocks and manipulations.

The Governor said these yesterday at the Richard Akinnola’s birthday lecture in Lagos.

Speaking on the topic,

Atiku mourns Lady Adanma Okpara, wife of late Premier of Eastern region By Folorunso Abuja

F

PAGE 3

Alagbede,

ormer Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has commiserated with the family of late Premier of defunct Eastern Region, Dr Michael Okpara on the demise of its matriarch, Lady Adanma Michael Okpara.

Atiku, in a statement in Abuja on Monday, noted that even though Lady Okpara passed away at a ripe old age, death naturally “diminishes our humanity and comes with grief”.

The former Vice President, in a statement by his Media Adviser, Mr Paul Ibe, said, “I received the news of the death of your matriarch with mixed feelings. It is usually a saddening moment for me at the news of the demise of anyone at all; even though this one is at a very ripe old age.

“Death naturally diminishes humanity and the loss of one’s mother is very painful at any time”, Atiku said.

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2019. general election noted that the death of Lady Adanma Okpara at this period of serious national challenges is also a sad reminder of the lost opportunities of “our country’s greatness as represented by the political and development prowess of her late husband, Dr Michael Okpara and his generation during Nigeria’s First Republic”.

He paid tribute to Lady Adanma Okpara’s life of courage, service and integrity noting that these were attributes that had been associated with the great development strides of her late husband in the old eastern region and with which she had carried on with her life, long after her husband’s death.

Atiku expressed his deepest condolences to the Michael Okapra family of Ohuhu Umuahia, the people and government of Abia State and Nigerians at large.

2023 election: Tambuwal speaks on leader Nigeria needs ...Says corruption fight requires technology, intelligence gathering

“Security Challenges in Nigeria and Its Implication for Sustainable Development”, Tambuwal maintained that Nigeria needs a leader in tune with modern technology, not a parochial and provincial politician.

The Sokoto State Governor maintained that to overcome insecurity, there is the need for intelligence gathering and surveillance so that law enforcement agents could be proactive and reasonably predict potential crime with near perfect accuracy rather than being reactive.

The menace of insecurity, he stated, no doubt, calls for a new approach that will be founded on credible intelligence gathering.

At the well attended ceremony, Tambuwal, who is a lawyer by profession and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, said, “Nigeria needs a leader that is versatile. One that has friends and associates across the length and breadth of this country.

A leader with a broad world view and not a parochial and provincial politician.

“We need an incorruptible leader who understands that the best way to fight corruption is by personal examples and also by the building of strong institutions

that can withstand shocks and manipulations.

“Nigeria needs a leader in tune with the times. Who is reasonably aware of the modern demands of technology in solving societal problems.

“Yes, Nigeria needs a bridge builder. A compassionate leader, sensitive to the needs and aspirations of the poor and needy.

A leader whose words count and can be counted on. Indeed, a leader with courage”, he said Continuing, the Chairman of PDP Governors’ Forum added that the country needs, “An accountable leader who can be trusted to face the challenges of nationhood squarely without sentiments or pandering to interests that are inconsistent with national goals.

Speaking further, Tambuwal maintained that Nigeria needs a visionary leadership imbued with a sense of patriotism, which will go a long way in changing the narrative of insecurity in Nigeria.

The nation, he stressed further, requires a leadership that is nationalistic and not tribalistic, a leadership that promotes national unity not disunity.

His words, “A leader required by Nigeria is one that will regard Nigeria as his constituency, not his state, tribe, religion or region. A leadership

that inspires the nation to achieve greatness.

“A leadership that galvanizes, mobilises and directs Nigerians on the path to sustainable peace, progress and development”, he said.

Such a leader, Tambuwal reasoned, will not regard any part of the country as conquered people.

According to him, “A leader with these qualities will reach out to all and sundry and ensure that insecurity ravaging the country is put to flight.

“There is no short cut or magic wand to curtail insecurity other than the deployment of relevant tools of good governance, proper technology, necessary military and police equipment, a well trained and properly remunerated manpower, and lowering of tensions in the country through enthronement of a government that serves all and not a section and group.

“A leader smart enough to realise the imperatives of restructuring our security and governance structure.

“Finding such a leader is a task for all and I challenge you all today to find and support such a leader in 2023 so that Nigeria can begin the long walk back to peace, security and prosperity for all her citizens”, he said.

The Sokoto State Governor added that good governance is yet another major panacea for curbing insecurity in Nigeria.

“This requires that government at all levels must take deliberate steps to ensure good and accountable governance that focuses on the needs of the people”, he said.

Stating that socio-economic development factor is also key to peace and security, Tambuwal said, “examples and researches have shown that with good governance and strong institutions, most people are less likely to become enemies of the state,or embrace,crime when they can see development and opportunities” Elimination of corruption and entrenchment of social and economic justice, he contended, is also key, adding, “Corruption gives rise to both social and economic problems. It is one of the major causes of inequality and inequitable distribution of wealth among the people.

“This leads to dissatisfaction, frustration and consequently agitations that lead to insecurity.

The war against corruption must be fought with various tools”.

The Governor recalled that when the PDP Government created the EFCC and ICPC from the Nigeria Police Force, it was envisaged to be an answer to the menace of corruption since the agencies were expected to concentrate their activities solely on fighting corruption and especially economic crimes.

L- R: Emirs of Pindiga, Alhaji Sayoji Ahmed; Deba, Alhaji Ahmed Usman; Akko, Alhaji Umar Atiku and Yamaltu, Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu when the traditional rulers in Gombe Central Senatorial District met and restated their support and loyalty to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya in Gombe yesterday.

NDLEA to establish offices in 774 LGA’s -Marwa

From Umar Dankano,Yola.

T

he Chairman and Chief Executive officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, General Mohammmad Babu Marwa has announced that his Agency has concluded arrangement

to establish offices in all the 774 Local Government Areas in the country.

Marwa disclosed the development in an interview with Journalists in Yola, Monday.

He stressed that the Agency’s motive is to checkmate the activities of drugs pushers

through production, farming and distribution of hard drugs in the remotest parts of the interior.

Marwa stated that the Agency has successfully seized over 2 million kilograms of assorted drugs valued at over one billion naira between January and August this year.

He said within the period, more than five hundred persons were convicted for drugs related offences.

“Imagine if the quantum of the drugs seized could have been consumed by Nigerians, we as a country should have been telling another story all together”, he stated.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

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NEWS

INEC will continue to review security situation ahead of elections -Okoye

By Folorunso Abuja

Alagbede,

T

he Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has vowed that it will continue to review and appraise the security situation in the country and deploy additional personnel and machines as appropriate in the conduct of any election in the country.

This is even as the commission declared that the foundation of the sovereign right of the people to vote in any election is built on an accurate, reliable, inclusive and acceptable voters register.

An INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Barrister Festus Okoye said these at a

Insecurity: Group kicks against call for Masari’s resignation

sensitization workshop on the continuous registration exercise in Kano.

Okoye pointed out that an opaque register of voters that does not command the respect of the people cannot produce a credible election.

He assured that all Nigerians desirous of registering will be registered.

According to him, “In Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission has the exclusive right and prerogative to register voters and it does not share this right with any individual, body or organization.

“The drafters of the Nigerian constitution deliberately and carefully domiciled this power and duty in INEC for the specific purpose of enhancing the integrity of the voters roll and its comprehensiveness.

“They understand that the foundation of the sovereign right of the people to vote in any election is built on an accurate, reliable, inclusive and acceptable voters register.

“All Nigerians desirous of

registering will be registered.

“These includes those living in the rural or urban centers, those with network coverage or limited network coverage, those that are internet savvy and those without internet services.

“No Nigerian that is eligible will be left behind.

“An opaque register of voters that does not command the respect of the people cannot produce a credible election”, it said.

The Commission, once again, reiterated the fact that it is not compiling a new register of voters.

In the words of Okoye, “The Continuous Voter Registration exercise is to afford those that have attained the age of 18 years and those that have not registered before an opportunity to register.

“It is also meant for those who want to transfer their registration from one state to the other or from one Local Government to the other.

“It is also meant for those that had one challenge or the other with their Permanent Voters

Cards during accreditation and for those that want to correct genuine mistakes and errors in their registration data.

“The implication is that those that are already registered and present themselves for fresh registration are trying to corrupt the electoral process and may be candidates for prosecution.

“Those that will plead ethnic, religious or political persecution when the Commission begins the prosecution of double registrants should plead with those that have attempted or attempting double registration to desist as it amounts to electoral offence.

“The Commission will not listen to pleas of ignorance of the law or ethnic or religious bias when proceeding against those that violate the spirit of the current effort”, he said.

The workshop, which is the second in the series, Okoye explained, was aimed at sensitizing the Commission’s image makers on the new processes and technologies deployed for the ongoing voter registration exercise.

In his words, “The expectation is that this workshop will improve their knowledge on the processes and procedures of the Commission in the onerous task of interfacing with the public and enlightening them on the innovations introduced by the Commission towards strengthening the electoral process.

‘This workshop is important and germane in the sense that Heads of Department and Public Affairs Officers of the Commission are its spokespersons at the State level.

“They must therefore have clear knowledge, understanding and information relating to the policies, processes and procedures of the Commission.

“More fundamentally, Heads of Departments and Public Affairs Officers must communicate clearly, strategically and convincingly.

“The Nigerian people must understand and trust the new innovations introduced by the Commission and be able to use them”, he said.

From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

A

coalition of 43 civil society groups, “save Katsina group” have unanimously kicked against call by some groups and individuals for the resignation of governor Aminu Bello Masari over security situation in the state.

The coordinator of the group, Comrade Hamza Umar Saulawa who stated this while addressing newsmen in Katsina, said it is unfair to blame the governor over deteriorating security in the state. “ Looking at the foregoing realities, it will be unfair and preposterous for anyone to blame governor Masari over insecurity or his call for people to defend themselves”, he stressed.

He added that the governor has less control over the security personnel operating in the state which according to him, “pushed the governor in a difficult position of directing them to act”.

Saulawa similarly commended the governor for providing logistics support to the various security arms working in the state The coorditor hailed the courage of the state governor in admonishing people of the state to take up arms to depend themselves against the dreaded bandits.

President Muhammadu Buhari receives the President of the Senate Dr Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan in a close meeting at the State House, YESTERDAY IN Abuja. PHOTO; STATE HOUSE

NUC boss assures of good leadership to Varsities system Maryam Abeeb, Abuja

T

he re-appointed Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, has pledged to continue to provide good leadership to the Nigerian University System, NUS, as well as the National Universities Commission.

Professor Rasheed made the pledge when he assumed office on Monday 23rd August, after the announcement of his reappointment by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu.

Addressing members of the commission, Professor Rasheed stated that the success of the Commission derives it meaning

from the meaningful interactions the NUC holds with the Nigerian University System.

Prof Rasheed applauds the National University System for it continued support and cooperation describing the successful leadership of the system as a product of collective responsibility.

“The larger university

community that has been growing phenomenally in the last few years with more federal universities coming on board, more state universities are being established and the number of private universities is also increasing almost every year and in such a way that we almost have 50/50 ratio of all the institutions”.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

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NEWS

From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau & Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

Z

amfara State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of 50 innocent people after killing four others in Goron Namaye district under Maradun Local Government Area of the state in midnight attack on Sunday.

This is as troops of Operation Safe Haven successfully rescued 15 persons in Jagindi, Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

This was confirmed by the Command’s Spokesperson, SP Shehu Mohammed.

He said gunmen suspected to be armed bandits have invaded Goron Namaye town in large number last Sunday, shooting sporadically. “In the course of the attack, four people were killed while fifty members of the community were found missing”.

The PPRO further informed that, the Police Command under the watch of the newly deployed Commissioner of Police, CP Ayuba Elkana, immediately directed for reinforcement of personnel attached tothe area with a view to embark on search and rescue mission.

“The Commissioner of Police has immediately assigned search

Bandits kill 4, abducts 50 in Zamfara - Police •As troops rescue 15 kidnapped persons in Kaduna

and rescue team to immediate effect and ensure that all the abducted victims were safely rescued.

Also narrating his ordeal, Malam Sa’idu Namaye who escaped the attack, said the bandits had stormed the town in large number as they rode in on about 150 motorbikes, overloaded each with three persons around 2:00am of Sunday, then started

shooting sporadically.

Meanwhile, Troops of Operation Safe Haven have successfully rescued 15 persons in Jagindi, Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

This was contained in a statement by the State Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, and made

available to media in Kaduna yesterday.

Aruwan said, the report confirmed that 15 persons were kidnapped from two vehicles in the area while on transit, and the troops responded to a distress call and mobilized swiftly to the location.

He said the troops repelled the bandits, enabling the rescue of the abducted persons, identified

as Maisaje Pam, Samuel Peter, Ziyau Abdul, Henry Dabo, Abduljabar Auwal, Muhammad Ali, Dama Dabo Ramatu Aminu, Muhammad Sani, Abdullahi Muhammad, Bashar Garba, Abubakar Musa, Saad Yakubu, Maryam Ibrahim, and Lami Bitrus.

Acting Governor of the State, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe noted the report with satisfaction and thanked the troops for their swift response which resulted in the rescue of the commuters.

UNDP strategies plan to engage Gombe on innovation From David Hassan, Gombe

T

he United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has said it would do what it could to engage Gombe state on innovation processes.

Senior Economic Advisor United Nations Development Programme Nigeria, Dr. Amarakoon Bandara stated this on Wednesday in an interview with Journalists in Gombe during a 2 day programme to engage on acceleration/innovation in the north east.

He assured of UNDP readiness to meet with officials of Gombe state Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on a modality to ensure that innovation which is priority to nation building is sustained.

According to him, doing so will help boost the economy of the state and the nation at large.

In the same vein, Senior Special Adviser to the governor on Sustainable Development Goals Alhaji Bashir Abdulkarim appreciated the gesture.

R-L: Lead Expert, Trade Enablement, National Action Committee on African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, Mr. Olusegun Olutayo, Team Support Personnel, AFREXIMBANK, Sandra Achaia and the Director Trade Information Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mrs Obidike Ifeyinwa Evelyn, during the National Workshop on how to Export within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA), held recently in Abuja . Photo: Justin Imo-owo.

Doctor’s strike: Court orders parties to suspend hostilities, maintain status quo

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

T

he National Industrial Court, Abuja, has ordered striking members of Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors ( NARD) and the Federal Government to maintain status quo and suspend other further hostilities, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

Justice John Targema, in an exparte order gave the ruling based on the affidavit of extreme urgency,

the grounds of the application, the affidavit in support of same and arguments of counsel for the applicant.

He held, ‘’ I also weighed the submissions and arguments of counsel on the law as it stands on this application. ” It is hereby ordered that claimant/applicant and the defendant/respondent suspend all forms of hostilities forthwith pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.’’

Consequently, he ordered that hearing notice be issued, along with other processes which included the originating summons be served on the respondent and proof of service to be kept in the case file before the next adjourned date.

Meantime, the matter is adjourned until Sept. 15 for hearing of the motion on notice.

The Ministry of Health, and the Federal Government through the Ministry of Labour had approached the court through an

ex-parte motion praying for some order of the court.

The ministry is praying for an order of interlocutory injunction restraining members of the respondent in all States of the Federation from further continuing with the industrial action embarked on Aug. 2.

Another order as sought by the applicants was for an order of interlocutory injunction compelling all members of the respondent in all States of the Federation to suspend the said industrial action.

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

NEWS

Cross section of Host Communities of Nigeria (Producing oil and Gas) (HOSCON) lead by the National Chairman of HOSCON, Dr. Mike Emu, during their National Solidarity March, hailing President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly for the passage of PIA Law, held recently in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Nasarawa law maker describes Igbos as partners Paul Efiong, Abuja

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he member representing Karu local government area in the Nasarawa state House of Assembly, Hon. David Maiyaki has described the Igbo community in Panda development area of Karu local government as partners in progress and commended their impact in the overall development of the area.

He made this assertion during a special celebration in honour of Eze Igbo Panda Development Area Igwe Richard Nwachukwu on the occasion to mark his thirtieth year on the throne in Gitata, Nasarawa state.

According to him, “some of the Igbo people invested heavily in this place. You have no other place to go, we are one people.

We have been living together in peace for years and nothing can separate us.

We are so grateful for your efforts at bringing development in this place and we encourage you to do more. We are counting on your support at all times.

While extoling the virtues of Igwe Nwachukwu, the Sangari Gitata, Panda Development Area, Karu Local government Area of Nasarawa state, HRN Turaki Rabo described the Monarch as a lover of peace who upon assumption of the throne ensured peaceful co-existence between the indigenes and Igbo community in the area. Highlights of the occasion include cultural dance by various troupes.

EFCC arrests 37 suspected internet fraudsters in Oyo

T

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibadan Zonal Office, on Monday, confirmed the arrest of 37 alleged suspected internet fraudsters in Oyo State.

This is contained in a statement signed by the EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren and made available to newsmen in Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria

(NAN) reports that the suspects were arrested in Ibadan and Oyo town, both in Oyo State.

Uwujaren said that the suspects were arrested on Friday following intelligence on their

alleged involvement in internet fraud.

He said that the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

(NAN)

Buhari mourns Victoria Agui-Ironsi P resident Muhammadu Buhari has extended deepest condolences to the Aguiyi-Ironsi family, and government and people of Abia State on the passing of Chief Mrs Victoria AguiyiIronsi, wife of the first military Head of State, Major General Johnson Thomas AguiyiIronsi.

The President affirmed that Lady Victoria’s incredible

strength and exceptional courage during one of the darkest moments in our nation’s history pedestals her as a mother of the nation, God-fearing and a foremost woman of valour, a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu said.

The President, according to the statement, noted that the former First Lady will

be remembered for laying a solid foundation for women’s leadership role in the seat of power and as a founding member of the Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association; she passionately championed the welfare and wellbeing of families of military officers.

“The President recognises that 55 years after the death of General J.T Aguiyi-Ironsi, Lady Victoria never stopped

working for the greater good of Nigeria, and for peace, stability, healing and reconciliation in the land.

“The President sincerely hopes that Lady Victoria’s labours for the country will not be in vain, and joins all Nigerians in praying for the repose of the soul of the departed and comfort for those who mourn,” the statement further read.

Buhari rejoices with Sultan of Sokoto on 65th birthday

By Egena Sunday Ode

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar IV on his 65th birthday, August 24, 2021, congratulating the spiritual leader for close to 15 years of providing guidance and wisdom for the Muslim community.

A statement by the

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said Buhari joined Sultanate of Sokoto, family members and religious leaders in the country to celebrate with the 20th Sultan of Sokoto, who is President-General of Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Chairman of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), and had consistently

taken the side of fairness and justice, particularly on national issues.

The statement further read: “The President notes the fatherly role of the Sultan in speaking up and providing for the poor and underprivileged, and interfacing with other religious leaders as Co-Chair of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) to promote harmony, oneness and peaceful

co-existence.

“As the spiritual leader turns 65, President Buhari affirms that he has utilised his wealth of experience as a former military officer, with strong diplomatic credentials working in many parts of the world, to serve the country.

“The President prays for his wellbeing and longer life, and more wisdom to keep serving the country and humanity.”

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

PAGE 7

CRIME NEWS COAS tasks 2 I-G presents N4.7m to families of Div personnel 7 deceased policemen

on loyalty, T professionalism T

he Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba on Monday presented cheques worth N4.75million to seven families of deceased policemen.

Presenting the cheques, Baba, represented by the Commissioner of Police, Mr

he Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.- Gen. Faruq Yahaya, has tasked officers and soldiers of the 2 Division Nigerian Army to be loyal and professional in the discharge of their constitutional roles.

Yahaya gave the advice during his official visit to the headquarters of the division on Monday in Ibadan.

The COAS said that Nigerian Army being a welltrained and experienced profession with over 185 years of existence, must continue to do things in tandem with the teaching of the profession.

He appreciated the officers and soldiers on their activities at tackling insecurity in the country and urged them to do more for the peace and security of the country.

Yahaya said that his visit to the troops was to interact with them and have first hand information on happenings on the ground and address them.

The COAS said that the Nigerian Army would continued to work in synergy with other services and other security agencies in tackling the security challenges in the country.

Yahaya further promised to improve on the welfare of officers and soldiers and as well, construct more accommodation and improved on the existing ones for optimum performance of the officers The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the COAS donated a Toyota Hilux to the Regimental Sergent Major (RSM) unit of the division and inaugurated the Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru Indoor Badminton Court.

Yahaya also paid a courtesy visit on the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji and Gov. Seyi Making of Oyo State.

(NAN)

Yakubu Elkana, said that the cheques were presented to officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

“On behalf of the IGP, I am presenting the cheques of N4.7 million to the seven families of deceased police officers through their next of kings.

”The beneficiaries should use the money judiciously.

You should set up a reasonable businesses that would help the family in future”, he said.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Nura Umar, commended the IGP for the gesture.

“We look up to the IGP as a son would look up to his father.

We appreciate him for his efforts to support our lives.

“We pray for the IGP and Police Force Headquarters and State Police command for this wonderful gesture,”he added.

(NAN)

Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu (2nd right), Overseeing Director-General Projects Development Institute (PRODA) Engr. Dr. Fabian Okonkwo (2nd left), Special Assistant (Technical) to the Hon. Minister Engr. Ibiam Oguejiofo (right), and Director Engineering Research Development Production (left) during a Working Visit by the Hon. Minister to PRODA Enugu over the Weekend

C/River govt. mulls naval base at UNICAL

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he Cross River Government has disclosed plans to establish a Naval base in partnership with the Nigerian Navy at the riverine area of the University of Calabar.

Gov. Ben Ayade disclosed this on Monday in Calabar when he received the Chairman and Pro-Chancellor of the University of Calabar Governing Council, retired Gen. Martin Luther-Agwai.

Luther-Agwai was accompanied on the visit by the UNICAL Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, and other members of the Council.

Ayade, who was represented by his Deputy, Prof. Ivara Esu, said that the decision to establish the base was reached during the state security council meeting.

He said that it was important to establish the base so as to curb insecurity around the riverine area of the university and beyond.

Ayade said that the state government placed premium on the management, welfare and running of the university.

“I am glad to receive this great team today because we are all partners in the growth and development of UNICAL.

“On the issue of insecurity, I want to inform you that we have agreed in our last security meeting that we establish a naval base at the riverine area of the university to stem cases of insecurity on campus.

“Most of the bad boys were using the riverside to strike into the university community. We are passionate about UNICAL; we will do our best to ensure the security of students and staff,” he said.

He assured the team of the state government‘s support for all their activities that would move the university forward.

Earlier, the Chairman appealed to the state government to also look into the issue of land encroachment by some individuals and host communities.

He said that they needed the support of stakeholders in the state with a view to positioning the university as one of the best in the country and around the globe.

The Chairman of the University’s Governing Council called on other members to support them in their bid to reposition the university for the benefit of all. (NAN)

Kalu condoles family of late Michael Okpara over death of wife

S

en. Orji Kalu has commiserated with family of first Republic Premier of defunct Eastern Nigeria, late Chief Michael Okpara, over death of their matriarch, Mrs Adanma Okpara.

Orji in a condolence message in Abuja on Monday, described the deceased as a woman of virtue, stressing that she

was a pillar of support and source of inspiration for the women folk.

The former governor of Abia , also condoled friends and associates of the Okpara family, adding that the good deeds of the deceased were worthy of commendation and emulation.

Kalu admonished the deceased

family to sustain the worthy legacies of the matriarch. “`She was selfless, patriotic and easygoing and played key roles in advancing the cause of the people at all levels.

“She lived a purposeful life, committed to the service of mankind,” he said.

Kalu prayed God to grant the deceased eternal rest and give the family, the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Mrs Okpara died at the early hours of Aug. 22, in an undisclosed hospital.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

PAGE 8

NEWS

CVR: Over 2 million Nigerians register online within 8 weeks

By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja

A

total of 2,215,832 Nigerians have so far registered under the ongoing online voter registration exercise of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which kicked off on 28th June, this year.

This was disclosed in a statement yesterday by the National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, VEP, of INEC, Mr Festus Okoye in Abuja.

Similarly, the number of those who

have completed physical registration now stands at 430,363.

The commission has equally appealed to all eligible citizens, who have not registered before, to seize the opportunity to do so.

The statement by Okoye reads, “The number of fresh registrants since the launch of the online registration portal on 28th June 2021 has now exceeded two million.

“As at 7am today Monday 23rd August 2021, the number of new registrants is 2,215,832.

“Similarly, four weeks ago, the Commission commenced the in-person or physical registration as well as the completion of online pre-registration in our State and Local Government Area offices nationwide.

“The numer of completed registration now stands at 430,363.

“Detailed distribution of the online and completed registration by State/FCT, age, gender, occupation and disability has been uploaded on the Commission’s website and social media platforms for public information.

“Once again, the Commission appeals to all eligible citizens who have not registered before to seize the opportunity to do so.

“For emphasis, the Commission wishes to reiterate that those who have already registered as voters need not register again.

“However, those who wish to transfer to another place where they wish to vote in future elections or who have issues with their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) may apply online or in-person for resolution”, it said.

FCC chairman lauds President Buhari over completion of digital centres

By Paul Effiong

T

he Executive Chairman, Federal Character Commission (FCC), Dr Muheeba Dankaka, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari over the completion and inauguration of eight Digital Economy Centres (DEC) across the country.

Dankaka made the commendation at the virtual inauguration ceremony of the DEC centres, including that of the FCC Headquarters’ office on Thursday, in Abuja.

The inauguration was done by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami.

The FCC boss recalled that President Buhari had at the 2019 edition of the Nigeria Conference on Exhibition and Awards, directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to set up Digital Transformation Technology Group (DT-TWGS).

She noted that the DT-TWGS initiative was responsible for coordinating and implementation of Nigeria’s E-Government Master Plan (NEGMP) by the Federal Government.

From left: Representatives of the Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Diaspora, Mr Gabriel Odu; representatives of DirectorGeneral of NYSC, Alhaji Salawi Abodlrazak; representatives of India Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Vipul Mesariya; representatives of Minister of Information and Culture, Mrs Ifeoma Anyanwutaku and Chair Board of Trustees of the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking, Dame Julie Okah-Donli during the International Day for the Remembrance of Slave Trade and its Abolition in Abuja on Monday (23/8/21).

UNICEF trains 50 community volunteers on infant, young child feeding From:Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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he United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has trained 50 Community Volunteers (CVs) on Community Infant and Young Child Feeding (C-IYCF) in Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Mr Adams George, Assistant State Nutrition Officer, explained at the beginning of the three-day training in Ikara yesterday, that

the effort was to strengthen IYCF practices at community level.

George said that the volunteers comprised 45 CVs and five Ward Development Community (WDCs) Chairmen to promote adequate IYCF practices at community levels as an effective strategy of preventing malnutrition.

He explained that after equipping the volunteers with relevant skills, the CVs would be expected to establish 45 support

groups, one by each of the CVs in their various communities.

Mrs Chinwe Ezeife, Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF Kaduna, told media that the C-IYFC was a proven preventive measure against malnutrition using locally available food items.

Ezeife said that IYCF comprises early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding for six months and appropriate complementary feeding after six

months.

She said that UNICEF, in collaboration with the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Development Board was currently supporting the implementation of the C-IYCF programme in 17 local government areas of the state.

She added that mats would be distributed to the CVs after the training for use during support group’s meetings for convenience and comfort.

Okowa commends Itsekiri nation on coronation

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

G

overnor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has extolled the virtues of the Itsekiri Nation over the successful coronation of the new Olu of Warri in the State, maintaining that the people had always rallied round their monarch.

Governor Okowa,

represented by his Chief of Staff, Hon. Ovie Agas, stated this at the installation of the new Olu of Warri, His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse 111 at Ode-Itsekiri.

He charged the people not to deviate from the set objective of living peacefully with their neighbours, saying “I urge you to remain focused and be proud of your rich cultural heritage

and it is this system that makes Nigerians to hold the Itsekiri Nation in high esteem.”

While appreciating the efforts of the departed Olu of Warri, His Majesty, Ikenwoli, for the way he united both the Itsekiris and their neighbour, the governor urged the new king to extend the same hand of fellowship to all and sundry

in other to move the Kingdom forward.

The monarch in his speech promised to harmonise all the levels of diversity, hitherto being experienced in the Kingdom, adding “Itsekiris have always been united.”

He commended the state governor and members of the state House of Assembly

members for piloting the affairs of the state well.

The new Olu said that “In this wise, I want to appreciate my late uncle, Late Ikenwoli, who I know was a very good man who had always canvassed the peaceful co-existence of the Itsekiris and their neighbours,” adding that he woulf build on that structure on ground.

PAGE 9

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

APC stakeholders in Gombe central commend Gov Yahaya From David Hassan, Gombe

T

he All Progressives Congress (APC) Gombe central yesterday reached an agreement within the zone and pass a vote of confidence on Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.

The confidence reposed on the governor came when APC stakeholders within the constituency met at Yalmatu Deba to decide his continuity.

Speaking at the meeting, convener of the occasion Habu Mua’azu said continuity of governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya is paramount.

He said the commendation will help him to complete his campaign promised made earlier in his manifesto.

He warned political bigots who are coming behind to shortchange governor Yahaya’s campaign promised to desist from such.

He called on the people within the constituency not to hesitate to support the present administration.

NEWS

Information ministry dissolves agencies’ governing boards

T

he Ministry of Information and Culture has announced the dissolution of the Governing Boards of all Agencies and Parastatals under its ministry whose tenures have expired.

Dr Ifeoma Anyanwutaku,

the Permanent Secretary of the ministry made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

Anyanwutaku said that the dissolved governing boards should henceforth cease from sitting.

The permanent secretary

said that the notice should be brought to the attention of the boards chairmen to ensure full compliance with the directive which takes immediate effect.

“I am also to add that President, Muhammadu Buhari has already constituted a

committee for the reconstitution of the various board of government, agencies and parastatals,” she said.

She appreciated the chairmen and members of the governing boards for their tenure and their services to the nation. (NAN)

Treat IPOB in proscribed Act, IGP tells Police in Delta

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

T

he Inspector General of Police ( IGP) Mr Alkali Baba on Monday charged Officers, men of the Delta State Police Command to be more proactive in dealing with the Indigenous people of Biafra ( IPOB) saying that since it was proscribed by the Federal Government of Nigeria, it should be treated as such while he warned against bribery, corruption among rank, file Officers at the Command Baba who spoke to Journalists in Asaba while addressing Officers and men of the Command, explained that members of the Indigenous people of Biafra ( IPOB) were allegedly out to worsen the country’s current political, and economy situations, warning that whenever its members are found causing troubles in Delta State, they should be treated as proscribed group of people with seriousness and not with a pinch of salt considering their status.

He said” IPOB activities are spill over agitation that had created palpable tension laced with uncertainty. I’m not sure they are hot up here in Delta State but they are causing troubles and anger, they should be treated as proscribed group of people and you need to be more proactive and take serious matters very seriously and with interest of protecting lives and property in the State”.

Chief of Army staff, Lt.-Gen. Farouk Yahaya (L), addressing soldiers, during his visit to 2 Div. Nigerian Army in Ibadan on Monday (23/8/

Gov.Umahi is after my life -CSO member petitions Gbajabiamila Christiana Ekpa

A

member of the Civil Society Organization (CSO), IGhusuf Africa has petitioned the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila over threat to his life by the Ebonyi State government, David Umahi.

The Executive Director of IGhusuf Africa and the petitioner, Darlington Peter Onwe while briefing newsmen at the National Assembly on Monday accused governor Omahi of threatening to kill him for carrying out his constitutional responsibility of probing the reckless

embezzlement of funds in the State.

According to him, “The civil society organizations as the third sector of the society represents the collective conscience and opinions of the people, but for Mr David Umahi, every civil society organizations in Ebonyi state must be part of his proadministration praise singing support groups, else, such CSOs should have NO safe space to operate, especially, if the organisation advocates for social accountability, respect for free enterprise and the rule of law.

“Particularly, Gov. Umahi

had in 2017 designated the office of his Deputy Principal Secretary to collate and document all civil society organizations in Ebonyi state. Several organizations responded to the call on the thought that it was a novel ideation of the governor for establishment of Ebonyi state CSOs coalition that would foster better and more robust civic engagement activities between the state and nonstate actors.

However, the reverse was the case as Gov. Umahi rather proposed to use the CSOs as political support groups for massing up his re-

election political ambition and campaign rallies in 2019.

“After the endorsement of Umahi by NGOs and other support groups in 24th October, 2018 at Women Development Centre, Abakaliki, my organization pulled out of the unethical arrangement. Aggrieved by our resolve not to be political, my organization and some other right groups in the state that was not pro-Umahi was considered an enemy of the state and therefore should cease to operate or face several degrees of manhunt and human rights violation, just as I’m experiencing right now.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

PAGE 10

NEWS

Niger NUJ Biden offers incentives to boost vaccination mourn as FDA fully approves Pfizer vaccine member of Radio U Nigeria Chapel By our correspondent

From Yakubu Minna

Mustapha,

N

igeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Niger state council has condoled the staff and management of Radio Niger over the death of a retired deputy director news and current affairs department of the corporation, Sunday Peter Abraham.

This was contained in a press statement issued by the council secretary, Usman Muhammad Chiji.

He disclosed that Abraham died in the early hours of Sunday at his residence in Makunkele, Bosso local government area.

The council expresses sadness over the demise of Mr. Abraham, adding that his death is not only a loss to the family, Radio Niger but the entire media industry.

Niger Govt, partners to provide health programmes From Yakubu Minna

S President, Joe Biden has called on all Americans to freely make themselves available to be vaccinated to save lives following the full approval granted te Pfizer-Bionec covid vaccine yesterday.

According to Biden who spoke to Americans yesterday, “the vaccine is free, safe, easy and effective,” adding that all American should “go and get vaccinated now, for ourselves, your lord ones and your country.”

The US President is offering incentives of $100 each to every person who turns up for vaccination to encourage people to receive the

jab.

He said the progress America makes on vaccination now will produce good results in the days ahead.

The New York Times said the Food and Drug Administration on Monday granted full approval to Pfizer-BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine for people 16 and older, making it the first to move beyond emergency use status in the United States.

The approval is coming following US’s fight against the pandemic which has intensified again, with the highly infectious Delta variant dramatically slowing the progress that the country had

made over the first half of the year.

The Biden administration hopes the development will motivate at least some of the roughly 85 million unvaccinated Americans who are eligible for shots to get them.

President Biden was making remarks urging vaccination on Monday afternoon. “If you’re not vaccinated yet, now is the time,” the president said on Twitter.

“While millions of people have already safely received Covid-19 vaccines, we recognize that for some, the F.D.A. approval of a vaccine may now instill additional confidence to get vaccinated,” Dr. Janet Woodcock, the acting F.D.A. commissioner, said in a statement.

Obasanjo, Okowa, task Olu of Warri on nation building

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

F

ormer President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on Sunday called on the new Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, to work for the unity of his kingdom and contribute to nation building.

Obasanjo spoke at the thanksgiving service to mark the coronation of the monarch as the 21st Olu of Warri at the Palace Ground, Aghofen, Warri.

The former President prayed for the new monarch saying that his reign would be long, peaceful, adding that his reign would bring unity and prosperity to Itsekiri land and contribute to development, unity and prosperity of Nigeria.

He said the monarch had a responsibility and duty to perform the

role which God had given to him and urged him to work for the unity of the kingdom and the nation.

“I am one of the happiest on your installation because God has specially favoured me to see three Olus and I don’t pray to see a fourth one.

“I want to emphasise that the position you occupy today is given to you by God but with your own people surrounding you and you must always remember that.

“If God has given you a role to perform you will be offending God if you fail to perform that task,” he said.

He said the title of Majesty carried along with it a lot of responsibilities, adding that he was convinced the monarch had started well and would lead the Itsekiri people to a new dawn.

He urged the monarch not to shun the experience and the advice of elders and urged him to make use of experienced people around him.

“Be very close to God in whatever situation you may find yourself and God will surely make a way for you,” Obasanjo stated.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in his remark, congratulated the new Olu on his successful coronation describing him as a man of peace and urged him to work for the unity of the Iwere nation.

“I congratulate you because I know that you are a man of peace and I know that the Lord God has chosen you to ascend the throne at this time.

“It is a time for healing and a time for your Majesty to ensure that the kingdom comes together.

“I know that some people can be very stubborn but I urge you to extend

the olive branch to them and I know that it will be well with the Itsekiri people.

“You have a lot of work to do not just in Itsekiri nation but in the entire nation,” the governor stated.

“On behalf of the government and people of Delta we congratulate you and the Itsekiri people on your successful coronation.

“We know that your reign will truly bring peace and development and I believe the Lord God has prepared you for a time like this and may the presence of God be with you on this throne,” Okowa prayed.

Guest Speaker Apostle Tomi Arayomi ,said God ordained the King to rule at this time, adding that God was willing to partner with people who were willing to partner with the spirit of God.

From left: Director of Child Development, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs Jummai Mohammed; Akwa Ibom Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr Ini Adiakpan; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Mr Olusesan Olufunso; and Permanent Secretary, Akwa Ibom Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs Margaret Edem, at the opening of the Technical Session of the 21st Regular National Council on Women Affairs meeting in Uyo on Monday (23/8/21).

Mustapha,

N

iger State Government would continue to collaborate with the state Primary Health Care Development Agency to conduct health programmes for the benefits of women and children.

The wife of state governor and founder, Raise foundation, Dr Amina Abubakar Bello stated this during the official flag off ceremony for the 1st round of June/July 2021 Maternal Newborn and Child Health week and launching of IPV2 vaccine in Minna.

Dr Amina said the state government through the state Ministry of Health and the state Primary Health Care Development Agency have continued to provide interventions for the health and well-being of women and children which stakeholders have attested as reliable.

“Today’s milestone puts us one step closer to altering the course of this pandemic in the U.S.” Pfizer said it presented the F.D.A. with data from 44,000 clinical trial participants in United States, the European Union, Turkey, South Africa and South America.

The company said the data showed the vaccine was 91 percent effective in preventing infection — a slight drop from the 95 percent efficacy rate that the data showed when the F.D.A. decided to authorize the vaccine for emergency use in December. Pfizer said the decrease reflected the fact that researchers had more time to catch people who became infected.

Nasarawa community Residents lament high rate of banditry, kidnapping on highway From Gambo Ahmed, Lafia

F

ollowing the incessant armed banditry and kidnappings perpetrated along the busy Keffi, Kaduna and Jos Federal highway, the residents of Gitata, Tattara, Angwan Ayaba and Barde in the neighboring Kaduna state

have made a passionate appeal to the Nasarawa and Kaduna state police commands to intensify effort towards bringing to an end the ugly situation confronting travelers and the residents of the respective communities.

Reacting to the predicament in an interview with Peoples

Daily, Monday, leaders of the communities Mr. Markus Gaya and Danjuma Kati lamented that people especially commuters are at risk on daily basis of being robbed or kidnapped; calling on the security operatives of the two states to collaborate and fish out the bad elements along the federal road.

According to them “Keffi, Kaduna and Jos road leads to so many states such as Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe but is faced with challenges of kidnapping and other forms of attack. We call on the relevant security agents to always embark on stringent patrol along the high way”.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

T

PAGE 11

EDITORIAL Plateau mustn’t return years of killings

he perilousness of the present Plateau State has been one of the states security situation in Plateau affected by herder-farmer clashes “which State is underscored by the night have, in a significant way, been curtailed curfew the government there has put in following the intense peace-building three local government council areas efforts of the administration of Governor and President Muhammadu Buhari’s Simon Lalong.” strident condemnation of the massacre He said, “However, to be clear, this that happened Saturday in Jos, the state is not an agriculturalist-on-pastoralist capital. Police spokesman Ubah Ogaba confrontation, but rather a direct, confirmed that 22 persons lost their lives brazen and wickedly motivated attack on that day. members of a community exercising their He said in a statement, “On rights to travel freely and to follow the 14/08/2021 at about 0928hrs, the Plateau faith of their choosing. With the evident State Police Command received a distress preparedness of their attackers, it is clear call that a group of attackers and their this was a well-conceived and pre-arranged sympathisers along Rukuba Road of Jos assault on a known target, location and North Local Government Area attacked religious persuasion of the travellers, not a convoy of five buses returning from the an opportunist ambush. The Presidency annual (Muslim) Zikr prayer in Bauchi offers condolences to the families of the State and heading for Ikare in Ondo State. victims and continues to liaise closely with Unfortunately, 22 persons were killed and the local authorities, including security, 14 injured in the attack.” the police, and governmental agencies.”

Other reports said that the Irigwe According to Buhari, these kinds of youth that Saturday attacks on Nigerians “are unacceptable, morning were conveying heinous, and stand in the remains of their complete contradiction members killed in a recent to the teachings of attack for burial in Bassa.

They had set out in a According to Buhari, the great religions of convoy for the burial as these kinds of attacks the nation. “Make no mistake, in line with my announced when violence on Nigerians “are commitment to protect broke out along the way on all Nigerians, I have Rukuba road. “As they were unacceptable, our security conveying the corpses, they heinous, and stand in ordered agencies to fish out the met some vans conveying Muslims they suspected to complete contradiction perpetrators of this gruesome massacre of be Fulani,” said one report. to the teachings of innocent travellers and However, the Muslims said they were commuters the great religions of bring them to justice.”

We salute from Bauchi. Yet the Irigwe the nation. “Make no Lalong and youths attacked them, mistake, in line with my Gov. President Buhari for killing some and injuring commitment to protect their unequivocal others. condemnation of The state government all Nigerians. the heinous crime reacted to the latest killings by putting a curfew in Jos North, Jos committed against innocent fellow South and Bassa council areas, beginning compatriots on Saturday. Their strong that Saturday. It would run from 6pm language matches the weight of the crime. to 6am “until further notice”, Governor The massacre threatens to unmake the Samuel Lalong’s director of press, Dr. long peace that Plateau had enjoyed after Simon Macham, said in a statement. The years of communal and sectarian killings. governor called for calm and appealed to Those sad “years of locusts” must not residents to avoid any action or utterances return. This is why the security agencies that would further inflame the situation. should do what it will take to get the killers He assured security agencies “are of last Saturday to come face to face with conducting investigations into the attack.” justice.

Meanwhile, we join the President According to him, “So far, 20 suspects in commending the ongoing efforts by have been arrested.”

President Buhari who returned the governors of Plateau, Bauchi, and to the country only a day before the Ondo states; the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad attack condemned the massacre in the Abubakar III; and Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi strongest of terms yet. In a statement as well as a number of notable Christian issued Saturday night by his spokesman, and Muslim leaders at normalising the Garba Shehu, the President declared that situation in Plateau.

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Letter to the Editor

Covid-19: Politics of Origin tracing and its consequences

By Charles Onunaiju

D

espite concerted efforts, the Covid-19 pandemic, which has ravaged the world for more than a year is still much around, though its days appeared numbered as many arsenals are sharpened against it, including vaccines that are now available though, currently unevenly distributed. Sub-Saharan Africa, though mercifully with low fatalities from the vicious virus is even lower on the map of global vaccine distribution.

However, even before the virus is contained and possibly consigned, the insidious virus of politically motivated finger-pointing in tracing its origins appears in full swing. The United States, which scored poorly among major countries in the control and containment of the pandemic, especially at its peak last year is wagging its finger, turning the origin-tracing saga from genuine scientific inquiry, where it should properly belong to another cold war ideological armoury to besmirch China, a country reputed to have done the most to contain the pandemic and also put its experience in bludgeoning the vile virus in the global public domain.

Some conscientious scientists consisting “group of physicians, veterinarians, epidemiologists, virologist, biologists, ecologists and public health experts from around the world,” writing in the highly regarded British scientific journal, the Lancet, warned that “it is time to turn down the heat of the rhetoric and turn up the light of scientific inquiry, if we are to be better prepared to stem the next pandemic, whenever it comes and where it begins.”

And the rhetoric is the President Biden’s administration bid to refloat the earlier discredited gossip that the virus may have accidentally escaped from a laboratory, with the ulterior motive to make China’s top virology laboratory in Wuhan as the prospective scapegoat.

But the group of scientists under reference in their working view has expressed that “SARSCov-2 (Covid-19) most likely originated from nature and not in laboratory on the basis of early genetic analysis of the new virus and wellestablished evidence from previous emerging infectious diseases, including the Coronavirus that cause the common cold as well as the original Sars-Cov and Mers-Cov.” Further clarifying that “the most critical question to address now is how did the SARScov2 reach the human population,” because according to the scientists “such insights will drive what the world must urgently do to prevent another tragedy like Covid-19” and added that “the strongest clue from new, credible, and peerreviewed evidence in scientific literature is that the virus evolved in nature, while suggestions of a laboratory leak source of the pandemic remains without scientifically validated evidence that directly supports it in peer-reviewed scientific journals.” Warning that “allegations and conjecture, are of no help,” the group of scientists opined that “recriminations has not, and will not encourage international cooperation and collaborations, …to facilitate access to information and objective assessment of the pathway from a bat virus to a human pathogen that might help to prevent a future pandemic.”

Despite the groundswell of considerable scientific consensus of the most likely origin of the virus that caused the pandemic, a politically motivated blame game originating from the Joe Biden administration in the United States is well underway. A fairy tale conjecture suitable only for its ideological and political purpose and with premeditated outcome, ahead of conclusive scientific enquiry is been spurned in the public domain. This is not helpful and will rob mankind of adequate understanding of the trigger of the malicious and vile virus that has caused humanity of untold sorrows.

Earlier this year, a World Health Organization-led delegation visited China and determined that a laboratory leak was an

“extremely unlikely pathway, and concluded that the virus most likely jumped from animals to humans, probably from bats to an intermediate animal.

But some American politicians has been escalating the politically motivated rumour that the virus escaped from a laboratory. In June, Mr. Marco Rubio, U.S Republican senator introduced the so-called Covid Act of 2021, whose ulterior aim is to bring pressure on the leadership of the Chinese Academy of Science.

At the very start of the outbreak of the virus, the American leadership, notwithstanding the status of the country as a global leader in medical technology, allowed political manipulation to override epidemic control, leading to the infection of 35 million Americans and the loss of lives of more than 600,000. The former U.S President, Mr. Donald Trump notorious for calling the virus, “Chinese virus” hopelessly trivialized the virus, including his outlandish remark of ‘sun-bathing’ and even the ridiculous do-nothing approach, when he suggest that the virus would somehow, just disappear. This behavior of the U.S leadership to trivialize and politicize the virus even at the early stage of the outbreak gave impetus to its spread and the attendant heavy fatalities in the U.S. The current U.S leadership has escalated the rhetoric about origin-tracing of the virus and accusing China of lacking transparency, but it appears that Washington rhetoric is smokescreen to cover the shocking failure in epidemic control and containment, which showed the U.S ruling circles were more interested in political and ideological goal-scoring than science-led inquiry in tracing the origins of the virus. While wagging finger at the Chinese laboratory in its city of Wuhan, the United States has not mentioned or demonstrated any concern about the U.S Army medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease at Fort Detrick.

An outbreak of disease with similar Covid-19 symptoms happened just after the lab’s serious safety accident in 2019. Though, pointing accusing fingers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the U.S is, however, the world’s largest funder of coronavirus research and at the University of North Carolina in particular, Dr. Ralph Baric’s team has long developed Coronavirus synthesis and a wide-ranging origin-tracing of the virus, should definitely include investigation of these U.S facilities.

Despite that the Covid-19 is still wreaking havoc, escalating rhetoric and trading barbs on its origins is the least the world can afford now. China demonstrated a high sense of responsibility when her scientists published the genetic sequencing of the virus barely a month following the outbreak of the disease in Wuhan and instituted the most rigorous lockdown of its city of 11 million people, a bid to contain the spread of the disease. Had the American leadership and other western countries then, taken cue from China’s rigorous epidemic control measures, extended support and refrained from stigmatization, the virus may be have been contained much earlier. They chorused that China lockdown was rights abuses of citizens but would later imposed even more harsher lockdowns.

The group of scientists who wrote in the Lancet Science journal, insisting that “science, not speculation is essential to determine how SARs-Cov2 reached humans”, also reaffirmed their expression of solidarity with those in China, who confronted the outbreak… and worked to exhaustion and at personal risk, in the relentless and continuing battle against the virus.”

For developing countries, and especially Africa, while tracing the origins of the virus is essential, the control and containment of the pandemic is of utmost concern and China’s support with materials and practical experiencesharing in pandemic control has been tremendous value and unforgettable.

Mr. Onunaiju is research director of an Abuja-based Think Tank

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

Opinion

Yobe: Flood as an annual disaster

By Ali Tijjani Hassan

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report by YOSEMA confirmed that, from 16tt to 21st of August of 2021, about 400 houses lost roof and many more building collapsed, in just a Potiskum local government. Can you imagine the numbers, if we take the whole state data cumulatively?

Whoever is living in Yobe state has witnessed a deluge flood caused by a torrential rainfall at Ngelzarma, town of Fune, local government and some other part of the state, couple of years ago.

In the previous year, the state also experienced in both ancient and suburb area of Potiskum town

and it neighbouring villages as well. Earlier this year it happens in Gombe-Potiskum highway near Fika town. And today the narrative remains monotone!

Since then, the Yobe state emergency management agency (YOSEMA) led by Dr. Mohammed Goje , are doing well and better to delivered a bit alms of compassion to the affected victims. And the management need to be commended for that their effort.

But, we need to understand that, this little sympathy is not enough to be welcomed.

As we all know, it’s a duty of state government to ensure the provision of road, drainage and

bridge to the nook and cranny of the state not just in the capital city.

But Unfortunately, the government seems unaware of the conditions of infrastructural need in the other part of the state.

In this regard, the government must wakeup from this longtime slumber and comprehend that, the masses are not longer unwitting of their fundamental rights and the responsibilities of government as well.

A report by YOSEMA confirmed that, from 16tt to 21st of August of 2021, about 400 houses lost roof and many more building collapsed, in just a Potiskum local government. Can you imagine the

numbers, if we take the whole state data cumulatively?

Yes, we can say that, the YOSEMA play it role dexterously by distributing food items to the victims and even asylums to the worse affected victims, but that couldn’t be enough truly.

How do you think a bag of rice and 3 pieces of roofing pan can suppress the anger and relieve the pain of a collapsed house victim?

We must take a deeply breath to restore our mind and look in to this matter thoroughly, If the reactions are continues staging like that, the government are likely to extend their legs again, staying statically without putting an efforts to get rid

of this malady.

How to get rid of this Flood: First, I suggest that, government should focuse more on provision of road and drainage, bridge in the surbub area as well as ancient city, which may allow the flow of water neatly, as well as, the rehabilitation of the neglected ones.

Then the reservation of damn at some local government to preserve the water for further use, and this may aid the economic growth of the state.

Ali Tijjani Hassan writes in from Potiskum and can be reached at Alitijjanihassan@yahoo.com

An insight into Russia’s economic presence in Africa

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

D

uring the last Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Chinese President Xi Jinping said “China will expand cooperation in investment and financing to support sustainable development in Africa. China provided US$60 billion of credit line to African countries to assist them in developing infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing and small and medium-sized enterprises.”

The Association of Economic Cooperation with African States (AECAS), established under the aegis of the Secretariat of the RussiaAfrica Partnership Forum (RAPF), has held a special meeting of the working group on financing projects with participation of the leading Russian companies and banks.

The key topic was to find an effective system of financing projects and devise ways to support investment in Africa. Lack of systematic state support and lowkey interest from Russian financial institutions, among other factors, have been identified as the part of Russia’s weak economic presence in Africa.

Financing projects in Africa is one of the important keys and, at the same time, the most difficult issue for major Russian companies attempting to expand to Africa, and the financial instruments at their disposal are insufficient, according to Anna Belyaeva, Executive Director of the Association of Economic Cooperation with African States.

“We explicitly understand that the current funding mechanisms are not enough. We have analyzed the experience of European and Western colleagues from developed countries, our direct competitors in Africa: all of them already have mechanisms and funds focused on Africa,” she said.

In order to raise the post-Soviet economic influence, Russians have been making efforts directed at identifying a structured finance mechanism for mega infrastructure projects and in such areas as nuclear power and energy, natural resources exploration and to significantly

increase trade with Africa.

For instance, the United States, European Union members, Asia countries such as China, India and Japan, have provided funds to support companies ready to carry out projects in various sectors in African countries. Some have publicly committed funds, including concessionary loans, for Africa.

During the last Ministerial Conference of the Forum on ChinaAfrica Cooperation (FOCAC), Chinese President Xi Jinping said “China will expand cooperation in investment and financing to support sustainable development in Africa.

China provided US$60 billion of credit line to African countries to assist them in developing infrastructure, agriculture, manufacturing and small and medium-sized enterprises.”

It fully understands Africa’s needs and its willingness to open the door to cooperation in the field of scientific and technological innovation on an encouraging basis. The method for financing the building of infrastructure is relatively simple. In general, governments obtain preferential loans from the Export-Import Bank of China or the China Development Bank, with the hiring of Chinese building contractors.

The Chinese policy banking system allows leading Chinese state-owned enterprises to operate effectively in Africa, with the majority of these active in infrastructure and construction in Africa. China has always been committed to achieving win-win cooperation and joint development with Africa. Russia could consider the Chinese model of financing various infrastructure and construction projects in Africa.

Official proposals for all kinds of support for trade and investment have been on the spotlight down the years. In May 2014, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov wrote in one of his articles published on the ministry website: “we attach special significance to deepening our trade and investment cooperation with the African States. Russia will provide African countries with extensive preferences in trade.”

Lavrov wrote: “At the same time, it is evident that the

significant potential of our economic cooperation is far from being exhausted and much remains to be done so that Russian and African partners know more about each other’s capacities and needs.

The creation of a mechanism for the provision of public support to business interaction between Russian companies and the African continent is highly on the agenda.”

After the first Russia-Africa Summit in the Black Sea city, Russia Sochi in October 2019, Russia and Africa have resolved to move from mere intentions to concrete actions in raising the current bilateral trade and investment to appreciably higher levels in the coming years.

“There is a lot of interesting and demanding work ahead, and perhaps, there is a need to pay attention to the experience of China, which provides its enterprises with state guarantees and subsidies, thus ensuring the ability of companies to work on a systematic and long-term basis,” Foreign Minister Lavrov said.

According to Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Ministry would continue to provide all-round support for initiatives aimed at strengthening relations between Russia and Africa.

“Our African friends have spoken up for closer interaction with Russia and would welcome our companies on their markets. But much depends on the reciprocity of Russian businesses and their readiness to show initiative and ingenuity, as well as to offer quality goods and services,” he stressed.

Senator Igor Morozov, a member of the Federation Council Committee on Economic Policy, and Chairman of the Coordinating Committee on Economic Cooperation with Africa, noted during one of the meetings that in conditions of pressure from sanctions, it has become necessary to find new markets, new partners and allies for Russia. “This predetermines the return of Russia back to Africa, makes this direction a high priority both from the point of geopolitical influence and in the sphere of trade and economic context.”

“It is important for us to expand and improve competitive government support instruments for business. It is obvious that over the

thirty years when Russia left Africa, a number of countries such as China, India, the United States and the European Union have significantly increased their investment opportunities there in the region,” Morozov stressed.

With a renewed growing interest in the Africa, Russians are feverishly looking for establishing effective ways of entry into the huge continent. As result, Senator Igor Morozov unreservedly suggested creating a new structure within the Russian Export Center – an investment fund, explaining further that “such a fund could evaluate and accumulate concessions as a tangible asset for the Russian raw materials and innovation business.”

His Coordinating Committee has the responsibility for adopting a more pragmatic approach to business, for deepening and broadening economic collaborations and for the establishment of direct beneficial contacts between entrepreneurs and companies from Russia and African countries.

The Coordinating Committee for Economic Cooperation with African States was created in 2009 on the initiative of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation and Vnesheconombank with support from the Federation Council and the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. It has had support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy and Trade, the Ministry of Natural Resources, as well as the Ministry of Higher Education and Science.

President of the Russian Chamber of Chamber and Industry, Sergei Katyrin, added his voice for establishing a finance mechanism, saying “the primary task now is to accelerate Russia’s economic return to African continent, from which we practically left in the 90s and now it is very difficult to increase our economic presence there in Africa.”

According to Katyrin, Russia’s economic presence in Africa today is significantly inferior in comparison to the positions of leading Western countries and BRICS partners. “It’s time to overcome this yawning gap. Today, we face a difficult task to ensure the activities of Russian

entrepreneurship on the African continent in the new conditions, taking into account all the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.”

Katyrin, in addition, said “we need a state financial mechanism to support the work of Russian business in Africa otherwise it will be very difficult to break through the fierce competition of Western companies with such support.

We need to focus on those areas where we can definitely count on success.”According to UNCTAD’s World Investment Report 2020, the top five investors in the African continent are European Union (Netherlands, France, Germany, the United Kingdom), the United States and China. There are also the Gulf States, United Arab Emirates and Turkey consistently playing active roles in various spheres on the African continent.

In practical reality, introduction of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), gives an additional signal for foreign players to take advantage of this new opportunity in Africa. It aims at creating continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business people and investments in Africa. As trumpeted, the AfCFTA has a lot more on offer besides the fact that it creates a single market of 1.3 billion people.

Notwithstanding the setbacks down these years, Russians are still full of optimism. That said however, Russia has its own approach towards Africa. It pressurizes no foreign countries neither it has to compete with them, as it has its own pace for working with Africa.With the same optimism towards taking emerging challenges and opportunities in Africa, Russia has to show financial commitment and deliver on its pledges especially now when the joint declaration adopted from the first historic Summit held in October 2019 ultimately sets the path for a new dynamism and provides impetus for raising to a qualitative level the existing Russia-Africa relations.

Kester Kenn Klomegah is a Public Affairs Analyst.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUUST 24, 2021

PAGE 13

Comment

Marburg Virus: Need for NCDC to emulate Ghana’s health service

By Isaac Asabor

I

t is expedient to say that this call could not have come at a better time, particularly as not few Nigerians are now aware that the mission for the NCDC is ‘To protect the health of Nigerians through evidence based prevention, integrated disease surveillance and response activities, using a one health approach, guided by research and led by a skilled workforce’.

It is not an exaggeration to say that one of the biggest lessons of the Covid-19 pandemic is that speed matters.

The window of opportunity to find and stop a rapidly spreading virus is vanishingly small and intolerant of mistakes. To aptly put it, virus moves faster than you think.

Amidst the heightened days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust, which funds health-related research, said, “Acting late is a disaster”.

Since the world began to witness the prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic, how far and how fast the pandemic could spread is by each passing day become explanatorily becoming crystal clear.

Since the pandemic became a health issue to humanity, particularly in this part of the world, the unspoken question on everyone’s mind, has been “How fast can the virus spread? Without doubt, the answer to the question is what most of us cannot answer as we are bereft of good intuition in that regard. However, the reason cannot be farfetched as the problem is that our human brains tend to extrapolate in a straight line from recent

experience, but infectious diseases spread exponentially.

At this juncture, not few readers of this piece may have been wondering on why I am directing the call to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) given the fact that I recently wrote an opinion that tasked the leadership of the Centre to take its fight on virus diseases beyond COVID-19 which it is popularly known for by not a few Nigerians. The opinion article titled, “Tasking NCDC to Function beyond Fighting COVID-19”, and published few days ago.

It is expedient to say that the rationale for making another call to the Centre cannot be farfetched as the NCDC is the country’s national public health institute, with the mandate to lead the preparedness, detection and response to infectious disease outbreaks and public health emergencies.

Again, I am directing the call to NCDC as it stands as the only health authority in Nigeria that can emulate the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in putting strategies in place to adhere to safety measures to prevent Marburg disease.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Marburg virus disease is a highly virulent disease that causes hemorrhagic fever, with a fatality ratio of up to 88%.

It is in the same family as the virus that causes Ebola virus disease. Two large outbreaks that occurred simultaneously in Marburg and Frankfurt in Germany, and in Belgrade, Serbia, in 1967, led to the initial recognition of the disease. The outbreak was associated with laboratory work using African

green monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) imported from Uganda.

Subsequently, outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, South Africa (in a person with recent travel history to Zimbabwe) and Uganda. In 2008, two independent cases were reported in travelers who visited a cave inhabited by Rousettus bat colonies in Uganda.

“Human infection with Marburg virus disease initially results from prolonged exposure to mines or caves inhabited by Rousettus bat colonies. Once an individual is infected with the virus, Marburg can spread through human-to-human transmission via direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials (e.g. bedding, clothing) contaminated with these fluids”.

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has asked regional and district health facilities, as well as public health emergency management committees, to include the Marburg viral disease on their agenda by way of preparedness and response plan to contain the Marburg virus following a confirmed case of the Marburg virus in neighboring West African country, Guinea, in which the victim a victim has reportedly died of the deadly disease.

The media reported few days ago that besides, facilities at all border posts, including port health units, particularly those along the western border

and all landing beaches, are to heighten surveillance for Marburg.

The GHS has in the same vein indicated that the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research has the capacity to confirm the Marburg virus and those samples from suspected cases could be transported there, and has warned that under no circumstance should a public or private transport be used in transporting a suspected Marburg case; rather the respective District Directors of GHS should be contacted for the transfer of such persons to a health facility.

Again, it was explained that the Marburg virus disease can be transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads between humans through the transmission of bodily fluids and that it is a severe, fatal illness with symptoms including headache, fever, muscle pains, vomiting of blood and unusual bleeding.

In the same vein, the media which conveyed preventive measures about the disease reported that “The preventive measures include avoidance of contact with body fluids (such as urine, saliva and sweat of people who show symptoms; hand hygiene; and not handling items that many people have come in contact with and dead bodies, including participating in ritual for the funeral or burial of suspected or confirmed Marburg cases.

“The last piece of advice is that we should seek medical care when we develop fever or show other symptoms.

As reported in one of the country national newspapers,

it was stated that it would continue to commend the leadership of the GHS for giving timely information on diseases, more especially infectious ones like the COVID-19 pandemic, to guide healthy public behavior.

The Ghanaian media, particularly as reported by the Ghanaian Times said the biggest problem in healthcare is the ‘health misbehavior’ of people, including the patient in some cases. It stated in its report with the headline, “Adhere to safety measures to prevent Marburg disease, adding that “We have seen this in the refusal of people to adhere to the COVID-19 safety measures.

“Medical history has it that infectious diseases, whether endemic or pandemic, are not new in these days. The literature says the Plague of Justinian (541–542 AD) was the first known pandemic on record.

“The smallpox, for example, is said to have killed more people than all the wars in history, but today it has been eradicated alongside the 1918 influenza pandemic and other such diseases”.

At this nexus, it is expedient to say that this call could not have come at a better time, particularly as not few Nigerians are now aware that the mission for the NCDC is ‘To protect the health of Nigerians through evidence based prevention, integrated disease surveillance and response activities, using a one health approach, guided by research and led by a skilled workforce’.

counterparts seeking admission to study arts or humanities.

Though, I am not surprised if you are just hearing or knowing about this. This practice is almost as old as the National Assembly itself, which came into existence in 1999, when Nigeria returned to democratic rule.

As of today, these racketeers are getting even bolder, threatening, bullying, killing, destroying and decimating the economy of our dear country by employing people of low qualification. Blind people should not lead people with sight.

People whose upbringing and pedigree we do not know, what they do for a living and whose parents we know not, are telling us they own Nigeria because they found themselves at the corridor of power.

We cannot take this anymore.

We will confront history. I will not allow soap to enter my eyes when I have buckets of water with me.

You do not tell the deaf and dumb that war has started. When he sees others running, he will join them.

Employment racketeering is a serious offence. And we all must stand up to confront it. I’m not going to pay N3.5m for my cousin to work in Immigration, Central Bank or NNPC. I will rather give him the same amount to set up a business. Let them know that we are not fools and we know our rights.

Isaac Asabor is a Public Affairs Analyst.

Nigeria and Employment Racketeering

By Wole Arisekola

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ccording to a source said, an applicant looking for jobs in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other choice places, pay huge sums of money to these racketeers. In the case of university admission, applicants aiming to study Medicine, Law and Engineering, are usually asked to pay higher than their counterparts seeking admission to study arts or humanities.

In Africa, most especially the South-Western part of Nigeria, it is believed that when a mother hen is crying out to the world that an eagle stole its chic, it is not because it can do anything to

retrieve it but to let the world hear its voice.

It is very sad with the numbers of anonymous letters and messages I got from both men and women who were duped or those that successfully gained an employment into the civil service in Nigeria.

Even with the recent report by one of the nation’s most widely read newspaper, which accused the legislative aides working with Senators and members of the House of Representatives of being directly involved in the employment racketeering going on in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government in Nigeria, little or nothing has been done to address the issue.

Meanwhile, for those that are not aware of their smart move

and how they operate and work. I would shed the light on the process.

For example, anybody seeking employment in highly lucrative and competitive organisations in Nigeria are usually made to pay higher sums than those going for establishments because the position is considered less lucrative.

According to a source said, an applicant looking for jobs in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other choice places, pay huge sums of money to these racketeers. In the case of university admission, applicants aiming to study Medicine, Law and Engineering, are usually asked to pay higher than their

Mogaji Wole Arisekola writes from Ibadan.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

PAGE 14

NEWS

T

he Federal and Yobe Government have set aside N12 billion for the establishment of three integrated livestock development centres in the three senatorial districts of the state.

Dr Idrissa Madaki, Manager, Yobe Pilot Livestock Development Programme, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu on Monday.

Madaki said the programme is aimed at increasing value chain in livestock products such as beef, dairy, hides and skin; curb farmers

FG, Yobe set aside N12bn for 3 livestock centres and herders clashes; provide basic infrastructure such as clinics, skill acquisition centers, schools to increase nomadic girl child education, among others.

‘It will also minimise farmer/ herder clashes. Research has also shown that if a cow is settled in one

place, it can give birth to one calf every year as against one calf in about three years. ”Domesticated animals are more healthier than stray animals because they are well fed with nutritious diet,” Madaki said.

The manager said the state

government designated three grazing reserves of Badegana, Gurjaji and Jakusko-Nasaru for the project.

Madaki said that the centres would have veterinary clinics, administrative blocks, boreholes, milking points, schools, artificial insemination unit, warehouses,

We didn’t collect $10m bribe to pass PIB -Lawan ...Cautions on repentant Boko Haram members

By Egena Sunday Ode

P

resident of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan on Monday described as funny and serious, allegations that the National Assembly collected $10 million bribe to pass the Petroleum Industry (PIB).

The bill which prescribed three percent of oil upstream revenues for the host communities is now an Act of the National Assembly as it was assented to last week by President Muhammadu Buhari.

An online publication had reported at the weekend that $10 million was paid in cash to members of the National Assembly through the Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila accelerate passage of the bill despite widespread opposition to a clause that granted only three percent of upstream oil companies’ operating income to host communities.

The online news platform further alleged that the payment of the monies was facilitated by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.

But speaking to newsmen after meeting with

President Buhari at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, Lawan dismissed the allegation, saying that while the executive and the legislature are working assiduously to promote freedom of speech, he took exception to unwarranted and unprovable false and fake information being fed to the Nigerian public.

He said: “But of course, bigger legacies will be that the orientation of Nigerians is such that they are free to say whatever they want to say about their government, about their leaders, and so on and so forth. And that we have really established ourselves as an administration, where people can say anything or everything about the President about the administration about members of National Assembly, they call us names. And this is part of the intangible dividends of democracy.

“But we are determined to ensure that the space is wide open for everybody to say whatever he wants to say. But I will advise that we don’t say things that are bad. And recently somebody said $10 million was given to the Speaker and the Senate President

to give to members of the National Assembly to pass 3% development fund; that is funny, but also very serious.

“I really want to take this opportunity to take exceptions to those kinds of unwarranted, unprovable false and fake information being fed to the Nigerian public. And the danger people will face with this is you cause unnecessary damage to the reputation of people.”

The Senate President also disclosed that security, party matters, 2022 budget, and governance issues dominated his meeting with President Buhari.

Lawan said the All Progressives Congress ( APC) is capable of registering 100 million members in the coming months saying “We are breaking new grounds we are getting and attracting more and more members very solid, high profile people from other political parties, especially the People’s Democratic Party, into the APC. And this is to show the confidence that Nigerians place in our party.

Comptroller General Nigeria Custom Services Col. Ahmid Ali rtd (left) exchanging pleasantry with the Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Finance James Faleke, during the interactive session on 2022- 2024 MediumTerm Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Niger business woman bags media awards in Suleja

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he management of the Orator Communications Limited, the publishers of the Orator weekly newspapers based in Niger State and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Saturday bestowed the two media awards on the director of Ini Abasi Restaurant and Bakery

Maje in Suleja local government, Mrs Mandu Edet Okon.

The two media awards tilted; “Ambassador of Progress” as well as “Icon and Humanitarian”.

Conferring the two media awards on Mrs Edet Okon, the Managing Editor of the Orator weekly newspapers, Mr Nasir Oseni, said Mrs Okon was honoured due to her outstanding

contributions in the society.

He told the gathering that the authority of the Orator Communications Limited did not honour a personality based on personal interest.

Oseni urged awardee of the day to continue to do good things for the less privileged ones in the society, pointing out that awards were conferred on Mrs Okon in

order to encourage her.

Responding, the recipient of the day, Mrs okon expressed Joy for the honour done to her, while thanking the Orator organisation for recognising her.

On her part, a police woman inspector residing in Maje, Regina Ogboli, said the two media awards conferred on Mrs Okon was a step in the right direction.

Ezewu gave the commendation in her office in Asaba while fielding questions from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigeria News Television Channel, Mr. Seun Akinde.

The commissioner stated that the administration had continued

to provide infrastructure in public secondary schools so as to make teaching and learning environment conducive since its inception in 2015.

Ezewu said that the initiative was geared towards addressing the issue of out of school children, adding that in a bid to ensure that

teachers were effectively trained in line with the modern trends, the Okowa Administration established the Teachers Professional Development Centre (TPDC) at Owa-Oyibu in Ika North East Local Government Area of the state.

While saying that 1000

fishponds, staff and farmers training sections. “ The centres are not only for the Fulani. Any resident of Yobe can go in and settle with his cattle, sheep and even goats. “ We are going to provide land and improved seeds to farmers for pasture development. “ With this, we are creating a symbiotic relationship in which a farmer can cultivate pasture and sell to herdsmen,” Madaki said.(NAN)

Buhari mourns Amb. Abubakar

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness and grief over the death of veteran diplomat, Ambassador Muhammad Dahiru Abubakar, his Senior Spacial Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu announced in a statement on Sunday.

Reacting to the passing of the Kano born diplomat on Sunday, President Buhari said, “the death of Dahiru comes as a shock to me because we lost him at a critical point when his vast and valuable experience, knowledge and wisdom were acutely needed by the country.”

According to President Buhari, “the former Ambassador to Argentina and China was a man of solid integrity, a reputation he kept unsoiled throughout his extensive public service career.”

“I’m proud of his untainted record of integrity and selfless service. He had never used public office for personal profits-a rare quality in a society where people are obsessed with the desire to amass wealth by any means,’’ President Buhari further extolled the virtues of the veteran diplomat.

The President prayed to Almighty God to forgive the gentle soul of the deceased and reward his good deeds with paradise, according to the statement.

He also extended condolences to the family and government of Kano State over what he called “this enormous loss of a great Nigerian.”

Ezewu comments Okowa’s devt. strides in education

By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

D

elta State Commissioner for Secondary Education, Mrs. Rose Ezewu, has applauded Governor Okowa Administration for its giant strides in repositioning the education sector in the state.

science teachers were employed and deployed to rural areas to impact on the grassroots, Mrs. Ezewu described the governor as a pragmatic, God fearing and focused leader who had the interest of Deltans at heart, irrespective of their ethnic background.

PAGE 15

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

Mark extols late General Tunji Olurin, says fine officer, gentleman has fallen

By Musa Baba Adamu

F

ormer President of the Senate, David Mark, has expressed deep sorrow over the death of his colleague and course mate, General Adetunji Idowu Olurin saying “I have lost a brother and Comrade in arms”.

Senator Mark stated that General Olurin was a dependable, reliable and extra ordinary officer who distinguished himself meritoriously in the service to man and country.

The former Senate helmsman ( David Mark) and General Olurin were members (course mates) of the 3rd Regular Course of the Nigeria Defence Academy ( NDA) between 1967 & 1970.

Reacting to the demise of General Olurin, Senator Mark lamented that a fine officer and a gentleman has fallen.

He described General Olurin as one of the best and fertile minds produced by the Nigerian Army saying “in all the commands and formations he served including Field Commander, Economic Community of West African Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) Peace Keeping Force in Liberia between 1992 and 1993 and other foreign services , Olurin left a legacy of excellence.

“He was patriotic Officer who believed in the sanctity of peace and unity of the country. He craved for an egalitarian society where justice, equity and fairness is the norm.

“I was looking forward to our (NDA Course 3 Alumni Association) Annual General Meeting (AGM) billed for Ado Ekiti, Ekiti state next month (September) only to be confronted with the news of his death. His departure at this time is sad and painful”.

Ex chairman, Secretary, five other Osun APC leaders arraigned for hooliganism

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he Caretaker Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Rasaq Salinsile and former Chairman of the party, Adelowo Adebiyi and five others have been arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court.

The other five persons arraigned include; former Commissioner for Works and Transports, Kazeem Salami, former Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Special Needs, Com. Biyi Odunlade, former Commissioner for Environment

and Sanitation, Hon Idowu Korede, one Alaba Popoola and Azeez Adekunle.

The suspects are leaders of a caucus group in the Osun chapter of the APC. Recall that some members of the APC on August 14 besieged the party secretariat to submit petitions as the party’s Ward Congress Appeal Committee resumed sitting at the Party’s Ogo-Oluwa premises in Osogbo.

But political thugs attacked members of the APC, outside the premises leading to the arrest of suspects.

The defendants were charged

for assault occasioning harm and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 and 355 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. Il laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.

According to the charge sheet, the defendants were on August 14, at about 1:30 pm at Ogo Oluwa, Osogbo, allegedly assaulted one Hamzat Lukman Babatunde by hitting him with stones on his head.

The stalwarts of APC were also charged for allegedly assaulting another person, Ajetumobi Muldeen, by hitting him with parts of broken plastic

chairs on his head, which caused him harm.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge labelled against them.

The defence counsels, N. A Adediran and Abdulfatai Abdulsalam, sought their bail.

Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara admitted the bail of the first two defendants with the sum of 5 million and one surety who must be a civil servant, while the 3rd to 7th defendants were admitted to bail in the sum of N5 million and self-recognition.

The case was adjourned till September 24 for mention.

Executive Director Inspiring Generation and Humanity Support Foundation (IGHUSUF) Africa Prince Darlington Peter Onwe (right), briefing House of Representatives press corps on a petition against the Ebonyi state Governor, at the National Assembly, yesterday in Abuja.

Hold PDP accountable over Nigeria’s challenges - PGF DG counters Jega

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he Director General of Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Salihu Lukman, has countered the immediate past Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, over his recent claims that the two major political parties in the country; All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have failed Nigerians.

In a statement issued yesterday by the DG of PGF, he said Jega, and Nigerians at large should rather hold the opposition PDP to

accounts over the current economic and security crisis ravaging the country, adding that for sixteen years the now opposition party was in power, it allowed insecurity to spread across the country.

“The evidence so far from PDP’s record of sixteen years in government is largely about litany of corruption and how problems of insecurity become widespread in the country. With respect to the problem of corruption, series of reports of investigation are there, which is not about anybody’s opinion.

“For instance, recall the House of Representatives investigation

on petroleum subsidy in 2012.

Under the Chairmanship of Hon. Faruk Lawan, the Committee reported that “contrary to official figure of subsidy payment of N1.3 Trillion, the Accountant-General of the Federation put forward a figure of N1.6 Trillion, the CBN N1.7 Trillion, while the Committee established subsidy payment of N2.587 Trillion as at December 2011, amounting to more than 900% over the appropriated sum of N245 Billion.

“The report also indicted the Accountant-General of the Federation because of payments in 2009, in equal instalments of N999

million for 128 times, totaling N127.872 billion.

“Also recall the claims and counterclaims of missing oil revenues in October 2013 when Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, as CBN Governor alleged that $49.8 billion from the sales of crude oil between January 2012 – July 2013 was missing from NNPC accounts. Following series of audits and reconciliation meetings involving NNPC, CBN and Ministry of Finance, the former CBN Governor reported the missing amount to be $20 billion while the former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-

Iweala reported $10.8 billion.

“On February 20, 2014, former President Goodluck Jonathan suspended Mallam Sanusi from office over allegations of financial misconduct. After the suspension of Mallam Sanusi as CBN Governor, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) confirmed that about $20 billion was missing.

“In 2012, there was the case of Police Pension Task Force, which was investigated by the Senate Joint Committee on Public Service and Establishment and State and Local Government Administration.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

PAGE 16

POLITICS

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

B

arely 24 hours after the All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders in Gombe Central Senatorial District met and passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for his political sagacity and magnanimity, traditional rulers in the zone also converged on Kumo, discussed and issued a 6- point communique, reiterating their unflinching support and loyalty to his administration’s efforts in uplifting the State to greater heights.

In a Communique read by the Lamido of Akko, HRH Alhaji Umar Atiku thus, the traditional rulers said “In furtherance to the pursuit of our collective desire as traditional rulers and custodians of our cultural heritage in

Gombe Central traditional rulers declare support, loyalty to Governor Inuwa

ensuring the overall maintenance of peace, unity, stability and progress of our respective communities, Gombe State and the nation as a whole; “We the Emirs alongside our District Heads of Gombe Central Senatorial District, having met, discussed and reviewed the current happenings in the state as they positively impact on the lives of our people under the leadership of our amiable Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, wish to state as follows: “We restate and re-affirm our unflinching loyalty to his administration’s efforts in

uplifting our state to greater heights. As traditional rulers, we shall continue to support the overall policies and programmes of the administration.

“We wish to acknowledge that for the first time in the history of the State, the State Government under the able leadership of His Excellency, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has directed and implemented an upward review of our remuneration and welfare.

“As traditional heads of our various communities who are closer to the grassroots, we must commend the state Governor

on the way and manner he handles the issue of security dispassionately, thus making our roles easier as peace is a necessary prerequisite for development.

“Equally, as traditional rulers and custodians of our culture, we deem it right to appeal to all our politicians to shun the politics of violence, thuggery, bitterness and divisive tendencies among the political class. On our part, we resolved to maintain our sacred integrity and image by being non-partisan.

“We further commend and appreciate Governor Inuwa

Yahaya’ s positive perfornmance and result-oriented policies that have direct bearing on our people in all sectors.

“We finally resolved to individually and collectively cultivate more areas of genuine co-operation and relationship amongst us and to explore avenues towards maintaining peaceful co-existence among our people, irrespective of tribe, religion or sect in line with the spirit of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s determination to provide good governance and leadership by example in the State.”

Osun 2022: Oyinlola tasks defecting APC members to Nigeria, Abia have lost two bring good change to PDP great women - Senator Abaribe A

By Musa Baba Adamu

By Musa Baba Adamu

S

enate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe on Monday bemoaned the death of two first Ladies, Victoria Aguiyi Ironsi and Adanma Okpara, saying Nigeria and Abia State in particular have lost two great women.

Senator Abaribe, in a statement released by his Media Adviser, Uchenna Awom in Abuja, said the death within a space of two days of Chief Mrs Ironsi, wife of first Nigeria Military Head of State, Late General Aguiyi Ironsi and Chief Mrs Okpara, wife of former Premier of Eastern Nigeria, Dr Michael Okpara, marks a sad end of glorious era.

Both women, Senator Abaribe said, represented the best and were true testament of the noble role of women in nation building and as moral conscience of society.

“Both women leaders lived out their roles as worthy pillars of support to their husbands, who played pivotal roles in the shaping of Nigeria as a nation at various times when they held sway as Head of State of Nigeria and Premier of Eastern Nigeria respectively.

“I’m happy they lived a robust and very active life of service that is worthy of emulation and of course both of them raised good families and highly successful children who are contributing very well in the development of our dear Country and State of Abia. We are very proud of them and will sorely miss them”, Senator Abaribe said.

He however condolled with their families, the government and people of Nigeria as well as the government and people of Abia State.

former governor of Osun State and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola has urged newly decamped members into the party to ensure their entrance brings positive changes in their ward, local government and the state as a whole.

The one time National Secretary of the PDP made this known during the official welcoming of decampees from the All

Progressives Congress (APC) into the PDP in Odo-Otin local government council area.

While urging them to contribute meaningfully to the party, the former Lagos State military administrator assured that the party in the state was not factionalised.

He also hinted that the PDP will soon take over Osun State by winning the gubernatorial election in 2022 and the presidential election in 2023.

Also receiving the former members of the APC into the PDP, another party

chieftain and Board Of Trustee member, Chief Shuaib Oyedokun, charged the decampees to work assiduously for the success of the party in the coming elections.

He also called on them to join hands and work with already existing members of the party.

Oyedokun, who urged PDP members not to discriminate against the new entrants into the party, also thanked all the decampees who are mostly from Ward 12 in Odo-Otin local government for choosing to join hands with the PDP in the State.

L-R: The Managing Director/Editorin-Chief of The Sun Newspaper, Mr Onuoha Ikeh presenting a letter confirming the Public Service Award bestowed on NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim in his office in Abuja .

APGA mourns late Michael Okpara’s wife, Adanma

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he National Chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Ozonkpu Victor Ike Oye, has extolled the virtues of the late Lady Adanma Okpara, the wife of the former Premier of Eastern Nigeria, Michael Iheonukara Okpara.

Recall that Lady Adanma Okpara, who hailed from Afugiri Ohuhu clan in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State, died at 97.

In a press release signed by the National Publicity Secretary of APGA, Barrister Tex Okechukwu, on Monday, Oye described Mrs. Okpara as the brain behind all the

accomplishments of her husband whose political prowess and attainments “are still celebrated many years after his death.”

The APGA national chairman said that Abia State and, indeed, the entire country had lost a rare gem whose contributions to the development of women were remarkable and, without doubt,

indelible.

He expressed optimism that the legacy of truth, altruism and doggedness bequeathed to his generation by Mrs. Okpara would never die.

Oye prayed to God to grant her soul eternal peace, and fortitude to all those left behind to mourn her demise, the fortitude to bear the huge loss.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

PAGE 17

POLITICS

Osun APC cautions PDP against intruding in internal party affairs

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has cautioned the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against interfering in its (APC) internal party affairs, saying the PDP has nothing meaningful to contribute to the political development of the state.

In a statement issued yesterday by the Party’s Directorate of Publicity, Research and Strategy and signed by its Director, Barr Kunle Oyatomi, in Osogbo, the ruling party accused PDP of dishing out malicious statements capable of destabilizing the state.

The spokesman reminded people of the State that the PDP had a terrible antecedent and record of violence, killings and maiming, to the extent that Osun people could not sleep with their two eyes closed.

The Party also condemned “the petty and empty statement” credited to one Ayodeji Areola of the PDP that “the Police should close down the APC state Secretariat to avoid further loss of lives”.

The party described Areola as an ignorant figure who knows next to nothing about the political development of Osun, except white lies he is being fed by the expired leaders of the dying party.

APC also urged the Security agents to invite PDP leaders, especially Areola, to name the

I’m still in Ekiti governorship race – Ajijola

A

Governorship aspirant on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Hon. Lateef Ajijola, has dismissed the rumour going round that he has stepped down from the governorship race.

In a statement in Ado-Ekiti through his media team, the governorship aspirant said he was still in the race and had at no time bowed out.

Hon. Ajijola explained that the rumour was being spread by those against his ambition and saw him as a heavyweight in the contest.

The PDP governorship aspirant called on his teeming supporters not to give the rumour going round that he has stepped down any serious attention.

person who lost his or her life at the APC state secretariat or face the law if they cannot substantiate their claims.

The APC urged the PDP in Osun State to face its business and put its scattered house in order rather than delving into issues that does not concern it “What we are experiencing in the ruling APC in Osun is just an intraparty/family issue and will

be amicably settled by elders and leaders of the party in no distant time”, Oyatomi said.

Enwang who is a member of the Board of Trustees of the APC said this in Uyo at the inauguration of the Akwa Ibom State and local chapters of the Progressives Patriots Initiative (PPl), an offshoot of Buhari’s friends’ Organisation- a pressure group within APC.

Enwang urged members not to be deterred by the current crisis, as the party is building structures that would sweep off PDP in the 2023 polls.

He said, “no matter what is happening in the party, it will be well, I say, it will be well. There is nothing that happens now in the party that will be new. It’s a normal thing to have issues in a party.

“We must keep APC in form, APC must take over the leadership of Akwa Ibom State.

We are building our structure and I know it shall be well.”

He also condemned the actions of some leaders of the party at the just concluded ward congresses in the state describing it as ‘overbearing and undemocratic.’

From Left: Vice President Lekki Muslim Ummah (LEMU), Dr Abdul Ganiyu Labinjo; President Dr Kamoru Omotoso; Chairman Zakat and Sadaqah Committee; Alhaji Olalekan Saliu; beneficiary, Jimoh Abdul Kabir and Chairman Welfare Committee (LEMU), Alhaji Salaudeen Sonibare, during the Lekki Muslims Ummah annual Zakat distribution in Lagos on Monday (23/8/21).

2023: Producing next governor our priority – Niger PDP

By Musa Baba Adamu

T

he Niger State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said the only task ahead of it for the 2023 elections is to regain leadership of the state.

Barrister Tanko Beji stated this while presenting his acceptance speech after being declared state Chairman in the Saturday state congress by the Deputy Governor of Benue State and Chairman Congress Committee, Engr.

Benson Abounu, at the party secretariat in Minna, the Niger State capital.

He insisted that anything short of victory is not acceptable.

Abounu had in the early hours of Sunday declared Beji

as the winner of the contest and returned for a second term.

In the election of a total of 2305 delegates accredited, Tanko polled 2092 votes to beat his opponent, Engr. Ahmed Muktar, who got only two votes, as eight votes were null and void.

The newly elected state Chairman explained that against this backdrop, party faithful must work together assiduously to achieve the task ahead of the party as there is no time to waste.

“This is my second coming, and we told party faithfuls across the state during our electioneering campaign that, if elected, we will work assiduously in the interest of the party” “We have one task ahead of us

and the task is to regain leadership of Niger state. Anything short of that is not acceptable. So we must work together to ensure we get back the government of Niger State. We will change the narratives, we are going to work together for the success of the party,” he said.

Beji revealed that members who put in their time and resources for the progress of the party in the state would be rewarded adequately, saying,”on the other hand, if you betray the party, disciplinary actions will be taken against you.”

He expressed the readiness of the party executives to work to the best of their ability and even engage those that lost in the

election in order to move the party forward. ”We will work for you with the fear of God and to the best of our ability. We will be talking to the people, particularly those who contested with us, but God decided to give us the opportunity not, because of our power not, because of our strength. We shall not exhaust our limit, we will ensure that those who need to be talked to are talked to, so that together we can move our party forward,” the chairman stated.

He thanked the National Working Committee for deeming it convenient to order the election as well as all the executives that traveled to Minna to witness the congress.

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

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PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

PAGE 19

NCC boss lists gains of Digital Literacy in Nigeria

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof.

Umar Garba Danbatta, has identified major benefits in promoting digital literacy in the country.

Delivering the first Annual Lecture of the Bichi Emirate titled, “Digital Literacy as a Veritable Tool for Social and Economic Transformation” in Bichi, Kano State, over the weekend, Danbatta challenged actors in both public and private sectors to key into the programme.

TheFact Nigeria reports that Digital literacy refers to an individual’s ability to find, evaluate, and clearly communicate information through the various digital platforms.

However, Danbatta noted that digital literacy provides the confidence required by individual citizens to utilise digital contents and tools, adding that it also helps citizens to effectively collaborate in creating digital content and becoming innovative problemsolvers within their socioeconomic ecosystem.

The EVC pointed out that technological changes have now assumed an unprecedented dimension in pace, scope and depth of impact, emphasizing that harnessing the progress is the surest path for Nigeria in her quest for economic diversification, especially the elevation of 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.

“The policy thrust of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in this direction is encapsulated in three key policy documents, namely: Nigeria National Broadband Plan (NNBP) 2020-2025; the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) 2010-2030; and, the National Policy on Promotion of Indigenous Content in the Nigerian telecommunications sector, ” Danbatta pointed out.

He said one of the underlying goals of the three policies was the development of the Nigerian

economy through digital technology enhancement and increased contribution of the telecom sector to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

In demonstration of its recognition of the importance of digital literacy, Danbatta said that the NCC has, over the years, implemented various programmes to support adoption and application of digital skills in Nigeria.

The programmes, according to him, not only provide the necessary digital tools but also support the provision of digital infrastructure, training, connectivity and other incentives to facilitate the development of digital literacy skills.

Through its Projects Department and the Universal

Services Provision Fund (USPF), Danbatta observed that the NCC has been providing interventions such as the School Knowledge Centres (SKC), Wireless Cloud and Base Transceiver Stations (BTS), among others, across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

Speaking specifically on NCC’s interventions in Bichi Emirate, Danbatta said that, of the eight local government areas that constitute the Emirate, the Commission has, through the USPF, identified about 1,900 square kilometers of land, populated by 462,222 individuals as unserved.

“In order to cover that gap, the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) have installed 212 BTS of which 112 are Second Generation (2G)-compliant, 73 are Third Generation (3G) networks and 27

are Fourth Generation/Long Term Evolution (4G/LTE) technology, with all providing broadband connectivity which is the bedrock of digital literacy.

“The USPF has also provided interventions to secondary schools, tertiary institutions and hospitals in the emirate via its SKC, Tertiary Institutions Knowledge Centre as well as E-health initiatives; a total of seven of such projects have, so far, been executed since 2015 on my assumption as the EVC,” he explained.

Speaking further the NCC boss also harped on the Commission’s seven interventions under the Advanced Digital Awareness Programme among others, stressing that all the interventions are in line with NCC’s equitable distribution of projects across all

geo-political zones in the country.

In recognition of the need to continue to foster the rapid development and growth of the Nigerian telecommunications marketplace and digital economy, the Commission established the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) in May 2004.

He noted, however, that since its creation, the Institute has grown to have six campuses, one in each geo-political zone.

These campuses, which are in Abuja, Kano, Lagos, Asaba and Yola have some of the best training facilities and faculties in the country and have provided various training to individuals and corporate organisations, thereby making the Institute an invaluable institution to digital literacy in Nigeria.

Hon. Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu (middle), Vice-Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof. Charles Esimone (3rd right), and Guest Speaker Prof. Uche Amazigo (2nd left), President, Nigeria Academy of Science Prof. Eka Braide (3rd left), Director-General National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) Dr. Obi Adigwe (right) and other Members in a group photograph at the Unveiling of Top Social Innovations on Health, yesterday in Abuja.

AEDC to appeal court judgement over power disconnection

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Management of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has vowed to appeal the conviction of one of its employees by a Magistrate Court sitting in

Lokoja, Kogi State capital.

This was disclosed in a statement by the General Manager, Corporate Communications, AEDC, Oyebode Fadipe.

The company said, its attention was drawn to a “media

report of the conviction of one of its employees by a Magistrate Court sitting in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital for what the Court described as unlawful disconnection of a customer of AED Plc. The judgment was delivered on 12th August, 2021.

“AED Plc is dissatisfied with the judgment of the Magistrate Court and has therefore instructed its lawyers to appeal the decision of the Court as a reflection of her posiiton, which is contrary to the judgment of the Court.

“The Management of AED Plc hereby assures its esteemed customers and stakeholders of its commitment to the obedience of the laws and regulations that are relevant to its operations in the NESI”, the statement said.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

PAGE 20

BU$IN€SS

Rivers Judgment: Pay your VAT to us, avoid penalties - FIRS warns

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Federal Inland Revenue Service(FIRS) has told taxpayers in the country to continue to pay their Value Added Tax (VAT) to the FIRS in order to avoid facing penalties for failing to do so.

The FIRS issued the directive following numerous enquiries to the Service in view of a recent judgment obtained by the Rivers State Government at the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, which ruled that states, and not the Federal Government, are constitutionally empowered to collect VAT. TheFact Nigeria reports that the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, on Thursday, signed into law a bill which authorises the Rivers State Government to henceforth collect Value Added Tax (VAT) in the state, following the recent judgement of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt.

However, in a statement entitled, “Rivers Judgment: FIRS Urges Taxpayers to Continue to Pay VAT”, the FIRS disclosed that since the Service has already appealed the Rivers judgment in which appeal it is seeking a stay of execution order, the status quo ante subsists on the VAT collection authority, hence taxpayers should continue to pay their VAT to the FIRS. The FIRS statement reads in

full: “The attention of the Federal Inland Revenue Service(FIRS) has been drawn to the trending report that, on 19/08/2021, the Government of Rivers State took steps to enact a Value Added Tax Law for Rivers State following the Judgment of the Federal High Court Port Harcourt Division on 9th August 2021 in Suit No:

CS/149/2020. The suit was about who has the constitutional duty for the collection of VAT and Personal income tax in Rivers State.

“We wish to inform the general public that, before the abovementioned steps taken by the Government of Rivers State, FIRS had lodged an appeal against the above judgment and had also filed

an application for stay of execution of the Judgment as well asking the Court for an injunction pending determination of the appeal.

“All parties to the suit are aware that both applications were heard on the 19th and 20th August 2021 and are awaiting the decision of the Court.

“Given that the Court of Appeal

is yet to rule on the Appeal from the Judgement of Federal High Court and that the Federal High Court is yet to deliver a ruling on FIRS’s applications for stay of execution and injunction, members of the public are advised to continue to comply with their Value Added Tax obligations until the matter is resolved by the appellate courts.”

NYSC Director-General Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim presenting some copies of NYSC news Journal to the Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital Ibadan, Prof.

Abiodun Otegbayo during the commissioning and handing-over of a newly built health centre by the Federal Government to NYSC Management inside Oyo State Orientation Camp in Iseyin

LG HVAC virtual experience showcases Company’s latest solutions, ‘whenever, wherever’

By Etuka Sunday

L

G Electronics (LG) is launching the LG HVAC Virtual Experience, a new, interactive online showroom that gives visitors the opportunity to browse and learn all about its extensive portfolio of first-class HVAC solutions, anywhere, anytime. Helping customers to make better decisions for their families or valued employees, the intuitive, online space makes it possible to view the company’s latest solutions in a variety of virtual environments and discover their many benefits, such as greater comfort, improved indoor air quality and seamless control.

Upon entering the LG HVAC Virtual Experience, visitors can choose from several business and living space categories: Residential Apartment, Residential Villa, Office General, Office High-Rise, Retail and Hotel. Customers can then

freely roam their selected 3D environment using just a mouse or touchscreen device, clicking on straightforward menus as they go to reach additional information like specifications, features, product videos and case studies for each model.

Simple to use and navigate, LG’s new virtual platform is a great tool for consumers, industry professionals and partners looking to create healthier and more comfortable indoor spaces.

What’s more, the virtual showroom allows visitors to see the behind-the-scenes details and technologies. By pressing the on-screen Airflow and Piping buttons, visitors can uncover how air travels in an air conditioner or air purifier and how pipes direct water and refrigerant through a system.

They can even virtually switch operational modes and observe how airflow changes from one air conditioner to another.

Beyond the technology and science, the showroom is a great place to check out all the products’ stylish designs to see how they match various virtual interiors.

LG HVAC Virtual Experience is an engaging online resource that can give visitors a thorough understanding of the company’s latest, optimized HVAC solutions for different kinds of spaces, helping them figure out which products are best suited to their specific needs. The showroom also demonstrates LG’s commitment to ensuring a sustainable future, highlighting innovative LG technologies, such as the energy-efficient R1 Compressor, and the company’s early adoption of the ecofriendly R32 refrigerant.

LG has been providing its highly efficient and environmentally responsible HVAC products for many years, and continues to satisfy customers across the world with

its advanced, eco-conscious solutions for residential and commercial use. Anyone wanting to discover the company’s latest indoor environmental comfort technologies can visit LG Virtual HVAC Experience on a PC or smartphone.

“The LG Virtual HVAC Experience delivers a compelling way to experience our latest solutions, whenever

and wherever you choose,” said James Lee, a Head of Air Solution Business Unit at LG Electronics Home Appliance & Air Solution Company. “We will continue to work tirelessly to create HVAC products that not only make homes and businesses more comfortable, but are better for users, the environment, and the future of our planet.”

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

METRO

PAGE 21

Encroachment: FCTA bemoans return of ‘umbrella’ markets in Mpape

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has bemoaned return of umbrella markets along the recently reclaimed encroached major access road, in Mpape community, in Bwari Area Council of the Territory.

The Chairman FCTA Ministerial Taskforce on City Sanitation, Comrade Ikharo Attah, made this assertion during an evaluation visit to the area, at the weekend.

However, the development is coming on the heels of just a few days break of demolition of illegal structures, obstructing vehicular and traffic in the area.

Condemning the development,

Attah reminded residents of the area that the ongoing demolition of illegal structures was work in progress, as the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, had mandated the taskforce to ensure total clean up of Mpape.

Attah cautioned that anybody that would embark on any construction or adjustment work must wait until the operation was over.

He added that whoever was developing any project in Mpape must go to the FCT Department of Development Control to certify the work and get approval before proceeding.

He reiterated that no illegal development and structure would be tolerated because Mpape was a theater of clean up operation.

According to him; “We carried out major clean up of shanties and illegal structure, two weeks ago from the very heart of over densely populated Mpape community. “ We have not gotten to 25 per cent of the total clean up operation we are supposed to do but sadly, while we spend the whole of last week doing evaluation of the entirety of the work done across the city as well as going on surveillance inspections. “ I can tell you what we saw at Mpape was not looking good at all.

Some person assumed that we are not going to resume demolition, some even carry rumours that the taskforce has been disbanded by the FCT Minister. “ If you look at Mpape now the

enormity of illegality that is coming up there are multidimensional. The mobile shanties and massive return of umbrella or canopy markets, particularly in the evening is not good at all.”

Attah said the the taskforce would continue to remove all illegality in area, adding that the operation would touch Bedger Quarry and Panteka market by the roadside which was very disturbing. “ Sadly, they brought back all secondhand building materials to the road but we are going to push them back very strongly. “ To be very candid we have not even properly dress the set back we took and have not look at the old market because that particular one is

an eye saw. “ What we saw within the week particularly this weekend shows that it is a bad bleeding points. “ And we spoke to the Bwari Area Council that the market it is a bad bleeding points with no entry point at all. It is very disturbing and with all of this there is still much work to be done. “ Mpape is just beginning and we are not going to issue special notice again like we did in the past. It is an ongoing operation so there is no need for new notice. “ We told people to vacate but many of them refused and even those that we removed their shanties have fully return trying to do whatever they can do,” he stressed.

NAPTAN refutes alleged imposition of N1,500 levy on students

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), FCT Chapter, has refuted alleged collection of illegal N1,500 fees imposed on Secondary School Students in the Territory.

Malam Audi Usman, the Secretary, NAPTAN, FCT Chapter, made the denial at a news conference in Abuja.

Usman said that the allegation was not only false assumption but utterly misleading in the public space.

“Hence the need to address the issue and put the record straight by taking a stand against the development.

“Contrary to the unfortunate speculation, N1,500 project fee collection is not an illegal fee as it is in accordance to the approval of the FCT Executives Council for the execution of projects.

“The projects is aim at enhancing the schools facilities system, thereby ensuring efficient and conducive learning environment with results oriented academic performance of students.”

He disclosed that parents have agreed to pay the money for the overall benefits of the leaning and teaching system as well as their wards.

Usman said that the FCT Executives Council meeting of NAPTAN gave the mandate for the approval of the project in line with various projects in secondary schools.

He added that approval letter of the project was formally copied the authority of the FCT Secondary Education Board in order to keep

them abreast of the various projects the PTA would be executing in schools under their management. “ Also, we copied the Association of Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), which is the umbrella body for all principals of secondary schools in the FCT.

“We copied same letters to Secondary Education Board PTA Chairmen in the FCT. So the issue of fees collected for this project is not illegal at all,” Usman said.

The secretary, therefore, restates the commitment of NAPTAN FCT Chapter to complement government enormous efforts in ensuring education was for all and the

responsibility of all.

He appealed to members of the association to always make it a priority to attend PTA meeting when called in their wards schools.

“It is a duty they owe themselves and their wards so that they can participate actively and contribute meaningfully in any decisions taken in such meetings.”

L-R: Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, one of the beneficiary of N- Power Batch C!, Ugochi Nze and the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, Mrs Mariam Katagunm during the Flag-off event for the commencement of N-Power Batch C1, held yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Olusade harps on prioritising youth engagement to bolster sustainable dev’t

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA ) Permanent Secretary, Adesola Olusade has identified prioritization of youth engagement as one of the vital propellers to achieve sustainable development.

Olusade noted that when the youth

are effectively carried along in all sphere of affairs, restiveness and other vices that destroy values will be reduced to the barest minimum, if not completely eradicated.

The Permanent Secretary while making this assertion recently in Abuja, when some members of the Nigerian Youth Parliament led by the minority Leader, Hon. Daniel Uwadia visited him,

added that most of the challenges plaguing the country was as a result of long neglect of the youths by successive government and other critical stakeholders.

According to him, the youth were veritable assets to every nation, and the roles they play was key to economic development and growth.

“From my days in the Ministry of Youth

and Sports I have come to the conclusion that youths are very key and strategic to the development of every society and nation.

“The youth have bern very resourceful to men and the ministry as well. Even here at the FCTA the youths remain very strategic to the development of the FCT”, he stated.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

PAGE 22

world news

international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

Pfizer becomes first Covid vaccine to gain full FDA approval

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fizer’s two-dose Covid-19 vaccine has received full approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the first jab to be licensed in the nation.

The vaccine had initially been given emergency use authorisation. Its two jabs, three weeks apart, are now fully approved for those aged 16 and older.

The approval is expected to set off more vaccine mandates by employers and organisations across the country.

It comes amid lingering vaccine hesitancy among many Americans.

In a statement, the FDA said its review for approval included data from approximately 44,000 people. The vaccine, which will now be marketed as Comirnaty, was found to be 91% effective in preventing Covid disease.

Acting FDA commissioner Janet Woodcock said that the public “can be very confident” the vaccine meets high safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality standards.

It still has emergency use authorisation for children aged 12 to 15.

The jabs are being provided at no cost to Americans.

The FDA initially gave Pfizer temporary authorisation - a clearance given if the agency determines the benefits of a product outweigh potential risks during a public health emergency.

This full approval is essentially permanent. The licensing process requires companies to provide the FDA with information on how and where the product

One picture showed Afghans crowding behind barbed wire near the airfield

is made, as well as other clinical testing data.

Critics had been calling on the FDA to speed up this approval process as the nation struggled with dropping vaccination rates earlier this year. The spread of the contagious Delta variant has already given some hardhit regions a bump in vaccination rates in recent weeks. Do Americans think this will change minds?

• Folks who don’t want the vaccine are going to convince themselves not to get it one way or another, which is why the Biden administration has to be as consistent as possible with their mandates and information. - Greg Samuel, 33, Washington

DC

• Maybe 50% of people who haven’t been vaccinated have said they’d prefer an FDA approval. So with the approval, what’s the excuse? I’m hopeful the seal of approval will give them confidence. I’m optimistic, but I don’t think it’s going to change too much. Dr Mireya Wessolossky, 58, Massachusetts • I would still like to see how it affects people in the next few years before getting vaccinated. This vaccine has only been out for less than a year. - Jenson Bland, 21, Georgia While the agency took steps to increase staff and resources, it had previously said it

would take six months to get the required data.

The approval ultimately came less than four months after Pfizer-BioNTech filed for licensing in early May - the fastest vaccine approval in the FDA’s more than 100 year history.

Polling data released at the end of June by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that about 30% of unvaccinated American results said they would be more likely to get a vaccine if it received full FDA approval. The number rises to nearly 50% among Americans taking a “wait and see” approach to vaccines.

In a televised address on Monday, President Biden spoke directly to the “millions” of Americans he said were waiting for full and final FDA approval.

“The moment you’ve been waiting for is here,” he said. “It’s time for you to go get your vaccination. Get it today.”

Additionally, Mr Biden called on private sector companies and nonprofits to require employees to get vaccinated or “face strict requirements”.

Companies, healthcare systems, universities and other organisations are now expected to announce vaccine requirements as the country embarks on a return to normalcy. The US military has also said the vaccine will become mandatory for 1.3 million active-duty troops upon FDA approval.

To date, more than 92 million vaccinated Americans - more than half of the total - have received the Pfizer vaccine.

Anti-Taliban resistance group says it has thousands of fighters

A

n anti-Taliban resistance group in Afghanistan says it has thousands of people ready to fight.

Ali Nazary, head of foreign relations for the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF), told the BBC they want to pursue peaceful negotiations.

But, he added, “if this fails... then we’re not going to accept any sort of aggression”.

Meanwhile, the Taliban say they have surrounded the group’s Panjshir valley stronghold and put them under siege.

Resistance figures have also said the Taliban are now advancing in the region, northeast of the capital Kabul.

Amrullah Saleh, who was vice-president in the government ousted by the Taliban and is now based in Panjshir, tweeted that the Taliban had massed forces near the entrance to the valley.

The Panjshir region - in particular the Panjshir Valley - is famous for having successfully fought off invasions, including from Soviet forces during the Soviet-Afghan war from 1979 to 1989, and the Taliban in the 1990s.

Now, the region is still under the control of the NRF, which was founded by Ahmad Massoud - the son of Afghan resistance hero Ahmad Shah Massoud.

Ahmad Massoud, the son of resistance icon Ahmad Shah Massoud, founded the

The NRF says it wants to pursue peaceful negotiations before fighting NRF Ahmad Shah Massoud was a powerful guerrilla commander who led the resistance against the USSR, and then went on to lead the Afghan government’s military wing against rival militias in the 1990s. After the Taliban gained control, he was the main opposition commander against their rule, until his assassination in 2001.

Mr Nazary told BBC Radio 4’s Today

programme that Panjshir had had a recent influx of local resistance forces from across the country, who have joined fighters they had already trained locally.

He said the group had “thousands of forces ready for the resistance” - although the BBC has not independently verified this claim.

“However, we prefer to pursue peace and negotiations before any sort of war and

conflict,” the spokesman added.

The NRF’s ultimate goal is a decentralised form of governance in the country.

“The NRF believes that for lasting peace we have to address the underlying problems in Afghanistan,” he continued. “Afghanistan is a country made up of ethnic minorities, no one is a majority. It’s a multicultural state, so it needs power sharing - a power-sharing deal where everyone sees themselves in power.”

Having one group dominating politics will lead to “internal warfare and the continuation of the current conflict,” he said.

“We prefer peace, we prioritise peace and negotiations,” Mr Nazary added. “If this fails - if we see that the other side is not sincere, if we see that the other side is trying to force itself on the rest of the country - then we’re not going to accept any sort of aggression.

“And we’ve proven ourselves, our track record in the past [40 years] has shown that no-one is able to conquer our region, especially the Panjshir Valley.

“The Red Army, with its might, was unable to defeat us... I don’t think any force right now in Afghanistan has the might of the Red Army. And the Taliban also 25 years ago... they tried to take over the valley and they failed, they faced a crushing defeat.”

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

PAGE 23

N e w s F r o m A S I A Mozambique ‘tuna bond’ scandal: Ex-President Guebuza’s son on trial

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he son of Mozambique’s ex-president and 18 others have gone on trial over the $2bn (£1.5bn) “tuna bonds”

affair.

Ndambi Guebuza, son of former President Armando Guebuza, and the others face charges of blackmail, embezzlement and money laundering.

They have not yet commented on the charges.

Mozambique’s biggest corruption scandal led donors including the IMF to cut funding for the country and the economy to collapse.

The trial is being held in a large canvas tent in the grounds of a maximum-security prison in the outskirts of the capital, Maputo.

The city’s courtrooms were deemed too small for the scores of lawyers, 70 witnesses and 250 media workers who have been accredited to attend.

In the opening court session, the judge said all the accused must attend court in prison uniform.

Although Mr Guebuza is no longer in office, his Frelimo party remains in power, as it has been since independence in 1975.

How did the scandal happen?

Between 2013-2014, three newly established companies took on $2.2bn of debt, much of it without the knowledge or approval of the country’s parliament.

Auditors reportedly discovered $500 million of the money was missing.

The Mozambican government stood as guarantor of the loans, meaning the state would repay them if things went wrong.

The money was allegedly used to buy a large tuna factory and a maritime security fleet, as well as to finance other deals involving companies in which the state is a leading shareholder.

In 2016, the government swapped some of the debt for a conventional bond, issued by the state. Soon afterwards, it admitted the full scale of the borrowing, triggering an economic crisis in Mozambique.

The country’s currency lost a third of its value, inflation surged and foreign donors pulled out.

Richard Messick, who writes the Global Anti-Corruption Blog, told the BBC’s Newsday programme: “The law of Mozambique says that when the executive takes out a loan, it’s got to tell the parliament. It’s quite clear.”

He says that as a result of the deals, “a couple of million people were thrown into poverty” and “several billion dollars [was] knocked off economic growth”.

The loans were issued by Credit Suisse and the Russian bank VTB to three Mozambican companies: Proindicus, Ematum (Mozambique Tuna Company) and MAM (Mozambique Asset Management).

Three former Credit Suisse bankers have pleaded guilty to US charges of money-laundering over the case.

Mozambique is suing Credit Suisse in a London court, asking for some of the loans to be nullified and also seeking compensation.

Credit Suisse has issued a counter-claim in the UK courts against Mozambique and

One of the loans was for Mozambique’s tuna industry has previously said the former employees acted without the company’s knowledge.

Who else has been accused?

Among the other accused are Gregorio Leao, head of the Security and Intelligence Service (SISE) under Mr Guebuza, and Antonio do Rosario, who became chairperson of all three companies.

One notable absentee from the trial is former Finance Minister Manuel Chang.

He has been under detention in South

Africa since December 2018, in response to an arrest warrant issued by authorities in the United States, on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, securities fraud and money laundering.

The South African authorities have just agreed to extradite him to Mozambique, rather than the US, the Reuters news agency reports.

He denies any wrongdoing.

Hotel Rwanda trial: Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan criticised over female footballers comments anzania’s president has been humiliation to all women,” said Catherine Belgian lawyer condemned for describing the Ruge, head of the women’s wing of the country’s female footballers as having opposition Chadema party and a former MP. deported Henry Ngogo: Isn’t this equal to saying “flat chests” and being unattractive for

T

Rwandan authorities have deported a Belgian lawyer representing Paul Rusesabagina - an ex-hotelier whose story inspired the film Hotel Rwanda, based on the country’s 1994 genocide.

Officials said that Vincent Lurquin was deported on Saturday for working without a permit.

Earlier he’d appeared in court to represent Mr Rusesabagina, who is accused of nine terrorism-related charges, including forming and funding an armed rebel group.

Mr Lurquin is Mr Rusesabagina’s lawyer in Belgium and has not been defending him during the trial, reports the AFP news agency.

He has not commented on his deportation.

Regis Gatarayiha, Rwanda’s director general of immigration, told Reuters news agency that Mr Lurquin was in the country on a visitor’s visa, and had not been accredited by the Rwandan Bar Association.

Mr Rusesabagina, 66, became famous after Don Cheadle played him in the 2004 film Hotel Rwanda, which depicts his efforts to save hundreds of people from being murdered during the 1994 genocide.

He left Rwanda in 1996 and sought asylum in Belgium, and later the US. While living in exile, he became the leader of Rwanda’s opposition MRCD group. It has an armed wing, the FLN, which stages attacks in Rwanda.

Mr Rusesabagina has denied the charges against him, and has accused the government of kidnapping him and bringing him back to Rwanda.

The authorities say he was arrested under an international warrant.

marriage.

Samia Suluhu Hassan made the remarks while hosting Tanzania’s Under-23 men’s football team at State House in the coastal city of Dar es Salaam.

The 61-year-old is Tanzania’s first female head of state.

She recently told the BBC some people doubted whether she should become president because of her gender.

“Even some of my government workers dismissed me at first as just another woman, but they soon accepted my leadership,” Ms Samia said.

Her latest comments have been widely condemned.

“The comment by president @ SuluhuSamia on women footballers is a

life is meaningless without marriage?

The BBC has approached Tanzania’s football authorities for comment.

Mrs Samia said that while female footballers were making the East African country proud by winning trophies, some did not stand a chance of getting married because of the way they looked.

“If we bring them here and line them up, for those with flat chests, you might think they are men - not women,” she said.

She said while some sportswomen were married, most of them were not, “and for the way they are, a life of marriage… is a just a dream”.

Elsewhere in her speech, she said that sportspeople had tough lives after their careers and asked the authorities to ensure

President Samia Suluhu Hassan rose to power in March they were looked after in retirement.

She noted that it was particularly hard for women “where their legs are tired, when they have retired from the sport”.

Morocco prepares Covid vaccine programme for youths

M

orocco is preparing to launch a Covid-19 vaccination campaign for those aged 12-17, according to local

media.

Said Afif, a member of the health ministry’s scientific committee, told Morocco World News that various government ministries were

working on the vaccine scheme for students.

The country has succeeded in a rapid roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine, and has administered the highest number of vaccines of any African country by a significant margin.

Currently almost half the population of 36.5 million people have received one dose of

the vaccine, while 12 million have been fully jabbed, according to the health ministry.

Morocco’s success has been attributed to its early acquisition of vaccine deals, its effective deployment of healthcare staff, and the government’s communications strategy with Moroccans.

SA to extradite former Mozambique finance minister

S

outh Africa has announced that it will extradite former Mozambican Finance Minister Manuel Chang to Mozambique, according to Reuters news agency.

It comes two years after Mr Chang was

arrested in Johannesburg over his alleged role in Mozambique’s $2bn (£1.5bn) debt scandal.

He’s been in custody since 2018, while the government debated whether to send him back to Mozambique or to the US,

where he is also facing charges for his part in the scandal.

In Mozambique, Mr Chang is charged with embezzlement and money laundering, among other crimes. He denies any wrongdoing.

PAGE 24

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e w s

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r o m

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China completes phased goals of battle for pollution prevention and control

By Wan Yu, People’s Daily

C

hina has overfulfilled the nine ecoenvironmental binding indicators outlined in its 13th Five-Year Plan and the phased goals of the battle for pollution prevention and control, Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu told a press conference on Aug. 18.

Across-the-board improvements have been achieved in China’s ecoenvironment, the minister added.

Chinese cities at and above the prefecture level enjoyed good air quality on 87 percent of days in 2020, 5.8 percentage points higher than that in 2015, and 2.5 percentage points higher than the target set in the 13th Five-Year Plan.

In these cities, the average concentration of PM2.5 dropped to 37 micrograms per cubic meter, down by 28.8 percent from 2015, and surpassing the goal in the 13th Five-Year Plan by 10.8 percentage points.

The proportion of surface water with fairly good quality increased from 66 percent in 2015 to 83.4 percent in 2020, exceeding the target set in the 13th Five-Year Plan by 13.4 percentage points, while the proportion of surface water below Grade V, the lowest level, decreased from 9.7 percent in 2015 to 0.6 percent in 2020, 4.4 percentage points lower than what’s required in the 13th Five-Year Plan.

Over 90 percent of the polluted farmland can be utilized safely and over 90 percent of the contaminated land is able to be used safely as required by the 13th Five-Year Plan.

In 2020, 23.04 percent of China’s territory was covered by forests, and national nature reserves and natural protected areas with various functions and types accounted for 18 percent of the country’s land mass.

On top of that, carbon dioxide emission per unit of GDP reduced by 18.8 percent compared with that in 2015, achieving the 13th Five-Year Plan goal.

Huang said 89.5 percent of Chinese citizens were satisfied with China’s ecoenvironment in 2020, up 10.7 percentage points compared with that in 2017, according to a survey conducted by the

Photo taken on July 23, 2021 shows Pojiao village, Qifeng neighborhood, Anlong county, Qianxinan Buyei and Miao autonomous prefecture in southwest China’s Guizhou province. (Photo by Liu Zhaofu/People’s Daily Online)

National Bureau of Statistics. It indicated strong public recognition of the phased achievements of the battle for pollution prevention and control, he added.

China’s eco-environment kept getting better in the first half of 2021. The average concentration of PM2.5 went down by 2.9 percent from a year ago, and the proportion of excellent surface water was up 1.1 percentage points year on year.

China started barring all solid waste imports at the end of 2020 as scheduled, and won broad admiration both at home and abroad, said Huang, adding that the time when China was like a dumping site for developed countries has gone forever.

According to him, China’s imports of solid waste dropped from 42.27 million metric tons in 2017 to 8.79 million metric

tons last year, and were completely banned starting from the very first day of 2021.

The country launched a special law enforcement campaign to fight illegal imports of solid waste. From 2017 to 2020, it made over 2,300 inspections into relevant enterprises and ordered more than 1,100 punishments. Besides, to overhaul the waste plastic processing and other relevant industries, the country has straightened out 194 distribution centers and shut down over 8,800 small, poorly-managed, and heavily-polluting enterprises.

While banning the imports of foreign waste, the Chinese government has been working to improve the country’s recycling system of solid waste. It

supported domestic enterprises of solid waste recycling and reutilization, and accelerated garbage sorting in both rural and urban areas, so as to constantly improve the recycling rate of renewable resources.

The government also made national quality standards on raw materials of regenerated steel, iron and copper, and guided enterprises to import qualified and high-spec renewable feedstock.

Last year, China recycled 370 million metric tons of renewable resources, 110 million metric tons more than the 2016 level, or a rise of 42 percent. Recycling efforts are injecting new impetus into the country’s economic and social development.

India evacuates its stranded citizens

I

ndia is continuing efforts to evacuate people from Afghanistan as the situation remains fluid after the Taliban’s rapid takeover of the country.

A batch of 146 stranded Indians who were evacuated to Doha, arrived in Delhi on Monday.

They travelled to the capital in three different flights, including a transport plane, according to reports.

With this, India has evacuated nearly 400 people since the past week.

Since the Taliban swept to power in a lightning offensive on 15 August, an overwhelming number of people have tried

to flee Afghanistan.

The group has assured there would be “no revenge” and retributions, but experts say it is too early to trust them, given the outfit’s brutal history.

Thousands are crowded outside the Kabul airport - the only one operational for civilian operations - in the country in a desperate attempt to escape the new regime.

India, which has already evacuated its diplomats and the ambassador, has been racing to provide safe passage to other Indians stranded amid the chaos.

On Sunday, another contingent of 168

people was airlifted from Kabul to Delhi.

The group reportedly included 24 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus, two of whom were MPs in Afghanistan’s now-fallen government.

“All achievements of the last 20 years in Afghanistan have been lost. Nothing is left. It’s zero now,” said Afghan MP Narinder Singh Khalsa after landing in India, according to The Indian Express newspaper.

Mr Khalsa said he, along with 72 other Afghan Sikhas and Hindus, had been trying to reach the Kabul airport since Friday. But they were accosted by the Taliban on the

way, and sent back, he added.

The group again made its way to the airport on Saturday, where they saw a sea of desperate people.

“At each of the airport gates, 5,0006,000 people were standing,” Mr Khalsa said.

Mr Khalsa said they initially were unable to enter the airport, but were later given entry through a VIP check point.

“It is a very difficult and painful decision to leave the country. We have not seen such a situation. Everything has been snatched away. It’s all over,” he said.

Source: BBC

Feature T

housands of people have been scrambling to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban seized back control of the country, almost two decades after they were ousted by a US-led coalition.

The surge in numbers trying to leave comes on top of the 2.2 million refugees already in neighbouring countries and 3.5 million people left homeless within Afghanistan’s borders as a result of ongoing conflict and political instability.

How many Afghans are leaving?

At the moment, it’s unclear.

The Taliban control all the main land crossing points with Afghanistan’s neighbours (shown on the map below) and the militants have said they do not want Afghans to leave the country.

Reports suggest only traders or those with valid travel documents are being allowed to cross.

“The vast majority of Afghans are not able to leave the country through regular channels,” a spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Friday. “As of today, those who may be in danger have no clear way out.”

However, some refugees have managed to find a way out of the country.

Several thousand Afghans were said to have crossed into Pakistan not long after the Taliban took control of Kabul, while some 1,500 Afghans have reportedly entered Uzbekistan and are living in tents near the border.

In Kabul, thousands of people have been heading to the international airport, currently the only operational one in the country, in a desperate attempt to flee.

On Sunday, a White House official said more than 30,000 people had been flown out of Kabul since 14 August by the US and its allies, although it’s not clear how many were Afghan nationals.

How many have fled their homes?

The latest movement of Afghans is part of a historical exodus from a country that has suffered instability and conflict over many years.

Even before the Taliban retook control, more than 550,000 people had been forced to flee their homes this year due to fighting, according to the UNHCR. That means an estimated 3.5 million Afghans are currently internally displaced within the country.

In addition to those within Afghanistan’s borders, about 2.2 million refugees and asylum seekers were also seeking sanctuary in neighbouring nations as of the end of last year.

This year, Afghans have also had to deal with a severe drought and food shortages across most of the country. A report by the UN World Food Programme in June said that 14 million people - more than a third of the population were suffering from hunger.

Where do Afghan refugees go?

Neighbouring countries Pakistan and Iran saw the highest numbers of Afghanistan’s refugees

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

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Afghanistan: Where will refugees go after Taliban takeover?

Army, have crossed into Tajikistan in recent days. In July, Tajikistan said it was preparing to take in up to 100,000 refugees from Afghanistan.

Uzbekistan About 1,500 Afghans are said to have crossed the AfghanistanUzbekistan border and set up camp. Reports suggest the Taliban are only allowing people with valid visas to use official border crossings.

UK The UK has announced plans to accept 20,000 Afghan refugees over the long term. The British government’s Afghan Citizens’ Afghan families inside a US military aircraft wait for the plane’s departure Resettlement Scheme will aim to from Kabul airport allow 5,000 Afghans to settle in the UK in the first year and will focus on women and children as well as religious and other minorities in greatest danger from the Taliban.

US President Joe Biden has authorised $500m (£367m) for “unexpected urgent refugee and migration needs of refugees, victims of conflict, and other persons at risk as a result of the situation in Afghanistan, including applicants for special immigrant visas”. The US has not announced Turkish security forces patrolling the border with Iran help an exhausted an exact number of refugees it will allow in.

Afghan family Canada Iran and asylum seekers last year.

Canada has said that it will Iran has set up emergency tents resettle 20,000 Afghans, focusing Almost 1.5 million fled to Pakistan in 2020, while Iran for refugees in three of its provinces on those in danger from the hosted 780,000, according to which border Afghanistan. But Taliban, including government senior officials from the Iranian workers and women leaders.

UNHCR figures.

Germany was third, with more interior ministry have said that Australia than 180,000, while Turkey took any Afghans who crossed into Iran Australia says it will offer would “once conditions improve, 3,000 places in its humanitarian nearly 130,000.

When looking at asylum seeker be repatriated”. Iran already visa programme to Afghans numbers only - those who have hosts nearly 3.5 million Afghans, fleeing their country. But the applied for sanctuary in another according to the UN. places will come from the country but whose claims have Pakistan existing programme of available not yet been granted - Turkey, Prime Minister Imran Khan humanitarian visas, and there will Germany and Greece top the list, said in June that his country would be no increase in overall numbers. with about 125,000, 33,000 and seal its border with Afghanistan European Union 20,000 respectively. if the Taliban took control.

Officials in several European Although there are no Afghan However, reports say several Union countries say they are asylum seekers in Iran, those thousand Afghans have crossed keen to avoid a repeat of the 2015 with refugee cards - an official into Pakistan and that at least migrant crisis, when there was a document recognising their status one border crossing is open. The populist backlash to large numbers - are able to access the country’s Taliban are said to be restricting of refugees being allowed to enter health and education systems. access to traders and those with EU territory.

What are countries doing to valid travel documents.

Germany help?

Tajikistan Germany has indicated that it While some countries have Exact numbers are unclear but will accept some Afghans, but has offered Afghans safe haven, others reports suggest at least several not specified numbers. Chancellor have indicated they will not be hundred Afghans, including Angela Merkel, who faced sharp giving sanctuary to those fleeing. soldiers from the Afghan National criticism for her open-door policy towards migrants in 2015, has said that her government was focused on making sure that refugees “have a secure stay in countries neighbouring Afghanistan”.

France President Emmanuel Macron has said that Europe must “protect itself from significant waves of illegal migrants” from Afghanistan. He said France would “protect those who are in the most

“

Canada has said that it will resettle 20,000 Afghans, focusing on those in danger from the Taliban, including government workers and women leaders.

danger”, but added: “Europe cannot take on the consequences from the current situation alone.”

Austria Austria has ruled out taking any Afghan refugees.

The country’s interior minister has argued in favour of continuing to deport failed Afghan asylumseekers and has lobbied for the establishment of “deportation centres” in countries neighbouring Afghanistan, where direct deportation to Afghanistan is not possible.

Switzerland Switzerland has said it will not accept large groups of refugees arriving directly from Afghanistan.

Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that his government will work with Pakistan to help stabilise Afghanistan and prevent a new wave of refugees heading for Turkey. The government has also stepped up construction of a border wall with Iran to keep migrants out.

North Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo North Macedonia and Albania have said that they will temporarily host 450 and 300 refugees respectively at the request of the US. The refugees are expected to stay until documentation for US immigration visas can be arranged. Kosovo is also planning to provide temporary shelter for refugees heading to the US but has not specified numbers.

Uganda Uganda has agreed to take in 2,000 Afghan refugees. The East African nation has the largest number of refugees in any country in Africa - and the third largest in the world.

Source: BBC Quote Neighbouring countries Pakistan and Iran saw the highest numbers of Afghanistan’s refugees and asylum seekers last year.

Almost 1.5 million fled to Pakistan in 2020, while Iran hosted 780,000, according to UNHCR figures.

Germany was third, with more than 180,000, while Turkey took nearly 130,000.

When looking at asylum seeker numbers only - those who have applied for sanctuary in another country but whose claims have not yet been granted - Turkey, Germany and Greece top the list, with about 125,000, 33,000 and 20,000 respectively.

Although there are no Afghan asylum seekers in Iran, those with refugee cards - an official document recognising their status - are able to access the country’s health and education systems.

Source: BBC

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PEOPLES DAILY

Sports

TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

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2023 Election: Nigeria will win World Cup if Orji Uzor Kalu becomes President

By Albert Akota

N

igeria’s hope and aspirations of winning the coveted World Cup trophy will become a reality sooner than later only if former Abia State Governor and current senator representing Abia North district at the Red Chambers of the National Assembly, Orji Uzor Kalu, becomes the country’s president in 2023.

Nigeria is due to conduct a general election in 2023 to elect new leaders including the country’s president to oversee their affairs at national and regional levels.

As the election date draws closer with each passing day, Nigerian Journalists who spoke on the background of the endorsement of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu for the 2023 Presidential election in Nigeria by former military head of state, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida IBB said should the Abia State born sports administrator and politician decides to contest for the number one position in the country and emerges victories, Nigeria’s hope of winning the World Cup is a huge possiblity.

Recall that the former Military head of state, IBB in a recent interview disclosed that given Senator Orji Uzor Kalu the needed chance and support to become the president of the country, he would transform the nation.

Speaking, IBB noted that for equity and fairness in the country, the North should support the South-East region to produce the next president adding “We have the likes of Orji Uzor Kalu who is interested in ruling the country and why not,” he said.

Reacting to the endorsement, a renowned sports journalist and TVCNEWS presenter, Akiri Miyen said that he is convinced beyond doubt that if Orji Uzor Kalu becomes Nigeria President, Super Eagles of Nigeria will win the World Cup.

“I swear if Orji Kalu becomes President, Nigeria will win the World cup. Where is the God of Nigeria?,” He Said.

Another sports journalist based in Abuja, Ebube Dike said he has no doubt about Chief Orji’s pedigree in ensuring that Nigeria wins the World Cup under him as Nigeria’s President.

“There is no doubt about his capacity and ability as a seasoned sports administrator as well as a trusted politician who have governed his state for two terms and etched his name in sports history that no current or former Governor has attained.

“As the governor of Abia State, hé sponsored the state’s Football club, Enyimba International to win the CAF Champions League twice in 2003 and 2004 seasons. He was the first and only Governor to achieve that in the country.

“If you look at Enyimba, despite their relative dominance in the domestic league, it has not been translated to the continent since the Senator left office in 2007.

“Do not also forget, that there was a time he had a go at the CAF presidency. It was because of his football antecedents as well as in sports generally that he was crowned Africa’s Pillar of Sports.

“So I have no doubt about what he can do with regards to sports especially football.

Winning the World Cup under him as President is a realisable dream,” he said.

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu was the Executive Governor of Abia State from 1999 to 2007 during which he reconfigured sports in general and football in particular in the state.

Under his governoship, Enyimba International Football Club became a dominant and fearsome club not just in the domestic league – Nigeria Premier League (now Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL) but that dominance was extended to African continent

Former President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Senator Orji Uzor Kalu during a visit by the latter recently as the club made up of reputable players took the continent post-kalu have been Semi-finals in the CAF Champions League and Super Cup by 2008 and 2011 and Confederation Cup in 2018.

As an APC chieftain, It would be easy for the storm winning the two trophies back-to-back in Igbos to clinch power through APC if Orji Kalu 2003 and 2004, 2004 and 2005, respectively.

At the domestic league, the “People’s wins the presidential ticket in 2023.

Orji Kalu was born on 21st April 1960, he is Governor,” as he was popularly referred by his beloved Abia people, made it possible for representing Abia North in the Nigeria Senate.

Enyimba to win the League on five occasions. According to IBB, Nigeria “needs a President Enyimba International FC were champions of who is not above 70 who would lead us to the the Nigeria league in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005 promised land.”

It is hoped that the Igbo political elite as well and 2007. Ostensibly, the team had the greater as the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC chunk of their 8 league trophies under him.

It is undebatable, that since he left office in will give him the needed maximum support and 2007, Enyimba have not been able to reincarnate encouragement to ascend the highest position in the land because beyond sports and football, their former self both at home and abroad.

They have only won the league three times the Africa’s Pillar of Sports have distinguished himself meritoriously. since then in 2010, 2015 and 2019.

And Nigeria football in particular and sports Since winning the CAF Champions League in the 2000s, Enyimba’s best performance at in general will breath a breath of fresh air.

Olympics: Anyanacho targets Paris 2024 as Chukwumerije harps on athletes’ discovery

By Albert Akota

W

eeks after returning from the just concluded Tokyo Olympics 2020, only Nigeria’s Taekwondo athlete, Elizabeth Anyanacho, has disclosed that the experience she gathered at the games would propel her for better performance in the future.

Anyanacho who spoke during a media briefing in Abuja expressed joy over recent global ranking which placed her 28th in the world and 42nd in Olympic ranking.

She said, “The important part of the ranking is to be top six in the world because that will enable me to qualify automatically for the next Olympics... If I could get lots of competitions, I will be able to hit that target of being at the top 30 to enhance my

performance within three years to be able to get enough ranking to be in top six that will help me to qualify automatically for Paris 2024.

“Tokyo was very hard for me, I wanted to spring a surprise even though I had lots of encouragements but I really felt I had the skills and and talents to spring the surprise at the recently concluded Olympics but my opponent is very experienced. It is not only the skills that can take you there, you also have to understand the emotional experience, how to manage tension and the anxiety. Tokyo Olympics have made me to understand this better.”

Also speaking, three-time Olympian and former technical director of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), Engr. Chika Chukwumerije, revealed that the Federation

was poised to discover more Olympicprospect athletes ahead of 2024.

Engr. Chukwumerije who is a certified coach and instructor by the World Taekwondo solicited for more support for Anyanacho to enable her gain adequate points and more experience, adding that Nigeria stands the chance of qualifying more Taekwondo athletes in the next Olympics.

“We are going to do a lot of work to ensure that so many Elizabeths are uncovered across the country. There are also so many wonderful coaches across the country doing very well, and we can identify these athletes and expose them and give them good opportunity. Definitely the sport stands to benefit from it.

“Our target this year is for Elizabeth to be in top 30, then by 2022 we want to push it to

top 20, by 2023 top 10 and before the final push and these just require the resources to move around.

“We have World championship in about six months, that is another new ranking point, so I don’t think we should rest. Also to speak on the mental health because most times when our athletes loose out, we tend to be very critical. We see sports like Gymnastics Uche Ekeh a very young guy, rowing Canoeing.

“Swimming, it was their first time and you don’t say oh you failed; no you didn’t fail, you have taken a journey that maybe other countries have engaged in many years and gained maybe critical experience, so the wonderful Adopt-an-Athletes initiative of the Sports Minister, it is now we now need it,” he said.

FIFA calls for help to evacuate female players from Afghanistan

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Pochettino Aisha Buhari Cup: Okon warns Super Coy on Falcons against complacency when Messi will F make PSG debut

By Amaechi Agbo

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aris Saint-Germain’s manager Mauricio Pochettino is under the world’s pressure to select the great Lionel Messi for his debut for the French club.

Since making the shock move from FC Barcelona on 11 August, Messi has trained for over a week in Paris but when will he be seen on the matchday grass wearing his number 30 jersey?

"We have not yet communicated plans to the group, we will analyse and decide after the conference," Pochettinho "We all know his qualities, he brings a very positive energy.

The connection was made quickly. You can tell there's a good feeling, and not only in the dressing room but also on the pitch."

The club also took the moment to give an update on Sergio Ramos.

"Sergio Ramos and Colin Dagba continue to train and work their way back to full fitness. Their return to competition is planned after the September international break," the club confirmed on its official website.

ormer Super Falcons manager and Head Coach of Nigeria Women Football League, NWFL Premiership side, Rivers Angels, Edwin Okon has voiced his conviction that there are no more pushovers in modern day football, saying the same obtains for the upcoming Aisha Buhari Invitational Women’s Football Tournament.

Describing the Aisha Buhari Cup as a most laudable project in the land in recent times, Okon opined that team selection in favour of the domestic players will give the tournament its biggest catch.

“Every team prepares well for this kind of tournament. It will be wrong for us to consider Mali to be a pushover, I do not think so, and nobody should go to sleep because Mali is on the table. Morocco is a country we do not know much about and

for a team you do not know it becomes risky to sleep in one’s preparation; we must give adequate and due respect to all our opponents.

“For us we need players who will be ready to die on the field of play defending the honour and name of the country and the reason I will canvass for increased presence of the NWFL products in our team selection.

“Aisha Buhari Cup is a very good development; the biggest thing that’s happening to women football in Nigeria and Africa. I wholeheartedly support its developmental messages and commend the initiators.

“I had one or two conversations with the Ghanaian coach at the recent CAF Women Champions League qualifiers in Abidjan and they are coming in a big way for the tournament.

He said they are going to beef up the squad with quality players and that the country’s Vice

President is interested in the team. I can tell you for free that the Ghanaian side that will be coming will be a very good one and possibly a hard nut to crack

at the tournament,” said Okon.

Aisha Buhari Women’s Invitational tournament will commence on September 13 through 21, 2021 in Lagos.

Ahmed Musa shines in Fatih Karagumruk’s away draw in Turkish League

By Amaechi Agbo

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uper Eagles captain Ahmed Musa was in action and put up eye-catching performance on Saturday as his club, Fatih Karagumruk picked a point away in the Matchday 2 of the Turkish Super Lig The former Leicester City of England forward was handed a role to play again in his team’s starting XI following his outstanding performance for the club in their league opener, where he was able to score a goal on his debut which was instrumental in their 4-2 win in the last weekend.

Musa who left Kano Pillars to join the Istanbul club was impressive in the game despite playing out of position as he started at the midfield alongside Ervin Zukanovic.

He played prominent roles for the Francesco Farioli’s side in making sure that they remained unbeaten in their first two games which keeps them going in the competition this season.

The first half of the game was such a balanced one between the two sides as there was nothing to separate them going into the half time break which ended goalless draw.

In the second half of the game, the tempo got tensed up as they both put up some physical, tactical and technical displays but none was able to break the deadlock as all efforts to do so were not successful and it ended goalless draw at full time thereby making it no victor no vanquished.

The result of the game has now taken the away team to the 4th spot on the table with 4 points

Ahmed Musa

in 2 games played and as such be hoping to be back to winning ways in their next fixture.

Musa and his teammates will

have their hand full when the take on Besiktas in their matchday 3 on Saturday, August 28 in another away clash.

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We’ll fight for honours at Aisha Buhari Cup - Houssein, Coach of Mali

By Amaechi Agbo

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ead Coach of Mali Women National Team, Saloum Mohamed Houssein believes his side will have a good outing at the Aisha Buhari Cup tournament holding in the City of Lagos, Nigeria next month.

The Female Eagles will compete in the six-nation tournament organised in honour of the country’s First Lady, Dr (Mrs) Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, with its theme Playing for Good. The nine-day competition will see the Malians slug it out with hosts and reigning African champions Nigeria and Morocco in Group A, with matches scheduled for Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan.

While lauding Dr Aisha Buhari for supporting women’s football, the former Mali international is gladdened by his side’s chances of testing themselves against powerhouses on the continent. “First of all, I salute the initiative of

Nigeria’s First Lady, Dr (Mrs) Aisha Buhari and the support towards the girls and women teams that were selected for the tournament,” Houssein told ABC Media “We are very happy to be among the invited countries for a competition that features the best women’s teams on the continent. We are less than two months away from the start of the qualifiers for the Women AFCON, so it’s a good test for us. We have the ambition to fight for a good result in Lagos, even as our group opponents are Nigeria and Morocco.

In the group stage, the Female Eagles are up against the Super Falcons, who thrashed them 8-0 in 2015 (their biggest ever defeat in history) and Atlas Lionesses that beat them 6-2 on aggregate in a double-header friendly.

The Malians will hope to use the Aisha Buhari Cup as part of preparations for their firstround showdown with Guinea in the 2022 Women Africa Cup of Nations race in October 2021.

FIFA calls for help to evacuate female players from Afghanistan

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orld football umpire, FUFA has written to different governments requesting the emergency evacuation of female players from war-torn Afghanistan.

Players are said to fear for their lives following the Taliban’s takeover of the Afghan capital Kabul.

Players’ organisation Fifpro is also calling for help.

The first Afghanistan women’s football team was formed in 2007 The union said it was working with governments to establish an evacuation plan, adding: “The ambition is to bring as many people to safety as possible.”

FIFA said the situation in Afghanistan “remains unstable and very worrying”.

Earlier last week, former Afghanistan national women’s team captain Khalida Popal pleaded with sporting bodies to “help get our players safe” because she fears for those left behind under the Taliban rule.

Many of the country’s female footballers have gone into hiding since the takeover.

“I have not been able to sleep, I have been crying and feeling helpless,” said Popal, who was pivotal in forming the first Afghanistan women’s football team in 2007.

During their previous rule some 20 years ago, the Taliban stopped girls from receiving any form of education.

Women were unable to leave their homes without a male relative, were not allowed to work and were forced to wear the all-covering burqa. Those who defied them commonly received punishments and beatings.

Haley Carter, former assistant coach of the Afghan women’s team, is among those to have been in contact with a number of players in hiding.

“If anybody finds out that they’re talking to anyone on the outside, their life is in even more danger,” Carter said.

The US Marines veteran said she had received a message from one player saying: “They are going to kill us. They don’t want girls to play football and we’re in risk.”

Carter has advised players in hiding to “stay smart, stay safe and be patient”, as she joined Popal in calling on sporting bodies to help protect those most at risk.

A FIFA spokesperson said in a statement: “We remain in contact with the Afghanistan Football Federation, and other stakeholders, and continue to receive updates from players in the country.”

. . . putting the people first

TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021

SPORTS LATEST

Ighalo’s Double Not Enough in Al-Shabab sixgoal thriller

By Amaechi Agbo

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ormer Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo scored a brace over the weekend for his club AlShabab but it couldm only fetch them a point as they to a three-all draw against Al Ittifaq at home.

Ighalo opened scoring on the 39th minute and got his second goal 10 minutes later as Al Shabab ran to a 3-0 lead However, Al-Ittifaq staged a remarkable comeback in the second half to score thrice and salvage a 3-3 draw.

This draw is coming after Ighalo’s team lost their opening game of the new season.

Last season, the Super Eagles striker netted nine goals in 13 league matches following his departure from Manchester United.

Ighalo and his teammates will be in the road on Thursday when Al-Shabab will be guests to Al-Fateh in matchday 3 of the 2021/2022 Saudi Arabia League.

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Customs’ dangerous chases

S

ome people may consider it an exaggeration when I say that men of the Nigeria Customs Service are gradually joining the ignoble league of ‘killer cops”. In truth customs personnel are not cops in the strict sense of the word in that they are not among first line security outfits like the Police and military organizations whose primary responsibility is to secure lives from criminal elements that seek to kill/ harm us physically, destroy our property or forcefully eject us from our homelands. Still they are cops in that they police the country’s borders to prevent importation of prohibited goods.

What is tagged a ‘prohibited item’ varies from time to time and from country to country. Thus Customs personnel guard our borders against smugglers. But that is not their primary assignment per se, their main function is collection of excise and customs duties on goods; smuggling can be curbed through imposition of high tariff(tax) on affected items thereby making them generally unprofitable for marketers and hence discouraging their being smuggled. So, rather than outrightly banning importation of a particular good(s) high customs duty can be charged on them.

The Customs Service is among agencies that rake in billions of naira into the federal government coffers, after the NNPC and the federal Inland Revenue service.

Between an armed robber/ kidnapper/terrorist and a rice smuggler which is more dangerous? The former steals lives while the latter steals a product so to speak, although we may extrapolate to say that the smuggler hurts the economy with its other side effects. Whereas lives snuffed by the armed robber/ terrorist /kidnapper cannot be replaced, the smuggler, a rice smuggler for example, can be made to make amends through hefty fines which can technically be used to compensate those that are directly hurt by the smuggler’s activities – farmers for instance.

It is in this light that one views as unmitigated disaster, the intermittent clashes between customs officials and smugglers at our border posts resulting in fatalities on both sides; in the course of the personnel chasing suspected smugglers into town.

It happens in Ogun and Katsina.

0806 564 8620 0814 292 9046 0803 587 5846 08074420617

Tuesday Column By VICTORIA NGOZI IKEANO vikeano@yahoo.co.uk 08033077519 However, the recent one in the border town of Jibia, Katsina State where no less than ten persons were killed and several others injured is to say the least unbecoming. They were crushed to death by a customs vehicle chasing a suspected rice smuggler.

What is more, the victims were ordinary folks going about their ordinary business of trying to eke a living in a state that is grappling with the challenge of insecurity in the form of banditry. Expectedly, this dastardly occurrence which could have been avoided if the customs officials had undertaken their ‘duties’ with a humane face, has outraged both the government and people of Katsina state as well as right thinking Nigerians.

In a letter titled, ‘Continuous loss of lives caused by customs officials” addressed to the Controller General of the Nigeria Customs Service and other stakeholders, the Katsina State chapter of a nongovernmental organization expressed deep concern over the incident.

Signed by Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, the NGO made the following observations: “This reckless behavior of the Customs personnel if not addressed decisively will result to a breakdown of law and order which may consume more lives.

The victims are from a poor family background, hence the need to come with aid to the families of the victims in order to calm nerves in the town. This is not the

“

first time of having issues with the service similar to this, hence there is the need to investigate this matter urgently to avert future occurrences of this extra-judicial killings of innocent Nigerians by men of the Nigerian Custom service.The quick intervention of the special Adviser to the Katsina governor on Security Matters for the victims to have access to a special medical attention played a vital role in not only saving the lives of some of the victims, but also escalation of crisis across the state”.

The organization then made the following demands, “We call for the immediate suspension of the activities of Boarder Drill across the state.We call on the Nigerian Custom service to continue taking care of the injured until they are fully recovered.The Nigerian Custom service should provide aid to the family of the victims, considering the fact that the victims cannot move to pursue for their daily bread. Financial compensation should be paid to the families of the deceased with immediate effect. Nigerian Custom service should be seriously warned against pursuing alleged smugglers in town.We salute the spirit of patriotism and humanity shown by the special Adviser to his Excellency, the executive Governor of Katsina state on security Matters by his prompt action to ensure the intervention of state command of the Nigerian Custom service, for the victims to have access to medical facility. We urge the

Between an armed robber/kidnapper/ terrorist and a rice smuggler which is more dangerous? The former steals lives while the latter steals a product so to speak, although we may extrapolate to say that the smuggler hurts the economy with its other side effects.

traditional rulers, religious leaders, elders, intellectuals, the cultured section of our politicians, the professionals, youth and students, business men and women, civil servants, civil society organisations and the general public to mobilize to resist this reckless activities of the men of Nigeria Custom service for their on personal benefits.

Finally, while we remain vigilant over the direction and fate of our state, it should also be clear that the Youth are the major stakeholders in whatever happens in the state, and the Leaders will be making a terrible mistake if it assumes that were a mere pushovers to be turned into marginal elements in all calculations on the future of our dear state”.

Although the Customs authority sent a high powered delegation to commiserate with the government and people of Katsina state, the citizenry are still seething with anger. Governor Masari admitted that he relunctantly received the delegation, adding that the government would sue the Customs Service over the incident.

The customs should review its operations at the borders. It should endeavour to apprehend suspected smugglers before they cross the border into the town. It can also use drones to locate their whereabouts when the smugglers run into town. No amount of money can equate human life. A bag or bags of rice or any other banned commodities, no matter its/their monetary value, should not be valued more than human life.

DAN GAYE DANGAI

2023: APC, PDP corrupt, vote them out -Former INEC boss

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